A massive cage broke the water’s surface, dragged up from the depths below. Waves crashed against it, pushing the entire structure onto the shore with a grinding scrape against the rocks.

“Let me say this again—I pulled you out by force,” Park Yerim announced, landing gracefully beside the dripping cage.

“You didn’t escape on your own, and you certainly didn’t ask for this. Right?”

The goblins huddled inside blinked rapidly and nodded their heads in frantic agreement.

“We didn’t say anything!”

“We didn’t!”

“Exactly. So the contract stays intact!” Yerim clapped her hands together. “Now everyone out! Move it! I’m about to smash this cage to pieces! Consider this a threat!”

Park Yerim put on her most intimidating expression, deliberately scowling. The goblins couldn’t help but comply—Little Kim Seobang was being so scary! They scrambled out one by one through the torn bars. After the last goblin emerged, followed by an ancient-looking flowerpot, Yerim stepped back and completely obliterated the already-damaged cage. Water formed into a massive fist that SLAMMED into the metal bars repeatedly until nothing remained but twisted scraps.

“Mister should have made it to safety by now,” she muttered, scanning the dark water. “I can’t even see him from here.”

This distance should be enough. Still, maybe she should drive the goblins a bit farther inland before heading back, just to be safe.

“…Huh?”

The water that had been surging at her command suddenly went still, losing all its power. Park Yerim, who had been hovering slightly above the ground, dropped with a startled yelp.

“What the—?”

Her skills had vanished. The water that had moved like an extension of her own body wouldn’t respond to her will. Yerim’s face went pale in an instant.

“Mister…” she whispered.

What do I do? What do I do? Her heart hammered against her ribs. It wasn’t like she’d completely reverted to her pre-awakening state—she could still feel the power swirling within her body. She quickly realized that something in the surrounding environment had been distorted, not herself.

But the trembling in her chest wouldn’t stop. Park Yerim drew in a shaky breath. Though she’d never consciously acknowledged it, this fear had been lurking in her subconscious all along.

What if I become ordinary again?

If Han Yujin knew about this fear, he’d tell her not to worry. He’d say that no matter what happened, they’d always be family, and wouldn’t she treat him the same even if he lost all his abilities? He’d say it with that gentle smile of his. Even knowing this, she couldn’t completely shake the dread.

Unlike other S-Rank Awakened, Park Yerim was still so young. If she became ordinary again, there would be nothing left for her to do.

“Little Kim Seobang?”

“What’s wrong? Little Kim Seobang?”

“Ah, nothing.”

Park Yerim slapped her cheeks lightly. Get it together. Something around me has gone wrong, but I’m fine. She pushed down the fear that had reared its ugly head and forced an exaggeratedly serious expression onto her face.

“I think something weird is happening. You guys need to get far away from here, fast. Ugh, I can’t use my flight skill—how am I supposed to get back to the island?”

Wait, does that mean everyone else lost their skills too? Park Yerim frowned and gestured for the goblins to back away. As she took a step forward—

THUD!

“Ow!”

She slammed into something invisible.

“What now? This is…”

Park Yerim reached out and pressed her palms against the transparent barrier.

“It feels exactly like being inside a dungeon.”

She threw her full weight into a punch, but the barrier didn’t even tremor. Only her knuckles throbbed with sharp pain. The goblins crept closer to Park Yerim, confusion written across their faces. One of them stuck out its arm and waved it around in the same space.

“There’s nothing here?”

“I know that! I know!” Yerim waved her hands frantically. “It’s like… like mime! Acting like there’s something when there’s nothing!”

“Wow, Little Kim Seobang is such a good actor!”

“Do it again! Again!”

“I’m not acting!”

Park Yerim tilted her head and tapped the empty air experimentally. She could definitely feel the solid wall, but the goblins passed through it without any trouble. Deep furrows appeared between her brows.

“What is this thing, really? If Mister were here, I could just ask him.”

She had absolutely no idea what was happening. What would Mister do in this situation? After wrestling with the problem for a while, Park Yerim turned to the goblins.

“Can you guys still use your skills?”

“Yeah, I can fly!”

“I’m sky-blue fire!”

The goblins demonstrated by taking to the air or transforming into fireballs. Their abilities worked perfectly fine. Only the goblins?

“…Is it somehow connected to you guys? I need to tell Mister about this, but how do I get over there?”

She stared helplessly at the dark lake swaying in the distance. Just then, a tiny whimper reached her ears. Park Yerim whipped around toward the sound. There, floating in the air, was a goblin holding what looked like a miniature fox and buffalo like little decorative dolls. A white furball was also zipping around in chaotic circles. Yerim’s eyes narrowed as recognition dawned.

“Could that be… Mister?”

It looked exactly like Han Yujin’s usual entourage. At Park Yerim’s murmur, the goblin called out.

“Middle Kim Seobang sent them!”

“Mister! It really is Mister, isn’t it? My goodness, there were three more? Is Mister safe?”

“Yes.”

Red Marble goblin tried to approach Park Yerim but collided with the transparent wall with a solid thunk. Its eyes went wide with surprise. The other goblins watched in amazement.

“There really is something there.”

“Goblins can pass through… ah, put them down first!”

After Red Marble set down the fox and buffalo, it slipped through the transparent barrier with ease. Seeing this, Park Yerim nodded grimly.

“So only goblins can pass through.”

“A strange power that specifically doesn’t affect goblins. Goblins, goblins… ah! Could it be Yun Yun? The Goblin King? Did she have this kind of ability too?”

At the mention of the Goblin King, every goblin flinched as if struck. Even Red Marble goblin seemed frozen, then hesitantly opened its mouth.

“Goblins… must not kill people.”

“You said you don’t like hurting things, right?”

“We can’t. We… inside us, there is something scary.”

The other goblins began murmuring in hushed, frightened voices.

“We become scary, we can’t.”

“We become something else.”

“The scary thing can’t become strong.”

“If we kill people, it becomes strong.”

“Um… so you’re saying you change if you kill people? Into something scary?”

The goblins bobbed their heads vigorously.

“Then this power now… it’s because the Goblin King has changed into something scary…”

Tears began welling up in the eyes watching Park Yerim. The goblins covered their mouths with their hands, hid their faces, or hugged each other tightly. Seeing how terrified they were to even speak about it, Park Yerim ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) let her words trail off.

“Ah, I get it! Don’t worry! Everything’s going to be fine. Mister will figure out how to handle this!”

Even if Yun Yun had changed, surely Mister would have a solution? At Park Yerim’s encouraging shout, the goblins tilted their heads curiously.

“I’ll go tell him it’s Yun Yun, your king. Getting there is the real problem, though.”

Should she try to build a raft? Red Marble goblin approached the pondering Park Yerim.

“I-I’ll help you.”

“Huh? You will?”

“Since we’re both goblins, it should be okay, so I’ll protect you as if you’re one of us.”

Red Marble climbed onto Park Yerim’s shoulder. Its body shrank, and a red will-o’-the-wisp light spread across Park Yerim’s entire body, wrapping her in a faint, warm glow. Park Yerim tested her skill. Her body lifted effortlessly into the air, just like always.

“It actually works! Thank you!”

“Uh, yes. You’re going now, right?”

Red Marble goblin’s voice trembled with barely contained fear.

“You’re scared.”

“Yes. But we have to go to Middle Kim Seobang, right? Little Kim Seobang.”

Park Yerim turned to look at the other goblins huddled together. Han Yujin and all the S-Rank Hunters on that island were probably unable to use their skills right now.

“Um… maybe just a few more? Just three—no, are there any other goblins who would come with me? I promise I’ll protect you.”

Silence stretched between them, broken only by the sound of frightened blinking. The goblins’ help was definitely needed, and this was for their own good too. Though her heart felt heavy, Park Yerim didn’t try to convince them further.

They were like children who had just been born into the world.

Mister wouldn’t have tried to persuade scared kids either.

Park Yerim smiled brightly.

“Be careful and stay safe. If anyone comes, hide immediately! Take care of the baby monsters too.”

Since they were in the middle of the lake, she figured being able to use her skills would be enough. The moment Park Yerim turned toward the island—

“Huh?”

From the far distance, something like a hazy fog was spreading rapidly toward them. Park Yerim felt the air turn frigid and quickly raised the lake water into a high protective wall. At the same time, she poured all her power into heating the water.

CRACKLE–!

The sound of the lake freezing reached her ears. The wall of water Park Yerim had created began hardening into a pale, icy barrier. It was a terrifying cold that couldn’t be countered simply by raising the water temperature. Park Yerim was S-Rank and had cold resistance, but the goblins and baby monsters behind her were not so fortunate.

Just as Park Yerim gritted her teeth in determination—

WHOOSH!

A blazing flame rushed toward the freezing wall of water.

“Peace!”

The Flame Horned Lion, wreathed in fire, slid gracefully along the widely spread ice wall. Intense heat surged upward, melting the barrier back into liquid. The viciously advancing cold retreated, and lukewarm water splashed across the solidly frozen lake.

“Wow… it’s all frozen solid. Peace, you! You can still use your skills? What happened?”

Peace, who had approached Park Yerim, spat out what he’d been carrying in his mouth. It was a lock of dyed blue-gray hair.

– Grrrr.

Then he growled, clearly dissatisfied about something.

“Whose hair did you rip out?”

– Grrr.

“Please tell me it wasn’t from a non-Awakened person.”

Peace continued growling. He had been about to follow Han Yuhyun when he’d heard a voice calling “Hyung Yujin,” and had gone in that direction instead. The name and the word were familiar to Peace. But Han Yujin wasn’t there. Daddy wasn’t there, but it smelled like Daddy.

“What’s that on your hat?”

A pendant she’d never seen before was hanging from the miniature hat. A large white jade pendant. When she removed it, Peace’s wings suddenly vanished. Could this be…

“Where did you get this, Peace?”

– Hmph.

“You can’t tell me… anyway, let’s hurry and get to Mister! This seems dangerous, so make yourself big.”

Park Yerim said, returning the pendant to Peace. Peace’s size expanded dramatically, and the trio—Yerim, Peace, and Red Marble goblin—quickly crossed the frozen lake.

“…”

The remaining goblins watched in complete silence until their backs disappeared entirely from view, not even blinking. A heavy quiet settled over them, without a single sound of their usual cheerful chatter.

“…Little Kim Seobang helped us.”

“She helped us.”

“It’s scary. But.”

“What should we do?”

“What do we do?”

Silence fell again. The goblins looked at each other with uncertain eyes.

There must have been an unexploded bomb left behind—no, that couldn’t be it.

Is the final boss finally making its appearance?

Since we were quite far from the island, I couldn’t see the situation clearly with my naked eye. But this feeling was unmistakable.

It felt exactly like being inside a dungeon. We’d fought off the zombies on the first floor, moved up and battled the ice giants on the second floor. Now the boss appears after all the monsters are cleared.

And there was something else.

My Promising Talent skill.

I’d been in too much of a hurry earlier to pay attention, but now all the information, including the optimization skill, was displaying just like before. In other words, at least here in China, the system connection was working properly.

If this entire area around us had been transformed into a dungeon, we probably couldn’t escape even if we ran. No matter how I looked at it, this didn’t seem like something the military could accomplish alone. If it was Chatterbox, that would be the worst-case scenario. If it was leftover traces from the King of Harmless, that would actually be a relief.

Yerim and Peace, who had been startled by the explosion, quickly approached again. The two of them had figured out how to use their skills—wait a minute.

“Mr. Seong Hyunjae, candy! Do you have any candy? It’s a secret from Yerim!”

If she found out, she might get unnecessarily curious. It wasn’t a regular cigarette—it worked on S-Ranks too. Absolutely not. It wasn’t good for adults either, but for a minor? Definitely not happening.

Seong Hyunjae pulled a candy from his pocket and tossed it to me. I had no idea why he carried them around, but I was grateful. Then I whispered softly to Noah.

“Please don’t put me down, no matter what. I’m begging you.”

“Ah, yes!”

She’d find out about my injured leg eventually, but not right now. She’d just worry needlessly. In the meantime, I welcomed the arriving Yerim and Peace with open arms.

“You’re both safe! I’m so relieved!”

“Mister!”

– Grrr!

“Our Yerim looks great with long hair too! And those clothes are so cool! Peace, that thing on your horn… you must have looked adorable! Is your fur spotted now?”

A tiny hat was perched on the tip of Peace’s horn. He must have worn it while in his smaller form. His fur… was it dyed? There were black spots scattered here and there.

“Mister! The area around the lake is completely blocked off! Like a dungeon!”

“I figured as much.”

“How did you know? And they said it’s the Goblin King! She’s the one who did this! The goblins were trapped underwater…”

Yerim explained everything she’d experienced. Unbelievable—to put a contract on two goblins simultaneously so that if one breaks it, both get cursed… It was exactly what I’d expected, but still completely excessive.

“You can use skills if a goblin helps you?”

“Yes. But other than this one, everyone else was too scared… I couldn’t bring them with me.”

“You did the right thing. You can’t force frightened children to come along. Thank you for helping even though you were scared, Red Marble.”

“Yes, Middle Kim Seobang.”

Red Marble blinked shyly. It was unfortunate about the other goblins’ help, but it couldn’t be helped. At least one had come. And Yerim had also brought the pendant that allowed Peace to use his skills. Hwang Rim must have been wearing this pendant too. Blue-gray hair… was that Park Hayul? As expected of our Peace.

“It’s dangerous, so you wear the pendant, Yerim, and I’ll take Red Marble.”

Red Marble goblin moved over to me. With this arrangement, at least the burden of using our skills was resolved.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep