Failed Possession Chapter-38

## Ch-38.

 

Among the requests Jake brought over, Yuri spotted several familiar names.

Carnivorous Vines, Walking Mushrooms, Poison Flies, Fang Rabbits, Slimes, Two-legged Lizards…

All low-level monsters that appeared in the game’s version of Lagos.

“We’ll pass through a cluster of Carnivorous Vines first,” Jake explained. “There are Walking Mushrooms and Poison Flies that live symbiotically with them. You especially need to watch out for the Poison Flies.”

Just the fact that the flies were the size of fists and buzzed around was disgusting enough, but they latched onto you and injected venom.

It wasn’t deadly poison, but once infected, dizziness set in, then paralysis, and eventually you collapsed.

And once you fell—

The vines grabbed you, the flies gnawed at your flesh, and the mushrooms attached themselves to your body.

Orphan Yuri had never even seen a monster before, much less fought one.

But the *current* Yuri had.

During the month-long trip from Aldor to Lutran, they’d camped out almost every night, and monsters frequently appeared on the road or after dark.

Back then, before Elena even needed to act, Haryeong would simply throw a dagger and kill them. He’d never actually faced danger himself.

“Sounds easy.”

Unlike Yuri, who listened tensely since it was his first time, Elena looked completely unimpressed.

There were plenty of countermeasures for poison.

Take an antidote beforehand and you could endure it. Even if poisoned, just take another.

And Elena, a Tier 4 mage, could cast detoxification magic herself.

In fact, Tier 3 alone was enough to naturally endure Poison Fly venom.

“Only Yuri needs to take the antidote,” Haryeong said.

He obediently swallowed it.

It was bitter and sticky, leaving an unpleasant aftertaste. Yuri grimaced.

Haryeong clicked her tongue.

“Life must be hard at Tier 2.”

Today’s goal was to pass through the vine cluster, subjugate monsters along the way, and return to town before nightfall.

‘So this is how they confirm kills.’

He’d wondered if they had to cut off ears or something. Apparently not.

He looked down at the bracelet on his wrist.

It was standard gear loaned to Lagos adventurers.

Kill a monster while wearing it, and it recorded the data. Return it to the guild later, and you got paid.

“Feeling nervous about your decisive duel with a goblin?”

Haryeong teased when she noticed him staring at it.

“No need to worry. Goblins are enemies even ordinary people with clubs can beat.”

“I don’t have a club.”

“Oh dear. But you’re not an ordinary person, are you?”

After Jake’s briefing, they left the guild.

They retrieved the carriage from the stables.

Jake naturally took the driver’s seat.

“Yes.”

Though her expression didn’t change, Haryeong clearly looked pleased not to be driving.

Jake glanced at her oddly and grabbed the reins.

‘What’s their relationship…?’

At first, he’d assumed this was just some young Magic Tower mage testing a new spell.

Lots of mages came to Lagos for that.

But the more he watched, the stranger the group seemed.

The Tier 3 martial woman called the mage “Miss” and spoke respectfully—almost like a servant. But her tier was lower, so she wasn’t a bodyguard.

‘Feels like a retainer…’

The most confusing one was the Tier 2 martial artist.

Jake had assumed he was a porter. But judging by yesterday’s reaction, maybe not.

Not family.

The mage seemed oddly protective.

‘A lover…?’

Didn’t seem like it. Too big a gap. And there was distance between them.

Just friends?

“Childhood friends.”

“Huh—?”

He’d been caught staring.

Jake flinched.

Haryeong stared at him expressionlessly.

“Yuri is Miss Elena’s childhood friend.”

“Ah… yes…”

“Frankly, the reason we came to Lagos is to let Yuri safely and comfortably gain ‘experience.’”

“Experience…?”

“Yes. He’s aiming to become an adventurer. Since you’re experienced, please give him advice during the requests.”

“Advice…”

Jake muttered and glanced back at Yuri climbing into the carriage.

“First advice would be to go buy a proper weapon…”

Yuri had a few daggers, sure—but low-tier fighters couldn’t handle monsters with those.

Swords. Spears. Axes.

That’s what adventurers used.

“Yuri, did you hear?”

“Thanks, but I don’t plan on using anything else.”

“He says no.”

…Then why ask for advice?

Jake grumbled internally and snapped the reins.

—

—

Lagos.

The mountain was surrounded by a five-meter wall to prevent the overgrown monsters from spreading.

Looking up, Yuri sensed magic.

A transparent ceiling.

The wall was impressive—but nothing compared to the magical dome covering the entire mountain.

It was clearly meant to block flying monsters.

“What about flying ones?”

Since he couldn’t mention the invisible barrier directly, he asked casually.

Elena brushed dust off her robe and glanced upward.

“The Rift’s ceiling is sealed with magic.”

“The entire area?”

“The Magic Tower Lords’ work.”

She smiled proudly.

“This wall’s a joint effort between Iron Fortress Guzel Havert and the Earth Cult’s High Priest. The sky dome was designed by Arsen Lucionel and refined by multiple Tower Lords.”

Yuri knew Guzel Havert.

A mage with absurd defense. Easy to kill compared to Orca, since physical damage worked.

“How is it? Amazing, right? Magic can do the impossible.”

“Not just anyone can.”

“Of course not! But Tower Lords—mages beyond Tier 7—can make anything possible. Do you think a Supreme Realm martial artist could do something like this?”

He thought of Chuk Shin-do.

No matter how strong his aura was, covering this entire region for decades?

Impossible.

‘Though he could probably blow it all away in one strike.’

Ignoring Elena’s bragging, Yuri touched the wall.

Mana flowed through it.

And something else—divine power, probably.

Different energies, yet perfectly harmonized.

“Verified.”

You couldn’t pass the gate without showing your adventurer tag.

But sneaking over was probably possible.

Most adventurers around them carried weapons.

They circled the mountain to quickly reach the Carnivorous Vine cluster.

“From here on, I’ll take point,” Jake said. “Keep your distance and follow.”

Haryeong shadowed him like a ghost.

“Nothing dangerous, but don’t stray too far from me,” Elena added.

Come to think of it, this was his first time seeing Elena fight with magic.

She looked oddly motivated.

Probably because she could finally show off her strength.

Once they entered Lagos proper, the air changed.

Not fresh.

Damp. Slightly fishy.

Trees had grown grotesquely large, blocking the sky.

Things moved everywhere.

Insects. Beasts.

No—monsters.

Distant fighting sounds too. Other adventurer parties.

“They’re here.”

Jake warned.

Between roots and bushes, dull green vines writhed.

Large mushrooms shuffled on tentacle-like legs.

Swarms of buzzing Poison Flies closed in.

“You remember I hate bugs, right?”

He remembered.

Ten-year-old Elena used to scream and cry at the sight of worms or cicadas.

“Yuri! Yuri!”

She’d always run to him instead of the caretakers.

Back then, Yuri hadn’t been exactly kind.

He’d beat up the kids teasing her—and shoved the bugs into their mouths.

“I still hate them.”

Twenty-year-old Elena didn’t cry.

Instead, her face twisted in pure disgust.

Crackle—

Electric arcs burst around her body.

Bzzzt—!

Golden lightning shot outward in every direction.

The swarm of flies she hated most was the first to be fried. The arcs of electricity continued leaping outward, striking the monsters one after another. The current, centered on Elena, moved as if alive, sweeping everything away.

The magic of the **Dercia Magic Tower** in the game had always specialized in combat—especially efficient for mowing down weaker enemies.

That held true in this world as well.

Tier 2 monsters with no magic resistance getting hit directly by a Tier 4 mage’s spell?

Death was only natural.

The “battle”—if it could even be called that—ended in an instant. It was closer to slaughter.

“Hmm.”

Elena looked around.

The vines and mushrooms were charred black. The flies had exploded so thoroughly that not even corpses remained.

After confirming the aftermath, she pulled out a comb from inside her robe and casually brushed through her hair, which had become a mess from static.

“It’s called **Lightning Chain**. So? What do you think?”

What kind of reaction was he supposed to give?

Yuri just stared around with his mouth half open.

If *he* had fought, he would’ve trusted the antidote and desperately punched at flies. Then kicked the wriggling mushrooms…

And the vines? Burn them? Stab them repeatedly with a dagger?

“As expected of Lady Elena.”

Back when she first came to Aldor, he’d briefly considered attacking her and trying to escape.

Thank goodness he hadn’t.

If he had, he wouldn’t have escaped—he’d have been electrocuted on the spot.

“Why not learn magic from this great Elena even now?”

Normally she hated being addressed like that, but now she puffed her chest out proudly.

She clearly liked both the spell’s impact and Yuri’s reaction.

‘This is my chance to really show him how amazing magic is.’

Even if he was a martial genius acknowledged by a Supreme Realm master, she still wanted him to learn magic.

If he wanted to learn, maybe he wouldn’t leave the estate.

Coming to Lagos wasn’t just to give him experience—

It was also to show off how effective magic was.

‘Perfect.’

Satisfied with her plan, she tucked the comb away.

Jake guided the way.

Whenever monsters appeared, Elena cast magic.

Occasionally Haryeong threw a dagger, but most fights ended with a single spell.

“Whoa…”

Even Jake eventually relaxed his grip on his spear.

He’d met many mages as a guide, but Elena was clearly abnormal.

She was decades younger than other Tier 4 mages he’d seen, yet the quality of her magic felt on an entirely different level.

‘So this is a Magic Tower mage…’

They said even at the same tier, Tower mages were several steps above.

While marveling, Jake busily collected monster corpses. He couldn’t carry everything, so even just picking the sellable materials nearly filled his pack.

“Wait.”

Haryeong, who’d been walking with her arms dangling lazily, suddenly spoke.

“What is it? Monsters?”

“Please wait here a moment.”

Without further explanation, she kicked off the ground—

Whoosh!

She shot forward and vanished over the bushes.

“What the—?”

Haryeong had been quiet the whole time. Her sudden reaction made Elena tense.

She tightened her grip on her wand.

Crackle—!

Electric current gathered around her, ready to cast at any moment.

Yuri also prepared.

The incantation of the **Evil-Quelling Heavenly Principle Technique** flowed through his mind as inner energy spread from his dantian.

It still felt like burning fire.

Crack.

His clenched fist popped.

“I’m back.”

She said “a moment,” and it really was just a moment.

Haryeong leapt back over the brush.

“…?”

Elena and Yuri stared blankly.

She wasn’t alone.

“Ki–kieeek…”

In her hand—

She was gripping a goblin by the neck.

“What… is that?”

“A goblin. More precisely, a green goblin scout.”

Expressionless, she lifted it high for them to see.

The goblin—about the size of an elementary school kid—kicked wildly, but Haryeong’s arm didn’t budge.

“I found it alone and grabbed it. If there’s a scout, there should be a nest nearby.”

“…Why did you bring it?”

“So Yuri can finally do something instead of just following quietly.”

She tapped the goblin’s head.

“Demi-human monsters like goblins possess intelligence. Some can even converse depending on type and age.”

“Kiiieeek.”

“But Rift-born ones usually can’t. Abnormally spawned—no age, no experience. A pity.”

“Krreeeek.”

“Still, let’s try talking.”

She grabbed its long ear.

“Listen, green goblin scout. That curly-haired man over there is Yuri.”

“Kiiiaaak!”

“From now on, you fight him. If you win, I promise to spare you and send you safely back to your family.”

“Haryeong, are you insane?”

Yuri finally blurted out.

“I’m perfectly sane.”

“Doesn’t look like it.”

“Please don’t be rude. Yuri, the goblin is ready. Prepare yourself.”

“Kyaaaak!”

“Is that a yes?”

“Sadly, I don’t speak goblin.”

She tossed it.

Thud—

It landed in front of Yuri.

“Go. Show him your strength.”

The goblin didn’t understand human language.

But it instinctively understood.

It couldn’t fight the woman who’d instantly subdued it.

To escape—

It had to kill the man in front of it.

“Kyaaak!”

It charged, claws extended.

“…Sigh.”

Yuri stepped forward.

He understood Haryeong’s intention.

But seeing a goblin in person, he only thought one thing.

‘Why was I nervous?’

Its movements looked painfully slow.

Honestly, the Oh brothers he’d fought when he first transmigrated were stronger.

Thwack!

His kick smashed into its temple.

Its skull caved in.

It collapsed without even screaming.

“….”

Haryeong blinked at the corpse.

A flawless kick.

‘What was that?’

For a split second, Yuri’s form overlapped with **Full-Moon Play**.

Impossible.

He hadn’t kicked with the **Demon-Guiding Orb** or aura—

Just a goblin’s head.

‘My imagination?’

Full-Moon Play’s leg techniques had left a deep impression.

But Yuri had never learned any kicking techniques.

So that was just… a normal kick?

“Why that face?”

Yuri asked.

“Where did you learn that kick?”

“You don’t have to learn somewhere to kick.”

“That’s not what I meant. No depth like a martial technique—but the form was clean.”

“Full-Moon Play used his legs well.”

“…What?”

“I figured being a martial artist doesn’t mean only using fists. Kicks help. Easier against small opponents.”

He nudged the corpse.

“For now I’m focusing on fist techniques. Hard to find leg techniques. So I’m just practicing the form.”

…What?

So he copied it just from watching?

“Crazy.”

It slipped out.

She clamped her mouth shut.

But honestly—what else could you say?

She’d known his eyes were sharp.

But even *she* struggled to follow Full-Moon Play’s legs back then.

‘He saw it that clearly?’

“Disappointing. I expected a desperate duel.”

“You seriously thought I’d struggle against a goblin?”

“I thought you’d hesitate a bit. Didn’t expect a merciless kick.”

“Do I look that stupid?”

“You just killed a life. No guilt?”

“Not really.”

“Good. Then let’s go kill the rest.”

She pointed into the brush.

“There should be more.”

“….”

“Miss Elena, don’t step in. Let’s just watch how well Yuri fights.”

“You’re not helping?”

“I’ll cheer from behind. Maybe throw a dagger if needed.”

Elena reluctantly nodded.

“For Yuri’s sake,” she thought.

Haryeong grinned faintly.

“Come, Yuri. Let’s make a goblin hell.”