VSP 47

But the moment Sejun saw through the spirit-shared vision a figure holding a camera walking mindlessly, and the moment he saw that figure so distracted he did not even notice the monster planted right in the middle of the playground and kept walking straight, he realize he had no time.

If he tried to tell the twins and move slowly, that man would just die right there.

After that, his body moved by instinct.

First, he shouted the name written on the school sign where the boss was to Choi Yerin, then he immediately used the skill called “Battle Tactics” to swap positions with a spirit.

Even with conditions, that skill itself was equivalent to teleportation, so his mana rapidly drained. And since it had not been long since he had just replenished with a mana potion, Sejun was forced to summon Hoya right away.

“Ugh.”

It felt like mana was leaking out of him and it was absolutely unpleasant. But thanks to that, he saved that idiot with the camera.

If Sejun had been just a little slower, that idiot would have died.

Fortunately, he was not too late, and before the monster could open its mouth and swallow that idiot, he barely succeeded in summoning Hoya. Of course, because he had used Battle Tactics, then summoned Hoya, then Hoya attacked–all of which drained mana rapidly in a chain–he started feeling the effects of potion addiction symptoms. But anyway, he had saved him.

At least in moments like this, Hoya did not ignore Sejun’s commands, so the queen bee hit by Hoya’s paw was flapping its wings in pain.

Buzzzzz

The sound of its beating wings was savage. The furious flapping stirred up dust from the dirt ground of the playground.

“Ugh.”

In the end, Sejun’s body could not handle the sudden mana consumption and reach its limits. Strictly speaking, he had only drunk potions a couple of times but the pace was too steep. Anything consumed too quickly would upset the body, and right now Sejun’s body was exactly in a state.

Bright red blood streamed from Sejun’s mouth.

[Sejun-nim!]

“I am fine.”

He was not fine but showing weakness at a time like this would only make things worse.

Ah, but I am dizzy. Sejun closed his eyes against his spinning vision and opened them again.

But at least the worst situation had been avoided… Sejun raised his head and then witnessed something unbelievable.

“H-Hoya.”

The lunatic he had just saved did not run away. Instead, he held his camera tight to his chest and was filming Hoya.

Even Hoya, who had been about to ran straight toward Sejun after seeing him spit blood, stopped in his tracks and looked at the man who was absorbed in filming.

“It’s Hoya! Amazing!”

Of course, Hoya looked at him in disbelief, and even Sejun, who had been spitting blood, wore an expression of sheer absurdity. But the man ignored them, struggling only to capture Hoya on his camera.

“Do you see this, hyungs? I am the only one who filmed Hoya this close!”

‘This is the world’s strongest summon, guys!’ The man shouted in excitement. It looked like there was nothing in his eyes except the stream.

The problem was, even though Hoya had hit the queen bee boss, it had not been a finishing blow.

“You crazy bastard!”

Sejun shouted, but it was already too late.

That golden time gave the boss a chance to recover. As soon as it pulled itself together, the boss hurled its massive body toward the man.

It was smart and aimed for the man in that moment, as if it knew it would be advantageous.

“Ngh!”

He had already drunk too many mana potions in too short a time. If he drank more, he would only suffer side effects, and the mana would not replenish, Sejun knew that from experience. He ran instead.

All he could do now was take the hit himself!

Damn it! No matter what, it was better if a sturdy S-rank took it. If an ordinary civilian took that massive body head-on, it would be instant death!

[Sejun-nim, you must not!]

The system, realizing what Sejun was about to do, tried to stop him. But Sejun had no choice.

Yerin was on her way, so at least he would not die completely! Sejun rushed in and threw himself in front of the lunatic obsessed with his camera, blocking with his body just as the giant boss’s mass slammed into him.

He could feel the massive boss’s body right at his face. The moment Sejun wrapped his arms around the lunatic to shield him, he heard a gruesome tearing sound.

“……?”

But Sejun felt no pain. It doesn’t hurt? In that moment, he felt a terrifying feeling. It was not his body that was hurt, it was another being in pain.

Sejun turned his head wide-eyed.

“Hoya!”

It was Hoya.

Hoya had put himself between Sejun and the blow.

“Ugh.”

The shock felt by the summon was transmitted to Sejun, but it was nothing compared to the hit Hoya had taken. Nearly half of Hoya’s massive body, which had blocked the boss’s attack head-on, was torn and shredded.

“Hoya!”

Sejun had never thought Hoya would block the attack with his own body, and was shocked.

Though different from living beings, Hoya was a summon close to a spirit. If the impact was too great, he could vanish permanently.

In other words, even a summon like Hoya could die.

“Grrr”

Hoya growled. Fortunately, the summon was not forcefully cancelled, but the impact from blocking the attack with his body was so severe that he staggered. If he held out any longer, something terrible would happen.

But the boss that had struck Hoya looked lively. Of course. Though it had taken one hit from Hoya earlier, it had not suffered a decisive blow.

On the other hand, Sejun’s side had taken a direct hit without preparation, only because he had been saving that lunatic.

He had given not only flesh but bone.

No.

He saw the boss raise its foreleg. Sejun ran over and pulled Hoya into his arms, making himself the human shield this time.

“Grrrr!”

Hoya struggled, as if to say no, but Sejun held him desperately in his embrace.

The giant tiger could not even fit fully into his arms, but at that moment, all he thought about was that no matter what happened to him, he could not lose Hoya. The civilian he was supposed to protect did not even cross his mind then.

“Hoya…!”

The boss swung down its massive foreleg right at that desperate moment.

Boom!

Sejun felt something hot explode above his head. A sudden heat washed over him but it wasn’t a burning sensation.

Kieeeek!

As the boss screamed Sejun realized instinctively that this heat was not attacking him.

He opened his eyes and saw the queen bee burning in flames right in front of him. Acrid smoke and the foul stench of burning flesh stabbed at his nose.

“Seo Sejun!”

When he turned back, he saw Choi Yerin, breathless, her chest rising and falling from the haste of her attack.

Flames rose again from her fingertips, and without hesitation, she fired another spell at the monster.

Kieeeeeek!

Whether it was because the attribute match was the worst possible, the monster shaped like a queen bee instantly caught fire all over its body.

“Ugh.”

The heat was so intense it felt like his face was cooking, and Sejun raised his hand to block it. Even though it was not his body burning, the indirect heat was overwhelming.

Thump!

The boss finally collapsed with a loud noise. After taking two direct blasts, its massive body had two enormous holes burned black, as if it had been hit by cannons.

At that moment, Sejun thought of the comments online about her–people saying Choi Yerin was top-tier as a healer but her offensive power was weak for an S-rank–and he wished they could feel this heat for themselves.

Would they still say she was weak after feeling this heat that could be felt even a hundred meters away?

Then, when he heard the ragged, wheezing sound of breathing, Sejun quickly turned back to Hoya.

“Hoya…!”

Hoya was lying limp, tongue lolling, as if he realized the situation had turned in their favor. Sejun’s heart dropped, and his face went pale. Then the system hurriedly spoke.

[Sejun-nim, it is all right. He only collapsed from fatigue.]

Sejun saw Hoya’s stomach rise and fall with deep breaths. His limp figure did not look like he had stopped breathing or vanished.

“…Really?”

But he was still worried, Sejun wanted to check once more, but again the system reassured him.