Chapter 625: Long Tail (4)

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Eungwang High, around the west gate.

Kwon Jein discovered the butterfly.

By the time the butterfly disappeared, most of the Pig Clan minions were also defeated.

As scheduled, it was time to gather the attack team to take the antidote to clear the frozen otherworld.

However, Kwon Jein continued to worry about the butterfly.

It felt like the butterfly disappeared and flew straight into her head.

‘What in the world is she trying to do this time…!’

Kwon Jein recalled the trick played by Nabiryeong during the Great Manchester otherworld incident.

Nabiryeong thought she would save Kwon Jein and isolated her.

As a result, Kwon Jein lost her family and team members.

Kwon Lena’s parents died in the same incident.

Just after her performance, the team members’ hands stopped.

Seeing Kwon Jein stare blankly, Jared Lee talked to her.

“It’s all good here now, Jein-ah. Let’s go prepare for the attack.”

Then…

Fwaaat!

A strong energy wave was felt from the direction of the east gate.

The players who were there looked at the direction, surprise evident on their faces.

“A strong energy wave…! It’s coming from the east!”

“Isn’t the Dragon Clan in charge of that area?”

“There must’ve been a situation that even the Dragon Clan couldn’t stop!”

While everyone’s attention was swept away by the unidentified energy waves, Kwon Jein stared at the bamboo forest where Nabiryeong’s butterfly minion disappeared.

Kwon Jein thought about the bamboo forest.

‘Eungwang High has a good landscaping so I went around while I was there. Around the school, of course. But I didn’t know about that bamboo forest from before. There’s no way I couldn’t have seen it because it’s connected to Cheonik Mountain.;

She’s only discovered that bamboo forest near the school.

Kwon Jein felt very strange about that fact.

She tried to recall it but to no avail.

‘Even if I look back on my memory, I can’t remember what was originally in that space. In the meantime, I couldn’t recognize the existence in my head even though I saw the bamboo forest with my eyes.’

In other words, the bamboo forest was so thoroughly hidden that even a player as big as Kwon Jein couldn’t detect it.

Even if it was discovered by chance, it was clear to Kwon Jein that it was disguised to be natural that no one would suspect it.

Kwon Jein remembered again that the school was ran by the Tiger Clan.

‘If it’s a place that I can’t recognize properly, then it’s probably managed by the Tiger Clan.’

The fact that Nabiryeong pointed to it meant that something would happen soon.

As Kwon Jein expected, something happened out of nowhere.

Not long after the intense energy waves from the west, the frost began to freeze the boundary.

Friiiz, crack…

The sight of the white frost creeping over the boundary in the shape of a giant snowflake was spectacular.

If there were no threats, Kwon Jein would’ve played a song inspired by it.

However, the frost that loomed over Eungwang High was riddled with cold air and malice.

“The boundary is freezing!”

“What’s going on inside the school?! Lena!”

“Did Lena wear warm clothes today…? Will she be okay?”

Kwon Jein’s concentration faltered for a moment when Kwon Lena’s name was mentioned.

However, her eyes were still stuck in the bamboo forest.

There was quite a distance between her, but as much as she focused, she couldn’t detect abnormalities.

“Strange. The chill of that frost is heading in, not out. But I think the bamboo forest is freezing.’

The frost is heading inside, but even the bamboo forest is getting frozen.

However, it didn’t seem to show any different movements.

The first was simply sprinkled with cold air through the medium of energy waves and covered the school’s boundary.

As if it were aiming for the west gate, the energy waves were shot from east to west, but that was it.

With those in mind, Kwon Jein came to a conclusion.

‘Is the bamboo forest connected to the inside of the school?’

The cold air toward the school leaked out and froze the connected bamboo forest.

That made sense, but questions remained.

‘But why?’

Let’s say that the reason for covering the boundary with frost is to attack the students inside with cold air and block outsiders from coming in.

Why was the energy wave shot toward the west gate?

The cold air will be penetrating the school anyway, and the children can’t escape already.

If their intention is to get the gate with many people, they should’ve aimed for the south or main gates.

What could be the reason for aiming for the west gate?

‘I think it’s the bamboo forest. That forest could be related to the passageway that connects the school.’

Although the Tiger Clan completely concealed the connection passage between the bamboo forest and the school, that passage was revealed by the cold air leaking.

Follow the direction in which the cold air flows and they’ll find the connecting passages.

In other words, the enemy is achieving three things with one move.

Attack the school with cold air, freeze the bamboo forest, and reveal the connecting passage.

Perhaps there were more goals that Kwon Jein is yet to grasp.

‘If there’s a secret, then it should have something to do with the Tiger Clan.’

Jwiiik…

Meanwhile, the frost was still spreading fearfully.

The bamboo forest was freezing as well.

Whether it was because of the chaotic situation or because the power that concealed the forest was still intact, only Kwon Jein was aware of the forest.

Kwon Jein spoke to Jared Lee.

“I’ll leave the attack team to you, Jared.”

“…Jein?”

Jared Lee was surprised.

Kwon Jein usually asks him to do something like this before an unexpected incident.

Jared Lee’s ominous feeling became a reality.

“I’m gonna go to the bamboo forest.”

“Jein-ah! What do you…!”

Without realizing it, Jared Lee grabbed the back of his neck.

Kwon Jein continued calmly as if she’d already made up her mind.

“There’s a possibility that there’s a passage there through the school. You have enough manpower to target the otherworld, so I think it’s okay to enter the school.”

“B-but wasn’t the entrance to the school supposed to come after we cleared the other world? Right? Wasn’t it?”

Jared Lee was flustered that he spoke with weird awkward Korean that barely made sense.

Kwon Jein understood every word and replied.

“A butterfly has appeared.”

“…!”

The members around Kwon Jein and Jared Lee stiffened up.

Where butterflies appear, incidents always break out.

However, Nabiryeong leaves useful hints or guides Kwon Jein to safety.

Aware of Nabiryeong’s involvement, the team members were always at odds.

Kwon Jein hates Nabiryeong though so her hints were always met with hesitation.

Nabiryeong seemed to have no interest in saving Kwon Jein’s team or family members, only the violinist.

Wouldn’t it be alright for Kwon Jein to follow the hint?

That was the main concern of the team members.

But Jared Lee thought differently.

‘I can’t make Jein sad anymore!’

Even if Kwon Jein becomes safe after following Nabiryeong’s will, she wouldn’t be happy.

Nabiryeong is a royal lineage that will sacrifice not only Jared Lee’s life but also Kwon Lena’s without a thought.

Jared Lee decided to stop Kwon Jein.

“I can never let you go where the butterfly leads you, Jein-ah!”

“Jared.”

Kwon Jein looked straight at Jared Lee with her blue eyes.

Jared Lee flinched at the will and power he felt in her eyes.

Kwon Jein already made up her mind, and Jared felt frustrated about how to stop her.

At that moment, someone talked to them.

“Yes, don’t go.”

Fwaat! Hwik!

Jared Lee stood between the voice and Kwon Jein, and the team members held their instruments in their hands.

The voice was heard from quite a distance, and the owner of it seemed to have heard the conversation just now.

“Who are you!”

With Jared Lee’s awkward Korean, the voice showed up.

The person was wearing all black — the patissier from MITRON.

Not wearing his usual white patissier clothes, it was difficult to recognize the man.

“Hello. I am Ryu Jang, the patissier of the famous MITRON near the west gate.”

They were puzzled by the sudden appearance of the patissier, but the people at the west gate knew well about the shop called MITRON.

Kwon Lena always gave food that she personally made, but sometimes she’d buy limited menu items from MITRON that she wanted to eat with them.

Anything Kwon Lena buys for them would’ve been delicious, but MITRON’s products were objectively all excellent.

‘…But why is MTRON’s patissier?’

MITRON is located near the west gate, so it’s not strange that he’d be in this area.

But why would he get involved with right now?

“I was going to close because I heard it would be called today, but the one I serve had a different opinion.”

Ryu Jang’s words were all strange.

They couldn’t figure out who he was “serving” or what he wanted to say.

“That person originally is quiet and reluctant to intervene, but he wanted to enjoy the sidelines in the best environment this time. He decided to help some child.”

Kwon Jein’s suddenly recalled a classmate of Kwon Lena.

Jo Euishin, the student who discussed the operation with her.

“In any case, I was going to help in attacking the otherworld… But I think you have enough manpower.”

“Are you trying to buy time? If you don’t get down to business, I won’t listen to you.”

Kwon Jein spoke sharply when Ryu Jang seemed to stall.

A member of hers flinched at Kwon Jein’s cold words, but Ryu Jang still had a subtle smile.

“A message from Jo Euishin. The matters in the bamboo forest will be handled by Jo Euishin himself, so he wants you to focus on attacking the otherworld.”

Kwon Jein’s eyes opened wide at the mention of Jo Euishin’s name.

Ryu Jang continued.

“I was told to stop you by force if you refused. But I’m going to stop you with words for now.”

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