Hamin, who had rushed toward where Haru was, didn’t aim for the ground.
“Kang Haeun!”
“Yes, yes.”
As Hamin called out while sprinting forward, Haeun answered playfully, dragging out his words as he waved the staff in his hand. Compared to the one Sihyeon held, Haeun’s golden staff chimed with a clear ringing sound. A golden aura wrapped around Hamin’s body.
Hamin kicked off the ground and rose into the air.
Not jumped—flew.
He was literally suspended in midair. At the same time, golden wings sprouted from his back. It was a sight hard to believe even while watching it.
“How long does it last?”
“About ten minutes?”
“That’s enough.”
At Hamin’s arrogant tone, Haeun burst into laughter. Unlike the others, who were tense, he looked completely relaxed.
“Bring in lots of money, honey.”
Ignoring Haeun’s teasing wave, Hamin tightened his grip on the sword in his right hand. Then, with a click, the shield in his left transformed into a blade—a black sword with a sharp edge.
Holding a sword in each hand, Hamin’s lips curled upward.
And Sihyeon’s mouth fell open.
Damn pay-to-win gear.
Compared to his own flimsy staff that looked like it would turn him into a magical boy if he waved it, Haeun’s buff-granting staff and Hamin’s transforming shield made him feel unfairly disadvantaged.
Lowering his gaze, feeling a sense of loss over his weapon, Sihyeon watched as Hamin—now the only one among the 96 students capable of aerial combat—spread his wings.
—Swoosh!
Hamin surged toward the Wormman in the air.
His violet eyes burned with a deep crimson glow. Boom! The battle between Hamin and the Wormman began.
The blade that cut through the air was blocked by the Wormman’s claws. As it let out an eerie screech, pleased to have stopped the attack, Hamin let out a small scoff.
As if it didn’t matter at all.
With a cruel smile, Hamin raised his right arm—the one that hadn’t been engaged.
“You think blocking one is enough?”
—Slice!
With a single downward stroke, the Wormman’s wrist fell to the ground. Black blood splattered across the field. Its scream rang out—but Hamin didn’t stop there.
His blade plunged into the Wormman’s body.
Taking full advantage of his flight buff, Hamin moved without hesitation. The Wormman struggled desperately, but it was futile. If it couldn’t stop him with two arms, one arm stood no chance.
If his left arm was blocked, his right cut through the obstruction. Even if his raw strength lagged behind, he overwhelmed it with speed and relentless assault.
The Wormman’s screams began to fade.
“Kiiik… kik… kueeek….”
Its limbs severed, it trembled a few times and died midair.
It had taken less than two minutes since receiving Haeun’s flight buff.
A genuine sense of admiration slipped out. This was the true caliber of a male lead.
“KIIIEEEEK—!”
At an even sharper scream, Sihyeon turned his head.
Haru came into view—driving a dagger into a Wormman’s mouth.
Gone was his usual timid demeanor. What remained was ruthless and merciless.
Push.
As Haru applied force, the dagger pierced through and burst out beneath the Wormman’s jaw.
It made Sihyeon’s stomach churn.
Just two boys were slaughtering five Wormmen.
The sight was unbelievable—shocking no matter how long he looked. As he stared, dazed, someone tapped his shoulder.
Tap, tap.
Behind the light taps, platinum eyes looked at him.
“What, you just gonna watch? We’ve got guests over here too.”
“…….”
At the word “guests,” Sihyeon finally tore his gaze away from Haru.
Four Wormmen were approaching him. A crease formed between his brows.
“Why are there so many?”
“They probably ran away from the others.”
“What?”
“Look around too, Sihyeon. Don’t just favor your cute little partner.”
That’s kind of hurtful.
At Seowoo’s gentle reprimand, Sihyeon quickly cast a barrier before turning his head to scan the area.
Out of over 90 students, only a handful were actually fighting Wormmen.
Dawoon and Jihye were burning theirs together. Geonwoo and Haeun were facing incoming Wormmen. Elsewhere, groups of seven or more students were barely handling a single Wormman—but even then, fewer than forty students were actively fighting.
Looking closer, he saw students sitting frozen, others crying, some huddled in corners of the field in fear.
All of them pale, trembling.
Sihyeon bit his lip.
That was the normal reaction. He knew that better than anyone.
“Aaaah!”
One boy collapsed, clutching his bleeding arm. Even with multiple people, they couldn’t properly handle a single Wormman.
It made it painfully clear how abnormal the Four Heavenly Kings—and Haru, Dawoon, Jihye—really were.
They weren’t main characters for nothing.
And compared to them—he was just an absurdly weak ordinary person.
Sihyeon’s gaze shifted again.
“I don’t even have a weapon for killing.”
All he had was this ridiculous pink staff.
What good was a strong class if his body was still that of an ordinary person who had already been overpowered by a single Wormman?
No matter how good the class, a civilian was still a civilian.
He couldn’t hold off multiple Wormmen like Haru or Hamin. He couldn’t burn them all like Jihye and Dawoon. Maybe he could if he used Copy—but he had no confidence in properly using an ability he’d never even tried.
As he voiced his frustration, Seowoo—still relaxed—smiled gently.
“I didn’t ask you to kill them.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’ll handle it.”
His soft voice declared it.
Calm—almost leisurely.
As Sihyeon looked at him, Seowoo stepped forward, standing in front of him, glancing back over his shoulder.
“You can handle healing, right?”
“…….”
As if that much was obvious.
Sihyeon opened his mouth, then closed it, silently staring. Just as Seowoo was about to say something—
Two of the four Wormmen moved.
They took to the air.
“Kiiieek!”
With that unbearable screech, one of them lunged downward.
“I’m counting on you.”
That was all Seowoo said before moving.
His platinum hair swayed.
—Clang!
Claw met blade with a sharp metallic sound.
Snapping out of it, Sihyeon stared at the boy’s back—the boy who had taken it upon himself to protect him.
Slightly taller than him—but still just seventeen.
Tch.
Clicking his tongue, Sihyeon swallowed and focused ahead.
Three left.
Aside from the one Seowoo was fighting, three remained. They didn’t seem intelligent enough to coordinate—but they could attack at any moment.
Gripping his staff tighter, Sihyeon kept his eyes locked on them.
Clang!
Another collision rang out.
The earlier one-hit kill had likely been due to the Wormman’s carelessness—because now, Seowoo’s fight was dragging on longer than expected.
Slash—blocked.
As Seowoo pressed forward, the Wormman’s cries grew louder.
“Kiiieek!”
At close range, it screeched, splattering pale liquid.
Frowning, Seowoo swung his blade, knocking it back and retreating.
—Clang!
Another clash, immediate.
Blocking a sudden attack, Seowoo countered, leaving a deep gash across its abdomen.
“Kiiik!”
The Wormman collapsed, unable to withstand the internal pressure from the wound.
As Seowoo raised his sword to finish it—
Another Wormman lunged. A perfect opening.
Its claws sliced toward him. Too fast to block.
—Whoosh!
The claws closed in on his face.
And then—
—Thang!
They were deflected midair.
“Kiiik?!”
A transparent barrier had appeared, blocking the attack.
Crack.
The barrier shattered immediately after, barely strong enough to withstand a single hit.
Seizing the moment, Seowoo swung his blade and severed the Wormman’s head. Another followed soon after.
Turning back, his platinum eyes met Sihyeon’s blue ones.
“We’re working together.”
Not just one-sided.
At his calm addition, Sihyeon blinked slowly.
A beat later, Seowoo smiled. Sihyeon turned his head again.
Two Wormmen remained. The battle wasn’t over yet.
