CHAPTER 59

The forest exuded stillness and peace, momentarily causing the players to forget about the insects. It was a calming place, with a warm breeze gently swaying the trees and the perpetual hum of insects in the background.

The sun hung high in the sky, casting its light over the dense forest. Despite the intense heat, the wind and abundant leaves created a beautiful shield, casting shadows on the anxious players below and offering a fleeting ease that soothed their nerves. However, amidst this tranquility, one group failed to anticipate an impending attack.

The calm breeze abruptly transformed into a strong gust, causing the trees to sway violently in one direction, nearly stripping them of their leaves and leaving every branch bare. The forceful wind didn't stop there; it carried dirt, insects, and leaves, assaulting the unfortunate group and forcing them to shield their faces.

The wind resembled a merciless hurricane, robbing the group of their senses and thrusting them into a disadvantageous state.

"What's happening?!" the blonde girl shouted, attempting to withstand the wind, shielding her face with an arm. She tried to peer at her groupmates, but the wind prevented her eyes from opening for even a second. But when she did, a speck of dirt entered her eyes, causing her to shut them tight and grumble in pain.

"Don't move! Stay at your place!"

"Are we under attack?!"

In a similar predicament, the other four members attempted to make sense of the situation, shouting for their group members. However, the relentless wind hindered them from taking any action, even preventing them from using their abilities for defense.

Seeing such disruption, Hirayon swiftly closed the distance, running towards the group and stopping at a safe space where the wind's force was diminished. He found a strategic position, his focus narrowing with precision as he aimed directly at the king.

Surveying the group's plight, Hirayon almost felt pity as they struggled against the overpowering wind. 'It's more than effective. He spoke as if it was weak, but his wind could be used for defense and offense.'

Grateful for such an effective attack, Hirayon wasted no time and promptly launched his whip. With a quick swing of his wrist, the whip traversed the forest, swiftly passing through the trees until it positioned itself between the two girls at the king's back. Observing the whip's proximity to the boy, Hirayon stiffened the flexible weapon and propelled it forward, piercing the child's back slightly—enough to inflict injury.

The moment the child was struck, the once-golden intricate crown turned black, and Hirayon seized the opportunity. Commanding the whip, it softened, and with a calculated, practiced snap of his wrist, the whip curved like a wave from Hirayon's hand until it reached the end, taking on a hook-like shape. Skillfully, he manipulated the whip to wrap around the crown and pulled it forcefully, causing it to land in his hand in no time.

Checking for the king's reaction, Hirayon saw the child guarding its face.

'Good, he didn't notice.'

Coiling the whip in one of his hands, Hirayon quickly returned to the spot where the other two were.

Upon reaching them, he presented the crown with a small smile. "I got it."

OFF134 glanced at Hirayon before his eyes lowered to the raven crown. Before he could react, OAR48, sweating with wide eyes, voiced the question OFF134 had in mind.

"That quick?!" he exclaimed, forgetting momentarily that they were trying to conceal their location. Such a feat was beyond his expectations. He had anticipated it would take at least 5 minutes and more battles before acquiring the crown, but Hirayon accomplished it in record time.

Hirayon shrugged. "Your attack was very effective, so I snatched the crown quickly."

Perplexed by Hirayon, OAR48 asked, "You used your whip?"

"I did," Hirayon answered, displaying his left hand where the coiled whip rested.

"In that hurricane?" OAR48 questioned, disbelief evident in his voice and confusion written across his face. He had been concerned earlier, considering it was his strongest attack, and wondered how Hirayon's whip would fare. Yet, his worries proved unneeded.

Understanding the question, Hirayon replied, "Yes. This whip was made from my blood, so I could freely control it. Better than a normal whip."

OAR48's admiration for Hirayon had taken another leap. Not only did he perceive Hirayon as incredibly impressive, but he also felt elated that Hirayon had acknowledged the strength of his attack.

He felt happy and glad that he had given his best and utilized the strongest ability in his arsenal. So, despite the significant drain on his Aura, a sense of confidence in his power filled him.

"Still, that's not easy," OFF134 spoke, cutting OAR48's pleasing thoughts.

"I practiced."

OFF134 clicked his tongue, briefly looking away from Hirayon before fixing his gaze on the child again.

'As if anyone can get better with just that alone. I practiced and trained every day, but I still can't control that damn tentacle fire. That kid's just too talented.'

"It must've taken you a lot of Aura," OFF134 muttered, his grim expression directed at Hirayon. His auburn eyes could no longer conceal the emotions he was experiencing at that moment.

Noticing the reaction but dismissing it with an air of nonchalance, Hirayon offered a brief reply. "Not much."

A surge of strong emotion surged within OFF134's chest. The memories of his arduous daily training within his clan played out vividly in his mind. Each day spent beneath the volcano's scorching heat, enduring the searing pain of fiery soil, evading relentless heat waves—every trial he had faced came flooding back to him. And for what? To gain strength? To emerge as a formidable warrior of the Fire Clan?

He felt as though his struggles paled in comparison to the innate talent before him. He cared not for what hardships Hirayon may have endured. It didn't matter if the young one had weathered even more rigorous training. In his eyes, such an individual represented a harsh reality—a phantom that would forever impede his dreams, a towering wall he could never scale.

The unfairness bore heavily on him, dragging him down and causing him to view Hirayon, along with Hirang, as an insurmountable summit. Individuals who were more gifted and destined to always outpace him in reaching the peak.

Yet, like the warrior he was, this harsh truth only fueled his determination. He refused to surrender simply because these two were superior. He vowed to exert every ounce of his strength to surpass them and ascend to heights even the two cannot reach.

Grumbling at his thoughts, OFF134 averted his gaze from the Hirayon before walking toward the direction of Hirang and the rest of the group. He departed without uttering a word, leaving Hirayon and OAR48 utterly befuddled.

Dismissing OFF134's peculiar demeanor with a nonchalant shrug, OAR48 ceased the use of his ability. In a matter of mere seconds, the ill-fated group 4 erupted in a cacophony of panicked voices. Every member gazed at the void on their king's head, the collective shock etched on their pallid faces.

They lost the crown in just over a minute, failing to defend and even realize such a stealthy assault.

*****

Back to where the defense team was, the group remained surrounded by damp sand, with Hirang comfortably perched on a small rock he had discovered. Growing bored with the situation, he shifted his focus to the insects inhabiting the area. He turned them into unwitting subjects of his torment—squishing, flicking, and toying with them like a mischievous bully.

Witnessing this, OSZ61 couldn't help but contort her face in disgust. The slimy residue left behind by Hirang's hand on most of the insects was beyond her comprehension. For the first time, a twinge of sympathy for the unlucky creatures crept into her thoughts, deeming them unfortunate for wandering too close to the child.

Despite her repulsion at Hirang's eccentric behavior, she averted her gaze from the unsettling scene, unwilling to confront him. The child had finally reined in his relentless stream of insulting and annoying remarks, and there was no way she would attempt to play the hero for the insects, garnering Hirang's attention on their behalf.

'I initially thought he was a quiet child, but he's quite the talker,' OSZ61 mused, recalling how Hirang couldn't let go of the fact that she had misrepresented her ability.

'I mean, it's not completely a lie. I know I possess the skill. After all, I came from the Legarve family of the Sand Clan.'

Restoring her self-assurance, OSZ61 indulged in a mental pep talk when OID76 suddenly seized her right arm. Glancing to her right side, she noticed OID76 narrowing his eyes toward the forest ahead.

"What is it?" OSZ61 asked, a little annoyed.

"Shh!"

Responding to the abrupt but tense hush, Hirang, and the little girl snapped to attention, their eyes swiftly scanning the area in the direction the boy was looking.

Standing, Hirang positioned himself in front of the two, squinting as his searching gaze combed over the forest, finally detecting something unusual.

With a smirk, Hirayon emitted a low chuckle, widening his dead eyes to meet the gaze of the unseen observer.

"We have our first guest," he announced, his voice laced with excitement. Bored from waiting, the anticipation of a potential confrontation made his hands itch for a fight. However, OID76 and OSZ61 swiftly stepped before him, concealing him from the prying eyes of the enemy. Caught off guard, Hirayon was about to scold the duo when he felt something on his head.

Lifting his hand and coming into contact with it, his fingers brushed against the cold metal of the crown, and the harsh reality of his position sank in. "Damn it!"

In frustration, Hirayon kicked the soil, then returned to the rock, dropping his body to sit once more. His pitch-black eyes remained fixed on the location of the enemy, emanating such intensity that the observer couldn't help but feel a cold sweat run down his back.

Avoiding the heated glare, the little boy glanced at the other group members, all of whom cowered behind a large tree.

"I don't think this is a good idea," he expressed. Despite facing only three enemies, they appeared exceedingly formidable, enough for his already pale face to get whiter.

The little girl with high ponytailed brown hair beside him widened her eyes. "What are you scared of? He can't fight. He's the king. We should take this chance while they're only three."

The little boy who had anxious blue eyes answered back. "But what if the other members are around, waiting for us to attack first?"

Another member, crouching beside the girl with a ponytail, shook her head with a short blonde bob, "No, I've already surveyed our surroundings, and we're the only ones here."

"Your ability only allows you to detect 10 meters around you. What if they're beyond that?" the little boy questioned, casting his eyes toward the other members, silently seeking their support. After a moment of silence, his prayers were answered.

"He has a point; we should be careful," another boy, who had maintained his silence until now, spoke up. He sported curly, shoulder-length hair and amber-colored eyes.

"Why? Do you know them, OEM129?" the blonde girl with bobbed hair inquired.

OEM129's amber eyes briefly caught the sunlight, a fleeting gleam illuminating them. With the flash, memories of his encounter with the group surged back. The presence of Hirang and the two other familiar children indicated that the individuals he saw in the labyrinth game formed a group. This hinted that OWS59, who rested on ODE152's back, was likely among them—a person they should avoid.

Unlike the other children who paid little attention to recordings of past games, OEM129's curiosity about OWS59, the one who managed to pacify the erratic child, led him to watch previous games in the hope of understanding more. This gave him enough knowledge to recognize that Hirayon possessed an uncertain potential force. He had seen from the videos that Hirayon was formidable, intelligent, and quick-witted. Yet he couldn't gauge the full extent of that strength, a power that made Hirang, who wielded darkness, act meekly.

"Kind of. ODE152, their king, as you all know from the last game, was strong. But we don't have to worry about him since he couldn't fight, but I can't say the same for the other group members," OEM129 explained.

The little girl with a high ponytail rolled her eyes. "Oh, stop being so negative. Can we just attack them? We're wasting our time."

"You're so rash. Do you even know what their abilities are?" The little boy, now more confident with someone who shared his viewpoint, countered.

"Are you stupid or what? Of course, it's sand and water. Look at that," she said, pointing at the defensive trap Group 1 had set up.

"How sure are you? It could be mud as well. And that could also be other members' abilities," the little boy argued convincingly.

Grumbling at the disagreement, she crossed her arms. "You're so annoying. Fine, do whatever you want. Take your time. I'll tell you to your face, 'I told you so,' once the other members return," she said, angrily looking away.

Sighing, the little boy who had been spying on Hirang interjected, "It probably won't hurt if we take our time. Let's plan this carefully. Who should attack?"

"Why not all of us attack together?" suggested another girl. Originally intending to be a spectator during the planning, she found herself unnerved by Hirang and wanted to avoid confronting Group 1 alone.

"We can't abandon our king," asserted the blonde girl, glancing at the quietest member of their group. Despite her small smile, her eyes showed an emptiness devoid of emotion.

"I suggest that I move with you," she said monotonously.

OEM129 gave her a doubtful look. 'I'm really unlucky to be grouped with them. They can't devise a single plan, and the king's like a robot. I wouldn't be surprised if she was actually one and someone else was controlling her.'

"I'm monitoring the ground for anyone getting close to us to ensure her safety," the blonde girl said while touching the ground. "We should act fast and turn this into a five versus two fight," she added.

The group deliberated quietly, and when they finally reached a decision, they stepped outside the forest into an open area, revealing themselves to Hirang's group.

Concerned and anxious about the impending confrontation, OSZ61 glanced at the little boy on her right. "Why did they come out?" she whispered to OID76.

"I don't know. But the way they look at the sand, they know about the trap. Be ready. Pull them into the sand if you can, and I'll quickly freeze them."

"Got it," OSZ61 obediently nodded.

Irked, Hirang spoke, "Oh, be quiet, both of you. You're basically telling them your plan. Didn't you consider if one of them has enhanced hearing? Tsk. Amateurs."

Though irritated by Hirang's remark, the two couldn't deny that their exchange was a foolish move. They had completely overlooked the possibility, allowing their nerves to get the best of them.

Swallowing hard, the little girl attempted to suppress her nervousness and steeled herself for the upcoming fight.

"I've been in numerous fights already. I can do this," OSZ61 whispered to herself, slowly moving her fingers and preparing to manipulate the wet sand.

Contrary to her expectation, the other group suddenly extended their arms, raising them above their heads.

"We're not here to fight. We want to offer an alliance."

R E H I L I Y A