This aspect is annoying. Lee Seol Ah, who quickly dodges when attacked and only attempts attacks from a distance without ever engaging in close combat, was a tricky opponent for Seung Joo, who fights with brute strength.

After charging around for a while, only breaking surrounding objects in vain, Seung Joo couldn’t prevent Seol Ah from suddenly rushing in at an unexpected moment and swiftly stabbing a syringe needle into her neck.

Damn it. Cursing was already too late.

Though uncertain, the contents of the syringe, clearly not a normal drug, quickly paralyzed the superhuman Seung Joo’s body.

In less than 10 seconds, Seol Ah walked flutteringly towards Seung Joo, who had slumped to the ground.

She looked utterly delighted, like a girl about to go on a date with her lover.

She approached Seung Joo, who was kneeling on the floor, crouched down to meet her eye level.

“I’m sorry. But K, you’re too strong, so I felt I couldn’t get close unless I did this.”

Seol Ah apologized with a genuinely sorry expression, then took something out from her bosom.

The moment Seol Ah, after mixing white powder into a small prepared water bottle and shaking it, reached out to pour it into Seung Joo’s mouth.

Oh my! Barely managing to move her immobilized arm, she struck at Lee Seol Ah’s cheek, but sadly failed.

Seol Ah barely dodged Seung Joo’s fist, and with wide eyes, stroked her startled chest.

“My goodness. This anesthetic could knock out an elephant, yet you’re resisting it. K, you really are strong.”

She smiled helplessly, then suddenly nodded towards Seung Joo’s back.

“You there, come here.”

The man who had been sneaking away in the distance suddenly looked up in surprise.

Seung Joo turned to look at him. He hasn’t escaped yet. This is bad.

While she was thinking this, Seol Ah, who had called the man over to where she and K were, commanded in a languid voice.

“Would you hold K’s arms for me?”

She smiled gently as she made this threatening request, and the man, though trembling, followed Seol Ah’s order and pinned Seung Joo’s arms to the ground.

Blood still seeped from the hole in his stomach from protecting the man, and Seung Joo gritted her teeth as she was suddenly restrained by the very person she had been protecting.

Seol Ah, humming a tune regardless, removed the mask Seung Joo was wearing to pour the prepared drug into her mouth.

Having finished all preparations and grasping Seung Joo’s chin, Seol Ah smiled happily as she was about to bring the vial to her lips.

Bang. There was a loud noise and the sound of something breaking from outside.

Then, a retreat order from a colleague came through the communicator Seol Ah was wearing in her ear.

Seol Ah grumbled and said to wait a bit, but the situation outside seemed urgent, as if another hero had already arrived.

Seol Ah lamented why the whole world only interferes with her love, but eventually gave up and stood.

She told the man holding Seung Joo’s arms that he could leave, and he immediately ran off into the distance.

Seol Ah watched mockingly as he fled with his tail between his legs, then draped her upper body over Seung Joo, who was almost completely paralyzed and unable to move.

Bringing her face close as if about to kiss her, Seol Ah looked down at Seung Joo and said.

“Did you see that, K? Him running away.”

“…”

“Everything you protect is like that. Don’t you feel disillusioned?”

Seol Ah gently stroked Seung Joo’s cheek with the back of her hand, as if pitying her.

“No matter how much you sacrifice, no one appreciates it. If you die here? It’ll just be a dog’s death. …Wouldn’t it be better to use your power for something more productive?”

Seol Ah persuaded sincerely.

“Come with me.”

She felt sorry for K, who was wasting such amazing abilities on protecting mere things like that.

“If you come with me, I’ll let you do whatever you want. You don’t need to struggle pointlessly protecting things. You’re frustrated too, honestly.”

Having such power, yet having to live only like that.

Only having to protect others.

Unable to destroy anything, and getting nothing but criticism if you don’t do well despite sacrificing yourself.

It’s all tiresome, isn’t it?

Seol Ah persuaded her earnestly, as if she had looked into her heart.

Soon, an answer came from Seung Joo lying on the ground.

Seol Ah met the eyes of Seung Joo, who had somehow taken her gun and was barely pointing it at her chest with a trembling arm.

Ah, how thrilling.

Meeting those unwavering, upright eyes, Seol Ah smiled, feeling utterly ecstatic.

The cold sensation of the gun barrel digging into her chest couldn’t have been more thrilling.

Damn it, when will my strength return?

Being the strongest in muscle and physical power, and with faster recovery than other heroes, Seung Joo lay in the middle of the ruined chapel waiting for her paralyzed muscles to loosen.

Gunshots and loud noises continued outside, but with ambulance sirens also heard, the situation seemed to have somewhat settled.

Lee Seol Ah disappeared with incomprehensible nonsense like ‘I’ll definitely succeed next time. Let’s meet again as lovers.’

Quickly dismissing the mad woman’s ravings, Seung Joo hoped to recover on her own and leave here on her feet before someone else arrived.

It would be fine if another hero came to collect her paralyzed self, but amidst this chaos, there was no chance of anyone having that luxury.

The worst-case scenario was civilians or other paramedics finding her here.

With her mask removed earlier by Lee Seol Ah and her hat blown off somewhere, her face would be exposed in no time if discovered like this.

Please, muscles. Come back.

The strength used to point the gun at Lee Seol Ah earlier had been the last desperate struggle, squeezing out every last bit of power, and she was going crazy over her limbs not budging no matter how hard she tried.

Please, God. It was then, as she anxiously stared at the cross on the ceiling.

Seung Joo experienced the moment her prayer reached heaven.

“A-Are you alright?”

A familiar yet strangely unfamiliar voice pierced her ears.

No, God, I asked for help, not for that human to be called. Seung Joo inwardly complained, squeezing her eyes shut.

Yoon Seok Hoon, who had carefully walked in through the back door of the ruined chapel, asked in surprise upon discovering Seung Joo sprawled out in the center.

Seung Joo resigned herself. Her outfit was already like that, and given the circumstances, it was easy enough to guess what had happened here. It was only a matter of time before her identity was revealed.

However, situations always unfold unexpectedly.

Seung Joo slowly blinked at something being draped over her face. She could immediately tell it was the coat Seok Hoon had been wearing.

The faint scent of cologne Seok Hoon used flowed into her paralyzed nose.

Awkwardly approaching with his back turned, Seok Hoon covered her upper body with his coat to hide her face and said, flustered:

“Um, don’t worry! I didn’t see your face!”

“…”

“A-Are you unable to move? Would you like help?”

Seung Joo hesitated for a moment, then slowly nodded.

Seeing the coat bundle bob up and down, Seok Hoon carefully slipped his hands under her back and knees. Carrying Seung Joo in his arms with her upper body wrapped in the coat, he said:

“I’m sorry if it’s uncomfortable. Please bear with it for a bit. Ah, it would be troublesome to go out directly, right? Should we use the back door? There weren’t many people there.”

With her limbs paralyzed and unable to move, it was indeed best to go where there were fewer people.

Seung Joo felt somewhat at ease in Seok Hoon’s arms, as he seemed to understand her thoughts perfectly.

Seok Hoon briefly tensed his shoulders, feeling the body in his arms go limp.

He carefully carried Seung Joo towards the exit with fewer people and briefly informed her of the situation outside.

“Others have come to help as well.”

He said there were fatalities, but fewer than expected given the scale of damage.

Seung Joo, buried in the coat, squeezed her eyes shut at the news of fatalities. A small comfort came from Seok Hoon carrying her.

“Thank you.”

“…”

“I’m sorry to say this in the middle of this chaos, but I’m always grateful.”

Seok Hoon carefully conveyed his feelings.

“And I’m sorry to ask while you’re injured, but… did you happen to see a female student with long black hair in the chapel earlier?”

Seung Joo immediately realized he was looking for her.

He had rushed in after realizing she wasn’t among the people who had escaped outside and survived.

What a reckless person. Seung Joo bristled but didn’t show it, and nodded. When she indicated yes, Seok Hoon stopped walking.

“Really?”

Is she safe? Is she hurt? At his warm voice filled with worry, Seung Joo momentarily froze, unable to describe her feelings, then nodded again.

I see. Thank goodness… Seok Hoon muttered with a sigh of relief, and Seung Joo nearly let the coat Seok Hoon had draped over her face slip from nodding so much.

Quickly adjusting it to cover her again, Seok Hoon deliberately turned his head away and reassured her:

“I didn’t see your face! Don’t worry!”

I absolutely, absolutely won’t look! As if vowing to keep her secret with all his might, Seok Hoon held Seung Joo’s body while averting his gaze as far as possible from her face.

Though not directly seeing it, Seung Joo could sense this and smiled slightly, hidden in the coat.

Thinking of her friend who must be pacing with worry watching the news right now, she inwardly murmured:

See, Na Eun? I told you so.

…He’s just like you.