The Villain’s Recipe - Chapter 25.2
“W-What on earth is going on?”
“Step back. The opponent is a villain!”
At those words, the old man shivered all over as if scalded by something.
“Min-ha, then what about Min-ha!”
“I will rescue him!”
Even so, the old man hesitated for a moment longer. But seeming to realize that he would be of no help in the current situation, he stepped backward and fled. Then, another esper who revealed his presence nearby grabbed the old man and disappeared.
However, that presence reappeared not far away. He even covered his mouth and gagged as if the distance traveled had made him miserable. To think he was suffering like that after rescuing a single old man whom he had no intention of touching anyway.
“Baek Seok-gyol.”
“We aren’t even friends, so won’t you stop calling my name?”
Baek Seok-gyol retorted smoothly, pulling Min-ha, who was clinging to his side and shivering lightly, into an embrace.
“Let Min-ha go right now.”
How brazen.
Who did he think he was to say such a thing to someone else’s guide? Baek Seok-gyol unconcernedly took Min-ha’s hand and shared his body heat. At that, a little warmth returned to his numbly cold hand.
“You crazy bastard!”
Kang Sa-hyeok intensified his flames as if he would burn Baek Seok-gyol to death right this instant. Due to the scorching heat erupting from there, a nearby tree withered and crumbled away into dust.
“How pitiful.”
Baek Seok-gyol knew that Min-ha cared for and took an interest in even the most trivial life forms. He said that for this reason, but it seemed to have landed differently on Kang Sa-hyeok. Clenching his teeth, Kang Sa-hyeok glared fiercely at Baek Seok-gyol.
Kang Sa-hyeok was looking for an opening to separate Min-ha from Baek Seok-gyol. If they were separated even for a moment, he would be able to rescue him somehow. However, Baek Seok-gyol was by no means an easy opponent. He merely held Min-ha in his arms, smiled slyly, and stared at him. He wasn’t even actively exerting his ability. He knew that as long as Min-ha was present, Kang Sa-hyeok couldn’t harm him. It was a thought fitting for a villain.
‘If only a brief opening appears somehow.’
Kang Sa-hyeok racked his brains desperately. At that moment, the teleporter who had evacuated the old man returned. He teleported in front of Min-ha in an instant and grabbed him. He seemed to have intentions of pulling Min-ha away, but sacrifice accompanied that move. The moment Baek Seok-gyol cracked his knuckles, the teleporter’s body twisted bizarrely and he spat up blood.
Min-ha’s startled face came into view. As if finding it difficult to comprehend the situation that had just occurred, he blinked his eyes, then soon reached out his hand and grabbed the teleporter. There were several conditions for teleportation. In Ma Jin-cheol’s case, he opened a port whenever he moved. And this teleporter’s condition was making contact with the target he wished to transport.
In an instant, Min-ha slipped away from Baek Seok-gyol. Taken aback because Min-ha had suddenly touched the teleporter, Baek Seok-gyol reined in his ability. The teleporter couldn’t travel a greater distance than before. Min-ha dropped down to a spot about ten meters away from the two of them.
“A-Are you alright?”
Flustered, Min-ha examined the teleporter, and upon discovering a half-severed arm leaking blood, he pressed down on the upper part.
“Ugh!”
Though the amount of flowing blood decreased, it was a perilous situation. Covered in blood, Min-ha looked toward Baek Seok-gyol. Baek Seok-gyol moved in the direction where Min-ha was, but Kang Sa-hyeok quickly moved to block his path.
“How bothersome.”
Baek Seok-gyol let out a low sigh as he gazed into empty space. Now that Min-ha wasn’t by his side anymore, it became easier to attack Kang Sa-hyeok. Violently blazing flames struck Baek Seok-gyol like a cannonball. Everything was blocked right in front of him, but the deflected flames scorched the surroundings.
“R-Run away.”
The teleporter, whom Min-ha was pressing firmly against his arm, said to him.
“Pardon?”
Run away in this situation, how? If Min-ha were to take his hand off right now, this person could die from excessive blood loss. Kang Sa-hyeok was there too, but he didn’t seem to have the leisure to look after things here right away. What should he do? Min-ha shut his eyes tightly, then opened them.
