29-123

EP.123 The Fourth Possession 

When he came to his senses, the first thing that pierced Hyunseong’s ears was the shrill screams of Juyeong and Mina. 

Through the thick concrete dust that had filled the air, he could see the two women huddled in the corner of the sofa, trembling as they clung to each other. 

‘Damn it…!’ 

Hyunseong cursed under his breath without realizing it and rushed to check if they were hurt. 

Fortunately, it seemed neither had been hit directly by debris, but their faces were pale with fear. 

After making sure they were unharmed, Hyunseong’s gaze went straight to Seohyun, standing right in front of him. 

Whatever method she had used, her expression was brazenly calm for someone who had just smashed down someone else’s front door. 

Her white irises, the same color as her hair, gleamed like a predator who had locked on to her prey. 

‘Why did that woman suddenly…!’ 

“I sensed that commotion just now. Now that I know you’re the center of the erosion, I can’t just leave you alone.” 

‘Erosion wave’? 

With that, puzzle pieces fit together in Hyunseong’s mind. 

Checking his status, he could see that his immersion had gone up, albeit only a little but it was definitely an increase. 

That strange electric tingle that had raced through him when he exchanged his points earlier. 

So she sensed that? 

And she distinctly said, “just like your senpai said”…? 

‘So that woman came just to test me over there!’ 

No wonder he found it odd. 

She’d always ask penetrating questions that struck right at his core, but at the last step would always step back, as if waiting for confirmation. 

It wasn’t composure it was her process for gaining certainty. 

“Hyunseong? Wh-who’s that person?” 

“Did she just break down the door?” 

Only now realizing there were others present, Seohyun pressed a hand to her forehead. 

“Ah didn’t notice the civilians. I’m so going to hear it from my senpai later… Well, I’ll just deal with that then.” 

She stepped over the threshold into the living room, not even hesitating as she kicked aside fallen concrete pieces with her boots. 

“With civilians here, is this how your people handle things? Wasn’t minimizing attention supposed to be a rule?” 

Hyunseong snapped, but Seohyun simply snorted. 

“I hate those kinds of uptight rules.” 

There was clear scorn in her voice for the ideals of the Bureau. 

“Rules exist for order, but when the contaminant is right in front of you, fussing with procedure is just pure inefficiency. I do things my way.” 

After she finished speaking, she drew something from her belt. 

With a snap, it telescoped out into a silver restraint baton. Not lethal, but it looked painful enough. 

“I’m not good at persuading with words like my kind senpai. So just surrender quietly, unless you want things to get ugly.” 

Like a noose tightening, Seohyun took a step closer with each word. 

Her white eyes conveyed no emotion at all only a cold determination to eliminate the “enemy” in front of her. 

Terrified, Juyeong and Mina gathered together at the end of the sofa, clutching each other for dear life. 

Hyunseong swallowed nervously, inching backward. 

And that’s when  

“Hyunseong-nim.” 

Up until now just watching quietly, Lizetta stepped in front to block him. 

Her back looked delicate, but to Hyunseong it felt stronger than any steel shield. 

“Go.” 

“Lizetta?” 

“I’ll buy as much time as I can. You need to possess there’s no other way.” 

“But I can’t leave you behind!” 

“I’m fine.” 

As she looked back over her shoulder, Lizetta gave him a faint smile. 

“I’m a proper battle maid now.” 

It was baseless confidence, but at this moment trusting her and not hesitating was the best option. 

The most important thing was that both of them didn’t get caught. 

‘At least as long as Lizetta and I are separated, maybe the others won’t get hurt…’ 

“I have devoted myself to countless trainings to protect you, Hyunseong-nim. I regret that I can’t even show you now.” 

“…I’m sorry. I’ll be back soon just hang in there!” 

With resolve, Hyunseong turned to run. 

“Like I’d let you go!” 

As he tried to edge past, Seohyun swung her baton with disdain. 

But Hyunseong’s body shrank rapidly to that of a child, slipping out of the way like a gust of wind dodging her attack. 

Not only that, but in his shrunken form, he ducked beneath her feet, making her lose balance. 

“Kgh?!” 

While Seohyun was distracted, Lizetta rushed her, brandishing a kitchen knife she’d grabbed from the kitchen. 

Clang ! 

A sharp metallic ring; Lizetta’s knife was easily blocked by Seohyun’s baton. 

“...Sorry, but you’re not on my target list,” Seohyun said smoothly, blocking the attack and speaking in a cold tone. 

“More than a few bruises could be the least you end up with. So just stay out of this!” 

“There are only two people in the world who can order me,” Lizetta answered in a steady, clear voice, readjusting her stance. 

It was a crisis situation, but inwardly she was a bit happy: at last, the self-defense she’d learned online as a maid was coming in useful. 

“I don’t know which side is right. But if you try to harm my master, then you are my enemy.” 

“You’re just Child’s puppet!” 

“I’m not a puppet, I’m a maid. I’ve also been practicing stopping time as well as martial arts, lately.” 

“Nonsense!” 

Irritated by Lizetta’s remark, Seohyun brandished her baton. 

Her attacks were orthodox and efficient, but Lizetta’s movements were unpredictable. 

The unusual mix of awkward self-taught martial arts and the strange body movements ingrained as a maid came together to create unexpected combinations. 

“Of course, I can only stop time for 0.1 seconds, but that’s enough to exploit an opening.” 

“Try if you can!” 

As this odd fight unfolded, Hyunseong, still in his child’s body, slipped out under the furniture and dashed for the entrance. 

Just before he could get out through the ruined door, he looked back one last time at the living room. 

Branded in his memory was the image of his maid, fighting with all her might to protect him. 

Once out of the villa, Hyunseong ran forward blindly. 

The lazy afternoon sunlight covered the paving slabs, and the busy faces of passersby felt surreal. 

Thanks to his “Beastly” trait he wasn’t physically tired, but anxiety made his breath catch in his throat. 

If he got caught, it was over. 

That was the only thought fueling his legs. 

How long did he run? 

Just when he felt like he was barely out of the Bureau’s surveillance range, a most unwelcome voice echoed in his head. 

[Wow~ You look a mess. Being chased by two Bureau agents? It’s like something from a blockbuster movie.] 

“Child!” 

Hyunseong gasped, standing still and shouting in his mind. 

“Don’t just watch do something!” 

[Do something? What do you want me to do?] 

“Possession! I need a trait that can get me out of this situation!” 

[Huh? Weren’t you just bragging a few days ago about solving things yourself? About not needing me. Why are you crawling back already?] 

This bastard’s grudge-holding skills are something else. 

“Fine, you were right! I can’t do it by myself! That’s why I’m begging you now doesn’t it matter to you if I get caught? Your plan’ll go up in smoke too!” 

At his desperate plea, Child replied with a satisfied chuckle. 

[Kekeke, now you’re starting to speak my language. Okay, okay. Since you’re asking so nicely, I’ll help. But find a place to possess first. You can’t do it in the middle of the street, can you?] 

Damn it. Guess I have to dive into a motel or something! 

Just as he was frantically looking for a place to hide  

“Where are you off to in such a hurry?” 

Before he could even register the weirdly growing shadow at his back, a deathly voice whispered in his ear. 

At the same time, the connection with Child, which had been chattering away in his head, was cut off. 

He turned to see Naeun standing with her back to a streetlamp, waving an eco-bag filled with doujinshi. 

“I thought I could let you enjoy your remaining time as you pleased, didn’t I?” 

“That’s what you said till now.” 

She was still speaking gently and smiling, but there wasn’t a trace of warmth left in her eyes. 

“Now that we know your very existence in this dimension accelerates erosion, we can’t just let you be.” 

It was just what Seohyun had said before he left the villa. 

“So self-serving. No wonder Child hates you guys so much.” 

“Do you think sarcasm will make me waver?” 

Naeun brought her hand to her ear, as if listening to a transmission. 

“Just now, Seohyun apprehended the maid. Since she’s rougher than me, her shoulder bone might have gotten broken?” 

“Lizetta…!” 

Each of Naeun’s words sent ice through his heart. 

“Seohyun will be on her way here soon. I really don’t want to have to get violent, so I hope you’ll cooperate.” 

I was surrounded. 

Lizetta had been caught, Seohyun was about to arrive here. Naeun was blocking the path. 

Connection to Child was dead, the app was exposed. Nowhere to run, nowhere to appeal for help. 

It felt like the walls were closing in from every side. If I got caught, I’d lose everything and go back to a powerless existence. 

I could never accept that ending. 

That left only one option. 

Desperate measures. 

“Haaaaah!” 

Abandoning even that last wisp of reason, Hyunseong lunged at Naeun in one final outburst. 

But to Naeun, his reckless charge seemed like nothing more than a child’s tantrum. 

“Sigh. I figured it would come to this.” 

“Ugh?!” 

Naeun melted away from his attack with liquid-smooth ease. 

Hyunseong’s fist punched air, and his following kick was easily tripped by her leg, sending him off balance. 

In the end, her palm struck the back of his neck square-on, dropping him to the ground without even a chance to yell. 

“Kgh?!” 

“I’m sorry. I’d really rather not have to do this,” Naeun whispered, holding his arm painfully twisted behind his back. 

His face was slammed into the cold asphalt. The agony in his pinned arm was nothing compared to the suffocating helplessness in his heart. 

In the end, it was inevitable. 

Even with the “Beastly” trait giving him a body on par with an athlete, Hyunseong was still at heart a regular person with no real fighting experience. 

His opponent was a seasoned pro at this sort of thing. 

He never stood a chance. 

‘Is this… really the end?’ 

Will I lose everything again and return to my powerless past? 

As his vision blurred, a glowing, translucent hologram suddenly appeared. 

[Possession Button♥] 

Seeing that, Hyunseong let out a faint laugh. 

His mouth tasted of blood, maybe from a cut inside. 

‘That bastard had it all set up ahead of time.’ 

Child had made all the preparations, just before their connection was cut. 

Just so he could have this little joke. 

“Yeah, it’s done here too. Seohyun, did you get hurt?” 

As Naeun’s attention briefly shifted to her comms, Hyunseong endured the pain in his arm and desperately reached out his free hand. 

Whatever kind of dimension it was, now was no time to think about those details. 

The tips of his fingers brushed the hologram each centimeter felt like the distance between Heaven and Hell. 

“…Huh?” 

Naeun noticed belatedly and tried to stop him in panic, but Hyunseong was faster. 

Click. 

The moment Hyunseong’s finger pressed the button, all sound vanished from his world. 

His vision was filled with blinding white light, and only the dry voice of the system echoed in his consciousness. 

[Beginning Possession.] 

[Dimension name: Holy Girl Squadron Saviors ~Apostles of Light Defiled by the Evil Organization~]