Once all the monsters were dead, the battle between the ability users alone began. The Praus Cultists, who had formed a line to block Samael and Azazel, clashed with us, each using their own abilities.
Since our side also had more people than ever before, I controlled the intensity of my wind as much as possible and directed it to help prevent anyone from getting hurt.
Amidst dozens of powerful individuals pouring out their abilities in battle, the ones who stood out the most were, as expected, Cheon Sa-yeon and Ha Tae-heon.
Cheon Sa-yeon, who severed the arm of the ability user blocking his path then instantly closed in on Samael, along with Ha Tae-heon, who followed behind, were unstoppable. In fact, following the deaths of the Doctor and Abel, the Praus Cult had no SS-class ability users left other than Samael.
Seeing Cheon Sa-yeon and Ha Tae-heon rushing toward him, Samael raised his hand and pressed his middle finger against his thumb. As his hand, in a pure white glove, snapped with a sharp click, one of the Roheon Guild members who was swinging dual blades nearby stopped moving.
Snap, snap—the sound of fingers clashing echoed on without pause. With every snap, an ability user on our team who was surrounding Samael would flinch, then turn to attack their own ally.
Grrr!
Even Woo Seo-hyuk, who had bitten into the waist of a Praus Cultist, staining his teeth with blood, could not escape the mind control.
Perhaps because he was only an S-rank, Woo Seo-hyeok, who had been shaking his head in resistance to mind control, soon lunged at Park Geon-ho standing beside him.
Fortunately, Park Geon-ho, who was well aware of Samael's abilities, didn't panic and blocked the attack by grabbing Woo Seo-hyuk's neck. Taking advantage of that brief moment while Park Geon-ho held out, I used my intervention ability again.
It was then that a thread of pure white energy connecting to our team was revealed to me, and without hesitation, I immediately cut the thread of Samael's energy that had appeared before my eyes.
Several people collapsed from the shock caused by the snapping of the mind control, and only a few managed to hold on. Woo Seo-hyeok breathed heavily and steadfastly stood without fainting.
Samael's gaze turned toward me, as if he immediately realized that I had severed them from his mind control. Since someone had forcibly cut off his ability, the shock must have been transmitted to Samael as well. Naturally, he must have realized that this wasn't just the beginning.
"Try as many times as you want."
I spoke to Samael with a smug smile.
"As long as I'm here, you won't be able to touch anyone with your power."
I declared it confidently, but I couldn't help the nervousness spreading throughout my entire body. Cold beads of sweat trickled down my temples.
Pain spread through my chest due to the energy of Han Yi-gyeol which had been flowing out nonstop since earlier. I, too, was slowly approaching my limit, but I endured the pain so as not to show it.
Every team member present was fighting with their lives on the line. They weren't just enduring injuries and fighting out of a sense of belonging to the guild. It was because they were determined to stop the Praus Cult and protect the people.
Countless people had died when the monsters poured out at Gwanghwamun. Although I have completely destroyed all the items now, they had already succeeded in creating them once. That meant there was a high chance that they could use the items to lure monsters in at any time in the future.
"We have to catch them and stop them all. Right here."
Lee Ju-ha, having nimbly dodged an enemy's attack which struck the spot where she was standing, spoke. It was as if she had read my mind, we both thought the same thing.
"Yes. We must capture every single one of them and finish them off for good."
As I answered, I clenched my jaw tightly. The pain spreading from my heart was intensifying as I squeezed out the last ounces of energy that I held within myself. I tried my best to maintain a composed expression, but I couldn't help but feel my fingertips tremble and my vision blurring for a brief moment.
Even if it hurts, even if my body is at its limit, I can't give up or collapse now. No one here is having an easy time right now. Since Samael is watching me, I mustn't show any signs of weakness.
"Yi-gyeol ssi."
A soft, small hand gently took hold of my left hand. Startled, I turned around to find Min Ah-rin, her face which was slightly pale, met my gaze.
One side of Min Ah-rin's face was swollen and her left arm was completely soaked in blood, presumably from the battle moments ago where she endured attacks from dozens of monsters and Cultists.
She had been staying behind me all this time, so I didn't even know she was hurt. Despite her condition, Min Ah-rin gave me a bright smile.
"Don't worry. I'm here."
Energy filled me rapidly through the hand clasped together with a gentle voice. Over Min Ah-rin's shoulder, I could see Kwon Jeong-han limping toward me, bleeding from his forehead.
As Kwon Jeong-han dragged his injured leg and approached me, a look of regret and bitterness for failing to fully protect Min Ah-rin was visible on his face. Seeing that, a sense of guilt weighed heavily on my shoulders.
It wasn't Kwon Jeong-han's fault. It was my fault for not looking after the two of them. It was my problem for weighing the situation and hiding my true self while the two people who should have been safest were injured so badly.
I barely managed to swallow the burning emotion rising to the back of my throat and turned my gaze forward again. With a grateful heart, I poured out the energy Min Ah-rin had filled me with.
Those who had experienced my wind ability before fought skillfully, while those who hadn't struggled awkwardly with the wind but fought hard nonetheless.
The Praus Cult was no small force, so even though we attacked first, we were still in no position to gain the upper hand. We were already exhausted from the previous battle, and with so many casualties and similar numbers on either side, it was not easy to turn the tide.
So I had to keep helping with my wind ability, believing that if I just held out a little longer, Cheon Sa-yeon or Ha Tae-heon would break through the Cult's defenses and capture Samael and Azazel.
Min Ah-rin's condition deteriorated rapidly as she struggled to replenish my energy which was draining away at a crazy speed like a bottomless pit. Even though Min Ah-rin was restoring my energy, it was difficult to hold out for long because it was draining away so fast.
At times like this, it was a real shame that Kwon Se-hyun's overflowing energy could not be used for Han Yi-gyeol's ability. It was true that my intervention ability was tremendously powerful and very helpful, but the reality was that I could only use my wind ability—which I relied on frequently—in a limited capacity. It was suffocating.
'Just a little longer…'
It was overwhelming just to help my teammates avoid getting hurt as much as possible, rather than actively stepping forward. Just as I bit my lip at the sight of Min Ah-rin staggering as if she might collapse at any moment,
"Han Yi-gyeol!"
A booming shout echoed from the far end of the Praus Cult. As I looked up in surprise, a familiar head of red hair fluttered amidst the splattering blood and surging abilities.
"What's going on? Where did Han Yi-gyeol go? I can't see him."
"Su-yeon, get into position."
Hong Sia also came into view behind Cha Su-yeon. Then, Hong Sia shouted as she slammed her red whip onto the ground.
"Everyone get into your battle positions! Take out every single one of those cultist bastards right in front of you!"
"Understood!"
At Hong Sia's command, the Jaina Guild members responded with a resounding shout and simultaneously drew their weapons. Seeing that, I felt as if I had been freed from being strangled, and I could finally breathe freely again.
"Reinforcements!"
"There's reinforcements! The Jaina Guild has arrived!"
The members of the Requiem and Roheon guilds, who had spotted the Jaina Guild just like I had, shouted with delight. With the arrival of reinforcements, the tide of the battle, which had been evenly matched, instantly turned in our favor.
On the other hand, the Praus Cult ended up trapped between us and the reinforcements, unable to escape—truly like a mouse in a trap.
Cheon Sa-yeon and I naturally exchanged glances as we reached within striking distance of Samael and Azazel. It was an opportunity that arose like a stroke of luck, thanks to the Jaina Guild arriving at just the right moment.
'We can't miss this chance.'
We had to seize this opportunity at all costs to capture Samael. If we couldn't, it might be better to just kill him. Whatever happens, we absolutely could not let him escape here.
"Cheon Sa-yeon...!"
I severed all the wind which directed at the others and poured every last bit of my remaining energy into Cheon Sa-yeon. Enveloped in a powerful wind unlike anything before, Cheon Sa-yeon sprinted forward at an incredible speed.
There was only one target, Samael. The blade of Cheon Sa-yeon's sword, stained with his blood, gleamed menacingly in the light. Samael, staring at Cheon Sa-yeon as he closed the distance by cutting through and melting away the obstacles in his path, pulled something out of the inside pocket of his suit jacket.
Held in his hand, clad in a pure white glove, was a small, unidentified object. It looked like a remote control or a signal device. A green light illuminated from the tiny bulb embedded in the object.
"I never thought I'd have to pull this out… Well, I suppose we have to return the favour, don't we?"
As Samael, muttering incomprehensible words, pressed the center of the object, the green light turned red. Soon, a piercing screech was heard from all around.
"What the…? Ugh!"
"Ah, Yi-Gyeol ssi!"
Kugugugung!
The ground shook violently, making it difficult to maintain balance, and began to crack and split. As I caught the staggering Min Ah-rin, I looked around. I saw that others were also unable to keep their balance, falling over or barely holding on.
"Haa, what is it this time?"
Park Geon-ho roughly wiped the blood splattered on his cheek and grumbled with an irritated smile. As if something was triggered, a massive creature suddenly surged up from the violently shaking ground.
"You crazy...!"
It was a caterpillar-shaped monster with a body larger than the average building. The hairy caterpillar monster rose endlessly from the ground, as if it were about to reach the sky.
The sudden appearance of this massive monster instantly turned the area to chaos. I had to quickly grab Min Ah-rin and Kwon Jeong-han and run away to escape the monster.
Upon confirming the monster's arrival, Samael threw the object he was holding onto the ground without hesitation and stomped on it, smashing it to pieces.
"Well then, see you later."
With Samael's goodbye, Azazel took out a black orb. Noticing the black orb falling towards the ground, Cheon Sa-yeon clicked his tongue and ran toward it, but he was unable to stop the transportation item from activating.
I also tried to use my intervention ability, but I failed to intervene as I had to protect Min Ah-rin and Kwon Jeong-han from the cultists who were attacking amidst the chaos.