ยฉNovel Buddy
City of Witches-Chapter 151: Debt-Ridden Witch (6)
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โ Debt-Ridden Witch (6) โ
1.
โBalance!โ
As soon as Sharon figured out the location of the Homunculus, she tightly held her wand and chanted her spell.
The large green emerald adorning the wandโs tip emitted a radiant light, sending out ripples throughout the surroundings.
Those ripples moved, as if it was melting, replicating their surroundings before engulfing them and formed a barrier.
Seeing a witch employing a secret barrier for the first time, Siwoo was surprised.
Meanwhile, Sharon glanced at the compass again, quickly deciding which direction they would go.
Then, without saying anything, she started to jump, leaping off walls and buildings like a nimble cat as she aimed for the rooftops.
โWhat are you standing around for? We need to hurry!โ
โโฆLetโs seeโฆโ
Watching her bouncing around agilely made Siwoo think, โCanโt I do something like that?โ
But, he knew he shouldnโt do strange things as he couldnโt make her wait any longer.
Almost immediately, he encased his entire body in armor. Then, he gathered mana at the tip of his toes before jumping up with all his might, landing next to the witch.
Sharon looked at the compass before opening her mouth.
โIt should be near that parking tower.โ
โDo you really need to change your clothes like that?โ
Siwoo asked.
His shadow armor provided both protection and physical ability enhancement, but that didnโt seem to be the case with Sharonโs attire.
โEvergreenโs self-essence magic is an elemental magic that manifests through rituals. Clothing is an integral part of it, so, yes, I have to change my clothes.โ
โThis is the essence of professionalism.โ
Beneath her wide-brimmed witch hat, Sharonโs face gleamed with grace. There was no sign of the broke beggar crying over a pennyโs worth of food anymore.
Instead, she showcased the wisdom of a mature witch who had braved countless challenges of the modern world.
In short, it made her look reliable.
โIโll take the lead, so keep your guard up and follow me.โ
โGot it.โ
Sharon kicked her feet and used Water Lizard Stride (maybe), hopping from rooftops to utility poles in the direction of the parking tower.
While she used her mana to enhance her physique, she had an exceptional sense of balance.
At the same time when she was doing this, a subtle tension hung in the air.
Siwoo wasnโt quite used to battles or hunts yet.
It wasnโt anything strange. He had only been involved in a few incidents, it was a given that his experience regarding that was extremely limited.
And so, it also wasnโt strange that he became somewhat fearful and uncertain about the dangers posed by the upcoming encounter with the Homunculus.
โโฆI am doing this because I want to.โ
No one forced him to hunt those Homunculi.
He reassured himself that it was his own decision to take action and prevent more casualties.
โI canโt get cold feet and change my mind at this point, can I?โ
-Swoosh!
Suddenly, a large pair of wings, made of shadow, emerged from behind him.
He swiftly moved through the night streets like an arrow, following Sharon behind.
The breeze brushed against his ears. Feeling the freedom from the shackles of gravity made him feel exhilarated, like a bird slicing through the night air.
But, that feeling was short-lived.
Since the compass could detect spatial distortions within a 150 meter range, it meant they were about to cross paths with a Homunculus soon.
Their destination, the parking tower, was an elevator-type one, constructed in the crowded downtown to make use of the limited parking space around the area.
The Homunculusโ appearance matched Sharonโs previous description; It was suspended from the parking towerโs intricate steel frames, like something typically seen in a jungle gym.
Siwoo expected that sheโd start the hunt immediately.
But, contrary to his expectations, she came to a stop and began assessing the situation instead.
Apparently, there was something strange going on.
โWhat is thatโฆ?โ
โHuh?โ
โOver there.โ
Siwoo shifted his gaze to the direction Sharon was pointing at.
In that direction, stood a single Homunculus, growling while glaring their way.
It looked exactly the same as the monster he had encountered in the city park and on the rooftop of the old building near the station.
He recalled the scene from the park; Where the Homunculus feasted on a manโs body. It made him furrow his brow involuntarily.
โHuh?โ
Then, he narrowed his eyes and looked around the parking tower, confirming what Sharon had noticed was indeed unusual.
There wasnโt just one Homunculus.
Three. There were three of them slowly approaching Sharon from the parking tower.
โThere are three of them?โ
โMake speculations about it later, okay?โ
โCan you handle them by yourself?โ
โWatch.โ
Sharon ruffled the edge of her cloak and gripped something in her hand.
A 500 ml bottled water.
Obviously, she didnโt take it out because she was thirsty.
This was the โofferingโ she needed to sacrifice in order to use elemental magic. ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ธ๐ฟ๐๐ก.๐๐ธ๐ข
Unlike ten years ago, she couldnโt afford to use expensive offerings, so she had to settle for a lower-quality one.
โApas.โ
As Sharon poured the water from the bottle onto the floor, a magic circle emerged from that spot.
The water that fell to the floor immediately disappeared before it even touched the ground.
Truly a mysterious sight that even science couldnโt explain.
Gradually, a faintly colored mana reflection began shimmering throughout the tense air.
At the same time, a much larger amount of water than what she poured seemed to seep out of the dry asphalt, forming a massive puddle.
It was as if a small pond had manifested beneath the witchโs feet.
-Grrrโฆ
-Roar!
The sudden surge of mana seemed to agitate the Homunculi.
At the same time, one of them lunged at Sharon like a predator attacking its prey.
โThose guys wonโt be using any complex spells. Rather, theyโd rely on brute force to push forward, which made them easy to deal with.โ
As Sharon raised her wand, a barrier as tall as a three-story building quickly emerged from the puddle at her feet.
The barrier, to be exact, the colossal wall made of compressed water and mana, looked exactly like a tsunami.
โYou just need to crush them with a greater force.โ
Looking like an enraged wolf, the Homunculus charged at her fiercely before colliding with the barrier, creating a loud sound. But, the wall made of water remained undisturbed.
Back when Siwoo first blocked a strike from a similar Homunculus, he couldnโt maintain his balance and even tumbled on the ground.
But, Sharon didnโt even flinch. Even when she was facing three of them at once, her expression remained unperturbed.
โAlso, keep in mind that, even if those guys seem to be easy to handleโฆโ
As she said that, she drew a small circle in the air with her wand.
The barrier made of water changed its shape, following her command.
It ascended into the air, forming a spherical shape.
From how the massive amount of water reduced into half of its original size, one could easily surmise that it held a great amount of pressure; probably even greater than the deepest part of Earthโs oceans.
โโฆYou should never let your guard down and crush them with all your might.โ
-Whoosh! Whoosh!
Then, she tapped the ground with her wand. Sounds, resembling the crack of a whip, echoed multiple times in the air.
Following that, dozens of high-pressure water streams surged from the compressed sphere, lashing out like whips.
The change occurred so quickly that if Siwoo didnโt have the ability to read the flow of mana, he would definitely have missed it.
What happened afterwards was predictable; Those razor-sharp water sliced through the Homunculiโs bodies like butter.
Said blades were so sharp and precise that even though they also cut through the asphalt after going through the monstersโ bodies, not a single crevice or crack could be seen.
โWowโฆโ
Siwoo gazed bewilderedly at the lifeless Homunculi that Sharon had swiftly taken down.
Unlike his approach, Sharonโs wasnโt as reckless.
She used clean and precise magic to hunt, boasting the right amount of efficiency.
Yet, despite such a clean kill, she didnโt wear a boastful expression.
Rather, there was a hint of dissatisfaction in her face.
โSorry, I wanted to teach you more about hunting techniques and such, butโฆ Something feels offโฆโ
โWhat?โ
โThereโs something strangeโฆ No matter how much I think about it, itโs still strangeโฆโ
She dispelled the water that was hovering in the air and clenched her jaw.
2.
The spectacle Siwoo saw after the Interdimensional Barrier was lifted left him with awe.
Sharonโs strike didnโt just cut through the Homunculi and the asphalt beneath them.
It also sliced the parking tower and streetlights that stood in that direction.
But, the cut was so clean that they managed to maintain their shape for a while.
While the structures remained intact, if one were to give them enough weight and pressure, theyโd inevitably collapse, and that was what exactly happened in the next second.
Though, with the barrier being lifted, those destroyed parts of the city were restored to its original state, giving an awe-inspiring sight as if time was being rewound.
โItโs comparable to Duchess Keterโs spellโฆโ
After collecting the crystals from the Homunculiโs bodies, the pair changed back into their casual clothes and headed to a nearby pub.
โโฆโ
Inside, Siwoo ordered two cold beers and some chicken.
Meanwhile, Sharon wrested her chin on her hand while wearing a serious look. She seemed to be lost in thought, ignoring the beer on her table.
โWhat are you worrying about?โ
When Siwoo offered to come here, she didnโt react as if she had won the lottery just like what she did before the hunt.
Noticing that and her current expression, Siwoo decided to ask her.
โHuh? Ah, sorry. I was spacing out, wasnโt Iโฆ?โ
โItโs fine.โ
โAnyway, you said that the Homunculus you faced before we met looked exactly the same as the ones we fought earlier, right?โ
โYeah. Is something the matter?โ
Sharon cheerfully drank half of her cool beer and tapped the table a couple of times.
โNormally, each Homunculus has a different appearanceโฆ But, Iโve hunted six of these similar-looking bastards so far. Including the ones we just hunted and the ones you personally hunted, that means there are at least ten of those fuckers roaming around.โ
โIs that a problem?โ
To Siwoo, who had just started his hunting journey, this didnโt seem like a big deal.
โIs it really that unusual to have Homunculi with the same appearance?โ
โNot reallyโฆ Or at least, I canโt say itโs a problem, at least for now. I mean, I could be overreacting, you know? Well, Iโll go to the Witch Point and gather some information about it tomorrow.โ
โWitch Point, huhโฆ?โ
โI wonder what kind of place it isโฆ?โ
Naturally, Siwoo was curious about the place, but he was hesitant to visit it in person.
โBut, why would I go into a place where Exiles are freely lurking around?โ
โHereโs your fried, seasoned, soy garlic chicken combo.โ
As they were talking, the chicken they had been waiting for had arrived.
Sharon, who had been putting some deep thoughts about the matter, suddenly perked up when the scent of the fried food entered her nose.
She looked at the chicken with shiny eyes, as if her serious look just now was a lie. f reewe bnovel
The intense and loving gaze she directed toward the chicken would be enough to spark Siwooโs jealousy if he was her boyfriend.
He picked up a chicken leg and placed it on her plate.
โLetโs just stop worrying about it and eat.โ
โYes!โ
Despite the hot temperature of the fried chicken, Sharon dove right in, completely disregarding it.
Looking at her unexpected behavior made Siwoo chuckle.
The majestic gait she showcased when she slaughtered those Homunculi earlier was gone.
โW-Woahโฆ So this is what chicken tastes like! All those things I ate at the convenience store are fakes! Fakes, I tell you!โ
Having only eaten low quality chicken so far, the taste of the real Korean chicken seemed to shock her.
Those chickens she had been buying at the convenience store werenโt even crispy and they had a strong chicken smell that she hated.
But the one she was currently eating was on a whole different level. The beer enhanced its taste perfectly. She could totally understand why Koreans would go crazy for chicken and beer.
Together, their taste was world-shaking!
The juicy chicken leg that oozed with flavor gave it a golden taste, just like El Dorado, while the ice cold beer gave a refreshing taste that sent a chill down your spine, like a refueling station for oneโs weary soul.
โEat it slowly.โ
โThank youโฆ! Thank you for treating me to something so delicious!โ
While Sharon was busy devouring her meal and expressing her gratitude, Siwoo quietly collected all the chicken legs and put them on her plate.
In that moment of bliss, the witch temporarily forgot about the matter involving the Homunculi and her debts.
After that, Siwoo ordered two more chickens for her and they spent the night eating, talking and enjoying each otherโs company.
But, Sharon didnโt notice it at all.
This rare moment of happiness had blinded her.
From the cruel tragedy that awaited her tomorrow. From the merciless world that would trample the weak without batting an eye.