EX rank supporting role’s replay in a prestigious school - Chapter 861 - Boundary (14)

The fire in the furnace flickered uneasily, responding to the force that seemed ready to explode at any moment.

The garden was as unstable as the movement of the flames, making it difficult to stand and maintain balance.

‘It was Docheol controlling the furnace, but now it’s…!’

Unsa is a massive source of power, but he’s also a card that can shake the powerful Tiger Clan.

There’s no way he would’ve just left Unsa to Docheol.

It seemed as if that person had the means at hand at all times, ready to use.

It was such a rough move that it felt more like he was trying to make Unsa explode rather than use his power.

The fact that he didn’t go that route right away when he discovered an unexpected intruder means that it’s an extremely dangerous move.

“Are you planning to kill Unsa?!”

Hwang Jiho shouted angrily.

Although they can extract Unsa’s power, it is not an infinite source.

As Hwang Jiho said, letting the furnace’s output run wild like this could lead to Unsa’s death.

Fwaak!

A part of Hwang Jiho’s barrier was destroyed and the floor tilted massively.

Docheol didn’t miss the gap and dove into the clouds.

“You dare!”

Hwang Jiho immediately activated his barrier technique to track down Docheol, but the flames from the furnace engulfed him first.

It helped Docheol escape from Hwang Jiho’s hands.

The fire in the furnace grew stronger and burned the barrier.

Hwang Jiho’s barrier would’ve prevented all kinds of danger had this been an ordinary situation, but now…

‘Something similar must be happening on the other side. The enemies must be running wild. The Four Perils are free to roam in the garden, but Hwang Jiho has too many people that he’s trying to protect.’

All of Hwang Jiho’s clones inside the garden must be facing a dangerous situation.

There are two Perils against Maeng Hyodon and Ham Geunhyung, so things would be much tougher there.

I can’t leave everything to Hwang Jiho.

I have to fight too.

I tried to raise my energy waves, but it was difficult. 

I was having a hard time maintaining my balance in the swaying garden, let alone raising my energy waves to fight.

‘…I used up too much power. All I can do now is maintain Sung Gukeon’s appearance.’

Most of those in the garden had engaged in combat and used up a lot of their energy waves, but the faint sound of mine made my heart heavy.

It was my fault for not having the strength to move the pieces that had to be moved, even though I knew full well that I needed the strength to do so.

Gugugugu…!

The floor started shaking and I felt a goosebump run down my neck.

Somewhere in this garden, hidden behind the clouds, Docheol was aiming at me.

I thought Docheol would run away for sure, but this was unexpected.

‘He’s going to take advantage of the confusion to attack me instead of escaping?’

Even though it was chaotic and Hwang Jiho wasn’t able to cope properly, the power difference was still overwhelming.

It’s unlikely, but if Hwang Jiho stops protecting the others to use his powers to kill Docheol, he could easily do so.

And yet here he is, trying to attack me.

Did he really want to kill Sung Gukeon that much?

I couldn’t tell if it was because he could tell that I was weak now, or if there was some other reason.

‘I don’t have time to think right now!’

I couldn’t raise my energy waves, but I could still move.

I stopped thinking and prepared for the coming attack.

Docheol’s fangs hidden in the clouds and the raging fire in the furnace attacked me at the same time.

‘I have to dodge!’

As I was trying to figure out which direction to jump on the unstable ground, the others moved their bodies.

Kwaaaang!

Hwang Jiho’s barrier blocked Docheol’s fangs.

The fangs penetrated the hastily drawn barrier, its sharp tip stopping in front of my eyes.

But it wasn’t just Hwang Jiho who moved.

Jeon Muyeong was standing in front of me.

“Are you okay?”

Jeon Muyeong was holding the jacket he had just taken off in one hand.

He is in charge of Sung Gukeon’s security so he always wears a jacket made of defensive items.

The jacket was half-burned and covered in ash from having been used to defend me from the fire.

It seems like it won’t be able to stop another blaze.

‘Another dangerous situation could come up…!’

Jeon Muyeong was now almost defenseless.

The thought of his physical abilities and the danger that we faced made me feel worried.

My feelings seemed to have reflected in my face as Jeon Muyeong looked at me and said,

“My job is to assist and protect you, Congressman.”

But I’m not the real Sung Gukeon.

Shouldn’t he prioritize his own safety so he can reunite with the real Sung Gukeon?

I can’t show any weakness in front of Docheol.

I was worried that I’d have to imitate Sung Gukeon, but Jeon Muyeong spoke before I could.

“And I’m here to follow the Congressman’s will.”

If it were Sung Gukeon, he would’ve jumped in front of me even without a defensive item.

Jeon Muyeong didn’t say anything more but just showed his will through his actions.

Even though he saw the flames coming out of the furnace, Jeon Muyeong didn’t move away from me.

And Hwang Jiho continued to block Docheol.

“Hold on a little longer. I’ll catch this and go.”

Hwang Jiho’s barrier isn’t as strong now.

It doesn’t seem like he’s running out of energy, but rather that he was focusing it somewhere else.

The garden is running wild but there are no enemies here, which means they have all gathered somewhere else.

‘The balance will be broken. This level of rampage won’t last long, and the enemy that Hwang Jiho’s clone is fighting will be defeated.’

As Hwang Jiho said, all we had to do was endure.

But I felt that just holding on wasn’t enough.

‘The Black Screen knows that too. There must be something else coming.’

I looked around, trying to find something other than Docheol and the furnace.

‘Should I use Cheon Dongha’s light skill again? But if I use it now, I feel like I won’t be able to move…’

Taking advantage of the short seconds that the furnace stopped spewing fire, Jeon Muyeong asked,

“What are you looking for?”

As soon as he heard Jeon Muyeong’s voice, Hwang Jiho activated his Glare skill.

Golden eyes pierced through the clouds as Hwang Jiho stared at a certain spot.

“I guess there’s no need to hide anymore.”

The wind blew, the clouds parted.

Through it, we heard a new voice.

It was difficult to see clearly, but the outline of its wings gave away its identity.

It was Gungi, the strongest of the Four Perils.

‘That means all of the Four Perils are here in this garden.’

In this world, symbolism and recognition drive a royal lineage’s power.

The Four Auspicious Beasts — Baekho, Cheongryong, Jujak, and Hyunmoo.

The Five Dragons — Hwangryong, Cheongryong, Jeokryong, Baekryong, and Heukryong.

The 12 Clans that formed a non-aggression alliance on the Korean Peninsula.

When a group of people like this, people who are tied together under a symbolism, and act together, their power greatly increases.

Right now the Four Auspicious Beasts are living as they please, three of the Five Dragons have ascended, and the 12-point alliance is in a state of chaos.

It’s rare for a royal lineage to completely act together.

‘They’ll get a buff. They will be harder to deal with.’

If the Four Perils attempt an all-out war here, we would definitely not be leaving unscathed.

As I was thinking about the Four Perils’ weaknesses and ways to attack them, Gungi spoke.

“He has ordered you to return, Docheol. Stop playing and go.”

It seemed like neither Gungi nor the Black Screen had any intention of fighting any further.

It gave me some relief, but something was strange.

Is it because the symbolism would be shaken if one of the Four Perils died here?

It makes sense.

Hwang Jiho replied to Gungi.

“Do you think you’ll get away easily?”

“We’ll see.”

In the meantime, Hwang Jiho cleared out the enemies and increased his energy waves here again.

A golden barrier swelled in the sky to bind Gungi and Docheol, who was hiding behind the clouds.

Despite that, Gungi looked relaxed.

Something shone on his palm, a shape similar to the Jin that was engraved on the furnace.

“I think it would be difficult if you abandoned the humans and the furnace.”

Gungi summoned a storm, the Jin was shattered, and the furnace was engulfed.

‘That’s right, Gungi can summon storms. He’s not using much of his power but it’s already this intense!’

I understood what Gungi meant. 

If this goes on, Unsa will go berserk and die, and the garden won’t be safe.

The Four Perils want to escape while Unsa’s running wild.

Instead of retrieving Unsa, the Black Screen wants the Four Perils back safely.

If Hwang Jiho would neglect the furnace and pursue the Four Perils, Unsa and those inside the garden would be in danger.

Kwaaaa!

Gungi was trying to find Docheol and leave the garden together.

Thanks to the buff from the Four Perils, Docheol ran nimbly.

It didn’t seem like it would be easy to suppress the storm and subdue them.

Hwang Jiho gritted his teeth and watched them leisurely disappear, but soon turned his head toward the furnace.

“Unsa! Don’t give up!”

As the Four Perils predicted, Hwang Jiho chose Unsa.

The barriers that were summoned to capture them were reassembled to save Unsa.

The storm that covered the red flames and ash soon turned golden.

The garden gradually became stable.

He managed to isolate the storm and the furnace, but the problem was what was inside.

“That fire engulfed Unsa like this…!”

The situation inside the furnace as seen beyond the barrier was dire.

I could tell that Unsa was inside, but it was difficult to see which was the flames and which is his body.

I suspect that if the fire went out, Unsa’s remaining life would also go out.

Jeon Muyeong asked,

“Can we move it outside?”

“This furnace is connected to the garden. It’s possible to forcibly cut it off, but…”

Hwang Jiho trailed off.

He knows that it’s impossible to guarantee that Unsa won’t be harmed.

We might lose both the Four Perils and Unsa.

At that moment, something came to me.

‘No, we can do something.’

There’s a way to save Unsa’s life and also put out the fire.

We can’t delay any further.

“Let’s put out the fire.”

Hwang Jiho’s head snapped and looked at me.

I don’t know why, but Hwang Jiho looked relieved.

“You have a plan.”

I opened my item window and took out the card I had in mind.

On the card, a crude water container was shown.

It was Ereshkigal’s gift, the Water of Life.