MCRP 50

Chapter 50 Unicorn Subjugation (6)

The Holy Radiance Field.

A barrier of light that filled every gap—complete with friend–foe recognition.
A ridiculous large-scale skill, hailed as invincible since even the casters themselves were protected within it.

The Saint Union was famous for using this ability to encircle and annihilate monsters.
But to see them use it on a person…

And that person being him…

“Hand over the unicorn and I’ll let you live.”

“How gracious of you.”

At the sound of the knight commander’s voice echoing through the radiant field, Se-hyun gave a wry smile.

“You have nowhere to run.”

He was right—the hemispherical barrier of Holy Radiance had no openings.

But—

“Then I’ll just make one.”

Se-hyun flipped open the cover of the Dead Ringer. The dial snapped into place at “1.”

As the ability activated, a shadow stretched across one edge of the light barrier.
After all, light and darkness are natural opposites.

A hole opened in what had been an airtight wall of light—large enough for Kang Ji-ah and the unicorn to pass through.

“Go first, Ji-ah. We’ll hold them off here.”

In-ha handed Woong-i to Kang Ji-ah, drew her sword, and shouted.

“Sis and oppa, you two—”

“We’ll be fine. Go.”

Pushed forward by their reassuring smiles, Ji-ah climbed onto the unicorn’s back.
There was no time to hesitate.

Sensing her resolve, the unicorn bolted forward.

The moment they passed through, the shadow vanished, and the barrier’s tear seamlessly closed.

The knights, who had believed the Holy Radiance Field to be an impenetrable fortress, could only stare in disbelief.

Se-hyun smirked.

“What, didn’t expect your precious barrier to get cracked?”

The “perfect” barrier was indeed flawless—but that included for them as well.
Once deployed, the casters were protected by it… but it also meant they couldn’t move.

Normally, they’d divide into defense and offense units.
But—

‘With only about thirty people on this expedition, they couldn’t afford the minimum number for full effect.’

Just as Se-hyun suspected, even the knight commander couldn’t move a step—anchored by the field’s activation.

Only one person was free.

“Javier. You’re the only one who can attack, aren’t you?”

“Tch…”

He hit a nerve—Javier grimaced.

“Go after the unicorn.”

“Commander!”

Javier raised his voice in protest.

“Even if we can’t move, the barrier remains active. If we hold these two here, there’ll be no further interference.”

“…Understood.”

Javier bowed slightly, then dashed off in pursuit of Kang Ji-ah.

“…‘Hold them here,’ huh.”

Se-hyun watched him disappear and muttered.

“Seems you’re misunderstanding something… Who do you think we are?”

“What are you talking about?”

The commander’s brows furrowed at the cryptic words.

“You should’ve realized it the moment I pierced your ‘perfect’ barrier.”

Se-hyun tossed the Dead Ringer to In-ha.

[1 o’clock: Full Shadow Realm]

No further explanation was needed.
In-ha activated the device, shadows wrapping around her blade—then the sword itself vanished into darkness.

“—!!!”

Before the commander could react, her blade was already grazing his neck from behind.

“Don’t move. Unless you want to get hurt.”

That tone—it was unmistakably the Phantom’s.

Now they finally understood.
They weren’t the ones who’d trapped their enemies.
They were the ones trapped inside.

Clip-clop, clip-clop—

Carrying Woong-i on her back, Kang Ji-ah urged the unicorn onward.

A few players crossed their path, but—

“Nikon!”

—Neighh!

Their figures faded into the scenery as if melting into thin air.

Whooosh—!

To others, it was just a gust of wind passing by; no one noticed them.
The unicorn’s concealment skill was working perfectly.

But Ji-ah couldn’t relax yet.

“A tamer could still track us… especially that one I met earlier.”

She remembered the high-rank tamer she’d seen and urged the unicorn faster toward the rift entrance.

“Almost there!”

But arriving didn’t solve anything.

“Just because you look doesn’t mean you can save anything. You’ll only draw the Foundation’s attention.”

That’s what Se-hyun had said.

Indeed, all she could really do was serve as bait—to draw their eyes away.

“Looks like this is where we part ways.”

Standing at the rift’s edge, Ji-ah gently stroked the unicorn’s mane.

“Don’t let them catch you. Promise?”

—Neigh…

The unicorn let out a sorrowful cry.

Just as Ji-ah was about to step out of the rift to draw attention away—

Awooooo—!!

A chilling howl made her turn back.

A golden-maned wolf was baring its fangs at the unicorn.

“…Mr. Javier.”

“Don’t mind me, Ms. Ji-ah. You should be heading outside. I have business here.”

His smile never reached his eyes—it was the cold smile of a predator that had cornered its prey.

“You said you were interested in the unicorn! You wanted to save it too, didn’t you?!”

“Ha. What nonsense.”

His smile vanished.

“No, I’ve no interest in the horn. That’d be like killing the goose that lays the golden eggs.”

He didn’t intend to kill the unicorn.
But he certainly wasn’t going to let it go, either.

“Did you know? Its hooves are made of the same material as its horn.”

“…No way.”

Ji-ah’s face paled as she realized his plan.

He wasn’t after the horn—he was after its hooves.

Because they shared the same precious material, and—unlike the horn—they would grow back over time.

He planned to harvest and sell them… over and over again.

“You… monster.”

Urgh—!

Ji-ah gagged at the mere thought.

“What of it? They’re just monsters.”

He stroked Fenrir’s golden fur, eyes still locked on the unicorn.

“They hurt people, kill them, threaten our world. So we hunt them and seal the rifts.”

Crunch.

He suddenly yanked out a handful of fur.

The wolf only clenched its teeth and endured.

“So what’s wrong with using them while we can?”

“…You’re no tamer.”

“You’re mistaken. The very fact that I can control them makes me one.”

The mark on Javier’s hand glowed as he scattered the golden fur into the air.

“Fenrir!”

Awoooo!!

The wolf howled toward the sky.

Awooo!
Awooooo!

Soon, dozens of wolves appeared, answering the call.

“Choose. Walk away quietly… or be torn apart.”

Grrr…!

At his gesture, the wolves tightened their circle.

When Ji-ah hesitated, Javier said leisurely:

“Kill them.”

Ruff!!

A wolf lunged straight at her.

She barely had time to flinch before—

Boom!

Something leapt between her and the wolf.

“…Woong-i!”

The little bear cub stood in front of her, blocking the path.

Javier chuckled mockingly.

“Ha. And what’s this? A pet?”

Then his face went cold again.

“What are you waiting for? Kill it.”

Grrraah!!

At their master’s command, the wolves charged—fangs bared.

But before they could reach him—

Rumble—!

An immense, crushing pressure filled the air.

“What… is this…?”

Before anyone could react, the small body ballooned outward.

A massive shadow loomed over the wolves.

Wham—!!

Yelp!!

A single swing of its paw sent a wolf flying.

Finally, everyone saw what stood there:

A white bear over five meters tall, with a black crescent mark across its chest.

On its belly glowed a sigil—the same one shining now on Ji-ah’s left hand.

“Woong-i…?”

ROAAARRRRR!!!

The ground shook as the wolves cowered.

“Calm down!”

Javier channeled astral power into the mark on his hand; the wolves’ forehead sigils resonated in response.

Their gazes sharpened once more—the taming link had stabilized them.

“Attack!”

Awoooo!!

The wolves charged in unison.
Woong-i swung his massive paws, but the swift wolves dodged and countered.
Their coordinated assault began driving him back.

“Didn’t expect you’d actually form a contract here…”

The sudden growth, the overwhelming power, the matching sigils—
all proof of a newly forged master–servant bond.

Even Javier hadn’t foreseen that she could succeed.

But still, it was meaningless.

Without a master’s full control, a beast was just that—a beast.

ROAAAARRR!!

Even so, there was one thing Woong-i refused to yield:
no matter what, he would not let them lay a hand on Ji-ah or the unicorn.

“You’ve done well to last this long. But—”

Seeing an opening, the wolves lunged and bit deep into the soft flesh beneath his foreleg.

GROAAARRRR!!!

“Woong-i!!!”

While he roared in pain, the pack broke through and rushed Ji-ah.

Flaaash—!

Her right hand flared with light.

It was a sigil—different from before.

“No… it can’t be—!”

Javier’s face twisted in shock.

“So it ends this easily, huh.”

The knights were subdued almost too effortlessly.

Even with Se-hyun’s perfect counter to their barrier, the Saint Union was still the Saint Union.

“Well, I guess being on expedition crippled their biggest advantage—numbers.”

Still, he hadn’t expected them to be this unprepared.

Once the unconscious knights were tied up, Se-hyun and In-ha set off in Ji-ah’s direction.

Half an hour had passed since she’d fled.

“Ji-ah… she’ll be okay, right?”

In-ha couldn’t hide her anxiety; the sharp composure she’d shown earlier was gone.

“She’s probably been caught by now.”

“Then we have to hurry!”

Se-hyun caught her hand before she could run off.

“Don’t worry. Everything’s going according to plan.”

“Plan…?”

“She needs to learn to stand on her own.”

He’d known Javier would chase her—and let him.
Even if Ji-ah reached the rift, she wouldn’t leave.
Because there was no way she’d abandon the unicorn.

And what would happen next was obvious.

While she hesitated, Javier would corner them.
To fight back, both she and the unicorn would have to make a choice.

“There’s no way she’d get through that without forming a contract.”

Growth always came with pain.
And since Javier was a fellow tamer, this confrontation would be a valuable experience for her—
even if she couldn’t save the unicorn.

“So far so good…”

Se-hyun focused on the distant waves of astral energy.
He hadn’t left Ji-ah completely alone, of course.
He’d attached a shadow to her to monitor her condition.

So far, nothing alarming—no sign of danger.