It was much later when we finally emerged from the dual gate.
I had blacked out from the recoil of using Muah.
When I came to, I found my entire body wrapped like a mummy, and my injured hand looked like a round lump, wrapped up like a Doraemon hand.
"Urgh..."
Groaning, I struggled with the muscle pain and headache that coursed through me.
"Jin Yuha, you just rest. We'll take care of the rest." "Ugh, thanks."
The party members scattered in an orderly fashion to confirm Irene's death.
We harvested materials and artifacts from the Spider Queen's corpse before exiting the dual gate.
I found myself floating along on Ichika's shadow.
Once outside, I spotted Master and the seniors of the Demon Slayer Squad waiting for us.
"Master!!!" I called out enthusiastically.
Master's eyes widened, and she abruptly turned to glare menacingly at the party members. "Disciple. Your body—did those fools hinder you again?"
I quickly shook my head and replied, "Haha, it's nothing like that. I just used a big skill, and this is the recoil. See? Apart from the muscle pain, I'm fine."
Sliding down from Ichika's shadow, I immediately examined Master's condition.
Apart from some dirt and minor tears on her clothing, she was completely unscathed. Relieved, I let out a sigh of relief.
"Thank goodness. I believed in her, but it's still a relief since this was her first Demon Lord raid..."
"Disciple, take this."
Master handed me a small glass jar. Inside was a tiny, white spider struggling to escape.
It was Arine's last remaining fragment—a small embodiment of her essence.
"To think you managed to capture it alive..."
I'd trusted Master to handle it, but to think she actually managed to bring it back alive.
"Of course, considering it was your request."
She handed me the jar containing Irene.
"You don't need to worry about the jar breaking. Lina made it; it's unbreakable." "Thank you so much, Master."
"Hmph... Do you think this is enough of a down payment?" "Of course! It's more than enough!"
Smiling brightly, I hugged Master.
Her body stiffened like a board, and her gaze darted upwards.
"... ... ..."
"... ... ..."
"... ... ..."
I felt the prickling stares behind me.
"Ah, right... the other party members are still here, aren't they?"
Swallowing hard, I turned to face them.
There they stood, glaring at me with expressions ranging from sulking to furious.
"I nearly died today, you know. Couldn't even use my shield properly. It was really depressing, and I tried so hard..." "Hey, mutt."
"Sigh, junior. Do you like older women? But I'm not that much older, you know. Wouldn't I be a better fit?"
"Master-student relationships are dangerous... It was fine while she wasn't part of the strategy, but if this keeps happening, I can't win against her! Ugh..." "Benefactor..."
"Trainer..."
After comforting and hugging each sulking party member, I glanced back in astonishment at the Demon Slayer seniors, who were being dragged away by Master.
Finally, we emerged outside the gate.
And there—
We faced an enormous crowd, far larger than anything we had seen before.
Click, click, click, click—!
The deafening sound of camera shutters greeted us as we stepped out.
Flash!
Flash!!
Flashes exploded like lightning, bombarding us in a frenzy. As soon as people realized that Utopia had successfully conquered the Demon World Gate, they had rushed to the scene.
The poisonous miasma that had subtly lingered near the gate vanished the moment the queen was defeated, leaving the Hawaii Hunters Bureau incapable of holding back the crowd.
No, to be more precise, even the Hawaii branch of the Hunters Bureau was desperate to meet Utopia.
This Demon World Gate was unprecedented in both its danger level and structure.
A double gate, with two gates positioned inside.
Faced with what seemed to be a dilemma of choosing one path, the Demon Slayer Squad sent by the Mage Emperor intervened at a crucial moment.
And then, there was the Spider Queen, with her monstrous power and overwhelming presence.
While she seemed to be handled smoothly at first, she suddenly created four more versions of herself, a moment when all hope seemed lost. That's when Jin Yuha put on the mask and turned the tide.
The viewers who had been watching Utopia's broadcast all day went on an emotional rollercoaster.
When Jin Yuha's sword finally severed the Spider Queen's neck, people trembled with awe and wept tears of joy.
And now, this scene.
The shores were packed with an endless sea of people, eager to hear even a single word from Jin Yuha and Utopia.
"Jin Yuha! Your actions during the Spider Queen's defeat were incredibly impressive! Please, share a message for viewers around the globe!"
"Was the collaboration with the Demon Slayer Squad pre-planned? How did they manage to join you at such a perfect time?"
"We saw your combat power skyrocket after putting on the mask. Can you please explain the mask's origin?!"
"With this success, Utopia has undoubtedly become the world's representative heroes! What are your thoughts as you approach the next Demon World Gate?"
"Experts are discussing the unprecedented nature of a double gate. Could you share your perspective on it?"
"Waaahhh! Utopia! Utopia! Wings of Utopia!!!"
Questions poured out as relentlessly as the camera flashes.
'Wow. I thought I'd gotten used to situations like this, but this is… And what's with Lee Minyoung crying her eyes out and praising Utopia over there?'
The overwhelming chaos left me feeling dazed.
A quick glance revealed that my party members, my master, and even the senior members of the Demon Slayer Squad were all frozen stiff.
'We need to get out of here...'
Just as I was about to excuse myself, claiming exhaustion, I heard it—soft, deliberate footsteps splashing through the water.
Turning my head, I saw a woman walking toward us.
Her long black hair cascaded smoothly down her back. She wore a pristine white blouse and a black pleated skirt, exuding an elegant yet composed aura. A brown belt cinched her waist, emphasizing her slender silhouette.
'…Shin Se-hee?'
Her crimson-tinged eyes, likely a remnant of the insight she had recently used, contrasted with her calm expression.
There was something distinctly different about her—a mysterious presence that momentarily captivated me.
It wasn't just me; the reporters' flashes and questions came to an abrupt halt as well.
Shin Se-hee walked to my side and spoke in a serene voice.
"You've done well, Jin Yuha."
"Uh, thanks. But Shin Se-hee, you seem…"
Before I could finish, she smiled playfully and placed a finger on my lips.
"Fufu, as much as I enjoy meeting with you, Jin Yuha, that can wait for later."
She then turned to face the reporters.
"For now, could you leave this to me? Constantly refusing interviews isn't ideal, especially not today. A moderate response would be wise." "Oh, uh, sure…"
I nodded, still bewildered.
'What's going on? She seems… different.'
Beside me, my master muttered, "Hmm, has her rank risen?"
"Her rank? Master, what do you mean?"
"She feels markedly stronger. Her physical and mana connection has deepened, and her presence is far more pronounced. Impressive."
I turned to look at Shin Se-hee in disbelief.
"...Thank you for your passionate support for Utopia. Without your encouragement, we wouldn't have…"
Shin Se-hee handled the relentless stream of questions with ease, her expression unchanging and her demeanor poised.
'If her rank increased… could it be a sudden breakthrough? But Shin Se-hee didn't even fight directly…'
Though she had participated as a strategist, this was her first direct involvement with a Demon World Gate.
Moreover, she hadn't defeated any monsters or demons herself, so her experience gain should've been slow…
Could she have had some kind of realization?
My memories of the battle were blurry, probably from overextending my focus. Did something happen then?
Tilting my head in confusion, I decided to let it slide.
Good things are good things, after all.
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