# Chapter 10
However, there was no time to think for long. This was a variant that easily escaped even when six Tier 4 superhumans attacked. In Iyeon’s opinion, Sano was holding up surprisingly well… but he couldn’t hold out indefinitely.
Iyeon raised his gaze and stared ahead. Above Sano and the Blue Tiger, he could see the Flock Phoenixes flying in circles in the sky.
– Je Sano? There aren’t any superhumans with the same name, right?
“Yeah, that’s him.”
– That’s amazing. How did you meet him? No, even if he’s Tier 5, can he really face a Level 2 variant alone?
“Hyegang, focus.”
The appearance of the Blue Tiger must be related to the Flock Phoenixes.
– What do you need?
“I was catching Flock Phoenixes when suddenly they started glowing, and the Blue Tiger appeared. Since the Flock Phoenixes seem to be the cause, gather and summarize their information for me.”
So targeting them might not be a bad approach.
The communicator went silent. Judging by the faint typing sounds coming through, Hyegang seemed to have begun working.
Iyeon looked up at the abandoned building beside him. Though parts had broken off here and there from Sano and the Blue Tiger’s battle, fortunately, it wasn’t about to collapse completely.
Entering the building, Iyeon immediately headed up using the temporary stairs. To catch the Flock Phoenixes, it was best to be as close to the sky as possible.
When he emerged onto the building’s rooftop, the entire zone was clearly visible. The place where Sano and the Blue Tiger were fighting was about three buildings away. It was a safe position unless Sano deliberately changed direction.
Iyeon plopped down on the empty rooftop floor and took out paper from his bag. I’m not going to fight alongside Je Sano, but I can at least help a little… The lines of his busily scribbling pen were still crooked, but his face was quite serious.
– Hyung. Are you listening?
Hyegang spoke again just as Iyeon had filled an entire sheet of paper. Putting the pen away and flattening the paper with a tap, Iyeon responded.
“Go ahead.”
Soon, a fast and precise whispering voice poured into Iyeon’s ear.
– In conclusion, I couldn’t find any information linking the Flock Phoenixes and the Blue Tiger.
That was the only clue Iyeon had. No connection? His expression naturally furrowed with dismay.
– I thought there might be a ‘master-servant theory’ connection because one is low-grade and the other high-grade, but that’s not it either.
“Master-servant theory?”
– It’s a variant hypothesis spreading recently on the internet, a theory that even among variants, there are factions or forces divided under top-tier variants. Apparently, top-tier variants strong enough to create treasure beads become leaders.
A ‘treasure bead’ is a kind of energy source possessed only by Level 1, Level 2, and a few Level 3 variants. Named for its appearance as a glowing bead, the power difference between variants with and without treasure beads is so significant that when fighting top-tier variants, targeting the treasure bead first was fundamental.
– But don’t believe it too much. There’s only one paper on it, and there hasn’t been much reaction from the academic community.
To think there are humans researching such things—they must have had nothing better to do. Iyeon thought this while nodding.
“A leader…”
– Besides, according to the paper, factions are divided by the variants’ basic forms. Mammals with mammals, you know what I mean?
“Got it. Thanks.”
Tigers and birds were classified differently from the start. Since Flock Phoenixes didn’t clearly have mammalian features mixed in, the current phenomenon was probably unrelated to the master-servant theory.
Even during their conversation, flashing lights and loud booms continuously came from where the Blue Tiger was. The ground was haphazardly torn up with dust clouds everywhere, but the goggles provided by a skilled engineer had telescopic and thermal detection functions, so there was no problem assessing the situation.
Sano, who had just dodged the Blue Tiger’s swinging claws, skillfully rolled on the ground and burrowed into the Tiger’s embrace. Iron ropes rose around Sano like limbs.
The ropes that entangled the large, fluffy body like vines dissipated with a strong shake, but there was no change in his expressionless face, as if binding the Blue Tiger wasn’t his original purpose. The Blue Tiger then swung its tail, and Sano jumped widely to avoid it. Fine iron powder could be seen sticking to his black boots, then fluttering away.
Sano, who seemed to be gauging something, lowered his posture and leaped high. What formed in both his hands were giant javelins like before.
The attack falling with acceleration had a different dimension of force than before. A gesture as if certain of bringing it down. The flash-like shaft stabbed right into the middle of the Blue Tiger’s back.
Kuheung!
A huge roar shook the earth.
The spear that pierced through the hide was deeply embedded. However, the Blue Tiger didn’t fall even with the horn-like spear stuck in it. Rather, Sano hesitated while hanging onto the Blue Tiger’s back. Something was strange. There should definitely be…
That’s when it happened.
A massive lightning bolt fell precisely targeting the Blue Tiger’s body, especially its back.
Kwang!
For an instant, the entire view flashed white. Only after the shadows found their places did vision slowly return to normal. Is he okay? Iyeon searched for Sano while zooming in with his lens. He could see Sano’s head slightly rising near the back of the firmly standing Blue Tiger. The spear that had been stuck in the Blue Tiger’s back had disappeared, and something long was standing beside it.
It was a giant lightning rod.
The lightning that had been targeting the spear stuck in the Blue Tiger was split by two lightning rods erected on either side of the Blue Tiger and absorbed into the ground. His instantaneous judgment was incredible.
While Iyeon was clicking his tongue and shaking his head, the Blue Tiger shook off the remains of the spear by roaring as if nothing had happened, then jumped high to throw Sano off. The red blood spreading on the blue skin quickly stopped.
That’s when it happened. Something flew toward Sano’s back.
Without even looking, Sano created an iron shield to block it, then belatedly confirmed what was rolling on the ground by slightly rolling his eyes. What fell with a dull sound was a paper airplane. Not as big as before, but large enough for an adult male to ride.
From its ugly shape, it was easy to figure out who had made it. Sano’s gaze immediately turned to the man standing on the building. Iyeon waved his hand with a bright smile.
Someone who could use both ground and sky would be much more advantageous than someone only on the ground. Sano, who had been staring at the paper airplane, soon got on it. Fortunately, though slightly crumpled, it worked without problems.
With a slight twist of his body, Sano easily found direction and flew straight to Iyeon. The Blue Tiger barked as Sano instantly moved away.
– Wow, Je Sano is so handsome.
As soon as Sano reached Iyeon, Hyegang muttered as if enchanted. Sano, who couldn’t hear the voice through the communicator, bluntly reported:
“That thing. It’s not bringing out its treasure bead.”
“What?”
– It doesn’t have a treasure bead?
Iyeon stared at Sano with wide eyes. On Sano’s slightly frowning jaw, extending from below his neck to his cheeks, metallic scales were protruding with a glossy finish. It seemed to be a side effect of excessive ability use.
“I thought its attacks were weak. I searched everywhere during the battle, but it’s nowhere.”
Though considerable time had passed since he had fought alone with a Level 2 variant, Sano’s injuries were limited to light bruises. Even considering that Sano’s ability had a good offense-defense balance, he was in an excessively intact state.
“Has the treasure bead already been broken?”
“No.”
Sano’s answer was firm.
“It’s too solid for that.”
The back of the Blue Tiger that Sano had torn was healed cleanly as if nothing had happened. Even for a Level 2, such defense power was nonsensical without a treasure bead from the start. It wasn’t broken, but it wasn’t on its body either.
‘Huh?’
Iyeon’s eyes blinked. This is something… The short clues he had gathered began to weave together one by one. Blue Tiger, treasure bead, Flock Phoenixes, summoning.
“Biting bags and pulling earrings, causing all sorts of trouble.”
…Troublemaker.
“It was the opposite.”
Iyeon muttered blankly. It wasn’t the Flock Phoenixes that called the Blue Tiger.
The Blue Tiger had been chasing the Flock Phoenixes.
“There’s something I need to check.”
At this abrupt statement, Sano glanced at Iyeon. His eyes, with their light pigmentation, were shining with conviction in the sunlight. As Sano stared at those eyes, he suddenly raised one hand.
With a small scratching sound, a strong wind blew.
Before Iyeon could finish thinking “what’s happening,” a huge iron wall rose in front of him, followed by a series of sharp ripping sounds. Beyond the iron wall, which had done its job and retreated into the ground, fragments that had blocked and broken the attack were falling.
Beyond that, the Blue Tiger, which had climbed the building wall to the rooftop, could be seen crouching and glaring. Its blue glowing fur was standing up threateningly. Facing a large variant up close, Iyeon felt a suffocating pressure.
“Don’t lose focus.”
“Ah, y-yeah…”
For the record, Iyeon was more alert than usual. An attack he couldn’t dodge even after seeing it—he had almost died on the spot. Sano looked with contemptuous eyes at Iyeon’s body, which seemed like it would fall over with a slight push, then turned toward the Blue Tiger.
“It won’t be fun if it takes too long.”
As he said that, a savage aura emanated from Sano’s entire body. It was a different atmosphere from the beginning when he had been fighting rationally without much emotion. It was proof that he was using more and more power as time went on. Iyeon nodded and got on his own paper airplane.
