translation by mourningmoor
LA K-KON concluded successfully.
After finishing the stage, we stopped by the convention center's promotional booth, which was part of the K-KON event, to have a brief interaction with the fans.
After a short Q&A session and taking commemorative photos, we returned to the hotel past 10 PM local time.
Now, the only remaining schedule was to attend the party at Park Jungrae's invitation.
The LA K-KON celebration party was being held on the second floor of our hotel, in the reception hall.
The party started at 9 PM. Even though it was already an hour late, I had to stop by to check the results of the purification spell.
As I paused in the middle of the lobby, I looked at the escalator leading to the second floor.
For a moment, the slowly moving escalator steps seemed to sway.
‘This is… that, right?’
A phenomenon of spatial distortion caused by magic.
Goosebumps instantly rose along my spine.
It meant that something magical had intervened in this space.
Others wouldn’t see it, but to my eyes, which could perceive mana, it was visible.
Something was writhing and climbing up the escalator, parting the undulating mana.
“Ichannie-hyung?”
Jaewon approached me as I suddenly stopped.
“What’s wrong?”
Only then did I realize that the members were with me.
It’s dangerous to leave the kids in a place where magic has intervened.
Moreover, the current mana feels somewhat violent.
But I can’t intervene either. What if I act rashly and end up hurting the kids? No. I have to prevent that at all costs.
“Jaewon. Where’s Roa?”
Siu is waiting for the elevator with Hanjoon, but Roa is nowhere to be seen.
“Roa-hyung was called by PD Pyo for the party… Oh, there he is. Roa-hyung.”
Jaewon pointed to Roa, who had just reached the top of the escalator.
At that moment, the mana near Roa scattered. Damn it, the magic must have brushed past Roa and flowed toward the reception hall on the second floor.
“Damn it.”
I cursed under my breath and turned back to the youngest.
Then, I immediately activated the 5th stage of my mental connection.
“Right now, take Hanjoon-hyung and Siu and get out of here.”
Don’t take the elevator, and don’t go to the second floor. Get out immediately and stay far away from the hotel. Take Gyuhyung with you too.
Then, I sprinted up the escalator.
“Park Roa!”
I called his name, but Roa had already disappeared into the reception hall.
The moment my foot touched the second floor, I cast a ‘Time Dilation’ spell over the entire floor.
“Time Dilation, Slow Mode.”
I didn’t care about anything else; I just wanted to grab Roa and get out of here.
At that moment, screams and chaos erupted from inside the reception hall.
But even that was stretched out under the slow mode of the time dilation spell.
I walked into the reception hall, unaffected by the slowed time.
“Ha, what the hell.”
The cause of the commotion was, as expected, Park Jungrae.
Flames erupted from Park Jungrae’s body as if someone had poured oil and lit a fire.
People around him screamed and backed away, and Park Jungrae’s eyes widened in terror. His gaze was filled with pain and fear.
“Did the magic circle induce combustion?”
His ring was slowly melting.
“Or did the magic circle break, causing the safety mechanism to fail?”
Various possibilities swirled in my mind.
What was certain was that Park Jungrae’s ring was the source of the fire.
“CEO, just wait a little longer.”
Then, I grabbed Roa, who was walking slowly.
As soon as my hand touched him, Roa was released from the slow mode.
“Hyung-nim?”
“Park Roa. Get out of here right now.”
I gave the order through the mental connection and looked for PD Pyo.
Damn it. Why is that guy near Park Jungrae?
If the time expansion breaks and an explosion occurs, what then?
“Anyway, this guy is such a handful.”
Even in the slow mode, a sub-spell of time expansion, time still flows.
Whether Park Jungrae’s combustion will remain just that or escalate into an explosion.
Only the mage who designed the magic circle knows.
When the slowly flowing time reaches its peak, what’s meant to happen will happen.
After confirming that Roa had left the reception hall, I approached PD Pyo. Then, I bound his shadow to me.
Now, this guy will move as I do until I release the binding.
Soon after, I turned my gaze to Park Jungrae, a few steps ahead.
I slowly approached Park Jungrae and looked at the ring melting on his finger.
“Is this the result of purification?”
Then, I met Park Jungrae’s gaze.
His painful voice stretched out like a slowed-down tape.
“Ah……ah, no……I-I……Chan……”
It sounded like he was calling my name.
As I got closer to him, a wave of intense heat hit me.
The flames that started on his left finger had already spread to his shoulder and waist.
“CEO, just hang on a little longer. First, let’s set up a barrier. We can’t let everyone here die.”
My circle has risen a bit thanks to this K-KON.
So, it’s about 6.3 now?
At this level, I should be able to block a mana-induced heat explosion of this scale. But I need to act quickly.
I intensified the slow mode of the time expansion spell around Park Jungrae and quickly erected a barrier.
“This is something my master was the best at.”
I layered the barrier around the space and drew in water molecules. The overflowing champagne in the party hall, the melting ice, even the sweat and tears of people—all flew toward Park Jungrae.
“CEO, the moment I release the time dilation spell, the flames will rage. It might even explode.”
No, it will explode.
Given Park Jungrae’s current state, the moment his entire body is engulfed in flames, it will explode. The scale would be enough to blow away the entire second and third floors of this hotel.
But that won’t happen. The sturdy barrier I’ve formed will limit the explosion’s range to around Park Jungrae.
There might be something like an earthquake due to pressure changes, but nothing more. The problem is Park Jungrae.
“But I’ll do my best to stop it.”
I’ll stop the fire, and I’ll stop the explosion.
No, I’ll save him.
To do that, I need more water molecules. Enough to break the chain reaction the moment the explosion occurs.
I increased my mana output a bit more and drew in even the moisture from outside the reception hall.
“I have something I need to get from you, CEO. That’s why I endured all those boring conversations. And that’s why I’m doing this now.”
After reciting the final incantation, I smiled as I looked at the perfectly constructed barrier and the water molecules filling it.
“So, just! Stay alive.”
I fiddled with the time expansion spell I had laid as the foundation.
“Remember, I’m the kind of person who always collects on my investments.”
Then, I released the time expansion spell.
The flames instantly engulfed Park Jungrae. As the slowed time returned to normal, the screams that had been stretched out became sharp again.
And just as I calculated, the flames led to an explosion. No, they almost did. The barrier stopped the explosion from spreading, and the dense water molecules covering Park Jungrae extinguished the flames.
At that moment, I poured an ice bucket filled with champagne over Park Jungrae. It wasn’t to put out the fire. It was a smokescreen to deceive others.
PD Pyo, who was standing behind me, screamed and grabbed my arm.
“Ichan!”
After releasing the shadow binding, PD Pyo quickly pulled me behind him.
“What are you doing here? It’s dangerous.”
“I put out the fire.”
“Why did you…”
PD Pyo looked at the ice bucket in my hand with a bewildered expression.
“No, more importantly, when did you get here?”
“No time for that. We need to call an ambulance.”
I pretended to hear his question and shoved a phone into PD Pyo’s hand, urging him to call.
“We need to save the CEO, right?”
The people who had been screaming and running away stopped and came back.
“Oh my god. The fire’s out.”
“No, more than the fire being out, it’s weird that it started in the first place. His hand just suddenly caught fire.”
Meanwhile, PD Pyo finished calling 911 and looked back at Park Jungrae.
Park Jungrae, who had suffered burns, lay unconscious on the floor.
And I was touching him.
PD Pyo jumped in shock.
“S-step back. Who knows when the fire might start again.”
None of the party attendees were checking on Park Jungrae’s condition, too scared that the fire might reignite.
Well, they’re weak humans, so it’s understandable.
They saw spontaneous combustion, so it’s natural to be terrified.
“He’s still breathing. We need to get him to the hospital quickly to save him.”
Park Jungrae will be fine. I’ve activated a weak healing spell on him.
The investigative authorities will likely bring in a scientific investigation team to determine the cause of the spontaneous combustion. But it won’t be easy.
No, they might not even be able to determine if it was spontaneous combustion or not. I’ve already disabled all the CCTV cameras that could confirm it.
Whatever it is, they’ll figure it out on their own.
I just need to get the answers I’m looking for.
A moment ago, while sending a healing spell, I peeked into Park Jungrae’s memories.
I didn’t have much time to look deeply, but I think I understand why he treasured the ring so much.
I sighed and slowly got up.
“Did you call the ambulance?”
“Yes. I called. They’ll be here soon.”
As soon as PD Pyo finished speaking, paramedics entered the party hall.
“Over here!”
PD Pyo raised his hand and approached the paramedics.
Finally, there was a gap.
Before the paramedics focused on Park Jungrae, I quietly approached him and whispered.
“I’m the one who saved you. Don’t forget.”
Even though he’s unconscious, it doesn’t matter. I’ll imprint the memory in his subconscious.
“I’ll come to collect my debt once this activity is over, so recover well. Don’t die, okay?”
After activating a tracker on Park Jungrae, I slowly moved away from him.