I Became the Childhood Friend Who Commits Suicide

Chapter 77

Even without seeing her face, Yeonhwa was sure of it.

Losing her composure, she began shouting angrily.

The Purple Fox, observing Yeonhwa’s outburst with interest, turned to White Sheep.

“Hmm. Do you know her?”

Without a hint of hesitation, White Sheep shook her head and replied, “No. She seems to be mistaking me for someone else.”

“Really? That’s too bad,” the Fox chuckled, her eyes narrowing behind her mask.

Just as her tail bristled, ready to strike at her opponent’s heart, White Sheep spoke calmly.

“Fox.”

“Hm? What is it?”

“The suggestion you made earlier. Why don’t we take this opportunity to test it? I’m curious myself.”

“Oh? The zombies? I don’t mind, but do you think it’ll work? She seems pretty strong.”

Instead of answering, White Sheep demonstrated her idea directly.

A corpse shuffled forward behind her—a once S-rank hero, the Ice Knight Johan, who had been killed by Pink Falcon just days before in this city.

“Hm. This and all the zombies should be enough. I can’t back out now, though, since it was my idea.”

“I’ll handle it, so please go back and rest, Fox. You did say you were tired.”

The Fox looked at White Sheep silently, then nodded with a faint, mischievous smile.

“Heh, alright. I’ll head back first. Take your time and have fun.”

“Okay, I’ll see you later.”

With that, the Fox left without a second thought.

As she disappeared, only Yeonhwa and White Sheep remained in the city.

Yeonhwa glared at the girl, her gaze filled with complicated emotions.

“You…”

“Do you also believe I’m Yoo Hana?”

Understanding the implications of White Sheep’s question, Yeonhwa realized the situation.

“This idiot… I thought you were dead, and here you are siding with demons? Do you have a death wish?”

“I don’t know what you’re implying, but I chose this path myself.”

“Shut up! Like you could choose anything when you remember nothing! The real you would never be like this!”

The real her…

Perhaps, the words of this stranger she’d never met were true.

The Yoo Hana before she lost her memories might have hated demons, just like any ordinary human.

But that was her past self.

The current her had changed. She no longer lived as Yoo Hana but as White Sheep.

Losing her memory was like becoming someone else entirely.

Though she still wanted to regain her memories, even if she did, she would remain an Apostle. She had long decided to follow her teacher’s path.

“I don’t know who you are, and I’m not interested.”

“…”

“There’s no need to keep you alive, but there’s no reason to kill you, either.”

Yeonhwa gritted her teeth, her expression turning ferocious.

Such arrogance. She was nothing more than a talentless fool before.

Following her rage, flames grew larger, the intense heat melting the asphalt around her.

Yet, White Sheep remained calm.

With a simple gesture, a light enveloped Yeonhwa, instantly quelling her seething emotions.

“…What?”

“You seem to have quite a temper.”

Disturbed by the artificial surge in emotions, Yeonhwa felt as if her mind had been forcibly manipulated.

“Live quietly without crossing paths with us. That is if you manage to leave this city.”

With those words, White Sheep turned to leave.

Of course, Yeonhwa had no intention of letting her go. She tried to seize the girl, but was blocked by a horde of approaching corpses.

“Wait! You fox-faced brat! Is this how you repay my kindness!? You’re dead! Next time, I’ll beat you so badly… Just wait!”

Without a response, White Sheep vanished from her sight.

Yeonhwa had no time to dwell on it, as the zombies swarmed her.

“Damn it!”

She swung her fists, knocking them down in droves.

Flames consumed her enemies.

Since most were ordinary people, the zombies weren’t strong. But some moved differently—they had once been heroes.

She dodged a sharp incoming blade and shattered its jaw with a knee strike, grabbing one enemy’s head and shoving it into the open mouth of another attacking from behind.

She unleashed flames, incinerating their faces.

The brutal combat underscored her fury.

And then, an unexpectedly dangerous attack caught her off guard.

The opponent had a familiar face. With only nine S-rank heroes in the world, it was impossible not to recognize him.

Yeonhwa clicked her tongue.

Defeated by demons and reduced to this miserable state…

The title of S-rank hero was weeping.

But his skill was genuine.

Weaker than he was in life, but still, S-rank was S-rank.

She could never have won against him before.

But after six months, she had changed.

This battle could be her chance to see if she had surpassed her limits.

Watching Johan’s sword swing, she moved to counter.

Not only her fists, but flames also flickered on her feet, adding devastating force to her attacks.

When she struck with her fist, he moved inward, attempting to pierce her with his sword.

She spun her body, dodging the sword while landing a powerful kick.

Bam!

The chill from the contact seeped through her shoe.

Fire met ice, sending a massive cloud of steam into the air.

“…He’s using his abilities?”

Yeonhwa couldn’t hide her surprise.

She had assumed he was just a mindless puppet, forced to move.

Even if he moved skillfully, she hadn’t thought he’d use his abilities.

Using powers requires one’s own will. Without a conscious mind, how could he use his abilities?

Did these zombies retain a sense of self?

For a moment, she pondered, but her opponent froze the ground under her feet.

Yeonhwa quickly retreated, focusing on defeating her foe.

“Hey! If you can hear me, stop! You’re being controlled!”

A hero fighting as a minion of demons.

If he were aware and could control his body, he would certainly stop.

Judging this, Yeonhwa attempted to communicate with Johan.

But he only continued to press her without a word.

After retreating a bit, she unleashed a breath of flame.

Fwoosh!

The flames fanned out, spreading toward her opponent.

Johan quickly raised an ice wall from the ground, blocking her attack.

As the wall melted, Johan, hiding behind it, charged fiercely.

She reacted calmly, opting not to block his sword but extending her right fist.

It was a contest of speed. Johan’s sword was slightly faster.

Just before her fist struck his face, Yeonhwa opened her clenched hand, revealing a condensed seed of flame.

It exploded right in front of Johan’s face.

The overwhelming force sent him sprawling.

His face was scorched beyond recognition, as if it could vanish entirely.

Yet, Johan staggered and began to rise again.

Seeing this, Yeonhwa grimaced.

“With that brute-force method…”

In a desperate defense, Johan had managed to shield himself, freezing his own face.

A method no ordinary person could imagine, only possible because he was, in essence, a corpse.

Despite this, the fight’s tide had already turned.

With his entire face frozen, he could hardly be fine.

Johan staggered, eventually falling to his knees.

He barely held himself up with both hands pressed to the ground, trembling.

“Damn it… This just keeps getting worse!”

No, that wasn’t it.

Realizing the severity of the situation from the tremors beneath her, Yeonhwa knew.

He hadn’t collapsed from exhaustion but was preparing a final strike.

The tremors grew stronger until a giant dragon made of ice erupted from the asphalt road.

Using the sewer system?

That’s cheating.

The dragon roared and lunged at her.

But just before it reached her, it lost momentum, crashing to the ground in shattered pieces.

Johan had lost his strength just before the dragon could attack her.

At the last second, she sighed deeply and approached her fallen opponent.

Then, Johan, lying on the ground, spoke.

“…She’s a pitiful child.”

“What? What are you talking about?”

“Don’t hate her…”

Before she could ask more, Johan reverted to his lifeless state.

All that remained was the cold, stillness of a corpse.

She mulled over the mysterious hero’s dying words.

The fact he could speak meant he still had some consciousness.

But then why did he fight her so fiercely?

As the battle ended, the city fell silent.

The girl resurfaced in her thoughts.

Live quietly without getting involved?

What a joke. Who does she think she’s ordering around?

The Fox had said it in their conversation earlier.

They planned to attack the academy tomorrow.

She didn’t care if the academy fell, but she now felt compelled to visit.

That brat with her overblown, edgy attitude.

Just wait.

“I’m going to teach you a lesson.”