Mihon stared at him, stunned. "Let me ask you something… are you really a child?"
"What kind of question is that?" Jin retorted. "If you're not sure, I'll show you my pants and prove my machine's working. Now SAVE HER!"
Mihon sighed. "Alright, alright! I can't argue with someone like you. Let me see what I can do."
He began rummaging through his pocket, searching for something.
"Hurry up!" Jin barked.
"I am hurrying! But listen—this girl you've been crushing on, calling beautiful and mysterious…" Mihon looked at him with a wry expression. "She's an elf."
Jin blinked. "So what? She's an elf. Love doesn't care about species."
"I'm not talking about species," Mihon said. "I'm talking about age. She's an elf. Based on my rough estimation, she's probably around… 80 years old."
Jin's brain short-circuited. "Eighty?! You mean I've been flirting with a grandma this whole time?!"
He stood frozen for a moment, Lana's face and body flashing through his mind. Then he nodded to himself.
"Age is just a number," he muttered. "If our souls connect, that's all that matters."
Mihon laughed. "You're insane."
Just then, something clicked in Mihon's pocket. He lit up. "Found it!"
Jin leaned forward with hopeful eyes. "You found it? What is it?!"
Mihon pulled a yellow sheet of paper from his pocket and said, "This… this paper will save us from here."
Jin looked confused. "Old man, I thought you were strong, but it seems all you know is how to talk big. Maybe you've gone crazy from hanging upside down too long."
But Mihon ignored him and got to work. He bit into one of his fingers and let the blood drip onto the paper, using it to write some sort of incantation.
Jin raised an eyebrow.
"Ah, so that's what you were searching for—a talisman paper. But what's it for? Are you planning to wipe out the entire demon cult with that thing?"
Mihon shook his head. "This talisman isn't for attacking."
"Then what's it for?"
"It's to remove the authority seal placed on my body."
"Wait—will that completely erase the seal from you?"
"No. It'll only deactivate it for a day. After that, the authority seal will return."
Jin smirked. "A day? Even an hour's enough for us. Just hurry up and finish it already."
He glanced over at Lana, who was still lying unconscious in the center of the surgical altar. Her eyes were closed, and it looked like she'd passed out. Around her, cult members continued to chant. Suddenly, one of them stood up, picked up a large red sword beside him, and began slowly circling the altar.
Jin shouted, "Hurry up! Lana's in real danger!"
Mihon finished writing the last line on the talisman. "Done," he said—then paused as something struck him. "Damn… I forgot. To cleanse the blood of the dead used in the authority seal, I need to pour some water on the talisman. And I don't have a drop on me."
Jin tensed. Between his bladder about to burst and worrying about Lana, stress began to build. Then, suddenly, an idea popped into his head.
He looked down at the machine strapped to him… then back at Mihon.
"Will warm salty water work?" he asked, cautiously.
Mihon blinked.
"Water is water… wait—why? Do you have some?"
Then he caught Jin's expression… and realized exactly what he meant.
"No. No. No. NOOO."
Jin grinned and nodded. "Yes. Yes. YES."
Mihon: "No, absolutely not. It's impossible. I can't do this—not even if it kills me."
Jin: "You have to do this, Mihon. Can't you see what they're doing to Lana? Hurry."
Mihon: "Whatever you say, but I just can't do this kind of work."
Jin: "No, you have to. I swear it by Drayk."
Mihon, who had been resisting with every fiber, froze at Jin's words—his breath catching in his throat.
Jin smirked inwardly, a faint ringing humming at the edge of his senses. This is it—this is happening. Why wouldn't it? He had sworn by Drayk Solmist himself—the legendary alchemist whose name still echoed in every corner of the world. Every alchemist bowed in respect to him.
Jin thought, Now all I need is a little more push. He asked, his voice steady, "Do you know Iron Man?"
Mihon's eyes narrowed in confusion. Who was this man?
Jin's voice softened, weaving the story like a spell. "There was a man named Tony Stark. He was imprisoned deep inside a cave by ruthless captors. But inside that dark prison, he crafted a suit—born from scraps and sheer will. That suit was his salvation; it destroyed his captors and shattered his chains. The world later knew him as Iron Man. And the man who helped him build that suit inside the cave was named Yinsen."
Jin's gaze locked onto Mihon's, steady and unwavering. "Think of me as Yinsen—the one helping you forge elixirs now, in this very cave."
Mihon's lips trembled, a storm of doubt rising. "But—"
"No 'buts," Jin cut in, his voice a low rumble. "Imagine your statue standing beside Drayk Solmist's, your name carved into history as the legendary alchemist who changed the world."
A flicker of light sparked behind Mihon's eyes. He pictured the image—his own legacy immortalized. A slow smile spread across his face.
Jin's trap had snapped shut. Quietly, he added, "You're a talented alchemist. Don't waste your life."
Mihon's eyes shimmered with unshed tears, glistening like dew in morning light. He blinked them away, gathering every shard of strength. "Yes. I'm ready."
A wicked smirk curled on Jin's lips. "Alright, hurry up and hold that talisman in front of you."
"Okay, I'm doing it," Mihon replied, lowering the talisman slightly and holding it before him.
Jin reached into his pants, fumbling with the zipper. A moment later, his 'machine' was out.
Mihon flinched. "You sure you can aim? Don't go spraying it on my face."
Jin chuckled. "Don't worry. My aim's top-notch. When I was a kid, I used to draw all over the wall with my piss. Real artwork."
But you're still just a child, Mihon thought silently.
With both hands, Jin took hold of his 'weapon' and began to pee.
Mihon squeezed his eyes shut. A few seconds passed. When he opened them again, his eyes darted down at his palm. A few warm drops had splashed onto it. The talisman paper was already damp.
He glanced at Jin.
Jin, zipping himself back up, smirked. "What did I tell you? Just a little splash, not a full soak. Now stop staring at me and get on with it."
Without another word, Mihon tore the talisman and pressed it against his waist, right where the seal was burned into his skin.
Immediately, red smoke began seeping from his body—wispy, writhing like tormented souls escaping from flesh. The smoke swirled and screamed in silence, eerie and unnerving.
[Meanwhile, at the Ritual Circle]
Jin's eyes shifted toward the ongoing demon cult ritual. There were six of them—five sitting around the edges of the ritual circle, chanting quietly, while the sixth slowly walked around the perimeter with a sword in hand.
Suddenly, the chanting stopped.
The man with the sword stepped forward, walking steadily toward the center of the circle.
No. I'm running out of time. I need to save Lana—now, Jin's mind reeled.
He turned quickly to Mihon, about to shout, "Hurry up!"—but froze.
Mihon was already standing below him, hands and feet freed, the cut ropes lying in a heap by his side. An evil grin stretched across Mihon's face.
"I don't even know what's going to happen to these cult bastards now," he muttered.
"Then stop wasting time!" Jin snapped. "Go save her—now!"
Mihon's cocky expression faded. He turned toward the ritual circle, eyes narrowing.
The cultist had reached Lana. He stood silently in front of her, gazing down at her unconscious face. Then, he slowly closed his eyes... and raised his sword high above his head.
Just as the blade came down, a brilliant blue bird streaked through the air—striking the man's arm.