Jihyo draws her goals and aspirations on a gleaming, crystalline blade.
Jihyo sees the Scraper's fingers fall off as it howls in pain, it's blood tainting the snow blue. She then looks at the cane.
A symbol appears on its hilt as it splits apart and then fades. The wooden cane suddenly seems to be imbued with light energy, forming a bladed essence at its tip as it materializes into a katana.
Jihyo's eyes widen.
She couldn't believe that she was now holding an actual weapon--- unbelievably, a regular wooden cane that turned into a katana--- and use it to easily slice a creature she previously thought was nigh indestructible.
"What is this..?!" Jihyo thought. "I don't unders---"
The Scraper soon wildly swings its other arm towards Jihyo. She tried to parry the attack, but she panicked and sloppily swung the katana in the wrong direction. She gets smacked into a metal pole, making it collapse.
Surprisingly, Jihyo didn't flinch, nor felt a lot of pain when her back landed on the metal pole. She stood up slowly, holding the katana tight on her hands as she gets lost in thought. None of these make sense to her.
The cube-like structure that attacked South Korea.
The icy wasteland that was once Daegu.
These horrible creatures.
This mystical cane.
But none of it mattered anymore. What matters is that they survive, find her family, her members, and figure out what the hell is going on.
The only good thing about this whole apocalypse was that this cane; this weapon, made their ordeal much, much easier.
Jihyo took a deep breath as the blade glistened.
She then wildly sprinted towards the fleshy Scraper. The creature seemed to perceive Jihyo's hostile approach as it charges toward her, swinging it's arm with speed. Jihyo quickly evades the golem's attacking arm instinctively, and with a lot of struggle and footwork, slices it off with the glowing blade. The Scraper then attempts to stomp Jihyo with it's foot, but once again, she manages to spin around it and slices one of its knees. The icy monstrosity falls on one knee as it roars in pain.
The creature was now incapacitated as Jihyo instinctively runs to it for the final blow. She quickly spun her whole body and swings the glowing blade upward, generating a pillar of light that slashes the Scraper's snowy face in two.
The Scraper's body falls on the ground with a loud thud.
Jihyo suddenly then drops the weapon as it returns into a regular wooden cane once more. She sits down in shock.
"Oh god.. oh god.. w-what the hell..?! h-how did I do those things?! That can't be me.. I-I.." Jihyo stuttered in disbelief.
Zeke watched the whole clash unfold before his eyes. He was in disbelief as well. He has seen strange things in his life, but he never expected to see one of his fave idols using a katana to kill a monster in an apocalyptic ice age.
"This is too bizarre for me... This must be a dream.." Zeke said to himself as he shook his head.
Jihyo sees the wooden cane as it's light energy fades. She picks it up and hurries back to Zeke and the old man.
"Zeke, d-did you see that? I.." Jihyo stuttered. Zeke looks at her for a while, still also trying to process what just happened.
"None of this makes sense. I mean.. How.. did you... cut through that? And how come you can use it so gracefully?" Zeke finally replied.
"RIGHT? I.. I'm not even good at handling weapons.. But it must be because of this weird cane.." She said, holding the cane in her hand.
Zeke looks at the cane, then at the old man.
"Let's worry about that later. We need to get this old man to safety first... Wherever that is." Zeke said.
"Right, right.. I'll find us a place to rest. I think I know one.." she said. She then scouts around the place for a while, finally spotting what she's been looking for: a market district not too far from their location.
"There's a market district nearby where we can treat his wounds. That market is famous for traditional medicine. We can carry and treat him there." Jihyo said.
"As long as it's safe," Zeke replied.
"Not sure about that, though... but I am sure it is. I'll scout ahead of us when we get there just to make sure." She smiled a bit as she helped Zeke carry the old man.
They prod along the street as Zeke and Jihyo remain vigilant of her surroundings. They soon arrive in front of the market district: the Seomun Market.
Suddenly, a man and a woman appeared from within the district and approached them, sporting huge bags and a thick coat with metal plates on them.
They both looked like they were in their mid-20s.
The woman had a short, black hair, with brown eyes seemingly curious of Zeke and Jihyo. The man had a long, black hair that was tied to a bun, and he looked like he was cautious of the two.
"Hey! More survivors! Do you need help..?" The woman said.
"Yes. This old man is in danger." Jihyo said. The woman takes a good look at Zeke, then the old man, then Jihyo. She then gasps.
"Hold on.. aren't you.. Park Jihyo?" She said, her face looking surprised.
"Well--"
"Oh my god! It is you! Hey, Hyung-won! It's Jihyo.. from TWICE!" She said with giddy. The man puts his hand on his face.
"Sorry about my sister.." The man replied, letting out an audible sigh. "My name is Lee Hyungwon, and this is my very energetic little sister, Lee Minji."
"You already know me..." Jihyo said as she chuckled. "This is my friend, Zeke."
Zeke was taken aback by what Jihyo said. This is the first time she called him a friend.
"Oh, hello, Zeke-nim!" Minji said, waving at him. "It must be nice to be a close friend of Jihyo, huh?"
"Ah, uhm.." Zeke was speechless as Jihyo gave a small smile.
"That's enough, Minji. They need help immediately, so we have to help them." Hyung-won said, assessing the injured old man."We have a base not too far from here where we settled after those icy bombs fell. There's a medic there, perhaps he can help."
"Survivors.." Jihyo thought.
"Alright. Please, lead the way." Jihyo said as they begun walking. They move along ever so slowly and quietly so that they won't accidentally come close to the gems on the ground or Scrapers that might possibly lurk within the place.
The huge place was a lost cause. Most of the buildings inside have either collapsed completely or frozen over. Most of the carts have fallen as well, with alot of food and other supplies scattered around.
As they continued to walk, Minji talked to them.