Chapter 57: Medusa Snapped?

The warp of space deposited them on the soft moss lawn in front of the Gorgon treehouse. The glowing forest breathed around them. Hyun-woo rolled his shoulders, feeling sluggish.

He opened his mouth to speak, but before he could utter a word—Medusa moved.

No warning. No words. One moment she stood calmly at his side, cool scales brushing his arm. The next, her powerful serpent tail coiled around his waist like a living steel cable, lifting him clean off the ground and against her chest in a single fluid motion.

Her cool arms locked around him, one hand cradling the back of his head as she turned and began running toward the stone half of the treehouse.

Hyun-woo’s feet dangled uselessly. “M-Medusa—?” he asked, confused by this sudden behavior.

Ebonara’s reaction was instant. “You fucking bitch!” Her eight gem-eyes flared crimson as she lunged, her tail arched and venom beading at the tip. She was a black blur, claws outstretched to rip her sister-in-chaos away from what was hers.

Medusa didn’t slow. She simply spun, pulling him flush in front of her like a living shield. His wide brown eyes met Ebonara’s mid-leap.

Ebonara’s claws stopped inches from his chest. Her tail froze mid-strike, venom dripping harmlessly onto the moss. “Medusa… let him go,” she growled low and dangerously, all eight eyes swirling with possessive rage and betrayal.

Before anyone could draw another breath, Stheno struck from behind, blurring around the side with a wild grin. “You all go to hell!” Her clawed hand slashed in a surprise arc meant for Medusa’s back, but the angle was off in her haste. The blow clipped Medusa’s shoulder and caught Ebonara across the arm as the scorpion queen twisted to intercept. Both women hissed in pain.

Stheno laughed, yanking Hyun-woo from Medusa’s loosened grip. Her golden tail wrapped around his waist, pulling him flush against her toned body. “Fuck off, both of you! He’s mine tonight!”

Seeing and feeling all of this, he had to wondered, was it really a good idea to have these types of crazy women attached to him? he thought. For fuck's sake, he wasn't a sex doll.

On the other hand, after recovering, Medusa and Ebonara attacked in perfect sync—Medusa’s petrifying gaze flashing while Ebonara’s tail whipped forward like a spear.

Hyun-woo moved without thinking.

His hands shot out. One caught Medusa’s fist mid-punch. The other clamped around Ebonara’s wrist, stopping the tail strike.

But I guess I wanted this type of attention, he realized, because infinite strength does have its uses—and he held them both immobile with little to no effort at all. The impact sent a faint shockwave through the moss, rustling the glowing flowers.

He sighed, his soft face tired but fond, brown eyes flicking between the three fuming monster women. “Enough. All of you.”

The air crackled with tension. Ebonara’s gem-eyes still burned, Stheno’s snakes hissed, and Medusa’s tail lashed once in frustration. But none pulled away from his grip. Not yet.

“Medusa, Ebonara, Stheno…” Hyun-woo’s voice was quiet, steady, carrying that gentle warmth that always seemed to cut through their storms. “I already promised Ebonara my time tonight.” He gave each captured limb a small, reassuring squeeze. “I’m not going anywhere. But breaking my word to her… that’s not how this works. Not with us.”

Ebonara’s tail twitched, venom retracting as her eyes slowly shifted from crimson to softer gold. She still glared daggers at Medusa, but the fight drained from her posture. “Tch. Fine. But only because you said it, cutie pie. If she tries that shit again—”

Stheno grumbled, her golden tail loosening reluctantly around his waist even as her snakes nuzzled his shoulder in protest. “Bossy pretty boy. You’re too soft on her.”

Ebonara’s possessive grip on Hyun-woo’s arm tightened as she tugged him down the glowing path, her scorpion legs clicking with eager rhythm and her tail curling higher around his thigh.

“You know Mother just asked you to get ready around dawn, right?” Euryale called out from where she’d been leaning against a tree trunk, arms crossed and slit-pupil eyes flat with pure annoyance. “If you lot start fucking now, none of you horny bastards are stopping before noon. You have a mission into the Giant Realm.”

The words landed like a slap.

Medusa was as stubborn as they come; she didn't listen to a single word coming out of Hyun-woo or Euryale. And if she wanted something, she got it. Then, without a word, she moved.

SLAP.

Her open hand cracked across Ebonara’s cheek with a force that sent the scorpion queen rocketing backward through the air like a black comet. Trees snapped. Moss exploded. Ebonara crashed through half the forest before slamming into a distant stone outcrop with a thunderous boom.

Before Stheno could even blink, Medusa spun.

SLAP.

The second blow connected even harder. Stheno flew in the opposite direction, golden scales flashing as she tumbled end-over-end through glowing vines and trunks, disappearing deep into the misty woods with a string of creative curses fading into the distance.

Hyun-woo stood frozen, his mouth hanging wide open in pure shock. His soft brown eyes were as round as dinner plates. What the—? he thought. He had seen these women fight before… but this? Medusa had never used anywhere near that much raw strength on anyone, let alone her own sisters. The air still rang with the force of the blows.

Euryale stared for half a second, then threw her hands up in total disgust. “Fuck this shit,” she muttered, turning on her heel and marching back toward the treehouse without another glance. “I’m going to bed. Wake me when you horny bastards stop being horny idiots.”

Silence fell as both Medusa and Hyun-woo looked at each other with silence.

Medusa stood perfectly still, her long serpent tail coiled tight. A faint tremor ran through her fingers—the only sign that even she was surprised by her own outburst. She turned toward Hyun-woo, her emerald eyes softening just a fraction when they met his stunned face.

“This is all your fault,” she said quietly.

Hearing this, Hyun-woo just looked at her. Woman, why is this my fault? he wondered. But seeing her labored breath and the intense heat he could feel radiating from her eyes, he could guess why it was his fault.

“I’ve never felt like this, not once. Not ever. But you made me weird. So…” She caught him by the collar. “…take responsibility.”

Hyun-woo finally closed his mouth. “Medusa… you just yeeted them into next week.”

She shrugged, though her cheeks carried the faintest cool flush. “Who cares, they are tough.” Her cool fingers brushed his cheek once, tender and possessive. “Don’t worry or think about others. You are mine until noon.”

Hyun-woo “gulped” after all Seeing this side of Medusa, instead of fear, it made him excited.

Am I a pervert now?

The Prodigal Son Has Returned

Hey everyone,

I’m back, and I owe you all a huge apology.

I disappeared for the past two weeks without dropping a new chapter or giving you a heads-up, and that wasn't fair to any of you who tune in to read my work. The truth is, I got completely buried under my exams. Between late-night cramming sessions and the general stress of finals, I completely dropped the ball on keeping you updated.

I know your time is valuable, and waiting around for a chapter without knowing what’s going on is frustrating. I promise to communicate better in the future if life or exams get in the way again.

Thank you so much for your patience, your understanding, and for sticking around. The exams are finally over, which means my full focus is back where it belongs.

What's been happening with you all while I was away?