Chapter 199
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 199
Chapter Title: The Super Gap, The Prelude - 1
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From the moment he entered the cave, Lee Hyun-wook had been continuously checking two things.
First, whether his 'mana communication' was still active.
*'If they want to assassinate me, this is the first thing they'll cut off.'*
After all, he was Lee Hyun-wook. There was no shortage of people with fire in their eyes, ready to protect him—the world's sole hope.
And if he so much as requested support, they would stop at nothing to fly here immediately.
The Villains weren't ignorant of this, so they would sever his link to the outside world first, isolating him completely.
*'All within my predictions.'*
Second, he was checking the time, down to the second.
*'241 seconds left.'*
Even knowing it was a trap, he was still walking into the heart of enemy territory.
Lee Hyun-wook didn't let his guard down; he had prepared for a contingency he couldn't handle on his own.
*'If there's no communication from me for five minutes, that operation begins.'*
And just now, his mana communication had been severed. A barrier had been erected around the entire area—a mana disruption device utilizing none other than 'Mana Reflux Stones'.
In other words, Lee Hyun-wook couldn't use a single skill, let alone summon an item. He was facing numerous assassins with his bare hands.
'...To be honest, it's a near-perfect trap. A setup like this must have taken months, not to mention a fortune.'
Lee Hyun-wook looked up, surveying the dozen or so Players surrounding him.
But even his 'Insight Lens' seemed to have lost its function; a system message flickered before his eyes and then vanished.
However, Lee Hyun-wook's strengths weren't limited to mana-dependent 'skills' and 'items'.
He exhaled slowly, heightening all his senses as he observed the enemies' movements.
Then, he spoke.
"...Well now, 229 seconds left."
At Lee Hyun-wook's words, Jang Jun-geol's expression twisted.
"Hah! I don't know what trick you're trying to pull, but you can't use that signature item summoning skill of yours in here!”
“...So, right now, we're going to teach you, you arrogant bastard, the meaning of that cliché: a rat in a trap!”
At that moment—
Rat-a-tat-tat—bang!
A hail of arrows and bullets flew toward Lee Hyun-wook.
"Ugh!"
In the darkness, two flashes of fire erupted from deeper inside the cave, likely from machine guns.
Rat-a-tat-tat—bang!
They were normal attacks, devoid of any magic, but by the same token, he couldn't cast any defensive magic either.
That was why, in this space, a volley of enchanted magic bullets was the optimal method of attack.
No matter how high one's defense was, without a defensive skill, they would be torn to shreds.
However...
Lee Hyun-wook threw himself back, covering his head with both arms.
Thud-thud-thud-thud—
And just like that, as if he were wearing body armor, all the bullets ricocheted off him.
At the sight, the men's eyes widened.
"Huh? How can clothes that thin... block enchanted Orichalcum bullets?”
Here, Lee Hyun-wook's unique hardening skill was useless. And his attire was hardly thick armor capable of stopping bullets, so they were understandably baffled.
But soon enough, they realized the reason...
"...Th-that's armor made from dragon scales!”
What Lee Hyun-wook was wearing was armor made from the scales of a Black Dragon. It was only natural that armor of that caliber couldn't be pierced by just any weapon.
Lee Hyun-wook smirked.
“You redecorated a measly cave and had the gall to boast to me about the money of a great nation?”
"What?"
“What I possess is on a different level from the paltry things you cling to. In other words... this isn't a problem that can be solved with just numbers and money.”
“...What the hell are you trying to say at a time like this?”
From between the arms shielding his head, Lee Hyun-wook offered a grin.
"...There is a super gap between you and me."
Lee Hyun-wook had already established a 'super gap' between himself and other Players. This single piece of defensive gear alone was already on a level that transcended their common sense.
It was a gap that spanned several eras, much like how the indigenous peoples of the Americas could not hope to stand against the Europeans armed with gunpowder and steel during the age of exploration.
When the difference is that great, a fight can't even get started, most of the time. Even if one walks right into a trap like this.
"Now then, 143 seconds left.”
Lee Hyun-wook counted the time again. From the Villains' perspective, who had no idea what he was counting down to, it was merely confusing.
"Uh... C-Captain, at this rate, I think our only option is to force his arms down and slit his throat.”
Jang Jun-geol nodded at the suggestion.
“Right. Team 1, advance. Shooters, don't miss the moment he lowers his arms. Aim for his head and neck.”
With their initial plan of a magic bullet barrage abandoned, five warriors with swords and shields began to advance.
'That's it, come a little closer...'
Keeping his head covered, Lee Hyun-wook watched the approaching men through the gap between his arms.
And the moment the distance closed to a certain point, he kicked off the ground.
The machine gunners, seizing the opportunity, opened fire, but—
“W-We can't shoot like this!”
Because Lee Hyun-wook was tangled up with the warriors, they had to take their fingers off the triggers.
"This son of a—!”
The large, bald man at the forefront thrusted a greatsword at Lee Hyun-wook. Lee Hyun-wook twisted his body to evade the blow, then threw a crisp jab at the man's nose.
Crack—
“Urk!”
The man's nose broke at a right angle, and his body staggered. Lee Hyun-wook grabbed the arm that had thrust the sword, pulling it in as if embracing it, then used the principle of a lever to snap the elbow.
Applying a standing arm lock with maximum force, the thick arm snapped like a twig, the bone piercing through the skin.
Crack—
"Guaaaah—”
In a flash, Lee Hyun-wook had snatched the sword from the man's grasp and plunged it into his abdomen.
Thunk!
The man, who had been letting out a fierce scream, slowly saw his eyes roll back.
"—Surround him from all sides!”
The remaining four had already surrounded Lee Hyun-wook.
"L-Like this! Keep him surrounded and approach slowly!”
"He can't move freely because of the machine guns, so we have the advantage!”
However, Lee Hyun-wook lifted the bald giant's body with one hand and slung it over his back.
“What?”
That's right—he was using the corpse as a shield.
In that state, he aimed the sword at the other four.
"—Just attack!”
Blades flew in from four directions, all aiming for Lee Hyun-wook's neck. But with just one hand, Lee Hyun-wook parried all four incoming weapons.
Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!
His movements were precise and efficient, as if he were a master from a martial arts film, reading the flow of every weapon.
After exchanging a few blows, the warriors couldn't help but step back in astonishment.
"Uh......."
They had charged in so confidently because Lee Hyun-wook was barehanded. But now, he was no longer barehanded.
Feeling the weight of the single sword in his hand, the warriors backed away slowly, as if facing the barrel of a gun.
“...Come to think of it, didn't he kill the Sword Saint?”
Because Lee Hyun-wook had primarily showcased his firepower until now, his enemies often forgot just how skilled he was in close-quarters combat.
And in the moment they hesitated—
“Gak!”
The sword embedded itself in one man's throat.
Lee Hyun-wook had thrown it.
"Huh?”
Lee Hyun-wook kicked off the ground, closed in on the man, and grabbed two swords, one in each hand. A hail of machine-gun fire followed his movements, but missed by a hair's breadth.
And in the next moment,
Swish— Swish—
The two swords left Lee Hyun-wook's hands,
Thud— Thud—
and in the rear, the two machine gunners collapsed backward.
Just like that, a gap opened in their fire support.
Lee Hyun-wook slowly lowered the arms that had been shielding his head and took a proper boxing stance.
“—He's barehanded again!”
One man rushed forward, swinging his sword horizontally. Lee Hyun-wook dodged the blade's tip with a sway, leaning his upper body back, then planted a powerful hook on the man's jaw.
Crack—
That single blow didn't just shatter his jawbone; it tore his entire lower jaw clean off, sending it flying.
“Gurgle— Gurgle—”
The man staggered like a zombie before collapsing sideways.
Clang—
Lee Hyun-wook had no time to pick up the sword the man dropped. A sword and a spear were already coming at him from both sides.
But with animal-like instincts, Lee Hyun-wook evaded every attack, closing the distance even further.
And then...
“—Now you're in my range.”
“Kuh! Damn it—”
Having a long weapon is an advantage, but the moment that distance is breached, it becomes a liability. Lee Hyun-wook established control of the range where his fists could connect but they couldn't swing their sword or spear, then threw a light punch, shattering both men's noses and teeth.
"Gak—"
"Agh!"
His movements were like those of a wild beast. And since he could block most attacks with his arms—with the Black Dragon armor—they stood no chance against him.
Crack! Thwack! Pow!
After a few dull thuds, the five warriors who had surrounded Lee Hyun-wook were neatly sprawled on the ground.
"......."
A brief silence fell.
Lee Hyun-wook exhaled slowly and surveyed the enemy lines.
'...Still so many of them.'
But the number of Villains was still too great for him to handle easily. By his count, there were still thirteen left.
Click-clack—
And to replace the machine gunners killed by Lee Hyun-wook's thrown swords, other men took up the guns.
Lee Hyun-wook picked up a shield from the ground. An item of this quality would hold up against a hail of bullets for at least a few dozen seconds.
Just then, Jang Jun-geol took a step forward and spoke.
"Hah— So a tiger is still a tiger, even with its fangs pulled?”
"......."
"I know you're formidable in close combat, but without your metal control ability, you can't possibly beat me.”
As he spoke, the man took something out.
It was a long, golden staff... the Ruyi Bang.
At that moment, Lee Hyun-wook snapped his fingers.
“Bingo—”
"Hm?"
"That's exactly what I came here to find.”
At that, Jang Jun-geol, his pride wounded, ground his teeth and growled in a low voice.
“...Go on, try and take it if you can.”
Jang Jun-geol, one of China's top bruisers... Lee Hyun-wook had fought him a couple of times in his past life, so he knew a fair bit about the man.
*'Fighting him while my abilities are sealed, and dealing with the other eleven at the same time, will be difficult.'*
And Lee Hyun-wook had no intention of doing so.
"But you know......."
He muttered, checking his watch again.
“...Time's up.”
"What? This bastard, what's with all this talk about time......."
KWA—BOOM—!
At that moment, a deafening roar shook the entire tunnel.
"Kuh! Wh-what's suddenly......."
"—It's collapsing!”
No one could stand properly. An entire side of this ancient mountain was in the process of caving in.
Rumble, rumble...
Soon, cracks spiderwebbed across the walls, and a section of the ceiling gave way.
And that meant a massive fissure had formed in the space created by the 'Mana Reflux Stones,' creating an opening for outside mana to seep in.
*'When that happens, mana begins to flow, albeit in a limited capacity.'*
It was the same principle as a large vacuum-sealed bag slowly losing its function when a hole is poked in it, allowing air to seep in.
Inside the shaking tunnel, Lee Hyun-wook closed his eyes and expanded his senses.
In other words, he manifested and projected his mana.
He could feel a massive chunk of metal hundreds of meters away. A weight more familiar than anything else...
'Now, come to me—’
Lee Hyun-wook pulled it.
A vibration began to rumble from above.
KWA-DUDUDUDU—
It was a violent tremor, like hundreds of buffalo stampeding or a train hurtling forward at full speed.
But as it drew closer, he realized that description didn't do it justice.
KWA-GWA-GWA-GWA—!
This wasn't a simple vibration... it was an earthquake.
The very earth was cracking, colliding, and twisting...
KWA-GWA-GWA-GWA—!
Just then, the cracked ceiling collapsed entirely, opening up, and something fell, slamming into the ground.
BOOM—!
It was the greatsword with a black blade, Moggle.
Watching Lee Hyun-wook levitate the greatsword into the air, Jang Jun-geol spoke in a trembling voice.
“H-How is this... Your forces shouldn't be able to enter this land so easily......."
His eyes darted around frantically, as if they were about to pop out of their sockets.
“...This is impossible.”
As he said, this was Chinese territory. The weapons of another nation could not be deployed without the Chinese government's permission.
But for Moggle to have dropped from above meant that the delivery vehicle, Lee Hyun-wook's army, was floating in the sky.
“H-How... This is an unauthorized territorial incursion. It's impossible to get this far without practically starting a war......."
The Communist Party, the ruling body of this country, and more specifically, the powerful Ministry of Public Security, had long been under the control of the Villains.
That was why they had been operating their surveillance network at maximum capacity, on the lookout for any of Steelain's weapons entering their territory
Therefore, to him, this scene was like a magic trick he couldn't possibly comprehend.
In response, Lee Hyun-wook could have explained that his magical engineering had advanced to the point where he could deceive their nation's air defenses, launch a 'War Box' into low orbit, and have airships floating in the sky... but he summed it up in a single sentence.
“...This is the super gap I created.”
***
At that same moment, Alain Giam, who had been waiting outside the cave, let out a string of curses and coughed. The entire world had been blanketed in dust and dirt.
“...Cough! Cough! Shit! What the hell is going on!”
For a moment, it felt as if the heavens and the earth had been overturned.
He slowly pushed his way forward through the hazy cloud of dust, and once his vision cleared somewhat... an incomprehensible scene unfolded before his eyes.
Rumble, rumble.......
One side of the mountain had been crushed, as if struck by a god's axe, and a landslide was still in progress.
"Wh-Why the hell is the mountain suddenly collapsing!”
And in another sense, it meant his own plan could be collapsing. He turned and pulled up a Villain who was crawling out from under a pile of rubble.
“Hey, hurry up and make sure you kill Steelain!”
“Ugh... The entrance c-collapsed, so now......."
But before he could finish his sentence—
Swish—
Something sliced across the man's neck, and he collapsed, clutching his throat.
"Huh?"
It was a gust of wind... a razor-sharp wind.
And then, the hazy dust parted to the left and right as a gale blew through.
From within it, a woman walked out. It was Kim Se-hee.
“...Well, look at this. I guess the boss had a good reason for telling me to keep an eye on you?”
She stared at Alain Giam with a smirk of disbelief.
“...What?”
“I heard everything. Are you going to deny it like a child?”
Just then, a section of the rubble exploded, and a group of Villains poured out from behind it. There were at least a dozen of them, and after assessing the situation, they surrounded Kim Se-hee.
Alain Giam gave them a quiet command.
“...Kill that bitch right now and go take care of Steelain!”
But Kim Se-hee just scoffed.
“Hah— You think that small number will be enough?”
And only then did Alain Giam notice the massive shadow moving overhead.
Whir— Whir—
Behind Kim Se-hee, a dozen airships had already appeared, deactivating their cloaking modes.
"Really, did you think we'd come all this way by ourselves?”