Chapter 25
Chapter 25
Sang-hyeok immediately chose to enter.
[Public Name: Undisclosed]
[Protective Appearance: Black Mask]
The Black Mask covered Sang-hyeok's face.
「Beginning matchmaking for the Floor 15 restricted Cooperative Battlefield.」
「Moving to the Cooperative Battlefield waiting area.」
Flash!
When the light cleared, Sang-hyeok was standing in the middle of a round stone chamber.
The three people waiting for the final member all turned their heads at once and studied the newly arrived Sang-hyeok.
At the same time, the public information of the three people appeared before Sang-hyeok's eyes one after another.
A burly man holding a red spear.
[China / Lv.15]
[Public Name: Ironblood Spear]
A short-haired woman with silver twin swords at her waist.
[Japan / Lv.15]
[Public Name: Shirogane]
A Korean man holding a staff set with a blue gem.
[South Korea / Lv.15]
[Public Name: Keep Spells Short]
In the fourth slot, Sang-hyeok's information appeared.
[South Korea / Lv.15]
[Public Name: Undisclosed]
In the Floor 15 Cooperative Battlefield, where each player had to take one stronghold, parties customarily introduced their names and roles once matchmaking was complete.
After seeing that the final member, Sang-hyeok, was marked as Korean, Keep Spells Short held his staff upright before his chest and spoke first.
"The last member is Korean. I'm Keep Spells Short. I'll provide firepower support from the rear."
Ironblood Spear gave a short nod and set the butt of his red spear against the floor.
"I'm Ironblood Spear. I'll take the front line."
Shirogane looked at Sang-hyeok's Black Mask for a moment, then gave a light bow.
"I'm Shirogane. I'll handle fast enemies or any that slip through to the rear."
All three looked at Sang-hyeok.
"Undisclosed. I'm close-range too."
Ironblood Spear's gaze lingered on Sang-hyeok's empty hands.
"Weapon?"
"Bare hands."
Ironblood Spear's eyebrows rose slightly, but he did not ask further.
Once the brief exchange ended, Keep Spells Short looked over the four of them in turn.
"Two front-liners, one skirmisher, one rear support. The composition looks good."
Ding.
「4-player matching is complete.」
「Entering the Floor 15 restricted Cooperative Battlefield <Masterless Legion>.」
Flash!
Blackness swallowed the four of them.
A moment later, Sang-hyeok's feet touched solid ground.
When the light cleared, an enormous underground barracks came into view.
At the east, west, south, and north ends, command strongholds embedded with red crystals stood one at each side.
At the center rose a massive monument shaped like the tip of a black spear.
[Battlefield Command Stone]
[Current Master: None]
[Legion Control: Active]
Between the four strongholds and the central Command Stone, hundreds of legion soldiers in black armor stood densely packed.
Curved horns jutted from both sides of their helmets, and sharp teeth showed through the gaps in their face guards.
[Demon Legion Soldier]
[Lv.15]
The legion soldiers kept their heads bowed and did not move a muscle.
Ironblood Spear raised his red spear.
"Once it starts, we each take the nearest stronghold."
Keep Spells Short and Shirogane adjusted their grips on their weapons.
Sang-hyeok looked at the central Command Stone.
That moment.
Thump.
The Heart of the Apocalypse Demonic Dragon beat heavily.
VMMMM!
The red light surrounding the Command Stone wavered violently.
The bodies of the bowing legion soldiers all flinched at once.
At the same time, a system message appeared before Sang-hyeok's eyes.
「The Battlefield Command Stone has detected the authority of a higher ruler.」
[Detection Source: <Heart of the Apocalypse Demonic Dragon>]
Clank.
One legion soldier in the front row raised its head.
Clank.
Clatter.
The same movement spread in sequence to the far end of the barracks.
Hundreds of pairs of red eyes fixed on Sang-hyeok all at once.
Following the legion soldiers' gazes, the three party members also turned toward Sang-hyeok in the Black Mask.
Ironblood Spear could not hide his bewildered expression either.
"What the......?"
He looked back and forth between the legion soldiers and Sang-hyeok, then soon angled his red spear and stepped in front of Sang-hyeok.
"I don't know why, but they're all looking only at you. Fall back for now."
At that very moment, one legion soldier in the front row slowly lowered its spear tip.
It took a step toward Sang-hyeok and then tried to kneel on one knee.
At that, the Command Stone's red light flared intensely.
The legion soldier's body jerked violently.
The knee that had been about to touch the ground was forced straight, and the lowered spear tip aimed at Sang-hyeok again.
But the arm gripping the spear was still trembling faintly.
[The Battlefield Command Stone is increasing control output.]
[Legion command orders are conflicting.]
"The legion soldiers' condition is strange."
Keep Spells Short muttered in a startled voice.
He too had cleared this battlefield multiple times for farming, but this was the first time he had seen legion soldiers resist the Command Stone's orders.
Just as he was trying to gauge the cause, the central Command Stone spewed out a violent red light.
Rrrrrumble!
「Beginning the Floor 15 restricted Cooperative Battlefield <Masterless Legion>.」
[Command Stronghold Capture: 0/4]
[Central Command Stone Barrier: Active]
[The Battlefield Command Stone has detected a control intruder.]
[Priority Elimination Target: South Korea / Public Name: Undisclosed]
Boom!
Receiving the Command Stone's order, hundreds of legion soldiers kicked off the ground at once.
They did not even glance at the other three people and swarmed only toward Sang-hyeok.
"Are they insane? Why are they all targeting just one person?"
Ironblood Spear shielded Sang-hyeok and gripped his red spear shaft tightly.
Shirogane also drew her twin swords and stared at the legion with a hardened expression.
"This battlefield is strange. I've never seen movement like this."
At that moment, Sang-hyeok spoke.
"You three go to the strongholds."
Unlike the three people caught in confusion, Sang-hyeok's voice was calm.
At Sang-hyeok's words, Ironblood Spear turned as if he had misheard.
"What do you mean?"
"They're only targeting me right now. I'll kite them, so you all capture the empty strongholds."
Thanks to all the legion soldiers swarming toward Sang-hyeok, the paths to the three strongholds were completely empty.
Sang-hyeok pointed to each in turn.
"Ironblood Spear, take the east. Keep Spells Short, take the south."
Finally, he looked at Shirogane, the fastest of them.
"Shirogane, capture the west, then move straight to the north."
Shirogane stared at Sang-hyeok with surprised eyes.
"Two places by myself?"
"Yes. While they're all chasing only me, you can capture two in a row."
At Sang-hyeok's answer, Shirogane was momentarily at a loss for words.
Ironblood Spear swept his gaze over the legion closing in on them, then looked back at Sang-hyeok.
"You're really going to kite all of that alone?"
"Yes."
Ironblood Spear still thought Sang-hyeok was being reckless.
But he felt neither bravado nor tension from Sang-hyeok.
Even with hundreds of legion soldiers bearing down on him, he was as composed as someone who had already finished every calculation.
Ironblood Spear's Adam's apple bobbed once.
The objection he had been about to voice never came out.
Sang-hyeok's composure quelled the other three's panic at once.
Ironblood Spear turned his red spear first.
"Just don't die."
The three party members scattered toward the east, west, and south strongholds.
According to the original plan, Sang-hyeok was also supposed to capture one stronghold and then head for the center.
But if the entire legion was chasing only him, there was no need.
While the three of them captured the four strongholds in turn, he just had to keep the legion tied down.
Sang-hyeok immediately began running toward the outskirts of the barracks.
Rrrrrumble!
Hundreds of legion soldiers chased after Sang-hyeok like a massive wave.
Not a single one broke from the ranks to chase the three party members.
Sang-hyeok increased his speed when the vanguard closed in, and slowed again when the formation began to spread out.
As the distance hovered just out of reach, the legion soldiers roared savagely and pursued even more fiercely.
That way, the entire legion stayed bunched into one mass and moved farther and farther from the four strongholds.
It was when Sang-hyeok had led the legion around the outskirts of the barracks once.
Ding.
[Captured the eastern command stronghold.]
[Command Stronghold Capture: 1/4]
[Captured the southern command stronghold.]
[Command Stronghold Capture: 2/4]
[Captured the western command stronghold.]
[Command Stronghold Capture: 3/4]
[Central Command Stone Barrier Output: 25%]
Shirogane, having left the western stronghold, immediately ran toward the north.
The legion soldiers who should have gone to retake the undefended western stronghold were still chasing only Sang-hyeok.
A moment later, the final notification appeared.
[Captured the northern command stronghold.]
[Command Strongholds Captured: 4/4]
[Central Command Stone Barrier Output: 0%]
[Capture Hold Time: 03:00]
Rrrrrumble!
Blue light rising from the four strongholds surrounded the central Command Stone.
Cracks spread across the red barrier, and it shattered into pieces.
Crash!
[The central Command Stone’s barrier is lifted.]
Ironblood Spear's voice came through the cooperative communication.
"Now we just hold for three minutes and the basic clear is complete."
"All three of you, go to the center."
Sang-hyeok pointed at the Command Stone.
"Attack the Command Stone while the barrier is down."
"Is it all right to leave the strongholds empty?"
At Keep Spells Short's question, Sang-hyeok glanced back at the legion chasing him.
"They don't care about the strongholds."
The three people had already confirmed that fact themselves.
Even with all four strongholds empty, the legion soldiers did not so much as glance at them.
They only chased after Sang-hyeok's heels.
Keep Spells Short let out a baffled laugh.
"What is this, the Pied Piper? How is the entire legion chasing only Undisclosed?"
At that moment, Shirogane checked Sang-hyeok's public information again and her eyes went wide.
"Wait. A South Korean Undisclosed player who reached Lv.15 today..."
She looked at the Black Mask running along the outskirts of the barracks.
"Are you Impossible One?"
Ironblood Spear snorted.
"Nah. The conditions probably just happened to overlap. Impossible One really being in our party..."
Sang-hyeok laughed briefly instead of answering.
Ironblood Spear's words trailed off.
"...What? It really is you?"
"Just break the Command Stone."
It was neither a confirmation nor a denial, but for the three of them, that was enough.
Ironblood Spear stared at Sang-hyeok for a moment, then burst into hearty laughter.
"Haha! I knew there was something unusual about you from the start. To be in the same party as Impossible One is an honor!"
He turned his red spear toward the center.
"Good. Leave the Command Stone to us!"
Ironblood Spear, Shirogane, and Keep Spells Short ran toward the center at the same time.
Sang-hyeok kept circling the outskirts of the barracks, holding the legion in place.
The situation actually looked better than the plan he had first set.
In the public video, the four people had been unable to properly attack the Command Stone because they were busy blocking the legion soldiers.
Now the three of them could pour firepower into it without interruption for the entire remaining time.
At this rate, it seemed the three of them could destroy the Command Stone even without him going to the center.
The moment the three party members arrived in front of the Command Stone.
"Here we go!"
Keep Spells Short thrust out his staff.
A blue mana bolt struck the front of the Command Stone, and a red spear thrust and silver sword flashes drove in from both sides in succession.
BOOOOM!
With each successive explosion, stone fragments flew from the surface of the black monument.
The three of them continued their attacks without rest.
But even after thirty seconds, the result fell far short of expectations.
[Time Remaining: 02:30]
[Central Command Stone Durability: 98%]
"Only 2%?"
Ironblood Spear's face hardened.
Keep Spells Short also quickly calculated the remaining time.
"This won't work. At this rate, even if we attack until the end, we won't even shave off 20% of its durability."
The party in the video that had lowered the Command Stone's durability to 71% had been top-tier super rookies gathered by the Eastern Channel's major guilds for a complete conquest.
Sang-hyeok knew their skill was exceptional too.
Still, he had judged that if they could attack for the full three minutes without interference from the legion soldiers, the three of them alone could break the Command Stone.
But the actual gap was bigger than expected.
Ironblood Spear, Shirogane, and Keep Spells Short were not weak.
It was just that the four people in the video were exceptionally strong even within the same level range.
Shirogane gritted her teeth and brought her twin swords down again.
Clang!
One more shallow scratch appeared on the Command Stone's surface.
Even that did not change the durability value.
"We... can't break this."
Sang-hyeok checked the Command Stone's durability and the legion chasing him in turn.
If he was satisfied with the basic clear, he could just run out the clock as things were.
But he had no intention of giving up the complete conquest with an Authority Factor on the line.
'In the end, I'll have to go myself.'
Sang-hyeok veered toward the center.
"You three, get away from the Command Stone."
"Don't tell me you're coming yourself?"
"I'll break it."
Before Ironblood Spear could answer, Sang-hyeok accelerated toward the center.
Because he had changed direction several times while leading the legion around the outskirts, part of the stretched-out formation was blocking the path to the center.
Every detour reduced the time available to attack the Command Stone.
Sang-hyeok chose the shortest path and plunged between the legion soldiers.
RAAAARGH!
Swords and spears poured in from all directions at once.
Sang-hyeok spread the <Erasure> in his right hand as wide as possible.
Flash!
The black energy spreading in a fan shape erased the weapons and bodies of the legion soldiers blocking his path entirely.
Black sand poured down and a path opened for a moment, but dozens of legion soldiers following behind immediately filled the gap.
<Erasure> completely erased anything it touched.
However, the range it could cover at once had its limits.
'If only I had the power to sweep that formation away in one blow.'
It became clear what power he currently lacked.
But he could not stop and lament a power he did not have.
'For now, I break through with this power.'
That moment.
Thump!
The Heart of the Apocalypse Demonic Dragon beat powerfully, as if answering Sang-hyeok's will.
The swords and spears pouring toward Sang-hyeok froze in midair for an instant.
Sang-hyeok did not miss that brief opening and plunged deep between the legion soldiers.
Hissss!
Each time he swung his right hand, the legion soldiers blocking his path turned to black sand and scattered.
When the ones behind filled the path, he opened it again with <Erasure>.
That was how Sang-hyeok broke through the legion head-on and drew closer to the center.
The three party members in front of the Command Stone watched the scene clearly.
Everywhere Sang-hyeok's touch grazed, weapons and armor, and even the bodies within them, vanished without a trace.
Keep Spells Short's mana bolt wavered for a moment.
"That's...... Impossible One's Authority."
The three of them only then understood why Sang-hyeok had said bare hands.
It was not that he had no weapon; he simply did not need one.
Sang-hyeok opened the cooperative communication.
"I'll break the Command Stone. Cover the rear."
A moment earlier, they would not have believed the claim that he would erase the Command Stone with his bare hands.
But this time, no one questioned it.
Ironblood Spear was the first to run toward Sang-hyeok.
"You heard that! Hold off the pursuers until Impossible One reaches the Command Stone!"
Shirogane and Keep Spells Short immediately followed.
Ironblood Spear swung his red spear and pushed back the vanguard chasing Sang-hyeok.
Shirogane's twin swords cut the legs of legion soldiers pressing in from both sides, and Keep Spells Short's blue mana bolts exploded in succession among them.
While the three party members held off the pursuers, Sang-hyeok erased the last legion soldiers blocking his path with <Erasure> and arrived in front of the central Command Stone.
[Time Remaining: 02:11]
[Central Command Stone Durability: 98%]
Sang-hyeok placed his right hand on the black monument.
'<Erasure>.'
Hissss!
The black energy blooming beneath his palm burrowed into the Command Stone.
The monument, which the three had spent dozens of seconds attacking only to leave scratches, began crumbling into black sand from the point beneath Sang-hyeok's hand.
[Central Command Stone Durability: 63%]
[Central Command Stone Durability: 17%]
VMMMM!
The Command Stone vibrated violently and poured out red light, but Sang-hyeok did not remove his right hand and pushed more mana into <Erasure>.
FSSSSSH!
At last, the black energy swallowed the entire Command Stone.
[Central Command Stone Durability: 0%]
「The Battlefield Command Stone has been destroyed.」
「The forced control over the demon legion has ended.」
The massive monument that had risen like a black spear collapsed into black sand from its base.
The movements of the legion soldiers who had lost their control stopped all at once.
The red light inside their helmets flickered unsteadily, but their hands still held their weapons.
Then.
Thump.
The Heart of the Apocalypse Demonic Dragon beat powerfully once more.
[The low-tier demon legion, having lost its ruler, detects the authority of a higher ruler.]
[Detection Source: <Heart of the Apocalypse Demonic Dragon>]
[Acquired Temporary Command Authority (Battlefield Only).]
Clank.
Hundreds of legion soldiers looked at Sang-hyeok all at once.
It was the same sight as when the battlefield had begun.
But this time, it was not to kill Sang-hyeok.
They were waiting for their new master's command.