Chapter 110. Reunited with Junseok (4)

Jeonghu recovered quickly.

Fortunately, nearly ten top-tier healers had swarmed him.

Even one of them could cover a raid party of dozens—having almost ten meant they could probably revive even the dead in most cases.

On top of that, Kingdom Guild's healers were the best in the world. This was enough to restore even undead to their original state.

"You okay?"

"Yes...! I'm fine."

"Don't use Seven Annihilation for a while."

"...Got it."

Thanks to his upgraded Attribute Disruption, Jeonghyeon could now see Jeonghu's skill.

Seven Annihilation.

In simple terms, it was a suicide skill.

He had no idea why Jeonghu had pulled off such ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠a reckless stunt, but it was probably instinctual.

A desperate resolve to win no matter what.

Jeonghyeon understood that mindset all too well, so ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠he didn't snap or anything.

After a lifetime of nothing but defeats, he'd finally tasted victory thanks to Jeonghyeon.

Coming down from that high and tasting failure again would hit even harder.

"Frustrated?"

Jeonghyeon asked Jeonghu, still lying there.

"...Yeah."

"Good. Stay frustrated—that's how you survive."

If you weren't frustrated, you'd get complacent with your current state.

And in the life-or-death battles of Afraksas ahead, complacency meant death.

That was why so many top-rank hunters had died during the Great Transfer.

"Alright, let's move. No time to rest."

"Yes, sir!"

With that, Jeonghyeon's party headed to the dungeon Junseok had pointed out.

Philip, who had watched quietly, and Garibaldi, the third wheel observing from afar, both knew that sense of defeat all too well. No one spoke a word the whole way.

They finally arrived at the dungeon entrance. It was better than expected.

A thick mana presence wafted from the mouth.

This was easily beyond B-rank—maybe even A or A+.

Perfect for gauging Garibaldi's level.

Worst case, they could all pile in and clear it.

"So, why're you here?"

Jeonghyeon asked Junseok, who stood right in front of him.

Junseok was decked out head to toe in what folks called SSS-grade gear, proudly holding his signature spear, looking smug as hell.

They hadn't come together, and they hadn't bumped into him on the way.

So why was he already here, waiting for Jeonghyeon's party?

"Obviously, to see how well you scrubs handle a dungeon."

"Ah~."

Jeonghyeon nodded blankly.

Likewise—he was probably jealous of Jeonghyeon's tight-knit party deep down.

In a massive guild like Kingdom, they rarely got to huddle up like this and smash dungeons.

"Fine. Let's head in."

For just one dungeon clear, this was way overkill, but whatever.

"People always flock to you, don't they? Fascinating."

Garibaldi remarked.

As long as he racked up points with Garibaldi, the rest didn't matter.

"Kinda, yeah."

Jeonghyeon flashed a faint smile and stepped toward the dungeon—

Rumble—!

—when a massive mana construct began forming in the sky above his head, as if mocking, 'You think it'll be that easy?'

"What the hell now."

Of course. Things never went smooth.

Jeonghyeon was past enlightenment now; it felt wrong if shit didn't hit the fan. Without a sigh, he gestured for battle positions.

"Wh-what is it this time?!"

Philip and Jeonghu gripped their weapons tighter. Garibaldi and Junseok, seeing this for the first time, hurriedly drew theirs.

"Dunno."

But the familiar mana signature kept Jeonghyeon from drawing his weapon.

Boom!!

Tearing through dimensions came none other than Horakti.

A form utterly unlike before.

Wings with two pairs of feathers blotting out the sky, a massive eagle head.

Four legs like a bird's talons, claws bigger ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠than a human torso.

A chimera-like body with a triple-forked tail.

"Jeonghyeon!! It's bad!!"

This was the true form of the Island Radiance Dragon Horakti.

Not the Egyptian-myth bird-man hybrid, but his real self.

Not a 'true dragon,' but worthy of the name—a walking calamity.

Was this what a real dragon descent felt like?

"Wha... what the...?"

Junseok, facing such a colossal monster for the first time, lost his will to fight and let his spear tip droop.

"A monster...? Is this a raid...?"

Even Garibaldi panicked.

Philip and Jeonghu, who had met Horakti before, were speechless at the sight. Only Jeonghyeon stood unfazed amid the gale-force winds, hair whipping around.

"What happened? Why're you hurt so bad?"

Despite his overwhelming majesty, Horakti's body was covered in wounds.

Sizzle—!

Acidic dragon fluids oozed from his fully summoned form, pus dripping everywhere.

One wing was rotted to shreds.

Bloody tears streamed from his eyes.

'Albaz's poison...?'

His trembling legs. The endless blood tears.

This demonic visage was familiar.

'Hain Al Gul.'

The father of the manticore, creator of countless chimeras.

Malekith's loyal servant, the first alchemist to claim the rank of Archduke of the Demon Realm, and the first necromancer.

Born a high demon, he chose the path of undeath—a mad scholar.

It was poison from Hain Al Gul.

"Undead... the undead are attacking us...! I need your help!"

"...What?"

'Undead...? Why now...?'

Hain Al Gul loved flaunting titles like Undead Lord or King of the Dead, but...

'Why would undead loyal to Hain Al Gul suddenly attack another Demon King?'

"Malekith... has made his move...!"

Those words rattled Jeonghyeon's mind.

Malekith.

The bastard driving Jeonghyeon to scramble like a dog, the goal that gathered his comrades.

The reason he was raising people like Garibaldi, who had shared that history in the past, with his own hands this time.

"Malekith...?"

For the first time in this life, the 'present' Malekith had acted.

"Wasn't Malekith the weakest? What does that mean?"

Horakti spat black-red poisoned blood and answered.

"He was gathering strength...! Hurry! My subordinates are about to be wiped out!"

"Where'd they hit you? Start from there."

"Where else? Elaha's Garden and Elaha's ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Thul have both been attacked and reduced to rubble."

"The others?"

"I moved them all first. The high elves can handle some healing, but... a lot are dying. I held out alone and came for reinforcements. You get it, right?"

Horakti's eyes were desperate.

"Jeonghyeon-nim, let's at least gather the western forces!"

"No."

"Pardon...?"

"I said no."

Jeonghyeon's face was pale with unprecedented dread.

His hands were even shaking.

"Hain Al Gul... isn't someone you catch with numbers."

A powder keg. Even Horakti was dying.

Time to choose.

Jeonghyeon quickly activated Attribute Disruption to open status windows.

'At this level, Philip and Jeonghu should be fine.'

Jeonghyeon checked their loyalty to confirm what worried him.

'Garibaldi. Status window.'

'Damn it.'

Of all the timings...

'Junseok status window.'

Couldn't read Junseok's either.

High rank, maybe.

'No choice.'

What terrified Jeonghyeon about Hain Al Gul wasn't raw power.

It was his utter lack of humanity—a brutal psychopath.

He excelled at mental attacks that sowed doubt and turned allies into enemies.

The paladin orders of the Holy Dragon Haimarak's awakener—all fanatical believers—had been collectively undead-ified by his curses and psyops. That was one of the biggest incidents in a dozen years.

If even those zealots fell, Philip and Jeonghu might hold with willpower, but Junseok and Garibaldi? No way.

They weren't fully grown yet.

"Send us to Elaha's Garden first. You head to the beastkin."

"...Understood."

"Round up as many reinforcements as you can. Drive 'em off if possible."

"Thanks."

Horakti teleported them urgently. Every second counted.

"Oh, and leave Garibaldi and Junseok here..."

Too late—he hadn't heard the last part.

Whoosh—!

Jeonghyeon's vision blurred with mana, and when he opened his eyes...

...they were already in Afraksas.

'Fuck, we're screwed.'

Cold sweat trickled down his back in that split second.

'I messed up.'

"You can jump straight to Afraksas like this too...?"

Garibaldi marveled at crossing to the present via Horakti and back so seamlessly.

"Where... is this? No way—this is Afraksas?!"

Junseok freaked, seeing it for the first time.

Both hunters had ended up in Elaha's Garden.