050 - Dungeon Break (4)
The vampire's arm was severed clean off.
Blood sprayed into the air, incinerating in an instant, while the severed limb itself became engulfed in roaring crimson flames.
The moment the vampire recoiled in shock from the blazing pain, Kim Sun-woo felt a distinctly different sensation in his grip compared to before.
'It connected.'
The flames surging along the Black Flow Sword weren't even close to sword gang—barely akin to sword aura, more like a crude imitation.
It was internal energy drawn forth through the White Flow Heart Method, maximized and manifested by channeling the fire essence he'd awakened in the Blazing Peak.
Lacking a fixed form, its power fell short of standard sword aura, making it suboptimal for real combat.
Yet it had shown devastating results against the zombies, so he'd tried it on a whim. He never imagined it would prove meaningfully effective even against the boss monster, the vampire.
"...Such insolence."
The vampire extended his remaining arm, attempting to regenerate the stump.
As the lord of Death's Land, he was immune to all forms of death until the authority bestowed upon him faded.
But the flames that had sliced through his arm were a different story entirely.
'Regeneration... isn't working? This is dangerous...'
The vampire swung his lone arm wildly, his cape whipping about in a frenzy.
He needed to regroup first.
The vampire tried to melt back into the shadows, but Kim Sun-woo had no intention of letting him escape.
Shiak!
Confirming his flames worked, he charged ferociously at the vampire.
His goal was to bypass Jin So-hui, who was clinging to the gate—now halted and shrouded in blood-red mist—and strike the vampire directly.
'Leave the portal to the other hunters and focus here!'
Even with the Baek twins neutralized, Seong Ha-rin and Lee Han-su from the Mugung Guild remained.
Two of them could hold off the zombies with ease.
The priority was felling the vampire, the root of all this chaos.
Chwaak!
The Black Flow Sword whipped out again, tracing an upward arc from below.
The cape enveloping the vampire's body, melting into the darkness, tore in a long gash, canceling his blood magic.
"Such uncouth manners...!"
The vampire spat in fury, clenching his fist tight.
He hesitated for a moment before transforming into a swarm of pitch-black bats and soaring into the sky.
For a vampire, shapeshifting was a matter of racial pride.
It was never meant for ignoble flight—proof of just how cornered he truly was.
'Back to the castle...'
The bat-swarm vampire beat its wings furiously.
He planned to retreat to the castle, heal, then rally his forces and march through the portal into the forbidden realm.
But his thoughts didn't get that far.
—Shiiiaaaak!!!
A streak of white light erupted from the ground with ferocious momentum.
It was a thunderbolt strike infused with overwhelming internal energy—enough to twist his fingers from the recoil—barreling forth.
Imbued with blazing flames, it trailed a comet-like tail.
Kwaaaaang!!!
His back exploded, and the vampire was shot down, crashing to the ground soon after.
Half his upper body shredded, he couldn't even maintain his bat form.
"...Kuhuk."
Gone was the elegant aura from his initial appearance; now he was a wretched, pitiful sight.
Writhing on the ground, the vampire vomited blood, tormented by the searing agony consuming his body.
Spotting the human shadow looming over him, he looked up in disbelief.
"How does a mere human wield the Parasa Flame?"
"......"
Kim Sun-woo gazed down at the vampire with a hardened expression.
Without the elemental advantage of his flames, this foe would have been even trickier than the Fire Dragon.
Yet the fact that sheer compatibility allowed such an overwhelming victory was hard to believe.
'Is this tied to my talent too?'
He'd assumed it was simply martial arts aptitude, but as time passed and his realm advanced, doubts crept in.
Why had it lain dormant for the past decade, never manifesting outwardly?
Before delving into martial arts, he'd dabbled in various martial disciplines.
He'd shown decent progress for a beginner then too—but nothing like with true martial arts.
And now, alongside martial arts, something deeper felt like it was shifting.
Thud.
Kim Sun-woo shook off the distraction, slamming his sword into the ground beside the vampire's face.
That wasn't important right now.
The zombies assaulting the hunters had frozen the instant the vampire fell.
And there was a specific reason he hadn't finished him off immediately.
"I have some questions."
"You think I'll answer...?"
Chiiik.
He brought the flaming blade to the vampire's cheek; flesh sizzled and melted instantly, belching white smoke.
"Kyaaaaaaaak!!!"
The vampire thrashed in agony, unleashing a guttural scream.
Kim Sun-woo looked down coldly and spoke in a low voice.
"Cooperate, and I'll kill you painlessly. Resist... and..."
Encountering a monster capable of conversation was a rare opportunity.
This one had uttered words eerily similar to the Fire Dragon's—he needed to know what it knew.
As he pulled the sword away, the vampire regained his composure, flashing a chilling smile up at him.
"To dare threaten a noble of the Vladimir bloodline with such base coercion..."
Chiiik.
This time, he plunged the blade into the nape of the neck, igniting the flames.
The vampire convulsed violently before snapping back to composure the moment the sword withdrew.
"...It's been ages since I've chatted with outsiders. Might prove amusing."
"What do you mean by the 'forbidden realm' you lot keep mentioning?"
"Exactly what it sounds like."
Lying supine, staring at the sky, the vampire answered with detached poise.
Though his rolling eyes remained fixed on the Black Flow Sword.
"The world cycles through birth and death. But not everything truly rebirths or perishes. Beings of sufficient realm engrave themselves into the natural order, awaiting the birth of a new world."
"......"
"No need to overthink. Do you humans believe you originated on that land? Surely there were pioneers who took root, built civilizations. It's called the cradle of the forbidden realm, barring intrusion until maturity. But with the 'gate' open, it signals the end of growth and the dawn of ripeness—cause for celebration!"
Kim Sun-woo furrowed his brow.
The explanation was too abrupt, hard to grasp at once.
But that wasn't an issue.
Whiiing.
The camera for internal dungeon monitoring was recording everything.
The smart folks outside would analyze it later, even if he couldn't follow.
"Then what's your goal?"
"Goal? Survival instinct is the primal drive of all life. ...Though not every being eyeing that forbidden land shares it."
The vampire smirked slyly.
"Should ineffable horrors awaken, the forbidden realm would turn to hell in an instant..."
Shiak!
The Black Flow Sword slashed cleanly, severing the vampire's head.
His eyes had begun glowing with an eerie light mid-sentence.
Kim Sun-woo had expected him to stall for time with some scheme.
He'd heard most of what mattered anyway—his blade struck without mercy.
Chop, chop-chop—!
Not content with decapitation, he diced the body into dozens, hundreds of pieces.
Soon, flames consumed the whole, reducing it to black ash that crumbled away.
With their master's death, the rampant zombies collapsed into dust and earth.
"...Both are still alive!"
Confirming all monsters vanished and the area secure, Seong Ha-rin and Lee Han-su rushed to check the twin swordsmen.
"Ugh..."
Younger brother Baek Hwa-yun had his neck snapped and blood/internal energy drained, half-corpse-like, yet somehow clung to life.
Elder brother Baek Hwa-un had a shattered sword and caved-in chest—a grievous wound—but his warrior tenacity kept him conscious, like his brother.
"My brother... my brother..."
"Baek Hwa-yun Hunter is fine. Drink this potion now."
"......"
As the twins received treatment, Kim Sun-woo sheathed the Black Flow Sword and strolled over to Jin So-hui.
She glanced up from analyzing the portal with a peculiar look.
"That vampire was on par with a B-rank dungeon boss."
Immune to physical attacks, commanding hordes, overwhelming stats, unique blood magic.
No average strike team could have toppled it easily.
So what was this man's true nature, felling it unscathed alone?
"Got lucky."
Kim Sun-woo shrugged.
"It was a power I got by chance. Never dreamed it'd work on a vampire."
This flame—like fire resistance negation and Samadhi True Fire—was truly coincidental, born in the Blazing Peak.
Who could've imagined its potency here?
"...Hmm."
"Anyway, how's the portal? Can we get out?"
"Yeah, seal's almost lifted. Used up a ton of mana, but with the vampire down, no issues."
Truth be told, she'd been ready to abandon it and join the fight if needed.
Opening the gate meant nothing if no one survived to exit.
Even success would just hand the vampire an escape route, dooming them.
...Until Kim Sun-woo's sudden assault changed everything.
Paaat!
Moments later, the blood mist cleared, revealing the original portal.
"...Let's go. I can't stand this creepy place anymore."
"Agreed."
Kim Sun-woo nodded.
Beating the boss should have triggered dungeon collapse signs.
The lack of change meant...
'Either the vampire wasn't the boss...'
Or another lurked alive somewhere.
Uncertain how far his flames reached, he wouldn't gamble on bravado.
Injuries abounded, and everyone looked drained.
They'd come for reconnaissance anyway—this was far enough.
Hoisting the Baek brothers, the team ended the op and crossed the portal.
Paaat.
Returning to reality, he worried briefly.
What if Earth had changed while they were inside?
Fortunately, Daehangno looked unchanged from entry.
The only difference: the emerging recon team.
"...What happened?!"
"Injured! Get the stretcher!"
Seeing the Huashan twin swordsmen carried out in dire straits, Robert the team lead, Huashan members, and Crimson Tower mages rushed over.
Srulk.
Almost simultaneously, the portal sealing behind them signaled the dungeon break's end.
End