Piercing the Wall of the Impossible (1)

I let out a long sigh.

Why the hell did I even come here?

Ten minutes before the break occurred.

Yuna exhaled quietly, careful not to let anyone notice.

I’m supposed to be on monitoring duty, damn it.

She understood why they’d pulled her in, of course.

A break was about to explode any second. With all of Cheonghwa’s elite forces already committed to the gate, they were desperate enough to borrow even a cat’s paw. And Yuna was a Unique-grade information-type trait holder. Being drafted to the field was only natural.

I don’t want to be hereeee….

The problem was her own motivation.

“—Unique-grade? Then wouldn’t it be better if you stayed on gate duty?”

“—You already know I came from that tower. I’d just be dead weight if I went along.”

“—You think we can’t protect one person? We don’t discriminate against people from Egen… ahem, the Tower of Beginners. Let’s go together.”

In truth, Yuna was a fairly capable Awakener. A Unique-grade information trait made her a valuable asset even within Cheonghwa. Unlike the way she’d grumbled to Hwimin, she would have received far better treatment if she stood on the front lines.

“—I’m sorry! Field work is just… a little…!”

But she had refused.

There was only one reason.

She… hated scary things.

I only cleared the tower by riding the bus, for crying out loud!

She hated fighting. Monsters were gross. Watching battles and analyzing them made her sick. Office work suited her much better. She preferred sitting safely at a desk, doing normal tasks without ever being in danger.

…It might sound pathetic at first glance, but surprisingly many Awakeners felt the same way. How many people in the modern era would smile and march happily onto the battlefield just because they’d Awakened?

Those with timid personalities like Yuna especially avoided gates. Even if someone promised to protect her, she still hated it. That was why she had stubbornly refused to deploy.

But—

If I don’t go, tens of thousands of people might die. How could I possibly say no…?

People would die. It was an overwhelmingly righteous cause. Even Yuna had eventually caved and nodded. That was the moment her first field dispatch was confirmed.

And she… would come to regret that decision.

—CRACKLE!!!

“…Hiiik!?”

The moment the break seemed to begin, something suddenly burst up from the floor.

“Yuna!”

“W-wait…”

There had been a bodyguard right beside her. But the hand he reached out never reached her.

The labyrinth’s appearance was so fast and sudden that even an A-rank Awakener couldn’t react in time. For Yuna, who was suddenly left alone inside the labyrinth, it was nothing short of a catastrophe.

“H-hiiik!?”

What is this place!? It’s disgusting and terrifying!!

Inside the labyrinth that had finally revealed itself, Yuna stumbled backward. The interior looked like the insides of some massive creature, and it brutally triggered every one of her fears.

“I-is anyone there!? Please help m—”

She cried out in a panic, begging for help. The terror of death had paralyzed her reason; she couldn’t even remember that making noise would only draw the monsters’ attention. The consequences came immediately.

—Squelch.

“Save… huh?”

A soft, squishy pink wall. It suddenly convulsed violently, and a bundle of tentacles shot out.

SWAAASH—!!!

The tentacles wrapped tightly around Yuna’s body and slammed her into the wall. Fortunately—or unfortunately—she didn’t suffer any injuries.

“Mmph!?”

What the hell is this!?

The moment the tentacles approached, the wall split open and swallowed her inside. Deeper and deeper into the labyrinth’s core.

Kidnapped!? Why me of all people…?

—Ding.

“Hiiiiiiik!!!!!?”

The belated notification only fueled her despair. She didn’t know what “base” meant, but the idea of using it to create monsters was horrifying enough. Just looking at it, she knew she was about to suffer something unspeakably awful.

“Please save me!!! Anyone, please!!!”

She screamed through her tears. She even begged the tentacles to stop. Faced with such an unreasonable disaster, only despair and terror echoed inside her head.

“I’m sorry! I won’t do it again! I’ll live a good life from now on… Mommmmm!!!!”

She was so terrified she even called for her parents, but…

There was one thing she didn’t know.

The Awakeners leaping down from the portal could see the entire scene perfectly.

“Hee-chan! That’s…!!!”

“Isn’t that one of our guild members!?”

While Yuna was being dragged toward the center of the vast labyrinth,

“That’s not what matters! Look at the other side!”

“What the… what is that!?”

On the opposite side, the walls were being sliced apart in droves.

Why was Yuna being kidnapped? What was the incomprehensible phenomenon happening on the other side?

The first to realize the meaning behind it was, once again, Hwang Hee-chan.

“It’s Cheol-gang-min!!”

“What!?”

“Cheol-gang-min is going after the boss! The monster sensed him!!”

That boss had an excellent grasp of Awakener strength. Even during the week they’d been trapped, it hadn’t sent any monsters once everyone had gathered. So if such a creature sensed Cheol-gang-min’s overwhelming power?

If it realized that an incomprehensible violence it could never resist was coming for it for the first time… how would the monster react?

“That’s a hostage!!”

It had grabbed a single helpless woman as a hostage. The Boar Labyrinth understood very well that a female hostage held the highest value.

…It just never got the chance to actually threaten Hwimin.

—Slice.

“……?”

Yuna? Why is she here?

Hwimin, who had cut straight through the labyrinth in a single line, caught sight of her.

Her face drenched in tears. Hyperventilating from panic. One shoe half-off from all her struggling.

His thoughts were short. His actions were swift.

This bastard dares?

With a flick of his wrist, Hwimin’s Moonlight Sword danced through the air. The sword energy that shot out instantly severed the tentacles, and—

—SLICE!!

[GRHAAAAAAAHHH!!!!!]

For good measure, it also sliced clean through half of the Boar Labyrinth’s main body—the massive eye embedded in the wall.

The boss that Cheonghwa’s elite had failed to even glimpse after a full week of suffering. Hwimin had brought it to the brink of death in under a minute.

—Sluuuurp.

[Grrrrr…!!!]

The startled eye sank back into the wall and began sliding along it. Purple bodily fluid that looked like tears poured from the severed eyeball as it frantically fled from Hwimin.

“……”

That’s so gross. What the hell is that thing?

Hwimin shuddered inwardly. The sight of an eyeball embedded in a wall sliding around like slime was the stuff of nightmares.

If it weren’t for Yuna, I could’ve used Space Slash and one-shot it! I need to chase— No, the sunbae comes first!

Then—

Whoosh—!!

Hwimin scooped Yuna up in his arms. This place was far too dangerous for a level 151. She could get hit by a stray monster, so he decided to get her out first.

I might look pretty cool right now…

What the—!? More tentacles!?

Of course, Hwimin was currently invisible and wearing an artifact that erased his presence. To Yuna, it felt like a ghost was carrying her.

—Crack.

“……Huh?”

At that moment, the sound of something shattering reached her. Yuna’s gaze turned upward. The translucent shield covering the labyrinth had broken, and clear sunlight poured in.

—Ding.

“……Hieeeek!!!?”

It literally says indestructible!?

Then—

WHOOSH—!!!

Yuna’s body shot straight upward in an instant.

No way!?

Only then did Yuna finally understand the situation. There was only one person capable of something ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠like this. The one and only Awakener in the entire world she had been desperately searching for.

It had to be Cheol-gang-min.

“Cheol-gang-min!!?”

“……”

That’s just my afterimage… Actually, that’s the sun, but okay?

Since his invisibility had also blocked her trait, her gaze was aimed in completely the wrong direction. But anyway.

There might be more of them, so I should put her down quickly and come back to finish this.

Tadadad—!!

Hwimin broke into a sprint. He completely ignored the labyrinth, running straight across the top of it and escaping.

To Yuna, it looked exactly like a knight on a white horse had come to rescue her.

“C-Cheol-gang-min…”

So cool….

Thump.

Yuna’s heart pounded hard. It wasn’t from fear.

* * *

He set Yuna down roughly on the grass. He would have preferred to lay her on a bench, but there wasn’t time.

Alright, time to head back.

He was about to run off when—

“U-um! Cheol-gang-min!!”

“……?”

The moment he heard his community username, he glanced back with just his eyes. Yuna was staring into empty air.

“Th-thank you… so, um, your contact information…”

…Come to think ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠of it, her job was to find Cheol-gang-min. Even in this situation, she was still trying to work. Talk about professional spirit.

Contact info? That’s gonna be a problem.

Whoosh—!!

He sprinted away, leaving Yuna behind. Whatever she was shouting quickly faded into the sound of the wind.

Taht.

He stood atop the labyrinth once more.

—Ding.

There it is.

He ran across the top at high speed. The boss was still moving around inside the labyrinth in real time. He planned to take care of it and be done.

Since he was completely ignoring the labyrinth and running straight across the top, it didn’t take long.

“Space Slash.”

[Khyaaaaakkk!!!!]

Slice.

The eye was severed ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠by the slash he unleashed. The eyeball that had already been half-cut and dangling finally fell with a wet plop. The mana core inside it was now fully exposed, of course.

[Hwa…….]

Even then, the creature seemed to value its life. It tried to melt back into the wall and slither away, but—

—Clack.

“Here’s Johnny~.”

Hwimin was already standing directly above it. He sliced through the veil on top of the labyrinth and lightly jumped down. His Sword God trait had already embedded the blade deep into the wall.

Thanks to that, a miracle of Moses occurred inside the wall.

SHAAAAAASH—!!!

With the satisfying feeling of slicing through meat, the Boar Labyrinth’s mana core was cut cleanly in half.

[Aaaa…….]

“Hoo, done.”

This really felt like a drama scene. You know, the one where the masked guy rips the Japanese flag. Of course, he wasn’t as handsome as that actor, but still.

—Crumble….

Alright, time to go home.

As the entire labyrinth turned to dust, he casually rested his sword on his shoulder. Since multiple guilds had gathered, they could handle the remaining small fry themselves. He decided to trust them and leave.

Serina, I kept you waiting all over the place~.

He was about to head straight to the hospital when—

—Freeze.

“……Huh?”

He stopped in surprise. Right before his eyes, a notification window that should never have appeared was sparkling.