Dungeon & Commander (150)
Park Hyun-woo grinned at Sa Yeonggyo, who had closed the distance in an instant with Phantom Walk.
She knows how to think on her feet. But it's too late.
As Park Hyun-woo reached out his hand, a glowing orb created by Deplancio flew toward him. The moment the life-force-filled sphere touched his palm, his body trembled.
Immense power surged through his listless frame.
The mana swirled around his body like a vortex.
Still not enough. But it'll suffice to squash a couple of annoying flies.
Park Hyun-woo was more concerned with Kim Jun, who stood quietly behind Sa Yeonggyo, watching him, than with Sa Yeonggyo herself, who had closed to within five meters.
Sa Yeonggyo wasn't that big a threat.
She had plenty of experience and high-level skills, but she was still within expectations. The reason she'd been able to kill Sim Jin-hwa was because Sim Jin-hwa had overexerted herself with mana-intensive skills and self-destructed—not due to Sa Yeonggyo's combat prowess or tactics.
The moment Kim Jun plunged the Cheonroegeom into Yi Uk-hwan's chest, Park Hyun-woo had been genuinely startled.
Considering that he'd held back from summoning the Cheonroegeom until the perfect moment and deliberately lured Yi Uk-hwan into dropping his guard, it was clear Kim Jun had planned from the start exactly how to kill him.
That guy's dangerous. He knows how to hide his trump cards. Yeah, the scariest ones are those you can't predict. Does he have something else up his sleeve right now? Hmm, looks like it's not the time for risks. Better bide my time.
The Metal Whip shot toward Park Hyun-woo's neck like a viper.
Park Hyun-woo deployed a barrier. It was basic magic that any mage learned, but Sa Yeonggyo's Metal Whip couldn't pierce it.
Instead, the barrier expanded, blasting Sa Yeonggyo backward.
Even with the Metal Whip absorbing some impact, she tumbled all the way to where Kim Jun stood.
"A shame we're short on time."
As Park Hyun-woo swept his hand horizontally, a massive wall of fire erupted, bisecting the Honor Hall.
He turned and walked toward the magic circle.
"Please, save us!"
"Please... please..."
The cries of those trapped inside the bluish hemispherical barrier, having their life force drained, were loud and desperate enough to pierce the blaring siren. Piles of fallen hair littered the floor, and their skin hung loose and wrinkled.
They all sensed death closing in.
Park Hyun-woo glanced at the aspiring awakeners within Deplancio and a few Association staff.
Their reactions grew more frantic.
A smile crept across Park Hyun-woo's lips.
The moment they saw that expression, the people writhing in agony realized the truth about the wax figure that held fragments of the great hero Park Hyun-woo's memories.
This monster was a devil.
Park Hyun-woo checked the clock on the wall.
About three minutes left? If I had ten more, Deplancio would bear fruit. I didn't even get 30% of the planned mana.
With a sigh of regret, Park Hyun-woo extended his hand toward Deplancio.
A hole opened in the side of Deplancio, sucking one of the victims inside toward the outside. The hole sealed shut just as quickly, disappointing the rest.
The man was Lee Dong-ju, from the exam management committee, in charge of proceedings.
"Th-thank you. Thank you so much."
Tears streaming down his face, Lee Dong-ju believed the wax figure had spared him.
Park Hyun-woo's hand covered Lee Dong-ju's face.
Three streams of energy flowed from his palm into Lee Dong-ju's eyes, ears, and nose, making him scream and thrash. But his face stayed plastered to the palm.
In just ten seconds, Lee Dong-ju went limp.
When Park Hyun-woo pulled his hand away, Lee Dong-ju's face came off with it, perfectly intact.
The weaker-stomached aspiring awakeners vomited up their dinner from the shock.
Park Hyun-woo pressed the face from his palm over his own features. As red, yellow, and black energies seeped in, he began to resemble Lee Dong-ju more and more.
Sa Yeonggyo couldn't hold back and launched her Metal Whip.
But it still couldn't breach the barrier. Park Hyun-woo glanced at her over the blazing firewall.
"Any woman would know how much focus makeup takes. Oh, but you might not. Since you're not a woman."
"......"
Sa Yeonggyo's face flushed red.
"Now, shall we get dressed?"
As Park Hyun-woo reached out, Lee Dong-ju's corpse floated into the air. His belt and buttons undid themselves, shirt and pants peeled off, and even his watch slipped from his wrist. The clothes flew to Park Hyun-woo, who casually slipped on the socks, dressed, and fastened the gleaming Rolex on his wrist.
Park Hyun-woo walked to the firewall and peered through at Sa Yeonggyo and Kim Jun.
"Let's call it here for today. I'm as disappointed as you are, but time's up. Don't be too let down—we'll meet again. Stay well until then."
With a gesture, he flung open a massive door and placed an anroe trap right in front of it on the floor. Waving at Kim Jun and Sa Yeonggyo, he stepped into the corridor.
The door slammed shut behind him.
The Fire Wall vanished in an instant.
Sa Yeonggyo bolted for the entrance first, while Kim Jun staggered painfully toward the magic circle.
Sa Yeonggyo frowned.
Three eyeballs that exploded if you entered their range after tracing figure-eights blocked the door. Touch an anroe and it blew; disarming it would take time.
She made an instant call and dashed toward the magic circle draining the aspiring awakeners' lives.
The two arrived at the circle almost simultaneously.
"This is Deplancio."
Sa Yeonggyo said.
She examined the formed barrier closely, then shook her head.
"It's reached stage three."
Forcing it to stop now would kill those inside—and whoever touched it. Sa Yeonggyo and Kim Jun's eyes met. She shook her head.
"Save us!"
"I don't want to die here!"
"Please, just save us!"
Not just the aspiring awakeners—even Yi Wan-yeol was screaming, tears and snot streaming down his face.
"Think we can hold out until backup arrives?"
Sa Yeonggyo stood still. From the circle's state, these people would dry up like mummies in five minutes.
Clang.
The Cheonroegeom slipped from Kim Jun's grasp, ringing against the floor.
Kim Jun grabbed Sa Yeonggyo's shoulder with his charred hand and leaned in close, whispering.
"The method."
Sa Yeonggyo met his gaze.
No fear or impatience—just complete trust that he had a solution.
Staring into those calm, sunken eyes eased her mind.
Then, something miraculous happened. A theory from The Magic, a world-renowned magic journal she'd skimmed recently, flashed in her mind.
It connected uniquely to spells she knew well, leading straight to Golemium. And Golemium's theory shared context with Deplancio.
The web of knowledge linked in just two seconds. Sa Yeonggyo pointed to a part of Deplancio and said,
"We might die."
Kim Jun nodded.
"And the odds of failure are higher."
Kim Jun nodded again. Sa Yeonggyo sighed deeply, as if conceding.
"That's the Death Gate. It's Deplancio's weak point. Sever the mana flow there, and it'll stop. But my mana couldn't touch it. Even a heavyweight like Choi Min-su wouldn't find it easy."
"Okay."
Kim Jun snatched up the Cheonroegeom and thrust it straight into the Death Gate.
Kang!
It rang like striking metal.
The repulsion hurled Kim Jun backward. Sa Yeonggyo caught him with both arms, but the force knocked them both down.
"Didn't you hear me?"
Sa Yeonggyo snapped, furious.
"Couldn't just stand there."
A hand appeared before the struggling Kim Jun as he tried to rise.
"Not a heavyweight like Choi Min-su, but I'll help however I can."
It was Lee Taeseop, who'd finally staggered up. Kang Hyeonseong and Gong Yunju stood behind him.
Grabbing the hand, Kim Jun rose with the Cheonroegeom in grip and circled Deplancio, scrutinizing the magic circle.
The aspiring awakeners, Yi Wan-yeol, and Park Myeong-seop unconsciously followed him with their eyes. They all knew Kim Jun was their hope.
How long for a Raider as strong as Uncle Choi Min-su to get here? Can't leave it to luck. Have to try something.
Then, flickering lights and blaring alarms seized his attention.
Having found the method, Kim Jun urgently gathered Sa Yeonggyo, Lee Taeseop, and the others to explain.
"No way."
Sa Yeonggyo blurted.
"I thought the same."
Lee Taeseop agreed, with Kang Hyeonseong and Gong Yunju nodding support.
"I'll save them—so save me."
Kim Jun went to the wall with the button and stabbed the Cheonroegeom into it. A few slashes exposed the internal wiring. He cut the power line with the sword, sparking wildly.
Kim Jun yanked the wire free and stood before Deplancio.
"Do you really have to go that far?"
Sa Yeonggyo deliberately ignored the people trapped in Deplancio, staring at them. Even to save them, there was no reason to risk her life on slim odds.
"People are dying. We save them. Can't move on without it—at least not me. Get ready. If I die... I'll come back as a crazy wax doll for revenge, so do your best."
Ending the talk with a joke, Kim Jun slowly drew up Po-noe Strike.
His unhealed body began to tingle and ache.
Kim Jun extended the Cheonroegeom forward, exhaling deeply. He raised his broken left arm and gripped the live wire tight.
"Argh!"
Agonizing shock coursed through him. Screaming, Kim Jun unleashed Po-noe Strike all at once. Then he executed Mukhonbo Tan.
Kim Jun charged the Death Gate.
Boom!
A deafening roar and blinding flash engulfed the entire Honor Hall.
The elevator halted. The lights went out.
The squad showed no panic at the sudden event. Nam Jun-sang flicked on his flashlight as if routine, and the others activated lights on their vests.
"Power outage, looks like."
Deputy leader No Il-seong whispered.
The backup generator kicked in soon after, restoring power, and the elevator resumed.
It arrived at the Honor Hall floor.
"Move."
As the doors opened, Nam Jun-sang leaped forward, modified core gun aimed ahead. No Il-seong swept left, crossing paths, while the rest advanced per protocol.
The corridor was empty.
"Treat it as live until proven a false alarm."
"Yes, Captain."
The squad murmured affirmatively.
No suspicious signs in the first twenty meters—no blood, no blast marks.
"Told you, examinee screw-up."
No Il-seong said.
Nam Jun-sang ignored him.
After fifteen more meters, footsteps approached from ahead.
Nam Jun-sang raised a fist.
The "Seven Team"—First Mobile Strike Squad—halted silently, awaiting orders.
He gestured left and right.
They split, taking cover on either side.
The heavy shoe steps grew louder.
Nam Jun-sang eased the trigger.
An intruder into the Honor Hall Final Room wasn't ordinary. A Raider with special abilities... was deadlier than most monsters.
The approaching man wore round glasses.
Nam Jun-sang glanced at Jeon Taek-jo, who shook his head, posmeter—mana/internal energy detector—trained on the man.
Tension evaporated.
Nam Jun-sang lowered his gun and blocked the man.
"Ah! Strike Mobile, right? Because of that siren? Intruder? Th-then it's dangerous here? Wh-what do we do?"
The man babbled.
Nam Jun-sang gripped his shoulder, yanking lightly to shut him up.
"See any suspicious movement?"
He stared into the eye above the freckled cheek. Guilt or lies would flicker there.
"N-none at all."
The eyes darted. Fear or deception? Hard to tell.
"Captain, like I said—examinee mistake."
No Il-seong chimed in.
Nam Jun-sang glared; No Il-seong turned away with heavy sighs.
"Hear anything?"
"I was working overtime... only heard the siren."
"Understood."
"Th-then, good luck."
The man bowed idiotically, weaving through the squad. Yuk So-jeong consoled him: Scared, huh? We get it—we deal with evil Raiders all the time.
"Hold up."
Nam Jun-sang called.
The man turned slowly.
"Name? Where do you work?"
"I-I'm Lee Dong-ju. In the restoration room attached to the History Room of the Honor Hall."
"Last month's flood moved that room next to the Today Room."
The man's foolish grin froze. The mask slipped, revealing a cold, sharp, resolute face.
Park Hyun-woo.
"Busted. As expected of the First Strike Mobile captain. Heard you're thorough."
Park Hyun-woo's fingers extended into tentacles, wrapping Yuk So-jeong.
Nam Jun-sang raised his core gun but couldn't shoot with her as shield. The others aimed but held.
"Restoration room's by History Room."
"What? Just testing, and I bit? Incredible."
"Second Team, to Final Room."
No Il-seong backed away with Kwon Jae-hong and Son Ju-yeong at Nam Jun-sang's order.
"How'd you suspect me? Genuinely curious."
"Nape."
"Ah! Forgot that fussing with the front skin. Good catch. I'll be careful."
Park Hyun-woo touched his nape. The wax figure's artificial texture was pronounced.
"You can't escape. Surrender."
"I think otherwise."
His instantly grown nails pierced Yuk So-jeong's throat, blood trickling between them.
Nam Jun-sang advanced, lightly squeezing the trigger.
"Don't care if a squad member's life is forfeit? Sacrifice her to catch the intruder? Gotta promote that way? Great captain—truly great."
The sarcasm didn't faze Nam Jun-sang.
At his glance, Jeon Taek-jo and Heo Jong-seok flanked, pressuring Park Hyun-woo.
"If that's how you want it."
Park Hyun-woo smirked and bit into Yuk So-jeong's pale neck.
Bang bang. Bang bang.
Nam Jun-sang's core bullets hit Park Hyun-woo's shoulder. Jeon Taek-jo and Heo Jong-seok fired too.
Park Hyun-woo hurled Yuk So-jeong at Nam Jun-sang and fled.
Bang bang bang.
Riddled with special rounds, Park Hyun-woo collapsed before ten meters.
As Nam Jun-sang checked Yuk So-jeong, Jeon Taek-jo and Heo Jong-seok signaled and approached.
Bang.
Jeon Taek-jo's bullet hit Park Hyun-woo's crown.
"So-jeong'll report—check his pockets. Gloves on."
"Yes, sir."
Heo Jong-seok shifted his core gun to his back and squatted by the corpse, donning tougher gloves for Raiders' pockets.
One sloppy investigator had lost his forearm to a Magic Creeper that way.
"Let's see."
As Heo Jong-seok reached in, the "dead" intruder opened his eyes.
Heo Jong-seok fell back in shock.
Park Hyun-woo jerked upright like puppet strings, glaring at the guard.
"Team leader!"
Heo Jong-seok yelled.
Nam Jun-sang rushed, firing.
Bang, bang, bang.
Two to the forehead, one to the chest—Park Hyun-woo grinned, then dissolved into hundreds of bats that swarmed Nam Jun-sang before vanishing into the ceiling shadows.
Bang bang bang bang.
Shot bats turned to black wax clumps.
Nam Jun-sang radioed Control, reporting Yuk So-jeong's injury and the intruder surviving core bullets, transforming into bats to escape. He sensed this was no ordinary breach.
The elevator opened; medics arrived, disinfecting Yuk So-jeong's neck wound and loading her onto a wheeled bed.
Leaving her to them, Nam Jun-sang advanced, core gun sights forward. Jeon Taek-jo and Heo Jong-seok flanked.