While Han Kangsu Struggles Against Ammut
While Han Kangsu struggled against Ammut,
Nam Gyuil led 01 Team onward. He stayed especially vigilant of their surroundings. Uraeus appeared now and then, forcing skirmishes, but fortunately, no one was hurt.
After walking for several hours like that,
"It's seriously humid as hell in here. How much farther do we have to go?"
Lee Chanu grumbled. They'd been marching so long his soles ached, but the corridor's end was nowhere in sight. It was enough to make anyone sick of it.
"Still, no one's hurt, so that's a relief, right? Even if it's tough, that's better than the alternative, don't you think?"
Hong Shinu said with a carefree smile, keeping the conversation going.
Lee Chanu nodded. "Yeah, true. Walking forever beats getting injured."
As they pressed on, Nam Gyuil suddenly halted and flashed a hand signal. Alert status. Everyone swallowed dryly, gripping their shields and swords tighter.
Nam Gyuil narrowed his eyes. Something was there. A faint wriggling shape in the darkness, drawing closer. Soon, the torches on the walls revealed its true nature.
"Uraeus!"
A massive swarm of snakes slithered out from the shadows.
"Circle formation!"
Nam Gyuil shouted. 01 Team swiftly formed up in perfect order.
As Nam Gyuil cleaved a Uraeus head in two, something felt off. What's this? Why are there so many more than before?
The numbers had exploded out of nowhere. And these ones were fiercer than the earlier batches, charging with utter disregard for their lives.
In that moment, a thought flashed through Nam Gyuil's mind. Is there a boss monster up ahead?
That had to be it. Why else would they swarm like this?
"Fight calmly, everyone! Don't show any gaps."
Nam Gyuil issued orders. The Uraeus were numerous, but that was their limit. Their tactics were the same as before. They couldn't breach the circle formation. 01 Team fought steadily on. Whenever a gap threatened to open, Nam Gyuil plugged it, maintaining perfect stability.
The battle dragged on for quite a while. Every Uraeus that had lunged at them ended up as corpses.
"Whew, that was a bitch."
Lee Chanu pursed his lips, glaring at the dead snakes.
Hong Shinu wiped her sweat. Hwang Ilsu swung his dagger through the air a few times. Something seemed wrong.
Nam Gyuil approached him with a serious look. "Ilsu, what's up?"
"The blade's in bad shape."
"Time to swap it out?"
Nam Gyuil eyed Hwang Ilsu's dagger intently. National hunters had only two ways to get weapons: use the crappy daggers supplied by the Hunter Agency, or shell out cash for a priest. Weapons you could bring into gates were limited in quantity—and expensive. So most national hunters stuck with agency rations.
"Gonna have to ask the supply officer for a new one. Budget's tight, so I'll get an earful about conserving gear."
Hwang Ilsu said it like it was routine.
Nam Gyuil led his comrades onward. No more Uraeus. Instead, a door appeared. A grimy black doorknob caked in dust.
Nam Gyuil glanced at his team. "Looks like we've reached the boss room. Everyone ready?"
"Yes, Sergeant Nam Gyuil!"
"Been ready ages ago."
They all gripped their shields and weapons tight. Nam Gyuil seized the knob. With resolve for the final fight, he yanked it open.
Creeeak.
01 Team strode boldly into the boss chamber. They scanned their surroundings. Pitch darkness greeted them—no light at all.
Crunch, crunch.
The floor was blanketed in sand, like a desert.
Whoosh.
Suddenly, torches flared to life on the ceiling and walls. The room lit up.
Nam Gyuil took it all in. Life-sized statues lined the walls. And at the far end—a throne. One you had to climb high stairs to reach. A perfect symbol of kingship.
Seated there was a mummy in a golden mask, clutching a staff adorned with snake motifs.
Nam Gyuil's heart sank at the sight of this gate's boss monster. Pharaoh? Damn it, why is that thing here?!
Cold sweat beaded on his skin. Pharaohs ranked among the strongest monsters. They wielded devastating magic that could wipe out foes in one go. Nam Gyuil's current power couldn't match it.
Damn, this is weird. Strong monsters shouldn't show up until mana builds up over time, right? Why now?
Earth's mana needed to accumulate sufficiently for top-tier monsters. It wasn't there yet. Mana levels weren't high enough for something like this. You couldn't even practice Arnia mana cultivation without elixirs right now. This made no sense. He itched to dive into the Akashic Records for intel.
But that was impossible. Entering would knock him out. Time flowed the same there and in reality—perfect setup for the monster to finish him off.
No Akashic Records now. The Pharaoh swung its staff.
Thud, thud—!!
The surrounding statues stirred. Stone bodies shifted, yellow sand crumbling from their shoulders. They blocked the path to the throne like royal guards.
Nam Gyuil felt puzzled. With the Pharaoh's power, it could kill us instantly. Why use the statues as shields?
Whoosh— The Pharaoh pointed its staff at 01 Team's national hunters.
Nam Gyuil warned his comrades. "This boss uses magic! Scatter, now!!"
They bolted in all directions. A black beam lanced toward where they'd stood.
Boom—!!
The explosion cratered the floor.
Nam Gyuil eyed the Pharaoh again. Impressive destructive force, but weak compared to Akashic Records data. What? One spell should've wiped us out. And I dodged it? It should've been too fast.
Weak. Manageable, even.
Then, another snippet of knowledge sparked in his mind.
- Gates can open prematurely before mana fully accumulates.
- But the entities forcing it open arrive severely weakened.
Nam Gyuil gritted his teeth, steeling himself. It forced the gate open and crossed over, losing most of its power.
Still a powerhouse, but not at full strength. Lucky break.
If we fight tooth and nail, we can win—!
Nam Gyuil readjusted his grip on his sword. Pharaoh's a ranged magic specialist—weak up close. But those statues make getting near impossible.
Deal with the statues first. But focus on them, and ranged attacks would pick them off.
One option: Have the team handle statues while he went for the Pharaoh.
"I'll go for the boss. Statues are yours. Got it?!"
"Understood."
"Don't let the statues interfere with my fight against the boss."
"Yes, sir—!!"
Nam Gyuil scanned the statues' formation. Thick single file. Target the thinnest spot to break through.
Rumble.
He shoved them aside with his shield, smashing through their line.
The Pharaoh recoiled at the unexpected charge.
Thud-thud-thud.
Nam Gyuil raced up the stairs to the throne. Statues lunged after him, but—
"Block 'em! Block 'em!!"
"These rockheads aren't getting past to Sergeant Nam Gyuil!"
The team held them back desperately. But it didn't last.
"Gah!!"
"Argh!"
Soon, screams rang out. Their skills weren't enough against the statues. A brief delay was all they managed.
Thud-thud-thud.
The statues closed in, shaking the ground with each step. Nam Gyuil glanced back. If they catch up, I'll face Pharaoh and statues. No chance then.
No time. He sprinted harder up the stairs to reach the Pharaoh first and avoid the worst-case scenario.
Whoosh.
The Pharaoh cast a spell. Three fireballs hurtled toward him.
Thud, smack, thud.
Nam Gyuil blocked with his shield. "Nngh—!"
A groan escaped. The fireballs' power was insane—skin burned, and the shield buckled under pressure.
Worlds apart from that shaman Lizardman.
Firing three at once was shocking enough; the impact shook his legs, wrists trembling.
But I can't stop running!!
Nam Gyuil pushed harder. Stopping meant losing any shot at victory. Pain or no, he clenched his teeth and charged.
The Pharaoh's mask twitched. Surprised he'd endured. It swung its staff for another spell. A boulder materialized in midair.
Whoosh.
It rocketed like cannon fire amid bursting air pressure. Even Nam Gyuil couldn't block that head-on. He dropped low, knees bent, zigzagging swiftly.
Thud-thud.
The boulder missed, cratering the floor harmlessly. Yes!
Nam Gyuil poured power into his calves, bounding up faster. Distance to the Pharaoh shrank—
Vwoom.
The dodged boulder suddenly curved mid-flight. It can change trajectory like that? Even weakened, it pulls high-level magic?!
No choice—Nam Gyuil raised his shield. Damn it—!!
A stinging shock slammed his wrist. He groaned involuntarily, steps faltering. The agony felt like his joint might pop.
Thud-thud-thud.
The statues were nearly on him. This would force a two-front fight—the nightmare scenario.
"Kekeke."
A vile chuckle from the Pharaoh. Nam Gyuil glared. Through the mask's slits, its eyes crinkled in triumph.
But Nam Gyuil didn't yield. His Arnia swordsmanship included a dagger-throw technique—no windup.
Its trick: the dagger snapped forward unpredictably.
All or nothing!!
He channeled mana to his fingertips and hurled without prep.
Shing.
The dagger streaked straight for the Pharaoh's chest—faster than an arrow.
Caught off-guard in its victory daze, the Pharaoh flinched for a defensive spell. But—
Splat—!!
Too late. The dagger buried in its chest. It spewed blood from its mouth. Crimson trickled down the mask, dripping onto the throne.
The Pharaoh convulsed, then slumped lifeless.
"Never let your guard down till the end."
Nam Gyuil muttered low. Heart shredded, it was done. With its death, the statues froze.
Victory was his.
Lee Chanu whooped at the Pharaoh-slayer. "Nice!! As expected from Gyuil hyung!"
Soon the others joined the frenzy, voices raised in excitement.
"Knew you'd pull it off, Sergeant Nam Gyuil."
"Gyuil hyung's the best!!"
"Our bro's awesome!"
Praise poured from everywhere. Nam Gyuil wiped sweat with his hand, eyeing his team. Victory, but the process irked him. He'd tasked them with statues, but their lack of skill nearly doomed him.
Maybe I need to train these guys properly?
He sighed deeply, pondering again.
"Core's next. Let's get out."
Nam Gyuil approached the Pharaoh's corpse, yanking the dagger from its heart. Then he spotted the orb behind the throne. The core.
Crackle.
He smashed it in one blow.
Rumble-rumble.
The ceiling shook, storm clouds seeping through cracks. Gate-closing signal.
Nam Gyuil sheathed his dagger and pocketed the Pharaoh's staff. Tough fight, but huge score.
This staff was a top-tier magic weapon even in Arnia—boosted spell power massively. Nothing better on Earth.
With this, I can fight with magic too. Serious-level stuff.
A smile tugged his lips.
"Move out fast! Long way means we might be late—short route it is."
Nam Gyuil led the team sprinting the quick path.
Han Kangsu, who'd taken the short path.
"Hah—hah—hah."
He panted, leaning on his longsword like a cane. Ammut's corpse lay before him. After hours of brutal exchange, he'd felled it—but exhaustion left him unable to fight more. And he'd taken wounds. At least not critical; small mercy.
As his limp limbs refused to move, footsteps approached from ahead. He looked up. 01 Team was coming from the opposite direction—unscathed.
"What the—?!"
Han Kangsu gaped. Park Taesu blurted, "Whoa?! How'd you guys come from that side...?"
Nam Gyuil smirked at the shock. "Why? Beat the boss, obviously. Gate's closing soon—run!"
Han Kangsu's mind blanked. I lost? To him?
Unbelievable. Awakened at 13, secretly trained by his father—one of Korea's top five. The regimen made him strong fast. He always beat guild rookie spars. Those rookies? Veterans who'd survived Hunter Agency service intact.
And pre-enlistment, he'd cleared gates with Dad. So why? How did I lose?!
He'd lost the bet. Undeniable reality. It stung his pride. Teeth ground.
05 Team ran for the exit. Midway, someone muttered low, "What? Mr. Hotshot Han Kangsu lost the bet after all that bragging? Isn't he supposed to be a genius?"
The words hit like a slap. He whipped around—but everyone clammed up. No clue who.
Damn it—!
Han Kangsu clenched his fist.
The national hunters emerged from the gate. All unscathed. The gate vanished, ending the incident.
"Good work, national hunters. Water for your thirst."
Nam Gyuil cracked open a bottled water from the soldiers.
"Thanks, I'll take it."
He chugged. Fresh out of the steamy gate, it tasted divine. He wiped his mouth with his hand.
Han Kangsu stared at Nam Gyuil, then approached silently.
Click!
He gripped his sheathed longsword by the hilt. "I lost the bet. Here's the sword, as promised."
Handing his weapon over cleanly—total acceptance of defeat.
Nam Gyuil held back words. Sure, it'd be a win, but... He's just 17.
Taking stuff from a minor via bet felt off. He flicked the cocky kid's forehead.
"Ow! What the hell?!"
"Keep the sword. What kinda adult robs a kid?"
Nam Gyuil chuckled. Han Kangsu furrowed his brows, face full of gripe.
"Take it! If I lose a bet and don't honor it, what'll people think?!"
He forced it into Nam Gyuil's hand, glared in frustration, and boarded the Hunter Agency vehicle.
Nam Gyuil found it amusing. Still a brat.
Acting like that, hard to refuse. 500 million won blade...
He drew it from the sheath. Far superior to his dagger—no nicks, grip comfy.
Swish.
Test swing. Well-balanced, easy handling. Nice sword.
Worth every penny.
Soon, all national hunters boarded. Mission done, they headed home.
At the Hunter Agency-provided house, Nam Gyuil first tended the longsword. Wiped blood, oiled to prevent rust.
Then, he sat cross-legged. Time to access the Akashic Records.
With the Pharaoh's staff, learning magic made sense. And above all...
Need ways for my team to grow without leaking info.