EP7. North Korean Gate
"A hero boss in a B-rank dungeon?
Those usually only show up in A-rank or higher."
Kang Jun-yong's flustered voice echoed through the chamber.
This has to be because of my mana, too.
Choi Jae-jun didn't bother voicing that thought aloud.
"Looks tough."
Jae-jun eyed the soldiers sharply.
The rank-and-file troops were one thing, but the general glaring at him from the rear exuded an overwhelming presence.
Shing!
The general swung his sword forward, and the soldiers advanced in perfect formation.
With the spearmen up front thrusting their spears ahead as they marched.
'Chain Lightning!'
Chain Lightning
Zzzzap!
Currents of electricity rained down on the soldiers.
Normal monsters would've dodged, but these soldiers didn't flinch.
They marched straight into the bolts.
The electricity was completely blocked by the blue aura enveloping their bodies.
'Demonic Inferno!'
Demonic Inferno
He tried fire magic just in case, but it too was repelled by the blue glow.
Thud. Thud!
Shhhk!
The front line of spearmen thrust their weapons in unison.
Clang!
Jae-jun parried the spear and fell back momentarily before surging forward again.
'Acceleration!'
Acceleration
In the slowing time, Jae-jun's blade sliced through one spearman's neck.
Splat!
It didn't feel like cutting flesh and muscle—like cleaving a golem.
No way?
The monsters' base was golem after all; the shattered head began regenerating.
Jae-jun retreated further while unleashing another skill.
'Blade Storm!'
Blade Storm
Dozens of flaming swords materialized, hovering in all directions.
The fire attribute of Blade Storm dealt no damage, but the physical impact landed true.
One advancing soldier's leg was impaled by a blade, sending it tumbling.
Jae-jun seized the opening, raining dozens of swords down on the fallen foe.
A glittering core emerged from the crumbling body.
Crack!
As the core shattered, the soldier collapsed into dust.
Jae-jun danced through the soldiers, effortlessly dodging while spamming Blade Storm.
One by one, he focused fire, toppled them, and smashed their cores.
The soldiers' numbers dwindled steadily.
Ancient Soldier defeated.
.
.
Ancient Soldier defeated.
The general watching from afar billowed his robe and swung his sword.
Whoosh!
A blue sword beam lanced out, scattering Jae-jun's flaming blades.
Realizing his soldiers were no match, the general advanced on Jae-jun.
"One-on-one, huh?"
The general raised his sword, pointing it at Jae-jun's throat in silent reply.
"Fine.
Let's do this!"
'Blink!'
Blink
Jae-jun flickered and reappeared right behind the general.
Clang!
Without even looking, the general spun and blocked.
'Shadow Slash!'
Shadow Slash
Jae-jun's blade darkened, aiming for the general's vitals.
The general's response was unexpected.
Instead of defending, he swung down with bisecting force.
Jae-jun aborted the attack and rolled aside.
The bastard knew his strengths cold.
'As long as the core isn't destroyed, it regenerates—no fear.'
The general pressed his momentum relentlessly, slashing after Jae-jun.
Whoosh!
The distance was short, but the blue sword beam engulfed Jae-jun entirely.
Jae-jun chose breakthrough over evasion.
'Cheon-gang!'
Cheon-gang
Jae-jun cleaved horizontally through the blue beam with his sword and charged.
The repulsive force from the blue energy was formidable.
But...
Cheon-gang's two strikes deflected the beam, then targeted the general's neck with the second.
Caught off-guard by the counter—perhaps—the blade grazed the general's throat by a hair.
He tried to dodge simultaneously, but...
Jae-jun had no intention of letting him escape.
'Shadow Hand!'
Shadow Hand
Jae-jun's shadow stretched out, binding the general's limbs tight.
'Blade Storm!'
Blade Storm
Dozens of flaming swords poured down on the general.
Not even the sword hilt survived; a core rolled from the wreckage.
Roll, roll, roll...
It came to rest at Jae-jun's feet.
'It's over!'
Jae-jun stomped it to pieces.
Crack!
With the general down, the remaining soldiers were no threat.
Jae-jun cleared the chamber in seconds and stood before the King Sejong statue.
Seemed it wasn't a combat-type boss that fought directly.
Jae-jun struck first, before it could summon more minions.
Whoosh!
He kicked off the ground, charging the statue.
'Magic doesn't pierce that blue aura. Pure physical force it is—smash it!'
The Sejong statue stomped powerfully, wary of Jae-jun.
Debris from the shattered floor pelted him, but his Body Reinforcement skill rendered it harmless.
Swoosh!
A massive hand swung for his torso.
Slash!
One arm severed, crashing down.
Thud!
The other hand followed, only to meet the same fate.
Slash!
Slash!
Each swing of Jae-jun's sword reduced the statue to fragments.
Groooaaar!
"Shut up!"
With only its head left, the statue bellowed.
Jae-jun shoved his sword deep into its mouth.
Stab!
Crack!
The core was inside its mouth.
As the pierced core shattered, the Sejong statue crumbled to sand.
"Whew.
Done."
The Sejong statue dropped a top-grade B-rank magical core upon death.
I soloed it, so no need to split with Jun-yong hyung, right?
Jae-jun approached Kang Jun-yong, who stood with his summons.
"Got a magical core. You don't need it, right?"
"...Yeah."
Jun-yong nodded, his vibe screaming he'd punch if Jae-jun pushed.
'Overwhelming in combat.'
Dual-wielding magic and sword was one thing.
But summoning minions too.
Rumors said he summoned stone golems as well.
With Jae-jun here, the third raid felt destined for success.
Whatever Jun-yong thought, Jae-jun was thrilled with his core.
Item acquired.
Quest reward incoming.
Wait.
Why hadn't the quest completion popped despite destroying the Sejong statue?
No way?
Alert, Jae-jun scanned his surroundings.
Nothing out of the ordinary.
Thud!
Thud!
Something massive was thundering toward them from afar.
What the—?
"Admiral Yi Sun-sin statue?"
It was the Yi Sun-sin statue from Gwanghwamun, paired with Sejong's.
It resembled the general Jae-jun had just slain.
But twice the size.
Especially those twin swords—it radiated menace from a distance.
Kang Jun-yong groaned heavily at the sight of the twin blades.
"Those?
Admiral Yi Sun-sin's twin swords?"
Jun-yong's face darkened.
Jae-jun turned to him.
"What's that?"
"'With this stone-handled sword, I swear to the heavens, mountains and rivers tremble; one swing sweeps all away, blood staining the land.'"
Kang Jun-yong swallowed hard.
"The inscription on those twin swords.
Admiral Yi Sun-sin slew countless Japanese pirates with them."
—
"Ahem."
Nakamura Shibashiki, president of the Japanese Hunter Association, shifted uncomfortably.
Before him lay the official document just delivered from the Korean Hunter Association.
"Forming another raid party?
Pathetic fools!"
At this point, they'd be better off crawling on their knees begging—yet here was a request for support on their third raid attempt.
"Shall we ignore it?"
Shibashiki had rejected or denied every prior Korean request for hunter aid, citing various excuses.
But refusing again might give Korea ammunition.
Unlikely as it was.
If Korea somehow succeeded, Japan would look like a dog chasing a chicken.
Shibashiki pondered briefly before speaking.
"This time... we need certainty.
Contact Kurada Shingo. Tell him I want to meet."
"Yes, sir!"
The Koreans.
Even if the third failed, they'd push for fourth, fifth, sixth.
Left alone, they'd self-destruct anyway.
But with neighboring eyes watching, he planned to accelerate things.
'Ninjas and S-rank hunter Kurada Shingo...
Should handle Jang Gil-san.'
In that chaos, who would know?
If that sly old fox Jang Gil-san vanished, turning Korea into Japan's colony would progress swiftly.
'We already have plenty of supporters in Korea.'
Shibashiki's eyes gleamed slyly as he gazed out the window.