EP7. North Korean Gate

"Who are you?"

It was a bizarre voice that made his heart pound just from hearing it.

It sounded like a goat bleating, or perhaps a beast's roar.

Its eyes scanned Choi Jae-jun from head to toe.

"A filthy mongrel!

Neither human, nor demon, nor Demon King, nor god!

You're nothing!"

Jae-jun's heart throbbed louder and louder.

There was some kind of power infused in that voice.

As strength drained from Jae-jun's body, the black aura emanating from the Death Knight grew even stronger.

'Ugh!'

The ground beneath Jae-jun's feet began to sink under the pressure.

"Still, you're not a bad vessel for containing a part of me!

You're different from the puppets so far!"

The voice dripped with greed.

The Death Knight lifted its thick leg and kicked Jae-jun square in the chest.

He raised his left hand to block it in time, but the monstrous force sent him flying back, crashing into the barrier and bouncing off.

Jae-jun rolled across the ground several more times before finally staggering to his feet.

"Kuhk.

Damn, that's strong."

The pounding in his chest intensified, feeling like his heart might burst at any moment.

The Death Knight slowly advanced toward Jae-jun.

"Follow me.

I'll make you several times stronger than you are now—a true warrior."

Its greatsword came crashing down toward Jae-jun's head with brutal force.

Jae-jun rolled sideways, aiming for its ankle.

'Shadow Slash!'

Clang!

But thanks to the black aura, it felt even tougher than before.

Even with the skill, it only left a scratch on the armor.

'Shadow Hand!'

A shadow hand stretched out from Jae-jun's shadow, grabbing the Death Knight.

"Attack!"

He commanded all his summons and familiars at once.

He planned to use swarm tactics, just like when he took down Admiral Yi Sun-sin's statue.

'Ugh!'

Even gripped tightly by the shadow hand, the Death Knight moved as if unhindered.

Instead, the impact rebounded back to Jae-jun.

Thud!

Thud!

As the Death Knight attacked the summons clinging to its body, Jae-jun used Blink to teleport behind it.

Shiiik!

Jae-jun slashed at the nape of its neck.

The Death Knight's hand twisted unnaturally, blocking Michael's sword.

Clang!

And in the same instant, the twisted hand seized Jae-jun's throat.

'Kuhk!'

Crack!

"Become my puppet just like that!"

His head buzzed deafeningly.

Signal tones rang endlessly in his head, making it throb.

The glaring light from the Death Knight's red eyes felt like it was piercing into his mind.

"Ugh!"

Jae-jun squeezed his eyes shut.

Yet the red eyes lingered in his mind, glaring even more crimson and menacingly.

"Uwaaaagh!"

His head ached as if it might explode.

The eyes in his mind grew enormous, overshadowing the world as they glared at him.

At that moment, an explosion erupted inside the Death Knight's helmet.

The shock made it stagger, its eyes flickering momentarily.

"Stop it!"

The Korean hunters, who had been watching, sprang into action.

Kang Jun-yong kept teleporting mana-infused explosives into the helmet's interior.

As the Death Knight reeled, Hwang Dong-su and the melee dealers targeted the wrist gripping Jae-jun.

Screeech!

Then Jang Gil-san's esper ability forcibly pried open the clutching hand.

Jae-jun seized the opening and retreated swiftly.

Even amid the barrage, the red eyes in the helmet gazed longingly at him.

Kraaaagh!

Black smoke exploded from the Death Knight's body, blocking the hunters' attacks.

"Don't fall back!"

"Keep attacking, no stopping!"

The Korean hunters neither dodged nor retreated.

Whoosh!

The Death Knight raised its greatsword high.

DPS hunters were attacking right in front of it.

No time to evade.

'Damn it!

Shadow Hand!'

Jae-jun's shadow extended, grasping the Death Knight.

But it wasn't enough.

The greatsword whistled down like a guillotine blade toward the hunters.

Then, the Death Knight's movements slowed gradually.

What?

It was the effect of debuffs from Jang Gil-san's esper powers and support hunters.

Its body froze in places, slowed in others, layered with countless spells.

"Now!"

Jae-jun saw Jang Gil-san's gritted-teeth face.

He charged straight to the Death Knight in one breath.

Mana gathered at the tip of Michael's sword.

'Heavenly Gang!'

Jae-jun targeted the red eyes inside the helmet.

Black aura blocked the sword tip like a shield.

Grrrrind!

His wrists ached from the strain.

The first strike was blocked, but the sword flowed into a explosive second strike.

Black aura blocked again.

But before that, Jae-jun chanted.

'Blood Shield!'

A handful of blood ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠poured from Jae-jun's body, forming sharp spikes that pierced into the helmet.

The black aura split to block both attacks, weakening.

'Heavenly Gang!'

Consecutive skill use made his wrists throb.

The first strike blew away the black aura.

The immediate second strike plunged into the helmet.

Spuuurt!

The red eyes were pierced, and the black aura vanished in an instant.

"Kraaaagh!"

The Death Knight screamed in agony as its body shattered.

It could no longer withstand the onslaught from the gathered hunters.

'Hoo.'

Without time to check his familiars, Jae-jun unsummoned them all.

First, rest.

He staggered into the barrier.

He couldn't even raise his hand.

"Waaaaah!

We won!"

"We beat the Death Knight!"

The raid team, knowing the Death Knight was the cause of the first and second teams' failures, erupted in cheers.

Even the usually stoic Hwang Dong-su teared up in joy.

'Haa.

Good thing.

We barely won.'

He had nearly lost his body to Satan.

Its bewitchment was weaker than Lucifer's, allowing him to hold on.

Without the hunters' help, he'd probably be Satan's puppet attacking people right now.

'I'm exhausted.'

He wanted to sleep, even just a nap.

Amid his dazed mind, signals blared again.

'No.

Later.'

Too many notifications; he'd check them properly in a quiet moment.

He needed to see what jobs were available.

'Hoo.'

It was grueling.

Jae-jun stood up.

All the hunters waved at him, beaming.

Just defeating all the Death Knights had them overjoyed.

But.

One person wasn't celebrating, caught Jae-jun's eye.

Kurada Shingo.

His trembling eyes kept darting around.

'What's that?'

Following his gaze led to Jang Gil-san.

The Association President was encouraging the crowd, speaking.

Kurada Shingo slowly approached Jang Gil-san.

His hand fidgeted with something inside his coat.

Alarms blared in Jae-jun's head.

Unease.

No way?

Kurad's figure vanished into the cheering crowd.

Jae-jun moved fast.

'Acceleration!'

'Of all times!'

Jae-jun's face twisted.

His body felt heavy, like sinking into ocean depths.

'Ugh!'

He rushed toward Jang Gil-san.

Near him, he glimpsed Kurada.

The crowd, still cheering, noticed nothing.

"President!"

Jang Gil-san turned, puzzled by Jae-jun's urgent expression amid his bright smile.

Right behind him loomed Kurada Shingo's murderous face.

'Damn!'

Jae-jun yanked Jang Gil-san aside.

"Watch out!"

Kurada Shingo held a black-bladed dagger.

Only then did hunters notice and charge at Kurada.

The dagger missed Jang Gil-san by a hair.

It merely grazed Jae-jun's skin.

'Hoo.'

Relief.

"Are you okay?"

Kurada Shingo was swiftly subdued by surrounding hunters.

But.

"Kuhuhuhuhu."

Kurada Shingo laughed like a madman.

His gaze fixed on Jae-jun's arm.

The dagger in his hand crumbled like sand ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠and vanished.

At the same moment, a signal chimed in Jae-jun's head.

'What?

Absolute Death?'

Jae-jun stumbled back.

Strength slowly drained from his arms and legs.

Jae-jun's HP was 3300.

'If it doesn't stop here!'

The crowd's faces hardened as they watched Jae-jun.

An expression he'd seen once before.

When he was a gate porter, struck down by a goblin spear.

'That was the look on Park Uncle's face back then.'

Jae-jun chuckled unwittingly.

'Is this it for real this time?'

Then Jae-jun's heart stopped.

As he toppled backward, the massive portal—the raid target—swallowed him whole.