A Desperate Situation
A Desperate Situation
"...."
A party gathered to subjugate a C-rank Gate. Han Jihoon, the leader of that party, thought.
'Isn't something weird?'
It felt like only yesterday he was rejoicing after securing the C-rank subjugation rights, so what was this situation right now?
Far off in the distance, a towering spire could be seen.
It was a castle.
And where they were currently standing was outside that castle.
Gates were usually composed of a limited field.
A single cave, an abandoned house, or at most the entrance to a forest. That was even more true for C-ranks.
Yet this... Not only did it contain an entire castle whole, but the open plain stretching outside it extended as far as the eye could see.
The size of the field itself was abnormal from the start.
On top of that, the crimson-stained sky only added to Jihoon's anxiety....
"...Let's get out."
"Huh?"
The leader's sudden declaration of giving up on the subjugation.
"Do you know how hard we worked to get this subjugation permit? You're saying we just leave?"
One of the party members expressed dissatisfaction.
"...Let's talk again once we're out."
"Party Leader-nim... are you really going to leave from here?"
The healer also asked, looking puzzled.
"You guys are feeling that something is off too, aren't you?"
The party members who were about to argue were actually feeling the same strange sensation.
In the end, they followed his decision.
"...Yes, let's get out first. Let's think it over again outside."
"Yeah, it's better than actually having things go terribly wrong and getting into big trouble."
A sudden halt to the subjugation. They turned around and headed back the way they came.
However.
"Huh?"
"The Gate's color is...."
Red.
Before entering, the color of the Gate had definitely been blue, but now the Gate before their eyes was completely dyed red.
An alien sight no matter who looked at it.
"The Gate is blocked...."
They tried to step into the Gate, but it bounced their bodies back as if refusing to let them leave.
The Gate is red.
The Gate is blocked.
The interior is abnormally vast?
"A Red Gate?"
Only then did they realize the situation they were in.
"Dammit."
Party Leader Han Jihoon was on the verge of going crazy.
The C-rank Gate subjugation permit he had worked so hard to obtain was actually a Red Gate.
Anxiety about the future, along with a certain amount of guilt toward his party members, naturally bubbled up.
"Phew...."
Still, as the leader of the party, he did what he had to do.
"Everyone, pay attention! It is presumed that this place is a Red Gate! Since everyone probably knows about Red Gates, I will skip the explanation."
As he spoke loudly, the gazes of the panicked party members gathered in one place.
"We have a total of two options."
Whether to clear this place.
Or wait until reinforcements arrive.
"Since this is an unexpected situation, I will actively follow your opinions."
Woongseong-woongseong.
'We have to clear this place without external help....'
Leader Han Jihoon thought.
Of course, they might notice the anomaly from the outside and respond right away, but....
A Red Gate experiences time flowing differently from the outside.
No matter how quickly they responded, it was a level where they had to be prepared for at least a day or more.
If it was a Red Gate, the rank must have shifted.
The 11 party members gathered here. Most of them were D-rank to C-rank Hunters.
If the Gate had only risen within C-rank, it was fully doable.
As time passed, an answer seemed to emerge to some degree from the party members.
Waiting until reinforcements arrive: 3 people.
Clearing this place: 8 people.
Their thinking was similar.
It couldn't be confirmed yet whether the rank itself had shifted, and even if it had, they could handle a certain level of difference.
If they encountered magic beasts and felt it wasn't working, they thought they could change their choice then.
"Then, starting from the beginning again, let's clear—"
It was at that moment.
—Cheolkeok.
A sound echoed from not far away.
A soldier clad in black iron armor. His height easily looked to be over 8 cheok.
The magic power felt from him was also extraordinary. Even the boss of a D-rank Gate wasn't at this level.
Kkulkkeok-
Everyone held their breath, watching vigilantly as he walked toward them.
'Can we win?'
Such worries were a luxury.
The moment they were spotted, running away was no longer an option.
[Skill Used - Taunt (D)]
"Everyone, get into formation! I'll draw that guy's aggro!"
When Han Jihoon shouted, everyone moved as if coordinated.
As if the skill took effect properly, the soldier who was slowly walking soon began to charge, dragging his heavy body.
'Come at me!'
Kwaang—!
He blocked it with his shield, but unable to fully absorb the impact, a cracking sound rang out as the shield fractured.
And the same went for Jihoon, the owner of that shield.
"Keoheop—"
However, he held his ground, and because of this, a golden opportunity arose for his party members.
[Skill Used - Lightning (D)]
[Skill Used - Recovery (C)]
Various skills were hurled wildly from all around.
Though the Hunters' ranks were low, there were still 11 of them. Moreover, gathered with a C-rank Gate as their target, they were practically elites among low-rank Hunters.
So no matter how formidable it was, they were fully capable of handling a single magic beast, to the point where it was noticeable how the bastard grew exhausted as time went on.
Thus, gradually gaining the upper hand, they cornered the bastard.
And finally.
[Skill Used - Heavy Strike (C)]
Party Leader Jihoon's offensive skill.
The sword held in his right hand swung down toward the bastard's neck.
"Dieeee—!"
Seogeok—
With the sound of a head being severed, the giant soldier collapsed right then and there.
"...W-We did it!"
One of the party members shouted in a dazed voice.
Jihoon thought as he supported his body with his sword.
It was a sudden battle no one could have anticipated, but through this, a rough judgment was formed.
'Let's wait for reinforcements. Unconditionally.'
The soldier they met just now was definitely threatening. He was that strong, an opponent defeated only with great difficulty.
However, what if this was merely a normal magic beast?
Going forward, if several, or rather dozens or more of such entities appeared, could they endure it?
On top of that, what about even stronger entities, or further yet, the boss entity?
'Judging by that soldier from earlier, the castle visible far over there must be the main stage of the Gate.'
Actually, it was an obvious thing to say, but the reason he suddenly had this thought was—
'Escape in the direction opposite to the castle.'
The fact that the soldier had already reached all the way here meant this place was included within their range of activity.
The direction that looked best was toward the forest.
In a situation where food was also scarce, the forest was most likely to be relatively safe.
He composed himself for a moment and opened his mouth.
"For now... let's rest a bit. Everyone's magic power is depleted, and—"
It was before he could even finish those words.
Dudududu—
The ground rumbled.
Footsteps surging from afar. It wasn't just one.
"...What is that."
The blood drained from Jihoon's face.
"Jihoon-oppa... what, what should we do now?"
The healer beside him urged urgently and asked.
"I'm asking what we are supposed to do now!"
Jihoon could not answer her words.
To be honest, he could barely even hear her.
Because as of right now, only the despair before his eyes was visible to him.
That bastard they just brought down.
Soldiers clad in the exact same black iron armor as that bastard were surging forth by the dozens, no, by the hundreds.
"T-That makes no sense...."
"Ah... ahh...."
Everyone froze right in their tracks.
Run.
Jihoon felt such words rise right to the tip of his throat, but his body, consumed by fear, did not follow his commands properly.
All directions were surrounded in an instant.
Not a single direction to escape remained.
With trembling hands, he raised his sword and shield.
A desperate resolve to take down at least one more bastard with him.
However, rendering even that resolve meaningless, a single magic beast walked out, squeezing through the crowd of soldiers.
He wasn't wearing black armor like the other entities. However, his entire body was covered in a black robe.
Just like a wizard.
"Xhirak'th vel"
"drommu'un kaesh."
That magic beast spouted a strange, incomprehensible language.
'It can speak?'
He was slightly surprised, but soon pulled himself together again.
Though he couldn't understand, seeing that it spoke meant it was a humanoid entity. In other words, it possessed intelligence.
'It seems like it has something it wants to say....'
"...'keeo'uieukiuok?"
That entity tilted its head slightly, then stirred up magic power.
『Nel'vash』
A wave of magic power hummed.
'What on earth is it trying to do?'
As he watched in a state full of vigilance, at that moment—
"Ah... outsiders. Can you hear me now?"
Surprisingly, the magic beast's words began to be heard.
"Give thanks to His Majesty's grace. Originally, those who trespass upon this land have their heads severed on the spot, but—"
The words continued.
"His Majesty has personally commanded mercy. If you wish to live, follow obediently."
A hollow laugh burst out from the party members.
Even if they resisted here anyway, it would only be a dog's death.
There was no particular choice.
'If we don't follow, we die.'
Jihoon tightened his grip on the sword in his hand, then soon let it slowly go slack.
"Hahaha...."
"Fuck."
"Heuheung~"
While they were being dragged into the castle, I descended from the sky.
Inside the Gate was full of more fun things than expected.
It was also nice watching them take down a single soldier in a group for fun.
I also liked the despairing expressions on their faces when they were surrounded by countless soldiers.
Of course, if it had been truly dangerous, I would have stepped in myself.
'It didn't look like they were actually going to kill them.'
Anyway.
Among all that, the best thing was—
"He used magic."
That robed guy.
He definitely used magic.
Not some imitation fake like the skills Hunters use, but real magic.
"This is fun!"
'As expected, there was someone else in the world who knew how to use magic besides me!'
In my heart, I wanted to undo Stealth and strike up a conversation, but....
I held back because it felt like something fun was about to happen.
I shifted my gaze and looked deep inside the castle far away.
There, someone was seated upon a throne.
As I was slowly observing, at that moment—
"zk'thara?"
He discovered me, and in an instant, magic power was cut off.
"Haha!"
There was a guy who looked strong.
Naturally, he also seemed adept in magic.
Could that guy over there be the Gate's boss?
"Heuheu—"
I'm looking forward to it.
He'll entertain me, right? Right?
Maintaining my stealth magic, I followed right behind them.