Chapter 26
Chapter 26
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 26
Chapter Title: Dive In
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Moon Seung-hee continued slowly.
"If what you're saying is correct, wizard, is this group enough?"
"Hmm..."
"Or if you need more support..."
I thought for a moment. More support?
No, not needed.
If the enemies only go as far as ghouls, I could handle them solo even if there were two hundred instead of a hundred waiting.
More people would just mean more chaos and hassle.
But to Moon Seung-hee, I gave a different reason.
"No. Waiting for reinforcements would take too long—the people below won't hold out."
Her face paled slightly.
"Then..."
"I'll handle it without straying too far from Team Leader Kwak Dae-yong's plan."
"Understood."
I'd expected her to beg me to save the people underground right about now... but Moon Seung-hee said nothing of the sort and simply stood from her seat.
"I hope you resolve this well."
"I'll do my best."
Moon Seung-hee gave a brief bow and walked slowly out of the temporary outpost.
"Preparations complete!"
Around the same time she left, a chorus of voices rang out.
Kwak Dae-yong and his men were ready.
'Secrets will stay secret just fine.'
Yelling that loud in the dead of night...
Well, it probably didn't matter.
This place wasn't like an apartment complex in some other city.
No telling what it'd become once the complex was finished, but right now, there was nothing around.
And in this dangerous, unstable stretch along the Imjin River, weird noises wouldn't faze anyone in Paju.
No point in needling Kwak Dae-yong further—it wouldn't gain me anything... so I stood and walked over to him.
Kwak Dae-yong and his men were gathered at the deepest part of the temporary outpost.
The massive spiral ramp installed for vehicles heading down to the underground parking lot.
A huge barricade blocked its entrance.
Hastily thrown-up chain-link fencing, reinforced with layers of crude steel plates.
'They did a solid job on that barricade.'
Honestly, it was less an impressive defense and more a desperate patch job.
Blood trails, chunks of flesh, and what looked like ghoul finger fragments dripped down from atop it.
There must've been sacrifices to hold back the flood of ghouls.
And in front of that barricade stood the group.
Twenty in total, including Kwak Dae-yong.
Mostly extras with forgettable faces, though a few I recognized.
The sight of them in neat suits overlaid with armor and weapons, lined up in perfect rows and columns, was downright bizarre.
But the way they looked at me brimmed with distrust, just like Kwak Dae-yong at first.
They whispered among themselves, glancing at him and me, but my hypersensitive senses picked up their voices even from this distance.
"What's with the mask?"
"Hey, that guy's legit?"
"Where'd they drag this punk from?"
"Looks like a total weakling..."
"We get scammed?"
Tch... What does wizard equal scrawny?
I'd boosted a few stats with artifacts, but my physical build hadn't changed, so these meathead hires clearly weren't buying it.
"Alright! The wizard's here!"
Anyway, once I arrived, Kwak Dae-yong bellowed again to focus his men.
"To your positions!"
"Positions!"
The group moved in unison toward the barricaded underground parking entrance.
I'd worried a bit seeing them gossip so casually, but when it was go-time, they were surprisingly disciplined.
Confirming preparations complete, Kwak Dae-yong approached me.
"Prepare your magic now. We'll open the barricade on my signal."
"Open it now."
"Yes, then... what?"
"I'm ready—open it."
You messing with me?
I haven't done anything?
Still sulking? Man up.
Those were the vibes wriggling in his throat, but Kwak Dae-yong held it in. Good man!
He turned with exaggerated flair and yelled at his men.
"Hey, open the door! Door open!"
"Door open!"
"Door open!"
At his shout, the men near the barricade echoed back and swiftly pulled it open.
Kkiiiggggkkk-.
A cacophony of grating metal as the double- and triple-reinforced barricade swung wide.
Alright, here we go?
I'm no half-assed wizard like the ones Kwak Dae-yong's seen before.
[Swift Activation]
[Catalyst Compensation]
[Dual Incantation]
[Cast Omission]
All spells activate instantly, no gestures, catalysts, or chants required.
The mana flows out, forming a consistent magic circle at my command.
A massive array etched with blazing runes of flame.
[S-grade Accessory 'Ring of Corrupted Flame' unique function activated. 'Crimson Element Focus' and 'Flame Knowledge Inheritance' engage.
// Crimson Element Focus: All fire-type magic effects increased by 50%.
// Flame Knowledge Inheritance: Proficiency in 'fire-type magic' enhanced.]
The barricade was open.
Eerie sounds rose from below the underground parking lot.
- Churrrrrrr!!!
- Kyahahahahaha!!!
Grotesque lifeforms burst from the darkness.
"There, over there!"
As the security team's heads turned, the lights mounted on their shoulders converged on one spot.
Human-like, but no human—nightmarish monsters.
Dog-like heads twisted in horror.
Muscular bodies warped viciously.
Razor claws evolved for killing.
Ghouls.
- Kkiiieeeee!!!
Four in number.
No, six, nine, then two more—eleven total!
Ghouls hidden in the shadows around the entrance poured out at once.
[Before your eyes, a grotesque form...]
I get it, move!
Ignoring the popup window, I completed the spell.
[Fireball]
Fwooooosh!!
A massive orb of flame formed before my outstretched hands, aimed at the charging ghouls.
[...its horrific shape and nauseating stench assaulting your mind...]
Skip the nagging—fire!
Fwoooooosh!!!
The giant fireball launched from my hands, scorching the air.
KABOOOOOM!!!
- Kweeeee!!!
Those that could scream were the lucky ones. The front-runners mostly vaporized without a sound.
Pzzzzzt-.
[System: Exclusive trait 'Abyssal Madness' activated. Nullifies ghoul fear induction.]
Oh, right—sanity check failed?
But thanks to Abyssal Madness, no madness or panic outbreaks.
At the same time, I twisted my extended hands.
'Can't damage the surroundings, right?'
[Flame Manipulation]
[Spell Enhancement: Maximize]
Fwoooooosh!!!
I seized the wildly spreading inferno and wrung it tight.
A dazzling spectacle.
The erupting flames twisted into a horrific vortex, imploding inward.
Pbabababa!!
Shadows and darkness blanketed around us vanished completely.
Before our eyes danced a colossal blaze hot enough to sear retinas.
"Oh my God!"
The waiting team gasped in unison at my creation.
[Nearby people are inspired by your heroic act. Temporarily exempts nearby sanity checks.]
But this was just the opener.
Rumble-roooar!!!
Fueled by my mana, the blaze surged as a tidal wave of fire into the underground lot.
Speed was life now.
"You, you..."
Yet amid it all, Kwak Dae-yong just gaped at me.
"Team leader, what're you doing?"
"Huh... what?"
"Not charging in?"
Snapping out of his jaw-dropping daze, Kwak Dae-yong came to.
"Urk, right. What're you waiting for? Full charge!"
"Charge!"
Not soldiers, mercenaries, or fixers—just corporate salarymen charging with guns and blades.
Mission clear: Kill every visible ghoul, rescue underground survivors.
"Go!"
The underground lot, sans electrical setup, was pitch black.
Shoulder and weapon lights dotted the team, but they couldn't dispel the vast gloom and terror fully.
So I deliberately pulled up bright, light-bearing spells.
'Might as well go for long-lasting ones.'
[Orbs of Radiance]
[Spell Enhancement: Multi-cast]
Seven light orbs spawned at my fingertips.
Shiiiing...
They scattered in wide, orbiting paths, spinning to illuminate the lot's interior.
- Kkiiieeee!
"There! Open fire!"
Rat-tat-tat-tat!!!
Ghouls dropped under distant volley fire.
They had to minimize site damage, so shots were cautious—some ghouls broke through.
- Gyaaaaah!!!
But those too...
Bam! Crunch! Boom!
Kwak Dae-yong.
Mana-infused hammer swings shattered ghoul bodies like boneless mush.
"Yahoo!"
Crunch, smash-smash! Bam!
Even without him, melee experts weaved through, clearing ghouls.
I wasn't sitting idle.
[Radiance of Fomalhaut]
Fomalhaut: god of fire, abode of the [Living Flame] blazing like a supernova.
I summoned his authority to this dank, dark garage.
Well, it was still just super-hot fire pouring out—forms varied by spell type, that's all.
Roooar-boom!!!
The flames I called took a massive bull shape of fire, rampaging through the lot.
- Kwaaaaaah!!
- Kweeeee!!!
Couldn't spread wildly to spare structures, but the fiery bull engulfed ghouls slow and sure.
"Whoa, insane!"
"That wizard's the real deal!"
From 'that punk' pre-charge to 'real deal wizard'—nice promotion.
Didn't care about their opinions.
Entrance ghouls wiped; we pressed deeper stably.
"Good, advance like this! Close the barricade!"
"Got it!"
Kkiiigggk... thunk!
Barricade shut.
Kwak Dae-yong ordered a few to guard it.
Team split into twos, then fours.
"Alright, per plan—B and C Teams, sweep walls slow and steady, clean ghouls. A Team, punch center to B1 straight down."
"What kinda parking lot is this huge-ass nightmare?"
A team member grumbled.
It was huge, yeah.
"You don't know? Rich folks' apartments are all like this. Down to B2."
'These guys too cocky?'
Veterans enough for corporate gigs, sure, but this complacency... And Kwak Dae-yong...
"Advance, advance! Don't lag!"
Bam! Crunch! Boom!
Way too hyped, thrashing wildly.
He hammered ghouls with ferocious zeal.
But wasn't he overextending?
'The ghouls' movements feel off.'
Like luring Kwak Dae-yong and his crew...
At some point, ghouls weren't just retreating—they fled in formation deeper, to B2.
Ah, damn. Kwak Dae-yong and a few men chased them down to B2!
"Hey, team leader! Don't rush solo!"
That instant.
[System: 'Enhanced Vigilance' trait activated.]
Rumble-rumble-rumble...
A heavy vibration echoed from the depths.
No normal quake. Something unnatural stirred underground due to eldritch intervention.
And screams erupting from all sides.
"Aaagh!"
"The ghouls...!!"
A message popped up, updating what I already knew.
[Quest updated.
Target kill count changed from 20 to 122.]