Mage Gallery (8)
The statue's form was profoundly grotesque. Fish head atop a fully human body. At a glance, it resembled the Punisher or the sculpture at home, but the reality was entirely different. While pure deep-sea energy flowed through those others, this monster before me radiated only foul mana.
Heavy, sinister, damp mana. Not the serene depths of the ocean, but the stench of a stagnant, rotting puddle left to fester for ages.
"Tch."
A single word conveying utter disgust.
First things first—how to handle the incoming spear. Unfortunately, more than half my tentacles were tied up protecting the other two.
[Take care of those two for me.]
[Shu-ro-long~]
No choice now. Better for me to step up alone and fight freely than risk injuring them by moving together.
The tentacles cradling me released my legs, and I leaped into the air, soaring toward the statues.
[Die...]
[Grroooaaargh!]
The titans assumed their stances and swung their spears. Each one was siege ram-sized, capable of smashing city gates, and swung with terrifying speed. A direct hit would probably vaporize me without a trace.
"No dice."
Too bad for them—I wasn't weak enough to fall to an attack like that.
The seawater trickling from one corner of the room. I seized control momentarily, drawing it to me.
[Block]
Not a huge amount, but the water surged up and flew toward me through the air. At the same moment, a circular barrier formed. It looked fragile enough to shatter in a breeze, but in truth, it was quite sturdy.
[What...!?]
[Krroo?]
Kwajik! Kwajijik!
The spear blade pierced halfway through the barrier, but it failed to reach me. To fail to shatter a mage's barrier in one blow and give me time to prepare... That was as good as a death sentence, and I was happy to oblige.
"A streak of light in the depths of the ocean. Swift vanguard, come forth."
⟨ Charger ⟩
I slashed my wrist, and a blood-red magic circle etched itself in the air. From it burst a black monster—a massive swordfish from the abyss, sword jutting from its jaws, always charging first at any foe. Its name: Charger.
[Kill.]
[Kyaaaaoooo!!!]
The Charger assumed position at my command. It thrashed its fins through empty air to propel itself, slashing at the titans with its jaw-sword.
[Block it...!]
[Kruooo!]
The statues frantically tried to retrieve their spears, but they were lodged in my barrier. They raised their arms in desperation, but it was futile. As the Charger's sword swung, two statues cleaved clean in half.
[We can't die like this...]
"Yeah, you can. Die quick."
The red glow in my eyes faded, the mana sustaining their life force vanishing. But annoyingly, the door remained shut. Isn't the rule that guardian defeated means door opens?
[Handle it.]
[Kyaaaaooo.]
There was writing on the floor and what looked like a puzzle, but I ignored it. Just ordered the Charger to smash the door.
Kagang! Kang!
Even thick stone walls were no match for the Charger's sword. Three slashes, and the door shattered to pieces.
"Good work."
[Kyaaong~]
I dismissed the dutiful Charger and approached the two waiting in the corner. Yu-hwa was spacing out against the wall. Kim Gwa-jang was... scritch-scritch-scritching with the tentacles.
"All done...?"
"Yeah, door's open too. Let's go."
I reverse-summoned the tentacles, and only then did Kim Gwa-jang turn to me. A full-on battle raging beside him, and he hadn't spared it a glance. Was it trust in me... or just weirdo being a weirdo? Who knows.
"Let's hurry... I'm curious..."
"Don't go ahead—it's dangerous."
"Got it..."
Kim Gwa-jang waddled toward the door first. I sighed and followed. For some reason, Yu-hwa wasn't keeping up. I turned, worried something was wrong, and saw her looking utterly flustered.
"What're you doing?"
"Just... zoned out for a sec... sir."
She'd been casual just moments ago, now suddenly polite. What gives? Her thoughts were obvious, though. She'd mistaken me for a Mage Hunter.
"I'm not a Mage Hunter."
"...How can I believe that?"
"And if you don't?"
Yu-hwa eyed me suspiciously, but honestly, it wasn't my problem. I could tolerate it for a day or two, but forever? Nah. If she pushed now, I'd happily send a limb flying.
But Yu-hwa had better survival instincts than expected.
"What else? I'd kneel and beg, obviously."
"What."
"Please spare me—if I die, my Ppoppi at home starves. I'd beg like that."
Her eyes said she meant every word. Might look pathetic to others, but I liked the answer. If other mages had her street smarts, my life would've been half as hard.
"Good enough. Just follow quietly."
"Yes, sir!"
And so, after that unintended hierarchy sort-out, the three of us headed beyond the massive stone door.
"..."
"..."
"..."
Beyond lay only darkness. Not blocked by something in front, but vast, endless black where no end was visible. Our footsteps echoed back like in a cavern.
"Another trap?"
"Doesn't seem like it..."
Not an infinite loop this time, thankfully. After about five minutes, we reached the room's end. There loomed a stone door dozens of times larger than the one we'd crossed—building-sized. Even Shin-nim's door wasn't this extra. Whoever owned it was showing off hard.
"Gotta open it, huh?"
"Probably...?"
It didn't look inviting, but no other options. Turning back felt too late anyway. The darkness writhed like it was alive, and stepping back gave a vertiginous drop sensation.
'Handle the aftermath for me.'
[Leave it to me!]
I'd have preferred handling it myself, but the situation called for Shin-nim's help. Got her okay in advance, steeled myself, and shoved the stone door.
It weighed hundreds of tons; I poured in mana just to budge it. As the gap widened enough for a person, I eased off—then something bizarre happened.
"What."
Kuoooong!
Something shot out from inside, and the door slammed shut at impossible speed. I pushed harder, but it wouldn't move. Felt like someone was bracing it from the other side.
"What flew out?"
"A door...?"
Opening the flying door revealed... a city street. Was this a portal to reality?
"What the..."
I'd braced for battle, and now this? Confusing, but not bad. Escape without exertion? Score.
[Nice instincts, hubby.]
'What?'
[Nothin'.]
Shin-nim seemed satisfied for some reason. Anyway, door open—time to bail.
"I'll go first."
"I'll follow..."
"See you in a bit!"
Just in case, I entered first for safety. Deep breath, step through. Scenery blurred, mild headache hit, then... city center.
"...What now?"
Escape success! ...Or so I wanted to cheer, but something felt off. This was Ansan city alright, but mages surrounded us.
"Unbelievable."
They'd come to capture me, and this time they meant business. Over thirty visible, including a few Legend-rank. Most annoying: the one in front. His aura screamed Legend Upper. Not like half-baked Saga Gonggi or weak-to-exploits yokai like the centipede. Strongest foe yet, maybe.
"Mage Hunter, hear me."
"..."
As I sized them up, the leader spoke. Expecting surrender terms? Nope, the opposite.
"Apostle of Cthulhu, butcher of dozens of mages—the Ma Tower will never forgive you."
"..."
"Today, we kill you here and avenge our fallen comrades."
What nonsense. I didn't even know whose god Cthulhu was, and I'd never massacred mages. For a global outfit, they sure loved jumping to conclusions.
"Wait, let's talk—"
No choice—keep my identity secret if possible, but dialogue it was. As I raised my voice, he yelled:
"Erect the gyeol-gye!"
"...?"
Mana flooded outward at his command. Visible to the naked eye, it wove into a massive gyeol-gye via advanced ritual. Its effect: God Seal.
[Ow.]
'...'
Of course, a mere gyeol-gye couldn't bind Shin-nim. It restrained her for maybe 0.00000001 seconds—like a static shock.
Yeah. Barely anything, but it did touch her.
"...Ha."
I laughed. Did they know what they'd done? Ignorance is why they tried, but there's sayings like "ignorance of the law is no excuse" and "if you're dumb, at least be kind." They failed both, so pay up.
[Kneel and beg for mercy if you wanna live. Otherwise, all of you die.]
I was sick of their evil god bullshit anyway. Time to show them exactly who they fucked with—with these hands.