Outer God (4)
An unidentified monster blocked the entrance to the castle. It was a Saga-rank beast. If I fought it with the goal of taking it down, it would drag on for quite some time. But with every second counting right now, that wasn't an option.
So I decided to hold it off alone.
"Hm."
I drew a blood-red magic circle while watching the monster clash with Ba'al Zebub.
The monster's fighting style was pure violence. No strategy or tactics—just instinct, smashing everything with overwhelming brute force. Explosions erupted every time its leg swung, and buildings crumpled whenever it opened and snapped its jaws shut.
[As expected of a beast, fighting so vulgarly.]
[Screeeeech!]
But its simplistic tactics didn't work on Ba'al Zebub. Even as a degraded version, it was a demon from myth. Raw power alone couldn't overcome its abilities.
[Time to eat.]
Flies crawled out from Ba'al Zebub's maw. Ten, a hundred, a thousand. They multiplied exponentially, soon filling the area, then swarming the monster and tearing into its flesh.
[Geeeet... oooout!]
[[[Wheeeeeen!]]]
The monster tried shaking off the swarm, swinging its massive forelegs and rolling on the ground to crush them. But there were just too many.
[The food's putting up a fight? Needs some discipline.]
[Graaaaaah!!!]
For every fly killed, ten more latched on, endlessly burrowing into its flesh and laying eggs. And that wasn't the end. All the nutrients the flies consumed flowed back to Ba'al Zebub, its body swelling larger by the second. A bit more growth, and it'd match the monster's size.
[Stomach's getting full. You'll be gone soon enough.]
[Grooooan...]
The monster was steadily weakening while Ba'al Zebub grew stronger. A true archdemon of gluttony.
It's getting dicey.
As its power surged, the chains of our contract grew slack. A little more strength, and it might slip my control, acting on its own. That would be... a serious problem.
[Wait...]
"Hm?"
I was debating whether to smash Ba'al Zebub right then when the monster, catching its breath, suddenly acted strange. Like it was gathering power. Ba'al Zebub noticed too and sent another wave of flies, but the monster endured and unleashed its ability.
[Wait... I... won't... let... yoooou!!!]
"Guh?!"
Its roar engulfed the Ma Tower, shattering eardrums as a matter of course. The air vibrated, cracks spiderwebbed the ground. The fly swarm scattered from the sonic assault.
[Filthy cur...!]
[Jaaaank!]
Ba'al Zebub tried replenishing its flies, but the monster's attack followed. Its shrunken body swelled again, and a foreleg several times larger slammed down. Ba'al Zebub conjured a trident of magic to block, but the monster's raw power crushed it flat without resistance.
[Die! Die! Diiiie!]
Boom! Crash! Boom-boom-boom-boom!
Ba'al Zebub didn't die even then. Though crushed into a lump of meat, it split into larva flies and scattered. But the monster didn't let it. Like it was in a frenzy, it wildly swung its forelegs, demolishing everything around.
[What a humiliation...]
[Heh. Heeeh.]
Only after catching every last split fly did Ba'al Zebub's summoning end. The monster panted heavily, seemingly pleased at slaying the foe that had tormented it.
"It actually took it down."
I couldn't hide my surprise. Ba'al Zebub, summoned by pouring out mana, was the pinnacle of insect magic—something even I couldn't handle easily. And all it took was some heavy breathing? Its body was even larger than before the fight, looking stronger than ever.
[Whaaat... are yoooou!!]
"Whoa."
Only now spotting me, the monster swung its foreleg to crush me. I dodged immediately.
[On it.]
[Shuuurrk!]
Not on foot, of course. How do you evade attacks blurring into afterimages? I left it to my blood-engorged tentacles. Rolling on the ground, clinging to walls. A bit disorienting, but dodging as expected.
"You have to win this. If Jin-seok dies, I'm done for."
"I'll do my best."
By the way, Secretary Min-young had already fled. She was right behind me moments ago—how'd she get that far? She seemed the type to cherish her own life fiercely, so no need to worry during the fight.
What to do.
I pondered while evading. Taking down the monster wasn't hard. No combat skill or special abilities—just Saga-rank physical prowess. I could probably beat a Ma Tower professor easier.
"Hm..."
But I held off starting the fight. Simple reason: To drop it, I'd need to bleed heavily for a powerful strike. That would drain my stamina. Considering the Ma Tower's state and the Management Bureau's chaos, was that wise?
"How about we call it here and part ways?"
[Noooo! Graaaah!]
"Figured as much. Knew it."
Best option: strategic retreat. Problem was, the monster had no intention of letting me go. With its insane physicals, shaking it off wouldn't be easy.
"What now..."
No good ideas, but I racked my brain. Who knows? Maybe a solution drops from the sky?
"Hm?"
As I swung between walls on tentacles, a black shadow loomed overhead. Ma Tower reinforcements? New enemy? No time to judge—it plummeted, thrusting a sword like thunder. At the monster, not me.
[Greeeek!!!]
Despite its power, its durability wasn't great; it screamed in agony from the blade. Then a voice in my ear—telepathy magic. One I knew.
'Witch Lady! Over here!'
'...Yu Hana?'
I knew the deep-sea entity I'd left with her was fine, but this reunion caught me off guard. Still, surprise aside, I rushed toward Yu Hana.
[Kikikik...]
"Long time no see?"
And the reunion didn't end there. As I swung on tentacles, a golem in armor followed. Covered in sprouting tentacles, reeking of the deep sea. The knight golem I'd fed blood to last time.
[Nooo! Don't!]
"Eat shit, you monster fuck!"
Right after the knight and I reached Yu Hana, she activated the magic circle on the ground. It absorbed ambient mana, glowing as the surroundings blurred. We shifted to a library packed with bookshelves.
"Teleport magic circle, huh."
"One that can go anywhere inside the Ma Tower."
This felt deep within the castle. Near impossible for the outside monster to track us. We'd unintentionally shaken it off.
"Thanks for the save."
"No problem. Actually, you helped me, Witch Lady."
Yu Hana said, reaching into her pocket. Out came the deep-sea entity. Pride on its face—must've shone in this mess.
"What happened was..."
"..."
I got a quick rundown from her. Long story, but three phases:
First, half the wizards went mad.
Second, the tower's defenses shut down.
Third, unidentified intruders attacked.
"It was hell. So many wizards died."
"..."
"Bodies sliced apart out of nowhere, exploding, turning monstrous."
The first two intruders sounded familiar. The last? Fuzzy, but probably the one driving wizards insane and nullifying magic.
"Where are the chairman and professors?"
"Well..."
Yu Hana looked confused. Trouble on this side too?
"Chairman vanished the day before. Professors? No clue."
"The hell."
I'd warned him, risking arrest, and he skips school on the day? Fury flared, but I calmed. More likely that dog bastard pulled strings.
"Other wizards?"
"No idea."
With security magic down, comms were out too. She didn't know student status, but they were in danger for sure.
"Ran into tons of anomalies escaping."
"Broke through well?"
"Thanks to these two."
She pointed to the deep-sea anchovy and knight golem. The anchovy's senses guided her safely; the knight joined mid-way, protecting her. Yu Hana's a good storyteller—vivid even in recap.
"You could've escaped but helped me instead. Means you want something, right?"
"..."
She could've fled outside. Monster was focused on me, walls busy with golem-bug fights. Easy ground escape. But she stayed, helped.
"Save my friends."
"..."
"I know it's a big ask. But...!"
And there it was—her plea. Solve the unprecedented assault on the massive Ma Tower organization. She fidgeted, knowing it was tough.
"Be useful this time."
"...Pardon?"
"Last time you were baggage. Shine now."
"You mean...?"
This talk was pointless anyway. I came to fix this mess. Rescuing wizards was just bonus. I'd help where I could regardless.
"Lead the way."
"Y-Yes!"
And above all. Minimizing wizard deaths might foil that dog's plan.
'Wizard Hunter.'
There had to be a reason for the moniker.