1st Army Rescue Operation
Ha Ji-eun was broadcasting as usual, relaying the scene in front of Cheonseong Tower live to her audience.
"Whoa, there are so many people here. I could never be a reporter..."
As Ha Ji-eun glanced around, the chat exploded.
"Right? If it weren't for Mage Lee Ha-ryeong and our Maou, we might all be having a reunion in hell right now."
"Of course! Every time Maou shows up, you guys are like 'I want those tiny feet stepping on me in oppa fan service mode.' And you sexually harass me about my chest size all the time—think you guys are headed to heaven?"
"No! I only asked because of you guys...!"
As the chat buzzed, Yoo Eunha emerged from a car, and Ha Ji-eun hurriedly swung the camera around. The feed captured Yoo Eunha in her black coat, heading toward Cheonseong Tower.
Yoo Eunha ignored the reporters' questions and climbed the stairs into Cheonseong Tower.
"Yeah, they're probably not actually forming a real rescue squad. But... huh? Maou stopped."
As Ha Ji-eun said, Yoo Eunha hesitated for a moment before turning to look at the reporters.
She scanned the reporters indifferently and spoke.
"All preparations are complete. I'm not here for a rescue—I'm here for a counterattack."
With that, Yoo Eunha entered the tower. Silence fell over the plaza in front of Cheonseong Tower.
*
The vast snowfield of Abyss Floor 36. Amid the raging blizzard, Ho-ya and the Dragon King gritted their teeth, holding the defensive line.
7th-Level Survival Magic
Storm Cradle
A massive storm surged forward, pushing the skeletons back. The 6th-grade Abyssal beasts packed between the giant skeletons retreated, buying them a brief moment.
Ho-ya prepared her spell, grinding her teeth.
"Of all things, a necromancer. Can't handle a war of attrition with this combo."
"Would've been better if Yoo Yeon was here."
Even with the unfavorable matchup, they had to hold until the remaining 1st Army could retreat to another safe zone.
"One slip and we're through..."
"Don't jinx it."
Ho-ya closed her eyes, feeling her eyelids tremble. If they couldn't buy time here, the other five would die too.
But piercing through 7th-level magic, 6th-grade Abyssal beasts began emerging one after another.
"Ah, this is the end, huh..."
"Ho-ya."
"Thanks for everything. Guess this is my fate, whaddya gonna do."
Ho-ya lifted her drooping eyes and leaned gently against the massive Dragon King. Her ether-corroded body burned like a fireball.
"You survive, at least you'll help the others."
"No, Ho-ya!"
"Don't look back—just run!"
Ho-ya charged forward, her heart core opening as a massive surge of ether poured onto the skeletons.
Heart Core Liberation
Heavenly Sacred Orbit
The blizzard-filled sky split open, a golden nebula sweeping away the storm. As massive light descended from above, Ho-ya's body began transforming into a gigantic white tiger.
A mage wielding a divine beast's power reaching its limit, becoming the divine beast itself.
The enormous white tiger that Ho-ya became started sweeping away the skeletons.
"......"
The Dragon King clenched his teeth and leaped back. With thousands of 6th-grade Abyssal beasts piled up, even helping would mean mutual destruction.
Can't be helped here.
His fist clenched so hard it tore his palm, but for the future, the Dragon King ran backward. He couldn't let Ho-ya's sacrifice go to waste.
*
How long has it been?
Her ether-filled body throbbed. As the golden sky began burying in the blizzard.
A human-sized Abyssal beast appeared before her. With a heart core instead of a face, it swiftly cleared the skeletons and stood before Ho-ya.
"......?"
Ho-ya, reverting from tiger to human, swallowed in confusion.
This ain't a bad way to go. But... gotta tell 'em there's somethin' worse than the 7th-grade necromancer...
As her mind frayed, the Abyssal beast extended a hand. Clearly a hand, not a blade.
"......?"
Grasping it in bewilderment, the beast hoisted her onto its back and bolted.
"What in the world?"
Wooong—
At insane speeds tearing skin like the wind, it traversed the snowfield and set Ho-ya down near the safe zone. It glanced at the safe zone, then stepped back into the blizzard.
"W-Wait!"
Ho-ya scrambled up to grab it, but it had already vanished.
"What...?"
As she pinched her cheek thinking it a dream, a familiar face appeared.
"Ho-ya?"
"Uh... Dragon King oppa?"
"......?"
Ho-ya blankly tried to stand, then collapsed. Having pushed her heart core to exhaustion, it was inevitable.
"How in the...?"
The Dragon King, unable to grasp the situation, hoisted her and headed to the new safe zone.
Entering, the Abyss's voice echoed.
Safe Zone No. 14
Current: 7 / Max: 10
Time Remaining: 48:33:35
"At least we're all alive for now."
Panting roughly as he entered, he saw grim-faced Lee Ju-hyeok and Seong Dong-hun.
"Glad you both made it back safely. And thank you."
At Lee Ju-hyeok's words, the Dragon King glanced at the three bundled on the stretcher. Two looked on the brink of death.
"You're the one who suffered, carrying three at once."
"Seong Dong-hun helped, so it was fine."
Seong Dong-hun bowed silently.
"Is this the end?"
"...Probably. This is the last safe zone around."
The Dragon King checked the remaining time listlessly.
"In 48 hours, we'll have to prep for battle."
"The dimensional gate safe zone's out...?"
"Field boss guarding it."
Heading there meant breaking through a 7th-grade named, K, and hundreds of thousands of 6th-grade Abyssal beasts.
"What about K?"
The Dragon King shook his head at Lee Ju-hyeok's question.
"Killed it, but it'll revive again."
"......"
"Lost its main body, but still has plenty left."
"Haa... we're done."
Everyone gave a bitter smile at Seong Dong-hun's sigh.
"No choice. Hope the next gen's 1st Army avenges us."
As the Dragon King laid the unconscious Ho-ya near the fire.
Ding—
A signal pinged from the communicator.
"......"
As Lee Ju-hyeok and the Dragon King stared blankly, Seong Dong-hun hurriedly hit the call button.
"Ah, ahh. My lovely juniors, you still alive?"
"......"
"We sent the message, but didn't expect you to get emotional, Senior Ha-ryeong."
Lee Ha-ryeong snorted at the Dragon King's words.
"Ha! Feels like yesterday you were a snot-nosed 10-year-old, now you're a boring monster."
"Senior! You know our situation!"
As the Dragon King bristled, Lee Ha-ryeong giggled.
"Hang tight, we'll be there soon."
Arriving? What? What was happening?
As the Dragon King stared blankly at the communicator, a massive explosion echoed from afar. More missile-like than magic.
"......"
As everyone looked that way, successive blasts and magic-like noises followed. The Dragon King and Lee Ju-hyeok's faces hardened.
"They actually formed a rescue squad..."
"No chance of winning..."
"Didn't think the Magic Tower Union would make such a dumb call."
They bowed their heads in despair. A 7th-grade named, unpredictable K, countless 6th-grade Abyssal beasts. Even if every bedridden mage miraculously joined, no chance. And with just three 1st Army members? Total annihilation.
"Worst possible move."
"......"
"If Lee Han-hyung were alive, maybe..."
That miraculous mage was gone from this land. The Dragon King stood.
Die was cast. Pray for a miracle.
"No choice. Leave the four unconscious here; we three support the rescue squad."
Then Ho-ya grabbed his hand.
"Can't do that. I'm goin' till the end too."
Ho-ya staggered to her feet.
"Ho-ya, rest."
"No."
Gazing at the rising fire pillars afar, she said,
"Rescue squad's here. But we can't..."
Her voice choked.
"Saw a weird Abyssal beast... Way nastier than 7th-grade. One wrong move, we're all dead."
"......"
The Dragon King and Lee Ju-hyeok squeezed their eyes shut. Worse than imagined.
"Field boss... two of 'em?"
"...The absolute worst."
The Dragon King cloaked himself in blessing and closed his eyes.
"Gotta try anyway."
Zero win rate, but started—no stopping.
"Hope at least one makes it back."
"......"
"......"
"Haa..."
"Thanks for everything, 1st Army."
Everyone's faces twisted at his death march declaration.
"Hmph, thanks from this side too."
As Ho-ya stood, a massive shadow blotted the sky.
"Shadow?"
"......?"
"What..."
The entire 1st Army gawked upward. An unimaginable sight unfolded in the sky.