The Day of the Decisive Battle (1)

"How about this one?"

"This works too… but have you picked everything, Professor?"

"Yes. I’ve chosen everything."

Lee Seol, Han Yuri, and Irena were currently browsing items in a department store. [Choi Ahyeon: Let’s throw a surprise birthday party for Seonghyun without him knowing!]

Following Choi Ahyeon’s suggestion, the three had gathered to prepare the party.

"By the way, where’s Ahyeon?"

"She got an upset stomach and is running a bit late."

"Honestly, I knew something was off the moment she started eating like that yesterday…."

Even Han Yuri and Lee Seol, who were usually awkward around each other, had no trouble working together when it came to ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠party preparations.

Just as the three were fully immersed in their planning—

KWAAAAANG!

The building shook violently.

"What the—?!"

"What on earth is this…?!"

"Professor, up there…!"

A black curtain. Beyond the glass windows, the world was being swallowed by a massive black veil. As the curtain transformed into a dome, thousands of masked figures and thousands of monsters poured out. Half of them surged straight toward the Association.

"Dad…!"

Lee Seol clenched her teeth and bolted toward the department store exit.

"I’ll go on ahead!"

"Hey! Wait for us!"

"It’s dangerous alone! Let’s move together!"

The three fought their way through monsters and cultists toward the Association. It was a living hell. With half the Association’s personnel raiding the Demon Sect’s base, the area around headquarters was dangerously exposed. The Demon Sect was exploiting that weakness to its fullest.

"Die! Just die already!"

"The era of the Witches has arrived!"

"Kyaaaaah!"

"Kuhak!"

Flesh and blood flew everywhere. The three carved through the horde and finally reached the Association. It was eerily quiet—everyone nearby was locked in battle elsewhere.

"I’ll take the lead. Follow carefully."

"Understood."

Irena stepped inside without hesitation. The first place they checked was the top floor—the Association President’s office. It had been ransacked, yet there was no sign of anyone. They cleared every floor until they reached the final ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠location: Basement Level 1.

"A dungeon…?"

"Why is there a dungeon here…?"

"Given that the President isn’t anywhere else, the odds are high he’s inside. Let’s prepare thoroughly before entering."

"…Right."

The three readied their skills to the maximum and stepped inside one by one. The moment they entered—

"Ugh…!"

Irena, who had been leading, dropped to her knees and retched violently.

"P-Professor?!"

"Get ahold of yourself!"

"I’m fine… Just give me a moment. Please."

Magi. The dungeon was thick with it. As an ordinary person, Irena couldn’t help but be affected.

"Haa…."

After circulating her mana to regain composure, Irena looked around. A vast plain—far larger than any ordinary field—greeted them.

Catacomb of Despair

An S-rank dungeon inhabited by the S-rank monster Cerberus of Devouring. And in the distance—

KWAGAGANG!

"Krarararak!"

"Kieeeek!"

The screams of Cerberuses echoed. The three suppressed their presence and approached. What they saw made their blood run cold.

"Dad… Mmph."

"Shh. Stay quiet."

Lee Jun was surrounded by hundreds of monsters, his body covered in blood. The man who had always seemed invincible now looked gravely wounded.

Only then did Irena realize the truth.

It’s a trap.

An S-rank hunter. A meticulously prepared trap to kill Lee Jun—not just with monsters, but with debuffs layered atop the magi. The planner’s thoroughness was terrifying.

While she analyzed the situation, the battle reached a lull. The monsters had momentarily stopped attacking. Then a robed figure appeared. Lee Jun ground his teeth.

"You…! Have you been brainwashed?!"

"Brainwashed? I’m perfectly sane. You saw that crystal too, didn’t you? I only did what I did to save my ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠daughter."

The words made no sense at first. But the next line sent shockwaves through all three women.

"Do you really think Yuri would be happy about this? What do you think she’ll do when she learns how much blood is on your hands—dozens, hundreds of lives?"

"That’s why I’m keeping it a secret."

The robed figure’s voice was mechanically altered, making identification impossible. But from the words—

"Dad…?"

Han Yuri’s lips trembled violently. Both she and Lee Seol were on the verge of breaking.

"Hand over the crystal. If you do, I’ll at least grant you a painless death out of old respect."

"Don’t make me laugh! Even if it’s just to appease the grudges of all those who died by your hand, I can’t give you this crystal!"

"Then die with it."

"Kugh!"

Dozens of arrows pierced Lee Jun’s body. Attacks that normally wouldn’t even scratch him now found purchase because of the magi and debuffs weakening him. He coughed up blood.

Lee Seol cried out without thinking.

"Dad!"

"Seol? How did you get here…?!"

Only then did the two notice their presence. Lee Jun took a deep breath, pulled the crystal from his robes, and threw it toward them. Both girls were mentally shattered. Irena caught it. A video played within the crystal orb.

"Such petty tricks!"

At Han Jaehyuk’s command, hundreds of monsters charged the three women. Lee Jun roared.

"Kuhahhh!"

All the monsters’ aggro shifted to him.

"Seol! Take the crystal and run! Tell everyone the truth about the Demon Sect—about Han Jaehyuk’s identity! Kugh!"

"A-Ah, Dad!"

"Go, now!"

Lee Seol stood frozen, unable to decide. Irena grabbed both girls by the arms and dragged them away. They could only stumble after her helplessly. As the sounds of battle faded, Irena released them and glanced at Han Yuri.

This is bad.

She was half out of her mind. But there was no time to worry about her now.

"Since it’s the President’s request, we should secure the crystal first…"

She reached into her pocket to store the orb, then froze.

"Seongyul…?"

Lee Seongyul was bound inside the video.

"Why is Seonghyun’s sister here…?"

"His sister?"

"Seonghyun told me when we visited the columbarium last time."

"……"

Irena’s head throbbed. The video continued regardless. An ogre was being controlled to rape and violate Lee Seongyul. Even through the horrific pain, she clenched her teeth and endured. When forced to drink a truth serum, she bit off her own tongue. No matter the torture, she never spoke.

Crack.

A chilling sound came from Irena’s teeth. Her eyes, filled with tears, turned bloodshot. Her breathing grew ragged. She couldn’t tear her gaze from her disciple’s distorted face. To look away would be to fail as a teacher. Her disciple was struggling at the edge of death, and ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠all Irena could do was watch. Her heart was being torn to shreds.

"Dad would never… do something like this…."

Han Yuri shook her head, trembling. Lee Seol paced anxiously, glancing toward Lee Jun.

Despair. This place was steeped in it. When the video ended, Irena stored the crystal in her subspace.

"……"

She rose quietly, a calm fury simmering beneath her expression.

I’m sorry.

She offered a silent apology.

Now that I know she was your sister…

"I can’t retreat from here…!"

Vwoooom.

Mana erupted from her body.

"Professor…!"

"Yes."

Lee Seol’s desperate call meant she wanted to go save Lee Jun. The two of them sprinted toward him. Han Yuri could only stare blankly after them.

"Krrgh!"

In the brief time they had been gone, Lee Jun had been reduced to a near-corpse. One arm was completely gone, burned away by Cerberus flames and fangs, and his entire body was covered in burns.

"Dad!"

Lee Seol’s cry rang out. At the same time, the world froze. Absolute Zero. Even the movements of S-rank monsters halted. A thousand hands descended upon them—a perfect combo. But—

Kwajijik.

"A barrier…!"

Han Jaehyuk’s skill. Phalanx. An S-rank skill that granted an iron wall to himself and everything around him. Hundreds of Cerberuses were now protected by transparent barriers.

"This is insane…."

Lee Jun muttered under his breath. Han Jaehyuk looked down at them with contempt.

"Father and daughter. Master and disciple. Dying hand in hand and heading to the afterlife together isn’t so bad. Go."

"Krararak!"

"Kieeeek!"

Dozens of Cerberuses charged Lee Seol and Irena. Lee Seol’s ice meteors rained down, but against S-rank monsters, they were useless.

"Can you use Absolute Zero one more time?"

"……I can manage it once."

"Please activate it when I give the signal."

Irena’s eyes turned ice-cold as the area filled with mana waves.

One chance. That’s all we have.

She ignited her broken engine. Joints and dantian creaked, blood poured from her mouth. Still, she didn’t stop.

Seongyul…

In her eyes, she saw her disciple enduring unimaginable pain.

Seongyul…!

Kugugugung…!

It was vivid. The sensation of that child’s neck snapping. The moment her breath stopped. Dozens of nightmares. Hundreds of regrets. And now, at last—

"I won’t be able to face you."

The world darkened. The sky was covered, the sun vanished. It was as if the world itself was sending its final omen before destruction. Irena’s eyes glowed a brilliant blue.

"Now!"

Kwajijijik!

The world froze. But thanks to the barriers, the monsters only faltered briefly.

"With just this much…."

"Shut up."

"……."

"Before I tear that mouth of yours apart."

Mana hands engulfed the Cerberuses. No—they overturned the world itself. The power was so overwhelming it defied belief that this was merely A-rank. Even Lee Jun and Han Jaehyuk drew sharp breaths.

KWAGAGANG!

"Kkegegegek!"

"Kkeek!"

Dozens died in an instant. But it wasn’t enough to wipe them all out.

"Haaah!"

She squeezed out more mana, creating even more hands. Yet—

"It won’t break…!"

The iron wall. Phalanx. His title wasn’t for nothing.

"Instead of struggling so pathetically, just accept your death quietly."

The monsters advanced. Even as the mana hands pressed down, the Cerberuses pushed forward relentlessly.

Is it impossible…?

Lee Seol was exhausted from using Absolute Zero twice. Irena had depleted all her mana.

In the end…

Was this how it ended? Without avenging Seongyul. Without even telling Seonghyun the truth. Irena swallowed her tears and gritted her teeth—then her senses detected something wrong.

What…?

Her gaze naturally shifted left. Nothing but empty plain. Yet her instincts screamed at her to flee immediately. Why? Looking around, she realized everyone—including Lee Jun and Han Jaehyuk—was staring in the same direction.

"The sacrifice…."

A figure walked forward, robes fluttering. Lee Jun’s eyes widened.

"So it was you…."

Black hair. Golden eyes. A man holding a crimson sword in one hand. With each step he took, a golden aura rippled. The energy felt like it could explode at any moment, yet there was no hostility, no hatred in his gaze.

"Well now. Looks like everyone’s having fun."

He simply smiled lazily.

"Mind if I join in?"