Oma's Mage (3)
Oma's mages were different from typical mage-type monsters. They wielded a peculiar blend of magic and shamanism. That was why even those with high magic resistance fell easily to an Oma mage's spells.
"Uh...."
On the mountainside, an entire team had frozen in place. Their faces were blank, eyes glazed over. They had fallen victim to the hallucinatory magic the Oma mage had cast across the entire mountain.
"Where... is this?"
A man with slit-like eyes muttered in a dazed voice. He was Seo Cheol-hee of the Isu Clan, known as a mage counter for his trait that dramatically boosted magic resistance.
"Uh... uh, Mom?"
Tears welled up in his eyes as he suddenly called for his mother, who had passed away when he was young. It was all due to the hallucination magic cast by the Oma mage. Despite reaching C-rank and having sky-high magic resistance, he was defenseless against it. If Seo Cheol-hee was like this, the others didn't even need mentioning. It was happening to everyone climbing Haejeongsan Mountain.
The team from the Magic Tower that Kim Jehyun was with was no exception.
"Uh...."
Everyone stood there in a stupor. The three 4th Circle mages accompanying them went without saying. Even Song Jiseok, who was on the cusp of 5th Circle, had half-lidded eyes. Still, being at the edge of 5th Circle, his condition was better than the others'.
This is more impressive than I thought.
Kim Jehyun murmured inwardly as he sensed the power of magic and shamanism woven into the mist. He was the only one maintaining full mental clarity here. He knew this mist carried a supernatural force infused with mana and shamanic energy. But he hadn't expected it to affect even a 5th Circle mage like Song Jiseok to that degree.
"M-Master?"
Song Jiseok stood before a massive tree, searching for the Tower Master. Kim Jehyun chuckled at the sight and approached him.
"Song Jiseok."
"M-Master... I-I..."
"Song Jiseok?"
"It's... all my fault. Sniff."
"Aigoo, this won't do. Time is of the essence, so forgive the rudeness."
With that, Kim Jehyun slapped Song Jiseok across the cheek.
Smack!
The sound echoed loudly enough to make the other Magic Tower members, lost in their hallucinations, flinch.
"Uh...?"
A spark of life returned to Song Jiseok's dazed eyes. He clutched his cheek, looking bewildered.
"Song Jiseok, are you back?"
"Y-Yeah... Ouch... What happened?"
Song Jiseok groaned as he spoke, his slapped cheek throbbing, and asked for an explanation. Kim Jehyun gave a concise rundown of the situation.
"You weren't snapping out of it, so I had no choice. Sorry about that."
"I-It's fine."
Song Jiseok nodded awkwardly. Kim Jehyun then woke the rest of the group—not by slapping, but by infusing mana into their bodies to jolt their minds awake.
Whoosh.
As Kim Jehyun's mana seeped into them, a small gust swirled around their bodies. Soon, everyone came to.
"Wh-What...?"
"What happened?"
Kim Jehyun explained to them as well. They let out soft exclamations of admiration and thanked him. Hallucinations were one of the most dangerous spells. If they'd encountered monsters in that state, the killing intent might have snapped them out of it, but they wouldn't have fought properly. Who knows what horrors might have ensued.
"Wait, why'd you only slap me awake...?"
Song Jiseok asked Kim Jehyun again with confused eyes, wondering why he'd been treated differently with a physical slap. His gaze was incredulous.
"I couldn't just infuse my mana into the Tower Master's disciple, could I?"
"Well, that's true, but... this is a special situation..."
Infusing one's mana into a higher-ranking mage was considered extremely rude. But they were on a mission. Did etiquette really matter here?
"You had high magic resistance, so the hallucination only half-affected you. I figured a physical shock would do it. If it bothered you, I apologize."
"Ahem. N-No, you did well."
In the end, Song Jiseok had no choice but to nod. Pushing further would look petty after that explanation.
—You rascal... you're something else.
Only Alkasha, who had watched the whole thing from the start, looked at Kim Jehyun in disbelief. What a guy. He might not like the man, but slapping a superior for payback? Bold.
It was also to snap him out of it, though.
Kim Jehyun smirked inwardly and replied to Alkasha.
"By the way... how were you unaffected by the hallucination?"
Song Jiseok asked belatedly with puzzled eyes. The others looked at him the same way.
"I'm pretty confident in this area."
"Ah...!"
Everyone made an "of course" face. Memories of Kim Jehyun's performance in the promising talent league flashed through their minds. Rumors said he excelled in mental magic, which implied high immunity to such effects.
"I see."
Song Jiseok's gaze toward Kim Jehyun softened a bit. Traveling with him made it sink in just how exceptional he was. Song Jiseok had his rough edges, but he knew how to acknowledge others. Maybe that's why the Tower Master accepted him as a disciple despite his relatively lacking achievements.
"Kuruuk."
Then came a ferocious monster growl.
"Enemies. Battle stations, everyone."
Song Jiseok issued the command with a stern face. The hallucination's aftereffects lingered, so tension etched everyone's features.
Thud.
Thud.
Thud.
The ground shook as a horde of massive monsters, easily over two meters tall, appeared. Boar-like faces. Brown mane bristling around their necks. They walked bipedally, wielding enormous clubs in one hand. C-rank monsters. Oma scouts.
"Kuruuk, kuruuk."
The Omas leered at Kim Jehyun's group, lips curling like they'd spotted prey.
"This is bad..."
Song Jiseok let out a troubled voice as he surveyed the Oma scouts encircling them. There were more than expected.
Two, four, six... twenty.
Normally, C-rank monsters would be no issue. But not at full strength—it brought a twinge of tension.
"You're all still out of it, so fall back."
With that, Kim Jehyun stepped forward.
Zrng.
Amber light gleamed in his eyes. Dragon authority erupted from his body, enveloping the Oma scouts.
"Ku, kuruuk?"
The exposed Omas trembled violently. They sensed the presence of a great being from him and froze solid.
"Whoa..."
"The Omas are... shaking."
Fearsome Omas, second to none in bravery, quaking en masse—it was a sight.
Is he really Hwang Won-il's successor?
Those who master mental magic are the scariest... Never make him an enemy.
Casting on twenty Omas at once... as expected.
The watching 4th Circle mages inwardly marveled. Same circle, yet Kim Jehyun felt leagues above. They'd thought it since the 4th floor Ascension Tower exam, but it hit home again.
Ku, kuruuk.
Dispatching the stiffened Omas under Dragon Fear was child's play. Kim Jehyun conjured Wind Cutters, piercing all their hearts cleanly.
"Whoa..."
Someone gasped at Kim Jehyun's Wind Cutters. Double-cast, twenty blades manifested in a blink, each slamming precisely into an Oma's heart on creation. Mana control that drew involuntary awe.
Kim Jehyun ignored the admiration and eyed the fallen Omas.
Can't pass up this EXP.
That was a big reason he'd stepped up. Twenty C-rank monsters gave solid experience. Not like the Polluted Spirit Forest, but still.
"Alright, let's head up. We need to take the boss first, right?"
Everyone nodded at Kim Jehyun's words. Somehow, they treated him with even more caution now.
* * *
"Grrgh. Right side! Block it!"
Seo Cheol-hee shouted, flailing his limp left arm. The Isu Clan had been ambushed by Omas right after the hallucination. Injuries piled up, forcing a desperate fight. But Seo Cheol-hee, a top prospect from Shinseong, turned the tide with brilliant combat. They barely won.
But at great cost in casualties.
"What now? Push for the boss like this?"
"Damn it."
Seo Cheol-hee glanced at his clanmates and spat a low curse. He hadn't anticipated this wrinkle. It was happening across all clans on Haejeongsan.
* * *
Haejeongsan Mountain.
Its peak had a wide, flat expanse like a plain. Kim Jehyun's group arrived to see the culprit: the Oma mage.
"That's... the Oma mage?"
Someone gulped and spoke. The Oma mages they knew were small, scrawny mage-types. This one was the polar opposite.
Over three meters tall. Black skin. Muscled body like a warrior, not a mage.
"Kururuk."
The stationary Oma mage spotted them and let out a low growl laced with murderous intent. The group shuddered involuntarily.
"This guy's no joke..."
Someone muttered fearfully. Song Jiseok spoke with a hardened face.
"That's... a mutant."
"...!"
Everyone looked again. Definitely not a standard Oma mage.
"This isn't just a C-rank boss... B-rank? No... this is A-rank."
Song Jiseok reassessed the aura and spoke. His face stiffened completely. His chance to claim credit by slaying it was crumbling. Now, survival was priority.
"Sh-Should we retreat?"
"..."
A mage asked, but Song Jiseok couldn't answer. He needed that seal fast. Backing out now felt like his last chance slipping away.
"You're not at full strength yet, right? Fall back behind me."
Kim Jehyun stepped forward. Eyes widened.
If it's Kim Jehyun, maybe...
From that 4th Circle Ascension Tower show, he might win.
A glimmer of hope in their eyes. He was 4th Circle, but to them, far beyond.
"I'll take it down. That cool?"
"...Can you?"
"Of course."
"...Then I'll help once I'm recovered."
Kim Jehyun grinned at Song Jiseok. Considering face, he suggested falling back due to condition—and he accepted readily. Not as stubborn as thought.
"Well then... time to hunt some pigs."
Kim Jehyun smirked, slowly drawing up his full power.
Dragon Eye.
He activated Dragon Eye first, scanning the Oma mage's info.
Mutant. And A-rank.
This one was infected by the purple energy too. A mere C-rank had leaped to absurd A-rank growth. Far from normal.
Kuruk.
Kuk.
The Oma mage approached within arm's reach, growling amusedly.
—Huh, is that thing mocking you?
Seems so. Doesn't grasp its situation yet.
Kim Jehyun chuckled at Alkasha and explosively unleashed his power. His black robe billowed. Golden energy burst forth. Dragon horns of mana sprouted from his head. His eyes slit vertically like a reptile's. Dragon Fear poured from him, crushing the Oma mage.
Ku, kuruk.
The Oma mage's eyes shook like in an earthquake at the sudden shift in Kim Jehyun's presence.