Plundering the Association (3)
"Intruder."
"This isn't something we can handle by charging in. Comply with the request first."
The staff didn't react much to my shout. Instead, they instantly calculated my power level and dropped flat to the floor.
What, no emotions at all?
Their mechanical response was so eerie it gave me chills.
This isn't the time to be surprised.
I saw everyone plastered to the ground and bolted straight for Re Nerd's corpse. As I channeled demonic energy into my eyes, a new world unfolded before me.
His flesh became fully transparent.
There it is.
His body structure was just like any ordinary human's, but there was something different. A black heart. That's where the demon's power must be stored.
Taat!
I leaped powerfully, landing right on the chest of the prone corpse. I could feel the demonic energy surging wildly beneath my feet.
Absorb it carefully.
I placed my hand on his chest and slowly drew in the energy. Gotta be cautious. If I accidentally mix it with my own, it's all fucked.
I had to pour all my focus into keeping it separate.
Time to get out.
With the demonic energy shifted to my upper abdomen, I snapped my fingers to activate teleportation.
Click!
Huh?
No movement. Teleportation is simple: designate current coordinates and destination. Destination is my house, current is here...
What the fuck.
Checking the current coordinates, I gaped inwardly in shock. They kept changing. I'd lock them, they'd shift; lock again, shift again—in an endless loop.
Association's security measure?
Never saw that coming. So escape via...
ID card teleport.
They wouldn't block official movement, right? Tadak!
I jumped off the corpse and dashed beyond the space distortion. Even with 100 teams, the hallway was fucking huge, but at my speed, it wasn't far.
Tadak.
"What the fuck!"
Reaching the hallway, I froze at the sight. It was insanely long. Way longer than what I'd seen during the tour. And no staff in sight. Like the space itself was isolated.
Tsssh.
Announcement to the intruder.
The voice came from the ceiling, modulated and emotionless.
The space you are currently in has been isolated by the Association's 2nd Grade monster, Backrooms.
It was a simple notice.
If you surrender, nothing will happen. But if you resist, the Association will use force.
The Association's firepower. No idea the level, but definitely enough to annoy me.
Deployed personnel: 3 total.
Special Ability Agent Team 2 Leader Jeong Yeong-jin,
Monster Dissection Analysis Team Head Choi Ha-bin,
Training Team Instructor Choi Seong-woo.
Thud, thud, thud.
As the words ended, three people approached from the far end of the hallway. Two men, and one woman covered head to toe in gear, her body shape barely visible.
"As the highest rank here, I'll lead the fight. Do you agree?"
"Understood, Choi Ha-bin."
"I'm just an instructor, so... use me as you will."
The clean-cut man and the scar-covered man bowed their heads in response.
"Hey, you!"
The woman called Choi Ha-bin shouted at me.
"Surrender quietly, and we'll take you in nicely... but you're not gonna, right?"
"Just tell me how to get out, and I'll surrender!"
She nodded from afar at my reply.
"Guess not!"
Not buying it.
"Instructor, engage close-range. We'll intercept from afar."
"Confirmed."
Tadadak!
The man drew a sword from thin air and charged at me with insane speed. His scar-riddled muscles twitched fiercely.
Fuck...
I spat curses inwardly and assumed a stance. I was heavily nerfed right now. Had to focus on not mixing the absorbed power, so I couldn't afford to get too invested in the fight.
No choice.
I wrapped my body in demonic energy and clenched my fist.
Whoosh!
At the same time, the sword swung for my neck.
"Quick!"
I ducked my head to dodge.
Just fucking bolt.
Normally, I'd toy with them a bit while running. But one slip now, and I'm fucked.
And can't even toy anymore.
Look at that guy next to the woman gathering power. His aura alone surpasses Re Nerd's. I'd have to go all out, which would fully integrate the energy.
So, bolt.
I'm a mage by trade, but cranking physical stats to max lets me fight like a warrior. Not as good as spells, though.
Tadadadak!
I kicked off like a cockroach vanishing in an instant.
I blew past the sword guy, then the two prepping attacks.
"There's nothing but infinite space behind you! Don't bother struggling—just get caught, it'll be easier!"
I ignored the woman's voice from behind and kept running.
Can't pin coordinates.
Backrooms blocked teleport, as expected. Earlier was shifting coords; now, no coords at all. Ended up in an impossible space.
Kwang!
"Aaaack!"
Sudden intense impact on my back. Pain so bad tears welled up; I screamed.
"It hurts!"
"That would've burst a 3rd Grade monster... impressive."
The attacking man stared at me, dumbfounded. How'd he catch up so fast!
No focus left to block pain...
Normally, I'd numb sensation on hits. Regeneration doesn't make pain vanish. Can't endure live burial, beatings, lungs full of dirt otherwise.
Now, every hit's full agony.
"Ready to fire."
Then the woman's gear glowed. Light gathered slowly in her fist, swelling like it could explode any second.
That'd hurt like hell...
I gulped and racked my brain.
Have to gamble.
"Ptoo!"
I spat the stored energy onto the floor. It bubbled from Re Nerd's corpse.
Left alone, it'd dissipate.
But freedom first.
End it before then.
Paang!
"Kyaaak!"
My hand-wave blast knocked the woman down screaming. Can't injure too bad—I'm the intruder.
So.
Fucking roll it.
Paang! Paang! Paang!
Blasts erupted wildly from my hands.
"Kuh...!"
"Hard to approach..."
The men endured somehow, but the off-balance woman couldn't rise.
While they held.
"Grk!"
I gritted teeth and gripped the air.
Why no teleport? Missing coordinates.
Then fix the space...!
Pour demonic energy to anchor space, create coords.
Woooong.
Space twisted instantly; my spot locked.
Now!
Confirmed coords, scooped the floor energy, yelled.
"I'm out, you fuckers!"
Click!
Snap fingers—world shifted.
"Made it..."
I was home. Ripped open the Demon Realm gate, flopped face-down on the sofa.
"Hm? Done already?"
Gulp.
I eyed Yoo Hwa curiously, then swallowed the energy in my hand.
"Yoo Hwa, rub my back..."
"Huh? You said my strength doesn't even register?"
"Just do it..."
Yoo Hwa looked at my back and yelled in shock.
"There's a hole in your shirt!"
"For real?!"
I jolted up, felt my back. Fucking hole! Expensive shirt!
"Fuck, buying shit just means suffering..."
Face buried in sofa, I sighed and whined.
"Escaped the Backrooms..."
"Beyond imagination."
The two men stared at the intruder's vanished spot, chuckling dryly.
Backrooms, a 2nd Grade monster auto-activated on intrusion. No Association control, no escape.
"What, is that intruder 1st Grade or something?"
Yet she broke out instantly. Unbelievable feat, even seeing it.
"Leave intruder intel to the Field Investigation Team."
"Incident this big, upper teams'll handle—clues soon."
The men shook heads, told Choi Ha-bin.
"Choi Ha-bin Head, we'll return to our teams."
"Huh? Oh... permission granted. Go rest; gotta write the report."
"Thanks. Instructor Choi Seong-woo? Let's go."
"Yep! Taking leave."
Thud, thud.
They walked slowly, exited Backrooms, vanished.
"Hmmm..."
But Choi Ha-bin, Monster Dissection Analysis Team Head, hummed amusedly.
"Definitely strong. Beyond expectations."
Swoosh.
She removed her helmet, smiling. Haggard-faced woman. The one who'd met Heuk Seol-ah first in the team.
"Knew it wasn't what Association expected~ but this much?"
She giggled, walked. Her body exited Backrooms, back to the team.
"Head!"
She entered Team 12, compiling Heuk Seol-ah's info. Staff gawked; she waved smiling.
"I'm fine~. No injuries."
Thud, thud.
Approached a computer, said.
"Mind if I add a line to Heuk Seol-ah's profile?"
"N-No, go ahead!"
She beamed, added to the file.