Wait! Hold On, Stop!
"Wait! Hold on, stop!"
When they tried to set it on fire, the Guild Alliance members couldn't hold out any longer and scrambled out. The Power Warrior Guild members gasped in surprise.
"Aaaah!"
"Someone was hiding there!"
"Wait! We aren't suspicious people—"
"They said they're suspicious!"
"What? Suspicious bastards were hiding over there???"
"What?! Suspicious bastards hired by demons were hiding to lay a trap?"
"Did they summon the Leviathan too? Kill them!"
"No, we didn't! No! Please, just listen to us!"
The guild members cried out, looking like they were on the verge of tears.
"Why should we believe the words of a demon's minion!"
"Don't listen to them! If you listen, they'll scam us!"
"We-we'll give you gold! Gold!"
"..."
"..."
A brief silence fell.
"Ahem. Well, I suppose it wouldn't hurt to hear them out."
Seeing thousands of people suddenly regain their sanity was actually terrifying!
These bastards could listen perfectly fine all along...!
Gritting their teeth, the guild members began to explain themselves.
"So, you came to act as an escort?"
"Yes..."
"Why do that while hiding?"
Because of you!
Do you have any idea how terrifying you are?!
The guild members grumbled inwardly. Who was the one that used anyone they saw as bomb testing material up until now...!
"I'll allow you to escort me from up close."
"Oh... Is that really true?"
"Of course. I mean, if you guys hadn't abandoned him in the first place, we wouldn't even have this problem, right?"
After all, wasn't this entire mess caused because they got scared on Sky Island and abandoned their leader's nephew to run away?
"What do you mean, abandoned?"
"Ah, these guys..."
"Aaaah! Aaaah! Aaaaaah!"
The guild members frantically cut off the explanation. If Su Ning's nephew found out, their heads would definitely roll!
"I mean, these guys are working really hard. You're not just going to escort us, right? You'll help us hunt the Leviathan too, won't you?"
"Yes..."
The guild members replied with resigned faces. They knew they shouldn't have gotten out of bed this morning...
"Ah, I have a great idea."
"?"
"Su Ning-nim owes you a debt from last time, right? Why not use that to drag him into this raid..."
—Are you crazy?! Why would you tell him that!
—Hey, aren't you mad that we're the only ones suffering?
—...That's actually smart.
Operation: Drag them down with us! Unwilling to monopolize this "wonderful opportunity" all to themselves, the Guild Alliance members quickly went to work.
"Nah. I should save that for later."
"No! The Leviathan is seriously strong! We analyzed it, and..."
"Do you play Pan-On better than me?"
"..."
"Do you analyze better than me?"
"..."
How petty and dirty! At Tae-hyun's words, the rankers shut their mouths tight.
"I don't need the Guild Alliance's support. I plan to solve this with what we have."
"Tae-hyun-nim, we finished searching the area, but we can't find any demons."
"Can't be helped. Shall we begin?"
Tae-hyun gestured. Then, some familiar faces appeared.
"Hieeeek!"
"Why are those psychos here?!"
The Guild Alliance rankers recoiled in horror at the sight of those faces. Famous faces indeed! They were the infamous Mechanical Engineering Blacksmiths.
"Isn't that a bit harsh?"
"Yeah. They're actually really nice."
Cain and Choi Sang-yun looked indignant. Sure, the Mechanical Engineering Blacksmiths used to run around spreading Plague Bombs all over Pan-On, but calling them psychos was a bit much!
"N-No... those guys self-destruct whenever they're bored..."
"Nice? In what world are they nice?"
There was a very good reason the Guild Alliance members were trembling. During their massive territory war against the Midas Guild, they were the ones who suffered the most damage from bomb items.
The Guild Alliance had bought bombs from the Mechanical Engineering Blacksmiths for the territory war. The Midas Guild had also bought bombs for the territory war. Unlike high-level magic spells used by mages, bombs were a powerful means of attack that had no cooldown and could be spammed as long as one had gold! As a result, both the Guild Alliance and the Midas Guild were thoroughly sick of bombs.
"Tae-hyun-nim, we brought them just as you asked!"
"Thanks."
Hearing their conversation, the guild members were horrified. Were those boxes really all...? "N-No way, are those...!"
You have stacked a massive amount of bombs! You must handle them with extreme care!
Your Mechanical Engineering skill is exceptionally high! The bombs will not detonate even if handled roughly...
Additional bombs have been...
...
Tae-hyun didn't necessarily have to craft them himself anymore. The bombs made by the Mechanical Engineering Blacksmiths were now incredibly powerful in their own right. When Tae-hyun asked them to bring what they had made, the blacksmiths shed tears of deep emotion.
—Finally... finally, we can repay you...!
—We will show you our true capabilities!
—We have created brand-new, innovative bombs the likes of which have never been seen—
"No. Just bring the standard, ordinary ones, please."
"But Tae-hyun-nim, even if you gather this many, we can't throw them all, can we?"
"Ah. I plan to have the Garuda Warriors do it."
Indeed. Flying bomb baskets! From the moment Tae-hyun first saw the Garuda Warriors, he had thought, Wow, since you guys have wings, you'd be perfect for carrying bombs and flying around. With their high mobility, they could easily dodge attacks while dropping bombs!
"...!"
"What a brilliant idea...!"
"I did think Cain could carry more bombs since he has six arms, but...!"
However, the Garuda Warriors' reaction was lukewarm.
—What is this? What can we possibly do with such a trivial weapon?
—Pope, we had high expectations because we heard you were wicked, despicable, and dirty, but to give us toy-like weapons... This is of little help to a warrior.
The reputation of the Garuda Warriors...
...
"Why, these winged mosquitoes!"
"Hey! Let's see if you can still talk like that after taking a bomb to the face!"
The Mechanical Engineering Blacksmiths flared up. They could never forgive anyone who looked down on Mechanical Engineering, especially their bombs!
"Calm down. I am commanding this attack, so you must follow my orders. I will tolerate no objections."
—Understood.
—We only listen because you are the Pope of the Akisus Church.
Seeing the Garuda Warriors grumble so insolently, the knights felt deeply wronged.
—Pope! Are you just going to let those guys off the hook?
—You beat us half to death on a rainy day...!
"When did I ever do that? Don't say things that will make others misunderstand."
—But you did beat us!
"I said, don't."
—Ah. Yes, sir.
Having finished his preparations, Tae-hyun mounted Yong-yong. He intended to join the vanguard of the attack himself.
"Begin the attack! When I give the word, drop them all at once!"
Whoosh! It was a magnificent sight as the Garuda Warriors took flight from all directions. Flying gracefully through the sky, they closed in on the Leviathan!
"Three, two, one! Holy Domain!"
Holy Domain has been manifested!
Flash! The Leviathan was so massive that the domain couldn't even cover it entirely, but that wasn't Tae-hyun's intention anyway. His target was the bomb buff! Bombs detonating within the Holy Domain were several times more powerful, and they dealt additional holy damage!
The priests of the Akisus Church had already cast buffs on them, and with the addition of the Holy Domain's buff, the bombs produced a truly devastating effect.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
A critical hit has landed...
A critical hit has landed...
...
Watching a massive mushroom cloud rise above the Leviathan, the players on the ground stood with their mouths agape. What on earth is that...?
—That Akisus bastard... That Akisus bastard! I can never forgive him!
—Indeed. The Akisus bastard is truly unforgivable. Yes, indeed.
Adad whispered into Furneus's ear with a cunning expression. Adad had also suffered plenty of damage from his run-ins with Akisus, but it was nothing compared to the Ice Duke, Furneus. After all, where in the world could you find a Demon Duke who had his entire castle stolen in an eat-and-run scam!
In the long, dark history of the Demon Realm, and within the even longer history of demons getting scammed by Akisus, Furneus was an exceptionally prominent case. He had practically set a new legendary record!
Of course, Furneus was not pleased with this record in the slightest. He gnashed his teeth, desperate for revenge.
—If you do not find him and kill him, your name will be an eternal laughingstock in the Demon Realm.
—Shut up! I know that. But what about you? Why do your subordinates get scammed by Akisus every single time they cross paths?
Adad's face contorted fiercely. He had just been reminded of how his trusted subordinates, who were practically his right-hand men, had been thoroughly scammed by Akisus.
You foolish bastard who lost his own castle... Just you wait. You are nothing but a hunting dog to sniff out Akisus. Normally, a weak demon would simply be crushed underfoot—especially by a Demon Duke like Furneus! But Adad held back. Akisus was a far more threatening opponent than Furneus. He would pit the two against each other no matter what!
—Now that the monster Leviathan has descended to the continent, an opportunity will surely present itself. Didn't the Leviathan promise us?
—How can we trust the promise of that mindless beast!
Indeed, these two Demon Dukes had personally sought out the Leviathan and persuaded it to head to the continent.
—O great monster Leviathan! If you go to the continent, we will offer a thousand demons as a sacrifice!
—Bwooooo...
—Ten thousand?
—Bwooooo...
—Wait, a hundred thousand is a bit... Have some conscience...
—Bwooo.
—...Fine, we'll offer them! I will split the offering with this fellow here.
The Leviathan was a monster incapable of normal communication. Even Demon Dukes found it difficult to entice the beast without offering a proper price.
—Can that monster truly cross over to the continent?
—Unlike other demons, that beast has done nothing but sit and accumulate power. It certainly possesses enough strength to tear open a portal to the continent. Do not worry.
—I am not worried. And do not act friendly with me.
Furneus slapped Adad's hand away. If the Leviathan shook the surroundings and contaminated the continent with the energy of the Demon Realm, it would create an opportunity for Furneus to personally open a gate and descend. He would go himself! Furneus resolved. Even if a demon descending to the continent meant suffering a massive penalty, he would absolutely go and wring that Akisus bastard's neck.
My castle... I will reclaim my castle, you Akisus bastard! That is my castle!
Rumble—
After the explosions subsided, Tae-hyun checked the status below.
The Leviathan's first hide is regenerating!
The Leviathan, the monster of the deep sea of the Demon Realm, is covered in dozens of living, moving leather armors. You cannot deal damage to it until these hides are destroyed!
Ugh. It was like it was wearing dozens of layers of thin slimes! Setting aside its sheer hardness, its health pool and defense were downright disgusting. Against a monster armed to this extent, even Tae-hyun's burst damage was blocked.
"In..."
"?"
As Tae-hyun was lost in thought, the Garuda Warriors flew over to him. Oh no. Are they angry because it didn't work?
—Incredible!!
—To think... to think such a thrilling weapon existed!!!
The Garuda Warriors are highly satisfied!
Your reputation increases!
Affinity has...
You have started a bomb trend among the Garuda Warriors. Your Mechanical Engineering skill increases slightly!
"..."
The Leviathan was completely fine, but the Garuda Warriors didn't care and cheered anyway. Wow! The feeling of throwing bombs is amazing!!
—Give us more, Pope!
—Let us blow it up a few more times!!
"No... wait. I think we need to change our strategy now..."
—Ooooh! Ooooh!
—Bombs! Bombs! Bombs! Bombs!
"..."
Did I bring them along for nothing? Tae-hyun stared at the Garuda Warriors with a dubious expression. He had brought them along thinking they would fight well, but why were they acting exactly like Cain?
—Bwooooooo!
"!"
While they were bickering, the Leviathan, having taken the bombardment, began to move.