The Traitors (6)
“Explosion?!”
A clear, girlish voice rang out. Unlike the cute tone, the result was anything but adorable.
-BOOOOM!
A massive explosion engulfed the Judas Guild members. It had erupted deliberately at the rear of their formation, right where the healers and mages were clustered.
“Aaaagh!”
The healers and mages caught in the sudden blast screamed, twisting their bodies desperately to extinguish the flames clinging to their skin.
“Attack!”
A low, heavy voice boomed across the field.
Jeong Yong-chan's face twisted in fury at the familiar timbre.
“Park Cheol-tae!”
It was an ambush by the Salvatore Guild, lying in wait nearby. Salvatore's members charged alongside forces from Cheonseong, Deo Peiser, and Laira Guilds, falling upon the disorganized Judas Guild.
Nearly eighty guild alliance members swarmed the Judas Guild. Already thrown into chaos by gunfire and explosion magic, the Judas members couldn't respond—they simply screamed and collapsed under the onslaught.
“Get it together and hold the line!”
Kim Dae-gyu shouted urgently, drawing his bastard sword. He thrust it into the chest of an approaching summoner who appeared to be from the Salvatore reinforcements.
“Gahk!”
The summoner spewed blood and crumpled. Kim Dae-gyu whipped his head toward his guildmates with a frantic expression.
“?...Damn it.”
A hollow voice escaped his lips as he watched the clash between Judas Guild and the Salvatore alliance. The battle was so one-sided it might as well have ended the moment it began.
-Stab!
“Aaaagh!”
“P-please...spare me...!”
Exhausted from prolonged tension and hit by three waves of ambushes, the Judas Guild members could no longer follow their officers' orders.
“Hah!”
“Kyahaha! Yeah! Cry more, you little shits!”
Yuna, wielding her blazing twin blades, and Jeong So-rim, laughing maniacally with her spear, struck at the Judas Guild officers.
“Choi Yu-na! Jeong So-rim!”
Spotting them, Kim Dae-gyu blurted their names in desperation.
“Don't say my name with that filthy mouth of yours!”
With venomous fury, she swung her twin blades at them.
“Because of you—because of your idiotic choices—we went through hell! And after all that, you have the gall to come ambush us again?!”
She screamed, her voice strained as if squeezed from her throat. Kim Dae-gyu paled and stammered,
“M-misunderstanding! We came to help you!”
“Bullshit, Kim Dae-gyu!”
Yuna slashed at him without another word. He blocked with his bastard sword.
“Nngh!”
Even blocked, the searing flames climbed his blade and scorched his arm. Grimacing, Kim Dae-gyu swung back.
“Gale Slash!”
Blue light frosted his sword as it arced blindingly toward Yuna's throat. She dropped backward, flattening herself to evade.
“Blaze Dance!”
Her falling body spun. A fierce whirlwind of flames erupted around her.
Kim Dae-gyu swallowed hard and retreated. His eyes darted wildly, taking in the scene—the momentum had overwhelmingly shifted to Salvatore.
He dropped his weapon and opened his mouth.
“S-surrender! I surrender!”
The strategies he'd prepared against Salvatore meant nothing now.
Yuna advanced on him, raising her sword.
“Shut up, you piece of trash!”
She spat the curse, poised to strike down. Then a very familiar voice whispered in her ear.
“Hold on, Yuna.”
“...Tiriya-unnie?”
It was Tiriya, overlooking the battlefield from above. She'd sprinted full-tilt, breathing raggedly.
“...Why stop now?”
Yuna sighed deeply.
Kim Dae-gyu glanced between them, then bowed low to Tiriya.
“G-Guild Master! I'm sorry! I let momentary greed lead me to betray you...”
-Thwack!
“Call Tiriya-unnie 'Guild Master' one more time with that mouth, and I'll kill you.”
Yuna smacked his head hard, growling low. Her voice dripped with thick rage; Kim Dae-gyu could only bow his head mutely.
Tiriya gazed at him with pity. Not just him—the dying around her, the killers...they'd all once been precious to her.
“Damn it all!”
Jeong Yong-chan, battling Park Cheol-tae, Hwang-hyeon, and Han Tae-young simultaneously, spat curses.
In this mess, only one option!
His eyes locked on Tiriya. Taking her hostage was his last play. Despite the distance, he had an ace.
-Boom!
“Grraaah!”
His half-beast body slammed the ground. Like a gray streak in the air, he rocketed toward Tiriya.
“Pathetic to the end, Jeong Yong-chan.”
A young man blocked his path, exuding an aura so chilling it could freeze you just standing nearby.
“Yu-jin!”
Jeong Yong-chan snarled at Yu-jin's arrival. They'd been rivals since Salvatore days. When Jeong had first rebelled, Yu-jin had rejected his invitation to join and immediately reported to the Guild Master.
If not for that bastard!
Without Yu-jin's snitching, he could've rallied more before striking. But the report sparked civil war sooner than planned, dooming both factions.
“Space Wall.”
A distortion warped the space before Yu-jin—his hidden class, Space Mage's skill.
“Tch!”
Jeong Yong-chan knew better than to touch it rashly. He twisted aside with a grunt.
Tiriya first!
He glared past Yu-jin at her pitying gaze.
“Blood Moon.”
Crouching low, he invoked his skill. His eyes glowed red, muscles bulging grotesquely. Red aura surged from his werewolf form.
Blood Moon—his hidden trump card. It granted a summoner the full moon's lycanthrope power for a time. Awakened post-civil war, Salvatore knew nothing of it.
“Grrrrr...”
Beast-like growls escaped him. Saliva drooling, reason fraying, he kicked off.
-BOOM!
The ground cratered with a roar. A red streak, he shot toward Tiriya.
“Not on my watch!”
Yu-jin spread his arms, unleashing space magic. Distortions rippled outward like waves.
“Grrrr!”
More monster than summoner now, Jeong Yong-chan stomped through. His foot's skin tore on contact.
Undeterred, he flipped through the air.
“Tch!”
Yu-jin hadn't expected such brute force. Grimacing, he grabbed Tiriya's hand.
“Blink!”
They vanished mid-air, reappearing thirty meters away.
No respite—a red streak hurtled after them. Under Blood Moon, thirty meters was nothing.
“Graaaah!”
Yu-jin hesitated briefly at the charging beast. His hand drifted to his left chest.
No choice now.
He prepared to invoke a skill. Then—
“Gale Slash!”
A low voice accompanied an absurdly massive greatsword swinging at Jeong Yong-chan.
Unable to ignore it, he twisted back.
“Grrrr!”
“Jeong Yong-chan!”
Park Cheol-tae swung his greatsword furiously at the fully feral foe.
“Graaaah!”
“Nngh!”
Jeong Yong-chan dodged with impossible agility, leaping onto the flat of the blade.
Under Blood Moon, he matched even Rankers. Park Cheol-tae alone couldn't handle him in this crisis—his strength shone in parties.
-Thud!
Jeong Yong-chan kicked off the sword, soaring toward Tiriya.
“Yu-jin!”
“Got it!”
With time bought, Yu-jin finished casting and thrust his hand forward. A massive distortion blocked airborne Jeong Yong-chan.
-Crunch!
“Grrrr!!”
Jeong Yong-chan clawed at it. Blood flowed as his nails failed to withstand the strain.
“Nngh?”
Yu-jin groaned in pain, maintaining the distortion. He felt the claws piercing his mana.
Sweat beaded on his brow.
Dangerous.
Blood Moon Jeong Yong-chan wielded monstrous power. Yu-jin's gaze flicked to his left chest.
No more time to hesitate.
-Whiiiirrr!
Then, a sound rare on Ernoir continent pierced Yu-jin's ears—like a jet engine's roar.
He turned toward it. There, a fiercely spinning “arm” hurtled toward Jeong Yong-chan.