Chapter 304: A Vagabond’s Tears
Chapter 304: A Vagabond’s Tears
Something’s not right.
Ahn Sol’s inscrutable reaction and the faint sound of an explosion. In that instant, a thought flashed through my mind. After forcibly prying her off me—she was clinging like a baby koala—I immediately bolted out the door.
The sun had completely set. The streets of the shopping district were dark, but the city—the northern district, to be precise—was ablaze with light. The source of that light was none other than a raging fire.
Without hesitation, I kicked off the ground and landed on the flat roof of the jewelry shop. The building was low, so I couldn't see the entire city, but it gave me a much wider view than I’d had from the street. I fixed my gaze on the north and channeled magic into my eyes.
It’s an attack.
Though I could only see a part of it, I knew it the moment I saw the scene. Amidst the soaring flames, countless dark shadows were surging forward like a tidal wave. Every time a sinister light cut through the firelight, a fountain of blood would spray into the air.
It was a one-sided slaughter. Users, rushing out in a daze to see what was happening, were being mercilessly butchered by streaks of light shooting from all directions. A lucky few seemed to turn and flee, but the shadows closed in on them in an instant.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
Just then, another deafening roar that shook the ground assaulted my ears. The sounds came from both sides almost simultaneously, and being outside, I could hear them with perfect clarity. Turning my head left and right, I saw swarms of shadows pouring in from the east and west gates as well.
Soon, just as in the north, flames shot up from the east and west. Seeing this, I felt a momentary surge of confusion.
An attack on Mule? Who? And why?
One thing was certain: Ahn Sol’s premonition had been spot on. I had made my own preparations, but the problem was that they had been focused on Yoo Hyuna. As the sound of shouting grew closer from all sides, my mind began to race, until a sudden memory struck me like a hammer blow.
Vagabonds. Their uprising in the Western Continent.
Compared to the first playthrough, this should have happened much earlier. And the original sequence of events had them invading a city in the west, not Mule.
“Hey, young man! What’s with all the noise? Is something going on?”
As I bit my lip, lost in thought, a hearty voice called up from below. I glanced down to see the shopkeepers of the district belatedly shuffling outside.
And with that, I managed to calm my chaotic thoughts.
Get a grip, Kim Soohyun!
In the darkness spreading from three directions, there wasn’t a shred of goodwill to be found. All I could feel was a chilling hostility, sharp enough to slice through flesh.
It had already happened. I could figure out the details later. What mattered now was escaping Mule, one way or another. Besides, I wasn't alone. Ko Yeonju could probably handle herself, but I had to get Kim Hanbyul, Ahn Sol, and the Old Man out of Mule as well.
A few Users were still looking up at me, as if waiting for an answer, but I paid them no mind and leaped back down to the ground. I immediately pushed open the door to the jewelry shop. As I stepped inside, all eyes quickly turned to me, as if they had been waiting for my return.
“Soohyun. What in the world is going on?”
“We’re under attack.”
“What?”
“I’ll say it again. Mule is currently under attack. I don’t know the attackers’ exact identity yet, but they seem to be Vagabonds. This isn’t a joke; it’s real.”
At the word ‘attack,’ confused expressions appeared on everyone’s faces. But it was only for a moment. My tone and the continuous explosions from outside slowly made the gravity of the situation sink in. But there was no more time for explanations or delays. I spoke in a low voice.
“Old Man. Pack your things. We’re leaving immediately.”
“Got it. I’ve already packed the important things into three magic backpacks. We can leave right now.”
“You take one. Give the other two to Kim Hanbyul and Ahn Sol. And Ko Yeonju.”
“Yes.”
An idea occurred to me, and I unfastened the Blue Dragon Knight's Cloak from my shoulders. I walked over to the still-trembling Ahn Sol and carefully wrapped it around her.
“O-Orabeoni…?”
“Quiet. User Ko Yeonju. From this moment, we are running to the Warp Gate.”
After wrapping the cloak around Ahn Sol, I turned back to Ko Yeonju.
“We’re going to run in a straight line through the plaza. It took us about fifteen minutes to get here, so if we run fast, we can get there even quicker.”
“I understand what you’re saying.”
“Good. Then I need you to be the keeper.”
“The… keeper?”
Ko Yeonju tilted her head, seemingly not understanding my last words. I took a breath and spoke in a stronger voice.
“No one knows what might happen on the way. I’ll take the lead and clear a path. But attacks could come from anywhere, so I need you to protect the other three. Protect them so perfectly that I don’t even have to think about it.”
“Are you saying I shouldn’t provide support fire either?”
“There’s no time for a detailed explanation. The keeper role is your absolute top priority. Remember that.”
“…Top priority, you say. I understand.”
She didn’t seem fully convinced, but Ko Yeonju managed a nod. After finishing with her, I looked at the other three. They had already slung the backpacks over their shoulders.
“By my calculations, if we run from here to the Warp Gate without stopping even once, we should just make it in time. I know this sudden situation is shocking, but I need everyone to steel themselves and follow me.”
After I finished speaking, I gazed at Ahn Sol. To be honest, she was my biggest concern right now. She was clutching the cloak I’d given her with both hands. Her large, tear-filled eyes looked like they would overflow at any moment, but she was desperately holding them back.
I watched her for a moment longer, then threw open the door leading outside.
It was the beginning of a life-or-death escape.
*
After leaving the jewelry shop, I ran toward the plaza. Occasionally, a User or two who still hadn’t grasped the situation tried to stop me, but I shoved them aside and kept running.
The attack had started at the north gate, followed by assaults on the east and west gates. The Warp Gate wasn’t located in the exact center, but it was near the central plaza. From what I’d seen, the attackers’ surprise attack had been a success. But by now, some Users would be starting to fight back. Even if it was a one-sided slaughter rather than a fight, killing them would take time. Factoring all that in, we should be able to reach the Warp Gate first.
However, that was just my own thinking. I had experienced my fill of urban warfare in the first playthrough. If the Vagabonds’ commander had half a brain, there would be plenty of obstacles ahead. But for now, I had to bet on the option with the highest chance of escape.
As we finally left the shopping district and turned onto the road to the central plaza, I sighed inwardly. I had already heightened my senses to their peak. The sounds of clashing blades, fiery explosions, and screams assaulted my ears from all directions. It was too soon for the attackers from the gates to have reached this far. That meant there were collaborators inside.
The Warp Gate might already be captured.
But I didn’t turn back. Fleeing through the city gates was a last resort, an option only if I gave up on the Warp Gate. Even if it had been taken by insiders, I could just wipe them all out and take it back. I had both the confidence and the ability to do so.
As I ran, I glanced behind me. The four of them, led by Ko Yeonju, were following at a set distance. My role was to draw as much aggro as possible and clear the path of anyone who popped out. I turned my gaze forward again. The central plaza was slowly coming into view.
BOOM! BOOM!
“Aaaargh! Aaaack!”
“Kyaaaah! H-Help me! Please, please!”
The central plaza was a battlefield. Or perhaps a living hell where a one-sided massacre was taking place? Flashes of light erupted everywhere, and with each one, the ground exploded. And with every explosion, screams and endless fountains of blood shot into the air.
There were only a few dozen Vagabonds unleashing attacks at will, yet hundreds of Users were being slaughtered without being able to put up any decent resistance. The Users certainly had the numerical advantage, but the Vagabonds showed a level of skill and discipline that more than made up for it.
It would be best to consider them a semi-elite force.
Since my life was on the line, I had no intention of taking it easy. I immediately drew the Sun and Moon Divine Sword from my waist. The smooth blade gleamed blue in the moonlight. Just as I angled it to the side…
Whoosh!
Left, 45 degrees. On the roof.
The sharp whistle of an arrow. I instantly summoned my magic and shot my left hand out toward the source of the arrow.
Smack!
It carried a fair bit of magic, and I felt a heavy impact, but I caught it without difficulty. But just catching it would be a waste. I immediately used the principle of Four Ounces Deflect a Thousand Pounds and threw the arrow back toward the building with all my might.
Thwack!
“Gak!”
A thwack was followed by a single, sharp scream. From the voice, it seemed to be a female sniper. I glanced up at the building and saw a figure with an arrow in her forehead plummeting to the ground below.
Whistle!
As I entered the plaza, a thin whistling sound echoed in my ears. At the signal, two Vagabonds who had been busy butchering people nearby turned their heads, gripping their sword and spear tightly as they charged me. That wasn't all. The Sensing field I had spread out alerted me to stealthy presences closing in from my left and right.
First, these two in front.
I shot forward. The power of the Orthros Long Boots was incredible. I hadn't even used Bowstring Shadow Step, but the distance between us closed in an instant. The two of them looked slightly flustered, clearly not expecting me to close the gap so quickly.
When I was about three steps away, I stomped my right foot hard on the ground. Then, I swung the sword—brimming with magic and shimmering with blue light—horizontally.
Indeed, the Users attacking Mule were a semi-elite force.
Just before my sword collided with them, in that split second, the one on the left quickly raised his spear vertically to defend. The one on the right was a bit slower to react, but from the way his sword moved slightly forward and his wrist twisted, it looked like he intended to thrust at me.
But the Sun and Moon Divine Sword…
Slice.
…effortlessly cut through the vertical spear.
The Sun and Moon Divine Sword—or more accurately, the Authority of a Sword Specialist—sliced through the spear with ridiculous ease, as if to say this much was child’s play. After cutting the spear, the blade continued on, splitting the man’s armor and touching his soft flesh.
Squelch, squelch!
Like slicing through tofu, the Sun and Moon Divine Sword cut sharply through the Vagabond’s insides. The gruesome sensation of the blade mercilessly tearing through his insides traveled up the hilt and into my palm.
By the time I had bisected the spearman, the Vagabond on the right had just finished preparing his thrust. He faltered, his face a mask of panic, and tried to back away as he saw my sword coming for him. But my blade showed no mercy, easily severing the last man’s head from his body.
Sploosh! Thud!
Blood gushed from the gash in his chest, and an intermittent fountain of red spurted from his severed neck. But it wasn't over yet.
“Die!”
“The end~!”
The attackers from my left and right had closed in, baring their sharp fangs. Judging by their agile movements, both were clearly assassins. From their voices, the one on the right had leaped into the air, daggers in both hands, ready to strike down, while the bitch on the left was crouched low, aiming for my ankles.
A timed, pincer attack. If I hadn't known, I might have been flustered, but I had already anticipated their assault.
I twisted my right hand, positioning my sword at the point where the man would descend. As for the one coming in low on my left, trusting in my 96 points of Strength, I swung my left foot with all my might and kicked her in the face. Of course, I added the principle of Grafting Flowers onto Trees to the kick as a bonus.
Stab! Crack!
A heavy feeling traveled up the arm holding the sword. I turned my head slightly and saw the man who had shouted “Die!” dangling from my blade, a sword through his neck. And to my left, the one who had chirped “The end~,” her face caved in, was sent tumbling violently across the ground.
With that, I had killed a total of five people upon entering the plaza. Dozens more remained.
But that wasn't what was important.
My entrance had drawn the attention of the Users being slaughtered nearby, the Vagabonds committing the massacre, and even some of the mages in the distance who had been freely bombarding the area from a wide, semi-circular formation.
I need to take care of them first.
I gave my sword a light shake, and the impaled Vagabond dropped to the ground. Then, I aimed the blood-drenched Sun and Moon Divine Sword at the several mages who had begun to stare intently at me.
The moment our eyes met, I kicked off the ground with all my strength.