Buffering Phase 2 and the Fallen Priest

...Thud!

The last remaining golem collapsed, and I straightened my back, catching my breath. A brief peace settled in after the grueling battle. Wiping the sweat from my forehead, I turned my gaze to the message floating on my left side.

I'd been fighting so frantically that the quest had ended before I knew it. This was the moment Phase 2 would finally unlock!

...Or so I thought.

Buffering, of all things...

And it was slow. Excruciatingly slow—like 30 seconds per percent. What a buzzkill.

Well, no choice but to wait. With a sigh, I looked around.

"Whoa."

The area was littered with chunks of dead stone everywhere. The ground was torn up, and wrecked cars lay scattered like trash.

Tell me about it. I'd been in such a trance that I hadn't noticed the chaos. But why was Mom looking pleased?

Anyway. If I'd taken out the golems cleanly and quickly, it wouldn't have turned into this disaster...

"Healers! Get over here and heal...!"

"Check the injured and dead!"

"Ugh, is it finally over...?"

Those dimwits had jumped in at the worst times, causing extra casualties. Not that I was blaming them now—they were in full funeral mode.

As I sighed again, Dimwit Team Leader sidled up to me.

"Huh...?"

His face was clouded with worry. He had something to say. This guy isn't still sore about losing his rice bowl, is he? If he brings it up, I'm cursing him out for real.

"I'm sorry."

"..."

He bowed deeply. Guess no cursing needed.

Straightening up, fists trembling, he said, "I should have listened to your advice. I chased short-term gains and made a mistake I'll regret forever. The guild took a hit, and I caused you trouble..."

"..."

"I have no face to show you."

He was wrong, but he didn't owe me anything. I'd taken down all the golems anyway.

"It's not much as an apology, but... uh, may I have your name?"

"Hwang Jae-min."

"Right. Jae-min-ssi."

Pointing to the golem corpses strewn around, he ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠continued, "These monster bodies are all yours. Though... you did solo them all, so it's weird for me to say this."

Right from wrong? Like he said, they're mine—no need for him to act generous.

But his expression, flicking between the dead golems and me, was off. Not dissatisfaction, more like...

A bit spaced out?

Curious about that look, I activated Throw Eye.

Throw Eye triggered on anyone I strongly perceived as an opponent, friend or foe. I'd tested it on Yoo Soo-yeon leaving the ruins earlier.

Anyway, his emotional state via Throw Eye?

Regret made sense. But envy and jealousy?...

"At this scale, the cleanup bounty alone will be insane... Ha, haha. You're gonna make a fortune."

"Yeah."

...Yup. Must sting.

Half a year's guild operating budget, all mine. Envy-worthy. But boiling ambition?

As I tilted my head, he thrust a business card at me.

"I'm Byun Jae-woong, commander of Bluebird's 2nd Team. I'm not in scouting, but I hate to part ways like this..."

Ambition for recruitment, huh. Hilarious.

I was about to politely decline—I was already spoken for—

"Gahk-!"

—when Byun Jae-woong suddenly spat blood.

"What the—"

Before his card hit the ground,

"Puhak-?!"

"Gaaahhh...!"

"Urghhheek-!!"

Others behind him vomited blood too, writhing in agony. Then the messages appeared.

Only one reason for this: Someone's using a skill!

My senses caught it immediately.

Direction—above!

Kwachik-!

I stomped the ground hard. An asphalt chunk flew into my hand.

Pang-!

I hurled it upward. It shattered mid-air with a whoosh, crumbling to the ground.

Huh, even detecting stealth...

A grating voice in my ears. As I grimaced, a figure materialized in the air.

A ragged-robed man—or humanoid monster—with a skull mask. Complex magic circles glowed around him in various colors.

Truly impressive the more I see. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠What are you?

I knew him. From regression knowledge of the Guro-gu incident.

Fallen Priest.

The Soul Golem creator, culprit of the mess. But one difference from my memories.

This guy showed himself first?

In the first timeline, S-rank Choi Kwang-hyun cleared the ground golems, then went up and took him out. He hadn't crawled out on his own.

"Suicide mission?"

As if. Felt a weird energy on the ground, couldn't resist checking.

"Weird energy?"

I'm curious by nature. And it seems...

His mouth twisted oddly under the half-mask.

...the source is definitely you.

Yeah, no point talking to a monster from another world. First, scan with Throw Eye.

Noble mana flashed from my right eye.

But?

Petty trick.

Damn, what? Blockable?

All your cards are plain to me. A spell to grasp an opponent's essence? Haha, trying to learn my name?

A red magic circle on his left temple stopped spinning like a gear.

I get it. That's what it does.

Mom's right. The others have roles too.

Useless. I abandoned that saint's name when I forsook the path. It's a shameful past. So don't—

Can I smash that circle physically? I leaped at him, mana-clad fist extended.

Kwa-ang!

Just noise—no scratch on the circle.

...Rude while I'm talking.

His right temple's blue circle flared.

Pajijik-!

A blade-like blue lightning spear slammed me.

"Guh...?!"

I barely condensed mana in my gut to avoid impalement, but kwarang-!

I gouged the ground for dozens of meters, crashing into a car headfirst.

"Cough!"

Blood surged from my mouth. Pain crashed like a wave; vision blurred.

"I-I'm fine. I can handle it..."

Staggering to my feet. That Fallen Priest was filthy strong. No wonder top S-rank Choi Kwang-hyun broke a sweat against him.

Facing that guy myself this life... Life's unpredictable.

On the flip side, beating him puts me on Choi Kwang-hyun's level. A chuckle escaped.

Why laugh after getting hit?

"Your turn to eat dirt."

I'd tried avoiding reliance in real fights, but three days of resolve, huh. Whatever—gear luck's a skill too.

The invisible Pandora's Box unzipped, light gathering in my hand.

The revealed weapon: "A greatsword this time?"

Taller than me vertically—heavy beast. Cool. Man's romance, even now, flushing my cheeks!

Cool, but...

Pajijik-!

"Bad matchup against a lightning spammer from range, no?!"

Dodging the barrage, I grumbled. And damn heavy—backache already. Pandora's Box screwing me?

What's that greatsword? Gonna throw it? Haha!

"Shut it!"

Damn. Can't close for a slash easily...

"Red button?"

Was there...? "...Oh!"

Yep, on the hilt. Why red, though? Unsettling.

Looking away?

Pajijik-!

A sharp lightning spear grazed past, inches away.

Screw it. He gave a greatsword for a reason. I hit the button.

Chwajajak-!

I gaped at what happened next.

Not just shock...

"O-ohhh..."

The blade split with metallic grind—six greatswords now floating guard around me.

That's why I gawked. Eyes sparkling. Man's heart-pounding romance, right here!

...Seen in a game, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠but whatever!

Mom not getting this awesomeness? Unbelievable.

What luck now?

"I'll show you."

I eyed the six floating greatswords. No manual, but... I knew.

Instinct told me: Connected.

They'd move with my will.

First... this one.

The one over my shoulder. Eyes closed, I infused intent.

How? No clue. But I could.

What nonsense? The world's got one thing that makes it possible.

Inherited—no, sponsored talent from Mom!

Eyes closed? Giving up?

White flash through darkness—blue circle lightning.

But pa-ang!

My sword already sliced the air.

Lightning-fast clash with the bolt. Blinding flash faded.

And...

......?!

The greatsword split the spear, then zziaeak-!

Straight trajectory scarred the sky toward him.

Damn...!

He dodged back. It merely gashed his cheek, but kwajik-!

Shattered the red circle beside him. Glass-shatter sound, gone.

I quickly triggered Throw Eye.

Classic villain backstory. Solar plexus, nice.

I smirked. "Kirius."

......

"Ready for a solar plexus smash?"

Then veins bulged on his exposed face under the mask. Obvious rage, despite it...

Why?

Not from the smash talk... Oh, right.

He called his name shameful past earlier. Complex, huh. I poked the wound.

I'll dice you, trash...!

"Watch the language, Kirius."

Kraaaah-!!

I'll call it a hundred, thousand times in this fight—that pretty name.