Chapter 158
Chapter 158
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 158
Chapter Title: The Invasion Gate Crisis
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Shuuuaaaak!
Shin Yu-hyun swung the flaming magic sword Levantein like a flash of light, slicing across the elite ghoul's body.
A trail of black flames from Levantein lingered between Shin Yu-hyun and the elite ghoul.
Kraaaaaah!
Then, from behind Shin Yu-hyun, the elite ghoul let out a scream-like roar before collapsing in place.
'It's over.'
Shin Yu-hyun spun Levantein to shake off the black flames before sheathing it.
He glanced once more at the elite ghoul he had felled, then surveyed his surroundings.
Just then, Shuv and Ruber were finishing off the last remaining elite ghoul.
'Looks like they're done over there too.'
Watching Ruber taunt Shuv about who had taken down more as the final ghoul fell, Shin Yu-hyun let out a smirk.
He turned his gaze back to the elite ghoul he had defeated.
'Good enough to handle a single 5-star magic beast.'
Currently, Shin Yu-hyun was at mid-upper 4-star level.
Normally, he should have struggled against an elite ghoul, which ranked among the stronger individuals in the 5-star magic beasts.
But thanks to his combat experience from his previous life and the chakra that provided more mana than other superhumans of the same rank—without relying on stamina—he hadn't been pushed back.
'Perfect training partners.'
At first, they had been tough opponents, but as time passed, Shin Yu-hyun gained the upper hand. He had analyzed their combat patterns mid-fight.
Not only that, but he had also taught Lee Ji-hyun the basics of using Guardian's Shield, receiving occasional support from her.
One elite ghoul had served as excellent practice for both Shin Yu-hyun and Lee Ji-hyun.
And soul points to boot.
The elite ghoul tasted faintly of charred meat.
'All that's left are the magic beasts from the Invasion Gate.'
Right now, superhumans from the Heaven-Splitting Sword Clan and hunters were responding across various locations.
As the Skeleton Dragon appeared, boss-grade magic beasts began emerging too.
Clan Leader Shin Sung-il, along with Azure Dragon Sword Division Leader Shin Yu-ra, Shin Cheol-min, and White Tiger Hall Leader Shin Yu-ra—wait, no, Shin Yu-ra is Azure—leading their elite direct subordinates, were likely handling the boss-grade ones.
"Master. What now?"
With the situation wrapped up, Shuv smiled warmly at Shin Yu-hyun.
"First, we evacuate the survivors to safety."
Shin Yu-hyun turned around.
Excluding Lee Ji-hyun and Lee Ji-young, there were about ten survivors—mostly elderly and young children.
So, they needed to get the survivors to safety first.
'The problem is the Invasion Gate.'
The root issue was the Invasion Gate. Magic beasts were pouring out through it nonstop.
"Leave the survivors to us."
Then, someone approached Shin Yu-hyun.
It was none other than Lee Ji-young.
While Shin Yu-hyun and Lee Ji-hyun were locked in battle with the elite ghoul, Lee Ji-young had regained consciousness.
She had been confused by the scene before her.
Her last memory was the massive fireball from the Skeleton Dragon exploding.
She thought the shockwave had killed her when she blacked out.
Yet not only was she alive, but the Skeleton Dragon that had targeted her and the survivors was sitting obediently.
Everything felt chaotic at first.
But after hearing the full story from the survivors, she grasped the situation.
A direct member of the Heaven-Splitting Sword Clan had come to their rescue.
"I'm Lee Ji-young of the Spiral Fist Clan. I heard you saved us. Thank you."
Lee Ji-young bowed her head as Shin Yu-hyun looked at her.
"It was just my duty as a member of the Heaven-Splitting Sword Clan."
"So humble. Thank you again for saving me personally."
At Shin Yu-hyun's response, Lee Ji-young smiled and expressed her gratitude privately.
Others might not know, but she did.
How much risk Shin Yu-hyun had taken to save her.
The fireball from the Skeleton Dragon—Crimson Fireball—was no weak attack.
A 5-star superhuman like her had lost consciousness from the explosion's shock.
Yet Shin Yu-hyun had pulled her from that blast.
"Glad you're unharmed. How's your body now?"
"Yes. No injuries, thanks to you."
Lee Ji-young smiled, looking at Shin Yu-hyun with friendly eyes.
Not only had he saved her, but according to the survivors, he commanded summons powerful enough to fell the Skeleton Dragon.
How could she not feel favorably?
The superhuman world was one of survival of the fittest, but also one that respected the strong.
"Then, I'll leave the survivors in your care."
"Yes. Leave it to me."
Lee Ji-young replied with a smile.
Shin Yu-hyun looked relieved.
'The survivors will be fine with them.'
Though she had briefly lost consciousness and taken minor injuries from the Skeleton Dragon's attack, Lee Ji-young was still a superhuman.
She could recover from such wounds quickly, and Lee Ji-hyun—with her S-rank unique trait Guardian— was there too.
With them, they could break through any 5-star magic beasts.
Better yet, no magic beast presences were detected nearby anymore.
They should make it to safety like this.
Shin Yu-hyun turned to Shuv, Ruber, and Dia.
"Then we'll head to the Invasion Gate."
After entrusting the survivors to the Fist King's granddaughters, Shin Yu-hyun headed straight for Chilseong Mountain, where the Invasion Gate loomed.
Before parting, Lee Ji-hyun had seemed reluctant to leave his side, but he left her with Lee Ji-young.
They needed to protect the survivors in case of any unforeseen events.
'I assigned two Frost Wolves as escorts, so they should be fine.'
Upon reaching 4-star, the Undead Rider summon skill activated, allowing Frost Wolves.
Like White Wolf and Fluffy, they were wolves with snow-white fur.
Shin Yu-hyun had the Frost Wolves guard the survivors.
Frost Wolves had their own combat prowess, but honestly, they were inferior to Skeleton Soldiers.
However, their scouting ability was excellent, letting them avoid approaching magic beasts.
'Skeleton Rider units would be useful too, but...'
Riding Skeleton Soldiers on Frost Wolves would make effective cavalry.
But without needing cavalry yet, he hadn't used it.
Thus, Shin Yu-hyun—accompanied by the Seven Arcs and boss-grade summons—pressed toward Chilseong Mountain.
Occasional 5-star magic beasts ambushed them, but Shuv and Ruber dispatched them swiftly.
Kwoooaaargh!
"What the hell are these things?"
Shin Yu-hyun frowned at the magic beast collapsing under Shuv and Ruber's joint assault.
The closer they got to the Invasion Gate, the stranger the magic beasts became.
They resembled undead like zombies or ghouls, but their forms were grotesquely distorted.
The Draugr they just felled was a 2-meter humanoid with six arms, countless small mouths on its sides and back.
And those mouths were devouring rocks, trees, and wildlife from Chilseong Mountain indiscriminately.
Chewing everything in sight, as if tasting every existence in this world.
"Something's up there."
Shuv glanced up the mountain.
Shin Yu-hyun and Ruber followed suit.
"This is..."
A sinister aura emanated from above—one they hadn't sensed before.
At least as strong as the Skeleton Dragon, if not more.
Shin Yu-hyun led the group toward the ominous presence.
Packs of 5-star Draugr attacked en route, but Shuv and Ruber handled them.
Soon, they reached the source.
"Is that the Invasion Gate?"
Shin Yu-hyun stared ahead in shock. A 2-meter rift hung in a clearing above Chilseong Mountain's mid-slope.
Pazik! Pazizik!
Blue and black sparks crackled around the rift.
Black signified an Invasion Gate; blue marked it 5-star grade.
Threatening blue-black sparks leaped from the empty rift.
But the real issue was elsewhere.
Kwajik! Kwajijik!
The Invasion Gate—barely 2 meters wide—was slowly expanding.
Forced open by arms covered in unidentified crustacean-like armored shells emerging from the rift.
"What the hell is that?"
Shin Yu-hyun said, looking queasy.
Over ten arms at least, prying the rift wider.
"That looks dangerous, Master."
Ruber stared gravely at the arms protruding from the Invasion Gate.
Shuv followed, face stiff.
"Seems like the magic beasts are trying to cross into this dimension themselves."
"Themselves? Then the Space-Time Management Bureau's dungeon space..."
"Yeah. Looks like they couldn't hold it back."
"What?"
Shin Yu-hyun glared at the Invasion Gate, scowling.
The dungeon space was a buffer zone created by the Space-Time Management Bureau to block or delay magic beast invasions.
Thanks to it, superhumans could raid dungeon gates to prevent stampedes and invasions of Earth.
But Invasion Gates triggered invasions immediately upon formation.
Real-time stampedes.
Meaning the Bureau had failed to stop the magic beasts.
Krooooaaaaah!
A grotesquely eerie roar echoed from beyond the Invasion Gate.
A chilling sound stirring deep unease.
"Stop it now!"
Shin Yu-hyun ordered Shuv and Ruber.
He didn't know what was trying to tear open the dimensional rift.
But this situation screamed danger.
"Leave it to us."
"We'll keep that thing from coming through."
Shin Yu-hyun's strongest pawns charged the Invasion Gate.
Shuv kicked off the ground, soaring up. Soon, a massive greatsword of black magic materialized above her.
30 meters long, 5 meters wide—an enormous greatsword.
The darkness-cleaving blade: Grand Dark Saber.
One of Shuv's strongest attack spells, a 6th-class black magic, limited by her restrained power.
Ruber began her preparation next.
Ssssh.
Red blood swirled around Ruber, forming a shape.
30 meters long, 5 meters thick—a colossal spear.
The searing red blood spear: Blood Lance.
Like Shuv, her strongest attack skill at 6-star limit due to restrictions.
Finally, Grand Dark Saber and Blood Lance surged toward the Invasion Gate, where something writhed to emerge.