The Vortex
"It's really foul..."
Glova thought the stench of the sewers was enough to rot his nose off. His squad members, including Syr, felt the same. The air was too tense for even small talk to ease their nerves. But these were knights who had achieved their goals in all sorts of harsh environments, so their focus was at its peak.
When Glova had first descended into the sewer pipes, he'd been bothered by how wide and deep the contaminated water channels were—wider and deeper than expected.
Below, stay alert. He glanced back briefly, signaling with hand gestures as he pressed forward.
Too little intel.
Sixteen minutes since the operation began. They should have encountered the missing guards by now, but the underground was eerily quiet, the passages twisting like a maze. The pale starlight of the Guardian Holy Art remained calm. If some invisible threat were harming their bodies, the holy art would have reacted in some way. No such signs appeared.
Push a bit further, then signal the Seongyul Knights.
That was the moment Glova made up his mind.
Splash, splash, splash.
Countless tentacle spiders leaped up, blocking their retreat.
"......"
"......"
What was astonishing was the White Flame Knights' response. Knights who had mastered the third-tier skill Discernment to the highest level had already turned and assumed combat stances the instant they sensed movement from behind. Creating an opening against this squad was no easy feat.
"Check 'em."
Glova muttered lowly. The squad performed level checks across the board.
"Looks like a variant of spider-type monsters. Levels between 50 and 80."
"50 to 80?"
Individually, they weren't much. But if dozens packed the sewer pipes, it made sense how the guards died without a scream. This was a problem only knights could handle.
But rather than rush into battle, Glova calmly scanned the surroundings. As Siroko the vice-captain would say in moments like this: 'The enemy is a living thing too. It's prepared to face predators to survive... so don't just charge in blindly.' That was Siroko's teaching—figure out the meaning behind the enemy's actions and never stop thinking.
She had the image of someone who charged ahead more than anyone, but in truth, she excelled at defensive swordsmanship above all and knew when to unleash her power decisively.
If it was an ambush from behind, why didn't they attack sooner?
Maybe they'd noticed too quickly. But if encirclement was the goal, hitting from both sides would be more effective.
...Would spider brats think that far? Overthinking it?
Glova took a deep breath—in, out—and locked eyes with Syr.
"Take them out."
The tentacle spiders had appeared before them, but no one panicked or felt undue pressure leading to rash moves. They were pros too. The kingdom's top talents, perhaps trained at Deseval Academy to become heroes. Hunting shit in shit places turns you into a human weapon that doesn't flinch at most things.
"Hup!"
Syr deliberately exhaled sharply, drew her sword from her belt.
Shhhwick!
It was a whip sword—a segmented blade linked like chain links, flexible as a whip. Called the serpent sword because each joint resembled a snake's belly. Syr infused it with textbook footwork, slicing through three tentacle spiders in an instant.
As if on signal, the squad began systematic extermination. The spiders moved swiftly to harass, but each knight dispatched them with precise strikes. Glova didn't even need to step in. Syr shone like she meant to carry the fight, flashing a grin over her shoulder.
More tentacle spiders emerged from the polluted water.
"They're hiding underwater, these bastards."
"They reek too. Real bad..."
"Hunt 'em like you're cleaning house."
The tension seemed to ease. Syr, watching her seniors, thrust out her ample chest and shrugged.
"Even if a ton more swarm us, this is nothing... Huh?"
No one noticed, eyes on the floor. A tentacle spider hidden in the ceiling pipe had latched onto the back of Syr's head. It spat a bundle of hidden oral tentacles, biting her nape precisely and injecting suspicious fluid.
Splurt. Spluuurt. Spluuuurt.
"Ah... Ugh...!"
"Syr!"
Seniors swiftly ripped off the spider from her neck and slashed it. Then tentacle spiders rained down like a storm.
"Where the hell are these coming from...!"
The spiders were about human-head sized; hard to imagine pipe crevices hiding that many. That obvious assumption created the gap. Tentacle creatures could soften or harden their bodies at will. Squeezing into tight spots like a cat was no big deal.
"Syr! You okay?"
Glova shook off the spiders with his squad and checked the back of Syr's neck as she slumped.
"Seems... fine..."
"Thanks to the holy art."
The Guardian Holy Art acted as invisible armor around her neck, blocking the spider's fluid injection. The liquid dripped down her pale nape.
"......"
As Glova wiped her neck with a cloth, a strange sense of déjà vu hit him.
I've faced a monster swarm using tactics like this before...
Coincidence? Long ago, the White Flame Knights had exterminated a bizarre entity called the Tentacle Monster. Many women vanished then, and in the nest's depths, some had been left in horrific states. Its most threatening trait: commanding unprecedented monsters with incredible organization.
Syr, you shaking?
Being bitten on the nape by a level-80 nobody she’d never seen before—nearly irreversible—must have frozen her.
Glova quietly patted her shoulder.
"Good work, Syr."
"...Huh? Yes?"
"Thanks to you, we know their trick. They spit venom from their mouths. Everyone, heads up."
"Yes, sir."
"Those with holy art left, protect Syr."
Glova designated three squad members in turn.
"Bromly. Take your group back, report to Vice-Captain Tia, bring holy art support."
Snapping out of it, Syr mumbled awkwardly.
"Holy art... amazing, Vice-Captain."
"Yeah. Even basic holy art can save our lives."
"Sorry, Vice-Captain. I'll stay sharp. To a mere level-80 enemy..."
"No. The big one controlling these is our target."
Syr's eyes widened.
"You mean there's a leader puppeteering them?"
"If these were just fleeing our intrusion, the sudden silence is weirder."
This unwanted reunion might happen. Glova thought that, but didn't suspect it was exactly the Tentacle Monster the captain had burned to death eight years ago. Having fought it before, he had info in his head, so he suspected a Tentacle Monster-type.
Should talk to Jonah for confirmation.
Bromly took two squad members back the way they'd come—no further spider attacks.
What's the leader's goal? Got the data it wanted?
"Low-level individually, easy pickings. But against organized foes, always watch your surroundings."
"......Yes, sir!"
"Worried about Lyr?"
"...A little."
Ten minutes later, Bromly returned with his two.
"The Seongyul folks?"
"Well..."
Bromly hesitated.
"Spit it out clear."
"The entrance we came through is gone, Vice-Captain."
"What...?"
A ten-minute brisk walk away. Maze-like sewers or not, losing the path? Glova debated going back to check or trusting his men. Gone meant gone... Was sealing the exit the enemy's aim?
But how.
Something incomprehensible was happening under the kingdom.
"...Press on."
"Vice-Captain..."
"You sure? Maybe check it ourselves..."
"Link up with B Squad first."
Can't lose the objective. Glova's priorities were set.
Meanwhile, B Squad—Lyr and Jonah's group—faced something bizarre too.
"Whoa... the water's so clean. Can see the bottom."
"Air's fresh too..."
Jonah was baffled by the sudden pristine space. Enemy magic? If so, wished it'd freshen his room too. Air so pure, water crystal-clear, walls and ceiling restored to natural hues. Pipes too. Everyone unwittingly relaxed, inhaling deeply.
"Feels cooler than outside air..."
"Ah, nice..."
After the sewer stink, maybe? Lyr loved it here.
"Don't let your guard down. Fan out and scout. See what's here."
"Yes, sir."
"I'll check that way."
"Wait, not alone..."
Lyr and Jonah rounded a corner together, then froze at the sight.
"......"
"......"
What the hell? They stared blankly at the wall.
"Vortex...?"
A swirling vortex outline dominating the entire wall. The massive pattern adorned the clean water and ceiling too.