Into the Red Mountains
She was a woman of striking beauty.
Of course, not quite on par with Ye-rin.
Mu-hyuk brushed aside the pointless thought resurfacing in his mind and turned to Rudolph.
"Ah, sorry. And this is...?"
"She's a noona I know. She's a priest with great instincts, so we partied up for hunts pretty often."
Mu-hyuk looked at her.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Mu-hyuk."
"K-Kim Ji-yeon."
"What's your in-game name?"
"Ah, well... it's the same as my real name."
"Got it."
"Y-Yes."
Mu-hyuk nodded.
Pretty introverted.
After a light exchange of greetings, Mu-hyuk turned.
"Let's head in first. More people are coming."
"Sure thing, hyung. Noona, let's go."
"O-Okay."
Entering Column Village, Mu-hyuk led the three to a restaurant and ordered simple food.
As they waited for the meal with nothing much to do, he decided to check on Doran.
"Be right back."
"Where to?"
"Meeting someone."
"Okay, hurry back."
"Will do."
Leaving the restaurant, he headed to the house where Doran stayed.
"Hup...!"
He spotted him training in the front yard, right on cue.
"Training?"
"Ah, my lord."
"Yeah."
Mu-hyuk watched him for a moment before asking.
"Made your decision?"
Doran met his gaze with unwavering eyes.
"I have."
"What'll it be?"
"I won't go."
"Hmm."
"I'll stay here and get stronger."
It was a solid choice, so Mu-hyuk nodded.
"See you when you return. Train hard—I'll be expecting great things."
"Yes, my lord."
Parting from Doran, Mu-hyuk messaged Sung Min-woo and Ye-rin on his way back to the restaurant.
By the time he arrived and they finished a light meal, the two showed up.
"Oppa!"
"Hey."
"Yeah! Oh, hi. I'm Ye-rin."
"Sung Min-woo."
The two greeted Kim Ji-yeon.
"N-Nice to meet you. I'm a priest. Uh, my name's Kim Ji-yeon. P-Please take care of me."
"Ahem, leave it to me!"
Rudolph poked his head in from the side.
"What do you mean 'leave it to you,' hyung?"
"Huh? Well, anything..."
"Sounds pervy."
"What the hell, you punk!"
Mu-hyuk chuckled beside them.
Are they on good terms or bad?
He clapped once, taking in his companions.
"Let's head out."
"Ooh, sweet."
"Oppa, I'm so excited."
"Me too."
"Looking forward to it!"
"Ahem."
No one hid their excitement as they left the restaurant.
"Skeleton Warhorse Summon."
Mu-hyuk called the warhorses, and all six mounted up. They headed for the Red Mountains to cross to the Kairon Continent.
*
The road to the Red Mountains was as crowded as ever.
"Feels like more users than when heading to towers or boss monsters."
Rudolph replied to Sung Min-woo.
"Level restrictions or entry barriers are low, right? Honestly, it's just crossing to another continent—no real limits feels weird."
"Makes sense?"
"Totally. Other continents have newbies too, and hunting spots for them. Could restart fresh there."
Everyone nodded in agreement—except Mu-hyuk.
"Low-level users can go to other continents, sure. But actually getting there? Tough."
"Huh? Why?"
"Any reason?"
"Gotta cross the Red Mountains."
"So?"
"I've been before. The path and monsters there are all seriously strong."
"How strong?"
"Dark Knight level."
Sung Min-woo shut his mouth at Mu-hyuk's words.
"For real?"
"Yeah."
"Insane."
Ye-rin sighed too.
"No joke..."
Only Rudolph and Kim Ji-yeon tilted their heads.
Asrahan seemed utterly disinterested, fiddling with the sword in his hand.
Anyway, Rudolph, who'd been listening, eyed Sung Min-woo curiously.
"Why the shock?"
"You don't watch Illusion TV?"
"No time."
"Ah. Guess you don't know Dark Knight then?"
"Never seen in Illusion."
"Hah, gotta explain myself."
Sung Min-woo rolled his shoulders and spat as he rambled about the Dark Knight's power.
"Adjusts angles with the shield and...!"
From the story alone, the Dark Knight sounded like a god.
Rudolph listened at first, amused, but burst out laughing.
"Ah, hyung."
"Yeah? What?"
"Jokes have limits. Who falls for that?"
"Not a joke—it's real."
"Not biting."
"It is..."
"Told you, no bite."
"..."
Even telling the truth got this reaction.
"Hah, so uncivilized."
"What's that got to do with it?"
"Telling the truth and this reaction."
"Seriously, I'm not biting."
"Tch, don't believe me then. Said they're like Red Mountains monsters—see for yourself."
"Bet on it?"
"Bet? Won't regret?"
"You'll regret."
"Fine. What're we betting?"
"50 gold. Deal?"
"Call!"
"No backing out."
"Man's got no gold, but pride? Always."
"Conditions?"
"Hmm, if we can take 10 monsters at once. Deal?"
"10..."
"You know Mu-hyuk? His ridiculous summons."
"Yeah."
"10 seems fair?"
Rudolph agreed.
"Good."
"Okay."
The bet was on, and Sung Min-woo grinned alone.
They'd retreated from 5 Dark Knights—10? Impossible. He smirked, dreaming of free 50 gold.
"Why keep laughing, hyung?"
"My business."
But Sung Min-woo overlooked something.
In the last fight—with Yetis, Poison Ogres, Orc Great Warriors—Mu-hyuk had deliberately skipped Revive to gauge his summons' raw power.
Moments later.
The destination loomed far ahead.
"That it?"
"Yeah."
A massive range, but distance made it look small.
They rode toward it silently for 10 minutes; the user-packed plains thinned out.
As they neared the Red Mountains, monster levels rose, weeding out the unskilled.
"Hah, breathing room now."
"For real. Felt suffocating."
"Fewer at the entrance?"
"Probably."
The mountains grew enormous.
"Huge."
At the foothills, only skilled users remained.
Not crowded—nice.
Mu-hyuk dismounted, and the others followed.
He unsummoned the warhorses and strolled up the entrance leisurely.
Along the way, battles raged everywhere—brutal scenes.
"See it, Dolph?"
"Dolph? What's that?"
"Rudolph's Dolph. Right?"
"Weird."
"Everything's weird. Anyway, see?"
"Clear as day."
"Insanely strong, right? Heh."
"Maybe weak users."
He played it cool, but Rudolph's pupils shook. The fights were too high-level for "weak users."
"Hyung."
"Yeah?"
"Just thought— that bet."
"What about it."
"10's too much."
"Heh, chickening?"
"Ahem, nah. Drop to 5."
"No. Why would I?"
"Then 6..."
"No."
"7?"
"No, punk!"
"Wow, cheap for a hyung!"
"Yeah, cheap! So?"
"Not saying... 8 then."
"Nooo!"
Mu-hyuk covered his ears.
"Loud."
"Ahem, sorry, hyung."
"Voice too big...?"
"Way."
They finally shut up.
"Monsters respawn anytime—stay sharp."
No sooner said, three monsters appeared ahead.
Level 190 Minotaurs.
Muscle-bound, dark-red bodies.
Bull faces with massive horns.
Intimidating presence alone.
The crushing aura left them gaping—then it charged fast.
"Wha...?"
Mu-hyuk summoned skeletons against the horn-first rush.
Kwaaaang!
Skeletons flew like bowling pins.
Luckily, rear guardians—Armor Knights, Giant Cyclops, Yetis, Poison Ogres—halted the trio with their bulk.
"Insane...!"
Such brute charges.
Shock was brief; they formed up fast.
"Take 'em quick!"
"Got it!"
Rudolph fired first.
Pang!
Invisible arrow hit a Minotaur's forehead.
Unseen and stealthy, no reaction—just startled flinch.
Yeti's skill froze it; charging Armor Cavalry finished it.
Thud.
Armor Mages' spells followed.
Boom, kwa-gwang!
Skeletons focused one; Mu-hyuk, Sung Min-woo, and spirits took another; Asrahan and Ye-rin the last—with Armor Knights assisting, naturally.
Mu-hyuk would've rushed before, but now? Kim Ji-yeon's sharp heals gave breathing room.
"Damn, killing it!"
Sung Min-woo was impressed.
"That's why priests are key!"
"Feels good."
Mu-hyuk swung his sword in agreement.
Storm Slash, Cross Cut.
HP drops met heals—instantly easier than Dark Knights.
Experience gained.
About 20 skeletons unsummoned, but no big deal.
This level? Manageable.
"Corpse Dissection."
He harvested bones quick, then aided allies.
They calmly felled the last two. Considering MP-drained priest Kim Ji-yeon, they rested 5 minutes.
Sung Min-woo chatted her up immediately.
"Ji-yeon-ssi, made it way easier thanks to you."
"N-No biggie."
"Looking forward to more!"
"Sure."
"Hoo, no troubles?"
"Ah, no."
Sung Min-woo did his thing; others prepped; Mu-hyuk used Revive.
Nearby monster souls (29) detected.
How many to revive?
29 souls.
Fewer than expected.
Probably a Gangster Necromancer ahead used Revive.
Still, respawns built it to 29. Mu-hyuk revived 20.
The rest 9 at departure—for travel.
Handy against more Minotaurs.
2,000 MP consumed.
He sent revived Minotaurs to the Demon Realm with remaining skeletons.
Hope they gain some exp.
Quietly anticipating, he enjoyed the short break.