Fallen Albetar Temple

Mu-hyuk froze in place.

Ye-rin, who had been watching him, tilted her head.

"Oppa, you okay?"

"Ah, yeah."

"What's up? Something happen?"

"Hm, that word 'flower' on the map."

"Yeah."

"Might not mean what we think."

"What do you mean?"

"Just hit me... "

As Mu-hyuk trailed off, Sung Min-woo furrowed his brow.

"Aigoo, don't tease us."

"Maybe it's flame, like fire flower or ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠something?"

"Uh...?"

In that instant, Sung Min-woo, Ye-rin, and Kim ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Ji-yeon all stared in stunned silence.

Sung Min-woo recovered first.

"That... actually makes sense."

His mutter hung in the air. Ye-rin and Kim Ji-yeon nodded in agreement soon after.

"Sounds like flame to me."

"Yeah, it's a forest."

Ye-rin's eyes sparkled.

"Burn it down, oppa?"

"Jackpot. Nailed it."

Mu-hyuk stood and commanded his fire-attuned mage.

Sung Min-woo's spirit Fire unleashed a massive fireball as well. The moment they slammed into the mist-shrouded forest, flames erupted.

It started faint.

But soon, like Yama the King of Hell slamming his fist down, a massive explosion rocked the area.

Whoosh.

The blaze devoured the forest like a ravenous beast. In the space where flames roared, the black mist writhed back in terror.

The flames swelled, claiming every inch of the forest.

With nowhere left to flee, the black mist began to spasm like a dying thing.

Was it fighting back? It pushed and pulled a few times, but couldn't overcome the blaze at its peak.

The mist shrank, dwindling to a point before vanishing entirely. The messages confirmed it.

The ghosts were gone.

"It's gone!"

"Let's head to the marked spot first."

They approached the forest, but their vision didn't narrow.

Without interference, they reached the X on the map.

But the lingering flames had turned the area into chaos, making it hard to search.

"Nothing here?"

"Hm, map says it's around here."

Mu-hyuk glanced at Hydra.

Hydra summoned a swarm of Skull Snakes, scattering in all directions.

Through their vision-sharing skill, Mu-hyuk monitored them like CCTV feeds.

He scanned meticulously, expanding the range.

"Oppa, anything?"

"Not yet... "

Nothing.

What is it?

Mu-hyuk frowned at the dying flames.

Ah, the last line.

"Last part of the map text."

"Yeah."

"Says 'after everything is perfectly destroyed.'"

"Oh, right."

"Let's try it."

"Destroy it?"

"Yeah."

After getting nods, he unleashed spells on the suspected spot.

Mushroom clouds bloomed.

Aftershocks whipped up gales.

Once the winds cleared, a faint crack pierced the silence.

Crack, crunch.

The ground quaked like an earthquake, splitting open.

Mu-hyuk retreated, calling his summons. The party followed, distancing from the fissure.

"This is getting big."

"It'll work out."

In reality, panic would ensue, but this was a game—a virtual world where anything went. No one looked too worried.

"At least it's reacting. Something's here."

"Hope so."

The shaking stopped.

"Let's go."

Mu-hyuk led them to the crevice.

"Whoa."

A sheer cliff-like split, bottomless darkness.

And sturdy stairs descending beside it.

"Jackpot...!"

"Whoa, stairs here?"

"A-amazing."

Mu-hyuk sent his skeletons to the Demon Realm and stepped forward.

Step.

They cautiously descended into the dark.

Vision vanished instantly. He lit a prepared torch, revealing the stairs.

"Careful."

"Yeah."

"Go slow."

They whispered, the darkness's tension demanding it to ease their nerves.

"Almost there."

"Yeah, oppa."

"Whew, in reality, I couldn't do this."

"Obviously. Game makes it possible."

"Y-yeah."

But the stairs dragged on.

Five minutes, ten.

Still stairs.

"Longer than expected... "

"Almost."

Five more minutes.

"Huh?"

Torchlight hit bottom.

Finally.

"We're here...!"

"Ooh!"

They hurried down, scanning. Pitch black, so they huddled, circling outward.

A wall appeared. Halfway around, an iron door.

"Found it."

Power hidden here.

Expectant, he reached out.

He checked the quest right after entering.

Mu-hyuk turned.

Ye-rin beamed back.

"Oppa, this is...!"

"Yeah, looks like it."

"Whoa!"

Sung Min-woo and Kim Ji-yeon cheered too.

"Let's smash it."

"Okay!"

Motivated, they advanced.

Pop, whoosh.

Bright lights burst from all sides.

No more need for torches.

*

Fallen Albetar Temple.

First foes: Fallen Apprentice Priests and Fallen Apprentice Holy Knights.

Priests could heal; knights tanked and dealt damage steadily.

The combo was trickier than expected.

Few in number? Easy win. But they mobbed in packs of thirty-plus.

"Another group there."

"Me first."

Simple but deadly pattern.

"Weakness, Strength Increase, Stamina Increase, Madness of the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Battlefield."

Debuffs and buffs first.

Allies powered up.

Enemies weakened.

Madness of the Battlefield from Death Tower; Skull King's Shield from the princess. Skeletons now drew 40% of Mu-hyuk's stats.

Beyond raw power—a game-changer.

Now...!

Final Power of Darkness, then to the skeletons.

Mages: magic barrage.

Archers: Powerful Arrow Shot.

Ranged opener, then cavalry charge.

Melee erupted: Armor Knights and Bone Swords encircled. Inside: Poison Ogres, Yetis, Red Orc Warriors, Giant Cyclops, fused Big Skeleton.

"My turn!"

Sung Min-woo and spirits dove in. Ye-rin's squirrel darted, drawing aggro.

Kim Ji-yeon healed from rear.

Mu-hyuk finally drew his sword.

Transform. Storm, Storm...

Sword to bow.

Seven arrows streaked like lightning, piercing a rear Fallen Apprentice Priest.

The fifth arrow shredded the spot; last two did nothing.

Still, over 23,000 damage—and it lived.

Mu-hyuk hadn't expected one-shot; second, third followed seamlessly.

Destructive force in one arrow.

Heaven-splitting power.

It tore through air.

Slammed its chest.

High crit chance.

Solid damage.

"One priest down!"

He shouted, nocking another arrow.

All bow skills spent, sword reformed.

Dove into the fray—rear guard.

Priests first. Arcing toward them, a sharp wind whistled from the side. He twisted away.

Instinct triggered optimal dodge. Spun from the sudden Apprentice Holy Knight strike.

Seven blades appeared.

Eight slashes carved its body.

The Fallen Apprentice Holy Knight staggered back.

Whoosh.

Chased, swung again.

World perception shifted; body became light.

One slash twisted it.

Flanked in a blink, slashed up, closed in, flat-kicked its chin.

Leapt after the airborne foe, smashed down. Landed first, spun blades to clear space.

Clang!

To repel approaching knights.

Space secured, eyed its falling back.

Blade tip pierced true—crit.

It spewed smoke.

Called nearby Armor Knight for guard, used Corpse Dissection.

Extracted bones swiftly, moved to rear priests.