Garuda Subjugation
Lee Jong-hwa stared piercingly at the scroll's information.
Base destructive power of 6...
It meant six times the power of an Explosion cast by a 5th-circle mage.
Hard to quantify exactly, but it wouldn't pale in comparison to one from a 7th-circle mage.
7th circle. Not an impossible number. It didn't exceed the system's limit of 9th circle, after all.
From the moment asd123 had surpassed base destructive power 1, it was proven that scrolls could break past the 5th circle.
However.
Is this growth from the Legendary Magic Quill?
Could he always craft scrolls with these insane specs?
Or was it the result of growth after purchasing the Legendary Magic Quill? He couldn't tell.
Circumstantially, the latter.
But asd123 had only bought the Legendary Magic Quill yesterday afternoon. That prediction hadn't been wrong...
Which meant he'd applied the new ability to his circuits in just one day.
Is that even possible?
He'd heard the guy was a promising math professor.
Maybe his professional traits gave him exceptional comprehension and adaptability...
Could be.
Lee Jong-hwa chuckled softly, then set aside his curiosity.
Kwaaaah—!
Amid the ceaseless cascade of energy, Garuda's form began to take shape.
With its massive golden wings unfurled, Garuda's face—down to the lower jaw—had already solidified.
Less than ten minutes until full summoning.
"Leave ground-bound monsters to the naga clan! We'll clear the skies!"
"Not much time left—push harder..."
...
The aerial monsters emerging from the rift had been mostly cleared by the joint assault of the naga clan and the hunter alliance.
The hunter alliance reformed ranks without a moment to catch their breath.
America's S-rank defense hunter, Maiden, shield in hand, stood directly before Garuda, awaiting its summoning.
China's S-rank attack hunter, Zichang, moon blade slung over his shoulder, clenched his fist while surveying the partially crumbled Beijing.
The other top-tier hunters waited at positions briefed during the emergency meeting.
The alliance's goal was strictly to support Vasuki. Anyone crossing that line couldn't guarantee their survival.
And then, Vasuki was summoned to face Garuda.
Though late to appear...
Paaat—
Vasuki materialized before Garuda. Likely because its power was inferior on its own.
Kurrung.
Yet humanity could only breathe relief at the sheer majesty that shook the earth with mere movement. Such a being was on their side.
And inwardly marvel. How had South Korea triumphed against this monster...?
Chaos erupted with Vasuki's arrival. Lee Jong-hwa shouted to it.
"Hey! We appreciate the help, but don't use that poison! If you lock down Garuda's movements, we'll target its wings. Don't act rashly—work with us!"
But Vasuki didn't respond.
Its nine heads fixed solely on Garuda, gazes fierce enough to flay flesh.
"..."
As the association president opened his mouth again.
Kwaaaah...
The energy pouring from the rift began to dwindle.
Where it cleared, Garuda stood in full form, arms crossed.
Gulp.
The hunters swallowed. Maiden expanded a blue barrier from her shield.
The standoff stretched eternally.
Then Garuda's heavy eyelids slowly lifted.
Kwaaang—!
One of Vasuki's heads slammed down where Garuda had stood, cratering the ground—but Garuda had already evaded skyward.
Back to the sun, wings gleaming with sunlight, it gazed down upon the hunter alliance and naga clan.
As all trembled under the pressure, the association president murmured.
"...Just seal its movements."
But the response came from an unexpected source.
"Seal? Me?!"
This message embedded in their minds felt different from Vasuki's.
"Such lowly intellect must be why you've allied with nagas. Utter fools."
Faint anger transmitted. Simultaneously, Garuda uncrossed its arms. In that instant.
Jee-eeng—!
It shattered Maiden's blue barrier, slamming her into a building.
At speeds too fast to track, it razed the surroundings.
The association president clicked his tongue, hastily casting Lightning Strike.
Jjeojeok—
The blue lightning barely chased Garuda's tail.
Garuda, dodging strikes, toppled buildings on impact, neutralizing embedded hunters.
Finally, it charged Lee Jong-hwa.
But Vasuki's nine heads closed the net beside him.
Forcing it skyward, halting at last.
"...Realize your ignorance. None can capture me."
Garuda spat arrogantly. But the recent exchange proved its words held truth.
Garuda matched Vasuki or held a slight edge.
But that was for direct clashes.
If it deliberately evaded Vasuki, humanity would face it alone...
As the association president's mind grew tangled, Seo Ji-ah asked.
"...Should we send it now?"
Her Virtual Barrier to bind it for five minutes, buying time for alternatives.
"Can you handle that speed?"
"Tough."
"..."
"But it's arrogant. Completely ignoring us."
Lee Jong-hwa nodded. Their sole chance: its carelessness.
If it stayed this lax, Virtual Barrier might land.
But squandering the opportunity on just that felt wasteful.
"No rash moves. I have a plan."
Lee Jong-hwa casually fired a Water-Attribute Mana Arrow at it.
Did it read the info? Garuda merely blocked with a wing, arms crossed.
The arrow embedded shallowly but inflicted no real damage.
...Blocking with its wing.
As Lee Jong-hwa organized his thoughts, Garuda spoke again.
"Still clinging to resistance? Lowly ones, accept your ignorance and stand where victory lies."
It's not ignoring Vasuki or planning to leave elsewhere.
Naturally.
Though Garuda raged at humanity for giving Vasuki the 'Elixir of Immortality'...
That fury paled against its hatred for its arch-nemesis.
In short, it wanted to fight Vasuki here.
Treating hunters as less than ants, yet recognizing they could tip life-or-death scales...
It urged them to fight Vasuki on its behalf.
It craved not fair combat, but a stranglehold victory.
The odds are against us... but opportunity exists.
Kieeeek—!
Vasuki roared, unleashing thousands of fireballs from above.
Maiden, witnessing it, plunged her shield into the battlefield's center. S-rank resilience let her withstand Garuda's clash.
Woooung.
Blue armor shimmered over the hunters' torsos, protective.
In that moment.
Jee-eeng—!!!
Garuda and Vasuki collided head-on, halting the fireballs.
The shockwave scattered everywhere; even Lee Jong-hwa tumbled.
Maiden caught him.
"You alright?"
He nodded. Zichang stood beside her.
The other three S-ranks seized the gap to strike Garuda.
Garuda's focus remained on Vasuki.
Lee Jong-hwa briefed them briefly on his plan, then asked Zichang.
"...Can you do it? It'll be dangerous."
Zichang gazed at ruined Beijing, nodding resolutely.
Though resolve solidified now, it mirrored 'Plan C' from the emergency meeting.
No extra explanation needed.
"...I'm counting on you."
Then he emailed Jeong Hyeon-seok. He should have asd123's [Frost Wind] scroll.
Definitely hit the wing with my mana arrow.
Minor damage, debatable even as injury...
But asd123's superior Frost Wind would inflict clear attribute damage, slowing it ever so slightly...
Far off, Jeong Hyeon-seok, receiving the email, nodded and activated Levitation to reach Garuda with Frost Wind.
As fireballs ceased, Garuda reascended.
"Foolish choices to the end..."
As it addressed the hunters.
Jjeojeok—
Frost Wind swept the area via shortest paths; even Garuda couldn't evade.
"I'm counting on you!"
At Lee Jong-hwa's cry, Maiden hurled 'Zichang' at Garuda.
Zichang, midair in a crumbling stance, channeled mana into his moon blade.
"Pitiful."
Garuda flicked one wing dismissively.
Pook—.
Zichang's moon blade lodged weakly in the wing. Or rather, barely.
"...Damn bird bastard."
Zichang muttered in Chinese, blown away by the wing's shockwave.
Whoosh—!
But flames hid behind Zichang.
asd123's [Explosion] scroll.
Unnoticed amid fireball remnants and Zichang, Garuda sensed the ominous aura late, body sluggish from frost.
It hastily shrouded itself in wings.
"...!"
Regrettably, Explosion missed direct hit.
Peng—!!!
But it detonated massively at the target spot. Flames engulfed surroundings; distant windows shattered...
The association president, barrier up, watched breathlessly.
...Just damage the wing.
Explosion with base power 6.
No hunter could mimic that might.
But it didn't guarantee fatal damage to Garuda.
Explosion was 3rd-circle magic.
asd123's version neared a 7th-circle mage's 3rd-circle spell.
Circle limits might cap its power below expectations.
So no great hopes from one blast. Injury to the wing would suffice.
Yet...
Peng... Pengpengpengpengpengpeng...
The explosions didn't stop.
Like a cluster bomb, continuous for over a minute...
The president layered barriers hastily. Seo Ji-ah reinforced with her barrier. Maiden added blue walls...
Finally, the blasts ceased.
In the lingering dust cloud.
Garuda, charred black, plummeted headfirst to the ground...
Still breathing. But Vasuki seized the chance, nine heads snaring its torso.
At the sight, Lee Jong-hwa let out his signature laugh.
"Kehkeh..."
A mad craftsman indeed.
Fitting for asd123—no way it'd end with one blast.
Two days later.
Park Ha-jun planned new research in the lab.
Next: deepening attributes via 'knot connections'—attribute fusion magic.
As he drafted the outline, an email arrived.
He hadn't watched closely, but Garuda was successfully subjugated.
Nicely incorporated the fractal principle from Frost Wind into Explosion.
The spreading blasts until energy dissipation proved crucial...
Anyway, the world buzzed with wave aftermath cleanup.
And talk of magic scroll crafters...
But after fully quelling the wave, Park Ha-jun paid little heed to outside news.
Hadn't he regained peace?
Time for overdue professor duties.
And more leisurely commissions as a crafter.
Yes, leisurely...
But he wasn't the only one swamped by the project.
...Bonuses resolved, so generous amounts are fine?
He allocated performance bonuses from research funds.
Then set ratios per reports.
The association handled payments, but procedure mattered.
He submitted to the industry-academia cooperation office.
Probably paid to researchers by tomorrow.
Wonder what faces the interns will make.
Smiling warmly, he resumed drafting.