Falling into a Trap? Who? - Part 1 -
For the time being, the three of us would commute and leave work together.
"Feels like clocking back in after punching out. This normal?"
An So-mi's grumbling reached my ears, but no ready retort came to mind. There had been more than enough incidents lately to make anyone feel that way.
"Ugh, why do these idiots always clear their dungeons right at quitting time, screwing us over like this?!"
Thirty minutes before the end of the shift, a new job came in. Since we'd be living together after hours anyway, Go Yu-jin had brushed it off casually.
"I can handle it alone. It's just a Rank 2 gate—won't take long."
"I'll come with you."
As I chimed in, An So-mi shot me and Go Yu-jin a glare and let out a sigh. Then, with a serious look, she asked,
"You two dating or something?"
Go Yu-jin flinched and denied it outright. As for me, there had been that one incident, but it was just the heat of the moment pulling us along—no emotions expressed afterward.
Am I being a bit callous? Maybe a man should take the lead in addressing something like this. I had no idea if that's what Go Yu-jin wanted, but keeping her waiting too long wouldn't be right. Still, timing it properly to confess my feelings—that seemed correct.
"I'll go too!"
"It's fine. It'd be ridiculous sending multiple high-rank black mages into a Rank 2 gate."
Go Yu-jin was right; it would be ridiculous. But given our recent clashes with the Doomsday Cult, nothing would be surprising. Better to be thorough. On the flip side, wouldn't it be better if An So-mi came along too? Hearing that, Go Yu-jin nodded.
"Might as well all go and wrap it up. So-mi, blood gets you excited, so hang back at a safe distance?"
"You need someone on office duty anyway... but is this really okay?!"
Her dissatisfaction was baffling. If I could feel emotions deeply, I might gripe too. But regardless of An So-mi's complaints, Go Yu-jin was set on handling the job, and with nothing else on my plate, I followed her lead.
An So-mi's muttering trailed us, but Go Yu-jin's promise of overtime pay plus a special bonus turned her grumbles into a beaming silence.
So it was about the money. That's how it looked to me.
Anyway, after about thirty minutes' travel, we arrived at the destination: a barren wasteland, utterly empty. I spoke up.
"Looks like we got played."
"...They deliberately lured us out?"
"They probably figured a Rank 2 meant I'd come alone... Tough luck for them."
I glanced to the side. Figures emerged from the ruins of dilapidated buildings. Their intent was obvious at a glance, so Go Yu-jin and An So-mi were already braced for combat. The leader halted at a prudent distance and spoke.
"I called you here to talk, so no need to be that on guard."
"Too many people for a friendly chat. Planning to force things if words fail?"
"Who'd be dumb enough to go brute force against the Worst? Those guys wouldn't even be from this world anymore."
Not wrong. But not entirely right either. I wasn't the absolute strongest. Still, I was strong. It was a relief the Doomsday Cult wasn't charging in blindly, but if Go Yu-jin or An So-mi had come alone, they'd have been overwhelmed.
They're talking because we're together. They might be scheming elsewhere too.
Weighing responses amid fleeting thoughts, Go Yu-jin spoke up.
"We don't want to tangle with you either, but since we keep getting dragged in, let's talk seriously."
"About what?"
"Provoke us one more time... and we'll start a war of annihilation with the Doomsday Cult."
"War of annihilation... Scary stuff. Few groups could stand against a Golem Meister and the Worst. But on our end, we'd appreciate you leaving us be too."
"Haven't you been the ones striking first all this time?"
"Blaming each other never ends. It's about fighting or stopping. We just follow orders from above. But we don't want a dog's death—or a soul tormented after. That's why we haven't touched the Black Mage Association or the Black Tower yet."
I recalled hearing this before. The Doomsday Cult believed that a noble death after sacrifice would send them to their god's side. And their god demanded purification of this filthy world. Meaning, dying in service to purification granted salvation, their souls ascending to the divine.
But black mages exploited even souls. To their faith, we were heretics, evil incarnate. The problem? The Black Mage Association and Black Tower were too powerful for the cult alone. They avoided us out of fear—like shunning shit.
Maybe they're thrashing around to gain the power to wipe us out.
They schemed in various ways to bolster their influence. They'd already secured some sway over the Magic Tower, and with a standout like Choo Myeong-hun hooked in politics, maintaining that alliance could lead to their ideal world.
But then an obstacle rose, blocking their view. No wonder they were frustrated.
They tried picking us off one by one, but it failed, so now talks... Have they worked other groups the same way?
"Doomsday Cult... Do you really think sacrificing innocent lives to your god is true salvation?"
"They sacrificed themselves willingly. Kidnapping, imprisonment, threats, murder—those are our sins, sure. The world just slanders us."
Absurd. They framed every victim as a noble martyr, which was maddening. But crucially, survivors' testimonies were always off—unreliable. The craziest part? After abduction, they dosed victims with every drug imaginable to shatter their minds, then brainwashed them into believing it was a holy sacrifice.
Maybe they even induced a death wish. Hard to say exactly, so I couldn't presume their true endgame.
"Promise one thing, and we'll never antagonize you again."
The Doomsday Cultist stared arrogantly, awaiting our reply.
"What do you want?"
"Never meddle in our backers' affairs. Honor that, and we won't interfere with whatever you do. But..."
I raised a hand to silence the man mid-sentence. He eyed me curiously, so I asked,
"You a mid-level manager?"
He smirked without hesitation. I unleashed my mana instantly. As startled Go Yu-jin and An So-mi turned to me, I blinked forward, closing the gap to the cultists' center, and unleashed a memorized spell.
Mass Hold
A wide-area binding curse rippled out, paralyzing everyone in an instant. Their bodies stiffened. In that split second, one cultist reacted.
"Grr, damn Worst!!"
He knew plenty about me and countered swiftly, using his ability to widen the gap—proof he was no weakling.
"Curious what intel a higher-up has. Looks like I'll get some today."
"Geum Seong-chan-ssi!"
Go Yu-jin's urgent cry rang out, but I ignored it, chaining blinks to pursue the fleeing cultist. He bolted desperately, sparing no thought for his comrades. I sent a message spell to Go Yu-jin and An So-mi.
No reply came, but Go Yu-jin and An So-mi followed. Their job was simple: hand the Mass Hold-bound cultists to the authorities. Sentencing? Execution. Doomsday Cultists were extremists—terrorists, potential murderers.
Post-cataclysm, things were harsher. Population plummeted; society showed no mercy to criminals. Without justice or power, you got no shot at redress. Brutal, corrupt, full of loopholes—but unless you were untouchable or beyond government reach, crime was a tough sell now.
"How long you think you can run?"
I'd layered Marking on Mass Hold, locked to this one target. Not easily detectable or shaken, so I'd pretend to chase then let him lead.
Perfect chance for a clean sweep. A higher-up knows their main base. Means rooting out every cultist in Korea.
Might be foes I can't handle, but if so, this land was already steeped in despair.
I lobbed attacks as he tired, gradually loosening pursuit. He mocked triumphantly.
"Where'd all that bluster go?"
"Still got breath for trash talk? How about stopping so I can tidy up this tired self?"
"Body fatigue doesn't mean mana drain. I'm no fool, even if reckless."
As he accelerated the gap, I slowed. Once distant enough, I halted. He vanished from sight, tireless.
Now, guide me to your roach nest. I'll exterminate it thoroughly...