The Prelude to Catastrophe (1)
January 3rd.
A large crowd was bustling at this gathering place.
About a hundred people.
People of all ages and genders.
Although they seemed to have no common points, there was one common point.
All of them were people who had Fruits.
"Cult Leader. It seems everyone is gathered."
"It's still one team short?" "That kid Kang Chun-gu isn't responding at all." "What? Why?"
"I don't know."
But the Cult Leader didn't seem to care about that.
Because there were already enough people gathered.
"Let's wait a little longer and start."
"Understood."
Of course, if a few more people with Fruits gathered, it would be good, so the Cult Leader who is preparing to start slowly is waiting a bit more.
'Now, is it starting?'
The Cult Leader took out a scroll from his pocket.
'Tch. It would have been nice if I had made a few more scrolls for that Bak Su-beom bastard and killed him.' This scroll is the only one now.
It would be nice if there were a little more margin, but the Cult Leader is a bit regretful that there aren't.
'Ah. He's not dead yet.'
To find the missing Bak Su-beom, he sent kids around and found Bak Su-beom turned to stone somewhere.
After that, he tried to restore Bak Su-beom to his original state, but no matter what method he used, he wouldn't come back, whether it was because of what turned him to stone or because he died.
'Who on earth did this to him?'
Bak Su-beom is not someone ordinary guys would mess with.
According to Red who was with him in Ulsan at that time, a fairly strong group broke into Ulsan Station and took Ji-ah.
And Bak Su-beom went to find Ji-ah and was probably caught by those guys, Red is guessing.
If he can catch Bak Su-beom, it means he has at least the ability to catch a Minotaurus at that time.
Ulsan still has Minotaurus level monsters as extremely strong ones even now.
'Indeed, the guys from the lower regions need some control.' The growth of Awakeners in Seoul seems slower, but some top rankers are more distributed in the provinces.
'This matter will start after it's over.'
If today ends, preparation will finally be complete.
The 100 or so people with Fruits gathered for him.
"Poor things. They might die, but they have such innocent faces." Saying that, the Cult Leader prepared to climb the stage.
It was a bit regrettable that the number of people Kang Chun-gu didn't bring was a bit short, but since he designed it with some margin from the beginning, it didn't matter.
Kang Chun-gu.
I don't know what happened, but I didn't care much.
After all, that guy was only good enough to be used once.
"Cult Leader is coming out."
With that, when the Cult Leader appeared, everyone's eyes focused on the Cult Leader.
The Cult Leader slowly walked up to the stage.
"Cult Leader!"
"It's the Cult Leader!"
"Are we escaping from the catastrophe?!" "Is the catastrophe happening today?!"
The Cult Leader looked at those people and raised his hand to calm them.
When the somewhat noisy voices subsided, the Cult Leader opened his mouth looking at them.
"Everyone! Today is that day. Catastrophes will occur here and there soon. But don't worry! Those of you who have Fruits will be safe!"
"Long live the Cult Leader!"
"Long live the Cult Leader!"
As soon as the Cult Leader spoke, the people became excited.
And the Cult Leader, seeing those people, asked them to clear the center and stand in a circle.
'Now, I only need to use this from here.' The Cult Leader slowly descended from the stage and walked slowly to the empty place.
And as he approached that area.
Boom!
"What is it?!"
Two people entering the door of the gathering place.
The two in black suits were people he had seen often from somewhere.
"Eh? You guys?"
Clearly the two people who were with Kang Chun-gu.
That means Kang Chun-gu came here too?
Everyone started staring at the two suddenly appeared people.
"Hyung. Is it okay even like this?" "I don't know bro. We have to save our hyung." "Ha. No choice."
The two exchanged words with each other and shouted loudly at the people.
"Everyone! This place is dangerous!"
"Correct! Bombs are installed near here. You should get out quickly."
With those words, people suddenly became panicked.
"Bombs?"
"What's with the bombs here?" "Bombs?"
Looking at the bewildered people, the Cult Leader started to calm them.
"Everyone. Don't worry. There are no bombs installed here..."
Kwagagag!
Before the Cult Leader's words ended, a loud noise and vibration were heard in the ears.
It was clearly an explosion near this building.
"What?!"
"Real bombs installed?"
"Should I... go out?"
"It seems dangerous to stay here?"
With the real bomb exploding, people started to waver.
And at that time, the guys in black suits started shouting again.
"It's really dangerous! If you stay here, you'll all die!" "Run outside quickly! No matter what, if you die here, it's over!"
With those words, another bomb exploded.
Kwagagag!
"Run... run away!"
"Right! If you stay here, you'll all die!" Urrurru!
With those words, people started to flee outside.
At first, only a few people fled, but with crowd psychology.
As those few started leaving, dozens of people followed, and eventually most people in the building fled outside.
"Wait! Where are you all going?!"
The Cult Leader tried to stop the people leaving, but how could he stop people who already felt uneasy.
Looking at the people who had already disappeared, the Cult Leader grabbed his head.
Then he walked slowly towards the guys in black suits.
"Hey. You two cowards. Where's your boss?"
"Th-that is..."
"It's hard to answer properly..."
"Didn't you answer properly?"
Puck!
The Cult Leader said that and immediately punched the guy's head.
But those guys who didn't answer even with that.
"Do you know what you've done right now?! It was supposed to start soon!" "What was supposed to start?"
"What? Who are you?"
The Cult Leader saw the man who interrupted his story slowly walking in from outside.
"You are that Cult Leader?"
The Cult Leader looked at the guy holding a knife and walking slowly towards him with disbelief.
Is he that bold to say who he is?
"Did you do this?"
"What, right? Because I planted the bombs too." "This bastard, you're dead."
The Cult Leader said that and looked around.
'Wait? Where did everyone go?'
Even if the people with Fruits ran outside because of the bomb, where did his subordinates go?
The people left in here were only these 4 now.
"Why are you looking around so much? Are you looking for those guys turned to stone over there?" "Stone?"
With that, the Cult Leader looked at a corner.
And there, like Kim Ha-jin, his subordinates turned to stone were there.
"Did you make them like that?!"
"What, you don't need to know that? Rather, I have many things to ask you." As he pointed the knife and slowly approached the Cult Leader, the Cult Leader reached out his hand towards the knife.
[Psychokinesis]
- Can move nearby objects.
- Cannot move living beings.
At the same time, the objects around began to fly into the air.
The flying objects quickly flew towards the direction where I am at high speed.
'This much is nothing.'
Kwa-jik! Pa-jik!
Many things flew, but since there was no strong attack, he shattered the flying things with the knife and slowly approached the Cult Leader.
The Cult Leader's level also seemed quite high, but compared to me who had completed the job change, there was a big difference.
"This crazy!"
The Cult Leader saw that his attack didn't work at all and turned around to flee.
But I'm not the type to just let that happen.
[Slime summoned.]
"Hey. Don't go far."
Shuung!
Self-Destruct Drop
A powerful 'bomb' is installed on the target.
The self-destruct ability planted on the slime thrown to the guy.
Kwagagag!
The slime bomb exploded right behind the fleeing guy.
Then the guy couldn't withstand the shock and fell to the floor.
"Don't run. I said I have a lot to ask, right?" Since there are many things linked to the scenario quest, he slowly approached the place where the guy was to ask various things.
"Damn it! Why is this happening!" The Cult Leader looked at the approaching knife and quickly took out a scroll from his pocket.
Then he tore the scroll as it was.
"Kuhahaha! I think I'll die alone? Without Fruits, you all will die too!"
The Catastrophe Scroll is used.
The sealed door opens.
Black smoke began to rise from the scroll the Cult Leader tore.
"What is this?"
Since I don't know what will happen, the Cult Leader widened the distance and watched the situation for a moment.
After a little time passed, the black smoke gradually disappeared.
And at that spot, a huge door appeared.
Since the monster didn't appear immediately, when approaching to deal with the Cult Leader.
Creak!
The sound of the door opening.
Creepy!
And an overwhelming aura felt.
It was not a feeling that I could handle right now.
'It's hard to even breathe.'
Something not showing its appearance from the door yet.
With that pressure, not only did he hold his breath, but his whole body stiffened and he couldn't even think of moving.
And it wasn't just me.
Everyone here was the same.
It was literally an overwhelming aura.
Some people who remained nearby couldn't withstand the aura and fainted.
Creak!
The door opening a little bit.
And something started to appear from inside the door.
Woo-woo-woo.
An existence wearing heavy black armor and a sword at the waist.
But it wasn't a living being.
A monster with a skull face.
[Death Knight ★ Lv-80]
'Mad!'
A level 80 monster.
A monster almost as strong as Megalodon appeared right in front of my eyes.
[Death Knight has appeared.]
A Death Zone is formed around.
All attack power and defense in the Death Zone is reduced by 50%.
If the Death Knight is not defeated within the time limit, the Catastrophe will begin.
[Time Limit: 01:00:00]