United Front and the Third Wave
“Black Dragon!”
As he moved along the battlements, a voice called out from behind. Turning around, Hanbit saw the dwarf Kudran running toward him.
“What’s up?”
“Ah, we started moving everything to the central plaza, so I came to let you know!” He added that they were transporting the workpieces.
It was one plan they’d set from the beginning. Once preparations reached the final stage, they’d shift the assembly point to the central plaza.
“Got it. Let’s head to the gate together, then.”
Hanbit walked along the battlements with the two dwarves. His gaze turned to the beautiful glass walls.
“Repairs look good.”
“Yes. We finished quickly alongside the trap installations. The internal explosives we discussed should work great, thanks to the prince guiding us personally.”
“It was a fun experience, moving like one body again after so long!”
The dwarves had completed the wall repairs and trap embeddings through the night. It was speed beyond common sense, but the blessing’s power was that potent. They must have felt a whirlwind of emotions while reclaiming their abilities.
Thud—
The three headed east along the battlements. Near the monster corpse disposal area, they spotted someone.
Whoosh—!
Clatter—
A lone man sorting tools and debris. The elder’s face twisted in confusion at the sight.
“...Guild master?”
The man was Jinook. Seeing him sweat through the work alone was downright bewildering.
-?
-What’s he doing there?
-Cleaning up solo?
-How long’s he been at it?
-He cleared all that?;
Viewers reacted with similar bafflement to the sudden scene. Kudran tilted his head beside them.
Damn, he cleared a ton.
The reason Hanbit had brought the two dwarves here—to show them this very sight. Forgiving past wrongs was their choice; he wouldn’t force it. He just wanted them to see Jinook regretting his past and trying to change, like the dwarves. Holding onto enmity would make surviving the wave smoothly impossible.
“......”
The elder stared at Jinook with a blank expression. After a moment’s silence, he slowly stepped forward.
“What are you doing here?”
“...Ah.”
Jinook flinched at the voice and turned. His body was filthy with dirt and corpse remnants. He stepped back, averting his eyes.
“I was cleaning up. After finishing my tasks, I had some time left, so...”
Having wrapped up his duties, Jinook had come here alone. He’d probably been at it since dawn.
“You cleared a hell of a lot!”
Kudran followed up with a hearty laugh.
The elder knew exactly how much debris that was. During the wall repairs and traps, they’d decided to leave the corpse area alone.
“Seeking pity?”
The elder’s sharp gaze pierced him. Jinook waved his hands frantically.
“No, not at all. I just figured I wasn’t helping as much as you all, so I looked for more work.”
The dwarves’ massive workload prepping for the wave—Jinook had noticed and stepped up to compensate.
“Not helping as much?”
But the elder’s reaction wasn’t what he expected. Frowning, he scanned the cleared area.
“What position in this city deals closest with monsters? Guild master, right? Wasting time on this...”
“Haha! It was a key spot—perfect! Honestly, I waffled twenty times on whether to bother.”
Kudran just grinned like it was no big deal. The elder sighed at the sight.
“You spineless fool. You suffered most from that bastard’s antics. Gonna pretend it all never happened?”
Kudran had indeed borne the brunt of Jinook’s past abuses. The elder looked exasperated, knowing it well.
But the man himself felt differently.
“As expected of you, Elder—always overthinking! Holding grudges like that’ll make you age fast!”
“You little...”
-lmao
-No hard feelings, right?
-Positive GOAT
-Kudran’s unflappable—hilarious lol
Kudran boomed with laughter. His personality left no room for grudges. Hanbit knew that side of him wouldn’t change no matter the time.
“Still, guild master’s got important duties! Better head to the central plaza quick. And honestly, you stink—go wash up!”
“Wait, hold on...!”
Kudran shoved Jinook toward the gate. Watching, the elder sighed again.
“No helping it. I’ll guide you quickly.”
Hanbit followed with him. He already knew the trap positions from memory, so a light explanation sufficed.
***
“Clear that over there!”
“Set it up here!”
“Don’t block the traffic lines, damn it!”
Arriving at the central plaza revealed busy dwarves everywhere. One side’s racks brimmed with weapons and armor. The opposite held mid-sized siege gear and magic tools, sorted by type.
-Whoa.
-They’re using all that?
-Flamethrowers even;
-Dwarves, man.
-Yeah, you guys ditched it and let ‘em die.
-No fact bombs pls.
Viewers marveled at the sheer volume. Those who’d cleared Ifrit’s story before overflowed with regret and frustration.
“Black Dragon!”
Avant-garde, who’d run ahead, looked a bit excited.
“Looks like it wrapped up well.”
“I was gone maybe five hours, and they got so much done. Amazing no matter how many times I see it!”
Avant-garde had stayed till morning, but the dwarves had redoubled during his break.
The true reason the legacy was needed to block the wave—no past regression had saved Ifrit without them.
“What got done so fast?”
“Child’s play when we get to it.”
Then Kim Jaeha and Gorik approached from down the street, chatting like true master and apprentice now.
“Good work, bro. How’d you pull it off?”
“You dragged the memory outta me. Talk to the iron. Imagine its soul as you hammer. Grandpa’s words actually worked.”
Gorik’s task of “listening to the iron” relied purely on sensation. No clue how the game implemented it, but Jaeha’s grandfatherly advice matched perfectly. That relieved expression said he’d found his own way.
“Our prep’s done. Now we wait for monsters?”
Gorik asked, eyeing the organized plaza. All planned work complete—only the fight remained.
“Doubt it’s just us moving.”
Hanbit glanced at Jinook beside him, who stared speechlessly at the setups.
“Jinook, the adventurers prepped something too, right?”
“...Ah.”
Snapping to, he met Hanbit’s eyes and nodded.
“Should be wrapping up. No need to go to the west field... They’re coming.”
Jinook pointed west. A massive crowd snaked toward them.
“That’s a lot. Ifrit adventurers?”
The armed humans looked the part, but thousands strong?
“Black Dragon, you’re here.”
Leading them: Zenon. Looked like he’d handled the requests well.
“Training go okay? Must’ve been tough, all new to it.”
“Plenty of will made it fine. They’ve got people to protect.”
He nodded at his group. Humans of all ages in ill-fitting clothes, but their resolute faces shone clear.
“What? What’d you do?”
Kim Jaeha, buried in work, looked puzzled. Hanbit eyed the lining-up humans.
“Ifrit residents. Gave ‘em resources for quick training.”
-??
-That works?
-Can you even use residents?
-Fuck, they all hid at home scared;
-Blame our shit story runs.
Unexpected twist shocked viewers. Jaeha’s doubts grew.
“Possible? They’re not combat-ready—too risky.”
“Can’t throw ‘em to the wolves. Most’ll support. Leave fighting to the pros there.”
Hanbit pointed to the gate path, where real adventurers approached.
“Thanks for coming. Tough ask, didn’t expect this many.”
Jinook thanked their rep. He’d run around villages, towns, outposts since night, contacting local adventurers.
“Your sincerity got through. Who knew cocky Jinook could change like this.”
A burly middle-aged adventurer grinned.
“A-rank adventurer Kevin. Hard to move guy—you pulled it off.”
Zenon added quietly. Hanbit, knowing the man’s skill, nodded at the planned flow.
“You the Black Dragon?”
Kevin stepped close, offering a hand.
“Kevin. You orchestrated this madness?”
“Just planned it. Ifrit’s people made it real.”
“Mature for your age. I like it.”
They shook firmly. Kevin smirked, scanning around.
“Heard the assault’s huge. Deployment plans?”
“Ah, we’ll sync with you.”
Zenon approached with an older human—the defense captain. Nominal post under the mayor, but at least reasonable.
“Zenon, quick rundown.”
Hanbit added tweaks to the force layout. Dwarven weapons, wall bombs—all shared already, no long spiel needed.
Zenon nodded seriously.
“Got it. We’ll allocate with that in mind.”
He hustled off with Kevin and the captain to deploy.
Hanbit turned to Avant-garde.
“Sorry, can you fetch Isis? Gotta monitor deployments.”
“On it!”
He nodded and bolted north.
Hanbit approached Gorik.
“Decided? I think supporting combatants inside the city’s best.”
“We fight frontlines. Letting Hedric’s fall happen twice? We’d deserve death.”
“Right!”
“We stand and fight!”
Dwarves raised fists at the prince’s declaration. They’d felt Hedric Kingdom’s doom firsthand—stopping them would crush their souls.
“Understood. Prep thoroughly, though. Not sending you to slaughter.”
“Think those pests can pierce our gear? Nah, they’ll die before claws touch.”
Gorik headed back to his people, spirits high. Hanbit knew it wasn’t bluff.
“Ah! There you are!”
As deployments wrapped with everyone’s help, a woman’s voice echoed from the north path. Isis, escorted by Avant-garde.
-Finally.
-Took her sweet time;
-Hey eyes
-Audio’s full now.
-Vet streamer level.
-Reflect, noob streamers.
Viewers greeted the familiar face warmly.
“Sorry! She wouldn’t let go of the ice...”
Avant-garde apologized for the hassle. Not his fault, obviously.
“It’s fine. That’s just her.”
“Talking about me?”
Isis popped up close, then unleashed a torrent.
“So much to discuss—Glacier ice composition? Spirit power basics? Vs. magic? Where to start...”
“Cool it. Fail the wave, no spirit powers forever. Watch what your crazy experiments unleashed.”
“Forever...?”
Warning via spirits widened her eyes. She whipped toward the walls, adjusting her glasses.
“Huh?”
Stepping forward, focused. Isis pointed ahead.
“They’re coming!”
Boom—!
Kaboom—!
Roars hit with her words. Beyond the walls, black dots swarmed.
“Crash Birds!”
“Pull detached turrets back max!”
Soldiers yelled amid the glass-shattering assault. Alarm blared with a message.
Ding—
[Completed Main Quest #11.]
[Progress increased.]
[Main Quest #12: The Third Wave]
The third wave finally hit Ifrit. Survive the onslaught with everyone.
Goal: Protect the city from the third wave.
Rewards: 600,000 gold, 200,000 EXP, 20 stat points
*Current progress: 86%