Nessto's Relentless Ambush
“Black Dragon! Nessto Guild's over here!”
A voice pierced through the pattering rain into Kang Hanbit's ears as he pushed forward. It was Haneul, the girl he'd spoken with back in the capital.
-Wasn't that her voice earlier?
- Nessto's back again?
- PK guild but they're insanely persistent lol
- Return rate is off the charts.
- Info: Came for PKs but keeps getting wrecked every time.
- Reverse owned central. lmao
“Nessto?”
“Looks like they're here to cause trouble again.”
The chat exploded with reactions at the mention of Nessto.
They showed up after all.
Hanbit had sensed some kind of interference was coming. Aside from the twins, there were several faint gazes lingering on him. He hadn't expected the girl named Haneul to spot them first, though.
Krarung!
Thunder began rumbling amid the sudden downpour.
Hanbit muted the stream audio and slipped down a side path off the slope with the two trailing behind him.
“I'll draw their attention. Head to the spot I described earlier. If you run into any Nessto members, use this to deal with them.”
He handed over an item from his inventory: a Wandering Branch, bought from the exchange. Break it in your hand, and it disrupts the directional sense of nearby lifeforms. If you're caught off guard, it'd feel like the whole world is spinning.
“Shouldn't we help? How many do you think there are?”
Kim Jaeha asked worriedly. But in this foul weather, it was easier to handle alone.
“We'd just get in the way. Black Dragon's stats are on a whole other level from his visible rank.”
Avant-garde shook his head in agreement, having started to grasp the gap lately. It was an honest assessment.
My stats... have grown a lot.
[Black Dragon-Lv.84]
[Title: None]
Strength: 132 | Agility: 132 | Intelligence: 132 | Vitality: 115
Remaining Stat Points: 0
The evenly distributed total already rivaled the vanguard ranks. Factor in weapons and titles, and it surpassed them. He didn't think of the two as hindrances, but if they died, they'd miss this entry chance. Best to handle it himself.
“Then you two head out now. Make sure to keep your entry tickets on you.”
Tat!
With that final warning, Hanbit kicked off.
Haneul's voice had come from dozens of meters ahead. Visibility was down to mere meters through the rain, but that was no issue.
Kwabang!
A roar echoed—likely the twins in combat. Sword drawn, Hanbit charged into the fray.
As he climbed the slick slope...
Shick!
A blade burst from the bushes, slashing at his face.
Kaang!
He parried and pressed forward, locking eyes with a masked man. Four red lines marked his name.
Whish!
The man lunged again. Hanbit read the motion, tilting his head and slipping inside his guard.
Shieek!
The blade grazed past his cheek, slicing empty air. Hanbit's open palm halted inches from the man's face.
“Fire Lance.”
Peobung!
The point-blank explosion blinded him and dealt massive damage. Before the shockwave washed away in the rain, Hanbit thrust at the invisible foe's neck.
Pook!
The blade pierced dead center without error. The man's visible eye widened in shock. As instant-death took hold and light faded from his pupil, his body faded and vanished.
Ding!
[Experience gained: 150,000.]
-One-shot city;
- Too easy, right?
- Four red lines? That's pretty high-tier ㄷㄷ
- At least 150+?
- Level gap just gets nommed. lol
Tat!
As the chat heated up, Hanbit kicked off again.
Peobung!
The battle sounds persisted. Was it just the girl Haneul, or both twins? No way to tell, but pinpointing the source by sound and vibration was child's play for him.
Shick!
He leaped high onto a thick branch. In this terrain, tree-hopping was faster.
Shieek!
There—combat on a distant tree. A sky-blue haired girl visible through the rain. A spearman on the ground thrusting at her.
Shick! Whoosh!
Haneul bounded branch to branch, dodging. Beyond raw stats, that eye and instinct were rare for her age.
She's already wielding wind like that.
The Wind Movement she'd learned from Asla wasn't rigid technique—it adapted freely to the user. In that sense, Haneul was astonishingly gifted. Every motion blended wind seamlessly.
Her foes weren't slacking, though.
Shick!
As Haneul evaded, another blade dropped from her blind spot above. Hanbit triggered Gale Slash.
Whoosh!
His body shot forward on a shockwave, closing the gap in an instant no one could react to.
Chwaak!
His slashing blade carved the ambusher diagonally. Wind-laced edge split the man's torso from shoulder to neck.
Ding!
[Experience gained: 180,000.]
[Level up!]
[Stat Point granted: +1.]
-Whoa;
- Blazing speed. lmao
- How do you even react to that?
- Headhunting pro;
- Visibility's trash rn fr.
Even with level gaps, the disparity was bridged by gear, titles, skills—and overwhelming experience. That ambush was the foe's mistake for not anticipating it.
Tadat!
The spearman below witnessed his ally's death and retreated into the brush. As Hanbit clocked the direction, a voice piped up.
“Whoa, you can move that fast?”
Haneul sat on a branch, eyes sparkling. She looked thrilled by the chaos.
“Back to the capital.”
“I spotted Nessto too, didn't I? Give me one shot.”
“One shot at what? That was dangerous just now.”
“Oh, that was...”
Shieek!
A blue-glowing spear hurtled at Haneul's back. Hanbit grabbed her shoulder to yank her aside and parry—but.
Whiric!
Haneul spun low, slashing upward.
Kaang!
Perfect timing—her blade deflected the spear into a tree trunk with a twisted arc.
“Ah, it's cracked.”
A huge fissure ran through Haneul's sword from blocking the skill. Proof of the level gap.
-??
- How'd she block that?
- Kids these days are scary af;
- Info: Learned Asla skills, so she beat Baldor in spars too.
- Jealous...
- That's why she begged for discipleship.
...Good instincts.
Spotting the ambush direction. Gauging the attack's power. Redirecting instead of blocking. At 16, it was pure talent—raw genius.
Tat!
Hanbit used Wind Leap and charged. Beyond the brush: the spear-thrower.
Whish!
The man drew a dagger from his belt. Decent call, but pointless now.
Whoosh!
Layered winds howled around Hanbit's blade. Gripping two-handed, he unleashed Storm Barrage.
Shick!
The first strike crashed down in a gale.
Kang!
The man raised his dagger but flew back from the shock, dropping it.
The second arced wide, whipping up a storm.
Whoosh!
Seogeok!
Wind blade severed his arm. Eyes bulging, he tried compensating with the stump—but the third was already slicing raindrops.
Shieek!
Chwaak!
Neck cleanly severed, the foe faded. All in under five seconds.
Ding!
[Experience gained: 200,000.]
[Level up!]
[Stat Point granted: +1.]
-Skills look sick af;
-3/0/0
-Remaining trash, come on out~
-Ambush again and get wrecked?
-Silent tension amps the thrill;
-Even with sound it'd drown in rain lol.
Stream audio still muted, but viewers ate up the visuals.
“Whoa, can I learn that one too?”
Haneul approached from nearby, glancing around. No way she'd head back now.
“Here.”
Hanbit pulled a spare sword from inventory.
“Whoa, thanks!”
She took it two-handed and swung lightly, testing the feel.
“Oh, speaking of—not just Nessto, there was a famous guy too.”
“Famous?”
“Y'know that guidebook author? Adventure A. He was with them over there.”
“...What?”
Hanbit was floored. The stalker he'd planned to investigate via info brokers, showing up here—with Nessto? Pure malice.
“Where's your brother?”
“Went to help Avant-garde and Kim Jaeha. Adventure A ordered them taken out first. Two Nessto guys tailed them, but they'll be fine.”
“Yeah?”
He'd vaguely spotted faint shadows in the rain. Good call giving them the Wandering Branch.
“And there was this Lucio guy too.”
“...Lucio?”
Nestor's deputy. Vanguard-level suspected, but details scarce. Teaming with Adventure A? Unexpected.
“He had this dangerous vibe.”
“Dangerous how?”
“Like... chilling? Gave me goosebumps? That kinda feel?”
Haneul described, dredging up the memory. Her instincts had pinged something.
Planning to keep watching, huh.
Adventure A and Lucio were nearby, holding back to gauge his moves. Targeting Jaeha and Avant-garde first meant more than random PKs.
Krarung!
Rain and thunder intensified. Time to enter the Whirlwind Tower was nearing.
“Gotta hurry. Stick close for now.”
“For real? Thanks!”
Tat!
Hanbit kicked off with Haneul. Their pursuers outleveled him, so he'd need a surefire way to end them—lure to their desired stage first.
Sending the girl back now risked splitting enemy focus. She'd tail anyway.
Tadat!
Hanbit urged haste, tree-hopping up the mountain with Haneul. Despite the rush, she kept pace well.
They're keeping up nicely too.
The tails matched speed at a distance. One lagged awkwardly—probably Adventure A.
“Ah, there they are!”
“Black Dragon!”
They arrived at a sunken ridge on the steep slope. Kim Jaeha and Avant-garde were already there.
“You made it safe.”
“Like you said, Nessto came one by one. Took out one with the branch, the other with this kid's help.”
Jaeha patted the orange-haired boy's back. A golden light orb glimmered by his head.
Light, as expected.
Up close, Hanbit confirmed: Noeul's contracted spirit was light. Rare even among spirit users.
“Sorry for tagging along uninvited. I just really want a shot at this...”
Noeul apologized without meeting eyes.
Hanbit eyed the clouds overhead, then pulled talisman-like papers from inventory.
“Take one each.”
“Talismans...?”
“Weird-looking. Thanks!”
Noeul inspected cautiously; Haneul grinned amusedly.
Hanbit turned away from them.
“You there—come out already?”
His words cut through the rain into the void.
Response was swift.
“Figured out, huh?”
“...Tch. Annoying.”
Overlapping voices echoed faintly.
Moments later.
Chalpak!
Two figures emerged, stepping through the mud.