#64 Seeing Him Again

Seeing him again. Epsilon was a giant whose legs were all shriveled up, with a bulging belly protruding out. Holes riddled his entire body, giving off an eerie vibe. His skin was dark and mottled, cracked like parched earth, and tentacles sprouted from him like mushrooms. The space was cramped for him, but he was a monster whose main weapon was spewing deadly poison gas across the entire narrow area.

That monster's body was being sliced to pieces. Every time Demonblade's creepy Japanese sword flashed, tentacles split open, and the poison gas was powerless against his magic power.

Ku-gu-gu-guung! Soon enough, Epsilon's massive body crashed down.

Big Boss stared blankly at Demonblade. Demonblade wielded two swords in total. One was at his waist, and the other was the one in his hand right now. The one in his hand was a high-grade artifact, but what intrigued him was the sword at his waist.

A Demon Realm item?

He shook his head.

No, not quite... but why does it feel so ominous?

Big Boss had looked into the swords Demonblade used, but he'd never heard of that one at his waist.

However.

Their power was real.

The fallen Epsilon rolled his gray eyes toward Big Boss and Ghost, murmuring.

Mu continent language. Specifically, the unique dialect used only in the slums.

"......"

Ghost tightened his grip on his dagger.

Epsilon laughed grotesquely. With every chuckle, green liquid oozed from the holes all over his body.

Demonblade, who had been listening intently to his eerie voice, swung his Japanese sword.

Ssuuung!

A clean line appeared across Epsilon's neck. Soon, his head was severed and rolled across the floor.

"Talks too much."

He shook off the green bodily fluid from his blade and looked at Big Boss.

"My calculations were off. Let's renegotiate."

"......?"

Demonblade wore a cold smile under Big Boss's gaze.

"No matter how I look at it, this dungeon seems tied to your group. Crash-landed folks from the Mu continent, right? This throws off our cost-benefit."

Big Boss replied in a subdued voice.

"You're the ones who found this dungeon first and proposed collaboration, as far as I recall."

"That was before I knew the situation. Things have changed now."

Demonblade shot back snidely.

Ghost silently watched him before taking a step forward.

At that moment.

Gu-woong-

"......"

"......"

"......?"

Behind where Epsilon had fallen. Thick demonic energy was rising from the stairs leading underground.

All eyes turned there.

Suddenly.

Jeob-jeob-jeob-jeob-

A white-haired man emerged from that place. His build was that of an ordinary human. But his right eye was the size of a fist. The bulging right eye rolled its pupil wildly in all directions, and he wore a white coat. Wrinkles covered his face, but a sinister smile filled his mouth. Immense demonic energy was pouring out from him precisely.

"Well, well, well... I came out after so long because the world was reshaping itself..."

The old man smiled brightly as he looked at Big Boss and Ghost.

"And look, precious guests have arrived..."

Ghost flinched and took a step back.

"......Dr. Jackal."

Big Boss nodded. He'd expected it, but facing the bastard directly was quite burdensome.

Demonblade alternated glances between the old man and Big Boss with an intrigued expression.

Suddenly, the old man's gaze shifted to Demonblade.

"Where is this place? You're not some slum rat..."

Big Boss murmured lowly to Demonblade.

"Be careful. He's a monster infamous even on the Mu continent."

"Oh ho."

The moment Demonblade smiled at those words.

Shak-

In an instant, Dr. Jackal was standing right in front of Demonblade.

Dr. Jackal examined him carefully.

"Good build..."

When did he—?

Demonblade kicked off the ground and retreated, aiming his Japanese sword as he muttered.

"Not bad for an old geezer."

Big Boss thought.

He doesn't seem much changed from before.

Big Boss and Ghost had been sharpening their blades for revenge against Dr. Jackal in the slums for 30 years. They built an organization there, expanding their forces with grit. Then, 15 years ago, they crash-landed on Earth.

The difference in their power back then and now was stark. Ironically, Earth's unfamiliar environment had been a boon for them. Unlike the dank, acrid demonic energy choking the slums, this place brimmed with pure mana.

Jiiiiiing-

Big Boss tossed off his sunglasses. His blood-red eyes were fully revealed. He removed his gloves, and his crimson right hand writhed.

Ghost silently touched his bandages.

Chwarararak!

The bandages scattered in an instant, writhing grotesquely in all directions. His entire body was laid bare. He had no skin. Red scars covered him entirely, each one glowing faintly.

Big Boss slowly opened his mouth.

"Napa, all retreat. Exit the dungeon now and form a defensive line to prepare for attack."

Napa's elites faithfully followed Big Boss's command.

"Yes, sir. Everyone, retreat!"

"Ho ho."

Jackal nodded at Big Boss and Ghost.

"I remember. Yeah, I remember. The mutant failures with the ability to neutralize demonic energy, right?"

He added with a pleased smile.

"Useless trash I threw away, crawling back up from the abyss, huh."

Big Boss glanced at Ghost. Ghost nodded.

At that instant.

Pat!

Ghost lunged at Jackal. Red light flared from Ghost's body, neutralizing the surrounding demonic energy in a flash. At the same time, mana exploded upward, targeting Jackal's neck.

"Tsk tsk. Is that any way to treat your father who sent you out into the world?"

Jackal leisurely shifted to Ghost's opposite side. It was as swift as teleportation.

However.

Hwooung!

A massive, translucent hand appeared there, clamping down on Jackal with a grip!

Chiiiiiik!

Caught in the hand, Jackal's body steamed white as his demonic energy was neutralized.

"Kikikikiki."

Jackal laughed as if amused.

Kwang!

But soon, Big Boss's hand burst like a bubble.

Pat!

Ghost's dagger plunged into Jackal's nape—but.

Kang!

It bounced off with the sound of striking solid metal.

"......"

"......"

Jackal stood still, cracking his neck side to side.

Duduk, duduk. Eerie sounds echoed.

"You two stay put. I have business with that one."

Pat!

In an instant, Jackal was before Demonblade, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠pressing a hand to his chest.

"Wha..."

Demonblade couldn't move, as if bound, his eyes rolling wildly.

"Oh ho. Oh ho."

Jackal kept grinning broadly, nodding as if highly entertained.

"This one's got good material. He'll make a fine test subject."

"Nonsense!"

Ghost shouted and charged—but.

Kwajik!

He was blocked by a bizarre wall of demonic energy surrounding Jackal and flung back.

"......!"

In that moment, an immense storm of demonic energy raged. Jackal's power ballooned two, three times over in an instant.

"This world definitely isn't the Mu continent... so it's dungeonized again, huh... Kuhuhuhu. Whatever the case, this is delightful. The Mu continent was getting stale anyway."

Jackal said that as he forced demonic energy into Demonblade's chest.

"Kaaaaak!"

Demonblade screamed. Demonic energy filled his body, black ooze leaking from his eyes and ears.

Shaaaaak—

In that moment, Demonblade's body went limp. Reason vanished from his eyes, leaving only instinct.

"I'll make this one the first test subject in the new world."

Jackal released Demonblade from his hand. Demonblade stood blankly like a puppet with cut strings.

Jackal reached for the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠sword at Demonblade's waist.

Chararak!

The sword unsheathed itself into Jackal's hand.

"This is......"

His eyes gleamed.

"A rare find..."

He glanced around.

"Hik..."

Murasame's elites, mobilized to take down Epsilon, gasped in horror at him.

"Dispose of that trash."

Demonblade nodded, gripping his sword and shambling forward with a growl.

Ssuuung! Ssuuung! Ssuuung!

Then he swung his Japanese sword far faster than anything he'd shown before. Murasame's elites were bisected without a breath, turning to corpses.

Pat!

Jackal appeared before Big Boss in an instant, staring at him intently.

"Strange, isn't it? Why do mutants like you keep showing up? Truly inexplicable."

Kwa-gwang!

Jackal merely extended his hand, and Big Boss's body flew back, embedding in the wall.

Big Boss rose immediately, activating the artifact on his left wrist. It was a mana amplifier specially made in Smith's forge.

Jiiiiiing!

Mana surged sharply, forming a clearer, larger hand that seized Jackal.

"You've grown quite a bit."

But it was futile. As Jackal sneered and shattered the hand, crimson light burst from Big Boss's eyes.

Kwa-gwa-gwa-gwang!

It struck Jackal. Jackal blocked it with his right hand, rolling his massive right eye in surprise.

"Oh ho, look at this."

Ghost slipped through that gap like a specter. Reaching Jackal's back in a flash, he slashed dozens of times in that split second.

Papa-papa-papak!

But not a single effective hit. Jackal's body was like diamond.

Kwajik!

Jackal casually shoved Ghost away into the distance and grinned.

"This won't do. I need to study this mysterious growth. Back to the lab with you."

Demonic energy raged from all directions. Big Boss narrowed his eyes.

How does he have this power...?

It was inexplicable. The Jackal of old didn't have this level of strength. Something had super-enhanced him.

Terror. Suddenly, Big Boss felt terror. Was there anyone in the world who could beat a being like this? It seemed humans and other races had no limits. How could this be...?

"Kuh."

The oppressive demonic energy intensified. Consciousness was fading.

Is this the end?

A hollow feeling washed over him. All those years grinding his teeth for revenge knelt so mercilessly before the bastard's power.

As crushing exhaustion surged—

Ku-woong!

"......!"

From above. Precisely, from dozens of floors up on the surface far away.

Ku-woong-

The sound repeated.

Ku-wooong-

Growing louder.

Ku-woooong-

A bit more.

Ku-wooooong-

Now it was right nearby.

Kwa-ji-ji-jik!

The ceiling collapsed.

The ceiling collapsed...?

This dungeon's floors were separated by thick earthen walls. He'd broken through from the surface?

Dust filled the air everywhere. At the same time, the demonic energy blanketing the area dispersed in an instant.

"Huk... huk..."

Big Boss could breathe again. What filled the space was refreshing mana. It was like the sea.

Through the dust, a figure glowing blue all over stood. Big Boss stared at his back.

Not particularly tall, with messy black hair growing wildly. Yet his back looked like a mountain. Was it because of the mana pouring from his body? Or the pure, tail-like mana flickering atop the blue mana?

No. Simply, Big Boss realized a strange thought hit him the moment he saw him.

Relief...?

Why? He unknowingly slumped down, gazing endlessly at the man's back.

Nng-!

A small fox appeared out of nowhere, tilting its head at Big Boss. The fox wagged its three tails, stared at his face intently, then whip, turned away.

Suddenly.

The man in front turned around.

"Seeing you again."

His face was one Big Boss had seen before. Unknowingly, Big Boss murmured.

"Choi Kang-ho...?"