Chapter 42
The news of a world boss suddenly appearing in South Chungcheong Province from the deep sea. Park Jung-hoon, the guild master of Musang overseeing Busan and Gyeongsang Province, clicked his tongue as he scanned the subjugation team roster compiled by Choi Ah-rin.
"Haa... Is this for real?"
At the very top of the subjugation team list was a familiar face. There was no mistaking it.
Sertina
"Can we really trust her?"
Park Jung-hoon was bewildered. Asking a world boss to take down another world boss? Sure, trusting Sertina was fine. But he couldn't shake the unease. He hadn't met her in person yet, so he couldn't make a clear judgment.
I've heard she's cooperative with the Korean government...
Knock knock knock. Three sharp raps echoed, and a guild member burst in urgently.
"Guild master! A massive monster horde has appeared near Haeundae!"
"More work piles up."
Park Jung-hoon rose from his chair. Looked like he'd have to shake off his swirling thoughts with some combat today.
A fierce clash erupted near Haeundae. Monsters surged forward like a tidal wave, while players held the line.
-KYAAAOOOO!
"Hold them back!"
"You filthy bastards!"
Clang! Boom!
Park Jung-hoon led over a hundred players in defending the front line. Blue-skinned bodies, bipedal but covered in scales, fins, and webbed feet. Crude spears gripped in their hands. Merfolk.
"No end to them."
"Where the hell are they all coming from?"
Each one's combat power was negligible. But their numbers were overwhelming—like cockroaches hatching from eggs in a nest.
"Hah!"
Pow pow pow! Park Jung-hoon's barrage shattered merfolk bodies. Every punch sent blue fish-like foes flying in a fan-shaped arc, thick green blood spraying everywhere.
"Get down!"
KABOOOM! An elemental master's wide-area attack cleared a gap amid the merfolk. But it filled instantly as more poured in from behind.
Watching the battle unfold, Park Jung-hoon sensed things were going south.
"We need backup."
The moment he pulled a radio from his inventory—
RUMBLE! A deep vibration shook the earth. Countless merfolk toppled like dominoes.
"Gah, what the—?!"
Haeundae's sea level churned and surged. Operator Lee Si-yeon, monitoring via a small spherical drone, shouted.
High-output mana reaction detected from beneath Haeundae!
"What?!"
And then—a earth-shattering bass roar reverberated.
-WHO DARES TOUCH MY MINIONS?!
The voice's shockwave alone shattered nearby windows.
Crash crash! Ferocious sea winds battered the area. Street trees snapped branches, spewing leaves. A colossal form was rising from the land.
Lee Si-yeon's face drained of color.
"Th-this?! Mana output exceeding limits! Beyond raid boss thresholds!"
"Beyond a raid boss?!"
"No way...!"
Players stared in stunned horror at the rising Haeundae sea.
"Damn it..."
Park Jung-hoon, grasping the situation, bellowed at the top of his lungs.
"Everyone, retreat!"
In that instant, an immense force rocked all of Haeundae. The massive form lumbered onto land, slamming a heavy foot down.
Thud!
A monstrous creature bared teeth that could devour anything, letting out a piercing roar.
-Pathetic land-dwellers! Kneel before me!
Over 20 meters tall. Dark blue skin crackling with electricity. Shark-like face and grotesquely bulging muscles.
A world boss. The chained deep-sea demon beast, Ketehon, revealed its majesty.
"This can't be!"
Choi Ah-rin gasped at the news from Busan. World boss Ketehon. The ocean's terror, wielding immense power and mid-range energy blasts to sweep all directions.
The third world boss in Korea after Chungcheongnam-do.
"We need to reorganize the subjugation team immediately...!"
As Choi Ah-rin floundered, a familiar number called. One she could never forget.
"Hello?"
-Is it true a world boss showed up in Busan?
A flat girl's voice. Choi Ah-rin felt slight relief mixed with anxiety.
"Yes, support requests just flooded in from multiple sources."
-I'll handle it.
"Pardon?"
Choi Ah-rin's eyes widened. "You're going alone?"
-Cha Eun-joo’s with me, so not alone. Redirect the Busan subjugation team to Chungnam.
"It's a world boss—are you sure you'll be okay?"
Of course, Choi Ah-rin trusted Sertina to win. But Ketehon had tricky patterns and devastating attack power. A world boss vs. world boss fight could get ugly.
But Sertina was firm.
-No problem. Issue evacuation orders for all of Busan and prep post-battle recovery support.
"Got it! I'll head to Chungnam to support there!"
-Do it.
Click.
Setting down the receiver, Choi Ah-rin felt her racing heart slow. An inexplicable relief.
Yeah, if Sertina's rushing around like that, I can't just sit here!
She bolted up and headed straight for the command center.
Two thousand players gathered before Eterna Guild headquarters, faces brimming with confidence and resolve for battle. From the makeshift podium, I scanned them and spoke.
"You're all heading to Chungnam starting now."
"Huh? What about Busan?"
"I can handle that solo."
"Ah."
The players nodded. She's going alone to take it down.
"Beat it if you can, but if it looks unwinnable, hold out till I get there."
"Yes, ma'am!"
"And everyone..."
I started to say more but stopped, lips pressing shut. An unfamiliar feeling. A pang in my chest.
Why?
I muttered softly instead.
"...Be careful."
"Pardon? What was that?"
"Could you say it again—"
My face heated with embarrassment. I whipped my head away.
"Forget it. Go."
"Yesss!"
As their retreating backs faded from view, I clutched my chest quietly.
Lately, all these new emotions...
But they weren't bad.
Cha Eun-joo beside me smiled warmly, having overheard.
Before everyone left, I called over Lee Ye-rin, our operator specialist—great for scouting, settling, and support, but rarely in direct combat.
"Take this, just in case."
I traded items from my inventory via the system. Potions I'd bought from the market for the world boss raid.
"Don't forget to distribute them before the fight."
I patted her shoulder and turned away. Time for me to deploy too.
"W-wait... Huh?"
Lee Ye-rin flailed her hands in confusion. She dazedly checked her inventory.
No way, this is...
◈ Fully restores HP for even the tankiest shieldbearer in one sip
◈ Value skyrocketed since Astría Online became reality
Her mind raced through the math, and she whispered.
"One hundred billion...?"
Mouth agape, she stared at Cha Eun-joo's ascending airship. Snapping out of her daze, she shook her head vigorously.
"Nah, no way..."
She must've stocked up early.
*
Cha Eun-joo's airship sliced through a cloudless sky. I pressed a hand to the window, taking in the view.
"Whoa."
Leaving Seoul behind, buildings thinned out, giving way to vast open fields and serene mountains. Lush nature breathing alive. So this is what it's like outside the city.
While hurtling under the expansive sky, I got briefed on Ketehon and Busan’s situation.
"Ketehon's heading for a survivor hub packed with civilians. Players are holding it off, but they're struggling."
"Look at the numbers—insane. Ground, air, everywhere."
SniperVillain flipped through on-site photos. Wise to bring him and Kim Jin-woo after reports of fodder mobs.
"Handle any that leak out. I've got business with the big one."
"Eun-joo, you're our hope~?"
Kim Jin-woo teased, poking his head over Cha Eun-joo's seat. Joking around like this now? No big deal. Time to drop the guard.
Cha Eun-joo even picks me up sometimes.
...Though it feels more frequent lately.
About fifteen minutes later, buildings multiplied visibly. Vast ocean glittering under the sun, majestic metropolis unfolding. Twisting roads, spiderweb bridges.
"Alright, let's gear up."
A massive black sniper rifle materialized in Kim Jin-woo's hands.
A colossal roar echoed from the distant city.
-RAAAWRRR!
"There."
I pointed. "Going in!"
Cha Eun-joo yanked the controls with gusto. Engines roaring, the airship accelerated, cleaving the wind.
Finally, the city-destroying giant came into view.
That's the one.
I stood, opened the hatch, and leaned out. Fierce winds lashed my face, whipping my hair wildly.
"Remember what I said? Support from the rear if possible. Clean up stragglers first."
"Got it!"
With that, I leaped from the airship, soaring on the crisp wind.