Chapter 57
With a tearing sound that ripped through the entire rift space, a massive fissure tore open in the sky. The air currents shifted in an instant. Hundreds of wyverns began pouring out like a swarm of bees.
"Yunsia, cover the civilians."
"Leave it to me!"
"I'll wrap this up quick."
I kicked off the ground and shot into the air.
Boom! Like a meteor defying gravity, I soared upward, deploying blood swords in all directions.
"Not a single one gets away!"
A hundred crimson blades sliced through the air with chilling precision, charging toward the rift.
Splattersplattersplattercrunch! Their horrifying speed and power exploded wyverns apart. The beasts didn't even have time to scream before dropping dead.
'Where do these puny flying lizards get off?'
I prepared the next attack without pause. Another hundred blades launched.
Kieeeek! Swords and blood intertwined, staining the sky scarlet. With a flick of my wrist, a hundred wyverns shredded into pieces.
I repeated the process over and over.
Kaboom! Kababoom! Each clash of blood swords against wyverns made the heavens wail. Chunks of flesh rained down like bloody hail.
The construction workers gawked up at the sky in awe.
"That... that's Sertina?"
"I can't believe it. She's on a whole other level from players."
"Hey, hey! Up there! Mr. Jang!"
One worker in a hard hat pointed frantically at the rooftop of the construction site. A fierce wing gust from a wyvern had one man teetering off balance, dangling precariously from a rebar.
"Hey, Mr. Jang! Damn it, everyone, get up there quick!"
"Hold on, we'll help—just don't let go!"
Right then, a blood sword collided with a wyvern above the dangling man's head, unleashing a shockwave.
Kabang! His grip slipped from the rebar, and a horrific scream echoed through the whipping winds.
"Gaaahhh!"
Terror-stricken, his arms and legs flailed helplessly in the air.
"Mr. Jaaaang!"
The workers could only watch in frozen horror.
In that instant, a streak of blood-red light slashed through the sky, accelerating downward.
Whoosh! Dropping at supersonic speed, a parachute-like air current formed ahead of me. I smirked and punched through the sound barrier effortlessly.
Kaboom! A sonic boom erupted. The air churned violently.
"Gasp!"
Onlookers swallowed hard.
I reached the plummeting man in a flash and clamped onto his waist.
Our eyes locked for a split second midair.
"Hold tight."
As the screaming man nodded in shock, I cranked my output and yanked our flight path into a sharp curve.
"Whaaaah!"
His soul-rattling shriek vanished into the wind. Protruding rebar and safety netting grazed us by inches.
I set the rescued man down gently on solid ground.
"Gasp! Mr. Jang!"
"Hey, you okay? How many fingers am I holding up?"
One of his rushing colleagues thrust up two fingers and wiggled them.
Yunsia pointed skyward urgently.
"Sertina!"
Dozens of wyverns hurtled toward me, jagged beaks gaping with seeping flames.
"Get down."
I spread out a wide curtain of blood plasma.
Kuuaaaang! Their fireballs slammed into the barrier, erupting in a blaze.
"Urghhh!"
The workers clutched their heads and hunkered low. The vibration rumbled through the soil.
As the smoke cleared, I extended one hand toward the wyverns, my blood-red pupils gleaming coldly.
"...Slow."
Breath attacks that sluggish couldn't match my reflexes. Crimson blades reformed.
...And the death sentence was passed.
"The slow ones die."
Kwakwakwakwa-crunch! Dozens of reptiles disintegrated into nothingness.
The crisis ended in seconds.
*
"Phew..."
The workers soothed their pounding hearts, slumping exhausted against guardrails and dirt mounds with deep sighs.
A few gathered around the man I'd saved, fussing over him.
"Mr. Jang, how many now?"
"Two. That's the fifth time... urp!"
"Hey, Mr. Jang! Stay with us! Mr. Jang!"
"You're the ones making me lose my mind, you damn fools!"
They chatted amiably—no major injuries, thankfully. Though flying must've left him dizzy.
'Oh, right. That reminds me.'
I fetched the items I'd prepared. The workers fell silent, staring blankly.
"Here."
I opened my inventory and pulled out market-bought goods.
Thud!
"What the heck is... this?"
"Gifts."
Enormous iceboxes lined up across the ground—not one or two, but dozens. Enough to fill half the site. Curious workers crowded around.
"G-Gifts?"
"How many fingers is that...?"
"Can we open 'em?"
I nodded silently. They cracked one open cautiously, and white vapor billowed out.
"Whoa!"
Their jaws dropped at the sight: drinks, ice water, lunchboxes, snacks—everything to soothe weary bodies and souls. Simple freeze magic kept it all fresh for ages.
"Take a break. Don't push too hard."
I tossed out the words and turned away.
The workers hesitated, lips twitching.
"C-Can we really take this for free?"
"This stuff's gotta be worth hundreds..."
"We should do something in return—"
"No need."
I left without a backward glance. Their wary stares had shifted to ones of respect.
"Th-Thank you!"
One voice sparked a chorus of dozens.
Yunsia gave the workers a light wave and a bright smile before catching up to me.
"What's up?"
"Nothing."
"At least it was just a monster wave. With all these civilians around, a boss would've been trouble."
Yunsia's steps halted abruptly.
"Sertina... that was a raid boss spawn."
"Huh...?"
I blinked. A raid boss? Come to think of it, there might've been one extra-big one...
As I scratched my head blankly, Yunsia shook hers with a sigh.
"You really... always defy common sense."
"Do I?"
"Well, being a world boss puts you beyond norms anyway."
True, couldn't argue that...
Lost in thought, I felt Yunsia pat my head gently.
"But I like it."
"...?"
I looked up at her with wide eyes.
"You're this strong, yet you protect us. Feels so reassuring."
"Well... yeah."
I scratched my cheek awkwardly and looked away.
"Next site, then."
I followed silently as she led. My steps felt oddly light today.
*
Another construction site. Towering cranes pierced the sky, excavators and dump trucks kicked up endless dust. A massive new build of steel girders and concrete. Workers hustled with materials amid clanging iron and whirring drills. The acrid stench of wet cement and metal stung the nose.
'Huh...?'
I paused and trotted back to lagging Yunsia. Who knew how many times this made?
"Can't you pick up the pace a bit?"
"Sorry, the path's too rough. You might not mind, but it's tough for me."
"Hmm, really?"
I tilted my head.
'Weird. Players have better physiques than civilians.'
I eyed her suspiciously, but her nonchalant face showed no intent to hurry. The inspection dragged on.
"Nngh..."
She'd occasionally check her phone and giggle to herself. Suspicious...
Actually inspecting properly?
"Yunsia, progress update?"
"Just crossed 60% overall. Started after the summit with Choi Ah-rin, so it's come along nicely. And with the country stabilizing, it's speeding up."
She answered promptly every time. Not half-assing it.
'She just wants to head home already...'
My soft, fluffy bed called to me. But since we're out, better check thoroughly. This'd be my guild's future home.
"Looks good here..."
I inspected exteriors and progress meticulously, circling the site and dropping dozens of iceboxes at each stop. Workers' faces lit up.
*
"Think we've seen it all. Head back?"
Yunsia asked, phone buzzing nonstop with messages.
"Yeah."
I turned toward home briskly, glancing back once to ensure no spot missed an icebox drop.
"...?"
Yunsia watched me with a knowing smile.