Chapter 157
Chapter 157
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 157
Chapter Title: 19530305 (2)
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“Damn, this is disgustingly deep.”
“Isn’t this more like a nuclear bunker than an armory? It’s weird how deep it goes.”
“It’s pitch black too, disgustingly so. Stairs should at least have emergency lights or something. There’s absolutely nothing?”
“Um… guys? Am I the only one feeling weird about this?”
“We’ve gotta be more than twenty floors down now…”
“…Guys?”
“Sis?”
“Brother-in-law?”
The moment Neti stopped dead on the stairs.
Light bloomed in front of her.
A brilliant golden glow traced a small magic circle, illuminating the stairs where they stood.
It was a familiar light. The exact same one her brother-in-law had shown her the day he released the mental seal in her mind.
The source was the neat golden magitech device her brother-in-law had shown earlier. He spun it around, scanning every corner of the stairs.
“Brother-in-law? What the hell is going on?”
“We tripped a trap. Figuring out what kind, so hang on a sec.”
A trap? Neti glanced at her sister, but Seti had her eyes closed. As if sensing something.
A moment of silence passed.
Seti’s eyes snapped open, like she’d found it. She exchanged a look with Yeomyeong…
And leaped down the stairs.
Neti nearly dropped her weapons bag in shock. But her brother-in-law’s calm reaction kept her steady too.
Moments later, Seti returned without a hitch. Though she’d fallen from the upper stairs.
Wooong—
Yeomyeong caught her with telekinesis, right on cue.
“How is it?”
“Just like we thought. It’s looping us in circles.”
“…The Shepherds’ doing?”
“Doesn’t seem like it. No distorted mana… Probably armory security.”
Neti couldn’t follow their talk and just listened. But the second it ended, both turned to her?
“…Why?”
“No advice as a mage?”
Isn’t brother-in-law a mage too? Neti tilted her head but answered dutifully.
“If it’s a magic circle making us loop… Sounds like the ones old communist countries used. Not sure if it’s exact.”
“…How to escape?”
“Just remove the circle. Usually blow up likely spots with C4…”
In a massive concrete structure like this, finding it was the problem.
Blowing it all up? Even all their rocket warheads wouldn’t do it.
But somehow, she was sure her brother-in-law could handle it.
And sure enough, Yeomyeong gathered mana.
Reverse-tracing the circle’s mana? Or prepping a counter-spell?
Neti watched eagerly for how he’d break the trap.
But the next moment, Yeomyeong’s solution blew past her expectations.
“No more wasting time.”
With that, he drew his sword and unleashed pure white sword aura. Intense enough to push back the golden seal’s glow.
A comet’s light, one she’d never seen.
Yeomyeong swung the Comet Sword downward. The magic circle’s mana enveloping the stairs rebelled.
But the comet’s light shredded not just the mana, but the concrete stairs themselves, slicing downward.
No sound, but Neti knew instinctively. The trap’s mana had been torn apart whole.
“…”
As she marveled at what a monster he was, Yeomyeong looked below and said.
“They’ll know we’re here now. Time to run.”
“…Huh?”
He jumped over the stair railing without answering.
How high is it?
Neti peered down in panic when Seti suddenly grabbed her waist tight.
“Telekinesis your weapons tight.”
“What? Sis, wait—!”
Before she could finish, Seti leaped down.
***
The fortified inn’s rooftop outpost.
Ballagu swallowed hard, eyeing the smoke rising over the city.
Anyone could see it was on fire, but no firefighters rushed to put it out.
Even the firefighters went underground for loot? No, no.
His instincts screamed. That smoke wasn’t just from burning fuel.
Smoke of death and war.
Shouts and screams through the haze, walls crumbling, flesh tearing—that was proof.
No idea what happened, but the horrific smoke spread wider. Reaching the inn was just a matter of time…
“Hey, big orc.”
He turned. Joseph and the Brute crew climbed up with weapons crates.
Crates full of machine guns and ammo. The Brute shoved Ballagu aside and set up a gun on the outpost.
“You know how to shoot?”
Ballagu shook his head. Joseph chuckled low and handed him a pistol.
“Then learn now.”
“…”
“Leave this to the pros. Head downstairs. Gonna need muscle.”
Joseph patted Ballagu’s shoulder, gesturing to follow as he went down.
Following him inside, Ballagu saw the Brutes scurrying like they were prepping for war.
“What the hell’s going on?”
Ballagu asked, eyeing machine guns mounting on windows. Joseph shrugged.
“No clue.”
“…No clue?”
Prepping without knowing? Ballagu looked baffled. Joseph lit a cigarette with a match.
“But I know this city’s fucked. Right?”
“…”
Right then, an explosion rocked the far city. Joseph puffed and grinned.
“I’ve got safe space and guns. In a fucked city, nothing beats that. Smart ones’ll swarm here to take it.”
Ballagu didn’t argue. All true. But…
“You could just run.”
“…Hm?”
“You got paid already. Cheon Yeo—er, clients aren’t here.”
Blunt question. Joseph grinned, inhaling deep.
Then he blew smoke right in Ballagu’s face.
“Hey, orc. Quit probing. Straight talk. How much you know?”
Blunt answer. Ballagu swallowed and replied.
“…I know you came here on East Palace Lord’s request.”
“Oho. Not just a guide, huh?”
“…”
“But don’t worry needlessly. No plans to betray clients. Wanna know why?”
“…No idea.”
Joseph didn’t answer right away, leaning by a window overlooking the entrance.
As city screams mixed with his cigarette smoke.
The smuggler said.
“Smugglers stick to the strongest guy. Always.”
***
The golden seal’s light pierced the dark, plummeting down.
Only concrete stairs visible between the rays.
But Yeomyeong’s senses caught faint voices, faint blood scent, twisted mana.
All too familiar—Shepherd presence.
As expected, dozens of Shepherds huddled at the stair bottom. Next moment.
Yeomyeong swung his sword with full force.
Saaa—
Mana flickered from his hand and blade, splitting air, bursting bright light.
—W-what’s that?
—Attack!
—Barrier! Raise barriers!
Shepherds spotted him too late.
Comet Sword. No greetings—just full sweep. The aura hit the floor first.
Kwaaaang!!
Concrete exploded, dust billowing. Yeomyeong slowed his fall with telekinesis.
High drop—his landing thudded loud.
—Don’t panic!
—Ignore wounded, fire back!
—At that light! Fire!
Shepherds reacted fast despite the shock.
Surviving Pig Heads drew guns, blasting the golden light.
But before many shots, anti-tank rockets rained from above.
Explosions, more explosions.
Stair floor swept by flames. Rockets hit so well, Neti who fired them gaped.
“B-brother-in-law get caught?”
“Yeomyeong’s fine.”
Seti twisted midair, kicking the stair wall.
Neti dry-heaved from the jerk, but Seti kicked more walls, slowing descent.
Tak—
They landed. First to greet: sword-drawn Yeomyeong and swept-away Shepherd corpses.
Dozens of Pig Heads down, at least ten Cow Heads too.
But Seti couldn’t smile.
Across the floor, five pairs of red eyes glared intact.
“Didn’t expect an ambush here.”
A voice too smooth for a Shepherd echoed.
Yeomyeong poured more mana into the golden seal, lighting the area. Gold mana lit a huge iron door, revealing five Shepherds before it.
Four Horse Heads, one Chicken Head.
The sisters, knowing their true power, tensed and raised mana.
Seti drew her hammer. Neti floated three rifles and the last anti-tank rocket.
The avenger who’d slain near a hundred Shepherds smiled, sword lowered.
“Who are you.”
Yeomyeong didn’t answer. Wouldn’t have disguised if he planned to.
Chicken Head guessed, rephrasing.
“What’d you do to West Palace Lord.”
As he asked, Horse Heads began chanting. Yeomyeong stirred invisible telekinesis, replying.
“Broke his neck.”
“Fitting end for a human chasing beyond his station. Got the armory code?”
“No.”
“Pity. Means digging through brains upstairs.”
Talk ended.
One Horse Head fired red beam from mouth—same instant, Neti’s rifles blazed.
Gunfire and magic roar.
Ear-splitting sounds signaled: Yeomyeong and Chicken Head charged.
***
Yeomyeong closed distance instantly, accelerating into a downward slash. Sword aura stretched, tracing long arc in air.
Chicken Head swung foot at the blade.
Chjeeeng! Mana clashed mana, sword met shoe—air screamed, shockwave burst.
Then kigigik—shoe tore, revealing bird-sharp talons.
Like the corvus half-breed?
As Yeomyeong thought, talons curled to grab the blade. He swept horizontally, slicing them reverse.
Tuk—one talon fell. Chicken Head nodded nonchalantly.
“Stronger than expected.”
Yeomyeong agreed. One clash told all.
Chicken Head was strong. Top-tier among foes faced.
“Why attack us. Money? Honor? Orders?”
It whispered.
“Know this? I work for Korean government. Don’t know you, but money, honor—name it, yours.”
“…”
“Talents like you? Can overlook this mess. How about it? Serve a nation truly for its people?”
Bullshit. Yeomyeong clenched fist, lifted heel.
Then.
Kung!
True Strike smashed concrete. Thick slab cracked with screams.
Sudden quake unbalanced Horse Heads—and Chicken Head, recognizing the move, delayed.
Flying Leg Art’s essence: True Strike.
“…True Strike? No way?”
Avenger’s blade flashed at the shocked chicken head’s throat.
* * *