Chapter 21
๑ஓ๑๑ஓ๑๑ஓ๑๑ஓ๑๑ஓ๑๑ஓ๑
A situation room had already been set up at the Ministry of National Defense, where they had been teleported.
Several experts gathered there, updating the situation board.
“Around 100 civilian broadcasting personnel and 500 low-level players have participated in the National Cemetery Camp.”
As Sung Kijun approached, the people delivered the collected information as briefly as possible.
“Fog that blocks vision and radio waves is spreading in the vicinity. Based on satellite images, it’s covering the entire National Cemetery.”
Sung Kijun had an anxious look on his face.
It wasn’t because it was an unexpected situation.
It was because a predictable sense of dread was creeping up on him.
“Waveform analysis? Has the boss monster been identified?”
“It has been identified. With a 99.2% probability… it seems to be a B-rank raid boss, a Lich.”
“D*mn it.”
Sung Kijun gritted his teeth.
It was a monster Mason didn’t know.
“What’s the problem?”
“The Lich uses necromancy. It controls the corpses and souls of the dead.”
“Then that means…”
“Yes. All the bodies buried in the National Cemetery, and the bodies of the players that will fall from now on… will become the enemy’s forces.”
It was an urgent situation.
“What about the other raid teams? The Heavenly King should have at least one attack team left, right?”
“The Guardian Attack Team is on standby. But it seems difficult to deploy them in the Lich subjugation.”
Contempt spread across Sung Kijun’s face.
“Are they playing politics even in this situation?”
“No, not this time.”
Another screen unfolded.
“A horde of monsters is marching from the outskirts of Gangwon Province. The number is at least a thousand. The direction is… towards the National Cemetery.”
“Are they responding to the Lich?”
“Yes, it seems the Guardian Attack Team will have to be assigned to that.”
Even though the Lich was the raid boss, a thousand monsters were by no means a small threat. In a way, this side could be even more dangerous.
“So in the end, we have to deal with the Lich…”
“We have issued a quest to the remaining forces of the Under Dark Legion. They should be able to be utilized.”
“Good, that’s a relief.”
Sung Kijun stared at the map.
“Now we need to decide on an entry route…”
If they marched straight ahead recklessly, they would have to break through a horde of undead monsters.
“What about teleportation? Is it impossible?”
“Currently, we’re unable to lock onto any coordinates.”
That was when it happened.
“Seo Yeonhee has returned from reconnaissance!”
Sung Kijun spoke urgently.
“Connect me!”
A direct line was connected.
“What’s the situation?”
This meant that at least 400 people were out of contact, or… dead.
Sung Kijun asked urgently.
“What about the camp vehicle? Is there no point where we can teleport?”
That was bad news.
“Can you go scout Camp A? We need to repair the Portal Stone if possible.”
Seo Yeonhee spoke calmly.
At this point, Mason could be considered humanity’s strongest existence. Although his low level was a disadvantage, his superhuman physical abilities more than compensated for it.
Sung Kijun looked at Mason, and Mason nodded.
“We’ll have some fun first, so don’t be too late.”
“Please.”
As Mason approached, a mage who was waiting took his hand.
They teleported.
๑ஓ๑๑ஓ๑๑ஓ๑๑ஓ๑๑ஓ๑๑ஓ๑
An emergency camp, hastily set up, was waiting on the outskirts of the National Cemetery.
Deroa and Seo Yeonhee were there, taking a short break.
“Seo Yeonhee.”
“Mason.”
The two briefly greeted each other.
Her clothes and weapons were clearly marked with the traces of battle.
It was obvious that the reconnaissance had not been easy.
“Can you go?”
“I have to.”
The three stepped into the fog.
“There’s something I need to tell you beforehand.”
“What is it?”
“Camp A is within the Lich’s magic range.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means we have to be prepared for bombardment or necromancy attacks.”
“I’ve been prepared for that from the start.”
Mason gripped the two-handed hammer he had been given.
“Let’s go.”
๑ஓ๑๑ஓ๑๑ஓ๑๑ஓ๑๑ஓ๑๑ஓ๑
The National Cemetery was no longer the National Cemetery of old.
It wasn’t just that it had become a monster’s lair instead of a resting place for patriotic souls.
A milky white fog covered the area, making it difficult to see even one’s own fingertips or toes.
Ma Donghun, a level 13 rogue, was hiding behind a tombstone, trembling.
‘What the h*ll is this?’
Everyone had said the National Cemetery Camp was safe. They only had to hunt low-level undead.
However, at some point, everything had changed.
Crack, crack…
At the end of the National Cemetery, something was growing on the tomb of former President Yoon Gapseong. It was a tall spire made of bones. A spire built with tombstones as a base and human bones as its structure. Around it, ghosts were swirling and wailing.
They looked like they desperately wanted to run away, but were being dragged into something.
And atop that spire, something was clearly visible that was definitely not a creature of the human world.
From a distance, it looked like a skeleton wearing a robe, but what appeared to be a robe was actually its flesh, and what looked like bones was its white skin.
It was an otherworldly monster, without a doubt.
After it appeared, everything changed.
Thick fog engulfed the area.
Occasionally, the sound of armor could be heard, suggesting that even the players were being turned into undead.
Ma Donghun lowered his body and moved around, dodging anything and everything.
His stealth skill wasn’t very high, but it was his only lifeline right now.
It was while he was navigating this way that it happened.
“Ugh!”
He thought he had tripped over a stone, but the next moment, his body was rolling down somewhere.
Crash! Bang!
When Ma Donghun came to his senses, something unfolded before his eyes.
An aura of wickedness oozed from its colossal body.
Something gigantic that should never exist was looking down at him.
“Oh… no…”
Boom…
That was the last sight Ma Donghun saw.
๑ஓ๑๑ஓ๑๑ஓ๑๑ஓ๑๑ஓ๑๑ஓ๑
Seo Yeonhee guided Mason and Deroa.
“This way.”
The path to Camp A was lined with numerous corpses. Some were old bones, while others were the bodies of players.
“My turn.”
Mason charged like a beast, destroying everything within reach. Even now, after getting somewhat used to it, his monstrous combat power was hard to believe.
“Let’s go.”
Mason and his party moved quickly.
And finally, Camp A came into view.
“The Portal Stone is deactivated.”
The Portal Stone, which should normally emit a bright light, was submerged in a dark color. It was because the power supply had been forcibly cut off.
“Can you repair it?”
“Yes, it wasn’t completely destroyed… It should work if I just reconnect the power.”
Seo Yeonhee clung to the Portal Stone.
Only then did they look around.
There… countless corpses were strewn about.
There were nearly hundreds of corpses.
There seemed to be well over a hundred player corpses as well.
“…”
At that moment, Mason’s eyes turned sharp.
“Deroa, behind me.”
“Why?”
“Look closely at the wounds.”
Even though their clothing and weapons were different, the wounds were mostly similar.
“They were all done in by one person.”
A long cut starting from the left collarbone and slicing through the upper body.
It was a slash that had sliced through with a single blow from a long blade.
‘A monster? Or…’
Just as his vague conjecture was turning into certainty.
“Get down!”
Mason reflexively turned and threw his hammer toward Seo Yeonhee.
Whoooosh…
The hammer grazed past Seo Yeonhee’s head and flew toward someone.
Clang!
Surprisingly, however, the opponent deflected the hammer with a swing of his sword.
Mason reached out to recall his hammer and simultaneously threw himself toward Seo Yeonhee.
“Haaap!”
Whoosh!
The heavy two-handed hammer bent like a whip. It was a blow packed with a terrifying amount of pressure. However, at that moment, the opponent cut not the hammer head, but the hammer shaft with his sword.
Slice!
As the hammer shaft was cut off, the hammer head lost its direction and spun before crashing into a tombstone.
However, by then, Mason was already shielding Seo Yeonhee.
It was a middle-aged man with a stubborn and unyielding impression.
He was clad in dragon bone armor and wielding a greatsword made from a dragon’s wing bone.
His face was pale. Blood was flowing from his mouth.
He was a corpse, or in a state close to death.
However, his blue eyes were fixed not on Mason, who was blocking his way, but on Seo Yeonhee.
Seo Yeonhee also recognized the opponent.
“Ronan…?”
“You know him?”
“Ronan MacLeod. An old colleague.”
Ronan stared at Seo Yeonhee with eyes filled with calm killing intent.
“It seems you’ve forgotten to mention that we’re enemies now.”
Mason was startled.
“You were alive?”
“Yes, still.”
At that moment, Ronan’s body swayed, and with peculiar footwork, he brushed past Mason.
It was a Long Strider Step, closing the distance with a single large stride.
Mason stretched out his arm to block Ronan’s abdomen.
As Ronan swung his dragon bone greatsword, Mason took a step forward while holding him.
Slice!
All that happened was a few strands of Seo Yeonhee’s hair were cut.
Ronan vomited a mouthful of blackened, dead blood. He growled, glaring at Mason.
“Why are you stopping me?”
“On the contrary, I should be asking why you’re fighting.”
“She’s my sworn brother’s enemy.”
Sebastian Ranieri. Bright and cheerful, he was loved by many. Ronan, who had been invited to a Western swordsmanship reenactment event, ended up stranded in Korea due to the monster outbreak.
For a middle-aged man who could only speak British English, Korea, in the midst of chaos, was too complicated a place to survive.
It was Sebastian, the embassy’s son, also stuck in Korea, who readily took care of him.
It is the nature of a Scotsman to remember both favors and grudges. Ronan took Sebastian, who had helped him, as his sworn brother. And…
“Seo Yeonhee ruined him.”
“No.”
“It’s you. You killed Sebastian.”
“I… didn’t…”
Seo Yeonhee answered with a strained voice, as if squeezing it out. It was because the topic, which was painful even to discuss, was being brought up by the person who could dig into it most sharply.
“I don’t know about what happened between you two.”
Mason said, holding Ronan in place.
“But is it urgent enough to be resolved here and now? In a place where hundreds, thousands of innocent lives are at stake? Is that how you honor your sworn brother?”
Ronan bit his lip, and Mason felt the pressure on his arm lessen.
“Whether it’s conversation or confrontation, it won’t be too late after this is over. Until then… take care of the most important thing first.”
At Mason’s words, Ronan nodded.
Thud.
At the same time, Ronan’s body collapsed.
As his willpower wavered, the near-fatal wounds finally caught up to him.
