787

 [Chapter 200]

[A Matter of Moments(7)]

Before the regression, the 2nd Uijeongbu Recapture War.

Although there were many casualties.

The recapture of Uijeongbu was progressing smoothly according to plan.

After Goeshini was subjugated, no other anomalies occurred.

But when players relaxed their guard and turned their attention to farming while carrying out the remaining operations─.

─Boom!!

Uijeongbu Station shook.

Bombardment came from somewhere.

The sudden bombardment took the lives of players who were subjugating monsters in the area.

And following that, shells rained down on Uijeongbu in succession.

"Shells! Shells are falling!"

"What's going on!? Why is the military suddenly bombarding!?"

"I don't know! Just run away!"

The players shouted in surprise.

They realized it was the military's doing from the direction the shells came from.

For some reason, the military stationed at Mangwolsa Station had come up to Uijeongbu and suddenly started bombarding.

"Run away! The city is collapsing! Run away before it collapses!!"

Why the military was bombarding.

There was no time to find the reason.

Surviving was the priority.

The commanders shouted at the top of their lungs to control the players.

Fortunately, the players who had become accustomed to following their commands during the recapture war followed obediently.

"Guardians, hold up shields and run at the front! Casters, supporters, block the shells!"

"Telepathists, send telepathy to the military that should be in Uijeongbu! Send telepathy to the superiors to ask what's going on!!"

The recapture team had fought hard to minimize damage to the city.

That effort was crumbling in vain.

The city was collapsing.

Even if players defended against the shells, it wasn't easy to block the impact that could destroy buildings in one hit.

Moreover, the shells were specially manufactured using mana alloys.

Bullets that deal fatal damage to the mana barriers monsters usually wrap around their bodies could also cause great harm to humans.

─Boom!!

The casters' magic is destroyed.

Shells that easily break through the protection magic spread by supporters cause explosions inside the barriers.

Also, as the shells collapse the city, the debris falls on the players' heads.

Piles of debris block the roads.

Players had to turn back to find new paths, and in the process, died from falling fragments.

"Huff huff huff...! Ara! Don't you have any protection magic to block the shells!?"

"I've been trying to think of something since earlier, but I can't think of any magic right now! Those are attacks that destroy mana barriers and are accompanied by physical force, so they don't have good compatibility with magic!"

"Damn... When we really need it, it's no help..."

"Hey! Tae-yang, what did you say?"

On Tae-yang's party was in the same situation.

At some point the platoon had scattered, and On Tae-yang's party had to somehow survive on their own.

So On Tae-yang was leading the party running towards Hoeryong Station.

Finding the direction wasn't difficult.

They just had to run towards the direction the shells were coming from, without needing Yoon I-byeol's help.

"Tae-yang, slow down a bit. Cha Eun-woo and Yoon I-byeol can't keep up."

"...Eun-woo, I-byeol! Can you both run more!? The situation is too urgent, so I think running fast is the only answer! Just hang in there a little more!"

"O-okay...! Don't worry about me..., hurry and go!"

"...Okay..."

At that moment, Hoshimiya Kaede scolded him.

Behind them, she and Bong Gu-rae were assisting Cha Eun-woo and Yoon I-byeol who were falling behind.

On Tae-yang glanced back.

With Kaede and Bong Gu-rae there, it's fine.

So he just had to break the debris falling from above or block the shells flying from the front.

At that moment, a shell fell precisely towards them.

"─Lee Cheon-seo!!"

"...I-I'll block it!"

On Tae-yang called Lee Cheon-seo.

Lee Cheon-seo made a "heuk" sound.

But he somehow managed to block the shell with a huge shield.

On Tae-yang put Lee Cheon-seo at the vanguard to block the bombardment.

─Boom!!

The bombardment didn't stop.

Yet there was still a long way to go.

Damn it...!!

On Tae-yang clicked his tongue.

At this speed, it would take a long time to reach Hoeryong Station.

Moreover, the roads keep collapsing.

It will become more difficult to leave Uijeongbu as time passes.

He gritted his teeth.

If only we could run a little faster...!

I'm fine, but... among the party members, there happen to be people who can't keep up....

We're falling behind because of the party members.

He couldn't shake off such thoughts.

Boom!!

Meanwhile, the bombardment didn't cease, but rather intensified.

Many people were dying.

On Tae-yang grew impatient seeing players dying futilely.

He thought that if he wasn't careful, he might die like them.

He put all his strength into his feet.

We need to run faster, faster, faster!

If only I could run faster than anyone else, faster than Kaede, we could survive the bombardment!!

Would I get faster if I activated my gift?

Would I get lighter if I discarded my luggage?

No, furthermore─.

─If I abandoned my party members....

Could I get even faster?

For a moment, such a thought occurred to him.

The situation was unavoidable.

What was needed now was not leadership, but to survive the bombardment even if scattered.

It's not abandoning them.

It's dispersing to survive individually.

Really abandon them?

The devil in his heart tempted him.

An intense temptation.

On Tae-yang couldn't shake it off.

Such thoughts crept up.

If that voice hadn't been heard from the bag on his back─.

─Want to run faster?

Then I'll be born in the form you desire.

Please take care of me from now on, master.

Perhaps he really would have done so.

But assumptions were meaningless.

Because such a thing didn't happen.

Phantasmal Beast Transformation

Flying Dragon's Armor

☆

2nd rank monster Maegu.

The reality that the boss of the red dungeon Gyeonggi Northern Provincial Office had appeared before their eyes was hard to believe.

People fell into panic.

─Crunch!

But before they could even accept the reality unfolding before their eyes.

The snow-white fox killed people.

In a moment of "Huh?".

People pierced by its long extended tails fell to the ground in droves.

I didn't think of this.

To think Maegu would come out of the dungeon using the Demon Face Manta Ray's power!

People lost their lives too easily before it.

Even the neck of <Earth Worker> Kwak Woo-hyuk, an A+ rank player of Dankun Clan who was also a 2nd generation Twelve Seats before the regression, flew off.

Hehehehehe

As if a human stepping on ants.

It was slaughtering players without using any particular strength.

─Meteor Shower

At that moment, Hoshimiya Kaede shot an arrow from somewhere.

The arrow that burst in mid-air split into dozens of fragments and fell.

It looked up at the night sky.

"...!!"

A speed hard to follow even with the eyes.

It, which avoided all the falling arrows, instantly leapt onto the building where Hoshimiya Kaede was.

Wind Barrage

There was no time to escape.

Kaede threw away her bow.

She quickly took out her tonfa and faced Maegu rushing at her.

But it was no match.

─Slow.

The attack didn't work.

Maegu, without even being grazed by the tonfa, extended one tail long.

The sharply curled tail pierced her stomach.

─Squelch!

The tail that pierced through her abdomen.

Blood dripped from the tail tip.

Kaede's eyes widened with an unbelieving face.

"Ah, aah..."

While suspended in mid-air.

While pierced by the tail.

Kaede coughed up blood.

The light in her eyes dimmed.

Weak ones die.

Maegu quickly lost interest.

It swung its tail, throwing her high into the sky.

And it took a stance to launch a final attack while waiting for her to fall.

Ox Walk

Hoshimiya Kaede falls.

Eun-ha, who had belatedly caught up to Maegu, immediately closed the remaining distance.

His arm was torn off by the rushing monster.

He didn't care.

He had to save her.

Phantasmal Beast Transformation

Phoenix Wings

He makes a big leap from the landing point.

The wings of flame sprouting from his back send him to the position he desires.

Eun-ha embraced Kaede.

──!!

But it was quick too.

At the moment Eun-ha hugged Kaede.

Then, its tail approached.

It can't be avoided.

It would be useless to raise a barrier or raise flames.

He had no choice but to block with his body.

Film Disposal

There was timely support.

<Time Witch> Priscis Memory.

She had revealed herself.

The magic she hurriedly spread blocked Maegu's attack.

"Fortunately, it seems the Pandora Clan Lord hasn't suffered severe injuries."

"...Thank you."

"As much as I'd like to treat the injuries of the person you're holding too, that seems a bit difficult. There must be many skilled people in Pandora Clan, so I'll have to ask them."

"Yes, I'll do that."

"It will only be for a moment, but I'll hold this place."

Hoshimiya Kaede must be saved.

Eun-ha decided to accept Priscis Memory's goodwill.

She should be able to block Maegu's attacks to some extent.

Moreover, it wasn't just her─.

─Boom!!!

Twelve Seats <Silent > Yu Su-jin.

She was there too.

Not just her, but all the snipers were sniping Maegu.

...Annoying

Even Maegu couldn't help it this time.

It growled after blocking attacks flying from various directions.

Meanwhile, Eun-ha jumped down from the building and looked for Roh Eun-ah.

"Noona!"

"I know! Let me see! ...It's too severe. It's not a level that can be treated in this situation."

"It's difficult to resolve with magic.... For now, we need to at least stop the blood from pouring out of the wound area with first aid. Ah, Yeou-bi unni! Come over here!"

Having received reports from the telepathists.

Roh Eun-ah was in a situation where she was preparing magic to treat Kaede.

Cha Eun-woo rushed in too.

Soon after, even Yeou-bi rushed in and was shocked seeing Kaede's wound.

Even without seeing their faces.

Eun-ha could tell how serious Kaede's injury was.

The decision was quick.

"─Eun-ah noona, take responsibility and bring Kaede to the Arts Center. There should be a few bottles of elixir stored in the warehouse assigned under Pandora Clan's name there. You know the observation deck password, right?"

"...Understood. I'll move to the Arts Center after emergency treatment is done. That should be enough to treat her."

In preparation for the recapture war.

Pandora Clan had prepared and stored elixirs.

The elixirs gathered that way were 3 bottles.

Eun-ha decided to use the elixirs gathered for this day.

"Take Pa-rang hyung too!"

"If we ride Pa-rang, we don't know what might happen from the shaking! I'll use Su-bin's broom instead!"

Eun-ha sent Roh Eun-ah off.

He watched her hitch a ride on Bae Su-bin's broom and transport Kaede with magic.

Thud!

Meanwhile, players were struggling with all their might to defeat Maegu.

Priscis Memory fell.

It, which had torn off her arm, looked around.

Whoosh!

As if grinning.

It suddenly threw the arm into the midst of the players.

The players flinched.

Shall we see if you don't die even like this?

This time I'll tear off a leg, it said.

Maegu said while stomping on her back pinned to the ground with its front paw.

Earth Dragon's Rage

Spider Web Domination

Chong Eun-ju and Han Chang-jin countered this.

<Earth Dragon> Chong Eun-ju activated magic to distance it from Priscis Memory.

Han Chang-jin and other players quickly bound Maegu's body.

What are you trying to do with mere threads?

Maegu chuckled.

It easily broke the restraints binding its body.

And it rushed at Han Chang-jin.

Shadow Wal...

Slow.

Han Chang-jin tries to avoid.

But by then, it had already approached close range.

It grinned.

Nine tails undulated.

Gift <Beast >

Mode: Blade Wolf

Blade Thrust

Just before one tail aimed at him.

Jin Pa-rang, transformed into a giant wolf, suddenly passed through that gap.

Maegu's attack was in vain.

The fur of the Blade Wolf, which has the characteristic of even breaking blades, injured its tail.

Snow-white fur fell off.

Grrrr!

Maegu narrowed its eyes thinly.

It watched Jin Pa-rang rushing at it as if to check the opponent's skill.

What, you're weak too.

But it quickly lost interest.

As if it had confirmed Jin Pa-rang's skill just from his leaping motion.

It snorted.

And then it leapt as if to show what a beast's battle is.

It threw its body into the air and changed direction midway.

──!!

It bites and cuts Jin Pa-rang's body just like that.

After landing on the ground, it shook Jin Pa-rang held in its mouth back and forth.

The giant wolf was tossed around by a fox smaller than itself.

Thud! Thud!

It slams him to the ground.

It rips with its claws.

With just that, Jin Pa-rang lost consciousness and barely saved his life.

As a result of the Blade Wolf's fur being hard, it couldn't aim for vital points with ordinary attacks.

Blaze Crasher

Moreover, Eun-ha stepped in too.

Using the power of winter crawling on snow, Eun-ha swung his sword strike like a whip.

It, which thought it was a monotonous sword strike, was hit on the cheek by the sword strike that curved midway, and put down Jin Pa-rang.

Whether Jin Pa-rang's gift was released or not.

Maegu turned its gaze to Eun-ha.

Thousand Steps

Ox Walk

Flow Speed

Thousand Steps

Eun-ha immediately dashed.

Mok Min-ho, Choi Eun-hyuk, and Yu Nam-hoon also jumped in after receiving Eun-ha's signal.

Their blades rushing from four directions were imbued with mana and emitted light.

Gift <Heroic >

His heart pounded.

The gift was activating.

Eun-ha approached Maegu first and captured its attention.

The sword imbued with flames fell before its eyes, pushing it back.

Flames rose around.

──!!

Through those flames.

The three people who came running after burst out.

They unleashed the mana they had been holding in their swords.

Pandora Clan Formation D

Pinwheel

Sword strikes flying from three directions.

Maegu avoided them as if annoyed, and the sword strikes concentrated on one point.

 At that moment, the three sword strikes exploded, creating a massive storm.

A fiery tempest magnificently enveloped the surrounding area.

"─You fox bastard."

And cleaving the flames vertically.

Kang Hyeon-cheol bared his teeth.

Maegu flinched seeing him.

It hadn't noticed due to the raging mana storm.

The sword fell.

It quickly swung its front paw.

─Who do you think broke their sword against that fox bastard?

It grabbed the sword.

Whether its front paw was burned by the flames or not.

It finally broke the sword.

"...!!"

Kang Hyeon-cheol was flustered.

Maegu grinned.

Its tail moved to pierce his head.

Blast Cross

At this, Eun-ha barely managed to strike it with his sword.

There was no time to choose targets.

Believing Kang Hyeon-cheol would survive on his own, he caught Maegu off guard.

Unfortunately, Maegu only moved away from Kang Hyeon-cheol without taking much damage.

"Blaze Clan Lord, please fall back and provide support. We'll handle this here with others."

Stepping in front of Kang Hyeon-cheol.

Eun-ha infused mana into his sword, ready to face it at any moment.

Right at that moment─.

─My body is a fortress.

And sometimes a prison.

<One-Man Fortress> Chu Young-hoon.

Receiving signals from the navigators, Chu Young-hoon, who had been preparing magic in the rear, finally activated his magic.

Faster than Maegu's movements.

A form reminiscent of a fortress was created around it.

Oh ho, interesting.

Even when it rammed with its body, the fortress hardly shook.

Maegu showed curiosity after confirming the fortress's strength.

But, you should think about this case too.

The case where magic is returned, I mean.

It waved its tail.

An unknown magic activated.

At that moment, the fortress emitted light.

The fortress suddenly disappeared.

Maegu disappeared too.

And the fortress appeared where Chu Young-hoon had been.

Maegu was there too.

When the players belatedly realized, Maegu and Chu Young-hoon were trapped inside the fortress.

"...Aaaaarghhhhhh!!!"

Hehehehehe

Chu Young-hoon screams.

He pounds on the fortress walls.

The fortress didn't budge at all.

It was useless for players to attack from outside to try to break the fortress.

"S-save... Guherk...!!"

As if saying it wouldn't kill him quietly.

Maegu killed Chu Young-hoon inside the fortress without any interference from anyone.

People outside the fortress could only helplessly listen to Chu Young-hoon's death throes from inside.

Eventually─.

─When you kill the caster, magic is naturally dispelled like this.

Ah, this one was fun.

Chu Young-hoon's screams stopped.

The fortress turned into particles and disappeared.

""""...."""

In the place where the fortress vanished.

What used to be Chu Young-hoon was scattered on the ground.

Maegu gently took the head, the only part with a recognizable form, in its mouth.

It showed the players Chu Young-hoon who died with a despairing face.

And─.

─Crunch!

In front of everyone.

Maegu crushed his head.

Once again, what used to be Chu Young-hoon fell to the ground with a thud.

Who's next?

☆

At the news of 2nd rank Maegu's appearance.

The Arts Center was thrown into chaos.

Players fell into panic.

Telepathy with screams of telepathists embedded in it was arriving.

"Reporting the damage status! Twelve Seats <Thunder Emperor> Lee Do-jin, currently withdrawing from the front line due to injury! Reportedly receiving treatment from supporters!"

"Ask if he can return to the front line!"

"He says he'll return somehow! And <Silent > Yu Su-jin was attacked and now her hand is..."

Only bad news kept pouring into the situation room.

People's faces were pale.

Jung Ha-yang was the same.

The damage is too severe.

People are dying without being able to respond properly.

<Earth Worker> died.

<One-Man Fortress> is said to have died too.

It seems Hoshimiya Kaede was injured and is returning to be treated with elixir.

Many other people died as well.

Jung Ha-yang bit her lip hard.

She had to think of a way to deal with Maegu somehow.

In fact, the method was simple.

─We just need to defeat the Demon Face Manta Ray.

Right now, Maegu is out in Uijeongbu thanks to the Demon Face Manta Ray's power.

If we defeat the Demon Face Manta Ray, the red dungeon created in Uijeongbu will disappear and Maegu won't be able to stay there anymore.

We just need to subjugate the Demon Face Manta Ray.

Jung Ha-yang knew, and other commanders knew too.

But it wasn't as easy as they thought.

<Thunder Emperor> Lee Do-jin, who first reported Maegu's existence, judged that he couldn't subjugate Maegu alone.

And he tried to somehow subjugate the Demon Face Manta Ray while avoiding Maegu.

Then Maegu blocked him.

Even now, Maegu was rampaging to prevent players from subjugating it.

We can't subjugate the Demon Face Manta Ray while in Maegu's sight.

We need a separate detachment.

Others need to draw Maegu's attention to create an opportunity for the detachment to subjugate the Demon Face Manta Ray.

Jung Ha-yang racked her brains.

She organized her thoughts.

They had to dispatch personnel from the Arts Center to kill the Demon Face Manta Ray.

But the problem was─.

─There's no one who can deal a blow to the Demon Face Manta Ray....

Even if she went to assist.

The people remaining at the Arts Center were closer to roles supporting the vanguard.

There were no suitable attackers.

Even <Thunder Emperor> Lee Do-jin couldn't properly damage the Demon Face Manta Ray, so even if they went in droves, they wouldn't be able to deal much damage.

Jung Ha-yang grew anxious.

Right at that moment─.

"─Ha-yang unni! We got a message from the 3rd Attack Platoon! They say <First Sword> Ji Yong-hyeon changed direction while marching to the Arts Center leading the wounded! He says he'll face Maegu even though he can't fight properly due to injury..."

On Tae-hee reported urgently.

Jung Ha-yang's mind cleared.

"Where is his current position? Get the coordinates and report quickly."

"Yes! I'll ask Mary unni!"

There was one attacker.

Twelve Seats <First Sword> Ji Yong-hyeon.

A player known to have no match with the sword in this country.

He should be able to do it.

No, he must do it.