episode_0332

Heading towards the back of the core, avoiding combat with monsters.

I wish I could process more here if possible…

[pain]

‘I got injured a lot, which was different from what I planned.’

A body that aches and pains even when still. Some parts have completely lost sensation. No matter how you look at it, it is not in a normal state.

[somnolence]

I felt like lying on the floor and sleeping for a few days.

[feeling of defeat]

This wasn’t the original plan.

Avoid injuries as much as possible, reduce monsters, and approach the core to reduce the aftereffects of rampage.

That plan was ruined by the intervention of the Tower of Purgatory and the 10th summons he summoned.

Thanks to that, my body, which had to endure the aftereffects of the rampage, became no better than a rag.

-Sorry, I messed up for no reason. You got hurt a lot because of me, and you missed the incarnation of Topju.

[complicacy]

‘What a real nuisance…’

He messed up the whole thing once. Thanks to him, the situation is extremely awkward.

[awe]

It is unknown how much of the aftereffects a healthy body can withstand, but in this state, it is dangerous beyond words.

[resolution]

But, even after coming this far, I can’t just run away.

-thud!

A huge vibration that shook my wounded internal organs. It was the pulsation of the nucleus that was no different from the heart inside.

‘If we leave it alone, it’ll explode soon.’

There is a strong sense of foreboding and malice in the vibration. If you back off, saying you’ll wait until later, it will explode in an instant.

I really need to do it now.

-Uh, uh… phew…

My throat hurts like I’ve swallowed a lump of ash. I swallowed the pain and recovered with emergency measures.

Recovery magic. And by imitating the healing melody through homogenization, he drew life from Mt. Taesan and put it into his body.

-Phew, phew…

This is the best short-term measure.

After taking a short breath, I observed the proof of the guardian continuing to feed me magic power.

A pure white water. As it is filled with magical power, circuits are reflected on its surface and golden waves are scattered around it.

[You? You? Are you okay?]

He tapped the guardian’s certificate with his right hand, which was completely burnt.

There is a kind of self in purification. Sometimes it vibrates and tells me to take it out often, and it comes up on its own and taps me, so I can’t help but notice it.

The proof of guardianship will probably be similar.

I have never personally moved it, but if I think about it, I have sent a doctor.

[I don’t know what criteria you used to choose it. But since you’re trying to do a good job right now, please help me out if possible.]

After saying that, I found myself laughing without realizing it.

Even if there was an ego, it was absurd to rely on artifacts.

Who are you expecting to see in democracy when you put your own head up there?

The tower guards said that Ariel was the one who drove me to the brink of death.

I didn’t really sympathize with the selection.

I could have run away at any time.

I could have stepped back to save my life. I could have saved my body and given a few strangers a chance to see me.

That wasn’t the case.

Moving forward and sticking my head out is ultimately my choice.

Did the environment force the choice? I can’t deny it, but I can’t confirm it either.

There was a way out, but in the end, I was the one who refused.

‘I am.’

I want to do the right thing and be proud of myself.

I wanted to be praised for not running away at that time.

I wanted to proudly prove that I deserved to be loved.

That’s it.

It’s not for others, it’s for me.

-Woooosh!

He stretched out his proof of guardianship.

The warm-up is sufficiently complete. The power has been saved for a while, so the output can be raised beyond the limit.

‘Izettert─’

-Protection doesn’t mean sacrifice.

A clear voice rang in my head at that moment. As I flinched at the sound, the proof of guardianship that trembled along with me poured out golden magic.

-Therefore, the guardian must also value his own life.

The power of protection began to unfold on its own. Golden light filled the surroundings. It was a more skilled use than when it was directly expressed.

I opened my mouth in a daze at that sight.

‘… I didn’t know you would really come.’

The help that responded to my complaint was incredibly embarrassing.

[…thank you]

But I needed help. Woof! A vibration of reply flowed.

He smiled faintly and reached out his hand.

The operation was simple.

If we compare it to a water balloon with a full back, the power of space creates a hole through which the contents can escape.

You shouldn’t completely burst the hole. You should let water trickle out little by little.

I need to reduce the aftereffects that occur at this time.

The point where the aftermath begins is the nucleus, and the role of stopping the aftermath is the power of the guardian.

‘Expression.’

The power of protection.

The power of space.

Magic power is put into the proof of protection, and psychic power is put into the authority of space.

The emergency response was cut off. Observation was cut off and the information coming into my head also disappeared.

I feel it with my remaining senses and emotions.

I touched the core with the power of space. There is a strong sense of resistance that arises. I grit my teeth and break through the resistance, and interfere.

-Crunch

The core shook. Then, it was crushed in the palm of my hand and crushed terribly.

A tiny hole is drilled.

The backflow that broke through the hole hit the power of the guardian.

-Bam!

For a moment, a shock of great intensity pierced through the barrier and hit my body.

…

[question]

[pang]

[hungry]

[Thirsty]

[it hurts]

[it’s tough]

[I’m sleepy]

[cold]

[Lonely…]

My consciousness and body floated up.

***

Immediately after the rate of return entered the background.

The association issued a mobilization order to the entire region and simultaneously mobilized its own defense and punitive forces.

‘There are a lot of people here.’

Maxwell, who was staying at the scene, looked around.

The foundation was built in advance to surround the entrance behind this rate.

A large number of personnel are attached to it, and it is time to finally inspect and expand the defensive facilities and fortifications.

It’s not just the association’s personnel. They are superhumans who came from all over the world, riding the gate terminal and running in a hurry.

‘Well, that makes sense.’

The mobilization order came at a time when African magic was already boiling, and the location is not the black area but the gray area.

That alone would have been surprising to those who had read the situation, but there was something else that was shocking.

The authority to give instructions lies with the ‘Association President.’

The position of the head of the association has not been changed since its establishment.

The Tower of Tuning and the Tower of Space. They have been reclusive beings like the other tower lords for the past several decades.

They gave direct instructions.

That is, although there has been no exact announcement, the semi-shelter has been broken.

Material support poured in from the forces that had made that judgment, and even forces that were not included in the mobilization order stepped forward to lend their strength.

It was not a case of following moral principles, but rather a strong tendency to go directly to the scene and grasp the situation.

It was as expected. There is also a hint that it was the association president’s directive.

Thanks to this, so many forces have gathered to stop this rampage.

‘But I didn’t know they would be that active…’

Maxwell turned his gaze to a facility located in the rear.

A facility that towers higher than the castle walls. It was an observation tower, an observation device that had been installed with great care.

It was a surprising move on Maxwell’s part.

The association had to request support from the observatory, but they didn’t know that they would just take down the equipment installed elsewhere and install it there.

Plus, there are wizards who move busily all over the front lines without being able to close their eyes.

The uniform of the non-magician of the association and power stands out.

These are battle magicians who have sent support from the Magic Council.

There, the city cradle is also sending a lot of manpower and supplies like crazy.

Other forces who read this trend became even more vigilant and began to send support together.

There…

“Can you please look away? Honestly, I’m really scared.”

Those murderous gazes seemed like they would pierce a hole in him if he let his guard down. Maxwell broke out in a cold sweat.

“Why? Are you afraid your head will suddenly burst?”

“Atra, don’t be so harsh. They were just following orders, weren’t they?”

The person I was most familiar with was Artra, who was crossing her arms. However, even just looking at her, she seemed very uncomfortable, so I didn’t have the confidence to touch her.

Next to her, Rihanna seemed to be trying to comfort Atra, but the murderous atmosphere surrounding her also seemed to have subsided.

One is the current top-tier hero, and the other is the actual top-tier former hero.

He is a superhuman who will be treated with great respect wherever he goes.

They’re not the only ones around.

“… … ”

“Wow, you told me not to worry, but you crawled into a place like this? You weren’t in a position to worry about me? ”

“… There must be a story… Um… ”

“Senior Jiyeon, even if there is a story behind this incident… ”

Hong Yeon-hwa stares at the flattened battlefield without saying a word.

Baek A-rin looks around the defense line in disbelief.

Lee Ji-yeon hesitates while defending Lee Ha-yool, and Elia shakes her head sullenly.

The three major families also contributed to this mobilization order.

It’s not strange. The three families have a good relationship with the association.

But this time it was different.

As if the family’s elite troops were insufficient, the family’s successors came to the front lines in person.

Maxwell had been possessed by them for several days and had no choice but to divulge the information.

If it was really top secret information, I would have kept my mouth shut even if I died, but since it had already come to this, I couldn’t hide it, so I obediently blew it.

And it’s been like this ever since.

“… I’ll go out for a moment to do some maintenance.”

Maxwell hurriedly left the place.

Artra furrowed her brows as her stress reliever disappeared, then turned her gaze to Hong Yeon-hwa.

Hong Yeon-hwa was the first to notice Geum-jok’s sudden behavior and suggest that they form an army to help him.

Although I agreed with the idea that this rate could be dangerous, I still had some doubts.

Lee Ha-yul kept his mouth shut about being entangled with Top Joo, but how did Hong Yeon-hwa find out about it?

-I don’t know the details either. I wasn’t sure about it either. So I just had a hunch, but it really happened.

The answer was this. He said he wasn’t sure either.

I thought it was some kind of nonsense, but the expression on his face was not a lie, so I didn’t ask any questions.

‘What the heck… there really was something like this?’

It really was. Hong Yeon-hwa couldn’t hide her shock and anger as she looked at the battlefield.

That night, she recalled the strange phenomenon that occurred when Lee Ha-yool’s necklace was seen.

The necklace that answered her questions with the concept of the other side, just like an answering machine.

There is even an unknown concept called turnaround.

Hong Yeon-hwa, who instinctively wanted to ask more questions, stopped asking questions there.

I can’t tell if the necklace is really filtered.

If a restriction or curse is placed on Lee Ha-yool by any chance, Hong Yeon-hwa will not be able to recover.

‘… You can’t ask like that.’

There was also the question of trust.

How many times have you regretted not being able to control your emotions towards Lee Mi-ha?

Hong Yeon-hwa was not a superhuman who never made mistakes, but she was someone who could reflect on her mistakes.

Later, I decided to hear the situation directly from Lee Ha-yool, and swallowed my curiosity.

But I have already heard that there is an unidentified phenomenon called ‘If’ and that Lee Ha-yool is trying to solve it.

I don’t know the truth, but just in case, I gathered up my troops by poking around here and there, and then the real association issued a mobilization order and I collapsed.

‘What the heck.’

Crazy Geumjok. He couldn’t control his expression at all.

“Can’t we go in through that entrance?”

“It’s hard to make a hole the size of a finger with just any space magic.”

“Geumjogi can handle spatial magic at a level higher than that, so she probably got in through it.”

“Haa… ”

Sighs of emotion echoed everywhere. Hong Yeon-hwa also checked her weapons while riding on the wave.

-Wooow!

“Huh?”

It was then that a vibration flowed through the defensive line that everyone could feel.

[This is the Association’s salt power director, Balanier. The current observation device is observing signs of a runaway disaster ‘If’. Please head to your respective locations. I will relay this again. Currently─]

A voice rang in my head. Everyone nearby made eye contact, nodded, and stood up from their seats.

.

.

.

The back entrance cannot be seen with the naked eye.

Even those whose senses were developed beyond that level felt a sense of discomfort, but were unable to perceive it accurately.

-There’s something. A dungeon… No, there’s something worse than that. What the heck is this…

Even those who were half in doubt were only convinced when they saw the faces of the members of the observation team who had dismantled the observation equipment turn pale.

-Kugugugugugugu…!

“If that’s it…?”

It is now visible to the naked eye.

The back entrance surrounded by a large space. In an otherwise ordinary space, a black sphere is floating and shaking like crazy.

Everyone’s expressions hardened as they felt the eerieness coming from the sphere.

The faces of some people hardened at the fact that someone had entered a place like that.

[Runaway warning measurement, 20, 19, 18…]

The voice of a person with the ability to directly transmit the values coming from the observation device.

Even those who came simply to get information about the association president gulped at the ominous omen.

[2,1…]

-Kwaaah!

The moment the countdown ends.

An overwhelming sense of pressure enveloped all around. Boom! The barrier surrounding the battlefield cracked, and some people collapsed on the ground, gasping for breath.

“Wizard! Maintain the barrier!”

The terrified wizard quickly raised his staff and strengthened his barrier and defense.

But the rampage has only just begun.

The bulging sphere tore apart and poured out black energy in all directions.

-Kwarrr!

The energy that swallows up the flattened battlefield in an instant.

A black aura like ink surged like waves, crashing into the walls and barriers, and even dyeing the air black.

“Check space occupancy!”

It’s like a dungeon rampage. It’s establishing dominance over space. In that space, monsters are compensated, and other existences are suppressed.

Is that all?

In the ink-like energy, monsters that had been caught up in the frenzy began to quickly escape.

There are so many monsters that appear in the blink of an eye. According to the association’s information, this phenomenon may continue for a long time.

A disaster that would have been desperate if it had been a sudden omen.

“Monster overflow confirmed! Prepare for long-range bombardment!”

“Wait for battle! Defeat monsters approaching the workshop!”

“The first detection team detects monsters of 4th tier or higher, and the second detection team detects the number of monsters appearing!”

This would have been an impossible response if things had continued as they were.

Erosion would have come all at once, not in a few days, and would have destroyed all countermeasures.

The monsters on the other side would have poured out all at once and spread throughout the world.

But now it’s different.

Erosion will take place over a long period of time, and monsters will gradually emerge from limited entrances.

I knew the signs at that point and made thorough preparations.

The forces and power gathered here are truly enormous.

Bombardment magic struck here and there, and spirits and demons fought against monsters rushing toward the defensive line.

High-ranking monsters that he cannot handle are defeated efficiently by superhumans.

Thorough preparations were made, and the disaster that ran wild was sufficiently prevented by extreme restraint within.

-Ugh, creak…!

Lee Ha-yool, who was thrown out in the midst of the chaos, was unable to accurately know about such a positive situation.

– Thud! Thud!

– Clarararak!

He rolled over with difficulty, avoiding the attacks of monsters pouring in from all directions, his face distorted.

There’s no need to worry. My body has become crippled. I feel like I’m going to lose consciousness any moment now.

All my mental power was consumed. Observation and space were also turned off.

My senses became dull or cut off. It was difficult to easily perceive external situations.

All I could do was infer that I had been swept up in the chaos and entered the world through a space that had suddenly changed.

‘Blood, damage must be reduced…’

My mind was on the verge of breaking. The thought that I had to reduce the damage echoed.

It’s a disaster that the whole world has to deal with, but in the end, it was his own intention that brought them here.

As a result, I couldn’t help but feel responsible for the casualties that would result.

Therefore, Lee Ha-yool made an instinctive judgment and immediately took action.

‘Ba, expression… homogenization… ‘

Crunch! The fingers dug into the ground. The ground shook, and a spirit rose from between the cracks.

“…!?”

Jiyeon Lee, who was coordinating the command from the top of the wall, raised her head in surprise at the familiar sound she felt in the waves of monsters.

Mt. Taishan.

The commanders who had been stored in the lower space poured into the middle of the battlefield while receiving the blessings of Taesan.