From the Start, a Boss?
“Of course. Already consumed, are we? So, nothing’s really changed.”
The woman’s playful smile faded, though the corners of her mouth remained upturned in a mocking grin. I had already assessed her information with my third eye. As I climbed the stairs, countless thoughts began to close off, merging into a single possibility.
Kwon Sora tilted her head slightly, watching me. Just as she was about to speak, I beat her to it.
“When you say ‘welcome,’ it sounds like you’re offering hospitality.”
“Yes! The master instructed us to bring you with utmost respect.”
“Funny way of showing respect, with all those tricks. I didn’t appreciate it.”
“Oh? And who was it that tore through the barrier uninvited?”
Kwon Sora shrugged off my complaint with a smirk, clicking her tongue and spreading her fingers as if to say there was no helping it.
“Well, since you were displeased, the barrier’s been lifted. Anyway, the master is quite curious about you. Yes, you, the handsome one at the front.”
”…”
“You have two choices. First, follow me quietly and accept the master’s invitation. Second—”
She paused, clapping her hands with a sly smile. As if on cue, dozens of people emerged from the shadows, their eyes the same lifeless gray as hers.
With a satisfied look, she continued confidently, “Resist pointlessly, get beaten to a pulp, and be dragged away unconscious. So, what’s your choice?”
“Third option: kill all of you and your so-called master.”
“Oh, the second option? You’re too handsome for that. I’ll give you another chance. Choose the first, and you’ll be treated as a guest. But the second option involves losing limbs for the men and… well, something worse for the women.”
“Crazy woman. Everyone, prepare for battle.”
Seeing no point in further conversation, I drew my sword, its blade gleaming in the sunlight. Behind me, I sensed my clan members readying their weapons. Kwon Sora feigned a sad expression, sighed dramatically, and then grinned widely.
“If you insist on drinking the bitter cup, so be it. Boys?”
”…”
“Get them! But don’t kill them. We want to have some fun, don’t we?”
”───. ───. ───.”
At her command, several of her followers began chanting spells. This was different from previous battles, where we relied on defensive tactics against foes without long-range capabilities. This time, we faced users like ourselves.
There were about forty of them, mostly melee fighters, but there were archers and mages among them. However…
“Go Yeonju.”
“Got it~.”
Yeonju’s voice responded lazily from behind. Shadows rose beneath the feet of those aiming bows or chanting spells. The shadows lightly grazed their necks, and soon, fountains of blood erupted from eleven throats.
Thud, thud.
Kwon Sora’s smile vanished instantly, her eyes widening in shock. Kim Hanbyul stepped forward, aiming to the right, casting a spell she had prepared from the start.
”───. ───. ───. Radiant embrace of the dawn.”
A jewel floated up, glowing brightly before shattering, unleashing a wave of light that engulfed a group of enemies. It was a large-scale spell she had used before against the Rhinoceros.
“Argh!”
“Aaah!”
Hanbyul’s expression was cold yet serene. Those caught in her magic screamed in agony, their bodies writhing despite their altered minds. As the wave of light passed, they lay on the ground, their skin scorched.
In just two attacks, we had reduced their numbers by nearly half. Starting the battle with such an advantage, especially after Yeonju took out the long-range users, was significant.
“Oh, shit.”
Realizing the gravity of the situation, Kwon Sora’s face twisted for the first time. She stumbled back, falling on her rear, her lips trembling. Despite the remaining enemies, I ignored them, tapping my sword as I advanced.
“This can’t be happening… Shit! Don’t come any closer!”
“You have three choices. First, die by my sword. Second, die by my comrades. Yoojeong’s been itching to get at you since you mentioned that disgusting option. Third, take your own life.”
“H-help me! What are you doing? Take care of this bastard!”
“Stop your whining.”
Kwon Sora’s abilities were unimpressive. But her commanding presence suggested she had authority over the users or vagrants surrounding us. Her orders sent the remaining twenty enemies charging at me, but my clan members were ready.
Even though we were outnumbered 40 to 7, the difference in power was too great. If they had a few users of our caliber, it might have been a tough fight. But they didn’t, and their skills were mediocre at best.
“Ugh!”
“Argh!”
Once more, shadows flitted through the air, followed by dying screams. Yeonju had already ensnared twenty enemies with her shadows. Having been a keeper in previous battles, she was eager to showcase her prowess as the
“Suhyeon. Should we kill them all? Or what do you want to do?”
“Leave a few for Ahn Hyun and Lee Yoojeong. They need something to do.”
“Oh, my mistake. Haha.”
“Enthusiasm is good, but let’s be considerate.”
Exchanging a few lighthearted words with Yeonju, I closed the distance to Kwon Sora. As I approached, she looked up at me as if I were a monster.
“Ah, no!”
About five steps away, she scrambled to her feet and tried to flee. But—
“Bind!”
“Aaah!”
Thud, thud.
Her escape was short-lived. Ahn Sol’s spell, prepared in advance, struck her back, leaving her rigid and rolling on the ground. Thanks to Sol’s timely intervention, I leisurely approached and grabbed Kwon Sora by the hair.
“Eek!”
“Hey, I’ve got a question.”
Her long hair lifted, resembling an uprooted plant. I wasn’t planning to kill her immediately. I had a hunch about who their master was, but I wanted to know where they were waiting for us. No need to wander this vast city aimlessly; better to find out and then deal with them.
“M-master! Help me!”
“Hey, I said I have a question. Open your eyes and stop babbling.”
“Help me! Master! Save me!”
“On second thought, I want to accept your master’s invitation. So, why not tell me where they’re waiting for us?”
Slap!
Her initial bravado was gone. Seeing her trembling with her eyes shut tight, I felt a twinge of irritation. Even after a light slap with my sword, she refused to open her eyes, only repeating her pleas for help. Deciding to end it, I was about to thrust my sword when—
Vwoom!
A strange sound resonated in the air, familiar yet unsettling. It was the sound of space distorting, something I’d heard before. Pausing, I turned to see the air about two meters above the ground slowly splitting open.
“A portal spell? Or spatial transfer?”
“Oh! Master! Master! The master’s here!”
“Master?”
Eventually, the split in the air widened, forming a round hole. Seeing Kwon Sora’s delighted expression, it seemed her master had finally arrived. Relieved that I wouldn’t have to deal with her alone, I quickly pressed my sword against her throat. She let out a strangled “Ack!” and coughed up blood mixed with foam.
Her eyes widened in disbelief as she clutched her neck. I tossed her aside and turned my gaze to the void.
“Go Yeonju, are the captives still alive?”
“Uh, yes. Some of them.”
“Kill them now.”
“Understood—”
“Not so fast.”
At that moment, a hand and a foot emerged from the circular rift. The hand snapped its fingers with a gentle voice.
Snap!
“What the—?”
With each snap, a strange phenomenon occurred. The shadows binding the captives began to vanish, as if erased. Not just the shadows she had conjured, but all shadows on the ground disappeared with an odd sound, leaving no trace. Even Go Yeonju seemed caught off guard, frowning slightly as she readied her dagger.
“Sora, sorry I’m late… Oh, already dead? Impatient, aren’t you? Tsk tsk.”
The figure that fully emerged from the portal was an elderly man, old enough to be mistaken for a grandfather. He clicked his tongue at the sight of Kwon Sora clutching her neck on the ground, then addressed the freed captives.
“Seems you lot aren’t up to the task. Fall back.”
‘So this is Kwon Sora’s master? Finally, he shows himself.’
Though it felt a bit premature, I scrutinized the old man’s face. He was tall but gaunt, with long hair and a beard streaked with white. His eyes were lined with wrinkles, yet his expression matched the gentle voice I’d heard—a kind, grandfatherly demeanor.
Sensing my gaze, the old man glanced at me and spoke.
“Are you the one who killed this girl?”
“And if I am?”
“Such insolence. Couldn’t you have waited a bit? I was rather fond of her.”
“Ah, yes. But she mentioned dismembering men and raping women as options. Not exactly the warmest welcome.”
“Enough of that. Who enjoys hearing such twisted politeness?”
As I conversed with the old man who had appeared from nowhere, I felt a strange sense of déjà vu. Despite the fact that more than half of his subordinates lay defeated, he showed no sign of regret—only annoyance. Scratching his head in irritation, he sighed deeply.
“Ah, so Sora told you to dismember and rape? I never said such things… Just to be polite… Ah, perhaps her mind was influenced by her nature. Tsk. Failed experiments… Anyway, if she really said that, I apologize. It must have been unpleasant.”
The old man muttered to himself like Vivian often did, offering a half-hearted apology without even looking at me.
The atmosphere was taking an odd turn. Between the old man and me, there was a sense of leisure, a confidence born from absolute self-assurance. It was the kind of calm only those who had survived countless battles could possess. I took a deep breath, steadying myself.
The freed captives slowly retreated behind the old man, while my clan members regrouped, keeping a wary eye on the front. A brief silence ensued. The old man, lost in thought, smacked his lips and turned back to me.
“So, are you… what do they call you? Users?”
”…Hmm.”
“Hmm? Answer me, you rude user. Anyway, I did invite you—well, you specifically. Despite the discord, let’s move past it. How about we sheathe our swords and have a chat at my castle?”
His voice remained gentle and soothing, though the proposal was laughable. Having received similar offers from intelligent monsters before, I wasn’t fazed. Instead of replying verbally, I raised my sword, the Ilwol Divine Blade, as my answer. At the same time, I activated my third eye, focusing on the old man.
”…”
As I absorbed the flood of information that appeared, I felt my eyes narrow involuntarily.
---------------------------= Author’s Note ---------------------------=
Hello, this is Ro Yujin.
I visited Joara’s headquarters today! It was a fun and very informative experience. Haha. Anyway, the e-book editing is finally underway. I plan to start tomorrow. Since I won’t have much time during the semester, I need to make significant progress this vacation. :D The weekend is almost here! Hang in there, everyone, and keep fighting! (I trust students are on break, right?)
『 Reader Comments 』
MTBear: Congrats on being first. gg. Reminds me of StarCraft. I had so much fun with it. ㅜ.ㅠ
破天魔痕: Correct. A high-level mage has appeared. Who could it be~?
Lepil: Yes! It was a truly enlightening experience. The Joara team is more dedicated to the site than I imagined. :)
Hyunoh: Hmm. The BL comment was a joke. I wouldn’t actually write BL! There will be no BL content in the story. Hehe.
hohokoya1: The opponent is formidable, but considering Suhyun’s class, powers, and hidden strength, you can guess the outcome. Planning to reveal some power this time, like when facing Belphegor. :)
Fabian: Right. But the vagrants got wiped out by Go Yeonju. ㅜ.ㅠ Level 10 is strong. Hmm.
dkapqk: Now that you mention it, I wish unicorns existed. Especially baby unicorns. I’d love to cuddle one to sleep. ㅋㅋㅋㅋ.
rhkdel2 + SoshiIsJustAwesome: No, that’s my editor. The one handling the e-book. But yes, he’s handsome. ㅋㅋㅋㅋ. Hmm. Now that I think about it, I’m envious. He’s a genuinely kind person. :D
Seedel: Uh, Kim Hanbyul is already female. Perhaps you meant Baek Hangyeol?
LatiDoll: 1. For the northern continent, consider it 55%~65%. But you don’t need to conquer it all to obtain the Zero Code. 2. I’ll refrain from discussing angels and demons to avoid spoilers. 3. Users. Specifically, those granted settings by angels, allowing them to ‘use’ them. Hence the term ‘user’. :)
Thank you for reading. Your recommendations and comments are a great encouragement.
I hope you always read with a relaxed mind.
Recommendations, comments, critiques, and questions are always welcome.