“What? The warp gate isn’t working?”
“Yes, it seems some vagrants have tampered with the magic circle.”
As the confirmation came, a shadow of worry passed over the faces of the clan members. Just when they thought they could finally escape, their hopes vanished like a mirage. Now, all eyes were on me, waiting for a solution.
There was only one option left: we had to make our way out through the city gates.
‘But which gate should we choose?’
This decision required careful consideration. The warp gate was centrally located, so the distance to any gate was roughly the same. The priority was to find the safest route, ideally one free of vagrants.
I recalled the scene I had witnessed earlier from the jeweler’s rooftop. The vagrants had attacked from the east, west, and north gates. The south gate seemed the safest bet. Yet, something about heading there made me uneasy—a gut feeling stemming from my past experiences in urban warfare.
After the vagrants’ extermination plan, their animosity towards users would be immense. Their cross-continental vendetta was proof enough. I suspected they had left the south gate open as a trap, not out of goodwill. Knowing the vagrants, I was certain they had something up their sleeves.
In the span of a minute, I weighed my options and organized my thoughts. Just as I was about to speak to the clan members, I noticed Ansol, nervously sucking on her fingers. Her anxious demeanor sparked an idea.
“Ansol.”
“Y-Yes?”
“Come here for a moment.”
Ansol blinked a few times before scurrying over.
The dark street briefly lit up before plunging back into shadow. Flames in the distance failed to illuminate the city’s outskirts, leaving the streets in a dim glow. Only the sporadic flicker of light stones provided any illumination.
A lone woman crawled through the darkness, her movements labored. Eventually, she collapsed onto her back, unable to continue.
Her condition was dire. Her pants were shredded, exposing her lower body, and her pale thighs bore two gaping wounds, bleeding profusely.
After catching her breath, she seemed to decide she was alone. With a groan, she pushed herself up, using her hands to slowly drag her body forward.
Scrape, scrape, scrape.
She leaned against the rubble of a collapsed building, cautiously scanning her surroundings. Nearby, she spotted the mutilated bodies of those who had fallen victim to the vagrants’ rampage.
Unable to bear the sight any longer, she let out a sob. Just then, a voice echoed through the street.
“Where’s our little kitten gone~?”
The voice, gruff and mocking, sent a shiver down her spine. She froze, her sobs turning into silent tremors.
Footsteps approached, growing louder with each step. Her throat tightened as the sound of leather boots scraping the ground drew nearer. She took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and bit her lip, trying to stand.
But before she could rise, the voice called out again.
“There you are~. I’ve been looking for you~.”
A round object flew through the air, landing with a thud and rolling to a stop at her feet. She glanced down instinctively, only to be met with the sight of a severed head, its neck oozing thick blood. She screamed.
“Aaaah!”
“Laughing maniacally, a large man emerged from the shadows, his laughter echoing as he crushed the head underfoot. He extended a bloodied hand towards her.
“Looks like your friends wanted to save you, but here we are…”
“A-ah…”
His hand caressed her cheek, and she shivered, unable to muster the will to resist.
“Finally caught you! Caught you! Hahaha!”
“No! Nooo!”
The man hastily undid his belt, clearly excited by the situation. His pants and underwear slid down, revealing his grotesque intent. He grabbed her thighs, lifting her as she struggled in vain.
As he positioned himself, she twisted her body, trying to escape, but he only laughed, aiming his assault.
Just as he was about to strike, a sharp wind sliced through the air.
“Handled. Let’s move.”
A voice, cold and emotionless, cut through the tension.
After much deliberation, we decided to escape through the east gate, skirting around the eastern outskirts. It wasn’t a random choice; there was a calculated risk involved. It was a gamble, but with confirmation from our scout, the odds were in our favor.
We successfully navigated the outskirts, reaching the residential area without incident. As we began our escape, Go Yeonju provided cover, her support becoming more active as we progressed.
The vagrants were fewer than expected, allowing us to move stealthily and swiftly deal with any encounters.
The vagrants in the outskirts moved in various formations, some alone, others in groups. We dispatched them with ease, making significant progress.
However, the escape was not without its challenges.
As we neared the mid-point of the outskirts, we encountered a group of 17 vagrants. These were external reinforcements, more skilled than the local ones. Fortunately, Go Yeonju’s large-scale shadow magic caught them off guard, allowing us to cut down several before they could react, minimizing delays.
As we resumed our escape, it became clear that the vagrants weren’t as foolish as we might have hoped. While we descended, they were ascending, likely communicating through their own networks or having stumbled upon the bodies of their fallen comrades.
Encounters with the vagrants were becoming more frequent. By now, I had already taken down over sixty of them while breaking through the outskirts. They must have sensed something was amiss.
The screams of the residents, once constant, had begun to fade. The scattered presences were now starting to converge and form a network.
In short, they had halted their looting and were now hunting for the one who had killed their comrades.
At this moment, we paused, holding our breath as we sensed dozens of presences ahead.
“Suhyeon, what should we do?”
The voice broke the silence, and I turned slowly. Go Yeonju was comforting a trembling An Sol, pressed against the wall. Nearby, Kim Hanbyeol looked pale, and the old man was catching his breath.
“It seems there are vagrants ahead, and they’re slowly moving in our direction.”
“I feel it too.”
I nodded calmly. Beyond the massive wall ahead lay the gate. There were about twenty of them, and with Go Yeonju’s support, I was confident we could handle them quickly. But there was one concern.
“Go Yeonju, aside from the ones ahead, do you sense any other vagrants nearby?”
“Yes, there’s a group from where we came and another to the right. They seem to be tracking us.”
“And how far are they?”
“They’re a bit of a distance away, but…”
Go Yeonju glanced back, tilting her head.
“The group behind us has stopped moving, and some from the right are heading that way.”
“Could it be…?”
The thought of being sandwiched crossed my mind. Sensing my thoughts, Go Yeonju shook her head.
“I think they might be mistaking other users for us.”
“Other users?”
“Yes, while you were focused on the front, I was watching the rear. A few users have been following us from the plaza and the warp gate. They might have encountered them.”
“If that’s the case…”
I quickly grasped her point. I recalled a few users calling out to me as we made our way here, though I had brushed them off. If what she said was true, this could be an opportunity.
We had two options: deal with the ones ahead while the other users distracted them, or change direction.
I asked Go Yeonju directly.
“Go Yeonju, if we change direction, can we escape?”
“Hard to say. They’ve set up a net, but…”
“The gate is right there. Why take the hard way when there’s an easier path?”
Our thoughts aligned. It was uncertain how long the other users could hold out, and we risked being surrounded. Changing direction could delay us, allowing more vagrants to join. It seemed wiser to take a calculated risk and deal with the vagrants ahead.
‘Clear them out quickly and escape without delay.’
Having made up my mind, I addressed the clan members.
“This might be our last battle.”
”…”
“I won’t say much. It’ll be just like before. As soon as I deal with them, we escape.”
“O-oppa.”
“Go Yeonju, as before, please.”
I heard Hanbyeol call out, but I turned away, leaping forward with all my might. Shadows spread across the ground as I moved.
In an instant, I leaped over a building. Ahead, the vagrants came into view. Sensing something amiss, they looked up as I approached. The moment our eyes met, shadows sent by Go Yeonju engulfed them.
“Aaah!”
“Kyah!”
As I landed among them, several vagrants were lifted into the air, screaming.
The thought of using the Flame Sword crossed my mind, but I shook it off. I had already used it once at the warp gate. I needed to conserve my strength for what lay ahead.
Without hesitation, I lunged at them, sword in hand.
There was no room for flair or hesitation. This was a fight for escape. I needed to reduce their numbers while Go Yeonju’s shadows disoriented them. I focused solely on the battle.
I started by striking at three vagrants struggling in mid-air.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
In an instant, I took their lives and dove into the fray. The vagrants, caught off guard, quickly recovered and shouted.
“Found him! Prepare for battle!”
“Damn it! He controls shadows! Don’t underestimate him!”
‘What a joke.’
Whoosh! Whoosh!
As signals went out, I sensed the vagrants forming a net around us.
I spun and sprinted at full speed. Some vagrants flinched as I closed the distance, seemingly startled by my approach.
Thwack! Thwack!
I heard something hit where I had just been, but I ignored it. Dodging incoming magic, I charged at the vagrants.
“Crazy! How is he so fast?”
“Watch out!”
I swung my sword at the one in front, who confidently raised a shield.
Crunch!
My sword sliced through the thick shield, splitting the vagrant’s face in two. Something warm splattered over me, tinting my vision red.
The surrounding vagrants hesitated, and I seized the moment, unleashing a wave of magical energy.
”───! ───! Shield!”
Boom! Crash!
Some mages quickly cast barriers, but the bluish wave crumpled and shattered them. A mage hit by the wave coughed up blood.
“Ugh!”
“What kind of monster is this?!”
“How can one guy do this to us?! Idiots!”
Boom!
A furious roar erupted nearby, followed by a loud crash. Instinctively, I swung my sword toward the sound. I felt a heavy impact as a yellow beam was sliced apart, fluttering to the ground.
“This can’t be!”
The angry roar turned to shock. I saw the archer who had fired the beam retreating. I lunged at him, thrusting my sword.
I thought I heard a faint scream, but I kicked him in the chest and moved on to the next target. The vagrants looked at me, unsure of what to do.
The more confused they were, the better. I had to finish this before they regained their composure.
I charged relentlessly, not pausing for a second, giving them no chance to regroup. As soon as I cut one down, I moved to the next.
In no time, I had taken down ten.
“Everyone, stand back! I’ll handle him. Form a concentrated attack formation!”
A deep voice echoed, and I sensed a fierce strike from the left.
I ducked instinctively. I had activated my full power, pushing all my abilities to their peak. It felt like the wild fury that had consumed me when my brother died, a primal instinct taking over.
I planted my left foot and swung my sword upward with all my might.
Clang! Slice!
“Uh…”
‘Huh?’
Both the vagrant and I were momentarily stunned. We weren’t the only ones. The others, forming a concentrated attack, gasped. The vagrant stared blankly at his split sword, and I was surprised it had held for even a second. But only for a moment.
“Leader! Get back… Aaargh!”
“Hyuncheol! What the hell! There was no sign of him…!”
Crack! Crack!
Go Yeonju’s support came at the perfect moment, the sound of bones twisting echoed around us. I thrust my sword at the vagrant I was facing, moving at top speed.
Thud! Crash!
The blade pierced through the heavy armor, embedding itself deep into the chest. A thrilling sensation traveled up the hilt. As I unleashed my magic, the enemy’s body convulsed violently with a resounding boom.
“Ugh!”
”…”
“Who… who are you… cough!”
Instead of answering, I twisted the sword sharply and yanked it out. Blood streamed from the chest, forming a thin line that connected to the tip of the blade.
Yes. This is a hunt, a hunt.
I turned my head, searching for the next target. Around me, five vagrants stood frozen, their eyes wide with fear. As I set my sights on one of them, a loud shout erupted.
“R-Run!”
“Aaaaaah!”
---------------------------= Author’s Note ---------------------------=
Hello, this is Royujin.
(I’ve removed part of the note. Thank you!)
I failed to manage the length properly. I’m truly sorry. ㅜ.ㅠ I originally intended to end this scene with the vagrants fleeing and exiting through the city gates… but alas. I have no excuses. I sincerely apologize. (__)
『 Reader Comments 』
Miwolya: Congratulations on being first. Haha. Baek Seoyeon is among the top five skilled vagrants invading Mool. He’s also the commander leading the invasion. In the first round, he had a bad relationship with Suhyeon.
DarkOfSoul: Miwolya is strong. Even I can’t beat them. ㅜ.ㅠ
Nya~am: Don’t worry. Those wicked ones will get exactly what they deserve. :)
OffToLove19: I’ve dropped a hint in this chapter (I think you might guess it!), and the real reason will be revealed in the next one. Haha.
QuistA.Gw*(): I thought so too, but I failed at everything. T^T
Sensitive: Yes. Correct answer. Correct! Clap clap clap!
天上天下唯我獨尊: Ah, Yoo Hyun? He’s still in Mool. Poor Yoo Hyun… ㅜ.ㅠ
Pineiro: On a continental scale, that’s about right. Haha. But only assuming Suhyeon doesn’t use his fire magic, he can face them, but not win. Hehe.
Sirong: Ah, Sirong. ㅜ.ㅠ My heart aches. I’m sorry. (__)
Silvian: Yes! So this time, I didn’t hold back and went all out! :D A little praise, please… (thud thud!) @[email protected]
Thank you for always reading. Your recommendations and comments are a great source of strength.
I hope you always read my work with a relaxed mind.
Pre-selections, recommendations, comments, critiques, and questions are always welcome.