“Istantel Low Road. Enemy presence detected ahead.”
Kim Soo-hyun spoke quietly. Han So-young glanced sideways at him, then nodded slightly, silently urging him to continue.
“The distance is about 200 meters. It’s hard to get a precise count, but I can sense an overwhelming number of twisted creatures filling both sides of the passage.”
Two hundred meters. It was a long distance, but with their rapid march, it would be reached in no time.
Han So-young paused, deep in thought. Kim Soo-hyun observed her carefully, as if studying her. Soon, a sharp flicker of recognition crossed Han So-young’s eyes.
“User Yoo Ji-tae.”
Her voice was calm but charged with magic, carrying an undeniable authority. Yoo Ji-tae immediately approached.
“There’s a large group of enemies ahead, about 200 meters out.”
“Understood.”
“Take the lead. I want to see if the legendary Ghost Steed from the South lives up to its reputation.”
“Heh. With this kind of buff, I won’t disappoint. I’ll show you exactly what it can do.”
Being told to take the lead meant acting as the shield. Still, Yoo Ji-tae smiled lightly and stepped forward without hesitation, beginning some kind of preparation. Was he about to summon the Ghost Steed?
“Limit magic use to support only. Once the archers start firing, Yoo Ji-tae, charge in immediately and break the vanguard.”
This wasn’t just an order for Yoo Ji-tae. All the users running alongside heard Han So-young’s command and began their own preparations.
After advancing another 120 meters, the lead users could finally make out the shapes of the monsters ahead.
Just as Kim Soo-hyun had said, the assault team numbered 91, but the monsters visible seemed at least twice that. They packed the passage so densely it was impossible to advance further.
Information on these new monsters was scarce—fragmentary at best.
But two factors worked in their favor: the users entering now were the elite of the Southern Expeditionary Force, and unlike before, they were united as one, not scattered into nine groups. Han So-young trusted in that strength.
—Heeheeheeeng!
Suddenly, the thunderous neigh of a horse echoed. Yoo Ji-tae had completed the summoning ritual and called forth the Ghost Steed.
The spectral mount, known as the lifelong companion of the Death Knight, revealed its majestic form. It resembled a brave warhorse, but its eyes blazed with fierce light, and its translucent body was wreathed in eerie blue flames.
“Hah!”
Yoo Ji-tae kicked off the ground with force and mounted the Ghost Steed with style. At the same moment, the archers drew their bows in unison.
The distance had shrunk to 40 meters. A few humanoid monsters and many crouched, non-human beasts noticed the users.
—Kieeeeeee!
“Fire!”
Just as a grotesque roar pierced the air, Han So-young’s sharp command rang in the users’ ears. The mages chanted support spells, priests cast protective wards, and archers loosed their arrows at their targets almost simultaneously.
Then, with a fierce shout from Yoo Ji-tae, the Ghost Steed leapt forward.
Peep-peep, peep-peep-peep!
Arrows flew in a deadly crossfire between monsters and users. Though the monsters were numerous, the sheer volume of arrows and support magic overwhelmingly favored the users. The monsters tried to compensate with their only ranged attack—tentacle strikes.
Thud-thud, thud-thud-thud-thud!
But it was all in vain. The few arrows aimed at Yoo Ji-tae and the mass of tentacles were blocked or fell harmlessly against the layered protective shields. For some reason, attacks targeting the Ghost Steed failed to land any damage, passing right through its body and striking only empty air.
Meanwhile, the archers’ arrows rained down on the monsters’ heads. Following the volley, the Ghost Steed, carrying Yoo Ji-tae, surged forward like a sliding blaze. Its roaring blue flames crashed into the vanguard monsters.
Kwahng!
A sharp explosion echoed through the passage. The Ghost Steed shattered the front line in an instant, then raised its hooves high to trample the fallen monsters mercilessly. Snorting fiercely, it crushed everything beneath it. The blue flames flickered wildly before bursting into a dazzling blaze. The frenzied steed reared and howled mightily once more.
—Kihihihihihihing!
That explosion, that roar, awakened the suppressed spirits of the users who had been running silently and tensely until now. They lifted their heads sharply, breathing heavily as one.
Had the time come? Han So-young’s right arm bent sharply, then she aimed precisely at the shattered vanguard—a clear order to attack.
At once, the melee users who had been sharpening their blades in their hearts let out a mighty roar and charged forward, crashing into the disoriented monsters.
Leading the charge were Heo Jun-young, Kim Soo-hyun, and Yeon Hye-rim, splitting into three groups to strike left, center, and right like lightning. They pierced and slashed through the monsters blocking their way, carving out a larger opening.
Through that gap created by Yoo Ji-tae and the three, the users surged forward like a tidal wave.
“Basha!”
What was it that excited him so? Go Oh-hwan, his face flushed with exhilaration and baring yellowed teeth in a grin, rammed his forehead into a blocking monster and swung his greatsword in a dance of destruction. He wasn’t alone—swords swung and spears flew everywhere. Each strike was met with pitiful screams as monsters fell, their blood splattering the earth red.
Was it the power of the battlefield commander’s ability, ‘Destruction • Charge’?
The charge displayed overwhelming destructive force. The monsters’ formation was helplessly swept away by the oncoming wave. Like passing through an empty corridor, the users tore through the monsters with terrifying momentum.
A decisive victory. Truly a decisive victory. In a single clash, the users annihilated nearly 200 monsters without a single casualty.
Yet Han So-young did not stop. As if there was nothing more to see, she didn’t even glance at the corpses.
“I will capture the pit no matter what, as fast as possible.”
As if to keep that promise, she dashed forward again, undeterred by the fallen.
The users who had briefly paused instinctively looked ahead. Seeing Han So-young still racing like the wind, they all moved forward as if entranced.
No one spoke. But just as soldiers on the battlefield naturally follow their queen, the users united as one, following Han So-young.
Kim Soo-hyun was no different. No matter how hard he tried, his gaze kept returning to her.
Only then did he realize the subtle feeling he’d sensed earlier.
In truth, Han So-young’s command hadn’t been particularly strong until now—from Kim Soo-hyun’s perspective, at least.
It was understandable. The Han So-young he remembered at the peak of the first round and the Han So-young who had just taken command of a large force now were inevitably different. Perhaps that was why Kim Soo-hyun had felt compelled to protect her even more.
Of course, Han So-young knew she was lacking.
“When we were capturing the Steel Mountains, I thought about it carefully. What if the Mercenary Lord hadn’t been with the Southern Expeditionary Force…?”
“I should have handled it myself. I should have. But the Supreme Commander did nothing but watch.”
“…But the Mercenary Lord solved it so simply.”
“Lately, I’ve been feeling how much my abilities are lacking.”
What she told Kim Soo-hyun then revealed her true feelings.
And now, Han So-young suddenly exploded—not just because of some provocation, but because a helplessness she’d never felt before, the dam of emotions she’d been holding back as Supreme Commander, burst all at once.
Her chosen path was regression. She abandoned all tactics related to commanding large forces. She stopped thinking about new enemies or strategies. She began leading the troops in her own way—the way she trusted most.
As a result, Han So-young began awakening as the true Iron-Blooded Queen, not just in name.
She was still running like the wind. Kim Soo-hyun watched her calmly, now understanding the strange yet familiar feeling he’d sensed earlier.
The Iron-Blooded Queen he remembered had returned.
At that thought, an inexplicable joy surged through him. He clenched his teeth to steady his trembling shoulders as a refreshing exhilaration blossomed in his mind, transforming into pure delight that spread through his entire body.
After a moment, a fierce wind began to whip through the pit. If Kim Su-hyun had stirred up the first gust in the valley, then this wind was the second whirlwind, brought on by Han So-young.
With Han So-young leading the way, the users swept through the passage like a storm.
The team assaulting the pit, spearheaded by Han So-young, moved at an incredible speed, passing through every visible corridor. They disregarded anything that slowed them down. The trap room with five paths had long since been left behind.
As they continued running, they discovered two more caverns, but Han So-young didn’t stop for a moment. On the contrary, she urged the users onward, increasing their marching pace even more.
This rapid advance was made possible not only by Han So-young’s powers but also because the users had recommitted themselves to their roles.
“Don’t ask if you should do it or not—just do it first and report later.”
“There’s no need for reports that don’t reach a conclusion.”
In other words, they were told to take initiative.
There’s a saying about tacit understanding. Though hardly anyone spoke, everyone instinctively knew what they had to do. The gears that had been slightly misaligned suddenly began to mesh perfectly after passing through the third passage.
At that moment, Ahn Hyun thought to himself:
What can I really do here, right now?
Even while running, Ahn Hyun kept scanning his surroundings without pause. Everything he saw felt like a new world. It was as if he had been playing on a single team all along, and now suddenly found himself standing in an all-star game. In that situation, Ahn Hyun felt a subtle awkwardness and a sense of isolation.
“Hyun-ah.”
Just then, a gentle hand touched his shoulder, accompanied by a kind voice. Turning his gaze, Ahn Hyun saw Shin Jae-ryong looking down at him with a warm smile.
“Jae… Jae-ryong hyung.”
“It’s okay. Don’t be so impatient.”
“……”
“Remember what I told you before I came in?”
Ahn Hyun remained silent but soon nodded quietly, lifting his head with a calmer expression. Seeing this, a soft smile appeared on Shin Jae-ryong’s lips.
What exactly had Shin Jae-ryong said to him?
Ahead, a dull light began to glow, revealing a new entrance.
Meanwhile, at the same time—
“Ugh… ughhh…!”
Joo Hyun-ho was pacing restlessly through the cavern, emitting strange groans. Occasionally, he twisted his body and scratched his head frantically, looking almost mad.
But it was understandable—everything had suddenly gone wrong from his perspective.
The monsters’ situation was dire. The battles in the valley and on the hill had not been meaningless. The monsters had lost most of their available forces in those fights.
And since the users entered the pit…
At first, things had gone well. Even at the second passage with its nine paths, it seemed like their plan was working. The strategy was to whittle down the users’ numbers as much as possible, then use the Father’s power to fight a proper battle by the time they reached this point, past the fifth passage.
But at some point, the situation flipped drastically. Instead of chipping away at the users’ forces, their own numbers began to be slashed in chunks. Not only that, but the monsters’ carefully laid traps were being dismantled or ignored, as the users charged straight ahead.
“Damn it!”
Joo Hyun-ho shouted.
At best, only about 400 monsters remained—maybe even just 300. The only reliable ones were the highly evolved creatures hidden deep in the caves, but their numbers were far too few. Without sufficient backup, Joo Hyun-ho and the evolved monsters were simply not enough.
“What… what should I do? If only even a semblance of order could be born…!”
Then—
“Huh?”
Muttering to himself as he paced, Joo Hyun-ho suddenly looked up. He stared across the cavern’s entrance. From the darkness, a gust of wind brushed past his nose.
And then—
Thud-thud-thud-thud-thud-thud-thud-thud…!
A low rumble vibrated faintly in his ears.
Flustered, he scrambled to touch the wall for support, his eyes widening in shock.
“N-no way! They’ve already passed the fifth passage?!”
---------------------------= Author’s Note =---------------------------
Sorry for the delay today—it’s later than usual, isn’t it?
I went out to vote this afternoon and then had dinner with my family. I guess I ate too much because I ended up dozing off as soon as I got home. Have all of you readers voted yet? Haha.
By the way, it’s about time to think about new illustrations. As before, I plan to select the new artwork through a vote. Not right now, though. Originally, I wanted to hold the character vote once it passed 3,000 votes, but I lowered the threshold to 2,000. So far, 1,931 readers have voted, so we’re close to hitting 2,000.
Also, I’m planning to exclude Han So-young from this round of voting. She’s currently leading with 45% of the votes, and I feel a re-vote would be pointless. So Han So-young’s illustration will definitely be produced, and I’ll select the top four other characters by vote to ask for your opinions. That means we’ll have two new illustrations this time. :)