Meanwhile, the sun had begun to set in the outside world.
Kwan stood leaning against a lamppost, his face obscured by the brim of his hat. He glanced to his right, as Dae-Hyun approached.
"It appears Sangwook has been truthful," Kwan observed, his voice low and measured. "But is excavating the area truly necessary?"
Dae-Hyun nodded in agreement, his gaze fixed on the dimly lit surroundings. "Better safe than sorry," he replied, his tone tinged with caution. "With roughly 200 members over 10k total power, and 300 below that mark, we can't afford to take any chances."
Kwan's laughter was more of a cold chuckle, his eyes glinting with amusement.
"Hmm, finally found a use for your invisibility, huh?" he remarked, his voice tinged with sarcasm.
Dae-Hyun shook his head. "If only it lasted longer," he retorted, a hint of annoyance seeping into his tone. "But it fades in just about a minute."
Kwan's eyebrow lifted in genuine surprise. "Yet you managed to drag it out for over five minutes," he observed.
"I'm no assassin, but I don't need invisibility to get things done, sometimes old-fashioned stealth can do the job just as fine," Dae-Hyun stated.
Kwan's nodded his head respectfully. "But I suppose you've done well."
Dae-Hyun glanced over to Kwan. "What's that supposed to mean? Surely, you're not going to-"
"Sorry, but I'll be handling this on my own," Kwan declared, his voice devoid of emotion.
Dae-Hyun's eyes narrowed, a hint of suspicion in his voice. "Don't underestimate them," he warned.
Kwan's smile was cold, his confidence unwavering. "Oh, I don't intend to," he replied, his voice dripping with malice. "They're in for a surprise alright, after all, it's been a while since I've let loose."
As Kwan's fingers wrapped tightly around the polished wood of his staff, an intense surge of power coursed through him, igniting a fiery aura that enveloped his entire being. Each step he took resonated with a primal energy, causing the air around him to shimmer and distort, a dangerous fire emitted from him.
With determination and rage, Kwan pressed forward, his presence akin to a blazing inferno amidst the darkness. The heat radiating from him was palpable, casting a warm glow that illuminated the path ahead with a mesmerizing intensity.
As he crossed the threshold of the warehouse, his aura intensified, casting long shadows that flickered. The very air seemed to hum with anticipation, charged with the crackling energy of his formidable strength.
In that moment, Kwan stood as a beacon of power, his form outlined in hues of orange and gold as if he were forged from the very flames themselves. With each heartbeat, his fiery aura pulsed with an undeniable force.
He opened the door of the warehouse and raised his staff.
Silence.
[Kwan has used skill (Legendary) : Hell Flare]
Kwan's eyes glowed with an unearthly light as he unleashed the Hell Flare spell, his staff pointed towards the heart of the warehouse. A blinding flash of crimson illuminated the space, followed by an earth-shattering explosion that rocked the very foundations of the building with the force of a nuclear detonation, sending shockwaves rippling through the air with a deafening roar. A torrential gust of wind surged outward from the epicentre, tearing through the warehouse doors like paper and leaving chaos in its wake. The acrid smoke billowed and swirled, obscuring the devastation wrought by the blast.
The intense heat from the spell consumed everything in its path, turning metal to molten slag and reducing concrete to smoldering rubble. Screams of agony echoed through the warehouse as the unfortunate soldiers caught in the blast were engulfed by the searing flames, their bodies disintegrating into ash in mere seconds.
Kwan strode through the devastation, his steps confident and purposeful. The fire danced around him, licking at his skin but leaving him unscathed. He revelled in the chaos he had unleashed, the raw power coursing through his veins.
As he moved deeper into the warehouse, Kwan's keen senses detected the presence of more soldiers, cowering in fear behind crates and machinery. A twisted smile played across his lips as he raised his staff once more, ready to unleash another devastating spell.
The soldiers, realizing their impending doom, scrambled to escape, their faces contorted with terror. But there was no escape from Kwan's wrath. With a flick of his wrist, he sent a wave of fire surging towards them, engulfing them in a maelstrom of flames.
The air was thick with the acrid smell of burning flesh and the agonized screams of the dying. Kwan moved through the carnage like a vengeful god, his eyes blazing with an insatiable hunger for destruction.
With a steely gaze, Kwan advanced slowly through the aftermath, his every step a testament to his unwavering resolve. Closing in on the lone survivor, he seized the soldier by the collar, his grip like a vice as he loomed over him with an aura of undeniable dominance.
Kwan's piercing gaze bore into the soldier's soul, his eyes burning with an intensity that made the man tremble in fear. "Where is Myeong?" Kwan demanded, his voice low and menacing.
The soldier's eyes widened in confusion. "Who?"
In a swift motion, Kwan grazed his staff along the man's leg, leaving a thin trail of blood that slowly seeped into the fabric of his pants. The soldier's confusion turned to horror as he realized his leg had been severed, the pain hitting him like a tidal wave.
"ALL THE KIDNAPPED PEOPLE ARE DOWNSTAIRS!" he screamed, his voice laced with agony and desperation.
Kwan's lips curled into a cruel smile. "Should have said that to begin with. Then again, your fate was sealed the moment you decided to mess with me."
The soldier's face paled, eyes wide and pleading. "Please spare—"
"Listen, kid. Get your walkie-talkie out."
With trembling hands, the soldier fumbled for his walkie-talkie, holding it out like an offering.
Kwan pushed it back. "I'd prefer if you did it. Let them know I'm coming. I can't wait to see them sh*t themselves."
The soldier swallowed hard, voice shaking as he spoke into the walkie-talkie. "Agent:76CR speaking. We have an intruder in our base."
A crackle of static, then a voice. "Has the issue been resolved, or is assistance required?"
The soldier's voice quivered, barely above a whisper. "A-Assistance is d-definitely required. The intruder is way more than we can handle. Everyone is d-dead."
Kwan's eyes narrowed. "Tell them Kwan is coming."
"Y-Y-Yes sir." The soldier's hand shook violently as he brought the walkie-talkie to his lips, voice breaking. "The intruder identifies himself as K-Kwan. He said he is coming."
"You deserve a reward."
[Kwan has activated the skill (Unique): Bullet]
The soldier's eyes widened in fear. "P-Please no!" His scream echoed through the walkie-talkie.
An abrupt silence followed as the bullet pierced him mercilessly.
"You will pay for this!" the voice from the walkie-talkie screamed.
"Don't worry, you lot are next." Kwan stomped on the walkie-talkie, smashing it to pieces. "I'm coming for you, Myeong. It's almost over," he thought to himself.