"Ah… I'm getting sleepy."
Staff Sergeant Kang Ik-jun was watching the mid-point from the rooftop.
Lieutenant Seo Eunha, the operation team leader, had instructed him to keep watch, but he occasionally let his guard down.
"We're not some kind of player candidates. Damn it, what's this on-site standby for? So boring."
Of course, the actual task he was given today was simply 'on-site standby', so he wasn't being negligent.
The main task of the battalion commander's unit, the 'Assault Team', was to enter the gate and close it.
However, today the civilian guild
"It's a Kobold dungeon, but seeing how this civilian guild, these merchants, cling to it, it must be a profitable dungeon… Ah, just finish it quickly!"
Kang Ik-jun yawned.
As long as the Cheonghwa guild held the right to lead the operation, there wouldn't be anything interesting for him to do.
But then…
"Hey, what's that?"
One of the snipers shouted, having spotted something.
Kang Ik-jun rubbed his eyes and turned his head.
And at that moment, he had no choice but to run towards the parapet.
"Crazy…"
In the residential area of Itaewon 2-dong,
Dark smoke was soaring like a dragon from the center of it.
And that place was…
"…That's the midpoint, right?"
It was the very point that Seo Eunha had told him to keep an eye on.
"Yes, that's correct. Staff Sergeant Kang, isn't that a fire?"
"No."
Kang Ik-jun shook his head at the sniper's words.
"Then what on earth is that?"
"That… is 'dark magic'."
As a C-rank 1st-level magician player, Kang Ik-jun immediately recognized the nature of the black smoke.
"It seems a Kobold Warlock has appeared."
"What? An elite monster? But it's still before the second wave, how can that appear?"
"That's what I'm saying. Damn it, there will be casualties at this rate…"
Kang Ik-jun raised the muzzle of his Barrett M82A1.
However, his vision was completely blocked and there was nothing he could do.
He immediately pressed the button on the microphone in his left ear.
"Team Leader! We have a problem!"
―What? What happened?
Seo Eunha responded immediately.
"It's at the midpoint! A sudden poisonous fog has appeared!"
―Does that make sense? …Understood! I'm on my way!
The orders given to the Assault Team were to 'stand by'.
Therefore, no matter what situation arose within the operational area, they had to wait.
Operational authority within the Red Ground currently lies with the '1st Battalion Leader'.
In other words, unless a command comes from the battalion commander, intervention in operations is impossible.
"I'll throw down a shield from the first floor right now! Catch it and get out quickly!"
But they couldn't just stand by and watch in this situation. It wasn't something manageable at the level of a support squad.
No,
Even the first unit of the battalion, which naturally serves as an assault unit, would find it difficult to respond to the situation.
If they were even a little late…
"…You need to go as quickly as possible! If it stays like this, they'll all die!"
It would be a complete wipeout.
Kang Ik-jun picked up the shield that Seo Eunha had left behind and threw it down towards the street below the building.
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-Whoosh!
The next moment, Seo Eunha, appearing out of nowhere, caught the shield.
She then drew her great sword and dashed into the alley.
Her speed was incredible.
However, Kang Ik-jun had a gut feeling.
"Perhaps…"
Regrettably, some might have already died.
* * *
The intertwining of two colors created an eerie flow of energy.
"Sigh…"
Within that smoke, the members of the 5th team were taking cover behind combat supplies, crouching low.
They had set up a magic defense shield called the 'Crystal Barricade' in anticipation of an attack on this 'midpoint'.
However, it became useless when the Kobold group appeared from within, opening the manhole from inside.
In other words, they couldn't hold out for long.
But…
"…"
Something was off.
Quite some time had passed, yet the horde of Kobolds wasn't approaching.
'Why? Is it because of the steam created by Corporal Lee Hyunwook?'
Sergeant Choi Seon-ah, the deputy team leader, could only think of that,
… Cough!
'What on earth is that noise?'
She had no idea about this unidentifiable 'death rattle' occasionally heard from within the black smoke.
"Deputy Team Leader, keep your posture low, and try to keep your gun barrel down."
"Ah… Uh, okay."
At Lee Hyunwook's words, Choi Seon-ah nodded and knelt on one knee.
Although she was the highest-ranking officer in this place, she had no choice but to obediently follow.
No,
To be exact, she was relying on him entirely.
'Was Corporal Lee Hyunwook always like this? No, he wasn't…'
She was well aware that Lee Hyunwook was an F-rank and only a temporary squad leader, substituting for the absent squad leader.
Therefore, as she changed into her combat uniform right before the operation began, she reminded herself to be even more alert since the real squad leader wasn't present today.
No matter how young one might be, a leader is still a leader.
She had to take responsibility and lead this operation.
'…But honestly, there was nothing for me to do.'
Just before they were ambushed, Lee Hyunwook had perceived everything and gave concise and accurate orders.
His calm voice, echoing from within the black smoke… As soon as she heard that voice, any prejudice she had against Lee Hyunwook disappeared, and she found herself instinctively trusting and following him.
"…Everyone, keep your mouths shut and listen only to me."
Upon hearing Lee Hyunwook's voice, Choi Seon-ah held her breath and listened intently.
Not only her, but everyone present did the same.
"We may not see anything, but the enemies can't see us either. It might only be for a short while."
"…"
"An Min-tae, move to the front, set up your shield, and block the Kobolds' approach. If you take cover properly, their poison darts will be useless."
"Yes."
An Min-tae, who was standing next to Lee Hyunwook, responded quietly and took two steps forward.
As his broad shield moved closer to the enemy, the area shielding the team members expanded.
"But Corporal Lee Hyunwook, you're not planning to… advance now, are you?"
An Min-tae noticed that Lee Hyunwook had already moved quite far ahead.
"Yes, I'll go close the gas valve and come back. You just stay there."
"…Yes? Are you… serious?"
An Min-tae asked, genuinely surprised.
However, without answering, Lee Hyunwook began walking forward.
"…Corporal Lee Hyunwook?"
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There was still no response.
Soon, even the faint shadow of him hovering above the smoke was absorbed deep into the smoke and eventually vanished from sight.
"Ah, this is crazy…"
Swallowing hard, An Min-tae raised his shield up to his chin.
"Huh? Did Corporal Lee Hyunwook really go forward?"
"Yes, for now, we can just wait calmly."
"Ah…"
With the disappearing back of Lee Hyunwook, on whom they had been relying on, the squad members were once again gripped by fear.
All sorts of thoughts started to cross their minds. It seemed like they would soon hear a desperate scream from Lee Hyunwook coming from within the black smoke.
However, the only sounds they heard from somewhere were…
Cough! Choke!
It was a scream, not of a human.
And a moment later…
"Ah? I'm starting to see ahead!"
Park Junmo said.
And indeed, the black smoke was clearing, and something began to be visible faintly beyond the regained visibility.
"That looks… like a kobold."
More precisely, it was the bodies of kobolds, a total of seven.
Each of their heads had a dagger stuck in it.
"Look over there! Corporal Lee Hyunwook is there!"
Near the manhole where the black smoke was pouring out, Lee Hyunwook stood. And at his feet, something was broken and scattered.
It looked like shards of pottery, which was a kind of 'medium' used by the kobold Warlock to produce this black smoke.
When he said he would close the valve, he meant that.
He looked back this way.
"Park Junmo, come here."
"Yes!"
At Lee Hyunwook's gesture, Park Junmo quickly ran forward.
"Shoot all the lightning magic into the sewer now."
"Ah, yes! Understood!"
Park Junmo took out the wand he had on his waist, slowly took a breath, and swung it into the sewer.
Zap!
A blue lightning bolt shot from the end of the wand.
"Pour it all out."
"Yes!"
Zap! Zap! Za-zap!
Three more bursts followed.
"I, in the end, could only manage 4 shots…"
"It's okay."
A total of four lightning spells lit up the sewer in blue.
There was sewage flowing at the bottom of the sewer, and the current spread deep into it following the sewage.
Bzzzz…
Then…
Eeeeek!
"Wow, crazy!"
From the depths of the sewer, a scream filled with pain erupted.
Kobolds hiding in the sewage had been swept away by the current.
However, it seemed that Park Junmo's electric skill damage wasn't enough to kill the kobolds…
Bang! Bong!
"Ah!"
They started to run away, opening manhole covers here and there.
Eeek! Eeeeek!
"Ah, ah! Everyone, suppressive fire, shoot!"
Sergeant Choi Sun-ah instinctively shouted, but instead of raising their guns, the squad members reflexively looked at Lee Hyunwook, who had raised his gun at the same time as Sergeant Choi Sun-ah's order.
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Only then did all the guns rise.
Tatatatat!
As sporadic aimed firing followed, the electrocuted kobolds who ran out were helplessly swept away by the barrage of bullets, falling one by one.
Keee…
"Corporal Lee Hyunwook! As expected, rifles alone can't penetrate the barrier!"
"Yes, let's finish it decisively with personal weapons!"
Lee Hyunwook threw away his rifle and drew the Sword of the Clouds from his back.
And he charged at one of the kobolds.
This one was different from the others, wearing a black robe.
'It's a kobold Warlock.'
That creature was indeed an elite monster.
Keh, Ke-eh!
It had been shot 15 times by Lee Hyunwook's aimed fire and had fallen.
The bullets hadn't penetrated its skin, but since they hit it squarely in the chest, a few of its ribs must have broken.
While the creature clutched its stomach and groaned, disoriented…
Swish!
Lee Hyunwook swung his sword and completely severed the creature's right wrist.
At the same time, he threw his M9 dagger, which struck the creature in the abdomen.
Kree!
The creature staggered backward, casting a spell with its left hand.
A green 'magic circle' appeared on the back of its hand.
Whoosh!
In an instant, Lee Hyunwook's body was lifted into the air, soaring up to a height of 2 meters in a split second.
"…Kuk!"
It was gravity control magic.
'If it continues like this, I'll shoot up tens of meters and then fall to my death!'
But Lee Hyunwook wasn't about to let that happen.
He applied 'Hardening' to his legs.
Creak!
His feet became solid.
At that moment, using 'Control', he pulled his metallic-transformed feet towards the ground.
Simultaneously suppressing the vertical ascent, he bent his waist and swung his right foot toward the creature's head.
Zha-ek!
Direct hit!
The power of the hardened military kick was immense.
Thud!
The creature bent over backward, its head crashing into the pavement.
It seemed its cervical spine had been broken, but as Lee Hyunwook landed, he gripped the long sword with both hands and thrust the 'Sword of the Clouds' into the creature's heart.
Phu-ook!
It was a definitive finish.
And at that moment, a message line appeared before his eyes.
[ The 'Sword of the Clouds' absorbs the blood of the elite monster! ]
'This is exactly how to grow this latent weapon.'
The Sword of the Clouds releases 'Mist' by absorbing water. However, when it absorbs a 'significant amount' of elite monster blood instead…
[ An unknown energy begins to fill the Sword of the Clouds. (11%) ]
Like this, the gauge fills, eventually unlocking its 'latent power'.
Lee Hyunwook, after embedding the Sword of the Clouds into the creature's heart, began to scan the 'metal' in various parts of the creature's body.
'There's something. And it's inside the body.'
Inside the creature's rib, he felt a small and smooth metallic texture.
He forcefully pulled it.
Chut!
Through the wound in the chest, the object sprang out.
Lee Hyunwook caught it.
[ You have acquired the 'Demon's Medal (Inferno)' ]
"What is this… It came out from here?"
Indeed, an unexpected item had emerged.
The necromancer, the commander of the demons that destroyed Busan…
One of his main items had come into Lee Hyunwook's hands first.