I wanted to rush in, my blood boiling with anticipation, but this ti, it was Kim Seong-Hoon who stopped . His hand pressed against my stomach, holding back. Anger flared in , but I swallowed it. Now wasn't the ti for petty frustration—I had an objective right in front of .
"Big sis, wait," he said firmly, his tone leaving no room for argunt. "We need a strategy. We can't just run in like that. You said so yourself."
His unwavering gaze made it clear—there would be no room for recklessness this ti.
"Yeah, but I've changed my mind. I'd love to just rush through them and kill every single one of them." My voice shifted at the very end, carrying an edge that made my party mbers furrow their brows in concern.
"You're not yourself right now. Calm down," Eun-Woo said, his massive hand resting on my shoulder, steady and grounding.
Jieun reached out, her small hand slipping into mine. The gesture was simple but powerful. It pulled back, even if only slightly, from the swirling storm inside.
I could feel it—the fog clouding my mind, the relentless urge to kill gnawing at every corner of my being. The only thought rushing through was destruction, pure and simple. It was consuming , and I hated it, even as I craved it.
"You see those two guards on the eastern tower?" Kim Seong-Hoon asked, his voice calm yet focused. "If we can take them out silently, we'll have a clear entry point. No one else seems to be paying attention. This stronghold is way too easy to dismantle. Let handle it."
"They're just level 10," he added confidently, a glint of determination in his eyes. "Leave this to ."
"Are you sure?" I asked, my tone cautious.
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I didn't know much about him, but I could see he had a good heart—too good. Killing would only stain it, and I wasn't sure he was ready to bear that weight.
"Yes..." He exhaled deeply, the moonlight casting an elegant glow over his face. His sword shimred ominously, and suddenly, the air around us grew deathly cold.
In a flash, the sword transford into a sleek dragon bow, its ethereal design radiating power. Two thin, needle-like arrows materialized, glowing faintly in the stillness. He pulled the bowstring with a practiced grace, and the arrows sang through the air with a soft zing!
The projectiles struck true. The two guards froze in place, their muscles locking them upright even in death. The eerie stillness of their lifeless forms sent a chill down my spine as the oppressive silence reclaid the area.
"Amazing..." I whispered under my breath, barely audible.
It was a mistake I would regret almost instantly.
"Wait...! Did I hear that right? You said I'm amazing!?" Kim Seong-Hoon's face lit up like a child being praised for the first ti. "I will never forget this mont. Big sis praised ! I'm going to treasure these words forever!"
"I didn't say anything. It must have been the wind," I retorted sharply, trying to salvage my pride. "Now piss off before I decide to shoot you down as well!"
As he lunged for a hug, grinning like a fool, I skillfully dodged and darted toward the undefended wall, leaving him pouting in the moonlight.
"I have to say, brother, your dedication is slowly paying off," Eun-Woo teased Kim Seong-Hoon, his tone light but edged with amusent. I caught the comnt just before slipping out of earshot.
The group moved swiftly. We'd left the Thunder Tempests in the forest, their task simple—distract the guards while we infiltrated.
I hate stealth missions... I thought with a huff. I'd much rather rush in and destroy this entire place. This is so damn annoying.
We scaled the stone wall with ease, landing softly on the other side. What greeted us took by surprise. The interior of the stronghold wasn't just functional—it was breathtaking.
Beautifully manicured gardens stretched out before us, their ticulous design and serene beauty resembling the grandeur of Gyeongbokgung Palace. It was an odd contrast to the dark purpose of the man residing here.
"They must have soone with gardening powers," Eun-Woo chuckled, his voice a bit too loud for comfort.
A couple of guards snapped their heads in our direction.
"Good job," I muttered flatly, my words dripping with sarcasm.
Before anyone could react further, a couple of heads flew into the air, severed cleanly by my scythe. I stood in the middle of the pristine garden, bathed in moonlight, my gaze fixed on the towering palace. The silence was deafening as the guards and my own group stared at with blank expressions, the surreal beauty of the scene contrasting sharply with the blood I'd just spilled.
"KIM HA-JOON!" I roared, my voice amplified with swirling soul energy, resonating like a gaphone. "DRAG YOUR ASS OUT HERE AND ET YOUR END! I, LEE GAON, CHALLENGE YOU TO A DEATHMATCH! THIS WILL BE MY FINAL VICTORY AGAINST YOU!"
My words echoed across the stronghold, carrying far into the night, their intensity shaking even the surrounding forest. Every soul within earshot now knew—this was the beginning of the end.
"HAHAHAHAHA!" Laughter erupted around , mocking and jeering, their expressions dripping with disdain. They looked at as if I were a fool.
"You...?" A boy, barely twelve at most, stepped forward, his golden sword glinting as it humd with gathering energy. "Challenge the Emperor? You're unworthy. Who do you think you are? Let end your stupid show, big sister."
Before I could respond, he lunged at , his blade aid directly for my chest. His movents were sluggish, almost pitiful—he was only level 12, after all.
"Sorry, kid," I said softly, my voice barely above a whisper. "Rember in your death that you attacked first."
Air Shatter...
A concentrated wave of air erupted from my palm, ripping through him before he could react. The boy froze mid-air, his body disintegrating into nothingness, leaving only a faint shimr of golden light where he once stood.
The laughter stopped.
The youth's body erupted into a grueso explosion, fragnts scattering across the garden. The once-mocking crowd fell silent, their expressions shifting from disdain to abject terror.
"Now you're afraid?" My voice cut through the tension, cold and sharp as steel. "You dogs have no right to berate . You're just an idiot's lackeys. Move, or I will slay you all!"
Most scattered like leaves in a storm, but four figures remained rooted in place, their defiance radiating like an unyielding wall.
Four n, each exuding powerful auras, stepped forward, their presence stifling.
Level 25, 23, 28, 21... My eyes locked onto the strongest of them—the one missing an arm. His katana rested at his side, holstered but humming with restrained nace. His attire stood out: all black, with a traditional Japanese straw hat shadowing his face.
He didn't look Korean.
Japanese? The thought struck with unease. Does that an it wasn't just my country that was affected?
His killing intent was palpable, a suffocating weight pressing against , and his unwavering gaze confird what I already knew: this one would be a challenge. A formidable foe.
The corner of my lips curled into a smirk. Perfect.
The others standing beside the one-ard swordsman each exuded their own nace. A mage, cloaked in shadow, gripped an eerie black staff that radiated a chilling death aura. His eyes glead with malice, and the air around him felt cold and heavy, as though he dragged a piece of the underworld wherever he went.
Next to him stood a towering warrior, a hulking mass of muscle with molten axes that glowed ominously. His long, fiery beard matched his blazing red hair, giving him the appearance of a walking inferno.
But the one who truly made my skin crawl was the man wielding a black whip. His tight leather attire clung to his grotesque fra, far too revealing for comfort. He was hideous, his features resembling a toad, and the lustful gaze he fixed on made bile rise in my throat.
Disgusting.
I was about to take a step forward, my scythe itching for action, but my group had other plans. Before I could react, they moved as one to stand in front of , forming a protective barrier.
Everyone but Soo-Ah stepped forward, their eyes blazing with determination as they silently chose their targets.
"We'll handle them. You have a serious battle coming up. Don't bother yourself," Kim Seong-Hoon reassured , his tone firm and unwavering. For once, I felt truly grateful to him.
Suspense hung thick in the air, an electric charge between the two groups. No words were exchanged, only the language of sharp, unwavering gazes as both sides sized each other up.
Clap. Clap. Clap.
The sound of slow applause broke the silence, echoing eerily through the gardens. All eyes turned to the palace entrance as a figure clad in a dark tunic erged from the shadows. A black hood obscured his face, but sothing about his presence—the way he moved, the chill that followed him—sent a shiver down my spine. I knew it was him...
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