◈ Episode 22

18 hours before the operation begins.

Kim Yi-hyeon was on the ground. It was early evening. It would be a bustling downtown area, but there was still no energy here.

Red Light District. When I first arrived in Cilicia, I stayed near here to save money.

I didn't feel happy.

'It's been a while since I've been here… The smell is disgusting.'

Even though there were only a few stores with lights on, all sorts of smells wafted in. Perfume. Cigarettes. Alcohol. Food waste that had been carelessly thrown away…

It felt stronger than before. My vision had also become noticeably brighter, and I could see even the dark alleys to some extent.

'Have your abilities improved a bit in the meantime?'

After becoming a 2-star, I gained quite a bit of experience. In addition to underground activities, I also fought against the Pavoni family and monsters. I'm ready to grow.

The road to becoming a 6-star is still very long. Will the day ever come when I become a 6-star? As of now, it seems like a distant future.

"Oh, this is it."

The footsteps stopped in the alley.

There were stairs leading down like a basement karaoke room. The walls were covered with the club's promotional materials and wanted posters.

"If you have the ability, why do you live in a place like this?"

When I saw it in the side story, I thought the dangerous feeling unique to back alleys was nice, but when I actually went there, it was just dirty.

Kim Yi-hyeon went down the stairs and knocked on the door that appeared. There was no response at first, but when he increased the knocking sound, he felt a presence inside the room.

Bam!

"Oh, be quiet. Who are you? Where did you put your eyes that you wouldn't be ringing the doorbell?"

The woman rubbed her eyes and stuck her face out. She was wearing a boxy T-shirt with a long neck. Her legs were clearly visible, as if she was wearing shorts.

Her hair and eyes are both pink. Despite her bright appearance, her hair is disheveled and there is boogers around her eyes.

The worldly look suited her very well. Five-star agent Chelsea. It was a welcome sight.

Kim Yi-hyun looked at Chelsea and turned his head to the side. As expected, there was a doorbell on the wall. It wasn't that he didn't notice.

"Because there was gum stuck on it."

"I guess a kid who lives nearby did it. So?"

"Isn't it dirty?"

"…I really hate those guys who act so neat. Get out of the way, I'll get off… You piece of shit."

The gum was half-off and stuck to Chelsea's finger, indicating that a neighborhood kid had been by just a few minutes ago.

"Fuck. Just see what kind of kid you are."

"You can figure that out. Can I come in?"

"In a house where a woman lives alone? Why don't we just do it here?"

"I have a request."

"I know. There are only two types of people who come to me. You don't look like a debt collector, so what else can I ask for?"

Chelsea ran her fingers along the wall.

"Sorry, I already washed my hands of it."

"One big one. It'll be done in one day."

"No, I told you I washed my hands of it."

"Let's also think about performance-based pay."

"...."

Her pink-tinged eyes stared intently at Kim Yi-hyeon. Kim Yi-hyeon met her gaze calmly.

For a moment, the standoff continued. A cowardly smile appeared on Chelsea's face.

"Hehehe. What kind of guy do you want to beat up?"

It was the smile of capitalism.

* * *

When the scheduled time came, White Fang charged underground.

I didn't receive any direct guidance from Outlaw, the informant. After some rather aggressive interrogation, I was able to find out the exact location.

It was quite a distance to travel. It was only natural. If there was a base near Metro City, they would have noticed it by now.

About 30 minutes after the operation began, one of the agents glanced at the rear and spoke.

"Captain. Can I ignore you?"

Someone has been following us stealthily for some time now. Even though they were quite a distance away, some sensitive agents had already noticed.

"Yes. We are allies."

"I didn't hear that there were any additional people."

"...Think about it without excluding it."

The platoon leader glanced at Kim I-Hyeon. He was walking at the front of the line armed with a shield and a pistol.

Yesterday, Kim Lee-hyun asked if he could bring a mercenary. When he asked for his identity, the platoon leader heard a name that was familiar to him.

Chelsea. The bounty hunter, also known as the owl in the industry.

His career is impressive. He became a first-class bounty hunter after only two years. Even though there is little news about him, he is still sought after by many companies.

'She's a fucking bitch... but her skills are top-notch.'

On the other hand, although she was good at it, she was a bitch who would eat shit.

You can't trust them blindly. Even if you don't shoot them in the back of the head, you shouldn't think of them as your colleagues.

When hiring him, he was also asked not to reveal his mission outline. 'To protect White Fang in the event of combat.' That was Owl's only role.

"Just think of it as insurance. And let me tell you, the goal is exploration, not elimination. It would be best if you could pinpoint the location of their base, and at the very least, you should have some idea of ​​their strength."

Also, if external forces intervened as Kim I-hyeon said, we need evidence that they are real and not a delusional entity.

"We are just mercenaries after all. Don't confuse our roles. Just leave the rest to the police."

Once you've provided the information to the police through the Lotus Company, you're done. After the incident is out of White Fang's hands, you can watch the city's fate unfold.

Meanwhile.

"Hyeon, are you okay? You look pale."

Bryce, who was in the line of battle with Kim Yi-hyeon, asked. Kim Yi-hyeon's face was pale. He kept rubbing his hands on his sleeves as if he was sweating.

"…I have a really strange feeling. Do I have a stomachache or something?"

"Hot, what's wrong with your stomach? You're usually so calm, but you seem a bit tense at times like this."

nervous?

Kim Yi-hyeon thought over the words he had just heard. Maybe that was true. No, he was definitely more nervous than ever.

'Because it's an important crossroads.'

Of course, this is not the end.

The invasion of Cilicia was just one of many Legion actions, and was relatively small in scale compared to the wars that would follow.

However, the influence is enormous. It can be counted on one hand among all the events that occurred in the work.

The enemy we will have to deal with in the future is not only the Legion. We must preserve the continent's power as much as possible to get through the 'second half'.

For the sake of the future, we must suppress the growth of the legion here.

'If we fail, many will die.'

Hundreds of thousands, maybe even millions.

A countless number of lives were lost in the great war caused by the Legion. That was not what Kim I-Hyeon wanted.

It's a situation that can't help but be tense.

but....

'It feels different from that.'

Kim Yi-hyeon felt an inexplicable sense of crisis. His footsteps were heavy. The dark tunnel looked like the mouth of a monster.

'Did I make a mistake?'

There was no chance of any change.

The story within the game is progressing smoothly. The stage is LW-03. You will soon encounter Mithril.

Chelsea and Mary are here. If it's preparations, they're done. Just in case, I asked the platoon leader to pack some equipment. There's absolutely no reason to be anxious.

I soon realized that it was pride.

I pretended to know everything, but it seems like it didn't work out. This damn Polaris world didn't turn a blind eye to even a single minor mistake.

A spacious tunnel. A path that must be passed in order to reach the destination.

Someone was standing there alone.

chuck.

Bryce raised his hand after spotting the monster. One. As the platoon leader looked behind him, Pep raised his crossbow, which he had modified for sniping.

It was a very long way.

There wasn't a single one with proper lighting. The tunnel was only illuminated by the bluish water that glowed on its own, like the underground of Tulavia.

White Fang was wearing night vision goggles. The visibility was definitely advantageous.

In the few seconds that signals are exchanged.

Kim Lee-hyun was shocked.

'Why is that kid here?'

A full body armor that looks like something you would see in a museum. He is looking at the wall with the tip of his longsword hanging down.

Anachronistic attire. I couldn't recognize him.

That's not mithril.

"...."

The monster's head slowly turned. His face was hidden by the visor, so he couldn't see it. Nevertheless, Kim Yi-hyun thought that their eyes met for a moment.

Crunch.

It seemed like I could hear iron hitting iron.

"What the fuck…!"

Kim Yi-Hyeon ran straight ahead. He threw away his gun and grabbed his shield with both hands. Pep hurriedly lowered his crossbow at his sudden action.

"What the hell! What the—"

-Thump!

The sound of the collision was as loud as the explosion. Kim Yi-Hyeon's body floated up and rolled backwards for about ten meters.

A person flew before his eyes like an object. The platoon leader was flustered, but did not look away. He instinctively raised his submachine gun.

The enemy was already right in front of us.

On their own!

The sounds of various firearms mixed together.

White Fang does not have a standardized weaponry. This can be considered a characteristic of the organization, as each person has a different set of equipment that fits their hand.

A pungent smoke rose. As expected from a veteran, many bullets hit the target.

But there wasn't a single scratch on the armor.

It wasn't armor made of special materials. The league's top players compete in matches wearing armor that is much more durable than that.

There was something different about it that was special.

At some point, the armor became covered in frost. The platoon leader felt a terrible cold that penetrated his lungs.

'Is it a spell?'

At the moment of realization, the platoon leader had once again lost sight of the target.

chin.

A hand came up to the platoon leader's shoulder.

Damn it!

The platoon leader's entire body froze. She wasn't the only one. A total of six people's movements stopped. The frozen limbs were soon cut off by the blades and flew dizzyingly through the air.

Bryce instinctively threw himself to avoid the blow. But before he could even find his bearings, a shadow fell over him.

"What are you doing, shoot!"

A scream erupted from behind. Kim Yi-hyeon staggered to his feet and shouted, spitting out words.

Followed by.

Fight!

The bullet fired from the end of the passageway White Fang had passed through hit the monster directly. This time, it failed to inflict any damage, but it was significant.

The frost dispersed from the armor.

It was a collaboration between Mary and Chelsea. Mary's spell was to give special properties to objects.

If an ordinary person touches it, it will only cause a brief tingling sensation, but for someone with spell power, it is a different story.

In game terms, it's silence.

It is an ability that can be used even without piercing through bare skin. Just like Kim Yi-Hyun's special weapon, 'things made with spells' are deeply connected to those with the ability.

And before Kim I-hyeon came down to the underground, he gave Chelsea the bullets that had Mary's spell on them.

Two bullets left.

As the opponent hesitated, bullets were fired again. The monster slid backwards.

Even as he was quickly gaining distance, several shots landed, hitting one arm and thigh.

'This won't do.'

A decision was made in Kim Lee-Hyeon's brain.

'I don't know why that kid came out so early… but I can never catch him in his current state.'

There was no chance of winning. I realized it as soon as I received the first blow. The shield, which I had no idea how it had been hit, was already a rag.

Originally a boss that appears in Episode 11. If you somehow manage to seal the spell, it's different from the useless Shadow or Mithril.

The guy's helmet has a rather unique construction. It is not worn up and down, but rather front and back. This is because the horns on his head get in the way.

He is a Pecatum like Ast. He is a truly blessed warrior, boasting outstanding physical abilities and powerful spells.

Snowfield.

Users call it 'Eye Transfer'. It is a monster that can be counted on one hand among the human race.