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Secretary Nam Dongkwon took command of the site, replacing the Baekya Guild which had been sucked into the swamp.
“Move all injured to the medical tents, and have all combat-ready personnel focus on removing gates.”
Thanks to the mysterious plants, they had avoided the worst scenario. If monsters had run wild while the Baekya Guild was gone, it would have been like the hell of the gate saturation period all over again.
Fortunately, all the monsters were only attacking the plants. Thanks to the plants that appeared as if dropped from the sky, countless lives were saved.
The espers only needed to eliminate the overflowing gates. It wasn’t as easy as it sounded, but at least they could hold out until the Baekya Guild returned.
“Esper Nam Dongkwon! We’re short on personnel in sector A10!”
Sector A10 was the area the Seowol Guild was responsible for. Dongkwon gritted his teeth, thinking of Kwak Seokjin who had been pulled into the swamp with them.
All guilds were already in an emergency situation, so there was no way to send more support. The absence of the Baekya Guild left too large a gap.
In particular, Taebeom and Geonho had each been handling the work of dozens of guilds. The impact of their disappearance was inevitably significant.
“We’ll go instead.”
Just then, a familiar voice approached Dongkwon, delivering supplies. It was the dedicated guide of the Hwayeon Guild.
She came with the barrier master, the new leader of the Hwayeon Guild. After hearing about the Baekya Guild’s situation, they had come immediately. They had been waiting for the moment they could help.
Dongkwon tried to thank them and share information about the plants, but they already knew.
“The same symptoms are appearing in our sector as well.”
Guide Yoon Soha took out a blue leaf kept in a ziplock bag. She was actually about to ask about this plant.
“Is it okay to leave it like this?”
“Pardon?”
“I think there must be a reason why only beastkin can detect this scent.”
She pointed at the leaf with a hardened expression. Dongkwon also looked down at the leaf with a somber face.
Dongkwon immediately understood what Guide Yoon Soha was worried about. In fact, it was a question he had been carrying as well.
A strange plant with bizarre roots appearing suddenly? There were more than a few suspicious points.
“For now, we’ll head to sector A10.”
The new leader of the Hwayeon Guild spoke, nodding to Guide Yoon Soha. At the moment, they didn’t have the luxury to stand around chatting. Above all, no matter how suspicious the plant was, the situation demanded its use.
“They will return soon. Don’t worry too much.”
Guide Yoon Soha left Dongkwon with these final words of hope. She sincerely said that the Baekya Guild wasn’t the kind to be easily defeated.
“Yes, I believe so too.”
Dongkwon nodded calmly. Then he quickly focused on his duties again.
His role was to protect the center until the Baekya Guild returned.
He straightened his shoulders, recalling Taebeom’s upright posture, and surveyed the site. Just as he was about to pick up a weapon to remove gates directly—
“……”
As he looked around the site again, his eyes gradually stiffened.
Somehow, there were now far more beastkin espers than regular espers at the gate site. They all moved in groups naturally as they raised their noses, searching for plants to lure monsters.
They shouldn’t be gathered like this.
* * *
Esper Han Seokhwan lived hidden in darkness.
“Dan…gerous.”
He wasn’t hiding from enemies. It was because his existence was too horrifying. He stayed trapped in darkness, fearing that he might see his own reflection in the eyes of monsters.
“Beast…kin… dan…gerous…”
His dark brown pupils within white sclera, proving he was still human, gleamed. He was now watching the situation through the eyes of a monster, while hiding inside the trembling stone walls.
Esper Han Seokhwan was targeting strong beastkin espers.
The stronger an esper is, the more widespread their rampage becomes. The intensity of the rampage is proportional to the power the esper possesses. That’s why he was targeting strong beastkin espers.
He needed to eliminate them before more people got caught up in their rampages. As soon as possible, as many as possible.
He had spent a long time wandering inside the gate, preparing to remove dangerous elements. His plan was to gather them in one place, then detonate them all at once.
The materials were already prepared. He’d found an exit leading outside the gate. There was more than enough time to accomplish everything.
It was time to finish his role.
“Kang… Geonho… esper…”
Through the monster’s eyes, he found the most dangerous existence: Baekya Guild’s Kang Geonho esper.
He had drawn into the gate the person most frequently mentioned by others. He decided to eliminate him first, and then kill all the beastkin espers at once.
He didn’t act hastily. He moved strategically after sufficient thought, like when he had developed strategies as a guild leader in the past. This was also evidence that he was still human.
“Beastkin…”
Hiding in the stone wall, he observed the Baekya Guild, which had summoned monsters with the leaves he created. His eyeballs rolled chaotically as he followed the rapidly moving esper.
As expected, Kang Geonho esper was strong. It seemed it wouldn’t be easy to make him rampage.
He needed to quickly infiltrate his mind, but there was no opening in sight.
Should he kill another beastkin first? As Esper Han Seokhwan considered this, his head slowly tilted to one side.
“Beast…kin…?”
The esper named Ha Seojun, was it?
That young esper’s identity was ambiguous. He clearly emitted the scent of a beastkin, but there was a strangely different smell mixed in. He wasn’t certain if he was actually a beastkin esper.
And what was this energy?
“Gu…ide…”
The moment he took a deep breath, his body trembled. The guide’s energy was reverberating inside the cave. Because of this, the esper’s wavelength was obscured, making it even more difficult to infiltrate.
To kill an SS-class, he needed to penetrate more surely. This was a problem.
“No…”
Guides were beings that needed protection. The only beings he needed to eliminate were beastkin espers.
The urge to make them rampage quickly kept circling in his mind. He needed to cut off their breath before ordinary people were put in danger too. Before anyone else lost their family.
“D…amn.”
Just then, a sharp voice reached Han Seokhwan’s ears. It was Geonho’s voice.
The poison works.
The moment he saw Geonho affected by the mole-type monster’s poison, the corner of his chapped lips twitched. It was a deadly poison he had prepared with great care. Even the strongest esper wouldn’t remain unaffected.
As time passed, the poison would spread more, and when he weakened, he could exploit the gap. Once he got into his mind, causing a rampage would be easy.
“Don’t… worry…”
Esper Han Seokhwan mumbled his plan with a blank face. He muttered constantly as if there were colleagues or subordinates listening to him.
But he was alone. He was the only living being inside the stone wall.
“I can… kill… them…”
The muffled self-talk, as if comforting a listener, continued.
He controlled more monsters, targeting the SS-class esper. Even though the deadly poison had clearly been absorbed, he still showed no opening. His movements only became slightly duller, but showed no signs of stopping.
As expected, he was a powerful being. How would such a strong esper’s rampage be? Just imagining it sent chills down his spine.
“Must… kill him… here.”
Esper Han Seokhwan gathered his strength, making a beast-like growling sound.
If there was no opening visible, he would force one open.
His gleaming eyes settled on Geonho’s neck. He might not be able to cut his neck, but breaking it should be possible. Just as he was about to activate his telekinesis—
“Hey! What are you doing?”
Suddenly, an unexpected situation occurred.
A pure white object jumped out from inside the SS-class esper’s clothes. And it soon transformed into a person.
He was also a beastkin. Han Seokhwan’s pupils trembled as he saw the white ears and fluffy tail.
“Ah…”
Snow-white ears, a long tail, and transparent skin that resembled his wife’s.
“Ah, ah… ah…”
Moisture gathered in his eyes, which had been filled with intense killing intent. Joy seeped into the face of Esper Han Seokhwan, who was immersed in delusion.
At the same time, making a strange crying sound, he burst through the stone wall. Forgetting even his terrifying appearance.
* * *
Siwoo’s fur stood on end as he grabbed Taebeom’s jacket blown away by the wind.
He detected the gaze directed at him before the sound of the stone wall breaking rang out. It was an animal’s instinct. A dangerous being was watching him from inside the stone wall.
Kuuung—!
At that moment, everyone’s eyes turned toward the cracked wall. Geonho, Siwoo, Jihan, and Seojun all looked at the same spot simultaneously.
“Augh, augh-ugh! Aack!”
Along with the dusty wind, strange crying sounds came through. It was the sound made by the monster that had broken through the split wall.
Everyone froze at the sight of a monster whose form they had never seen before.
Faces like shells were stuck all over its massive body. Not just faces, but torn arms and legs shook as they were embedded in the monster’s body.
Siwoo couldn’t even think of avoiding the monster approaching him. His brain, frozen from the shocking sight, stiffened his body. Even Geonho showed an opening when confronted with this strange form he’d never encountered before.
“Don’t let your guard down.”
At that moment, Taebeom appeared in midair. He pulled both Geonho and Siwoo, shielding them behind his back.
Only then did Siwoo manage to move his fingertips. The moment he saw Taebeom’s broad back, his stiffened tongue began to twitch.
“Kang Tae, no, Kang Geonho!”
He grabbed Geonho’s collar first, seeing him bleeding when he tried to call the leader.
Blood was flowing from Geonho’s eyes and ears. His wave reading, which had been fine just before, suddenly shot up to dangerous levels.
It was because he had shown an opening. Geonho, who had fallen victim to the monster’s attack, shook off the blood and swore under his breath. His head was spinning as if someone had squeezed and released his brain.
“Kang Geonho, are you okay? Look at me!”
A pure white face quickly entered Geonho’s blurry vision. The moment he saw Siwoo, his focus returned.
“I’m fine.”
As soon as Geonho answered, Taebeom kicked his body and ordered:
“Fall back.”
But Geonho blocked his brother’s foot with his hand and stood firm. His red pupils were filled with fierce energy.
“I said fall back.”
“No.”
He, who had always just taken his brother’s blows, refused an order for the first time. His large hand grabbed Taebeom’s shoulder as if seizing a collar. Geonho’s eyes, fixed on Taebeom, curved sharply. It was a cold expression he had never shown in front of his brother before.
“You’re the one who should step aside.”
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
