Chapter 22: The Enemy Within
“This is impossible.”
By the time Song Cheonhwa and the other players rushed to the source of the commotion, the worst had already happened.
“…It’s too late.”
A healer examining four people collapsed on the ground shook their head in denial.
The neat wounds on the back of their heads were clear signs they had been ambushed from behind and killed instantly.
However, the deaths of these four were far less concerning than what they had been guarding.
Whoooom!
A black sphere hovered at the entrance to the ruins.
Someone had…
…awakened the Guardian.
[‘The Guardian of the Ruins’ observes the intruders.] [Remaining time: 09:59]
The ‘Guardian’ stationed at the entrance of the ruins possessed the strength of a high-level dungeon boss but would only awaken if provoked.
Hence, it was nicknamed ‘Sleeping Bomb.’
A bomb that posed no danger if left undisturbed.
“Who the hell messed with this thing!”
“What’s the use of arguing about that now? It’s already beginning to awaken!”
Yes, it was too late.
Only 10 minutes remained.
If they didn’t leave the ruins within that time…
The Guardian would fully awaken.
“Hyung!”
“I know, I know!”
Song Cheonhwa bit his lip.
Fighting the Guardian was not an option.
It would be akin to suicide.
‘At least half, no, maybe even more, might die.’
Essentially, the raid would have to be abandoned.
It would be impossible to reach the boss with half of their forces gone.
However,
‘End it before it even really starts? Because of some absurd reason like awakening the Guardian?’
Being demoted was the least of his worries.
He risked being expelled from the guild altogether.
‘How much did I struggle to get to the position of raid leader…!’
Clenching his jaw, he couldn’t let it end this way.
Absolutely not.
Song Cheonhwa decisively issued an order.
“Let the Guardian awaken. We continue deeper inside.”
His decision to proceed caused murmurs of dissent.
“Hyung, are you serious?”
“Think carefully. Really. If we’re not careful, we could all die.”
Although one team of porters had entered, three others were still outside waiting.
Furthermore, another guild supposed to join them hadn’t yet arrived at the ruins.
Continuing meant giving up on more than 20% of their total force.
“Stop talking and follow. I’ll take the responsibility.”
Song Cheonhwa cut off any rebuttals.
“And… even without the reinforcements, as long as Teresa is with us, we have a fighting chance.”
Yes.
That was his ace.
Song Cheonhwa’s gaze briefly shifted.
The blonde saint.
Against undead monsters, Teresa was considered the best in the world.
With her by their side…
It was possible.
More than possible.
＊＊＊
The porters learned of the situation after a few minutes had passed.
“This isn’t what was agreed upon! The Guardian is awake, and we can’t leave the ruins?”
“What the hell is this? So, we’re supposed to stick with the raid team?”
“Damn it. If I knew it was this dangerous, I wouldn’t have come!”
The porters raised their voices in protest.
But the response they received was cold.
“Someone assassinated those guarding the Guardian, and by the time we arrived, it had already awakened.”
Assassination…
Jinhyuk, who had been silent, perked up his ears.
‘Someone among us is the culprit…’
In today’s world, murder wasn’t as significant an event.
What intrigued him was the motive.
It wasn’t to gain something but to trap people inside the ruin.
Interesting.
He had a rough idea of what the culprit was aiming for.
And possibly, their identity as well.
The awakening of the Guardian might even allow him to manipulate the situation more flexibly.
Then.
Jinhyuk suddenly turned his head.
A moment too late.
“Monsters from the side! Mid-level… a lot of them!”
A player from the scouting team shouted.
“Prepare for battle!”
Song Cheonhwa’s voice was filled with urgency.
The ambush caught them off guard while they were still organizing.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The ground shook, and the bushes rustled violently.
They were coming.
And very quickly.
“Tankers, to the front!”
“Porters, retreat quickly! Don’t interfere, just get back!”
Crash!
Trees fell as…
“Roar!”
“Graah!”
…Dullahans over 2.5 meters tall appeared.
Twelve in total, each armed with maces and axes.
“Ugh.”
“Dullahans!”
Of the 13 types of monsters appearing at the entrance of the ruins, Dullahans were among the most challenging to face.
Overwhelmed by their imposing presence, everyone’s hair stood on end.
Far different from ghouls or skeletons, Dullahans were superior predators.
Their tough skin, speed, and strength made them particularly difficult to deal with.
“Support the tanks with buffs, and DPS, gather your magic and wait for the timing!”
Song Cheonhwa commanded the raid team.
[Song Cheonhwa activates Lv3 ‘Iron Shield’!] [Ko Yun-deok activates Lv2 ‘Wedge Formation’!] [Lee Yun-mi activates Lv2 ‘Warrior’s Song’!] Whooom!
Various skills and buffs overlapped.
Then, at that moment.
“Raaaah!”
Boom!
A Dullahan’s mace crashed down onto a shield.
＊＊＊
From a distance, Jinhyuk watched the battle unfold.
‘Indeed, the guild’s formation is solid.’
Their experience of working together was evident.
They stood their ground even against Dullahans.
The problem was with the solo players not affiliated with any guild.
Used to operating alone, they were not accustomed to group battles.
Consequently, casualties began to emerge.
Crunch!
The chilling sound of bones crushing and flesh being torn apart.
“Aaargh!”
A man with a shattered shoulder fell, spewing blood.
“They’re unbelievably fast!”
“Healers! Where are the healers?”
“Send some tanks our way too. We can’t hold them… we’re all going to die!”
Chaos ensued.
The hastily assembled forces were no match for the Dullahans.
At least, that was the reality for the solo players.
Despite their desperate pleas for help, Song Cheonhwa turned a blind eye to those seeking assistance.
Casualties were to be expected.
That was only natural.
And, in fact, he preferred it this way.
Song Cheonhwa’s lips twisted slightly.
‘A bit of sacrifice is necessary for a dramatic scene.’
The raid had another purpose besides clearing the ruins: securing a steady subscriber base.
Due to the rule that views from subscribers only count once per day, the competition among players for subscribers was incredibly fierce.
‘To truly excite subscribers, you need to provide them with sensational stimulation.’
Brutality and sensationalism.
By creating dramatic situations, he could produce the ultimate video.
‘It’s about time to move, now that we have enough sacrifices.’
Song Cheonhwa nodded towards someone.
“Dong-yeong!”
“Yes, hyung!”
A man casting a spell immediately activated it.
Fzzzt!
The air cooled rapidly.
A white sphere formed in his palm.
The ice magic ‘Ice Orb’ was unleashed.
A storm blasted through the Dullahans.
“Raaaah!”
“Grrr…”
The Dullahans’ movements slowed noticeably.
Ice clung to their weapon-wielding arms, and their swift legs froze in place.
“Now! Scatter!”
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Song Cheonhwa and the other tanks widened their formation.
The exposed center.
Dash! Thwack!
Waiting players sprung into action.
Balhae Guild’s main DPS, wielding swords and spears, struck.
Slice! Crunch!
Their weapons targeted vulnerabilities.
For DPS specialized in melee combat, the slowed Dullahans were easy prey.
Boom! Boom!
One by one, the Dullahans fell.
- The footage turned out great, hyung. This should easily hit 3 million views.
Balhae Guild’s video editing expert flashed a thumbs-up.
‘3 million…!’
Song Cheonhwa’s smile reached his ears.
The effort he put into this setup felt worthwhile.
After all, from a viewer’s perspective, it was irresistible.
He had injected the perfect dose of excitement.
‘Most of the solo players must be wiped out by now.’
While the guilds managed to hold off eight, the remaining four bypassed the tanks and reached the back.
The result?
No need to check; it was obvious.
Those who fought had turned into corpses by now.
Only those who were quick on their feet survived.
＊＊＊
Was this what it felt like to have one’s life flash before their eyes?
Kim Somi, a 25-year-old with information-based abilities, resigned herself to her fate upon seeing the approaching axe.
She no longer had the strength to flee or the magic power to defend herself.
‘I should’ve just lived within my means.’
She was just one of the many who had entered in hopes of striking it rich.
This wasn’t the ending she had wanted.
Closing her eyes, she awaited the end.
Hoping it would be quick.
But then…
“…?”
She felt no pain.
Strange.
She had braced herself for immense suffering.
Unable to curb her curiosity, she peeked open her eyes.
“Wha…!?”
An unbelievable sight unfolded before her.
Grrrrk!
The axe was halted in mid-air.
Despite the Dullahan’s muscles bulging as if they would burst, it couldn’t overcome the man standing in front of it.
‘…He’s holding it back?’
No, he was effortlessly blocking it.
With just a single dagger.
Though he appeared to be a close-range DPS based on his gear…
Why did he seem even more formidable than the shield-bearing tankers?
It was astonishing.
Astounding and awe-inspiring.
Yet, the scene that followed transformed her astonishment into fear.
Whoosh!
Flames erupted in the man’s left hand.
Not a mere spark but a blaze bright enough to hurt the eyes.
“Ma… magic too?”
It was unheard of.
Only a few players were known to be versatile, capable of both combat and magic.
And even among them, there were disparities between abilities.
Meaning, they all had weaknesses.
However, to possess such strength across all abilities was unprecedented.
What level could he be…
‘It’s unfathomable.’
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The flames engulfed the Dullahan’s head.
The smell of burning rotten flesh pricked her nose.
“Aaaaargh!”
Boom!
The body of the Dullahan, turned to charcoal, crumbled.
This made four.
Jinhyuk glanced at the fallen Dullahan.
Keeping his level at 1 meant he couldn’t deliver the final blow.
But essentially, it was as good as dead.
‘They’ll handle the cleanup.’
Jinhyuk dusted the soot from his hands.
Then, he licked his lips as if something was missing.
Perhaps it was because he hadn’t fully warmed up before the fight was over.
It was inevitable, given the Dullahans’ level was much lower than expected.
Their attacks were basic, driven by instinct rather than complexity.
Though they were slightly faster and stronger, that was all.
In fact, it took less than three minutes to deal with four of them.
‘It feels much easier than before.’
Last time, it took over ten minutes to defeat four Dullahans.
Reducing that time by seven minutes was absurd, even to him.
It seemed he had been stagnant for too long over the 11 years.
Just then.
“How did you…?”
An unexpected voice came from behind.