– We have received a response from the Association regarding our request for cooperation!
– 42D, 17C, 85C…
The numbers went on and on.
Raiding an exceptionally large dungeon was like a war. There were strict, systematic frameworks in place and there was a restriction on the available pathways.
All army troops had a military objective. Instead of simply fighting, the objectives ranged from constructing bases and trenches, to sending supplies and being decoys for monsters. Because of that, no-one was allowed in from outside unless permitted.
In order to move privately, they had to receive permission from the troop guarding that area. As soon as they received news, the security team sent a message over to Yu Jitae.
“Who’s the one in charge of 17C.”
– It’s Major Jo Yoojin from Joint Affairs Team!
“Got it. Get the best communication device possible. I’m moving as fast as I can. Our device won’t last.”
– The Headquarter does not wish to provide support. Will there be a different method?
“Look for Commander Myung Yongha and tell him 4Life is in need of assistance with the communication device. Tell him it’s related to subjugating the Blood Cross.”
– S, sorry?? 4Life… eh, to C, Commander Myung Yongha?
“Oi. You bastard. Just do what I say. Is it time to muck around?”
– Ah… yes! Understood!
“We don’t have time. Secure it. Hurry.”
– Yes sir!
4Life.
It was the alias he was using in the fourth iteration – the name of the 3rd ranker worldwide.
He discarded that name and face the moment he became the bodyguard of the Gold Dragon and also disguised his identity as a random decently powerful superhuman. In order to be a mere bodyguard of a celebrity, he had to hide his identity as a top ranker.
But now wasn’t the time for that.
After entering the forest, Yu Jitae met the Major of the base troops holding 17C.
“We haven’t caught any sign of demons having moved, from our communication network or our radar.”
She spoke with a gaze of doubt.
“Is it true that BY has been abducted?”
“Just stay put with your mouth shut. Do you think I need to explain every single thing to you right now?”
Although the Major was discontent, there was an approval given by the Commander already so she closed her mouth.
Once the security fences were lifted, he ran forward without turning back. Meanwhile, he closed his eyes and extended his senses to the extreme, to feel traces of the Gold Dragon.
He could certainly feel it.
However, the physical distance between them was considerably large, and she was going further away rapidly in real time.
How in the world were they moving this fast.
‘A stealth movement-type demon huh…’
There would be troops nearby with great superhumans in them, as well as monsters whom they were fighting against. Despite that, the trace of the dragon was leisurely moving through them.
Above the forest with trees that were a hundred metres tall were S-ranked monsters, [Sky Race]. It would take more time to go above so without any other choice, he had to go through the forest head-on.
“I’m Captain Cortua of 119F. Mister Yu. I heard you were a great superhuman but in order to go through here, we must go through the battlefront…!”
“I’ll go immediately. Make them follow me if you so wish.”
Sometimes, there were superhumans who tried to use Yu Jitae to turn the battle to their favour but since that was the shortest path, he had to be used by them.
He lifted a massive longsword from his dimensional storage. It was a Level 4 artifact borrowed from the Association as a new VIP.
[Conviction of Ancient Soldier]
It was an unbreakable sword.
“Front side! 1 tribe of Red-haired Trolls. 37 in number!” shouted the operator.
The A+ ranked trolls were already prepared for the fight behind the bushes. Red-haired Trolls were generally at least 2.5 metres tall and tribes always contained a tribe leader and a great warrior.
Yu Jitae aimed for the monster who was a head taller than others. That was the great warrior.
Paaat–!
He kicked off the ground as hard as he could. Coarsely, mana crushed the ground as he quickly rushed forth. Kwuuoook! The troll shouted and swung its two-handed club at Yu Jitae. If he were to contest that, he had to be ready to suffer a loss.
However, Yu Jitae did not fight it head-on.
He didn’t have time.
[Sword of Giant Soldier (AA) – 2nd Form]
[Wrecking Ball]
His body was flung forward like a missile.
Kwaaang–!
The [Conviction of Ancient Soldier] crushed the troll’s club from the front as the large metal club shattered like glass fragments. His palms felt like they were being torn apart but without caring about that, he crushed the troll’s head alongside its weapon.
Let alone the trolls, even the soldiers were shocked from the strike.
“Charge–!”
Hearing their commander’s voice, the soldiers each deployed their blessings and skills to rush forward.
Agitated from the death of their great warrior, the trolls shouted. Guraarararara! Gurararara–!! Their muscles exploded in volume as thick veins were revealed in full display.
Since he had to go past them as fast as possible, Yu Jitae headed to the most dangerous area – the place where he would be surrounded by trolls in all four directions.
Smacking the club that was flying at him with his arm, he swung his sword. His strength was ridiculous and at least one troll was crushed every time he moved his arm. The ones that tried to block with their clubs were destroyed along with their weapons.
That was when another club struck him at the back of his head. It was a great jolt, enough to have someone’s eyes pop out. But after reaching the fourth iteration, his physical body was that of a monster and his eyes remained in their sockets.
While bleeding from the back of his head, Yu Jitae turned around at the troll that just attacked him. Only the handle remained from the previous club, so the troll took a step back in a fluster.
He reached out and squeezed the troll by the skin. What awaited the head after being pulled was a sword.
The troll was stabbed in the head.
Yu Jitae ripped the stomach of another troll and bisected another troll’s arms into two. And another one was slashed into two from the head down to the neck. A troll whose brain had been completely destroyed couldn’t even be saved by their unique regenerating ability and died powerlessly.
The nearby trolls had already been killed. After standing still for some time, he heaved deep breaths in and out and glanced across the battlefield.
The shock on the back of his head still caused his gaze to wander.
Trolls, bodies, corpses, corpses, corpses, bodies, trolls, soldiers, great warrior, tribe leader and…
He ran.
“Mister Yu! Where are you going!”
It was the voice of the captain, but he ignored it.
He wasn’t here to fight. The troll camp was already in chaos and there was a decent way out, which he was now following through.
“Kuak!”
“Aaak!”
Sharp screams were heard from behind. Thick weapons crushed the legs of a soldier. The battle became harder when he distanced himself from the stalemate.
Whatever the case, that had nothing to do with him.
Several hundred metres after he left the battlefront, his walkie-talkie rang.
– Sir! We have gotten approval from Commander Myung Yongha. Next is 93F!
“What’s the area currently like?’
– They’re in the middle of a fight! However, 93F is suggesting that we go to 117N instead!
He frowned. He had to go through 93F because that was the shortest path according to the map.
“Why.”
– Apparently, there’s a Sword Forest…!
Yet again, he felt irritated.
A Sword Forest out of everything…
He could understand the recommendation of the troops. Sword Forest was a mutated landscape. Physical bodies of dead swordsmen succumbed to the ground and rotted beneath. Stained mana under the name of grudge would then move, seeking for a place to gather.
At the place where their grudges gathered would be tall stalks of grass but as if to vent their spirits, they were always in the shape of blades. Dancing under the wind, they would slash anything that walked over the land.
That alone was annoying enough but the problem was that this place had monsters – monsters that weren’t impacted by the blades of grudge. Namely they were spectors, ghosts and devils.
There would probably be superhumans of the holy type, confronting the ghosts.
– So, currently we are in touch with 117N! Any words you would like to tell them sir?
“Nothing. Just cut communication with them.”
– Sorry?
“We’ll use 93F. Are you going to make me say it twice every single time? Cut it!”
He shouted like the growl of a tiger. It was the first time hearing Yu Jitae shout for the one on the other side of the call, despite working under him for over 10 years.
– U, understood, sir!
Yu Jitae rushed towards the Sword Forest. Each step of his caused the world around him to rapidly change. He soon came across another troop.
“This is Yu Jitae. Please cast a divine spell.”
“Ah, yes…”
A saint-type superhuman walked up and used her blessing on Yu Jitae. Gentle light seeped into his body.
“Mister Yu Jitae. The wounds on the rear and the back of your head are severe.”
During the blessing, the saint spoke with a worried expression.
“You are bleeding a lot.”
“It’s fine.”
“How about you recover before you go. It won’t take more than 5 minutes. The Sword Forest will make you bleed a lot as well.”
“Please, stop babbling and give me holy water.”
The saint and other superhumans were shocked by his attitude. He was acting without any manners.
Seeing them stay still, he revealed his irritation on the outside without hiding as he walked to the statue of a goddess.
“Mister Yu Jitae?”
He then plucked the bottle of holy water that was inside the statue’s hand.
“Mister Yu Jitae! What are you doing? That’s something that shouldn’t be used like that!”
Without saying a word, he kicked off the ground. Although the superhumans ran in trying to grab him, he was faster and quickly he distanced himself from the encampment.
Meanwhile, his hands opened the flask and he drank it in one go. The saltish flavour of holy water spread in an instant as something hot began surging inside his body.
In front of his eyes was a forest darker than black.
Sword Forest.
Into the ominous aura, he ran in.
***
On the ground were blades shaped like grass slicing his feet, ankles and knees, while trees shook their branches in the air trying to dice him into pieces.
He zealously blocked them with [Conviction of Ancient Soldier] and used his mana to parry them away. He created sparks throughout his run.
It was when he was about half way past the Sword Forest that he was nearing his limit. A blade swept across before he realised it and scratched past his cheek. His skin was ripped as blood flowed out. Meanwhile, another blade tore one of his ears. He could feel the cartilage in his ear breaking.
There was no need to even mention his arms and wrists. Already, there were dozens of scratches and wounds. His gray security clothes and the outer garments were already painted in blood, and had already turned black.
Even then, he didn’t stop.
Slowly but surely, he could feel himself closing into the trace of the Gold Dragon.
But at the same time, he could feel the blessing and the holy water losing its power.
Damn it. It was 3 minutes from now at max. During that time, he had to break through Sword Forest because if he didn’t, he would be surrounded by extremely cumbersome enemies.
His feet came to a stop.
Finally, what was to come had come.
Shiiieek…!
There was a reason why 170 highest ranked superhumans were struggling for over 3 weeks.
Crimson eyes fluctuated behind the Sword Forest, and there were at least 30 pairs of eyes.
Those red eyes looked at one place. Soon, they widened their eyes by a little bit. It looked horrendous but from the ghosts’ perspective, it was a worship.
At the same time, a figure of a person began walking towards him from the depths of the forest.
That thing was a colony of ghosts.
As a mix of countless ghosts, it was an S+ ranked mid-boss, who at the same time was the owner of the Sword Forest, born from the graves of countless swordsmen.
It came closer – the human-type monster with not a single bit of flesh, who only had skin on top of its bones. On one of its hands was a black, half-melted longsword.
[Sword Ghost]
The owner of the Sword Forest finally revealed itself.