Chapter 76

“Umm, so you’re really going to fight the Iron Guild?” Sun-Pil asked in shock. Standing next to them, Dong-Hae had the same confused expression as Sun-Pil.

Gi-Gyu nodded and replied, “You can still say no. The battle has already begun, so you must leave now if you want.” The gate break alarms were blaring, heralding the start of the battle. Unfortunately, the citizen evacuation wasn’t complete due to Rogers Han’s detour. But this wouldn’t matter since they would be evacuated while the Iron Guild members were busy dealing with Gi-Gyu’s summoned undead.

Once all innocents were out, the barrier around the city would be completed. Then, Gi-Gyu would give them hell.

Dong-Hae replied firmly first, “I’ll stay and help you, Player Kim Gi-Gyu.” His face was one of someone ready to die. Immediately after, Sun-Pil added, “Me too. I’m staying too, Hyung. I, too, am serious about the alliance.” Sun-Pil frowned and glanced at Dong-Hae; he seemed a little upset that he wasn’t the first one to answer Gi-Gyu.

Gi-Gyu looked at both players and grinned. Sung-Hoon, who was on his phone, announced, “The Iron Guild asked the Korean association to let them help with the gate break.”

Gi-Gyu replied, “So Rogers agreed to help with the gate break? Everything is going smoothly then.”

“The association requested all the other local Korean guilds to evacuate; two offered to help, but they stepped back when we told them the Iron Guild was taking control. Oh, and about 80% of the civilians have been evacuated so far,” Sung-Hoon explained quickly.

Gi-Gyu nodded and began walking. Now that the alarm had been triggered, it was time to move. With only Sun-Pil, Dong-Hae, and Sung-Hoon around him, Gi-Gyu awkwardly scratched his cheek before muttering, “Open.”

Whir!

Rattle.

Rattle.

“…!” Dong-Hae gasped in shock.

“T-this is insane!” Sun-Pil exclaimed.

“I-I had no idea this was possible…!” Sung-Hoon murmured with eyes as wide as saucers.

The three players couldn’t hide their surprise as they stared at the gate with its quivering blue light. Seconds later, a neatly arranged undead militia exited the gate.

“How are these skeleton monsters this strong…?!” Sun-Pil gaped as he felt the monsters’ aura.

“How’s that the big news? Didn’t you see Player Kim Gi-Gyu open a gate and summon all these undead?” Dong-Hae shouted in disbelief. While these players gaped, an endless line of skeletons left the gate, followed by a headless knight and a lich.

Clunk.

Clink.

Thud!

The headless knight and the lich kneeled in front of Gi-Gyu respectfully. In an eerie voice, the lich announced, “Greetings to the grandmaster.”

Gi-Gyu looked at the two monsters emotionlessly and ordered, “Protect the areas I told you about. And kill everyone from the Iron Guild. They will be in their steel armor.”

Clank.

The durahan and the lich, named Hart, rose and bowed. “Your wish is our command.”

“Oh, but leave Rogers Han alone”—Gi-Gyu stretched his arms and neck side to side—“He’s mine.” Gi-Gyu smiled widely; his white teeth shone quite brightly amid the ever-increasing army of the undead.

***

“It’s gonna shower.” When Tae-Gu murmured, Tae-Shik frowned and asked, “Old man! What the heck are you talking about now?!”

Tae-Gu and Tae-Shik were standing on the roof of a tall building nearby: They could see the entirety of Seoul from there. The Iron Guild branch headquarters was a tall building in Yeoksam Dong. And currently, this entire region was under the association’s control, barring entry and exit to everyone without permission.

By now, all local citizens knew about the gate break, so the remaining 20% or so un-evacuated citizens were also running out screaming. This area had many large-sized Korean guilds, and the KPA was also close by. So, the evacuation process was swift.

“It has finally begun,” Tae-Gu murmured. Both Tae-Gu and Tae-Shik could sense the monsters nearby. Tae-Gu continued with his eyes glued to the city, “I know he explained it to me, but I still can’t believe it.”

They both could hear and see the undead militia below, and it was unlike what they were used to. The undead didn’t destroy everything in their way—they marched like the perfect army.

Tae-Shik crouched on the ground and lit his cigarette. “Hmm, isn’t that more like an army?”—he narrowed his eyes—“The Cain Guild will make its move once the evacuation process is complete.”

“Are you certain about him?” Tae-Gu asked as he turned toward Tae-Shik, who was blowing smoke. With a casual shrug, Tae-Shik replied, “What do you mean?”

“That boy.” Tae-Gu, watching the gray clouds approaching the city, clarified, “I’m asking you if you’re sure that boy won’t turn into a monster.”

Tae-Shik stomped on his cigarette with an emotionless face and replied, “I don’t know, and I don’t care. All I want is for that boy to be happy.”

As the civilians’ aura gradually disappeared from Yeoksam Dong, Tae-Gu and Tae-Shik watched the city without a word.

Clank.

Before long, the streets were filled with screams, battle cries, and the sounds of weapons clashing with each other.

Drop, drop.

A creepy fog slowly enveloped Yeoksam Dong, and the dark clouds above seemed to seal the area completely. As if mourning the lives that would be lost today, the sky began to rain.

“If that child loses control and interferes with our plan, I will have no choice but to get involved. I’ll need to take care of him, so…” Tae-Gu trailed off. One didn’t want to complete the thought; the other didn’t want to hear it.

Raising his cell phone, Tae-Shik made a call. He ordered quietly, “From now on, block all players, non-players, and living creatures.”

Drop, drop, drop…

Drop, drop, drop, drop…

Shwaaaaah!

The heavy rain blurred everyone’s vision. Tae-Shik whispered, “It’s time to honor the Grigory.”

***

“All right,” Suk-Woo hung up and turned around. The rain was becoming heavier, and his elite members stood solemnly underneath it. There were less than 100 of them, but these were the strongest and most trustworthy players in his guild. When he raised his hands, he began to levitate slowly. Surrounded by the tall buildings, the forest, and the rain, the armored players looked out of place, yet they should be nowhere but here.

Suk-Woo looked down at his guild members and announced, “I have received the signal. It’s time to get to work. As I said before, you can ignore the monsters and just kill the Iron Guild members.”

“Guild master, are you sure the monsters won’t attack us…?”

The Cain Guild members trusted Suk-Woo, but they couldn’t help feeling uncertain about this strategy. Although rare, the players sometimes had to kill other players if the two guilds were at war. However, Suk-Woo wanted them to fight alongside the monsters to battle other players. In simple words, he was asking them to go against their instincts.

Suk-Woo began to fly as he replied, “Yes, I’m sure of it. You don’t have to worry about the monsters.” That simple order was enough to dispel their doubts; the Cain players ran forward without hesitation.

“Hmm…” Suk-Woo looked around in concern. He could tell that the association had control over the area, but the problem was the agents that were sent to control the area.

“This feels strange.” Others probably couldn’t tell, but Suk-Woo could feel the players the association sent to barricade the city were different from your average players.

“I wonder if it’s them.” When Suk-Woo first received his code name, he heard about a group of players who were part of the association but were also independent.

A group created and controlled by Tae-Shik and Tae-Gu to protect Korea and humankind: Grigory.

Suk-Woo had no idea of the beginning or the history of this group. All he knew was that it was made of players with special powers. He suspected that this secret group was barricading the city.

***

“Hahaha! I knew it! A Third World country like this obviously has no order,” Rogers shouted as he slew a skeleton soldier. Before he arrived in Korea, he had heard of the open gate near the Iron Guild branch building. But he assumed the Korean association would take care of it, like how every country did.

But here he was, fighting the monster the moment he arrived. Rogers couldn’t believe what was happening around him. He continued to yell, “Damn Koreans! Can’t even close a gate. Why do we, the Americans, have to do everything?” Rogers killed one monster after another as he laughed in pleasure. All the worries and the stress Ironshield and Tae-Gu gave him melted away. Right now, he only felt bliss.

“Kim Gi-Gyu!” Rogers roared, rousing the flames of his vengeance.

Several Iron Guild members surrounded him and asked, “Branch Manager! Please give us an order!” The skeletons were stronger than they expected, to say nothing of their number. It hadn’t been long since they arrived in Korea, so if their branch manager got hurt or killed, It would be the biggest embarrassment to their guild and country.

“Why would you need an order?! Just kill them all! Both monsters and—” Suddenly, Rogers felt the presence of unfamiliar players around him. “Did the association bring in reinforcements to control this gate break?”

Rogers vaguely remembered hearing about this, and he became furious.

‘How dare they?! These weak Asians who call themselves his brothers…! How dare they try to help him?’

“They don’t think I can take care of this?!” Rogers’ pride was hurt. Did the Koreans really think he couldn’t massacre these weak skeleton soldiers by himself? Madness slowly filled Rogers’s face as he shrieked, “Kill everyone! Every human and every monster that gets in our way!”

“Yes, Sir.”

A superior’s order was absolute. The Iron Guild members had no choice but to obey Rogers, especially since Ironshield personally told them to. Then, the Iron Guild players promptly began to move.

***

The elite players of the Morningstar and the Child Guilds combined were smaller than the Iron Guil group. However, they still charged ahead; thanks to the undead, the battle was a close one thanks to the undead. Gi-Gyu, who was watching the progression, was the last to leave the building. The association made sure there were no electronic devices, including security cameras, active here: No one could make contact inside the barrier now.

Yeoksam Dong was a rather small city, so he met several players wherever Gi-Gyu went.

-It’s finally time.

When Lou announced calmly, Gi-Gyu replied, “Yeah.”

Boom!

Kaboom!

Clang, clang!

As the explosions and weapons clashes filled his ears, Gi-Gyu murmured, “Have the battles already begun?” Based on his senses, he could tell that the skeletons had moved back, and the fight was mostly between the players. He guessed Hart and the durahan had led the skeletons to focus on one region.

“Bi.” Suddenly, his necklace began glowing, and then a mysterious blue and red wolf materialized before him. This was the result of combining Chang-Gyung’s Ego with Bi.

“Grrr!” The newly improved Bi growled as it rubbed against Gi-Gyu. Jumping on the wolf’s back easily, he ordered, “Let’s go.”

Bi began with a leisurely trot; within seconds, it was sprinting at an incredible speed.

The hunt was finally on.