Chapter 22

22. Seoul Station, F-Rank and S-Rank - 1

===========================

The black smoke that flowed from Lee Hyun-wook's mouth—when Yang Joo-sub noticed its suspiciousness, it was already too late.

Whoosh—

A crimson flame engulfed Yang Joo-sub.

"Ugh, ugh! Shit! Bastard! Is, is this even possible?"

Yang Joo-sub's voice, as he screamed, was filled with more absurdity than pain.

A single, incomprehensible blow had plunged him into a state of grogginess.

Even though he had fought countless battles as a player...

'...This doesn't make any sense!'

He had no idea what kind of weapon his opponent was using.

Usually, a player's combat style is determined by the 'traits' they obtain.

To put it simply, a Holy Knight uses a sword and shield, while a Mage uses a wand or staff to cast spells.

However, there were exceptions.

For example, a 'Priest' doesn't always just heal; they can also wield a sword and shield, enveloped in holy power, and stand at the front lines.

And among the Mage class, there are those who don't swing a staff but instead enchant bullets to use 'Magic Bullets' as a sniper.

Such cases are commonly referred to as 'Variant Armament.'

However, even these variants had their limits and were mostly within the realm of predictability.

'But, damn it, who would have thought a guy controlling metal spheres would suddenly spew fire...?'

Yang Joo-sub's fading consciousness thought this with bitter resentment.

Just as he was about to launch a triumphant attack after easily blocking Lee Hyun-wook's metal sphere assault, a red flame erupted from Lee Hyun-wook's mouth, engulfing everything.

With that scene, Yang Joo-sub's will faded.

'I thought I was his counter, but it turned out he was mine...'

He had the 'Tree Spirit' trait, so he was confident that he could block hundreds or thousands of metal fragments with dozens of 'branches.'

However, it wasn't 'fire.'

Until now, he had always avoided enemies who used fire, the ultimate counter to wood, but he never imagined he would be so helplessly engulfed in flames.

'Shit... I thought, even as a villain, I would have a pretty decent end...'

The term 'villain' was certainly not positive.

But for some, the message to become a villain and destroy the world could be more convincing than the message to become a hero and save it.

Especially for someone filled with hatred for the world, it was undoubtedly so.

That's why, when the quest to become a villain appeared before him after he had killed his teammates one by one inside the 'dungeon,' he didn't hesitate to accept it.

'I didn't do anything wrong, the world did... The world wronged me first...'

From a human perspective, a villain is evil, but from a broader view, perhaps the villain is the true justice, the one who removes the humans who dominate and exploit the Earth, the true cause, the purpose of this game...

Yang Joo-sub repeatedly thought this as he progressed through the 'Villain Quest.'

But to meet such a futile end...

At that moment, he saw a light.

His eyes had opened.

"Choke! Cough—"

He was still not dead.

However, death was right before his eyes.

The man looking down at him was Lee Hyun-wook.

"Yang Joo-sub, your self-justification ends here."

"What? Cough, cough—"

Yang Joo-sub couldn't help but be puzzled.

Self-justification...

'...How did he know my inner thoughts?'

But that confusion could not be resolved.

A metal sphere flew and pierced his heart.

Lee Hyun-wook raised his left hand and retrieved the metal sphere.

"Black Tentacle Yang Joo-sub, you were caught early."

In the future, Yang Joo-sub, who would be called the 'Black Tentacle' and reach A-Rank, was eliminated before he could grow even more corrupt.

And, of course, Lee Hyun-wook did not read Yang Joo-sub's mind.

He had merely guessed based on the typical mindset of all villains he had seen.

'Those who wrap their heinous crimes in flowery rhetoric...'

Lee Hyun-wook planned to deal with such people one by one.

And...

- You have obtained the 'Key 2 of the Akashic Arsenal.'

Yang Joo-sub was supposed to receive this item from the monster 'Evil Seeker.'

'It can't be used right now, but...'

Still, as one of the core items of the Villain Quest, it would play a crucial role someday.

Lee Hyun-wook placed it deep in his pocket.

The reward didn't end there.

- (!) A quest has arrived.

"Quest..."

A quest is a very special direction given by the system.

- The one who carries the light will become the dawn of the world!

You have thwarted the plot of the betrayer of humanity, the 'Villain.'

By doing so, you have earned the opportunity to become a guardian of humanity, a 'Guardian.'

This quest will guide you to become the light of the world.

* Do you accept the quest? (Y/N)

"Guardian..."

The opposite of a villain who threatens humanity, a Guardian (Guardian) is a protector of humanity.

He had been given the opportunity to become a member of this organization.

'But not yet. Getting involved with the Guardians now would be troublesome.'

The reason was the same as why he didn't want to stay in the AMT.

If he got entangled with an organization, it would inevitably interfere with the numerous benefits he could gain by moving independently.

"I refuse."

- Are you sure you want to refuse? (Y/N)

* Choose carefully! There may not be another chance!

The Guardians were certainly helpful.

People who joined forces to protect humanity and fight against villains, many of the heroes destined to be Lee Hyun-wook's comrades in the future were currently part of the Guardians or would soon join.

'But not all Guardians are allies. In fact, they could be... the worst enemies.'

To understand this, one needed to understand villains first.

Villains come in two major types.

The most common are those like Yang Joo-sub, who become villains through a system-defined quest.

However, there are also players who decide to become the axis of evil on their own, regardless of the system.

For example...

'Gordon Price...'

The leader of the Villain Alliance, Gordon Price, falls into the latter category.

A being close to pure evil, not determined by the system, he became the leader of the villains without receiving a Villain Quest.

And he even...

"...The worst betrayer of humanity."

He was a member of the Guardians, the protectors of humanity.

Thus, while the system and the game set the stage, the players are the ones who play it.

In his past life, he had controlled this stage.

But this time, it would be different, Lee Hyun-wook thought.

***

A 'Rescue Team' from the 1st Battalion of the 3rd Anti-Monster Brigade stood in front of Exit 1 of Seoul Station.

Led by Lieutenant Lee Hee-min, the team consisted of 18 people, all below level 15.

"Damn, why am I doing this? It looks like a suicide mission, for fuck's sake..."

Lee Hee-min muttered, shaking his head and tapping his helmet.

"Phew, it'll be fine... It'll be fine..."

His words only darkened the faces of the soldiers behind him.

He took a deep breath and reached out toward the dome.

A system message appeared.

- You are eligible to enter.

So far, it looked positive,

- Caution! This area is a . Once you enter, you cannot leave unless certain conditions are met.

But then, a menacing message appeared before his eyes.

Swallow—

Lee Hee-min turned to look at the rescue team.

They all had the faces of rookies.

"Shit... Alright, everyone! We're going in! Inside is extremely dangerous! We don't even know what kind of gate is open, so everyone stay alert!"

The entry began.

- Caution! You have entered .

The rescue team, pushing through the message, saw the vast space of the second floor of Seoul Station.

"..."

But it was completely different from what they usually knew.

A place that was always bustling with crowds was now eerily quiet, as if time had stopped.

"..."

"Sir, there are no bodies at all."

Something was off.

They had expected to find many casualties, but strangely, there were no signs of a massacre.

Perhaps it was fortunate... but on the other hand, the unexpected situation only increased their tension.

Thud— Thud—

"Alright, Park Jun-mo, Choi Tae-yong, advance to the right."

An Min-tae gave the order.

He was still acting as the temporary squad leader and deputy commander of the rescue team.

Then, he noticed something.

"Sir, look over there."

A massive crack, glowing purple, was open in the center of the hall.

The culprit of all this... the gate.

"But, there's something around the gate."

Around the gate, something massive was shattered and scattered.

As they got closer, its outline became clear.

It looked like a creature with multiple legs...

"Ah! A spider! An enormous spider!"

A female soldier from the 2nd Platoon shouted and took a step back.

This caused the others to be startled and lower their stances.

"Hmm, but that..."

An Min-tae, tilting his head, raised his shield and took a few more steps forward.

There was no movement, and green smoke was slowly seeping from the cracks.

"..."

"It seems to be already dead."

At that moment,

"Who's there?"

A voice came from the third-floor stairs.

"Huh? Ah! We are the AMT rescue team!"

Lee Hee-min replied, and someone on the third floor appeared, gesturing for them to come up.

The rescue team, keeping their guard, formed two lines and climbed the stairs.

Lee Hee-min, leading the way, met a man in a blue uniform, the head of the Seoul Station security team.

"Are you the rescue team?"

"Yes, that's right. We are the AMT rescue team."

"Ah, we are the Seoul Station Security Team 2."

The two shook hands.

"Hmm... But, to be frank, if we can't get out, how can you rescue us?"

"We can't get out, but we need to protect the civilian survivors for the next 5 hours and 20 minutes. We've been given this mission."

Indeed, that was the best option...

The security team leader nodded with a bitter smile.

Lee Hee-min turned his head to check the survivors gathered at the food court.

"But there are no civilian casualties... How is that possible?"

"Ah, thanks to AMT members like you. We've been following their instructions."

"..."

Lee Hee-min frowned at the security team leader's words.

There was one name that immediately came to mind when he thought of AMT members here.

"What's the name of that person?"

"Um, he was a private, and his name was... "

The security team leader scratched his head, trying to remember.

"Ah! Is it Private Lee Hyun-wook?"

It was Park Jun-mo who asked.

At that moment, Lee Hee-min's neck veins bulged as he turned his head sharply.

"Hey, you, shut up! What gives you the right to butt in?"

"Ah! I'm sorry!"

"Damn, this private, really..."

Lee Hee-min's overreaction made the security team leader nod with a dubious expression.

"..."

"Hmm, anyway, that's the right name."

"What did that guy, no, that soldier, do? Following his orders is ridiculous... He's F-Rank, for crying out loud."

The harsh words made the security team leader's face turn cold.

"..."

Lee Hee-min himself felt that his sudden outburst was out of context.

He shook his head, feeling embarrassed.

"..."

"Anyway, from now on, I will be in command. Lee Hyun-wook is just a low-ranking soldier in our unit. He's F-Rank, so he can't save the people here and get them out."

Lee Hee-min had completely forgotten the order from the battalion commander to actively consider Lee Hyun-wook's opinions.

'How dare an F-Rank give orders to an officer...'

His heart was boiling with accumulated resentment towards Lee Hyun-wook from the past few days.

"Hmm, F-Rank, really? He didn't seem like that at all."

"What? Are you saying I'm lying? He's F-Rank, that's a fact."

"Then, sir, what's your rank? The entry limit here is level 15."

The security team leader looked at him with suspicion.

"Ah, I just happen to be exactly level 15, but I'm C-Rank 3rd Tier."

E-Rank and D-Rank are single-tiered, but from C-Rank, a 'Tier' system is added.

From 5th Tier to 1st Tier, there are five levels in total.

This means that from C-Rank, the ranks are useful enough to be finely divided.

"Hmm, then I'm C-Rank 1st Tier. Why should I follow your orders?"

"..."

"What? Then why did you follow the orders of that F-Rank?"

"Ah, you really don't get it, do you? Ha ha..."

The security team leader looked at Lee Hee-min with a sneer.

But then, his face turned irritated.

"Ha— This is a rescue team with 800 lives at stake... I can't believe it..."

The security team leader's overt expression of emotion made Lee Hee-min's face turn red.

He was definitely hot-tempered, but he wasn't so irrational as to lose his temper here. If he got into a big argument with the security team leader, it would complicate things.

His anger usually burst out when there was no need to control it.

And just then, a familiar face appeared among the civilians at the food court.

The deputy squad leader, Sergeant Choi Seon-ah.

"Hey? Sir?"

"Hey! Choi Seon-ah! What are you doing here...?"

Lee Hee-min growled, baring his teeth.

"Where is that Lee Hyun-wook? Tell him to come out quickly!"

"Ah, well..."

"The sir is currently on a brief reconnaissance mission downstairs."

Choi Seon-ah didn't answer, but the security team leader did.

"What? Reconnaissance alone... Is that even possible?"

"Ha..."

The security team leader sighed and spoke.

"What exactly are you trying to question? Are we, who are trapped here, some kind of surveillance target?"

"I'm not questioning, I'm confirming as the rescue team leader."

In the end, sparks flew between the two, and their voices rose, making the citizens gathered near the food court even more anxious.

At that moment,

"..."

"Everyone, be quiet."

The voice calming them down was Lee Hyun-wook's.

Lee Hee-min turned his head sharply.

Lee Hyun-wook was climbing the stairs.

"What? Hey, you! Why are you wandering around on your own...?"

"Be quiet, as I said."

"What? This crazy bastard, how dare you tell me to be quiet...?"

At that moment, something shot out from Lee Hyun-wook's hand at an incredible speed.

Whoosh—

"..."

It stopped right in front of Lee Hee-min's mouth.

Hum—

It was a metal sphere, about the size of a finger joint.

If it had stopped a moment later, his teeth would have shattered.

"..."

Lee Hee-min, with a shocked expression, took a step back.

He looked at Lee Hyun-wook with wide eyes.

It was more a look of frustration, wondering how he could do that, rather than anger.

"Shh—"

"..."

"Everyone, close your mouths and look over there."

Lee Hyun-wook slowly raised his right hand and pointed to something below the terrace.

The gate.

Goo—

The gate was now pulsating, a clear sign of a second eruption.

Everyone swallowed hard.

The second battle was about to begin.

Lee Hyun-wook approached Lee Hee-min and looked him straight in the eye.

"Sir, you almost put all the survivors here in danger just now."

"..."

"Sir, we are in an unlucky event area. As you instructed us during the last operation, please keep your voice down."

Lee Hee-min couldn't say a word.

It was something he had said himself.

He knew he had acted rashly, not befitting a commander, and most importantly...

He had been completely overwhelmed by Lee Hyun-wook's presence.

"I had to send a threatening signal, but given the situation, I hope you understand."

"..."

With that, Lee Hyun-wook gestured to the security team leader and An Min-tae.

The two approached Lee Hyun-wook.

"The