Chapter 60

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** Author's Note) The content that An Yang Duo would arrive in exactly 30 minutes has been revised to indicate a delay due to an incident.

Players gathered at the 'assembly point' before the final battle. Despite their varied backgrounds, their goal was the same: prepare for the fight, tackle the erosion factor, and save Seoul.

However, before they could even complete the first step, a significant problem arose.

"—Damn! The swarm is coming down!"

They had flown up earlier than expected, and even more, they were heading straight for the assembly point...

"Does this make sense? How do they know we're here?"

Naturally, the assembly point was set up outside their 'detection range.' They had also been careful to minimize noise to avoid drawing 'aggro.'

Thus, the sudden approach of the swarm could only be explained as a coincidence.

"Damn, instead of wasting time thinking, get ready! They'll be here soon!"

They hurriedly entered the school—shelter—and took positions at the windows and rooftop. Facing the swarm in the open air would be suicidal.

Just as the players were frantically preparing, a deafening roar echoed from somewhere, and the players instinctively turned their heads.

There, an unusual scene unfolded.

A shattered monster's corpse, a massive sword embedded in it, and Choo Gyoyong, enraged, punching Lee Hyunwook... It was a sight that defied easy understanding.

"…What's going on over there?"

Though they couldn't hear the dialogue, the expressions were clear.

Choo Gyoyong looked dazed, while Lee Hyunwook remained calm.

However...

"Damn, what is Choo Gyoyong doing at a time like this?"

No one thought Lee Hyunwook was at fault. Choo Gyoyong's reputation was so poor that it was natural to assume he was causing trouble again. In such a tense situation, there was no time for trivial matters.

"Damn, forget about that and move quickly!"

But Kim Gangseok saw the scene differently.

'Lee Hyunwook, what were you thinking...?'

From the situation, it seemed that the unnamed 'giant sword' Lee Hyunwook wielded had collided with a magic drone and, by bad luck, crashed onto Choo Gyoyong's monster. It looked like an accidental incident.

But Kim Gangseok knew well that Lee Hyunwook wouldn't make such an amateur mistake.

Then, Lee Hyunwook approached him.

"Lee Hyunwook, that just now... it wasn't just an accident, was it?"

Kim Gangseok asked directly, not hiding his suspicion, and Lee Hyunwook nodded in acknowledgment.

"Yes, that's correct."

The iron beetle swarm was getting closer, but Kim Gangseok kept his eyes on Lee Hyunwook.

'...He still looks calm in this situation. There must be something...'

Lee Hyunwook then stepped forward and whispered,

"Choo Gyoyong might be connected to the terrorists who attacked our unit."

Kim Gangseok was taken aback.

"What? That's not something to say lightly. Do you have any evidence?"

Lee Hyunwook nodded.

"Yes, I do. But... now is not the time to explain it."

It was a critical matter, but now was not the time to delve into details.

"Right, we need to stop the iron beetle swarm first..."

The two retreated into the school.

The sound of their wing beats was already very close.

Waa—aa—aa—aa—ang—!

"—They'll be here in two minutes!"

In just two minutes, the swarm would overwhelm the school.

All players were now lined up inside the school building, at the windows and on the rooftop.

Mages were ready to inject mana into the magic defense shield generators.

When mages inject mana into the magic defense shield, it can be repaired in real-time.

Of course, if the damage rate exceeds the repair rate, it won't last long.

"If this breaks, it's over. We need to pour all our mana into it and hold on."

Their faces were tense, like soldiers taking cover in a bunker, bracing for an aerial bombardment.

With preparations incomplete, a difficult and intense battle was about to begin.

Waa—aa—aa—aa—ang—!

The revolting sound of their wing beats was now very close.

At first glance, it seemed to be ten times the number the Steel Squad had faced before.

Waa—aa—aa—aa—ang—!

Their shadows darkened the sky, and the players trembled with fear at the sight.

"Damn, I'm going crazy... Did we make a mistake coming here...?"

"Shit, don't say that."

No one was confident they could withstand the swarm.

Kim Gangseok felt the same.

His mind was a jumbled mess.

'Our forces are insufficient. Honestly, I don't know if we can hold on.'

One of the main forces, An Yang Duo, had not arrived.

And if what Lee Hyunwook said was true, Choo Gyoyong's forces would also have to be excluded.

In other words, we were in a situation with far less firepower than expected.

And in a situation where firepower is lacking against such a swarm...

It meant we could be wiped out in an instant, like being swept away by a flood.

But right then, Lee Hyunwook said something unexpected.

"Commander, in my opinion... this is actually an opportunity."

Kim Gangseok could only look at him with a puzzled expression.

He was trying to figure out a way to survive this moment.

But Lee Hyunwook was talking about an opportunity.

Then, Lee Hyunwook continued.

"…I don't know what happened, but the iron beetles flew up earlier than expected. While we were caught off guard, it also means they were not fully prepared and launched hastily."

In other words...

"The number of those guarding the erosion factor must have become much thinner. Now is the time to counterattack."

An attack rather than defense...

"Hmm..."

It was partly true, but Kim Gangseok couldn't visualize a clear plan.

There was no clear way to break through the swarm and reach the erosion factor.

'Even the toughest tankers can't last a few minutes if surrounded by iron beetles.'

The only way to break through would be with overwhelming and sustained firepower to keep them at bay... but with our current forces, it was hard to even hold on, let alone break through.

Thus, Kim Gangseok couldn't hide his skepticism.

"Is that really possible? The only way to break through the swarm and reach the erosion factor with our current weapons is with Choo Gyoyong's monster. But if what you say is true about his identity..."

Lee Hyunwook shook his head.

"No, Choo Gyoyong is not necessary."

"Huh?"

And he said something completely unexpected.

"…I can break through."

***

Waa—aa—aa—aa—ang—!

At least several thousand iron beetles, as they covered the elementary school shelter,

Ku—gu—gu—gu—!

It felt as if the entire school was being overturned by a black wave.

They surrounded the school, clinging to it with their claws and jaws, tearing at the magic defense shield.

Inside the shield, from the rooftop and windows, various spells were cast to repel and push them back.

Kwa—ang—! Kwa—ang—! Kwa—ang—!

With each spell, a massive number of beetles fell, but their positions were immediately filled, maintaining a massive, seamless black curtain.

The battle was still evenly matched, but the gap would soon widen.

Waa—aa—aa—aa—ang—!

While the defense was ongoing, Lee Hyunwook and Kim Sehee were in a different place.

On the third floor of a commercial building a short distance from the school.

Choi Jungcheol and Kim Gangseok had approved Lee Hyunwook's 'breakthrough' plan, and they were here to carry it out.

"…We might hold on for now, but we'll eventually be overwhelmed."

Kim Sehee's judgment was correct.

Iron beetles were still pouring out endlessly from the gate.

Meanwhile, the players' mana was rapidly depleting, and even with continuous use of mana recovery potions, the limit was clear.

In other words, if this tug-of-war continued, our side would eventually collapse.

'And the buffs applied by Choo Gyoyong are still effective.'

While the other players might not know, the iron beetles were still in an enhanced state due to Choo Gyoyong's skills.

Of course, the players coming here might gather elsewhere to prepare a counterattack...

'…But the villains will have another plan to counter that.'

The villains weren't fools.

They would try to prevent the players from gathering.

'But we can't just kill them without a valid reason...'

Without a clear reason to share with everyone, such actions couldn't be taken.

In this situation, the only thing that could be done was to monitor the weakened Choo Gyoyong.

That's why Kim Gangseok had hinted that Choo Gyoyong might be a 'terrorist.'

"Alright, let's start now. Our real plan isn't just to hold on, right?"

At Lee Hyunwook's words, Kim Sehee sighed deeply.

"But, is this really possible?"

Kim Sehee asked with a deeply doubtful expression.

"Yes, it's possible."

Lee Hyunwook said, looking at a tablet PC.

A video was playing on the screen.

It was a live feed from a camera mounted on a mana drone, showing the desolate Qinglong Mountain, now a wasteland after the 'Semi Amagadon.'

However...

Waa—aa—aa—aa—ang—!

The surface of Qinglong Mountain was seething with an enormous number of iron beetles, like maggots on a rotting corpse.

Kim Sehee shook her head at the screen.

There was no sign of where the 'erosion factor' was, even after looking at the screen.

In other words, even if they somehow managed to get there, the possibility of wandering and dying in the beetle-infested mountain was high.

"…Honestly, it seems like a crazy idea to me."

At her honest words,