Chapter 47

Chapter 22: Two Hearts (5)

Ding! Ding! Ding!

The emergency bell began to ring throughout the Arang Guild's base.

All because of a single intruder who had suddenly appeared.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

A tidal wave of magic swept across the ground, toppling buildings.

The shockwave from the explosions turned into a cutting wind, decimating the players. Flames that had started somewhere spread through the base, turning into a raging inferno.

Every time the flames greedily licked out, black ash rained down, and white smoke filled the sky.

It was a scene of utter chaos.

"Stop him!"

"Damn it! Where did that guy come from?"

The Arang Guild struggled to stop the intruder.

They formed their formations, cast large-scale buffs to boost their stats, and surrounded the intruder to apply pressure from all sides.

But the intruder was too strong.

Every time he swung his sword, magic exploded out, and every time he moved his feet, the ground erupted in explosions, scattering their ranks.

A wolf, no, a lion, was weaving through the flock.

"Die!"

A sword that could slice through the throat.

'Goblin's Foot.'

The intruder, Yeonwoo, cast a spell, and the red light shone on the five-colored gem hanging from his waist.

Then, a red effect enveloped Yeonwoo's legs, making his movements lighter.

He could easily dodge attacks by nimbly twisting his body.

Swish!

At the same time, Yeonwoo grabbed his opponent's arm and twisted it hard, closing the distance.

'Orc's Hand.'

This time, blue light enveloped the five-colored gem and his arms, filling his body with strength.

Crack!

The opponent's arm twisted in an unnatural direction.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

The dagger of Karsuna, held in reverse, stabbed into the head, heart, and chest in quick succession, then pulled out.

"Gurgle!"

The opponent fell, spewing a mixture of blood and foam.

A battle using the five-colored gems of monsters.

At first, Yeonwoo found using the gems a bit cumbersome.

He had to change the function of the gem every time he took a different action.

In the heat of battle, where unexpected variables could arise at any moment, paying attention to such details was practically suicidal.

But Yeonwoo had a unique skill called Combat Will.

Using this skill, he could deepen his thinking and switch functions appropriately according to the situation.

And as he became more proficient with this tedious task,

Yeonwoo's fighting style changed dramatically.

He used the Orc's Hand when he needed strength and the Goblin's Foot when he needed agility.

The Kobold's Ear, Nol's Nose, and Lizardman's Eye also influenced his senses, allowing for a diverse range of attacks.

Even with multiple artifacts, nothing was as convenient as these.

Especially in such chaotic battles.

Moreover, there was more to it.

['The Eye of the Goblin King' detects unseen dangers.]

The eye of Kranum, hanging around his neck, suddenly rolled and detected three subtle presences sneaking into blind spots.

Yeonwoo quickly used the Goblin's Foot to leap back.

Three blades narrowly missed the spot where he had been standing.

The faces of the three players, who had thought it was a sure kill, showed confusion.

At that moment,

Yeonwoo deployed the Orc's Hand, and the red effect enveloped Karsuna's dagger as he swung it wide.

[Number of bound spirits: 115]

As the count of spirits bound to the black bracelet decreased,

Whoosh!

The black blade of Karsuna's dagger, which had been condensed, exploded outward.

"Argh!"

"Choke!"

Two players' heads soared into the air. One clutched his neck and rolled on the ground.

The black blade, imbued with the curse of spirits, could easily slice through even the toughest armor.

And even if they managed to survive, the curse would continue to worsen their condition.

The player who had fallen clutching his neck tried various skills but ultimately died from the blood loss, his eyes rolling back.

It all happened in the blink of an eye.

The faces of the players behind him turned pale, and they took a step back.

Regardless,

Yeonwoo reached out his hand toward the souls floating above the dead bodies.

'Bind.'

The souls, like watercolors, were torn apart and flowed into the black bracelet.

[Number of bound spirits: 118]

He replenished the number of spirits consumed by the black blade.

This was a method to prevent rapid depletion.

Of course, it wasn't a complete replenishment, but it allowed him to maintain his offensive power, and the enemies were hesitant to attack him.

Anyone who dared to charge would have their necks severed by an unknown black blade.

No one wanted to die a meaningless death.

Even those who tried to retreat and flee were no different.

Snap!

"That's not a human!"

"Damn it!"

Yeonwoo lightly flicked his left thumb and index finger at the retreating players.

Boom!

Explosions occurred next to their temples, and their heads were blown off.

A skill combo using the black blade and heat.

It was a technique he had experimented with when he first obtained the black bracelet.

The spirit count dropped by two, but five players were dead.

This was a profitable exchange.

"......!"

In the end, the Arang Guild players were trapped in an ant hell from which they could not escape.

They trembled with fear.

But the more they trembled,

The more Yeonwoo rampaged.

With every swing of his sword, players fell one after another.

Even those who ran forward in tears, trying to survive, died.

Even those who gritted their teeth and tried to overwhelm him with numbers died.

None of those who faced Yeonwoo's blade survived.

'Not a single one will be spared.'

From the beginning, Yeonwoo had made a vow when he invaded the Arang Guild.

He would not spare a single one of the Arang Guild members.

Partly to prevent his story from spreading to Cheonghwa Island, but also because the members of the Arang Guild were closely related to his brother's affairs.

With the certainty that they were plotting something sinister, there was no reason to spare them.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

So Yeonwoo relentlessly pursued them.

He charged wherever his senses detected a presence, swinging his sword.

From the outskirts to the center,

Yeonwoo cut through without any significant interference.

In his wake were only collapsed buildings, raging fires, and bodies lying in pools of blood.

The Arang Guild could not stop Yeonwoo and had to retreat repeatedly.

Bang! Bang!

Boom!

"Gurgle!"

"Fran! No!"

"That's not a human...!"

"Damn it! Why isn't anyone coming? We're really going to die if this continues!"

On the ruins, the players trembled with fear.

They couldn't run, as they would be the first to die, and they only tried to avoid Yeonwoo's gaze.

It felt like the scythe of death would fall on them if they were noticed.

Seeing this,

Yeonwoo smiled coldly.

'The power, it's overwhelming.'

Yeonwoo felt his body growing warmer, not tired. A smile formed on his lips.

It was real.

It wasn't an illusion.

Yeonwoo could feel his body becoming more energetic the more he fought.

His body, formed by the Adamantine Body, knew no fatigue.

It seemed to be showing off new capabilities, as if saying there was much more he had yet to experience.

The same went for the magic circuits.

The constant supply of magic powered the Adamantine Body.

When needed, the output of magic could be drastically reduced or increased.

There was almost no risk of overload or braking.

Like a sports car that could smoothly press the accelerator and brake pedals,

Or a car with a turbo engine,

Yeonwoo could relentlessly charge, destroy, and trample the enemy.

And with the black bracelet, the five-colored gems of monsters, and the Eye of the Goblin King, the various artifacts served as effective auxiliary devices.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

The wind followed Yeonwoo, and the heated air shimmered like mist.

He was aware that he had become stronger.

But the degree of his strength far exceeded his expectations.

'With this power.'

With this level of strength,

'I can do anything.'

Thud!

He took a step forward.

Thanks to this, Yeonwoo could significantly modify his initial plan.

'There's no need to stick to hit-and-run tactics. Keep going like this. In one go. Charge from the front and wipe them all out.'

A fierce light shot from his eyes.

Instantly, the players were startled and took several steps back.

A predator, driven by greed, stood right in front of them.

"Ugh...!"

"How can he do that?"

None of them dared to charge at Yeonwoo.

When they first heard that one person had invaded the base, they thought it was nothing.

But over eighty of their comrades had already fallen.

The number of those who died without leaving a complete body was countless.

It felt like they had walked into the depths of hell.

Yeonwoo took another step forward.

"If you don't come any closer."

The players, unable to withstand the aura Yeonwoo emitted, retreated even further.

"I'll come to you."

Yeonwoo smiled coldly and slightly bent his knees, ready to spring.

The players' faces turned even paler.

Bang!

Yeonwoo kicked off the ground and charged at them.

Swoosh!

At that moment,

"Stop!"

A loud echo reverberated through the sky.

Yeonwoo, who had been running forward, stopped and looked up.

Ten figures flew over from the opposite building and landed.

Thud!

They were all formidable individuals, far surpassing the players Yeonwoo had faced so far.

Especially the one at the forefront radiated a menacing aura that the entire Arang Guild combined could not withstand.

Sharp features. Two swords crossed on his back. Boiling aura.

It was Build.

And the nine who followed him were players sent from Cheonghwa Island.

"Ah, finally, Lord Build!"

"We're saved!"

Hope appeared on the faces of the Arang Guild for the first time.

But Build's gaze, as he looked at the devastated base, was filled with nothing but rage.

"Mask, was it you again? I thought you had been hiding like a rat, but you dared to come here?"

Dead bodies and collapsed buildings were scattered everywhere.

The remaining strength of the Arang Guild, which had barely survived, was almost destroyed.

Only about thirty survivors remained.

Considering that there had been over a hundred just a moment ago, over eighty had died in the short time he was away.

All of this was the work of a single person.

From start to finish.

The culprit who had destroyed everything of the Arang Guild was right in front of him.

Whoosh!

A powerful aura surged around Build, as intense and hot as his rage.

The oppressive aura that Yeonwoo had been emitting disappeared as if washed away by water.

And below,

Yeonwoo frowned as he looked at Build.

'What is it?'

The opponent was clearly a player sent from Cheonghwa Island.

The fact that he had been dealing with minor players from the outskirts was to lure this one out.

He had finally succeeded in bringing out the big fish.

But strangely, Yeonwoo couldn't relax and smile.

The moment he saw Build, he felt a strange sense of déjà vu.

Something was on the tip of his tongue, but it wouldn't come to mind.

His head itched.

The opponent's aura was too familiar.

'If this aura is so familiar, I shouldn't be unaware of it. Have I seen someone like this before?'

At that moment,

A phrase from a diary entry flashed through his mind.

The total number of knives in my heart was five. Three were from those called rulers, one was from a lover I loved, and the last one was from a friend I trusted.

There was someone I believed to be my brother's closest friend, the only one I could trust my back to.

This person had several players he called 'brothers.'

The face of one of them flashed before Yeonwoo's eyes.

The image of this person laughing at his brother as he fell, stabbed in the heart, came to mind.

Along with the name.

'Build!'

Sparks flew in Yeonwoo's eyes.

How could this guy be here?

Players who started climbing the tower rarely thought of returning to the tutorial.

Climbing 99 floors was already a headache, and they wouldn't want to return to a place where they had suffered for a month.

And to Yeonwoo's knowledge, Build was one of the players focusing on the Cheonghwa Island's challenges.

Why was he in the tutorial, and specifically with the Arang Guild?

At that moment, all the questions that had been floating in Yeonwoo's mind began to reassemble like a puzzle.

The Arang Guild. The Scavengers. Cheonghwa Island. The human farm. The true purpose of these groups, which had been a mystery.

Build.

And the person behind Build.

He could infer a rough scenario, though not perfect.

'This wasn't just a hidden organization of Cheonghwa Island.'

Yeonwoo's eyes blazed.

'It was a secret hideout that Leont had deceived even Cheonghwa Island to create...!'