CH 350

“Haa… Haa…” Go Hyung-Chul panted. “Fuck, I almost died just now.”

Gi-Gyu had seemingly arrived on their floor because Go Hyung-Chul sensed sorcerous energy filling him. His sorcerous energy reserves had emptied not too long ago, so only their connection returning could lead to this. He reactivated Shadow Barrier, but in the brief moment they had been unprotected, they had lost several companions.

“How many died just now?” Go Hyung-Chul wondered aloud, realizing that he had failed to protect everyone. The ground was covered with mucus and melted body parts.

“Blergh!” many of the Red Players vomited at the sight. Once the Shadow Barrier had disappeared, a few of their friends had become collateral damage to the fight outside.

‘But more survived than I expected.’ Considering the earth-shattering fight occurring outside, Go Hyung-Chul was surprised that more Red Players were alive than dead. It showed just how strong these Red Players were.

“Are you okay?” Go Hyung-Chul asked Haures, who was one of the main reasons so many Red Players had survived. He had used his body to shield the Red Players, so he was now covered in the unknown acidic liquid and smoke.

“Phew…” Black sorcerous energy boiled inside Haures, and the acidic liquid stuck on him hardened and fell off.

“I guess those statues are fine too,” Go Hyung-Chul turned toward Hal and the other knights and muttered. “I can’t believe they are still unconscious after what just happened. Do they have a death wish or something?”

Go Hyung-Chul smirked, but he also felt grateful to Hal. He whispered, “I’m sure they’ll wake up soon.”

When they were in danger, Go Hyung-Chul’s power had returned, which had allowed him to reactivate the Shadow Barrier. Still, Go Hyung-Chul had worried that the brunt of the outside battle might break his barrier.

‘But I think he helped me.’ Apparently, a steady stream of sorcerous energy had appeared from Hal that had strengthened Go Hyung-Chul’s barrier. It appeared that Hal wasn’t completely unconscious after all.

“Dammit.”

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“...?” Go Hyung-Chul turned toward Haures in surprise. He had always been the one cursing loudly, so it was surprising to see Haures take the role.

“Fuck. Look over there,” Haures announced.

When Go Hyung-Chul followed Haures’ finger, he understood Haures’ shock. As the dust and fragments settled, the Shadow Barrier also disappeared to reveal a figure.

“I think the battle is almost over,” Haures continued. Far away from them stood a giant and grotesque monster. It was so tall that it looked like it would pierce the floor’s ceiling.

“I-Ironshield…?” Go Hyung-Chul gasped. It was difficult to believe, but the monster resembled Ironshield a little. Go Hyung-Chul couldn’t understand why, but he knew one thing for certain.

‘The battle is over.’ It appeared that the incredible wave of energy they had felt just now signified the end of this battle.

‘I can’t feel him anymore.’ As a player paparazzo, Go Hyung-Chul had a remarkable ability to sense different presences. He clearly remembered the ominous energy that had made every hair on his body stand.

‘That unknown player…’ Go Hyung-Chul couldn’t detect this player anymore. And it was clear the fight was over.

“Kwerrrrk!” Ironshield, who had transformed into a monster, roared as if to celebrate his victory.

“Ugh.” Go Hyung-Chul, Haures, and the Red Players covered their ears in pain. By the time they could think again, it was impossible to tell how much time had passed.

‘Where are you?’ Go Hyung-Chul endured the pain while searching for Gi-Gyu. Since their connection had returned, Gi-Gyu must have arrived on their floor, i.e., this floor’s entrance was also no longer blocked.

So, where was Gi-Gyu? Shouldn’t he be rushing here to save his friends?

“Run!” Go Hyung-Chul screamed. Unfortunately, Gi-Gyu didn’t come for them, but Ironshield did. Ironshield, the monster, roared in a strange manner and darted toward them like he wanted to destroy them, this Tower floor, and the entire world.

‘It’s too late.’ Go Hyung-Chul was shocked to see how fast Ironshield was despite his size. There was no way they could escape him.

“...” Ironshield’s sheer size was enough to overwhelm Go Hyung-Chul and the rest, to say nothing of the amount of power he held.

“Ackkkk!” Ironshield raised his fist, the size of a building, and brought it down on them. It ripped through the air, sounding like a tornado.

“Ugh!” The fist's power was so incredible that Go Hyung-Chul's scream got stuck in his throat. It wasn’t a simple fist—it held something powerful. Go Hyung-Chul felt like all of Earth’s gravitational force was solely focusing on him to crush him.

“Move…” Haures groaned, as he couldn’t move either. Haures, Go Hyung-Chul, and the rest sprawled on the ground, waiting for death.

However, the fist never turned them into mush. Instead, they heard a soft sound of metal hitting metal. A wave with an outlandish amount of energy followed the sound.

Fwooooosh!

A gale blew above Go Hyung-Chul, Haures, and the Red Players. The gale was as strong as a hurricane, threatening to rip the world into pieces.

“Thank you…”

Go Hyung-Chul managed to raise his face when he heard a voice. He saw that someone was standing in front of him.

“...for lasting this long.” The figure standing was holding a strange-looking halberd.

“Hal…?” Go Hyung-Chul whispered.

***

“Am I”—Gi-Gyu frowned and looked around—“going in circles?”

He had forced the 79th-floor door open.

‘Well, I guess it was more like I destroyed the door,’ Gi-Gyu thought with a smirk. The door to the 79th floor was gone now. The only thing left in its spot was the dimension that was supposed to take players to the next floor. Gi-Gyu and the Angela Guild had jumped into it; now, he was in an unfamiliar place.

“So here I am… The gap between dimensions.” This space was similar to the place Kronos had forced him to enter when he had left the Vatican.

Gi-Gyu had known that the door to the 79th floor was unstable, but he felt certain he had arrived on the 79th floor.

‘After all, my connections to Go Hyung-Chul and the rest have been restored.’ 

He had jumped because he felt certain of where he would end up. This was also why he had asked the Angela Guild members to follow him. But instead, Gi-Gyu had found himself in an unexpected place. He looked around suspiciously.

‘Kronos…’ Gi-Gyu wondered if Kronos had summoned him again.

“No, I don’t think so.” Gi-Gyu couldn’t feel Kronos’ unique energy here. There was no way he would miss Kronos’ presence. While he was thinking, he caught a glimpse of something far away. Even with his incredible sight, he couldn’t see what it was.

Gi-Gyu began walking toward it.

‘At least it looks like the Angela Guild arrived on the 79th floor safely,’ Gi-Gyu thought. And his sync with Go Hyung-Chul and the others was intact. He considered opening a gate and returning, but suddenly, Gi-Gyu heard system announcements.

[Hal has completed his evolution successfully.]

[The Drake-Knight Order completed its evolution successfully.]

Gi-Gyu could feel their power through the sync.

‘I think they will be able to last a while longer.’ 

Gi-Gyu resumed walking as more system announcements rang in his ears. Just then, something appeared near him. Gi-Gyu realized that it was a spectrum.

“I knew it,” Gi-Gyu whispered as he looked at it. The energy he had felt when he had arrived here and the spectrum suggested who was here.

“Gaia.” Gi-Gyu guessed that Gaia was nearby. He believed she had summoned him.

“Gaia,” Gi-Gyu called out as he approached her. He had so many questions, so in a way, he felt almost relieved that he got the chance to meet her so soon.

But suddenly, he paused. Gaia’s form was like TV static. With a dazed look, she looked at Gi-Gyu, mumbling something.

“Gaia?” Gi-Gyu flinched at the strange feeling creeping up his arms.

Gaia announced, “Hal’s final evolution is complete.”

“...!”

Gaia was speaking in the system’s voice. Her face looked blank. It looked like she didn’t even recognize him.

Then, the space around them cracked.

***

“Hal!” Go Hyung-Chul screamed. He did not doubt that Hal had blocked the monster’s giant fist, which had been assumed to be Ironshield. This figure's weapon looked different, but it was definitely a halberd—Hal’s weapon of choice.

Hal said to Go Hyung-Chul, “You must rest to recover.”

When Hal pushed back, Ironshield’s fist bounced away with a loud explosion. Go Hyung-Chul couldn’t believe it because Ironshield’s fist was huge and filled with an unknown power that had previously overwhelmed him. It shouldn’t have been easy to push back, yet Hal had done so effortlessly.

“Hal, is that really you?” Go Hyung-Chul asked again while getting ready for a fight. He didn’t recognize Hal.

Go Hyung-Chul asked, “But you look different…”

“My form changed because of my evolution,” Hal replied. He now looked like a normal human. His firm skin had a healthy pink tinge, no longer bluish. His armor and helmet that emanated dark energy were gone, and his gruesome voice had turned baritone.

While Go Hyung-Chul and Haures took care of the Red Players, Hal roared, “Drake Knights!”

Ironshield was about to attack them again. Hal smirked and continued, “No, I suppose you’re all Dragon Knights now…”

The Drake-Knight Order members began rising one by one. Like butterflies shedding their cocoons, the Drake Knights shed their armors that dripped darkness. They had looked dead only a moment ago, but now even their bodies were changing.

“Summon the Bone Dragons.” The moment Hal ordered, Ironshield’s fist descended on them.

“Kwerrrrk!” Several dragons made of bones suddenly appeared and formed a wall to protect the knights.

Hal commanded, “Your mission is to protect our allies until our master arrives.”

As Hal spoke, his body began changing again. Draconic scales began appearing on his skin and his halberd. When the process ended, Hal looked strangely intimidating.

“Kwerrrrk…!” Someone dropped from the sky and began rubbing its head against Hal. It was the drake Gi-Gyu had brought to Eden a long time ago. It appeared that the drake, also synced with Gi-Gyu, had evolved too.

“Let’s go, Dark Dragon.” Hal got on top of the giant drake and held his halberd high.

The Drake-Knight Order was no more.

Hal roared, “Dragon-Knight Order! Obey my order!”

The dragon knights riding bone dragons screamed their reply as they readied themselves for the battle.