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When Chang-Sun got on the helicopter to Pohang, he ran into a familiar soldier wearing a beret and shiny epaulets. His military boots and uniform suited him perfectly. After saluting, he held out his hand to shake hands with Chang-Sun.

“Long time no see, sir,” the soldier delightedly greeted.

After looking at the soldier’s hand for a moment, Chang-Sun asked, “Who are you?”

“… Ahahaha. Well, I guess it isn’t that surprising that you don’t remember me.” The soldier scratched his cheek, smiling awkwardly.

Quietly chuckling, Chang-Sun accepted the handshake. “I’m joking. It has really been a while. Around a year or so, right?”

“I feel honored that you remember me.” The soldier finally cracked a genuine smile.

“Truth be told, I’m a little foggy about your name.”

“... I\'m Captain Park Hae-Seong of the Military Security Support Command’s Awakened troop. I’ll make sure I back you up perfectly so you will remember me this time.”

Chang-Sun met Park Hae-Seong when he woke up at the Jamsil Gate. Even though the civilians in the Dungeon back then had been blinded by their greed, Chang-Sun could still vividly remember how hard Hae-Seong tried to protect them. He and Hae-Seong didn’t cross paths at ‘Blue Jewel Island,’ where Kali’s trace was first found, but he did hear news about him through Baek Gyeo-Ul.

“A captain? I thought you just got promoted from second lieutenant to first lieutenant.” Chang-Sun tilted his head.

“Yes, one thing led to another… and I ended up getting promoted again.”

Judging from Hae-Seong’s bitter smile, it seemed he had gone through a lot since they last saw each other.

“You seem to have a lot you want to talk to me about. Let’s get on the helicopter so we can start.”

“Yes, sir.” Hae-Seong nodded.

Just as he was about to give the pilot a signal, Cha Ye-Eun came running toward the helicopter.

“Sun!” she shouted.

Chang-Sun gestured for them to wait for a moment, then got off the helicopter.

“Take this.” Ye-Eun forcefully slipped something into Chang-Sun’s hand.

Chang-Sun opened his palm and realized that it was an empty bullet shell casing hanging on a necklace chain. Taking a closer look at the bullet shell, he noticed numerous minuscule magic circles carved on its surface. Should he find himself in a dire situation, this series of magic circles would automatically activate.

[Ithaca’s Necklace]

After realizing her true identity, Cha Ye-Eun used the divine knowledge of <Olympus> and her wisdom as the <Shining Star> to create this artifact and imbue it with magic circles connected to one another like cogwheels. In times of emergency, the magic circles are designed to automatically activate. Under normal days, the necklace serves as a talisman that can assist in stabilizing the wearer’s condition.

· Type: Artifact. Necklace.

· Effect: Serial Magic Activation. Defense Barrier. Stamina Supplementation. Authority Protection.

“So this was what you were working so hard on in the plane…” Chang-Sun nodded in realization.

“What do you know? Do you have any idea how unfair it feels to be unable to go with you even though I want to?” Ye-Eun pouted, feeling discontented for not being able to do anything because all her divine power was sealed.

Ye-Eun couldn’t even cast rudimentary magic spells right now. Otherwise, she would have followed Chang-Sun. That was why she built the artifact.

“Thank you.” Chang-Sun hugged her tightly, feeling grateful for her gesture.

“H-hey! People are watching!” Ye-Eun grumbled, but she was smiling sheepishly, not at all disliking the hug.

“All of you, protect Ye-Eun.” Chang-Sun turned to look at their three daughters.

『Don’t worry.』

『Take care.』

『Hmph! Who do you think we are?!』

Their very distinct responses made Chang-Sun quietly chuckle. He then let go of Ye-Eun to get on the helicopter again.

Whir, whir―!

Shortly after, the helicopter’s propeller spun. The aircraft energetically ascended to the skies.

* * *

Ye-Eun couldn’t leave the takeoff area even after the helicopter had flown so far away that it had become the size of a dot. Letting out a sigh, she finally turned away.

“Ah, gosh! Hey! At least make some sounds when you move around!” a man exclaimed, surprising Ye-Eun.

Only then did she realize that Jin Seok-Tae was standing right next to her.

Seok-Tae blankly blinked. “I’ve been here from the beginning. You just didn’t notice me because you were busy with that ma—!”

Ye-Eun gave Seok-Tae a death glare, causing him to reflexively stop talking. He couldn’t help but feel as if he would get scolded for real if he kept blabbering.

Seok-Tae found it unfair that Ye-Eun treated him very differently than Chang-Sun. In all honesty, learning the past several days that the superior he had been serving for years knew how to make that kind of expression surprised him multiple times.

“… On another note…” Seok-Tae trailed off.

“What?”

“When in the world did you and the Ty—no, it’s the Terrible now. When did you and Mr. Lee Chang-Sun become a thing?”

“You don’t have to know,” Ye-Eun curtly replied.

“I’m sure something happened in that place called R’lyeh or something…”

“You don’t have to know.”

“Please spill the tea. Please!” Seok-Tae begged.

Ignoring Seok-Tae, Ye-Eun began to head out of the takeoff area when she noticed someone approaching her from a distance.

Tap!

Seok-Tae also stopped and looked ahead, wondering what was wrong. A middle-aged woman wearing a neat suit and a monocle now stood in front of them. Before Seok-Tae could ask what brought her here, Ye-Eun had already said, “Ananta.”

“Long time no see, my lady.” The woman smiled gently, seemingly glad to meet Ye-Eun.

For some reason, Ye-Eun was noticeably uneasy around her. Who in the world was this woman? With widened eyes, Seok-Tae looked back and forth between the two and drew up his mana as a precautionary measure.

“Why… are you here?” Ye-Eun cautiously asked.

“Your father misses you, my lady.”

“Father does…?”

“Yes, my lady.”

Ye-Eun furtively pulled her right foot backward. “... Do I have to go?”

“He has given you an order to finish your entertainment and return home.”

Ye-Eun’s eyebrows flinched upon the mention of entertainment, but instead of snapping back, she almost inaudibly whispered, “Seok-Tae.”

“Yes?”

“Run.”

“… What?” Seok-Tae blankly replied.

Tap, tap, tap!

Without waiting for Seok-Tae’s answer, Ye-Eun started running in the opposite direction.

“Se-seonbae? Seonbae! Wait for me!” Seok-Tae belatedly followed Ye-Eun.

Ananta, the middle-aged woman they left behind, readjusted her monocle. She let out a sigh and mumbled, “I guess the youngest daughters will always be the biggest troublemakers in every family.”

Paaah!

She started chasing down Ye-Eun and Seok-Tae like a ray of light.

* * *

The helicopter’s propeller spun so loud that Chang-Sun had to receive Hae-Seong’s reports about the current situation through a headset.

『The only fitting word to describe the current situation is… abysmal,』Hae-Seong began his report after telling Chang-Sun that the Team L members and the key members of the White Tiger Clan were heading to Pohang on another helicopter. 『We have already lost 60% of the first battalion that we deployed. The Five Clans have been annihilated, and we’ve lost three A-Rank rankers as well…』

Chang-Sun could tell why Hae-Seong said it was abysmal. Ever since the monster wave started, the Korean government and the Council had already sent three response teams made up of Players and special forces. However, all of their attempts ended in failure, and the majority of their forces were killed or injured.

『… The Dragon Monarch and their draconic troops are heading north as we speak. We have issued an evacuation order to the cities in their path, including Yeongdeok, Mungyeong, and Sangju… 』

Satellite photos were displayed on the tablet PC in Chang-Sun’s hands. Richardus was in all of them.

『China and Japan evaluated the incident to be as dangerous as the South African Crisis, so they sent in reinforcements…』

Richardus was looking right in the satellite’s direction. It was as if he was trying to tell the world about where he was.

‘No, Richardus isn’t just looking at the camera. He’s definitely sending a message. He was the one who suggested we meet first, after all,’ Chang-Sun thought. Richardus wasn’t the only one bugging him. In fact, he had been thinking about another matter ever since he had heard about the monster wave.

『Our government initially rejected their offers, but when our operations failed, they finally decided to let volunteer troops into the country. Right now, the reinforcements from China and Japan are on standby in the fourth barricade…』

“What kind of a monster is the Dragon Monarch?” Chang-Sun interrupted. It was as if the rest of the report no longer mattered now that he had heard its important parts.

Unlike before, Hae-Seong bit his lower lip and remained silent for a moment. Anger, regret, remorse, loneliness… various emotions flashed across his eyes. It made Chang-Sun realize that Hae-Seong and the Dragon Monarch shared a history.

‘Come to think of it, this isn’t the first monster wave that started from the ‘Den of the Evil Dragon.’

Chang-Sun remembered Korea being thrown into a crisis that was similar to the Republic of South Africa’s. It almost obliterated them.

‘Does it have something to do with the first monster wave?’ Chang-Sun wondered.

The soldiers suffered the most casualties during the first monster wave. Perhaps it killed some of Hae-Seong’s acquaintances? Hae-Seong had to take deep breaths before he could calm down enough to answer.

『… The Dragon Monarch is a monstrosity.』Hae-Seong lowered the tablet PC in his hands.

『I’ve been sent to countless domestic and international suppression operations, but I’ve never met anyone like the Dragon Monarch.』

Dragon Monarch was apparently incomparably stronger than ordinary monsters. As a matter of fact, they left such a strong impression on Hae-Seong that he could still vividly recall the moment he first met them.

Walking upright like a human, the Dragon Monarch wore a black robe and held a grimoire in one hand. Their reptile eyes were so horrifying that looking at them was enough to give anyone goosebumps. They also had fingers covered in scales and a tail that could occasionally be seen underneath their robe.

Hae-Seong could remember everything about them so clearly that it seemed as if they just met yesterday.

『The Dragon Monarch doesn’t just lead their draconic troops from afar. They also know how to cast various magic spells. Even so, that doesn’t mean that they are weak in close-quarters combat.』

Chang-Sun nodded, not at all surprised. Even though the Dragon Monarch looked quite unique, they were still a high-ranking Dragon. Most Celestials wouldn’t be able to walk over them.

『However, the Dragon Monarch’s grimoire is what makes them truly fearsome.』

“A grimoire?” Chang-Sun repeated.

『Yes, I thought it was an ordinary grimoire at first, but I couldn’t have been more wrong. Considering it seemed capable of conversing with the Dragon Monarch and casting its own magic, it is definitely sentient.』

“Hmm…”

『The troops sent during the first monster wave were annihilated—no, they were devoured by…』

Hae-Seong’s clenched fists trembled.

『... that grimoire.』

Chang-Sun noticed a deep murderous intent in Hae-Seong’s eyes. He looked as if he wanted to rip the grimoire to shreds with his own hands. Hae-Seong’s grudge could be compared to what Chang-Sun had against <Purple Star Astrology> and <Horoscope>.

‘Devoured, huh?’ Chang-Sun examined the photo of the Dragon Monarch leading their draconic troops. ‘The more I look…’

Chang-Sun could feel the Class of a Celestial from them. Dungeons were just fragments of planes that had met <Extinction>. Hence, even though the beings inside Dungeons displayed free will, they didn’t really have a soul inside them. In other words, they couldn’t go through <Exuviation> and <Transcendence> anymore.

Nevertheless, the Dragon Monarch had done it, which meant the original Dragon Monarch had a very supreme Class.

‘... the more they seem familiar for some reason.’ Chang-Sun’s gaze grew sharp.