Lee Gun furrowed his brows.
At the same time, an alarm rang out again. However, this alarm sounded completely different than before.
Ehh-ehh-ehh-ehhhhhhng!
The alarm sounded like the one that signaled the outbreak of war. The Chun siblings looked surprised.
‘It's the alarm that signals invasion of Red zone monsters.’
Boom!
In a flash, something broke through the road and flew into the sky. It was a woman who possessed a fire-breathing lizard and the wings of a phoenix.
[As always, the human territories lack class.]
Chun Yooha’s face turned pale at the sight of the flame. ‘The Fantastic species!’
Twelve types of species were confirmed to be in existence amongst the unknown civilization. The beings belonging to the <Fantastic species> were in contention of being one of the most dangerous types of monsters. These were monsters like fairies and phoenixes, creatures that appeared in the human imagination.
Whenever a Fantastic species monster showed up, the location would turn into a Red zone. At the very least, everyone had to evacuate.
However, that wasn't important right now.
‘They are the ones that appeared four years ago!’
Yes, these were the monsters that had raided Beijing. They had created the red zone region between Beijing and northern Seoul. After the generals had failed to kill them at the front line, these monsters had run away.
‘Why now!’ Chun Yooha’s face hardened.
“Noona!” Chun Sungjae was afraid, so he moved closer to his noona.
As expected of the Leo Saint’s warden, Chun Yooha was surrounded by bodies of monsters with their heads cut off. Yet, she said, “Sungjae… Run away with Uncle.”
“What?”
“They are Red zone monsters. Uncle will be in danger.” Chun Yooha had a resolute expression on her face. She had to protect her dongsaeng and Lee Gun.
Chun Sungjae clicked his tongue when he read the thoughts behind her eyes. 'This is why general-rank fighters are a problem. Does she think Uncle is only a B-rank User?’
This analysis was the reason many who achieved success thought themselves to be better than Lee Gun. Of course, his noona didn’t think that way at all, but…
“I know what you're worried about, Noona. However, you don’t have to worry about that.” Chun Sungjae tried to reassure her.
“What?”
“Uncle can blow apart a mountain.”
“What?”
“He can send a Red zone monster flying with just a punch.”
Chun Yooha realized what her dongsaeng was trying to say. She became serious and scolded him. It was understandable considering which monsters had shown up, but this wasn’t the time for jokes.
She rebuked him, “Aren’t you a bit too old to believe that? Dad was drunk, so he exaggerated the stories.”
“…” Chun Sungjae found it tiresome to talk about it. “Just see it for yourself.”
“…?”
He could understand how his noona felt. Until a couple of days ago, he used to feel the same way.
Chun Yooha jumped as she targeted the lizard and the woman.
Pah-jee-jeek!
It was a powerful thrust, but the destroyed body parts regenerated.
“…!”
This had happened in the past. However, Chun Yooha's tactic was to hit them until they died. She was about to pour out all her magical energy. However, the woman riding the lizard changed her direction. She now headed toward Lee Gun.
“!”
[There’s a very handsome man this time around.]
Chun Yooha, who had surged into the air, was taken aback. “Uncle! Look out—”
Lee Gun had been picking at his ear. He reacted in annoyance. “Fuck! It's already hot today. Why the hell are you making it hotter?”
Slap!
Lee Gun slapped the female monster's face, and the two monsters fell away. He had swatted them away like flies.
* * *
At that moment, in front of the Korean holy item trading center, a laser show was happening using a water fountain. The place was crowded. It was to be expected since the press conference was going to take place here thirty minutes later.
“What is the Saintess going to talk about?”
“I heard it's about Lee Gun.”
“Lee Gun? Isn’t he just a low-rank loser?”
“Why is the Saintess from Europe holding a conference in Korea?”
“Who knows? I heard it might be a political move.”
While the crowd stirred, Sophie was trembling. This wasn’t a political battle. She had been ordered to come here.
[Hey! It’ll be annoying to ride an airplane. You have to come hereㅡ]
This meant Lee Gun would come to monitor the press conference, so he wanted her to conduct it closer to him for his convenience.
In the end, Sophie couldn’t run away. Therefore, she had used an expensive teleporter to return to Korea. Her press conference was scheduled to start in thirty minutes, but…
“What? It's a Fantastic species monster?”
“It appeared in Gangnam?”
A Calamity had appeared nearby. Sophie trembled at the news. ‘This is nuts! There is no way to defend against the Fantastic species!’
The bug-type monsters were from the <Hatred species>; they usually caused damage through parasitism. On the other hand, the Fantastic species monsters caused damage through natural disasters. They were insane monsters that killed others through pure destructive power.
The press conference wasn’t important. There was a chance that she might lose her life.
‘No. This might work out in my favor.’ If that monster was from the Fantastic species, the Calamity level might rise to Legendary level. ‘The press conference might be canceled!’
Before, if she stopped the press conference, Lee Gun might come to kill her. Now, a Calamity that might wipe out Korea had shown up. Even Lee Gun wouldn’t expect her to carry on with the press conference. This was a great development for her.
The top temples of Korea were rushing toward the scene of the incident. This response indicated that the situation was dire.
“This is bad! It's the fire monarch that destroyed the Cheongwadae in the past!”
“What? It’s that lizard?”
“Yes! I believe it invaded through a blind spot. There might be a chance that it moves past northern Seoul this time!”
The generals turned pale at the crisis.
‘That fiend is back again.’
Only four years had passed since that monster had razed Beijing and the Northern Korean peninsula into the ground. It was all done by a single lizard that swung a fire tail from hell.
Sophie was happy. ‘As expected…’
The press conference was going to be canceled. Canceled!
Sophie inwardly cheered. It was as if she had received a new lease in life.
Kwahng!
“…!”
People screamed as the sound of an explosion rang out.
Hweeeeg!
Something enormous came flying in. The object fell right in front of the plaza where the press conference was going to take place.
Boom!
“Kyaaahk!”
“What the hell!”
The impact was so powerful that the floor cracked. As the smoke dissipated, the object revealed itself.
The temples' disciples and Sophie were shocked by what they saw.
“What the hell is this”
“A tail?”
***
Something unbelievable was happening.
Bbah-gahk!
The fire monsters that rushed Lee Gun were being sent flying in an instant. Lee Gun, who had his gloves on, swatted them away like flies. That wasn’t all.
“Koo-ehhhhk!”
The fire-lizard, which the woman had been riding, let out a painful cry. The Chun siblings looked toward it. When the lizard had swung its thick tail, Lee Gun had kicked it.
The lizard had done a defensive move. On the other hand, Lee Gun believed the best defense is a good offense. The tail was incapable of withstanding Lee Gun’s magical energy; the force had ripped it away.
Flying like a cannonball, the tail traveled several kilometers, its final destination unknown.
Of course, Lee Gun got angry at this. “Shit! My ingredients! It got obliterated!”
'Why couldn’t it be tougher?' Lee Gun started yelling at the lizard, while the lizard looked aggrieved.
When she saw this, Chun Yooha was unable to close her mouth. The lizard that had destroyed the Cheongwadae had gotten defeated with a single blow!
‘It really is Uncle.’ The person whom she had watched only through videos was in front of her. She saw how he used his magical energy. She saw his spirit and the power that he used to confront the monsters.
He was completely different from what she had seen in the videos.
Chun Sungjae looked satisfied when he saw the shock on his noona's face. It was almost impossible to surprise her like this. In terms of fighting technique, she was one of the top people in the world. Yet she was also reacting this way. He wondered what kind of expression the generals would make in the same situation. They always looked down on Lee Gun. Chun Sungjae was looking forward to seeing it.
“Where do you think this is? You bastards dare come here?” Lee Gun was angry. He sounded as if the monsters had invaded his territory. He approached the lizard.
On the other hand, the firebird lady was having a hard time getting up. It seemed Lee Gun’s strike had caused a great deal of damage.
[Kuh, kuh-huhk! You are a mere human!]
Lee Gun looked at the firebird when she insulted him. He laughed at her in a contemptible manner. “Oh! You can speak! You must be at least a platoon leader.”
The firebird lady flinched in surprise. She looked up. This man had spoken as if he knew how her society was structured. ‘How can a human know…’
Lee Gun cracked the knuckles of his gloved hand as he let out an evil laugh. The world might call them Fantastic species, they might treat these monsters like great catastrophes, but he used to meet these monsters every day.
When he had been trapped in the tower, he had killed them over and over again. “I never expected to see these bastards again. I ripped their wings off every day.” Killing intent appeared in Lee Gun’s eyes.
The firebird lady trembled when she saw his eyes. She knew that her opponent was dangerous at an instinctual level.
“Kee-ehhhhk!”
The woman screamed, and her partner lizard roared. Fire erupted all over the tailless lizard’s body as it approached Lee Gun.
Boom! Boom!
The lizard waddled as it had lost its tail. However, it was still fierce in its charge. The flame it emitted could melt the asphalt on the road.
The flames surged as the lizard finally attacked Lee Gun.
The surprised Chun Yooha was about to move. There was no way a human could withstand that attack with no defensive gear.
Hwah-roo-roohk!
“…!”
Lee Gun remained untouched within the flame. It was to be expected. Lee Gun was called a fighter, but at a basic level, he was a smith who made weapons with fire. His fire resistance had kept increasing over the years, and he could even freely use the flames of his enemies. It was also why Lee Gun got along with Hugo, who followed the owner of the fire element.
Lee Gun grinned as he looked at the lizard. “Good! A fire of this caliber will be quite useful when crafting.”
The lizard felt uneasy hearing the laughter of the man in front of it.
“…!”
Lee Gun, who had been dragging the slippers while walking, suddenly disappeared. He reappeared in the air and took out something from his pocket. It looked like a tape measure. Then, he dragged something out from within.
Chwah-roo-roohk!
[Rope that won’t break] S rank
- Rope made with the <Bowstring containing the Archer’s Resentment>.
- It's very difficult to break. (Data rank: Saint)
- The Archer Saint’s Data (Flame Resistance)
It was a rope Lee Gun had made using Hugo’s data. Lee Gun threw the rope toward the lizard.
Shweek!
The rope went around the lizard’s neck and coiled around the monster like a noose.
When Lee Gun pulled the rope, the rope choked the lizard’s neck.
The monster cried out. “Kee-ehhhhk!” Its fierce struggle split open the ground. However, those efforts were futile. It couldn’t loosen the noose.
Bbah-gahk!
“Kee-ehhhhk!”
Lee Gun ruthlessly let his fist fly. His gloves had made the job of fighting the fire-lizard easy.
Bbah-gahk! Bbah-gahk!
After taking a hit from Lee Gun, the lizard was in a critical condition.
The firebird lady had tried to use that opportunity to run away, but her efforts were useless in front of Lee Gun.
“Where are you going?” he asked.
[Kyahhk!]
Lee Gun then kicked the bird lady.
[You have acquired data]
[You have acquired data]
The Fantastic species monster had been defeated in an instant. Chun Yooha’s mouth fell open. Chun Sungjae looked like he was about to die from a heart attack.
Lee Gun stepped on the two monsters that were on the brink of death. He laughed. ‘Is it possible to make them my familiars?’
If he could register them as familiars, he could bring out or remove them easily. As if it could read his thoughts, he soon heard a voice.
[Their unclean energy is too strong for them to be made the familiars of the Serpent Bearer.]
[You need to purify them.]
Purification! Lee Gun pondered what he should do. Suddenly, his eyes flashed, and he started beating the monsters again.
Bbah-gahk! Bbah-gahk! Bbah-gahk!
He wasn’t sure about this, but when he made his holy items, he removed the impurities by pounding his ingredients. Therefore, he thought hitting these monsters would work.
[Your enemies are dying.]
[You cannot purify them.]
[You need a different method.]
‘It seems beating them isn’t the answer.’ Lee Gun pouted.
What could he do to acquire the monsters as his familiars? Without realizing it, he started utilizing his power.
“Uncle!”
“Uh?”
The firebird lady’s scream ran out alongside Chun Sungjae’s flustered voice. It seemed Lee Gun had failed in controlling his strength.
Poohk!
“Ah!” He had killed the monster woman by mistake.
[You have acquired data.]
[You have acquired Saint EXP]
Lee Gun became angry at this. “Fuck! Why are these bastards so weak?” He gave a dirty look toward the lizard.
The lizard flinched as it quickly threw up something. This item was its core that was supposed to be stored in its innards. The item seemed to have a connection to the boss of the unknown civilization.
[Your enemy has given up.]
[Its evil energy has decreased.]
[You can register it as a captive.]
[Would you like to use your familiar skill?]
“Oh!” Lee Gun used the familiar skill as he had done with Pixiu.
[Fire Monarch (Fantastic Species) has become the Serpent Bearer’s <captive>!]
[Captive 1]
[Will you like to give it a name?]
“Torch.”
[The <Fire Monarch> has received the name of Torch.]
[If you use your Conciliation skill, you can register it as a familiar or a slave at a later time.]
Lee Gun looked satisfied as he laughed. He thought he could unsummon the lizard as he had done with Pixiu, but the next second, he realized that wasn’t possible yet.
[Serpent Bearer’s Holy Ground (Lv. 1)]
[Area 1.6㎡ (0.5 pyeong)]
[Your holy ground is too small to accommodate your captive.]
[You have to increase your holy ground’s level! You have to increase its size!]
[A Construct or a human familiar may contribute(EXP) to increase the level of the holy ground!]
Lee Gun accepted the explanation. He could just steal Hugo’s house as his own until he upgraded his holy ground.
Koo-goo-goohng!
Lee Gun pulled at the noose around the lizard’s neck as if the monster were a dog on a leash. “Let’s go. The press conference is about to start soon.”
“You… you're going to drag that along?”
“I have no choice.”
Lee Gun turned around, but Chun Yooha couldn’t take her eyes off of him. She couldn’t close her mouth. She had been in that state ever since he had sent the lizard flying.
It was to be expected. These monsters had appeared four years ago and were dubbed the nightmares of Seoul.
Chun Sungjae just shrugged at what he had seen. His uncle was mind-blowingly powerful. Lee Gun exceeded the exploits in the tired stories Hugo had told to his kids. Therefore, Chun Sungjae gave up thinking logically in everything regarding Lee Gun.
Of course, Lee Gun had no idea such thoughts were crossing the young man's mind.
“What? What’s wrong?” Lee Gun looked worried as he approached Chun Yooha.
This made the woman's eyes sparkle. “Uncle.”
“Huh?”
Chun Yooha became serious as she grabbed Lee Gun. “Please marry me!”
'What the fuck?'
