Chapter 122

The director eliminated the lava gathered around Tae-un and went after giving a word of nagging to Tae-un, who was surprised by his appearance.

"What if you start resembling Soram too?"

"..."

It was about the unauthorized absence and loss of contact. Soram approached Tae-un, who was dumbfounded while watching the director's back. Tae-un spoke without taking his eyes off the director.

"His movements are similar to yours."

"Of course. I learned from Director-nim."

The way of using the sword and the combat style of alternating between air and ground were all taught by him when a flying junior joined. Even after living four lives, the first one had to be unique.

"Is the director's special ability cooling?"

"Well, that's what it's known as."

Just as Soram hid his ability as telekinesis, the director's exact ability was also confidential.

"To be precise, it's the state change of matter."

"Ah..."

That's why the flowing lava hardened, and crystals that he could step on were created in the air. The director passed by the hunters dispatched from the headquarters and went in front of Branch Director Shin Gi-hyeon.

"It's been a while. Gi-hyeon. You've worked hard."

"How... did you come? The metropolitan area said they would prevent the hunters from leaving..."

"More will probably come. If they were held back for even a day, they've endured long enough."

The director also meant that it wasn't an official dispatch. Shortly after, as he said, a group of people appeared over the barricade, following him. The one at the very front was a small-statured hunter with her hair tied up in one.

"Oh my gosh. What is all this?"

With a rough voice, a thick whip swept through the surrounding mutants in a wide range.

Some had their cores shattered and turned into smoke, and even those that didn't were pushed back by the wind pressure. The hair and clothes of Soram, who was standing nearby, also fluttered relentlessly.

"Hey, it's not that we were trying to be late, but getting out of the headquarters building was almost Mission Impossible!"

"You came quickly for that."

"Aila rode out to the outskirts of Seoul."

"Don't tell me Ayoung came too?"

At the mention of Ayoung's name, Tae-un also turned his head with a start.

"Are you crazy? I told the remaining members of our team to hold Ayoung tightly before I left, so don't worry. As expected of Team 7, Chief Han-nim also cherishes Ayoung a lot."

"...You did well. Thank you."

"Wipe the blood off your face and come. We don't know how much longer we'll have to endure."

The hunters who arrived with Ga-eul began attacking the lava mutants. Having heard the characteristics of the mutants in advance, the attacks were calm and accurate from the beginning. However, the lava that had now occupied a significant portion of the land in addition to the sea was not easy either.

Soram, who had caught his breath even for a short while behind the newly appeared reinforcements, flew the paper airplanes again.

"Han Tae-un, now let's fight again..."

"Cough."

A low cough burst out from the side. It was short, but Soram saw blood on the hand that had been removed from in front of the mouth. Tae-un casually wiped his palm on his sleeve.

"Sorry. What were you trying to say?"

"...It's overload, right?"

"It's okay. Who isn't experiencing overload right now?"

"..."

Thump, thump, thump, thump.

'Ah, this is bad.'

The heart that had sunk heavily began to beat wildly on its own. The mind that had been barely holding on like a sand castle was shaken.

No, it can't be. Soram tightly gripped the handle of his sword to suppress the trembling that was trying to come to his hand. He also forcibly urged his mind that wanted to blur his vision black and escape from reality.

It had been almost 30 hours since the dungeon outbreak. Even in the worst case, if the lull came after 40 hours like in the third life, more than half had already been endured. Moreover, it was low tide now. A few more hours until the next low tide, and then a few more hours until the water rose again. Time would pass quickly like that.

Above all, Han Tae-un was also injured but alive.

'Alive. Han Tae-un is alive, and I'm still alive too. We're not dead. So we have to endure.'

It's okay. It's okay.

Soram sorted out his mind that was about to be occupied by fear. If he endured for just a few more hours, this nightmare would end. It was only a few hours. Only a few hours more.

Seo Min-ki, the director, Ga-eul, Ayoung, and Han Tae-un could all be protected if he just gritted his teeth for a few hours in this present moment where everyone was still alive.

So now was not the time to run away.

"I'll go fight. Don't die."

Lastly, Soram tightly grasped Tae-un's blood-stained hand with both hands.

"Han Tae-un, if you just stay alive, I'll do anything you want, anything you wish for. I want that too."

Tae-un, who had been looking at Soram for a moment, answered calmly.

"What you're afraid of won't happen. Don't worry."

"..."

What do you know, having died three times in front of my eyes... Soram swallowed those words by closing his eyes tightly and raised his head towards the battlefield.

The brief respite had ended, and the two headed back towards the lava mutants.

Amidst the desperate battle, the sound of clashing weapons, painful screams, the rumbling of the ground, and the roar of collapse still filling the air, the sun obscured by the volcanic ash clouds was preparing to set for the second time. The darker it became, the more clearly visible the lava wriggling and covering the ground became.

"Haa, ha, haa. Haa...!"

The hunters gave up many things they had initially wanted to protect, including their own bodies. The desperation grew even greater.

The number of people in black suits who had crossed the barricade also increased by a few more. Unable to bear the sight of the situation on the scene, the hunters who had been held back by each local government in preparation for the complete collapse of Busan had rushed out to join.

We can endure it. Soram reaffirmed his thoughts as he looked at the figures of the strongest people he knew, such as Director Park Jae-seon, Ga-eul, Tae-un, and Min-ki.

At that moment, a scream was heard from the direction he had last set his gaze on.

"Branch Director-nim! Bra-Branch Director-nim!"

The back and one arm of the branch director, who had put his hand on Min-ki's shoulder, were burning red. The attack that had almost hit Min-ki had gone to him.

"Branch Director-nim! Aaaah! Why, why!"

A wail that seemed to tear the throat burst out from the mouth of Min-ki, who seemed like he would never make a loud noise.

Thump, thump, thump, thump.

And what Soram had barely suppressed rapidly swelled in size in his mind.

"...Ah, ah..."

The person being protected, the person falling after saving someone.

The scene in front of his eyes and the scenes that remained as the reddest memories in his past lives intersected. The mind that had been severely shaken earlier collapsed without resistance.

"Ugh...!"

Retching, dizziness, and fear all came at once, and his legs staggered.

"Chief Seo, Seo Min-ki! Gi-hyeon is still alive. Quickly move him to the rear!"

The director eliminated the mutants in front of them and woke up Min-ki, who was in shock. Min-ki grabbed him with a pale face and barely disappeared to the back. In a short time, wounds had also become densely packed on the bodies of the director and Ga-eul.

Upon hearing the director's voice, Soram also tried to regain his flickering vision.

Right. That's right. I need to get a grip. Just a little, a little more…

...But now. How much time has passed?

Soram fumbled his arm to check the time. While fighting mindlessly, 35 hours had already passed since the dungeon outbreak. No matter how late the lull came, there should have been signs of slowing activity by this time. But. But why...?

Suddenly, a chill ran through his mind.

Was I wrong?

"..."

What if the sacrificial method initially proposed by the branch director was actually the right answer?

No, that can't be. The probability of success for that would be significantly lower than enduring until the lull, but the current situation is also too strange. Could it be a peculiarity of this life?

Then what should have been done? No. It's no use regretting now, I was the one who said that. We have to keep going like this... But how...?

'In the next life, you can change everything you regretted in this life.'

"No..."

No. Don't let such thoughts come to mind. Soram shook his head roughly. The sand castle he had built by pouring water and patting it, although with meager materials, began to completely collapse.

"Haa, haa, ah."

How can I start this again? Rather than having a next life…

"Soram-ah!"

Someone grabbed his arms tightly. It was Tae-un. However, at that moment, what entered Soram's vision was the dark red hell unfolding behind Tae-un and Tae-un standing in front of him as if to block it.

'Chief Jin-nim.'

"What's wrong all of a sudden?"

'You have to live.'

You had embraced me like this and taken the attack meant for me instead.

Will you do the same this time too?

"No! Aaah!!!"

Two hands stretched out desperately and pushed Tae-un away. Soram, who had turned his back on him and curled up his body, hugged his arms that wouldn't stop shaking.

"..."

Soram, who had forgotten to even breathe, finally exhaled a trembling breath after seeing the fingertips that had stopped in front of him.

"Uh, ah."

The sensation of pushing the other person away was sharply honed and tapped on his palm. Tae-un also had a surprised expression after being roughly rejected. However, to Soram, who was even more shocked, he withdrew his hand as if to say it was okay and placed his share of water at Soram's feet.

"Soram-ah, you seem very startled. Calm down and stay here."

Ah, no, I didn't mean to do that. He tried to say that, but it wouldn't come out as if his throat was being choked. In the meantime, Tae-un raised his sword towards the mutants that had swarmed around.

His mind flickered even faster. The panic state that had been fine for a while appeared with a swollen body as much as the time it had been dormant. No. Not now. If this was the last, Soram absolutely couldn't live the rest of this life, and even if the next life began. He would probably remain in this moment for decades.

Everything was a first, but he knew that there would never be anything like this in the world again. If he had misjudged, he would rather bear the consequences himself.

Han Tae-un, no. No!

"I, I too, with you. Together, go."

Soram moved forward as if floundering. However, Tae-un's back, far from getting closer, grew farther and farther away. He didn't know if his movement was an illusion and he was actually standing still. The sound of the ground shaking and the lava boiling echoed in his head.

The remaining bit of reason asserted. This would be the last time he could face the 3rd Great Rift in his right mind. If he ended this moment like this, his weak mind would never be able to even look at the sea again.

If this was really the end, he should have died first. He shouldn't have seen Tae-un die.

Move. Endure.

Even now, he had the strength to move one more paper airplane. He could fly into the sky holding a sword and cut down the mutants. Since he was still stronger than Han Tae-un, if he drew his sword now, he could fight better than him.

At that moment, a huge figure of lava appeared in front of Tae-un. The lava stretched out both arms towards Tae-un.

'No.'

The trembling in Soram's hands ceased, and with the blue mist enveloping his entire body, his body flew forward as if bouncing. He plunged right between Tae-un and the lava mutant.

Ah, I'm not thinking of fighting against it, but this is how my body moves.

His sword deeply pierced the core located in the mutant's chest. The heat tore through his sleeve and peeled off his skin red. The mutant disappeared, and Soram immediately flew to the next mutant in front of it. Tae-un followed him with a surprised expression.

"Are you okay?"

How many times do I have to hear this? Soram pulled out something better than a plain answer.

"Yeah. Soram has been revived."

"...That's a relief."

Now, without even time to look back, if he couldn't walk, he had to crawl, even if he had to wriggle his limbs, he had to go.

Other hunters also stood in front of the lava with expressions that showed they had nowhere else to retreat. Even Min-ki, who had handed over the branch director to the medical staff, returned. There were bright red marks on both cheeks as if he had struck himself.

Swish― Grrrk―…

Screech―!

Crunch!

The fight continued for who knows how many more hours. Even among those who had newly arrived today, some collapsed from overload, were seriously injured, or lost their lives. The sky rumbled even louder.

"Stop! Please stop now!"

Someone screamed desperately in a hoarse voice.

That's when it happened.

Plop, plop.

Something cold touched the cheeks of the hunters fighting the lava for the first time in a very long while. The darkly clouded sky began to send down streaks of rain.

"Ouch, it, it stings."

The rain cooled the lava, but the rain born from the volcanic ash clouds also had a strong acidity. When it touched the burned skin, the pain doubled. The raindrops falling on the bodies of the hunters who couldn't retreat from the scene only grew thicker. Hidden by the rainwater flowing from his face, one hunter finally burst into tears.

"Damn it, really, of all things... Are you trying to ruin the country...?"

Boom―…

Amidst the needle-like pain, the hunters confronting the mutants were startled by the vibrating sound and turned to look in that direction. And they saw a miraculous sight. From the black mountain, lava no longer flowed down.

"It really stopped. I'm not dreaming again, right?"

As if to prove that the situation in front of their eyes was not a lie, the lava mutants that had already reached the land and were attacking the hunters crumbled and retreated.

"Ah..."

The dawn began to break.

6:00 a.m., 42 hours after the dungeon outbreak.

Finally, the lull had arrived.