< Episode 11. Night of the Prophets (4) >
A red aura flickered across the meteorite, and soon a blinding light shot out across the entire platform.
"Whoa! Finally!"
A few screamed in delight.
Jeong Hee-won and Lee Hyun-sung hurried over.
"Run? What… are you saying?"
But it was already too late.
The red aura spread across the platform, forming a faint barrier around the station.
Now, none of the could leave Anguk Station.
[The Seongjwas protesting excessive filtering put down their pickets.]
[A considerable number of Seongjwas' eyes sparkle at the 'omen'.]
[Seongjwa, 'Prisoner of the Long Orphan', watches the situation with curious eyes.]
[Seongjwa, 'Secret Schemer', eagerly anticipates your brilliant strategy.]
Even the Seongjwas were excitedly sending indirect messages.
In the world of The Annihilation Law, the most dangerous situations occur when the Seongjwas collectively throw a party like this.
I asked a nervous Jeong Min-seop,
"Was it that 1124th guy who suggested gathering here today?"
"Huh? I'm not sure about that. I just thought we all agreed…"
It felt like someone had force-fed me ten sweet potatoes at once.
I never imagined things would get this twisted.
―Everyone, get behind me.
I kept an eye on the meteorite while protecting my group.
―Aren't you running?
―We can't. As you can see, a barrier has formed.
―Huh? What kind of barrier?
I didn't answer and stared at the meteorite in the center of the platform.
The [Meteorite] was the main event of the 'fifth scenario'.
Depending on its color, brightness, size, and type, it could contain rewards—or dangers.
But the meteorite I was seeing now was one that, to my knowledge, should never be hatched.
Because the sacred relic in the 3rd cycle came from a 'bright red' meteorite, everyone was apparently misled…
"How do we know who the owner of the sacred relic is?"
"Well… uh…"
A few who still hadn't regained their senses reached out to touch the meteorite.
[The omen of the fifth main scenario appears.]
The message popped up.
"Huh? What's this?"
"Why is the main scenario starting all of a sudden…?"
Jjeojeojeojuk―
A crack ran across the surface of the meteorite, and red light gushed out. The first to be struck by the light was a peering at it in confusion.
Shh―
The lost their head, their body collapsing to the ground like a puppet with its strings cut.
"What the hell is this!"
Those nearby screamed and stepped back in shock, but the situation was already out of control.
I pulled my group to the edge of the barrier and observed the chaos.
I vaguely remembered seeing a meteorite like that in The Annihilation Law, but couldn't recall exactly what came out of it.
Please, let it just be a 'major disaster'.
Kkwa-ddeuk ddeuk ddeuk!
The meteorite split open, and red lava gushed forth. The surrounding platform started to burn, releasing a foul stench. The air temperature rose rapidly, making it hard to breathe.
The environment around us was changing.
This… is a lava zone?
Which meant…
[5th-rank Fire Dragon type, 'Lesser Dragon Ignir' has appeared!]
"Shit? What the hell! The sacred relic…?"
A few panicked hastily used divine skills, but the long tail extending from the meteorite grabbed several fleeing .
Fsssss!
"AAAH!"
The bodies wrapped in its tail ignited instantly and were incinerated. Some tried attacking the tail with skills, but their weapons began melting instead.
"T-This monster…"
The meteorite was barely two meters across, yet the creature emerging from it had a tail easily over five meters long.
Jeong Hee-won asked,
―What… is that?
―A disaster.
―A disaster?
Jjeojeojeojuk―
The rest of the meteorite split open, revealing the full form of the fire dragon species piercing through dimensions.
GROOOO―!
It was like a hatchling, barely born in dragon terms.
Even though it was just a downgraded version of a hatchling, it's not for nothing that dragons reign at the top of all monster species.
Even a 6th-rank monster could wipe out these , and this was a 5th-rank Fire Dragon species…
"Yoo Joong-hyuk!"
A few called to me, drawing everyone's attention.
I frowned.
You cause the chaos, and I have to solve it?
"Everyone, move to the edges."
Like obedient dogs, they all shuffled toward the corners of the platform. The nimble ones were already fleeing to the upper levels. But…
Thwong!
"Damn, there's a barrier!"
The downgraded Lesser Dragon was a 'sub-disaster'.
In this situation, whether it's a sub-disaster or a major disaster makes little difference, but at least I knew the patterns.
Among Yoo Joong-hyuk's countless 'regression journeys,' he had definitely faced creatures like this before.
I looked at my companions.
―A hidden scenario is about to begin.
―A hidden scenario?
―Yes. This shouldn't appear in the fourth scenario. Its difficulty is extremely abnormal, so an intervention will soon occur.
Basically, to handle a disaster like this, you need the various benefits provided in the fifth scenario.
For example, blue meteorites… or things that come from green meteorites…
But right now, we had nothing.
That meant something would be given to our side to balance things out.
[Some Seongjwas protest the abnormal scenario difficulty.]
As expected.
The next moment, sparks flew in midair, and a small figure about the size of a child appeared.
It wasn't a low-level goblin like Bihyeong.
It was neatly dressed in a suit, with two small horns on its head.
A small pouch protruded from its cheek, giving it a distinctive look.
I didn't know its name, but I knew what it was.
This was a 'mid-level goblin'.
[Hrm. This is troublesome. How did you all end up on this 'route'? Lately, they've been overactive… well, great.]
The deep, commanding voice echoed, and the Lesser Dragon paused its movement for a moment.
Indeed, a mid-level entity can intervene in a scenario to this extent.
[We haven't even cleared the fourth scenario, and now we're supposed to deal with a 'disaster'?]
The appearance of the mid-level goblin meant the 'early scenario' was nearly reaching its end.
As long as it was paying attention here, I would gain almost none of the benefits from my contract with Bihyeong.
[Some Seongjwas are particularly valued, so we can't leave it like this… but lowering the difficulty isn't an option either…]
Its gaze lingered on me briefly.
"This isn't fair! We haven't even cleared the fourth main yet!"
A pale
Apparently an early dropout, the other surrounding
Shouting at the goblin would do nothing good.
[I've decided. Difficulty will not be lowered.]
I glared at the
A hiccup, then silence.
They had read The Annihilation Law too.
They knew goblins never go back on their word.
But they also needed to know this.
[Still… it wouldn't be fun if you all just died, so I'll slightly modify the scenario at my discretion.]
These goblins… talk more than expected.
[Hidden scenario has arrived!]
The Lesser Dragon began moving again.
Its front paw, covered in red scales, slammed into the platform floor.
Kkwa-gwa-gwa-gwang!
I dodged flying debris and opened the newly arrived scenario.
Type: Hidden
Difficulty: A
Clear Conditions: Hunt the sub-disaster 'Lesser Dragon Ignir' within the time limit, or survive its attacks.
Time Limit: 20 minutes
Reward: 3,000 coins
Failure: Death
This mission contains a hidden piece.
A twenty-minute survival mission.
Even the title alone made no sense.
Lee Hyun-sung asked,
―Do we have to defeat it?
―No, don't even dream about it.
Disasters are called disasters for a reason.
Even the real Yoo Joong-hyuk couldn't defeat a 5th-rank Fire Dragon type.
You can tell just by looking at the platform.
Scorching red flames began pouring from its massive maw.
Kwa kwa kwa kwa!
"AAAAHH!"
The walls around them melted and twisted grotesquely.
Its mouth slowly turned toward us.
"Everyone, run counterclockwise!"
Enduring the intense heat, we ran ahead of the direction of its rotating jaws.
Fortunately, Jeong Hee-won and Lee Hyun-sung were keeping up well. Jeong Min-seop and Lee Seong-guk were a bit behind, but still okay.
This time, I avoided danger because I knew the pattern.
The problem was, attacks like this weren't the only type.
[5th-rank Fire Dragon type, 'Lesser Dragon Ignir' is preparing 'Flame of Ruin'.]
…It's started.
We dodged its normal attacks, but the real danger was just beginning.
"Find the numbered platforms."
"Huh?"
"Number 5… or 2 or 3! In any case, match the total to 5, quickly!"
[Hidden piece activated.]
[Numbered platforms have been activated.]
[If the correct number of people stand on a platform, an 'Absolute Shield' will activate for 10 seconds.]
[If more than the required number stand on a platform, the 'Absolute Shield' will not activate.]
I saw the
Simultaneously, 2-pyeong (~6.6 ft²) platforms appeared across the station.
"Platforms? Ah, I see!"
"Hidden piece!"
Watching the flounder in panic, I bit my lip.
I could vividly picture the Seongjwas snickering at the scene.
Why did so many Seongjwas protest the scenario's difficulty?
Simple.
'Death without a story' isn't fun.
What they wanted to see wasn't an ant helplessly crushed under a giant's foot.
They wanted to see an ant struggling desperately to survive.
An ant that would even bite its own kin or family to live.
[Many Seongjwas watched the situation with sparkling curiosity.]
Damn Seongjwas.
"Damn it, go away!"
"Argh!"
The , who had been casually calling each other by number, now swung weapons at each other on the platform marked with the number 1. A few who approached the crowded platform fell to the ground, bloodied.
The quicker had already formed groups inside the platforms, taking defensive positions.
I observed them carefully.
This situation was clearly a trap.
Probably orchestrated by the .
They knew the dropouts would gather here and decided to wipe out the early dropouts at this opportunity.
A clever move.
Even with minimal information, fewer opponents who know the future is better.
Ordinarily, the would be somewhere far away, laughing as the dropouts die.
That's if they were 'ordinary' Apostles, that is.
The fact that they had read over 50 installments of that tedious novel already marked them as abnormal.
They named themselves and were greedy enough to control information.
If they had the knowledge to use the 'Red Meteor' as a trap card, surely they also knew how to overcome the disaster it would bring.
In other words…
―"Boss! There's no platform!"
―"None over here either!"
Jeong Min-seop and Jeong Hee-won shouted urgently.
Of course, only the location where our party was standing had no platform.
―"Ah! Here's one! But…"
The platform I barely found had a grim number on it.
Meaning, only four people could survive on this platform.
But our party had five.
[5th-rank Fire Dragon type, 'Lesser Dragon Ignir' uses 'Flames of Ruin'.]
The massive flame burst from the center of the platform, spreading across the station.
The Lesser Dragon's full-scale attack.
Even from this distance, the heat was enough to burn skin.
If we didn't activate a shield now, our party would be wiped out.
―"B-Boss?"
Lee Seong-guk and Jeong Min-seop shivered under my gaze.
I gripped the handle of [Unbreakable Conviction].
Then…
―"Yoo Joong-hyuk!"
I turned, and a was standing there.
On a platform marked with the number 2.
Even in this urgent situation, the man's face carried a strange calm.
―"Come over here!"
This guy…?
Several memories flashed quickly.
I leapt toward him and shouted to the others behind me.
―"Activate the shield!"
[Activating Absolute Shield!]
Kooooh!
The fire that followed filled the platform completely.
The temperature was enough to melt anything it touched, even me.
―"Phew… that was close."
The one who activated the shield at the last second exhaled in relief.
I asked him,
―"Who are you?"
The man smiled lightly.
―"Disappointed? Have you already forgotten? I'm number 1168. Earlier, I was talking about Asmodeus…"
Of course I remembered.
He was the one who told me about the Demon King Asmodeus.
―"I'm not asking about that."
The pupils of 1168, who met my gaze, trembled slightly.
Earlier, in the chaos, I hadn't thought clearly.
The scene of the Demon King Asmodeus versus Yoo Joong-hyuk.
To be precise, the 2nd-run Yoo Joong-hyuk getting utterly beaten by the Demon King in a 'flashback scene'.
I liked that scene too, so I remembered it.
But… thinking carefully, that flashback doesn't appear before the 50th installment.
As a complete reader of The Annihilation Law, I could say that for certain.
I drew my sword and spoke.
―"I'll ask again. Who exactly are you?"
[Characteristic effect: Memory of certain scenes improved!]
The story of the Demon King 'Asmodeus' appears precisely in installment 57.
The calm expression of 1168 began to crack.