Chapter 14
Gumi's Greatest Sword vs. Gumi City Councilman
"MIYAMAMAMA!"
Jang Seon-bok let out a roar that shook the earth itself as he landed between Youngwoo and the people from Hanulchae.
BOOOOM!
He had jumped from such a height that the concrete ground shattered beneath him, sending stone dust flying in every direction.
WHOOOOSH!
The surroundings instantly turned white.
In Youngwoo's field of vision, not only Jang Seon-bok but also Yechan and the Hanulchae residents disappeared behind the dust cloud.
Damn it, if this keeps up...
Without realizing it, Youngwoo first thought of the children among the Hanulchae group.
If Jang Seon-bok started rampaging while hidden from sight, they would be the first to get hurt.
Shit. I don't even have the luxury to worry about this right now.
In the end, Youngwoo shouted at the top of his lungs so everyone could hear.
"Take the kids and run! You're no match for him!"
Immediately—
FWOOOOSH!
A heavy presence surged from inside the dust cloud.
Jang Seon-bok had tracked his voice and attacked.
Of course, this was exactly what Youngwoo had intended, so he was already gripping his shield firmly.
The problem was—
BANG!
The monster was far stronger than expected.
What the hell?!
Youngwoo felt his entire body lift into the air along with his shield.
And then—
Whoosh.
He actually went flying.
At least three or four meters high.
But he quickly regained his composure.
"Huh?"
He realized he was unconsciously controlling his center of gravity.
Is this the effect of Sense?
[Sense]
Involved in reflexes, balance, and overall bodily control.
His Sense stat had risen from a mere 24 to a full 100.
Feeling the difference was only natural.
Tap!
Youngwoo landed smoothly on the ground.
At that moment, a fierce gust of wind blew toward him.
BOOM! BOOM!
The monster was charging out of the dust cloud.
[Gumi City Councilman – Jang Seon-bok]
The first thing visible through the dust was the faintly glowing nameplate.
Then the monster's full figure emerged under the sunlight.
BOOM!
The first thing that caught his eye was its crimson skin and muscles that looked ready to burst.
The goblins he'd seen before were already absurdly muscular, but Jang Seon-bok was on another level.
Why is he even bigger? Does being a Mutant come with bonus stats?
He stood nearly three meters tall.
His muscles were proportionally larger.
The giant axes he carried in both hands were equally intimidating.
Each axe blade was nearly as large as Youngwoo's entire body.
But the truly shocking thing was—
"Huh?"
Jang Seon-bok looked surprised when he saw Youngwoo.
And then—
"Gumi's Greatest Sword? What's that supposed to mean?"
The goblin spoke.
H-he can talk?
Youngwoo stared back and forth between the goblin's twitching pointed ears and savage-looking mouth.
Then Jang Seon-bok slowly bent his long waist and scrutinized him.
"Are you the representative of these vermin? What happened while I was gone?"
Apparently, by vermin, he wasn't just referring to the people present.
He seemed to mean all the citizens of Gumi.
"What year is it now? I have no idea how long I've been imprisoned."
After casually swinging an axe, he suddenly asked.
What? Does this guy have no sense of time? No, more importantly, he talks exactly like a human.
Even from that brief exchange, Youngwoo became certain of one thing.
Jang Seon-bok was a Mutant—a monster.
But the consciousness inside was still human.
And judging by how he called the citizens of Gumi vermin, he clearly remembered everything from before he had been targeted by Reset.
"It's Tuesday, June 10th, 2025. The first day of the Reset."
For a brief moment, confusion flashed across Jang Seon-bok's gleaming eyes.
"The first day? Then I was the first one to arrive? Ah... I see."
He muttered to himself as though reaching some conclusion.
Youngwoo immediately asked:
"What do you mean first? Where were you before this? Have you met other Mutants?"
Jang Seon-bok smiled coldly.
"A dead man sure asks a lot of questions."
SWOOOSH!
His axe tore through the air.
You bastard!
The sudden attack sent alarm through every cell in Youngwoo's body.
Then a hologram appeared before his eyes.
A hologram identical to himself.
Left shoulder pulled completely back.
Early Bird thrust forward.
—Kill (Murder)
The Gumi Sword Art had activated once again.
The Gumi Sword Art? It wouldn't activate against monsters before. Why now...?
Following its guidance, Youngwoo rotated his body sideways and thrust Early Bird forward.
Immediately—
SHIIING!
The axe blade narrowly grazed past his left shoulder.
"...!"
Goosebumps erupted across his body.
But he had attacked as well.
SWISH!
The tip of Early Bird shot toward Jang Seon-bok's left chest.
Then the black axe blocked its path.
The glowing symbol changed from Kill (murder) to Void (Hollow).
CLANG!
Sword and axe collided with a piercing screech.
KIIIIIIING!
"What the hell are you? You're not just human."
Jang Seon-bok's shocked voice emerged through the grinding metal.
Youngwoo was equally surprised.
"You... are you still human? Why is the Gumi Sword Art..."
"What? You sons of bitches turned me into this!"
As they exchanged words neither could fully understand, the Gumi Sword Art displayed the next symbol.
—Break (Destroy)
Break?
The character meant destroy.
From their current weapon lock, he was instructed to raise Early Bird and stab the opposite elbow.
The hologram also showed him covering himself with the shield.
Whatever it is, this must be the optimal move.
WHOOSH!
Strength 200.
Sense 100.
His body could execute it perfectly.
The sword tip slipped away from the axe and shot diagonally.
STAB!
It pierced Jang Seon-bok's right elbow.
"KRAAAAAAH!"
For the first time, Youngwoo heard the monster scream.
The next instruction appeared immediately.
Smash the descending jaw with the shield.
But the guide suddenly disappeared.
"Huh?"
Jang Seon-bok attacked first.
Too late...!
Even if the Gumi Sword Art provided the perfect path, timing still mattered.
Youngwoo still had to recognize, evaluate, and execute the guidance.
That unavoidable delay became a problem against powerful opponents.
"DIEEEE!"
A knee strike flashed toward him.
BAM!
"Gahhh!"
The explosive power generated by the three-meter goblin's thighs and calves was unbelievable.
It felt as though he'd been hit by a car.
He couldn't even breathe.
Something kept flashing before his eyes, suggesting the Gumi Sword Art was offering new instructions.
But the unexpected impact had nearly paralyzed his body.
Meanwhile, Jang Seon-bok pulled his leg back again for another knee strike.
Like cocking a gun.
"Why are you all making my life hell?!"
His voice was mixed with rage and sorrow.
CRACK.
RUMBLE.
Disturbing sounds came from the crimson muscles in his legs.
Creak.
Just as he was about to unleash the second knee strike—
SHIIIIK!
A sharp sound sliced through the air.
From behind Jang Seon-bok.
"KAH!"
Youngwoo heard a familiar voice.
"Sir! If you don't do something, I'm dead! Hurry!"
It was Yechan.
Youngwoo forced his eyes open.
Behind the red giant stood Yechan.
The boy had stabbed Jang Seon-bok in the waist before the second knee strike.
"Which bastard—?!"
The enraged Jang Seon-bok spun around.
At that moment, the Gumi Sword Art displayed two symbols on his body.
The first:
—Kill (murder)
The familiar character.
It hovered above the back of Jang Seon-bok's neck.
The second:
—Live (Alive)
The character meaning preserve life.
Like Break before it, this was the first time Youngwoo had seen it.
It appeared over the monster's Achilles tendon.
But why?
Why would Kill and Live appear simultaneously?
"Sir! Hurry!"
Hearing Yechan's desperate cry again, Youngwoo understood.
The Live symbol didn't mean saving Jang Seon-bok.
It meant saving another life involved in the battle.
Yechan.
"Move, you idiot!"
Youngwoo roared with all his strength.
At the same time—
SHING!
He thrust his sword toward Jang Seon-bok's Achilles tendon.
SLASH!
Early Bird.
A one-handed sword whose only real advantage was its lightness.
Because it was light, it made little noise.
And it was fast.
Like a bolt of lightning, the blade pierced the crimson skin and tore through the Achilles tendon.
"GRAAAAAAAAH!"
Jang Seon-bok froze in place, his entire body trembling.
Then he slowly turned toward Youngwoo.
—Kill (murder)
The symbol shone brilliantly near his neck.
As Youngwoo radiated killing intent and Jang Seon-bok attempted to say something—
SLASH!
Early Bird pierced his throat.
"Ku..."
An unclear final sound.
The light faded from his eyes.
Then—
FWOOOOSH!
A beam of pure white light burst upward from his head.
As though a soul were leaving the body.
Does this mean the Mutant has died?
Youngwoo watched until the pillar of light disappeared into the sky.
If that truly was Jang Seon-bok's soul or consciousness—
Where was it being taken?
And by whom?
Shrrr...
Soon even the crimson corpse dissolved into the air like other monsters.
But one thing was different.
Is that the reward?
A golden sphere remained where the body had vanished.
About the size of a watermelon.
Floating roughly a meter above the ground while slowly rotating.
Step. Step.
As Youngwoo approached, Yechan looked at him nervously.
The Hanulchae residents who had fled also began cautiously returning.
"Sir... what is that?"
"Probably some device for determining who receives the reward."
That was what he said.
But he was certain.
The first person to touch the sphere would receive the reward for killing the Mutant.
[Epic] "The Choice"
Objective: Track down and either kill or send back a Mutant.
Reward: Mutant equipment, an enormous amount of Karma.
The Epic Quest still showed as incomplete.
Youngwoo reached out and touched the sphere left behind by Jang Seon-bok.
Immediately, a new interface appeared.
[3,000,000 Karma]
OR
[30,000 Karma granted to every resident in the region]
"You have been granted the authority to complete the Epic Quest 'The Choice.'"
"Please select your reward to finalize the quest."
"What...?"
Youngwoo's mouth fell open.
Being asked to choose the reward beforehand was unprecedented.
And the rewards themselves were absurdly generous.