Chapter 80

Sol Squad: Reversal

***

"Ah, we're f***ed!"

Kichan clutched his head and fell to his knees in front of the screen.

Everyone watching beside him wore the same expression of despair.

"H-How did the survivor count drop this low?!"

249 / 2000

…

Namsagwang → Taylor (killed with Su-Gang)

One player, only just noticing how the number had dropped from over 1000 to the low 200s, shouted in horror.

"It's teaming!"

At that, Juriel nodded grimly.

"For both groups to gather like that in front of Wonyoungshin without attacking each other…"

"It means Namsagwang and that guild made a pact," Kichan finished.

No one had expected Namsagwang, who had once marched alone to the buff monster and wiped out their team, to gather so many under his command in such a short time.

As everyone watched the screen in disbelief, Lilingwi, who had been silently clenching her fists, suddenly gasped and tried to compose her expression.

***

"A massive team-up, huh."

Jinryung nodded.

"Incredible that so many players managed to work together."

They had seen teaming before—but not on a scale like this.

"It's only possible because of Wonyoungshin," Seowoon added.

Just then, Namsagwang's face twisted with madness—his voice thundered across the battlefield:

–"Finally! We meet!!"

Despite the distance, his voice shook the air like a clap of thunder.

Jinryung shook his head.

"He's got a serious grudge."

"Apparently."

Seowoon sounded disinterested, like it had nothing to do with him. Jinryung smirked slightly at that.

Even he could now sense the end approaching.

Namsagwang's ominous aura felt like it was crawling over his skin.

"So you really are Jin Seowoon! I prayed it wasn't just someone with the same name."

"…"

"Why so quiet? I've waited so long for this moment."

"I don't see what's so special about our 'bond.'"

"Kuhuhu… You'll regret that decision you made that day."

"With all the coins I earned that day? Doubt it."

At the mention of coins, Namsagwang's eyes erupted with madness.

"If not for you, I could've earned so many more. Do you think I forgot that?"

"Petty. Real petty for a 'man.'"

That was the final spark.

The grin vanished from Namsagwang's face, replaced by a snarl.

–"Attack!"

With that command, over a hundred players behind Namsagwang charged forward.

–"Mujin Guild, advance!"

The guild joined in as well. Over 200 players surged forward in a chaotic stampede—a sight money couldn't buy.

Seowoon and Jinryung began moving too.

–"Is this really our only option?"

–"It's the only one we have."

As they sprinted toward Wonyoungshin, Jinryung voiced his doubt. If they were going to die, he would've preferred to die fighting face-to-face—not with his back turned.

But Seowoon refused to give up until the end.

And Jinryung could only trust the person who had carried them this far.

Namsagwang's deadly aura surged behind them, and 200 players stormed after them—it made the two look like generals charging the front lines.

The moment their feet touched Wonyoungshin's zone, the epic monster—who had been sitting quietly gazing at the sky—stood up and started running toward them with an intense aura.

Please…!

Seowoon prayed.

Just before Wonyoungshin's Buljin struck them, magic spells rippled through the air and rained down on the monster.

Wonyoungshin sliced through the spells, but in that moment, his aggro shifted.

Seowoon exhaled deeply.

Though the magic blasts grazed them, Seowoon and Jinryung had pushed past the monster and taken the full brunt of the impact with their bodies.

–"Senior Brother! Break through!"

A blazing tornado flared behind Wonyoungshin. They didn't have a moment to hesitate.

"I'm not letting you get away!"

Behind them, Namsagwang roared and charged like a lunatic.

The two entered the whirlwind of flame and blades. Even Seowoon, with his high resistance, suffered deep wounds—the less durable Jinryung was struggling even more.

Seowoon grabbed Jinryung's faltering arm and pulled him through.

Namsagwang followed right behind them into the tornado—but his killing intent provoked a reaction.

Ignoring the magic still falling around him, Wonyoungshin turned and swung his Buljin straight at Namsagwang.

Even someone as strong as Namsagwang couldn't just ignore that.

"You think some shell of a monster can stop me?!"

–Crash!

When Buljin clashed with his Su-Gang, Namsagwang was shoved backward several meters.

At that moment, Seowoon broke free of the tornado with Jinryung and tore a scroll.

The mid-grade healing scroll they had saved just in case restored a significant portion of their burns and wounds.

They sprinted away from Wonyoungshin—only to feel Namsagwang's murderous presence trailing behind them once more.

His footwork far outpaced theirs. There was no way they could outrun him.

Seowoon had hoped sticking Namsagwang near Wonyoungshin would buy them time—but the man had no intention of letting go.

–"Senior Brother! Go on ahead! Whatever you do, don't follow me!"

–"I can't—"

–"JINRYUNG!!"

The fire in Seowoon's eyes stopped Jinryung from protesting.

He wanted to scream that they should die fighting together—but Seowoon's gaze wasn't the look of someone who had given up.

Only then did Jinryung realize—he was holding Seowoon back.

With clenched teeth, Jinryung dashed ahead.

Seowoon turned to face Namsagwang.

'If this is the end, I might as well earn some points.'

Even in despair, he saw the value in earning Jinryung's respect and trust.

And yet, there was still a sliver of hope.

Seowoon's final card, hidden from Namsagwang until now, was finally unleashed.

As his afterimages multiplied with every step, Namsagwang's lips twisted.

"Silent Phantom Step."

The moment he identified the technique, Seowoon felt a cold chill in his chest.

His clothes were already tattered, hanging from his body like rags, and just as his clones increased to twelve, Namsagwang's twin Su-Gang swords extended threateningly from his hands.

–Shhhk!

In an instant, he cleaved through ten clones—so fast that even at close range, the attack wasn't visible.

Just witnessing it was enough to drain the blood from one's face.

Seowoon couldn't even tell whether what he attempted was a proper "move" anymore.

'Only one option left. If this fails, it's all over.'

He was sure now—sending Jinryung ahead had been the right call.

He couldn't afford to drag Jinryung into a gamble with such slim odds.

As he brushed past Wonyoungshin earlier, he'd briefly sensed a sweet, alluring energy—impossible to describe, but familiar to someone who had absorbed countless life forces.

It made his instincts scream to open his Qi Drain Gate.

'Not like this.'

He knew it was madness, but now he was convinced—he had to touch Wonyoungshin.

He could feel it. There was a "core" in Wonyoungshin's energy—a source too solid and focused to be drawn in passively. He had to make contact to absorb it.

But first, he had to get past the monstrous man who'd just obliterated ten clones in a flash.

50/50 odds.

Two of him—right and left—rushed toward Wonyoungshin. Namsagwang's eyes gleamed.

"I'll make you beg for mercy!"

The moment Namsagwang dashed toward the right, Seowoon thought it was over.

Shick!

Strangely, Namsagwang struck the left clone instead. Seowoon had no idea why. He hadn't even seen the movement.

'He got tricked by a feint… in that split second.'

Seowoon bolted toward Wonyoungshin with everything he had—his final shot.

Just as Wonyoungshin fended off dozens of incoming players, Seowoon reached out and touched the monster's glowing back.

Pain exploded through his spine.

A deep gash tore down his back, blood spurting out like a fountain—a sight that made every observer believe he was finished.

Everyone in the waiting room thought it was over.

Everyone except Seowoon.

'You bastard…!'

The searing pain, the disrupted Qi Channels, the tangled internal energy—it wasn't enough to stop him.

"Guh!"

Blood gushed from both his sides with a sickening spray.

Thud.

His knees slammed to the ground involuntarily, his calves slashed open.

"Guhhhk!"

"I'll make sure the words 'please spare me' come out of that mouth!"

Just when Namsagwang prepared to bring down more agony, Wonyoungshin turned with surprising speed and charged at him—granting Seowoon a moment of reprieve.

"You damn husk! Get out of my way!"

–KAKANG!

Having fought him once before, Namsagwang defended instinctively and backed off quickly.

As other players swarmed around, they redirected Wonyoungshin's aggro.

A player who had almost stabbed Seowoon in the neck flinched when Namsagwang roared:

"He's mine! Touch him, and you'll die horribly!"

The ground beneath Seowoon was soaked with blood.

Amid the chaos of players fighting Wonyoungshin, Seowoon's trembling hand reached out and touched the epic monster's calf.

–KUHAAAAAAAAHH!

Wonyoungshin let out a sound halfway between a scream and a roar. A violent wind of Qi Force surged outward from his body, blowing away nearby players.

"Fall back!"

Caught off-guard by the sudden area-of-effect attack, players retreated in panic—over 20 had already died.

Even Namsagwang stood frozen, his brow furrowed, unable to make sense of what he was seeing.

Seowoon, overwhelmed by the sudden flood of Celestial Qi, barely held on.

His Qi Drain Gate pulled the energy straight into his Danjun, then into every meridian in his body.

'D-danger…'

Even as his body screamed, he didn't let go.

This was no ordinary Qi—this wasn't even just a different form. Calling it "foreign" didn't do it justice.

This was Celestial Qi—something fundamentally beyond true Qi.

Seowoon's internal Qi was completely crushed, shoved aside like dust. It couldn't resist even slightly.

The Celestial Qi filled his upper abdomen, surged into his Baihui, and began to overtake his entire system.

A game rule about "body destruction" surfaced in his mind. If he broke down here, returning to the real world intact might not be possible.

Still, the Celestial Qi flooded him, ignoring his fear.

–GOOOOO…

A low, strange hum echoed as the raging wind finally calmed. The dust cloud began to settle.

"W-What kind of power is this?"

Someone whispered, a tremble in their voice.

As the haze cleared, everyone saw what had emerged—and Namsagwang's eyes shook for the first time.

"Did he consume it? Or was he consumed?"

Only Seowoon understood what he meant.

"Feels like… a bit of both."

"You lunatic. I never dreamed you'd be the kind who received the Blood Vital Demon Method. Who the hell gave that to you?"

"Oh. That nasty name? Some great person gave it to me. Real saintly guy."

The players all held their tongues as Seowoon and Namsagwang bantered like old acquaintances.

Even the mages preparing spells and the warriors on standby paused, listening instead of acting.

"So, you won't tell me."

"Why ask when you already know? None of that matters now. What matters is—you're screwed."

Namsagwang's face twisted violently.

Seowoon, now wreathed in a faint, translucent blue aura, exuded an overwhelming presence.

The vapor-like blue energy rising off his skin made it impossible to spot any of the wounds he had sustained earlier.

The sight reminded Seowoon of a weapon he once touched—his chain sword.

'Hammit.'

–Understood, Master.

When Seowoon extended his hand, the chain sword appeared, instantly wrapped in his new blue aura.

That simple act made dozens of players flinch.

And then—

–Everyone, attack!

Namsagwang shouted.

Dozens of magic spells rained down toward Seowoon.

–KWA-KWAANG!

–FWOOOSH! WHIRRRRR!

–CRASHHHH!

Waves of destructive magic poured down while players backed away from the blast radius.

Even Namsagwang began hurling Su-Gang techniques relentlessly into the storm of dust and flame.