Seeing Yonghoon’s sword shine, Mitterrand raised his shield to brace for impact. It was clear a strike-type ability was coming.
However, Yonghoon had been greatly surprised by Mitterrand’s innate ability just moments ago. If he had been vulnerable to normal attacks, he would have struggled to survive.
Yonghoon had no intention whatsoever of clashing with the shield. He swung his sword right where he stood. Sparks burst forth as the air around Yonghoon rippled.
Mitterrand frowned as he sensed a surge of Dimensional Power around him. It was a spatial sword.
But an attack without Dimensional Power was useless against an A-rank Defense-type Awakened. Mitterrand reflexively raised his shield to guard his face and chest.
Squelch!
Swords that appeared out of thin air slashed through Mitterrand’s limbs. Unfortunately, due to the spatial movement blocking device, the positioning was slightly off. The wounds were not fatal.
Mitterrand flinched and leapt backward in shock.
Thankfully, the swords aimed at his chest and face bounced off the shield, but blood spurted from his limbs.
Mitterrand couldn’t understand it. The swords that transcended space were filled with Dimensional Power.
Gritting his teeth, he activated his shield’s ability. A green barrier rose around him, and sparks scattered across its surface.
Yonghoon’s attack was blocked by the shield.
Yonghoon clicked his tongue at the suddenly risen shield. It wouldn’t be easy to pierce with the spatial sword.
A surprise attack no longer seemed possible.
“What are you?”
Mitterrand growled, staring into Yonghoon’s black eyes. The bleeding from his body quickly stopped, thanks to the Dimensional Core he possessed.
But Yonghoon’s attack had definitely inflicted damage on Mitterrand. He could no longer move freely from where he stood.
Mitterrand glared at Yonghoon. He was certain his opponent was a Linker. The black eyes proved it.
However, the enemy used both a spatial sword and strike-type abilities simultaneously. On top of that, he wielded defense abilities beyond A-rank, taking no damage from physical attacks.
‘And even while switching abilities, I never saw gray eyes.’
Mitterrand’s eyes widened at the final conclusion he reached.
“Are you from another dimension?”
Yonghoon didn’t answer the question. With his sunglasses gone, he was bound to be exposed. And once exposed, he had to eliminate the opponent for sure.
Mitterrand’s face stiffened. Even without a reply, he was confident in his deduction.
It was something he had thought might happen.
When a dimension was invaded, Awakened would appear there too. Among them, a spatial ability user would eventually emerge.
If that user reached A-rank, implanted a modified Dimensional Core into their body, and discovered their dimension’s coordinates, it was theoretically possible for them to cross over.
But all these assumptions required a series of incredible coincidences. Moreover, even if they did cross over, it was believed they would be useful only as spies.
No matter how weak this world was, everyone here was an Awakened; a simple spatial ability user couldn’t do much.
Yet the opponent before him shattered all such expectations. He was a Linker. And absurdly, he could use multiple abilities simultaneously.
Mitterrand hurriedly compared his abilities with his opponent’s. He was clearly outmatched. Especially now, injured and unable to move easily, the gap was even wider.
He was confident he wouldn’t be easily defeated thanks to his defense abilities, but capturing the opponent was now impossible.
‘Can’t I escape?’
Looking at his opponent, it was clear he had no intention of letting him go. Thus, there was only one option left: endure until reinforcements arrived from the city.
Yonghoon saw the opponent’s stance and realized his intention. He planned to hold out as long as possible.
Yonghoon sighed at the thought. It was an effective strategy. His spatial sword was ineffective against the opponent’s defense ability and shield barrier.
Moreover, a direct strike was risky due to the opponent’s innate ability. If he recklessly collided with the shield and got stunned, it would be troublesome.
The innate ability was the biggest problem.
Without that ability, he could simply grab the opponent, teleport hundreds of meters into the air, and be done with it.
The opponent’s innate ability inflicted significant shock on Yonghoon’s body. A few more hits, and his life would be in danger.
Yonghoon tried launching spatial swords at the shield a few more times, then shook his head. It was ineffective. At this rate, things would go according to the opponent’s plan.
Yonghoon kept moving while scanning his surroundings. Beyond the destroyed wall, he saw a Dimensional Beast seemingly frozen in place.
Only now did Yonghoon find that sight suspicious.
‘Why isn’t the Dimensional Beast moving?’
Normally, Dimensional Beasts rampaged the moment they crossed over. They were alert the instant they entered a new dimension.
Waking them up here and then transporting them would have been far too dangerous. Although it seemed the Awakened with gray eyes summoned the Dimensional Beast, he didn’t appear to control it freely.
Therefore, there must be a device somewhere here keeping the Dimensional Beast asleep.
Yonghoon heightened his senses. He began probing his surroundings.
Soon, he could feel a hidden, unfamiliar Dimensional Power within the space distortion enveloping the area. It was like something small was brushing against his nerves.
‘Is this it?’
He wasn’t certain. But he couldn’t afford to keep this standoff going.
Yonghoon looked toward the source of the Dimensional Power. It was coming from beneath the center of the building.
Yonghoon stopped moving. Then he looked at Mitterrand, who was hiding behind the shield.
Mitterrand tensed even more upon seeing Yonghoon suddenly halt.
Yonghoon drew a spear with his left hand. He raised it and pointed toward the center of the building.
“Is that the device controlling the beast?”
Yonghoon’s spear began to shine.
Mitterrand’s eyes widened. He recognized the Dimensional Power gathering into the spear. It was an impact-type innate ability.
His opponent was a Linker capable of using multiple abilities simultaneously. Mitterrand realized how the initial explosion had occurred.
And he also understood the current situation.
“No!”
Mitterrand sprinted forward like a madman.
He had to stop it. If the dimensional larvae woke up here, it would be irreversible.
Yonghoon was convinced by his opponent’s reaction. That was definitely the core.
Yonghoon’s spear emitted a blinding light as it shot forward. It began to penetrate the rippling space.
Mitterrand felt time slow down. No, it was just that his extreme tension made it feel that way.
‘Faster!’
He moved his legs frantically, but his injured limbs wouldn’t cooperate.
He stretched his shield forward as much as he could, but it was too far from the opponent. Soon, white light burst from the center of the building, filling the entire structure.
Boom!
The explosion was not as large as expected. A hole about 50 meters in diameter opened in the floor at the building’s center, and flames shot upward.
“Ah!”
Mitterrand stared blankly at the hole. He was too late. Despite his desperate efforts, he was a step behind.
Kuoooooo!
A tremendous roar echoed from the Dimensional Beasts. They had awakened.
“Cough!”
Yonghoon, who was thrown onto the debris, coughed up blood. The opponent’s innate ability was powerful. Having taken a shield blow directly, his insides were wrecked beyond mere stiffness. He was now incapable of fighting.
Mitterrand looked at the awakening dimensional larvae, then turned back to Yonghoon.
“You……”
Mitterrand opened his mouth toward the fallen Yonghoon but couldn’t speak. Blood flowed from his lips.
Mitterrand looked down at his chest. There was a hole in it. It was punctured precisely through his left chest, and blood gushed from it.
Mitterrand collapsed to the ground with a regretful expression.
Yonghoon barely managed to lift himself up, staring at the fallen Mitterrand. He looked at the bloodstained sword in his hand. He had barely succeeded in his gamble.
He had taken the opponent’s shield blow with his body while piercing the opponent’s heart with his sword. It was fortunate the opponent was a Defense-type Awakened. If he had been a Strike-type Awakened, both would have surely died.
“Ugh, ugh, Brigadier General.”
A woman’s voice came from where Mitterrand had fallen. Yonghoon lifted his head.
There, the woman who had collapsed earlier was staggering toward Mitterrand. Blood was pouring from her chest.
Yonghoon frowned at the sight of her. He was nearly incapable of fighting now. Judging by her condition, she also seemed barely able to fight, but he regretted letting her live.
She reached Mitterrand’s fallen body and stared blankly at him.
“Brigadier General……”
She rampaged.
The air around her swirled violently. Objects shot upward and shattered in all directions.
“Kraaaah!”
She screamed toward the sky. Apparently, she had been close to the fallen man. The combination of her injury, the Dimensional Core’s destruction, and emotional shock had driven her into a rampage.
Her rampage shattered the surroundings and drew the attention of the awakening Dimensional Beasts. They began to move.
Yonghoon silently watched the rampaging woman.
“I see. I’m just not used to ambushing women.”
Yonghoon realized why he hadn’t been able to kill her.
He had never killed a woman who still retained her sanity. Had they fought as enemies, he could have killed her easily, but ambushing a woman felt wrong to him.
Yonghoon felt pathetic about himself.
“Like a fool, are you afraid of getting your hands bloody now?”
Yonghoon scolded himself out loud.
He looked at the woman in front of him and adjusted his grip on his sword. The sword felt unbearably heavy.
“Die! Die!”
The woman before him had completely lost her sanity. Blood was now gushing from her chest like a waterfall. Even if left alone, it was clear she would die soon.
Yet Yonghoon raised his sword. Gritting his teeth, he forced Dimensional Power into the blade.
Debris flew around Yonghoon. Steel beams and concrete came flying at him too, but Yonghoon paid no attention.
Yonghoon swung his sword. His blade split the air, and her screams abruptly stopped.
She collapsed on the spot. Her body fell over the body of Brigadier General Mitterrand lying on the ground.
The debris that had been floating fell down, burying her and Brigadier General Mitterrand.
In front of Yonghoon, a grave of rubble was formed once again, just like when he first arrived.
But now, there were no living people inside this grave.
Yonghoon shoved his sword into its sheath.
Two Dimensional Beasts were slowly approaching Yonghoon. And from the hole in the center of the building, monsters could be seen climbing up.
He had wondered where all the monsters gathered here were, and it seemed they had been kept underground.
The sight of countless monsters and giant Dimensional Beasts approaching was spectacular.
It was dangerous to stay here. Yonghoon hurriedly raised his arm. But before his hand could even rise halfway, his arm trembled. His internal injuries were too severe.
Creating a dimensional tunnel in this state was dangerous. But if he stayed, he would surely die at the hands of the Dimensional Beasts and monsters. Gritting his teeth, Yonghoon opened a dimensional tunnel.
‘Where should I go?’
There was no place for Yonghoon in this world. In a dazed state, he designated the destination for the dimensional tunnel. Then he jumped into it.
Dimensional Beasts and monsters passed through the spot where Yonghoon had disappeared.
Dimensional Beasts and monsters poured into the old city center. As soon as the Dimensional Beasts emerged from the buildings, they howled toward the sky.
“Kuaaaah!”
The entire city began to stir in response to the beasts’ cries.
Red eyes appeared on the buildings across the city, and those eyes turned toward the direction of the sound.
The Deathmen began to swarm toward the beasts.
As the Dimensional Beast saw the Deathmen starting to obey its command, it looked toward the shining searchlights far off in the sky. That was the place. The place where the humans who imprisoned and tormented it were, the place where humans who refused to obey its control were.
“Kuaaaah.”
The Dimensional Beast let out a roar and began to move forward. Its target was New Berlin City. Behind it, countless Deathmen began to move.