Chapter 14 - The Fissure's Flood (4)

The moon was growing. No, it seemed to be coming closer. Choi Heera, blocking her ears against the unpleasant noise reverberating throughout the desert, murmured in bewilderment.

"A nucleus...? Could it be observed even from this close?"

She shook her head in disbelief at the fact that the core supporting the Fissure's Flood was floating above them. It was a common belief that the nucleus was always hidden deep.

"Anomalies can strike at any moment."

Nam Jihyun knelt down, holding his sniper rifle.

His main role was reconnaissance and scouting. With a reputation for quick thinking and deep insight, he was a trusted hunter within the assault team.

Accordingly, his unique title was the "Breezing Pathfinder." He was a long-range dealer who specialized in long-distance shooting rather than explosive power.

The sniper rifle he held was also a specially modified product designed to extend its range.

"And why did you think it was close?"

Shouldering his rifle, he focused his mind. His eyes, enhanced by telescopic vision, perceived the surface of the moon rising to that height. He took a deep breath.

As he infused mana into the bullet, his ability, 'One-shot One-kill', was activated.

When the barrel aligned with the moon, Nam Jihyun pulled the trigger. Despite the dull impact pressing against his shoulder, his superhuman strength restrained him.

Boooom! The bullet shot through the air, leaving a clear trail, but the attempt amounted to nothing more than a silent roar.

The bullet, unable to reach the moon, oxidized and vanished.

It wasn't a matter of missing. The direction was accurate. To Nam Jihyun, who easily identified monsters moving in hundred-meter units, the motionless target nearby was no different from a sandbag.

What he couldn't reach was—

"Too far away."

It was because of the distance.

Effective range: 4.5 kilometers.

Maximum range: 7 kilometers.

Most dungeons had narrow spaces and unpredictable environments, so the specifications of the sniper rifle rarely came to the surface. But this time was different.

Despite exerting full power, he couldn't even reach nearby. It wasn't just a challenge for ordinary hunters; even top hunters couldn't easily reach it.

"How far away do you think it is?"

Yoo Sora, holding up her heavy lance towards the moon, squinted one eye and asked. Nam Jihyun fired another round. And again. And yet again. Until the answer came after pulling the trigger multiple times, it was relatively objective.

"The distance is roughly around 12 kilometers. That's in the air. You won't reach it by conventional means. It's not about power. You need to close the gap."

"Is it about reaching it or not? What if we change the location? The Fissure's Flood is about to happen soon, so wouldn't it be a good idea to aim from the rooftop of a building?"

"If a few hundred meters would make a difference, I wouldn't have said anything. And if we're going to rely on buildings, it would be easier if you just threw me to shorten the distance, princess."

"That makes sense."

Even Yoo Sora knew how excellent Nam Jihyun's sniper rifle was. The Fissure's Flood had erupted at a higher grade than the foundational dungeon. The Desert of Dortolemia was an A-rank dungeon. That meant this Fissure's Flood was S-rank, or maybe even higher.

Without destroying the nucleus quickly, they didn't know what else might happen.

While the three pondered, the dimensional gateway connecting the outside world and the dungeon widened, and the two worlds intersected.

The crimson sky, only visible in the Desert of Dortolemia, spread out in the middle of Seoul.

Everyone was bewildered by the sudden appearance, but it didn't take long for the bustling city to turn into chaos and screams.

The tears shed by the moon turned into monsters and fell to the ground. The monsters that appeared, crushing car hoods, were unique species unseen even in the Desert of Dortolemia.

Each one boasted a large body.

They all clearly demonstrated that the rank of the Fissure's Flood had been upgraded.

Nam Jihyun, who shot down one of the approaching monsters with a gun at his waist, looked around. It hadn't been a few minutes since the Fissure's Flood occurred, but the area was already a mess.

It wasn't that they didn't understand; the Fissure's Flood was a national disaster. Moreover, in a case like this, where it happened so unexpectedly, it was normal to be caught off guard without any time to prepare.

"I've contacted the Vain Guild. Uncle, please assist in rescue activities with Heera until they join us."

"That's a quick decision."

"It's what Sora does."

Nam Jihyun nodded in agreement with the Guild Master's decision, forming a pair with Choi Heera.

"What about the princess?"

"Isn't it obvious?"

Yoo Sora gripped her heavy lance tightly. As the spear tip touched the ground, sparks flickered.

"She's going to drop the moon."

* * *

Lately, Cha Yeri found herself awake for longer hours.

While her condition remained unchanged, at least it hadn't worsened.

She collected topics to discuss with the person who came for daily visits, pulling colors into her once-colorless life. Though she had lost her only family not long ago, thanks to the sudden appearance of that person, she could stand up again.

The nurse who came in to record her chart asked casually.

"The person who comes here every day, is he your boyfriend?"

"Oh, no. He's just someone my brother knew."

Though her voice jumped at the unexpected question, Cha Yeri casually hid her face behind a book.

"But he even applied to be your legal guardian. He must care a lot."

It was a voice full of conviction, but Cha Yeri had no response to offer. The fact that Han Taemin applied to be her guardian was surprising to her too.

Nevertheless, she felt an indescribable sense of gratitude. Han Taemin was the only one who comforted her, assuring her that she wasn't alone. Though they hadn't known each other for long, a feeling of intimacy beyond that developed within her.

The corners of her mouth, which had started to curl up slightly, fell as she faced reality.

"But you know, I don't have much time."

"Don't think like that. Mana allergy isn't an incurable disease. There have been cases of complete recovery even in the US. And there are so many doctors researching it. So don't give up."

While it might have been different in other fields, the field related to mana was currently undergoing dazzling progress. New hypotheses and theories emerged and disappeared every day.

Through that process, a way to overcome mana allergy would clearly come out soon.

"Do you think so?"

"Yes, I do."

Behind the nurse who answered so crisply, white flakes were visible. Looking out the window, it was snowing.

"Oh, it's snowing."

The sight, unseen for a long time, momentarily stole her attention.

Without time to prepare, the hazy sky suddenly turned a deep red. Thick like blood, viscous.

As if to indicate the strange phenomenon, despite being midday, the crimson moon hung in the sky.

Soon after, the monsters screamed and plummeted.

In the blink of an eye, disaster struck.

Grumble. The sudden calamity didn't even allow time for questions.

Everything shook. It felt like falling off the bed, but Cha Yeri held on with all her might.

After one crisis passed and the surroundings quieted down, she slowly opened her eyes.

The nurse who was talking just now was nowhere to be seen.

One side of the wall had completely collapsed. Thanks to that, the disaster unfolding outside could be seen at a glance. The world where monsters roamed was no longer relaxed and leisurely. Everyone was struggling to survive.

"Ah... Ah."

The words stuck in her throat couldn't come out.

Quickly hiding under the bed, Cha Yeri rolled up the blanket to cover any gaps. Then, screams filled the second ward. There was no way to escape hastily. Her trembling hands couldn't stop.

The nightmare that had taken away her parents seemed to be starting again.

* * *

Was a commodity always a commodity? The sword broke easily. In the end, Han Taemin left the Hunter Shop without even looking at the bill, a nameless blade in hand.

It was nothing more than a piece of unrefined iron. Just an extension of the blade. He didn't want to spend a lot of money. Once again, he chose a nameless sword for that reason.