Chapter 57: A Son’s Duty

“The Outer Mind…? It was another race…?”

Im Mi-rae stepped back.

She had heard from Joo Eun-jong what it felt like to face the Outer Mind.

He said it felt like the fear of being consumed was seeping into one’s spinal cord. Im Mi-rae had snorted at the time, thinking he was exaggerating.

Even when facing an S-Class Monster, she hadn’t felt such terror.

Now that she was facing it herself, she realized Joo Eun-jong had lied once more.

Joo Eun-jong’s words didn’t capture even half of the pressure the Outer Mind exerted.

‘That liar, Joo Eun-jong! He should have explained it properly!’

While Im Mi-rae was blaming Joo Eun-jong, the terrorists also noticed Choi Kangjoong’s appearance.

Because of their sensitive Elven senses, they were gripped by an even greater fear than Im Mi-rae.

“Don’t come any closer! If you take even one more step, I’ll kill everyone!”

An Elf summoned a Fire Spirit. Even if the Fire Spirit just spread its flames in all directions, an ordinary person would suffer at least a serious injury.

Choi Kangjoong vanished with Stealth Blink. Even though they were looking right at him, it was difficult to perceive that he had disappeared.

Choi Kangjoong appeared behind the Elf holding the Fire Spirit. He grabbed the back of the Elf’s head and pushed forward. Driven by the incredible power held within the Predatory Muscle of Origin, the Elf was launched like a laser.

Crash!

The Elf smashed through the wall.

The other terrorists raised their weapons, attempting to attack the hostages. Choi Kangjoong’s relatives lowered their heads and closed their eyes.

Wuuuuung.

A mana pulse similar to an Apocalid wave spread out. It was the Apocalid Field.

The Apocalid Field he manifested personally inflicted infinite terror upon enemies while granting an incredible Buff to allies.

“Hyaaaaak!”

“Aaaaaagh!”

“Kehek! Heek!”

The terrorists clutched their heads in agony. Unable to overcome the despair, they vomited or collapsed, bleeding from their seven orifices.

Choi Kangjoong’s relatives felt a surge of strength coursing through their bodies.

Choi Kangjoong summoned the Stealth Scouts.

“Fan out and locate the terrorists. Kill them if you can. One of you go to the bridge and assess the situation there.”

The Stealth Scouts crawled along the walls and ceilings, hiding their presence and forms.

He wanted to call Kai as well, but he held back since they were right on the verge of discovering the location of Disorder’s headquarters.

“Kangjoong, is that you…?”

Yoo Haein asked. Even though she was trembling, she was trying her best to calm the Outer Mind down, thinking it was her child.

Choi Kangjoong hesitated. Should he reveal that he was the Outer Mind? Would his Mother be afraid?

Then he suddenly realized something. No matter what his outward appearance was, he had never done anything to be ashamed of as the Outer Mind.

“Yes. Are you alright?”

“I’m fine. What about you? Are you hurt anywhere?”

“I won’t get hurt. This place is dangerous, so please stay in a safe area.”

Choi Kangjoong opened a Gate connecting this place to the vicinity of his Parents’ house.

“What about you?”

“I have to stop the terror. Please, go quickly.”

Yoo Haein hesitated. Not many parents could easily leave when their child intended to stay in a dangerous place.

“Honey, if we stay, Kangjoong will be in danger. You know how it was. When Yoonseo worked at the 6th Dimension Fortress, it was hard for us to even go abroad,” Choi Jooyoung said.

Yoo Haein finally nodded. She barely managed to hold back her tears.

“Please, go quickly.”

“Let’s send your Eldest Aunt through first. She’s not in good shape.”

Choi Young-sun was hyperventilating from the shock. When Choi Kangjoong called Lee Beom-hyun, he approached with Choi Young-sun on his back.

“Thank you.”

“No. I should have been here.”

Choi Kangjoong converted Source Energy into Life Essence and healed Lee Beom-hyun. Lee Beom-hyun thanked him again.

“Wait a moment.”

Choi Kangjoong closed the Gate and reopened it to lead near a hospital.

“This will go to the hospital.”

“We must see each other again.”

Lee Beom-hyun stepped through the Gate. The other relatives lined up and crossed over as well.

“We lived thanks to Kangjoong.”

“Thank you, Kangjoong.”

“He’s definitely Jooyoung’s son.”

“You really raised your son well.”

“So you were the one who protected Yoonseo, too. My goodness.”

“Kangjoong, you’re really cool.”

“See you again. I’ll call you.”

The last ones were Choi Jooyoung and Yoo Haein.

“You’re really alright?”

“I’m fine. You saw me protect the 6th Dimension Fortress.”

“Right. Let me give you a hug.”

“This is a bit hard…”

Yoo Haein didn’t care and hugged Choi Kangjoong. Even while encased in his hard Chitin Gauntlet, Choi Kangjoong could feel his Mother’s heart.

“Be careful. If it’s dangerous, run away quickly. It’s not your fault.”

Choi Jooyoung supported Yoo Haein as they stepped through the Gate.

The Gate closed, leaving only Choi Kangjoong and the corpses in the party hall.

“Um, excuse me… Mr. Outer Mind?”

Im Mi-rae, who was outside the party hall, spoke up.

“What?”

“Should… should I help?”

“No need.”

“But my father is the Guild Master of the Edge Guild.”

“Is he here right now?”

“No…”

“What is your rank?”

“B-rank…”

“Stay hidden.”

“Wait! I can be of help—”

“You’re of no help.”

Im Mi-rae bit her lip.

Choi Kangjoong moved to the Deck using Stealth Blink.

He also manifested Isolation of Original Entity so that no terrorist on the Deck would notice him.

On the Deck, an Elf named Task was talking to himself.

He was shouting demands into a camera connected to Ditube. He wanted the EEE leadership in the Marsala prison to be released and demanded money.

Choi Kangjoong, watching calmly, felt a sense of incongruity.

It was because of Task’s eyes.

He didn’t look like someone who wanted money; he looked completely insane.

‘Is he really asking for money for EEE? I don’t think so.’

EEE was not an Organization that lacked funds.

There were more than a few Elves who secretly donated to them. It was an open secret that high-ranking Elves were involved.

The Elemental Cruise Ship ascended.

The distance from the Dimension where the 6th Dimension Fortress was located grew further. The bow of the ship turned toward the 6th Dimension Fortress.

The Stealth Scout that had infiltrated the bridge of the Elemental Cruise Ship transmitted information. Complex machinery and instrument panels. Corpses lying between them. And the EEE terrorists quietly staring at a single point.

“Destination: 6th Dimension Fortress,” said the Elf standing in the Captain’s seat.

-Onboard civilian activity detected.
-Unable to move to destination.

“Stupid artificial intelligence.”

The Elf took off a card hanging around his neck and inserted it into a slot at the Captain’s station.

It was embedded with a Master Code from the Elf Great Council.

Having gained full authority with it, the Elf manipulated the console to switch the Elemental Cruise Ship to full manual mode.

“Full speed ahead. Set the course.”

The Mana Engine of the Elemental Cruise Ship reached maximum output. The tip of the bow pointed toward the 6th Dimension Fortress.

Choi Kangjoong realized EEE’s objective. They intended to crash the Elemental Cruise Ship, which was carrying 100,000 people, into the 6th Dimension Fortress.

“Elves are great! How dare inferior races board what belongs to Elves. You shall all meet your deaths.”

“I see plenty of Elves boarding me, and I’m Human!” Joo Eun-jong shouted back at Task’s words.

“What a blatant lie!”

“Want me to give you the numbers of the Elves I hang out with every day? Want to call them together?”

“Shut up!”

“If you’ve got a problem, drop the hostages and come at me!”

“Do you think anything will change if I release the hostages?”

Task said that, yet he did not let go of the hostages.

Human Hunters and Elf Knights were in a state of murderous intent. If he gave up the hostages, he was a dead man.

“Of course! I think I can kick your ass pretty well.”

Joo Eun-jong fired a Wind Cutter upward. A sharp Gale Magic spell capable of cutting down a giant tree surged forth.

“Try it.”

At the familiar voice, Joo Eun-jong looked to his side. Choi Kangjoong was standing there.

“Hieeeek!”

Startled, he quickly bowed his head in greeting.

“You’ve arrived, Captain!”

“Focus on what’s in front of you.”

“Yes, sir! Huh?”

Task’s hand was severed, and the hostages moved through the air as if floating.

It appeared that way because the Stealth Scouts carrying the hostages were invisible.

The same thing happened to every terrorist and hostage on the Deck.

“Now it’s a bit more fair.”

Joo Eun-jong cast Wind Cutter. In his panic, Task lost his other arm as well.

“Hehehe… do you think anything changes because of this?”

“Your life span just got shorter.”

“Anyway… we’ve achieved… our goal…”

Task pointed outward with his chin. The 6th Dimension Fortress was gradually drawing closer.

“You crazy bastards! What are you doing?”

“Elves and Humans should not mix.”

“That’s just your delusion! Go away!”

Joo Eun-jong unleashed his Magic. His attribute, Gale Magic, was good for accelerating or turning a Dimension Ship.

However, the Elemental Cruise Ship was too large. Even if every Spirit Master and wizard inside helped, the destination would not change.

“Hurry to the lifeboats!” Joo Eun-jong shouted.

Humans and Elves swarmed toward the lifeboats.

There was no chaos thanks to the presence of the Hunters, but there was an absolute lack of time.

‘Should I blast it into the Dimensional Sea?’

But they were too close to the Dimension for that. Ordinary people would surely be pulled by gravity and crash into the Dimension.

“It’s really damn big. Why did they make it so huge? Even if I’m S-Class, there’s nothing I can do!” Joo Eun-jong grumbled.

Thump.

The Deck shook. The descent speed of the Elemental Cruise Ship slowed. Joo Eun-jong went to the railing and looked down.

A long Light Titan was attached to it.

On the bottom, where he couldn’t see, Kuongi and a Titan were attached.

“It’s not enough.”

Even combining the masses of Kuongi, the Titan, and the Light Titan, it didn’t even amount to one-thirtieth of the Elemental Cruise Ship’s mass.

Choi Kangjoong felt the same way as Joo Eun-jong about the ship being built far too large.

‘Should I open a Gate?’

However, he wasn’t certain he could open a Gate large enough for the Elemental Cruise Ship to fit through.

‘Should I try using Source Energy?’

This seemed like the most viable method.

Choi Kangjoong spread Source Energy, imbuing it with a strong will to lift the cruise ship.

As a power that could even become High Mana, Source Energy triggered several phenomena simultaneously.

By strengthening the Apocalid Field, the abilities of the Apocalid, the people, and the Elves were enhanced.

Inertia weakened, and the Dimension’s gravitational pull was converted into repulsive force.

Then, the Source Energy itself lifted the Elemental Cruise Ship with a power that was on a different level than the Apocalid entities, humans, or Elves.

“It’s still not enough.”

Although the direction had changed so it was no longer heading directly for the 6th Dimension Fortress, it was still on a collision course with the Dimension.

The interior of the cruise ship was filled with chaos.

Many people were jumping off in an attempt to survive.

Screams pierced through the outer walls and reached Choi Kangjoong’s ears.

Having experienced the Gate incident, Choi Kangjoong had witnessed numerous deaths from the closest possible distance.

Funeral halls filled with wailing and parents who couldn’t give up hope, searching for their children. It was his most unwanted memory, yet the clearest.

“I can’t let that happen again.”

Choi Kangjoong’s will became significantly stronger.

The Source Generation Organs of Kuongi, the Titan, and the Light Titan resonated.

The Source Energy they had been exerting separately was woven together under the Outer Mind, operating as one.

A massive force was generated, pushing the Elemental Cruise Ship upward.

Greeeeeeek.

The hull of the Elemental Cruise Ship warped. It was a change in direction that the giant Dimension Ship could not withstand.

At this rate, the hull would tear and snap in two. The Source Energy did not allow that and seeped into the hull.

The materials, which could only be described as paper-thin compared to the ship’s size and weight, acquired transcendental tensile strength.

Finally, the Elemental Cruise Ship reached the Dimension.

Choi Kangjoong unsummoned Kuongi and the Titan at the bottom.

Colliding with a Dimension was not good even for large Apocalids.

Kuuuuung!

The bottom of the Elemental Cruise Ship scraped against the Dimension.

Sparks flew, and fragments of metal and stone scattered.

And with that, the hull pushed forward into the Dimensional Sea.

The collision had been prevented.

“Phew.”

Choi Kangjoong sighed in relief. However, he had no intention of ending it here.

“Since Disorder is similar to these guys, they’ll just keep doing things like this if I leave them be, right?”

“Kieek!”

Kai cried out quietly from Disorder’s headquarters.

Choi Kangjoong opened a Gate leading there.

It wasn’t an eye for an eye or a tooth for a tooth; it was a life for a life, and many more lives for a tooth.

He intended to send them a warning with that.