“If that is your wish, Master Outer, then I must follow it.”
“Just providing support from the rear like last time is plenty.”
“If things get dire, I’ll have to fight alongside you.”
“This is more of a personal matter for Dielka. It’s better to retreat than to engage in close-quarters combat.”
Elves were a versatile race, but their proficiency in close combat was average compared to races like the Orcs, Demons of Ruin, Immortal Demons, and the IANT.
Engaging in mobile warfare from a distance was the best way to leverage an Elf’s strengths and minimize casualties.
“I’ll judge the situation and decide then,” Iselin said.
By nature, Iselin didn’t like to speak of retreating.
However, since this wasn’t as critical as saving the Spirit Tree, she would likely choose to retreat rather than fight if the tide of battle turned against them.
“Where is Dielka?”
“He is negotiating trading methods with Duke Royal near the Bakan Sea.”
“You know Duke Royal isn’t the type to just hand it over, right?”
“That’s why he’s trying to lead them to a place that is either advantageous for us or where he has set a trap.”
“I see.”
Choi Kangjoong slumped back, relaxing his body. Iselin was focused on other matters as well, allowing him to rest comfortably. To him, true recreation wasn’t traveling or going out to play; it was staying in a unique yet comfortable room. Having a drink to enjoy today made it even better. Before he knew it, he realized he had been there for 3 hours by the time he returned home.
‘A friend’s house is quite comfortable, too.’
Choi Kangjoong had sent the Apocalid toward the Bakan Sea in advance. By doing so, he wouldn’t have to go through the repetitive hassle of opening Gates to move it later.
‘Over 1,000 Dimension Ships…’
In terms of scale, the fleet was over ten times larger than the Apocalid. If a single Dimension Ship carried at least 3,000 Magic Beasts, that meant a total of over 3,000,000 monsters. Although the total head count was lower than the Orcs led by Kuralgal, the sheer number of Dimension Ships made this the strongest enemy Choi Kangjoong had ever faced.
‘It might be hard to win in a straight fight…’
The firepower unleashed by 1,000 Dimension Ships was formidable. Furthermore, the enemy’s main force consisted of Duke Royal, a Demon of Chaos, and the troops of Ventresca, a Demon Duke of the Chaos Legion. The destructive power of Chaos Magic was legendary, even if it did occasionally strike their own allies.
‘Lutal and I can just go in and clear out the Demons of Chaos first. Should I make a bet with Lutal?’
Despite his lethargic tone, Choi Kangjoong was a little tense. He was leaving the Apocalyde Dimension behind, so even if he lost everything, he could eventually recover — but there was no telling how much time that would take.
‘Maybe I should have a meal with my parents and Yunseo.’
Faced with a major battle, thoughts of his family surfaced. This happened even though he wasn’t heading off to his death. Choi Kangjoong called Choi Yunseo.
“Hello?”
“It’s the middle of the day and you answered right away. Are you free?”
“Brother, you swept through this whole area, so we have nothing to do. We’re all just hanging around.”
“Let’s eat, then.”
“Great! Junghwa is constantly nagging me to bring you along.”
“I was thinking of eating with our parents.”
“We can do that on the weekend. Do you want to come to Gangnam today?”
“I’m a bit busy.”
“You’re just going to stay in your room anyway. Hurry up and come out!”
“You’re a psychic, aren’t you?”
Choi Kangjoong slowly stood up, opened his closet, and began rummaging through his clothes.
“You’re taking the subway, right? Buy a car already. It’s a waste that you even have a license.”
“With a car, you have to go looking for parking. Besides, I have something more convenient than a car.”
“Ah, opening a Gate? If I had that, I wouldn’t bother with a car either. Teach me. How do you do it?”
“It opens if you think about opening it.”
“Hey! Be serious!”
“I am being serious. Anyway, I’m heading out.”
“Don’t come right away; come in 2 hours!”
Choi Kangjoong hung up the phone and lay back down on his bed, still dressed in the clothes he had just put on.
‘Did I really get that license for nothing? I have no use for it.’
Opening and closing a Gate was much more convenient than lugging around a bulky, heavy car.
‘I specifically picked a house with a garage, too…’
No matter how much he thought about it, Choi Kangjoong felt the only advantage of a car was looking cool.
‘But isn’t a Gate cooler when it comes to style?’
Choi Kangjoong imagined himself appearing before people through a Gate. It seemed better than stepping out of an expensive car.
‘Still, just in case, let’s buy a small one.’
When Choi Kangjoong thought of a “small one,” he envisioned a standard domestic mid-sized sedan commonly seen on the roads. It wasn’t actually small, but compared to Kuongi, any car looked tiny.
2 hours later, Choi Kangjoong arrived at the Dawn Guild headquarters in Gangnam. Choi Yunseo and Han Junghwa were already there waiting for him. He greeted Han Junghwa, and since they were the same age, they decided to speak casually.
“Brother, what do you want to eat?”
“Meat.”
“Anything else?”
“If it’s not meat, it’s not a meal.”
“Your tastes have certainly become distinct. You weren’t like this before. Since Junghwa is buying, let’s go to the most expensive place around here.”
As Choi Yunseo headed toward the parking lot, Choi Kangjoong told her to just give him the location.
“Are we going by Gate?” Han Junghwa asked.
“Going by car is a hassle.”
“Then should we go somewhere really far?”
“If something happens, you have to return immediately, so you can’t even go far on vacation, right?”
“That problem disappeared because you cleared everything out. How about Marsala?”
“The Elves?”
“Yeah. I really wanted to go, but it was too far.”
“Brother, me too. Let’s go to Marsala. It’ll be quick with a Gate.”
Since there was no reason not to, Choi Kangjoong connected their location to Raelena via a Gate. It was the capital of Derrael and the city where Iselin’s mansion was located, so it was familiar territory.
When the Gate suddenly opened and the three of them appeared, the Elves walking the streets were startled. In less than 5 minutes, even the police flew over and demanded to see their passports and visas. The three, who had crossed over without thinking about such things, were flustered.
“What do we do?”
“Should we just knock them out and go back?”
“Brother, do something. You said you’re close with the Princess.”
“Right, right! You can just contact the Princess!”
Having finally found a solution, the two women looked at Choi Kangjoong expectantly. Thinking of a better and faster way than contacting Iselin, Choi Kangjoong pulled out Iselin’s Necklace, which he had brought from home.
Upon seeing it, the Elven police were shocked and knelt so hard they nearly broke the pavement.
“We greet the savior of Derrael!”
“Welcome to Raelena!”
Choi Yunseo and Han Junghwa were taken aback by the intense reaction. Only Choi Kangjoong, who had grown accustomed to it while traveling with Iselin, remained calm. When Choi Kangjoong told them it was fine, the Elven police stood up and asked, “For what purpose are you visiting? We will provide everything you need based on your purpose.”
“I just came to play.”
“Ah, tourism. Would you like a guide?”
“We’re just going to eat and leave, so I’d like you to tell us a place that grills meat well. And we’ll eat quietly. No need for formal protocol.”
“Please wait a moment!”
The Elven police reported to their superiors, and the news of Choi Kangjoong’s visit reached the agency serving the Derrael royal family. A short while later, a limousine and a royal guard arrived before them. This was the absolute minimum preparation they made after hearing Choi Kangjoong say he didn’t need protocol.
“This is my first time riding a limousine.”
“The seats are so plush and soft.”
Unlike Choi Yunseo and Han Junghwa, who were excited to be in a luxury Elven car for the first time, Choi Kangjoong felt uneasy. He had just intended to have a meal in Marsala and head back, but things were escalating too much.
‘Maybe coming to Marsala was a mistake. Next time, I should really just eat quietly in South Korea.’
The limousine stopped in front of a restaurant. The pure white building, crafted with natural curves, provided a sense of comfort as if looking at a forest despite being a man-made structure. When the door opened, Choi Yunseo and Han Junghwa were busy taking pictures, thrilled they had come to Marsala.
Choi Kangjoong greeted the Elf standing at the door.
“Hello, Arthil.”
“Welcome. She is waiting for you inside.”
Since Arthil was there, it was obvious who was inside. It was Iselin. Things had escalated so far that Choi Kangjoong now wanted to go home.
‘Well, since it’s come to this, I might as well eat a lot.’
The three of them went inside. There was only a single table, and naturally, Iselin was sitting there. Bathed in the soft lighting of the exotic Elven restaurant, she looked exactly like a princess straight out of a fairy tale. Choi Yunseo and Han Junghwa gasped, momentarily speechless.
“Let’s sit.”
“Brother, why is the Princess here?”
“Why is she here?”
Choi Yunseo and Han Junghwa asked simultaneously.
“I guess she’s bored.”
“If she was bored, she’d play with other Elves. Why did she come all the way here?”
“Wait, did they clear this whole place out just for us?”
Choi Kangjoong ushered Choi Yunseo and Han Junghwa in and introduced them to Iselin. After greeting her, the two were overcome with joy. They were celebrities themselves, but Iselin was a celebrity among celebrities, known to everyone in the entire Enterprise Union.
“If you had told me in advance, I could have prepared better.”
“We only decided after meeting up.”
“I see.”
At Iselin’s gesture, the meal began. Throughout the meal, Choi Yunseo and Han Junghwa didn’t stop their barrage of questions, and Iselin answered them with a smile. Eventually, the battle scheduled for 1 week later was mentioned, and the eyes of Choi Yunseo and Han Junghwa changed.
“Brother, I want to go there too.”
“No.”
“Brother, I’m an A-Class Hunter. Do you think I’ll just be a burden?”
“Because it’s dangerous.”
“I’ll just watch from behind.”
“There are no spectator seats there.”
As Choi Kangjoong and Choi Yunseo bickered, Iselin spoke up. “I understand your feelings, Master Outer, and I understand theirs as well.”
“Theirs?”
Not just Choi Yunseo, but Han Junghwa was also expressing her desire to go with her eyes.
“Ambition is the driving force behind growth. They wish to gain something from a large-scale battle that is rare to see.”
“That’s true.”
“So, I think it would be fine if they stayed by my side. What do you think?”
Choi Yunseo and Han Junghwa nodded eagerly. Since Iselin supported the idea, Choi Kangjoong decided to let them come. An A-Class Hunter wasn’t someone who would die easily, and as long as they were with the Divine Arrow, they wouldn’t be in danger. Even if the Divine Arrow were attacked, they were people who would be an asset rather than a burden.
Iselin didn’t grant the request simply because they were Choi Kangjoong’s acquaintances. It was because of their potential. In particular, Han Junghwa, who was guaranteed to become an S-Class Warrior, was someone Iselin would have wanted an introduction to anyway. For Elves, whose strengths focused on Spirits and Magic, the ratio of S-Class Warriors was lower than that of Humans, so knowing more of them was beneficial for Iselin.
The Elf and the two women quickly became close, and their conversation grew even livelier. They seemed ready to make travel plans together. Choi Kangjoong checked the location of the Apocalid while occasionally joining the conversation.
“I’ll be back after moving my summon.”
The three women waved him off, and Choi Kangjoong quickly went onto Kuongi’s back.
“I can finally breathe.”
Choi Kangjoong opened a Gate, moved a long distance, and then summoned the Apocalid. As time passed, he opened more Gates and repeated the process. After doing it about five times, he was able to join Dielka near the Bakan Sea.
“You’re here already?”
“I was wondering how the luring was going.”
“It’s going too well, that’s the problem. Did you hear that Ventresca is also getting involved?”
“I heard.”
“I told you, I did all that.”
“Impressive.”
Dielka, unaware of Duke Akirif’s schemes, held his head high with pride.
“Would it be better to fight in the Dimensional Sea or the Dimension itself?”
“In the Dimensional Sea.”
“I thought you’d prefer fighting in the Dimension. I’ll try to lure them there.”
Dielka spoke with Duke Royal through Dimensional communication. Duke Royal initially refused, but when Dielka threatened and persuaded him while waving the Gate Stone, the battlefield was set for the Dimensional Sea.
And then, 1 week later.
100 Dimension Ships of the Chaos Demons entered the Bakan Sea.