Chapter 271


    The Sangam World Cup Stadium Dungeon was one that Kim Hyukjin had been nning on clearing. He should have had a month of leeway, but the schedule had been yanked forward.


    For the first time in a while, he took out his notes from his Inventory.


    February 28, 2019. Sangam World Cup Stadium Dungeon opens.


    The date was January 24, 2019, over one month before the original start time.


    March 28, 2019. Wings and Taeguk Shield work together to clear the Sangam World Cup Stadium Dungeon.


    The Sangam World Cup Stadium Dungeon was quite an important dungeon in the country. It spawned 2002 Red Devils, and clearing the dungeon yielded a random, but fairly high number of white mana crystals. As a result, the dungeon was the springboard that allowed Korea to leap into the mana crystal business, and a pir of the new culture trade.


    Hyukjin also recalled a paragraph from Jacksons notes.


    The 2002 Red Devils spawned by the Sangam World Cup Stadium Dungeon cannot be hunted. At least not by yers in the beginner period.


    For starters, physical attacks didnt work on them. They could only be damaged by an attack that was both magic and used holy power. In other words, only holy magic from priest-ss yers.


    As such, Korea employed a defensive strategy.


    Thankfully, the Sangam World Cup Stadium Dungeon was time-limited.


    The southwestern spot isparatively the safest ce.


    I call it the safe spot. If you set up an array in the safe spot and simply get rid of the crows that attract the Red Devils, you can hold out fairly easily for thirty minutes.


    Hyukjin already knew about that safe spot. A ce that wasnt technically a safe zone, but seemed like one. A ce yers found after countless clear attempts.


    Put another way this is a dungeon that is impossible to clear without that spot.


    Endure thirty minutes in that spot, and the Sangam World Cup Stadium Dungeon would be cleared. That was why Hyukjin had recruited the assistance of Wings and archer yers in advance. Excellent archers were needed to hunt the crowsthe messengersand defensive-oriented yers like the Wings Guild were required to block the Red Devils that asionally stumbled into the safe spot.


    A clear in the true sense of the word was achieved in the master period, but the clearer chose not to share their method. Not only because their method is exceedingly dangerous even for master period yers, but also because the preceding strategy is far more efficient.


    In other words, a true clear wasnt necessary. This was a dungeon where simply holding out was the best strategy.


    And a break had urred in such a dungeon.


    In the worst case scenario, 2002 Red Devils would break loose. yers of the current period could not hunt them. The same went for Kim Hyukjin.


    Oppa. What should we do? said Kim Sunhwa.


    Im thinking.


    Dont we need to go if theres a dungeon break?


    The energy Im sensing is too dangerous.


    In truth, that was bogus. He couldnt feel any energy. They were a good ten minutes away by car. He <em>might </em>be able to sense something if a Red Devil were toe this way, but he couldnt feel anything yet.


    Hyukjin got a call from Song Kiyeol.


    A dungeon break has urred.


    Yes. Im watching the breaking news as well.


    Weve determined that small monsters that look like Goblins are currently running out.


    About how many of them?


    Several dozen at the least.


    Is it possible to see what theyre called?


    Yes. Their names are red. Theyre called Red Devils.


    Hyukjin let out a low exmation.


    Do you know these monsters?


    I do.


    Is there a way to defeat them, by any chance?


    No.


    Then how should we proceed?


    Hyukjinpsed into silence. It wasnt hard for Song Kiyeol to figure out the reason behind Hyukjins silence.


    I suppose that means theyre overwhelmingly powerful.


    So powerful that even the amazing Kim Hyukjin was unable to jump to action. In addition, Song Kiyeol was well aware that Kim Hyukjin had no obligation whatsoever. No one could force him.


    Are you nning on staying out of this one?


    Im considering what to do.


    In other words, he wouldnt be taking action yet.


    Understood. We will give our best shot at fighting them in our own way.


    It will probably be impossible.


    With that, their conversation came to an end. Hyukjin immediately called Jo Sunghyun to his house.


    * * *


    * * *


    <em>Ding, dong</em>


    The bell rang. It hadnt taken long for the future Typhoon, now a member of the Giantgod Guild, to arrive at Hyukjins home. The majority of Giantgods members were living in the DMC Riverview Xi.


    Jo Sunghyun asked, Hyung, when are we setting off?


    Were staying on standby.


    Even though theres been a dungeon break?


    That was why Hyukjin had intentionally called Sunghyun to his house.


    If I hadnt called you here, where would you be?


    The wind magician would have long since been deployed to the Sangam World Cup Stadium Dungeon. It was because Hyukjin had called him first that Jo Sunghyun was here.


    Ill cut straight to the point.


    How would Jo Sunghyun take this?


    Dont get involved in this dungeon break.


    Jo Sunghyuns lips pursed into a line. He had full faith in Kim Hyukjins judgment, but he found the order hard to ept.


    Please tell me why.


    Its way too dangerous.


    Weve already done a lot of way too dangerous ys.


    This is different. Its even more dangerous. We cant kill Red Devils at our level.


    Then what do we do?


    Wait for them to naturally disappear.


    They would disappear after destroying as many humans and products of civilization as they wanted. Just like with most dungeon breaks.


    I hear an incredible amount of damage is being caused already. Those monsters, theyre cutting open peoples bellies with their ws and digging in.


    Red Devils were small. Other than beingpletely red, having two horns on their heads, and extremely sharp ws, they were so simr in appearance to Goblins that they could even be called a Goblin variant.


    I know.


    We need to go out and stop them.


    Why?


    Because we have the strength.


    Hyukjin knew Sunghyun would say something like that. It was perfectly in line with Hyukjins image of the young man. He respected Sunghyuns opinion. Everyone had their own values.


    We may have the strength, but if we go, well die for sure.


    ...


    There are times when we cant do something even when we want to, and times when we have to do something even when we dont want to.


    To me, its cowardly to run away without using the strength you have.


    If that strength falls far too short of resolving the situation, its reckless bravado. In front of the Red Devils, be it you, me, regr yers or people, were all weak.


    Jo Sunghyun fell into thought. After one minute, he began to speak again.


    Is that why youre telling me not to go, Hyung?


    The choice is yours.


    Hyukjin had told him everything there was to tell. He had given Sunghyun the facts. Now, it was time to appeal to Sunghyuns emotions. If Jo Sunghyun went, he would die. He was no match for the Red Devils right now. Convincing Sunghyun required approaching the matter in a Jo Sunghyun-esque way.


    But think about this: Is sacrificing your future to help the people now truly a just thing?


    ...


    In the future, when youre stronger, youll have opportunities to save more people. Think long and hard about whether you are discarding those opportunities with your current choice.


    ...


    Knocking Sunghyun unconscious and locking him up might be a passable short-term fix. But Hyukjin didnt consider that a proper solution. In the end, people were bound to do what they wanted.


    Chewing his lip, Jo Sunghyun fell into contemtion again. After a long time, he spoke.


    I dont know.


    The original Sunghyun would have left right away. He would have waded through fire and mes to fight the Red Devils.


    Of course I need to go. Thats the non-cowardly route. But There was even a little anger on Sunghyuns face. After what you said, I keep hesitating.


    If anyone else had said it, he wouldnt have even listened. He might have even gotten mad at them, calling them out for such cowardly words. How was hiding like a scared rabbit the best way? But he was talking to Kim Hyukjin, and Kim Hyukjins words had weight. At least to Jo Sunghyun.


    Another long moment passed.


    Ill wait here.


    Good call, Sunghyun.


    Sunghyun didnt give up.


    Ill try to think of a way.


    * * *


    The Red Devils caused hundreds of casualties.


    They were all people who had gone on pics around the World Cup Stadium, pedestrians passing by the area, people whod been shopping in the hypermarket nearby. The losses were rapidly shooting up.


    The damage radiated outwards from the Sangam World Cup Stadium, the focal point. An evacuation order was put out, and many yers were killed and eaten by the Red Devils. The yers got a shared quest called Hunt a Red Devil!, but not a single person managed to clear it.


    In the midst of the chaos, the people came to realize a certain fact.


    The Red Devils arenting to the area around our apartment.


    I heard its because of the Guardian Tower.


    No Red Devils appeared in the DMC Riverview Xi neighborhood. Witnesses even imed a Red Devil in pursuit of its target turned and left after colliding against an invisible wall near the DMC Riverview Xi.


    The Guardian Tower really has that kind of power?


    <em>Thend protected by the Guardian Tower was safe from the Red Devils. </em>That revtion triggered an outburst of breaking news and spective articles.


    The DMC Riverview Xi, Isted from Hell


    The Guardian Towers Barrier Blocks Red Devils


    Driven by the realization that the DMC Riverview Xi was a safe zone, the masses swarmed towards it, a development that urred in less than two days.


    In the middle of all that, Kim Hyukjin got a call from Jackson.


    Are you not going to take action this time?


    Perhaps because of Kim Hyukjins influence, even Taeguk Shield was taking a defensive stance. They were already attracting public criticism. The military mobilized helicopters and were doing their best to hunt the Red Devils, but modern weapons didnt work.


    Yes. Im staying out of this one.


    Why?


    Because there are no means to hunt a Red Devil.


    I see.


    But whyd you bother calling?


    Darn, you noticed?


    <em>Ding dong</em>


    The bell rang. Behind the door was the Great Explorer Jackson. Hyukjin opened the door.


    Originally, Jackson was an incredibly good-looking man. But his formerly shiny golden locks were frayed, and he was extremely dirty. His face was a jungle of uncut beard, and a foul stench emanated from him, as if hed gone dumpster diving.


    Youre looking worse for wear.


    Yes. I cleared a difficult dungeon, and then getting here was no walk in the park.


    ...


    Basically, this Great Explorer had dodged the Red Devils toe all this way.


    Anyway, I came here to give you this.


    Jackson took out an item, which Hyukjin took.


    What is this?


    He couldnt check the itemeven the name showed up as a ?. Jackson sped Hyukjins hand.


    Let me give you my buff real quick. You can think of it as an explorers blessing.


    A cool sensation enveloped Hyukjins body. The blue energy shed, and a blue ring formed above Hyukjins head.<blockquote>


    [Great Baptists Blessing is taking effect.]</blockquote>


    That allowed Hyukjin to check the item. The ? item description slowly became visible. The items name was Endless Sky Crystal.