139 Jun-Seo
“As astute as ever, Dae-Seong. I would be disappointed if you’d dwindled over time,” Jun-Seo finally replied, leaving his hand by his sheathed, bone-made sword.
He was hardly in the mood for conversation, seeing as his two comrades were just abrasively knocked out, but still–he knew it was something he should almost be thankful for.
…He could’ve killed them, if he wished. Maybe. Perhaps he knew killing them would be more difficult than simply knocking them out? He wanted to single me out, I imagine, he pondered.
“I didn’t take you for a man with a grudge,” he said.
Jun-Seo looked straight at him with his emotionless expression, “Is that what you think this is? Heh…” The emotion-void man chuckled just slightly, “…We don’t hold grudges. Death is not something deserving of anger. Especially when we ourselves are killers. That would be hypocritical, wouldn’t it? We’re prepared to die, just as we are to kill.”
“How noble you are,” he replied sarcastically.
“I should be the one saying that–after all, I’d expect you to be the one with a grudge,” Jun-Se responded slyly.
That remark earned a twitch of the stoic leader’s left eye as he remained standing still, muttering quietly.
“I never said I didn’t.”
“Heh,” Jun-Seo chuckled quietly again, “Dae-Seong, you know well why we’re here. You know what the GOETIA System is.”
They fell silent for a moment on the corridor, standing several meters apart, remaining deathly still as even in what seemed to be a stable conversation was only one minuscule movement from shifting into a bloodbath.
“The GOETIA System, hmm…” He closed his eyes momentarily, opening them once more as he adjusted his classes, “The antithesis of the Angel System; the authority that evolves as you slay people like us–people who are simply striving to survive Armageddon. In conclusion…You’re the scum of the Earth; the reason Armageddon exists in the first place.”
“Precisely,” Jun-Seo smiled just a bit.
“Get on with it,” he said low in a silent anger, “…Talking to you makes me want to heave.”
Though his words were scalding, the burgundy-haired leader of the player-killing group only seemed to take delight in his disgust.
“As I said–you know why we’re here; there is no other reason than to kill. You’ve cultivated Gangcheori into quite the delicacy. So much experience for us, but…that’s not quite all,” Jun-Seo said.
“–“
“Things have changed. Unfortunately, I’ll have to take you alive,” Jun-Seo told him.
It was a perplexing revelation to him–one that made little sense in the face of the merciless killer who gained only from murder.
“–Alive?…Try your best, then,” he said, grabbing hold of his greatsword, beginning to unsheath it.
Just as he retrieved his weapon, he witnessed Jun-Seo place both of his palms together in an unknown effort–spawning a darkness so potent and miasmic that it felt as if he was standing near the threshold of Hell itself.
Jun-Seo spoke without emotion, holding his hands together as his star-like irises gazed into his own, “Through my blood, a curse is born. Through my words, a malediction comes to pass. Into The Bowels of Hell: Torment of Death.”
“What–?”
Before he could react, reality itself seemed to be overridden, overlapping as if the curtains were pulled over on the corridor he stood in, bringing him into a spacious, deathly realm of darkness and malice.
One second ago, I was in the hotel, now I’m in…Hell? He questioned.
“I understand your confusion,” Jun-Seo said.
“–“
The unconscious bodies of his two comrades were still in the same area as them, though he didn’t know whether it was a grace or a bad omen. ρꪖꪕᦔꪖꪕꪫꪣꫀꪶ
“Welcome to my own Hell; this is the evolution of the GOETIA System,” Jun-Seo introduced as his crow-feathered cape brushed in the harrowing winds.
The walls were formed of what looked to be millions of intertwined, melded bones, slick with blood and grime as the floors themselves seemed to be of a similar constitution.
A vast, dome shape is what the personal realm took, allowing a small space of crimson fluid to drip down from the spaces between the rattling, bone arms that wriggled on the ceiling.
It was an abhorrent domain, inhabited by the stench of death and the plume of malice, but he knew well what something like this meant.
…A personal spatial deployment? I doubt this is something I can just simply “leave” from. I likely have to defeat Jun-Seo right here, right now, he thought.
He raised his greatsword, allowing its iridescent shine to take forth in the vile realm as his silver locks moved in the winds generated by his rising magical energy.
“It’s still terrifying–that blade of yours, or rather–the man wielding it,” Jun-Seo smiled, “…The first and last time I tasted defeat, it was by your own hand. “The man blessed more than any other”–I’d say that’s a fitting title for you, Dae-Seong.”
Holding his illustrious blade as it exuded a lofty pressure, he looked up at the player-killing man, “Is that what you think? As I thought–you’re truly ignorant, Jun-Seo.”
“Hm?”
“I’ll do this crumbling world a favor and rid you from her crust,” he raised his greatsword high as it became coated in an emerald storm.
Jun-Seo only seemed to laugh quietly to himself as he drew his malignant claymore from its sheath at his hip, intertwining his fingers around the skeletal handle of the weapon.
“Let’s settle the score,” Jun-Seo said as a shadowy essence thrived at the steel of his rose-designed blad.
“Finally, I think we can agree,” he replied, adjusting his glasses once more as he wielded his heavy blade with a single hand.
With a strong step forward, he watched with his careful, unwavering gaze as the crow-caped man moved with a swift launch forward, but not breaking the distance between them–only bringing the shadows he flung forth from his blade even closer.
He didn’t bat an eye, countering with the emerald energy that gathered around his greatsword in a wordless retaliation.
The clash of malicious darkness and overwhelming verdancy resulted in a volatile release, canceling both attacks out.
–However, Jun-Seo didn’t waste a single opportunity; the six-pointed star-eyed man used the colorful explosion as a cover to get closer, smiling with a certain ecstasy that stemmed from the battle itself as he thrust his blade towards his chest.
“–“
Once more, he didn’t flinch at the assault coming his way, simply stepping back and stomping his foot down as he unleashed a condensed shock wave that knocked Jun-Seo back fiercely.
“Hh–!” Jun-Seo sharply let out a breath.
After being flung back, the player-killing man regained his balance, flipping back and stopping his travel as he landed on his black-steel boots with a small smile.
“You–”
Before Jun-Seo could say anything, the silver-haired leader of Gangcheori was already right in front of him, rearing his massive greatsword back as it became enveloped in a blinding radiance.
He’s already here?! Jun-Seo thought.
Slashing his heavy greatsword across horizontally, he unleashed a blast of shining light that sought to melt the impurity before him, causing a tremor to take hold of the bone-made hellscape.
“–“
After the light diminished, it was revealed to his eyes that his attack wasn’t as fatal as he had hoped, as Jun-Seo managed to raise his left arm, manifesting a half-transparent shield of humming darkness.
“Tch,” he clicked his tongue.
Though it didn’t negate the attack completely, as much of the crow-caped man’s armor had been destroyed, and the cloth covering his torso vaporized, leaving his bruised and cut chest on complete display.
“–Just as I had hoped,” Jun-Seo said through heavy breaths, “Your sharpness hasn’t been dulled.”