After Story. 002 ― Future Precognition (3)
According to my Gift, Future Precognition.
Someday, a special artifact to be discovered in this Gate will plunge the world into a crisis of destruction.
That is why.
'We have to stop it while we can. Before it becomes irreversible.'
That was the reason I had dragged my friends here and forced our way into the Gate.
[You have entered the Gate.]
[Clear completion status: 11/20.]
[Green → Yellow: Blood Demon's Passenger Plane]
[Due to the Gate's rank decrease, the scenario description will be omitted.]
* * *
"Where..."
When I came to, we were in some kind of warehouse.
Judging by the message displayed in my vision, it seemed to be a warehouse inside the passenger plane.
'Judging by the location, is this the tail section?'
There were no monsters nearby.
Thankfully, we weren't thrown into combat the moment we entered the Gate.
We were all relieved for now.
Just then, Yeon Haneul spoke to me.
"Gyeonu. The message said the Gate's name is the Blood Demon's Passenger Plane, so if it's Blood Demons..."
"Yeah, they'll be a bit tricky to deal with."
"......."
Blood Demons were monsters that thirsted for blood.
They generally possessed outstanding mobility and high resistance to pain.
Depending on the individual, some were highly intelligent and even used blood magic, a magic that utilized blood as a medium.
More than anything.
'Whether you wound them or kill them, they consume the blood they've absorbed inside their bodies to recover and revive immediately. Just like undead-type monsters.'
Therefore, it was necessary to prepare wisely before fighting them.
While my friends despaired at the foresight of the hardships ahead, I called out to Lisa.
"Lisa, I'm counting on you for buffs. I want you to keep a buff on us at all times that prevents Blood Demons from reviving. You can do it, right? Your role is the most important."
"Whew... You're working me too hard just because you're letting me stay at your place? Fine, I'll do it."
Though Lisa expressed some dissatisfaction, she didn't refuse my request.
Puffing out her cheeks in displeasure, she soon cast a buff on us.
"Thanks."
"Hmph, as long as you know. Let's wrap this up quickly and go drink. I'm craving it thanks to you."
The Blood Demons were likely outside the warehouse.
After a brief preparation and forming a plan to deal with them, we stood before the warehouse door.
"Then shall we open it?"
Receiving my friends' agreement, I opened the door.
Beyond the door, in economy class...
Aaaah... Euugh...
Skree-skree! Kiyaahooo!!
"......."
As expected, Blood Demons were roaming about.
Some of them were thrashing in their seats, caught by seatbelts.
Blood... Bloooood...
"......."
Every single one of them noticed us.
Red gleams poured out from their eyes all at once.
[You have encountered monsters.]
[Mid-Low → Low Blood Demon (Rank. 03 → 02) x 2]
[Low → Lowest Blood Demon (Rank. 02 → 01) x 17]
Having counted their numbers through the messages, I calmly opened my mouth.
"...Stick to the plan. Sagun and Haerang, take the vanguard immediately. You two stop them. Hanbyeol, the twins, and I will break through."
"Got it, leave the tanking to me."
"Hmph, I hope they feel good to hit."
"Haneul, Arin, Eunsol, and Yuri. You all know this, but don't use magic that puts a strain on the passenger plane. If you make a mistake, we'll all crash."
While we were talking, the Blood Demons charged.
The battle began at that moment.
[The raid conditions are as follows.]
[Defeat the Boss Monster.]
* * *
Unfortunately, the interior of the passenger plane was cramped for swinging weapons due to the surrounding seats.
On the other hand, the weaponless Blood Demons were unaffected by the obstacle of the seats and tried to attack us using their uniquely swift mobility.
Sometimes, they would catch us off guard by crawling out from under the seats...
Right then.
Swoosh!
Crack!
...So much for acting like a nobleman.
I urgently twisted my body at the urging of my Gift, Future Precognition, and looked down.
A Blood Demon's hand had shot out toward the aisle from beneath the seats.
I moved to eliminate it...
Boom!
When suddenly a steel hammer fell before my eyes, crushing the seat with a screeching sound.
"......."
Naturally, the Blood Demon below was instantly killed.
I blankly stared at Yeon Haneul.
Having lightly retrieved the steel hammer, she broke into a bright smile.
"Gyeonu, are you okay?"
"Yeah... I'm fine... Thanks..."
"Ehehe. That's a relief."
Haneul, aren't you a bit too tough...
No, what if you had damaged the passenger plane by using that steel hammer wrong...
We could have all crashed, you know?
"Ah, I didn't just swing wildly. I controlled my strength, so don't worry."
"Yeah... Okay..."
As if reading my thoughts, Yeon Haneul made an excuse.
I could only nod with mixed feelings.
'Come to think of it, Haneul was a mid-boss... Let's really not get on her bad side...'
Even though we had recently defeated Tacheon and cleared the core story of the game.
The risk of Yeon Haneul becoming a Calamity Witch and destroying the world had not completely disappeared.
Not to mention Yeon Bada was there too.
Having realized the terror—no, the danger—of those two anew, I decided to continue treating them with special care.
Anyway, without overdoing it, we steadily took down the Blood Demons one by one.
As we gradually adapted to the space, our teamwork began to mesh smoothly.
Thus, after clearing economy class, we entered business class...
"La-ladies and gentlemen... the... disturbance... presently... occurring... on... board... will... be... quickly... res...olved... so..."
"Please... remain... sea...ted..."
Kieeeeeeek!!!
We encountered yet more Blood Demons.
[You have encountered monsters.]
[Mid-Low → Low Blood Demon – Flight Attendant (Rank. 03 → 02) x 2]
[Mid-Low → Low Blood Demon – Steward (Rank. 03 → 02) x 1]
[Mid-Low → Low Blood Demon (Rank. 03 → 02) x 13]
[Low → Lowest Blood Demon (Rank. 02 → 01) x 22]
"Thirty-eight of them!? That's even more than before!"
"There are monsters with jobs too! Everyone, be careful!"
"You said it wouldn't be hard, Gyeonu! What the hell is this!? Take responsibility!"
Min Arin, Gang Hanbyeol, Go Eunbi, and the rest of us couldn't help but panic at the appearance of even more monsters.
But we quickly accepted reality and decided to focus on the battle.
"Yam... can't I back out now? I've already digested everything I ate earlier...."
"No, keep creating wind to block their path so they can't come from other directions."
"I want to eat sashimi."
"I'll buy you some when we get out. Extra large!"
"Yam. Promise."
At this moment, Cha Eunsol was a great help.
It was because she restricted the battlefield to the aisle between the seats using the power of a wind spirit.
Thanks to that, we could fight them with less stamina consumption.
Positioned in each aisle, Yeon Haneul and Min Arin comfortably fired magic bullets, while the rest moved to support them.
Meanwhile.
"Hu, Hunter... is there... no Hunter? Monsters... have infiltrated... the plane...."
"Unni, oppas! I've caught them all! Now's your chance!"
Yu Gaeul, who had been sneaking around business class, restrained the Blood Demons.
She shouted, her hands clutching silver threads that were tangled around them.
Immediately, I, Gang Hanbyeol, Yong Haerang, and Nam Yuri rushed at them.
Thus, after resolving business class, we stepped into first class.
As expected, there were Blood Demons there too.
"No... I don't want to die like this...."
"V-Vice Chairman... r-run..."
"Never... let him... into the... cockpit..."
[You have encountered monsters.]
[Mid-Low → Low Blood Demon – Steward (Rank. 03 → 02) x 2]
[Mid → Mid-Low Blood Demon – Purser (Rank. 04 → 03) x 1]
[Mid → Mid-Low Blood Demon – Vice Chairman's Secretary (Rank. 04 → 03) x 1]
[Mid-Low → Low Blood Demon – Flight Attendant (Rank. 03 → 02) x 5]
[Mid-Low → Low Blood Demon – Vice Chairman (Rank. 03 → 02) x 1]
[Mid-Low → Low Blood Demon (Rank. 03 → 02) x 9]
[Low → Lowest Blood Demon (Rank. 02 → 01) x 15]
Truly, it was one mountain after another.
This time, even Rank 3 Blood Demons with jobs had appeared.
It wouldn't end easily.
After checking the monsters' information, we gulped.
Moreover, beyond them was one more Blood Demon pounding on the cockpit door.
"Open up! I said open the door now! Do you really want to see a bomb go off!?"
A Blood Demon with a bomb strapped to its body.
Soon, its eyes met ours.
"Who are you lot? Hunters, by any chance? Tch, I thought I'd killed all the hunters...."
[You have encountered monsters.]
[Mid → Mid-Low Blood Demon – Hijacker (Rank. 04 → 03, Boss) x 1]
"......."
"No, you look young. Are you some fools obsessed with playing hunter? Or perhaps students..."
We had finally found the Boss Monster.
Influenced by Lisa's Gift, a monster that would have originally been Rank 4 glared at us and babbled on.
True to its status as a Boss Monster, its red eyes exuded pressure.
However, none of us cowered at its momentum, and our stats didn't decrease.
That was because Gang Hanbyeol and I possessed high courage, and Lisa knew magic to resist pressure.
"Get lost while I'm asking nicely."
Having warned us in a vicious tone, the Boss Monster turned its body and resumed pounding on the cockpit door.
"Hey, you bastards in there! Open up quickly! You think hiding in there will save you!? I'll really blow this bomb!"
"I've been thinking this since earlier... somehow they don't feel like monsters. Almost like people...."
Ham Minju spoke up with a bitter expression.
I replied without hesitation.
"No, they're monsters. Don't waver. They might have been people in life, but now they're nothing more than monsters. Their souls are nothing but specimens preserved within the Gate..."
"I know. I'm not wavering? How could I waver at a plane hijacker? If I were going to waver, it would have been at the mother and daughter Blood Demons hugging each other in the bathroom earlier...."
This was no time for idle chat.
Having finished our encounter with the Boss Monster, the Blood Demons began targeting us in earnest.
They charged at us with killing intent.
"Does this mean we have to take down those guys first before we can defeat the Boss Monster?"
"Simple enough! Let's wipe them out!"
"Agreed. Simple is good!"
Gang Hanbyeol, Nam Yuri, Yong Haerang, and the rest of us steeled our resolve for battle.
"They're the Boss Monster's underlings. No one let your guard down!"
"Leave the Lowest-rank Blood Demons to us!"
"We'll deal with them quickly and come help!"
"We'll show you the true worth of the Cerberus Combination! Brothers, hurry up and form the formation!"
The triplets would be able to defeat the Lowest-rank Blood Demons easily enough.
After warning my friends clearly, I glanced sidelong at the triplets who had moved ahead, then stomped the floor.
Right on cue, Park Sagun, having raised his shield, began a contest of strength with the Blood Demons.
'Perfect.'
The surrounding Blood Demons' attention was completely focused on Park Sagun.
I didn't miss this chance. I kicked off the cabin wall to correct my trajectory and charged at their flank.
《Beast King-class Attack Formula, Form 4》
Lion's Spinning Needle
I thrust my azure sword, enveloped in lightning, toward the Vice Chairman Blood Demon's head.
Unable to ignore the Blood Demon's regenerative power, unsatisfied with that, I rotated the blade and split its body clean apart.
In an instant, it was annihilated.
Right then.
"How dare you... to the Vice... Chairman.... Uwooooo!!!"
Crack!
The Rank 3 mid-grade Blood Demon, the Vice Chairman's Secretary, extended its demonic claws toward me.
Entrusting my body to my Gift's urging and dodging, I tugged up the corner of my mouth.
'I had a feeling this would happen.'
It had completely lost its reason.
I kicked with all my might, sending it toward the window seat.
And forced it into the seat.
And then...
"Sir, this is a first-class exclusive service. What is it, you ask..."
Puk! Pusuk! Kieeeek!
"A stabbing."
I stabbed relentlessly without giving it a chance to respond.
Every time it was struck by the stabs imbued with lightning, it screamed as if its throat were tearing apart.
It was truly unbearably noisy.
So I cut off its head, but...
Brrr! Kwol-kwol!
"Is it because it's Rank 3 and has a job? It's really tough."
It rampaged even with its head severed.
I had to pierce its heart and fry it thoroughly with lightning before I could completely eliminate it.
Then I offered advice to my friends.
"Guys, trap them in the seats and attack. It's easy since it's first class."
"......."
"Wow, Gyeonu Gyeonu! That's really novel! Great, I should copy you!"
Apart from Nam Yuri, no one said a word.
I shrugged my shoulders lightly at their sour gazes.
.......
Meanwhile, the Blood Demons who had gone quiet for a moment were also staring at me.
Their gazes seemed bitter as well.
"Wait, but except for Yuri, what are you all doing right now?"
"They're distracted right now, so hurry up and attack!"
Just then, Gang Hanbyeol, snapping to attention after Nam Yuri, quickly swung her sword.
'Oh, that's Hanbyeol for you. Cowardly—no, quick-witted.'
The battle resumed.
Meanwhile, the Boss Monster had stopped pounding on the cockpit door and directed his gaze toward me.
"You... what kind of guy are you?"
"Me?"
Why was he asking that out of the blue?
I pondered for a moment how I should introduce myself.
If it wasn't asking for my name or status, but my identity, then um...
"A lover? A romanticist?"
"Ehehe..."
.......
Even today, Yeon Haneul was beautiful.
Just look at her hopping between the seats and smashing down with her steel hammer right now.
'...Let's really not get on her bad side.'