After Story. 002 ― Future Foresight (4)
Time passed after that.
Ladie...s and... gentle...men.... In just a moment... we will be arriv...ing at ...Airport....
We sin...cerely thank all pass...engers for flying with ...Air today....
After taking down even the two mid-grade Bloodfiends, we finished clearing out first class.
The only monster left to defeat was the Rank 3 boss monster, the high-grade Bloodfiend—Hijacker.
We faced the creature.
D-Don’t come any closer! Especially you!
“I don’t want to listen. So now I want to come even closer.”
Stay back! If you come any closer, everyone dies! The second I press this switch, you’re all dead too!
The boss monster threatened us, holding up the detonation switch in one hand and pointing a knife at us with the other.
I answered playfully to the creature that seemed especially terrified of me.
Of course, if he set off the bomb, there was no guarantee we would be safe.
The passenger plane would certainly crash, and we would sink into the sea along with the plane and him.
But that premise was.
‘Only if the bomb goes off.’
In other words, as long as the bomb didn’t explode, there was no reason for what we feared to happen.
Even if he pressed the detonation switch, we just had to disarm it.
So I provoked him.
Don’t come closer! Ah, I told you not to come!? Do you really want to die!?
“No, I don’t want to die.”
Then don’t come! Hey, you people! If you don’t want to die either, hurry up and stop that guy!
“Looks like you don’t want to die either, huh? Seeing how desperately you’re trying to stop me.”
What? Of course! Who in the world wants to die!?
“But you’re already dead.”
…What?
“Look at yourself right now. Look at your eyes. Aren’t they too red for bloodshot eyes? And how pale is your skin? Is that what a living person looks like?”
Ah…. Th-That’s just because I’m tired….
“No, you’re already dead. And you were preserved inside the Gate.”
…….
“You’re not human. You’re a monster.”
Starting with his eyes reflected in the blade, the creature checked his own appearance and began to waver.
His pupils dilated wide.
N-No…. I’m human….
“No, you’re a monster. Just admit it.”
No! I said no! I, I was going to succeed in this job and my comrades…. Ah….
“…….”
My comrades…. What did they look like again…? Ah…. My memories….
The boss monster staggered.
Then he raised his head and stared up at the ceiling, coming to a halt.
…What do memories matter now? My objective hasn’t changed anyway.
“…….”
Like a broken machine, the creature twisted his neck and flexed his joints.
Blue blood streamed from his red eyes as he looked straight at us.
If you take even one more step, I really will press it.
As if giving a final warning, he growled at me.
Even so, I did not hesitate to take the next step.
…Fine. Let’s all die together instead. Damn country, damn life.
As if in despair, the boss monster tried to press the detonation switch.
At that very moment.
We’ll just all die togeth—!?
“Oppa, you pulled aggro perfectly!”
While I had drawn the creature’s attention, Yu Gaeul had approached him stealthily.
Seizing the opportunity, she revealed her presence and sliced off his wrist in an instant.
The hand gripping the detonation switch fell straight to the floor.
No!
The creature quickly tried to pick up the detonation switch with the hand holding the knife.
But Yu Gaeul was faster.
She kicked the detonation switch and sent it far away.
And in that time, we boldly charged at him.
Yeon Haneul and Yeon Bada cast magic, sending ranged attacks at him and temporarily blocking his vision, while Bak Sagun quickly stood in his way to protect Yu Gaeul.
Kang Hanbyeol and I clashed with him, and Yong Haerang and Nam Yuri, who joined right after, also attacked him.
Kehuk! I-If you mess with me, the bomb might—
“It’s okay, Gyeonu-Gyeonu! I already made sure it can’t activate, so you don’t have to worry!”
“Good job.”
Nam Yuri’s shout was truly reassuring.
Smiles formed on our lips.
On the other hand, the creature’s face was filled with dismay.
Impossible. This can’t be happening….
“No, it can.”
Now have a taste of getting ganged up on.
Sir, this is an exclusive first-class service.
After driving him toward the passenger seats and forcing him into one, we unleashed attacks on him without pause.
“Take that! Take that! Take that!”
Lisa also worked hard, striking him with her staff.
Each time the creature writhed in pain, her face grew ecstatic.
“Ahh…. It feels like all my stress is melting away. I want to make Gyeonu and everyone trying to use me end up like this too.”
…I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that.
We continued attacking.
In the end, after being beaten into a rag, the creature reached extinction once his regenerative power ran out.
[You have cleared the Gate.]
[Clear Completion Status: 11 → 12/20]
Fwaaaak!
A translucent message appeared before my eyes, and particles of light gathered in the air before a yellow Gate Key appeared.
I reached out and caught the falling key, then turned to look at my friends.
Everyone seemed visibly exhausted from the continuous hard battles, but judging that there was no longer any danger, their expressions had become much more relaxed.
“So that’s the end, right? Yes, it’s over! I’m so tired I could die, so let’s hurry back!”
“Agreed. The Gate leading outside appeared nearby too.”
Go Eunbi, Min Arin, and the others chattered happily.
But guys, I’m sorry.
I don’t want to ruin the mood, but….
“It’s not over yet.”
“…What?”
“…….”
I opened my mouth with a bitter smile.
Unlike Yeon Haneul and Yeon Bada, who already knew the situation, all my friends reacted in surprise.
Among them, Lisa, Go Eunbi, Cha Eunsol, Min Arin, Ham Minju, and the triplets shot me extremely resentful looks.
Just in case they tried to hit me, I quietly put Bak Sagun in front of me as a shield.
Then I added,
“There’s still an area we haven’t checked. Let’s look around there before we go.”
“Didn’t we stop by everywhere on the way? Where else is there?”
“You know, behind me. The cockpit.”
“Ah….”
Go Eunbi and the others rounded their mouths as if they had realized.
Soon Ham Minju pointed out the problem.
“But the door seemed locked. That Bloodfiend earlier kept pounding on it, but it didn’t open.”
“If it’s locked, we can just break it.”
“I suppose so…. But normally, beyond the cockpit door, there’s a high chance it’s not part of the world included in the Gate….”
“We’ll know once we break it.”
“…….”
At my matter-of-fact answer, no one could refute me.
And so.
“Yuri, break it. You’re good at that.”
“The only one who understands my heart really is Gyeonu-Gyeonu! Got it!”
We smashed down the firmly locked cockpit door.
When the inner space was revealed, the Gate leading outside disappeared, and a message appeared in our vision.
[You have discovered the hidden world, “Bloodfiend’s Cockpit.”]
[For the next 24 hours, the drop rate and combat experience gained within this Gate will greatly increase.]
It was a notification that we had discovered a hidden world, just like the one I had seen before in the Temple of Time.
The only difference from back then was that this was not the “first” discovery.
‘So someone other than us found it before. And yet the information never spread, which means….’
Either the raiders had concealed it intentionally, or they had died without being able to leave the Gate.
[The Gate is newly activating.]
[Clear conditions are changing.]
[Please wait a moment.]
Based on what I had confirmed through future foresight, the latter was probably more likely.
That was the only way the artifact obtained inside could have made it out into the world.
“Everyone, don’t let your guard down until the very end. Let’s go in.”
We stepped inside.
There, we discovered the Bloodfiends.
[You have encountered monsters.]
[Mid-High-Grade → Mid-Grade Bloodfiend – Norman (Rank. 05 → 04, Boss) x 1]
[Mid-Grade → Mid-Low-Grade Bloodfiend – Captain (Rank. 04 → 03) x 1]
[Mid-Grade → Mid-Low-Grade Bloodfiend – First Officer (Rank. 04 → 03) x 1]
“You’ve got to be kidding me….”
“…….”
At the appearance of monsters stronger than the ones we had just killed, we swallowed groans.
[Clear conditions will be delivered in order.]
[Defeat all monsters.]
* * *
“I wondered if things outside had grown quiet, and it seems it was not just my imagination. Were you the ones who disposed of my limbs?”
“…….”
“I thought I had turned them all into Bloodfiends, but to think there were still humans who survived. Truly intriguing. Amusing.”
A Bloodfiend wearing a long black trench coat and a fedora.
A Rank 4 named boss monster, Norman, distinct even among entities of the same grade.
Unlike the Bloodfiends we had faced so far, he spoke aloud.
Exposed to his aura, we could not help but grow tense.
Meanwhile, I informed my friends.
“Be careful not to get bitten by him. If a mid-grade Bloodfiend bites you, you can be infected and turn into a Bloodfiend.”
“You know quite a bit. But do you think being careful will change anything?”
It was then that the creature spread his arms, his trench coat fluttering.
Around him in the air, several blood-red, spiderweb-like nets appeared.
It was blood magic unique to Bloodfiends.
Pashak!
The nets swelled in size and rushed toward us all at once.
Lisa and Cha Eunsol responded immediately.
The two erected walls of water and blocked the attack.
“…I don’t want to burn calories.”
“It’s… a little difficult….”
Cha Eunsol frowned, and Lisa bit her lip.
To ease their burden, we secured an entry path and immediately rushed toward the enemies.
“First, lure them outside! This place is too cramped!”
If the cockpit took damage, it would be a serious disaster.
We decided to retreat little by little and draw them outside.
Fortunately, the enemies seemed to have made the same judgment, and obediently followed our intent.
“I’ll handle the boss! Hanbyeol and Haerang, take the other two!”
“Okay, got it!”
“I understand too! I’ll take the first officer!”
“Haneul, Bada, Arin, each of you support me, Hanbyeol, and Haerang! Gaeul, Eunbi, Minju, the same goes for you three! Sagun, protect Lisa! Geum, Eun, Dong, you cover Eunsol!”
“Gyeonu-Gyeonu, what about me!?”
“You fight however you want! I’m counting on you!”
“Aha, so I’m the joker? Got it! Nice, nice!”
And so, Yeon Haneul, Yu Gaeul, and I took on the boss monster Norman.
Kang Hanbyeol, Yeon Bada, and Go Eunbi faced the mid-low-grade Bloodfiend Captain.
Yong Haerang, Min Arin, and Ham Minju faced the mid-low-grade Bloodfiend First Officer.
Aside from them, Cha Eunsol, Lisa, Bak Sagun, and the triplets supported us according to the situation.
“Don’t give him any distance! Press him hard so he can’t use his blood whip!”
“How cowardly…!”
Naturally, the battle against them was far more arduous than anything so far.
Although we had drunk potions just beforehand, we still had to endure the fatigue that had accumulated.
Even so, we clenched our teeth and did not lose focus.
“Bbashya! The first officer is down! Do Gyeonu, Kang Hanbyeol! I’m coming!”
Yong Haerang’s party, the first to finish their battle, was newly deployed and gave our momentum some breathing room.
“Gyeonu, we’ll join in now too!”
Next, Kang Hanbyeol’s party achieved victory, and the tide of battle completely tilted toward us.
The boss monster, who had at least maintained a stalemate while facing me, Yeon Haneul, and Yu Gaeul, soon struggled once my friends joined in.
“Eeeek!! How dare you things!”
Getting angry like that was pointless.
While the creature continued to expend his strength, we fought in turns with three parties, so comparatively, we suffered less.
That difference only grew larger as time passed.
At last.
“How bitter…. For me, in a place like this….”
No longer able to recover from his injuries, the creature collapsed, leaning against the wall.
Soon, his feet began to crumble into particles, and he started to disappear.
“However, this is the end for you as well….”
“…….”
The boss monster’s existence had become translucent.
With a deflating sound, he looked up at us and mocked us.
“With no captain and no first officer…. I wonder if you can truly escape from here? Hihik….”
“Hmph, don’t make me laugh.”
Min Arin snorted.
Then she puffed out her shoulders.
“We have our own way of surviving and getting out, so you don’t need to worry.”
“What exactly do you have?”
“The Gate leading outside, of course…. Huh? Why isn’t it appearing?”
“…….”
Min Arin’s question was reasonable.
Since we had defeated even the boss monster, naturally, the clear completion message should have—
‘Wait.’
I froze.
It seemed I was not the only one who noticed it; a few others did too.
“Come to think of it….”
“Defeating all the monsters wasn’t the clear completion condition…. The message earlier definitely said….”
“It said the clear conditions would be delivered ‘in order’….”
“…….”
In other words, there was more than one clear completion condition.
Having realized that belatedly, we could not help but be bewildered.
Sensing our atmosphere, the boss monster cackled.
“Why, do you not have a plan? Is reality finally sinking in?”
“…….”
“I hope you struggle with all your might until the moment you die. I shall… wait for you in hell first.”
Hahaha!! Hahahahaha!!!
The boss monster did not stop laughing at us until he disappeared.
At last, only a magic stone and a red bead remained where he had vanished.
I picked them up.
‘I found what I was looking for, but….’
The problem was the next clear message.
All of us waited for the message in anxious anticipation, and….
[The next clear condition will be delivered.]
[Successfully execute an emergency landing of the passenger plane!]
We unleashed every kind of profanity.
“@#$@#&%!!!”
Ah, that exclamation mark pisses me off.