NOVEL NEXT Chapter 19 - First Battle (2)
Gate.
In this world, there were two types of “abnormal phenomena”: dungeons and gates. If you asked an ordinary person the difference between them, they’d probably say, “Monsters exist inside dungeons, but they come out of gates.” But that wasn’t entirely accurate.
Monsters, or even creatures like the Red Chicken — who originate from dungeons — could escape into the outside world.
This was why players with taming skills or unique abilities sometimes tamed dungeon monsters and brought them to Earth.
However, gate monsters were different.
Unlike dungeon monsters, gate monsters harbored “blind malice” toward humans, and taming skills were ineffective against them.
This meant that even if a gate monster was of the same rank as a dungeon monster, it was much more dangerous.
By the time Kim Baram and Yeo Jihye arrived at Sindorim Station, the area was already in chaos. Monsters had poured out of the gate, attacking the civilians who hadn’t yet managed to evacuate.
‘[Transform].’
-Ding-
[Aegis’s special ability
Damn it.
Though he had Aegis on his left arm and Black Fang in his right hand, this was Kim Baram’s first real battle, and his body trembled with nervousness.
Glancing at Yeo Jihye for reassurance, he noticed that she had dropped her disguise, revealing her light blonde hair and her radiant, Empress-like appearance.
‘Right, she can’t use her full power while disguised. She’s stronger this way.’
Yeo Jihye calmly surveyed the situation around Sindorim Station and then spoke to him.
“Judging by the number of monsters, this looks like a ‘wave-type gate.’ Let’s focus on rescuing as many people as possible.”
Baram gave a small nod in agreement.
There were many types of gates and dungeons, and the “wave-type gate” Yeo Jihye mentioned referred to a gate where the monsters were relatively low-ranked but appeared in large numbers. In situations like this, the best strategy was to prioritize rescuing civilians rather than trying to fight every monster head-on.
As it turned out, Yeo Jihye’s decision was the right one.
In the distance, all the monsters had the appearance of gray-furred wolves. Judging by their fur, Kim Baram assumed they were D-rank monsters known as Dire Wolves. Individually, their combat strength wasn’t much higher than an E-rank monster, but since they traveled in packs, they were classified as D-rank.
‘All right, let’s do this.’
He had Aegis’s overpowered ability [Protection], after all. If things went south, Aegis would protect him.
Following Yeo Jihye, Baram ran forward and saw a woman on the ground holding a child, with two Dire Wolves charging straight at them.
“Split up!”
Given the urgency of the situation, Yeo Jihye quickly conveyed her plan and dashed forward.
Kim Baram followed her lead, charging at one of the Dire Wolves with Aegis raised in front of him.
The Dire Wolf he faced jumped high into the air, raising its right paw before slashing downward.
-Ding-
[Skill
-Bang-
Baram quickly reinforced his body with mana, lifting Aegis to block the wolf’s powerful strike.
Even with the enhancement, the impact on his left arm was heavy, causing him to grit his teeth tightly. Without a hint of hesitation, he thrust Black Fang toward the wolf’s neck with all his might.
-Thud-
Luck was definitely on his side this time. The dark blade of Black Fang pierced through the wolf’s ash-gray hide with minimal resistance. The wolf struggled momentarily, its front paws moving sluggishly, but as Kim Baram pulled Black Fang out, blood gushed from the wolf’s neck like a fountain, drenching every inch of his face and body.
“Th-thank you so much, sir… sob…”
“Please, evacuate immediately. The safest thing to do right now is to hide inside a building, lock the door, and stay there.”
Still standing in shock, covered in Dire Wolf blood, Kim Baram snapped back to reality when he overheard Yeo Jihye speaking to the woman.
Kim Baram suddenly turned his head to the right and noticed that his right hand was trembling.
‘Damn it.’
He felt weak.
How could he be shaking over something like this? He felt ashamed of himself. In the future, if he was going to stop the end of the world, he would face even tougher challenges and stronger enemies. There was no room for fear or weakness now.
-Tap-
“Are you alright? Are you hurt?”
Yeo Jihye, with a serious expression on her face, approached and placed her hand on his shoulder, asking this in a worried tone.
Like him, Yeo Jihye was covered in monster blood, but even that couldn’t hide her unreal, overwhelming beauty. The contrast between her blood-soaked appearance and her stunning looks was almost ridiculous.
Her absurd beauty made Kim Baram’s complicated emotions melt away for a moment, and before he realized it, a small laugh escaped his lips.
“Heh, I’m fine. Let’s keep moving.”
As he smiled faintly while looking at her, Yeo Jihye pouted and asked, “…What’s so funny all of a sudden?”
“It’s a secret. Mysterious men are always more attractive.”
Kim Baram threw out a playful joke, and with that, he quickly moved on to rescue more people who hadn’t managed to evacuate in time.
-Ding-
[You have acquired skill
[You have acquired skill
***
“Huff… Huff…”
“You’re weaker than I thought. You really need to train harder,” Yeo Jihye commented, hitting him with a blunt truth.
Kim Baram was too out of breath to even attempt a rebuttal. Watching her effortlessly shatter the head of a Dire Wolf with her bare hands, wrapped in sky-blue ice magic that matched her eyes, made him feel a little bit too intimidated to argue.
After saving the mother and child, Kim Baram and Yeo Jihye continued to fight several more Dire Wolves. Thankfully, after acquiring
‘Honestly, though, Yeo Jihye did most of the work.’
By the time other players had joined in near the station, the situation was mostly under control. Kim Baram held his throbbing head, a side effect of overusing
Three players, who had also been fighting nearby, walked up to them at this time.
The group consisted of two men and one woman, and the leader of the group walked past Baram without acknowledging him. Instead, he extended a hand toward Yeo Jihye, introducing himself.
“It’s an honor to meet you, Empress. Seeing someone as famous as you here is incredible. I’m Hwang Dong-su, a B-rank player from Jeil Guild.”
“Oh, um, thank you…”
As Hwang Dong-su spoke, his eyes greedily scanned Yeo Jihye from head to toe, his gaze filled with desire. Feeling uncomfortable, Yeo Jihye didn’t accept his handshake and subtly moved behind Kim Baram, using him as a shield.
When she didn’t take his hand, Hwang Dong-su awkwardly retracted it and started boasting about himself.
“There’s no need to worry about this area anymore. I’m Hwang Dong-su, the top rising star of Jeil Guild, one of Korea’s top eight guilds. I’ll take care of the remaining monsters…”
“Let’s just deal with those first.”
Having caught his breath, Kim Baram cut off Hwang Dong-su’s unnecessary bragging and his finger pointed toward a pack of wolves in the distance, watching them from afar. One wolf stood out among the gray-furred Dire Wolves with its gleaming silver coat.
‘Especially that one… we need to deal with it quickly.’
However, Hwang Dong-su didn’t take kindly to being interrupted. He shot a sharp glare at Kim Baram before looking at the wolf pack Kim Baram had pointed out. With a mocking smile, he scoffed at Kim Baram.
“Hah! You must be too young to know, but that’s just a Moon Wolf. It’s only a C-rank monster. Sure, it might be tough for someone like you, but for a B-rank player like me, it’s nothing more than a weakling.”
Hwang Dong-su seemed to be putting on a show, likely trying to impress Yeo Jihye who stood behind Kim Baram. Normally, C-rank monsters could be dealt with by a group of five C-rank players or a single B-rank player. However, that didn’t mean they were easy prey to dispatch in an instant.
There was something Hwang Dong-su was overlooking, though.
The Moon Wolf from a gate was different from the one found in dungeons. Kim Baram knew he had to take it down before it used that skill.
Yet, Hwang Dong-su, dismissing Kim Baram’s warning as unimportant, didn’t move. Instead, his attention remained fixated on Yeo Jihye and he shamelessly eyed her up and down.
And then it happened.
The Moon Wolf, which had been quietly observing them, suddenly raised its head toward the sky.
‘Damn it, too late.’
“Awooooo~~”
“Awooooooo~~!!”
The Moon Wolf howled, and the Dire Wolves surrounding it joined in, their cries echoing through the streets. Soon, the air was filled with the eerie howls of wolves from all directions.
“What… what’s happening?”
“What’s going on?”
The two members of Jeil Guild standing behind Hwang Dong-su looked around in confusion, their voices trembling as the howls reverberated throughout the streets.
Hwang Dong-su, realizing something was wrong, finally took his eyes off Yeo Jihye and scanned the area, his posture tense with caution.
Howling — an ability that only high-level wolf-type monsters from gates could use. It called their scattered allies to them and sent them into a berserk rage, drastically boosting their strength.
Feeling the urgency of the situation, Kim Baram quickly assessed his surroundings. Without a moment to spare, he grabbed hold of Yeo Jihye’s wrist and pulled her toward a narrow alleyway he had spotted earlier, wedged between two buildings — just enough space for one or two people to squeeze into.
He shoved Yeo Jihye inside and then turned his back to her, drawing Aegis as he blocked the entrance.
“What are you doing? What’s going on?” Yeo Jihye asked, her voice filled with confusion at both the wolves’ howling and Kim Baram’s sudden actions.
“If they come, stab them from behind,” he said curtly, handing her Black Fang instead of an explanation. With his right hand holding Aegis and his left arm supporting the shield, Kim Baram positioned himself between Yeo Jihye and the approaching danger.
And then it happened.
A gray wave of wolves surged down the street, moving with terrifying speed.
“They’re coming!”
Before Kim Baram could finish his warning, dozens of red-eyed Dire Wolves spotted them and charged. Their fierce growls filled the air as they rushed forward.
-Boom! Boom! Boom!-
-Ding-
[Aegis’s special ability
-Ding-
[Aegis’s special ability
-Crack-
“Ugh…”
In a flash, Aegis’s [Protection] ability was exhausted. While the shield managed to block most of the blows aimed at his upper body, Kim Baram’s lower body had been exposed.
As soon as the protection was depleted, one of the Dire Wolves sunk its sharp teeth into his leg.
“Are you okay!?”
Yeo Jihye, who had been fending off the wolves from behind with Black Fang, heard Kim Baram’s groan. She was startled and quickly turned to stab the Dire Wolf attacking his leg.
A burning pain shot through Kim Baram’s leg, but he knew that if he fell, Yeo Jihye, standing behind him, would be in danger too. Gritting his teeth tightly, he held up Aegis and fought through the agony.
The small mercy in this situation was that the narrow space between the buildings worked in their favor. The Dire Wolf at the back was blocked by the one in front and couldn’t advance further, only growling and snarling.
Furthermore, as the pile of Dire Wolf corpses grew, the situation slowly started to improve. With a bit more breathing room, Kim Baram’s gaze wandered to Hwang Dong-su and his party fighting in the distance.
Hwang Dong-su, who had been so confident earlier, was now struggling against the dozens of Dire Wolves that were charging at him from all directions.
The Moon Wolf had also joined the fray, and it was clear that Hwang Dong-su and his crew were overwhelmed. In his panic, he shoved his two guild members toward the wolves as bait and used the distraction to slip away.
‘You’ve got to be kidding me. Sacrificing your own teammates?’
Kim Baram’s anger flared to life as he watched Hwang Dong-su’s despicable act. Even as someone who had caused his fair share of frustration, seeing such cowardice from Hwang Dong-su filled him with rage.
But Kim Baram was too busy fending off the wolves that were forcing their way through to do anything for the two players who had been thrown to the wolves —literally.
“
-Crash –!
Suddenly, a voice rang out from nearby. Dozens of spikes shot up from the ground, skewering not only the Dire Wolves but also the head of the Moon Wolf, killing it instantly.
-Ding-
[Your skill
“Working on my day off… What a bother…”
Kim Baram turned toward the source of the voice.
A man appeared like he hadn’t washed his dark blue hair for days due to his patchy beard and a perpetually tired expression. He walked up to them right while scratching the back of his head.
He appeared to be in his late thirties and seemed completely unfazed by the carnage around him.
The man walked lazily over to the two guild members who had been attacked. After inspecting them carefully, he clicked his tongue in disapproval.
“Too late for them.”
Judging by his reaction, it seemed the two were already dead.
Meanwhile, Kim Baram, having witnessed the man’s swift intervention and the quick end to the battle, felt his tension release.
The pain in his injured leg flared up once more, and his face twisted in agony. He couldn’t help but groan as the burning sensation intensified.
Whether it was because of the sound he made or something else, the man glanced over at Kim Baram and Yeo Jihye. Slowly, he made his way toward them with a faintly pleased expression.
“Well, you’ve both worked hard. I’m Hyun Si-hyun from the Salvation Guild. Since you took down a few of these beasts yourselves, make sure to report it to the association later and claim the reward. It’s always smart to get government money whenever you can.”
Hyun Si-hyun offered them some practical advice before his gaze shifted between Kim Baram’s grimacing face and his wounded leg. He then pulled out a small vial of red liquid from his pocket and handed it to Kim Baram.
“It’s not the best, just a mid-grade potion. But a young hero like you, who didn’t run away and fought hard, definitely deserves it.”
‘So he saw Hwang Dong-su running away.’
A mid-grade potion wasn’t cheap — an 8th-grade item worth about five million won. That Hyun Si-hyun handed it over so casually spoke volumes about his status as a member of the Salvation Guild.
The Salvation Guild was, after all, known in the story as the strongest of Korea’s top eight guilds.
And Hyun Si-hyun wasn’t just any member – he was the team leader of the 3rd team and an S-rank player. His unique ability was to debuff enemies, as he had done earlier with
It had started as a joke, but his young daughter liked it so much that it became his official nickname.
As Kim Baram uncorked the mid-grade potion and prepared to apply it to his bleeding leg, Yeo Jihye, who had been watching, suddenly reached out, taking the potion from his hands.
She spoke briefly. “I’ll do it.”
With that, she knelt down, lifted the hem of his pants, and carefully applied the potion to the wound on his leg.
Her gentle, deliberate touch made Kim Baram feel embarrassed and self-conscious, and he found himself scratching his cheek awkwardly.
Watching this scene unfold, Hyun Si-hyun stroked his beard and murmured quietly to himself, “Oh-ho, young love, eh?”
As the situation calmed down, citizens who had been hiding inside the buildings began to slowly emerge, and soon the streets started filling with people.
“Hey, it’s Hyun Si-hyun!”
“It’s really him! Let’s take a picture.”
“No way, should I ask for an autograph?”
With Hyun Si-hyun’s presence drawing attention, more eyes turned toward Kim Baram and Yeo Jihye.
Suddenly, while applying the potion, Yeo Jihye flinched, her body freezing momentarily. Then, her shoulders began to tremble slightly.
Watching her, Kim Baram suddenly remembered that Yeo Jihye was an internet personality.
Quietly, he took off his shirt — now drenched in a mix of sweat, blood, and Kasa’s cologne — and gently draped it over her head so that her identity would be hidden.
Yeo Jihye looked up at him with a curious expression for a moment, then, seemingly calmer, she refocused on carefully applying the potion.
‘Why is she glaring at me? Is it because my shirt smells like sweat?’
-Ding-
[Player ‘Kim Baram’ has activated the unique ability
[You have gained affection from the character ‘Yeo Jihye’. You have earned 100 VP. Yeo Jihye’s current affection for Kim Baram: “Interested.”]
[You have gained affection from the character ‘Yeo Jihye’. You have earned 100 VP. Yeo Jihye’s current affection for Kim Baram: “Interested.”]
Twice?
‘Does she like the smell of sweat or something?’
***
Whether it was the effectiveness of the potion or Yeo Jihye’s meticulous application, Kim Baram’s leg wound healed quickly.
While there was still some lingering pain, it wasn’t enough to stop him from walking. Meanwhile, Hyun Si-hyun had left after mentioning he had work to handle because of the gate.
Kim Baram and Yeo Jihye, wanting to avoid the growing crowd, decided to slip into a quieter building nearby.
“What’s the plan now? Should we wait for the association staff to arrive if we want to claim the reward?”
“…”
When Yeo Jihye didn’t respond, Kim Baram turned to look at her. She was sitting quietly, wrapping his shirt around her head like a hood. Her cheeks and ears were flushed red, and she was staring intently at him.
‘What’s going on? Does she have a fever?’
Concerned, Kim Baram reached out without thinking and touched her forehead.
Yeo Jihye flinched and pulled back slightly, speaking in a small, almost whiny voice. “… D-don’t.”
‘What the… is she really sick?’
Puzzled by her embarrassed reaction, Kim Baram tilted his head, feeling confused.
After a brief, awkward silence, Yeo Jihye extended her small, pale hand toward him and, in a barely audible voice, muttered something, “… Phone.”
“Huh? What about a phone?”
Yeo Jihye didn’t answer his question and remained silent, her eyes and outstretched hand demanding that Baram comply.
With no choice, he proceeded to pull his phone out of his pocket and handed it to her.
Yeo Jihye swiftly snatched the phone like a cat pouncing on its prey and quickly dialed a number.
After a moment, Kim Baram heard a ringtone coming from her skirt pocket before it stopped.
Satisfied, she handed the phone back to him, and then stared at him with her sky-blue eyes for a few seconds.
After taking a deep breath, she spoke softly. “You didn’t forget our promise, right? The new content.”
“Oh, right. But isn’t today a bit… I mean, we’re covered in blood and all.”
“Yeah, so I put my number in your phone. Save it, and I’ll contact you later.”
Oh… so she actually did it.
Kind of a hassle.
“You can keep the reward or whatever for yourself.”
“Okay! When they contact me, I’ll make sure you get it.”
Amused by Kim Baram’s nonchalant response, Yeo Jihye let out a small, incredulous laugh.
Then, as if she had more to say, she fidgeted with her slender fingers, sneaking glances at him.
Her pale face seemed to flush even redder.
-Soft rustling-
In the midst of the awkward silence, Yeo Jihye seemed to come to a decision. With a determined expression, she took a step closer to Baram, grabbed him by the collar, and pulled him toward her. Then, she leaned in and whispered into his ear, her soft lips brushing gently against him.
“Thanks… Joo Jinyong oppa.”
-Push-
With that, Yeo Jihye shoved him away and rushed out of the building, almost as if she were fleeing.
… Oh no.
‘I’m not Joo Jinyong, and I’m definitely not her oppa.’