ETVHC 111

CHAPTER 111……………………………..

I was stunned by the sheer scale of the attack Kang Kwon-hoo had unleashed.

“What if the guild members get hurt like that!”

I didn’t let out a sigh of relief until the thick smoke settled and I saw everyone standing unharmed. Fortunately, the other guild members had seemed to retreat far away the moment Kang Kwon-hoo issued his warning, following Baek So-hyuk’s orders. Kang Kwon-hoo was acting like a fuse had blown in his head, but at least he didn’t seem completely reckless.

“If I can just make good use of a wide-area skill three times, I might reach this gate quickly.”

The thought that things might go smoother than I feared sparked a glimmer of hope in my heart.

“You look really excited. Do you think they can save Woo-jin right now?”

Seo Go-gyeol tapped my cheek lightly and spoke as if humming a tune. I couldn’t tell what was so amusing, but watching him made my blood boil with irritation.

‘I usually don’t hate people… but this guy is extraordinary.’

He knew exactly how to get under my skin. If there were a book called 100 Ways to Make Baek Woo-jin Angry, he would definitely be the author.

“If they just use a few wide-area skills, reaching this gate wouldn’t be impossible.”

I knew that wasn’t the case, but seeing Seo Go-gyeol subtly wishing for my allies to get hurt made me snap and reply curtly.

“Unfortunately for Woo-jin, he has to pass through the gate to enter this room.”

I widened my eyes in surprise.

“Isn’t this the gate room? I thought the elder Planarians here had been dealt with and the next floor was empty.”

Seo Go-gyeol grinned.

“This is a checkpoint for passing through the gate and moving to the next floor. Just taking care of those small Planarians won’t get you here. No matter how fast you want to progress through the quest, bypassing procedures isn’t allowed.”

I felt my breath catch. From what I remembered, the fourth-floor gate room was different from the others. But being trapped here, I had no way to contact them. I nervously scanned the guild members.

[This time I’ll handle it. Don’t take a single step forward; it’s too dangerous.]

Baek So-hyuk stepped forward this time. A deafening hum emanated from the rapier in his hand.

[Krueek, kruek.]

The Planarians behind him panicked and fled, tangling and tripping over each other as they tried to distance themselves from Baek So-hyuk’s blade.

[Useless effort.]

He didn’t bother chasing them. The massive spatial distortion starting from his rapier engulfed the fleeing Planarians, and eventually even warped the area around Kang Kwon-hoo. Whether that was intentional or not, Kang Kwon-hoo didn’t even flinch, simply watching it unfold.

Kang Kwon-hoo, unable to contain his rage, looked like someone whose only concern was reaching me and tearing the kidnapper apart.

‘To remain that calm during a battle…’

I twisted my hands harder to free the ropes. My wrists were chafed and raw, but I ignored the pain. I wanted to escape so badly that I would have cut my own wrist if it meant getting out.

Thunk.

The rope loosened slightly, and Seo Go-gyeol snapped his fingers in response. In that instant, the silence barrier seemed to lift, and the Jupiter guild members’ attention turned toward me.

“Even if you free that, it won’t change anything.”

Before I could think “I’ve been caught,” the guild members who had been busy doing their tasks froze in place.

“Guild leader, is he trying to escape now?”

Their reaction was shockingly fast, considering they had been quiet until now.

“He hasn’t run yet, so no need to get worked up.”

Seo Go-gyeol looked at me as if he knew I had been preparing to escape, and in his gaze was also a mocking reminder that no matter what I tried, I wouldn’t get out. The problem was the other guild members didn’t share that indifference.

Even those who had been going about their business now stared directly at me, tightening their guard. With such vigilance, sneaking out seemed impossible.

‘If only I had a skill… or if my mana had been normal.’

With that, I could have unleashed a burst of magic strong enough to destroy this item, but now even that was impossible. Whether intentional or not, Seo Go-gyeol had chosen the perfect, most opportune moment to capture me.

[Just two more wide-area skills should do it.]

While I struggled, the guild members steadily advanced. Ryu Ji-soo and Kim Jun held the front line to buy time, while Baek So-hyuk and Kang Kwon-hoo used their powerful skills in tandem, steadily closing in on the gate.

‘Don’t worry about me. Just get out safely now.’

I closed my eyes tightly, praying despite knowing it might be in vain. Baek So-hyuk or Kang Kwon-hoo might know things I didn’t, like the locations of other guild members or Jeon Seogu. Still, it was uncertain if they had full information about the fourth floor. Betting on everyone’s safe passage felt like gambling.

‘I wish they had shared the info instead of saying they’d tell me tomorrow. I wouldn’t be this anxious. Why do I always regret things too late?’

The fear of sharing information obtained in the game was partly because I worried that if others knew I was exhausted from real-life relationships and just playing games idly, they might be disappointed.

‘What kind of fear is that anyway?’

I had no excuse; if this were a game, nobody would believe me. The real concern was selfish—I didn’t want to be hated.

Ignoring my aching wrists, I continued trying to cut the rope. One of the guild members at the end noticed my movement and rushed at me with a fast skill. He grabbed my head and slammed it to the floor.

Bang.

“Ugh…”

Unlike Seo Go-gyeol, this guild member didn’t hold back. The pain in my head was sharp, and I couldn’t move as he restrained me.

“Stay still. You got caught, so don’t think too hard.”

He slammed my head against the floor two or three more times. Seo Go-gyeol, watching from the side, smiled as if he found it entertaining. Blood ran from my head, but I gritted my teeth and endured the pain. I twisted my wrists harder, and finally, the rope loosened.

‘If I use the Blessing of Lightning now, I can break free from this restraint.’

Even humans lose focus sometimes. I waited for that moment while pretending to faint in pain.

[Thanks to you two, we arrived faster than expected. Do you both have enough leftover mana?]

[Wide-area skills consume enormous mana.]

I heard Ryu Ji-soo and Kim Jun’s voices. They had arrived at the gate room surprisingly fast.

[It’s fine; I drank potions.]

Kang Kwon-hoo answered casually, despite scolding me earlier for overusing mana potions.

[Then we’ll open the door.]

A creaking sound accompanied the increasing footsteps. I guessed that even small noises would echo in the narrow marble room.

[Is… that a Plarian? It looks completely different.]

Ryu Ji-soo exclaimed in surprise. By the fourth floor, Plarians guarding the gate looked quite different from ordinary ones.

‘They said Plarians that divide more than 100 times become like this.’

The more they divided, the stronger they became. Plarians that divided over 100 times became elder Plarians, capable of changing their form at will. They could adapt to situations, making them very difficult to deal with.

‘Still, it’s not beyond Baek So-hyuk and Kang Kwon-hoo. The problem is how they die.’

Elder Plarians left a mess when they died. Most fourth-floor Plarians caused massive explosions upon death.

‘I can’t just let them fight recklessly.’

“I wonder if they know the elder Plarians’ traits?”

The guild member holding me chuckled.

“No way. Won’t they just die?”

Those who had been indifferent earlier now discussed the scene as if watching an interesting movie.

“They can’t all die. Baek So-hyuk has to survive.”

I couldn’t believe they spoke so lightly about others dying.

“Ah, they’re starting the attack.”

The strength of the hand holding my head weakened slightly. Their focus must have shifted to the battle.

[Skill “Blessing of Lightning Lv29” activated. Blue lightning swirls around the body.]