TDWAD 29

Chapter 29

Black Flame Mass 
That was just a name based on its appearance.
The real meaning lay in the modifier:

Concentrated Mass of Specters 

All specter flocks were governed by a singular mind—a “Specter Brain.”
That hazy form Do-yun had seen through [Insight]…
It was both the neural endpoint and the central hub that collected information and issued commands.
Many became one, and one ruled the many—a hive mind.
‘…That’s the true root of why Kimcheon’s reclamation failed over and over.’

The unnatural coordination that had thrown investigation teams and subjugation squads into chaos…
It was because the hive moved like a single living organism.

In the same vein—
The Specter Brain was both part of the Black Flame Mass and an entity unto itself.

-The life force of all specters birthed by the hive was condensed into one.
-The accumulated data from the hive’s growth was compiled into one memory.
-The hatred and agony unleashed by the crumbling hive were distilled like poison.

A mass of seething, boiling thought.
The Black Flame Mass’s bloody killing intent flared, ready to consume Do-yun.

–Kyaaaaaaaah!

A shriek that scraped the soul tore out—
And from the creature’s forehead, a beam of light shot downward.

KWAJAJAJAJAK!
A black flash tore across the rooftop, closing in without a moment to breathe.

‘Target?’

The direction of killing intent clearly pointed toward the slaughterer of specters.
It was so obvious that there was no room for doubt—

TAP!

But Do-yun kicked off the ground and reached Han Yeon-ha’s side in an instant.

[Equipping ‘Wings of the Abyss (Rare)’]

Grabbing her, he soared into the air—
Just as the spot they’d stood turned pitch black and scorched.

Instead of following the predicted trajectory, the black flame veered and targeted Han Yeon-ha.

“What? How did you know?”

Her face had turned paper white.
She wouldn’t even have had time to react.
If Do-yun had moved alone, she would’ve been melted in that very moment.

“Your body remembers when you’ve been beaten down hard enough.”

“What…?”

“Besides, how many of those things have we shredded? It gets carved into your bones.”

They had learned.
That Player Hyun Do-yun was too much to handle.
And that if Han Yeon-ha’s support was added, it’d be game over.

So what would a rational monster do?
Break the weakest link. That flash of cunning saved her.

“A monster that actually thinks, huh.”

A cold calculation outweighing sweet hatred.

But now—
The math was simple:
Kill them both in one go.

The Black Flame Mass unleashed a storm of inferno.

FWOOSH—!
Black fire surged like a tidal wave.

“Han Yeon-ha.”

[Light Barrier!]

This time, her [Light Barrier] deployed smoothly, forming a perfect sphere.
The golden barrier surrounded them both, and the black flames swirled furiously around it.

CRRRRK—

But it flickered like a candle flame.
‘Cast, cast, cast!’
She layered the barrier several times over—
But it distorted as if it might shatter any moment.

“We need to split up.”

“What?”

“We won’t last long like this. We have to disperse its firepower.”

A sound judgment.

Even with a Sacred Power of 21, it wasn’t an infinite well.
If they didn’t change formation, they’d become grilled meat soon enough.

“But before that, one thing.”

Do-yun looked at her with steely eyes.

“Only think about your own safety.”

“I—I can fight too!”

“This isn’t a request. From now on, you’re just a bystander. Don’t make decisions. Don’t try to read the situation. Just stay alive.”

‘Why…?’

A chilling premonition made her heart drop.

Han Yeon-ha knew the new world’s rules to some extent.
Do-yun was an anomaly—
One who crushed monsters and trampled ghosts beneath his feet.

But at his core, he was still a swordsman.

Could he cut that black flame?
Even if he did, could his blade survive?

Maybe Do-yun was different.
She’d hoped—faintly, foolishly.

‘…It’s impossible! He’s going to sacrifice himself for me!’

Her lips pressed tightly together.

“You can’t. I won’t let you go alone.”

She grabbed him in a desperate hug.

“No matter what, I won’t let this party break!”

“…Not sure who taught you that, but you learned well. You’re already a great healer.”

Do-yun smiled faintly.

“But listen, the best healers don’t care about that.”

“Huh?”

“Their greatest strength is choosing a party that won’t break in the first place.
And today—
You did just that.”

CRACKLE.

“……!?”

His eyes flashed.

“Because you picked someone who’ll never fall.”

[Equipping ‘Frost Crystal Armor (Heroic)’]
[Equipping ‘Earth Kite Shield (Heroic)’]
[Equipping ‘Mask of Darkness (Heroic)’]
[Equipping ‘Forgotten Alchemist’s Ring (Epic)’]
[Equipping ‘Fire Resistance Pendant (Rare)’]
[Consuming Enhanced Inner Power Recovery Elixir (Rare)]

CLANK CLANK CLANK!

‘No way.’

The thought echoed in her head.
The pale blue armor.
The circular kite shield on his arm.
The sleek half-mask of condensed black fog.

The sheer pressure of his glowing gear was overwhelming.
But the real shock was yet to come—

WHOOOM—

A brilliant purple aura burst around him.

Her eyes widened to the limit.

‘Heroic gear…?! A full set?!’

Was this real?

As she stood stunned—
She felt his touch gently pry her arms loose.

“Wait, hold on—!”

“Just do as you practiced.”

No hesitation.

“Do-Do-yun!”

WHUMP!

With a swing, he launched her away.

The black flames split and chased both targets—
But as Yeon-ha sailed through the air, the searing heat abated.

–Spread your wings, relax, let the wind carry you.

As she flew, he sent a whisper through the wind.

Then, Do-yun turned to his status window.

[Inner power recovery increased: +250%… 260%… 270%…]
[“Swift and Precise Breathing (B)” active. Inner power recovery +10%.]
[“Forgotten Alchemist’s Ring (Epic)” effect active. Attribute: Mana Regen +15%.]

His inner power refilled like water in a fresh well.

‘So it applies. Inner power is a form of mana, after all.’

He hadn’t planned to reveal the Epic gear yet—
Even the guardians of the nation wouldn’t dare dream of them now.

At least he could use them instead of letting them rot unused.

Thanks to potions, traits, and equipment, the inner power he had burned for [Self-Sacrifice] was quickly restored.

But the Black Flame Mass wouldn’t just watch.

SSSSSHH—
A spear of fire crashed down.

KWAAAK!

It pierced toward his crown—
But Do-yun didn’t move.

WHOOSH.

He tilted his head—

CRACK! WHOOSH. CRACK! WHOOSH.

He dodged them all.

A bizarre sight.
As if the enemy’s aim was off from the beginning.

‘This is useful.’

Do-yun touched the black mask.

[Mask of Darkness (Heroic)]

• Forged from ancient shadows. No one knows the face beneath.

• Unique Skill: [Perception Distortion]
  • Visual: Misleads observers about wearer’s location.
  • Auditory: Distorts sounds and cues from wearer.
  • Sensory: Confuses presence, energy, and intent.

• Stat Bonus: Intuition +3

The strange behavior repeated.

The Black Flame Mass’s red eyes flickered.

[Cause of “missed attacks”… Analysis failed… Searching alternatives…]
[Tactics updated.]

–KIIIIII!

The cry marked a tactical shift.

All black flames chasing the two were reabsorbed into its main body.

SSSSHHH—

Black fire bled into the storm clouds above Kimcheon.

And then—

FWOOOOOSH!

The entire sky exploded into fire.
A rain of black inferno engulfed the city.

‘If it can’t hit, it’ll burn everything.’

Do-yun folded his wings and dived—
Faster than the falling flames.

Landing before the fire—
But no time to breathe.

A forest of fire pillars erupted around him.

‘Wait.’

In that moment—
He twisted the gemmed ring on his finger.

[Changing “Forgotten Alchemist’s Ring (Epic)” attribute: Wood → Metal → Earth]
[Earth: Earth-based constructs +20% effectiveness]

He plunged the kite shield into the ground.

“Activate special ability.”

The shield resonated—

RUMBLE!

The ground split and surged, erecting thick walls and pillars around him.

KWA-BOOOOM!

Even as dozens of blocks burned, Do-yun remained untouched.

‘Finally.’

[Damage assessment… Catastrophic. Cause: Data insufficient. Insufficient.]
[33% body loss… Entering recovery mode… Enemy movement detected… Danger radius breached!]

‘The window of opportunity is open.’

Now that the Specter Brain was weakened by the reckless inferno—
He couldn’t miss this chance.

WHOOOSH!

Wings of the abyss spread.
Do-yun surged upward, inner power blazing.

Without hesitation. Without fear.
He plunged into the flames.

FWOOOO—!

His flame sword carved the way.

Into the body of the Black Flame Mass—

Scorching heat wrapped him—

SIZZLE—

[Frost Crystal Armor (Heroic): Passive – Frost Shield Activated]
[Fire Resistance Pendant (Rare): Fire Resist +2. Total: Fire Resist 24 (+4)]
[Activating Epic Art: Celestial Flame Meridian]
[Defensive Aura formed: Reflective force active.]

The layers of protection held.

Through the burning storm, Do-yun advanced—

And finally—

‘There it is.’

A glowing red core.

The Specter Brain. The heart of the hive.

He gripped his flame sword tight—
And unleashed a burst of inner power.

[Heavenly Sword Arts (Legendary)]
└ [Form 2 – Flash Annihilation]

ZZZZZAAAT!

As the crimson blade pierced the core—
A monstrous scream echoed across all of Kimcheon.

“FIND… a new cradle! Lay the foundation for rebirth… We are eternal…!”

[You have defeated ‘Specter Concentration – Black Flame Mass’]
[Threat Level AAA neutralized!]
[Honor Points Gained: 5,000]
[First Boss Kill (World, Nation)]
[First Boss Kill with Martial Arts (World, Nation)]
[First Clean Boss Kill (World, Nation)]
[First Boss Kill with Party (World, Nation)]
[First AAA Threat Neutralization (World, Nation)]
[First Boss Gate Clear (World, Nation)]
[Achievement Rewards: 275,000P]
[12x Combo Bonus: 35,000P]
[“Sponsor of Ruin” fervently worships your feats.]
[Sponsor Donation for the Pioneer – 70,000P]

FLASH!

The specter fragments scattered like jellyfish.

[You have completed the mission: ‘Hive Purification’]
[Your Contribution: 93%]
[Rewarded proportionally:]

• Heroic Gear: “Cape of the Abyss”

• Heroic Item: “Dark Spirit Stone”

• Special Stat Unlocked: [Dark Power – 1]

“Damn parasites. You’re dead, now get lost.”

Do-yun scattered his inner power,
And the remaining specters—who had been loitering—fled in terror.

They approached Han Yeon-ha with more interest—
But—

“Shoo! Get lost!”

She wasn’t affected either.
Even casually swinging the rare reward “Blackened Hand Mirror” like a flyswatter was enough to repel them.

“It’s still not over? Ugh… are monsters always this persistent?!”

Do-yun glided down beside her.

“Few are as stubborn as these.”

‘Almost none, actually.’

The bird-like hive was just a shell—
The real core was the specter brain that kept switching hosts.

“But now the Gate is closed, and once the dark clouds clear—
they’ll melt away.”

“Oh… that should be soon, then.”

The sky was beginning to return to normal.
The specters scrambled toward the shadows.

Do-yun narrowed his eyes.

“Hm.”

“What is it?”

“Their movement’s strange.”

“Really?”

“They’re not spreading out. They’re converging. All toward one point.”

She tilted her head, unsure.

But Do-yun saw it.

‘They’ve found a new host.’

TAP!

He launched forward with Lightning Step.

A growing sense of dread filled him.

If the host were a beast, it would rupture from within.
No way those specters would swarm into a tiny cup.

But if it were… human?

Unfortunate. The result would be the same.

A vessel large enough to hold them, yet unable to resist their invasion.

“There’s no way a suitable host would be—”

Do-yun stopped mid-sentence.

His face drained of color.

THUMP—

He didn’t want to believe it—
But he felt it.

A presence steeped in despair.

He couldn’t see clearly, but he knew instantly.

“Hyun… Do-yun…”

In the middle of the ruined street—
A figure covered in remnants of specters, her outstretched arm turning black—

There she was.

“Seiren.”