chapter 26
Sha Wujing (1)
At the same time, on the surface—
[Monster Rush is intensifying!]
[Beware of the Black Plague.]
Kim Min-jung stood on the city wall, clicking her tongue as she stared at the endless swarm of black rats filling the plains in the distance.
Tens of thousands at least. Giant rats.
Just the sight of them made her skin crawl.
‘How the hell are we supposed to block all that…?’
Even the natives were panicking.
“Wh-Why are there so many!?”
“S-Shouldn’t we run away right now?”
“Are you insane!? If we flee now, what about the missing children? How are we supposed to find them!?”
The townsfolk hurried to block the gates and bring out boiling oil, but ten minutes of preparation wasn’t enough.
“Damn it! This is all the mayor’s fault!”
Soon the people’s anger turned on a single man.
The mayor jumped in place, flustered.
“What did I even do!?”
“This all happened because you refused to pay the piper and drove him away! Now the children are gone, and the rats we barely chased out have come back in greater numbers!”
“You all agreed to that decision too!”
“I don’t care about that! How are you going to take responsibility for this mess!?”
The citizens split into two factions, fighting amongst themselves.
Kim Min-jung wondered if she should draw their attention back, but the rat swarm had already reached the moat, forcing the townsfolk into urgent action.
“The rats are coming! Get ready to pour the oil!”
The rats plunged into the water of the moat en masse.
They died easily in droves, but their corpses piled up and filled the moat just as quickly.
A scene of utter madness.
Gritting her teeth, Kim Min-jung pulled the trigger again and again.
Bang! Bang!
[‘Legend: The Tale of Janghwa Hongryeon’ activates. The killing energy carried by the bullets transforms into misfortune, spreading everywhere.]
[The rats are struck by epidemic, suffering as if from measles. ‘Rat Trap’ complete.]
She carefully targeted only the leaders—those that seemed to command the swarm.
Killing them disrupted the larger movements, and the curses they spread as they died created further interference.
It slowed the rush, but—
‘No… this only buys time. How the hell did Senior Jang say we could actually stop this!?’
Her bullets were limited.
A fundamental solution was needed.
—While I’m away, how could you possibly handle everything alone?
Suddenly, Yi-hyeon’s words before he left flashed through her mind.
—Hah. Why assume you’re alone? You’ll have a very helpful ally, won’t you?
‘And just when is that damned ally supposed to show up…?’
She scanned the horizon for reinforcements, but saw none, growing increasingly anxious.
Then—
‘Wait, what’s that?’
The black tide of rats began veering away, their flow shifting slightly in another direction.
Kim Min-jung turned her eyes that way—then let out a short, incredulous laugh.
It was the last group she expected.
At a mound of rat corpses, a column of flame burst upward.
KWOOM!!
“You bastards!! Dieeeeeee!”
Team Leader Jeong of Team Z was roaring, his body wreathed in blazing flames.
[‘Legend: Red Lantern of the Ghost Moon’ manifests, spewing crimson ghostfire!]
FWOOM! BOOM!
Each punch unleashed a torrent of flame, incinerating rats in waves.
Filth splattered everywhere, but his eyes were rolled back in fury, heedless of anything else.
Thanks to him, the other Z Team members could act as well, unleashing skill after skill.
‘Don’t tell me… is this the ally Senior meant?’
Kim Min-jung let out another bitter laugh.
‘He foresaw this much?’
At least they had drawn the aggro. She could only be grateful.
‘Even if they suffer, I should at least provide cover fire.’
So, as Jeong drew more attention, she supported him with precise shots, making his rampage easier.
Of course, she timed it carefully so he couldn’t use an emergency escape item too soon.
BANG!!
Just as a faint smile touched her lips—
[Error! A new <Character> has appeared, incompatible with the <Story> of this dungeon!]
[Error!]
A crimson message suddenly flashed in her vision.
‘Error?’
She snapped her head up, shivers running down her spine.
Others—hunters and natives alike—did the same.
The sky was thick with storm clouds.
FLASH!
Two stars glittered, then two pillars of light speared down to the earth.
BOOOOM!
‘…The rats are all obliterated.’
The light swept away every rat within dozens of meters, leaving two men standing in their place.
Dust obscured their features, but—
“……!!”
Kim Min-jung instantly sensed it.
These men were dangerous.
[Error!]
[Error!]
She realized Yi-hyeon couldn’t have foreseen this either.
The two men silently scanned the area, then vanished like the wind.
Their overwhelming presence disappeared as if it had never been.
‘What the…!’
This had to be reported immediately.
She lifted her brooch communicator to her lips.
Kzzzt.
『Senior, can you hear me? Senior!』
Krrrchhh—
* * *
“Keheheh. Where should I begin for my dear elder brother’s amusement?”
Sha Wujing stroked his chin in thought.
“Ah! That’ll do nicely.”
He clapped his hands and grinned.
“After elder brother gave up the title of ‘Victorious Fighting Buddha’ for that reason…”
「Don’t bring that up.」
“Hm? Don’t tell me even this apostle beside you doesn’t know? It’s rather important.”
「He’s only a temporary apostle.」
Sha Wujing glanced slyly at Yi-hyeon.
“With elder brother’s scent so strong on him, just a temporary apostle?”
「Stop spouting nonsense! Start from when they blindsided me!」
“Very well, then I’ll get to the point. After elder brother left… the High Gods immediately…”
The title Victorious Fighting Buddha was what Sun Wukong had earned after completing the Journey to the West.
In rank, it was equal to the Jade Emperor or even the Buddha himself.
To abandon such a position?
There had to be a complicated reason.
Yi-hyeon kept that in mind, listening closely.
The story itself wasn’t complicated.
After Wukong’s deicide, the gods feared his comrades’ vengeance and decided on total annihilation.
Led by the Jade Emperor and condoned by the Buddha, a catastrophe unfolded—
A massive massacre swept through the Celestial Sect and the Devas, two of the mightiest divine factions.
「…A massacre?」
“Indeed, heheheh. It was such a sudden night raid that no one could respond. By the time we realized… my wife and children were already dead.”
「…!」
“I was the same. Pigsy and even Tripitaka were taken. I had retired, so what could I do?”
Wukong clenched his teeth.
「Who came for you?」
“It was Nezha.”
「…That one?」
Yi-hyeon was startled as well.
‘Nezha the Prince? Wasn’t he one of Wukong’s closest allies among the Celestial Army?’
「I see… So that’s how it is.」
Wukong’s muttering was tinged with bitterness and rage.
“Still, by luck, my myth wasn’t completely destroyed. I managed to send a fragment of myself down to earth.”
「……」
“But even that was unsafe, so I had to hide. By chance, I found—”
「My myth?」
“Exactly. Call it fate, perhaps. A fragment of yours was here, and so I hid within it.”
Sha Wujing burst out laughing.
“So I nestled here, waiting. Since this dungeon was arranged by your people, I figured someone tied to you would come eventually.”
Yi-hyeon nodded.
It made sense.
‘That’s why the distortion became so extreme. That’s why the black skeleton was so blatant.’
Even Wukong’s suspicion—that this Wujing was behaving unlike the one he knew—was clear now.
Of course, it didn’t excuse the children trapped for ten years, nor the hunters enslaved as undead.
But Wujing, cornered to the extreme, had changed.
“Now that I’ve met elder brother again! Heheh. Heaven truly favors us!”
He turned, smiling slyly at Yi-hyeon.
“And this boy is only a temporary apostle?”
「What are you getting at?」
“If elder brother has no claim, perhaps I could make him my apostle?”
「What!?」
Yi-hyeon’s eyes widened. Wukong’s face twisted in fury.
Sha Wujing smirked.
“As you know, I’ve few apostles, even fewer followers. I’d have to tag along until you’re whole again anyway. Why not take this fine youth? He looks promising.”
「No! He’s mine!」
“Eh? Temporary or not, how can he belong to you? Isn’t it his choice?”
「I said no!」
While bickering, Wujing winked at Yi-hyeon.
A signal—I’ll help you.
He had quickly perceived Wukong and Yi-hyeon’s bond, and sought to give Yi-hyeon the advantage.
‘Trying to win me over, huh?’
Yi-hyeon chuckled faintly.
「Keep running your mouth and I’ll—」
Wukong stopped mid-threat, head snapping up. His face cooled instantly.
「Little brother. Looks like we’ve been tailed.」
“…?!”
Wujing’s expression hardened as well.
[Error!]
[Error!]
Crimson error windows spread across the ceiling.
‘Something’s coming!’
Error messages only appeared when outside forces intruded.
“When did they—!?”
「After falling, senses dull compared to when immortal. Don’t despair.」
Wukong calmed Wujing, no longer the reckless monkey, but a dignified god.
「They must’ve tracked me by following you… What now?」
[Error! Unauthorized <Characters> detected.]
[Correction: <Uninvited Guests> have begun dungeon incursion. Arrival in 3 minutes.]
[00:03:00]
[00:02:59]
…
[Area forcibly designated as a combat zone.]
[Escape skills disabled.]
Three minutes was far too short to flee.
And with escape sealed, they were being deliberately trapped.
「Judging by the scent… yes. Apostles of Nezha and Indra.」
Wukong’s lips curled grimly.
They were the right hands of the very gods who had slain him.
[Nezha]
Right hand of the Jade Emperor of the Celestial Sect. A powerful war deity, master of countless weapons.
Origin: Fengshen Yanyi.
[Indra]
Left hand of Brahma of the Devas. Once hailed as king of gods, wielder of thunder.
Origin: Vedas.
“I… I’ve doomed us, elder brother! If not for my foolishness—!”
「Enough! What’s done is done. Let’s think about how to deal with them.」
Thankfully, it wasn’t the gods themselves.
Barriers between Heaven and the human world prevented that.
Apostles were manageable.
The real problem—an apostle’s [Eyes] were linked to their gods.
‘So how do we deal with that…?’
As Wukong’s eyes sank deep, Yi-hyeon suddenly stepped forward.
“Both of you, hide for now. I’ll hold them off.”
「What do you mean?」
Both Wukong and Wujing turned to him.
Yi-hyeon smiled.
“Fighting two apostles at once is tough even for me, but if I just conceal your presence, isn’t that enough?”
Wukong’s eyes widened in realization.
「Don’t tell me…」
“Just so. I’ve recently begun mastering a rather fitting technique.”
Crackle!
Lightning sparked around him.
Resonant Thunder.
But different now.
[Using the Ice-Heart, your body and mana circuits gain cold attributes. Cooling system complete.]
[Mana circuit efficiency increased.]
[Mana +5.]
[Dexterity +4.]
…
[Resonant Thunder’s density has exceeded prior limits. Its heat rises dramatically, entering a new stage.]
CRACKLE!!
The bluish-white lightning turned pure white.
[You have awakened <Dioeis>!]
Zeus’s signature power—Dioeis.
The first stage, Keraunos, was now his.
「……!」
“Doesn’t it make for a convincing disguise—posing as an apostle of Zeus?”
