Upon arriving at the airport, now a veritable wasteland, the group fell into a stunned silence. The sight before them bore no resemblance to the Incheon Airport they knew, indistinguishable from a disaster zone ravaged by an earthquake. Debris was scattered everywhere, windows shattered beyond their purpose, and one side of the wall had collapsed entirely, making it impossible to discern if this was once an airport or just another casualty of a natural disaster. A fierce wind blew through the gaping holes in the walls. It was clear that restoration would require both significant time and expense.
However, there were things that neither money nor time could restore to their state before the advent of Karis.
Human corpses were strewn about, so mangled that they were beyond recognition. Crows descended, feasting upon them. Faced with such a horrific scene, Kang Sihyun's gaze became unfocused, unable to do anything else.
Having used healing skills on the deceased in the past to no avail, he knew it was a pointless waste of mana.
A disturbing scream tore through the silence from a distance, more primal than human. It was a sound that blurred the lines between agony and ecstasy. Kang Sihyun was certain it was the cry of Karis.
Heads turned unanimously towards the source of the sound. Just as a sense of ominous dread filled everyone's eyes, a clapping sound echoed.
"We don't have much time before Karis moves to another location, so let's quickly go over the briefing and capture it," a man, caressing his sword, began the briefing. Only then did the focus shift away from Karis.
"Catastrophe-class Irregular, Karis. A crow-shaped Irregular capable of controlling the skies."
"The skies?"
"More precisely, it can manipulate the weather. A catastrophe-class Irregular can either change the climate or bring about weather changes upon its arrival. Karis belongs to the former category."
Kang Sihyun was reminded of the only catastrophe-class being he had encountered before.
Titan.
The calm sea had been engulfed by a storm, rain poured down, and the dark waters churned as if to devour everything. The fear of that moment, which he thought he had forgotten, crept over him. Kang Sihyun quickly shifted his thoughts.
Gula.
A symbol of the primordial.
Remembering the overwhelming presence he had faced that day made all his fear melt away like snow. The greatest fear brings with it a sense of awe. Titan was nothing compared to Gula.
As he reminisced about a school trip, Hahyuk called out Kang Sihyun's name. The man, noticing that Kang Sihyun was lost in thought, awkwardly refocused on the conversation.
"Karis's attack pattern mainly consists of three types: feathers, lightning, and a pecking attack. This might sound simple, but in reality, its attacks are both strong and fast, making them difficult to counter. I'll explain them now, so make sure you understand how to respond properly."
Hahyuk explained briskly, like reviewing a summary before an exam.
"When the feather attack comes, Karis will take one of two stances: either spreading its wings wide or folding them to cover its body. The latter stance signifies a stronger attack, with each wing releasing anywhere from 50 to 300 feathers. Be prepared to dodge or use shields accordingly."
Hahyuk's gaze met Kang Sihyun's. Understanding his intent, Kang Sihyun raised his hand, signaling he would provide support with shields if necessary. Hahyuk nodded in approval.
"Lightning attacks are somewhat predictable because Karis calls them with its cry. If you hear a slightly different sound, expect lightning to strike. It's not just any lightning, so don't even think about watching and dodging. If you're curious, feel free to try, but unless you want to give our healer a hard time, it's best to avoid it by prediction."
The command to dodge something unpredictable seemed natural. Despite understanding the difficulty, the explanation made the upcoming battle feel even more daunting.
"The last attack, the pecking, is exactly as it sounds: a dive from the sky. It's a powerful attack that even Karis risks injury from, making it infrequent but consequently more dangerous. If you get hit, you might as well say goodbye to the world. If life bores you, by all means, let yourself get hit."
His attempt to lighten the mood with a joke didn't quite land as one. It was a clear message: if you want to live, avoid it. Kang Sihyun nodded, tightening his grip on his staff.
He was confident in his agility but doubted it matched that of a catastrophe-class entity. As he mentally simulated evasive maneuvers, Hahyuk spoke again, indicating there was more to warn about beyond the three patterns described.
"And besides the three patterns I've just described, there's one more thing we need to
be cautious of."
"You're talking about the second phase."
A woman, previously involved in subduing a catastrophe-class entity, spoke up. Hahyuk blinked in affirmation.
"Second phase. A stage known as Irregular Awakening, common among catastrophe-class and higher Irregulars. This phase begins once their health drops below a certain threshold, utilizing entirely different patterns and skills, necessitating a completely different combat strategy."
"..."
"The problem is, we have very little information on Karis's second phase."
"None?"
"When Karis first appeared in England and was driven to its second phase, only one Awakened survived. Since then, Karis has either fled before entering the second phase or annihilated everyone, ending the battle prematurely.
It's unfortunate we lack information, but we'll have to make do with what we have."
The voices of the people added weight to the atmosphere. Kang Sihyun snapped to attention, focusing on the fact that Karis had decimated them before the second phase could even begin. This wasn't an enemy they could defeat by taking lightly.
"According to the information we've gathered so far, when the second phase begins, Karis brings about nightfall."
"Night?"
"Yes. The sky darkens, and massive spears rain down, with Karis's agility and attack power known to increase. That's when the real battle begins, so stay alert. Let's decide on our positions now."
Hahyuk led the group with the competence of someone who had experienced numerous battles. When his name was called as the main support, Kang Sihyun gripped his staff tighter. Although he had volunteered for the role, facing the reality made him feel nervous and pressured. He never wanted to be the main in the first place, hoping to gain experience in a supporting role, but Hahyuk had firmly placed him in the main support position, prompting him to be more cautious.
This was Hahyuk's warning.
A warning not to be overly ambitious. A test to judge his capabilities in this battle. The responsibility weighed heavily on his shoulders. Hahyuk then assigned positions to the others.
Seunghyun, the alchemist, and Haneul, the buffer, were to support him as the main support, with Hamin and Haru forming one team and Haeyeon and Wonjeong another, taking on the role of support dealers. Hahyuk instructed Seunghyun, given his role as an alchemist, to assist both the support and the dealer as needed.
"The common weak spot of Irregulars is their eyes. Haru, use your weakness detection periodically to identify and inform us of Karis's weak points."
"...Yes."
"The support dealers will alternate, and I'll continue to press Karis. Kang Sihyun, focus on supporting me primarily, while Haneul, you prioritize the other guild members. Seunghyun, I trust you know what to do without being told."
After saying this, Hahyuk drew his sword. He quietly watched the distant area where Karis was wreaking havoc, then tapped his foot against the ground as if warming up before a run.
"The most important thing is to kill the Irregular. However, since survival is directly linked, if it seems too risky, abandon entry. We've formed this team not to die, so let's not die and finish this."
He was different from Ruth. Unlike Ruth, who prioritized the lives of the Awakeners, his approach was pragmatic, prioritizing the elimination of the Irregular while advising against reckless actions. Yet, paradoxically, this pragmatic approach was reassuring. Perhaps it was Hahyuk's calm and tension-free voice that made it seem so.
Without overly raising the tension to boost morale or unnecessarily weighing down to instill vigilance, his mere presence instilled trust. Following him, the team members calmed down and nodded. Hahyuk, with his sword ready, stamped the ground.
"Let's go. Haneul."
Without even having to request a buff, Haneul immediately applied a flight buff to the entire team. Hahyuk closed half the distance to Karis with a single leap, showing remarkable control for someone not known to possess flight skills.
"Keep up. If you can't maintain this speed, you'll have to drop out of the fight."
The team members quickly followed Hahyuk's lead at his merciless command.
-Kyaaaa!
As they approached Karis, the air seemed to change, and suddenly the massive cry of a crow shook the airport. The bizarre cry, filled with the menace of a catastrophe-class, made them reel. If they had not encountered the likes of Titan or Gula before, they might have been crushed by the overwhelming presence and fallen.
However, everyone here had experienced beings on the level of Titan. Everyone but Hahyuk swayed momentarily but quickly regained their balance and continued flying.
"Focus."
The voice that seemed to scold them for being shaken by just a cry clenched their teeth. Hahyuk stepped on the air again and leaped forward. Now, Karis's form was clearly visible.
-Kiiiiek!
It was enormous. Its size dwarfed buildings, and when it spread its wings, it could darken the sky over a small village. Kang Sihyun reached right in front of Karis alongside Hahyuk. The eyes of the crow turned towards the group. Facing those large pupils, Kang Sihyun realized how naive he had been to lightly consider a catastrophe-class being compared to Gula.
Their eyes met, and a chill went down their spines. A bone-chilling fear engulfed them. For Kang Sihyun, Hamin, and Haru, facing a catastrophe-class for the first time, the reaction was
universal. Among them, Kang Sihyun, who had followed Hahyuk closely and encountered Karis up close, was particularly frozen.
Beneath the lofty gaze of the crow, the world seemed to come to a standstill.
His body lost control to his rational mind. An impulse, born from a survival instinct wanting to flee, frantically warned him. Warned that if he didn't flee now, he would die. That he would lose his breath. It warned him fervently.
Unlike the encounter with Gula, where he had felt detached from reality, now every essence of Karis seeped into his skin, constricting his breath. His breathing became labored. It was when his vision briefly blurred that someone grabbed Kang Sihyun's shoulder.
Along with it, a chilling murderous intent collided with Karis's aura. The aura of an S-grade washed over Kang Sihyun's shoulder without filtration. As his breath eased yet was blocked again, Kang Sihyun, caught in the clash of energies, grimaced and clutched his throat.
Struggling to breathe properly, the man who drove back Karis's presence with his murderous intent whispered to Kang Sihyun.
"Snap out of it."
"...Gasp."
"Breathe, just like that…"
His soothing voice brought Kang Sihyun's breathing back to a normal rhythm.
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