Here's an Opportunity-Chapter 154: Mammon (2)

The demons had withdrawn from the battlefield along with nearly all the 6th-Circle Archmages. Even the lower-ranking Black Wizards who had infiltrated the Black Kingdom to confront the rescue team had disappeared into thin air.

"It's just as Hero Kim Ki-Rok said it would."

High Elf Serena quickly scanned her surroundings and extended her hand, causing a wave of fire to come crashing down on the A-Class monster. It let out a cry and hastily released its mana, forming a large dome-shaped mana shield. Though it avoided being swept away, it couldn't withstand the heat and instinctively lowered its stance.

In a single, fluid motion, High Elf Mair drove his foot into the earth, vaulting over the Hell Lion's head. He compressed his mana to add weight to his descent and, blade gripped with both hands, plunged his longsword wreathed in a dense Aura Blade straight through the beast's neck. The Hell Lion collapsed, head severed.

"Tsk!"

Mair dropped into a crouch and sprang sideways, dodging another A-Class monster that was sent by a Black Wizard just moments after he had finished off the lion. Though thrown off-balance mid-jump, he was a rather adept Aura Master, twisting through the air to regain control before touching down smoothly. Rather than counterattack, he dashed to his comrade's side, taking position beside her as he swept his gaze across the battlefield. Young black Wizards, monsters, and skeletons filled the chaos, but the Archmages were nowhere to be seen.

"Let's move," Serena said.

As the Black Wizards staggered under the impact of wind elemental magic, Mair kicked off the ground again and charged toward them.

***

Yoo Seh-Eun of the DG Guild gritted her teeth as she swung her sword, imbued with sacred power, cleaving through the skeletons. Without pausing, she rushed toward the next cluster of undead.

"Pissing me off," she mumbled.

In moments like this, Kim Ki-Rok always chose the easy, comfortable, and safe path. Of course, breaking through the encirclement of monsters, Undead, and Black Wizards with the rescue team was no small feat. Compared to fighting a demon, however, the choice was simple.

"Seriously..."

Grinding her teeth, Yoo Seh-Eun charged at another skeleton and activated her Skill. Five white Mana Blades spun outward, cutting through the air and disintegrating the skeletons in every direction.

"Really pissing me off."

***

During a short recess in the meeting, members of the DG Guild hurried over to Kim Ki-Rok. The plan was extremely dangerous, and one wrong move could get him killed.

"Why does it have to be you, Guildmaster?" asked a guild member.

"Hm? You mean playing bait?" Kim Ki-Rok replied.

"Yes."

"Because someone has to do it."

"But why does it always have to be you, someone who isn't even an S-Class Hunter?!" exclaimed the frustrated guild member.

Nearby S-Class Hunters flinched at the outburst. Everyone participating in the Gate clear was either S-Class or A-Class.

"There are two reasons," Kim Ki-Rok said calmly.

"Two?"

"The first reason is that I'm the only one who knows about Mammon."

Only someone with deep knowledge of Mammon could serve as bait, both to provoke him and to keep him in check after the confrontation.

However, another member pointed out, "You've never seen Mammon in person, Guildmaster."

"No, I haven't," Kim Ki-Rok acknowledged. "But with the help of the Continental Alliance, I watched footage of the battle between Mammon and the strongest man on the continent, Sword God. I also studied recordings of other Greater Demon battles."

"So you're saying you're the only one suitable for the role because you understand Mammon best?"

"Exactly. He's the strongest of all the Greater Demons summoned to Middle Earth. Even dozens of S-Class Hunters wouldn't be able to stop him. I'm the only one who stands a chance because I've studied his fight against the Sword God and understand his techniques."

Information was crucial when lives were on the line. If someone truly understood combat and had to choose between sending an uninformed S-Class Hunter or an A-Class Hunter who knew the enemy, they would choose the one with knowledge every time.

Lee Chil-Sung raised his hand and asked, "What's the second reason?"

"The second reason lies in Guardian."

"Guardian?"

"Yes. Do you remember the restrictions on this S-Class equipment?"

Greater Fire Elementalist Lee Ji-Yeon had been quietly listening to the conversation, but now chimed in, "A High Elf, or someone who has received the permission of the World Tree Priestess."

"Correct. As Miss Ji-Yeon said, Guardian can only be worn by those permitted by the World Tree Priestess, or by a High Elf."

"Then couldn't you ask a High Elf to play the bait?" Lee Chil-Sung offered.

"They won't survive the fight." Kim Ki-Rok shook his head, then slowly turned toward Lee Ji-Yeon. "A High Elf can't hold their ground. Even if they manage to defeat Mammon, a severely injured High Elf would eventually fall to the Black Wizards or Intermediate Demons. That would mean losing Guardian, our trump card. But it's a different story if a Hunter plays the bait."

Lee Ji-Yeon had to admit the reasoning was sound. "A Hunter subject to the rules of the Gate, a Hunter with information on Mammon, and finally, a Hunter who can use the Guardian... So only a Hunter who meets these three criteria can be bait."

***

"Sigh." Greater Fire Elementalist Lee Ji-Yeon conjured a massive firestorm, incinerating the wave of skeletons before her.

The DG Guild members shared the same sentiment. Hacking through charging skeletons and monsters, they vented their frustration with every swing and thought about how their Guildmaster always bore the heaviest burdens. It would have been different if they could help, but they simply didn't have the strength to do so.

—Do you remember what the Guildmaster said?

The members turned their heads at the sound of Lee Chil-Sung's voice over the earpiece.

—He said it at the end. It may have sounded like a joke, but he said he would buy us a ten-year grace period, and then leave the Greater Demons to us.

The guild members nodded silently. Kim Ki-Rok had said those words to them when they were overwhelmed by a reality they couldn't change. He had promised to attain this grace period, then entrusted them with the task of defeating a Greater Demon. That promise was the only reason they could accept the situation, however reluctantly.

—He wouldn't lie to us. But if we fail to grow during those ten years, the Guildmaster will have to face the Greater Demon himself, just like he's doing now.

That much was certain. If the Hunters failed to grow strong enough by the time the Greater Demons made their move, Kim Ki-Rok would have no choice but to confront one himself alongside the warriors of the Yuashiel Dimension. He had trained his guild members through fast, safe methods, always preparing for distant threats. That alone made it clear he would not hesitate to take up arms if the time came.

—Although I joined the guild later than most, I owe the Guildmaster an immeasurable debt... so let's give it everything we've got.

Though Lee Chil-Sung had voiced it, every guild member fell silent in agreement. Instead of responding verbally, they inhaled deeply, tightened their grips, and fixed their gazes on the advancing undead and monsters.

***

—So let's give it everything we've got.

"Haha, damn it..." Baek Min-Hyuk muttered.

Lee Chil-Sung's words didn't just stir the DG Guild, they lit a fire in all the S-Class Hunters participating in the Gate clear. These Hunters had pulled away from Gate clears because leveling up had become increasingly difficult. They had cut down on training, choosing instead to team up with other Hunters to clear A-Class Gates more efficiently. They had turned their focus to expanding their guilds and boosting their social standing. But in the end, they were still Hunters.

What if they had never stopped pushing themselves? What if they had kept growing, just like when they first awakened? What if they had taken the demons seriously from the beginning, gathering intelligence the way Kim Ki-Rok had? If that had been the case, Kim Ki-Rok would have surely asked for help from the S-Class Hunters to increase their chances of winning.

"Fuck, this is embarrassing..." Baek Min-Hyuk caught his breath and used his Beastfolk Transformation again to take his stance.

He had ten years, a grace period granted by another man's sacrifice.

"My goal is..." Baek Min-Hyuk said, stepping forward. "The Greater Demon's head."

In the blink of an eye, he appeared in front of a towering A-Class monster and swung his fist with full force. A thunderous boom rang out as the blow launched the monster into the air and sent it flying. The beast staggered to its feet with eyes ablaze, but Baek Min-Hyuk was already charging in again. He reappeared before the monster, face set with grim determination, and swung his fist. Another earth-shaking impact followed as it landed. 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

***

Kim Ki-Rok had watched the footage of Mammon and the Sword God over and over again. Greater Demon Mammon was expected to be the boss of an S-Class Gate that would eventually manifest on Earth, so there was no room for error or complacency.

He quickly raised both arms to block Mammon's incoming strike, then looked up. Just as Mammon's right arm shifted and a subtle twitch appeared on his left eyebrow, Kim Ki-Rok moved. A sharp crack split the air as he pushed off the ground, diving sideways a heartbeat before a black Aura Bullet slammed into the spot he had just vacated, the explosion tearing a hole through the earth.

Mammon's next move always depended on how his opponent reacted to the Aura Bullet. If Kim Ki-Rok had blocked, Mammon would've fired another. If he dodged as he had just done, Mammon would close the distance for melee combat.

As soon as he landed, Kim Ki-Rok twisted his torso and snapped his head to the side, barely avoiding a heavy fist that swept past. Still mid-motion, he planted a hand against Mammon's chest. Seeing Mammon slip backward from his counterattack just as narrowly, he kicked off and retreated, choosing distance over forcing the exchange.

He had prepared thoroughly, consuming potions and meals crafted with his Cooking Skill, using spell scrolls, equipping artifacts that enhanced his abilities, and donning Guardian. But even with all of that, he was still no match for a Greater Demon. However, he had been blessed by the World Tree, which weakened Demon Realm mana. On top of that, Guardian was capable of neutralizing fifty percent of that mana.

Mammon stared intently with narrowed eyes at Kim Ki-Rok, watching him catch his breath. "This is strange..."

Despite Kim Ki-Rok's lack of strength, it seemed that he had known of Mammon's weaknesses and thoroughly prepared.

"Kim Ki-Rok... was it?"

"Haa... haa... Oh my... Just a moment, please, Lord Mammon." Kim Ki-Rok drew a few more shaky breaths, then flashed a bright smile. "Alright, we're good to go now. Huff..."

"You've become weaker," Mammon said, matter-of-factly.

"Oh. You noticed. That's the penalty for using Guardian."

Mammon's gaze dropped to the blue glove on Kim Ki-Rok's hand. A magical artifact with the peculiar ability to destroy his mana was a rare and powerful weapon, but its penalty was severe. That only made Mammon more puzzled.

"Why?"

"Pardon?" Kim Ki-Rok asked.

"Why would you expose your own weakness?"

"It's simple."

As Mammon tilted his head again, Kim Ki-Rok inhaled deeply, exhaled slowly, and flashed the same cheerful smile. "To buy time. Look, we've already passed thirty seconds, haven't we? It took me a year to get this far. If I can hold you off for just twenty-five minutes, I'll have earned ten more years of time. So, really, as long as I'm stalling, I'm winning."

"Heh heh heh..." Mammon let out a short laugh at the absurd reply. Then, without warning, he launched himself toward the ground again.

Even while they spoke, Kim Ki-Rok hadn't let his guard down. He had been watching Mammon closely and moved in response, already predicting the next strike.