Chapter 35: The Flame of the Yeon Family (4)
Sector A — Hoaquin's Exam Area
Across the vast ocean, a white shinsu construct sliced cleanly through the sky as I flew above it.
If a Jigena surfaced, I wanted to be the first to spot it — that was the whole point of flying.
But nothing showed up.
It probably wasn't sunbathing time yet.
In that case, searching underwater would be faster.
I folded my wings and dove straight down.
The wind split around me, producing a satisfying sonic crack as I plummeted.
In the next instant, I pierced into the sea in a clean dive.
The water was remarkably clear, which made visibility decent — but even so, trying to find a Jigena in this endless ocean with just my eyes would be nonsense.
Instead, I extended my senses and tracked the flow of shinsu throughout the water, searching for any area where the waves moved differently.
All the shinsu currents, even from far away, pulsed through me…but none of them were notably stronger or stranger than the others.
So this wasn't the right place.
I ascended into the air again and repeated the process several more times.
After dozens of dives across the seemingly endless sea, enduring all the exhausting trial and error, I finally found it.
"…There."
A specific area where the shinsu movements were turbulent — different from everywhere else.
Unless there was some other massive sea creature here besides Jigena, that had to be it.
With my shinsu wings, I shot through the water toward that location.
After about ten minutes, as expected, a massive sea beast drifted through the deep ocean—Jigena.
Its huge back was fitted with a small flag stand.
Since Jigena was a gentle sea creature, I could approach without worrying about being attacked.
A peaceful, docile sea beast…
The only ones I've met until now were things like barracudas, bull sharks, and other aggressive monsters.
It had been a long time since I'd run into a calm one.
Relaxing for the first time in a while, I landed comfortably on Jigena's wide back, pulled out one of the attached flags, and soared up out of the water.
"Exam Supervisor, here."
"Huh…? Al—already…?"
The timer the supervisor had set earlier read 40:09 out of the 48 hours.
Roughly eight hours total.
Some bad luck on my part, but honestly… finding Jigena just took too long.
Two days was definitely cutting it close.
"I pass, right?"
"…Yes, you pass. The gate to return to the Regular area is over there."
"Got it."
I stepped into the gate and waited for it to activate.
Hopefully Luf and Hwarang were managing fine…
Though if they struggled, stealing a flag from someone else wouldn't be difficult for them.
While I was thinking about that—
A burst of light erupted from the gate, activating it.
But the place that appeared in front of me wasn't the familiar Regular area.
It was a district filled with luxurious buildings, tightly packed and refined.
I had never seen this place.
Actually… this didn't look like a Regular area at all.
Where the hell am I?
"Huh? What the—?"
A group of unfamiliar Regulars stared at me in shock, almost like they recognized me.
Looking around revealed dozens more.
"Why'd he come here? Did he already pass the exam?"
"Already? But the Ranker is still waiting at the testing area…"
"Should we report it?"
They all acted like they knew who I was.
And they all seemed surprised I arrived so early.
Whoever tampered with the gate must be connected to this.
"You guys know who I am? Where is this supposed to be?"
The moment I spoke, their expressions sharpened.
They exchanged looks — clearly signaling one another.
The atmosphere shifted sharply.
As I moved to warn them—
I jerked my head aside.
A spear grazed past where my skull had been just seconds earlier.
As soon as the first attack failed, several Regulars shouted and charged toward me.
"Someone report to the Ranker! Until he arrives, restrain him or capture him first!"
"I don't know what stupid game you're playing, but—
just how far do you think you can push it?"
I clenched my hand, compressing shinsu into a dense point, and then opened my fingers.
A massive shockwave exploded outward in every direction.
Instantly, every Regular's pocket shut down —completely fried.
The idea came from EMP bombs I'd seen in movies, and from how Wave Controllers sometimes used electrical shinsu to disable enemy gear.
The charging Regulars froze in panic—then regrouped and attacked again.
Even if they couldn't call for help, they seemed convinced they could overpower me directly.
Two of them charged in holding daggers —but their heads were severed instantly by shinsu blades that shot forward like bullets.
In the five months I climbed from the 3rd floor to the 20th, I'd taken countless lives with these hands.
I dislike the Tower's "survival of the fittest" nonsense…but when killing is necessary, hesitation only gets you killed.
The effect of that EMP-like attack wouldn't last long.
I needed to finish this before their pockets rebooted.
"Fishermen, engage! Wave Controllers and Spear Bearers, provide long-range pressure! Light Bearers, support! Scouts, retreat until your pockets reboot and call for backup! If we catch him before the Ranker arrives, the reward triples! Move!"
So that one was the leader.
He'd live — for now.
The Scouts trying to escape?
They'd die or lose limbs.
At my gesture, ten shinsu blades floated into the air —
thin rapier-like constructs, built for piercing.
With one hand, I casually batted away the incoming Fishermen.
With the other, I directed the shinsu blades.
Ten blades shot forward, each piercing a running Scout through the throat, heart, or legs — killing or crippling them instantly.
Now I had one free hand.
I gripped my main sword with both hands and swung diagonally.
My blade sliced through the remaining Regulars like wet paper.
After fighting only High Rankers and Ten Great Families…these ordinary Regulars felt painfully fragile.
"I haven't seen morons challenge an Arie direct descendant since the 2nd floor."
Just who the hell were these people?
At my question, the remaining Regulars grimaced and repositioned to surround me again.
"We are FUG! A revolutionary group opposing the Ten Families and—your comrade is already in our—"
Slash—
The speaking Regular's head flew off.
That was me.
I heard something I shouldn't have.
"…Another one. Explain clearly. What did you just say?"
"Kill him—! No, stall him! The Ranker and the other team will notice something's wr—"
I sliced off the head of the one shouting from the side.
Wrong answer.
"Gh…!"
Their faces twisted in pain as they desperately reinforced their bodies with shinsu just to withstand the pressure crushing down on them.
Ah.
So it is because of me.
I could faintly sense the shinsu around me swirling and distorting the environment with immense pressure.
Not that I cared.
"I'll ask one more time."
My eyes turned to the leader — the one who'd been forming strategies earlier.
He was the only one I needed alive.
The moment our eyes met, he recoiled and screamed something.
I didn't bother to listen.
"D-Don't panic! We still outnumber him! Reposition! Respond proactively!"
They charged again.
Large bodies, heavy armor.
Defenders or defense-type Fishermen.
I didn't move an inch, even as they rushed me.
In my eyes, their bodies already displayed their clean-cut "cutting lines."
I swung Baekya exactly along those lines.
A single downward slash cleaved one man in half.
A rising diagonal slash took the head of another.
So they thought wearing heavy armor would let them fight like the Ten Great Families?
Cute.
Their attacks didn't stop.
Spears flew at my back — I cut every single one of them in half without even turning.
Then I rushed forward.
"L-Light Bearer! S-Stop hi— Guh!"
I targeted the Spear Bearers first — the annoying ones.
Running in a wide arc, I sliced them down one by one.
Then I raised ten new shinsu blades.
I flattened the blades horizontally and accelerated them into a violent spin.
Too many enemies to kill slowly.
Everyone dies except the leader.
The spinning blades shot forward like a storm of flying chakrams.
Some managed to block one or two…
But the boomerang-like return arcs and the ever-increasing number overwhelmed them.
Limbs flew.
Bodies split.
Silhouettes were diced apart in midair.
Screams and shredded flesh filled the space.
I didn't care.
I just wanted this nuisance over with.
Twenty seconds later, I recalled all ten blades, dripping with blood.
The ground was littered with corpses — each missing something vital.
I stepped over the gore toward the only one I'd left alive.
"D-Don't come closer…! You maniac!"
Wrong answer again.
I gently pressed my foot onto his ribs — enough force to remind him what my question was.
Crunch.
"GAAAAAAH!"
"My friends. Where are they?"
"I—I am a warrior of FUG— GAAAAH! O-Okay! I'll talk!"
He broke quickly. Good.
"T-The other team told us they secured the little Light Bearer! A-And the Yeon Family boy— we didn't take him, but h-he was handed over to the Workshop—!"
Perfect.
That was all I needed.
I ended his life cleanly.
As I walked, something in a puddle caught my eye — my reflection, drenched in blood across my clothes and face.
I tried wiping it off, but it only smeared.
I left it as it was.
Then I turned toward the 21st Floor Regular District.
Toward the Workshop.
Each step I took left a faint trail—
A line of red footprints.
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