Chapter 655

〈Chapter 655〉 Part 2, Chapter 3, 20

<10:22 PM, Guro Digital District YEE-Mart 1st Floor, Entrance to the Lighthouse Keeper's Den>

Yuinah, Park Ra-on, Kim Nori, and Kim Gaon had arrived at their destination, the entrance to the Lighthouse Keeper’s den. What was originally an SSM supermarket now had its upper floors completely collapsed, making it unrecognizable, with only the eerie entrance remaining.

“Are we sure this is the right place?”

“Yes. According to the Lighthouse, this is it.”

Baek Cheonghwa’s ally, Ha Yu-eun—secured through a deal with Yu-Sung—contacted them from the trailer. Two of Yu-Sung’s employees were stationed in the trailer as part of the base camp, monitoring real-time information obtained from the villain <Lighthouse>.

“The basement level 1 grocery section is completely ruined. But starting from basement level 4, the parking lot becomes their main territory, they say.”

“Ahh, I think I get it. In those apocalypse movies, they always raid the food first, right?”

“It’s common sense not to unnecessarily check the underground parking unless you’re certain something’s down there.”

The four swallowed nervously. This was where the cruel villain <Masquerade> resided, along with the suspected capture site of Baek Cheonghwa, the blonde Westerner.

“Is the boss really okay?”

“With his bodyguard around, he’ll definitely be fine.”

“…Now that I think about it, does our boss even *have* a bodyguard? Was it all just for show? Were the two back at base camp actually supposed to guard him?”

“Don’t jinx it, Kim Nori.”

The magical girls began feeling increasingly uneasy. As night fell, monsters started rampaging, and communication via Magical Gear suddenly cut off. Despite Yuna repeatedly trying to reconnect, the polluted magic power surrounding them prevented clear contact.

“No, seriously, think about it. If the boss were okay, wouldn’t he have said so by now? Something might’ve happened…”

“There’s no way…”

As Nori was being scolded, Gaon suddenly stiffened. Staring blankly into the air, she clenched her teeth and turned abruptly.

“Everyone, inside! And hurry up—we need to find the boss!”

“What, sister?!”

“An A-Rank monster’s coming!”

“…!!”

Kim Gaon, codenamed “Siren,” quickly spread her water barrier using her magic power. The moment she stepped onto the watery boundary formed around the entrance, a massive shadow leaped down from the opposite rooftop.

Grrrr.

“A fish?!”

“It’s a garfish! Rank… A!”

<The Guro Bass>.

A grotesque monster resembling a deep-sea creature with limbs emerged, towering over 4 meters tall. Despite being marine-based, it thrived amidst urban structures, capable of chewing through concrete like paper. Its twisted fangs and powerful jaws had already claimed the lives of ten heroes.

Clack clack clack!

For C+ ranked magical girls officially considered the strongest on their team, encountering such a beast meant certain doom—but luckily, they had Gaon, who was secretly an A-Rank hero.

“Inside, quickly! We need to find the boss before things escalate!”

With Siren’s calm command, the others bit their lips and dashed into the store.

Though too dangerous to leave solely to the youngest girl, the three remembered their limitations after dealing with the chimera incident in Gangneung.

“Sis, are you gonna die?!”

“Just believe in me!”

The siblings exchanged one last meaningful glance before turning away. As the monster roared, a colossal jet of water erupted around them.

“Kyaaaaa!”

The three magical girls were pushed halfway up the first floor by the geyser-like water spouts erupting from the ground. Water dripped from their battle suits.

“Ugh…”

“We’ll leave this to Gaon. Nori, stay focused.”

“I’m focused…but sis, will you be alright?”

“For Gaon’s sake, we need to rescue the boss quickly.”

“Yeah…right.”

Encouraged by Ra-on, Nori steadied herself and drew her weapons—a sword shorter than a meter and a pistol resembling a model gun, both emblazoned with the word “Meteor,” core weapons provided by Yu-Sung Technology.

“I’ll take the front.”

“Then I’ll cover the middle.”

“I’ll handle the rear.”

Nori at the front, Yuna in the middle, and Ra-on at the back—though arranged by height, they stood according to the formation taught by Baek Cheonghwa.

“Team SDF, let’s begin reconnaissance.”

Yuna raised her staff lowly, illuminating the pitch-black ruins with her magical glow. Without their commander Baek Cheonghwa, leadership naturally fell to Yuna.

“Basement Level 1 is empty space. Basement Level 2 has damaged corridors but offers a defined path downward. Basement Level 3 serves as their front yard, and starting from Level 4…”

“The enemy’s stronghold.”

Unlike its name, Guro’s <Lighthouse> observed the entire district from underground, granting the duo sent by Yu-Sung detailed structural information down to Level 7.

Level 7.

There awaited the villain <Masquerade>, who had kidnapped their commander.

“…Why does this woman have a strawberry mark…?”

With renewed determination, the trio descended to Level 2. As if sensing their arrival, E-Rank monsters lurking on Level 2 bared their fangs toward them.

“Hang on, boss! We’re coming to save you!”

The magical girls unleashed their magic powers, beginning their assault on the basement.

* * *

“…And that’s how I sent them off.”

<Siren>, Kim Gaon sat dejectedly on the wet floor.

When the building’s first floor was swept clean by water, pushing the three further inside, it wasn’t to keep the Guro Bass out—it was to ensure “the people inside couldn’t escape.” Watching the shattered remains of the Guro Bass reduced to icy shards, Siren chuckled helplessly.

“I could never defeat this alone…”

Staring at the devastated remains of the Guro Bass, barely a minute after the trio entered, Siren shuddered. Within a minute, the Guro Bass had been annihilated.

“Without Commander’s orders, we would’ve been in serious trouble…”

Siren wasn’t lying. Unable to handle it alone, she required Commander Baek Cheonghwa’s guidance.

– Hold on for one minute after separating from the others.

That was Baek Cheonghwa’s directive, issued before the Guro Bass even appeared. The Commander gave instructions solely to Siren, keeping it secret from the others.

– Keep this a secret from the three. Pretend I’m safe.

To create urgency, the Commander staged a situation where communication seemed severed due to emergency.

– Support will arrive within a minute.

Siren trusted the Commander. Though the monster was stronger and fatal upon contact, enduring one minute of evasive maneuvers proved possible. Within that minute, salvation descended from the heavens.

“Are you alright?”

Crack, snap.

Reinforcements arrived—powerful reinforcements. Dressed in attire far too elegant for combat, a white-haired woman clad in a formal suit froze the A-Rank monster with a single gesture.

“Nice to meet you. S-Rank Hero, <Snow Princess> Seok Harang.”

In less than thirty seconds, the S-Rank Hero <Snow Princess> Seok Harang greeted Gaon with a gentle smile, extending her hand. Gaon hesitantly accepted it, standing up awkwardly.

Hesitant.

Upon shaking hands, they sensed something. Eye contact led to simultaneous head tilts.

“Um, do you happen to…?”

“Ahem, Snow Princess, forgive my impertinence, but…”

Gaon tapped her palms twice, questioning silently.

“…Kuk kuk?”

“…Kuk kuk.”

Two words clarified everything. Strengthening their handshake, both glanced at each other’s chests.

“Let’s be friends.”

“Yes, please take care of me, Snow Princess.”

No more words needed. Had someone not approached from afar, they’d undoubtedly have embraced to solidify their camaraderie. Seok Harang clicked her tongue, tapping the water surface with her boot.

“Tch, here already…”

“An association hero?”

“Technically a hero, but more like surveillance disguised as support. From the Patriotic Youth League assigned to the association. He was instructed to wait in Dongjak, but when I suddenly came to Guro, he followed. …Excuse me.”

Seok Harang extracted a small fragment from the hundreds of ice shards composing the monster’s body. Into a cube larger than a fist, she infused her magic power.

“Here you go. Since he asked me to retrieve this, please keep it safe.”

Thud. Seok Harang lightly kicked off the water and soared into the sky. Gaon stared at the icy wings unfurling from her back while tightly gripping the A-Rank Core of the Guro Bass.

“If I can become this strong…”

Was there any method? Rushing back to the base camp, Gaon mulled over ways to grow stronger.

– Retrieve the monster core and immediately deliver it to Ha Yu-eun. Then start the car and await orders at the designated location.

Baek Cheonghwa’s final instruction.

– The Seoul Recovery Operation has failed; we’re retreating.

Pfft.

– An SS-Rank monster is expected to move soon…pfft hahaha.

Suddenly.

A chilling northern wind made Gaon shiver.

* * *

“Haa, haa.”

The magical girls, panting heavily, reached the entrance leading to Level 7. They had no idea what was happening outside.

[…Static…depart…heroes…precaution…]

Perhaps because they ventured too deep underground, their Magical Gear malfunctioned. Communication with the outside world faltered, leaving only intermittent static-laden voices to rely on.

[All…heroes…immediately…evacuate Seoul…]

“This must be the retreat signal. That’s how the Seoul Recovery Operations always go.”

Ra-on bitterly laughed, clutching her weapon.

“Regardless of whether heroes fight on-site, commanders always issue orders without fully understanding the situation. They likely ordered a retreat without knowing anything.”

“We can’t do that. We have to save our boss.”

“Of course. We received instructions, didn’t we?”

Their final directive—if communication cuts off, it means the situation worsened, prompting them to come for rescue. Though fraught with unease, they held one certainty.

“He hasn’t died yet.”

“He’s not the type to fall this easily.”

“Before dying, he needs to honor the promise made before coming here, right?”

They nodded at each other. Long before the Seoul Recovery Operation, they’d discussed and planned many times. It was an opportunity to strengthen their bonds as teammates and foster unity.

– After this battle, we’re doing a 4P.

Actions speak louder than words. Since Baek Cheonghwa himself declared it, they couldn’t retreat without achieving anything. They weren’t the type to flee despite knowing enemies lay below.

A hostage taken by villains wouldn’t be abandoned for personal survival. All three, though lower-ranked, were undeniably “heroes.”

Creeeeak.

Carefully descending the stairs, they opened the door. Unlike previous levels, Level 7 was illuminated eerily by flickering lights.

“Welcome, first-timers in Seoul?”

Out of the darkness emerged a mask. Split evenly between white and black, it grinned wickedly at the three magical girls.

“What brings you here?”

“We’re here to rescue our boss. We know everything.”

“Hmmph, boss? Never heard of ’em.”

Bang! A gunshot echoed. Steam escaped from the barrel of Nori’s Magical Pistol.

“My, what rude greetings.”

“Shut up and give us back our boss.”

“Oh dear, did you entrust him to me? In Seoul, lost items belong to whoever finds them. This isn’t Korea anymore—it’s the forsaken capital of Hell-Joseon, where might makes right.”

Snap. With a clap, the entire underground parking lot lit up. Villains scattered across the lot wielded steel rods and knives, grinning menacingly.

“Could this ‘boss’ you seek be…this guy?”

“That, THAT?!”

The masked villain <Masquerade> crossed her legs atop a cement throne, revealing familiar white foam dripping from her inner thigh.

“What will you do? I’ve already eaten him.”

“Get away from our boss!!”

“As I said, in Seoul, might equals law. If you’re upset…you’ll have to take it by force.”

Click.

With a snap of Masquerade’s fingers, the villains pulled out devices fitting the dim environment—”night vision goggles.”

“Our specialty is fighting in the dark. Let’s see how well you play with my minions. If they touch you, don’t blame me…Hmmph, ha.”

Masquerade’s sentence trailed off into a moan.

Crackle.

Something snapped, and all the lights in the underground parking lot went out.