Slash!
The iron shield was shredded like paper as the highly compressed flame touched it.
"The magic-infused shield was cut down in one blow?"
"Ack! What is this laser?!"
As they said, this wasn't fire that burned—it cut.
A flame laser.
The real problem was that there were hundreds of them, firing from all directions at once and rapidly closing the distance. It was nearly impossible to avoid them all.
'H-how did this happen?!'
Takeshi stared at Jin-hyuk in shock.
Jin-hyuk had been the one who said the left path was correct. Clinging to those words, Takeshi desperately hoped this wasn't a lethal trap and that there was some hidden solution.
But Jin-hyuk avoided his gaze.
"Oh my. Whoever brought us straight into hell—shouldn't this be the captain's responsibility?"
Naturally, the blame shifted.
Takeshi felt like he'd been struck with a hammer.
But there was no time to regret it.
"H-how do we avoid this?!"
They had to evade it now—not block it.
Even the tanks' shields couldn't withstand it. The flames couldn't be stopped.
"Shit!"
"Everyone, run!"
The Samurai Guild players scattered.
Whether their ankles twisted or knees screamed, no matter how soaked in sweat they were, they ran to survive.
'Well… newbies.'
Jin-hyuk smiled faintly and pulled a black scroll from his subspace inventory.
The seal released instantly.
Woong!
[The first job change quest for Barrier User has begun.]
Numerous explanations appeared in the status windows, but Jin-hyuk skipped them all.
He already knew what to do.
'Manifest the barrier to complete the job change. Easy as pie.'
Magic gathered at his fingertips.
Psss!
A pure white spark ignited, followed by vivid, multicolored patterns spreading through the air.
Runes formed.
[A barrier, 'Insufficient Physical Barrier,' has been activated!]
[You have completed the first condition of the quest!]
Despite the modifier insufficient, the barrier itself was solid.
'There's a limit to what I can use before completing the job.'
To wield true barrier techniques, one would need to study runes on the Tower's first floor for at least six months.
Using them effectively in combat would take even longer.
Even Jin-hyuk—who had immersed himself in the game—had needed five years to master the highest tier of ancient runes.
'Yeah… this really isn't a friendly field.'
There was a reason Barrier User was unpopular.
He had entered virtual reality to escape reality—but no one enjoyed studying.
"P-player Kang Jin-hyuk… what is that…?"
"Is that… magic?"
"No. It feels different."
Lee Young-kwon and the others stared at the rune-etched barrier in shock.
They had seen skill-based barriers before.
But this—
This was a real barrier, constructed through runes.
However, the awe didn't last long.
The flames were already closing in.
"Any skill or ability is useless against that. We need to move."
Lee Young-kwon threw away his shield to lighten himself—
"It's fine. Just stay where you are."
Jin-hyuk crossed his arms casually as the barrier solidified into a cube.
"S-stay still? What do you mean?"
Lee Young-kwon asked, but Jin-hyuk only smiled.
Then—
Kwakwang!
The flame torrent crashed into the barrier.
"Kuak!"
"Ack!"
The players screamed, bracing for death the moment the barrier collapsed.
But—
"Uh…?"
"We're… fine?"
Not a single crack appeared.
In fact—
The flames halted at the barrier's surface and reversed direction, surging back toward the Samurai Guild players who were fleeing.
"Oh. Sorry. It's heading that way."
Jin-hyuk raised his hand apologetically.
"No…"
Lee Young-kwon was speechless. Everyone watching was stunned.
"T-that…"
"I can't believe it. There are reflector-type abilities, but—"
"As expected… S-rank is different."
They already knew Jin-hyuk was extraordinary.
Korea's 16th S-ranker.
The man who defeated the Black Cloud guild master.
The one who crushed Chun Yuseong.
The player who cleared both the 4th and 5th floors.
Even listing his achievements was overwhelming.
But witnessing it firsthand—
That was different.
Ba-dump!
Their hearts raced.
This was the sense of security that came from standing beside a top ranker.
Deadly lasers raged just beyond the barrier, yet no one felt fear.
Then—
"I'll see you soon."
Jin-hyuk stepped toward the barrier's edge.
"Ugh?!"
"W-wait! Player Kang Jin-hyuk!"
"The trap isn't over yet!"
"It's dangerous to leave now!"
They pointed frantically toward the Samurai Guild players still dying outside.
"I'm excellent at timing. Don't worry. Besides, if you dodge 300 times in a row without getting hit, you earn an item."
The item was [Burning Flames].
A high-grade challenge reward—useful later, and a solid copy target.
But—
Who would dare attempt it?
Jin-hyuk scanned the group.
"It's… fine."
"Kang Jin-hyuk, good luck."
"We'll watch from here."
Even with the reward explained, no one stepped out.
No guts.
Clench!
Jin-hyuk loosened his joints and exited the barrier.
Dozens of flame streams converged.
To a veteran's eyes—
They looked adorable.
Fast-tempo music played in his head.
Drop the beat.
He moved.
'Three left, three right—dash forward, roll—next.'
Tiny gaps—barely wide enough to pass through.
One mistake meant death.
Yet Jin-hyuk's face showed no tension.
"Haha… I have nothing to say."
Lee Young-kwon muttered in disbelief.
He had proven himself in the Gladiator Arena.
Media had placed high expectations on him.
'I can't even imagine this.'
The precision. The confidence.
More than that—
He was enjoying it.
At that moment, Lee Young-kwon realized—
No one would surpass this man.
'This is why Team Leader Kim Gitae told us to accept losses.'
Before entering, Kim Gitae had given one instruction:
Give up all rewards.
At first, he'd tried to negotiate better terms.
Then he changed his mind.
It was hard to accept.
Rewards. Prestige. Exclusivity.
Who would believe that Korea's second-largest guild would abandon all of that?
But now—
'The higher-ups were right.'
Lee Young-kwon understood.
Thirty minutes later, the flames died out.
'The sweat was worth it.'
Jin-hyuk turned a strange crimson jewel in his fingers.
[Burning Flames].
'That went smoothly.'
Everything had gone as planned.
Once Medusa was defeated, all materials for that item would be complete.
The goal was close.
But—
'How many survived?'
He returned the jewel to his subspace and looked toward the Samurai Guild.
"Huk… huk…"
"My… my arm! It's gone!"
"Y-Yoshida is dead!"
"Check the wounded! Don't move them!"
The situation was grim.
None of them were unharmed.
Only Maeda and Takeshi—desperately protected—had escaped with minor injuries.
Burned, broken faces.
Especially satisfying when arrogance was involved.
"May the souls of the deceased rest in peace. This barrier holds only 30 people, so unless we send ours out, we can't let more in."
Jin-hyuk approached them, offering condolences.
"You… you bastard!"
Maeda lunged forward.
His scorched eyebrows gave off a distinct smell.
"Uh?"
"Don't say 'uh' with that innocent face! None of you Koreans were hurt—meaning you knew about the trap and prepared for it. Am I wrong?!"
"Well… I kind of did. Is that a problem?"
"I-is that a problem?! Are you serious—!"
"That's exactly what I'm saying. You insisted on entering a dungeon owned by the Fathers of Fighting. And I don't understand why you're angry at us when you followed a so-called veteran who claimed to reach the 30th floor."
"Shut up! People were dying right in front of you, and you said nothing! Do you have no sympathy?!"
Sympathy?
Ridiculous.
Spouting that word here only made him look foolish.
Still—
Jin-hyuk sighed.
"Severe radiation exposure tends to cloud the mind."
Movies show radiation turning people into heroes.
Reality gives you leukemia and baldness.
Life was cruel.
"…What?"
Maeda froze.
He searched for words.
"This is a diplomatic issue! Have you lost your mind?!"
"Diplomacy?"
Jin-hyuk looked down at him.
"You misunderstand something."
"I'm not a politician."
Diplomacy was a concern for elites.
Finally—
"You shouldn't be talking to me. The trap isn't finished."
Kukuku!
The scattered flame lasers converged.
In the blink of an eye—
Layers of fire fused into a single mass.
"Hissss—!"
A massive serpent of flames emerged.
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