Sungyoon kept a cool head as he thought about the implications . For now, he decided to approach the nearest Connector . The Connector had a horned helmet on his head, and he cut a memorable figure .

  When Sungyoon tapped on his shoulder, the Connector jumped in surprise . He swung his saber into a deadly arc but stopped it in midair .

  “Holy shit!”


  When he realized the one to bother him was a fellow Connector, he was relieved . However, he looked annoyed by the fact Sungyoon had surprised him . He and the other Connectors had been focused on the fight between the ambushers and the demonic monster . Now, everyone became aware of Sungyoon .

  “Ah! Shit! You shouldn’t sneak up on us like this!”


  The Connector with the horned helmet spat out his words in annoyance . However, that was his only outburst . His voice calmed down when he recognized Sungyoon’s armor .

  “What the hell? The Knight? You’re here! I’m glad! I feel much better about the situation now . ”


  “Didn’t the Knight lose to that thing?”


  Another Connector spoke .

  The Connector with the horned helmet shot back .

  “Do you think you’ll be able to handle that thing by yourself?”


  No one gave an answer .

  Creating flames appeared as easy as breathing for the demonic monster . The Connectors knew that no one present could go one-on-one against it .

  Sungyoon asked .

  “Could you clarify the situation?”


  “There’s nothing to clarify . It’s as you see . That damned demon was causing havoc, so we tried to take it down . However, a weird group intruded on our battle . They started fighting the demon . We were happy thinking they were on our side, but then they started shooting down the helicopters . ”


  “They are the ambushers who attacked the research team from Armstrong city . ”


  “What the hell? Didn’t they vanish from the labyrinth somehow?”


  The hostility was apparent in the voice of the Connector with the horned helmet .

  “I was hoping they took down the helicopter by mistake and were on our side . . . ”


  Sungyoon’s words had dashed their last hope .

  “What should we do?”


  A Connector with a large mace resting on his shoulder asked . The Connector with the horned helmet replied .

  “Since now we know that this is a three-way fight, it’ll be advantageous for us . In a three-way fight, the third party should hold back and let the other two fight . The best strategy is to wait until one of the parties is wiped out, then finish the survivors . There is a high probability that the surviving party will be hurt and tired . ”


  It was a logical plan, but Sungyoon disagreed with it .

  “I disagree with that plan . ”


  “Actually, I do too . ”


  Unlike the words he had just spoken, the Connector with the horned helmet agreed with Sungyoon . His gaze moved toward a specific location, toward the fallen 1st Gen .

  “That person is the 1st Gen Connector . The ambushers are going through a lot of trouble to kill him . We should rescue him first . The demon bastard came here to kidnap him in the first place . ”


  “What happened to the others?”


  Sungyoon asked .

  A Connector clad in a silver suit of armor that was similar to Sungyoon’s spoke up .

  “We were too late . My comrades and I ran toward the pillar of fire as soon as we saw it . However, all the civilians were burned to death before we reached the place . The 1st Gen Connector had been fighting hard to protect the other people, but he fell as soon as we arrived . ”


  The Connector shook his head from side to side as he uttered the last sentence .

  “You were nearby here?”


  “Ah! My comrades and I aren’t on standby duty . We were visiting my village on our vacation when we were swept up in this affair . ”


  Sungyoon thought they had been unlucky .

  However, due to these Connectors, the demonic monster had been caught in the act . If not for them, the monster would have razed this village and kidnapped the 1st Gen Connector without anyone realizing it .

  The demonic monster had been detained long enough for the other Connectors to arrive . In some ways, this was a golden opportunity .

  “What should we do? Even if they are fighting each other, they are still keeping an eye out for us . If we decide to move, they’ll react . ”


  The Connector with the horned helmet spoke as he looked at Sungyoon .

  “What do you think, Knight? You’ve fought both groups before . ”


  Sungyoon slowly looked at the battle .

  “First, there is a good chance that the demonic monster’s time is limited . When I had fought it, it had talked about its lack of magical energy before retreating . ”


  Everyone’s eyes shone, but Sungyoon’s next words tempered their expectations .

  “However, it’s filthy strong . ”


  Their shining eyes turned into the eyes of a dead fish .

  “The ambushers are small in number, but each of them is as strong as a high rank Connector . Also, I blocked one of their attacks earlier, and that attack had the same power as the attack I had faced on the Moon . ”


  “Wait a moment . Does that mean!”


  “Yes . it’s exactly what you’re thinking . However, I don’t know how they managed to achieve that . ”


  Their eyes had already turned into a dead fish’s, but now even their faces turned bitter .

  “.…… In other words, they are beyond formidable . ”


  “Moreover, both the monster and the ambushers are aware that this is a three-way fight, yet they are fighting without caring about our presence . Even if the demonic monster is just counterattacking, the ambushers must have something in their back pocket to openly attack it . ”


  The Connectors looked at the fierce and terrifying battle . If they were on the Moon, they would have joined the fight with confidence . However, the environment of Earth was dragging them down .

  “Let’s…… . ”


  Sungyoon spoke .

  “Let’s wait for an opening . ”


  Everyone nodded at the suggestion .

  ***

  Kevil was annoyed . After receiving orders from him, it had come to Earth . The mission was great . Kevil usually stayed in dreary and suffocating darkness, and its comrades were dull . The labyrinth was full of its dumb subordinates, so this new environment felt refreshing .

  It felt great destroying this place . Kevil also enjoyed kidnapping the special trashes, as per instructions . Kevil’s joy exploded whenever the family of the special trash was present .

  These people would struggle in fear after seeing it, and the special trashes even fought back as they cried to protect their family . As Kevil crushed each act of defiance, it felt extreme pleasure .

  The situation was the same this time too .

  Kevil had killed the people around the special trash . This caused the special trash, who was in the throes of fear, to attack Kevil . It beat up the special trash to a certain point so that the special trash could watch the normal trash being ripped apart one by one .

  At that moment, Kevil had felt a sense of accomplishment, joy, and ecstasy . Kevil wouldn’t trade this experience for anything else .

  However, a new variable had soon entered the fight .

  ‘I know them . ’


  Kevil deflected the greatsword swinging toward it .

  If Kevil were careless in its observation, it would think they were like the other trashes on Earth . However, Kevil could smell their unique scent .

  ‘Did they follow me to Earth?’


  Its tiresome foes were aiming for the special trash that it was gathering . If this were the Moon, Kevil would have killed them all . Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case . Moreover, Kevil had a time limit to consider .

  The more annoying part was the fact that another group of trash was hiding nearby .

  ‘Son of a bitch!’


  Kevil was known as the most ill-tempered monster amongst his comrades and was infamous for being the most violent and obstinate one .

  Right now, it was angry as it could be . Things weren’t going its way .

  Puh-uhng!

  The flames circulating its body became larger . The fire whip and the fire sword in each of its hands grew longer .

  The ambushers flinched at the development -

  Die, you buggggggggggggs!

  Boom! Boom!

  Flames accompanied by shockwaves washed over the land . Kevil had displayed incredible power . The only word that could describe the situation was ’explosive’ .

  From above, the scene looked as if lava had exploded forth from the ground .

  Until now, the ambushers had been doing well against Kevil, but they fell to the ground after suffering wounds .

  One ambusher immediately started healing the injured . However, Kevil didn’t give them the time .

  Hoo-oong!

  Magical energy once again fluctuated .

  If Kevil used its power like this, it would reach its time limit much sooner . However, Kevil didn’t think about that as its mind was only occupied by the thought of killing the bugs .

  Kevil wanted to completely end his foes, so it raised its whip and sword . However, something aggravated its senses, and Kevil turned around .

  ‘Oh no!’


  The group of trash who had been watching from the sidelines had snuck up on him .

  “Tsk!”


  Seeing the demonic monster notice them, the Connectors clicked their tongue and put their shields forward .

  Sungyoon used this opportunity to carry the 1st Gen Connector . Since everyone knew about the unique fear felt by 1st Gen Connectors, Sungyoon was being shielded .

  ‘He’s still alive . ’


  The 1st Gen Connector’s body was warm, and he was barely breathing . Sungyoon just had to escape now . However, Kevil had no plans to let go of its prey .

  ‘Him?’


  Kevil recognized Sungyoon -

  This insect came to bother me again!

  Kevil swung its whip .

  The Connectors raised their shields . All of them had overclocked their Gems, but no one could block Kevil’s rage-filled attack .

  “Koo-ahk!”


  “Ah-ahk!”


  The fire whip swept the area . Everyone who had tried to get in the way of Kevil was sent flying into the rice paddies . They were still alive, but their bodies were emanating smoke; they had suffered grave injuries .

  Kevil then swung its fire sword . The Connectors had made two lines . The backline was pushed to the front after the last attack, and the Connectors in this line had realized they couldn’t block the attack . So they dodged .

  Thankfully, they got out of harm’s way . However, due to this, Sungyoon and the 1st Gen Connector he carried were exposed to Kevil -

  Dieeeeee!

  Puh-uhng!

  The flames danced . Alongside its rage-filled voice, a wave of flame erupted from Kevil’s mouth . Its red tongue wiggled as a flame flew toward Sungyoon .

  Kevil no longer cared about taking Sungyoon or the other 1st Gen alive . The only thing left in his mind was its roiling rage that matched its flames .

  Sungyoon froze . As soon as he was revealed to Kevil’s animosity, fear fill his head . His sturdy and superhuman legs felt like lead .

  ‘No!’


  Sungyoon bit his tongue to force his body to move . However, all he could manage was a jerk . He felt as if his legs were iron stakes planted into the ground .

  ‘Shit!’


  The flame was getting closer and closer .

  Cold sweat ran down his body as he circulated his magical energy . He blindly shoved his magical energy into all his Gems .

  It was his last-ditch effort .

  ‘Huh?’


  Suddenly, Sungyoon was freed from the fear pressing down on his body . The absence of fear was so abrupt and complete that he was stunned . His feet felt light .

  However, it was too late as the flames had almost reached him .

  Even in the face of such danger, Sungyoon’s eyes remained tranquil . He had realized he didn’t need to dodge the flames now, and confidence surged from within him . He gripped his sword and swung it .

  Ggwah-roo-roo-roo-roong!

  Lightning erupted under the clear skies .

  The flame clashed with the lightning, and the lightning swallowed and ripped apart the flames . The flames disappeared with a scream, and the lightning dissipated .

  Silence descended in the surroundings .

  At that moment . . -

  Huh?

  The robed monster in the deepest part of the Great Labyrinth raised its head .

  The door that held its master shook and showed its master’s displeasure .