Moon’s Labyrinths (Web Novel)

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.