Regression Guidelines For the Supporting Character - Chapter 43

I moved away from the first rift in the Ui-dong Valley, heading downward. In the direction I was going, there was the Ui Park amusement area, and further below that, the city and a resort. Although there were no tourists due to the news of the rift opening, the area was far enough from the valley that an official evacuation order hadn’t been issued. In fact, before my regression, it wasn’t tourists but the residents living here who suffered from the second rift.

‘There’s not much time left until the second rift opens.’

I pushed through trees and underbrush, running hard. I had spent too much time sending off Cha Sahyeon and using my skill on Kwon Taehyeok, so I was in a hurry. Having a means of transportation would have been better, but given that I barely managed to sneak out, it wasn’t possible.

After vaulting over a high fence into Ui Park, I found a more neatly maintained forest and walking paths. Luckily, there was no one around, but it was too soon to relax.

I still had to go further to reach the location of the second rift. I crossed the wide park, exited through the entrance, and kept running. Passing through the area called the “Food Village,” I came to a fork in the road.

One path led back to the valley, another to a family campsite, and the third to the resort complex. Right in front of the subway station, where the three roads converged, was exactly—

‘The location of the second rift.’

It was roughly 2 kilometers from here. Ignoring the cars passing by with their headlights on, I looked up.

Just as I thought I was lucky to have arrived before the rift appeared, a bolt of lightning suddenly flashed across the sky.

Cra-ack! Zzzzz!

Then came an indescribable, eerie sound. At the spot where sparks repeatedly burst, a bright blue line emerged.

It was the same phenomenon as the first rift. The bright blue line would widen, and monsters would start pouring out from the gap.

‘Can I hold them off?’

Until Kwon Taehyeok, who was containing the first rift in the valley, could send a Support team upon hearing about the second rift, I had to manage on my own.

As I stood staring at the crackling blue line, tension I had momentarily forgotten surged back. I took a deep breath and scanned the area.

‘Should I shout for everyone to evacuate now?’

I quickly dismissed the idea. No one would listen to a stranger in a suspicious outfit, and if I got caught up in a commotion and missed the moment the rift opened, it would lead to even bigger problems.

Fortunately, thanks to the first rift, there were no cars or people heading up toward the valley, and the streets were empty of pedestrians. Though the area wasn’t completely deserted, with people still in restaurants and shops, the initial wave of monsters would come straight for me. Once the monsters appeared, people would flee on their own.

‘Alright. I can do this.’

I just needed to hold out. While steeling my mind and gripping the hilt of my sword, I heard a familiar notification sound.

Ding!

A new status window appeared in front of me.

《Main Quest has arrived!》

《Main Quest: Survive the second rift. (Time remaining: 9 hours 59 minutes)》

[Main Quest: Survive the second rift. (Time remaining: 9 hours 59 minutes)]

You must hold out until the second rift that appeared in the sky over Ui-dong closes to prevent a catastrophic incident from repeating.

*Warning! If there are any casualties or injuries, the quest will be considered a failure.

Rewards: Cash Box, Specific Main Character Interest

“Haha… well, no wonder it was quiet.”

A wry laugh escaped me at the sudden appearance of the quest window and its incredible rewards.

‘But wait a minute. If even one person gets hurt, the quest fails?’

What kind of insane difficulty is this? Of course, I was going to make sure no civilians got hurt, but…

‘…Maybe I should have just told Kwon Taehyeok the truth.’

I only intended to hold out until Kwon Taehyeok arrived. Regret washed over me, but it was too late now.

Beyond the quest window, I saw the rift rapidly widening. A bitter smile crossed my face as I looked up at the second rift, now as large as the first.

‘Kwon Taehyeok, please realize what’s happening as soon as possible.’

A massive gray creature emerged from the rift, which shimmered with a blue light like a slice of the Milky Way.

Grrrk, krreeek!

The beast, flapping its enormous bat-like wings, was a gargoyle, an A-class monster. Two gargoyles, having spotted me, bared their teeth as they emerged from the rift. They had instinctively sensed the aura of an Awakened being from me. Right now, I was the most tempting prey for the monsters.

Screeeech!

Hungry monsters never miss such an opportunity. The two gargoyles dove toward me, targeting me as their prey.

Despite its massive size, the gargoyle was incredibly fast. I deflected its claws with my sword and leapt back.

Boom!

The ground where I had just been standing split and shook violently as the gargoyle crashed down with a thunderous impact.

The gargoyle on the right, which had been watching me with a threatening growl, lunged first. I dodged its attack aimed at my head and swung my sword.

“…!”

My blade, aimed at its arm, was caught in its powerful grip. The gargoyle seized my sword and hurled me to the ground with immense force.

Crash!

“Ugh…!”

The sound of the concrete breaking filled my ears, and a sharp pain shot through my body.

Without a moment to gather my thoughts, I rolled forward to dodge the next attack. I heard the gargoyle’s swipe slice through the air above me.

Suppressing the metallic taste of blood rising in my throat from the previous impact, I quickly moved. I drove my sword into the gargoyle’s foot, making it scream in pain.

Screeeech!

Seizing the opportunity as it stumbled, I twisted my wrist and slashed upward with my sword. Blood spurted from the gargoyle’s neck, and its massive body fell backward.

There was no time to catch my breath. The second gargoyle came at me with lightning speed, claws extended. I quickly got up and dodged to the side, feeling a sharp pain in my sword arm as I did.

“Hah…”

My blood mixed with the gargoyle’s dark blood on the ground. Stepping into the growing pool of blood, I readied my sword.

Clang, clack! Clang!

The gargoyle relentlessly attacked, determined to kill me. My bloody sword and its long, hard claws clashed repeatedly.

First my neck, then my heart, and then my head. It aimed for my vital points, and I barely managed to fend off its attacks. Summoning my strength, I knocked its hand aside and stepped back.

As soon as I created some distance, the gargoyle flapped its bat wings and closed the gap in an instant, reaching out again. I thrust my sword into its large, dark hand, twisting it half a turn.

Crunch, crack! The sound of bones and flesh being mangled echoed from the gargoyle’s hand.

Growling in pain, the gargoyle bared its teeth. I swung my leg and kicked it in the jaw, causing it to stagger back. The sword slipped out of its palm, now covered in blood. I thrust my sword forward, its tip piercing through the gargoyle’s left chest and heart. It let out a gurgling death rattle and collapsed.

Boom!

The last gargoyle fell to the ground as I withdrew my sword from its corpse.

I quickly surveyed the two dead gargoyles, their bat wings spread wide in death. Wiping the blood off my sword, I lifted my head.

Screech!

Hiss, hiss!

Taking down the gargoyles didn’t mean the fight was over. As soon as the gargoyles fell, new monsters began to crawl out of the now fully open rift. Like insects emerging from a sewer, they poured out, some falling to the ground, others flying if they had wings. Those without wings crashed through buildings, bringing them down as they landed.

This was just the beginning. There was no time to assess or treat my injuries from the battle with the gargoyles.

I barely had a moment to catch my breath before lifting my sword towards the next wave of monsters surging from the rift.

[Main Quest: Survive the second rift. (Time remaining: 8 hours 48 minutes)]