At first, people thought it was event fireworks prepared for the ceremony. Even the security personnel deployed throughout the main stadium by the organizers didn’t respond immediately, as if they couldn’t imagine it was actually a bomb.

COUNTDOWN

A short word suddenly appeared on the large guidance display. Almost simultaneously, hundreds of pinpoint lights illuminated various parts of the audience seating.

The people spotlighted were all wearing bull masks. When they simultaneously took off their outer clothing, analog-type bombs strapped to their upper bodies were revealed.

10

A number large enough for even those with poor eyesight to easily recognize filled the display screen.

9

Ear-splitting screams rang out. Time in the stadium, which had seemed to stop for a moment, began to flow rapidly again as if fast-forwarded.

8

It was utter chaos. Everyone was desperate to escape the stadium. Pushing, trampling, and clawing at each other, trying to flee by any means.

“Mr. Choi, could those people…!”

Ryu Seo-ha, who was suddenly in Choi Gang-hu’s embrace, placed a hand on his chest and started to make a request disguised as a question, but stopped.

Numerous security personnel were rushing towards the lights to handle the situation. Some of the hunters who had been performing ceremonies also joined the group.

7

“To subdue them all at once would result in significant casualties.”

Choi Gang-hu answered with a slightly hardened expression, immediately understanding the nature of the unfinished request. No matter how strong he was, he wasn’t omnipotent.

The firepower was enough to potentially blow up this entire island in an instant. He had several area-of-effect skills too. But the opponents were using the crowd as shields.

It wasn’t easy to quickly subdue only the terrorists without any damage, like separating grain from chaff with a rural threshing machine.

6

Choi Gang-hu was asking now: Do you want me to intervene directly even if there are civilian casualties?

Combat-type skills raged throughout the main stadium, which had turned into a battlefield. The bull masks with bombs strapped to them accepted the attacks without resistance.

Whether the detonators of the time bombs had been ignited by the imprecise suppression, several explosion sounds followed haphazardly: Bang! Bang!

5

Ryu Seo-ha gritted his teeth. The number of bull masks was close to four digits at a rough estimate. It was a situation where most of the spectators could die in a chain explosion if they weren’t careful.

‘What if I spread Sanctification?’

Not only was it a problem how much of the total area he could handle, but he didn’t dare to consciously filter out and bounce so many target objects outside the safe zone.

Unable to readily decide on a course of action, he chewed his lips before suddenly thinking of one method and opened his space expansion pouch.

4

As soon as he took out the marble-shaped mana meter, he infused a tiny amount of mana. He saw the transparent color turn amethyst.

“Mr. Choi! Mana…!”

Before he could even think ‘I guess my mana won’t work after all’, Ryu Seo-ha quickly pressed it into the large hand holding his waist.

3

Originally, he had brought it as a precaution to use if Choi lost his reason and caused uncontrollable mayhem. Who knew he’d end up using it like this.

“Hmm.”

Though no particular explanation was given, Choi Gang-hu seemed to quickly grasp the intent behind suddenly taking out the mana meter, letting out a low hum as he released his mana.

2

Wooong─!

The meter that touched his mana began to vibrate greatly.

“Let go of it!”

As if responding to Ryu Seo-ha’s shout, Choi Gang-hu threw the trembling mana meter high into the air. The marble, hardened by his mana, broke through the transparent glass of the VIP box and rose high into the sky.

Keeeng─!

The very next moment, with a sharp sound, the marble cracked and shot broken fragments in all directions.

1

Then, from the space where the mana meter had remained just before falling,

BOMB!

a black plane like a curtain of darkness spread out and quickly swallowed everything. The display board predicting the explosion, the stadium modeled after the Colosseum.

❖ ❖ ❖

Modern weapons cannot be brought into dungeons. This was why Ryu Seo-ha had opened a popup dungeon, even taking some risks.

Hunters and security guards quickly subdued the terrorists who had lost their bombs. The eyes of the bull masks caught without any resistance were all dazed.

“Aaaaah!”

“Move! Get out of the way!”

“W-What’s this!”

“Wait wait wait!”

Tattered flags of all nations fluttered under the harsh sun of a hot desert. They were objects that had been brought in, caught underfoot of people fleeing in panic.

Civilians who hadn’t grasped the situation and were still looking for escape routes belatedly began to hesitate one by one as they noticed the rapidly changed environment.

“Mr. Choi, can you perhaps gauge how wide the dungeon range is?”

He first attempted to assess the range. Not only the main stadium, but other arenas, and possibly even nearby villages like Venice’s main island, Murano, Burano, and Lido Island might have been involved.

“Roughly just before reaching the auxiliary arenas on both sides.”

The thought that it was somewhat fortunate lasted only a moment. From afar, a sound like a whistle or flute rang out: Peeeeep.

Then, the terrorists who had been slumped like soulless dolls almost simultaneously bit down hard on their molars, bursting items hidden inside their cheeks.

“Damn, catch them!”

“What is this…!”

The figures they had just subdued began to disappear in groups of dozens each time the Peeeeep sound rang from afar. It seemed they were teleporting using that sound wave as a reference coordinate. It appeared to be a device prepared in case this terror plan failed.

Some hunters who keenly noticed the opponent’s position set out to catch the culprits, but Ryu Seo-ha didn’t think they could easily arrest the mastermind.

The characteristic ‘Sanctification’ is activated.

Putting aside his complex thoughts, he first deployed his characteristic. As widely as possible, to include as many people as possible, slowly expanding the range.

“Mr. Choi.”

According to statistics, the most casualties in the last popup dungeon occurred at the beginning of entry. The probability was high that it would be the same this time. If a large number of victims resulted from his choice, it would be hard to bear.

The blazing sunlight was making the sand underfoot sizzle hot. Usually, scorpion-type monsters adept at sudden attacks mainly inhabit such desert areas.

“I’m sorry to keep asking, but could you lend me a hand?”

“Anytime.”

A large hand unhesitatingly grasped Ryu Seo-ha’s hand. Though exposed to the air heated by radiant heat, the cool temperature of the hand seemed to somewhat calm his startled mind.

With Choi Gang-hu’s help, replenishing the rapidly depleting mana, when the range of the safe zone expanded bit by bit to cover most of the area of a small popup dungeon beyond the size of the main stadium,

Cough, bright red blood flowed back up his esophagus. It had been quiet until now. Contrary to his intention to brush it off as insignificant, his body staggered greatly due to his weakened legs.

“Seo-ha!”

As he caught his breath leaning on Choi Gang-hu’s arm supporting him stably, an unwelcome voice flew in. It was Jung Woo-bin.

“Are you okay?”

Choi Gang-hu turned halfway, blocking the approach by almost hiding Ryu Seo-ha in his arms.

“Did you overdo it? This barrier, you spread it, right?”

His appearance of thoughtlessly voicing the visible state while putting concern first was grating. It wasn’t a situation that would be good to publicize widely.

“Hunter Ryu Seo-ha.”

“What is this barrier?”

“Is it effective?”

“How long can it be maintained?”

Sure enough, some of the hunters who hadn’t chased after the terrorists approached and bombarded him with questions. While it was a necessary protective safe zone for civilians who would feel threatened by monsters, they were different.

They were capable individuals representing their countries who could protect themselves more than enough to begin with. The fact that they had stepped into a realm controlled by another person probably felt more threatening than the popup dungeon itself.

“If you’re straining yourself, wouldn’t it be better to withdraw it for now?”

“That’s right, we can handle the monsters sufficiently.”

“I agree. Protecting a globally valuable talent should come first.”

Though not many openly expressed displeasure due to the noble cause of protecting civilians, many subtly urged the removal of the barrier. As if concerned about him who seemed to be in an abnormal state, under the pretext of protecting healing-type talent. Meanwhile, the Korean delegation approached through the chaotic crowd.

“Thank you, Hunter Ryu Seo-ha. We almost had a massive number of casualties.”

Koo Myung-ho, who had been handling spectators injured by the first explosion while leading the Korean representative players, greeted him pointedly.

“How can you make such an irresponsible request when monsters like sand claw scorpions or night centipedes might pop out? How are civilians supposed to respond?”

Kwon Se-jeong, who quickly assessed Ryu Seo-ha’s complexion, also scolded the hunters who had revealed selfish aspects in a stiffly rigid tone.

“No, with so many high-rank hunters here, even without a barrier it’s more than enough…”

“Oh, so this is how you repay the kindness of an S-rank healer!”

The hunter who tried to quickly refute had to close his mouth at the fuss made by a high-ranking Italian official who appeared escorted by the organizers’ security personnel.

“Amazing, truly! I thought you were incredible during the match too, but to be able to create a safe zone encompassing all these people!”

A parade of flamboyant and colorful gestures unique to Italians unfolded, including a hand motion that touched above his eyebrow as if quickly saluting.

“Ah, those bastards put up a barrier and holed up!”

“They’ve plastered it with expensive items, so we can’t break it right away with ordinary firepower.”

Hunters who had just returned empty-handed from chasing the terrorists also joined the conversation, informing that the situation wasn’t so easy.

“But this barrier included even the guys hiding inside the barrier in its area of effect.”

“Can it perhaps attack too?”

People’s gazes focused on Ryu Seo-ha. He was completely overwhelmed.