There was a part of me that almost felt bad for Bong-sik.

From his perspective, it must have been frustrating. He was born with that name, and suddenly someone like me comes out of nowhere and accuses him of being from another world. It must have seemed absurd.

But from my perspective, this was incredibly important.

I’ve been in this world for three years.

Even though I’ve learned the language, the culture, the skills, and built relationships, there’s still an emptiness inside me that comes from missing my homeland. It constantly gnaws at me, no matter what I achieve here.

Seir and Leraje? They’re demons. No matter how much we share this world, they can never truly empathize with me on a human level.

So, the hope had grown. The hope that maybe, just maybe, there was someone else like me. Someone who could understand, who had memories of the same home I longed for.

When I heard the name Bong-sik, I couldn’t help but let my emotions cloud my judgment. Even though I knew, logically, it was unlikely, I wanted to believe. I even ignored Seir’s warnings because I was clinging to that hope.

The fact that we were enemies? Sure, that was true. I wasn’t naïve enough to think I could just bring him over to my side or make him my ally.

But if Bong-sik had really fallen into this world before me, then there was a chance he knew something I didn’t. And if there were two of us, maybe there could be more. Maybe there was a group of people like us—a community of Earthlings lost in this world.

Honestly, it was hard not to hope.

How could someone have a name like Bong-sik and not be Korean?

This was unacceptable. This was a fraud.

“What kind of nonsense is—”

Boom!

I fired my magic bullet without hesitation, cutting off his words.

Bong-sik quickly activated the spell he had been preparing.

Crash!

Even though the bullet was concentrated to its limit, his barrier didn’t crumble. He flinched, but Bong-sik stood firm, his eyes wide as he stared directly at the bullet hurtling toward him.

Say what you will about his name and personality—Bong-sik was undoubtedly skilled. He blocked my full-powered shot without much difficulty and immediately counterattacked.

No chants, no gestures—his magic was cast purely through the flow of mana.

‘Shadows?’

The shadows slithered across the floor like snakes, zigzagging toward me at lightning speed.

‘It’s not elemental magic.’

People often confuse shadow manipulation with elemental magic, but they’re not the same. While there is magic that manipulates darkness, shadows fall under a different category.

It’s a type of magic that uses the mystery imbued in certain symbols, similar to the way Fiona uses the mystique of mirrors in her conjuring magic.

‘A ninja, huh?’

It’s a form of magic that’s hard to master, as it doesn’t rely on brute force. That’s why most avoid it unless they have a high level of expertise.

But it seemed Bong-sik had reached that level.

Whoosh!

One of Bong-sik’s shadows lifted its head like a cobra, splitting into three prongs, ready to strike like a trident.

‘Should I teleport?’

Teleporting would be the safest option, but I decided to hold off for now.

‘His defense is strong.’

To break through his defenses, we’d need Ray’s Argentos for a piercing blow or Leif’s water jet for a focused attack. No point in revealing all my cards and reducing the element of surprise for Bong-sik.

I raised my physical reinforcement to its maximum and dodged the shadow trident. By firing another magic bullet at Bong-sik, I could keep his attention divided, making it easier to evade the shadows.

And if it came down to it, I still had teleportation in my back pocket.

“Foolish.”

Bong-sik’s triumphant voice echoed through the underground chamber.

“Did you think there was only one?”

Bong-sik’s shadows weren’t just one entity. The torches on both sides of the basement cast two sources of light.

The dual light sources created two shadows, and Bong-sik had the mastery to control them both independently.

“That’s my line.”

If I’m here, naturally, the others are too.

Whoosh!

As both shadows targeted me, Ray charged forward.

Bong-sik turned his head toward her, unfazed.

He wasn’t panicked.

Bong-sik had already deployed his defensive magic. He was confident that a few blows from a novice like Ray wouldn’t penetrate his barrier.

But that confidence shattered in the next moment.

The spell that destroys spells.

The paradoxical nature of Argentos’ anti-magic fangs shredded Bong-sik’s barrier like clay.

Now Bong-sik had two choices: focus all his efforts on blocking Ray’s attack, or try to take me down using any means necessary, even if it meant sacrificing himself.

Bong-sik chose the latter.

‘Smart.’

He realized there was no way to stop Ray’s attack, so he went for the more feasible option. I could commend his quick thinking, but...

Whoosh!

Unfortunately for him, I’m a clicker.

Crash!

I teleported just as both shadow tridents converged where I’d been standing.

Seeing Bong-sik miss so pitifully was almost amusing.

“Damn, this broken space magic...!”

If you hate it so much, why don’t you try using space magic yourself?

Ray’s merciless blow landed on Bong-sik before he could even finish venting his frustration.

Bam!

Thud!

Crash!

Bong-sik’s body was flung through the air, smashing into the floor before crashing into the wall.

Ray really went all out with that hit.

“I told you not to kill him.”
“He’s not dead. His physical reinforcement is pretty decent.”

Physical reinforcement increased durability, and Ray had already adjusted her strength accordingly.

Ray rotated her shoulder, seemingly a bit stiff after throwing such a powerful punch.

“Though, he’s still moving.”

Ray pointed at Bong-sik, who was weakly crawling across the floor.

“Heh, tough guy.”

A magician, yet still conscious after taking Ray’s punch? That was impressive. Even that necromancer from the Abyss Cult tried to avoid her hits.

“I held back.”
“Whatever. Let’s tie him up.”

How many more hits can you take, Bong-sik?

Let’s start with five magic bullets packed with exhaustion magic.

But instead of erecting another defense, Bong-sik chose a different path.

“Heh, it’s too late! The sacrifice has been made! Forgotten one! Lost fate! Come to me, now!”

Bong-sik was at the far end of the chamber, standing near what appeared to be an altar.

Even if this place was a tomb, and even if it truly was a tomb, we were still in the Abyss.

In a world like this, even the rocks underfoot could contain unfathomable mysteries. If this altar had some sort of power, it wouldn’t be surprising.

At Bong-sik’s shout, the ground began to shake.

The tremors echoed through the chamber, and Bong-sik’s victorious laughter reverberated as the ground trembled.

“Hey! Roman!”
“I know.”

We had to stop him.

Maybe we were the ones who let our guard down. Abandoning the plan to keep him alive, I focused all my mana into my next bullet.

Ray, too, enveloped herself in silver mana and leaped toward him with all her strength.

But before our attacks could reach Bong-sik’s throat, the tremors ceased.

“...There’s nothing.”

Nothing changed. No magical surge, no otherworldly presence. The room was exactly the same.

What had Bong-sik even been trying to summon?

Even Bong-sik’s face was filled with bewilderment.

“The door is blocked,” Ray said, holding Bong-sik by the neck.

The earlier tremors? They were from the passage being sealed.

So what Bong-sik had done...

“You got scammed.”

Ray’s words pierced the situation with pinpoint accuracy.

“Could you please get me out of here...?”

Leif, who had fallen into the trap, was still stuck inside.

She looked like a zoo animal in a cage, with no way to escape.

Summoning Undine had saved her from the fall, but she didn’t have a way to climb out on her own.

I had teleported out instantly. Ray had simply smashed through the walls and climbed her way up with her physical reinforcement. And Leif? Well, she was stuck waiting.

It wasn’t like we had forgotten about her. We just assumed she’d be able to get out on her own after cushioning her fall with water magic.

“I’ll get you out now.”

When I teleported into the trap to fetch Leif, she immediately hugged me tightly. I could hear her sniffles.

I guess it had really scared her.

I quickly used teleportation again, bringing Leif back to the surface.

“Thank you…”

Her voice was still stuffy, and while her cheeks were dry, her reddened eyes showed she had been on the verge of tears.

“Next time, just tell us. Don’t try to hide it.”
“Okay…”

With Leif back, we returned to the chamber where Ray stood over a defeated Bong-sik, who slumped to the ground with a defeated expression.

“It’s over.”

“Over?”

Ray asked, and Bong-sik responded with a bitter, self-mocking laugh.

“This room... It’s a trap. Don’t you see? You were right... I’ve been deceived. This is where I’ll die. I never imagined that Jan Bong-sik’s end would be in a place like this. What a shame for the leader of the Gravediggers.”

“Gravediggers? You’re from there?”

I recognized the name.

Wasn’t Gravediggers the guild that had tried to ambush me when I first arrived in the Abyss?

What were they, a thieves’ guild?

“They’re not a top-five guild, but they’re still...!”
“Doesn’t matter.”

I cut off Bong-sik mid-sentence.

“Tell me everything you know about this place.”
“You’ve seen it already... I’ve been tricked.”

“I’ll be the judge of that.”

After questioning him, it turned out my suspicions were correct. Bong-sik had found clues in another ruin about a flying altar, and he had believed it to be on the floating island. After conducting his research in secret, he located this place.

He thought the altar would grant power in exchange for sacrifices. That’s why he had lured people here—to use as test subjects and sacrifices.

‘No reason to keep him alive.’

We’d learned nothing of value. He’d seen my teleportation ability, and he’d already harmed innocent people. What was the point of letting him live?

Sensing my killing intent, Bong-sik started to panic.

“W-wait! I can be useful! If you kill me, you’ll lose your last chance to escape this place! I can still find a way out! Do you really think the three of you can get out on your own?”

“Of course.”

Didn’t you already see?

As I raised Axis, Bong-sik finally remembered my teleportation ability and sighed in despair.

“Spatial magic…”

Without Axis, maybe it would have been different. But as long as I had it, we could freely travel within its range, even if I couldn’t see where we were going.

When it came to escape, I was one of the best in the guild.

“Want me to finish him off?”

Ray, sensing my hesitation, offered to handle it.

But I couldn’t let her do that.

Even though I had no qualms about asking her to fight, killing a man—especially for a 16-year-old girl—was different.

“I’ll do it.”

“Killing me won’t help! Even if I failed, I was right about the ruins! I can find more!”
“Hmm...”
“I swear! I’ll find more ruins for you! I won’t tell anyone about your spatial magic!”

“Why would I trust you?”

Ray scowled, “Don’t fall for it, Roman.”

I didn’t trust him either, but...

“You said you’d do anything, right?”
“Y-yes, of course! Absolutely!” Bong-sik nodded vigorously, clinging to the hope I had offered him.

“Alright. You did find this ruin, after all.”
“You’re really going to let him live? What about the Gravediggers?”

“We’ll deal with that later. He’s still useful.”
“There are much better organizations for ruin exploration than the Gravediggers…”

“That’s not the point. Can you find people?”

“People?”

The kind of people even demon summoners couldn’t track. Those who could hide from even the devil’s gaze behind the Abyssal Veil.

“The Abyss Cult. Can you find them?”

That name, feared and loathed alike.

Even the grand duchy had been targeted by those crazed fanatics.

Bong-sik’s eyelids twitched at the mention of them.

But how could that be more terrifying than the death standing right in front of him?

He nodded.

“Good. I’ll let you live.”

A bastard who sacrificed innocent lives for his own gain?

Yeah, that’s true.

Jan Bong-sik was scum.

But Franklin Roosevelt once said that a certain bastard might be a bastard—but he was our bastard.

“You know how to summon demons, right?”
“E-excuse me?”
“You’ll need to change your job class.”

I never thought I’d end up using the demon summoning circle I learned from Meah like this, but here we are.

“From now on, your name is Bong-sik.”

And your job? Demon summoner.