"He's a cheeky brat," Park Kwon mumbled.
His recent encounter with YuWon had shaken him more than he cared to admit. Even his patron god, Ares, warned him to be wary of YuWon. In all the time Park Kwon had served the god of war, he had never heard such a command before, hence Park Kwon was curious.
The Crusaders surrounded the tower. Every floor was teeming with monsters. The odds were overwhelmingly stacked against YuWon. Yet the god warned him to not underestimate YuWon.
However, the more Ares warned him, the more excited Park Kwon became. His life in the detention center had become dull.
Park's life had turned into a monotonous existence that left him craving excitement. That craving had found an outlet the day a monster appeared. The feeling was exhilarating when he killed a goblin.
But he didn't stop there. He killed more. Anything that he set his eyes on died. Monsters, the guards, and even a few prisoners. He spared no one.
That's when he heard a voice. That was how he met Ares, the god of war, drawn by Park Kwon's insatiable bloodlust. Ares wanted Park Kwon to become his disciple.
Park Kwon didn't hesitate. He pledged himself to Ares, serving as his eyes in the mortal realm. Under the god's guidance, he had increased his power exponentially. For the time, it seemed nothing could stand in his way.
Until YuWon appeared.
On one hand, Ares had asked Park Kwon to stay wary of him and on the other he wanted Park Kwon to kill YuWon if possible. His eyes glinted with malice as a grin appeared on his face. He no longer cared about killing the boss. YuWon was his target now.
***
"What is this place...?" Soo-Ah mumbled.
Till now, they had been fighting monsters in their environment. But now, they found themselves deep within the heart of the monster's domain—a dungeon.
What should have been the area beneath the Namsan Tower had transformed into a dark, oppressive network of caves.
While most of the group entered the Tower through the entrance, YuWon led a Soo-Ah and Min-Joon into the basement of Namsan Tower.
"No wonder he gave up on the boss so quickly," Minhyuk spat. "I won't be surprised if there's another boss monster other than that overgrown snake hiding in the basement. Boss, we must kill them."
Fighting the boss on the top floor wasn't easy. How could they defeat something like the Great Basilisk so early in the game? YuWon probably knew about the boss and realized they couldn't defeat it.
Either that or YuWon knew the basilisk wasn't the true boss, just a decoy meant to mislead them. Maybe that's why he gave up and told the Crusaders the boss was theirs. He must have hoped they'd meet their end against the beast and the Crusaders would perish without his lifting a finger.
"How convenient..." Park Kwon nodded.
If Minhyuk hadn't planted spies among the survivors, they'd never known about YuWon's true intentions and might have died fighting the basilisk.
"Gather everyone!" Park Kwon yelled. "I want that YuWon's head at my feet!"
Back to the present...
Park Kwon's men hurried down the stairs, only to meet with the pitch-black basement. Once inside, they couldn't even see their hands. It was risky to go down in such darkness as monsters could hide there waiting for someone to walk down the stairs.
As the men hesitated, Park Kwon lost his patience and kicked a few of them.
"Go down."
Those words sent a chill down their spines, and they entered the basement. However, as they walked, they stumbled upon a gruesome sight. Dozens of monster corpses lay scattered everywhere. Although they couldn't see much, they could feel the still warm bodies under their feet.
"Took you long enough."
A voice echoed in the basement. Everyone turned around like morons trying to look for someone in pitch-black darkness. Sensing the brewing danger, Ares immediately gifted the divine sight to Park Kwon, enabling him to see in the dark.
YuWon was right in front of him, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed.