Life Rebooted with Copy and Paste-Chapter 161. Dark Red Flames

Inside a command room in one of Shanghai's countless skyscrapers, a diverse group of people had gathered. Asians, Caucasians, and Black individuals stood side by side, their genders and nationalities all but irrelevant in the pressing moment.

Chairman Jang, the leader of China, and representatives from guilds across the globe, had convened to address the dire situation in Shanghai.

Suddenly, the screens at the front of the room emitted a deafening roar. Then, they displayed a gargantuan black dragon so massive, the nearby skyscrapers looked like children’s toys in comparison.

The representatives, including Chairman Jang, were frozen in place, their eyes glued to the monitors. Even without those, the dragon’s terrifying roar could clearly be heard through the windows, reverberating through the city.

“H-Holy...!”

“Oh my god!”

“What on earth is that...?”

Fear clawed its way up their spines, making their legs tremble uncontrollably. A primal terror consumed them, stripping them of any semblance of composure.

With a thud, Chairman Jang stumbled from his chair and collapsed onto the floor.

The tablet on the table buzzed endlessly with crisis reports, but he didn't even notice.

—Chairman! The citizens are in a state of panic!

—Has the creature appeared here as well?

—Is this city even safe anymore?!

The dragon’s roar echoed far beyond Shanghai, reaching distant cities. Already on edge from the catastrophe looming next door, citizens in these areas were in complete disarray.

The standard protocol for such emergencies was to evacuate to the nearest underground shelter. However, the panic-stricken citizens ignored this entirely.

Those with cars drove away, and those without took motorcycles. If they had no motorcycles, they used bicycles. And if even those were not available, they simply ran on foot—all fleeing as far as possible in the opposite direction of Shanghai.

Chairman Jang was no different.

W-what should I do? Should I run away too? Yes, that’s it! If I die here, who will protect China through this disaster?

The urge to escape consumed him, spreading like wildfire. He began to unconsciously concoct justifications for his retreat.

There are still unresolved domestic and foreign matters. If I die here, how will China weather this crisis?

While these thoughts sounded reasonable to him in the moment, deep down, he knew they were merely excuses. However, in the face of his fear, they felt entirely convincing. He gulped, about to call for his aide.

“Chairman Jang! If you leave now, our Hunters will abandon their posts as well.”

Suddenly, a booming voice interrupted him, laced with power and authority.

“Hup!”

Chairman Jang froze in place. The speaker was Osborne Yefremov, the guild master of Russia’s Podvig Guild. Osborne stood tall, his imposing presence amplified by a palpable aura of mana energy that filled the command room.

Russia’s contribution to this operation was substantial, with Osborne Yefremov himself leading the largest group of Hunters deployed to China. For someone of his stature to personally step up spoke volumes about his resolve.

“B-But... unlike you, I’m just an ordinary man! How could I not be terrified by such a monstrous roar—”

Osborne Yefremov cut him off, “Do you think Hunters like me are immune to fear just because of our titles?”

“Well, of course I...”

It was then that Chairman Jang noticed something.

Osborne Yefremov was trembling violently as well. The burly man, built like a bear, was shaking like a frightened child. And just faintly, Chairman Jang saw small yellow droplets falling to the floor beneath Osborne Yefremov’s chair.

The realization hit Chairman Jang like a slap. Even this fearless-looking warrior, one of the most powerful figures in the room, was just as scared as him. Seeing this, Chairman Jang began to calm down, his own terror fading ever so slightly.

Osborne Yefremov frowned, his deep voice laced with embarrassment. “Hmph... looks like I’ve shown you an unflattering side of myself.”

Chairman Jang shook his head vigorously. “Not at all. I’ll never speak of this to anyone.”

“I’d appreciate that,” Osborne Yefremov replied.

The room quieted, everyone silently watching the situation unfold on the monitors. The grim reality pressed down on them like a physical weight.

As Osborne Yefremov muttered to himself while cleaning up the mess, Chairman Jang’s gaze remained fixed on the monitor. His thoughts were crystal clear.

The fate of China hangs in the balance with this crisis.

For the first time that day, Chairman Jang’s thoughts aligned perfectly with the billions watching the live broadcast around the globe.

***

“Hyaaah!”

“We’re all going to die!”

“Run away!”

The soldiers with rifles abandoned their posts and fled. Even the commanding officers, who would normally enforce strict military discipline, didn’t try to stop them. In fact, they were the first to run away.

And who could blame them? Their enemy was a towering monstrosity, its sheer size piercing through the clouds.

“F-Fire! Fire!”

“Fire!”

Some soldiers, holding onto the last shreds of their composure, unleashed a barrage of heavy artillery. Massive weapons, hastily deployed after the creature’s initial appearance, roared to life.

Babababam—!

Boom! Boom!

The air was thick with the acrid smell of gunpowder and dust, but the results were as predictable as they were futile. Not a single bullet managed to penetrate the dragon’s obsidian-like scales.

Grrrr...

The dragon lowered its massive head, unfazed, and opened its maw wide. Slowly, it began devouring the blackened remnants of the wreckage littered before it.

“Aaah—!”

The soldiers broke into a full retreat, their morale shattered. The Chinese military forces completely dissolved in an instant.

Left behind were the Hunters, who had only just arrived to reinforce the battlefield.

“Damn it!”

“Is this thing really the boss monster?”

“How in the world are we supposed to fight that?”

The Hunters, though far more experienced in dealing with such creatures, weren’t faring much better. Their legs trembled, and their minds fogged over with fear. Every instinct screamed at them to run—to abandon the battlefield entirely.

“Hmm.”

A voice broke the suffocating silence. One man stepped forward, indifferent to the overwhelming terror gripping everyone else.

“So... this is the kind of monster you’ve defeated before?”

He wasn’t alone.

“Huh. It wasn’t quite this big when I fought it.”

A second voice, casual and tinged with amusement, joined the first.

They were Kim Do-Joon and Jecheon Seong, their demeanor unnervingly calm.

Jecheon Seong scratched his cheek lazily. “I’ll go first. You stay back and keep an eye on these people.”

Kim Do-Joon nodded in agreement. “Got it.”

Though he wanted to charge in immediately, someone had to remain behind. If the dragon’s attention shifted toward the gathered Hunters, even a moment’s lapse in defense could result in catastrophic losses.

With a single leap, Jecheon Seong disappeared from sight, his movements so fast they left the onlookers reeling. Before anyone could fully process his departure, he was already scaling the dragon’s massive back.

Kim Do-Joon stood still, gripping his spear, his gaze locked on Jecheon Seong’s figure. The Hunters nearby couldn’t suppress their bewilderment.

Who... who are these people?

How can they stay so composed in the face of this?

Every instinct screamed at them to flee. Their limbs felt heavy with dread, yet these two men seemed utterly unshaken.

Is this what it means to be truly powerful? Is the gap between us and them really that wide?

No, this shouldn’t happen...

The first to regain her composure was Yeon Hong-Ah.

“Mr. Do-Joon.”

Kim Do-Joon turned to her, surprised.

“Hunter Yeon Hong-Ah?”

Her face was pale, her expression strained, but her trembling had ceased.

“I’m fine now.”

Her voice, though weak, carried a determination that made Kim Do-Joon exhale in relief. He was on the verge of ordering her off the battlefield.

“Ah, Mr. Do-Joon!”

Yeon Hong-Ah’s urgent cry pulled him from his thoughts.

Kim Do-Joon didn’t need her warning because he had already sensed it. The dragon’s massive tail was swinging toward them, cutting through the air with deadly force.

Just keeping the Elder busy should’ve been a challenge in itself but wow...

Kim Do-Joon marveled at the sheer audacity of the dragon. Jecheon Seong was atop its back, carving wounds into its scales with relentless strikes, yet the creature still had the energy to lash out at them. It truly was a being worthy of its title as a Lord.

“Amplify!”

As Kim Do-Joon prepared to counter with his spear, a different voice acted first. Yeon Hong-Ah, standing at range, moved her hands in precise gestures, creating a cascade of mana circles along the trajectory of the dragon’s tail.

Babababam—!

Boom!

The air erupted in fiery explosions as her meticulously crafted spell detonated. Heat waves roared across the battlefield, forcing Kim Do-Joon to shield his face with his arm. When the dust settled, the tail continued its descent, unscathed, like an unstoppable tidal wave.

Rumble—!

The ground quaked as the massive tail swept forward, obliterating everything in its path. Buildings crumbled and the earth tore apart, filling the air with deafening destruction.

How can this be?

Yeon Hong-Ah’s mind raced, dumbfounded at the dragon’s impenetrable hide. Even her strongest magic had failed to leave a mark. She then recalled how the dragon’s scales shrugged off military-grade artillery without so much as a scratch.

We have to dodge it!

She and Kim Do-Joon could evade easily enough. However, what about the other Hunters? Most of them were still paralyzed by the dragon’s roar.

For a split second, Yeon Hong-Ah hesitated. Then, gritting her teeth, she began drawing a defensive mana circle to shield the Hunters.

“Stop it!”

Suddenly, a commanding voice cut through the chaos, followed by a brilliant white light. A group of figures surged forward, colliding with the dragon’s tail mid-swing.

“Aaaargh!”

“We can’t cut it! Redirect it!”

“To where?”

“Up! Push it upward!”

The monstrous tail, seemingly destined to crush everything, skimmed just above the Hunters' heads. The tallest one instinctively ducked, feeling the wind from the tail brush against their hair.

Although the defenders couldn’t fully counter the weight of the tail, their efforts were enough to redirect its path. The immediate danger passed, leaving behind a trembling but unharmed group of Hunters.

In the aftermath, Yeon Hong-Ah’s sharp eyes caught something.

A wound...?

The dragon’s tail, which had been impervious to her spells, bore a faint but undeniable slash. Someone had succeeded where she had failed.

One of the defenders, Fuad, approached Kim Do-Joon and offered a quick handshake.

“Are you all right?”

“Yes, as you can see,” Kim Do-Joon replied, glancing at himself.

His clothes were tattered and caked with dust, but he had no injuries.

Fuad chuckled grimly. “I don’t know how you walked into that cursed place alive, but you’ve brought back something truly monstrous.”

“It wasn’t me who brought it. It came on its own.”

Then, Kim Do-Joon’s gaze shifted to the gathered Mahal Tribe. Shura waved at him from among the group.

They weren’t alone. Nagas, Orcs, and even Skeletons—all summons Kim Do-Joon had left behind—had regrouped and joined the fray. The other Hunters gawked at the horde of creatures.

“M-Monsters! Are they his?”

“Did he summon them?”

Although the language barrier kept him from understanding their words, their fearful reactions were clear enough.

“Don’t worry,” Kim Do-Joon assured them, gesturing for calm. “They’re my summons.”

“Summons?”

Yeon Hong-Ah scanned the group, astonished. It was not just the fact that he had summoning skills but the sheer number of summons—easily over a hundred—and their poise. Moreover, they were completely unaffected by the dragon’s overwhelming roar, gathering around Kim Do-Joon without hesitation.

And then there was the horned Mahal Tribe, who managed to graze the dragon’s tail.

So the Mahal Tribe wounded it?

Kim Do-Joon, too, noticed the faint slash. While others would attribute it to the tribe’s skill, he saw deeper implications.

The Mahal Tribe’s prowess was undeniable, but Yeon Hong-Ah wasn’t lacking in ability either. Then, it must be something beyond raw strength and mana power.

There was some other principle at work—some law that the Mahal Tribe understood and could exploit.

“Everyone, return.”

Kim Do-Joon opened his Ring of Dominance, sending all but the Mahal Tribe back to the dungeon. If his hunch was correct, the other summons would be of no use against this enemy.

Kim Do-Joon’s sharp gaze locked onto the dragon, just as the Shadow Lord turned its eyes on him. Then, with a deliberate motion, the dragon swung its massive arm toward him.

If they can do it, so can I.

Boom—!

The next moment, Kim Do-Joon launched himself forward, the ground cracking beneath his feet as he charged to meet the dragon’s attack.

***

You irritating human!

The Shadow Lord twisted himself in frustration. The old human clinging to his back had been a persistent thorn in his side.

Every strike from the elder’s blade shattered precious scales and ripped into his flesh like sandcastles crumbling under a tidal wave. “Annoying” wasn’t a strong enough word to describe the pain and humiliation.

What’s this feeling?

And yet, amid the agony raging across his back, a peculiar sensation from his tail caught his attention.

Baaam—!

Swoosh—!

With a deafening roar, the Shadow Lord whipped himself and detonated shadow energy upward, forcing Jecheon Seong to leap away momentarily. Seizing the opportunity, the Shadow Lord turned to examine his tail.

Then, his gaze narrowed. A strange, antlered race intercepted his tail with radiant white swords.

Those blades are...

Recognition flickered across the Shadow Lord’s features. His gaze darkened, gleaming with bitter understanding.

So, it’s her power.

A mirthless laugh escaped him.

How self-righteous she pretended to be. Always acting so pure, so above it all... and yet here’s the evidence of her meddling.

Just as the Shadow Lord had scattered seeds of corruption to cultivate vessels like Gwak Dong-Gyu and Gao Lin, his sister had done the same here. The creatures before him must be the fruit of her meddling.

That conniving wench!

His foul mood, already twisted by setbacks, plummeted further into rage.

Memories of her stoked his fury. She had been a pest since the beginning—a sycophant cozying up to their father, pretending to align with their plans while running off to tattletale the moment it suited her. The mere thought of her made his blood boil.

No longer restraining his wrath, the Shadow Lord lashed out, his massive arm sweeping toward the horned warriors. The motion exposed his neck, and fresh pain erupted as Jecheon Seong capitalized on the opening, delivering another vicious strike.

It doesn’t matter.

The Shadow Lord endured the injury without hesitation, focusing solely on crushing the remnants of her influence.

So, this is why the Branch didn’t extend further...

Her seeds had already rooted themselves here. Her forces had thwarted his progress, standing as unseen obstacles all along. If he could annihilate them, a mere wound or two was inconsequential.

Suddenly, a smaller figure darted toward his arm.

The Shadow Lord scoffed.

How bold.

The human’s audacity was amusing, if nothing else. He vaguely recognized the face, but it didn’t matter. He would crush them all in one sweep.

Dark energy shrouded his arm, causing it to grow even more massive. This strike would obliterate every last human gathered in this place, along with the reckless insect rushing toward him.

Just die with that human!

Had the Shadow Lord valued Gao Lin’s memories more carefully, he’d have been cautious. However, Jecheon Seong’s disruptive assault and his own certainty that his sister was interfering dulled his instincts.

And just as JeCheon Seong had exploited the opening, so did Kim Do-Joon.

Here it comes!

Kim Do-Joon’s spear ignited with flames, but something was different. A dark, red aura entwined with the fire—a result of the Shadow Lord’s Fragment.

Roaring flames and engulfing shadow swept up his arm. The authority of the crown mingled with the Shadow Lord’s own power, manifesting as a fiery spear wreathed in shadowy flames.

Kim Do-Joon surged forward, driving his burning speartip into the Shadow Lord’s massive, shadow-wreathed palm. The Shadow Lord’s eyes widened as the spear plunged deeper. The dark red flames flared violently, scorching and consuming his power.