Meanwhile, in the Lostbelt: Britain—Capital City, Camelot.
The skies loomed heavy with magical mist. Towering walls of enchanted stone pulsed with protective wards as twilight spread across the kingdom. Within the heart of the palace, Morgan le Fay stood on her high balcony, regal and still, her eyes surveying her land like a queen carved from silver and war.
Beside her stood Barghest, the ever-vigilant city guardian, draped in armor, hand resting on the hilt of her greatsword. On Morgan's left was Baobhan Sith, her adopted daughter, quiet and whimsical, swaying gently on her heels with a faint, almost childish grin.
Further back, seated casually on a balcony , was Mordred, arms crossed, boots kicked up, smirking lazily as her red eyes scanned the chamber—her presence crackling with Ruler-class defiance.
Morgan's voice cut through the chamber like a cold gust across steel.
"You may come in, Beryl Gut."
The chamber doors creaked open, and Beryl Gut stepped inside. His aura was thick with lies, a sickly confidence in his stride, and an unsettling grin plastered on his face.
"My queen," he began with exaggerated courtesy, bowing low. "Morgan—your Ruler-class servant form—I did meet you once. When you rayshifted yourself, it allowed me to—"
He stopped. The air behind him is being splitted
A black shadow surged into the throne room, writhing like a storm of ink. The pressure was instant. Barghest moved without hesitation, stepping forward, blade half-drawn. Baobhan Sith's lips twitched, her playful aura gone in a flash, hands weaving a hex.
The shadow twisted violently, then snapped inward.
The room fell silent as it dissipated.
And standing there—at the heart of Camelot's throne hall—was Jin-Woo.
No words. No movement. Just absolute presence.
Morgan le Fay tilted her head slightly. Her expression remained composed, but her thoughts flickered fast and sharp.
Who is this man…? He didn't rayshift. That wasn't teleportation. That was something else. Something that doesn't belong to this world…
She stepped down from the balcony, slowly approaching. The air grew tighter with each step.
For the first time in a very long time, Morgan le Fay was intrigued.
Suddenly, Barghest took a sharp step forward, voice edged with steel.
"Intruder. Introduce yourself. This meeting was meant for the Crypter. Not some… stranger."
Off to the side, Beryl Gut didn't move. His smile didn't twitch, but his thoughts betrayed him.
I guess staying quiet's the smart play here. Watching this random punk get put in his place… he ruined my damn entrance anyway.
But before the tension could break—
A ripple of shadow slithered across the floor.
A dark, regal presence stepped forward from behind Jin-Woo, emerging like a phantom from the abyss. Bellion, the Grand Marshal of the Shadow Army, towered into view—horned helm gleaming, cape dragging behind him like a war banner.
He spoke with authority, voice echoing across the chamber like a divine sentence.
"No, big girl. Your queen should be grateful," he said coldly, his glowing eyes narrowing. "She is graced by the presence of the one who rules the dead."
Barghest's stance shifted instantly. Her body tensed, and her blade hummed slightly in response to the pressure. Her eyes sharpened.
That wasn't magecraft, she thought, stunned. That was… magic. Actual magic. The kind that shouldn't exist anymore.
Morgan's composure cracked for just a second.
Impossible… That spell structure… that essence… This man—he just used magic? The real thing? I thought it was extinct—erased from the Age of Man…
Her eyes narrowed, shifting lower—not at Jin-Woo, but at his shadow.
And there, where others would see only darkness, she saw it.
Countless eyes. Glowing. Watching. Waiting.
The eyes of the Shadow Army, hidden behind the veil of reality, staring back at her with silent malice. No words. No movement. Just pressure. Just hunger.
Only someone of my level… she realized. Only I can see it. If he wanted to… he could drown Camelot in those things without warning. A wave of death, held back by sheer will.
Morgan's voice broke the silence, calm but commanding.
"Stand down, Barghest. You are not in his league."
Barghest's brow furrowed, voice tightening. "But my queen, this random man doesn't even follow the rules of this mee—"
"Barghest," Morgan interrupted, not looking back. "This man carries an entire army behind his feet—and he hides it well. But it seems I can see it."
She stepped closer to Jin-Woo, eyes locked with his. "And if my guess is correct… he doesn't use magecraft. He uses real magic. If he wished, even I could be overwhelmed."
Jin-Woo exhaled softly, his tone relaxed, almost amused.
"This is the third time someone's seen the army I hide behind my shadow. I guess someone beautiful as you… must've attracted it."
Morgan gave a faint smirk. "Random man, you're certainly good at teasing."
Her voice lowered, eyes flicking back to the invisible legion behind him.
"But that shadow of yours… it looks at me like it wants to kill me. Because of my actions, ?" She held her gaze on him. "Maybe that's the truth. And the only one holding them back… is you."
Jin-Woo's expression didn't change. Calmly, he spoke a single word.
"Beru."
From the pool of darkness behind Jin-Woo's heels, Beru emerged—towering, insectoid, regal. The Shadow Ant King, cloaked in void-black chitin, clicked his mandibles once before releasing a shrill screech that echoed through the chamber. His shadow ant army, numbering in the thousands, surged behind him like a tidal swarm, crawling across the walls, clustering along the vaulted ceiling until the entire throne room was blanketed in a moving darkness.
Barghest instinctively stepped in front of Morgan, hand on her blade.
Morgan, however, didn't move. Her eyes stayed on the one standing at the center of it all.
He is… truly an Has army inside him .
Off to the side, Beryl Gut stood still, forcing a calm smile, though his thoughts churned in silence.
I expected Morgan to tease this guy… maybe test him a little… but this? This random man—is he even human? No Servant I know has this kind of presence. No modern magus could possibly manifest this…
Only Kirschtaria came close—and even he needed the entire Lostbelt's backing to reach that kind of power.
As the ceiling creaked under the weight of Beru's army, the Ant King turned toward Morgan, voice reverberating with sharp, insectile resonance.
"My liege… this woman does not know who she stands before. Shall I remind her?"
Jin-Woo gave a slight shake of his head. "You and your personal army… calm down."
Beru clicked once in understanding. "As you command… my liege."
Though his eyes lingered on Morgan with a primal intensity, Beru bowed low. The army receded—crawling back across the stone, sinking back into the depths of Jin-Woo's shadow until only silence remained.
Jin-Woo turned toward Morgan again, his voice level.
"There. Happy now, Queen Morgan? My army isn't looking at you with hostility anymore."
Morgan blinked once, slowly.
"Much appreciated," she said, her tone calm, but there was something deeper now—genuine respect, rare and deliberate.
Then she added with a sly tilt of her head, "Random man… you are graced to speak with me privately."
Jin-Woo gave a casual nod. "How about we take a walk?"
Before Morgan could respond, Baobhan Sith stepped forward, appearing at her mother's side with a sharp look. Her eyes flicked toward Bellion, the massive black-armored figure looming silently behind Jin-Woo.
"Mother, I'm accompanying you," she said, voice sharper than usual. "I don't trust his armies."
Jin-Woo raised a brow, then shrugged lightly. "Bellion won't suddenly behead Morgan. He's too controlled for that."
"Except Beru. He's more the type to strike first, then talk later."
Across the hall, Barghest had not relaxed once. Her eyes stayed glued to Bellion, watching the quiet way he stood, the weight in his silence.
"You mean that black shadow ant that walks like a man?" she said. "He's weaker than this Bellion. That one's too wild. But this one…"
She stepped forward, unsheathing her sword with a clean, ringing sound. Her eyes narrowed.
"This one obeys. Listens. Calculates. That makes him more dangerous. And you, random man—you hold the power to kill my queen. That alone makes you a threat."
The edge of her blade pointed downward, but her grip was tight.
Jin-Woo shifted his gaze—this time locking eyes with Morgan le Fay, the Queen of the English Lostbelt.
"How about it?" he said, tone unreadable. "A spar. Your class tank guard… versus my Bellion."
Morgan raised a brow, clearly amused. "Agreed. It can cool things off."
She turned and stepped back with Baobhan Sith, the shift in her presence signaling that this was no longer a conversation—it was now a spectacle.
Then, from the side of the chamber, Beryl Gut, who had been lingering in silence, finally spoke up, raising a hand lazily.
"Wait a moment. I mean—come on, this is a fight, right? Shouldn't it be at an arena or something? Somewhere fitting? We need an audience. Let the whole kingdom watch."
Baobhan Sith clapped her hands together with a wicked grin. "Sounds like fun. Mother, how about I tell every faerie in the capital to come watch the show?"
But before Morgan could answer, Bellion turned his massive form toward Beryl. The room dropped into stillness as his shadow eyes pierced through him like spears of judgment.
The Grand Marshal's voice came. "Human… if you wish to scan me or relay information to your fellow Crypters, I do not mind. But tell them this—"
He took a single step forward. Shadows trembled at his feet. "—whether your so-called alien god or not, there are beings far beyond that throne of heroes. And my liege… will triumph against them all."
Beryl's confident smirk cracked. He gulped, visibly.
Before the weight could sink further, Morgan raised her arm—and with a flick of her wrist, a brilliant shimmer coalesced into a massive spear—ornate, regal, and thrumming with power.
She twirled it once and slammed its base into the marble floor. The entire chamber pulsed with fae magecraft .
Her voice rang out like a queen before a kingdom.
"All Fairy Clans. All nobles and commoners alike—into the Camelot Arena. There is to be a fight. One worth your eyes."
She turned, smiling. "Your queen demands it."
Outside, horns began to sound. The faerie messengers took flight, racing through the air as the announcement spread across Camelot. The city stirred with excitement. The arena filled with life and noise as every fairy clan gathered to witness what was about to unfold.
In the center of it all, Jin-Woo just smirked in silence.
Morgan stepped closer, arms crossed, her tone smooth.
"Before we begin… I can't keep calling you 'random man.' Tell me your name."
Jin-Woo looked her in the eye, calm and composed, his blue eyes flickering softly beneath the fading light.
"Sung Jin-Woo," he said. "But just call me Jin-Woo."
Morgan's lips curled in amusement. "Alright, Jin-Woo. I hope your warrior entertains me."
Jin-Woo glanced toward her, then to the arena where Barghest was already making her way down the steps.
"Tell Barghest to fight at her fullest," he said. "If not… she'll regret it."
Barghest turned, eyes narrowing.
"I assure you, Shadow Mage… I am more than enough for this shadow warrior of yours."
Jin-Woo shrugged lightly. "Yeah. That's what everyone says."
—
Fifteen minutes passed.
The arena was filled to its brim with cheering, buzzing faeries. The atmosphere was electric, like a festival before a storm.
At the center podium, Baobhan Sith raised her arms, her voice amplified by fae magic.
"Welcome, fairies of every clan!" she shouted, grinning wide. "Before the battle begins, allow me to present—your queen, Morgan le Fay!"
The entire arena erupted in cheers.
Baobhan continued, swirling once with a flourish of her dress. "And her champion… Barghest, our very own Fairy Knight of might and flame!"
Barghest raised her sword in silence, the cheers rising louder.
Baobhan Sith then turned slowly, facing the opposite side of the arena where Jin-Woo stood, calm and still beneath the open sky.
"And now… the human who wields forbidden power, a master of shadows and death, a mage unlike any we've known—Sung Jin-Woo!"
She paused, smirking. "And for his champio—"
"BOOOOOO!"
A deafening chorus exploded from the crowd.
"Go home, human!"
"Humans should be slaves!"
"BOOOOOOOOO!"
The crowd's scorn drowned the arena. Mockery. Spite. Prejudice.
But Jin-Woo didn't flinch. The air began to twist.