Chapter 22
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 22
Chapter Title: The Game Board (5)
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[A lifeform from a completely different lineage than any before. The Legion dismantled, digested, and absorbed it all.]
[The goblin's brain was more sophisticated and systematic than any brain acquired thus far. Using this as a hint, the Legion continued to expand its own brain.]
[Like when we first learned of the existence of ants, this will be a major turning point in our evolution.]
"I'm glad you don't hate them."
I smiled bitterly.
Honestly, the image of goblins was still that of stupid, short, low-level monsters that even ordinary people looked down on, but these goblins were different.
The image of the one that had snatched a police pistol and used it with ease was still vivid in my mind.
[We may be able to take on a new form.]
"I think it'll still take more time."
The 20th stratum, a part of the stalk, was too large. We hadn't even finished exploring it yet.
And then there were the other branches connected to that stalk.
There's a great deal for us to consume.
This was the first time the problem was that our consumption speed was too slow.
[This place is certainly a vast world in itself. And it must have a master. Look at the screen. Our scouts have discovered a creature presumed to be the master of this place.]
"...It's huge."
It was unbelievably massive.
Dinosaur-sized? It seemed at least as big as a large truck.
Unlike the other creatures whose general forms I could at least identify, this thing... I couldn't tell what kind of creature it was, whether it was a reptile, an amphibian, or something else entirely.
Unusually for the creatures here, it was bipedal, but its legs were incredibly short and thick.
With a hunched posture, it supported itself on its long, thick arms, walking in a stance virtually identical to a gorilla's.
The sharp claws at the tips of its powerful arms glinted.
[The Legion, too, watched this new type of enemy with interest. It seems the creature has decided to hunt.]
The creature stomped forward, approaching a large, two-headed turtle nearby.
The turtle, of course, tried to scramble away.
[The creature raised its fist and brought it down, smashing the turtle to a pulp. It extends its neck toward the burst-open turtle's corpse and gapes its mouth wide.]
What in the world...
I furrowed my brow at the sight.
There was no face at the end of the creature's elongated neck.
The flesh just split wide open, revealing a mouth lined with sharp teeth, like a lamprey's.
With that mouth, it was swallowing the pulverized turtle whole.
"What a crazy world."
[The Legion prepared to hunt. It was the first time hunting such a large enemy, but regardless, we already knew how to hunt bulky foes.]
I was disgusted, but the Legion was brimming with confidence.
The nest, which had been storing energy, immediately began to stir and move.
"Still, it's too big, isn't it?"
[We too have acquired a new weapon. The Legion intends to make active use of the goblin genes we've obtained.]
I felt a little dazed.
The Legion never employs anything it deems inefficient.
So I never expected it to favor the goblins this much.
Just what potential did it see in them?
[We judged that they could enhance our strengths. Of all the samples the Legion currently possesses, the goblin is the closest to being an all-purpose type. We now understand the concept of tools.]
"That's true."
[Whatever form it takes, the potential for modification and evolution is limitless.]
From the nest that had consumed every last cell of the twenty strata and their minor branches, eggs began to be produced.
New soldiers, based on the goblin, would grow in those eggs and hatch.
"So, how's the brain development? What about communication with me?"
[As you know from the goblins, the minimum conditions for learning the system of language have now been met.]
"Awesome."
My face lit up.
Looking at people like Cha Ji-yeon, or even just Oh Yoon-ah, they grew stronger by communicating with Players of similar or equal intelligence.
Having experienced the power of communication firsthand, I couldn't help but be excited.
"We can talk, right?"
[...]
"...We can talk, right?"
However, separate from the Legion's explosive growth, the road ahead for me to communicate with them was not so smooth.
[Language is learned.]
"Damn..."
[How can one learn when there is no one to teach?]
My hopes crumbled to dust.
Language? The only things in that cave that communicated with each other were the squeaking rats.
[Moreover, the goblin's linguistic system is distinctly different from a human's. The Legion has not yet evolved enough to learn a higher language. A word of advice: it would be better for you to find another way than to wait for the Legion to learn your language.]
"Find another way? You want me to learn sign language or something? Forget it. Let's move on. So, when can I start getting help from the Legion?"
[No one has reached Chapter 3 yet. While the Player and Unit are certainly connected by a single string, those currently helping each other are individuals who have transcended the world's barriers with their own abilities, not through a game option.]
"So it's my fault again? This is so frustrating."
I rubbed my tight chest.
No, maybe I was being too hasty.
It's only been a month.
Unlike others who could communicate and interact from the start, we grew from a mere clump of cells to this point.
The Legion hadn't rested for a single second.
I couldn't rush them in this situation.
This was something I had to accept from the moment I formed a bond with them.
If I endured and waited...
...there would surely be advantages for us in the end.
I resolved that my job was to buy that time.
"Oppa, you're not sleeping, are you?"
Just then, a knock came from outside my room.
I folded my phone.
I still needed time.
"What is it?"
"Were you, um..."
"Yeah. I was watching my kids."
I trailed off.
She looked like she was dying of curiosity, but we had agreed not to mention my Units to prepare for any unforeseen circumstances.
Of course, my sister kept glancing at me, making it obvious how curious she was.
"Don't your Units give you anything?"
"*Cough...*"
That's why she sometimes landed a critical hit.
"M-my kids are late bloomers. Anyway, what did you come for?"
"Yoon-ah sent a text."
"!"
That was definitely big news.
Did she reach a conclusion after talking with Cha Ji-yeon?
"What'd she say?"
"Since we can't go to school for a while anyway, she wants to meet tomorrow. But she said you should come too, Oppa."
"Is Cha Ji-yeon going to be there?"
"...Yeah. Ms. Cha Ji-yeon thinks you're the same... as me. It seems like they want to talk about something important."
Kang Do-yeon bit her lip and lowered her head.
She probably thought I got dragged into this because of her.
"It doesn't really matter. So don't blame yourself. Besides, this was our plan from the start, right?"
I reassured her, saying it was no big deal.
I personally didn't think it was a bad thing.
It was better than letting her get caught up in this alone.
Most importantly, neither Cha Ji-yeon nor Oh Yoon-ah knew my true identity.
Now that we've made contact, they're sure to make a move, which gives me a chance to get information for free.
"I'll have to put on a good act."
I let out a small chuckle.
*
"It's so chaotic out there, do you really have to go? Why don't you just stay home..."
"It's no big deal, I'll be fine."
Early in the morning.
After reassuring my mother, I left the house with my sister.
It was true that the entire country, not just the neighborhood, was in a state of chaos and confusion.
Dozens of people had died or been taken.
Half of them were young students.
"Let's go."
We crossed the street and headed to the meeting spot.
The area, where the cleanup was far from over, was crowded with bereaved families, police, and reporters.
The designated meeting place was a cafe a short distance away.
Neither of us said a word on the way.
"There they are."
Just then, Kang Do-yeon spotted them first and pointed.
A middle-aged man and woman standing with a short girl.
Could they be Oh Yoon-ah's parents?
"You're here? These are my... Oof!"
"?!"
The middle-aged woman smacked the back of Oh Yoon-ah's head as she was cheerfully greeting us.
Then, she bowed politely to us.
"We're this child's parents. We heard what happened. We're so sorry. For getting you involved in such a terrible incident. I'm sorry, Do-yeon."
"Oh, no, we..."
We were both flustered by the unexpected situation.
And so, leaving Oh Yoon-ah to squat on the ground, clutching the back of her head and groaning, we exchanged awkward greetings with her parents.
"It's really okay. In the end, we survived that crisis thanks to her."
"...You're so mature. It was so painful for us, even though we chose it ourselves."
"And anyway, we're a team now."
Oh Yoon-ah's mother stroked the brand on my sister's wrist and sniffled.
A brand was visible on her wrist as well.
Oh Yoon-ah had granted her power to her parents, too.
I doubt she intended to use them as shields, though.
"Everyone, let's calm down. That person is coming."
I fiddled with the sleeve covering the back of my hand and stepped in to defuse the situation.
A large van pulled up and stopped before us.
"Everyone, get in."
The person driving the van was Cha Ji-yeon herself.