Chapter 111
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 111
Chapter Title: Jeju Island, the Phaethon Raid - 3
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Just before the Incineration Storm erupted from the body of the world boss monster, Phaethon, the giant of flames, the Steel Fleet swiftly increased its altitude.
No matter how high they climbed, they couldn't completely evade the searing winds blasting in all directions, but it was better than taking a direct hit at close range.
"—All fleets, brace for impact!"
Kwooo-goo-goo-goo-goo—!
"Ugh!"
A gale of heat, like a jet stream, struck and shoved the Steel Fleet dozens of meters away. But that was the extent of it. There was no major damage.
"Phew... Thank goodness! We held on!"
"We need to get as far away from that giant as possible!"
Afterward, the Steel Fleet dispersed, keeping a wary eye on Phaethon.
Even as it continued to emit the Incineration Storm, it raised its head and began to watch the Steel Fleet with its red eyes. There was a certain 'presence' in its gaze that sent a chill down the Players' spines.
"Shit, those eyes... they're terrifying..."
"Don't look at it. There's probably an invisible debuff in its gaze."
Gwo-o-o-o-o—
A red shimmer began to gather in the creature's hands.
It was the same precursor as when it had launched the pillar of fire earlier.
"Director Do! You can use Great Water Ball again, right?"
- Yes! It's ready.
Do Hee-seon replied to Kang Seo-yoon's question.
As long as she and the water mages were present, they could block the flame attacks.
But there was a limit to simply defending.
'...Can we block the next phase of the Incineration Storm?'
But then...
"...Huh, what's that?"
Another strange phenomenon caught their eyes.
A black shimmer staining the western sky—storm clouds.
Ruuuumble—
They weren't... ordinary storm clouds. They moved with a speed that couldn't be a natural phenomenon, and within them, bundles of electric currents tangled and roared ferociously. It was a clamor that threatened to turn into lightning bolts and crush the ground at any moment.
Bzzzzzt—!
"Huh? Where are these storm clouds coming from all of a sudden?"
"And... and they're approaching so fast. This is unsettling."
Kang Seo-yoon was the first to realize the true nature of this anomaly.
'That's... a skill.'
Kang Seo-yoon turned her head to find the origin of that 'skill,'
and her gaze naturally fell upon none other than Lee Hyun-wook.
He was on the ground with Han Tae-san, enduring the Incineration Storm, and she noticed a current of electricity flowing from his hand.
'...Lee Hyun-wook, what are you planning now?'
It was then.
- Warning! 'Wrath of the Thunder God' is beginning in this area.
A warning system message appeared before everyone's eyes.
Such a message wouldn't appear unless the skill was exceptionally dangerous.
"...It's an area-of-effect attack skill, isn't it?"
A skill powerful enough to devastate the entire area. The warning message was broadcast to everyone nearby, as one could easily get caught in the offensive without realizing it.
In other words, it was a signal to flee quickly.
Meanwhile, Lee Hyun-wook was gripping Thor's hammer, 'Mjolnir,' with both hands.
Bzzzzzt—!
Electricity surged from it, traveling up his hands and spreading throughout his body.
"Kh!"
Muscle spasms, the pain of every corner of his body being finely crushed.
As with most Legendary-grade items that had appeared so far,
this Mjolnir also had an 'over-handicap' for its use.
It was the necessity of withstanding the 'electric current' emitted by Mjolnir.
- Electric Shock Resistance Level 2 (81%)
'Good, I can just barely withstand it.'
For this very moment, Lee Hyun-wook had been steadily consuming 'Sky Iron,' a magical metal imbued with electricity, for the past few days to raise his resistance level.
That was why he could endure and control it.
He slowly raised Mjolnir toward the sky.
Ruuuumble—!
As he did, he felt a pull, as if gripping a fishing rod—one with a massive catch on the line. In other words, it felt heavy, as if pulling it would draw out something immense.
This pull was due to the magical connection between Mjolnir and the storm clouds.
'If I strike this down, dozens of lightning bolts will be unleashed.'
Lee Hyun-wook looked up at Phaethon. The creature was concentrating flames in both hands, as if preparing to intercept the Steel Fleet.
'Now.'
He swung Mjolnir as if to strike the ground.
Kra-ka-ka-ka-ka-boom—!
A flash and a resonance filled the world. The storm clouds turned white as if their colors were inverted, and dozens of lightning bolts cascaded down like a waterfall.
KRA-KA-KA-KOW—!
A punishment descended upon Hallasan—more precisely, upon the head of the giant of flames, Phaethon. The charred trees disintegrated into dust, and the red-hot ground cracked open, spewing magma like splattered blood.
Gwoooo—
Then, the massive figure let out a monstrous scream, fell to its knees, and collapsed forward.
'As expected of Mjolnir... it's truly immense, isn't it?'
Lee Hyun-wook was once again amazed.
Thor's lightning, comparable to that of Zeus.
In other words, its power was like a natural enemy to that creature.
"You bastard..."
Even Han Tae-san wore a look of astonishment at the sight.
"First that molten metal control, and now this. What else have you been hiding?"
He looked at Lee Hyun-wook as if he were a con artist.
"Mr. Han Tae-san, do we have time to chat right now?"
"What? I was leisurely waiting for my moment."
"I think I've brought that moment a little early."
As Lee Hyun-wook smiled, Han Tae-san snorted and stepped forward.
Bzzzzzt—
An electric current lingered in the area, but Han Tae-san walked on, unfazed. Funnily enough, his body grew stronger with every sit-up he did, and his consistent training had granted him a superhuman physique.
"Alright, it's my turn now. You can step aside."
He kicked off the ground and swung his right fist wide.
"I'm going to beat you to a pulp!"
BAM—!
A man less than two meters tall delivered an uppercut to a twenty-meter giant. The creature's head snapped back, and even its knees lifted slightly off the ground.
Han Tae-san, who had shot into the air, began to freefall, raising both fists above his head and bringing them down like a hammer onto Phaethon's crown.
CRACK—!
Phaethon's head was finally slammed into the ground, causing an earthquake.
THUD—!
Just then, Kang Seo-yoon's voice came through the Mana Messenger.
- *Ksshh*— Monsters are approaching from the rear!
Kkeueeee—
The moving tree spirits, 'Screaming Poplars,' were already approaching from behind. They climbed the slope, extending their blazing branches and roots.
However, an airship lowered its altitude, and several people disembarked. It was the Anyang Duo and other Players, who stood to block the monsters.
- We'll hold them off here, so finish that thing off quickly!
Lee Hyun-wook turned back to Phaethon and gripped Mjolnir tightly.
The cooldown for Wrath of the Thunder God was a whopping twelve hours.
But that certainly didn't mean Mjolnir was now useless.
[Item Information]
- Name: Mjolnir (Legendary)
- Effects
1) Steel Bolt: Destructive power is greatly increased when thrown.
2) Returning: Returns upon the owner's command.
3) Wrath of the Thunder God: Releases a powerful electric current.
The first skill, 'Steel Bolt,' was also quite effective.
Lee Hyun-wook threw Mjolnir with all his might.
TWANG—!
A sonic boom erupted as it accelerated the moment it left his hand.
And above all, Mjolnir was also metal.
Lee Hyun-wook imbued it with his Metal Control.
It shot forward, now dozens of times heavier.
A bolt of steel, just as the skill name suggested.
BAM—!
Phaethon, which had been staggering to its feet amidst Han Tae-san's assault, lost its balance and collapsed again when Mjolnir struck its left knee.
Then, as it came back via 'Returning,' it struck the back of the creature's head.
"Yeah, just stay seated like that so I can hit you!"
Thwack! Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!
Han Tae-san's barrage of attacks followed. Having seemingly figured out Phaethon's movement patterns, he freely swung his hands and feet, striking its vital points.
'But it's not over yet.'
No matter how clean a counter it took, it was still a world boss monster.
Just because they had seized the momentum didn't mean victory was assured.
Sure enough, the creature's body began to glow crimson.
"—Mr. Han Tae-san! Be careful!"
"Huh? Are you trying to hold me back?"
"No, that's not it..."
Lee Hyun-wook sighed and shook his head.
'Looks like he'll have to get burned once to understand.'
- Warning! Due to the Players' outstanding performance, an <Additional Event> will now occur.
"Shit, what's this now?"
- Warning! The giant of flames, Phaethon, is using 'Flare Shield'!
Immediately after, bundles of flames erupted from its body, lashing the area like whips.
Kwa-ga-ga-ga—!
The ground struck by the whips melted and scattered like cheese cut with a hot knife.
Han Tae-san dodged acrobatically but eventually took a hit.
Sizzle!
"Gah!"
It was a heat that even the superhuman Han Tae-san couldn't withstand. He was thrown back, rolled across the ground several times, and when he got up, his body was on fire.
"Kuh..."
He wrapped his body in a mana shield, temporarily cutting off the oxygen.
The fire went out, but his skin was charred black.
"What the hell is this! It's so damn hot! Kuh—"
An airship descended quickly, and a Priest disembarked.
"Fist King, please receive healing!"
Meanwhile, the flame whips swirled around Phaethon's body, enveloping it.
"Damn it, there's no way to get close now. Do I have to wait for another opening?"
Han Tae-san clicked his tongue.
But that wasn't all.
- Warning! <Incineration Storm: Phase 3> is scheduled to begin in this area.
* Time Remaining: 00:04:59
Another warning system message appeared... 'Incineration Storm Phase 3' was about to begin. And the timer was only five minutes.
The Players couldn't help but be flustered by this absurd situation.
- No way, just five minutes? Shit, this is ridiculous!
- The balance is completely broken, isn't it?
- ...We all expected an additional event, didn't we? But this is a bit much.
Flustered voices flowed through the Mana Messenger.
"That bastard, is it planning to use an AoE skill while its defensive skill is active?"
Han Tae-san also scowled at the message.
"Yes, it certainly looks like a combo skill."
"Damn! That bastard's a total coward for its size!"
This 'Additional Event' was somewhat predictable. Whenever a raid progressed faster than expected, the system would activate a predetermined 'worst-case scenario' to push Players into an extreme trial.
In other words, it wasn't a mechanism that could be properly countered just by anticipating it.
Immediately, all sorts of attack skills rained down from the Steel Fleet, pounding Phaethon's 'Flare Shield,' but... they were all deflected.
"Hah, in that case... shouldn't we retreat for now?"
The Priest healing Han Tae-san said worriedly.
"......."
In response to the question, Han Tae-san didn't show his usual confidence.
His seemingly reckless attitude was, in fact, born from certainty.
But now, even he couldn't be certain. The situation was dire.
Just then, Lee Hyun-wook took a step forward.
"Mr. Han Tae-san, I'm going to strike it, so get ready."
"...What?"
Faced with one unexpected action after another, Han Tae-san no longer tried to argue.
"You again... what do you mean?"
He could only ask.
"I'm going to stop its Incineration Storm casting one more time."
"...You bastard, what trick do you have up your sleeve this time?"
"Yes, that's right. Prepare to attack again by then."
"Don't tell me you can use that ridiculously overpowered lightning attack again?"
Lee Hyun-wook shook his head and walked forward.
"Hey! If you go in there, you'll really die this time!"
He had said the same thing before Lee Hyun-wook jumped from the airship, but Hyun-wook had survived.
But the situation now was completely different.
That 'Flare Shield' was a heat that even Han Tae-san himself couldn't withstand.
"As I said before, I have a trick up my sleeve."
Lee Hyun-wook pulled over an AD-1 and took out two items from inside.
'This time, too... it's all about the items.'
They were the 'Spear of Achilles' and the 'Shield of Achilles.'
The moment he gripped them in his hands—
- The <Armor of Achilles Set (2/4)> effect has been activated!
* Except for the Achilles' heel, you become temporarily invincible. (30 seconds)
Lee Hyun-wook focused all his Hardening on his heels and moved forward.
His figure disappeared into the flames.
***
At that very moment, as the Jeju Island raid reached its climax...
a certain incident was beginning in Seoul, taking advantage of the opportunity.
Wooooo—!
The 1st Battalion of the A.M.T's 3rd Anti-Monster Brigade, stationed at Namsan in Seoul, was being urgently dispatched.
A total of four military trucks—the forces of the 1st Company.
First Lieutenant Seo Eun-ha was in the passenger seat of the lead K-153 armored reconnaissance vehicle.
"...Ah, Raid Platoon Leader to all personnel."
The senior officer of this convoy was Captain Gwak Yong-jun, the 1st Company Commander,
but operational command belonged to First Lieutenant Seo Eun-ha, the Raid Platoon Leader.
She continued speaking while looking at photos of the operation site on her phone.
"The operation area is Seoul Station. We have reports of a strange plant sprouting from a sewer near the station. It appears a Gate has opened in the underground facilities, but its location has not yet been identified. We will lock down Seoul Station and secure the safety of civilians until support arrives."
A short while later, Seo Eun-ha and the 1st Company arrived in front of Seoul Station.
"What... what is that?"
asked Sergeant Kang Ik-jun, the raid platoon's sniper.
"I don't know. It's the first time I've seen it. It's not a Hell's Grasp, but..."
Just as the report said, bizarre plants were growing around Seoul Station.
Creak— Creak—
Thick purple vines, seven stalks in total, had pushed their way out of the sewer. They were growing at a visible rate, tangling together.
"—Do not approach!"
Players from the Seoul Station Guard were controlling the scene. Fortunately, the vines weren't attacking people.
*Ksshh*—
"All personnel, set up a cordon under the squad leaders' direction!"
While giving the order, Seo Eun-ha scanned the surroundings.
'Even if it's not aggressive, no Gate is one hundred percent safe.'
Until a Gate is closed, an incident could occur at any time, anywhere.
Therefore, Seo Eun-ha didn't let her guard down and continued to survey the area.
As she did, she began to notice incongruous sights.
'...Were people that large always this common?'
In front of the station, among the onlookers, several particularly large people were gathering. They looked to be nearly two meters tall, with abnormally broad shoulders.
"Platoon Leader, those big guys... they're not football players or something, are they?"
Sergeant Kang Ik-jun, having also spotted them, asked in a low voice.
As a sniper, he had excellent eyesight and sharp judgment.
"Yeah, I see them. They look strange, don't they?"
"No, it's beyond strange. This feels ominous. Tsk—"
"...Disperse all civilians within a one-kilometer radius of Seoul Station immediately."
However, that ominous feeling became reality sooner than expected.
"Ah!"
The large figures moved in unison, reaching into their coats.
"Damn it, Platoon Leader—!"
"Sergeant Kang, stop those bastards now!"
Kang Ik-jun immediately drew his K5 pistol from his hip and charged forward.
But because of the crowd of civilians, he couldn't bring himself to fire.
"Damn it all!"
In that time, the large figures charged furiously toward something.
It was... the spot where the strange vines were growing.
"Damn it! Over there, be careful!"
But it was too late.
The large figures descended upon the Seoul Station Guards protecting the vines. The guards were crushed like they were being mauled by bears, unable to offer any resistance.
"—Gak!"
"Ugh!"
In an instant, daggers were plunged into the necks of twelve people.
But the scene that followed was utterly incomprehensible.
The twelve large figures had stabbed their own necks.
"What, what the... a mass suicide?"
Kang Ik-jun, who had been chasing them, couldn't hide his bewilderment.
"Platoon Leader, we will protect those vines!"
The one who shouted was Sergeant Ahn Min-tae, the 5th Squad Leader of the 1st Company.
"—No! Don't approach!"
But Seo Eun-ha stopped him.
Her eyes had caught something else.
Chiiii—
"Black smoke is rising from that blood. It's a curse."
The blood was being absorbed by the vines.
Gu-ru-ru-ru—!
Then, their growth rate increased dramatically.
It was like watching the beanstalk from the fairy tale <Jack and the Beanstalk>.
Gu-ru-ru-ru—!
It shot up vertically as if to pierce the sky. Its growth speed was incredible.
And at its end... was the floating city, Laputa.
"W-wait a minute, is that...?"
"...It seems someone is targeting Laputa."
Seo Eun-ha nodded and scanned the surroundings.
"All personnel, be on alert! This isn't a Gate, it's a terrorist attack!"
Wooooo—!
But a trailer was already barreling toward them.
"Hey, what's that!"
"Hey! Stop it!"
Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!
"Hey, get out of the way!"
The trailer rammed through everything in its path. Three consecutive fire magic spells hit it, making it stagger, but it managed to reach the vines.
The trailer opened, and something poured out from inside.
Kraaaa—!
A savage roar was accompanied by a foul, gamey stench.
Gray fur, a protruding snout, sharp claws...
"That's... a werewolf, isn't it? Everyone, don't get close!"
They were horrifying monsters, Players who had been 'monsterized.' They were at least C-rank, tier 1, far beyond the level A.M.T soldiers could handle.
"Everyone get behind me! 5th Squad Leader, bring the tankers to my side!"
But...
"Uh, they're... just leaving."
They clung to the growing vines and quickly began to climb.
"......."
The A.M.T soldiers stared blankly at the scene, looking on dumbfounded.
"...Somehow, shouldn't we cut those vines?"
It was then.
Bza-za-za-za-zap—!
Overhead, at the tip of the vines, a blue light flashed from Laputa.
It was a bundle of electric current.
And...
Yelp—!
The werewolves began to fall, one by one, in vain.
***
"...Shit, what was that!"
A werewolf clinging to the vine growing toward Laputa shouted.
They were werewolves, once Players, who had been 'monsterized' through some method. Most of them had lost their self-awareness, but a few, like this one, had not.
And they were 'mind-controlling' the other werewolves.
"Fuck, of all the people, that electricity controller bastard had to be here!"
At this moment of infiltrating Laputa, electricity magic was the most troublesome. It wasn't enough damage to be fatal, but even a slight graze could paralyze their limbs. In other words, the risk of a futile fall was very high.
"Hey! Snap out of it! We have to keep climbing, don't stop!"
"Yeah, once we reach Laputa, he'll be easy prey anyway."
Perhaps Lee Hyun-wook's colleague, the electricity controller,
this could be a chance to deal with that troublesome guy.
Bza-za-za—!
"Shit, four just got hit!"
"...Keep going!"
A few more bolts of electricity rained down, but they didn't stop.
And finally, they reached the 'railing' of Laputa.
"Hah! We've reached the target point! Get that item out, quick!"
They succeeded in creating a hole in Laputa's shield with a prepared item, and nineteen werewolves infiltrated in perfect order.
"Good, now open a two-way portal and summon the Black Orcs."
That was the mission of this werewolf commando unit prepared by Ki Baek-jun.
Shing—!
Just then, something flew toward them.
BAM—!
Whatever it was, it blew the heads off three werewolves.
"Huh?"
But the identity of that something was...
"...A ba-basketball?"
A blood-soaked basketball hit Laputa's 'dome' and fell.
Thump—thump—thump—thump—
And from somewhere, the sound of another basketball bouncing approached.
Followed by...
Thud— Thud— Thud— Thud—
the sound of earth-shaking footsteps.
The werewolves slowly turned their heads in that direction.
「(^_^) Welcome to Laputa!」
A bronze giant was displaying an emoticon on the screen on its face.
And it brought out four arms and waved cheerfully...
Buzzzzzzz—!
The problem was that those arms were chainsaws.