Chapter 113
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 113
Chapter Title: A New Business, The Armory - 1
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As the Mace of the Thunder God spewed a torrent of azure electricity, Park Jun-mo spread his hands.
“Hyaaaah—!”
As if casting a net, the bundle of currents fanned out wide, then split into even finer strands, writhing and spreading in every direction. It was a mystical sight, like watching a swarm of electric eels riding a rapid current.
*Bzzzz—zzzt—!*
The resulting thousands of flashes swept across the road in front of Seoul Station.
In that fleeting moment, no one moved.
It felt as though a single misstep would result in electrocution.
And indeed, electrocution occurred.
*Grrrgh…!*
Only the Black Orcs convulsed and collapsed.
Park Jun-mo had directed the current exclusively at the monsters, identifiable as enemies.
Thanks to this, Ki Baek-jun’s subordinate Players were spared.
A few seconds later, the moment the electrical storm discharged and vanished…
“…N-Now! All troops, reform your ranks!”
At the shout of 1st Company Captain Gwak Yong-jun, the A.M.T soldiers moved.
They had suffered heavy losses in the preceding chaotic battle.
Fighting entangled with the Black Orcs, those veteran warriors, was madness.
“Move the wounded to the rear for treatment!”
“…C-Corporal Park, please open your eyes!”
A brief clash had already resulted in eleven deaths. Though they had become an elite force after surviving the 4th Wave, the overwhelming level gap was difficult to overcome.
But if they formed a defensive line, they could somehow hold out until reinforcements arrived. The tankers lined up at the very front, beginning to form a shield wall.
“Hoo… Everyone, stay sharp! They’re coming again!”
Ahn Min-tae, the highest-level soldier among them, took command of the shield wall.
*Grrr…*
As expected, the Black Orcs didn’t die from electrocution alone. Their bodies had merely stiffened for a moment; with their considerable vitality, they quickly rose again.
Still, they didn’t dare charge recklessly toward the well-formed defensive line.
Then, Seo Eun-ha and Oh Kyung-pyo appeared before the shield wall.
“Tch, it’s embarrassing, but while I can’t handle a monster like that one, Black Orcs are another story…”
Rank 14, Oh Kyung-pyo, raised his spear at the forefront.
Sensing his level, the Black Orcs hesitated.
Meanwhile, Ki Baek-jun’s men, observing the situation, couldn’t hide their bewilderment.
“Hey, what the hell is this all of a sudden!”
“…Are we about to get screwed over again?”
In just a few dozen seconds, a series of scenes unfolded that completely turned the tide of battle.
Above all, it was shocking that the giant demonic beast Cerberus, which Ki Baek-jun had summoned by sacrificing an entire arm, was being pushed back so one-sidedly.
*Woof! Woof! Woof! Woof!*
The beast, seemingly terrified, stood with its back to a building, barking furiously. Its left head was already severed, blood gushing like a waterfall. If not for its 10-meter-tall frame, it would have been a truly pitiful sight.
Talos was stomping toward it.
「(★3★) Choo choo choo— C’mere!」
It even clicked its tongue as if calling a dog, a trick it must have picked up somewhere.
*Whimper…*
「Wanna play ball?」
Then, Talos’s right arm began to transform into a different shape.
It was a weapon made by the Gray Dwarves with ‘Agni Crystal’ as its main ingredient, bearing the somewhat bizarre name of <Great Fucking Gun>. To put it simply, it was an enlarged version of Lee Hyun-wook’s <Black Rhino>.
*Whirrrrr—*
The muzzle glowed red.
「Fetch!」
*KABOOM—!*
A staggering 150 steel balls erupted, overwhelming the beast.
*Yelp—!*
The massive monster was sent flying, slamming into the wall of a building.
Next, Talos charged like an NFL player—heavy yet fast—ramming into the beast, pinning it to the ground, and gripping its two remaining muzzles with two of its arms.
*Whine— Whine—*
The beast couldn’t break free from the grip, which was practically that of a hydraulic press.
*WHIIIRRRR—!*
And its other two arms started up their chainsaws.
The scene that followed was nothing short of brutal.
“……”
Watching this, Ki Baek-jun was also completely stunned.
This… This was a level of resistance completely outside his expectations, beyond all common sense.
“Where… where did something like that suddenly come from?”
The Cerberus he had summoned by sacrificing an arm was a staggering level 106.
For a being capable of dispatching it so easily, one that even looked like a monster, to fall from the sky like a bolt from the blue…
He slowly raised his head.
“Surely another one won't… fall. That’s impossible.”
It seemed the other side had been thoroughly prepared for an emergency.
But for situations like this, Ki Baek-jun had prepared a Plan B and a Plan C.
And now, he decided to play both cards at once.
He drew a dagger and sliced the shoulder of his remaining arm.
The blood that trickled down drew a magic circle on the ground.
*Ssssss—*
A single tentacle shot out from within it.
“Kuh! This time, I offer my right eye and my left ear!”
*Pluck! Pluck!*
In that instant, the tentacle flew out, plucked his eyeball, and tore off his ear.
“Aaargh—!”
He would offer two body parts to the demon and summon two more beasts.
It was clear that by doing so, he could smash that bronze giant.
And that meant he could obtain his ultimate goal, Laputa.
‘Kuh, it would take five or six top-ranked Players to stop this.’
But right now, Players of that caliber were all on Jeju Island.
‘This move is checkmate.’
Soon, a portal opened, and a giant spider emerged from within.
*Skitter— Skitter—*
It was a 15-meter-tall, level 101 ‘Abyss Spider’.
Following it, a black serpent slithered out.
*Ssssss—*
A 30-meter-long, level 104 ‘Basilisk’.
And so, three boss monsters in the hundred-level range were gathered in one place.
He had effectively summoned a cataclysm.
“Heh, yes… there’s no way they can stop this.”
He clutched his blood-streaked face and let out a bitter smile.
From the A.M.T’s side, voices filled with despair began to emerge.
Yes, it was a sight that could crush their will to resist.
“Go! Turn that robot into scrap metal and pound the humans into pulp!”
But no sooner had Ki Baek-jun’s command fallen—
*KABOOM—!*
Something fell from the sky, striking the ‘Abyss Spider’. The massive spider couldn’t withstand the impact and was slammed into the ground with a sickening *splat*.
“…Huh?”
It was a scene reminiscent of the bronze giant’s appearance just moments before.
“…Well now, look at this.”
Someone was standing atop the miserably crumpled Abyss Spider.
“…Heh, just like you said, things are getting pretty interesting, huh?”
The man was chuckling, speaking to someone.
Ki Baek-jun recognized the owner of that voice.
“…H-Han Tae-san?”
It was Han Tae-san, South Korea’s Rank 2 Player.
That monstrous man was supposed to be struggling on Jeju Island right now… How he had appeared here was utterly incomprehensible.
“No, why… You’re supposed to be… on Jeju Island right now!”
Ki Baek-jun couldn’t help but scream.
Han Tae-san turned his head and looked down at him.
“Oh, Ki Baek-jun? What are you doing mixed up in this?”
“……”
“Ah, now that I look, those monsters have your mana on them, don’t they?”
“……”
“Well, I’m not sure what happened… but you’re dead.”
He gave a chilling smile, then began to break off the legs of the Abyss Spider he was standing on one by one, as if snapping off crab legs.
*Screeeech—!*
It was a demonic beast Ki Baek-jun had summoned by sacrificing parts of his own body.
Yet again, it began to be torn apart, utterly helpless.
“N-No…”
And that wasn’t the end of it.
*Whoooosh—*
Thirty AD-1s filled the sky, proving Lee Hyun-wook’s arrival.
A torrent of various weapons rained down from them, heading for the Basilisk.
*Whoosh-whoosh-whoosh-whoosh-whoosh—*
But suddenly, Han Tae-san leaped into the midst of that steel rain.
“Hey! I’m borrowing this!”
What he snatched was none other than the greatsword, Moglei.
*SWOOSH—!*
“Ooh, this thing’s pretty heavy.”
He swung it once in the air with a satisfied expression, then brought it down on the Abyss Spider with all his might.
The single strike created a massive sword wind, cracking the asphalt.
*SPLAAAAT—!*
Next, the creature’s thick body was split in half, its innards spilling out.
“Whoa—this thing is pretty useful, huh?”
He examined Moglei, smacking his lips.
‘Crazy, how can it generate that much power?’
Even Lee Hyun-wook was inwardly stunned. He knew Moglei better than anyone and had used it the most, but the power of that last attack was beyond comprehension.
‘Well, Moglei was originally a weapon suited for a warrior…’
Lee Hyun-wook quickly pulled Moglei back to him. Even if an item had an owner, if someone else held it for more than five minutes, ownership would transfer.
“Still, you shouldn’t hold onto it for too long.”
“Jeez, you have so many good items, don’t be so stingy.”
“…And please, hurry up and take care of that thing over there.”
Next, Han Tae-san twisted the 30-meter Basilisk like a pretzel.
The scene was magnificent and grand, yet it looked so effortless that it felt like a scene from a cheap superhero movie.
“Ah… n-no way…”
Ki Baek-jun staggered backward, his expression vacant. He had lost too much blood, and the rising anger made the back of his neck throb.
Ki Baek-jun shook his head. There was nothing more he could do.
No, he had already invested enough. Failure was unthinkable.
‘How, at every single moment, does that bastard get in our way?’
Right now, his vision was fixed on one person: Lee Hyun-wook.
*CRACK—!*
Just then, someone struck him hard on the back of the head, and he pitched forward.
“Ugh!”
It was Oh Kyung-pyo. He pressed the tip of his spear against Ki Baek-jun’s neck.
“Ki Baek-jun, you son of a bitch… I told you I’d kill you, didn’t I?”
At that moment, Ki Baek-jun’s eyes rolled back, and heat erupted from his face.
His body trembled violently, and the whites of his eyes turned black as char.
“Huh, what! What’s wrong with this bastard all of a sudden!”
Watching the scene, Lee Hyun-wook clicked his tongue.
As expected, the latent spell had activated, frying Ki Baek-jun’s brain.
‘Tsk, I didn’t have time to bring the Saintess this time.’
But in the end, he had cleaned up one of the most troublesome corners of this land.
***
Lee Hyun-wook sat in Seoul Station Plaza, looking around.
Today, a not-insignificant number of A.M.T soldiers had died here.
Most of them were members of the 1st Company whose names he knew.
‘But… they all accomplished something incredible.’
Honestly, an ordinary A.M.T company would have been annihilated and broken through long ago, but the fighting spirit of these men, who had conquered the 4th Wave, was on another level.
“Situation clear—all terror suspects have been apprehended!”
A voice called out from somewhere.
And so, the incidents that had unfolded in both Jeju Island and Seoul came to an end.
“…Lee Hyun-wook, you’ve truly become an untouchable hero.”
The voice belonged to Lieutenant Colonel Kim Kang-seok, commander of the 1st Battalion, 3rd Anti-Monster Brigade.
“Ah, Battalion Commander, have you been well?”
“Of course, I have. Thanks to a certain someone, I’ve been doing very well indeed.”
He went on to say that the 1st Battalion was scheduled for an ‘expansion and reorganization’.
The A.M.T high command, in response to the recent string of terror attacks in the capital region, had pushed for the establishment of a ‘Specialized Anti-Terrorism Unit’. Kim Kang-seok’s 1st Battalion had been selected as the first case for this project.
“Well, that’s the official line, but it seems they’re hoping for some kind of connection with you, since you came from our unit. Anyway, our unit is going to be expanded, and I’m getting promoted along with it.”
Kim Kang-seok was already slated for a special promotion for his merits during the 4th Wave.
“Ah, congratulations. I feel proud just hearing it.”
“No, it’s all thanks to you, so I should be the one thanking you, shouldn’t I?”
He even mentioned that many of those who survived and grew alongside Lee Hyun-wook during the 4th Wave had applied to become non-commissioned officers in the expanding unit.
At that, Kim Kang-seok looked more pleased than ever.
For a true soldier to the bone, nothing was more gratifying than the zeal of his troops.
“It seems they all felt a certain pride and sense of duty from that time, during the 4th Wave.”
Indeed, for Players who had lived somewhat looked-down-upon lives as mere A.M.T soldiers, the Steel Company’s mission to defend Seoul must have been a powerful experience.
They must have received love calls from all sorts of guilds, but to turn those down and remain in the military, just as Kim Kang-seok said, they seemed to possess a certain pride.
“So, I’d appreciate it if you could stop by from time to time and boost their morale.”
And the symbol of that pride was undoubtedly Lee Hyun-wook.
“Yes, of course. I’ll come by for a visit sometime.”
Lee Hyun-wook was now effectively discharged. He had left without a discharge ceremony or even a proper farewell, so there were apparently people who were disappointed.
A short while later, Lee Hyun-wook was able to meet with Ahn Min-tae.
“Wow, you disappeared so suddenly. How could you not even contact us?”
He made no effort to hide his disappointment, his expression serious.
“About that… I’m sorry.”
“Well, I understand since you’re so active everywhere.”
Then he grinned and gave a thumbs-up.
“By the way, I saw you fighting earlier… you’ve improved a lot.”
Despite Lee Hyun-wook’s praise, Ahn Min-tae wore a bitter smile.
He himself had fought well, but he had lost several company members.
“Well, I only managed to stab it three times… but I leveled up from it.”
“You should be proud. Stabbing a creature like that three times is amazing.”
It was true. No, the fact that he had fought it and survived was amazing. The Black Orcs were around levels 56-59, far higher than the level 35 Ahn Min-tae.
‘This guy, did he have some hidden talent?’
Park Jun-mo’s case was understandable, as he had a growth characteristic outside of levels. But Ahn Min-tae’s growth and performance were unexpected.
“Ah, and I… somehow ended up staying with this unit.”
It seemed Ahn Min-tae had also applied to be a non-commissioned officer in the newly reorganized unit.
“Yeah, I’m sure you’ll do great.”
He had considered bringing him to the Hope Guild if he got discharged, but having him remain as a reliable ally within the A.M.T would also be helpful someday.
“Sergeant Ahn Min-tae, then… keep up the good work.”
Lee Hyun-wook said, patting Ahn Min-tae’s shoulder.
***
That night, Lee Hyun-wook sat face-to-face with Woo Seong-mun.
The topic of discussion was ‘the threat of the Black Orcs’.
“…This is the second time now.”
Woo Seong-mun said with a frown.
“Those bastards have tried to trample our land twice already.”
“And this certainly won’t be the last time.”
“Yes, in that sense… war is inevitable.”
Woo Seong-mun emphasized the word ‘war’.
He had been preparing for war for a long time.
And he sensed that the time was drawing near.
Since the declaration of war, two actual battles had already taken place.
‘And on our soil, no less…’
If this continued, the public would be gripped by fear, and the national economy would be shaken. And there was a high probability that they would eventually suffer a major blow.
In other words, to eliminate the threat at its root… war was necessary.
“But Director, when you say war… you’re thinking of a defensive one, right?”
“Yes, since we can’t be the ones to attack first, the best course of action is to draw them out and secure a victory on our own land.”
A preemptive strike was, frankly, out of the question.
The Black Orc Kingdom’s military strength was considered superior to South Korea’s.
Their current strength was unknown, but the military might they had displayed in past battles with China… was immense.
To march into their home ground was, honestly, a suicide mission.
“Shanghai, attacking it directly would be like sticking our heads in an alligator’s mouth to aim for its heart. The Corroded Terrain, in particular, is where all sorts of incomprehensible phenomena occur, which would cause great hardship for our expeditionary force.”
Lee Hyun-wook shook his head at this.
“I’m considering a way to strike without entering.”
At those words, Woo Seong-mun couldn’t help but tilt his head.
“…What do you mean, attacking without entering?”
“In the past, during modern warfare when conventional weapons were useful, that was possible, wasn’t it?”
Lee Hyun-wook was referring to ultra-long-range weapons like ‘ballistic missiles’.
“But against monsters, they’re just expensive and useless.”
No matter how many advanced missiles you fired, it was difficult to kill monsters. That’s why conventional military power was excluded when comparing forces with the Black Orc Kingdom.
“But with magic engineering, wouldn’t there be a way?”
A brief silence followed.
“Are you suggesting we enchant missiles?”
Of course, enchanting single-shot physical weapons like bullets to penetrate ‘barriers’ was a method sometimes used, and it was somewhat effective.
But the damage from a missile came from its ‘explosion’.
That was not something that could be managed with enchanting alone.
“No, I was thinking of a magic bomb, not an enchantment.”
But that, too, was a rather far-fetched idea.
“That… I question whether that’s even possible at this point.”
Magic bombs, it wasn’t as if such methods had never existed.
But their cost-effectiveness was abysmal, and their efficiency wasn’t great either.
Therefore, it was a weapon development formula that had been effectively ruled out for now.
And no matter how advanced magic engineering became, it was still impossible.
But Lee Hyun-wook, as if he had been waiting for this, broke into a faint smile.
“Director, I have a way.”
That reaction, that confidence—Woo Seong-mun had seen it several times before.
He nodded his head.
“…Tell me clearly what you plan to do.”
As if on cue, Lee Hyun-wook began to explain.
“The meteorite that fell in Gangwon Province a while ago, you received the report, right?”
“Yes.”
“A buff that will be of great help to item manufacturing technology and the development of magic engineering has been bestowed upon that place. It’s called the <Sanctuary of Fire>. And I also obtained an object item that can multiply that effect several times over.”
Lee Hyun-wook took out an item and showed it to him.
[Object Information]
- Name: Tower of Eternal Fire (Legendary)
- Effect: When this object is ‘installed,’ the following effects are granted within a certain radius (1km). (Re-installation cooldown: 10 days)
1) Land of Fusion: The melting point of metals within the affected area is drastically reduced.
2) Magic Tempering: ‘Mana’ is imbued into molten metals within the affected area.
“If we can move Laputa there on top of this…”
As he listened to the explanation, Woo Seong-mun’s eyes widened.
“Ah, and we also have the Gray Dwarves.”
The moment he heard that, Woo Seong-mun took a deep breath.
Given that combination, it was impossible not to have high expectations.
“Director, I will establish a magical armory.”
However, that was a massive industry that would require an enormous amount of capital.
“…If you provide proper support as a national project, I will do it.”
Lee Hyun-wook was now asking the government to foot the bill.
They would develop rockets carrying magic bombs and bombard Shanghai.
‘Then they will have no choice but to advance before they are fully prepared.’
To aim for that very moment—that was Lee Hyun-wook’s plan.
‘Furthermore, with that rocket technology, we can put an aerial drop device into orbit.’
It was called the <Orbital Drop Device>.
An ideal weapons system he hadn’t been able to obtain in his past life.
Creating that was his final goal.