Chapter 201
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 201
Chapter Title: Overwhelming Power, Prelude to War - 3
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The eyes of the world were now fixed on the confrontation between the Demon King and the Hero—the 'World Quest'.
As the shadow of the apocalypse loomed over them, an intense anxiety was inevitable. Across the globe, social safety nets were collapsing, and fierce chaos ensued.
It was as if humanity was walking willingly toward its own end. Riots and looting erupted daily, slowly paralyzing the community of mankind.
- Humanity Chooses Self-Destruction in the Face of 'Demon King Shock'... Daily Riots Cause Mounting Casualties
Yet, even amidst such chaos, there were those who still did their best at their jobs, holding their ground... and soldiers were among them.
And now, late at night, near the Demilitarized Zone, South Korea's northern border.......
*Rat-tat-tat-tat—!*
Gunfire echoed continuously along the mountain ridge.
*Rat-tat-tat-tat—!*
Gunfire in that area was, then as now, a grave matter.
Amidst a cacophony of explosions and gunshots, a group of A.M.T soldiers was racing up a set of steel stairs.
"A-At this rate, we'll be caught!”
In the distance, the lights of their destination, a guard post, were visible.
"Pant— Pant—”
But just a dozen meters behind them…….
*Kkeueee— Kkeueee—*
...grotesque figures in tattered rags with hollow eyes... hundreds of 'Death Dwellers' were in pursuit.
*Kkeueee— Kkeueee—*
They scrambled up the steep steel stairs, their limbs twisting unnaturally like jointed dolls, so fast they looked ready to devour the A.M.T soldiers at any moment.
“Pant— Pant— Don't give up! The post is just ahead!”
Shouted the platoon leader, a first lieutenant, who was running at the very front.
"J-Just about a hundred meters left!”
But at that moment—
“—Aargh!”
The soldier at the very back was finally caught by a Death Dweller, lost his balance, and fell backward.
"H-Help—”
He vanished into the horde of Death Dwellers, dragged by his hair.
But there was no time to worry about his fate.
“Uwaaaaah—”
The wave of death, its hunger unsated by one victim, surged forward without hesitation, and another soldier was dragged away.
At this rate, they would be picked off one by one.
"Damn it!”
Finally, a few soldiers in the rear gave up on fleeing and raised their weapons.
“—Squad 2, prepare to provide covering fire!”
The one who spoke was the deputy platoon leader, a sergeant first class.
The platoon leader at the front turned his head in shock, as the deputy pulled the trigger and yelled at him.
“—Sir, go on ahead! We'll hold them here!”
Bullets enchanted with holy power erupted from his muzzle, pushing back the Death Dwellers to some extent.
“Pant— Deputy, no!”
But it was only a momentary reprieve.
"You have to listen to me! If those horrible things head south, countless civilians will die! Go and call for backup, as fast as you can—”
The soldiers he had shared joys and sorrows with for over a year were now committing what was essentially suicide. As their commander, the platoon leader felt his heart sink.
But the deputy was absolutely right.
An innumerable horde of undead monsters... they had appeared without any warning.
Just five minutes ago, a report had come in about an unidentified tremor from the nearby ground, followed by the formation of a large pit. The platoon leader had immediately gone out on patrol himself.
And from that pit, the undead had poured out like a pack of wild dogs.
It was a completely unexpected attack.
No matter how many surveillance cameras were installed, they couldn't see through the ground.
This meant South Korea's entire defense network was likely unprepared for this situation. They had to buy as much time as possible here.
Furthermore…….
‘If we bomb the entrance to the tunnel they're coming from and then send in a holy unit, we can minimize the damage!’
That was why he, who knew the location, had to make an accurate report to his superiors. It was the best possible initial response.
“……I won't forget any of you!”
He finally forced himself to ignore the screams of his men behind him and ran to the guard post, where a sentry threw open the door.
"S-Sir, the deputy and the others......."
"Close the door now and activate the magic barrier!”
After a moment's hesitation, the sentries closed the steel door.
*Thud—*
He then called the communications specialist and ordered him to contact their superior command.
The moment the connection was established, he shouted in a hoarse voice.
“—This is A44 A.M.T Post. An overwhelming number of undead monsters are crossing the forward fence! *Ksshh*— Re-requesting immediate support! Also, holy rounds have been confirmed ineffective!”
These weren't ordinary undead monsters; 'holy rounds' didn't kill them easily, and some were even seen regenerating.
‘That means there's a Death Priest-type entity here, and weak holy power won't be enough to stop them.’
His military specialty was 'Raid Analysis', so he understood the gravity of the situation.
‘This is on the level of a major event.’
Just then, a loud roar echoed nearby.
The guard post's searchlight swiveled toward the sound.
"Huh……."
About five hundred meters away, a watchtower built along the mountain ridge was swarmed with countless undead, clinging to it like ants.......
*Cra-a-a-ack—!*
Unable to bear the weight, its steel frame bent, and the watchtower began to slowly tilt.
And all around it, a black tide shimmered like the night sea. Within that shimmer were hundreds, thousands of red eyes.
In other words—
“Th-that's all of them……."
The number of undead monsters in this area alone was easily in the tens of thousands... no, considering those out of sight, it could be in the hundreds of thousands.
And even.......
*Thump— Thump—*
"Crazy, is that an... an ogre?”
There were even Ogre Skeletons mixed in the horde.
Just then, a reply finally came from the superior command.
- *Ksshh*— Hold your position. Reinforcements will arrive shortly.
It was not the answer anyone had expected.
The platoon leader immediately retorted.
“……Sir, this is no ordinary situation! You need to assess the situation here immediately, using every available means! This is a national crisis!”
However.......
- *Ksshh*— We'll take action soon, so stand by!
"Damn it……."
He felt a suffocating frustration, as if his chest would burst. At the same time, a sense of dread began to rise that his superiors were responding too complacently.
Hadn't the disastrous initial response during the Korean War fanned the flames of a greater catastrophe?
‘I don't care if I die here, but I have to report the exact location of that portal to minimize civilian casualties.’
He raised the mana messenger to his lips again.
"I'm requesting an immediate airstrike and the dispatch of a holy-specialized unit! I know how to end this situation early!”
But this time, a completely different voice came through.
- *Ksshh*— Platoon Leader, this is Team Leader Lee Kyo-jun from the National Gate Response Strategy Office.
A rather high-ranking official, and a famous one at that, had suddenly appeared on the line.
The platoon leader had heard somewhere that he was overseeing projects related to Steel Rain.
- *Ksshh*— I know what's happening there is not ordinary. But.......
His voice was, for some reason, calm.
- *Ksshh*— We've sent something that's not ordinary either, so if you just hold on a little longer, it'll be resolved soon. So, lead your men well and hold out for as long as you can—
The platoon leader started to say something, but realizing that arguing further was pointless, he threw the mana messenger to the floor.
“……How the hell are they going to resolve this 'soon'?”
It was an order he couldn't comprehend in the slightest.
He looked around with a cynical smile. The sound of the guard post's magic barrier being attacked could be heard.
*Thump— Thump— Thump— Thump—*
Soon, even this post would be swallowed by the undead tide.
No matter what incredible support arrived, even if reinforcements managed to stop the undead wave, they wouldn't be able to rescue them... The platoon leader felt an indescribable sense of helplessness.
He turned to his remaining men and opened his mouth.
“……Everyone, I'm sorry. I was incompetent.”
But then—
*Whoosh—!*
A sudden gust of wind struck the guard post.
"Kugh!”
"Ack."
No, it shook the entire mountain ridge.
Then, something huge flew overhead.
*Whoosh— Whoosh—*
"Huh?”
"Th-That's……."
There was no need to wonder what it was.
"Th-That... isn't that a dragon?”
The strongest monster, which had shaken the world time and again, was hovering right above them. Who wouldn't recognize it? Still, the scene was so surreal it felt like a hallucination.
“……Don't tell me, is this a major event featuring a dragon?”
It was certainly a situation that could be misunderstood.
After all, who would ever think a dragon was on their side?
But that misunderstanding was quickly cleared up.
*Vweeeeee—*
Beams of light and flames erupted from the massive, magnificent creature's body, striking the ground. A series of white explosions followed, carving huge craters all over the mountain.
*Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwang—!*
A shockwave powerful enough to uproot the mountain then slammed into the guard post, half-destroying the building.
In just a few blasts, the tens of thousands of undead that had swarmed the post vanished like melting snow. In their place, only a sacred white haze remained.
“Ah—"
Only then did the platoon leader let out a short gasp, as if he finally understood what it was.
"……It's him. He's stepped in.”
"Sir?”
"He's trying to save everyone again.”
There was no need to say who 'he' was; everyone knew.
In this day and age, only one person was truly worthy of the title of savior.
*Whoosh—*
And the mechanical dragon beat its wings, firing its jet engines as it flew north.
A dozen airships and dozens of military helicopters followed in its wake.
***
About an hour later, breaking news flashed across the world.
「I have given you enough chances.」
It was another message from the Demon King. Once again, he was hijacking humanity's broadcasts to threaten them.
「I extended my hand to guide and tame you, who are ignorant of this world's truth. But you bared your fangs at me like untamable beasts... so I shall deliver punishment to you savages.」
At that moment, the TV screen showed the 'Flower of Death' hovering over Manhattan.
「The first punishment shall befall a single city... As of today, this city will be erased from history.」
The news anchor's voice seeped in, "Oh, my God—”
A few days ago, the Demon King, having taken all of Manhattan hostage, had threatened to rain poison gas and toxic venom upon the entire city if he saw any signs of an evacuation.
As a result, a huge number of civilians were still trapped in Manhattan. The U.S. government had repeatedly announced they were in contact with the Demon King, but there had been no progress.
And just now, the Demon King had declared the execution.
American LIVE news was reporting on the situation with a grimmer atmosphere than ever before.
- ……The estimated number of citizens currently isolated in Manhattan, New York City, is 640,000. The U.S. federal government is preparing a response, but there are major concerns that it will only add fuel to the fire. As of now, no solution to prevent this terrible disaster has been presented.
And a moment later…….
- Ah! We have a report that about 30 seconds ago, black smoke began to spray from the Flower of Death!
- Oh…… May God have mercy on everyone there.
Two CNN anchors sighed one after another.
Soon, the lower part of the 'Flower of Death' on screen opened up, and black smoke began to descend like a languid curtain, drifting down toward Manhattan.
If that smoke touched the ground and spread, no one would survive. It was essentially a human pesticide.
It soon reached the tallest skyscraper in Manhattan, and the building's surface began to bubble and melt.
*Krrrrr—*
Now, there was no turning back, no matter what they did.
- Ah— God, please save us…….
But in that instant—
*Woooo—*
The black smoke stopped in mid-air... and then began to flow in reverse, toward the sky. It was as if someone were rolling up a curtain.
- Huh? Uh…….
- What's…….
The two anchors were equally bewildered, as no information had come in yet.
- Uh, what's happening?
- ……It hasn't been confirmed, but from what I can see, it looks like gravity has been reversed. Of course, I must remind our viewers that this is not confirmed information.
- Uh…… if gravity's been reversed…….
- Look, over there, building debris is also rising into the air, moving as if it were in freefall.
Before long, his theory was proven correct.
- Ah! We've just received word that the Gravity Mage, Lee Seong-yoon, and the Guardian of the World Tree, Donald Harris, are on the scene! They have stopped the Demon King's attack on Manhattan!
The screen switched, showing a dozen figures standing on the rooftop of a building.
They were gazing at the Flower of Death, activating all sorts of skills, and that was how the black smoke was being controlled.
- In that case, could the Saintess be in Manhattan as well? Just lifting that black smoke into the sky won't be enough to eliminate it; it would require very powerful holy energy!
Just then, before he could finish his sentence, a hole opened in the sky. It was a Wight Hole, a super-wide-area teleportation that borrowed the power of Yggdrasil.
- Ah, speak of the devil, it seems the Saintess has arrived!
But contrary to their expectations, the Saintess did not appear.
Instead, a completely unexpected entity emerged…….
- Uh, that's…….
- Oh, my God…….
The two anchors gasped at the same time.
It was none other than the Magitech City, 'Laputa'.
But it looked somewhat different from how they remembered it.
- But it seems to have changed somehow…….
- Ah! A-a tree! If you look closely, you can see a tree standing tall in the center of Laputa! And it's not just any tree... it's the Divine Tree, Sindansu, from Ganghwa Island!
- W-wait, a crossover between two Transcendental-grade objects... Is that even possible?
- ……I don't understand it either, but has Steel Rain ever operated within the bounds of our common sense? He's always brought something beyond our imagination!
- But if it's the Divine Tree, wouldn't it be more than enough to counteract the power of death?
The power of darkness was often compared to fire, and holy power to water.
And while holy power was generally superior, depending on the degree, a very strong fire could evaporate water, just as a powerful dark force could overwhelm holy power.
Following that analogy, the Saintess's authority could be a powerful fire hose or, at times, a torrential downpour.
So, what could the Divine Tree be compared to?
The powerful holy energy, life force, and mana it emitted were enough to fill the entire area and create an 'ecosystem'. In the fire and water analogy, the Divine Tree was a lake, or perhaps an ocean.
And no matter how fierce the flames, they would inevitably lose their power when faced with a lake or an ocean.
*Gwooooooo—*
Soon, Laputa, now equipped with the Divine Tree, began to rapidly approach the Flower of Death, radiating a powerful white aura.
Its movement was slow yet heavy, like one battleship approaching another.
*Tsssss—*
The black smoke, which had been rising into the air due to the reversed gravity, was quickly devoured by the white aura, disintegrating and vanishing.
Furthermore, along Laputa's railings stood Talos and numerous other Colossi, holding spears tens of meters long.
「Alright, get ready—」
At the command of Talos, the largest Colossus, 17 Colossi took a step forward. They assumed a spear-throwing stance.
[—Fire!]
*Whoosh— Whoosh— Whoosh— Whoosh—*
The spears thrown by the 20 to 30-meter-tall Colossi were less like javelins and more like rocket launchers.
A total of 17 spear shafts shot out in almost straight lines, piercing through the Flower of Death's half-melted magic barrier—and embedding themselves in its petals.
*Thwack— Thwack— Thwack— Thwack—*
These were spears carved from the branches of the World Tree itself.
In effect, it was no different from driving a silver stake through a vampire's heart; the Flower of Death began to wither at a visible rate.
*Krrrrrumble—*
Following that, numerous Colossi and Players launched a fierce assault on the Flower of Death, some even leaping onto it to engage in close-quarters combat.
However, the resistance from the undead legion guarding the Flower of Death seemed surprisingly weak.
That was because, from the very beginning, the Demon King and the Necromancer hadn't been paying much attention to New York.
It was the moment that proved this was all just a feint.
But regardless of that, for the world watching, it was a truly moving scene.
- Oh—God…… This is an unbelievable scene.
- H-He's done it again. Steel Rain has done it!
- Yes, he has come! He has come to save New York, and by extension, the world! We fervently pray for his victory!
But Lee Hyun-wook was not there.
***
That place had been called by many names since the game began.
But its most famous name was California.
The first territory humanity had lost years ago... now a Corroded Land, covered in volcanic zones and red wasteland.
How much blood and sweat had humanity shed trying to reclaim this land from the Ancient Red Drake?
But all that remained was defeat and sacrifice, and it was predicted that reclaiming the land within this century would be difficult…….
Now, 19 airships appeared in its sky.
They were called the 'Steel Fleet'.
And aboard the flagship, the 'Prydwen', was Lee Hyun-wook.
"We've received a message from Lee Seong-yoon's side. They'll join us as soon as they've finished cleaning up in New York. And the Dark Elf legion is also preparing to open a Wight Hole."
The one speaking was Director Woo Seong-mun.
He had also accompanied them on this operation.
“Also, additional reinforcements from various countries are scheduled to arrive as soon as the 'expedition camp' is set up.”
Lee Hyun-wook nodded, his gaze fixed on the red mountain range visible outside the window.
A monitor to the side displayed a graph showing an extremely powerful force of death surging from that point.
The Demon King was there.
'He tried to shake me by splitting his forces between the North and New York... but I've blocked both.’
And in the meantime, Lee Hyun-wook had reached the heart of the enemy's territory.
Was the Demon King feeling a human-like impatience right now? That would be normal, but perhaps not. So, he planned to hit him with one more blow.
“……Seeing as the master of the house hasn't come out to greet us despite our loud arrival, it seems we'll have to knock a little harder.”
Lee Hyun-wook sent Hugin and Munin into the sky.
And with his transcendent senses, he scoured the heavens, detecting three massive metal chunks floating even farther away.
'……The War Boxes. I can feel them.’
A total of three War Boxes were in position in low orbit.
Following Lee Hyun-wook's senses, their lower sections opened.
From them, four Mjolnirs fell.
In an instant, four lines were drawn from the sky to the ground, and the great mountain range erupted like a mere sandcastle. *Pow—*.
The map was redrawn in a single moment.
*Kuuu-gu-gu-gu—!*
Amidst a roar that seemed to twist the very world, Lee Hyun-wook raised his mana messenger.
“……Now, the hunt for the Demon King begins.”