Chapter 41
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 41
Chapter Title: The Steel Company - Part 2
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In the command and control center beneath the 1st Battalion's headquarters, the key personnel of the battalion had gathered.
Not only the officers but also some enlisted squad leaders, including Lee Hyun-wook, were present.
And now, Captain Park Taek-soo, the support section chief who had returned with Kim Kang-seok, was giving a briefing.
"Take a look at this."
A photo appeared on the screen.
It was a satellite image of Seoul.
But one peculiar thing stood out.
A massive white circle was drawn in the center of Seoul, as seen from the sky.
At first glance, it looked like a cloud, but it was too perfectly circular for that.
"As you can see, a 10-kilometer radius centered on Seoul Station has been 'sealed' by the system."
It was a fact they had been unaware of due to the continuous battles.
"It's a dome, as expected, but unlike during the 'Unlucky Event,' even entry and exit are impossible. We're completely isolated. A barrier spell of this magnitude has only ever been seen during a Wave, with the exception of Archmage Anton Makachev's 'Sphere Field'... and since the sky has turned purple, yes, it's definitely a Wave."
As expected, that was the conclusion.
"...The 4th Wave that humanity feared... its epicenter is right here, in Seoul."
The Wave.
The worst disaster this game had to offer... a long, drawn-out hell where monsters surged in like a tide, capsizing humanity's foundations like a small boat.
There had been three Waves so far, and each time, tens of thousands of Players and millions of civilians had perished. Yet, humanity had never once achieved victory.
And the lands lost in this way were 'eroded,' transforming into entirely different environments—otherworlds.
The 1st Wave: California became a volcanic region ruled by a Red Drake.
The 2nd Wave: Shanghai became the kingdom of orcs, a rough steppe grassland.
The 3rd Wave: Berlin became a tropical rainforest covered in man-eating plants, a green hell.
And the 4th Wave... was here, in Seoul.
What was this place destined to become now?
"...And for this reason, many officers were unable to return, creating a command vacuum."
"Hmm..."
Unless they were staying in the on-base BOQ or the nearby military apartments, there was no time for them to return.
However, Kim Kang-seok, who had been at Incheon Port tracking Okita Kaito, chose to return immediately upon hearing that a gate had opened on the base. He had made it back just in the nick of time before the area was sealed off.
"First... are there any adjacent units within the sealed area that we can contact?"
At Kim Kang-seok's question, Park Taek-soo shook his head, flipping through some documents.
"As of now, none besides the brigade headquarters."
There were several other military units within the 10-kilometer radius of Seoul Station where the 4th Wave had occurred.
However, it was confirmed that 'gates' had opened in all of those units.
"And it seems the brigade headquarters hasn't completely suppressed their situation yet, either."
A total of four gates had opened at the brigade headquarters. Of course, there were no Villains like the Five Butchers, but there was also no one like Lee Hyun-wook who knew the future and could respond accordingly, so their reaction would have been much slower.
"...Have you contacted the Cheonghwa Guild?"
"We're communicating via Mana Messenger every thirty minutes, but they're still in the process of responding."
"Then we must first put out the most urgent fire."
Kim Kang-seok sighed and rose from his seat.
"We will conquer the two sealed gates on the base. After that..."
He held up his right hand, showing five fingers.
"...We have five days. Just as with the previous Waves, the sealing of Seoul will last for five days. After those five days, this place will no longer be the Seoul we know... it will become a part of the otherworld."
The five-day regional lockdown that begins simultaneously with the Wave,
humanity called it the 'Rapid Erosion Period.'
In just five days, the entire environment—the climate and terrain—would change.
In other words, the golden time was only five days.
"We must stop it, somehow."
Otherwise, we will lose Seoul.
"...But, Sergeant Lee Hyun-wook?"
At Kim Kang-seok's call, everyone turned to look at Lee Hyun-wook.
"You look pale. Are you injured?"
Kim Kang-seok asked with concern.
Lee Hyun-wook was breaking out in a cold sweat.
"No, sir. I think I just pushed myself too hard in the last battle. I have a bit of a headache."
"It seems you overexerted your abilities during the fight. Go see the chief medical officer. You can't afford to be sick right now."
"...Yes, I understand."
It wasn't just a bit.
His head throbbed as if it were about to split open.
And it was because...
- A 'Signal Core' is forming in your central nervous system. (62%)
* Extreme pain may occur!
It was, as expected, the excruciating pain that accompanied the digestion of the 'Demon's Medal'.
"Alright then, we will begin the assault in twenty minutes. All troops, be ready by then."
After the briefing, Lee Hyun-wook returned to the barracks.
"Welcome ba... oh! Sergeant Lee Hyun-wook!"
And then he collapsed.
***
Lee Hyun-wook's eyes were closed. He seemed to have lost consciousness.
Before his eyes, a blurry scene began to play.
"...So what you're saying, Team Leader, is that the 5th Wave will occur in Singapore?"
The voice belonged to Seo Eun-ha.
Not the Seo Eun-ha of the present.
The future... no, it was more accurate to call it the past.
She was asking Lee Hyun-wook a question, and many others besides her were looking at him. Lee Hyun-wook nodded and pressed a button on the remote, changing the screen.
"That's right. The one commonality among the four regions where Waves have occurred so far is that the frequency of high-rank gate appearances in nearby areas dropped sharply one month prior to the Wave. It's as if..."
"...it's gathering power for a single explosion. For a gate to open, a significant amount of mana must be condensed in that area. Instead, they opened many smaller ones. As a smokescreen."
"In that case, could this information be a hint on how to counter the Wave?"
Seo Eun-ha and the other team members shook their heads.
"I doubt it. Even if we know the location in advance, stopping a Wave is practically impossible. The mere act of it starting guarantees the area will be decimated."
"I think so too. However... we should use the fact that we know the time and place of the Wave to our advantage and consider how to exploit it."
Exploit the Wave? The team members looked puzzled at his words.
"As you all know, these Waves are, in fact, induced by Villains."
"That's right."
"Their purpose is the destruction and conquest of cities, and... the items obtained from the Wave."
It was true.
The Villains grew exponentially stronger with each Wave.
This was because Waves produced a flood of legendary-grade items.
"So, we need to find a way to intercept all of it."
"Ah..."
But that method was vague at best.
They had no way of knowing when or where such things would appear.
The Villains, on the other hand, already knew the coordinates.
In the end, it was a losing battle.
"During the 4th Wave, countless heroes died because of the myth-grade item 'Mistletoe'—Lee Seong-yoon, Han Tae-san, Choi Jeong-cheol, Kim Kang-seok, Stipe Marin, and many others."
"If someone else had obtained that item first back then..."
"...history would have changed."
Lee Hyun-wook nodded, and everyone wore a bitter expression.
A moment later, the briefing ended.
As the team members were leaving the conference room, Lee Hyun-wook grabbed Seo Eun-ha's arm.
"Seo Eun-ha, a word."
"...Huh?"
Lee Hyun-wook glanced around before whispering softly in Seo Eun-ha's ear.
"Be careful tomorrow. We've received intel that Yoo Hae-na has cultivated a magical insect with 'Aether' claws that can break through your 'Protective Aura.' She'll probably... pull it out at a critical moment."
Seo Eun-ha let out a short laugh.
"Hmm... if that's the case, shouldn't you be the one to get your head on straight and be careful, so I can be careful too? You do have at least a vague idea of who's responsible for all my cuts and bruises, right?"
"That's... true."
"So stay sharp, unless you want me to die. I'm your first life, after all."
Despite her grim words, Seo Eun-ha smiled brightly.
Lee Hyun-wook's first life—that's what she always called herself.
She had declared herself the 'shield' meant to protect South Korea's greatest firepower.
"...Alright. Let's get through this Wave with both our lives intact."
But those two lives,
he couldn't protect them in the end.
*Creeeeak—*
The sound of something solid bending.
*Crr-ack-*
Followed by the sound of it finally breaking.
"-Gasp!"
Someone's scream...
At that moment, Lee Hyun-wook opened his eyes.
And the bending noise vanished.
"Uh, S-Sergeant Lee Hyun-wook?"
Park Jun-mo's voice rang out, and the first thing that came into view was a system message.
- Congratulations! You have met a special condition and gained a new 'Skill'.
He sat up.
He was in the barracks.
"Uh... are you alright?"
The frame of the bed Lee Hyun-wook had been lying on and his locker were crumpled like paper. It seemed he had unconsciously used his 'Metal Control' while dreaming...
'Was this even possible with my current level of Metal Control?'
He didn't know what had happened, but it was clear his ability had improved exponentially in a short time.
He immediately re-read the system message floating before his eyes.
- Congratulations! You have met a special condition and gained a new 'Skill'.
He had absorbed the Demon's Medal (Legion), and once again, a new bodily organ had formed.
But this time, an entirely new central nervous system had been constructed. Frankly, it was enough to make anyone pass out.
'Right, it wasn't the kind of pain you could endure with willpower alone.'
And now, it was time to check what had been born from that pain.
[Skill Information]
- Name: Signal Core
- Rank: D
- Effects
1) Transcendent Sense: Increases Metal Control. (+30%)
2) Centurion Force: Increases maximum number of thralls. (+10)
* Skill rank will increase upon meeting hidden conditions.
'What is this?'
Lee Hyun-wook couldn't help but be surprised.
'My control... increases by thirty percent...'
He felt like he now understood why the Necromancer had been so powerful.
With this item alone, maximum control is enhanced by 30%.
In other words, it meant he could boost his growth rate by a whopping 30%.
'And this number shouldn't be taken at simple face value.'
Growth was a form of snowballing. Simply put, if you grew faster than your rivals, you were bound to seize good opportunities one step ahead of them.
As a result, the amount of metal Lee Hyun-wook could currently control was...
- Currently controllable 'Metal' weight: 65,658g
* Transcendent Sense (+30%) is currently in effect.
...It had shot up to 65kg in an instant.
'A little more, and I might be able to lift my own body.'
Of course, just matching his body weight wouldn't allow him to fly at high speeds.
After all, 300g was the standard for applying the weight of a one-handed swing.
'Next up...'
And then, the second skill, 'Centurion Force'.
Translated, it would be something like the 'Power of a Centurion'.
This was an ability related to thralls.
'So this is one of the reasons that bastard Necromancer could create such a massive legion.'
Even for a Necromancer, he had often thought the numbers were just too high.
There were likely other factors, but this power had been used to drastically increase the number of thralls.
'Unfortunately, my own specialization isn't related to thralls.'
But there was a way, and he had already put it into practice.
By using 'Living Armor'.
Until now, he could only control a mere three units, but now that number had increased by ten.
'Hmm, a steel legion...'
He had actually tried it in his past life, but it hadn't been very effective and ended up being melted down by the Necromancer.
That was because he had been limited to a maximum of 33 units.
But with this skill, a slightly different picture might emerge.
As the skill rank increased, the number of thralls he could control would also grow. As the name 'Centurion' suggested, it might even rise to a maximum of 100.
'If I use this well, maybe...'
he might be able to turn the tables on the Demon's Legion Commander, the Necromancer, and overwhelm him with a legion of his own.
It was still a distant future, but he vaguely pictured it. A steel army clad in sacred armor.
Yes, with a composition like that...
Lee Hyun-wook turned his head and looked at Park Jun-mo.
"Park Jun-mo, how long was I out?"
"Uh, about three hours... Are you okay?"
"Is the battalion commander in the command and control center?"
"Yes, probably..."
Lee Hyun-wook shot up from his spot and headed to the command and control center.
"Salute!"
At Lee Hyun-wook's appearance, the officers gathered in the situation room turned their heads.
"Right, you... are you really alright?"
Kim Kang-seok asked with a worried expression.
He, too, had heard the news that Lee Hyun-wook had collapsed.
"Yes, sir. I've been awake since my early morning shift yesterday, so I must have been a bit tired. I apologize."
"You didn't seem to have such a weak constitution..."
Lee Hyun-wook let out a small smile.
"Right, it looks like you came here with something to say. Am I wrong?"
"You are correct."
Lee Hyun-wook stepped a little closer to the battalion commander.
"Sir, when this situation first broke out, you assigned me the duties of temporary platoon leader."
"That's right, and that order is still valid."
"Yes, sir. In that case, I have a request related to that duty."
Kim Kang-seok crossed his arms and nodded.
"Hmm... when you ask for something, it's starting to scare me. I gave you permission to use the armory, and you moved the whole thing to a mountain, didn't you? What grand scheme are you planning this time...?"
Despite his words, his expression was filled with anticipation.
"This time will be on a similar scale."
"Ha—interesting."
At that answer, Kim Kang-seok gave a faint smile.
"Once the on-base gates are sealed, we'll have to conduct off-base operations, won't we?"
"That's inevitable..."
To stop the Wave, they couldn't just stay within the base.
After regrouping, they would have to advance off-base to find and destroy the 'Erosion Factor'.
Of course, the area around it would be guarded by unimaginably powerful monsters,
and beyond that, traps set by Villain organizations would also be waiting.
"I intend to 'form' a platoon for that operation."
"'Form'... you mean not the 2nd Platoon, but an entirely new unit?"
"Yes, that's correct."
It was by no means a suggestion an enlisted soldier should be making.
But at this moment, Lee Hyun-wook was no ordinary soldier.
He had, for all intents and purposes, saved the entire 1st Battalion.
"Alright, go ahead and explain."
"I need half the weapons in the battalion armory and a truck to transport them."
"You'll need a driver for that truck and an escort force too, I assume?"
"Yes, and I need at least fifteen mages who can open wide-area portals."
"Hmm... and you'll need tankers to protect them..."
"And I need the twelve suits of Living Armor we acquired in the last operation."
Kim Kang-seok's expression slowly hardened.
"More trucks, quite a few more... wait, at that size, isn't that a company, not a platoon?"
Lee Hyun-wook nodded.
"If you trust me, I will lead those forces down to Seoul. And..."
"...I will deliver results that exceed the cost of your investment."
His words, like a startup founder pitching to an investor, made Kim Kang-seok chuckle.
But the laughter was short-lived.
His face hardened as he sank into thought.
"......."
During the few hours Lee Hyun-wook had been gone, the battalion's officers had held a meeting to devise a way to protect Seoul. But they hadn't come up with any clever solutions, not even a single viable method.
It was inevitable.
A Wave was a catastrophe to be avoided, not confronted...
But Lee Hyun-wook had shown up with a 'move' to make.
He had etched the first line onto the blank slate of their operational plan.
In any ordinary army, entrusting an operation to an enlisted soldier's opinion would have been unthinkable.
But things were different now. This was effectively wartime, and Lee Hyun-wook was a talent superior to any officer.
"...Controller, what are your thoughts?"
Kim Kang-seok asked.
Since the operations officer hadn't returned, Major Moon Tae-ho, the Wide-Area Magic Controller, was the de facto second-in-command.
He hesitated for only a moment before nodding.
"Commander, I've seen it once already. So I think I have some idea of what Sergeant Lee is getting at. Wide-area portals and a massive amount of weapons... he plans to bring a rain of steel with him."
Bring a rain of steel. At those words, Kim Kang-seok found himself nodding.
Moon Tae-ho turned his head to look up at Lee Hyun-wook.
"And, if I may be so bold, I believe Sergeant Lee saved our unit. Perhaps... he could even save Seoul, don't you think? Of course, the detailed operational plan would have to be discussed together."
Kim Kang-seok listened that far and then looked at Lee Hyun-wook.
"Ha—Lee Hyun-wook, I never thought I'd end up saying this, but..."
"Yes, sir."
"...you are currently our battalion's greatest asset."
Of course, in terms of individual strength, there were those more powerful than Lee Hyun-wook.
Kim Kang-seok himself was an obvious example, and then there was Seo Eun-ha.
But when dealing with the sheer numbers of a Wave, Lee Hyun-wook demonstrated the highest efficiency.
Using portal magic to dump the entire battalion armory on the enemy's heads—
such an absurd combination attack was possible.
Kim Kang-seok rose from his seat.
And placed a hand on Lee Hyun-wook's shoulder.
"Alright. Go on and make it. Your Steel Company..."