Chapter 115
Chapter 115
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 115
Chapter Title: Rescue Operation
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I glanced at Yugeon again, and there he was—the small, cute Yugeon—looking somewhat smug as he stared at Hellcannon.
It was so ridiculous, yet so adorable, that I couldn't even scold him.
"Kaisha."
Maya called out to me as she came over.
"Something feels off. Is it okay to keep going in? The ones with good senses back there are all getting uneasy."
Since even Yugeon had been tense, there was definitely something.
I said to Maya,
"The quest guide popped up, so we have to check it out."
It was officially tied to [Sub Mission 2], so avoiding it wasn't an option.
『[Quest Guide] Rescue Operation
Defeat the android soldiers and rescue the civilians from the bombed-out military building.』
After saying that, I glanced at Kaizen, who had just gotten in touch with Ophen.
"Ophen, where are you? What about Lea-nim?"
Kaizen had said this building was where the central nation's military—opposed to Lenox—researched, experimented on, and produced bioweapons.
That explained the ominous aura pouring out.
Kaizen turned to look at us.
"Ophen has linked up with Lea-nim. They just escaped the building, but there are tons of android soldiers nearby, so they want us to draw them away. Can we head that way?"
"Let's go."
Kaizen nodded at my words and started running off somewhere.
The guild members readied for battle.
I picked up Yugeon and picked up speed to pull alongside Kaizen, then asked,
"Why did Lea come to a place this dangerous?"
"The test subjects..."
Kaizen paused to choose his words before continuing.
"To save the living ones in this building. As the lord of the forest and our mother, Lea-nim wants to save them."
Yugeon, piggybacked on my back, peeked at Kaizen's face and whispered,
"For an artificial weapon, he's got a real fixation on maternal love. Guess whoever made him poured in a lot of affection."
"Why's that?"
"It's that look—like he knows the feeling. Living beings naturally love their creators and crave love in return. If he's already tasted affection, he'll crave it even more intensely."
I glanced at Kaizen too.
I didn't know who had given him affection during his creation, but he was loved by Lea now, so that should be enough.
Kaizen slowed down and stopped just before turning a building corner.
"Over there."
Following Kaizen, I peeked around the wall, and android soldiers weren't just surrounding one side—they had the whole building nearly encircled.
No wonder Lea and Ophen's group couldn't get out.
Still, a good number had gone inside the building, so the forces we faced didn't look utterly overwhelming.
Plus, after that massive bomb blast, it was just regular soldiers. Seemed like their goal was checking the interior and dealing with any survivors rather than full combat.
As long as no heavy laser cannon suddenly popped up mid-fight.
I called out to Kaizen.
"Kaizen."
"Yes."
"I'll take command from here."
After roughly assessing the situation, I addressed the guild members.
"Visible enemies: about thirty. Of course, there could be more hidden. We'll engage once, and if it's too much, we'll pull aggro and retreat appropriately."
The guild members nodded as they checked their weapons and skill windows. Around ten civilians also geared up to fight.
Maya asked at my words,
"What if it's manageable?"
"Obviously, we go all out, rack up the EXP. These guys look like they'll give plenty. By the way, I'm about to hit max level soon, so I'll lead and sweep them up."
The tense guild members relaxed and laughed at my words.
I took a moment to breathe deeply.
"Alright. Form up first, then I'll summon the heroes. Android soldiers have slower judgment than humans, so we'll shake the ground to slow their attacks, then target the upper body joints to disarm them."
As android takedown strategies poured out of my mouth, Maya looked at me in surprise.
"Where'd you learn the strategies?"
"Well... the source is complicated, so I'll explain later."
Truth was, King had told me, but I didn't want to tell my guild and make them feel friendly toward the European Union or British hunters, leading to carelessness.
We'd fight them again anyway.
I glossed over the topic and continued.
"Everyone, watch out for any sudden disaster-class laser cannons. And finally, Maya."
"Yeah?"
"Just in case before we go in: if I log out, call Dart or Gilgamesh or Hyunwoo-nim, and this team absolutely starts by seizing the forest territory. Error codes showed up, so the forest should be empty now."
The various monsters that lived there had probably been cleared out by hunters from all nations passing through.
This was completely,
a golden opportunity to gobble up land.
Truthfully, the biggest reward in Channel 1004 was the 'land' itself, more than anything else.
That was the main mission too.
The problem was, with no time limit, we'd probably have to either seize the central nation or take down the boss mob.
"Eventually, every country will come pouring into this forest."
A shiver ran through me as I said it.
Finally, I could feel the vibe of the massive war that all the world's hunters would wage on this land.
I called out to Abyss.
"Abyss."
Abyss nodded as if he'd been waiting and charged out first to pull initial aggro, with me right behind.
Boom!
Abyss slammed the ground as he dashed forward, shaking the area massively. The soldiers who had been aiming rifles at us swiftly were flung into the air, creating gaps.
In that opening, my mana spread out, designating blast paths ahead.
Dynamite racing through the sky.
Boom!
My senses, now attuned to reality, had grown even stronger, and the skill exploded with thrilling power.
KABOOM—!!
Yugeon on my back let out a gasp of admiration at the flashy skill effect laced with my signature deep green mana.
"Wow! Feels even stronger than when you used it in Midgard?"
I felt the same, so thanks for confirming.
Among the skills I used well—Gunshot, Dynamite, Lightning—casting them through 'Sense Variant' now hit harder than the originals from the skill window.
I wondered what applications would open up once I hit max level and unlocked the skill window.
From behind, I heard guildmates laughing and cheering as they raced forward, yelling about how the guild master was really sweeping everything.
Of course, boosting guild morale was key tactics too.
Soldiers directly hit by the blasts were utterly shattered, while those only grazed melted or charged with broken bodies.
After lightly clearing the front, I followed Abyss—who was pulling aggro ahead—drawing more with my sword and various skills.
Boom! Kaboom!
"Kaizen! Go save Lea!"
Kaizen nodded at my words and dashed off with a few civilians.
"Hellcannon."
"Yes."
With his high agility, Hellcannon had kept pace almost perfectly while supporting me from my dash onward.
"Go help them."
"..."
No immediate reply, so I glanced over wondering why.
Hellcannon hesitated with a reluctant look, but when our eyes met, he schooled his expression like nothing happened and answered.
"I'll be right back."
I stood blankly for a moment, staring at Hellcannon's retreating back.
Never imagined Hellcannon—the poster child for mechanical NPCs in Midgard—would hesitate at my order.
Did our Cannon have some rebellious streak?
"Tch. Look at that guy."
Yugeon, clinging to my back, muttered like a grumpy old man and clicked his tongue, but now wasn't the time.
A mechanical soldier that had lost its gun and drawn a blade from its back charged at me.
Clang!
I blocked lightly, zapped its whole body with Lightning, then pulled current-resistant gloves from my inventory and equipped them.
I'd prepped ones I could wear before max level.
It resisted Lightning enough that, before the briefly paralyzed soldier recovered, I severed its neck.
Android soldiers poured out from unseen directions, but the guild—now relaxed—moved in perfect unison from the rear, forming ranks and unleashing skill barrages.
Boom! Kaboom!
KABOOM!!
Just as I'd instructed, mage and assassin hunters alternated shaking the ground, while dealers targeted joints relentlessly.
Word must have spread inside the building. More soldiers kept涌 out.
But with the mechanical soldiers unable to properly use their laser rifles, their attack density was way down.
"Advance formation! Walking pace!"
At my shout, melee dealers zigzagged forward at loose intervals, steadily progressing.
Heals and buffs from the rear rang out like a steady song rhythm.
Boom! Kaboom!
Behind the first defensive line the guild formed, heroes were rapidly summoned, steadily bolstering our forces.
After sweeping the front for a while, I fell back and summoned my bound heroes.
"Whistle, Terra, Messiah, Valen, Elfer, Lyannon."
As I named them quickly, six magic circles drew on the ground, and my precious bound heroes appeared.
My beautiful babies.
I cast 'Bosom of the Gods' to buff them, and my war-hardened bound heroes scattered to their positions on their own.
Someone came up beside me.
"Kaisha-nim."
Abyss reported after a quick sweep of the building perimeter.
"No additional reinforcements yet. No traces of that massive laser cannon that wrecked the European Union either."
But?
Abyss looked at me with a tense expression, just like when he'd returned after spotting the error code.
I asked immediately.
"Did you see an error code?"
"No warning popped up, but..."
Abyss trailed off, glancing toward the building—quite a distance away, surprisingly not outside.
Inside the building.
It was from within.
I'd thought the military 'lab' was just one building, but up close, it was like three schools plus a gym combined.
I pondered briefly.
"..."
If the error code was nearby right now.
And for Fullminak to stay in the forest, seize territory first, and push into the central nation quickly.
Obviously, I needed to handle the error code myself first.
Decision made, I immediately opened my inventory, checked the holy relic-grade sword Yugeon had gifted me, and said,
"Let's go."
But then.
『Warning!』
Abyss, me, and the whole guild—fighting well—froze in shock.
『Error code (error code: ⑉⑇6⑉) detected. In this field, physical damage to this entity cannot be healed.』
『Error code (error code: 3⑇2⑈) detected. In this field, physical damage to this entity cannot be healed.』
『Error code (error code: ⑆470) detected. In this field, physical damage to this entity cannot be healed.』
The guild erupted in horrified murmurs.
"This can't be real!"
"Are they insane?!"
"Hey, you fucking bastards with no morals!"
Sensing the guild's emotional turmoil, I immediately issued orders to prevent focus loss.
"Don't break formation! Ignore it and focus forward!"
Abyss and I were at the rear.
But my heart pounded faster under the tightening pressure.
Abyss, with his assassin-sharp senses, tensed up right beside me, breathing raggedly.
It wasn't just inside the building after all.
"It's coming..."
From three directions.