Chapter 126
Chapter 126
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 126
Chapter Title: Pushing Through the Mech Onslaught
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Android soldiers armed with laser rifles appeared alongside tank laser cannons, making the situation far from easy like it had been in front of the military building.
As guild members scattered in the sudden crisis, voice chat activated.
["Huff, this is insane. The power's almost on par with the Demon King..."]
["Ah, forced logout."]
["The laser cannon takes time to reload, so take it out in the meantime! Focus fire on the first one!"]
Guild members unleashed a barrage of skills from all directions, trying out attacks that worked well against the tank.
Boom! Kwaboom!
["Th-this is a real tank."]
["It won't budge."]
The powerful laser tank cannon didn't break easily despite multiple attacks.
["Attacks are landing! Keep pouring it on!"]
["Encars up in the trees. All android soldiers in the area are swarming. Especially from the 11 o'clock direction—mech soldiers marching in lines, and tons of tanks."]
["Roughly how many?"]
["Uh, at least thirty."]
Encars's answer to Kali's question drew sharp intakes of breath from everywhere.
["They really pulled out all the stops from the center."]
["No way they're only targeting us, right? If they're gonna fuck us, make it fair for everyone."]
["At this rate, we might have to avoid all-out war."]
["Firing!!"]
Another massive laser blast from the tank tore through the area.
Since guild members had scattered and were keeping watch while fighting individually, no one took a direct hit this time.
Kwa—boom!
After steady focused fire, the first tank finally shattered.
["Ha. Finally took one down, but at this rate..."]
["Don't kill the morale!"]
["Sorry."]
["Second tank firing!"]
In the meantime, I'd purchased an item from the coin market similar to [White Night].
A massive orb of light floated in the air, instantly brightening the battlefield where guild members had been barely illuminating their fights.
I asked the guild members.
"How's the攻略 going?"
["The tanks seem to have their own defense. Not sure if it's special material or a shield function, but ranged DPS isn't landing well."]
["Melee seems most effective at first to break it open. Then ranged starts sticking."]
["Melee first, then ranged—"]
As soon as I arrived nearby, I blinked in and slammed my sword down on the tank with all my strength.
Kwa—boom!!
["Wh-what?!"]
["Guild Master blinked through?! Sensory cast?!"]
["Whoa, insane. That tank took forever even with burst DPS, but one hit dents it."]
["Holy shit."]
["Turns out it was paper tank for Guild Master only."]
["I believe. In Kamen."]
["My religion is you alone."]
The guild members, mired in despair, now chattered excitedly.
My connection with Yugeon had strengthened, massively boosting the extra stats from the relic-grade sword.
I said to Abyss.
"Abyss, aggro."
Abyss nodded at my command and dashed like the wind, lightly tapping android soldiers to pull aggro.
Someone shouted.
["Don't just stand there—pour on the DPS! Burst it! Max DPS! Pooooower!!"]
The guild members, jolted out of their shock, moved in unison and unleashed a DPS storm on the second tank.
Boom! Kwaboom!!
["Whoa. The impact feels totally different."]
["Now it feels like a fight."]
Evidently the tank had its own shield system—after heavy melee hits, the follow-up ranged DPS landed properly.
"Smash any tank that enters range, then handle the androids. Hyunwoo-nim and Mura-nim, take the androids Abyss herds."
I dropped to the ground, and soon after, the sound of a tank exploding came from behind.
Leaving the second tank, I dashed through the android ranks, then blinked atop the next one as soon as I spotted it.
Hyunwoo-nim replied.
["Got it. Kaisha-nim, you planning a frontal push like this?"]
I paused.
I'd blinked onto the next tank and smashed its shield, then stopped.
Of course that's what I planned?
"Got any better ideas...?"
["Just my thought, but this won't end at this rate. They're machines, not people. No telling how much military the Central Nation has."]
"True."
Android soldiers fired laser rifles at me.
I swung my sword with full power to wreck the tank, then loaded countless green bullets into the air.
[Gunfire that Tears the Darkness]
Ratatata-tang!!
After roughing them up just enough for guild members to clean up, I hopped off the tank and headed to where Hyunwoo-nim and Mura-nim were fighting.
Abyss had gathered the android soldiers; Hyunwoo-nim and Mura-nim tanked and attacked, Messiah provided buff support, and Yugeon and Elfer gave rear fire support.
I spread sliding mana across the area and triggered Dynamite for an AoE blast.
Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-boom—!!
The clustered android soldiers exploded like they'd stepped on mines.
Since fighting the error codes, my mana control speed had improved, letting me lay mana and detonate simultaneously.
Abyss extended a hand toward more incoming android soldiers.
Spotting me, Abyss vanished in a flash.
Thanks to Abyss's quick thinking, I could trigger explosions without hesitation.
Boom—!!!
The massive pressure from the blast sent android soldiers flying backward, tumbling across the ground.
Abyss rushed in and swiftly sliced through the android soldiers.
I turned on my voice chat mic.
"Rear android squad wiped. More tanks and soldiers incoming from behind—I've smashed them one by one, so take them out easy."
I turned my head and paused.
Hyunwoo-nim, Mura-nim, and even my bound heroes stared at me with blank expressions.
"Why...?"
Hyunwoo-nim spoke up.
"Well, you were always strong, but now it feels like you've crossed into another realm entirely."
"......Is that so."
Probably because of the divinity stuff.
I continued our earlier voice chat with Hyunwoo-nim.
"Anyway, I agree with you. If not frontal push, what's the plan?"
"I thought about it, and I have a pretty good idea."
Hyunwoo-nim glanced back.
At the end of his gaze, Terra and Whistle—my tank specialists—were each holding one of the kids.
"Take them home."
"......"
It might sound out of left field mid-battle, but Hyunwoo-nim's words opened up a ton of strategic possibilities.
I glanced at the guild members fighting the mech soldiers.
They're holding their own at a distance.
The guild members were overwhelmingly pushing back the mech soldiers.
I should probably go smash another tank soon.
The boy suddenly shouted.
"That way has a barrier! The city exploded, so the safety barrier opened— we can get in!"
"The city exploded?"
"......Yeah."
At my question, the boy's face crumpled into tears.
The girl burst into sobs too.
"Waaah! I wanna go home! Dad might be dead, but Mom's in the capital! Send us home!"
Then Offen, who I'd thought was gone, suddenly appeared and walked over.
"There's a gap in the barrier. Follow me."
"A gap? You mean into the Central Nation? Can outsiders even enter?"
Offen nodded at my question.
"Like you just heard, the Central Nation's in total chaos from the explosion. Just handle your clothes somehow—I've called in an acquaintance I know well. Midnight means less eyes on us while moving."
"No facial recognition or street cams an issue?"
Offen stared at me.
"Where the hell are you people even from...? Never mind. Outside the gods' usual districts, they aren't that thorough."
Voice chat pinged.
It was Kali.
["Two tanks spotted. Requesting final weapon Kaisha sortie."]
"Got it, over."
Kali chuckled and cut her mic at my crisp response.
I looked straight at Hyunwoo-nim.
"Hyunwoo-nim."
"Yes."
"I'll handle the tanks first, so give orders to the guild."
"Understood."
I moved to the battlefield.
I'd wondered where Helcannon was—seeing him mixed in fighting with guild members made me smile unwittingly.
He was using neural force, noticeably boosting his skill power.
Boom—!!
Kwaboom—!!
As Kali requested, I smashed the two tanks, denting them badly, and cheers erupted from guild members everywhere.
Then voice chat rang again with an urgent call.
This time from Gilgamesh.
["Can you send support?"]
Before answering Gilgamesh, I used a mana potion and unleashed Superwide Thunder to suppress the androids as much as possible.
Guild members paused—Hyunwoo-nim must've given orders.
Kali shouted loudly.
"Finish up here!"
I swung my sword with skills from the skill window and asked Gilgamesh.
"Urgent? What's the sitrep? You linked up with China?"
["Linked, yeah. But these dogshit European Union bastards are fucking insane. Sigh, shit. Even the Chinese are probably seeing human wave tactics for the first time."]
It wasn't population-based entry; it was 100 per nation by ranking, so that's how it shook out.
Three nations allied: 300. Five: a whopping 500.
["No contact for you? They got ambushed and wiped in seconds. Oh, maybe that's why you didn't hear."]
"What? Who?"
["Your guild members."]
Thud.
Shock hit like my heart dropped.
"......What?"
Panicking, I pulled up the map.
It was real.
Territory colors west of the Central Nation had all changed, and some nearby guild members had vanished.
My mind went blank.
"European Union's doing?"
["Yeah."]
"You motherfucking..."
["Whoa, you really just found out. Hurry over—we'll kill those damn bastards together."]
I opened the Fullminak exec chat.
"I'll head to Goldbunker support. Guild members at 9 o'clock got wiped by the European Union."