Chapter 131
Chapter 131
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 20
Chapter Title: Lenox
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["Queen is practically Europe's number one, wouldn't you say?"]
["That's right. The UK has been famous ever since Viva Online. Back in Viva Online, the countries with standout skills were Korea, the US, China, and the UK."]
["Korea's always been pretty renowned for gaming."]
["Looking at the current situation, it seems like the idea that game stats directly translate to real-world abilities is spot on."]
["Exactly. Only the countries that were famous back in Viva Online days are still standing."]
["And when that C-rank Gate broke out in Europe during the super early days of hunter awakenings, the UK played a big role in closing it."]
["Yeah, but the key point is that no guild except 'Chess' went to the UK."]
Kaisha and Queen.
It was a meeting between two figures who had made names for themselves since Viva Online.
With national rankings and pride on the line between countries, the scene on screen stirred up a tension in viewers different from the error code fiasco.
* * *
This wasn't just about whether I could beat the European Union hunters or not.
One hour was too short.
『0:39:51』
Even after riding the inter-territory portal from the forest, buffing speed, and flying here, it had already taken nearly twenty minutes.
After dealing with nearly thirty European Union enemies, stopping the final boss Lenox's rampage—it was clear time would be tight.
I glanced back at Abyss and Helcannon behind me.
Should I leave it to Abyss and bail?
"In my eyes, you're thinking of handing us off to those guys behind you and heading straight to the Führer's office, right?"
The guy facing me off spat it out like he'd read my mind.
I flinched in surprise, and a man with a sturdy, well-built knight's body—proudly sporting slightly dark white hair and pale eyes—grinned at me.
Queen had a burly vibe and a friendly-looking face, but he didn't feel like an easy opponent.
Queen said to me.
"You don't need to go looking for him. He'll show up on his own."
Queen was definitely British, but thanks to the excellent simultaneous translation, his words rang clear and smooth in Korean to my ears.
I asked him.
"...How can you be so sure?"
"The area near the barrier wasn't like that, but this city is on super high alert. So as we came in, we accidentally triggered a ton of the local security systems."
Queen nodded toward somewhere as he said it.
I turned my head and was shocked.
"!"
Huge electronic billboard screens all over the city were flashing red warnings along with images of us.
The city had been noisy from the start due to the top ruler's rampage, but I hadn't expected us to be part of the commotion.
"?!!"
I jolted at the presence charging toward me, sword coming up in an instant.
Abyss rushed in like the wind.
Kwa—bang!
Kieeeeng—
Abyss's and Queen's swords clashed fiercely.
Skills exploded, whipping up wind across the area. Me and my two allies fell back, clearly separating enemy and friendly lines once more.
Abyss ground his teeth after blocking Queen's attack right in front of me.
"You rat bastard—!!"
"Too bad."
Queen muttered annoyingly, raising his empty hands after the ambush failed.
Nearly thirty European Union hunters fanned out behind him, entering combat stances to face us.
I rested my hand on the skill window, feeling a chill.
Just as battle was about to erupt.
Kuku-kwang!!
"!"
Screams echoed from all over the city.
Bomb blasts rang out here and there, and soon the billboards switched from us to android forces invading near the barrier and explosions at specific buildings.
Knight-type mechanical soldiers that looked more human than regular androids were closing in on us from all sides.
"...."
Queen and I glanced at each other.
Queen spoke.
"A common enemy just showed up, so how about a truce while we deal with them?"
"Sure."
I agreed readily, then lunged at Queen and swung my sword.
"!"
Kwaang!
Queen flinched at the sudden attack, dodging fast before teleporting into his allies' midst.
The spot where Queen had stood was completely smashed.
Seeing his expression—like he'd almost fallen for the same trick—eased my mood a bit.
"I'm a quick learner."
He grinned next, and Queen awkwardly smiled back, glancing nervously at his guildmates while on edge.
The Europeans muttered among themselves, visibly tense.
Abyss clicked his tongue.
"Idiots. Never watched Korean Viva? That's what you get for messing with Kaisha-nim."
The Europeans were far enough that their voices were low-volume, but the translation was spot-on, so I caught every word.
From what I overheard, it was something like: that guy's sneaky, hits you once dirty then keeps backstabbing nonstop after, so stay sharp.
Of course.
How many filthy brawls had I been through in Midgard with Koreans who had pointlessly high backstab IQs?
Dart, Gilgamesh. Hell, even Hyun-woo-nim was a total strategy king when he was an enemy.
War's like that—once you seem soft, a chain of cheap shots and preemptive strikes follows.
Seizing initiative is the best defense.
I locked eyes with Queen in a staring contest for a while, then suddenly loaded countless bullets and activated Gunshot skill.
The tense Europeans scattered in a panic.
Tatata-tang!!
The moment I triggered the skill, I bolted toward the government building at full speed.
"Run!"
Abyss took off at my shout, buffing me and Helcannon with speed before overtaking me and pulling aggro from the machine soldiers packed ahead.
Area attack flew into the orderly marching machines at light speed.
Kwa—bang!
Abyss shook the ground as per the strategy, toppling a clump of machine soldiers. The distant ones that didn't fall immediately aimed at Abyss.
Abyss tanked with shield, untouched by laser fire as he rampaged the battlefield, then dashed straight for the government building.
Me and Helcannon slipped through the aggro-pulled spot fast.
The machine soldiers finally clocked us late and attacked—but it was the European hunters hurrying behind who got hit.
Queen had said Lenox would show up here personally, but with the countdown ticking, we couldn't just wait.
I pulled up the world map.
That building.
Abyss, who was leading, suddenly flinched and raised his shield.
Kwang!
Abyss got smacked mid-shield and bounced back.
The government building—clearly where this country's key figures gathered—had a seriously powerful shield up.
I sheathed my sword, clenched my fist, and unleashed the martial arts finisher.
[Heaven and Earth Cataclysm: Sky-Shattering Fist]
Kwaaaang—!!!
The shield shattered from my all-out blow.
But it was just a brief hole—the shield generator kept pumping new energy, reforming a fresh shield almost instantly.
I yelled.
"Get in, quick!"
As soon as Abyss and Helcannon slipped inside, I spun around and blanketed the area in thick mana.
Queen, leading the charge through the machines, shouted desperately.
"Shield up!!"
The mana spread fast, seeping into the ground.
[Dynamite Racing Across the Heavens]
An AoE meant for sky use detonated on the ground, unleashing near-catastrophic explosion that flipped the well-paved city streets en masse.
Ku-kwaang—!!
I turned from the dust cloud of cement and machinery, slipping into the shield just before it closed.
Human guards—not machines—were charging us from the building front now.
"Grab them!"
I blinked away the second I spotted them.
Abyss and Helcannon, waiting far ahead at the building entrance, flinched when I popped up close.
Abyss schooled his face and pointed upstairs.
"We'll head up."
I nodded, and Abyss leaped, smashing a window with his sword for a smooth landing inside.
Helcannon and I followed.
Beyond the window stretched a long, white marble corridor that felt oddly pristine.
The noisy scene outside faded fast as we ran, our three sets of footsteps echoing sharply in the seemingly empty building.
"Feels just like a temple."
As I muttered, Abyss—who was scanning keenly while running—replied.
"It's too quiet."
A cutting-edge building like this should detect intruders and blare alarms.
Nothing happened.
Abyss selected the spatial awareness skill from his floating skill window.
An assassin skill granting temporary x-ray vision to see all structures and enemy positions in the area.
Abyss veered direction.
"This way!"
The corridor was too sleek and artistic—doors blended into designs we couldn't recognize.
Abyss yanked open what looked like a wall, not a door, and bolted up the stairs.
He continued.
"It's not that the building looks empty for no reason—almost everyone's gathered in one spot inside right now."
"Emergency council meeting?"
"Doesn't feel like it...."
Abyss raced upstairs way faster than me or Helcannon, pausing to wait.
"Lenox really seems to have lost it bad."
Chick.
"?"
Abyss pulled what seemed like a handle, like on entry, but the door wouldn't budge.
The simple yet artistic marble wall suddenly lit red.
Weeeeng!
["Fingerprint recognition failed! Intruder detected! Intruder detected! Location confirmed—security team, respond immediately! Intruder detected! Location transmitted!"]
"Just smash it."
Abyss was already thinking the same; he swung at the metal door the instant I ordered.
Kwaaaang—!!
The door ripped clean off in one hit.
Abyss grimaced.
"Important area—security's on another level."
"Yeah. Whole thing didn't crumble, just the door flew off clean. Walls must be some special material."
Screams echoed from somewhere then.
Uwaaaak!!
"!"
We three flinched and eyed each other.
Abyss shared a look with me and bolted toward the noise; we followed.
The building interior—no, this floor—was unexpectedly beautiful and artistic, beyond anything imaginable from outside.
Like a temple for a god.
My heart raced at the sharp blood stench cutting through the serene vibe.
Gulp.
Helcannon swallowed.
At the corridor's end, a scene of carnage unfolded.
Countless people lay dead or dying in pools of blood; white-haired, blue-eyed ones thrashed blood-soaked, fighting for life.
"...."
In the horrific tableau, the man presumed responsible for it all turned, red eyes gleaming.