No Joke, My Back Nearly Snapped
My waist nearly broke—no exaggeration, not a single lie. If I hadn't braced myself, it would've snapped clean, forcing me to get an artificial spine implanted. Soo's leap was that fast, that heavy.
"What the hell are you planning to do!!!"
Enoch's scream-like shout echoed toward the sky. Not sure if it even reached her. The wind roaring past my ears was too damn loud.
Peck, peck. Even so, Soo mouthed something—must've heard me. Of course, her voice didn't carry. She drawls lazily even on normal days. No way it'd cut through this.
"Nngh...!"
Sure, Soo probably has a plan, but I was anxious. What if she slips? That factory roof would half-collapse. Our bodies would burst open.
I need to use Hod. But even with Hod, safe landing isn't guaranteed. Can't erase the kinetic energy we've built up. Especially not in mid-air with no footing. Can't slow down here. Rolling techniques? Useless. Even perfect form means death.
So I decided to save Soo. Get her to drag my half-dead ass to a clinic.
Wrap her in my body.
Yesterday's job overtaxed my Hod, left aftereffects, but better than dying flat-out.
I grabbed the rope linking us, pulled myself toward her. Once, twice, three times—reached arm's length. Activated Hod instantly. Or tried to.
Thwung—
The body-crushing wind halted. The ear-piercing tear vanished. For a split second, gravity vanished; we hung motionless in the air.
"Wh-what...?"
I looked around, dumbfounded. We're floating. Right in front of the rooftop, Enoch and Soo hovering mid-air. Not flying, exactly. Something's... propping up my feet. Jelly-like, chewy as taffy. Invisible, but definitely there.
"What the...?"
"Magic."
Soo grinned wide and stepped forward. Didn't fall. Same stuff under her feet.
"You could always do this...?"
"Yeah. After killing that chimera."
Post-chimera kill, my control over the magic stolen from Zailek's test subjects leveled up. "Control" sounds lame, but watching Soo stroll the sky? No one's calling it lame.
Magic that repels things. Repulsion magic, maybe. Not just bouncing stuff away anymore—it can prop things up too. Test subjects zeroed bullets to shield themselves, right? Same principle here.
Of course, repulsion magic's incomplete. Can't disassemble and reassemble like wind magic. But half-baked, it still packs this punch.
Wonder how it'll change when finished.
Invisible to Enoch, but crystal-clear to Soo. The magic wrapping our legs. Turn the repulsion inward, and his legs crumple. Outward, they explode.
"Cool, right?"
Soo's foot hit the rooftop. I descended slowly too—but my feet missed.
"What."
The magic vanished. I wobbled, then thud—face-planted.
"Oops."
"Guh...!"
Nosebleed gushed. Nosebone intact? Nah, feels broken. Kinda crooked... I snorted out the blood and glared.
"Why... yank it suddenly?"
"Not used to it yet."
Soo smiled innocently, brushing dust off my clothes.
"Not used to it?"
"Yeah."
"So... we could've plummeted mid-flight?"
"Maybe tripped."
I glanced over the roof's edge, swallowed dry. Lucky to be alive? Or chew out Soo for this recklessness? Latter's smarter. But questioning her every move just gives headaches. Better accept as-is. Finally dawned on me.
Stare into the abyss long enough, and it stares back. Soo's a madwoman cut from that cloth. Get too close to her madness, and I'll lose it too—instinct screams it.
"Infiltration plan?"
Even if my Hod dodges cameras and eyes, Soo's likely to get spotted. Smashing them all? Don't know positions. No time anyway.
Sure, she's got something... but.
"Soo?"
Adjusting gear, I looked. Soo beamed sunnily, leg hoisted. Bent at perfect right angle, like stepping on something.
"Haha."
Maybe I've rubbed off on her a bit. Just seeing that leg tells me exactly what's coming...
"Fuck."
Activated Hod. The rooftop crumbled.
Zailek-managed corp. CeraSteel's factory head and lab director, Ryu Jikwang, was in high spirits lately.
"Heh, heh heh heh..."
Talos, Eden's enforcers. Only their leader wields it; strongest corp battle agents too. Repulsor! Nailed tech damn close to it.
Not full power, blade-only, not guns—but enough. Overflowing.
Proof? Zailek exec's direct line yesterday.
"Hahaha...!"
Two days: Exec visits. Hauls heavy ass to inspect CeraSteel's game-changer.
"Ahh... so radiant..."
Ryu stroked the jet-black sword, tears streaming. Named Mugeuk—Chinese vibe; Zailek might rename. Whatever. Completed Mugeuk means Ryu and all CeraSteel staff transfer to Zailek HQ.
Repulsor's forbidden tech, so illegal weapon tag—minor flaw. Zailek's got backs; who questions? Eden's three megacorps: Two clash, third profits. No rash fights.
Ryu slept easy, legs stretched.
Dreaded mornings? Brighter now. Home? Days away. No commute concept. Zailek covered lab accident for that.
Now? Won't go home if told. Slept in office last two days. Deep sleep—Mugeuk bedside beat lovers. True love?
Lab depths: Caressed hidden Mugeuk. Coffee sip, caress. Lunch, caress. Pervert-level guarding.
Today too. Fresh synth-coffee by Mugeuk...
But corner of vision: Annoying doc.
[Post-Mortem Compensation Agreement · Damage Ledger]
"Parasite shits. Grateful we used their worthless lives valuably, yet they whine for settlements... Tsk tsk tsk."
Ryu shredded without reading. Pre-Mugeuk, maybe. Now? No need. Why? CeraSteel's Zailek soon. Poke once, families "vanish." No madmen demand. No family? No payout anyway. Dead don't get cash.
"Heh, hahaha... Just two days 'til these complaints end..."
Two days: Northrica safehouse, Zailek-provided! Should've sinned more? Grab cute boy now, toss in bed?
"Hahahahahahaha!!!"
Laughter boomed in lab.
Kr-r-r-rumble—!
"Uh, wha...?"
Building shook. Ceiling caved. Debris poured.
"No—!"
Instinct: Not self-preservation. Dove for Mugeuk. Now true first love...
"Wh-what?!"
Bit tongue in shock. No pain. Shock bigger.
"Y-you... who... who are you...?"
Noise glitched before Ryu's eyes. Screen-failure static, crackling live.
Eye implant glitch? No. One real eye sees it too.
"Hi."
Creepy voice from freak. Twitched—raised hand? Nodded? Indistinct. Blurry, grotesque; unrecognizable.
"I'm... Lü Chen's test subject."
"...What."
Sudden bullshit? Lü Chen test subject? Subjects self-identify as such? Ryu's logic: No.
"Here for Mugeuk. Got orders."
"What...?"
"Anyway, taking it."
Freak moved. Ryu didn't get sitch, but intent: Steal Mugeuk. Can't lose first love!
"You bastard—!!"
Ryu lunged, seized Mugeuk. Hit hilt button, swung—
Crack-crack—
"—Huh?"
Swing: Arm tore off. Pricey alloy cyberarm—top mercs'. Freak's swing did it.
Clang—
Mugeuk rolled pathetically. Freak tucked it and both arms under pits, stomped over.
"Gotta make good weapons still—watch your hands."
Extended arm like "take it." Dangling temptingly.
Ryu's face crumpled.
"Oh, no arms. Told ya be careful. Leave it here then."
Self-torn, now this? No rage possible. Gesture shredded alloy. Wrong words: Neck next...
"Blueprints here?"
"N-no..."
Crunch—
Freak hand-ripped blast-proof vault door. Eyed data shards inside...
"Yeah... taking everything."
Forced door shut, hoisted vault.
"Factory collapses in 5. Evac."
Last words. Noise thickened—pop—freak rocketed skyward.
"...Wh-what the."
Half-wrecked lab: Ryu writhed out. 5-min warning felt real...