Chapter 51
Chapter 51
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 51
Chapter Title: Lizardman
-----------------------------------------------------------------
“Uwaaaah! It’s a wizard!”
Following the destructive charge of three vehicles came a monstrous warrior, then more magic. And amid it all, that ear-piercing scream.
“Heads! Heeeads!!”
“Uwaaaah!”
“Grab him!”
“Evade!”
“Run!”
“Fight!”
The test subjects’ chaos had reached an irreversible stage.
“Fire! Fire! Put out the fire! Hurry!”
“Get the extinguisher!”
“Wait, that bi— (“Heads!!”) Uwaaaah!”
Test subjects, forget the fire and deal with Curtain Call already! I wasn’t planning to burn the hospital down anyway.
In 90 seconds, a massive wave would crash in.
The next magic circle to complete would be a churning blue ritual of water.
Alright, I’ve got things to do.
The magic circles would now finish their spells on their own and activate sequentially.
I’d told Curtain Call the timing between activations, so he’d dodge on his own.
“Die die die die!! You Holistic bastards, all of you die!!!!”
A mad howl. That sounded like Curtain Call... He’d remember the spell timings, right?
‘Ah, whatever. Prond’ll handle it.’
The hospital and test subjects were heating up nicely. Spreading out my detection, I confirmed most test subjects had come down to the first floor. They’d chase Curtain Call, who darted around everywhere, and the illusory wizard my magic circles created.
I left the circles alone and tossed my skateboard to the floor.
[Flashy Dance Steps]
[Fox’s Agility]
[Invisible Hand]
[Faint Presence]
Glowing patterns danced over my pitch-black hoodie.
Stepping onto the board, it shot forward at insane speed even without me pushing off.
Vrooooom!!!
The unpaved dirt road made a horrific racket from the wheels. Dust billowed behind me, but the noise and darkness hid me—no one paid me any mind.
Clearing the hospital like an RPG in a set sequence meant enduring trials and tribulations.
Why bother picking off grunts one by one or body-slamming traps for some glory?
While the tank pulled aggro on the first floor, I’d slip up to the third and slice the boss—done.
But first, one stop before charging in.
I rode toward a dark corner of the hospital parking lot.
‘Yeah, that.’
Right there was what I needed.
A round, metal...
Pot lid.
No, something far more efficient than a pot lid.
[Round Shield (E-grade Armor): A round metal shield. It has loops inside to strap onto one arm.]
No enchantments, junk gear.
By lore, some Wild Guns team member who entered here brought it—left behind as a one-use disposable.
[Magnetic Control]
Zzzzzing!!
The 2nd-circle magnetic adjustment spell from my left hand yanked the metal shield, snapping it onto my arm via magnetism.
‘Ugh, heavy with just 8 Strength.’
Now accelerating back toward the hospital. Damn, skateboarding like this made me feel like a superhero.
Anyway, as the board’s explosive acceleration peaked...
[Leap]
Ta-dah!
I leaped with magic. But no single leap spell could reach the third floor. No big deal.
“Alright, this part... we power through with New Game+ skills!”
This was key. Not my first rodeo with this stunt, but with only 8 Agility, nailing it perfectly was tough.
Pre-cast enchantments helped control my midair posture, letting me twist just right.
I spun in the air, angling the board properly. At the same time, I cast new spells on it.
[Hardening]
[Grenade Explosion]
Boosted durability, then detonated an explosion spell underneath for...
An extra leap!
Gripping the board, I rocketed through the air.
Spinning vision. Hospital wall rushing up fast. Window. And the sniper’s panicked face clutching his rifle.
“Hi there?”
“Uwaaaah!”
The sniper yelled in shock, fumbling his aim a beat late.
Bang bang bang!!
His gun spat fire, but I thrust my shield out first. Couldn’t trust this flimsy thing alone, so magic too.
[Protection Circle]
Ting ting ting!!!
Nice. I barreled in shield-first, smashing him flat.
Crunch!!
“Uwaaak!”
Right on plan! Subdue him like this.
Thunder from my shield hand.
[Lightning Bolt]
Zzzzap!
“Guhhhh...!”
Metal shield conducts electricity great.
See that, vets? This is what we do.
“Freeze!”
Third floor had two windows, two snipers.
The one at the other window—a test subject with an extra, unnatural arm sprouting from his shoulder—yelled at me.
“Hey, hold up!”
He ignored me, raising his rifle.
No talk, huh. But I’d timed it.
‘Right... now...!’
KABOOM!!!
The second spell from my prepared circle activated.
Unbelievable waves for a spot with no water.
The torrent surged to swallow the hospital, shaking it violently.
The whole building rocked.
The second sniper hesitated from the shock. I’d bought time to react.
Bang bang bang!
Wanted to block superhero-style, but my trash Agility said no.
[Distortion Field]
Pew pew pew!
Sniper panicked as bullets veered off the invisible wall.
“Hey, like hero movies?”
“Huh? Wha...???”
While he gawked...
[Magnetic Control]
I magnetized my shield hard and hurled it at him.
Whiiir!!
It smashed his rifle.
Crack!
“Grahhh!!”
Shield stuck to him, he toppled backward.
“About done here?”
Muttering, I glanced elsewhere and zapped the fallen sniper.
[Thunderbolt]
Zzzap!!
“Grrrrk!!”
The Fallen Flame Ring tempted fire spells unnecessarily, but lightning with stun was best for crowd control.
[System: ‘Enhanced Vigilance’ trait activates.]
Thought I was in enough danger already, but the trait triggered.
Senses sharpened forcibly, feeding me mana flows, killing intent, threats.
Nothing inside threatened me. Outside the window?
Neck hairs stood. Chilling intent.
Cast magic... no, can’t use magic. Dodge!
I whipped around, activating [One Span Shift] to move.
[System: Agility stat insufficient; ‘One Span Shift’ efficiency reduced.]
Shut up and move!
Joints straining in waist, legs, knees, I barely shifted.
Thwack!
Too late, I saw it. Throwing knife. It grazed where I’d been, embedding in the wall.
Direction it came from... outside the window, a test subject clung with lizard-like claws.
‘That’s why magic wouldn’t work.’
Enemy: ex-fixer with a Name, this abandoned hospital quest’s mid-boss. Fixer Name... uh...
“Ah, Mr. Leopard. Nice to meet you.”
“You dog fixer. Crawled all the way here to oppress us?”
His lizard face twisted grotesquely.
“Well, no grudge against you guys... but weren’t you a fixer too?”
“Yeah. Lived like an idiot chasing money, burning luck and life, ended up here. But looks like your luck ran out.”
“Tell me about it. That’s why I brought backup to hold guys like you.”
Leopard’s mouth split wide, inhumanly. Licked his forehead with his forked tongue, grinning hideously. Monster.
“Right. Wizards can’t handle me.”
Among fixers with innate mana granting weird powers, this lizardman was special. Used primal natural magic like Lee Chang-hyuk...
Ssssh!
More knives flew from outside.
[Protection Circle]
Instinctively cast, but knives pierced right through, still coming.
Those knives!
Leopard’s unique ability: localized mana nullification. His telekinesis-propelled knives ignored shields or distortions.
Can’t block. Dodge! Shit, no time. Too harsh on wizards.
[Invisible Hand]
Hated this again, but telekinesis hurled me aside.
[Leap]
Belated leap... barely rolled instead of disaster.
[Fireball]
Fwoosh!!
“Not bad moves for a wizard!”
Dodging under the window. Tsk... mods make you fast, huh.
Leopard popped from another window, throwing knives.
“Pattern city! This ain’t a ‘90s shmup!”
[Invisible Hand]
Hurled myself again... drawing mana. He had rote patterns; I didn’t. Tried something new.
[Magnetic Control]
[Spell Enhancement: Maximize]
Zzzzzing!!
Overcharged shield floated, hovering drone-like, spinning wildly into knife paths.
Clang clang clang!
“Wh-what!?”
Told you I didn’t grab that shield for nothing!
[Chains of Dominion]
Clank!!
Golden chains wrapped the shield. Infused with will via chains, magnetism, telekinesis... fired like a bullet.
Bang!!
“Urgh!”
He dodged half a beat faster. Shield grazed his face/head/whatever.
Hiding under the window...
“Ha! Close one!”
Classic line as he reappeared, knives between fingers, arm swinging.
“Look out behind!”
“?!”
The shield I’d thrown rocketed back.
Smack!!
Yeah, always beat Leopard in-game this way. Works here too.