Chapter 15

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Translator: MadScientist

Chapter: 15

Chapter Title: Beyond Life

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The moment I saw the gallery comments, I ducked low, dropping my stance.

But even that evasive maneuver wasn't without its delays.

Pssshk-!

A sharp tearing sound ripped through the air, and a scorching sensation grazed over my left shoulder.

'Grrgh... Or did it? Maybe I was fast enough!'

Just one breath slower, and my shoulder blade—or my head—might've been cleaved clean off.

Anyway, I'd saved my neck, but with the sense that this ambush was far from over, I swung my massive club wide as I retreated.

Yet no follow-up strikes came pouring in. I whipped around to glare in the direction the attack had flown from.

"Kik, kiki-kiki, ki-kikikiki."

Some busted-up tin scarecrow was cackling away. Seeing its twisted skin and leather contort even further into a grotesque ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠leer filled me with disgust—and a fresh wave of ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠dread.

"...Type 2 Mutant."

The thing was a Type 2 Mutant, what you got when a Type 1 twisted itself into an even more nightmarish form. Unlike the Type 1s, which were just brute-force powerhouses, Type 2s came packed with some freakish extra ability.

Like spewing acidic bile from its mouth, or sprouting ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠spines all over its body, or exploding on its own—

Shlurk-!

Boom!!

Or, like this bastard, stretching parts of its body out dozens of meters long.

"Fuck me, what kind of rubber freak is this?!"

I bolted. The instant I saw its extended arm punch a massive hole in the wall where I'd been standing, I kept my evasive posture and sprinted down the hallway of crates. Me going toe-to-toe with this thing head-on right now? Yeah, my odds were single digits, tops.

Tap-tap-tap-

I quickly posted the current situation to the gallery.

This wasn't just because I was a hardcore gallery addict.

I wanted real-time tips from the Martial Gods, anything at all.

'Live? This?'

I hit the "live" button on the post. A red light blinked on in one corner of the screen, and my situation started broadcasting live.

As I wondered if it was working properly—

The gallery chat exploded like mad.

What the hell, this turned into some action flick all of a sudden? Still, I explained the hairy situation while running.

"Everyone see the post? Type 2 Mutant—you know, evolved from a Type 1—ambushed me. Nearly lost a chunk like Shanks. Right now, I'm running for my life!"

Thud-thud-thud! The stairs I was sprinting up started shaking like crazy the moment I finished explaining.

The surroundings quaked like an earthquake had hit from every direction. As I panicked, the chat lit up fiercely.

Between the stairs?

What the—fuck!

Until now, I'd been assuming a somewhat sensible chase. Even if it was a rubber monster, I figured it'd just bounce after me. But my world's genre had flipped to fantasy long ago. Instead of jumping, the thing shot out its elongated arm.

Thud-thud-thud-thud!!

The stretched arm ricocheted wildly between walls and stairwells. It came flying at me from the side, closing the gap in an instant. Bam! One section of stairs shattered, debris spraying everywhere. Thank fuck the gallery warned me, or I wouldn't have known where it came from and would've been skewered like a kebab.

"You fucker!"

Squelch- The arm yanked free and retracted. I'd lured it to these complex stairs figuring ranged attacks would favor me in straight lines, but this was turning into prime territory for it instead. Spitting curses, I shook off the shock and resumed my desperate sprint.

My heart pounded like a drum, but somehow I cleared the remaining stairs in one breath and reached the rooftop door. I slammed it shut and locked it roughly, gasping for air. In the meantime, I skimmed the incoming chats.

Got it.

I devoured the flood of comments. Packed tight with peak advice, every one useful for my plight. I'm a survival pro who's lasted five years in this apocalypse world. If urgency blinded me to key info, I'd have been a cold corpse ages ago.

'Bottom line: create the right environment.'

The rubber bazooka ricocheting off stairs had rattled me, but the gallery said it wasn't invincible. Seemed unpredictable, but it needed angles to work, and cover straight ahead would block it flat.

'In that case...'

I scanned the rooftop for something useful.

Piles of snow stacked high, melted, refrozen.

Abandoned junk furniture, mystery trash, and—

'...Ah!'

An idea flashed in my head.

I sprang into action.

First, I shoved heavy stuff toward the rooftop entrance.

Thud-boom! Echoes rang out nonstop, but I hustled to make more cover. A workload impossible without martial arts, but just before it arrived, I barely finished rigging a makeshift maze.

By then, the already trashed rooftop looked even more like a dump.

Kaboom!!

The rooftop's steel door exploded inward, revealing the Type 2 Mutant in all its hideous glory.

"Ki-kiki-kikik!"

The monster emerged mixing sneers and mad laughter. I'd been running my ass off, but it strolled in all casual. Treating me like cornered prey it could toy with and slowly crush?

"Thanks for the gift, you dogshit fuck."

Its arrogance? Music to my ears. I launched from my spot.

Shlurk- Boom!

Its arm speared where I'd been like a bomb. Normally it'd be game over with a plunge, but I dove into the junk maze I'd prepped. I vaulted a half-smashed sofa, hurdled a one-legged dresser, spun like hide-and-seek.

"Ki, ki-kikikiki."

Grating sneer echoed, arm-retract sound followed—then boom! Another strike hit my path. I screech-halted just as a long spear embedded ahead. Dodged a head-exploding by a hair. Lived again, so that's a win? Confidence surged.

'I can see it coming and dodge.'

Attacks started predictable; blink and they'd arrive, but I could track their path. Martial arts-enhanced eyesight for the win. A grin crept on my face; its mug twisted weirdly.

"Kii, ki, ki-kikikigi."

Hated me gaining ground? Pissed, it retracted and stomped closer. Bombardment resumed!

Bam, kaboom-boom!

"Hey, double-arm attacks are cheating!"

From single-arm javelin tosses to dual-arm barrage. Real rubber frenzy bullshit.

Clack-!

Endless pressure backed me into a huge something; no retreat left.

It leered, ripping-wide grin, lunging murderously.

Fwoooosh!!!

Deep embed.

Blood beaded by my cheek.

Another brush with death.

But way worse than before.

Back blocked, sides by arms, front by body.

Three sides sealed; no easy dodge.

One arm left? Next hit turns me kebab for sure.

"...That's what you're thinking, right?"

Sneer.

You predictable fuck. Laugh escaped. Lips curled; it halted mid-strut.

"Ki..?"

"Getting trapped, you see."

Isn't me.

"It's you!!"

Boom!!

I exploded forward.

3-meter ceiling sergeant-jump headbutt power rocketed ahead.

Cornered rat biting cat vibes.

It shifted from sneer to counter.

But—

Halt-

"Ki?!"

'Won't move easy!'

Arm pinned in a busted-top water tank. Rare in modern buildings, but this rural Gangwon high-rise relic held water for supply. Cut off years ago? Seemed empty, but—

'Ground feed gone, but sky keeps dumping.'

Ice Age snow filled, melted, refroze. Over 10 tons crushed one arm in icy prison.

"Kiiik!"

Panicked Type 2 backpedaled. But deep in my junk maze core. One step back, retreat blocked. Its sneering eyes flickered new emotion.

"Kiiiik!!"

Rage? Fear? Mix? Berserk, it hurled remaining arm.

But—

'I can see it and dodge!'

Slide-!

Dropped low, slid on iced rooftop. Hit its front in seconds flat. Life-death instants mere blinks, so—

Smaaaash!!

At least, today's me stands beyond life.