Silver Foam (3)
“Don’t die. And don’t get hurt...”
“Yes, sir!”
They saluted me with the grim resolve of soldiers prepared for death.
Today was the day of the subjugation operation. In the pre-dawn darkness before sunrise, military trucks sent by Ham Seong-hoon arrived to pick up our four soldiers. Of course, four blue drones would accompany them. We also brought the coating drone to apply coatings right before the battle.
I’d agonized over where to use the four coatings, but in the end, I decided to give one to each of them. I told them to fight boldly until the coating broke, then switch to caution once it did. I couldn’t bring myself to say “fight half-heartedly.”
The Union had strong Awakeners like Lee Seong-guk, but in my view, the key to this subjugation was the four from Nakyuan. All enhanced by strengthening melons, armed with two pulse rifles and one overtechnology sword each that resembled a Japanese blade. And crucially... they’d all been amplified by Na Hye-won.
I’d cautiously brought it up with her over lunch yesterday, and without a hint of fear, she eagerly stepped up, saying she wanted to help if it would make a difference. So at 10 p.m., she amplified Im Jui—who got her daily boost—and Jeong Su-hwan, who was getting it for the first time. After two back-to-back uses, Na Hye-won collapsed into sleep. We let her rest for seven hours in a single recovery room, then woke her just before their departure to request amplifications for the Han sisters too.
Still not fully recovered, she staggered and had a nosebleed after amplifying Han Seol first. Han Byeol, startled, refused hers, saying it seemed too dangerous, but Na Hye-won insisted, “Compared to what the Republic of Korea government did to me... this is nothing,” and amplified her anyway.
Na Hye-won looked at us with apologetic eyes and said that if she couldn’t even do this much when everyone else was risking their lives, there’d be no reason for her to be here—and that if she held back her power and someone got hurt because of it, she’d carry that guilt forever. Then she passed out.
For now, we’d let her sleep through the night. If her condition didn’t improve, we’d delay Im Jui’s permanent enhancement by a month if needed and give her a few more days of rest before starting over from scratch. Unless it was this kind of emergency, I had no intention of treating her as harshly as the Republic of Korea government had.
For 14 days, we’d set up artillery around Hyunshin Department Store and built a base camp where the soldiers could rest and eat comfortably. We filled countless water tankers and sent them over, ensuring no shortages for drinking or washing. In some ways, their supplies were more abundant than during the Yongsan battle.
The Union’s force for the Silver Foam subjugation numbered 400 Awakeners and 1,000 regular soldiers. They’d bombard the department store with mortars, then deploy the vanguard of 100 when Silver Foam emerged. These 100 were the Union’s elite Awakeners, handpicked for strength.
Another 300 waited in reserve for worst-case scenarios or to evacuate the wounded. Ham Seong-hoon explained that unlike human wars, monster subjugations called for elite units of individually powerful fighters. Named monsters’ attacks were too erratic to counter through training alone—personal skill was more efficient for evasion.
Throwing in mediocre soldiers would just force the strong ones to protect them instead of fighting, eroding morale as comrades died pointlessly. This was hard-earned knowledge from the Republic of Korea army’s pre-collapse battles.
Among the vanguard, only our four from Nakyuan wielded swords. Regular blades barely scratched Silver Foam—like slicing a sandbag, getting stuck shallowly. Blunt weapons like hammers, clubs, or fists were the standard. But our armory swords weren’t ordinary. My guess was they could cut through it.
Two days ago, Ham Seong-hoon reported a visit from a Republic of Korea government officer. Apparently, they’d heard about the subjugation and offered “help.” Help meaning they wanted a piece of the action. From his description of their attitude, it seemed certain they’d staged the department store wall collapse.
Ham Seong-hoon flatly refused their support and made it clear not a single silver shell would be shared. I’d clung to a last shred of faith in humanity, hoping the wall collapse was a genuine accident rather than sabotage to exert influence over Gangbuk at civilians’ expense. But his conviction-filled letter ignited my rage. They’d gambled with innocent lives.
I immediately powered up the coating drone and applied one coating each to the four who’d disembarked. Then I activated the four blue drones.
Despite the tight 14-day deadline, the defensive line looked solid. After about an hour of final briefing from the Union, they headed to the battlefield.
Mortars ringed Hyunshin Department Store. Towed howitzers were positioned farther out for better aim. Once a bustling hub, the store was now a four-story ruin. And beneath it, Silver Foam slumbered.
The vanguard and mortar crews were deployed a short distance away. I watched from above via drone. The air hung heavy. Beyond the fear of death in their eyes burned hope: success here might mean subjugating every monster in Seoul.
Jeong Su-hwan stared tensely at the store. Han Seol and Han Byeol had switched their pulse rifles to sniper mode, scopes trained on it.
As the operation began, I moved one drone to the howitzer positions.
“Two, three—fire!”
Boom!
The artillery officer dropped his signal flag with a shout, and shells roared out amid thunderous blasts. The ground shook; dust billowed from the earth. For about 20 minutes, the howitzers fired at intervals. The half-ruined store was soon reduced to rubble.
They ceased fire, then switched to mortars on the debris. Silver Foam endured patiently, ignoring the intruders trying to collapse its nest—but its patience didn’t last.
“Cease fire! Cease fire!”
The ground beneath the store began to tremble faintly. All regular soldiers fell back; the 100 vanguard advanced slowly.
“It’s coming...!”
“Get ready, everyone!”
As the shaking intensified, the vanguard braced for combat.
Boom!
Silver Foam burst from the ruins, shattering rubble as it surfaced. A massive silver slime with a spherical silver core at its center. No eyes, nose, or mouth, yet I could sense its thoughts. Its bubbling interior screamed fury.
Bang!
As planned, I fired eight dissolving liquid spheres from the four drones at it.
Sizzle!
The liquid enveloped Silver Foam, billowing thick smoke from its body.
“Grrrlug...! Grrk!”
Despite lacking vocal cords, it emitted a chilling sound—like drowning gasps of agony. As the smoke cleared, Han Seol pointed and shouted.
“It’s melting!”
Its surface was trickling away, ever so slightly. But it began regenerating at monstrous speed.
At my shout, Han Seol and Han Byeol fired their sniper-mode pulse rifles. Blasts kicked up dust clouds.
“I-It’s... ineffective!”
Silver Foam rippled, absorbing the impacts whole. The liquid worked, but pulses didn’t—bad matchup. But now, while melting, was our chance.
“Now! Strike now!”
The vanguard charged with roars. We had to end this quick—a blitz. The Union estimated max three hours once it emerged. Overwhelm its regen, whittle the surface, destroy the core—that was the key.
As Awakeners closed in, Silver Foam abandoned regen, extending one long tentacle in a swift whip.
Whoosh!
“Dodge!”
Crack!
“Gahk!”
Most leaped high or ducked, but seven took direct hits—bones crunching as they flew. Thud. Impacts echoed; the Awakeners faltered.
“Eyes front! Rear guard will rescue them! Focus!”
Han Byeol’s shout snapped them back, sweat beading as they recommitted.
“Raaah!”
Crunch!
Lee Seong-guk struck first, slamming his massive black hammer into it.
“Grrrlug!”
Silver Foam shuddered, whipping dozens of tentacles.
“D-Dodge!”
“Too many! Prioritize evasion!”
Snap!
“Urk!”
The battlefield devolved into chaos, mocking the plan. Intel said max 15 tentacles—now over 40. Over 20 Awakeners down already, fear mounting at its unexpected power. Only Lee Seong-guk and our four fought on.
Slash.
Jeong Su-hwan severed a tentacle with his sword—proof the armory blades worked.
“Yes!”
“Understood!”
To break the deadlock, I stepped in. Im Jui nodded at my drone-spoken voice, gripped her swords in both hands, and charged Silver Foam.
Invulnerable until coating broke—and even after, Na Hye-won’s amplification made her toughness unimaginable. Silver Foam instinctively sensed the threat, lashing dozens of tentacles at her.
Jeong Su-hwan, Han Seol, Han Byeol, and the Awakeners intercepted with all they had, shielding her advance.
Clang!
Han Byeol’s coating shattered after multiple hits. Cold sweat trickled down my back.
“Yes!”
She was almost there.
Clang!
A few tentacles slipped past; Im Jui’s coating broke just short of the target. Undaunted, she pressed on. Silver Foam extended another toward her head.
Crunch!
“Nngh...! Keep... going! Go!”
In the clutch, Lee Seong-guk intercepted with his fist. His right arm shattered, but he ignored it, grabbing the tentacle with his left, vomiting blood as he yelled for her.
Im Jui nodded and charged the final steps, raising her sword overhead.
“Hah!”
Slash!
Im Jui swung down with a kiai.
Silver Foam split open. Im Jui dove in to slash the core, but it tried closing fast. Its slowed tentacles showed full focus on repair.
Clunk!
Im Jui dropped her sword, seized the gap with both hands, and pried it open. Her limbs trembled.
“Let’s go!”
Despair flipped to hope; soldiers roared, charging. I rushed the four drones to grip and widen the gap with claws.
“Im Jui!”
Han Byeol and Jeong Su-hwan arrived, prying too. Even with drones, Im Jui, Han Byeol, and Jeong Su-hwan, it was closing.
“Yes.”
Han Seol crouched, inverted her sword, and leaped skyward.
Crunch!
She plunged through the gap, stabbing her blade into the core.
“It’s... in! Huh?”
“Grrrlug...!”
Crack.
The core split; Silver Foam retracted all tentacles, bubbling furiously.
I swiftly grabbed Im Jui, Su-hwan, and the Han sisters’ shoulders with the drones, lifting them airborne. All Awakeners withdrew on my order.
Silver Foam shrank to head-sized...
Pop.
...then burst like a balloon, leaving the bisected core on the ground before vanishing.
Everyone stared silently at it for 20 seconds.
“Is it... over?”
Lee Seong-guk muttered, clutching his mangled right arm.
“We won.”
“We won!”
“Fuck yeah! We did it!”
“Aaaah!”
“We won! We fucking won!”
The vanguard wept, roaring in victory.
“We did it!”
Han Seol and Han Byeol cried tears of joy.
Silver Foam Subjugated
Hoo... I thought it’d self-destruct at the end. Everyone okay? No injuries? Great work, all of you.
“Yes! No injuries here.”
The Union had succeeded in subjugating Silver Foam. Im Jui risked her life to create the opening; Lee Seong-guk, Han Byeol, and Jeong Su-hwan seized it without waste. Han Seol delivered the finishing stab to the vitals.
Of course, without the others desperately blocking tentacles and drawing aggro, it would’ve failed. A victory born of everyone staking their lives.