Chapter 55
Chapter 55
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 55
Chapter Title: Vice-Commander Gray (1)
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I activated Infinite Items.
Pulling combat gear from my inventory and equipping it, I raced toward the terrorist site.
But I didn't get far before I had to stop.
And for good reason.
"Kyaaack!"
"R-Run away!"
"Uwaaaack!"
A massive crowd of people came stampeding toward me in blind panic.
The moment I saw it, I quickly scanned my surroundings.
Spotting the tallest building nearby, I dashed inside.
At the same time.
Dududududu!
I watched the herd of people thunder past like a stampede of bulls.
"...No way through on the streets."
So I'd have to hop between buildings.
With that thought, I bolted up the emergency stairs.
Sure, I could take the elevator, but it might stop at every floor.
Unlike my scrawny old self, I now had stats befitting a true superhuman—climbing stairs was way faster than waiting for a lift.
Clunk!
The second I reached the roof, I flung the door open.
Then sprinted full tilt and leaped toward a nearby building a bit taller than this one.
My body soared upward, landing me on top.
"Kuh!"
A gasp of admiration escaped me.
A jump that would've been impossible before.
Now it finally hit me—I'd gone from cosplaying as a superhuman to being the real deal.
Excitement bubbled up at the thought.
I tamped it down and kept leaping from rooftop to rooftop, jumping and dropping between buildings.
Before long, I arrived at a spot overlooking the terror site.
"P-Please... spare me..."
"I-I have a kid. Please, just..."
Terrified citizens trembled.
"Shut your trap!"
"One more peep, and I'll eat you right here!"
Two or three Fallen swaggered among them, terrorizing the crowd.
The sight raised questions.
Fallen usually chased instant gratification—they didn't take hostages.
Yet here they were, holding people captive.
Not just one, but two or three.
"Creatures who live by strict survival of the fittest... banding together."
Only one explanation.
There was a higher-ranking Fallen calling the shots.
I drew Thunderbolt from its holster on my tactical vest.
Using one effect of Sharpshooter's Keen Sense (A+)—"Field of view expansion when using firearms"—I zoomed in on the three Fallen.
"Judging by the demonic energy aura pouring off them... mid-tier at best."
Which meant their boss was upper-tier at minimum.
"...Where are you hiding?"
I alternated zooming in and out, scanning the area.
It didn't take long to spot him.
"Hiding over there and watching—what's he up to?"
A Fallen peering at the hostage drama through a building window.
Puzzled by the sight, I still activated Live Focus to snipe him.
Shoooo... shooo...
The world slowed.
In that slowed world, I raised my gun and aimed at him.
Exactly ten seconds later.
Dead Shot.
I triggered the derivative skill of Live Focus.
──!
A silent gunshot rang out.
A blue flash from Thunderbolt's effect shot from the barrel.
At the same instant, Dead Shot ended Live Focus, and the world snapped back to normal speed.
And then.
Crash—boom!
The window shattered as his head exploded like a balloon.
Confirming the kill, I checked the Fallen still menacing the hostages.
"I told you to shut it! You wanna get eaten that bad?!"
"Ugh, I'm starving... Can't I just nibble a little? So many snacks around..."
"No. We haven't gotten the signal yet."
Good—no death trigger sending an alert.
I let out a short breath of relief and pulled another Thunderbolt from my inventory.
Leaning against the railing, I dual-wielded and took aim.
The moment I tensed my trigger finger.
Flash flash.
"...Tch!"
A sudden beam of light disrupted my vision.
I whipped the barrel toward the source.
There stood a woman holding a hand mirror.
She looked... familiar?
Not Reverse Eye, so not a Fallen...
Hiss... who was she again?
Annoyed at the fuzzy memory, I zoomed in for a closer look.
A long vertical scar across her left eye, like a sword slash. Gray hair cascading roughly to her shoulders.
A toned, balanced physique honed by years of training, with sun-bronzed skin.
And... a savage pouch rivaling the crafting instructor's... savage pouch?
"Ah...!"
I finally remembered who she was.
And reeled in shock.
For good reason.
Why the hell is she here?
She wasn't supposed to show up in the story this early.
She should be in China by now... no, the Continent of Death?
What was this? Another random encounter glitch?
No... not that.
Random encounters spawned enemies or phenomena, not key story characters down the line.
Only one possibility left.
The storyline had derailed.
I figured it might glitch eventually...
But not this damn fast.
What caused it? Where? Why?
Ah, no way!
The rift at the alchemy workshop last time.
And the news spreading worldwide about me soloing an upper-tier Fallen from the hidden world inside it.
That's when the storyline derailed!
A 20-year-old taking down an upper-tier Fallen—heroes across the globe would've seen it.
Fallen and villains too.
Which explained someone from the Continent of Death being here.
...A Named is in Korea.
Didn't know how many.
But definitely—a Named with top-tier presence was in Korea.
Story glitches happened all the time in the game, fine.
But Named appearing this early? Bad news.
They weren't huntable until mid-story.
Sure, faster power-ups advanced timelines.
But right now, me and the leads were barely mid-to-upper tier—early game stuff.
We couldn't take a Named.
...Can't just hole up in the academy forever.
The curriculum favored outdoor training over classes.
Meant constant run-ins with Fallen, villains, rifts.
Now with a Named in Korea...
Odds of bumping into one just skyrocketed.
...Don't jump to conclusions yet.
I decided to deny the Named theory for now.
Sure, Vice-Commander Gray of the 9th Subjugation Unit was here.
But no proof it was a Named.
This was real life, not the game—could be some unknown reason.
Too early to say.
Flash flash.
"...Tch!"
Lost in thought, I hadn't reacted—so Gray flashed my eyes again.
I crossed my arms into an X, signaling to cut it out.
She nodded, pocketed the hand mirror in her coat.
Then started signaling.
9th Subjugation Unit codes.
Below... Fallen... three... bombs... equipped... no shooting...
I knew the signals, so I got it.
But... I wasn't in the 9th Subjugation Unit yet.
So I shouldn't know them.
Wait... something's off. Why's she signaling me with unit codes?
She doesn't know me.
As I pondered, she signaled again.
You... know... signals... I... you... heard... from acquaintance...
'......'
Gray's social circle was tiny.
All Subjugation Unit members were like that.
Tiny enough that having even one or two outside contacts was "impressive."
And Gray? Just one acquaintance.
...Kang Cheol-su.
My instructor.
...Figured as much, but damn, it really happened.
Expected him to ask her about me.
Hell, I'd be curious too.
A newbie dropping from the sky, zero parental info.
Then busts out Subjugation Unit tactics?
Bam—total connection to the unit!
Parents must've served!
And the unit, being unofficial under the Association, handled deaths off the books.
Erased records—ghosts.
Couldn't be helped.
Hunting Fallen meant targets on your back.
Put contacts at risk.
So Kang Cheol-su asked Gray.
As vice-commander, she might know my "parents."
Too bad—I was a possessor.
From another world.
No pre-possession ties here either.
As I thought that, she signaled.
You... standby... me... coming... soon?
With the signal.
Gray's body shot upward.
She kicked off thin air.
Her form blurred.
Bam!
Suddenly, she landed beside me.
"Whoa..."
She eyed me in wonder.
Then said,
"You look just like that sister—er, brother?"
Claiming I resembled someone.
I could only stare, dumbfounded.