Subjugation Operation (Part 1)
BOOM!
Flames erupted from the self-propelled artillery gun. Naturally enhanced by traits, its firepower dwarfed conventional weaponry.
Aim correction ensured every shell slammed into the same spot.
LV.66 Enhanced Frost Giant
It was a bombardment powerful enough to obliterate any ordinary concrete structure without a trace—and that's exactly what the soldier calling the shots had hoped for.
'But...'
BOOM! As the smoke cleared, every soldier aboard that artillery unit must have despaired.
The colossal monster hadn't so much as fallen; not a speck of dust marred its form.
"It's ridiculously tough. What the hell even is that thing?"
"Tougher than the original Frost Giants, even."
Why? Because in novels, monsters often have that 'immune to guns' gimmick.
Unfortunately, gate monsters had no such setting.
Which meant it had tanked the attack purely on raw durability.
"What a nightmare setup. Its bones and muscles aren't even structured like anything from this world..."
"Tell me about it."
Of course, the bombardment hadn't been entirely ineffective. It had at least pissed off the Frost Giant in the middle of demolishing that building.
"GRRROOOOAAARRR—!"
The beast let out a deafening roar without warning. Shatter! Glass windows in nearby buildings exploded outward.
The sheer force of the sound transmitted instantly. Blood sprayed from the ears of countless soldiers.
"Ugh..."
"My head—my head!"
Was it rupturing eardrums and damaging brains? Must hurt like hell.
"Yaaawn. Hyunwoo, let's wrap this up and go."
"Yep."
Unable to stand it any longer, Master drew the silver knife she carried as everyday cutlery.
Unique
Even this unassuming thing was a Unique item. Hard to believe something so small cost billions.
"What's its ability?"
"Makes all food taste like cheesecake."
"Wait, seriously...?"
"Cheesecake's my favorite. Wonder if it'd taste different in your hands."
She spun the cheesecake knife around casually, then hurled it at the Frost Giant without a second thought. Screeech! The air split with a razor-sharp whine. Normals probably wouldn't even register it.
If my level were lower, I might not have spotted it at all.
"KRAAAAAAGH!?"
The Unique item pierced the Frost Giant's forehead. A mere pinprick compared to its massive frame.
Yet the knife burrowed inward, and the giant's colossal body froze.
"How did you...?"
A grizzled soldier, blood trickling from his ears, rasped the question at Master.
"Let me explain for you."
"Are you... the Sword Dragon?"
"Yeah, that's her. So, what Master did was basically calculate the angle on instinct and chuck the knife. It pierced the forehead, and a knife that tiny—smaller than a speck of dust—carried devastating power. It probably ricocheted around inside the skull from multiple angles. Even dust would shred brain tissue, blood vessels, and nerves if it whipped around like that. No coming back from it."
"And that's how the giant falls."
Blood poured from the Frost Giant's eyes, ears, and mouth like a waterfall.
It soaked the storefronts below its legs before the beast toppled backward. Thud! With its brain destroyed, blood gushed from every orifice.
"You made that possible...? We slammed it with four hundred shells bigger than your sword, and it shrugged them off. One hit from you..."
"Yep."
"...Fuck, what were we even doing?"
He looked senior—probably high-ranking. Crude mouth on him, though. Potion already healed his hearing, huh?
"Who knows. At least you drew its attention. That's plenty."
And just like that, Master's casual knife toss outdid a battalion's full barrage.
Cost? Pick it up after, and it's basically the price of a coffee on the way here.
"Ms. Ryu Ga-eul, thank you so much. A true patriot."
A watching congressman clasped his hands in flattery, angling for the cameras. Calculated.
Whatever. This was all at Master's request anyway.
"Patriot? What're you on about?"
"You stepped up when the country's in crisis! Korea's strength lies in its people..."
The ensuing nationalist praise was straight-up cringeworthy.
Righteous armies repelling Japanese invaders during the Imjin War, student soldiers volunteering in the Korean War to catch commies... Tying history into lauding Master made my skin crawl; cold sweat beaded up.
"Enough ear candy, Congressman. Where's the remaining monster?"
"Ah, not far. Helicopter's coming any second..."
"If it's within 2km, we'll walk. Save the chopper for wounded evac. Not my personal taxi."
On live broadcast, Master spouted lines she'd never bother with otherwise.
Listening from the side, I had to stifle a chuckle...
'Another ridiculous concept.'
Master was gunning for hero status. Flashy style.
Once this blew over, she'd be greater than before—the player who saved Korea on the brink.
Reason? Probably the president. Planning to drag down the guy who dared threaten her.
'Can't beat him with raw power, so undermine him like this...'
Once she sniffed opportunity, she'd never let go. Thought she was dim, but damn, she's sharp.
Seeing her in a new light...
The nearby monster was a robot about 10 meters tall.
"It's a goddamn—!"
"—Gundam? What's that?"
"From Gundam. You don't know it?"
Why classify a giant robot as a monster? Anyway, LV.81, red eyes blazing as it stomped around.
Genetic composition...
The moment its gaze hit, info popped up. Harmless enough.
Genetic composition: 100% Korean
"Ha! Pure patriot down to the blood. No chink or jap in my veins."
China 13%, Mongolia...
"Good, shut your trap."
Doesn't spill the fine details. More considerate than expected.
Genetic composition: 50% Korean, 50% British
"What."
Me, half-foreign? Orphanage kid—never saw my parents' faces. And I look 100% Korean.
Not important anyway. No urge to embrace some British identity now.
"Ooh... Western stock, huh? Not pure domestic."
"Don't say weird shit. In this situation?!"
"We've got time."
LV.81 was no joke. Even Master might struggle—or so I thought, as clones spawned.
"Hyunwoo, support."
Propeller-equipped drone units poured from the robot's mouth. Each over LV.60, Frost Giant-tier.
One charged me; I barely snagged it with Valkyrie.
Master? Disassembling the robot methodically with her four clones. Joints, vitals—instinctively dismantling.
Insane. 'Support'? Just farming me EXP.
"Done."
Took under ten minutes to wreck the giant bot. Longer than cooking.
"Anyway, our Hyunwoo's half-Yankee. Explains the monster dick."
"...Ugh."
"So mixing with me makes our kid 25% Yankee?"
"Don't even dream. Won't happen."
"We'll see~ Might be sooner than you think."
...Absolutely reject that.