Chapter 67
Chapter 67
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 67
Chapter Title: 22. Third Specialization. (3)
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Next morning, after stocking up on emergency rations and water from the mart, I stepped out.
To find a bow.
According to Google Maps, a traditional bow shop was about three or four hours' walk from here.
No idea what state it'd be in, but I had to check it out anyway.
Su-hyun hadn't come to my room again last night.
The women seemed to be gathering every evening for something like a booze party.
Occasional bursts of giggling laughter drifted over, so it looked like Jeong Eun-seo was recovering her spirits fast.
But asking her, "Hey Su-hyun, make me a ranged weapon," felt awkward.
She had her own stuff to worry about, and piling on a request like that when she was already handling building reinforcements? No way.
If all went well, I could make it there and back in half a day.
And if things went south and I had to hole up somewhere, they'd probably not worry too much since I'd often stayed out late grinding levels.
A bow. And arrows.
And fletching.
This damn fletching.
How the hell do you even use it?
Swords were out anyway.
I'd wrapped it around the scabbard all night, but not only did it not duplicate—it looked like a finely crafted accessory now.
Seemed like it needed a proper projectile.
I turned my back on the subway entrance and walked a bit before stopping.
Then looked back.
The cockroaches were bugging me.
Shutter was down, and I'd reinforced everywhere pretty solidly, so even if they swarmed, nothing major should happen right away.
Better hurry back.
Rain was still falling.
Must've poured overnight—puddles dotted the ground here and there.
The streets were deserted.
And so was I.
The rain muffled my sounds nicely, and I was walking silently out of habit, so the Human Beasts in the nearby shops weren't getting riled up easily.
Two hours in, Cheonggyecheon appeared.
Bushes and vines along the walls.
Neatly trimmed trees and wide staircases.
Lights lining the stairs down to the water.
An oddly out-of-place stream in the middle of skyscrapers, but with real scenic charm.
I eyed the stairs by the artificial waterfall under some weird sculpture, still glowing prettily.
Cheonggyecheon.
Better to walk down there, or stick to the road?
Buildings lined one side, market alleys, convenience stores, and shops on the other.
Markets screamed zombie hordes if I took a wrong turn. Cheonggyecheon probably had its share too.
Hmm...
Let's head down.
If trouble hits, pop Acceleration and carve through, then bolt.
Acceleration (Auto-cast)
Active skill automatically triggered
I descended the stairs and walked along Cheonggyecheon.
The stream still ran crystal clear.
Unnamed freshwater fish swam leisurely.
But the straight-yet-slightly-curving path ahead showed no sign of humans anywhere.
Plenty of stairs and open spots for ambushes, but nothing stirred in sight.
"...Hmm."
A bit reassuring.
I kept watch on the road above and small bridges for any signs while walking the streambed.
A while later, under a bridge.
A bird perched there.
Long black neck.
Pretty big.
Big enough to hug plumply.
A crane?
Not great with birds, no clue on the name.
It had its long slender legs planted in the middle of the stream, staring at me.
I walked slowly toward it, eyes locked.
Not fleeing.
Kept going.
Staring at the bird.
Bird staring back.
Its head dipped slightly.
Hm.
Getting ready to bolt?
Got pretty close.
Next instant, it spread its wings.
"Kkiiiiiik!"
Acceleration (Auto-cast)
Active skill automatically triggered
"Ee--ee----ee------"
Eh?!
I whipped around, startled.
Nothing there.
Just the bird.
The bird!
Beak wide open.
In its beak...
That looks like... rice grains...?
...Fangs?!
The bird kicked off the water, wings unfurling to take flight.
Impressive wingspan.
Looked even bigger spread out.
But why...
Why the fangs?
I stopped thinking and drew my sword, slashing down from above.
A clear sensation of cutting flesh hit my hand.
But no snag, no resistance.
Like slicing tofu.
"--Wahng!"
The bird screeched its death cry as its body split, tumbling forward.
One half with head, one headless.
Spilled guts.
Red blood.
I caught my breath and looked down at it.
The headless body lay still.
Dead.
But the head-attached half thrashed its remaining wing against the ground.
Even without a heart.
"Werhk! Kkuk! Ook!"
Crazy.
I stomped its neck.
Squishy yet firm.
"Kkuk! Erhk!"
The head, spewing blood and jerking wildly.
Stopped moving.
I reversed my grip on the sword and aimed at its head.
Then stabbed down.
Splat.
"Grrk."
A weird noise, then it went limp.
I yanked the sword free and scanned around.
Tension spiked.
This thing was a bird.
But no different from a Human Beast.
Moved after death, tried to bite without a heart.
Never heard of birds with fangs, either.
Not just humans.
"...Apocalypse."
Yeah.
Apocalypse.
The end of the world.
Every living creature on Earth...
Everything changed.
I'd subconsciously thought it was humans only.
But Earth isn't just for humans.
Sky, water, mountains, fields—life everywhere.
The Apocalypse came.
The end for all living things.
Grit.
I ground my teeth and swung the sword.
Splat.
Blood sprayed and trickled down the wall.
"You think I'm gonna die?"
I snarled through clenched teeth, then sheathed the sword.
Shing—click.
Let's go.
Get the weapon.
If every living thing on Earth faced the Apocalypse—and someday I sink too—I'll grip my weapons in both hands and swing till the end.
My nose wrinkled.
No relaxing.
I walked on.
An hour later, I spotted the traditional bow shop sign.
I climbed the stairs out of Cheonggyecheon.
Rain fell.
Dripping from my hair, I entered the building.
Empty stairs.
Elevator...
Worked.
Traditional bow shop.
Traditional bows, huh.
Gukgung?
I rode the elevator up.
Grrrowl—
Door opened to growls.
Hand on sword hilt.
Big building.
Whole floor was a bow center.
Setup for shooting.
Glass door with posters.
I took a deep breath and pushed it open.
"Grraahrk?!"
They turned to me.
Eyes flashed.
Faces twisted.
"Graaaah!"
...Acceleration.
Acceleration (Auto-cast)
Active skill automatically triggered
"Hup!"
Crack!
Sword pierced its head.
Light.
So light!
Not like the tough chew from before.
Instinct made me stab, but I realized right away.
Stamina!
I twisted and swung the embedded sword into a slash.
Splurt! Shwaaak!
Blade burst out, cleaving the skull in half.
Felt like cutting a banana.
...Good enough!
"---Kya--aa-"
Acceleration (Auto-cast)
Active skill automatically triggered
The eye and forehead of the one I'd slashed flew up with its skull.
Clean-cut brain visible.
Blood sprayed.
I turned and swung.
Shwick, crack!
I grinned.
Laughter bubbled up.
"...Haha, haha!"
I caught my breath and looked around.
None left.
All dead. Twenty-three in total.
Found the joy in slicing.
A new...
Thrill.
Overdid it a bit—the floor was littered with twenty-three corpses in dozens of chunks.
...Gotta hold back next time.
Didn't notice while swinging wild, but now? Cleaner head stabs would've been better.
Stick to heads from now on.
"Whew."
...Hm?
I eyed the message window.
Over twenty kills for one level...
...One per twenty?
"Sigh..."
Makes sense.
Status showed Strength at 45, 21 left.
...Bird counted too.
Birds were corrupted too.
Guess right—every living species mutated.
I sighed and shook my head.
This...
Better not tell our group if possible.
They'll find out eventually. But.
Let 'em enjoy this peace a bit longer.
I nodded and scanned the room.
Small archery range.
One big ambiguous office/display room.
Bigger long room with targets beyond.
Mats blocking windows past targets.
To stop arrows punching through, probably.
Nice setup.
Bows scattered amid corpses and in the target room.
I checked them briefly, then headed to the display room.
New ones if possible.
Walls and racks lined with all sorts.
At least thirty.
Rough shortbows, horn-shaped recurves, even an Olympic compound that seemed out of place.
Looking good?
Ideally a dual crossbow like Diablo's Demon Hunter for rapid fire, but fantasy crap ain't here.
What to pick.
I handled each one.
Western recurve first.
Coolest by far.
Design perfection.
Sweeping painted curves, sight like a lightning rod, big size screaming "serious archer."
Gukgung much smaller.
About my arm span?
But drawing the string showed tougher tension than recurve.
Different arrows too, probably.
Think purpose.
Cool factor: recurve wins, no debate.
But I carry multiple weapons.
Needs to hang with sword on me.
"Tch... shame."
I eyed the tempting recurve, then grabbed a hornbow.
Info sign?
...Made from animal horns, hence hornbow?
Whatever.
I plucked and drew its string.
Then full draw.
...Hold up.
This takes real strength?
Holding confirmed load on arms and back.
Not maxing my Stamina achievement skill, but way more than swinging sword.
Archers...
Strength builds, huh.