Dinosaur, Part 4

An ultra-high-density mana stone bomb. Even a cursory glance revealed a device that looked like dozens of mana stones compressed under extreme pressure. It was the only cargo on the cart Seol Ha-woon had prepared that wasn't food.

Kate easily understood his intention.

Crackle!

She summoned her spear and bound the bomb to its tip, securing it tightly with a cord of mana.

"Kate. I'm ready."

Having received the signal, Kate immediately hurled her spear toward the densest cluster of magical beasts.

Swoooosh!

An explosion erupted the moment it struck the ground.

Normally, the mana should have been confined to a single point, but it stretched out further. The 'prepared spellcaster' was seizing the mana and drawing it out, as if painting a sweeping curve.

Boom!

A donut-shaped torrent of explosive force expanded outward, swallowing every last beast surrounding the base.

With a single bombardment, eighty percent of the magical beasts had been wiped out.

"...Damn, that's some serious firepower."

The spellcaster, Seo Ji-woo, marveled. Wiping the sweat from her brow, she slung an arm over Kate's shoulder.

"Good job~"

Kate slapped her hand away.

"Go eat your meal now."

"What about you?"

"...Would you kindly go ahead without me?"

Kate deliberately used highly formal honorifics. It was a polite, roundabout way of telling her to back off.

"Okay. See ya in a bit."

Whether she was just oblivious or simply ignoring the hint, Ji-woo waved and walked off.

Kate glared at Seo Ji-woo's retreating back before spinning around.

The faces of those unloading the food from the cargo cart were bright with grins. Countless snacks, three sacks of rice, and herbal pills to help recover fatigue and health—it was enough to last them three days.

"...Man, smell that."

In the village, where the savory aroma of freshly cooked rice wafted through the air, full rations were being distributed for the first time in ages.

The menu consisted only of rice boiled soft like porridge and some snacks. Yet, even this simple fare tasted like a royal feast to everyone.

"What is up with these chips? Why are they so good? They taste like beef bone broth. That's the secret weapon right there."

Lee Jun-ho turned the snack bag over and over, looking at it with genuine curiosity.

"I know, right, hyung?"

Kim Woo-hyun agreed.

They were nacho-shaped chips. Scooping up a bit of porridge with them made it taste as if beef were melting on their tongues.

It was so good they'd want to eat it even back home.

"Whoa. My stamina's already completely gone."

Kim Dong-ha let out a dry chuckle, rubbing his stomach. After popping a few herbal pills for dessert, his fatigue level was already down to 80!

"Everyone~ did you all enjoy your meal? I have some left over, so please have some of this if you're still hungry~"

Meanwhile, Yun Hwa-rim was busy taking care of the fourteen civilians who had accompanied her from her base.

"Ah~ it's really nothing. Oh, please, don't mention it~"

Lee Jong-su was currently being idolized by the civilians as if he were some sort of superstar.

Kate walked past them all and stopped at a quiet corner of the village, where the cart and a scarecrow stood.

She leaned against the wall beside it.

"I'll enjoy this."

She raised her teacup. Inside was a tea bag Seol Ha-woon had crafted himself.

At her words, the scarecrow twitched slightly.

─Savourez bien votre thé.

Kate let out a wry chuckle.

"...Why must you tease me like that when I'm trying to thank you?"

─You even know the term 'public mockery'?

"I probably speak it better than the average Korean. I have a bit of a knack for languages. Just like your French pronunciation, Mr. Ha-woon."

The scarecrow bowed its head as if accepting the compliment. Like a butler.

...A 'butler'?

A faint throb of pain pulsed in Kate's temples.

─Please take care of the western crystals. Since we're in the same boat, let's do our best until the very end.

"Yes... It will probably be over soon."

Food had been their only real issue. Now that the Offenders had gathered at a single base, planning their routes had become much easier, so it wouldn't take long.

Kate offered a soft smile over her black tea.

"Well then, excuse me."

But the moment she turned around, her smile vanished without a trace, her expression freezing into a cold, icy mask.

To her, Seol Ha-woon was not a friend. Nor was he an ally. If anything, he was an enemy.

An enemy of her family who absolutely had to be eliminated.

So even if she smiled to his face, she had to keep a blade hidden behind her back.

She had to be ready to strike at any moment...

Having recovered their stamina, the Offenders mobilized simultaneously.

Following the meticulous route Kate had mapped out, the eastern forces shattered most of the crystals in just thirty-six hours—

And finally, now.

Only one remained.

"...Phew."

Kang Hyun let out a long sigh as he wiped down his broadsword.

"Man, that was endless. Felt like we've been at this for a whole year."

Seo Ji-woo furrowed her brow in sheer exhaustion. Lee Jun-ho gestured toward the crystal with his chin.

"Just break it already. I'm sick of looking at it."

"Got it."

Kang Hyun swung his gripped sword.

Clang!

"Done!"

"Did we do it?!"

Seo Ji-woo's innocent exclamation.

Perhaps, the one cliché that should never be uttered.

"...Huh?"

Seo Ji-woo tilted her head. A chilly breeze brushed against the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠skin of the three explorers.

"Oh, come on! Seriously, Seo Ji-woo! How many times have I told you not to say stuff like that?!"

Lee Jun-ho threw his sword down in frustration. Seo Ji-woo blinked in confusion.

"Hey, what? Is this seriously my fault?"

"Ah, forget it. Just move."

"No, no, no, are you saying this is actually because of me? Like, my words triggered this event?"

"Let's just go, Ji-woo. It's not the first time you've done this, so I'll let it slide."

"Wow, look at this guy. Hey! I asked if this is really my fault!"

"Ji-woo. I'm telling you, stop counting your chickens before they hatch. I'm saying this because I'm worried about you. You're going to get yourself killed one of these days. Imagine if this were a real labyrinth. The moment you say, 'Did we get it?', your head gets blown off."

"Why, you motherf—"

Kang Hyun watched the two bicker for a moment before turning away.

He trudged back toward the base, his steps heavy.

"You absolute psycho— #!@#!@#"

He just wanted to go back quickly and eat some snacks. Chicken-flavored chips, beef bone broth-flavored chips, pork belly-flavored chips. He could only choose one of the three...

"You bird-brained bastard, why are you taking it out on me?!"

...Yeah, definitely going with the chicken drumstick flavor.

"...This is incredibly annoying."

My leg was killing me. I climbed up the ramparts while staring at the system message.

Thud, thud, thud, thud...

The earth trembled in the distance. It was the sound of the approaching horde.

"Ssaboo!"

"Brother Mal-olh!"

Lim Hae-jun and Lee Jong-su ran over.

"What do we do about this?"

"What else? We hold the line."

Fortunately, we had plenty of arrows left. The Kesu-abi and Yun-suabi were also in perfect condition.

Since we had been saving them up, now was the time to unleash everything.

Thud! Thud!

Suddenly, an ominous vibration shook the ground.

Thud! Thud!

Massive footsteps. With every heavy stride, clouds of dust billowed up from the ground.

Thud! Thud!

I narrowed my eyes, staring at a towering silhouette looming on the horizon.

"...Ha."

There was a giant.

It had to be at least twenty meters tall.

Thud! Thud!

The creature trampled the earth as it drew closer.

"...What on earth is that?"

"Holy crap."

Lim Hae-jun and Lee Jong-su gasped in horror.

The giant bent its knees not too far away, as if preparing to unleash something.

Only then did I get a clearer look at the entity.

"...It's not a single organism."

"What?"

Zooming in, it was a massive cluster of magical beasts. Every patch of its skin was made of different creatures.

A swarm of thousands, perhaps tens of thousands, of beasts fused into a single colossal entity.

And right now, it was preparing to 'launch' itself directly at our base.

"Damn it."

Before I could even finish cursing, the giant made a massive leap.

Rumbleeeee!

From the massive body soaring through the sky, beasts began to rain down in droves. Grotesque lumps of flesh of every shape and size poured down like a torrential storm.

Hallelujah.

I activated my Sequence. Instantly, the movements of the falling beasts slowed to a crawl. Spreading out like a massive shroud, they had already blotted out the sun.

There was no need to fear.

I hadn't anticipated this exact scenario, but I had prepared for it.

The magic formula I had inscribed across this entire base.

I tapped AC-0308 against the ground.

Thud!

Mana surged through the cane in an instant, activating the magic formula beneath the earth.

This was a special Cognitive Image.

A technology designed at the national level to prepare for wars where death rained from above—a bastion to defend an entire region from bombardment.

Terminal High Altitude Area Defense [THAAD]

My formula, which mimicked that system, would impose a highly sophisticated, individual order upon the mana.

It wasn't just a formula executing a simple function; it was the act of granting an actual system to the mana itself.

Whirrrrr...

The mana rising from the formula gathered at my back. The beasts were still hurtling toward us, like slime spat from a Leviathan.

To my eyes, their descent was slow, yet crystal clear.

Thud!

Another wave of mana struck the ground. A violent tremor shook the very air.

Swoooosh—

The formula surged. Mana erupted. Countless blue projectiles bloomed into existence, automatically tracking the enemies like radar.

Altitude: 1 kilometer.

First interception. The raining beasts were pierced by the mana. Their flesh and organs disintegrated as they plummeted to the earth.

But their numbers were still overwhelming.

Altitude: 500 meters.

Second defense line. The densely condensed mana locked onto the targets with the precision of anti-aircraft artillery.

Boom! Bang!

Blue sparks flashed across the sky. The exploding flesh of the beasts scattered into ash.

Altitude: 100 meters.

The final line. A grid pattern was etched into the empty air. A vibration of mana completely incinerated any beasts ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠that had slipped through the previous lines. The creatures dissolved into nothingness the moment they collided with this barrier.

———

After a few minutes, the sky finally cleared, and my mana was completely depleted.

"...Whoa. That was insane."

Lim Hae-jun was in awe, but we had only defeated a single swarm.

There was still an endless sea of individual beasts waiting on the other side.

The problem was that I had barely any strength left.

I was so tired.

It wasn't just a simple drowsiness.

If I lay down right now, I wouldn't just fall asleep—I would lose consciousness entirely.

"...Ah!"

A sudden thought flashed through my mind.

Fatigue Recovery Potion

A potion said to bring even the half-dead ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠back to life was resting in my pocket. Right now, both my mana and physical stamina were in a state no better than a corpse's.

Just as I pulled out the potion and was about to pop the cap—

"Inspector! We have an emergency!"

The village chief's frantic shout reached my ears. He was sprinting toward me on his own two feet, having abandoned even his walking cane.

"Sergeant Dan! Sergeant Hyeon Dan is in grave danger!"

Hyeon Dan lay on a cot. The small body of the girl, who was only sixteen years old, was covered in blood from head to toe.

Her complexion was even more alarming than the bleeding. Her veins were already turning black. She had been poisoned by a magical beast.

I checked the remaining time.

Three hours.

I only needed to hold out for three more hours anyway.

In a situation like this, the utility of an herb gatherer was... practically zero, to put it coldly.

The means to heal her was in my hands, but to clear the labyrinth and ensure everyone's victory, leaving her to her fate might be the 'right' choice.

I was the one who needed to use this recovery potion.

For the success of the operation.

"...Inspector."

The village chief spoke in a trembling voice. Hyeon Seon-ah, who had run in at some point, was sobbing, and the sound grated on my ears.

"..."

I stared down at the potion, lost in thought.

A choice.

What exactly was the right choice?

Throughout the countless battlefields I had traversed, the only 'rightness' I had ever learned was 'victory.'

The success of the mission. The defeat of the enemy. A value-neutral decision that prioritized the overall war effort over the lives of a few.

A comrade whose fingers trembled after killing a child; a commander who sent his brothers-in-arms to their deaths; the high command who praised those actions as unavoidable sacrifices or devotion to the nation.

Every single one of those had been the right choice.

Rightness was merely a trophy awarded to the victor.

Yet, how many sleepless nights and how much agonizing torment had preceded those choices?

That was how things were back then.

But things were different now.

Ultimately, what is 'right' is just a standard. It is not an immutable truth.

It can change at any moment depending on the person and the situation.

Time changes everything.

And it had changed me as well.

The right choice for the current me...

Was this.

I pried Hyeon Dan's lips open and poured the potion down her throat.

Gulp. Gulp.

Though it was only three sips, Hyeon Dan's breathing stabilized almost instantly. Color returned to her face, and her deathly wheezing transformed into soft sleep-talking.

Rawr. Rawrrr.

What is she, a dinosaur?

"She will be fine now. Please look after her."

"A-As expected of the Inspector!"

I pulled a bag of snacks from my inner pocket. Even this was running low.

I just had to push myself a little harder. I just had to push my body to its absolute limits.

My Sequence would make that possible.

An overload of the entire nervous system. Sleep and fatigue were, after all, nothing more than signals sent by the physical body.

People often misunderstood, but mana naturally recovered faster than physical stamina. Especially for someone with a talent like mine, where my mana capacity vastly overwhelmed my physical constitution.

That ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠was precisely why the overuse of mana led to internal injuries and mana deviation.

Zzzzt!

I activated my implants and stepped toward the front lines—

"...Inspector."

Hyeon Dan had suddenly woken up.

I turned back to look at her.

"I... brought back... somethin' real good..."

Her voice was weak and slurred with exhaustion. Yet, she grinned with satisfaction, pointing toward a basket resting in the corner of the room.

"...This?"

"Yes, sir..."

I picked it up. Wrapped carefully in Hyeon Dan's favorite cloth was a flower with a highly unusual appearance.

For a moment, my mind went blank. I stared blankly at the information window.

It was the exact herb I needed most at this very moment.

"Hehe... How is it?"

Hyeon Dan smirked.

I really should have realized.

I should have questioned why she, who had always safely gathered herbs while single-handedly supporting all our combat forces, had suddenly returned with such severe injuries today of all days.

I should have thought a little deeper.

If I had hastily accepted her death...

If I had simply left her to die...

"Sergeant Hyeon. Rest easy. By the time you wake up, we will have won."

"Aww. I knew I could count on you, Inspector..."

Hyeon Dan's eyes drifted shut. She fell asleep with a peaceful smile on her face.

I stepped out of the infirmary.

Staring out at the horizon swarming with magical beasts, I stuffed the Ten-Thousand Ice Herb into my mouth.