Chapter 102
Chapter 102
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 102
Chapter Title: 28. Finally, the Catastrophe (1)
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“Breaking news? What is it?”
The Yongsan First Sword asked again upon recognizing the other man’s face, and the police officer, drenched in sweat from head to toe, spat out his report amid ragged breaths.
“Fr-from Gwangjin and Jongno. People came. They couldn’t stop the mutated being.”
“What...?”
Gwangjin, Jongno.
They were districts under the existing Seoul Federation but hadn’t shown up for today’s meeting.
On top of that, with the current system relying on relays since communication was impossible, there was always a time lag for any news.
In other words, the moment Gwangjin and Jongno had decided they were done for was dozens of minutes ago.
“Gwangjin District is right above our area. I should go check it out myself.”
Songpa First Sword Oh Yeon-hee, sensing the situation was dire, proposed suspending the meeting.
She meant she had to go defend her own district.
“If Jung District still hasn’t sent word... it’s probably the same there.”
Jo Sang-ik mentioned Jung District, another area that hadn’t yet arrived at the meeting.
At that, Seongbuk First Sword Lee Yu-bin and Dongdaemun’s Jang Jeong-ho immediately widened their eyes.
Their districts bordered both Jung and Jongno.
“What the hell is this... What’s happening right now?”
“Shouldn’t we go check too?”
The title of strongest in their districts meant nothing if the districts themselves ceased to exist.
A different kind of terror from what they’d felt until now gripped the First Swords in the room.
“So you’re saying there are still mutated beings alive in Gwangjin, Jongno, and Jung? And it’s well past three in the afternoon?”
Finally, someone voiced the fear they’d all been holding inside, and from there, the atmosphere grew chaotic.
“Uh... Doesn’t that mean it’s been left alone for over two hours?”
“......”
A mutated being. And a very pissed-off one at that.
It would have realized the moment it returned to this world.
That this damned world was still hostile toward it.
Imagine the mind of a mutated being that opens its eyes and has to fight an assassin who’s been waiting just for its arrival.
And what if that mutated being succeeded in taking down the assassin the world had sent to kill it?
“......”
The First Swords’ thoughts reached that point, and they each turned their heads toward their own districts.
Seeing this, Young-woo quickly proposed the next plan.
“Let’s split into three teams and head to the problem areas. Like Yeon-hee said, we can’t keep this meeting going in a situation like this.”
“Al... alright.”
“Let’s do that.”
The First Swords accepted Young-woo’s suggestion as if they’d been waiting for it, and soon Gwanak First Sword Jo Sang-ik looked around at the nine First Swords and announced.
“We’ll split into groups of three based on the closest districts. If any issue needs a majority vote, we’ll send someone from Seoul University. Let’s all survive and meet again.”
“Got it.”
Since this was a problem common to all the First Swords, no one raised any objections.
“Young-woo, come with us to Gwangjin District. Gangnam’s close to Gwangjin too.”
Soon Oh Yeon-hee invited Young-woo to join her.
And behind her stood Seocho First Sword Choi Nam-hee, already gathering her aura.
“Whew.”
As a former detective, she was brimming with killing intent.
It was obvious a mutated being left unchecked for over two hours would have committed a massive slaughter.
“Alright, then let’s head out. Once each district’s issue is resolved, send someone to Seoul University or Yongsan for a report!”
With Jo Sang-ik’s words, Seoul’s nine First Swords scattered in three directions.
* * *
Seocho, Songpa, Gangnam.
The term “Gangnam Trio” fit perfectly for grouping these three districts’ First Swords together.
Tatatak!
The three First Swords dispatched to check on Gwangjin District raced ahead at full speed without checking each other’s paces, like they were in a competition.
The first reason was obvious: the problem in Gwangjin could easily spread to their own districts.
The second reason was.
‘What’s so fast about that thing?’
The pride unique to First Swords.
Generally, higher stats meant faster running speed.
In other words, when First Swords ran side by side like this, their stat differences naturally showed.
Young-woo had experienced it once before in Chungju.
Of course, he wasn’t running on his own two feet right now.
Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwang!
Turning to look back from atop Negig’s back, Young-woo saw Choi Nam-hee, who looked pissed for some reason, and Oh Yeon-hee, whose expression was stiff.
And even they were gradually falling behind.
The two couldn’t keep up with Negig’s charging speed.
No matter how elite Seoul’s First Swords were, they couldn’t match an otherworldly top-tier mount.
‘Sorry about this.’
Even as Young-woo thought that, he took care of things he hadn’t had time for back at the meeting hall, one by one.
The first was.
「Rock Guardian」 - Mutated Gem
【Slot: All physical damage reduction】
Equipping the gem he’d gotten from taking down CEO Kim Tae-jun.
‘Should this go in the stomach slot?’
It sounded absurd, but it made sense to Young-woo.
「Self-Generation」 - Mutated Stomach
【You can live without eating.】
【Energy is self-generated.】
【--Empty Slot--】
His stomach actually had a gem slot.
‘Do I eat this too? Or...’
As Young-woo held the gem near his abdomen, Seocho First Sword Choi Nam-hee, watching from behind, furrowed her brow.
“What the hell is that guy doing now...?”
Oh Yeon-hee, who somehow overheard, gave a strange smile.
“Watch your mouth. What if his hearing’s good too?”
“......!”
And in that time, Young-woo had pressed the gem to his stomach, but nothing happened, so he made another decision.
‘Guess I’ll eat it.’
Then he tossed the “Rock Guardian” straight into his mouth.
“Euk!”
It was bigger and sharper than expected, scratching his throat, but it would heal quickly, so no big deal.
What mattered was only.
‘Does it work...?’
Piaaat!
「Self-Generation」 - Mutated Stomach
【You can live without eating.】
【Energy is self-generated.】
【All physical damage reduction】
‘...Oh, it worked!’
Young-woo sighed in relief after confirming the tooltip on his stomach had changed.
If this method hadn’t worked as hoped, he would’ve had to cut open his own stomach.
‘Now for the last one.’
[Jeweler’s Touch]
|Equip two Hero-grade or higher rings on your index and ring fingers each. (3/4)
Clearing an old achievement.
Young-woo pulled out Jeong Hyun-sik’s keepsake he’d carefully stored.
「Wave」 - Unique Ring
【Voice transmission to the First Sword of the acquisition region.】
|Region: Seoul
Then he carefully slipped the ring onto his ring finger.
Swipe.
Suddenly, both of Young-woo’s hands glowed.
Paaat!
“Wha?”
Too startled, he nearly fell off, but the gains were worth it.
[Achievement Unlocked: Jeweler’s Touch]
|Achievement Grade: Epic
|Achievement Rank: #2
‘Finally.’
A new line in his achievements after so long.
But ranking 2nd was unexpected.
It meant someone had collected four Hero-grade or higher rings before him.
‘Who... I don’t think I saw anyone at the meeting with four rings.’
Of course, that wasn’t important right now.
Paat!
Soon, the achievement reward appeared in midair.
‘Uh, what’s this.’
A smaller-than-expected object formed, so Young-woo hurriedly reached out to grab it.
Tatak.
In his hand appeared a circular object even smaller than a crimson coin.
About the size of a ten-won coin, this item was.
「Void Stone」 - Epic Tool
【Adds a slot to equipment.】
And there were two of them.
‘Oh... Does it work on any equipment? Can I add two slots to one piece?’
Whatever the case, it was a tool that enabled the previously impossible.
‘I’ll save it for lifetime gear...’
Young-woo naturally thought of “lifetime,” then paused.
“......”
Lifetime.
How long a “lifetime” could he have in this world?
|Created: April 8, 1992, 11:41 PM, due to semi-intentional tampering.
|Erased: November 7, 2028, 8:36 PM, beaten to death by a drunk on the way home.
According to his original fate record before the reset, Young-woo only had three years left.
Three more years of grueling life just to die beaten by a drunk on the way home.
But now...
Kkaduk.
Unknowingly agitated, Young-woo gripped the reins hard, and Negig, sensing it, slightly turned its head.
They hadn’t spent long together, but the intensity of that time let it notice Young-woo was different from usual.
-Kkueeik.
With no further orders from Young-woo, Negig’s head turned forward again.
And around then.
Paat!
A change appeared in the corner of the three First Swords’ vision.
|You are currently in ‘Gwangjin’ region.
|This region’s First Sword is ‘Kim Sang-yeong66’. 294th, 0 defenses.
They had finally arrived in the problem district, Gwangjin.
“No fucking way.”
Choi Nam-hee immediately cursed.
“294th? This bullshit...! Isn’t this a glitch?”
He looked furious, but really, he was scared.
Choi Nam-hee knew full well there were no glitches in the system building this world.
|This region’s First Sword is ‘Kim Sang-yeong66’. 294th, 0 defenses.
“Does that mean the First Sword changed 293 times...? Is that even possible?”
Oh Yeon-hee gaped at the air, unable to believe Gwangjin’s district status, yet still running after Young-woo ahead.
And leading them, Young-woo was.
“......”
Grinding his teeth with a more miserable expression than anyone else there.
From Gumi in Gyeongbuk to Seoul.
Having passed through countless regions, this wasn’t the first time he’d seen this phenomenon.
Kung!
Soon, a massive boom echoed from a fair distance away, and the region status they were watching changed.
Pat.
|This region’s First Sword is ‘Kim Seong-woo102’. 295th, 0 defenses.
At that, a short exclamation finally escaped Young-woo’s tightly shut lips.
“Ah.”
The horrific event from Gimcheon was unfolding in Seoul exactly the same.