Chapter 61
Chapter 61
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 61
Chapter Title: 17. Public Nuisance First Sword (2)
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‘…….’
Young-woo hardened his expression upon confirming that the Scared Cat was pointing at the advertiser's mark.
「Scared Cat」 - Narrative Compass
【Points out threatening targets.】
【--Empty Slot--】
According to this item's tooltip, the cat would awaken and point at a nearby 'threatening target.'
It was probably meant as a warning to prepare for danger.
But what exactly did this 'threat' refer to?
Normally, it would mean a powerful foe or someone with hostile intent, but based on Young-woo's experience, this item didn't operate on such simple principles.
Just look at the time he encountered its original owner, Shin Young-ju.
Back then, Young-woo had neither the will nor the ability to fight her, yet the Scared Cat marked her as a threat, changing the entire situation.
In the end, Shin Young-ju, who had been wary of him, launched a surprise attack, and ultimately...
‘I survived, and Shin Young-ju died.’
However, if she hadn't attacked first, Young-woo never would have drawn his sword.
After all, he held nothing but respect for Shin Young-ju, who had upheld Chungju City.
In other words, if the compass hadn't pointed at Young-woo back then, Shin Young-ju might have walked away unscathed.
Of course, in the end, Young-woo killed her, so the Scared Cat was right after all.
Right in the end.
Kwaaa...!
A roar-like sound echoed from beyond the blood-red sky blanketing Icheon City.
The advertiser had undoubtedly drawn even closer.
Around this time, another group of cyclists sped past Young-woo and Jong-soo along the edge of the road.
A few glanced back at the conspicuously white foreign car, but most kept their eyes fixed ahead, desperate to escape this place as quickly as possible.
“We're almost there.”
Jong-soo murmured softly, checking the back seat via the rearview mirror.
In response, Young-woo gazed through the car window at the crimson pillar of light signaling the advertiser's arrival point.
Gooo...
A mark so enormous it dwarfed anything from beasts or mutants.
This wasn't so much a pillar of light as a tornado-like vortex.
“The Icheon First Sword might be nearby. If you spot anyone suspicious, pull over early.”
It was an order born of concern not just for their safety, but especially for preserving this car, which they needed to deliver as a return gift to the advertiser.
Jong-soo turned around with a look that said it was unlikely.
“Even a First Sword... wouldn't stick around after seeing that, right?”
It was a fairly reasonable point.
Unlike beasts or mutants, this pillar had appeared without warning, and the timer was visible only to Young-woo.
In the eyes of Icheon's citizens, including the First Sword, an unidentified massive mark had simply plummeted from the sky onto their heads.
No one knew if a mutant or something worse would emerge from where it landed. Any human's instinct would be to flee.
Yet Young-woo's thinking differed slightly.
“Didn't you see it on the way here? All the First Swords wiped out.”
“Ah, yes. That's right.”
Jong-soo nodded.
Since leaving Chungju, they'd passed through two regions—Umsong and Yeoju—but both had their First Swords eliminated.
Either dethroned by an ascending First Sword from another area or slain by one descending from Seoul in search of mutants.
“But here, the First Sword is still holding the position. And this is the closest city to Seoul out of everywhere we've seen so far.”
“Aah, you're right.”
Jong-soo finally nodded in realization.
Whoever devoured Umsong and Yeoju—be they from Seoul or an aspirant—their reach hadn't extended to Icheon.
“The Icheon First Sword probably isn't your average person.”
As Young-woo said this, he glanced at the ‘Scared Cat.’
It occurred to him that what it was pointing at might not be the advertiser, but the Icheon First Sword.
And if that were truly the case...
Screeech!
“……!”
Before Young-woo could finish the thought, Jong-soo slammed on the brakes, halting the car.
He then pressed his chest close to the steering wheel, scrutinizing the scenery ahead.
“Hyung-nim, that over there... it seems...?”
Jong-soo spoke uncertainly.
And with good reason—hundreds of people now filled their view.
The advertiser's mark had landed smack in the middle of an apartment complex, sending countless residents fleeing in panic.
Everyone except for two figures standing stock-still near the apartment entrance.
And it was precisely this duo that had made Jong-soo hit the brakes.
Shhk.
As Jong-soo instinctively reached for his scabbard, Young-woo tapped the driver's seat.
“What do you plan to do, draw your sword? This is someone even other First Swords couldn't touch.”
“W-Well...”
“Jong-soo, wait here. I'd prefer to resolve this through talk if possible.”
Of course, even Young-woo had no real confidence in those words.
* * *
Kwaaa...!
The blood-red sky flashed once more, drawing terrified screams from the evacuating residents.
They probably would never return to Icheon.
Whether swept away by anomalous weather on some national highway and dying, or safely reaching another city and surviving.
“Fuck, what the hell is going on?”
The 44-year-old man, Kim Byung-chul139, felt dejected.
He could no longer find any trust in the eyes of the residents rushing past him.
Even as a First Sword, they clearly believed he couldn't handle this crisis.
And there was merit to that assessment.
“…….”
Even Byung-chul himself had no clue what was unfolding.
“It's gotta be a mutant, right? What else keeps coming like this?”
Seeing Byung-chul's hardened expression, the man beside him spoke in a polite tone.
This 28-year-old in a police uniform was Kwon Tae-young.
A rookie patrol officer from the Icheon precinct.
And that was also the original profession of Icheon First Sword Kim Byung-chul139.
“Can't even play cop anymore.”
He was the Icheon precinct chief, Inspector Kim Byung-chul.
He'd deliberately worn his police uniform while active, to reassure citizens that law and order still existed.
But brutal combat had quickly torn and shredded the uniform's pristine fabric, and the peace he'd fought to maintain had become a hollow joke in just two days.
What meaning did a cop have in a city without citizens?
Even if they found a new city, if events like this could happen anytime...
“…….”
As Byung-chul gazed vacantly up at the crimson pillar, Tae-young, who had been scanning the surroundings, gaped in shock.
“Ch-Chief?”
“What now?”
With the city essentially disintegrating, what else was there to be surprised about?
Turning his head indifferently to follow Tae-young's gaze, Byung-chul soon wore the same stunned expression as the rookie.
“……?”
In the distance, a man covered head to toe in metal gear was stepping out of a white Audi.
“What the...”
It wasn't quite what he'd imagined, but it seemed the apocalypse had arrived nonetheless.
Byung-chul eyed the grotesquely dressed man in his thirties approaching from across the way, the swirling crimson pillar at his back.
Tae-young placed a hand on his belt, his voice tinged with fear.
“H-He’s got a lot of gear on him.”
“Yeah. This one's different.”
Byung-chul wrinkled his nose and took a deep breath.
Among all the outsiders who'd come to this place so far, this was the smallest in build yet the most heavily equipped.
‘How many has he killed? First Swords, no less.’
In this world, there were three main ways to acquire ‘gear.’
Slay a mutant, kill someone who slew a mutant, or amass a fortune and find a merchant.
But merchants had appeared less than a day ago, so to gear up like that, he'd have had no choice but to take down First Swords.
And not just one or two.
Indeed, this guy hadn't stayed in his own turf—he'd deliberately come to Icheon.
It couldn't be a mistake. The regional status was visible with just a glance aside.
|You are currently in ‘Icheon.’
|This region's First Sword is ‘Kim Byung-chul139.’ Generation 2, defended 6 times.
In other words.
‘This time too... he’s come to kill the First Sword. To kill me.’
It was a situation that could terrify anyone, but Byung-chul had his ace in the hole.
Namely.
Shhk.
The .38 caliber revolver slung at an angle on his waist.
A real gun, not some stone replica.
Stone release cost 1 million, 200,000 per bullet.
To obtain this ultimate weapon, he'd blown nearly all 3 million in rewards from slaying mutants.
He'd bought two, handing one to rookie officer Kwon Tae-young.
It was both a gesture of respect and trust for the only officer who'd returned to the precinct on reset day one.
Though truthfully, he also needed a partner with real firepower.
“You still got that one bullet left?”
Without taking his eyes off the golden outsider, Byung-chul asked, and Tae-young nodded vigorously.
“Yes. One left.”
“I’ve only got one too. So shoot carefully. When the moment comes, aim true.”
“Yes, sir! Of course!”
Their initial five live rounds had dwindled to two.
Over the past two days, countless powerhouses—including First Swords—had invaded.
Most backed off upon seeing the stone-released guns, but the stubborn few had forced them to expend precious ammo.
‘First Sword or not, no human can dodge bullets. And that goes for you too.’
Byung-chul gritted his teeth and slowly drew his revolver with his right hand.
He hoped the opponent would back off peacefully this time as well.
If a new mutant emerged from the pillar behind him, he might need to conserve bullets for it.
Clank, clank.
At last, the metallic footsteps of the golden outsider began to echo.
The distance between them was closing.
It also meant the Icheon police's firing accuracy was improving.
Clank, click!
The gap shrank to about 15 meters, and at that point, Byung-chul aimed his revolver and shouted.
“Freeze! One more step, and I fire!”
In sync, Tae-young shifted to a flanking position, aiming his own gun to restrict evasion angles. They were forming a crossfire.
“…….”
The golden outsider, Jeong Young-woo07, glanced alternately at the two officers with a somewhat surprised look, then very slowly raised both arms.
“Are you police? Seems like there's a misunderstanding. I'm not here to hurt anyone...”
Mid-sentence, a chilling roar erupted from the rippling sky.
Gooaaaah...!
A grotesque noise like a massive beast's cry or a ship's horn made all three look skyward.
And simultaneously.
“Gasp.”
“Urk?”
“……!”
Their pupils dilated to the maximum, eyes swirling with iridescent colors.
The blood-red sky had finally parted, and dozens of enormous heads descended, coiling around the pillar.
These heads were crudely linked by networks of glowing nerves emitting multicolored lights, each bellowing incomprehensible cries.
“W-What the hell is that...?”
As Byung-chul muttered to himself at the unimaginable sight, Tae-young—positioned at the flank—suddenly vomited.
“Ughhh...!”
His brain, unable to process the scene, had begun malfunctioning.
“K-Kwon Tae-young...!”
As the panicked Byung-chul called out to his partner, the golden outsider at his aim spoke up.
“Looks like I've unintentionally caused you major trouble. That... is my advertiser.”