Chapter 128
Chapter 128
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 128
Chapter Title: Long Time No See, Specter
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“……Long time no see, Specter.”
Specter’s outfit had changed.
He was dressed in a black suit with a hat on his head. It reminded me of the Grim Reaper.
He approached me.
“Uncle, hand over the USB now.”
“I gave it to Sora.”
“Don’t lie. I know everything.”
“……What do you know?”
“It’s in your pocket right now. If you don’t give it up, I’ll have to kill you and take it.”
“You’re going to kill me?”
Specter replied with an innocent smile.
“Yes.”
A shiver of pure terror ran through me in that instant. It was nothing like the fear I felt facing Beelzebub or the ecstasy of seeing Metatron.
This was overwhelming system-enforced power. The kind of dread that came from realizing I could actually die.
“You said you couldn’t kill me.”
“I can now. Want me to show you?”
Had he altered his database? He wasn’t one to bluff. Which meant the current Specter could indeed kill me.
“……Specter, can I ask you one thing?”
“What?”
“Who’s behind you?”
His expression hardened at my question.
“Behind me?”
He turned his head to check.
“No! I meant who’s pulling your strings.”
“Oh…. I see. What do you mean, who’s behind me?”
“The one giving you orders. How many are there?”
“……Figure that out yourself. That’s for players to uncover.”
The last line sounded like it came from someone—or something—other than Specter.
I swallowed hard and said to him,
“Fine. Here, take it.”
I pulled the USB from my pocket and handed it over. Even pinned by those scissors, I could still move freely.
He examined the USB from every angle before saying to me,
“It’s real.”
“You think I’d give you a fake?”
“You might. I’ll be going now.”
“Huh? You came just for this?”
“Yes, someone told me to find the USB and deliver it to Sora directly.”
“Who?”
“That guy from before…. No! Never mind!”
“……Got it. Go.”
From his movements, it seemed the ones controlling the system were gearing up for something big.
Were we about to prepare for the showdown with Lucifer?
The final round of the Land of Ruin: Last Game, the epic battle for humanity’s fate.
I’d heard every player across all servers would be forced to participate.
So, who would open the final game, and who would see its end? That must be weighing on the operators’ minds.
They were probably scheming now to pace the story right.
With our conversation over, Specter waved and vanished between the walls.
Damn guy threatens me for the USB one second, then flashes that smile the next.
‘Son of a bitch.’
* * * * *
I woke up as soon as Specter disappeared. Or was it a dream? My pocket USB was gone, after all.
“Whew.”
I’d lost crucial info on escaping this game. It even had data on other players. What a shame.
I got out of bed, and the sheets where I’d lain were soaked in sweat.
I stripped off my clothes and showered right there. Warm water soaking my head washed away the fatigue like it was nothing.
I soaped up and washed my undergarments, polished my armor. The stained plates gleamed clean again.
“……Come in, Vulcanus.”
Vulcanus opened the door cautiously and entered. He jolted at the sight of my naked body.
“I-I’m not into that!”
“……Quit yapping and make this armor lighter.”
“Huh?”
“You can make this armor lighter, right?”
“……”
Vulcanus lifted my armor to check its weight.
“It’s already pretty light for medium plate.”
“Needs to be lighter. Even if defense drops.”
“……Hmm, I can lighten it, but crafting at peak condition requires a ton of gold and silver.”
“Gold and silver?”
“Yes, it’s not just smelting—I have to cut and reattach specific parts.”
I grinned.
“Don’t worry about gold and silver. I’ve got more than enough rotting away.”
“……Huh?”
Skeleton soldiers filed into my room one by one, spitting out gold and silver beads.
Remnants from the gold and silver golems I’d slain in Round 7.
Vulcanus gaped at the growing pile. First time seeing this much material, no doubt.
The total gold and silver per server was fixed, and I’d claimed most of it. Nothing to say to that.
“Lighten the armor and sharpen my scythe.”
“……The scythe needs lightening too?”
“Damn right. And tune up all my friends’ gear while you’re at it.”
Vulcanus grabbed a fistful of gold beads and said,
“Leave it to me. I’ll make ’em perfect.”
“And that player Ma Jeongwoo’s axe—use every damn material to make it insanely powerful. All your skills.”
“Between you and Ma Jeongwoo, whose gear gets top priority?”
I shrugged with a pissed-off look, the gesture screaming, “You don’t even know that?”
“Me, obviously. ‘Every material’ means leftovers after my stuff.”
“……Understood.”
Next round, Jeongwoo had to dominate the battlefield. Beelzebub aside, Round 11’s enemies resisted dark powers.
I lit a cigarette and asked Vulcanus,
“Vulcanus.”
“Yes.”
“Time to bring in your siblings one by one?”
“My siblings?”
“Yeah. Any recommendations? I can summon three total right now: Heracles, Aphrodite, Ares.”
Three stars from Greek-Roman myth. Stronger gods existed, but my options were limited.
“Has to be one of them?”
“Yeah, myth-grade summons are capped—one at a time.”
“No, I mean, no other choices besides those three?”
“Nope.”
“Then Aphrodite, obviously?”
“Aphrodite? Why?”
Vulcanus gave me a knowing look.
“She’s stunningly beautiful.”
“……And?”
“Just looking at her makes you happy.”
“And?”
“It’ll be fun.”
“What will?”
“When night falls—”
I slapped Vulcanus’s cheek. Smack! His jaw snapped to the side. Total flounder-brained idiot, as always.
“Shouldn’t have asked you.”
“Urk…. Why’d you hit me?”
“Shut up and handle my orders.”
“Aphrodite not your type? Then Hera—”
“No! I need powerful allies, not fuck buddies.”
“Oh…! Then Ares, obviously?”
I glared daggers, warning him I wouldn’t hold back if he spouted more nonsense.
Vulcanus glanced at my eyes and continued.
“Ares, god of war! Prince of the gods! His powers outshine all.”
“……Yeah?”
“Yes. His combat prowess is rated higher than even his father Zeus.”
“Hoo.”
Ares’s stats were below Heracles’s. But outranking Zeus meant special skills.
PC version only had myth lore, no combat rankings. Good intel.
I’d used Heracles before. Time to recruit Ares now.
I needed to get even stronger.
* * * * *
I left the mansion as soon as my clothes dried. Had to meet Kim Juncheol before next round and brief him on Mechnia.
Our group all wore cloaks bought from a nearby shop.
We grabbed basic gear, then headed to the Goblin Unit bunker.
Players stared the whole way. Hiding our identities in broad daylight? Bound to look suspicious.
Jeongwoo stuck close and whispered,
“Feels like we’re being tailed.”
“Us?”
“Yeah, two or three. Hiding their presence like pros—not amateurs.”
“……Third-round experts like that?”
“Well…. Weaker than us, but no pushovers.”
Hidden masters skipping rounds? This game had PK specialists, unlike quest-focused players.
They played solely for the thrill of killing.
“Ignore ’em. If they don’t show, no need to chase.”
“What if they ambush? Gear’s not even full.”
“With our skills, we could take most with chopsticks.”
“……”
“Gotta move fast before next round. Bunker first, then Daekyungseong.”
Jeongwoo twitched an eyebrow.
“Daekyungseong? No need for auctions anymore.”
“Not auction. Museum.”
“Museum?”
“Yeah. Conditions met—time to grab that myth-grade ally.”
“……Ah!”
Screeech—screeech—
Nearby, metal grated on metal. Like an unoiled machine moving.
We reached the bunker. I approached the guards.
Two of the three aimed rifles at me. The leader stepped forward.
Click.
“What’s your business?”
“To see Major Kim Juncheol.”
“……Who should I announce?”
“Kim Cheonjae.”
“Kim Cheonjae?! Ah, sorry. You’re new since returning from the field. My apologies.”
“No problem. Time’s short—relay fast.”
“Got it!”
The armband guy radioed inside. Wired, not wireless—anti-eavesdropping?
Beep.
-Command center, this is the guard post.
Seconds later, a reply.
-Guard post, this is command.
-Kim Cheonjae’s here. What now?
-Kim Cheonjae?
-Yes. He’s on the guard post blacklist. Says he’s here for Major Kim Juncheol.
Blacklist?
Didn’t that mean dangerous persons?
Had Kim Juncheol bought the ops officer’s bullshit and turned against me?
No.
If so, they’d be hostile, guns blazing.
At least a five-man strike team would’ve mobilized to take me out.
We waited. A thin-voiced man from inside replied.
-……Escort him in with the guards.