Chapter 30 Do Ro-rang (4)
Do Ro-rang (4)
Episode 31
The survivors tightened their grips on their weapons and rushed Do Ro-rang.
Do Ro-rang merely folded her arms and smiled like a lunatic. Then I noticed something strange: the metallic stench of blood was fading.
Her pupils spun at a dizzying speed.
"All... die?"
Do Ro-rang stamped her foot. The blood she'd drawn toward herself surged upward, coalescing into a massive, churning vortex.
This was nothing like the technique Kang So-eun had used. Do Ro-rang had pushed it far beyond what the original version of her character should have been capable of.
She'd turned a technique used against her into a weapon of her own.
『Blood Magic - Blood Vortex』
"Kihihihihihi—!"
Cackling, Do Ro-rang threw back her head and spread her hands. Every scattered drop of blood converged, then hurtled toward us.
"!"
The swelling cloud of blood detonated with a thunderous roar. Floors overhead gave way, showering us with shattered stone.
And yet, nobody died.
"Cough...!"
Instead, Professor Jang Hye-jeong doubled over, coughing up blood.
『Jang Hye-jeong has activated 「Harmonizes」.』
"Hah, hah... T-this is how... the ability is used... Ugh..."
The backlash from using her ability knocked Professor Jang Hye-jeong unconscious.
She'd saved us. By harmonizing the attack's force with our surroundings, she'd stripped much of the power from 「Blood Magic - Blood Vortex」.
"Uuugh...!"
"AAAAAH! M-my leg...!"
But none of us could stand. I could barely do more than groan through the pain.
And it still wasn't over.
"Huh? Huh? Huh? Why... aren't they all dead?"
Do Ro-rang had burned through an enormous amount of mana, but her murderous frenzy hadn't faded.
"Why won't you die?! Die, DIE!!"
Knife in hand, she stalked toward the survivors to finish them herself.
At that moment—
"Cut it the fuck out already..."
I hauled my battered body upright. Do Ro-rang swung her furious gaze toward me.
"You—what the hell are you...?!"
She didn't even seem to know who I was.
"What do you want?!"
I stumbled forward, forcing a bitter smile.
The system's choices still hovered in my mind, taunting me with how little I could do.
『Victory Probability - 1.1%』
『Escape Probability - 12.3%』
Running was the sensible choice. I knew that.
But...
"Ughh..."
"Mom... Mom...!"
I couldn't shut out the screaming.
Every survivor here was as desperate to live as I was.
When I closed my eyes, all I could see was their terror and despair.
With death staring them in the face, they were thinking about the families they'd leave behind.
"Haah..."
Every time I listened to the voice telling me to run, my feet refused to move. Escape would be the smart choice.
I might never be able to hold my head high again, but at least I'd make it out alive.
I was the protagonist, after all—the only person who might be able to prevent this world's tragedy.
If I died here, the world might be doomed with me.
"I don't want to die... Mom..."
No. Sentiment couldn't decide this for me. Park Se-eun and Park Ha-rin—my family—were waiting for me to come home.
"It's over..."
But my feet still wouldn't turn toward the exit.
Why?
『Victory Probability - 0.9%』
『Escape Probability - 9.3%』
Because my chance of victory hadn't reached zero.
『Applying Optimal Progression』
No. There was another reason. Everyone lying here had family waiting desperately for them, too.
"Grrr—!"
I clenched my teeth, forced myself upright despite the pain, and met Do Ro-rang's eyes.
At that moment, I stopped looking for a compromise with reality.
I was done living miserably. I wouldn't repeat the wretched life I'd led on Earth.
I was...
『Protagonist Synchronization Rate - 152%』
『Optimal Progression Completion - 38.7%』
...the protagonist.
I had to believe in myself. No—I needed to. A baseless confidence. The man who never lost hope, even in a 0.00001% gacha.
Because I'm Park Si-hyun. That's who I am.
"Hhuuuaaah!!"
I pushed 『Optimal Progression』 to its limit. Power surged from my fist to my shoulder, through my head and heart, and down into my legs.
Something stirred deep inside me—a force I couldn't identify, and one that wasn't mana.
I threw myself straight at Do Ro-rang.
And then.
Bang!
"Gah!"
The first thing I felt was Do Ro-rang's fist driving into my stomach.
"Why, why are you being so cocky!?"
Then a second punch smashed into my face, nearly knocking me unconscious.
But.
『Optimal Progression Activated』
Optimal Progression kept me awake. I fought the force throwing me backward and twisted into a counterpunch. Surprise flickered across Do Ro-rang's face as she turned away.
The momentum carried through my arm into my elbow, defying inertia. It cracked against the bridge of her nose.
"Grrrrk...."
Do Ro-rang glared at me, a wet, furious rattle rising from her throat.
『Do Ro-rang's Stats』
[Strength G-][Agility G][Stamina G-][Mana G-]
『Park Si-hyun's Stats』
[Strength 672][Agility G-][Stamina 868][Mana 707]
The moment we connected, I seized the strength behind her enhanced stats.
『Optimal Progression will strengthen 「Censored Ability」 to its limit.』
I drew on every scrap of power I had and forced it into Do Ro-rang until my head spun. She pulled away from my elbow, but her expression was pure delight.
"Hahaha, hahahahaha!"
My resistance only seemed to excite her more.
"Gyuuuh!!"
Even 「Censored Ability」 couldn't bring her down. The gulf between our strength had become too wide.
And it was widening. Still, I wasn't out of options yet.
"Diiie!!"
Her attacks grew more savage but less sophisticated. She abandoned complex techniques for direct blows, tracing simple lines and arcs. If I could read their paths, perhaps I could dodge despite her speed.
At least, that was what I told myself.
"!?"
"H-hee?!"
Her fist curved abruptly, veering off the path I'd predicted.
"Oh, you're dodging well?!"
For an instant, a spark of reason returned to her eyes.
"!"
The blow landed before I could react.
Bang!
My vision nearly went black. My knees buckled, and I dropped toward the floor.
'Ah, should I run away now? Or should I beg for my life?'
Pain and fear overwhelmed me. I struggled to focus on the room. Around us, the survivors watched through tears, huddling together and trying not to sob.
I'd told myself that strangers' deaths wouldn't affect me. I'd decided long ago to put my own survival first.
But people I'd fought beside were collapsing and dying in front of me. I couldn't simply look away.
Their deaths shook me more than I wanted to admit.
'In the end.'
Maybe I was just naive. With talent like mine, I ought to have been planning for the future instead of throwing it away here.
"Haha..."
I wasn't cut out to stand alongside a real protagonist, was I? Perhaps I was even less worthy of the role than the original Park Si-hyun.
Even so, I didn't want to walk away with regrets.
When I saved Park Se-eun after her family cast her aside, and when I helped Park Ha-rin through her illness, what had I wanted?
'I wanted the heroines—my family—to have happier lives.'
There might be countless times when I'd have to turn my back on someone. But not today.
'Wouldn't the world be a little better with one or two protagonists who cared about people?'
I forced strength into my battered legs, opened my eyes wide, and rammed my forehead into Do Ro-rang's.
"Ugh!?"
She fought to hold her ground, but the impact knocked her head backward.
"Aaaaaaah!"
Not missing my chance, I thrust my fist forward. The instant my fist collided with Do Ro-rang's face, a recoil that felt like it would shatter my bones pierced through my arm. Even so, I pushed harder and slammed Do Ro-rang's face into the floor.
"Stay the hell down, you crazy bitch!!"
I swung my limbs—continuously enhanced by Optimal Progression—relentlessly hammering Do Ro-rang.
『Victory Probability - 0.5%』
『Escape Probability - 6.2%』
Even caught in my hold, Do Ro-rang's pupils rolled upward.
She struck back through the barrage, shattering my ribs with a punch. Pain knifed through my chest and tore a groan from my throat.
"Ghhh—!!"
Blood rose in my throat. I punched her in the face anyway.
"Ghk—!!"
She didn't back down either. We lunged at each other endlessly, trading blows. My body was already at its limit, but Optimal Progression gripped me tighter, forcing me onward.
"Khh—! Uaaagh!!"
My vision blurred with every punch. The pain was unbearable, and I wanted to scream, but I kept my teeth clenched and fought on.
『Protagonist Synchronization Rate: 154%』
『Optimal Progression Completion - 39.2%』
At last, blood spilled from Do Ro-rang's mouth. Her disbelief deepened. I didn't let up.
『Victory Probability - 0.2%』
『Escape Probability - 3.6%』
Not zero. My chance still wasn't zero. I clung to that thought as an unfamiliar force surged into my fist, bending the rules of the world around me. If I stopped, I would die, so I hurled myself at her again and again.
But reality wasn't so easy to defy.
Just as the accumulated pain dragged darkness across my vision—
"Kihihihihi!"
Do Ro-rang brought both hands down on my head like hammers. My body crashed to the floor, suddenly numb.
"Ki, kihihihihihihihi!"
Her laughter rose into a shriek.
"Fun~ That was so fun~! So I'll make sure your end is nice and clean!!"
Madness was all I could see in her eyes. Had this been my opponent from the very beginning?
You crazy bitch.
She drew back the blade of her hand, ready to drive it through me.
I'd be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed. But I'd done everything I could.
『Victory Probability - 0.0%』
『Escape Probability - 0.0%』
I stared up at Do Ro-rang and laughed hollowly.
...Is this where it ends? Haha, seriously. Guess I wasn't that great of a protagonist after all. Still—
I could barely stand, but I refused to kneel. After coming this far, surrendering would be the one thing I couldn't forgive myself for. I held my ground and glared at her through my darkening vision.
"See you... in hell—!"
Her fingertips crept closer. This was going to be the last thing I saw.
Then the faces of my family flashed before me—the people I hadn't even said goodbye to.
Sorry. Park Se-eun... Noona...
Looks like I won't see you again.
Sorry.
So this is how it ends.
Ding—
"Bye, bye!!"
There was nothing left for me to do but accept it.
『Survival Probability - 100%』
Or so I thought—until the message changed.
KIIIIIIING—!
A bolt of lightning, sharp enough to split the heavens, came crashing down.
Blinding light swallowed everything.
KWA-BOOOOOM!
Its radiance illuminated the terror on Do Ro-rang's face.
Then darkness and dust engulfed the room. Through the devastation, moving with impossible force—
—came a sweep of dazzling silver hair.
It streamed behind its owner like a wave caught in the wind.
A pair of eyes caught the light and fixed on mine. There was something unearthly in them, something no shadow could hide.
Do Ro-rang lay collapsed at her feet, the madness in her gaze replaced by terror.
The woman's golden eyes, however, never left me.
Her voice cut cleanly through the silence.
"Long time no see, Si-hyun."
『Time Remaining: 0 seconds.』
:
And then—
Click—
『A formidable threat has arrived.』
The system messages that had been frozen in place began scrolling again.