Chapter 290
Chapter 290
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 290
Chapter Title: S5. Stellaria of the Raging Storm ~Hope Dormant Beneath the Ruins~ -3
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Where civilization slumbers, beasts awaken.
For their own safety, they harm other lives. To propagate their DNA, they plunder without hesitation. For creatures born as animals, this is an instinct they can't hide—natural, even.
Humans, on the other hand, have had their innate instincts suppressed by vast societies.
Civilization was once a virtue. Acts of kindness, sharing smiles, considering others—these earned high social praise and real benefits. A reputation for goodness helped in countless ways.
But now?
No gain. No one notices or rewards good deeds. They only slash your survival odds.
With nations rendered meaningless by the Great Kaiju crisis, people chose to revert to beasts for survival rather than cling to shattered dignity.
Bang──!!
A gunshot echoed from the lofty sky. A clear warning.
Everyone froze at the sound. The convoy hauling materials on trucks had no choice but to halt before that violent threat.
"Stop. Drop everything you've got right here."
"⋯⋯Pardon?"
"Snipers on the rooftop. Pyrokinetic next to me. Try running, and you won't keep your lives. Got it? Get out. Better slaves than barbecued, right?"
"⋯⋯⋯⋯."
The beasts lying in wait for the truck hijacking bared their savage claws, reeking of gunpowder. The power gap was obvious. Submission was the smart call.
Flooring it to escape? No dice—the road was barricaded midway. They were trapped. Despair gripped the truck crew.
Among them.
The driver was a man in his mid-forties, slight of build, eyes darting in terror. He was scared, no doubt.
But the truck driver stepped down from his seat and pleaded before the beast leader.
"These are materials to take down the Great Kaiju. Please. Reconsider."
"⋯⋯You think you're in a position to negotiate?"
"Take the truck if you must. Yes, I'll be your slave. But please, spare the materials inside. I beg you⋯⋯!"
The driver prostrated himself on the ground.
Predictably, his plea fell on deaf ears. Both raiders and driver knew it. They'd come to strip everything.
Yet staking his life on defiance—what do you call that?
Gordius dismissed it in one word.
"Wasteful."
"⋯⋯And who the hell are you? Gah!"
"You won't get investment pitching a business plan to beasts. Approach people who truly grasp research value."
"Awakener! Sniper, fire!"
Easy to topple what took effort to build. Gordius glanced at the sniper's building, musing just that. Months to erect, yet.
"Fall while rooted to the spot, Earth Subsidence."
"Th-the building's tilting⋯⋯ Aaaargh!"
Boom──!!
It took less than ten seconds to demolish.
The raiders were buried under rubble. Gordius approached the stunned driver amid settling dust.
"Heading to Stellaria, by chance? I'm following the radio broadcast."
"Y-yes, yes⋯⋯! That's right. We were transporting materials for the giant robot build. Thanks to you, we kept them. Thank you!"
This guy cared more about materials than his life?
No, wait. More importantly.
"Giant⋯⋯ robot?"
"Yes. Dr. Woo Chaerin said it's the only way to pierce the Great Kaiju's mega-accuracy."
His face lit up. Affinity for Dr. Woo Chaerin skyrocketed. Giant robot!
He helped the driver up, urging him on.
"Let's go. Guide me there as payment for the save."
"R-right. Back seat⋯⋯."
Lucky break. Gordius joined Stellaria's material convoy, reaching their bunker without detours.
Stern guards secured the underground bunker's entrance. The access road snaked with S-curves of obstacles, soldiers armed to the teeth at each point.
Among survivors Gordius had seen, this was undoubtedly the largest group.
After a short wait, a guard with a glowstick waved them in.
"Halt. Halt. Mr. Kim? Who's the foreigner?"
"Yes. Thanks for your work. Raiders hit us on the way⋯⋯ This Awakener saved us. Incredible. Demolished a whole building!"
"Damn⋯⋯ Trouble. I suck at English. Where you from? Europe?"
"Overheard him on the way. Speaks Korean fluently."
"Phew, false alarm. Mr. Kim, go in⋯⋯ You, step aside with me."
The guard pulled Gordius aside, sat him on a convenience store chair. Even a rescuer needed vetting—especially now.
"Name?"
"Gordius. Heard the radio, came for the magic expert need."
"⋯⋯Magic?"
"Yes. Systematic mana manipulation. Golden Magic Tower wizard—don't know other schools well, but still better than most."
The guard's face soured. Another nutjob spawned by the times!
Post-broadcast, tons flocked to Stellaria bunker. Wanting to help as Awakeners, or do any chore for shelter.
Many were unhinged.
"I'm the Second Coming of Jesus! I walk on water!"
"I'm a Sun/Call Mage. Awakened game powers. Just need EXP for 4th job change⋯⋯."
Even scammers piled on.
"Wrote and published magic books before the crisis. Mana's Earth's will. Kaiju are Gaia's anti-pollution tool──"
Couldn't forget that non-Awakener yapping as a mana expert. Burned by so many, expectations tanked at "wizard" from this Western-looking kid.
Gordius caught the vibe. He smiled calmly.
"Wanna bet?"
"Pardon?"
"If I'm a real wizard, you buy me canned food later."
"No, it's not that I don't believe⋯⋯."
Snap.
Rumble rumble rumble──!!
"Wh-what?!"
Gordius snapped his fingers. Ground quaked as a massive hand erupted. Boom, boom! With roars, a 3-meter earthen giant formed.
Unlike other Awakeners. Scale, power, precision—all superior.
The giant was perfectly shaped, detailed with thick armor and engravings. First Awakener with such control.
Even a mildly delusional wizard-wannabe was prime material.
And if he truly knew systematic theory? Miracles possible. The guard brightened, jumping up to greet Gordius.
"Come in. Our doctor's been waiting ages."
"Glad you're convinced. But."
"Yes? Did I offend?"
"No. I get it. Hard to buy 'wizard' in this world. Just⋯⋯ admission fee?"
"⋯⋯⋯⋯."
The guard surrendered a stashed chocolate bar.
Clank. Clank. Whirr─
The heavy bunker door parted, revealing steel and sweltering heat.
Clang! Clang! Claaang!
Hammer strikes on metal, footsteps, debates on projects—sounds echoed everywhere.
"Materials here—move 'em this way!"
"Foreman, this won't work as-is. Any leftovers from last time?"
"That? Supply team's raiding the space center. Wait."
Countless people hustled. World darkened post-Kaiju, but here burned passion and hope.
Clear goal made the difference.
Toppling the Great Kaiju lit their way. The escort guard puffed proudly.
"Different vibe, huh?"
"Yes. Everyone's⋯⋯ energetic."
"All thanks to Dr. Woo Chaerin. Folks doubted at first—even I did. See left⋯⋯ spot it?"
"⋯⋯⋯⋯."
Clank, clank. Hiss──!!
Machines whirred, assembling a giant robot. Forklift-like cockpit body, mounting-ready arms. Treads for legs.
Above all, the size. Roughly 50 meters tall. Exposed frames showed completion far off, but.
One month to this? Unreal feat.
"How'd she pull it? Dr. Woo threw down with the prez fled to Jeju, scored materials. Gathered manpower⋯⋯ uses Awakeners smartly."
"⋯⋯Too cool. Marriage material."
"Don't say that around others. Plenty nearly booted for hitting on her⋯⋯ Wait, the robot?"
"Can you marry robots here? If yes, sign me up."
Seeing Gordius's dreamy flush, the guard chalked it up to lame joke. No way a skilled Awakener was a mecha-freak.
Gordius toured production, eyed a separate long cylinder.
"What's that?"
"Oh, that. Rocket know? Space launcher. Thruster from there. Dr. Woo 'retirement bonus' post-crisis. For rocket punches, I guess."
"Wow, marryable too?"
"Too weird to answer. We're here? Doc's inside. Chat, get approved, join officially."
The guard escorted to Dr. Woo's office, then bolted to duties. The otherworld wizard steadied his pounding heart, gripped the knob.
What kind of person was Woo Chaerin? Papers, robots—nothing failed to thrill Gordius.
Did she share his passions? Endless robot/golem chats possible. Thrilled, he opened the door. Beyond it.
A lab-coated scientist.
Thin round glasses, hair low-tied over shoulder. First impression: refined. Like a lotus on a serene lake.
She regarded Gordius, introducing herself.
"I'm Woo Chaerin, leading Stellaria."
"Gordius, wizard of the Golden Magic Tower."
"Heard about you. Powerful Awakener, earth manipulation. Claims wizard. Meaning?"
"I'm who you seek. My world brimmed with mana, formalized as scholarship. Not crude primitive magic."
At his words, Woo Chaerin peered into his eyes like reading his soul. Gordius met her gaze. Science-synced rapport sparked. Both thought:
No time. Verify fast. Speed things up.
She fetched notebook and pen. He took them naturally, scribbling mana basics. They began salary talks.
"What do you want? Must be why you came."
"Tech. Full cooperation for robot build sharing. That's why I'm here."
"Industrial espionage vibes. Novel-like. Prez'd whine about secrets, but not me. If your knowledge checks out, shared."
"You'll be satisfied."
Thud. Gordius filled three pages, dotted the end.
Woo Chaerin scrutinized, tested as an 'Awakener' with mana aptitude. Snap—a flame flickered on her finger.
"Scholarship indeed. Logical, no BS. You're exactly who I needed."
"Saw your giant robot en route. Massive, potent. Why seek mana users? Pure science might suffice against the Great Kaiju."
"⋯⋯First, infra's wrecked. Fuel shortage minor reason."
Major one too.
"Post-Great Kaiju, we analyzed via observation team. Conclusion: firepower and sustain lacking."
No vital spots known. Impact for death? Unknown. Regeneration suspected.
Safe kill needs sustained, repeated shocks shredding that slimy hide.
If infra intact, nation united—different story. But ravaged now, even max resources fall short.
"Science alone impossible. My verdict."
"Magic alone too. Training primitives now? Too late."
"Then intersect the scholarships. Let's do great things, Gordius."
"Likewise, Dr. Woo Chaerin."
The geniuses allied dryly, simply. No fluff, no service. Knowledge exchange sufficed.
They recognized mutual needs, brains already bubbling ideas.
"First, this⋯⋯ my mana engine in dev."
"Oh, coincidence. Me too⋯⋯."
Stellaria, anti-Great Kaiju group. Brilliant leader Dr. Woo Chaerin. Gordius joined the hopeful amid national doom.
Thus, his journey kicked off smoothly──
──or so he thought.
"Magic's right! Shoving it in machines tanks efficiency. Magic's mystery is scholarly too—blind math ignores that. Waste!"
"Goldie, use your head! Magic's support here, not core!"
"You said fuel shortage first meet. Mana rechargeable via Awakeners! Magic main logical, no? Pride now!?"
"Acknowledge your scholarship, but you're the sole expert! One slip, all gone. Confident no mistakes? Stability demands proven science base──"
Woo Chaerin and Gordius bickered daily, neighborhood-shaking. No hair-pulling, but glares screamed "bald you!"
Clashes ended only after unlimited debates till one yielded.
The hybrid scholarship⋯⋯ lurched forward creakily.