What Kind of Dream Does a Hero Have? (Conclusion)
What Kind of Dream Does a Hero Have? (Conclusion)
This is driving me insane. I must make Arpien open X's Administrator Mode by any means necessary. If I miss this opportunity now, I might never be able to return to a male body.
Arpien let out an annoyed sigh before speaking in a calm, placating tone.
"Opening X's Administrator Mode requires tremendous energy. To do that, we need to absorb them and make X complete."
His blue eyes didn't waver in the slightest. It seemed like he was strongly asserting the sincerity of his words.
"Then even if you don't open Administrator Mode, can't you just return my body to male?"
"What?"
"You're someone who restored the pre-apocalyptic world. Can't you perform gender reassignment surgery?"
Arpien, who had recreated most of the pre-apocalyptic world. Gender reassignment surgery should be easy for him.
"No."
His dry refusal made me so angry my head buzzed. Barely suppressing my rage, I spoke.
"Why not?"
"Since you've been chosen by X, your body will eventually return to female. The only way for you to regain your original body is by opening X's Administrator Mode and using the 'return to male' function."
This bastard who founded Killing World must be hundreds of years old. No matter how childlike his appearance, I never expected him to comply willingly.
I activated Stealth, turning my body transparent. Arpien tilted his head in confusion when I disappeared before him.
Moving silently without breath sounds, I approached from behind and firmly wrapped my arm around his waist while pressing a knife to his neck.
My action was recognized as an attack, breaking Stealth. Arpien stared at me in surprise when I suddenly reappeared. Soon, he furrowed his brows and growled angrily.
"What do you think you're doing?"
"Stop saying no. I'm truly desperate. I've met Eden among those bastards you mentioned. A crazy bastard who commands supergiant Deathworms. How could I possibly defeat four of those monsters? It's absolutely impossible."
Arpien wrinkled his nose as if astonished.
"Ha, so you dare threaten me?"
"There are stronger people than me. Make those bastards handle your business with X. Why does it have to be me?"
Anger surged through me at my own words, and I unconsciously tightened my grip on the knife. Arpien's pale skin tore slightly, oozing red blood droplets.
Though inwardly shocked, I feigned calmness and growled at him.
"If you value your life, tell me how to return to being male."
Arpien remained silent as if contemplating, then spoke cheerfully.
"No. X likes you."
"What? Keugh!!"
Boong-.
Suddenly, I felt like insects were crawling into my ears. The next moment, my vision flashed white as if a stun grenade had exploded inside my skull, accompanied by a 'Beeeeep-' sound. My body became uncontrollable. My legs gave out as if I might collapse any second.
The Arpien I was holding twisted like a snake, turning 180 degrees to face me. His eyes were pitch-black voids that soon melted like candle wax. His liquefied body evaporated upon touching the ground, creating thick mist.
Damn it, this is an illusion. Arpien, resorting to such cheap tricks.
"Where'd you go, bastard?! Show yourself!!"
While pushing through the mist, I spotted his silhouette. I lunged and grabbed his shoulder. What turned around was a caterpillar wearing Arpien's clothes.
"What the fuck?"
Before I could process my shock, it extended yellow antennae. I reflexively swung my knife.
Boo-wooook!!
When I sliced vertically through the caterpillar's belly, yellow bodily fluids gushed out. I barely dodged with a backstep but collided with a wall that hadn't been there before. Looking back, a hairy wall undulated.
Shit.
Realizing something was wrong, I looked up and saw another caterpillar's head - easily twice my size. Yellow fluid dripped from its maw onto my head.
Thud!!!
I severed its head segment and dodged, but couldn't avoid getting drenched in its fluids.
The areas touched by caterpillar fluid lost all sensation. Like being anesthetized.
"Keugh..., Ar... pien..."
Numbed, I collapsed weakly. Blue sky, and Arpien looking down at me. I wanted to grab his clothes but couldn't move a finger.
Arpien smiled with childlike innocence.
"I've been monitoring you since our connection. Your compatibility with X is unbelievable. No one's ever exceeded 60% compatibility before. But yours is 99.9%. You might as well have been born to meet X. Did you really think we'd let you go?"
"Who are you to decide why I was born?"
Intense disgust surged at his arrogant mindset. No matter how great his ability to restore the pre-apocalyptic world, he had no right to dictate others' lives.
Concentrating all nerves into my fingertips, I managed a slight twitch. The anesthesia didn't seem long-lasting.
"No need to be angry. We're in the same boat. When X becomes complete, you'll return to your original body, and X and I will gain true power."
"I don't care about that! Just give me back my body!!"
He covered my mouth. I felt sticky fluid on his hand - disgusting caterpillar juice. Whether from paralysis or the substance, my mouth wouldn't move.
"Hoo... You really don't listen, do you? I hope you'll be more cooperative next time we meet."
Arpien pointed skyward. Barely lifting my head, I saw tiny dots against the blue sky.
What's that?
The alien dots against the clear sky grew larger as they approached. Soon they were close enough to recognize.
Shit.
Deep regret flooded me. Those were the 1 billion Deathworms I'd summoned.
My pointless summoning caused them to flood into this bastard's world.
Meeting X's creator - whom I'd wanted to meet so badly - left me with nothing but bitter experiences, fueling my frustration.
"Die buried under the trash you brought."
His cold, arrogant eyes conveyed final judgment. I wanted to curse but couldn't open my mouth.
Keugh..., damn it.
Deafening noise and the sensation of being thrown. Darkness swallowed my vision.
Just before losing consciousness, Arpien's voice echoed.
"Where did the 0.1% go?"
His incomprehensible words were the last thing I heard before blacking out.
"Ugh, Arpien!!!!!"
Crash!!!
[You have acquired the Deathworm Killer title.]
I found myself back in reality. My rage-fueled fist had shattered not Arpien's face, but the innocent Virtual Reality Device cover.
The room came into view. Yun Seol-ha rushed toward me with tearful smiles. I embraced her as she buried her face in my chest, warm tears soaking through.
"Hic, I was so scared! I thought the machine broke and something happened to you, Kelrot-nim!"
"Hm?"
Had I stayed longer than usual?
The clock showed less than two hours had passed. But why...?
Ah.
The date had changed. By seven days. My discharge date had passed six days ago.
Amid this incomprehensible situation, a despair-filled scream came from the Female Military Lieutenant.
"Aaaaah, what have you done to this?!?!"
Though for different reasons than Yun Seol-ha, she seemed to have been eagerly awaiting my return from the Virtual Reality Device.
She knelt before the sparking, shattered device with a devastated expression.
"This costs more than my lifetime salary! Take responsibility, I said take responsibility!!!"
What a nuisance.
Though tempted to ignore her as the Battalion Commander's lackey, she had helped us. The key we obtained from her allowed Yun Seol-ha and me to move freely.
After explaining the situation to Alice, she coolly agreed to send a new Virtual Reality Device. The Female Military Lieutenant rushed to kiss me in passionate gratitude. Since Seol-ha was watching intently, I had to stop her from unbuttoning my shirt.
When I tried using Yun Seol-ha's Virtual Reality Device to retaliate against Arpien, the Forgotten Space skill was inexplicably on cooldown.
"X, was this your doing?"
[By Arpien-nim's will, this skill has been temporarily disabled.]
"These bastards are in cahoots."
Though disappointed in X, there was nothing to do since it claimed innocence.
The Female Military Lieutenant smiled brightly at us.
"The Battalion Commander will arrive shortly. He's coming personally to escort you."
Ah... That persistent bastard?