Elite Brigade (1)
Elite Brigade (1)
Sras tried to hypnotize me for quite some time. The tip of the bastard's tentacle split open, revealing a sinister-looking eye. It spun round and round, melting my mind like molten taffy.
How strange.
Just when I thought I'd fall under hypnosis, my mind would suddenly clear, rendering his tricks useless.
Is it because of this?
I stared at the plain-looking ring on my finger. It was the mental attack nullification ring I'd obtained during my previous battle with Sras.
Was the item name 'The Ring of the Victor'? I'd kept it on just in case I encountered a hypnotic attacker, but I never imagined I'd use it against this bastard again.
Sras threw me against a wall. Though I fell with a loud crash, raising my stamina to 255 meant I felt no pain at all.
"Damn bitch, so it wasn't a coincidence back then either."
As if his pride was wounded, Sras snorted and turned away. He approached Yun Seol-ha, who had collapsed face-first into a bowl on the dining table.
Multiple tentacles erupted from Sras's body, lifting Yun Seol-ha into the air.
"Ah, no..."
I wanted to rip out Sras's tentacles and shove them up his asshole right then.
"Stop it, you son of a bitch...!!"
As I trembled and tried to push myself off the floor, my breath suddenly caught.
"Ghk, ugh! Ugh!!"
I saw a hand gripping a Heavy Kitchen Knife. A forearm thick as a person's torso. Rick was choking me.
In my normal condition, I would've torn this bastard's arm off. But thanks to the poison in the food, my body wouldn't move properly.
Sras gazed at Yun Seol-ha and spoke in an admiring tone.
"Keukeu, to possess such a deep subconscious world... how interesting?"
He pressed his Hypnosis Tentacle closer to Seol-ha's face. A powerful beam of light shot from the tentacle's tip into her forehead.
"Show me... show me the deeper parts of your mind."
Yun Seol-ha began convulsing violently. The tentacles tightened around her wrists and ankles to keep her from falling.
Even under hypnosis, she couldn't suppress her pain and let out an agonized scream.
"Hhghk, hhggghk, it hurts..., hurts."
"Stop it, you bastard!!"
Thud!!
Something struck the back of my neck hard. The unprotected attack on my weak point made it impossible to control my body any longer.
As my consciousness gradually faded, I intermittently heard Yun Seol-ha and Sras's voices.
"Uuughk, ughk, ghk, stop, stop... Hhaaak!!"
"Kekekek, I'll rummage through your mind until you become a vegetable."
...
"Impressive. I've never seen such a complex structure before."
...
"It's like an endless labyrinth."
...
"Keuhek!!"
"Sras-nim, it's dangerous."
...
"Just a little deeper and I'll see it."
...
Listening to their insane conversation made me feel like I was losing my mind too.
You crazy bastards, what are you doing to Seol-ha?
After what felt like an immeasurable time, I finally managed to move my body.
The streets outside the front door were dark. It was past midnight. The entrance was in complete disarray.
Neither Seol-ha nor the bastards were visible in the living room. I felt like they might be hiding somewhere, ready to attack.
"X, scan who's inside the house."
[Yun Seol-ha is sleeping in the bedroom.]
"No sign of the Oist bastards?"
[None.]
I flung open the bedroom door. Yun Seol-ha lay asleep on the bed.
"Seol-ha."
Seol-ha stirred awake at my voice, sitting up with a drowsy expression. Remembering what had just happened, she looked like she might burst into tears and threw herself into my arms.
Trembling like a rabbit, she asked me in an anxious voice:
"Did Kelrot-ssi defeat those Oist members?"
I almost said I'd been knocked out too, but decided there was no need to make her more anxious.
"Yeah, they ran away after a few hits. They won't dare mess with us again."
"Phew..., thank you, Kelrot-ssi."
After laying her back down with a sigh of relief, I gave her forehead a light kiss. Watching her fall into a peaceful sleep, I headed to my room.
Lying on the plush bed, I asked X:
"X, you know what the Oist members did to Yun Seol-ha."
[They attempted hypnosis on Yun Seol-ha.]
"Did they fail?"
[They succeeded. But they fled for unknown reasons.]
"Unknown reasons?"
[Presumably reasons only the hypnotist would know.]
"Got it."
Next time I meet that Sras bastard, I'll beat him half to death and ask. I should contact Aris too. Since she's the client who'll bring me big money, I need to report the situation.
After a long dial tone, Aris's groggy voice came through:
"Do you even know what time it is when you call?"
"Shouldn't children be asleep by now?"
"Let's cancel the request."
My joke didn't land. Quickly changing tactics, I straightened my voice:
"Reporting from the 3rd District Frontline Unit. And do you know about the Elite Brigade?"
"Yeah, that psycho group that does whatever they want? Thought they'd disappear from infighting. Why?"
The name sounds impressive but they're psychos... Well, with that sadistic woman as their leader, the members couldn't be normal.
"I got transferred there. Since we're encountering more combat situations compared to the Special Forces, it seems like a good fit."
"Ehh-?? Why you? How?"
"Their leader said I'm strong and should join."
"Did you show off your strength in front of her?"
Well, I did. I instantly killed the Garuda that had the soldiers struggling.
"Yeah..."
Aris fell silent, seemingly at a loss for words. Then she resumed in her usual calm tone:
"I was actually going to contact you. There'll be a large-scale Oist assault soon."
"Large-scale assault?"
"As the Elite Brigade, you'll be fighting them on the frontlines. You know what you need to do then?"
"At that time, I..."
I remember. How could I forget a request with a reward of 1 trillion Gelder?
"Film humans being attacked by Oist."
"Right. It needs to be shocking enough to make citizens feel extreme fear and rage."
The thought alone disgusts me. But the enormous reward of 1 trillion Gelder made me accept this request.
Thinking positively, my footage will make citizens realize the government is lying to gain votes. Then they'll prepare for war, even if belatedly, suffering fewer casualties.
"Planning to make Aris president by exposing this?"
"What?"
"No, nothing, never mind."
"Don't lump me in with those rotten bastards."
After half-heartedly apologizing to Aris, Sras and Rick's faces suddenly flashed in my mind before hanging up.
"Do you know Battalion Commander Sras and Battalion Commander Rick?"
"Of course. The bastards who killed the battalion commanders I planted and took their places."
"They have a grudge against me. They're trying to harm Yun Seol-ha too - can you stop them?"
Aris laughed incredulously before replying:
"How did you get involved with them? You're really something. Fine, I'll make sure they can't approach Yun Seol-ha."
"Thanks, future president."
"Wanna die? I said no."
"Alright, take good care of Seol-ha then. Thanks~ Sleep well."
Too sleepy myself, and feeling like she'd tease me more if we kept talking, I pressed the end call button.
Lying in bed, I pulled up the covers. They smelled sweet, well-maintained.
"Haaaam-, a new beginning."
Aris will protect Seol-ha well. Now I just need to focus on handling Aris's request properly.
Should I deliberately stage a cruel scene?
Hmm..., no, that's too demonic. Besides, the Oist bastards will do horrific things without me needing to act.
Is the Elite Brigade really full of psychos like Aris said?
Like a middle schooler starting a new grade, I feel slightly excited about who I'll meet in the Elite Brigade.
They're probably all losers anyway. Whatever.
Wrapped in comfort, I fell into a deep, childlike sleep.
"It's time for work. Please wake up."
A mechanical voice woke me. It was the maid robot that had poisoned me with paralysis poison.
Bam!!
A spinning kick instantly sent the maid robot's head flying.
Pazuzuzuzuzuzuk-, pazuk, pazuzuk-.
Sparks flew from the severed neck as the maid robot fell backward.
Thud.
"I fell asleep without dealing with this. Almost got into big trouble."
A maid robot controlled by Sras. It should've been my top priority to eliminate yesterday.
"Kelrot-ssi, what was that noise? Kyaaak!!"
Seol-ha, who'd opened the door to enter, screamed upon seeing the maid robot's head rolling on the floor.
"It's a spy robot. Had no choice."
Yun Seol-ha blinked as she recalled yesterday's events, then nodded in understanding. Grabbing my sleeve, she smiled brightly:
"I made toast. Let's eat together before work."
"Ugh."
Showing such adorable charm all of a sudden is cheating, you know.