Chapter 195
Chapter 195
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 195
Chapter Title: Tokyo Apocalypse - 1
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The sun had risen, and the shelter was in an uproar.
Geom-in was gone.
His footprints were found outside the shelter, alongside a griffon feather.
"A griffon must've shown up at night, and he went to check it out."
Everyone nodded at Da-jeong's assessment.
In truth, no one could think of any other explanation.
While we were staying at the Korean shelter, this had happened.
As a veteran player, he must've felt responsible and gone to investigate at night.
But he definitely had the Monster Taming trait...
"If he encountered a griffon, he could've Blinked right onto it and tamed it in an instant."
Geom-in had a whopping seven traits, including Shelter Reinforcement.
He swapped three of them once a day, and even without extra effects, getting close to a griffon was feasible.
Once near, a Blink to hop on its back, and done.
But Da-jeong saw it differently.
"It's because it's the minor version of my trait. Mine's Monster Domination, his is Monster Taming. It won't be 100% effective."
"...You think so?"
"He probably tried to tame it and got dragged off instead."
No need to guess where...
If he was alive, he'd have posted on the auction house by now.
Yoo-hyun, ever quick, checked first.
"Geom-in posted an auction item. Looks like he crossed the sea."
The comments section was flooded with dozens of frantic messages.
Seok-hyun tilted his head.
"Even without Physical Enhancement, he should've had Blink, right?"
"It went up too fast, probably. His Blink has no extra effects, so short range."
"He definitely had a Revival Scroll too."
"...Here's his excuse. He didn't use it because he didn't want to burden you, Sung-ho..."
Seok-hyun and Da-jeong both looked at me.
I said weakly,
"Do I seem like that vicious? Like the kind of guy who'd resent a friend using a Revival Scroll?"
"Yeah."
"Yep."
Both saw me that way, so no argument there.
Anyway, Geom-in was still alive—he'd just posted another comment.
It was about how scary it was...
I let out a hollow chuckle, but getting kidnapped by a griffon to who-knows-where? Yeah, fair.
I could stay calm thanks to my Dimension Gate ability.
Wonder where he ended up...
Scanning the comments, I spotted one mentioning he was with a beetle.
Apparently, the beetle had warned him.
Yoo-hyun fetched the Lotus Continent map drawn by Captain Beetle.
"Probably around here. Across the sea, on the mainland."
It was that area I'd estimated at about 60km before.
Captain Beetle flipped through the sketchbook and drew a new picture.
We gathered to look, and he seemed a bit embarrassed.
"Isn't this a ruin?"
"The beetles' home?"
"Not beetles—dwarves. The ones who live underground."
Captain Beetle's drawing showed the entrance to a massive ruin on a coastal cliff.
His gestures indicated they hadn't built it but had renovated an existing one for use.
There were such dwellings scattered across the Lotus Continent.
Now that we knew the location, first priority was reassuring him.
This guy was making me feel all warm and fuzzy for no reason.
I wanted to rescue him right away, but no way to.
Blinking there with Mi-kyung was an option, but...
Then Captain Beetle added treasure to the ruin drawing.
"Saying there's treasure inside?"
Nod nod.
Since it was a former dwarf dwelling, full of their furnishings, magic stones, items, etc.
Owners gone now, so take it all, he gestured.
Whatever the circumstances, apparently so.
"Sung-ho's eyes gleamed with greed..."
"We intuited it. He was callously sending Geom-in into dangerous ruins."
Don't narrate weirdly like that.
I ignored Seok-hyun and Da-jeong and typed a comment.
Acting casual like that meant his situation wasn't dire.
Everyone relaxed, and I packed the Dimensional Backpack with supplies.
Tent, blankets, sleeping bag, food, survival essentials.
This backpack's capacity was like an SUV trunk—huge.
Small opening, but most stuff fit.
Added a few guns and ammo; it was full.
Food and water for at least two weeks—no issues.
"Gotta pack beetle food too."
Listed it on auction; sold instantly.
Geom-in now had to explore dangerous ruins with the beetle.
Not alone, but beetles offered no combat help, so solo basically.
A bit worrying... but he'd manage.
He was a veteran too.
We decided to head to Tokyo via Great Labyrinth Floor 1.
Party: me, Seok-hyun, and Yuzuka.
Da-jeong would join if she spotted a griffon locally.
According to Yuzuka, Tokyo's northwest Ikebukuro Station was swarming with tens of thousands of zombies and ghouls.
Probably because survivors couldn't hunt aggressively and just hid.
"Won't a zombie raid trigger when we go? Yuzuka, I'm worried."
"It's fine. We have this."
I held out the totem; she touched it curiously.
"This is...?"
"Zombie Totem. Prevents zombie raids nearby."
"Amazing item."
Her eyes sparkled—she wanted it.
But realizing her position, she bowed her head.
She'd come to Korea with nothing but herself.
I didn't mention it attracted scarier monsters instead of zombies or ghouls.
No point scaring her when they wouldn't show.
Anyway, we found the Tokyo entrance on Great Labyrinth Floor 1.
A few fights broke out, but Seok-hyun handled them.
His tankiness and strength scattered Floor 1 monsters like leaves in the wind.
Yuzuka watched and said to me,
"First time seeing him fight, but... he might not be human."
"He looks it, but he's human. For now."
"I see..."
Honestly, even I couldn't guarantee.
Thanks to Seok-hyun, we cleared Floor 1 easily.
Occasional survivors fled at the sight of our bunny headbands.
They carried glowstones now, and glow moss was spreading on Floor 1—not as dark as before.
Problem was outside, not in.
Most of Japan still had active Battle Royale zones.
Korea got breathing room in Seoul because I cleared some, but Japan? No way.
Yuzuka didn't know details either.
"Info from Great Labyrinth is too fragmented. I know murderers roam a lot... Sorry, Yuzuka."
"No, it's fine."
Normal not to know; no need to apologize.
Seok-hyun adjusted his gloves as he smashed ahead.
"So exiting applies Battlefield Shackles?"
"Probably... Ikebukuro's Japan's second-busiest street. Lots of people, no Battle Royale prep."
Biggest issue: our items, traits, skills sealed.
But with Dimension Gate and guns, no big deal.
I told them,
"Abilities seal outside. But we'll return here, no need to exit fully. Just snag a couple griffons."
"Griffons essential then."
"Not Japan-specific. Russian entrances found too."
Even now, Seoul survivors explored Great Labyrinth Floor 1.
We'd gone to Floor 7, but Floor 1 was tough for most.
Too many foreigners caused clashes—total mess.
But Jang Won-taek and Lee Beom-seok would handle it.
We headed for the Tokyo entrance.
A few ragged folks spotted us, flinched, and vanished.
Yuzuka whispered,
"Japanese."
"Means entrance nearby. They know Great Labyrinth is safe too."
But check before exiting.
"Seok-hyun, grab one. No hitting."
"Got it."
A pale figure in the dark; Seok-hyun dashed out.
Soon, a young man was dragged back screaming.
"S-Spare me! Freak! My bad!"
"You sound just like a Japanese stereotype."
"I am Japanese...?"
"Sorry. I'm no freak."
"Th-Then...?"
"Bunny Duo, full of love."
Yuzuka eyed me: Really?
I ignored and said to him,
"Sorry for the grab. Eat this first..."
Pulled canned spam and water from backpack; his eyes bulged.
"Just tell us about Ike... "
"Details on Ikebukuro Station, please."
"..."
He glanced between me and Yuzuka, then tore into the can ravenously.
Spam vanished; he gulped water, then burped.
"Ahh... alive... Ikebukuro? Hell. No one survives."
"Specifically?"
He swallowed dryly.
"Thousands of monsters at the entrance. People and freaks squeezing through. Heartbeats... pounding."
In Japan, murderers were "freaks."
Makes sense with the hulking effect and heartbeats.
Odd: murderers banded together.
"Freak Alliance... they roam. Ikebukuro's their turf."
Not anymore.
We released him and found the entrance.
Want to exit, but attacks possible—hesitant.
Better borrow a paper airplane.
Asked Yeoul; she sent one.
"What's that cute plane?"
"Our eyes and ears."
Launched it; Yeoul reported via comments: worse than heard.
Time for that method.
Ikebukuro Station's Parco Department Store front was one of Tokyo's busiest spots.
Now, swarming with zombies, ghouls, monsters.
Battle Royale started, but no one knew why or how to end it.
Few survivors hid, scraping by daily.
Couldn't hunt properly—too many monsters.
Ikebukuro survivors lived on store bread and rainwater.
Then, a beam of light from the sky.
A massive blue gate appeared on the road before Parco.
Some risked entering, brought shocking news.
No Battlefield Shackles inside.
Many rushed in, but hit new problems.
Too dark to move.
Plus enhanced monsters and traps—died helplessly.
Inside or out, equally deadly.
Still, people entered.
High EXP and items from monsters helped, but main draw: foreigners.
Koreans especially.
Some survivors posted on auction:
Anonymity bred hate speech.
Some wary of Korean strength:
While they dismissed it, Sung-ho's group used fireworks to draw monster attention and slipped into a nearby building.
Not perfectly hidden.
A few Freak Alliance watching the gate moved quietly.
And the hunters pursuing them followed.
End of Tokyo Apocalypse - 1