Chapter 62
Chapter 62
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 62
Chapter Title: Solo Auto Clear (1)
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There are officially six locations in the United States where S-Rank Towers have appeared.
And there are two more that the U.S. can't openly admit to its citizens—even I can't mention them officially, since I learned about it through Drai's hacking.
Doing so would be like declaring, "I can access all your data whenever I want."
Honestly, anyone in the know in the U.S. probably already knows, but there's a world of difference between tacitly ignoring it and actually bringing it up.
-Korea, that's missile spaceship launch tech, right?
-Yes.
-Alright, let's get along.
Something like that.
Even if you put something other than a spaceship on a launchpad that could become an intercontinental ballistic missile, officially denying it is all for reasons like that.
In that sense, I have to stick to conquering only the publicly disclosed Towers.
Whether I clear those six first or slip in the two hidden S-Rank Towers midway, officially, I'll handle the six in order of proximity, one after another, swiftly.
The first one.
The Golden Gate Bridge.
It was one of America's landmarks, spanning the Golden Gate Strait in San Francisco.
Until an S-Rank Tower appeared right in the middle of it.
More precisely, until one popped up smack in the sea just before the bridge, towering into the sky.
Some people even suggested turning that S-Rank Tower into a tourist attraction.
But in the U.S., S-Rank Towers were seen as ticking time bombs like nuclear power plants—Chernobyls waiting to happen—so the Golden Gate had been under strict control ever since.
You couldn't even get close enough to snap a photo properly.
With the bridge gone, people faced massive inconveniences; traffic was completely severed, forcing massive detours.
America's so vast, you might think, "Just go around." But when you're used to that convenience and it's suddenly ripped away, it messes with your head in complicated ways.
So.
I set course straight for the Golden Gate aboard the Illinois.
Deliberately, slowly.
"President Luigi. Ten minutes until arrival. Getting good photos?"
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ "Of course. The roads are gridlocked with citizens snapping photos and videos." President Luigi sent over a photo.
It showed crowds lining the beachfront, snapping pictures, with police standing by, hands on hips, just watching.
Beyond them loomed the Illinois.
Several warships trailed behind like support, but those were just escorts for any contingencies.
They wouldn't enter the dungeon.
Unlike our Illinois, those warships carried no Hunters—just Navy personnel.
Whoosh.
The warships raced toward the Golden Gate.
Since I hadn't ramped up the Illinois's speed, they aligned in formation toward the S-Rank Tower.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ "You sure about this? It's not exactly solo, but still an S-Rank Tower." "I've solo-cleared multiple times back in Korea. Why would it be different here? Besides, other Hunters getting involved would just complicate things."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ "Hmm..." "I appreciate the offer to help, but my party will handle the S-Rank Tower raid solo. Trust me on this."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ "Got it. Then as president, I'll keep other Hunters from interfering or jumping in." The warships already sent a clear signal to U.S. Hunters, but President Luigi seemed worried about certain individuals.
"Just promise me one thing. If any uninvited guests enter during the S-Rank Tower raid, the Illinois's guns might have to fire unavoidably."
Outwardly, friendly fire.
"They could end up like Iron Blood...completely drained of mana, unable to recover as a Hunter."
The Illinois's mana cannons strip away all of an opponent's mana.
Just like Iron Blood had zapped Blue Lightning's groin, turning him into a eunuch—now Iron Blood had become a mana eunuch from the Illinois's barrage.
Complete with lower-body paralysis.
Whether the impact from hitting the sea was worse than expected, or the mana loss overloaded his body, he hadn't gotten up.
Maybe he had no will to.
And he wouldn't be the only Hunter like that.
"That okay with you?"
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ "Of course. Hunters trying to crash your raid without government approval? That's villain territory—people sneaking in with malicious intent toward you." President Luigi gave his word.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ "Only one Hunter as herald—the pre-approved guy. No one else enters. If another Hunter slips in claiming to be from the government...blast them. I'll take responsibility." He promised not to dodge responsibility even if something went wrong.
"Something like that might happen someday. But not today."
Whoosh.
The Illinois sliced through the warships arrayed before the Golden Gate.
"Even if Hunters mobilize now, it'll take time to reach the bridge, and..."
Returning the salutes from the Marines on deck, the Illinois advanced boldly toward the S-Rank Tower rising from before the Golden Gate, piercing the sky.
"Even if someone with ill intent arrives, I'll clear the S-Rank Tower before then."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ "...I'll trust you, our friend." "Count on it."
Whoosh.
"Repaying X090's favor means this is just the basics."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ [5 Minutes Ago, Korea. Some Officetel in Seoul.] "Man, that should've been a turtle ship."
A-Rank Hunter Park Chang-hwan, lounging on the sofa and staring at the 85-inch TV in the living room, marveled at the live feed from U.S. drones filming the Golden Gate scene.
"A turtle ship would've spewed fire from its mouth, spiked iron protrusions to keep sea beasts off, and Admiral Yi Sun-sin blasting qigong cannons from inside."
"What kinda nonsense is that?"
Another A-Rank Hunter, Kim Yun-chul, handed Park Chang-hwan a can of beer and plopped onto the sofa.
"Why's Admiral Yi Sun-sin coming up outta nowhere?"
"If you're summoning turtle ships, why not Yi Sun-sin?"
"Where's Yi Sun-sin gonna... Oh, right. That mobile game with the heroes."
"...Dude."
Park Chang-hwan tapped his smartphone and turned his head.
"You think he's really summoning mobile game characters?"
"Who knows. Rumors say so. The maid's actually Elaine from that gacha game herself, and the Illinois is pulled from World of Warships."
"Just two, though."
"Three. That gun-doll cosplayer from the Chinese game—that one's guarding the house and fended off attackers."
"So what, they raided the game company?"
"Almost did, but Blue Lightning showed up and wrecked it."
"Squirrel boy?"
"Yeah."
The TV split in two.
Beside the drone feed from San Francisco, a downloaded video played—something uploaded to YouTube and then deleted.
"Wh-what the hell?! What are you doing here?!" "You're the crazy ones. Raiding Master's favorite game company? What if the U.S. rolls up with a battleship—who's gonna take responsibility?" "Th-that won't hap—Argh!! B-Blue Lightning's electrocuting people...Gah!!" "Squirrel boy's starting to scare me outta nowhere."
"He awakened. Lost his balls to that creep, now he sees red. ...Someone S-Rank should've stepped up like that."
The two A-Rank Hunters shook their heads watching Blue Lightning zap government officials with electricity, electrocuting them all.
"Master should've been the one doing that."
"You too? I wish Master had stayed in Korea, teamed up with Blue Lightning...man."
"He turned Iron Blood into a has-been. Cheers."
Master's trip to America.
Some called him a traitor, but from a global view, no one could argue.
Clearing Korea's S-Rank Towers and then moving on to others—who'd badmouth that?
Countries were probably confused whether to petition the U.S. State Department or Korea's to clear their own S-Rank Towers.
["At this very moment, the Illinois is approaching the S-Rank Tower at the Golden Gate!"] The live broadcast anchor's excited voice boomed.
["Will Master appear on the Illinois's bridge? Or have the 'maid' dash from the bridge into the S-Rank Tower?!"] "Yo, S-Rank Tower. It's floating in midair—can you even enter that?"
"Dunno. If the ship's highest point touches it...huh?"
The two A-Rank Hunters tilted their heads watching the Illinois's speed.
"Why's it speeding up?"
"...It's accelerating?"
Rumble rumble rumble.
The Illinois began picking up speed.
Weaving between the flanking Navy warships, surging forward faster and faster.
"W-wait. No way it's gonna crash straight into the S-Rank Tower like that, right?"
"No chance! Keep going like that and it'll slam right into the Golden Gate—"
Rumble rumble rumble.
The Illinois's stern.
Guns facing rearward angled downward, as the bow slowly lifted skyward.
Like the stern growing heavy, raising the prow.
"...No way."
"Boosters?"
The Illinois tilted up at about 15 degrees toward the S-Rank Tower.
Boom!!
With a massive explosion, it launched straight at the S-Rank Tower.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Mana burst battleship jump.
Obviously mana-intensive.
For pure efficiency, unsummon on the sea, have Elaine carry me in, enter the dungeon, then resummon the Illinois.
....
'Then why bring the Illinois in the first place?'
To give humanity hope.
The world would replay the Illinois leaping into the Tower endlessly.
The battleship bursting out after the S-Rank Tower vanished.
"Drai. Deploy filming drones."
"Laser~"
Dungeon interior.
Unlike Dokdo's S-Rank Tower, beyond the Golden Gate lay an azure sea.
A flipped America—land turned to ocean.
And in the skies above, monstrous birds over 10 meters long rampaged.
"Illinois."
Click.
⚡ SKILL ACTIVATED ⚡ Auto-Combat: ON "All batteries open. Give it everything you've got—"
Before I finished.
From openings on the Illinois's flanks, cylindrical objects—massive numbers of them—launched toward the monstrous birds.
"...Missiles?"
Kaboom!!