Chapter 65
Chapter 65
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 65
Chapter Title: Solo Auto Clear (4)
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S-Rank Tower, Golden Gate.
The boss here was unknown.
No one had ever reached the boss room, so while information about the tower's entrance was available, no one knew anything about its boss.
Even mobilizing the full extent of America's intelligence network yielded no information on this pocket dimension called a tower.
So, how should one tackle it upon entering the boss room?
There was no choice but to find out by throwing themselves into the fray.
🦅 MONSTER CRY 🦅 [Kyihihihihak!!] The monstrous bird's laughter echoed across the vast ocean.
Unable to speak human language but mimicking human expressions from its eyes to its beak, the black monstrosity over 40 meters long flapped its six wings, mocking the figure leaping across the sea's surface.
How long could it keep burning mana to run across the water like that?
With that mocking expression, the monster bird sneered at the one still dashing over the waves—Elaine.
"Tch."
Boom!
Elaine kicked off the sea and leaped into the air.
Coating the water beneath her feet with mana as if it were a sandy beach, she vaulted high, swinging her already-drawn sword toward the direction the monster bird was flying.
Slash!
Sword energy sliced through the air like a flash of light, hurtling toward the monster bird.
The sharp blade aura forced the monster to hurriedly fold its wings and twist its body.
Slash.
Several black feathers drifted downward.
It was like a close shave where a few strands of hair were nicked by the blade, but the monster unfurled its wings again and opened its beak.
🦅 MONSTER CRY 🦅 [Kakakakakakak!!] Elaine hung in midair.
Gliding slowly with wings spread, she couldn't soar after the monster bird shooting skyward.
They were wings in name only—more like gliders to slow descent from heights.
If they allowed her to generate lift and fly freely like a true bird, Elaine would have pursued immediately.
But she lacked such power.
She had ascended to superhuman heights as a human, but not beyond the limits of humanity itself.
Splash!
Elaine plunged into the sea.
Judging it better than mana-buffered landing, she dove in like a swimmer.
🦅 MONSTER CRY 🦅 [Kyiiiiik!!] The monster bird spread its six wings.
Purple spheres formed on each wing, mana orbs primed to explode, hurtling toward where Elaine had fallen.
Boom, boom, kaboom!!
The orbs detonated one after another the moment they hit the sea.
Chain explosions sent water pillars skyward, and the monster bird craned its neck, tracking Elaine caught in the blasts below.
Tracking the human silhouette.
🦅 MONSTER CRY 🦅 [Kyiiiik?!] A black shadow streaking along underwater.
Swimming swiftly beneath the surface toward the monster bird.
The monster targeted that shadow—
🦅 MONSTER CRY 🦅 [Kik?] The moment it questioned itself, 'A shadow?', the monster jerked its head higher.
Whoosh.
Drenched head to toe, Elaine plummeted from far above it.
It seemed like teleportation at first, but the dripping water and blast aftermath made the monster realize how she'd gotten overhead.
She'd ridden the water pillar.
Leapt atop the explosion, using the blast to propel herself higher.
Shwick!
Its six wings snapped in front of its face in an instant.
As mana gleamed on the feathers, they hardened like steel, blocking Elaine's sword.
Kagagagagak!!
Feathers ground away by the blade rained down.
As if all six wings had been shorn like a botched haircut.
"Tch...!"
But perhaps the feathers were tougher than expected.
The last feather on the lowest wing was only half-severed, forcing Elaine to plummet under gravity.
Flap!
The monster bird shot upward hastily.
The wingtips were clipped, but the bones intact, so it flapped the remnants frantically, gaining altitude to widen the gap.
🦅 MONSTER CRY 🦅 [Kiiiiiiik!!] Like a human with its bangs lopped off exposing the forehead, the monster screeched.
Even in that screech laced with irritation and rage, its eyes gazing at the falling Elaine held mockery.
The winged one's scorn for a human who couldn't touch the sky.
Elaine simply sneered back at the monster's mockery.
"Did you think you'd won?"
The monster faltered for a moment.
Despite her wings, this human could only delay falls, not climb back to the heavens—yet here she was, plummeting while mocking it.
"Sorry, but I've got a 'Master' on my side."
Elaine hurtled downward as if teleporting somewhere.
Toward the transfer circle at the boss room's entrance.
The monster watched her, thinking 'retreat', inwardly relieved and sneering—
Rumble rumble.
Suddenly, the transfer circle flashed, followed by a loud whir.
Rumble rumble.
Black machines with four spinning propellers.
Drones larger than a child's body—one, three, then dozens.
Those dozens dangled long cables below, and Elaine folded her wings, diving toward one as she fell.
Grab.
"Hmph."
Elaine clung to the cable linked to dozens of drones, falling into a man's arms who swung over, twisting one corner of her mouth at the monster.
As if to say, now you're dead.
* * *
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ 'What the hell.'
Did watching the fight make the monster bird more infuriating than expected?
He hadn't watched closely during the transfer, but the intensity was clear just from Elaine's state.
"Elaine, you okay?"
"Yes, Master. Perfect timing."
The drone whir might have drowned her out, but with her body pressed tight against his, mouth to his skin, her words rang clear.
Her soaked form clinging to him was a bit disorienting, but he wrapped one arm around her waist and pointed upward.
"It's dangerous—deal with it quick."
The cable descending from the drone was wrapped around him like parachute straps.
Meaning if the drones were destroyed, he'd plummet too.
And—
🦅 MONSTER CRY 🦅 [Kiiiiiiiiik!!] True to form as the one who'd pissed Elaine off, this presumed boss of the Golden Gate S-Rank Tower spread its ragged six wings, conjuring mana orbs.
A long-range artillery piece.
If beams shot like lasers, the balloon-like drones hovering in the sky would all be shredded.
So first, secure a landing spot.
Correction.
🔮 SUMMON 🔮 "Summon." Kabooooom!!
A massive waterspout erupted from below.
Riding it proudly, bow raised high like its first appearance off Jeju Island, the Illinois revealed itself.
🦅 MONSTER CRY 🦅 [Kiiiiiiiiik?!] The monster bird panicked.
The world had watched its debut billions of times, but the shock of first sight surely hit the monster just as hard, if not harder.
As the ship burst from the sea like a breaching whale to land.
Rumble rumble.
The dungeon seawater drained off the deck in moments, and guided by pre-programmed drones, he disembarked.
"Thank you, Commander. But these drones..."
[Oh? Not dropping? How long do you plan to cling?] "...Dry? On the drones?"
[Bingo. Technically an AI that supports the Commander even during reverse summon! Or... fairy of the electrons?] "Summoning you right now."
Following Illinois, he summoned Kiharu and Dry.
"Mmm, this form suits me better."
Kiharu perched on his shoulder in her ordinary cat shape, while Dry, in android chassis, gripped a drone cable and soared skyward.
"Rest and recover mana. We can handle this."
Whir whir.
Dry rocketed upward gripping the cable one-handed.
The latest U.S. Air Force drones, under Dry's command, swiftly climbed toward the monster bird.
Rat-tat-tat!
Dry aimed a pistol one-handed and fired.
Real bullets wouldn't scratch an S-Rank boss, but Dry's pistol was no ordinary gun.
"As a 'summon,' you fight with mana too?"
🦅 MONSTER CRY 🦅 [Kyiiiiik!!] The monster locked its mana orbs' beams precisely on Dry.
Targeting the nearest foe first—hardly bold for a boss.
"Elaine."
He opened the game screen to check the boss's status.
⚔ BOSS STATUS ⚔ 👹 Name: Laisbelguir ❤️ HP: Full "Too bad it's at full health. Finishing blow's a long way off."
The game screen showed the boss's name as [Laisbelguir].
He'd check details later, but name aside, its boss demeanor was infuriating.
Fwoooosh!!
Laisbelguir's volley.
Not a wide sweep, but precise strikes—like laser cylinders aimed solely at Dry.
"Hmph."
All barrages targeted Dry, who simply tugged the drone cable and waited.
Vrooooom!
Drones accelerated sharply, evading the blasts.
Drones in the beams' path scattered instantly; even shots at the cables sliced empty air.
"Slow."
🦅 MONSTER CRY 🦅 [Kiiiiiiiiiiiik!!] The monster pursued Dry, whose drones toyed with it like a matador dodging a bull.
But even top-tier U.S. drones had battery limits against an S-Rank boss outlasting fighters.
"Elaine. Want to team up with the little one for a combo attack?"
"As you command. What is it?"
"She'll clear a path to the monster bird."
He pointed beside the Illinois; Elaine grinned, shaking water from her hair.
"If I can get close enough to slash, I'll cut anything. Anything blocking Master's path."
"Count on you. Then..."
He began operating the Illinois.
Not auto-battle this time—manually targeting specific weapons on Laisbelguir.
Click.
Thumb pressing the fire button like a game, Elaine dashed to the ship's side, vaulted the railing, and leaped.
Kaboom!
Smoke and fire belched forth.
Elaine followed the guided missile toward Laisbelguir, sword at her side.
🦅 MONSTER CRY 🦅 [Kyiiiik!!] Laisbelguir folded wings and dove to evade the missile.
Flared wings mid-dodge, locking eyes on him with a grin.
It's you, its gaze said.
Eyes grasping the true target.
"Slow on the uptake too."
He pointed right at Laisbelguir.
"And birdbrain."
Laisbelguir's eye followed his gesture.
Bang!
Dry's gunshot.
It struck one eye dead-on—
Crack!
Like shattering car glass from within, the eye exploded.
But the boss still flew, glaring with its remaining eye.
Then the missile curved in that eye's path.
Elaine rode the plummeting guided missile, sword aimed at the boss's neck.
"Monster bird, even the bosses back in Korea."
Slash.
A blue flash gleamed.
"Were stronger than you."
Rumble rumble.
The entire sea quaked as the monster bird's head separated from its body, tumbling down as the world began to crumble.