Chapter 15
Chapter 15
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: 15. Yoo DPS Combo
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After finding the note, Jang Chaeyeon became incredibly cooperative with us.
"Shall we go in?"
"Ah, yeah."
With a rumble, the sound of a stone fragment echoed.
Yoo Daon went first, then waited until I followed before crossing over herself.
Thanks to her, pathfinding was no longer an issue—it was practically effortless.
"I'll take the lead."
Yoo Daon led the way outside.
"Then I'll cover the rear."
"Then... I'll check for dangers in the middle."
Jang Chaeyeon took the back, leaving me naturally in the center.
A bizarre formation unfolded: the man in the middle, women front and back—an inexplicable lineup.
Yoo Daon strode ahead confidently, Jang Chaeyeon scanned the surroundings tensely from behind, and I looked around from the center.
It was quiet, but the exploration wasn't entirely safe.
Rubble underfoot sometimes collapsed, and debris from buildings fell from above.
If it had just been me and Yoo Daon, one of three things would've happened: my head smashed, Yoo Daon's head smashed, or Yoo Daon shoving me aside and her head getting smashed.
-Thud!
A brick dramatically missed Yoo Daon's head and fell.
"...Ah, thanks."
"Just doing what needed to be done."
Whenever Jang Chaeyeon silently flicked her hand or glanced aside, stones veered away from the three of us like ghosts.
A strange sense of awe washed over me.
This was the real deal!
If it had been just me and Yoo Daon, I'd have been way more on edge, and any incident would've led to bloodshed, but adding just Jang Chaeyeon solved it all like this.
Lost in such pointless thoughts as we walked, I stopped at Yoo Daon's "Uh" sound.
"...Do you see something over there?"
Standing beside Yoo Daon, who narrowed her eyes and pointed to the far end, I narrowed mine too.
Something was visible.
"A person...?"
A person stood there.
Squinting at them.
[Name: Cube (Human)]
[Age: -]
[Trait: One-Time Use]
[Talent: None]
[Background: Once human, these lost their sense of self over a long time and chose to submit to the Cube.]
[Weakness: No different from human weaknesses.]
Raggedly clothed figures wandered silently, emitting quiet noises.
Even the pitch-black rain made it feel straight out of a horror movie.
Occasionally, their mumbled words reached my ears.
"Hello nice to meet you let's do our best today"
"I don't want to go to work I want to go home"
"Hot dog one please delicious"
"They look like people!"
"...How are there people here?"
Yoo Daon and Jang Chaeyeon hadn't realized their true nature yet. No, why couldn't they hear them?
I quickly raised a hand to silence them both.
"...They're not human."
"Yes...?"
"You sure?"
"No, can you seriously not hear them talking?"
The two wore puzzled expressions.
"...I saw it."
"Got it."
At my words that I'd seen it, Yoo Daon immediately assumed a ready stance, while Jang Chaeyeon still seemed not to understand.
"...Anyway, trust me."
No time to explain everything now.
Jang Chaeyeon stared at me for a moment, then nodded as if she got it and turned her gaze forward.
"Do we have to go through here?"
"...Yeah."
"What if we go around?"
"Too time-consuming. No need to waste it."
Jang Chaeyeon nodded at my question. She was far more reliable than when she'd been screaming like an idiot earlier.
"Let's break through."
"How?"
"Force our way. Security Team style— we'll hold them off up front for time, and Chaeyeon takes them all out from behind."
"...Chaeyeon... ...Got it."
Jang Chaeyeon fell silent before nodding.
Do girls these days not like 'ssi' after names? Yoo Daon and Jang Chaeyeon both freaked out over it.
"Chaeyeon can't chain her abilities—about 3 seconds cooldown—so Daon and I hold out during that, and she'll handle cleanup."
"...! When did you...!"
"I told you my eyes are sharp."
Jang Chaeyeon raised her voice, then lowered it, mumbling before clamping her mouth shut and staring straight ahead.
"And Daon, if you're about to die, say so. I'll tank front while you regen."
"Sh... "
"Daon?"
"...Ah, yeah. Then I'll leave the gun to you, Jaeheon."
"You good?"
"I can handle close combat too, you know?"
Yoo Daon cheerfully raised a fist. She didn't seem reliable at first glance, but knowing her Immortality made her the most trustworthy.
Before going, I checked the pistol I'd been carrying.
Ammo left. Three mags.
As long as we didn't burn through it all, it'd be fine.
"Alright. ...Here we go. Daon, lead on."
At my signal, Yoo Daon charged forward, drawing their gazes.
"Tasty fish and chips on sale!"
"No company dinner today!"
Weird shrieks as human... things lunged at us.
Yoo Daon smoothly punched the approaching ones.
-Pwack!
Its jaw spun as it collapsed.
Those charging from behind flew far off at Jang Chaeyeon's gesture.
-Bang!
I ran behind Yoo Daon, firing diligently.
"...You shoot well?"
Panting, Jang Chaeyeon stuck to my back.
"Yeah."
Even I didn't get it right now.
It felt like my eyes auto-corrected aim. Like aim assist in a game.
Definitely wasn't like this last time I shot.
-Kwachik.
One bit Yoo Daon's neck, blood spurting, but she ignored it and smashed the jaw of another lunging from the side.
My bullet sucked right into the head of the one biting her neck, its teeth shattering. And just like that, Yoo Daon's mangled neck returned to normal.
Distant foes tumbled or flew at Jang Chaeyeon's gestures.
My shots hit heads dead-on every time, enemies flew from her gestures, and Yoo Daon tanked up close.
Emotion swelled.
One tank, one DPS. One debuffer cum sub-DPS cum scout.
We weren't a no-DPS comp anymore.
A perfect Yoo DPS combo.
The感動 was short-lived; I spotted their end in sight.
I inhaled deeply and yelled.
"Breakthrough ready!"
Yoo Daon gritted her teeth and bolted, us following behind. Hands tangled her legs, clinging to her shoulders and waist.
"Uh-"
"Hold up."
Yoo Daon's balance faltered, the path she'd cleared narrowing.
In that instant, Jang Chaeyeon passed me, eyes wide, hand on Yoo Daon's back.
-Boom!
-Crunch!
Yoo Daon's waist bent like a bow and launched forward.
A human cannonball.
...No, that wasn't a bend—that was a snapped spine?
The human cannonball plowed straight through, pulverizing monsters, finally rolling to a stop after breakthrough.
Success.
Except,
"...No way..."
"She won't die."
Yoo Daon's waist was folded in half, Jang Chaeyeon blankly eyeing me.
"...Augh..."
Yoo Daon groaned. Soon, her waist began restoring.
"...She's dead."
"But we broke through."
"You know this feels super gross, right?"
"Best way."
Naturally, revived Yoo Daon snapped back at Jang Chaeyeon, who brushed it off calmly.
"You hate me?"
"Nope. No reason to like you either."
"Jaeheon! She's bullying me!"
"Please stop fighting already."
Didn't we just claw out of limb hell or something?
My head hurt. So much.
Jang Chaeyeon and Yoo Daon bickered right after survival, ending only when Jang Chaeyeon said, "Got it. Sorry."
We'd escaped successfully, and no major threats appeared as we resumed walking. Stragglers we ignored, I shot, or Jang Chaeyeon telekinetically burst their heads.
"...How's your sight?"
Once cleared, Yoo Daon sidled up worriedly.
Oh yeah, forgot.
I blinked, scanning around.
"...Huh?"
"What?"
"It's gone now."
All the info overlays I'd seen everywhere vanished.
"Good thing, right?"
"Maybe not."
"...Incoming."
Whispering to Yoo Daon as we walked, Jang Chaeyeon's words halted us as we looked ahead.
A massive black square loomed.
"This is—"
"The Cube."
Staring quietly at Jang Chaeyeon's words.
[Name: ? ? ?]
[Age: ? ? ?]
[Trait: ? ? ?]
[Talent: ? ? ?]
[Background: What was piecing together in someone's mind has gone awry.]
[Weakness: ? ? - - Enter.]
What the hell now.
No matter how much I squinted, nothing else showed.
"See anything?"
"...This isn't the Cube."
"...Then what is it."
"..."
Piecing together.
I recalled shooting Jang Chaeyeon's forehead.
"Looks... broken to me."
"...?"
Both wore faces full of question marks.
"You'll see. Just look."
Having seen one through my eyes before, I wasn't shocked anymore.
It was damaged by my bullet anyway. So, winnable.
Seemed like a way.
"Let's go."
"No prep?"
"Aren't you out of breath? Can't gear up either."
"True, but..."
"Move."
No Management Bureau support anyway.
As I stepped forward, Jang Chaeyeon followed, and Yoo Daon finally chimed in with "Wait, coming too!" trailing us.
And so, the three of us stepped into the Cube.