Chapter 61
In the original story, when the very first "Artificial Gate Rampage Incident" broke out, the characters struggled hard. There was the alien environment of a gate that shouldn't have appeared in the first place. The absence of weapons that should have been their reliable backbone. And party members who were still growing and couldn't pull their full weight yet. For players in the real world, it was the first major hurdle—an event that demanded steel nerves to dive into.
But now?
"Raaaaagh!!"
A single punch loaded with heaps of Qi via Gather Qi sent the golem's forearm flying clean off in a satisfying crunch.
Weapons? Sure, they're nice to have. But a true warrior doesn't make excuses about lacking them to cover for their own weakness!
My current strength as Joo Hyowon definitely outclassed the original Joo Hyowon's by a wide margin. I'd been buffed by Female Training Unique Ability right from the early game, and somehow, that buff felt way more potent than in the game itself. Plus, in the original, recruiting someone like me at this point was next to impossible—and here I was, even more enhanced than canon.
Game over, basically.
"Raaagh! Raaagh! Raaagh! Raaagh!!"
To anyone watching, it might look like crude, sloppy punches. When wielding a sword, my body instinctively understood its techniques in a way my head never could—but with fists? I was basically a total noob. No fancy, precise boxing moves from some pro fighter here.
But it was more than enough.
[Groooaaarrrrrgh!!!]
Every time my fist connected, the golem's body crumpled like tinfoil being wadded up. What a worthless hunk of junk—not even worth its size! Hell, I almost felt worse for the damaged merchandise it had wrecked. How much would that cost to replace? Could I even claim compensation since it was all this guy's fault?
...Nah, they wouldn't make me pay for smashing it, right? Fingers crossed.
[Grraaaahhhh!!]
Still, the bastard wasn't just taking it lying down. It whipped up another one of those mysterious vortexes, sucking in nearby objects to patch its mangled body and ready itself for more fighting.
Of course, it didn't change a damn thing. Dragging this out would only hurt it in the end. No way it could find a path through me, and soon enough, Heroes would swarm in after sensing the gate and its presence.
It knew that full well, so it switched tactics.
[Fernando's bitch! Dieee!!]
Ignoring me as I tried to block it, the golem charged straight at Esmeralda with everything it had.
Its goal was just one person from the start. The rest of us were only obstacles to clear—and if it couldn't, it'd just bypass us and go for the shortest path.
"Like hell!"
Obviously, I couldn't let that slide. I lunged to grab its body and stop it dead, but like a lizard ditching its tail, it left the chunk in my hand and kept running. That severed part instantly reformed using nearby junk.
If I'd had my katana, I could've sliced it in half easy!
[Groooaaarrrgh!!]
"...Tch, really."
Esmeralda glared coldly at the golem hurtling toward her, fists cocked only for her.
From her eyes, I could tell she wasn't mad that the enemy was targeting her specifically. No—her pride was wounded. Pissed that this freak thought it could just ignore me, Joo Hyowon, rush in, and take her out like it was nothing.
Before I knew it, a steel rod was gripped in her hand. Crude compared to her usual rapier, totally unfit as a proper weapon—but plenty good enough for thrusting!
"Don't you dare underestimate the eldest daughter of the Dorardo family!!"
Dozens of strikes flew in a blur. Each hit punched holes through the golem like it was basalt rock.
Raw strength alone couldn't produce that kind of harmony. I realized she'd already awakened her Unique Ability.
That assault definitely carried the principle of Esmeralda's Unique Ability: Penetration.
Esmeralda's awakening pretty quick, huh?
As the daughter of one of the Five Heroes, she had massive potential even at the start of the original story. Depending on the route, it wouldn't be weird for her Unique Ability to manifest right around now.
But in canon, that would've required multiple care-focused events centered on her.
To pull it off solo without any of that? Impressive as hell.
And if Yujin's training got added on top of that Esmeralda? She'd skyrocket.
"Ohohohohoho!! Getting stronger isn't just for you, Hyowon or Yujin! How could the eldest daughter of the Dorardo family fall behind?! I may not have shone in last training, but this time will be different!"
Esmeralda declared, aiming her steel rod at the villain.
"I held back this attack, but there won't be a next. No matter how much it regenerates, piercing the core renders that armor meaningless. Surrender, and I'll spare your life."
She had no legal right to execute criminals on the spot. Daughters of the Dorardo family weren't cops, judges, or even official Heroes.
But if the criminal wielded Qi for supernatural violence? Different story.
This world had no slack for that. Even a powerless civilian could kill one in clear self-defense and walk free if Qi use was proven.
And if a Five Heroes' daughter did it herself? They might not even investigate.
Her threat to kill if it didn't yield was no bluff.
[Fernando's spawn. Must kill. Must kill. Must kill.]
"...You seem to hold quite the grudge against my father. But he wouldn't harm an innocent human without cause. Wasn't it you who did wrong? If you'd been honorable, you wouldn't resort to violence."
No real need to talk to the enemy, but Esmeralda addressed it anyway. Probably couldn't stomach the baseless hatred toward her dad's honor.
And that was a mistake.
[Raaaaaaaagh!!!]
A massive surge of Qi flooded into the golem's body in an instant. Gather Qi at a level that even surprised me.
Did that make it stronger? Nope.
The human body has limits to how much Qi it can hold. That's why we train relentlessly to expand them.
Stuff more in forcibly, ignoring those limits? It backfires, wrecking you from inside.
Obviously, the enemy had no plans to just hold it. It was gathering till the brink of bursting, then unleashing it all at once—using attached debris as shrapnel ammo.
A human-shaped Claymore, basically!
"Get back!!"
My shout came too late. Esmeralda had power in spades, but her snap judgment was still cadet-level. No instinct for this curveball.
"Huh?"
She froze till the golem exploded into shards.
But she didn't lose that precious firepower. An iron wall sprang up in front of her, slashing the debris's momentum—and then Yujin piled on as a meat shield, covering her.
"Quit your bullshit, you mangy fuck!!"
"Gahk!?"
I smashed a spinning heel kick into the worthless prick's head to knock it out, then checked beyond the wall.
A few metal shards were embedded in Yujin's back where he'd shielded Esmeralda. Holy shit.
How bad did that hurt?
"Hey! You okay!?"
"Nngh. Y-yeah. Fine. Used Gather Qi to defend, so they didn't go deep."
With a wry smile, Yujin pushed himself up.
In the crisis, he'd used Creation to raise an iron wall between Esmeralda and the golem, then layered Gather Qi on himself for double defense.
His Creation couldn't replicate something complex like a sword yet, but a thick iron cuboid barrier? Doable.
Spot-on improvisation in the clutch.
I could respect that much.
But,
"Hey! I told you to watch your own damn back! Lucky it worked out, or you'd be dead!"
"Mm, it was risky. But what could I do? My body moved before my brain caught up."
Dodging with a sheepish grin, Yujin turned to Esmeralda, who was still staring blankly at the ceiling.
"Dorardo. You alright? That was close."
"Y-y-yes... I-I'm f-fine."
She nodded primly, hands clasped like some sheltered maiden, cheeks faintly flushed...
Hoo boy. This might be prime opportunity territory.
"Heeey, speaking of, Yujin—you were straight-up prince charming there. Diving in to shield the damsel in distress? Total hero move."
"Eh? R-really? Glad you think so."
He scratched his head, looking pleased yet awkward.
No, dude—play it cooler! Heroine's right there!
"I-I..."
Esmeralda started to speak.
Right then—
-ZZZzzzt-crackle-
"Huh?"
What the—?
That asshole still out cold? Pulling some new trick?
As I tensed to brace, I realized the sound was from me.
Shrapnel from the exploding golem. I'd shielded my body fine, but this flimsy swimsuit? No chance.
And I noticed way too late.
Before I could react, it hit its limit and shredded apart.
But that wasn't the worst.
Exposing my bare skin? Not the end of the world. Civilians were all evacuated thanks to Linne, and flashing Yujin at this point was old news.
...
The real nightmare?
"Kyaaaaaaaah!!"
Me—screaming like a total girly-girl and collapsing in a heap.