Chapter 100
Chapter 100
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 100
Chapter Title: ACT.17 The Strategy That Never Was (11)
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Hssssss...
The room was gradually filling with white smoke.
*Crumble.* The wooden desk that the smoke touched instantly corroded and turned black.
My skin, protected by mana, stung.
S-rank Malignant Mutation.
Only a few days had passed, yet it had become this monstrously vile?
“So you’re saying they went to spread this exact same thing in the residential area.”
Just as I was about to order my soldiers to attack, Kwon Seong-shin tilted his head and chortled.
“They must have taken most of the cylinders to enter the Ark Gate, leaving just enough in the residential area to barely block the existing gate or the virus smoke, right? Isn’t that so?”
“So?”
“So? You ask as if it’s none of your business. Are you actually one of my kind? Huh?”
I scowled deeply.
What disgusting nonsense.
“...You mean to say that just releasing more of the virus there would cause chaos, and destroying the existing cylinders would throw the entire residential area into a panic. That’s what you’re getting at.”
“Yes! You get it! They should be spreading it as we speak, so even if by some miracle you beat me, nothing will change! Stop this pointless charade and come join me for a real score. If we play this right, it’ll be a bigger coin-maker than being some Ruler!”
He was probably right.
One could develop a temporary cure and sell it for coins, or easily extort support from the devils.
But that would make it impossible to move forward.
I have to reach the 100th ending.
“I have no intention of doing that.”
“Such a stubborn bastard. I told you, it’s already over.”
“Right. It is over.”
I stared at Kwon Seong-shin with an indifferent gaze.
His expression changed completely. As if remembering something, he hastily pulled an object out of his lab coat pocket.
“...Wiped out? Already?”
Kwon Seong-shin muttered in disbelief after checking the object.
“Well, I expected those guys would be taken down. It happened a lot faster than I thought, but nothing changes.”
Kwon Seong-shin quickly regained his composure.
His goal, after all, was to spread the virus within the residential area.
As long as he achieved that, he was the type of person who wouldn’t care what happened to his subordinates.
“In any case, you people have no way of stopping a virus that spreads this rapidly.”
“We can just burn it with fire.”
“Fire?”
It was a sneer one would make when looking at an ignorant person.
Kwon Seong-shin’s expression was even more unpleasant than that as he spoke, dismissing the idea entirely.
“This is a virus created with an S-rank mutation skill. Do you really think it wouldn’t have fire resistance?”
“You seem to be able to check the situation over there. Why don’t you see for yourself whether I’m telling the truth or lying.”
When I replied with a smirk of my own, Kwon Seong-shin’s brow furrowed.
Was it a simple bluff, or was it real?
As I gestured that I wouldn't do anything while he checked, Kwon Seong-shin, though half in doubt, proceeded to verify my claim.
And then, his eyes widened.
“Impossible! My virus can’t be stopped by mere flames...!”
“Mere flames? You’re blind. Look closer.”
Only then did he seem to realize.
The thing devouring the virus was no ordinary flame.
Kwon Seong-shin muttered in disbelief.
“A blue... flame... Why is this...?”
As long as Jo Min-ah remained in the residential area, the virus was not a major problem.
I had specifically told Jo Min-ah not to conspicuously eliminate the virus with her flames until now, all for this moment.
If Kwon Seong-shin had caught wind of such a countermeasure, it would have been impossible to lure him out and strike like this.
“Blue Flame, while not as potent as White or Black Flame, is still a superior form of fire. It might be a different story if you had power beyond S-rank or a mana stat over 100, but there’s no way your virus can overcome a Blue Flame.”
“...Interesting. Very interesting.”
Suddenly, Kwon Seong-shin began to chuckle.
I might have thought he’d gone mad from the shock, but his Mad Scientist rank was already S.
*Clank.*
The sound of something opening echoed.
It came from behind Kwon Seong-shin.
“I can’t just kill you.”
Kwon Seong-shin grabbed something from a nearby table and stepped slightly aside.
So, it finally appears.
I had already grasped the situation when I used Extreme Eye on my way down to the fourth basement level, so I remained calm.
There was only one person.
*Person*, that is.
“Grrr...”
A demonic beast emerged from the darkness.
It was a grotesque and hideous creature, one you could hardly call a living being.
Its appearance alone inspired a natural sense of revulsion.
My eyes narrowed at the thought that this wasn't one of the 'test subjects' that appeared in the original game.
‘That thing is...’
There was no doubt.
It was Prau, the Disease Amalgam—a creature that appeared in regions outside of Seoul.
An A-rank demonic beast created directly by the Ark Gate’s boss, the King of Disease.
‘Why is it here?’
Since the King of Disease himself was in Seoul, Prau was a beast that should never have appeared here.
Given that the Dark Moon Guild's main base and all its cells were in Seoul, it should have been impossible for them to capture Prau alive.
‘Did they somehow procure it from outside Seoul?’
The monster that was supposed to be in Kwon Seong-shin’s lab was not something like this.
It was supposed to be something no longer human, born from repeatedly forcing a person to mutate and then healing them.
That’s what I should have been facing.
My gaze shifted to the short rod Kwon Seong-shin was now holding in his left hand.
The blue stone affixed to the head of the rod.
It was unmistakably a Dimension Stone.
He had one from the very beginning.
With this, a total of two Dimension Stones had been identified.
‘So, the beast was procured from the outside, and it was controlled using a Dimension Stone.’
There was no way he had obtained the Dimension Stone himself.
If there had been a way to get them directly, all the key figures would be carrying them.
Furthermore, the excuse that they were difficult to mine, even if obtainable, didn't add up.
No one would go through all that trouble just to place one inside a mere Goblin Dungeon gate.
“Who’s backing you?”
“Backing me? What backing? Keke. Is that your roundabout way of asking me to go easy on you?”
His acting was quite good.
Then again, it wasn't like he would answer just because I asked.
Kwon Seong-shin thrust the rod forward and shouted.
“Attack, Prau!”
But nothing happened.
He stood there awkwardly with the rod extended, waving it around in all directions.
Still, Prau didn't budge from its spot.
“What? Prau. Hey. You bastard. Why are you just standing there? Are you defying me now? Huh?”
Flustered, Kwon Seong-shin made a motion to strike it with the rod, and Prau flinched, recoiling.
It showed not a shred of the dignity of a sub-boss.
“As if it could approach.”
Prau was, for all intents and purposes, a mass of viruses.
Not viruses that existed on Earth, but otherworldly viruses from beyond the gate.
Naturally, it was nothing more than a creature that couldn't do anything in the presence of a Dimension Stone.
Kwon Seong-shin’s eyes turned to me.
“That’s...”
“A Dimension Stone. The same thing you’re using right now.”
I gave the processed Dimension Stone a little shake.
His surprise was visible.
“H-How do you have that?”
“How? You guys gave it to me as a gift, didn’t you?”
“What kind of bullshit is that?”
The deep scowl on his face revealed genuine irritation.
As I thought, he didn't know that clearing a gate enhanced by a Dimension Stone would drop another one.
It was hard to tell if it was just Kwon Seong-shin who was ignorant, or if the ones behind him were as well.
I’d prefer the latter. The former would complicate my thoughts.
“I’ll ask again. Who is behind you?”
“The only thing behind me is that monster. Kek.”
The white smoke, which had been gradually approaching, was now closing in, little by little.
Even though my Dimension Stone was processed and more effective, it could only slow the smoke’s advance, not stop it completely.
Dimension Stones can only block things from the outside. They can’t repel things from Earth.
It was likely that because Kwon Seong-shin’s ability had continuously mutated it, the virus was now recognized as something 'created on Earth' rather than from another dimension.
“If you have nothing more to say.”
I slowly began to draw out my power.
Sensing a suspicious aura, Kwon Seong-shin spread even more of the virus.
“Then I’ll just have to make you talk.”
*Whoosh.* Darkness enveloped the surroundings.
Perhaps judging that he would win as long as he covered this space with the virus first, no matter what I did, Kwon Seong-shin didn’t even think of dodging and poured all his effort into multiplying the virus.
And that was the wrong decision.
“What the...?”
The white smoke spread.
It spread, and then vanished without a trace.
Even when a panicked Kwon Seong-shin pushed his ability to its absolute limit, veins popping on his forehead, the virus could not expand.
“How is this...!”
“This is what happens when you hole yourself up in your own territory, focus only on your research, and neglect information about others.”
Thinking you can win just by doing your own thing, regardless of your opponent's abilities?
That might work in some cases, but against me, the matchup was just too unfavorable.
From the start, I didn't need to rely on the Dimension Stone to deal with the virus.
“Get him.”
At my nod, the soldiers who had been awaiting my command slid across the darkness as if riding a wave.
The virus was ineffective.
Knowing that, Kwon Seong-shin was certain to use that power.
Just as expected, his face contorted as he let out a roar.
“Kuaaaargh!!”
[Character ‘Kwon Seong-shin’ has used the unique effect, ‘Full-Body Mutation’.]
Kwon Seong-shin’s form began to change.
It seemed to be based on Prau, similar but more humanoid.
No matter how strong it could make him, most would be reluctant to use a power that grotesquely altered their appearance, but he showed no such hesitation.
“You primitive, ignorant fool! What do you take my great work for?!”
*CRASH!*
Kwon Seong-shin slammed both hands down, and a shockwave swept away my soldiers.
Various flasks on the table fell and shattered, covering the floor with unidentifiable liquids.
While not being affected by the virus was an advantage, each soldier’s combat power was C-rank at best.
There was no way they could handle Kwon Seong-shin in that state.
Still, it was enough to momentarily divert his attention.
“Just being near me, just attacking me! This disease will kill you within three seconds!”
Black breath flowed from his open mouth.
Even from a distance, the stench allowed me to guess at its toxicity.
Unless one had a body immune to all poisons, a single touch would result in a horrific end.
“You should really brush your teeth.”
I scowled and swung my sword.
Kwon Seong-shin, who had been supremely confident that weapons like swords wouldn't work on his body of pure disease, changed his tune in an instant.
*SWISH!*
“Arrrgh!”
Kwon Seong-shin screamed as his arm was severed by the Sa-in-geom.
The arm, a writhing mass of tentacles, twitched before slowly sinking into the darkness.
“My arm! My arm...!!”
“I appreciate you making yourself so utterly impure.”
A golden aura emanated from the Sa-in-geom.
It was the sword's special effect, granting it immense attack power against the impure.
The virus itself was technically a living organism, so the effect wouldn't trigger, but it was a different story when his 'Malignant Mutation' ability was added to the mix.
“Regenerate, regenerate... Kuaaargh!”
*Tsssss!*
With a searing sound, Kwon Seong-shin’s head snapped back violently.
It was a futile effort.
The 'power to sever the impure' was a force that completely shut down even regenerative abilities.
And with the Encroachment of darkness added on top of that...
As long as the conditions were met, not even a disaster-class demonic beast could activate its regeneration.
Instead, every attempt to regenerate would only send excruciating pain, enough to shatter one's sanity, coursing through its entire body.
“Third time asking.”
“Kh, ugh. Khhhk. Khahaha. Hahaha...”
An endless cycle of regenerating, being burned, regenerating, and being burned again.
The infinite agony of feeling like you're about to die but never being allowed to.
I brought my sword to the remaining shoulder of Kwon Seong-shin, who was already writhing like a madman.
The mere touch of the Sa-in-geom’s aura made his flesh sizzle and smoke.
“Who was it that was backing you?”