Chapter 249
Chapter 249
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 249
Chapter Title: The Spark of War (3)
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“...Ah.”
Right after arriving at the warp gate, a problem suddenly occurred to me.
The destination this warp gate led to was the previously entered coordinates.
In other words, a place closely related to Pentagon Eagle.
If we went there directly, we might be captured immediately, envoy or not.
Even though they were the ones in the wrong, they weren't the type of group to frankly admit their mistakes and apologize.
“What’s wrong? Did the warp gate break down or something?”
“We need different coordinates. We can’t use it like this.”
“Hmm. So that’s how it is.”
Jun Bo-ra grinned.
“Well, I remember some coordinates. Let’s use those.”
“What coordinates do you remember...?”
“I told you I’m good at memorizing things like numbers. Didn’t I mention it before?”
Jun Bo-ra grinned and entered the coordinates into the machine.
This was about the Lion’s Song.
Indeed, back then she’d said she memorized that complex code pattern after seeing it just once.
Come to think of it, she remembered everything that was said. Jun Bo-ra definitely had an excellent memory.
Still, real-world coordinates had numbers in the tens or hundreds of millions for each axis, and to think she remembered them without a single mistake.
At that level, you could really call it a talent.
“Your memory really seems better than the Strategy King’s.”
“Hmph. You can praise me more.”
“Everything else is a bust, though. I guess the gods are fair, after all?”
“I’m seriously going to kill you.”
Teasing her was so much fun.
Vwooom!
The warp gate activated.
It felt like we were about to be sucked in, but there wasn't actually any suction force.
Come to think of it, it felt similar to when Yurgan cast his dimensional travel magic.
It occurred to me that the gate might be the result of the dimensional travel magic I’d been searching for.
“Let’s go.”
Everything in front of my eyes spun and whirled.
For a moment, it felt as if my soul was being sucked somewhere by some unknown force.
My spinning vision stopped, revealing a completely different landscape.
It was somewhere that looked like a dense forest.
Sunlight streamed through well-maintained trees, falling on a packed dirt path that looked like a trail.
The kids looked around in wonder.
Choi Yeon-soo and Cha Eun-ha were the same.
The scenery looked familiar, yet it was hazy.
America has so many parks like this, so it’s hard to tell them apart without a distinct landmark.
“Theodore Roosevelt Island.”
Jun Bo-ra said.
“This is where the dungeon ‘Tomb of the Sleeping Pioneer’ was.”
After hearing her, it finally clicked.
We’ve literally come to a location where Pentagon Eagle can’t just snatch us up.
“Nuna, where exactly is this?”
“Where? Hmm... Ah. Not far from the White House. So, the edge of Washington.”
The heart of America.
And at the same time, the region where Pentagon Eagle held real power.
Here, a new main quest would begin.
[A Main Quest has been generated.]
[Ch.20 The Spark]
It hadn’t been extinguished; it was holding its breath.
Ready to flare up again at the slightest provocation.
※The subsequent story will change significantly depending on the outcome.
Everything was like that.
Depending on the player's choices, the course of events, the final result.
It was natural for each one to affect the story, whether in a big or small way.
However, Chapter 20 emphasized this particularly.
It meant that Chapter 20 had a massive global impact.
“Leader, shouldn’t we hide the warp gate? It seems like it would be troublesome in many ways if someone found it.”
“You don’t need to worry about that.”
This was a remote place no one visited.
A deserted land that was only dangerous, with nothing to gain by coming here.
Creeak. Clank.
The sound of rusty machinery moving echoed.
A three-meter-tall weapon armed with a cannon and machine gun, which had been strolling among the trees, spotted us and its eyes glowed red.
“W-what is that? A drone? Is this the level of America’s military weapons!?”
“No. That’s a demonic beast.”
“What? That’s a demonic beast?”
Since Choi Yeon-soo looked unconvinced, I drew my sword and stepped forward.
It would be faster to show him directly.
Rat-tat-tat-tat!
The machine gun spat fire.
I unleashed darkness to annihilate all the bullets, then closed the distance in a single leap and swung my sword.
A scream echoed from between the metal smoothly sliced by my black-flamed sword.
[Kyaaaaaaah!!]
The twins’ faces turned pale at the sound, which was like a child’s scream, but only for a moment.
Because what flowed from the severed section was purple blood.
“Metal Extortioner.”
Feeling no other presences, I sheathed my sword.
“It’s a demonic beast that counters science by seeping into and merging with machinery, allowing it to control the machine at will. It can also evolve and become stronger by absorbing other nearby machines. That weapon is the result.”
It might have thought it was well hidden, but it couldn't escape my Extreme Eye.
If it had been quicker on the uptake, it would have abandoned the machine and fled.
Of course, even then, it wouldn't have been able to escape from me.
“There are all sorts of demonic beasts...”
“Things like that are all over this area. Especially around the Pentagon.”
In fact, you could say that whole area was overflowing with them.
Seeing a helicopter with mortars on both sides gain sentience and intercept you from afar would make you wonder if this was future warfare.
Their excitement about going to America seemed to have vanished completely, as the twins wore uneasy expressions.
‘Even so.’
This island was in the middle of a rather large river.
But due to various incidents, all the bridges connecting the island to the mainland had been destroyed.
In other words, the only way to get to this island from the Pentagon was to fly or swim.
Which meant a creature like the one just now shouldn't be here.
‘If the reason it was rusty was because it forced its way across the river to get here...’
It must have fled.
Fled from something located south of the Pentagon.
Not from Pentagon Eagle. Pentagon Eagle was located to the north, so if they were pushing down to clean up, it wouldn't have shown up here.
“The situation in America seems quite different from EOA, too.”
“We expected that, didn’t we? It was the place with the most interference from Salvatio, so of course, a lot would have changed.”
I licked my dry lips.
Just as Jun Bo-ra said, I knew a lot would probably have changed, but...
How much had changed, and to what extent I could use my knowledge, was extremely uncertain.
“Then there’s no point in staying here for long. It doesn’t seem like Pentagon Eagle has spotted us yet, so how about we use teleport to get out of here quickly?”
“Should we? That sounds good. We’re moving, so stick close to me!”
Did they not think we would change the warp gate's coordinates and move?
Or were they preoccupied with something else and didn't have the luxury to worry about us?
Or if not that...
“Kim Se-hyeon, what are you doing? Are you going to walk by yourself?”
“No, I’m coming.”
Were they waiting for us with an inescapable trap?
***
I focused mana into my eyes to enhance my vision and scanned the spot where the White House used to be.
Like the Pentagon, it had vanished without a trace.
If Pentagon Eagle hadn't been located nearby, the aftermath wouldn't have been limited to just the White House.
This time, I turned my gaze to a massive building.
A fortress of sorts, its entire exterior coated in mithril.
It was the guild headquarters of Pentagon Eagle.
“So, should we just go there and start the talks?”
“They know the story moves to America after Busan. Since they lost the warp gate, they’ll have anticipated everything. Including our purpose for coming here.”
That’s why our negotiation skills were crucial.
Because right after the drug cartel collapsed, Pentagon Eagle would have prepared countermeasures.
No, they would have prepared long before this happened.
Especially if the person showing up for the talks was a member of Salvatio.
“Graham himself won’t show up, so that woman who acts as his secretary will come instead.”
In fact, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that Pentagon Eagle was run by her.
Graham himself didn't pay much attention to guild matters.
Graham's role was solely to make his own existence known to those around him.
And to be its military might.
‘However.’
That's why it wouldn't be strange if the secretary's position had been changed.
If I were in Salvatio's shoes, I would naturally aim for that position too.
“Then we’ll have to consider the possibility that our negotiation partner is Salvatio.”
Jun Bo-ra looked a little tense.
“That’s why I’m giving you an escort.”
“We might be able to get out of the meeting, but the problem is what comes after. This is all Pentagon Eagle’s territory. We’ve walked right into the enemy’s den, so it’ll be hard to escape.”
“It’s fine. If that happens, I’ll draw their attention.”
“You’ll be the bait?”
“A high-class bait that they’ll never dare to touch recklessly.”
“...?”
It was understandable that she wouldn't get it.
My name had already spread throughout Salvatio and Pentagon Eagle.
It was true that I drew a lot of aggro, but the fact that they couldn't touch me recklessly was because of a certain card I was holding.
“Anyway, I have something like that, so go without worrying. If you use the things I mentioned well, you’ll definitely win the argument. Choi Yeon-soo, you...”
“I know. Leave it to me.”
Choi Yeon-soo made a mischievous face.
“The three of you, don’t say anything there. Just stay put and let your power leak out. That’ll be enough.”
“It’s a warning that if they try to suppress us with force, they’ll suffer considerable damage, right?”
“Yeah, just Min-ah and Eun-ha nuna could destroy the building and then some. Hehe.”
Cha Eun-ha silently fiddled with her sword.
She hadn't had her great power for long, so she wasn't used to it, but seeing how hard she was trying, she would adapt quickly.
“That’s right.”
Replying to the twins, I took out a mask I had prepared beforehand and put it on.
From here on, I had to act alone.
***
“Welcome. We’ve been expecting you.”
In front of the entrance to Pentagon Eagle’s headquarters.
A tall man with a stoic face who was standing there offered a greeting.
Cha Eun-ha glanced at the bodyguards around them.
B-rank at a minimum, possibly A-rank if they were strong. Ten such bodyguards were guarding the entrance.
“You’re the ones from Korea, correct?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
Jun Bo-ra answered in fluent English.
The man’s eyes widened slightly in surprise.
“My name is William Hitman, and I am the secretary. I know why you have come. Please, come inside. With the frequent appearance of demonic beasts and gates, it’s dangerous to stay outside for long.”
As soon as William finished speaking, the bodyguards opened the door.
Jo Min-ah, who used Detection to check for traps, nodded with a relieved expression.
“It doesn’t seem like there are any traps in the building.”
“We can trust Min-ah’s detection.”
Jun Bo-ra walked into the building without hesitation.
Seeing this, Cha Eun-ha and the twins followed her.
‘I wonder if the secretary being a man instead of a woman is a slight variable.’
Jun Bo-ra stared intently at William’s back.
Whether that man was a ‘Progressor’ or not. If he was, what kind of unexpected things might he say.
Jun Bo-ra began to consider every possible scenario.
“Still, this is surprising. I thought they’d be more like, ‘So what?’”
“Even in a world like this, there are still rules, and things operate within that order. Acting like that isn’t gutsy, it’s just a foolish way to make more enemies.”
Though the Pentagon Eagle from EOA would have done just that.
Jun Bo-ra swallowed the rest of her thought.
“Uncle, aren’t you coming?”
“...Yeah, okay. Let’s go.”
Choi Yeon-soo, who had been staring intently at William for a while, was the last to step inside, and the door closed.