Defiance and the Final Countdown
“This is the Power Glove-Z3 developed in the United States. We plan to officially kick off sales starting next round, and we can pass it to Korea at cost—no profit margin whatsoever.”
Director Yuh Suho swallowed hard.
It was undoubtedly an astonishing proposal.
Even if it was limited to outside the tower.
Equipment that amplified an awakener's firepower at such high magnification.
One might wonder what other nation could have developed something like this besides America.
And moreover.
“We are willing to support Korea's territorial recovery by dispatching multiple special forces teams.”
Awakener support was tacked on as a condition.
A picture formed automatically in his head.
Citizens residing in evacuation centers.
The dreamlike image of them smiling happily as they returned to their original lands.
But.
“America wants information on the Hitchhiker.”
That one sentence jolted him wide awake.
“This proposal—.”
“Don't spout nonsense.”
His head burning with rage, Yuh Suho unleashed his fury before Cha Minhyuk could even speak.
“Information on the Hitchhiker? As I said in the last negotiation, we know nothing. Even if we did, we wouldn't tell you. Do you think you can get whatever you want just by paying the price? How utterly arrogant! No matter what tricks you pull, you won't get even a scrap of info on the Hitchhiker!”
The atmosphere turned icy in an instant.
But Yuh Suho didn't stop there, huffing and puffing as if that wasn't enough.
In a way, it was a perfectly natural reaction.
Why?
Because right when they'd acquired the Tartaros ticket info and the president along with all of Korea's top officials were trembling in extreme anxiety.
There had been a message from the Hitchhiker.
No need to worry about Tartaros. Carry on with your daily lives as usual.
The prophecy had hit the mark.
Tartaros had been summoned to Jeju Island.
“M-My God! How is this miracle even...!”
“Satellite photos are in!”
“It's Tartaros! The monster isn't moving at all from Jeju Island!”
The top officials, confirming the satellite images, hugged each other and burst into tears.
“We're alive! We're gonna live!”
“Hahaha! Hahahaha!”
“I'll contact the military right now! Tell them we can lift the emergency decree!”
Citizens around the world who saw the public broadcast and grasped the situation fell into a frenzy of ecstasy.
Cheers echoed through the streets, people collapsing in sobs everywhere.
Yuh Suho said to Cha Minhyuk.
“I just can't believe it. Everything's turning out in Korea's favor. Did the Hitchhiker predict all this?”
“I think it's more than prediction—there's a high chance he directly intervened in the outcome.”
Intervening in the system?
Absurd.
But at the same time, if it was the Hitchhiker, maybe it was possible.
And then the call that came to the president.
“Th-the Hitchhiker... did he get involved in the Tartaros summoning?”
“Yes, it's virtually confirmed.”
The Hitchhiker.
This was the moment he solidified his status as an absolute existence in the Republic of Korea once more.
In such a situation.
And now this Yankee bastard.
'Dares to utter the Hitchhiker's name?'
Yuh Suho's murderous glare.
Elliot looked flustered.
After twitching his lips for a while, he spoke in a tone as if he hadn't expected rejection.
“With such a hardline attitude, looks like the negotiations are breaking down again.”
The American officials rose en masse.
Before exiting the door, Elliot said.
“Let me leave you with some harsh words. Korea will be excluded from Power Glove sales. You won't reclaim Jeju Island where Tartaros sits, nor any other territory. You'll be stuck forever on that tiny scrap of land not even worth one U.S. state. Oh, and no need to see us out.”
BAM—!
The door slammed shut hard.
Angry footsteps echoed beyond.
In the heavy silence, the tension drained from the Korean officials' postures.
Yuh Suho muttered as if waking from hypnosis.
“Did I... get too worked up?”
“No, Director. You did well. If you hadn't said it, I would've reacted the same.”
At Cha Minhyuk's reassurance, Yuh Suho's face eased a bit.
After all the officials had left.
“......”
Cha Minhyuk leaned back in his chair, lost in thought.
Information on His Excellency the Hitchhiker.
Handing it over was absolutely out of the question.
This negotiation was supposed to collapse, naturally.
But gear powerful enough to take down monsters... it would be a lie to say there was zero regret.
'If we could reclaim even a tiny bit of land right now...'
Then, a voice echoed in his mind.
—Octopus bro—no, Mr. Cha Minhyuk, you free to talk right now?
He snapped to attention.
A bear plushie had appeared before him before he knew it.
Something about weird words earlier, but probably imagination?
But when had it been here?
Had it watched the whole negotiation?
—Yes, go ahead.
—Got a message to relay.
The gist was this.
First, prepare a massive warehouse in an inconspicuous spot on Seoul's outskirts.
They'd use it for holy water deliveries or receiving supplies going forward.
A natural decision.
Lumentia's daily holy water production had skyrocketed enormously.
The trust room inside Agency HQ was spacious, but using it indefinitely was problematic.
—And it'd be great if you could stock the warehouse with a bunch of metal detectors.
—How many would suffice?
—Hang on. Hmm, about 10,000 for now.
—Understood. We'll prepare them as fast as possible.
And the second message.
—Tartaros will be taken down before this round ends, after monitoring America's score trends and striking at the last moment.
This revealed that a proxy had been watching the negotiations all along.
His mind blanked for a second.
Taken down? That monster? How?
But he accepted it immediately.
'It's His Excellency the Hitchhiker.'
He nodded.
No need for doubts.
If he said it'd be taken down, it would be.
No surprises expected—just stand by firmly and await further orders.
Cha Minhyuk brimmed with euphoria.
The Hitchhiker—he was a god.
His faithful devotion deepened steadily today as well.
Inside the private jet leaving Korea.
Elliot seethed inwardly.
'To dare reject me after I personally came twice?'
What the hell was Korea banking on?
No matter how he thought about it, wasn't handing over the Hitchhiker for permanent treatment as America's 51st state the safe play?
Crunch!
The armrest crumpled under his grip.
He exhaled. Still, nothing changed.
Korea would bitterly regret today's choice.
No matter how they thrashed, they'd realize second place was their ceiling and beat the ground in remorse.
Elliot smirked confidently and instructed the pilot via his aide.
“To Japan.”
There were more places to sell weapons before full launch besides Korea.
This time, though, he'd take a hefty markup.
Grooooar—!
Beijing's heart.
Tartaros, crouched low with its body pressed to the ground, seemed pleased with its nesting spot.
It had good taste in locations.
After all, it was where government residences and Agency HQ had been built with meticulous feng shui.
Of course, now melted into lava without a trace.
And it wasn't just those two buildings.
All of Beijing had turned into a lava field, its original shape impossible to discern.
Sulfur gas that choked breathing.
Magma that melted anything it touched.
Ground entry was impossible, so high-rank awakeners in helicopters rained aerial bombardment.
Did it work?
Answer: NO.
Boom! KABOOM!
Unable to inflict meaningful damage, they just exploded on contact with the lava orbs.
China, already gutted of core forces from the Lycanslope incident.
No way they had the power left to take down a beast even hundreds of S-ranks couldn't handle.
Even so.
—S-save me!
—Gaaah!
Knowing it was a dog's death, the provisional government shoved awakeners in anyway.
They needed to give the impression to citizens that they were trying to resolve the crisis.
Not to mention the countless other national damages!
All cutting-edge facilities and infrastructure concentrated in the capital—destroyed.
And every regional industry linked to the capital ground to a halt.
Like a factory where a blackout stopped everything cold.
Public sentiment turned utterly vicious.
Japan? No different.
Tartaros was a pedestrian, so it took a bit to arrive.
But Tokyo had also been remodeled into a lava field overnight.
And.
In Osaka, far from such Tokyo.
“......”
“......”
Japanese officials were deep in gloom inside the provisional government building.
Essentially, the path to national ruin had opened.
Public sentiment, industry, economy, national defense.
All of it.
And.
Until Next Rampage: 4 days, 8 hours, 2 minutes, 1 second
14th. Japan. +5,035,675 points
147th. China. +1,335,215 points
The tower rankings too.
Japan and China's scores had essentially stalled.
Holy water users were overtaking them at terrifying speed.
“If we drop out of the top 20, Japan won't even get the minimum mana stone production buff.”
“Can't be helped, no? Most S-rankers died, and the rest are tied up in subjugations—no bandwidth for tower climbs.”
The mood was utterly bleak.
Help requests to nations worldwide met lukewarm responses.
In other words, Japan had to subjugate Tartaros and reclaim Tokyo on their own.
“At this rate, it'll take months. The losses Japan suffers in the meantime are unimaginable.”
“Enough listing problems—start proposing solutions!”
“Wasn't the real screw-up on the strategy planning department for not preparing at all for the chance it'd hit Yokohama?”
“What did you say?”
Politicians, as expected.
They started finger-pointing at frightening speed, turning the atmosphere into chaos.
Especially with Director Nakayama, the Agency's linchpin, dead.
That explained the officials' rapid disintegration.
“Did I say something wrong?”
“Watch your mouth! Who do you think you are—!”
Whirrrrr—!
Then, the propeller noise.
Turning their heads, they saw a helicopter landing on the rooftop of the next building.
Thud!
The ones stepping out: Elliot and the American officials.
Greedy smirks plastered on their faces.
And the next day.
Carmina vented her rage while munching pizza and cola (holy water).
“Your Holiness, what if they actually catch Japan’s Tartaros No. 2 like that?”
Yulia voiced concern while slurping boxed soju (holy water) through a straw.
How'd they get the contents back in there?
Anyway, unlike my two allies, I watched the broadcast feeling utterly chill.
Why? My exclusive vision applied perfectly even through broadcast media.
Tartaros currently getting hammered by all sorts of bombardment from helicopter-borne awakeners.
Shell looked pretty chipped, sure.
'Still a looong way off, though?'
HP on my exclusive vision.
Only 1% down.
So.
Wrong prediction.
They'd need at least ten more days of pounding.
Even peeling the shell fully would leave phases galore.
Unless one-shot, anyway.
Well, whatever.
'Japan's announcement is one of two things.'
Either a hollow declaration to calm furious public sentiment.
Or deluded dreaming they could actually do it before round end.
“High chance it's the latter, right, Your Holiness?”
“Yeah, I think so too. Public's already shattered—if they fail the declaration, it's total game over.”
Beyond broadcasts, Cha Minhyuk shared detailed data letting me scrutinize the China-Japan situations.
Satellite photos and footage.
Gov movements worldwide.
Real-time public opinion trends.
Thanks to that, no worries about a surprise China or Japan catch.
“Octopus dude! You're killing it at work!”
Agreed on the work ethic.
But why turn a fine man into a cephalopod.
Lately, no stress meant his hair was filling back in nicely.
Anyway, my sole current concern was America.
Time flew.
In the fierce 1st-2nd place battle.
Until Next Rampage: ~4 days
Tower Floor 33 World Ranking Updated.
'Z3 era dawns? We'll see.'
And.
The Seoul outskirts warehouse was set up pronto.
Sent Carmina for sense-sharing activation.
Triple-checked for any recording devices inside.
Poof!
Holy water rocket-delivered.
Via spatial manipulation.
From Lumentia to Seoul's warehouse.
Then transported the Agency's stockpiled metal detectors too.
This time from Seoul's warehouse.
To Lumentia and Nosferatu.
Alright, everyone grab one.
“The Lord hath bestowed sacred relics!”
“I'll cherish this eternal honor!”
Not relics, those.
“Ooh! Gear from Nosferatu I've never seen—such a curious shape!”
“Like a mace weapon!”
Not weapons, those.
Explained usage, then distributed to residents for a massive rare item hunt.
Just snag one!
Gotta be something, right? Has to be.
Until Next Rampage: ~3 days
Tower Floor 34 World Ranking Updated.
Round winding down, people definitely losing their minds.
And.
Second holy water auction ended.
25,000 bottles sold.
Generous volume and low bids meant every nation snagged some.
Well, obviously excluding US/China/Japan.
Auction proceeds deposited with the Agency: nearly 30 trillion won.
Bids low but in hundreds of millions each.
And the volume.
Biggest reason: new health buffs on holy water.
Lower nations broke through blocked floors, escaping rampage risk successfully.
Until Next Rampage: ~2 days
Tower Floor 35 World Ranking Updated.
Floor smashing?
No need to ask twice.
35-floor free pass, naturally.
Hit level 35 as a result.
What's this?
1. Reach Lv. 35 (✓)
2. Discover 3+ planets (✗)
3. Affiliated nation #1 this round (✗)
4. Total stats sum 2500 (✗)
5. Cumulative tower coins 1M (✗)
*Unlocks 'Planet Development' in 'Planet Exploration' skill upon all clears.
*Develop purified planets to prepare for Galaxy Traveler duties.
*Development level grants various stat boosts.
No further messages.
“Carmina, Yulia—what do you think?”
“Feels like taking a test! Ugh, just hearing it chokes me!”
“Definitely gives off a competency evaluation vibe.”
Satan's old words came to mind.
Two forces inside the system, like vaccine and virus.
Vaccine gives rewards.
Virus brings trials.
Vaccine side?
Or virus?
One thing clear.
'Mission's easy-mode?'
All achievable soon with high probability.
Even without the mission prompting.
“Test's too easy.”
“Whoa, dangerous words!”
“Heehee, Your Holiness is omnipotent, after all.”
Bit of a taunt vibe.
Vaccine or virus, feels like the system's got intent toward me.
Dunno what, but.
'I'll handle it all.'
Don't underestimate Earth's dopamine slayer.
'You think you can do this too?' makes a fine battle stim.
Anyway, planet development details soon enough.
And the next day.
Finally.
Until Next Rampage: ~1 day
The day of reckoning dawned.