Legion of One
Without nights, my sense of time faded fast. It felt like seven days had passed, but checking the Gallery showed only five. Fuck.
Already a two-day discrepancy after just five days. With no day-night cycle, relying solely on my internal clock was inevitable. The concept of a "day" was bound to loosen up.
"Fuck."
I spat out the curse habitually and looked up at the sky. Unlike my mood, it was disgustingly clear.
...How much more do they want me to kill?
After killing the AnswerMeBastard and TransitFreak, the Recallers started mimicking in various forms to hunt me down. My friend who scammed me and ghosted (ScamFreak), the part-time boss who stiffed me on wages (WageFreak), the senior who abused his power like crazy (PowerTripFreak), and so on...
Looking closely, it seemed they prioritized intense figures from my memories.
My sword held no hesitation. I dispatched them all with single strokes. Duplicates appeared too, but since the first kills were easy, repeats stayed easy.
Usually, this kind of thing starts satisfying but turns hollow, then self-loathing creeps in. Not for me. It was cathartic from start to finish. Hell, I even enjoyed it a bit. Sure, a tiny nagging doubt lingered, but anyway—they weren't a big issue.
The real problem hit when a Recaller mimicked my parents.
"Jinwoo, have you eaten?"
"How's the convenience store job these days...? Not too tough?"
"......"
The moment I saw the Recaller as my parents...
"...Ah."
Hearing that voice choked me up—I couldn't speak. The parents before me were perfect. I knew they were illusions, but I couldn't thrust my sword through them.
"This is... fuck, that's too much. For real."
Grip tightened on my rapier, then... those facial wrinkles paralyzed my reason like they were yanking my wrist. Dad's stark white hairs at his temples. Shoulders once straight now slightly hunched and sagging. Fingers thickened by hardship, calluses everywhere... My chest tightened at the sight.
It was just perfectly identical. Even the voice matched Dad's.
"You seem so busy lately. You look worn out, son."
"......"
I barely averted my gaze, and the mom-mimic spoke up.
"Eat properly, okay? You've lost so much weight."
Thin wrinkles layered her cheeks. The laugh lines that deepened in her youth now showed even at rest.
"Dress warm so you don't catch a cold. You're not sick anywhere, right?"
"......"
I dodged her gaze too and bowed my head. Their hands, darkened and rough from years under the sun, came into view. Cracks etched between knuckles by time...
Ha. Those hands had lifted child-me countless times, stroked my forehead at night, patted my back whispering, "It's okay, even if you're a bit slower than others."
Everything matched my memories too perfectly. Things my sword could never sever.
Head knew they were illusions, but... heart, hands, core—they refused the truth.
"Fuck."
Reason screamed illusion, but emotion devoured it then.
"You fucking bastards."
If my life were truly at stake, I'd have swung anyway. But maybe mimicking copies basic personality too—they weren't very threatening. They'd attack eventually if ignored, though.
"...You fucking trash bastards. Fucking shits—."
Instead of stabbing, I chose flight. No point tackling the hard ones when easy kills abounded.
After, I killed TransitFreak ex-girlfriend 14 times, AnswerMeBastard Park Yeppeun about 10, plus ScamFreak, WageFreak, PowerTripFreak, and assorted friends 5-6 times each. Orkan around 20 times too.
Reality crashed in eventually.
"...How many more do I gotta kill?"
Despite the slaughter, no night came. Sky still blazed.
"...I'm losing it."
If I enjoyed killing, this'd be paradise. But for normal, nice-guy me, it wasn't.
"Hoo."
Deep breath to steady my mind—another Recaller emerged from behind a tree.
"Hohohoho."
A voice I hadn't heard in ages.
"My grandchild. Want Grandma to see your pecker?"
This time, my paternal grandma.
"Jinwoo... Aigoo, you've grown so much. Why'd you lose all this weight?"
"......"
Grandma vanished when I was little—before elementary school. That's when our family fortunes tanked. She was rich; Dad the youngest, still young. Kidnapping? Murder? Never found out... But her pillar-of-the-family wealth vanished with her, plunging us into hardship.
"Haa. This one's got no answer."
Memories of her only from childhood. Still, didn't wanna sword my bloodkin. She was frail, day-to-day health... Recaller mimicked that perfectly too.
"Go away, go... Nah, I'll go."
I left the spot.
Walking awhile, a familiar massive shadow loomed ahead.
"......"
Looking up—Orkan stood there.
You again?
Orkan-mimics were hyperactive; I ran into them often.
"Odin—."
I Swift-stepped behind, stabbed the nape.
Stab.
Confirmed kill.
Stab. Stab.
"You're the easiest by far. Thanks for being here."
At first, Orkan's presence irked me. Now? A relief. Grateful even. Easiest kill around.
"Hope you Valhalla the fuck outta here—."
Wishing reincarnation, rustle from tree behind. Another Orkan.
"—Demon...!"
"Shut up and die happy."
Killing him felt good. Way better than sobbing pleas of "Don't kill me, spare me." Normal guy like me preferred mad barbarians.
"Hoo—."
Post-slaughter, I glanced up. Sky still blazing.
"Seriously losing it."
I held back more curses. Floaters had trash among them, but I owed my survival to them. Without help, I'd have been ripped apart by Orkan on 100th.
"Haa. But these floaters cross lines. Fuck. Can't block 'em?"
Hunting floater block while goniks answered my question.
"Agh, these two won't unblock each other ever."
Scavenger got prickly after I ghosted 9 days on 99th. Guess she worried. Then I said "was healing lol"... bound to piss her off.
Disappointment oozed from her every word.
"Ah, whatever."
Screw it. No energy for misunderstandings. Clearing 'em meant spilling too much.
Tired all around.
"...Time to crash."
Headed to a cave I'd found. Five days here familiarized the terrain.
Settled in.
"Can't even block entrance with monster corpses."
Ideal if pitch black inside, but shallow—light seeped. Still, better than nothing. Closed eyes quietly.
Day 9. Four days flown. One more grind.
Memorized central forest spots—no issues. Hunting on when vibe shifted.
"Odin—!"
Sensed forest change instantly.
"—Odin's heir is here!"
"Let the warrior's cup overflow—!"
"Grant the feast of blood and steel—!"
Orkan-mimic voices echoed everywhere.
"May my axe pierce foe hearts—!"
"Hear you not my cry—?!"
"Let me fight as your warrior—!"
Too. Fucking. Many.
Crazy, what fresh hell...
Recalled: Orkan frequency rose meaningfully daily. Curious, opened Gallery. Omitted details to starve floater content.
They knew something.
So 98th Floor forced killing your most beloved most to keep seeing them.
Fucking hell, pure hell.
I swallowed hard. They didn't know my situation.
"Demon—! Where you hiding—?!"
"I'll smash your bones, rip your flesh, send you to ancestors—!"
"Odin! Open the battlefield! I offer blood and flesh gladly—!"
Barbar ian legion closed in on my position.