Chapter 4
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 4
Chapter Title: Emergency Situation
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The karaoke place was exactly the same as it used to be.
Each room had its own karaoke machine, and you operated it by feeding in time or selecting songs to sing.
However, none of the three were particularly good singers, so after belting out a few tracks, they moved on to the arcade.
The arcade had all the classic games from back in the day, along with claw machines, but the most intriguing thing was the capsule-style gaming pods.
"What are these?"
"Virtual reality gaming machines. VR tech was developed right at the start of the Cataclysm and immediately put to use for hunter mock battles. But then other companies jumped in, riding the wave of magic stone booms and Cataclysm-era tech advancements, and that's how these VR arcade machines came about."
"......"
Virtual reality games, huh.
Back in the old days, he'd have jumped right in, but now it didn't really appeal.
So he quietly fiddled with a joystick fighting game for a bit before heading out.
"Uwaaaah...! Silberion, are you really a returnee who just got back not long ago?"
"...Yeah?"
The match ended in an overwhelming victory for Silberion.
He wasn't familiar with the game at all, but his reflexes and physical prowess alone carried him to victory.
"Ugh... I thought I was pretty good, but there's always a bigger fish."
"Kehahaha. Feels good to get one back. Should've been humble instead of bragging about your skills."
Grommel let out a hearty laugh and slapped Selenne on the back.
"So, is there anything else worth doing?"
Having won the game, Silberion turned to Selenne across from him.
Everything they'd done so far felt like stuff for kids.
He'd expected something special, but aside from that first restaurant with all the exotic menu options, everything else had been flavors he'd already tried.
"We've pretty much done all our daily routine stuff, so I'm not sure?"
"......"
Selenne shrugged.
"Nothing much left to do, so maybe we should just head back—"
🚨 WEEEEENG!!! 🚨
[An unstable Blue Gate has appeared in District 27.]
[All citizens in District 27, please evacuate immediately.]
[This is a repeat announcement—]
Selenne's words about heading back were drowned out by the blaring siren.
The gate opening alert slammed into their ears right after the siren.
"G-G-Gate?"
Selenne furrowed her brow and stammered in panic.
"District 27 is right here...! Let's get out of here first. Getting caught up in this would be a headache."
"Yeah. The hunters will handle it, so let's go."
Selenne and Grommel quickly gathered their things and bolted from the building.
Silberion followed them out as well.
"Kya!!!"
"Gate! The gate's open—run!!!"
Chaos reigned outside.
People were fleeing from the faint blue glow of the gate in the distance.
Closer than I thought.
He recalled what Choi Yunha had told him when they met.
Unstable gates weren't cleared by entering them—they were handled by taking out the monsters spilling from inside.
And because they were unstable, they opened much faster.
If they kept going like this, casualties were inevitable.
Someone on site had to step up.
"You two run first."
Silberion turned to Selenne and Grommel, who were in full flight, and called out.
"W-Wait, no way. You're gonna hold that off? By yourself?!"
"It's too much. We don't know how strong you are, but running is the smart—"
"If I run, people will die."
His tone was resolute.
"Someone needs to buy time here."
"......"
His determination silenced them both.
They wanted to argue, but his resolve was too ironclad for words to come.
"Th-Then I'll help too."
Selenne broke the awkward silence first.
"You're a returnee who just showed up after so long. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if we ditched you."
"...Fair point. Then the two of us will help evacuate the rest."
Grommel decided to stay and assist the others as well.
"Thanks, both of you."
Silberion was genuinely grateful.
He knew how lonely it was to fight alone.
Those endless hours battling demons solo had been utter agony.
Yet he'd had no choice but to endure.
But things were different now.
People stood with him.
"Still, your lives come first. Don't push too hard."
"Don't worry. We know our lives are the most precious thing we have."
Selenne flashed a smile, threw up a peace sign to say not to fret, and headed toward the crowd.
Grommel followed her lead.
With them gone and the people thinning out somewhat,
some stragglers hadn't evacuated yet.
Protecting them from the gate's dangers—that was Silberion's job now.
He opened his subspace, and his battered old armor floated out, equipping itself automatically.
It was a feat possible only because he'd tamed minerals with his will and forged them into armor.
No sword, either...
He'd left his last blade behind after slaying the demon lord, so all he could trust now were his two fists.
While people fled, Silberion advanced toward the gate.
Sparks soon erupted from the blue portal, which slowly yawned open, revealing monsters one by one.
"Geruk, geruk!"
"Kururuk! Kururuk!"
Primal cries echoed out.
Emerging from the gate were hobgoblins—green-skinned with massive noses.
Clad in rags and wielding clubs as big as themselves, they charged to crush people underfoot.
"Kehehek!!!"
"Kya!"
As one lunged at a citizen who couldn't dodge in time,
KWANG!!!
Silberion beat it there by a step, driving a punch into the hobgoblin's gut.
A casual strike, but its power was beyond what any mere hobgoblin could withstand.
Kwajik!
"Ke...hek."
A gaping hole tore through its belly, and the creature dropped dead on the spot.
Silberion was no different here than in that other world.
He'd fought to survive at first, then to protect in the end.
But he hadn't been able to protect them.
Living a life where he failed to protect again—this time, that wouldn't happen.
He kicked the hobgoblin's corpse away, then extended a hand to the fallen woman.
"A-Ah... Th-Thank you...!"
She grabbed his hand in a hurry, got up, and ran off again.
But plenty of others hadn't evacuated yet.
I'll save them all.
Casualties were unacceptable.
Silberion steeled himself and pressed forward.
Thud!
Pung!!
Kwajik!!!
He advanced, trampling hobgoblin corpses underfoot.
The near-death civilians thanked him profusely as they scrambled away after he slew the beasts.
Getting out of the way was how they helped him now.
Sticking around would just create openings for the enemy.
After he'd taken down dozens of hobgoblin warriors, something changed.
Pajijijijik...!!!
Sparks swirled across the entire gate.
But unlike before, they grew larger and larger.
Soon the gate split open, and a massive green bulk emerged.
Twice or thrice the size of a regular hobgoblin, its bulk rivaled an ogre's, surpassing even orcs.
"Gra!!!"
It bellowed a monstrous roar, announcing its arrival.
Hobgoblin Champion?
He recalled the basics from the quick briefing when he'd left the Association building.
Green, blue, yellow, purple, red, black—those are the gate colors.
Blue was the tier after green, fairly high difficulty.
But manageable for a single A-rank hunter.
Of course, no room for carelessness.
No matter how weak the foe, he had to fight at peak efficiency.
Kuwoong! KUNG!!!
"Grerrrrk!!!"
The hobgoblin champion charged, brandishing a club studded with sharp spikes.
Silberion rushed to meet it.
Kwajik!!!
In an instant, he closed the distance, and his fist clashed with the hobgoblin's club.
Kwagwagwagwang!!!
The club shattered without even a contest of strength.
"Gururuk...?!"
The champion, stunned that its prized weapon had broken, frantically crossed its arms to block—but too late.
Woodududuk!!!
The fist pulverized both arms and smashed straight into its face.
"Kuerrr...!"
Dozens of teeth scattered in a flash, and the beast staggered.
But it still clung to life.
Silberion followed up with a kick to its bulky torso—right where the heart sat.
Kwajik!!!
The heart burst through, sending the champion flying into a stationary tanker truck, which exploded on impact.
Kwa!!!
The heart rupture was definite—no coming back from that.
Thus, the hobgoblin's corpse was engulfed in flames, burning away bit by bit.