Chapter 61
Chapter 61
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 61
Chapter Title: Recapturing Seoul
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"Ready, agent? Listen up—this is basically a suicide mission."
"In that case, since we're already in this deep, should I dye my hair half-and-half and go full drag?"
"That'd tank the stream, so cut it out."
The Unicorn agent, the only one selected as the representative among the other agents, shrugged.
Since the lives of the other members took priority, he had changed into a costume designed to draw the monsters' attention.
A pair of tall horns jutting high above his head, and a hot pink hazmat suit so flashy it hurt the eyes.
Not content with just painting the gun pink, it even had a cute pony keychain dangling from it.
Yet it had been meticulously adjusted so it wouldn't jingle and give away their position.
Even if it drew all eyes and became the prime target, it couldn't hinder stealthy movement.
"Here's the mission briefing."
They would use the artillery units deployed in Gwanak District to bombard Guro and Dongjak Districts, pulling all the monsters' aggro once again.
In that chaos, they would deploy the [Lures] provided by the Chinese government to draw as many monsters as possible toward Yeongdeungpo District.
The massive project involving over a hundred climbers was all just a diversion to thin out the monster numbers as much as possible.
"We'll enter via the Han River. Key warnings for this op: interference from [Six Freaks] or even the Americans or Russians."
"Uh-huh—so what's the boss want us to watch out for?"
"Our VTubers won't kill anyone. Got it, agent?"
"You need this bouncy Unicorn, right? I've even grilled pork belly in Gwanghwamun while dancing."
"I didn't need to know that!"
※※※
Before departure, the Wakamo Corporation was frantically snapping footage of everything for later use.
With so many team members mobilized, they had enough material for an anime. Someone suggested just going for it, but Wakamo, haunted by nightmares of amateur voice acting and celebrity dubs despite not being pros, politely declined.
An anime was plenty with just the original song's MV.
Unsure what to open with but wanting to keep it light since things might get serious, they went with this:
Pilot, Ichigo, and Wakamo eating cereal for breakfast.
Flipping the box revealed something in a bag tumbling out with the cereal.
"Oh, check it out! Boat trip winning ticket!!"
"Jackpot!"
Just like when she hit it big at pachinko, Pilot grinned like her luck was unbeatable.
"Anyway... me and Ichigo,"
"Yay!"
"And~~"
Wakamo beamed expectantly. Pilot pondered forever before pointing off-screen, cutting to Asuka.
"Asuka."
"Sex!"
"You little—"
"I learned that when you're feeling good, you shout 'sex'!"
"Who taught you that?"
".......Pilot?"
"Don't fall for it! It's AI lies!! This is a smear campaign against me!!!"
"I'll give you a chance to defend yourself, Pilot."
"I'd have taught her 'ahegao,' not sex."
BAM—
Wakamo flipped the table with a crash. The milk bowl smashed into Pilot's face like a slapstick gag, sending her toppling backward in her chair. As Asuka dove for a dogeza, Wakamo grabbed her waist, hoisted her upside down, and slammed her with a piledriver.
THUD! With that, Asuka's comically wrecked face faded to black.
Pilot had said it was a cover song, but...
Pilot atop the turtle ship.
"Dark water boat!!"
"Screw land! I'm on a ship, asshole!!"
"Both of you, get down."
Idol VTubers don't talk like that!!
Shocked that Wakamo called them idols—"We were idols?!"—Pilot and Asuka protested it was news to them, but Wakamo's ideal VTuber was indeed the perfect, rational, pure idol type.
Pilot remarked that the dream might be too big, wearing a "get real" face, and Wakamo despaired with a "Yeah, you're right."
Ichigo sang her best regardless.
Asuka pitched singing hard for an original song too so she'd let her VTuber, but the glitched, insane AI VTuber was light-years from "pure," making it impossible.
"By the way, Mr. Unicorn. What about the others?"
"Dead."
"Huh...? No way?"
"Gojukine got hit by a meteor on the way, Lurie fell in an earthquake en route. Shikopi cried herself to death over a virtual live graduation notice. All gone. Shitty luck."
"The last one sounds way too real!!!"
"No worries, lovely ladies!! Pink noobs always dominate these games. Rooftop Koreans, right?"
"Drop it."
Wakamo stopped him from spreading weird lore, finished loading supplies, and double-checked the group's armaments.
Previously, four agents guarded Ichigo, but now just one. Too many could cause issues, and with three climbers together, fewer agents were safer.
Still, a rescue team waited silently inside the portal just in case.
Prep was perfect, so they reviewed the op one last time.
Target: The colossal raid boss monster 『Black Imugi』 nesting in the entire 63 Building.
Luckily not a dragon, so resistant to mana but still vulnerable to Wakamo's attacks.
Problem was its durability—even modern firearms just singed its scales.
Fighting with excessive mana would disadvantage Wakamo, but Manager Ohn Da-hye suggested entering its body to plant bombs, since its size made that feasible and portals allowed quick escapes.
No monster could protect its insides completely, right?
Though a building-sized gut might house something nasty.
"No narration or radio this time. We'll use internal comms, but we'll avoid splitting up at all costs."
Seoul crawled with monsters. No hyperbole—survivors impossible with everywhere overrun.
Even five together might lack firepower. One slip-up meant instant death.
Of course, countermeasures were in place.
Internal comms were part of that.
Spies in the Association or government were inevitable, no matter how Wakamo hid.
A project this big screamed through money and movements, so she openly uploaded a teaser.
"Pilot, stand tall on the earth!!"
"Asuka's gonna make bank with this, buy a PC, and debut as a VTuber!!"
"Arrr, so follow orders. Weapons sharp?"
Watching the group prep steadily, Manager Ohn Da-hye's final transmission—"Prep complete. Op starts"—rang out.
FWOOOOOM—FWIP FWIP—
WHOOOOSH—BOOM!!
The Seoul reclamation op began.
Fighter jets streaked missiles across the sky in bombings. Monsters swarmed after them, sparking dogfights.
A wingman downed a monster-caught jet, then—light shot skyward from behind distant buildings.
Cascading parabolic beams.
The military's barrage looked hellbent on turning Seoul to ash.
"Can't even handle this resolve? Fail means treason, success means revolution!"
"Pilot, that's not for here."
"Aren't we invading Seoul?"
"Japanese invading the capital... sounds off."
"Turtle ship makes it okay?"
"Makes it weirder..."
The group eyed Wakamo's oddly low energy with concern.
Even boarding the floating turtle ship for the Han River, she stared sadly into the distance.
They shoved each other until Asuka, the youngest, got pushed to talk.
"Why so down, Wakamo? A VTuber graduate?"
"Just having you here was enough... Wakamo's being spoiled... Actually, yesterday... my fave Negitoro Akutang graduated... Said she's chasing a bigger dream due to creative differences."
Prep had been hyped until the sudden bad news tanked her vibe.
VTuber graduations always hit like this. Viewers couldn't know thoughts or troubles without them sharing.
Fun times ended with major announcements—still the happy endings.
Countless vanished mid-rule-break with no goodbye.
"Teary farewells don't suit us. Awkward if we meet again."
"Yeah, Himel would've said that..."
"Who's Himel?"
"Old man, no manga lately? Japanese watch Korean films—learn!!"
"Too busy with Novelpia rankings!"
"Pitching here...?"
"Captain!! Man's farewell—no tears! Pirate King's crew don't cry!"
"You're Navy, Pilot."
She got the feelings, but moping now? Asuka consoled carefully, patted Pilot's shoulder.
But Ichigo knew Wakamo Inarizushi sobbing into pillows over graduations.
Yet she truly supported pursuing real dreams anytime.
Ichigo kneed the tactless Unicorn agent's shin for "let girls cry it out" and deployed her ace.
"Victory chant, please, Ichigo."
"But it's embawwassing..."
Lifting Wakamo's drooped ears, Ichigo whispered the energizing chant.
"The tower made her graduate."
Yeah, blame the tower. No monsters without it—no chaos!!
Think of VTubers who quit over the tower... Recall them, Wakamo!!
You were crazier as Dark Clipper!!
VTuber crying over tower ruining her farm.
One hyped for a year-later reunion trip, crushed by tower.
Debut concert dancers canceled by tower emergence.
"Have to kill it... No choice but to go all out! Everyone, let's go!!"
"Hmm~ Wanted it easier... Guess we gotta sex...?"
WHAM!
"Ugh! I didn't teach her that!!"
"Minor translation glitch."
WHAM!
"Eek."
Mmm, that impact. Our Wakamo's hit.
Pilot and Asuka grinned, energy surging despite the forehead flicks.
The turtle ship's voyage was smoother than expected—enough for bickering nonsense.
Some might wonder about the turtle ship, but simple:
[Idol's Body] clones could use skills too.
This was just Wakamo's Divine Arms of the Overlord transformed into a turtle ship.
'Even at zero weight, less mana than Winged Garment of Ascension.'
Recovery sped up, so minimal burden. Potions as periodic fuel sufficed.
She felt relic items' insane performance—and why the tower gave them.
"Han River soon! Captain! Epic line, please!"
"Got it! Everyone! Dive prep!!"
"Not that!!"
In Korea, "VTuber dive prep" was sad legend.
What's that, Wakamo?
Screw it, not telling...
"Then together! Weigh anchor~♪"
""""Ahoy!!""""
Turtle ship plunged into Han River. Sudden ship conjured sea shadows—a massive sea serpent lunged with seawater jaws.
The ship leaped over it.
"Grab on!! Trust your licensed captain!!!"
She spun the wheel furiously—but Wakamo puppeteered it!
Skidding the serpent's skin like a slide, the ship skipped water surfaces like stone-skipping till shells targeted it.
"Evasion!"
Ichigo gripped the captain's chair, yelling urgently.
Pilot yanked the wheel; ship braked hard, drifting impossibly.
Dodging shells with freakish agility, a ghost ship accelerated in pursuit.
"What tower spits out ghost ships?!"
Too many Seoul towers collapsed to guess. Likely from a river-adjacent one.
Ghost ship rammed at turtle ship speeds, phasing through terrain.
Ichigo commanded desperately.
"Evasion!"
No boating know-how, so limited lines.
"Noiman evasion!!"
Yelling nonsense skill, wheel twist—ship leaped airborne.
Ghost pirates and captain on deck gawked as it jumped.
Midair spin, ship unpacked cannons, blasting the ghost ship.
"Reload!!"
Unicorn and Wakamo hustled shells from behind.
Circling performance over Han River, it landed, skidded, turned on ghost ship.
"Dragon snot launch!!"
"Cooler name?!"
Asuka chanted; [Idol's Flames] gathered at dragon head, machine-gunning shells into chain explosions.
Unquenchable flames devoured the sinking ghost ship.
"Captain!! Sorry for not opening that box in Mariabako!! Who's caring for our captain post-Akutang graduation!!"
"Boss!! Keep it together!!!"
Sea monsters plagued the entry; turtle ship accelerated.
Crushing burning ghost ship, unrelenting speed crossed Han River into Seoul successfully.
Instantly, attacks flew from afar.
"Heh... I'll teach you warship performance ain't decisive..."
Monsters leaped from bridges; ship vaulted the Han River bridges mockingly.
Flying monsters pursued, but Pilot gripped the wheel grinning.
"Behold Joseon's high-performance secret weapon!!"
"What?!"
Asuka's snark—ship sank like magic on touching water.
Submerging deep, propulsion kicked in.
[Idol's Flames] fixed non-swimming flaw for underwater travel!
"Whoa... what's all that..."
Unicorn gaped at Han River bottom teeming with sea monsters.
Sea giants strolling, hermit crabs in containers.
Everyone froze at building-sized fish.
No ocean towers—why stay landlocked, haunting fixed zones like "towers"?
Flying ones didn't flee either—what constraint?
"Surfacing! Prep!"
Crew bustled after Pilot released wheel.
Shadow rose under eerily still Han River.
Past Seogang Bridge leaped, Mapo submerged-through, greeted by ever-golden 63 Building.
FWOOOM—!!
Distracted, something struck the ship.
Massive Han River explosion—turtle ship engulfed, burning.
Sudden ambush, no time to react.
Climber's [skill] strike; ship sank slowly despite [Mana Burn].
Attackers puzzled at low damage, watched quietly.
Snipers prepped for escapees from burning ship.
But no one surfaced.
....
.....
"Pwah!!"
"Blugh...."
"Han River cleaner than Japan—survivable! Japan would've killed us!"
"France too!!"
Cackling, Unicorn hauled Pilot under arm, surfaced. Asuka bantered.
Plan: crawl reverse-sewer via deep drain.
"War demands seeing two, three moves ahead. Red Comet said it."
Wakamo, who ferried them hugging from riverbed, wrung out.
Ichigo surfaced; all scanned dim sewer.
Asuka lit up—vast empty space.
"Feels like a monster boss awaits."
Like final showdown unsealing underground demon king.
Agents handed weapons via portal; group armed, advanced.
"Manager's turtle ship bait worked."
Foes brought [Mana Burn] intent on killing Wakamo.
Or standard for mana-users.
Most climbers weak sans mana.
Fist King shrugs hits; Wakamo dies normally.
"Shall we?"
SPLASH—
Footsteps echoed watery splashes.