[Raccoon Man Beginning]
[Raccoon Man Beginning]
The weight of the name Transcendent is not something to be taken lightly. Usually, people who have read a few mass-produced fantasy novels might have encountered terms like Sword Master or Grand Master, but in reality, the level treated as a Transcendent is at best around Grand Master. And even that is at the very bottom level.
There are countless concepts necessary for us to live in this world. Starting from light things like time, space, light, darkness... there are more high-dimensional concepts like chaos, destiny, destruction, and creation.
A Transcendent refers to those who can pull down and use such concepts, even if just a little, with their own power.
Uung!
The bastard denied gravity and rejected the laws of physics. The monster, floating off the ground with an extremely faint force, glared at me. Then, it accelerated rapidly, charged, and thrust its spear.
Raf Energy was visibly rising from the red spearhead, so its penetration power made a couple of tanks meaningless. It pierced through anything blocking it like paper and charged forward.
But even that spear couldn't pierce my Force Field. Through concept interference, I rejected general physical laws, adding not only anti-gravity but also acceleration that defied common sense, but my will-based Force Field is basically set to top-tier concept defense. Trying to crush me with physical attacks is impossible, even if you threw me into a black hole.
Kwagagaga!!!
As it swung the spear, scars were carved onto the building's exterior along the trajectory. Despite it being a building boasting a considerable number of floors, the diagonally drawn mark reached almost to the rooftop.
"No wonder the super-large Enemy Species earlier was like that too. I guess Raf Energy is an ability that basically has its origins in negation?"
Denying physical attacks, denying gravity; those bastards are basically that kind of creature. That's why common sense doesn't work on them.
That's the principle behind why my attacks didn't do proper damage when I attacked the super-large Enemy Species. Raf Energy itself had that kind of resistance, which reduced the impact.
"But since I don't get that feeling from the small and medium-sized ones, does it mean only guys like you at the large size reach that level? Is it a difference in output, or..."
To gather some information, I responded appropriately and stalled for time.
It might be overwhelming for others, but not for me. However, since there's no guarantee that a stronger guy than this one won't appear in the future, I have to get information in advance.
As the saying goes, those who make things always recycle, copy, and paste. The guys that come out next will likely have at least one similarity to this one.
Just as I was getting used to the trajectory of the spear the bastard was swinging, it seemed annoyed by me just dodging and acting cocky, so the outer armor on its chest clicked open.
Inside a sphere that was similar to a circle but translucent were nine sides. It was a nonagon.
Kiiing!
And a vast amount of energy condensed in the bastard's chest and was released in an instant.
"Unibeam? No, I guess the way engineers think is all the same..."
A red flash grazed past the side of my head.
The clash between Raccoon Man and the Humanoid Enemy Species was shocking and defied common sense from the start.
If the Humanoid Enemy Species swung its spear a few times, a high-rise building would be half-destroyed. There had been plenty of Enemy Species of that level so far, but that was only the case for large Enemy Species that were tens of meters tall; never had a small one, barely over 2 meters, shown such power.
People watching the battle felt the same helpless fear as 20 years ago.
The days when Enemy Species first appeared, and they fought against monsters that physical attacks didn't work on, using only firearms without Force Users. That time when there was no hope and they were helpless.
20 years might not be long, but for a person, 20 years is in the blink of an eye. Those who were born in that era became adults. Those who were adults became the middle-aged and elderly generation supporting the current era.
The majority of people remembered that era.
An era of only despair where no hope could be seen.
"A few minutes ago. A never-before-seen type of Enemy Species appeared from a Dimensional Rift in Manhattan that hasn't closed yet! Despite being small, its power is greater than a large one, so it wouldn't have been strange if a catastrophe had occurred, but right now, a hero is facing that Enemy Species!"
Even in moments of crisis, no, precisely because it was a moment of crisis, there were people who launched broadcast helicopters to film in order to get a scoop.
They might have been fools who stepped out of greed at first and didn't even properly feel the sense of crisis, but right now, they were doing their best in their work to deliver hope to the people.
"Look! Look at the super hero who is desperately facing the bastard right now! He's wearing a raccoon mask, what could that mean... Ah! According to news that just came in, he is Raccoon Man, a Master User from Korea! He is a mysterious Master User wearing a mask who is a super hero with a record of fighting and winning against Lee Gyeong-jin, a Master User from the same Korea!"
The fight between Raccoon Man and Lee Gyeong-jin had been uploaded to video sites and caused a stir for a while, but the government deliberately took down the videos and suspended them, so it didn't last long. Those who know, know, and those who don't, don't.
But now, Raccoon Man's name has been imprinted on countless people.
A hero fighting against a monster that looks like a human, destroying buildings and devastating the city center. Furthermore, there was the mystery of him wearing a mask and hiding his identity.
As the saying goes, America is the land of heroes. This isn't just because of hero comics; that aspect became even more prominent after the Great Depression 20 years ago. In particular, Jacob, a Master User of America, was so popular that he already had a series of comics out.
But a masked hero from another country saving America.
It was quite a picturesque situation.
"Raccoon Man! I'll help! Step back for a moment!"
"Ah! Seriously! When I tell you to step back, just step back!"
As Choi Ak stepped back, a barrage of bullets poured down on the bastard. Jacob was a Master User in name, after all. His physical enhancement was incomparable to other Force Users, so he could sufficiently keep up with the two's fight.
The bullets fired frantically spewed electric shocks in all directions. Even if the caliber was large, the fact that a bullet at most the size of a finger could produce power equivalent to a bomb or missile was proof enough of how excellent it was, but unfortunately, against that bastard, it was only enough to stall for time.
"Why did you come? When I told you to go earlier, you should have just gone!"
"Even though I look like this, I'm an American hero, you know. If I leave it to others and run away, what would the kids who admire me think?"
"You're saying the right things! Besides, it was a guy I could have easily caught even without you, you know?"
"For someone who says that, you were fighting for quite a long time! You weren't even attacking properly!"
"I'm memorizing the pattern, you jerk! As the saying goes, in a raid, memorizing the mob's pattern is half the battle! If a damage reflection pattern comes in and I get fucked, are you going to take responsibility?"
Although they were bickering, Choi Ak glared at the Humanoid Enemy Species that couldn't easily approach.
It hadn't been a long time since the bastard crossed over. At most, about 5 minutes. But the attacks of Jacob, a pure Force User, were landing. Whether those were effective hits or not is secondary; the fact that a Force User's attacks were working meant that the Force Fusion Phenomenon had already ended.
"Does it mean the total amount of power is small, but the purity is different? I don't really know what the Force Fusion Phenomenon is like, so I can't make a judgment."
"Are you done talking to yourself? Help me out here, will you?! I'm almost out of Force right now!"
"This is why I can't stand guys with premature ejaculation. Are you married? If you are, eat plenty of good stuff. You have to perform your mandatory defense duties!"
"Fuck!!"
In terms of firepower itself, Jacob might be in the top tier among Master Users. But if he has a weakness, it's close-quarters combat. That's why his compatibility with the Humanoid Enemy Species is bad.
If he allows close approach, Jacob dying is a matter of an instant.
"Gather everything you have left and fire one big shot! I'll finish it then!"
"That's the most welcome news I've heard! Alright!"
Jacob quickly took out a blunt magazine from his waist and loaded it. It was a skilled and quick move that took almost less than 0.1 seconds. But the Humanoid Enemy Species had reflexes that transcended living beings, enough to aim for that opening. It pierced through the remaining electric shocks and charged in a straight line, aiming for the two.
But there was distance. Jacob pulling the trigger was faster than the bastard reaching them.
"Yippee-ki-yay, Motherfucker!"
"Oh, Die Hard?"
Kwaaaang!
A blast sound closer to a bomb than a bullet was heard. A heavy blast sound spread out, to the point where even a shotgun wouldn't make such a sound. The special bullet, which made ears go deaf for a moment, contained power as excellent as its sound.
A storm wrapped in lightning and flames engulfed the bastard. For once, it seemed to have taken damage, as it let out a shriek at the hot heat.
However, it wasn't a critical hit. Even though its body was burning, the Humanoid Enemy Species fearlessly sprinted through the flames and attacked.
"You always have to be careful of your vision in times like this. Huh?"
Instead, Choi Ak, who had also stepped forward, said to the bastard. The bastard, whose judgment was clouded for a moment due to the flames and pain, failed to realize he was approaching.
The bastard was alone, and they were two. Furthermore, they had much more combat experience.
Choi Ak clenched his fist and, with his Force Field strengthened even further, slammed his fist into the bastard's face.
Along with a strange shout.
"Game!!!"
A sound like a bomb exploding was heard again, and the bastard's body flew and crashed into a nearby building. And Choi Ak, who had run over without even giving it time to come to its senses, slammed his fist into the fallen bastard's face again.
"Girr!!!"
It was a punch that shook the ground and the building. It wasn't a metaphor; it was actually the case. He kept slamming his heavy fist, to the point where you could see the building shaking, so the bastard couldn't come to its senses.
"Gan! Go!! Geuhwo!!!"
And he clasped his hands together. The Force Field wrapped around Choi Ak's body was strengthened thicker than before, and it was at a level that could easily crush the Raf Energy wrapped around the Humanoid Enemy Species' body.
He slammed that directly onto the bastard's solar plexus!
"Wiiiiiiter!!!"
Kwagagagak!!!
A metallic friction sound was heard. The friction caused by the collision of his Force Field and the bastard's Raf Energy, and the sparks generated in the aftermath, were hot enough to actually set things on fire, but he didn't care.
The clasped fists, which he had shoved in recklessly, smashed the armor near the solar plexus and reached the bastard's core inside.
And he pulled it out while it was still alive!
"Uuuuugh-ra-chaaaaa!!"
The Enemy Species' body fluids and flesh splattered, but he didn't care and pulled out the bastard's core. Finally, as he stood up, he kicked the bastard's head to confirm the kill, then took the trophy and held it up high.
It's true that he was doing it to show off, but that was an action meant for Jacob to see.
However, there was a broadcast helicopter that had been filming his appearance until the end.
"Raccoon Man has won! Raccoon Man, who joined forces with Thunderbolt, safely defeated the Humanoid Enemy Species and extracted its core! That is the victory ceremony!"
"Th-there! The Dimensional Rift is closing!"
"Ah!!"
With the Humanoid Enemy Species as the last one, the Dimensional Rift slowly closed. That means this battle has concluded.
And the Dimensional Rift that was here was the very last one. All the other Dimensional Rifts had been resolved and closed long ago.
In other words, it means all the Dimensional Rifts that Elisa Near foresaw have ended.
"We have won!"
People watching the broadcast cheered. They called out the names of the American hero, Thunderbolt, and Raccoon Man from Korea, praising them.
There were damages and casualties, but for now, a sense of relief overflowed to the extent that they could overcome that sadness.
Choi Ak, who seemed to have run out of energy, sat down on the spot, sighed, and brushed off the dust on his body.
There are three things gained from this incident. He prevented Yejin's prophecy, protected Lee Gyeong-jin's daughter Lee Yoon, and most importantly, prevented Sion's property loss.
In fact, the last one was the most important.
"Hey, Raccoon Man. How does it feel to be a hero?"
"I've already experienced the hero feeling in Korea."
"This time it's a bit different, right? You're an American hero?"
Jacob also knew. If he had faced the Humanoid Enemy Species, he would have died shortly after facing it.
His specialty is long-range firepower battles. His firepower is enough for even Choi Ak to acknowledge, but his close-quarters combat ability or mobility is not superior compared to other Master Users.
"If you allowed it to get close once, your neck would have been cut off by the spear the bastard swung. To block that bastard's attack without a single scratch, you'd have to be at least like that British gentleman, right?"
"British?"
"Ah, there's a guy who talks about chivalry."
Jacob also put down the special gun he was holding and sat down. Sitting quietly for a while in the ruined city, his head, which had been heated up from fighting, cooled down a bit and he felt much more comfortable.
It's a ruined city, but they will rebuild it again... But who did that to the fire truck that is half-destroyed and stuck in a corner?
"I'm hungry after that scuffle. Want to eat something together?"
"Since it's already impossible to go back quietly, it's better to eat something before leaving. It would be nice if you treated me at least better than Japan did."
"Haha! We Americans are a generous country to heroes. Even if something like that happens, I'll help you. I can't stand a comrade-in-arms being treated like that."
"Were you a soldier?"
"In the past. I went into the army without knowing anything because I was hungry... Then the Great Depression happened."
Jacob was born into a low-income family. He had lived in poverty since he was young, and after becoming an adult, he volunteered for the army to avoid starving.
Then the Great Depression happened, and that was when he awakened as a Force User.
He served in the army for a while and killed Enemy Species, but he was forcibly discharged due to the UN Force User-related agreement signed afterwards and became affiliated with the AFU (America Force Union).
There are Force Users in the police, but the reason for keeping the military and Force User organizations separate is to prevent Force Users from being operated militarily. Not all Force Users participate in responding to Enemy Species, and there is no capacity to deploy them in inter-state conflicts.
"After that, it got a bit easier. I killed those bastards until I was dying, and before I knew it, I became a Master User. Life also became somewhat comfortable."
"If you were a soldier, you would have learned martial arts, so why are you a cripple at close-quarters combat?"
"Guns are stronger, aren't they?"
"Usually, yes."
Even with just the common sense of 20 years ago, it was natural that humans couldn't beat guns. It's a story that anyone who lived through those days would naturally empathize with.
"But how do you put Force into bullets? Is that your trait?"
"Ah, that's one of my traits. 'Generation' that creates electricity. And 'Charging', and there are a few others, but that's about what I mainly use."
"Is it a unique trait? It's not bad, is it?"
Choi Ak acknowledged his level in his own way, but it was a bit pitiful to see him using his electricity-handling ability in such a way.
No, if you can handle electricity, how many technologies or weapons can you imitate in modern civilization?!
"Didn't you study when you were a student?"
"I had to earn money rather than study. I told you I enlisted as soon as I became an adult."
"Well, it's just as tough to live in America, too. Still, seeing you being called an American hero and all that, I guess the saying about a dragon rising from a small stream isn't just empty words."
"Aren't you also an American hero now? Of course, I'm number one."
"The number one hero is All Might! Ah, sorry. That was a bad joke."
"All Might?"
Choi Ak decided to end the small talk and decided to move to eat first.
As safety was secured, people who had been hiding in air-raid shelters slowly came out, and medical teams and rescue teams began to appear.
"It's after we stopped an alien-like invasion in New York, but isn't a taco better than shawarma?"