Chapter 95
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 95
Chapter Title: The Four Guardian Deities (5)
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Inside a private transport aircraft, flying through the sky at a particularly high speed among the emergency transports headed for Australia, were Meiden and Yuhwa.
So youre saying Seoyul is the one who caused that rampage?
Yuhwa asked with a look of surprise.
Not all of it, just the Blue Dragon.
Meiden stared at the hologram inside the transport with a grave expression.
The critical situation across Australia was being broadcast in real-time.
Then what about the White Tiger and the other rampaging monsters?
Who knows. The kid isnt answering his phone, so I cant be sure.
Meiden glanced at her smartphone. She had already tried calling Kang Seoyul dozens of times, but perhaps because things were escalating so quickly on his end, the call wouldn't connect.
Seeing the little White Tiger that went berserk at the airport and the other White Tiger that appeared right after, Im guessing the rampage is spreading like a contagion.
Meiden had reached the same conclusion as Kang Seoyul.
A resonance phenomenon, you mean?
Probably.
The two stared at the hologram, their expressions growing more serious.
Thanks to that Jinho fellow moving quickly to stop the White Tiger, the damage isnt too severe yet.
...But thats only a matter of time.
The superhumans belonging to the Australian government were somehow holding back the Blue Dragon, and the instructors from the Korean and Australian superhuman academies were somehow containing the White Tiger.
The Australian government has no way to stop the number of rampaging monsters from increasing.
The problem was the lack of manpower to deal with the rampage of common monsters that had started, centered around those two entities.
If the first-year cadets hadn't stepped in to evacuate civilians and deal with the rampaging monsters, it would have been a bloodbath long ago.
For the Australian government, the presence of the Korean Superhuman Academy's first-year cadets in Australia at this time was a stroke of luck.
Australia isnt a superhuman powerhouse. Just holding back the Blue Dragon is a feat in itself.
Meiden clicked her tongue.
Meiden, how much longer until we arrive?
About ten minutes for us. The other transports will take at least twenty.
The transport they were in was Meiden's private jet, a marvel of advanced technology into which she had poured all of her technical expertise.
Its speed was incomparable to that of a standard-issue transport.
Its going to be close.
Yuhwa carefully re-examined the rate at which the monster rampage was growing and the current situation. It would be tight, but it seemed they could hold out for about ten more minutes.
No. Its dangerous.
Meidens expression, however, grew colder.
Analyzing the interval and distance between the Blue Dragons rampage and the White Tigers that followed, and the locations of the four laboratories...
At Meidens gesture, the hologram shifted its display.
Theres a high probability the Black Tortoise will appear before we arrive.
...The Black Tortoise.
Yuhwas expression turned serious again. She had foolishly forgotten about the other two Guardian Deities.
The Vermilion Bird will appear within five minutes after the Black Tortoise. If that happens...
It will be a catastrophe.
The resonance phenomenon generated by the four Guardian Deities would spread across the entirety of Australia, and bloodshed would erupt throughout the country.
What the hell is that kid doing after causing a mess like this!
Meiden grumbled, her leg shaking with anxiety. It was then that her smartphone rang.
*Your silhouette~ like a violet hue~*
A calm song, completely out of place with the current situation, echoed through the transport as a ringtone.
...Speak of the devil.
Meiden smirked after checking the caller ID.
[Kang Seoyul]
Meiden answered the call.
Kid! Where are you right now!
*Meiden. Please listen carefully to what Im about to say.*
* * *
*...Alright. I'll ask how you knew about the MK-3 later. For now, I'll do as you say.*
The scenery blurred past as I ran at full speed.
Yes. Thank you.
*Don't you dare overdo it. If it gets dangerous, run immediately. Got it?*
I will. Im hanging up now.
*Okay. See you later.*
With that, the call ended.
The preparations were complete.
All that remained was the real thing.
I kept running.
Fortunately, thanks to Boiling Pure Blood, my stamina recovery was superhuman.
It allowed me to keep sprinting at full power.
At this pace, I could reach the third laboratory within five minutes.
It seemed the Black Tortoise hadn't appeared yet, and I would likely get there before the Vermilion Bird emerged.
If I could just get there first, I could exploit the moment of greatest weakness right after its rampage began and inflict a fatal wound on the Vermilion Bird's wings.
A wingless Vermilion Bird was like Choi Jihoon without his mana armor, or the Seekers of Truth without Unknown.
My plan was perfect.
*Fweee-!*
At that moment, a fierce storm of mana erupted from a considerable distance.
Its here.
It was the storm of mana signaling the appearance of the Black Tortoise.
One of the Black Tortoise's characteristics is its ability to jam electronic signals within a certain range.
Seeing my phone go dead confirmed it.
Now, only the Vermilion Bird remained.
Considering the interval, it would appear in as little as seven minutes, or as long as ten.
There was enough time.
...Or so I thought.
*Fwoooosh-!*
...What?
At that moment, a fierce pillar of flame erupted in the distance.
*Screeeech!*
The cry of a bird shook the heavens and the earth.
...Why?
It was a cry of despair, heralding the arrival of all four Guardian Deities.
* * *
A-Are we really sure about this?
Inside the shelter of the third laboratory, a researchers lips quivered, his face consumed by anxiety.
To... to intentionally trigger the Vermilion Birds rampage...
Are you saying youd rather rot in prison for the rest of your life?
The Beast Master glared at him.
Thats...
The Vermilion Birds early appearance was not a natural phenomenon.
It was the Beast Master's doing.
He did it to make the situation even more chaotic, to buy time to escape.
B-But did we really have to enhance its rampage factor to trigger it...!
For that sole purpose, he had further strengthened the Vermilion Bird and unleashed it upon the world.
It couldn't be helped. The Four Guardian Deities in their current state are too weak. If we don't do this, we can't escape.
The Beast Master's eyes glinted with a vile light.
Now, lets prepare our escape, before the Vermilion Bird turns its beak this way.
If they were in their complete forms, it would be a different story, but it was only a matter of time before these incomplete Guardian Deities were subjugated.
Once the other superhumans from overseas arrived, they would be hunted down with no chance of resistance.
They had to escape before that.
S-Sir! Look at this!
A researcher pointed at a screen, his face aghast.
What is it?
The Beast Master looked at the screen. It was footage from a CCTV camera near the first laboratory.
While all other CCTVs had been disabled by the Black Tortoises signal jamming, this one, specifically designed with resistance to jamming in order to monitor the Black Tortoise, was functioning normally.
What... is that thing?
The Beast Masters pupils trembled in shock as he stared at the screen.
The Black Tortoise was roaring and rampaging as if to destroy everything.
So far, so good.
Who in the world is that man!
The problem was the black figure confronting the Black Tortoise alone.
A man dressed entirely in black.
His face was completely obscured by a hood, and he wore a mask, making it impossible to identify him.
*Screeeech!*
Every time the mysterious man swung his misshapen daggers of varying sizes, the Black Tortoise's screams followed like an echo.
H-How is he piercing the Black Tortoise's defense!
The Black Tortoises strength lay in its defense.
Its carapace, which absorbed about 99% of all damage, both physical and magical, was its identity.
Even in its incomplete state, that outstanding defensive power was more or less intact.
But the mans blades were carving through the Black Tortoise's tough carapace as if it were nothing.
Is he a superhuman from the top 10 rankings!
Among the S-rank superhumans known as the pinnacle of their kind, those within the top 10 were considered a whole other level.
Had they made their move?
'No. As far as I can remember, there's no superhuman with that fighting style.'
He had memorized at least all the superhumans within the top 100 rankings.
None of them fought like that.
Dont tell me!
'Is he an underling of the publicly unknown Outer Black!'
Yes.
That had to be it.
There was no other way to explain that figure.
'An assassin he sent to eliminate me!'
While the Beast Master was panicking, the man continued to brutally slaughter the Black Tortoise.
A-At this rate, the Black Tortoise will be dead within five minutes!
He was at a loss for words.
The Blue Dragon, which appeared first, and the White Tiger, which appeared after, were still standing. Yet the Black Tortoise, the third to appear, was on the brink of death.
...Dammit!
The Beast Master gritted his teeth.
If the Black Tortoise was eliminated, it would create a problem for his plan to escape amidst the chaos.
Not that there was any way to save it.
In that case, there was only one option.
...Theres no choice. We proceed with the escape plan.
He had intended to make his move right after the Vermilion Bird entered the city.
It seemed he no longer had that luxury.
Destroy all the data, grab only the samples, and move out!
Y-Yes, sir!
Just as the researchers began to move in unison.
*Craaaash-!*
An earth-shattering shockwave echoed from outside the shelter.
Now what is it...!
*Screeeeeeech!*
At the same time, the piercing scream of the Vermilion Bird was heard.
S-Screen! Get the Vermilion Bird on screen!
The Beast Master shouted.
Bringing it up now!
A researcher typed on the keyboard with lightning speed, and three seconds later...
The massive form of the Vermilion Bird filled the main screen of the shelter.
...What?
It was the image of the Vermilion Bird, slammed into the ground, its body trembling violently.
What is that?
Someone was standing on top of the downed creature.
Like the man fighting the Black Tortoise, this one was also a man clad entirely in black.
Black full plate armor.
The armor had a strange luster that was both eerie and beautiful, as if it were forged from some unknown mineral.
It was as if darkness itself had been tempered into metal to create armor.
*Kyahaha!*
The man let out a crazed laugh as he plunged a black spear into the Vermilion Bird's wing.
*Gulp.*
Someone swallowed dryly.
Though it was only a video feed from a camera, the intimidating aura the man exuded was as intense as the Vermilion Bird's.
*Blood. Flesh. Organs. Gore!!*
With a cold, metallic laugh, mana exploded from around the man.
*Kieeeek!*
Enraged, the Vermilion Bird unleashed a torrent of flames.
*Kuhahahaha!*
The man charged forward as if the Vermilion Bird's flames were nothing.
The one overwhelming the other was, without a doubt, the man.
...A monster.
To the Beast Masters eyes, the man looked more monstrous than the Vermilion Bird.
...Who! Who in the hell is that man!!
The Beast Master screamed.
Nothing was going according to plan.
It felt as if the world itself was moving to kill him.
'I've dedicated myself to the world! Is the world trying to cast me aside!'
Arghhhhh!
*Thud!*
The Beast Master slammed his fist on the table.
S-Sir. What should we do?
If the V-Vermilion Bird is eliminated like this, our escape plan is completely...
At that moment, the Beast Masters trembling stopped.
Right...
If the world had abandoned him...
Then he would abandon the world.
Change of plans.
The black emotions in the Beast Masters heart grew even darker.
Bring me sample number 7 and sample number 9.
* * *
Lucifer's Demonic Spear is an S-rank Ancient Artifact. It possesses seven unique abilities.
On top of stat boosts and combat enhancements, it has ultra-fast regeneration, infinite mana, and an ability called [Knight of Malice], similar to Choi Jihoons mana armor.
It even has a ridiculously overpowered ability called Invader of Spacetime, which slows down the surrounding time and allows for teleportation as long as mana can reach.
Its only drawback is that one suffers from [Murderous Impulse].
Because the owner of this weapon was that insane demon, Lucifer, I had been overly cautious of the [Murderous Impulse] debuff.
It was a self-evident truth that wielding immense power required an immense price.
But now that I was actually using it, it didn't seem like such a big deal.
Scatter its flesh! Kuhahaha!
After all, doesn't this feel amazing?
It feels like Im flying.
*Shhhlick-!*
Every time I swing the spear, the sound of tearing flesh that follows makes my mind go dizzy.
The red paint splashing across the sky makes my head spin.
So red, so very, very red.
Ahhh.
It feels good.
To think that the feeling of rending flesh and body parts could be this good.
Ah, I wonder what it would feel like to cut other monsters.
And what would the texture be like if it wasn't a monster, but a person?
It would surely be much softer than a monsters tough hide.
To slowly slice that soft skin with the tip of my spear.
Hah.
It would surely feel incredible.
To experience that sensation, I first need to kill this uselessly large fire chicken in front of me.
The corners of my mouth curved into a crescent moon.
Death Parade.
*Fwoooosh-!*
Darkness exploded from the full plate armor enveloping my body and shot toward the sky.
*Thump, thump, thump.*
The darkness, which had been exploding rhythmically like a heartbeat...
Soon settled upon the tip of my spear.
For the first time, an emotion called fear appeared in the fire chicken's eyes.
The fact that this emotion was directed at me sent another shiver of excitement through me.
I smiled brightly.
Youre entertaining me to the very end.
Farewell.
Lucifer's Demonic Spear shot toward the Vermilion Bird's chest.
Death Parade.
A technique derived from Lucifers authority, which destroys the soul itself.
*Schlick-!*
As the sound of the spear piercing the Vermilion Bird echoed...
*Fssssss-*
The Vermilion Birds body began to scatter like dust.
Screeeeeeech!
There was no way the Vermilion Bird, with its incomplete soul, could maintain its form after being hit by Death Parade.
Ah...
Its ecstatic.
How can the moment a life fades be so beautiful?
It was at that moment.
*Bzzzzzt-!*
Sparks began to fly from Lucifer's Demonic Spear.
[Error! Error!]
The time limit.
One minute had passed since I first held Lucifer's Demonic Spear.
Youre not going anywhere!
I resisted with all my might.
It was a waste to let go of the spear now.
I had just discovered my true nature!
I had just found happiness!
I couldn't let go like this.
Kuaaargh!
But the backlash grew stronger.
Broken error messages began to overlap and float before my eyes.
Eventually, I reached my limit.
*Bzt-!*
I had no choice but to let go of Lucifer's Demonic Spear.
Hah, hah.
Panting, I looked down at Lucifer's Demonic Spear as it clattered to the ground.
...
My head began to cool down.
I was breaking free from the [Murderous Impulse] debuff and returning to my normal state of mind.
With a clear head, I recalled the things I had just been thinking.
...The fuck?
My face turned beet red in an instant.
Wow. Crazy. Wow...
What kind of bullshit was I spouting?
My hands and feet are trembling with embarrassment.
I wish a hole would open up and swallow me.
...Hoo.
I desperately tried to pull myself together.
Right. I defeated the Vermilion Bird with only this much of a price. Its a good thing. Yes, absolutely.
I tried to rationalize it as a mental victory.
!
Thats when an alarm bell rang in my head.
A malice I could feel from afar.
A thick killing intent, tangible as an aura.
It was a sensation I had never felt before.
Could it be a new trait from the demon race? There was definitely a trait with this effect.
I think it was called [Malice Detection].
Kuh!
I snapped back to reality.
This isn't the time to think about that!
I threw my body desperately to the side.
*Craaaash-!*
Something crashed into the spot where I had just been, missing me by a hair's breadth.
I rolled once and got back on my feet, then looked back.
You damn bastards!
...Beast Master?
A madman.
The Beast Master was laughing maniacally, drool dripping from his mouth.
...Vermilion Bird?
He flapped the misshapen red wings on his back.