Chapter 51
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Translator: True Detective
Chapter: 51
Chapter Title: Preparations Complete
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Four hours later.
"Uh, um..."
"What the hell is that?"
"Looks like a summon made of water?"
"Isn't it getting bigger now that it's raining?"
"Is that woman next to Han Soo-yeon the one who summoned it?"
Han Soo-yeon had used the bloodstones gathered with the castaway's help to raise Isulbi's ability to level 9.
She wanted to push it to level 10 to acquire the ability specialization, but they didn't have enough bloodstones for that.
"..."
But seeing the size of the water fiend after two rounds of showers, she had mixed feelings.
'It's about 3-4 meters tall.'
The mere D-grade Shower only rained down within a 20-meter radius.
Of course, that was enough to absorb over 5 tons of water at once, but it wasn't sufficient for the current situation.
'I want to grow it to at least 50 meters.'
To grow the water fiend to 50 meters, they'd need to rain down more than 20 more showers.
That would take over 40 hours by the clock—and by then, they'd be right in the thick of fighting the zombie horde.
"Han Soo-yeon. Is that the summon you got from the merchant?"
At that moment, Lee Gun-woo, the head of the Incheon Union, arrived after hearing the news and asked.
"It doesn't seem as impressive as I expected."
Lee Gun-woo eyed the 3-4 meter monster in front of Han Soo-yeon and Isulbi.
The creature had a fairly large build, but it didn't look like it could hold its own against 300,000 zombies.
"It's still growing. It gets bigger the more water it absorbs."
"So that's why you needed a rain ability user. Do you know how big it can get?"
"I haven't heard, but I figure it'll at least reach the size of a stage-5 zombie."
Lee Gun-woo nodded at that.
Even 20 meters would definitely be a big help.
"But it seems like you're having trouble growing it further. Let me assist."
"How?"
"First, I'll call in the subjugation unit led by Kim I-seo."
A subjugation unit of 40 people total, including Kim I-seo.
Naturally, they weren't all regular people—some awakeners were mixed in.
"Does the subjugation unit have a water-type awakener?"
"No water-types, but we have others. For example, there's one who can restore fatigue."
"Fatigue restoration?"
Han Soo-yeon shot him a look that said what good would that do, but...
"It halves the ability's cooldown time."
"Ah."
Halving the cooldown meant they could rain down a shower once per hour.
"How many times can they use it?"
"Three times a day max. But it'll help."
Lee Gun-woo didn't stop there and mentioned another ability.
"Another one can boost ability power by 1.3 times. And I'll have the other awakeners haul water in buckets."
If one person like Isulbi couldn't handle it alone, they could just mobilize more people, as Lee Gun-woo suggested.
It was simple, but while Han Soo-yeon had to explain everything step by step, Lee Gun-woo could just issue orders.
"..."
Han Soo-yeon saw this as the influence born from group size.
The difference in clout between the leader of the Incheon Union with over 30,000 people and her own group, now down to 500.
'But.'
She was confident she could surpass the Incheon Union's influence soon.
'Maybe because we're getting closer to the first floor.'
Perhaps due to nearing the beastkin habitats, they occasionally ran into beastkin out hunting.
"Huh? What's a human doing all the way out here?"
"Look closely. That's no ordinary human. It's the hero."
"The hero? Oh, right. That was her face."
What's more, the beastkin seemed utterly relaxed, like they were just out for a stroll.
'Their appearance... isn't much different from humans.'
Aside from the animal ears and tails, they looked much like humans.
But their beast-like features and gazes made it hard to meet their eyes head-on.
'Why do I feel so intimidated?'
It wasn't physical intimidation—it felt more like some deep, instinctual pressure.
"I have business with Sirien."
"With our princess? Hm. If it's business with her, it must be labyrinth-related."
"Yes, exactly."
Elisicia nodded frankly without hiding anything.
The wolf-like male beastkin nodded in understanding.
"Not sure if the princess will accept, but... whatever. Anyway, we're indebted to that castaway for the items he put up on the exchange lately."
"You've been buying mostly meat, I assume."
"Spot on. That's why we're out earning points now."
The beastkin looked inwardly pleased with the meat from the exchange.
Remembering how carnivorous beastkin staples were meat, he'd been uploading food supplies every morning—including meat.
"No castaway with you? I wanted to at least see his face."
"You'll meet him someday. Anyway, can we head on now?"
"Oh? Ah, sorry to hold you up. If you can, tell the castaway to list some big cuts of meat."
With that, the beastkin passed by the hero party and went on their way.
I was wearing the stealth cloak right now, and even this beastkin hadn't detected it.
'If they couldn't detect the stealth cloak, they're not that strong.'
Anyway, once the beastkin were gone, I finally let out a small sigh and relaxed my tense body a bit.
Fortunately, Elisicia explained the odd phenomenon I'd just experienced.
"Beastkin—especially carnivorous ones—emit a unique fighting spirit."
"Fighting spirit?"
"Yes. Later, as you go deeper into the labyrinth, some monsters emit something similar to killing intent."
Elisicia said my unconsciously intimidated reaction was perfectly normal.
Rubyel nodded and elaborated on the fighting spirit and killing intent Elisicia mentioned.
"For reference, real fighting spirit or killing intent is laced with mana, often stiffening your head and body."
"That sounds dangerous."
"The fix is to get used to it. Sirien, the one we're picking up, is a carnivorous beastkin too, so you'll adapt quick."
I couldn't afford to freeze every time we met a monster in the labyrinth ahead.
As Rubyel said, adaptation was the only way, so I nodded.
Whoa...
I had no idea that monster could grow that huge.
So that's why they had us haul water out of nowhere yesterday?
Of course. Lee Gun-woo wouldn't assign pointless tasks.
What bullshit? You were bitching the whole time you were hauling water.
On the walls built as a defensive line in Anyang City, the awakeners marveled at the water fiend looming ahead.
Combining Isulbi's Shower ability with help from over 5,000 awakeners, the water fiend had now reached 100 meters tall.
"That size could one-shot a stage-5 zombie or even a giga."
"Who knows. But if that summon attacks properly, it'll definitely help."
Obviously, the sheer power from its size alone couldn't be ignored.
In fact, if a 20-meter stage-5 giga charged straight at the walls at full speed, there'd be no way to stop it.
How do you block a zombie that size barreling at you full tilt?
"True. If it just blocks the stage-4 and 5 ones, that'll be plenty."
Especially if it reliably stopped the new stage-5s—they'd more than earned their efforts from yesterday.
"..."
Han Soo-yeon gazed up at the water fiend, which showed no signs of growing beyond 100 meters.
It hadn't gained height past 100 meters, but its arms had lengthened, or humps like a camel's had formed on its back.
'Good thing we finished growing the water fiend ahead of schedule.'
Now all that was left was to use it against the zombie horde.
"Um, can I go back and get some sleep now?"
At that moment, Isulbi—standing beside Han Soo-yeon, exhaustion plain on her face—asked.
She had to wake every 2 hours to shower, so she hadn't slept properly.
"Yes. I told Lee Jung-woo ahead of time, so they'll escort you back."
Plus, with Lee Gun-woo's help, Isulbi had reached level 10.
No need to mention the ability specialization options that popped up.
【1. Shower range and duration increase by 50%.】
【2. Alter Shower properties to slightly aid crops. Duration halved.】
【3. Alter Shower properties to deal minor damage to zombies. Duration halved.】
【4. Lightning strikes once every 5 minutes with Shower. Cannot control lightning.】
Of course, Isulbi had no real choice.
Han Soo-yeon and Lee Gun-woo had supplied the bloodstones to reach level 10.
The specialization was naturally option 1.
Moreover, boosting range and duration by 1.5 times nearly quadrupled the shower volume.
Thanks to that, they'd managed to grow the water fiend. Han Soo-yeon nodded readily to send Isulbi off, but Isulbi refused.
"No. Before I go, I want to see this kid fight too."
This kid?
Han Soo-yeon blinked at Isulbi speaking of the water fiend like it was her own summon.
Come to think of it, at some point, Isulbi's gaze toward the water fiend had turned oddly affectionate.
"I heard you got this from some merchant? Could I maybe get one too? I'll do anything."
"...You look exhausted. Go sleep. You can watch from here, at least."
If the water fiend lost water mid-fight and weakened or shrank, it could be trouble.
Han Soo-yeon figured having Isulbi stick around for that wasn't bad, so she allowed it.
"No! Answer me first! I'll even return the points I got as payment!"
Han Soo-yeon inwardly sighed at Isulbi now raising her voice.
She had her group members drag Isulbi away by force and headed to the walls herself.
"Wow. I didn't know the summon from the merchant could grow that big."
Jeong Ye-rim, who had been waiting on the walls ahead of Han Soo-yeon, immediately struck up conversation.
"Me neither."
100 meters tall.
Taller than most skyscrapers.
And that 100-meter summon could move and attack.
"But the merchant just gave you a summon like that?"
"No way. It's a loan. I'll return it after this war."
"What? Don't—try acting cute and ask him to let you keep it."
Jeong Ye-rim immediately protested at the idea of returning the water fiend.
She hadn't seen it fight yet, but something that size moving was a weapon in itself.
"It's hard to use."
Han Soo-yeon cut her off flatly.
To use the water fiend, you needed a river, lake, or ocean nearby.
'Or someone like Isulbi to rain on it.'
Even with rain, growing it that big took a ton of time.
In short, it wasn't something you could deploy on demand, so she didn't covet it that much.
"Just borrow it every time there's a war like this."
Jeong Ye-rim pouted, dissatisfied with the answer.
"You're just saying that 'cause you don't wanna act cute, right?"
"...No."
"Knew it! That's it! Wow. After all he's given you, and you wipe your mouth clean."
Han Soo-yeon frowned at her, but Jeong Ye-rim was unfazed.
"If it were me, I'd send the merchant a pic of lingerie in his taste."
"Why would the merchant want that."
"He's a guy, right? He might like it."
"Or he might hate it as tacky."
As the two bickered like usual to ease the tension...
"There you are."
Lee Gun-woo, head of the Incheon Union, approached.
"Word from the scouts. The zombie horde arrives in two hours."
Lee Gun-woo announced that war with the zombie queen was imminent.