Chapter 41 (1/2)
[Don’t get agitated. Think of your place. Deferred judgment holders. A bunch who will be annihilated if you don’t carry out your mission properly. Carry out your mission. I’ll let you live. You have to understand how much goodwill I’m giving you.]
The alien said. Its words were as if it was domesticating humans. ‘Don’t get agitated. Think logically. I am saying this for your own good.’
However, Choi Hyuk was thinking of something else.
‘I can’t fight while protecting my followers.’
To fight while protecting his followers? From the start, he never recruited them for that purpose. They were followers he gathered so that he could fight better and fight to his heart’s content. Well, until he could reach that unknown place and break those who created this game. If it was possible, it was best to keep them alive but if it wasn’t, then it wasn’t.
The more distant your goal was, the more risk you had to take. To do so, didn’t he gather followers who he thought wouldn’t die?
Choi Hyuk turned around.
“I will act alone. Do you best to survive. Baek hyung, help them out. Don’t try to live by yourself.”
Against an alien who could use ranged attacks, his followers would only impede his actions.
“Yes.”
As if he understood his intentions, Baek Seoin took Lee Jinhee and Chu Youngjin away. They ran towards their target, the large coc.o.o.ns.
Choi Hyuk turned back and stared at the alien again.
“So… you haven’t received a deferred judgment?”
He asked as he dangled the Predator’s Blade. The faint white color the alien was emitting was starting to mix with black. It seemed it was displeased with Choi Hyuk’s att.i.tude.
[… I am the Lowest Ranked Warrior, Keholeun. I am also known as Dawn Lightning. But you… want to die?]
Keholeun felt regretful at this moment.
‘As expected of this alien bunch… They say if you give them a part, they’ll ask for the machine. It’s pitiful that he thinks I’m a pushover and is trying to walk all over me.’
He blamed himself. The words of his seniors weren’t wrong. ‘Consumables’ and ‘Consumables (Deferred)’ didn’t listen to words but only to lightning.
‘What’s more, isn’t he trying to pick a fight with me?’
Kking, Diririk!
The Karma Device-01 that Keholeun was riding on a.n.a.lyzed Choi Hyuk’s karma and displayed it. His Control was okay but the rest were awful, sitting at 2-star.
‘This thing is baring its teeth against me? Ha… really… He’s just wasting my time. It’s better to just deal with him quickly and activate the return code.’
During this time, Choi Hyuk was observing Keholeun.
The black light emitting from its body became darker and, at some point, a red light started to mix with it.
‘Killing intent.’
However, it was only the intent. Meaning, this was his opportunity. Choi Hyuk moved a step forward while his opponent was still thinking about attacking.
Pik!
Choi Hyuk’s body disappeared into thin air.
[Kek!!]
Keholeun became surprised and let out a shout. His speed was beyond its expectation. Keholeun wasn’t able to react in time.
Pizizik!
Instead, the Karm Device-01 it was riding on reacted. Blue electric currents spread out like a net and then struck his body, pus.h.i.+ng him away.
Bang, bang!
A karma heart was beating in Choi Hyuk’s dantian. The heart pumped karma out of his body and the expelled karma wrapped around him, creating a barrier. Then the karma that was circulating around his body was recalled back into him. It was similar to how veins and arteries worked. The barrier didn’t stop for even a moment as it circulated around Choi Hyuk. His Power was 203 (★★). He was putting out energy similar to that of a 1,000-horsepower supercar.
Pashashasha!
The electric net that was meant to protect Keholeun was dispersed left and right. The trait of Choi Hyuk’s barrier wasn’t its toughness but its offensive power that was able to smash apart lightning.
Swis.h.!.+
Choi Hyuk, who had penetrated through the electric net, extended his blade.
“Goodbye. Lowest. Ranked. Warrior. Keholeun.”
Keholeun’s prior words seemed to have hurt Choi Hyuk’s pride since he even went out of his way to provoke the alien, which was something he had never done before.
[No!! @#%!!]
It seemed to be in such a hurry that it screamed untranslated words.
“Yes.”
Bang!!
His karma heart violently thumped once more.
And the karma suffused within the blade accelerated. Everything was dyed blue.
Kikikik!
Though the machines surrounding Keholeun momentarily resisted.
Slice!
It was eventually split in two.
Blue blood scattered in the air. The instant the blood met the atmosphere, it evaporated.
Keholeun died without a croak. It was definitely strong. It may have even been strong enough to roast the Wyvern of Destruction without much difficulty. However, its figure was similar to that of a human’s. Even with the fact that it was small enough to be sliced by a sword; it overrated itself in front of Choi Hyuk.
Choi Hyuk didn’t even give Keholeun the chance to show its skills.
Something came out of its body and ingrained into his body. The corpse was a bit haggard but it didn’t complete fade away. Up until the [Throne Game], corpses turned to ash and were absorbed into his body but, at some point, they started to remain intact.
[Opponent’s stats were on average 3-star. Calculating obtained karma. Opponent’s Retribution Points 310 (★★★). Absorption rate increased. Granted 16 free karma points.]
Choi Hyuk possessed Retribution Points 20 (★★★). There was a whopping difference of 290 between him and Keholeun. It looked as though the number of points he obtained depended on how high his opponent’s stats and Retribution Points were. Choi Hyuk invested 10 of his newly obtained points into Power and the remaining 6 into Stamina.
Clank.
The Karma Device-01 slowly dropped to the ground after losing its power. Choi Hyuk put that, which was split in two, as well as Keholeun’s corpse into his Handy Bag…
“Hoo-“
Cho Hyuk let out a deep breath. The karma in his body felt heavy. It was because he had overworked his karma to not draw the battle out.
It was now time for him to quickly activate a return code.
As he took a few breaths while he looked at the situation of the battlefield, he gave a hollow smile.
“What a sight.”
Captain Lee Kangjin couldn’t believe the current situation. Was the ‘unity’ he had so much confidence in so weak? It had fallen apart far too easily.
“Guakk!”
A scream. Another troop member was murdered. Yes, they could be murdered. As the aliens were too f.u.c.king strong. However, the thing that agonized Captain Lee Kangjin was the fact that the murderers were the ones who they had been together, through thick and thin, with or members of other troops.
“Jang Sudong, you b.a.s.t.a.r.d…”
Captain Lee Kangjin grit his teeth tightly. The [2 minutes 17 seconds] above the dying squad member disappeared and appeared above First Sergeant Jang Sudong. Time pa.s.sed even then. [2 minutes 15 seconds]
“Captain Lee. I understand your feelings. However, Captain Lee needs to live. To me. To me, those who I’m close with are a million times more precious than those who I am not. Captain Lee! You must live. I understand what you think of me… Let’s first live. You can beat me up once we live! I will help you. Let’s go together.”
The only comrade from Captain Lee Kangjin’s original troop was First Sergeant Jang Sudong. Behind him were executives and soldiers First Sergeant Jang Sudong was close with and above their heads were timers just like his. For those who still did not have one, First Sergeant Jang Sudong would obtain one for them. Even if it meant killing their other comrades.
“f.u.c.k off, b.a.s.t.a.r.d. For me to have considered you my comrade…”
Captain Lee Kangjin tightly gripped the handle of his two-handed blade as if hoping to crush it. How had it become like this? A few minutes. That was all it took for everything to change.
Activating the return code. That was the problem.
Major Kang Choongil’s plan of trying to obtain a return code for everyone before anyone else was all in vain.
“Youngest! Slice the coc.o.o.n and hurry on back!”
The imposing coc.o.o.n. Even though its pulsating figure was wrapped in a coc.o.o.n, it was still scary to approach. However, the youngest soldier didn’t hesitate when he heard Major Kang Choongil’s orders and rushed to rip the coc.o.o.n.
“Kiirriiiiik!!! Kiyaaaaaa!!”
A cry sounded out the moment he ripped into the coc.o.o.n. At the same time, sharp blade-like legs stretched out from within. The youngest hurriedly dodged.
“Kiirrrrik!”
The staggering monster that appeared from within the coc.o.o.n looked to be in pain. However, even still, its speed was incredibly fast.
“Euaak!”
At the same time a soldier’s leg was cut off, Major Kang Choongil ordered.
“Fire!”
Dududududu!
The monster, whose body wasn’t well because it had hatched too early, couldn’t endure the concentrated gunfire. As its knee became crooked, Major Kang Choongil shouted.
“Youngest! Kill it and activate the return code!”
“Yes!”
It was out of consideration to send the youngest first. The youngest didn’t decline. It was because he had learned through experience that nothing would p.i.s.s someone more than this sort of modesty in a battlefield of life and death.
The youngest rushed out with an ax. The youngest cut the legs of the monster, that wasn’t able to balance itself due to the oncoming gunfire and smashed its head. Because it hadn’t completed its evolution, its endurance was weak. Its head was crushed like tofu.