Chapter 71 (1/2)
Episode 5: Citizens.h.i.+p / Chapter 71: Advancement Evaluation (5)
TL: emptycube
Editor: Obelisk
Sponsors: tom555j and boop
The first decision was somewhat easy. Whether they were going to fight to save 1/5 of the non-awakenees or not, one single decision. If they had just closed their eyes and chose, that would have been the end of it. It was a decision emotional people could have chosen romantically, thinking ‘I’ll do something good for a change!’
However, the second decision they had to make was one based in reality. Because they had already experienced fighting, they could clearly imagine, in frightening detail, the events that would happen later.
Didn’t beginner warriors only have one technique anyways?
Use the camouflage incense pouch to get close to the dimensional wasp.
When the dimensional wasp lets down its guard after smelling the scent of a larva, use the wasp-hunting awl to deal a fatal blow.
This method would work quite well against one wasp. However, what if there were two? Would one stay still even after seeing the other die?
The answer that popped up burrowed into their minds.
‘I’ll die!’
There was a big difference between ‘I might die’ and ‘I will die’. The moment they thought this, they were stricken with fear.
The crossroads of life and death made their heads spin.
If I continue to attack? If someone else doesn’t give up, I have a 50% chance of surviving. However, if someone else does give up, I have a high chance of dying. But there is no guarantee that this mission will be successful just because I die. Also, even if the mission was successful, what’s the point if I’m dead? I, who bore a sacrifice, will die, while the one who gave up cowardly will live instead.
If I give up on attacking? I have a 100% chance of surviving for the moment. If someone else doesn’t give up and fights well, the chances of successfully completing the mission will greatly increase as well. If the other person gives up as well, although the chances of successfully completely the mission will drop, I, at least, avoid the situation where I alone bear the sacrifice. It was fair.
For those who thought of their life first, there wasn’t a need to trouble themselves over the decision. Giving up on attacking was the answer. Those who fought in case they would be part of the 1/5 non-awakenees to die quickly chose to return. They were now awakenees anyways and wouldn’t be part of the 1/5 to die.
Those who still remained were those who had other things that tugged on their minds besides that. Whether it was family, principle, or their natural personality.
… Or worry about Earth’s future. Those who were quick witted already felt it. That the annihilation of 1/5 non-awakenees wouldn’t be all. That if they all gave up and failed this mission, it might somehow result in the collapse of Earth. However, it was also a reason that held no weight right now.
‘When I’m about to die right now?’
What filled their vision wasn’t of what was far away, but what was right in front of their eyes.
One thought came up repeatedly in some people’s heads.
‘Ah… I shouldn’t have come from the beginning.’
Choi Hyuk pa.s.sed through the middle of that hesitation and pain as if it was nothing.
Dilemma was being indecisive between two choices. Because of this, those who had already thrown away the alternatives didn’t fall into a dilemma.
“A waste of time.”
Choi Hyuk thought, &
lsquo;It’s better to kill another monster in the time you thought about it.’
“Resume.”
Choi Hyuk walked out of the dimensional wedge with surefooted steps.
“Puha… That fellow, he has a straightforward personality. He’s him, right? The person who’s famous these days. The Demon King, Choi Hyuk.”
The man who had been silent until now said as he jingled the sword which hung at his waist. He looked around at the beginner warriors who had fallen into a state of confusion.
“Don’t feel so dejected. The first awakenees were thrown into this fight without a choice. From my perspective, this is an opportunity to get stronger comfortably. Crying already… Anyways, take care.”
Then, he walked out of the dimensional wedge, swinging his arms.
Looking at him from behind, Penelope thought that it was time for her to leave as well. The more deserters there were, the greater the experts needed to try their best. In her sweet voice, she said to the beginner warriors,
“Don’t worry or blame yourself too much. It’s normal for you to be scared. Then… Please take good care of yourselves.”
Penelope prepared to risk her life as she told others that being scared was normal. Although she looked soft and innocent, she too was a tenacious person who had already thrown away all of the other alternatives.
There wasn’t much of a difference between the 1st and 2nd stage. Although the monsters became a bit stronger, this made no difference to Choi Hyuk. The wasps had still not reached the 2-star level. Occasionally, another wasp would be added, becoming two, but they still only took one strike anyways…
The bigger difference was the dimensional wedge he returned to after attacking a room. In the 1st stage, he always returned to the same dimensional wedge, but this time, it was always different.
Thanks to this, Choi Hyuk was able to see all sorts of different groups.
While Choi Hyuk repeatedly attacked 10 rooms, there were dimensional wedges filled with agonizing beginner fighters. Perhaps it was because of this, but the attack rate went up at a ridiculously slow rate.
______
{Dimensional Wasps’ Nest 1st Stage Outer Region}
Attack progression rate: 0.00001% -> Barely started to deduce the location of the queen’s room.
Return
Food Supply
Continue to attack
_______
When he had returned after attacking by himself during the 1st stage, the attack rate was 0.000001%. It was a percentage with five 0s after the decimal… As a fraction, it was 1 out of 100 million. That meant there were at least 100 million rooms. He was also able to infer that at least tens of millions of warriors partic.i.p.ated in the 1st stage from this. So, although Choi Hyuk attacked 27 rooms by himself, his level of contribution was insignificant.
It was the same this time as well. Choi Hyuk alone attacked 10 times, but the 2nd stage attack rate was now only 0.00001%. Four 0s after the decimal… As a fraction, it was 1 out of 10 million. Because the majority of the recruited warriors were beginner fighters, and since they didn’t act, the attack rate had barely risen.
Still, Choi Hyuk didn’t mind. As he silently continued to attack and clear away the dimensional wasps, the dimensional wedge had, at some point, become completely empty. The ones who had decided to give up had given up, and those who decided to attack had gone to attack.
Only then did the attack rate start to move.
Even though many gave up, since there still were a lot of people who continued, the attack began to rise quickly.
{Attack progression rate: 3.78577% -> Barely started to deduce the location of the queen’s room.}
However, it was clear that the risk for beginner warriors was higher compared to the 1st stage. Choi Hyuk met people with all sorts of hesitation and pain.
After finis.h.i.+ng his attack and returning to the dimensional wedge, Choi Hyuk was met with a s.h.i.+vering woman. Her arm had been completely cut off. She sat still, unable to select ‘Return to Earth’ or ‘Continue to attack’. Perhaps she was waiting for the wound on her arm to stanch.
Choi Hyuk simply pa.s.sed by. She too didn’t look at Choi Hyuk.
{Attack progression rate: 11.57325% -> Barely started to deduce the location of the queen’s room.}
Choi Hyuk finished his attack again and entered a dimensional wedge.
This time, there was a man. He was a beginner warrior. He mumbled to himself,
“Fight? Return? Fight? Return?”
When Choi Hyuk walked past him, he hurriedly called out to Choi Hyuk,
“Hey! Please wait!”
But Choi Hyuk pa.s.sed by as if he couldn’t hear him.
{Attack progression rate: 51.35781% -> Barely started to deduce the location of the queen’s room.}
The beginner warriors were definitely doing their share. Nonetheless, at some point, the attack progression rate gradually started to slow down. They were fatigued from fighting, and the casualties were growing. Once these beginner warriors narrowly returned to the dimensional wedge, the continuous choice of whether to return or attack unceasingly corroded their will. They were exhausted and scared. The thought of ‘I did my share,’ slowly bared its head.
It was more than understandable. But, for the success of the mission, they couldn’t admit it. When they considered the dimensional hive that could endlessly replicate itself, a decline in their attack rate could be fatal.
Choi Hyuk was clearly aware of this. ‘The attack rate can’t slow down.’ Yet, this wasn’t something he could do by himself. There were 10 million from the start. Even if Choi Hyuk alone attacked 100 or 1000 times, it wouldn’t make a noticeable difference. So… A special action was required. He didn’t have time to think intricately.
‘Now’s not the time to be picky.’
Choi Hyuk resolved himself. The advancement evaluation was a key point he had to pa.s.s for his revenge. For his revenge, he was literally willing to do ‘anything’.
Just in time, the environment was becoming more advantageous for him. The dimensional wedges which had been scattered everywhere to destroy the expanding dimensional hive came together and grew larger. The dimensional wedges, which fitted 8 people at the start, had now become large enough for tens of people to access it. That meant… that it was now possible to control the crowds.
Choi Hyuk tested something before acting.
‘Continue to attack.’
He didn’t say it out loud, but only repeated the command in his mind.
Fortunately, nothing happened.
There were a few beginner warriors gathered in the dimensional wedge Choi Hyuk was in.
They were in the middle of taking a break, talking to each other while waiting for their trifling wounds to stanch.
“I have a 3-year-old daughter. So I can’t give up. If my daughter somehow becomes part of the 1/5 and dies, I will probably never forgive myself.”
“But what happen to your daughter if you die?”
“Since she has a great dad, she’ll be fine.”