Chapter 48: Very Depths of the Abyss (2) (2/2)
Soon, the raid squad headed for the South Pacific Ocean via a warp station.
On an unnamed island was a 20-meter crack drawn horizontally. The closed dungeon was all black at the entrance and the moment one entered through that darkness, they would instantly be welcomed by a new world.
“Ready yourself.”
At the words of Ryuunosuke, the operators gathered together. From now on, they were going to lead seven combat squads.
Yu Jitae also headed to the squad he was assigned to and met his squad’s front guards, wing guards, healers, and sharpshooters.
“Oh, you’re the operator that recently joined the team? Please take care of me.”
Several people walked up and greeted him.
And one step before them,
An operator was standing alone.
Thick full metal armor covered the body from head to toe. However, the person was quite short, and the magic-tailored armour revealed a feminine body.
Yu Jitae approached her and the eyes behind the metal helmet faced him as she gave a faint bow.
“I’m the operator, Ha Saetbyul.”
In that instant.
– Ah, I, I’m Ha Saetbyul. I was appointed as an operator.
Funnily enough,
– Should I call you Captain…?
As if he was dreaming,
– Uakk! Y, you’re bleeding!
The forgotten memories came back to life.
“I look forward to your cooperation.”
“…”
As if someone was injecting him with memories, the forgotten memories started flooding in crazily through a broken dam.
“Why aren’t you responding?”
Her voice was a bit different,
“Ah… umm, that doesn’t mean you have to stare scarily like that.”
But this was definitely the same shell as that Ha Saetbyul.
The reason she couldn’t recognise Yu Jitae even with the portion of memory that deviated from the timeline was because the persona inside the shell was different.
“…I’m sorry.”
Yu Jitae nodded as he pushed back the flood of memories. He then said, “I look forward to your cooperation,” and only then did Ha Saetbyul reveal a small smile from her previous nervousness. Her laughter echoed inside the helmet.
“Enter!”
Soon after, the operation began under Ryuunosuke’s instructions.
Entering the crack, a world full of sea and reefs awaited them.
This was the dungeon, ‘Hetheia’s Ocean’.
The superhumans walked on the water, by injecting mana into their feet. It was a commendable feat, but was not something difficult for those who had been gathered here.
“…Huu. I’m a little worried.”
That was when Ha Saetbyul muttered towards Yu Jitae.
“About what.”
“This is the first time I’m operating on an ocean-terrain like this. It’s not like we’re going to swim but deep water is scary…….”
A faint memory budded up inside him.
Ha Saetbyul had a lot of fears. She was afraid of blood, afraid of heights, nervous in front of water and would whinge about being wounded – those memories brushed past his head.
“If I fall in the ocean, you can’t leave me behind okay? I’m heavy so I’ll definitely sink.”
She laughed, “Ahaha” inside the helmet.
“….”
For a split second, Yu Jitae felt irritation soaring up inside him.
The person standing next to him wasn’t Ha Saetbyul – it was the servant of a devil wearing the skin of Ha Saetbyul, and yet it was mimicking her, using the memories of the main body.
An urge to tear it apart into death struck him. It was a very intense impulsiveness, and felt as if someone was striking him on the head as hard as they could with a hammer.
Even then, the Regressor endured the urge that threatened to burst out like a volcano. It wasn’t Ha Saetbyul whom he had to kill and doing that would be playing into the hands of that guy who wished for his misfortune.
That guy probably made this change while taking Yu Jitae’s second iteration into account.
However, that Yu Jitae, who was swayed around by the world during the past rounds, had died in the second round.
He had killed him.
Now there was no such being in this timeline.
“Let’s go!”
With the guidance of Ha Saetbyul, the squad started its movement while Yu Jitae followed behind after calming himself down.
As far as he remembered, there was one pattern in the test run of Prototype X.
1. Secretly participate in a large-scale raid.
2. At first, pretend to be a member and attack the boss.
3. When the battle is over, quickly strike the allies who have built-up exhaustion.
4. Like that, the military power of Prototype X would be measured.
5. When everyone dies, monopolise the boss drops and take the bodies of the dead superhumans.
From here, Step 3 which was where ‘the full strength of the demon was brought out’ was crucial.
Like how Oh Minsung the teacher turned into a beast similar to a wolf – that process was called [Extrication] and in order for Yu Jitae to kill the ‘enemy’ lying in the ‘depths’ of Ha Saetbyul, it was important for her to enter Step 3, where she extricated.
Thus, he quietly led the squad forward with Ha Saetbyul. They killed the monsters hiding between the rocks and avoided the monsters sniping from the depths of the ocean.
After around half a day, the combat squad gathered in front of the boss, Kraken.
“He’s showing up! Everybody, ready for battle-!”
Right after the main operator shouted, a black shadow gradually grew bigger from beneath the water. All the members of the attack team watched on as the silhouette grew bigger and bigger.
But Ha Saetbyul was staring at the raid members through the gaps of her helmet;
While Yu Jitae was looking at Ha Saetbyul.
As their gazes focused on different targets;
Within that volatile situation;
Yu Jitae slowly raised the protector’s sword.