< Chapter 118: Turning Point (3) >
Gray Out, 5th morning.
The situation is starting to become urgent.
The interval between the appearances of the Gates has reduced to 10 minutes, and it’s still getting faster. We should have started taking action by now…
“Ancestor…”
“Just wait. We still have some time. Let me think until then.”
I was still lost in thought inside the room.
In the end, Master stayed in the United States. He is probably still searching for villains around the Dragon’s ruins.
Maiden had tried to convince him that the situation in Korea was becoming dire and his help would be needed, but he wouldn’t listen.
Master’s ‘justice’ is primarily for the United States. He would naturally prioritize tackling terrorism in the U.S.
Even if another country were to be destroyed, his ‘justice’ would prioritize catching thieves in his own country.
“Ancestor, even if Master is not in Korea when the ‘Main Gate’ opens, wouldn’t he eventually come to our aid? If he uses the One Guild’s private jet, he could arrive quickly, so if we hold out for about 30 minutes…”
“No, he won’t.”
I can say this for sure. Unless Master is in Korea, he will never come.
“Gray Out is affecting not just Korea but also China and Japan.”
“So what?”
Korea isn’t the only country that has declared a national disaster. China and Japan are included as well. Russia, which is slightly affected by Gray Out, is the same. North Korea is probably similar.
“When the Gates go out of control, a massive gate comparable to the ‘Main Gate’ will open there too. How do you think Master will act then?”
“…Well, wouldn’t he come to support us in Korea, which is at the center of the Gray Out?”
“No.”
Master is not that flexible.
“He might go to Japan. Or China.”
Master acts according to his ‘justice’. There’s a priority list for that.
Just like he chose to stay in the U.S.
“So why is Korea excluded?”
“It’s simple. Japan is closer to the U.S., and China is likely to have more casualties than Korea.”
No one knows which part of Master’s justice takes precedence. But what’s certain is that Korea is not even an option.
“What are you…”
“Master’s justice involves making choices that maximize happiness for the greatest number. It’s a trade-off.”
A smaller travel time to Japan or a larger population in China. Those are the only two options in his mind.
“But if we close the Main Gate in Korea, won’t the Gates in other countries also stop? Then if we explain this…”
“How are you going to explain? There’s no proof to back it up.”
The thing about the Main Gate can’t be scientifically proven. Only the four people who experienced many things with me would believe it.
To anyone else, it would sound like the ramblings of a madman.
I’m just a cadet after all.
“Then what if Maiden, Yu Hwa, or I step in…”
“Even then, Master won’t move. He only trusts objective information.”
That’s why I had hoped that Master would be in Korea on the day the incident happened. Then he would have prioritized the closest ‘Main Gate’.
“So, we can’t expect help from Master.”
“Exactly. That’s why I have a headache.”
That’s why I’ve been pondering since yesterday without sleeping. To find a replacement for Master.
To find a replacement for the Master.
Even if I try to move a top ranker, four of them are already bound to Master.
The other four are far from cooperative. If I ask for help, they’ll likely snub and reject it.
…So, after all, it seems I have no choice but to rely on the superhumans currently in Korea.
Is it possible?
There is a method that comes to mind.
But this plan is very fragile. If it goes even slightly wrong, it will collapse as easily as a castle made of sugar.
A single small variable could ruin everything.
“Ancestor, the time gap has now been reduced to 7 minutes.”
But there is no other way.
No other methods come to mind.
I have no choice.
I got up from my seat.
“Shall we go?”
“What about the plan?”
“I’ll explain on the way.”
I stood up and walked outside, pulling out my smartphone.
“Maiden, I’ve completed the new plan. I’ll explain now.”
I called Maiden, Yu Hwa, and finally Ha Si-yeon.
“Please do your best. Ah.”
Just when I had finished relaying the operation to Siyeon,
Koogooogooogooong-!
The limousine shook violently. It was as if the world was rocking.
“…It’s started.”
It was a flare signaling the start of the Gates going out of control.
* * *
The territories of South Korea, China, Japan, Russia, and North Korea had become battlefields.
Gates opened without warning.
Monsters pouring out.
Superhumans and the military acting as best as possible.
Cities collapsing.
These scenes were unfolding everywhere.
30 minutes in, and so far, the superhumans had the upper hand.
The sound of tapping on a keyboard echoed non-stop inside the room.
At the center of this noise was Maiden.
With a deeply furrowed expression and a piece of glucose supplement candy clenched in her mouth, she scanned the floating holograms while typing on her keyboard.
[Requesting support for the 72nd Division of Yeonggwang]
[Repairs needed for the MK-707 magic cannon for capital defense]
[A new gate has opened near Eumseong]
“Ah, this is hell.”
Maiden’s role was to command.
She scanned the entire Korean Peninsula, dispatching people to appropriate locations.
If a location were difficult to manage, she would send in the army equipped with her specially made magic devices.
If that still wasn’t enough, she would either send a transporter or abandon the area altogether.
Fortunately, such instances hadn’t occurred yet.
“Damn it. This is madness.”
However, that was slowly reaching its limit. The opening of the gates was accelerating.
“You little pests. Think you’re the center of the universe?”
If this pace continues, areas that can’t be dealt with will appear in the next 20 minutes.
Starting from that point, the Korean Peninsula will gradually collapse.
They have to somehow close that ‘main gate,’ whatever it is, to control the situation before that happens.
“Please…”
Maiden moved her fingers as she thought about the Main gate attack team, which would have likely finished their preparation by now.
* * *
“I have a favor to ask.”
In a busy street in Jungnang District, Seoul.
Standing in front of the main gate, four people and two creatures were preparing to enter.
“Yes, I’ll do my best. Don’t worry.
Yu Hwa, the representative of the strategy group, wore a trustworthy smile.
Jia and Si-yeon are still checking their equipment.
Both seemed tense, their expressions tight, likely nervous for their first real ‘gate’ mission.
As for Goldie and White Tiger, well, they’re just as they usually are.
The last remaining person is…
―Do you have something to say to me?
Casually stroking Goldie, who had returned to his original, larger form.
―Because you seemed tense.
―Hm. The words ‘tension’ and ‘anxiety’ are not in my vocabulary.
What about when we first met, and you were shaking like a leaf?
Anyway, it’s good that you don’t seem genuinely nervous.
―That’s a relief then. Did you bring the Promosium dagger?
I had already handed over the used Promosium dagger to the princess.
I thought about giving her the Fierce Tiger’s Gauntlet too, but it would be too large for her to use, so I passed.
―Of course. It’s quite a useful weapon.
The princess showed the dagger at her waist. It’s definitely a Promosium dagger.
―Okay, then we’re all set.
―Hm.
At that moment,
Yu Hwa approached me.
“But Seo-yul, is it really okay to bring this child along?”
Then whispered into my ear.
“Rena?”
“Yes.”
Her expression seemed somewhat uneasy.
To be fair, from Yu Hwa’s perspective, it’s a reasonable reaction. Yu Hwa knows Rena as nothing more than a 10-year-old survivor of some biological experiment.
“It’s fine. Our little princess here is quite strong.”
“…Really?”
“Yes. She might even be stronger than you, Yu Hwa.”
I’m not entirely sure, but based on what she’s shown when training with me, she could easily be at least an A-rank.
After all, the basic stats between Beastmens and humans are different.
“…What? That child?”
Yu Hwa’s eyes widened.
“She possesses all the unique characteristics of the Beastmen race, plus she has an exceptional talent for magic. She’s better at it than I am. She’s a genius.”
One of the reasons for excluding all other superhumans in this gate operation and forming the team with these members is this:
I thought that White Tiger and Rena would be better than the usual candidates.
If we included other superhumans in the operation team, we wouldn’t be able to deploy Rena and White Tiger.
“My goodness.”
“I’m a little worried about the communication issue, but I’ve made sure they’re well-versed in internal strategy, so you don’t have to be too concerned.”
For a moment, Yu Hwa had a strange expression on her face.
“Speaking of which, about that internal strategy. Seo-yul, how do you know so much about the inner structure of the gate?”
I expected this question. It’s only natural to be curious.
“It’s a secret.”
I held back on my words.
“You do know that men with lots of secrets aren’t popular, right?”
“If you put ‘handsome’ in front of that, it turns into a mysterious charm.”
“You’re so annoying.”
Yu Hwa pouted at my nonchalant response.
“Anyway, I’ll count on you. I wish I could go in myself, but…”
“There’s nothing we can do about that. You said you can’t enter the gate due to some experimental side effects or something.”
I had chalked up my inability to enter the gate to the side effects of an experiment.
“Don’t worry unnecessarily and focus on what you need to do, Seo-yul.”
“Yes, don’t worry about that.”
With that said, everyone approached me.
“Seo… Seo-yul, I am ready!”
With Jia as the last, all preparations were complete.
“Did you take everything I gave you?”
“Yes.”
“Do you remember what to do in case it gets dangerous?”
“I remember.”
“Okay.”
I called out to Goldie, White Tiger, and the princess, who were playing around in the distance.
“Then, please take care during the operation. Even if it takes a bit longer, please focus on safety.”
The three nodded their heads.
―Princess, please take good care of those three. You have to protect them well.
―Don’t worry. I could break through a small gate like this on my own.
As usual, she lifts her chin and acts confident.
Well, it’s good to be full of confidence.
I lightly stroked the Princess’s head.
―Didn’t I say it’s rude to pat me like that?
I chuckled and gently tapped her head.
―Then, take care.
―Mm. See you later.
The Princess smiled broadly.
“Si-yeon, don’t overexert yourself. If you feel like something’s going to happen, go all-in with your magical power, even if you have to use bonus points. I’ll somehow cover the loss for you.”
“Okay. Got it.”
I finally patted Goldie and White Tiger once each.
“I’m counting on you both.”
Goldie let out a high-pitched whine, and White Tiger appropriately nodded his head.
“Especially you, Baeknyang (a playful or affectionate name for White Tiger). Don’t do anything strange once you’re inside, okay?”
White Tiger turned her head sharply.
Well, as long as Goldie and the Princess are there, she probably won’t do anything strange.
“Then, Yu Hwa, take care.”
“Yes. See you later.”
“If this matter is resolved safely, the news will likely read, ‘Bihon Guild Successfully Resolves Another Incident!'”
“Of course.”
Yu Hwa smiled greedily.
“Then, we’ll really get going now.”
“Yes.”
With that, the main raid team completely disappeared into the Gate.
“… Will it go well?”
It will be fine.
Swallowing a momentary sense of unease, I turned around.
At the same time, I picked up my phone and called Ms. Maiden.
―What?
“The main raid team has entered the Gate, Ms. Maiden.”
―Alright.
“How’s the situation on your end?”
―So far, it’s manageable.
“Is it tight?”
―A little? But I think we can hold out for at least 10 minutes. Honestly, after that, we may have to give up to some extent.
Tadadadadak-
The cheerful sound of typing echoed from the other end of the phone.
“So we just need to use it exactly 10 minutes from now.”
―… You’re talking about the Archangel’s Cross, right?
“Yes.”
The relic of the Angel race. The Archangel’s Cross.
―The relic of the Angel race…
Maiden murmured while typing.
―Kid, are you the masked angel that once made headlines?
“…”
―The unidentified magic and the unidentified arrow that closed that Gate. Is it also a special skill using an ancient relic in the form of a bow?
The moment I said I could use the relic of the Angel race, she caught on to that. Maiden is truly Maiden.
Hmm. What should I say in response?
―… No, never mind. Why ask that now? We’ll talk later.
But Maiden herself changed the subject without needing an answer from me.
―Anyway, 10 minutes… now it’s 8 minutes left. I’ll give the signal then. Please take care of it.
“Yes.”
I looked up at the sky and took a light deep breath.
With this, the relic I received from the Collector is effectively used up.
The only remaining ancient relic is the ‘Distorted Balance,’ a relic of the Elf race that I obtained from the Report of Nature Ascending ruins.
A moment later.
―Kid! Time’s up!
8 minutes had passed.
“Yes, I’ll start now.”
I took out the ‘Archangel’s Cross’ from the ‘Artisan’s Portable Forge’ and gripped it in my hand.
At that moment.
―…!
I heard the sound of Maiden gasping on the other end of the phone.
As the whole world became silent,
Flash!
A beam of light descended from the sky.
< Chapter 118: Turning Point (3) > End.
[T.L Note: Dialogues with ‘ ― ’ means that it was spoken in a different language or On the phone. Here Seo-yul and Rena were talking in the Beastmen language.]
