The Path of the Giant (5)

The name of the city was Neorust – if the rusty iron sign that had been torn apart and was now laying on the floor could be trusted.

“Can I take this?”

“If it’s not contaminated.” Kang Shin-hyuk examined the source of the iron signboard with his spiritual power, soon nodding after he confirmed that there were no people or robots nearby. Thanks to the improved stealth ability of Onyx, their stealth wouldn’t be canceled out with small actions, but it couldn’t completely block out loud noises, so they had to be careful.

“Wow, this will go great with the bar.”

“Well, I hope nobody comes to ask what Neorust is. Especially not Eunah. We’ll have to tell her we found it at the market.”

“Well, it should be fine.” Claire laughed and stored the rusty iron sign in her inventory while Shin-hyuk looked around. The streets really were similar to downtown Seoul except for the piles of scrap metal and the fact there were no human pedestrians walking around. Also the light road above them, he supposed.

“There’s a human-like robot, oh, and a human with cat ears…that guy has octopus tentacles.” On the side-walk ahead of them, odd-looking people and robots were seen walking around.

“There are some with half-machine bodies. Wow…”

“…Didn’t you say you wanted to plant machines in your body?”

“Did I?” The robots that they had encountered earlier could be seen patrolling the road regularly. Some people seemed grateful to see them, while others snuck away. Others didn’t care either way, and some grabbed them to ask questions.

“Do they have a way of identifying people?”

“It’s early to say, but probably. It’s dangerous to keep walking outside, though.”

“Yeah. Let’s find an abandoned building for now.” So Claire said, but she had a point. They had come here to finish Halo’s shackles. The world itself was very interesting to Shin-hyuk, but he didn’t know how much time he would be able to waste investigating it.

-The reconnaissance is trying to figure out the city patrol route. Move to an area where there is no danger.

Kang Shin-hyuk and Claire moved along with the administrator’s navigation. The road was too dangerous because of the robots, so they moved across the building rooftops.

“That screen has magical power.” Claire spoke up as she landed on top of a half-ruined building. Her eyes were focused on the recurring video on the monitor that was hung on the tallest building they could see in the city.

“It’s a very ominous mana. Demon?”

“Ah.” He had learned of it just a while ago. Although it didn’t have much of an effect on Kang Shin-hyuk, who didn’t have mana and used spiritual power, it was a terrifying and evil force that polluted the body and mind.

“The guys you’ve been dealing with were so weak that they couldn’t affect you.”

“Ah, maybe.” Kang Shin-hyuk nodded and thought of the armored monster in Paris. He hadn’t fought Kang Shin-hyuk but had he; it might’ve been truly dangerous.

“Of course, it’s impossible without spiritual power.”

“I guess I was able to do something before because of it.”

“Perhaps…I’m glad.”

“Relieved?”

“Yes, that…” Kang Shin-hyuk tilted his head. Claire hesitated, then punched his shoulder and turned away.

“Come on, let’s hurry up.”

“What were you trying to say?”

“I’m not saying anything.” Claire was acting oddly shy and hurried ahead. Kang Shin-hyuk shrugged and pursued after her.

-It really is a demon. Didn’t you feel it in the robot before?

‘I didn’t have time to fully explore it…administrator?’

-Administrators can’t afford to focus on insignificant objects as the information processing is too high.

Oh, do it.

-However, we are actively intervening with those concerned that will affect our members. The mana has been detected in the video on that monitor. That means that the other robots are connected to the network that dominates this city and world.

‘Does that mean Jormungand didn’t actually withdraw from this world?’

-What are you saying, member? That is not the exclusive property of Jormungand.

‘Eh?’

-Jormungand is the organization that stands against the Hero Universe. It is also one that stands on the other side of the mirror…but it didn’t always exist. Someone had to create it and gather its members.

‘Isn’t it the same thing? Just like all citizens of the Republic of Korea are obligated to receive basic education.’

-If you expand your perspective to the whole world, you’ll see that not everyone is born with such luxuries.

It was a sad fact.

-To give a more accurate explanation, Jormungand was created by a flute-blowing man who can control the rats called monsters born across all dimensions. But not all rats are under his control.

There were also some who had joined of their own volition because their goals aligned.

‘Then what is the flute playing man?’

-300,000HP bonus!

‘Don’t boldly pretend not to know again.’ Not that it was easy to tell if the administrator actually knew or not. He decided to give up and focus on something else. The traces of demons that remained in this world might not be controlled by Jormungand. Kang Shin-hyuk let out a hefty sigh.

“It won’t be easy if we don’t know where the item to be retrieved is.”

-No, I think I know where it is.

“Huh?”

“Oh, look.” Claire reached out and pointed as Kang Shin-hyuk tilted his head at the administrator’s words. Suddenly, the paved road had been cut off, and all the garbage that were piled up had increased. The road had been chaotically destroyed in the aftermath of some explosion. The buildings were relatively larger and closer together than they had been in that downtown area, but they had an older feel to them. Neon signs were strung up here as well, and Shinhyuk could sense the vitality of many people around them.

“It’s a place full of life.”

“Yes.” Claire looked satisfied as she looked around; there were no robots patrolling this street. Perhaps that downtown area had been a limited area.

“I can find a suitable building here.”

“Yes, I want to start work soon.”

“When I think about it, I’m monopolizing you while you work. Wow, Lee Na-hee’s been lucky.” All of these people seemed to be communicating very actively without his knowledge. It seemed rather scary.

“What are you all talking about?”

“I’m going to check it out now.” Claire pretended to grapple with Shin-hyuk. He smiled and pulled her down, but she grabbed him and blew in his ear.

“There, your ears are clean.”

“Stop…” The two, trembling, fell as the building’s roof collapsed under them.

“Kh!”

“Ah!” Kang Shin-hyuk somehow held onto Claire as he landed, but dust spilled out over them. Onyx, who had been watching the scene from the start, cried out as if he were laughing.

“Kahak.” “Wait.” Kang Shin-hyuk produced the water and Shinfeng orb from his inventory. First, he used the wind to remove the dust from then, sending it high into the sky.

“Wow, someone might think you were a wizard.”

“And now this.” Then, he washed his face thoroughly with the water. It felt a little unpleasant to be soaking wet, but it was better.

“So, where are we?”

“Let’s ask the owner of this building when they last did maintenance.” However, they couldn’t find anyone even after searching for several minutes.

“Wow, there’s a bar in here.” Claire looked around the first floor with a sparkle in her eyes. She was right. Most of the cases were empty, but it was obviously a bar with tables, cases, and seating.

“It’s fate.”

Only

“As long as the owner doesn’t show up, it should be fine.” Although, given the weakened ceiling, they would need to be careful.

“Hey! Heirech, are you alive?” The door on the fire floor opened with exquisite timing, and a person entered. They had three legs, arms covered in bizarre iron armor, and a wolf’s face.

“What, it’s not Heirech. Who are you guys?”

“Are you the owner of this house?” Kang Shin-hyuk calmly asked so and produced his pistol.

“Would you like to talk for a while?”

“Where did you get such an elite weapon…no, don’t close the door!”

“I won’t let you go.”

Somehow, he thought the weapon would fit well here, and it did.