Episode 35

Armed soldiers were formed up around Mt. Seorak to siege it.

[The helicopter crashed. It seems the monsters were tracking it.]

[They didn’t show such structured movements until the day before. Why? Is there any connection with the flash of light that happened yesterday?]

[There is a possibility of the enemy’s collective action.]

“Good reception. Mr. X…”

Small monsters, including goblins and slimes, could somehow be defeated with rifles, but that didn’t mean they wouldn’t fight back. Moreover, a far stronger monster than the goblin was caught in the helicopter’s film before it crashed. The barricading soldiers now looked like sheep lined up to the slaughterhouse.

“Fuck, it was matcha tea after a week…”

“So? That tastes good. If you can’t get over it, go back to your unit.”

“That’s right…”

Both soldiers and executives were nervous about the situation. They exchanged tense conversation as they aimed beyond the bushes where the monsters might pop out.

“How about the players’ side?”

“I heard you’re a new recruit. It doesn’t end even if they defeat them. Hey, aim straight. Any creatures shorter than humans, shoot them.”

“But I don’t think they will come down to this place…”

“If the players die, then it’s our turn. Stay in position.”

Suddenly, a rustling sound was heard from behind.

“Oh, I can’t go on the bike from here.”

“Who’re you?!”

“I’m a crazy motherfucker, don’t turn the muzzle!”

They were in a nerve-wracking situation. Surprised by the sudden appearance, several soldiers hurriedly turned back and were struck in the head by others. The enemies that they were facing were no longer other armies but monsters. However, what would happen if one of their men fired even upon hearing a human voice? The executive turned around, hoping that the media wouldn’t have recorded this event. Curiously, he had to check whose voice it was.

“Stop…Lee, Mr. X.”

Unfortunately, the one who spoke had already disappeared from the spot. All they could see was an envelope containing potato cakes.

“Well, well… I’m still not sure why these taste so delicious.”

“I like them. I enjoyed eating these before my mother’s death.”

“Would you please stop talking about such sorrowful memories?”

Jung Si-woo, who was as bitter as the soldiers, caught their attention and jumped straight ahead. He walked beyond the bushes they were so wary of. The frightened soldiers looked hilarious with their cheeks bulging with potato cakes.

“You can’t just sneak in.”

“Hey, I’m trying to save you, people.”

“Is that so? …But how?”

The soldiers were bemused. How could this young man with no military experience involve himself in a devastating situation and still be able to crack jokes? The armed men just tilted their heads, for they couldn’t make sense of Jung Si-woo’s rotten smile.

“Nearby…there are no players.”

Soo Ah-rin spoke after finishing a scan of their surroundings. Likewise, Jung Si-woo hadn’t yet detected the presence of a monster. The executives had been incredibly sure that Korean players were fighting there.

“The first time we left Korea, the number of players wasn’t that large. Those who had just been chosen as players would be training in the sky. There aren’t many players skilled enough to be deployed in the field where everything is uncertain.”

“Apart from goblins and slimes, there was definitely an orc in that video…”

The scene didn’t seem like a disaster created by just one or two dungeons. Players who died in succession in one dungeon didn’t fall, so how could players who died in different dungeons fall to the same place? Jung Si-woo opened his mouth in frustration.

“Is there a place like a wide-range or inclusive dungeon?”

“Dungeons aren’t like Disneyland. Even more so with Ant Caves.”

It would be understandable if the entire Sky Castle’s Socheon Battlefield fell to the ground, but that shouldn’t happen. He could sense that something had happened when the dungeon burst and the boss monster was liberated.

“You might find something by asking the monsters this way. I think we can find a way around this mess.”

“But it’s great to read the monsters at a safe distance!”

No matter how brave he was, it was still inevitable for Jung Si-woo to be furious, especially when he was just pointed in a random direction. However, he had no choice. He silently ran through the mountains. His combat sprinting skills had evolved day by day, and now it had reached a level where he could reach the intended result by consuming as much mana as desired.

[Kugruahahahahah!]

“There they are!”

“How long has it been?”

Soo Ah-rin gaped in horror as she heard the monstrous shouts from the direction Jung Si-woo pointed at. Si-woo expected that if he had run this much in any direction, he would’ve encountered a monster, but he didn’t dare say this.

“Please, please save me. Save me…!”

“What? Were there people?”

Jung Si-woo was surprised and terrified to hear distressed human voices. He didn’t think someone could have survived being trapped under the mountain’s belly. As soon as he realized his mistake, he sped up.

[Kuhahahahahah! Ki-iiah, kiha, go go!]

“Off, off…”

There was a monster there, as Jung Si-woo had thought. Monsters would be the better term, as there were hundreds of armed goblins and dozens of orcs with coarse iron armor in the center. Si-woo wondered just how many dungeons these multitudes could fill. If there was one peculiarity among these monsters, it was clear that they were working together to eat humans.

“Well, all fantasies are like this. It’s either one of the two, whether the Demon King appears or the dragon.”

“You’ve become quite flexible in thinking…but, it doesn’t matter now!”

Soo Ah-rin responded earnestly. She let out a fierce shout as she pointed to a group of players being lynched by the dozens of orcs and hundreds of goblins.

“You have to save them!”

Soo Ah-rin cried.

“I know…”

It was like an apocalyptic scene in a movie. Three players had perished, their bodies torn, and two more were gravely injured. Only one player was standing with both legs under him, thanks to his equipment. Jung Si-woo felt something bubbling up within him as he witnessed the terrifying scene.

“They are using their heads, unlike lower-level monsters. It probably means that they also have superiors: upper-headed monsters capable of tying different monster races together. It’s just as I expected. Since the dungeon was liberated, it didn’t end with just the dungeon’s boss popping out.”

Jung Si-woo started to feel pathetic for playing around in this situation, but that didn’t slow him down. He switched to Cruel Charge as he rushed, and soon, the monsters noticed him.

[Kurugahahah!]

[New goat! Offering!]

[Kill him, kill him!]

The goblins fired stingers, but Jung Si-woo neatly ignored all of them. Even without armor, they couldn’t catch him at his current pace. Seeing Jung Si-woo unbothered by the goblin’s shots, the orcs went out to beat him. However, they wondered if they could halt the rush that even the armored orc centurion found difficult. Orcs who bravely jumped on his path were instantly crushed and defeated without even lifting their axes. The moment they were hit with Cruel Charge, their bodies burst.

“No, what…”

[Kugagaaaaa!]

The monsters’ leader tried to scream, but it was too late. Jung Si-woo reached the injured players after grinding all the monsters in his path down to bloody lumps.

“Hey, protect your friends.”

Si-woo shouted at the remaining standing player.

“Oh, I will!”

The player, armed with a Bastard Sword, nodded to Jung Si-Woo and urgently joined his teammates. In the meantime, Jung Si-woo calmly stared at the goblins who were constantly shooting stings at him. He pulled out stings from his forearm like they were nothing and threw them back out, taking out several of the goblins at once.

[We can’t beat him.]

[Can’t win! Even if the boss comes, we can’t win!]

[I willingly offer myself as a sacrifice! As a sacrifice!]

“These guys are ridiculous.”

Jung Si-woo shook his head as he struck the ground with his hammer. Its force sent shockwaves throughout the area. It was amusing to see the weak goblins fall to the floor one after another.

“If you run away, you’ll know that it will only hurt more!”

Jung Si-woo shouted. His mana was low, so he hadn’t planned on facing monsters one on one, but at least it was enough to freeze them in place.

“Okay, hold tight!”

He bared his teeth and rushed again. He positioned his hammer horizontally, then spun it in a circle, killing monsters like a supercharged arcade gamer.

“Well, that power is…”

“He will be a top player. It’s clear.”

“But, was there ever a player in our country who carried a hammer…?”

The players, who had witnessed Jung Si-woo’s tremendous display of strength and power, backed off and left the fighting to him. They could only stare and succumb to a supporting role.

“I feel like he’s that person! They have the same build!”

“The one in Sanha-dong…”

[Kugagagagaga!]

“Hey!”

[Kuhahahahahah! Offering! A sacrifice for a new world!]

Although the monsters knew that they weren’t any match for Jung Si-woo, they still flocked to him like moths drawn to a flame. This gave Jung Si-woo an advantage as he didn’t even have to move a lot; he just needed to swing his hammer tornado-style! The monsters flocking back and forth were beaten in turn, as if Jung Si-woo was playing a game of whack-a-mole. The sledgehammer, embracing the exquisite power as it split the air, kept bursting heads left and right.

[Offer!]

“Do you guys count for that sacrifice?”

A goblin responded to Jung Si-woo’s words by charging in. Si-woo, who expected it, swung his hammer and let him taste death.

“If you kill them all, will something new pop up?”

“If you feel strong, you don’t have to run away!”

“Now, now, I’m afraid I’ll be too careful.”

Someone was erratically chattering amidst the monsters rushing in Si-woo’s direction.

[Kreurga, something is strange.]

[Really?]

[What is it?!]

While killing them, Jung Si-woo listened to what the monsters were conversing about.

[No change.]

[The mana does not spread.]

[The consciousness does not proceed.]

[…He looks like a weird human.]

When more than 70% of the monsters were defeated, the remaining ones finally reached a conclusion. They had concluded that Jung Si-woo, the real monster in their eyes, was an impassable wall.

“I don’t know what the hell is going on, but I guess I’m disturbing them.”

“Maybe it has something to do with the fact that you are an underground player…”

Soo Ah-rin muttered quietly, and Yong Se-ha nodded. Jung Si-woo didn’t know what was going on; he had been too focused on trying to slay as many monsters as he could. The monsters who recognized the out-of-order situation began to flee or call for reinforcements, but their efforts were wasted. Jung Si-woo picked up the surrounding stones and flung them to finish off the remaining ones.

As a result, Jung Si-woo’s level rose by one.