◈ Episode 069

All sorts of assumptions surfaced in Kim Yi-hyeon's mind. Before the pieces could be put together and verbalized, his body moved. He made a weapon with his hands hidden behind the sheet so that they would be hidden from his opponent.

A pistol and a machete each. Chelsea quickly grabbed the pistol and aimed it at Nigrum.

Brother, come on!

"Ahhhhhhhhh!"

The gunshots and Turkam's screams mixed together. Turkam covered his head with both arms and pressed himself against the steering wheel. Chelsea's ability was no longer in question, but this was the realm of instinct.

There was no blood splattered beyond the broken glass. Just as he realized that the shot had missed, Kim I-Hyeon shouted from the rear.

"Step on it, quickly!"

"Oh, yeah!"

A sharp pain rose up in his hand as if a piece of shrapnel had been lodged in it, but it was not the time to joke. Turkam stepped on the accelerator with all his might as if he was going to push the enemy away.

But the attempt was in vain, and the car didn't move at all. With a bang, the tire burst and the car body sank. Then, the empty passenger door was dented.

"No, where are you going?"

Nigrum's face was visible through the gap in the half-closed door. Kim Yi-hyeon, who had crouched down and stood up, swung his machete. Although his posture was unstable, it was a blow that could easily pierce human skin.

It was blocked so absurdly.

Nigrum grabbed the blade with his bare hands. He was trying his best to push the handle in, but he could barely move.

It was a feeling like poking through an iron wall. Blood flowed out of Nigrum's hands. Even that was no different from a self-inflicted wound due to the absurd strength.

"Minos is a bit brutal these days. He drives around with guns and knives in his car. Is that a trend?"

"Chelsea, take me out!"

Chelsea followed the instructions without a word, as if she didn't have time to respond. She opened the door and got out of the car with Ainoa, pulling the trigger twice.

The bullet hit Nigrum's hand. Even so, the evil force remained unchanged. He frowned, as if he could not feel the pain, but on the contrary, that was the end of it.

"Even in this position, it's okay. My friend is good at it."

"You talk too much."

Kim Yi-hyeon absentmindedly let go of the hilt of his sword. Now was the time to decide. Whether to reveal the spell or not.

'If it were just a normal guy, I could probably deal with him by surprising him…'

This time, the opponent is bad. Nigrum is a monster in name and reality. He is a character who normally displays physical abilities that Westcreek raised to the limit by casting a spell.

The odds of winning in a head-on confrontation are hopeless.

This is a time when you must save at least one defeat.

"Tea, Team Leader!"

At that moment, Turkam took out a knife from the corner of the car and handed it to him. The blade he had received from Tamtam. If it had been in another country, it would have been confiscated at immigration, but in Bastite, the situation was different.

This is the land of warriors.

The land of Bastitera is vast, and there are many areas where it is difficult for people to live. This includes hunters who fight monsters on a daily basis.

No matter how dire the situation is, it is not to the point where you cannot bring in a single sword. If you follow the proper procedures, you will be granted permission. Of course, if you brought in dozens of swords, it would be a problem.

Kim Yi-Hyeon immediately pulled the sword out of its scabbard. The solid, light black iron was revealed. It was encouraging to have a usable weapon in his hand, but the situation was still dire.

I hurried out of the car. Smoke was rising from the hood. It looked like it was no longer functioning properly.

'Fuck you.'

I had to make a decision.

There is no option to exclude them by force. With the current formation, we won't win even if we fight ten times. Should we have brought West Creek? No, even if we had, someone would have been sacrificed.

Nigrum was born with a defect in one of his horns. He grew up in a state of extreme contempt, but ironically, he had a natural talent. He became famous as a warrior and hunter, and was promoted to high positions.

He is a hitman. He is a member of a noble faction that is in league with the Legion. This means that for some reason, Ainoa's location was discovered by a traitor.

In the end, it's a binary choice.

'Either abandon Ainoa, or… … .'

Or stay behind and hold on to your ankles.

"Where did you buy this?"

Nigrum smiled contentedly. Before he knew it, he was holding Kim Ihyeon's machete and looking at it under the streetlight. As if he was assessing its quality.

"If possible, please introduce me to a place to buy it."

"...."

"Hmm. If you don't like it, then there's nothing I can do."

Even though he was talking, his eyes were busy moving. Nigrum immediately saw that there was an unspoken exchange of opinions between Kim Hyun and Chelsea.

"For a Minos, you're quick-witted. You, in particular, are quick-witted. It's a rare talent. Our kind, you know, are generally stupid because they think that having a good body is enough."

Soon he turned his gaze. In the exact direction where the capital was located.

"But disgustingly, there are some people whose brains are only good at doing terrible things."

Crunch.

There was a sound of something breaking. Shiny shards fell from the left hand that was not holding Nigrum's sword. They looked like ornaments made of quartz or something.

It was around the time when Kim Yi-hyeon was puzzled by English's incomprehensible actions.

"Ugh, ugh…!"

Ainoa, who was trying to leave the place led by Chelsea, fell down. The accessory stuck in her earlobe broke without warning. And then, the feeling quickly disappeared from the tip of her ear.

There was bright yellow mucus in her ears. Fluid flowed out of Ainoa's facial features like crazy. In an instant, her nervous system became paralyzed and she fell to the ground.

The conversation they had a while ago flashed back in Kim Yi-Hyeon's brain.

- I got it as a gift. Well, well, as you can see, it's not an expensive item. It makes me happy, right? I personally don't like flashy decorations.

- Can I take a look?

― Just be careful with handling it. If you break it, your children and grandchildren will curse you.

I checked. Since no electromagnetic waves were detected, I decided there was no problem.

"I think it was called a Nachasok. What kind of structure is it? It's fascinating to look at."

It was a setting I heard for the first time.

It had to be that way. More than half of the land of Bastite is still undeveloped. In the game, even the existing civilization is in decline due to civil war.

It wouldn't be strange if there was something hidden that the player didn't know about.

'… … Did I make a mistake?'

A floating feeling as if the ground beneath my feet was sinking took over my body. It was certainly reckless. However, if I think about it calmly, it was a problem that would have occurred at some point even if I hadn't brought Ainoa.

We should assume that the object called the Nachasok even had the function of a transmitter. If we assume the worst, it could have revealed the location of the rap.

It was still unclear what the correct answer would have been.

"Then let's get to work."

Damn it.

Nigrum began to walk briskly. Turkam lifted Ainoa up and carried her on his back. Chelsea and Kim I-hyeon tensed their muscles, each holding a gun and a sword.

The approach was instantaneous.

I didn't even have time to blink. When I saw the acceleration, Nigrum had already invaded Kim I-hyeon's gap. It was as if he had cut and pasted the film from the video.

As he twisted his upper body, the blade grazed his forearm. A sharp pain ran over his skin. Far from dulling his body, the pain forced Kim I-Hyeon to immerse himself in the battle.

The truth about the royal murder that was not revealed in the game, the right and wrong actions, such distracting thoughts turned to dust. More valuable information filled my head.

First, location.

'The angle isn't right.'

The three are in a straight line. Kim Yi-Hyeon's body acts as cover. No matter how good a marksman Chelsea is, she cannot change the trajectory of the bullet.

The ammunition is not sufficient. It is better to shoot carefully. Nigrum is wary of gunfire. He does not have the durability to deflect bullets like Snowfield.

'The most important thing is that I don't fall out all at once.'

Below, the enemy's empty chest was revealed. Their heights were similar, but Nigrum had lowered his posture, so there was a difference in their eye level.

There was no time to turn the sword in his grip. Not only did he lack the skill to do so, but his opponent was far more agile. Without hesitation, he was about to strike the hilt down on his collarbone.

Boom!

A dull impact hit Kim Yi-hyeon's ankle. Unable to support his legs, his body staggered. Nigrum pushed Kim Yi-hyeon down and grabbed the machete in reverse.

The blade was about to pierce Kim Yi-Hyeon's neck.

"음?"

Nigrum, who had been carelessly twitching his eyebrows, turned the machete into a speck of light and dispersed. An incomprehensible phenomenon. Instead of trying to understand, he lowered his shoulders in a motion that seemed to dislocate his joints.

The triggered bullet licked past his shoulder. Nigrum had no regrets about the missing sword. After all, his weapon was his trained body.

The elbow came down on Kim Hyun-ah's head.

A loud crash echoed through the night. There was no sensation of bones being crushed. Instead, my elbow was tingling from the recoil of hitting the iron with all my might.

"...Ah, so that's the spell."

Nigrum stuck out his tongue. A shield suddenly appeared between the two. It was a sight that resolved all the doubts he had felt during the battle.

A spell to draw or create a weapon with empty hands. The process of removing it is simple. It is a power that even the Bastite Line, who value physical strength over abilities, would covet.

When the attack failed, Nigrum dismounted. He noticed the blades lying on the ground, but did not grab them. Even that could be the result of a spell.

Without fully straightening his bent knees, Nigrum kicked the ground again. He left the fallen Kim I-hyeon behind and ran towards Chelsea. Even as he ran, his gaze followed the direction of the gun barrel.

As Chelsea's finger pulled the trigger, Nigrum cocked his head to the side. The bullet barely grazed his hair.

The more precise the aim, the easier it is to read.

"이...!"

There was no time to adjust the aim. The gun's advantage was gone by the time it had been allowed to approach. Nigrum wouldn't die from a single shot unless it was hit in the brain, but Chelsea's body was fragile.

A bloody hand extends. The force of the fist is more than enough to collapse a person's rib cage and rupture organs. It was the moment Chelsea sensed death.

grasp!

A bullet was lodged in Nigrum's right upper arm. Smoke rose from the muzzle of the [Webley Mark] in Kim I-Hyeon's hand. Even though it was lying on the ground, the accuracy of the correction was certain.

It may not have been a critical point, but it was a close call.

thud!

Chelsea's body, which had made contact with the fist, tumbled upward and crashed into the wall. "Ugh!" she let out a suppressed moan. Her breathing was suffocating, but at least she was alive.

"Ugh, keke, kekeke!"

Of course, I didn't die. I couldn't stand up, and I could barely hold on to my sanity. Before I knew it, I had dropped the gun, and my hands and feet were twitching uncontrollably.

Nigrum turned around after confirming that the shooter was neutralized.

"So, what do we do now?"

He shrugs his shoulders as the bullet hits him. A one-on-one standoff. Kim Yi-hyeon has been holding the blade while trying to regain his composure, but it was just a meaningless struggle.

"Haa, haa."

There is no way to do anything.

The overwhelming power difference. The odds of winning, which were already at rock bottom, have completely disappeared. If they give up the fight, what will be their lifeline?

I had to use my head.

"...I surrender."

The sword fell limply from his hand. If he did, it was certain. He not only threw away his weapon, but also spread out both palms to show that he had no intention of resisting.

"I will hand over Princess Ainoa. You may do whatever you want with her."

"Thank you for your words, but I didn't need your permission in the first place."

"…I'm not asking you to let me go."

I thought as I took a deep breath.

'You have to choose your words carefully.'

Nigrum.

Despite his important role in the assassination of the princess, his role in the game is not very significant. He only clashes with the Cellbrox Labs, who intervened in the Basteterra civil war, a couple of times.

As a result, he is defeated by the professor's command and the efforts of elite agents. Although his individual skills are outstanding, he is nothing more than a servant.

Judging his role, he threw down the gamble.

"Nigrum, I know your employer."

There was a reaction.

Although it was difficult to read his expression because of the darkness around him, he was seen hesitating. Perhaps because he had overcome a similar crisis before, his mind was more composed than before.

"Take us. We'll be useful in some way."

"Oh, really?"

Nigrum approached step by step. Blood dripped from his wound.

"There are more than one or two spies working in Bastitera. Their affiliations are also diverse. Their attention has already been drawn. If the current situation continues―"

"If this continues, what?"

I realized too late that it was a misjudgment.

Bam!

The field of vision suddenly lowered and the head was pressed against the ground. The stone fragments dug into the skin. A shadow covered the body of Kim Yi-Hyeon, who was forced to lie down.

"I tend to be very talkative when we fight. The reason is that words force you to think, so just blurting out random things can be surprisingly helpful."

"Ugh…!"

"There are often people who are as mistaken as you. They negotiate because they think they'll get what they want if they open their mouths."

Nigrum's condition was not perfect. He could have been subdued more safely, but he fought despite his injuries.

That was his way.

They are not limited to any type of weapon, and they use any number of mean means, but their focus is on combat. They are not particularly interested in issues beyond the scope of combat.

"I hate complicated things. Just get rid of them and pretend you didn't hear anything."

The heel of a shoe went up Kim Yi-Hyeon's spine.

Thud.

The sound of bones breaking was low. Nigrum whistled as he gritted his teeth to suppress his screams.

"Oh. That's great."

The foot that had trampled his back fell. Kim Yi-hyeon felt terrible pain and dizziness. His head was spinning because he had to breathe through his nose. The taste of blood lingered in his mouth.

Ttukbuk.

Footsteps were heard. Kim Yi-hyeon raised his head with difficulty.

There were shadows approaching. Two people. Their faces were not visible, but it was not difficult to grasp the situation.

The woman who seemed to have lost consciousness and was drooping was probably Ainoa. She was being dragged by someone else's hair.

"It looks like it's over there too. We tried our best, but it ended badly."

"…Ah, that's easy, ugh. What the heck."

"Haha. Would you believe me if I said I wasn't trying to make fun of you?"

It was a predetermined outcome from the beginning. I thought I only had to deal with Nigrum, but it was common sense that there would be no way I wouldn't have a partner. If I was alone, I wouldn't have been this relaxed.

'What should I do?'

It is impossible to escape by one's own power. Turkam does not know whether he is alive or dead. He will read Nigrum's life story as he knows it, and even if he foresees the future, he will not listen.

This time there really is no solution.

Saying that it was unexpected meant that there was no escape route. Since the way to survive was blocked, the parts that I had tried not to think about came back to dominate my mind.

'Why, how did it turn out like this?'

Because I brought Ainoa to Bastitera. Because I didn't have enough power. The process of kidnapping and returning her went smoothly, and I was confident that I wouldn't be caught.

In reality, Nigrum didn't know anything about Kim I-hyeon. Not even the existence of the Cellbrox Lab. He was only able to track her because the Na-chal-seok, which was a match for the item the princess had, reacted.

Then should I say that I was unlucky?

'Shit.'

I acted stupidly. It was no different than when I faced Snowfield. I must have understood better than anyone that this was a critical time, but I ended up being proud of my meager skills.

Kim Yi-Hyeon is not Asterike. He has no insurance to protect himself in situations where his skills and Polaris' knowledge do not work. That is why he must plan carefully and take action.

I couldn't do that. I admit my mistake.

On the other hand, another thought occurred to me.

'How long does this have to go on?'

There was a limit to what would happen at some point. The more we move to make the future better, the more unexpected events occur.

There are too many tragedies that were planned from the beginning. Even in events that were supposed to be festivals, people die in this game. There are more than a few deaths that must be prevented even if it means twisting the story.

It was a dilemma.

The more you block, the more useless your knowledge of the game becomes. I've learned combat techniques to be able to improvise as much as possible, but it's still not enough.

This mistake may have been caused by impatience. It's understandable to be in a hurry. In a world where monsters that surpass even a six-star agent can suddenly attack a night road.

It was a time when my brain was filled with unpleasant thoughts.

"Don't worry. I won't kill you right away."

Nigrum received something from his colleague.

"I am also a man of virtue. If a guy like you were to die a dog's death, it would be too meaningless. Considering your spirit, I will give you a role."

It was a syringe. The material was plastic. The shape was no different from the products on the market. The only unique element was that the contents were contained in a transparent cylinder.

It was familiar. A self-luminous blue liquid. I had seen it in the subway of Tulabia, in the Metro City of Cilicia, and in the territory of the old Shalem.

The river Lethe, plagues, and Elixir.

As it is found all over the continent, its names vary. However, all life on Polaris has one thing in common about it.

That you should not contact them rashly.

Just looking at it causes an instinctive disgust.

That is the subject of Legion's research. If you look at the circumstances, you can guess. It must have passed from Legion to the nobles of the 'Mountain Clan', to which Nigrum's employer belongs, and ended up in Nigrum's hands.

"You will be executed. After you tear the princess apart with your own hands."

Sigh.

The needle pricked Kim Yi-Hyeon's neck.