◈ Episode 089

It was hard to call this a war anymore.

"What, what's going on?"

"How would I understand?"

It's a lie. Kim Yi-hyun saw through the current situation better than anyone else. No, he not only understood it, but he had also expected it to some extent.

'Of course it will be like this. The godmother brought the soldiers herself.'

The Godmother's spell is particularly unique among Polaris' abilities. The output has an absurd upper limit, but once it exceeds a certain level, a 'sacrifice' becomes necessary.

A corpse that is cooling down.

The dying fire of life.

Blood soaking the ground.

Even natural phenomena and abstract concepts that prove human death all serve as driving forces.

And death abounds here.

'It would have been the same even if you hadn't fought over here.'

There is no need for a distinction of rank to meet the conditions. In times of emergency, one can sacrifice one's own subordinates. The Godmother has no qualms about killing her comrades.

In the game, it is a boss that assumes the sacrifice of allies. It uses special abilities when 50 or 100 subordinates are killed. The ability becomes stronger as the number of subordinates decreases.

I was simply taken aback by the sight, which was more vivid and repulsive than I had expected. A living hell where lunatics and monsters run wild.

Turkam covered his mouth with his hand in instinctive disgust.

"Do I really have to go in there?"

"If you don't like it, you can leave. But please leave the car behind."

Turkam weighed the risks. Being left behind and having to make it back on his own, or riding to the command center with Kim I-Hyeon in a vehicle… .

'I hate both of them, damn it.'

Eventually one had to be decided.

He closed his eyes tightly and opened them again, gripping the steering wheel tightly, just like when he was assigned the mission to lead the danger group in Operation Ashbelt.

"Hold on tight. I'm going to step on you like crazy anyway."

Clearly, Turkam has grown since then. While he used to be pushed around by others and act self-deprecatingly, he has now made his own decisions.

Even though there were only two choices.

Booooooo!

A car with a dented bumper sped down the street.

The swamp of slime was still expanding its territory. It didn't take long for the tire to enter the swamp.

There were no problems with driving.

But the moment it touched the mucus, the heads of the monsters nearby suddenly turned. Without even a hint of observation, they started running towards me like crazy.

- Show me your face.!

– Your face, show me!

Monsters with limbs that flexed like molluscs clung to the windshield. Boom, boom! They slammed their heads. The force wasn't strong, but a sticky liquid spread across the glass.

"You little leeches…! Team leader, how can this not work!?"

"What do I want to do here?"

"Oh, then...!"

Turkam turned the steering wheel boldly.

The car swerved sharply, shaking off the monsters. The legs that were tenaciously attached to the body lengthened like rubber and then snapped.

The wiper that was in operation swept back and forth to wipe the window. Traces of the monster, whether blood or saliva, were swept along the bar and stretched out. As you can see, it had a sticky texture.

Thud!

There were guys who were banging on the ceiling when they got on. A monster that bounced like a water spring and hit the side window. The fallen body was crushed by the tires.

"You're too tough. It's not even that close to the battlefield, so why do you keep crawling here? It feels like you're saying something, and it makes me feel bad."

"Stop thinking about useless things and focus."

"I'm doing it!"

While Turkam was driving frantically, Kim I-hyeon radioed. Before he could even announce his arrival, a commotion was reported.

Hyun, I'm sorry, but there's no room here either! You suddenly appear inside the tent too...!

Mr. Pathfinder! Please… Please…!

It seemed that the command center of the lab was also under attack. I felt both a sense of defeat and relief at the same time. At least so far, there has been no catastrophe such as the death of a professor.

"Okay, I'll go that way."

He cut off the call and looked to the side. There was no need to urge him verbally. Turkam frowned but stayed close to the steering wheel and drove.

As it turns out, it's not too late.

At the base, the agents were resisting the offensive. Most of them had been sent to the battlefield, so there weren't many combatants. The number of monsters was also small, so the balance was maintained, albeit precariously.

"...Hyun! I'm glad you came on time."

The professor was escorted by several people, including an elite agent named Pathfinder. She looked around, panting.

"Ah, I think we should retreat. The situation is unfavorable. Even if we somehow manage to stop them, the damage on our side will be significant. My prediction was too naive."

"First of all, calm down."

"I made a mistake. I didn't know there was a spell like this…."

It seems that his mentality was shaken by the unexpected situation. Although he was dissatisfied, there was nothing he could do. The professor was in the midst of growing up. We cannot expect him to be complete.

'Let's start by organizing this first.'

First of all, the professor must regain his composure. Kim Yi-hyeon scanned the barracks with his eyes. However, he could not find the person he was looking for.

"What about Asterike?"

"Huh? That's it, I left it waiting in the barracks…."

My head tilted involuntarily at the answer I heard.

"You're stuck there in the middle of all this chaos?"

"I'm sorry. I said I would wait until you got here."

"Why are you apologizing for that?"

My head is spinning.

The problem that had been postponed was coming to the forefront. The dissonance caused by the actions of 'Kim Lee-hyun' that did not exist in the original scenario.

There couldn't be only positive changes.

I approached the command barracks and pulled back the cloth. As expected, Asterike was crouching in the corner, like a dog waiting for its owner to return.

"현?"

Liveliness returned to her dull eyes. Her face brightened like a flower bud blooming. The expression that she had previously considered pleasant now felt unpleasant.

I had to think about what it looked like before it changed.

Doesn't that mean he's always so expressionless in front of others? He might open up to Chelsea, but there will be differences in degree.

There were signs.

Kim Yi-hyun wasn't completely clueless either. Asterike was still hanging around in the rap, and he maintained a cold attitude towards Ainoa until the end.

Of course, there may be no need to be kind. Kim Yi-hyun didn't think much of it at first. He said that even if others are swayed, he will follow his lead well, so there is no problem.

But from this moment on, it became certain.

Asterike has no self-awareness. No awareness that he is doing 'work'. He does not react to external stimuli or make any decisions.

'Even Astra had to be blunt.'

This is not it. It is dangerous to continue like this.

'… … I'm not in a position to talk about others either.'

I've always relied on Asterike at crucial times. This time was no different. The most effective solution that came to mind right away was to use her.

It always ends up like this.

"Asterike, wake up."

Asterike sat up without a word. He came right up to me and smiled brightly. Even though screams and gunshots could be heard outside.

"What should I do?"

Here.

I hesitated again.

Is it really okay to give her the sword? Is it okay to lean on Asterike like usual and assure her that there is nothing wrong with her current state?

The weight of Kim Lee Hyun's presence within her has grown uncontrollably. Would it be okay if she completely loses her autonomy and is reduced to a puppet?

It might be a valid strategy for survival, since you can use powerful agents as you wish, without worrying about disobeying orders, like a machine.

'… …Is that okay for me?'

Do you really want that to happen? Astga, who had been watching from beyond the display, and Asterike, who had been closest to you until now.

The answer came quickly.

"No, that's fine."

"...어?"

Kim Yi-hyeon searched through the medicine bottles placed inside the tent. Command barracks. There was one medicine prepared here in case of an emergency.

Plastic bottles without name tags.

I looked down at the Helixivir in my hand.

This is the third time already, and the second time today.

My mouth started to water and my heart rate quickened. It felt like I was standing on the edge of a cliff.

Maybe, maybe.

If we go even one step further.

Wouldn't it become irreversible?

"What is that?"

"Nutritional supplement."

He casually shoved the Helixivir into his pocket. It wasn't urgent enough to administer it right away. There were a lot of agents on the battlefield.

If you combine them well, something might work out.

"If you don't want to fight, stay here."

Kim Lee-hyun turned around.

* * *

… … Oh, shit! You little shits. The saw blade won't cut it!

Mr. Pathfinder, is the professor okay!?

Don't look away, Leila!

There was no separate market street.

I could understand. Even the command center was invaded by a dark red liquid, and unidentified monsters were attacking the agents. The battlefield would be even worse.

Moreover, large-scale operations involving dozens of agents like this are rare. Most of them have never been in a war. Only a few have military backgrounds.

I understand, but still.

'You guys shouldn't be like this.'

Rosetta, Leila, Pathfinder. The elite agents who should be leading the subordinates are acting like this. It was obvious how confused the other agents would be.

'I don't like it.'

Once I started looking at them crookedly, they all felt like problem children. Even the professor who was supposed to calm them down was hesitating because he didn't trust his own judgment.

I couldn't stand it any longer.

"Everyone shut up."

So I said it out loud.

"You guys are just sitting there talking amongst yourselves on the radio, are you even in your right mind? The professor is going crazy because of you guys."

You little punk, what are you saying just now… … .

"I'm not finished talking, shut up. Why are you guys on the battlefield in the first place? Your basic stance should have been to wait until something happens or an opportunity presents itself."

Kim Lee-hyun snorted.

"I can tell at a glance that you guys have been harassing the professor. If you're going to do whatever you want, why are you giving orders?"

After talking about it, I felt relieved.

This was a problem that was often mentioned in the community. Since most of them are underage, they take their superiors' words for granted.

Disobedience during operations is a given. The professor's instructions were cut off more than once. It may have been to give the characters more screen time and to show their individuality, but it also seemed uncomfortable.

There were times when I thought the discipline was a bit messy in reality. So I just let it go. But when I thought about injecting Helixivir twice a day, I felt no hesitation.

Thanks to the quick firing, the noise disappeared.

Only then did Kim Lee-Hyeon get to the main point.

"Let's gather information first. I told you that the weapon isn't working well."

Yes. Firearms are useless. Even a bladed weapon hardly works.

Ghost immediately sent his opinion.

The hit seems to be effective, but it's only a little better than the others. It's difficult to deal with.

I know.

The Godmother's spell is to open a 'sanctuary'. It is set to call forth creatures that exist somewhere separate from the present world. Those that come out of the sanctuary are named 'Metunap' in the game.

'It's about time for the physical dealer Goroshi to start.'

Each one has an abnormal physical resistance. Even Rosetta, which has a higher hit point than West Creek, cannot easily deal with it. It is a time when non-paying users feel the wall once again.

The key unit is a magic dealer.

"Leila, how's the spell?"

It's working relatively well. It's hard to kill it all at once, but it seems possible to stop its movements.

"Okay. Fight using spells as much as possible. Focus the rest on covering. Even if you don't have any proper means of attack, you can at least act as a meat shield."

Distinction between physical and magical damage in the Polaris worldview. In general, attacks that are directly inflicted using spells, rather than strengthening the body, are considered 'magic'.

A typical example is Leila's lightning. And,

"Hyun, Hyun. What should I do…?"

Asterike, who followed Kim Yi-hyeon, asked hesitantly. She looked very anxious as she carefully held her collar. She was just waiting for Kim Yi-hyeon to give her instructions.

'You can hit Astro Counter.'

Polaris is a game where calculating attack power and resistance is the basis of strategy. The existence of Ast, who has massive magic damage and fixed damage due to talent, is precious.

But for now, we can't just let it go.

The perception that things are okay as they are will only become more solid. For Kim Yi-hyun and Asterique themselves, and even for rap, it only has a negative impact.

You have to feel the need to change yourself.

"Protect the professor. That's enough."

Kim Yi-hyeon took Asterike's hand away. He handed it over to the professor who was rolling his eyes and observing her. Unlike usual, he did not give her a sword, but left it empty-handed.

Just by that, Asterike understood Kim Ihyeon's intentions. He had decided not to use him. It was as if he had been judged useless.

"...Okay. I will do that."

I couldn't even say that I was okay, that I could do it. I was afraid that I might be considered annoying. If I was hated, I would lose my place to rely on.

Asterike didn't know that such dependent thinking was the problem. It wasn't her fault alone. Kim Yi-hyun was also the cause of her becoming like this.

It wasn't something to think about now.

"I'll leave it to you from here."

He stared straight at the professor.

"Wake up and take command. What I can do, you can do too."

It was a very natural statement.

As someone who was once a player.