The Player Who Eats Steel - Episode 141
141fury.
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There is a dragon in this land, Korea... … An adult dragon was also scheduled to appear..
Lee Hyun-wook was the first to find out about that fact..
This is because the manager of the World Tree only tipped him off..
Therefore, only he was preparing for that disaster..
however……
- [Breaking News] Unidentified objects in the form of tombstones appear after ‘cracks’ occur in various parts of southern Gyeonggi Province
- ‘How long has it been since the war ended? … 'A foreshadowing of another disaster? Increased public anxiety
When nine days had passed since the prophecy, the signs appeared one by one in the world..
A temporary dimensional gate 'crack' occurred in the Suwon area, and huge monuments appeared. Lee Hyun-wook had an intuition that this was a foreshadowing of the appearance of the Angra Mainyu Corps and Aji Dahaka..
“……Is this it??”
"yes, that's right.”
Lee Hyun-wook also went to that location in person..
A 9.9m black tombstone stood tall in an empty lot in a residential area..
Tsutsutsutsu——
The dark red symbols engraved on the surface wriggle like living creatures..
Tsutsutsutsu——
And a very small, strange crying sound was coming from inside the tombstone, and it felt like an invitation to come closer and lay a hand on it. It wasn't just a whim, it contained magic that controlled the mind..
Of course, the intensity was so mild that a player as good as Lee Hyun-wook could easily shake it off..
"It is understood that many of these tombstones were found in a 5km area around here..”
Team leader Kyo-Jun Lee said so, and when Hyun-Wook Lee placed his hand on the monument,…….
yes——
- caution! You have come into contact with Angra Mainyu's 'Message'..
As if I had been sucked into another world for an instant, my eyes were filled with darkness..
Then, the projector started working and the field of view was slowly secured as light passed through the lens..
Grrrrrr.——
The first thing I saw was a red shimmer..
'fire?’
Yes, it was burning everywhere. That place is none other than…….
'……It's Suwon.’
Everywhere was covered with magma, as if we were at the site of a volcanic eruption..
Lee Hyun-wook raised his head and saw it flying above Suwon Station..
A pair of black curtains covering the entire world... … those were wings.
‘Pfft!’
Huge red eyes, vertically slit pupils, a powerful force that exists beyond them.…….
‘……It's a black dragon.’
Just making eye contact makes me feel pressured, as if my whole body is being torn apart..
「My luggage will come to you soon.........」
It wasn't a sound or a language, but the meaning forced its way into my mind..
And I felt like an instinctive fear was being brought out from deep within my heart..
thud—
The video ended with the entire Suwon Station building collapsing..
- (!) You have come across Angra Mainyu's 'Warning'.
* An unbearable disaster will come to the region..
Is this the cityscape that Donald Harry saw reduced to ashes??
"hmm? Have you seen it all??”
"yes……."
"I saw it too, it was really shit..”
There is usually a foreshadowing for a big event. It was some kind of warning.
In my past life, before Aji Dahaka appeared, Lee Hyun-wook was overseas, so I forgot about him.,
I heard that this guy's appearance was also announced in such a big way..
"This… … It should be seen as some kind of opening.?”
Lee Hyun-wook nodded at Team Leader Lee Kyo-jun’s words..
Yeah, it's like a cutscene is inserted before a big event in the game..
"Team leader Lee, you said that about a dozen of these have been created throughout southern Gyeonggi-do.?”
“Yes, that's right. It seems like they're spreading it all over the place, like some kind of marketing..”
First of all, in the southern part of Gyeonggi-do, it seemed like he was about to appear in Suwon just like in his previous life..
"If so, this information will soon spread all over the world.?”
"Ha—I guess it has to be that way. Because you won't be able to control everything..”
That's how it became known to the world that a dragon would appear..
It was a natural reaction for the whole world to be turned upside down..
- Is Korea the stage for disaster again this time? Fear spreads over the announcement of the appearance of a black dragon
- The world's first adult dragon is expected to appear, will the Korean Peninsula once again become a stage of fierce battle??
- EU guild alliance emphasizes the need for joint operations, saying it would be a disaster that no single country could handle
Dragon… … It was both a terrible disaster and the name of the most valuable treasure..
Therefore, the people were terrified, but the top players from each country relented..
‘Even if you get just one dragon byproduct, you can make it into the best equipment.…….'
The next day, Lee Hyun-wook, who was absorbing metal, received a call from Director Woo Seong-moon..
- ……Things got complicated. It looks like Dragon Slayer will be coming to Korea..
"So that's what happened in the end..”
Lee Hyun-wook was opposed to borrowing external power, and Woo Seong-moon also followed his opinion..
But the opinions of this country were not limited to just two people..
- The Guild Cooperation Support Office made a strong claim, and the VIP eventually approved it. And public opinion was also inclined towards the need for a dragon slayer if dragons appeared..
When I think about it, it was the first time Director Woo Seong-moon said such a disappointing thing..
He said the incident was the worst, but he didn't say he couldn't help..
Several key figures in the government were strongly advocating the use of the ‘Dragon Slayer’..
Woo Seong-moon had unrivaled power in this country, but he was not omnipotent..
'And slowly, Director Woo's enormous power is starting to be checked..’
He reigned for quite some time as the best player in the government and at the helm of the country..
It's not that there weren't forces opposing him, but all powers eventually needed him..
This is because his firm beliefs and the know-how he had accumulated were not something that could be easily abandoned..
However, as time passed, cards that could replace him began to appear..
‘After Woo Seong-moon died, the Spring and Autumn Warring States Period began in this country and the villains began to take over.…….'
At that time, politicians who overthrew all kinds of large guilds ran riot and created confusion..
But now, since both this country and Woo Seong-moon are fine, such a problem has not occurred..
However, the culprits are not going away and are spreading their roots in other forms.…….
Compared to my previous life, the risks may not have been that big of a deal, but it was still a problem that was holding me back..
“……We can't stop the dragon slayer from coming to this land..”
Lee Hyun-wook asked cautiously..
- If you go too strong here... … Honestly, my situation may be difficult..
Even without that, Woo Seong-moon was being ridiculed for being swayed by Lee Hyun-wook. This is nothing more than a rumor, but if chisels became more ridiculous, they could lose their influence in the political world..
Even in the wild world, the moment the authority of the 'alpha male' disappears, he is bound to be eliminated from the group..
In other words, it was very difficult to keep external support in check this time and insist that Lee Hyun-wook would go for a one-man show..
"Well, there's nothing we can do about it..”
Surprisingly, Lee Hyun-wook agreed very easily. His voice didn't show any concern..
‘It's annoying to have a competitor, but... … Anyway, no matter who comes, they can't do it better than me..’
because… … To him, the black dragon was a prey he had already caught once..
'Okay, rather, it proves it clearly, and shakes off the annoying things..’
The public's sense of competition against Lee Hyun-wook, the wolves seeking Laputa and the new star.…….
The moment had come to give them one more proper warning..
Shortly after, Edward Woods officially declared his participation in Dragon Raid..
- Edward Woods takes the lead in the Dragon attack operation at the request of the Korean government..
Then, as if they had been waiting, various forces began to join Edward Woods' line..
No matter how you look at it, there didn't seem to be a stronger line than Dragon Slayer in this event..
On the one hand, it could be interpreted that those who are against Lee Hyun-wook have begun to gather..
- Kodo Koshiro's guild also helps..
- Large Korean guilds, led by Cheonghwa Guild, also began boarding buses.?
- Ignoring Steele Lane, why did he become a thorn in the side of guilds at home and abroad??
A new player who gains size by dominating everything on his own.…….
Such a being is bound to be unpopular in the player world..
And that day, Edwards Woods appeared on the British news and sent a message to Lee Hyun-wook..
- ……Stillane, there's no way he wouldn't do something about this. We have already decided to cooperate with several guilds in Korea. They already knew that my dragon hunting experience would be my greatest weapon, and we had a hopeful conversation. All that remains now is Stillane's cooperation. I'll be waiting. He will be a good weapon for the operation I lead..
That was a blatant threat to come under his command..
Lee Hyun-wook did not give any answer, and it was his intention to refuse..
Then, as if they had been waiting, domestic and foreign forces began to voice criticism..
- Is this Dragon Raid alliance actually an anti-Steelrain alliance? Has the competition for strategy begun??
Lee Hyun-wook became a big name overnight, and those who want to defeat him…….
Somehow, a match between the two powers began..
***
click! click! click! click!
A group appeared at the arrival hall of Incheon International Airport..
A spotlight fell on them..
"—It's a dragon slayer!”
"Wow you look really handsome……."
A man with pomade-style blond hair and a neat suit lightly waved his hand..
He was the guild master, Edward Woods..
"Wow, that's a weapon made from dragon subadult by-products, right??”
"But isn’t it a waste to make weapon boxes out of dragon skin??”
Come to think of it, he was carrying a long red leather case on his shoulder..
"But they say it's all for a good reason.?”
“That's right, the window inside gives off a lot of heat and needs to be blocked.?”
"Oh, you mean that spear made from dragon bones and teeth??”
Then questions started pouring in from all over..
Edward Woods nodded slowly and then opened his mouth..
“……To put it bluntly, dragons are more dangerous monsters than anything else. After I caught a dragon in London, I said that if another dragon appeared, I would raise it like an iguana. That was such a stupid thing to say.”
Everyone fell silent as his voice rang out softly..
“This isn't a game. It's a terrible war.”
Click—click—
"We must stand in solidarity.”
Those words were clearly aimed at Hyunwook Lee..
"The strength of humanity is proven when we stand side by side, shoulder to shoulder..”
The message was to come under his command and not try to fight alone..
".......I hope those in power will take this disaster seriously..”
The intention was to make Lee Hyun-wook a dogmatic person who pursues his own gain..
Because these were words from Edwards Woods, who had the image of a good gentleman, they had a huge impact..
Meanwhile, Lee Hyun-wook, who was watching the scene on TV, unconsciously felt cynicism..
"If this happens... … I need to scratch my pride as a noble and proud gentleman.?”
***
After a while, the Slayers' strategy team gathered in a hotel suite provided by the Cheonghwa Guild..
Among the group, there was one boy who was only 13 years old..
"wow—”
But as always, a player's ability should not be evaluated at face value..
This kid was Eric Ramos, a grade A wizard type player..
“Wow—that’s awesome........"
He looked out the window and was constantly amazed by the sight of Laputa, a floating city in the distance..
"You mean this city almost collapsed several times? In the 4th wave, in the summoning of Abaddon, in the Black Orc invasion... … Stillrain must be a really great person to be able to block all that.!”
Despite words of praise for his rival Lee Hyun-wook, the Slayers guild members showed no particular reaction..
Honestly, the performances that Steele Lane showed were all great things that had to be acknowledged..
But what he said next was enough to make a few people feel uncomfortable..
“No way—Steelrain isn’t really going to take down the dragon on his own this time.?”
Eventually, a woman took off her sunglasses and hit the boy on the back of the head..
"evil! Amanda, what's happening all of a sudden?!”
Amanda Anderson, she was the main tank of the Slayers Guild..
"This little guy says things that break the mood.!”
"I just said it just in case.……."
"No matter how much of a Steele fan you were, look at the vibe.!”
"No, really, just in case.……."
Then Amanda Anderson repeatedly shook her head as if there was no such thing as ‘just in case’..
"No, Steele Lane will never—never—succeed alone this time.!”
She sighed and began to explain hesitantly..
“All of the things that the brilliant Steele Rain has caught so far have some degree of strategy..”
According to her, the monsters that Lee Hyun-wook has faced so far, in whatever form, already had known strategies for defeating them, so Lee Hyun-wook did not hit a 'wall of the unknown'..
"uh… … Unknown wall? what is that again?”
"Basically, all strategies are obtained by breaking through an unknown wall..”
"ah! So, trial and error… … It's the same?”
"Okay, someone tried it first and is passing out the tip..”
To put it simply, it meant that there was a 'wall' that was difficult to attack when the first monster appeared..
And the Slayers Guild has not shared how to conquer dragons until now..
In other words, there was no way for others to overcome the 'unknown wall' as they had not yet shared their tips..
"Do you know what the first thing you should pay attention to when facing a dragon??”
In response to that question, Eric Ramos shook his head as if he had no idea..
At that moment, she pretended to stab her eyes with her index finger..
“Ugh! Suddenly, what is it?？”
"That's it... … I'm going to close my eyes.”
"……yes? I close my eyes?”
“okay! Or you'll die right away, remember that!”
Then Stipe Marin, a large middle-aged man who was sitting next to him and playing on his cell phone, nodded..
"AKA Dragon Fear, that's something most creatures can't handle.”
Eric Ramos flinched involuntarily at his heavy voice..
Dragon Fear refers to the fundamental fear emitted by dragons..
Beings of a different class have an intimidating feeling that one cannot even dare to look up at..
"The moment you face that existence, you fall into a swamp of fear that you can't handle..”
"yes? But brave people like Boss feel little fear.?”
"No, it's not fear as an emotion... … Fear as a law.”
There is virtually no player who can endure that. Even those who are called the strongest freeze in front of him. And all abilities are greatly reduced, making it impossible to use them to their full potential..
"The moment we all get stuck... … Just, generally, you have no choice but to be hunted..”
Stipe Marin, his words were heavy. This was because he was also a member of the London Dragon incident..
"If the boss hadn't saved me at that time, I would have died on the spot..”
"Fortunately, I had an item that could put up a mental barrier.……."
This time, the dragon slayer, Edward Woods, came forward in person..
He distributed his own coffee and cocoa to his team members..
“Because I was so lucky to survive, I was able to plan a second attack..”
"ah… … That's what it was?”
"But that wasn't the whole problem. The battlefield he uses is on a different ‘dimension’ from ours..”
Humans mostly move in two-dimensional space. That means he can't get off the ground..
However, Dragon deals with three-dimensional space. Simply put, it flies freely..
That simple and clear difference created a tactical gap that could not be easily bridged..
"If we can't bring that monster to the ground, our fighting style will be of no use..”
So, it meant that the dragon had to be brought down to the ground somehow..
“ah! So the boss somehow got on his back in London.!”
Edward Woods was lucky enough to ride on the back of an adult dragon during the second attack..
By holding on like that, I succeeded in tearing off the skin on the dragon's wings and causing it to fall..
“……But it was suicidal, and honestly, I think I was just lucky..”
If, at that moment, you lost your balance or lost strength in your hands and fell off the dragon's back... … . Will there ever be a chance to climb again? No, I was lucky to get on first in the first place..
"omg! Then what the hell… … How do I knock down a dragon bigger than the one in London??”
Edwards Woods took a sip of his coffee, blew on it, and opened his mouth..
"Wind, the dragon's flight ultimately uses the lift force of the wind. Of course, it goes through the enormous amount of flight stones present in the body, but if the movement of the wings is blocked, the ability to fly will decrease.?”
"ah!"
"That's why my old friend, S-rank wind controller Kodo Koshiro, decided to help us..”
After hearing the explanation step by step, a strange feeling of excitement appeared on Eric Ramos' face..
I realized once again how great the people gathered here are trying to do something great..
On the other hand, I secretly waited for them to tell me the next order, the order I was in charge of..
Edward Wood must have sensed his feelings and smiled and stroked his head..
"next… … The moment he casts an area skill seal—that's when I need your power..”
"Don't worry about that! It’s what I do best! I will never let you down!”
Eric Ramos, he was a player adept at dismantling magic..
He clenched his fists with a triumphant expression..
“Yes, I only believe in you..”
“Hehe—thank you.”
"Drink it quickly before the cocoa cools down.”
This team seemed so perfect from a young boy's perspective..
whoop—
"But at this rate, it wouldn't be that difficult for us to catch that enormous dragon.?”
I asked with a face full of hope... … Edwards Woods shook his head resolutely..
“well… … At the last moment, the dragon will activate the ultimate technique called ‘Unique Territory’..”
A technology that causes environmental change by spreading unique areas and unique power throughout the area... … It was assumed that each dragon had completely different properties and forms depending on the name 'unique'..
in other words—
"That's unpredictable. Fight, check, then retreat and prepare for a counterattack..”
“……yes? It means you have to run away.?”
“Yes, in my opinion, dragons are not targets that can be attacked in the first round by design..”
In other words, it was an opponent that was bound to be defeated at least once..
However, if you are aware of the moment of defeat, you can minimize the damage and prepare for a counterattack..
"Stillane may be able to predict things ahead, but it will never know its own territory.……
And above all, this information was known only to Edwards Woods' team..
"Sorry, but Steelein is going to be a complete failure. If you continue to be stubborn like you are now, you will die........"
He shook his head as if he was sorry, and Eric Ramos looked slightly surprised..
"Eric, I know you're a Steele fan, but if you try to help him, we'll all be in danger..”
He added in a low voice.
“……In the end, the dragon's skin, bones, and heart will all be ours..”
But then someone came rushing into the hotel room. He was an employee of the Slayers Guild..
"Boss, you need to watch some TV..”
"huh? What's going on??”
"Stillane... … A press conference was held.”
Then mockery rose from all over the room..
"Could it be that they are trying to give in, even if it is too late…? … It's not fun at all if it's like this?”
"Well, you probably realized that there was nothing even Steel Rain could do.."
Over the past two days, Edward Woods has completely changed public opinion in Korea with just a few words. A national hero named Stillane was portrayed as a self-serving snob in a crisis..
Soon the TV turned on, and Lee Hyun-wook was shown standing in front of reporters..
He slowly opened his mouth..
- ……Actually, it's a bit puzzling. I never once said we wouldn't join forces..
His expression was calm, but he seemed quite upset..
Well, he didn't react at all, but he deserved it since he was being criticized by public opinion..
- So, are you saying that you will join the Slase Alliance??
- that is … … Joining forces doesn't necessarily mean that.
He paused for a moment and then opened his mouth again..
- In order to lead the attack, you must have the qualifications to do so..
- uh… … So, can I interpret this to mean that he is more qualified than a dragon slayer??
- Oh, the experience of catching a subadult dragon a few years ago was, well, a great experience. Anyway.
At that point, the expressions of the Slayers guild members became stiff..
- I have more certain information than that..
At that moment, the spotlight exploded all at once..
"No, what does that mean?!”
Amanda Anderson stood up and screamed..
- What is that information? Is this really a strategy??
Then Lee Hyun-wook nodded with a relaxed smile..
- Hyunwook Lee, so what is it? can you tell me?
- that… … Of course, I'm sure you'll understand that I can't say this carelessly..
His eyes looked directly into the camera.
As if looking at Edward Woods beyond…….
- As for the Slayers, if you would like to follow my command, I could let you know. As Dragon Slayer said earlier, this is not a game, but a terrible war, so we must stand in solidarity. That's a cool thing to say. however… … Instead of blindly joining forces, it would be better to form a proper team..
Now, that was Edward Uzbogo's declaration to come under him..
And he claimed that was the 'proper way'.
That too, before anything else but the Dragon Raid..
"......."
The Slayers' guild members who were listening to that looked at Edwards Woods..
Surprisingly, the boss they knew did not tolerate such provocations leniently..
“……Stillane, you don't know how to look at the situation calmly..”
He was still savoring his coffee with a calm expression..
At that time, Stillane spoke for the last time..
- I said it clearly. I say I have a way.
Edward Woods was sarcastic at that point..
"Tsk — such sloppy media play........"
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