The Player Who Eats Steel - Episode 46
46fury.
=====================================
For mankind, the phenomenon called ‘Wave’ was no different from hell..
However, it was just a kind of ‘event’ in the game system..
- You have found a treasure chest (event)!
That's why there were lucky opportunities like this all over the map..
‘You're lucky there's a box here..’
Of course, this wasn't the only event box like this..
It's not easy to find, but there are several throughout Seoul.,
There just happened to be one here..
"......."
Fortunately, there were no eyes around here. Lee Hyun-wook immediately opened the storage box..
Cheolkeong-
It contained two items..
It was a silver ring and a gold card..
First, I picked up the ring..
- Obtained Mana Tank (Tier 2).
‘It's okay.’
The mana tank I got from Heo Youngtae last time was level 3..
That alone was an expensive item worth 1 billion won..
But this time it is level 2, one level higher than that..
It's at least 6 times more expensive..’
So, this small ring was worth 6 to 7 billion won..
Of course, the effect will be about 50% higher compared to grade 3, but anyone who has experienced how much of a weapon that 50% difference can be in battle would know..
Lee Hyun-wook took out the remaining gold card..
- Acquired the trait Bloom (Special).
*This item is bound upon acquisition..
‘This… … Amazing, Great.’
The previous mana tank was actually an item with such value that it seemed like nothing more than a service..
To put it simply, the ‘blooming’ of a trait meant that a new ‘skill’ was created..
<For “Level Growth Players”, random ‘characteristic blooming’ occurs every time the level rises by 5 levels, and for <Level Growth Players>, whenever abilities increase by a certain amount or certain conditions are met..
In other words, as the player's level increases, the opportunity to acquire skills decreases..
Therefore, it was great luck to be able to acquire the skill without any cost..
- ‘Would you like to use the trait ‘Bloom (Special)’? (Y/N)
Hyunwook Lee chose Y.
- congratulations! A new skill was created through a lucky opportunity!
[Skill information]
- Name: Metal Transformation
- Grade: D
- Effect: Consumes mana to 'transform' the form of the metal it controls.
* Mana consumption varies depending on the amount of target the skill is applied to..
‘Metal transformation is a skill that can literally change the shape of metal..’
Lee Hyun-wook took out an iron bead and attempted to transform it into metal..
Right pole—right pole—
The iron ball was crushed as if it were shrinking, then spread wide and soon became a sharp weapon..
This could even be used on 'rigid' bodies..
Lee Hyun-wook cast a steel body on his left hand and attempted to transform it into metal..
Blah blah blah---
It rose as hard as scales over the back of the hand and fingers. At first, it looked like a typical rigid body painting, but it soon became elongated and sharp, sprouting out like a leopard's claws..
Si-ik-!
When you swing this claw, if you put your weight on it, it will be stronger than you think.,
It seemed like it would be good for self-defense in an emergency situation without a weapon, or to surprise an enemy..
‘Although it is a weak skill right now, it is a skill that will be of great use later..’
Being able to freely change the shape of metal, like clay, was bound to be very useful. For example, there was a time when a huge rebar was made into a chain and tied up an ogre..
While Lee Hyun-wook was growing to the next level, AMT soldiers completed inspections in the area.,
2Ahn Min-tae, who was in charge of the platoon leader, came as a representative and reported..
"There are no identified problems. The shield is also fully charged and functioning properly. Oh, and we confirmed in advance the points to be on guard at night between searches..”
Not long ago, Ahn Min-tae was just one of the insignificant servants in the company, but now he takes care of things on his own. He was growing into a talent that could be trusted and trusted in many ways..
"Yes, we can't move because it's night, but we fly a magic drone to check the location of monsters in the area and prepare to open the shelter before daybreak. Tomorrow will be twice as long as today, so take it easy.”
"Yes, I understand.”
"By the way, where did Sergeant Kim Se-hee go??”
"Uh, earlier, you were at the ticket gate over there.……."
Lee Hyun-wook set out to find Kim Se-hee. Because she had something to give her.
And near the ticket gate, in a quiet place, I heard Kim Se-hee's voice..
"......No, it's a damn thing that I called that out once, a damn thing! really!”
However, for some reason, he became somewhat agitated and seemed to be yelling at someone..
The moment Lee Hyun-wook turns the corner and faces Kim Se-hee—
Whoosh—!
Something floating in front of her face disappeared as if evaporating..
That was probably the wind spirit she worked with..
"Sergeant Kim, uh… … Who am I talking to??”
"ah……."
Kim Se-hee blushed as if she was embarrassed..
‘Looks like he was fighting a spirit.…….'
The power of an elementalist comes from ‘spirit affinity’ or ‘spirit control’..
You could either communicate with the spirits to borrow their power, or press them to force their power—the higher these two values were, the more high-grade spirits you could command..
And above all, it was a very important element that could bring out the ‘potential’ of the spirit..
However, Kim Se-hee at this time was neither of those..
‘No matter what, swearing and fighting with a spirit is worse than I thought.?’
But at the same time, I was looking forward to it..
Earlier, by borrowing the power of the wind spirit, she rushed in in an instant and caught up with Gong Gong-tae's subordinates. Just by looking at her, we could see the extent of her potential..
If he could just make peace with the spirit, his abilities would greatly improve..
"Hey, what's going on??”
Kim Se-hee couldn't overcome her embarrassment and asked while avoiding eye contact..
"Don't you know that it's dangerous to be alone like this??”
"Oh well, yeah……."
"So I didn't come to catch you, I have something to give you..”
Hyunwook Lee took something out of his pocket..
It was a small stone with a greenish tint..
"It is a spirit stone. In this case, there is no need to report to the unit individually. Sergeant Kim writes this.”
Kim Se-hee made a mysterious expression. I was grateful but embarrassed, and it seemed like I was trying not to show those feelings, but it was all evident in the hesitant expression of my mouth..
I was swearing and fighting with that spirit just now, and now I get a gift for it... … To use this, you have to deliver it directly to the spirit, which is really annoying... … I was thinking like that.
"Ah, thank you. By the way, how did you know I was an elementalist??”
It was rare for anyone to recognize her true nature as she usually wields dual daggers..
"Sergeant Kim Se-hee, he is famous in our company..”
"Hmm, not so much… … Anyway, thank you.”
Lee Hyun-wook turned around and blurted out a single word..
"however… … Don't fight, just get along.”
"What, what, what… … Don't interfere with the car except during operations.?”
Kim Se-hee showed her teeth with a full expression of frustration on her red face..
Well, she was a woman who cursed and fought even with her own spirit, so her temper was not normal..
Night soon fell, and Lee Hyun-wook ordered the entire company to be on guard and rest..
But the company members all looked anxious..
Because it seemed like the day passed without any results..
Now, I was filled with the obsession that only 4 days were left until Seoul was destroyed..
'But the break won't be long. Inside, something's going to happen…….'
Hyunwook Lee was currently talking face to face with the station security captain..
“……So, what you're saying is that the monster came in through the subway tracks.?”
The security team leader nodded in response to Lee Hyun-wook’s question..
"Yes, it was a rat-shaped monster. Of course, it wasn't an ordinary rat, it was as big as a dog..”
In the beginning, it was said that monsters were prevented from invading through the subway tracks..
Fortunately, there were only a few of them at the time, so it was only a small disturbance.…….
‘Next time it won't stop there..’
Hell Rats, a swarm of man-eating rats that come in like black waves and take away everything that belongs to humans. By now, there must have been too many of them swarming down there to handle..
"Well, that area was tightly blocked after that. I'll probably never get through it..”
"Yes, I guess so..”
It should have been so. But unfortunately, history didn't go that way..
The magic shield disappeared, and a swarm of rats came into the shelter like a black wave..
Just like that, thousands of people are eaten alive by swarms of rats..
The reason is… … Because there was a traitor in the shelter..
‘apostate.......'
Apostate Gong Hyun-jun was originally a priest-type player, but he began to covet the 'power of darkness', which was the opposite, and went so far as to kidnap players and perform biological experiments on them. He was a crazy man..
After becoming a villain, he pursues his research to his heart's content with support from Gordon Price..
And he gathers people with similar tastes to him and establishes a group of 'mad scientists'.…….
‘Among the villains, they were especially vicious..’
They commit an unprecedented act of terrorism in history, spreading poisonous fog in Beijing and massacring as many as 4 million people in just one day..
‘Even the reason for the massacre was to provide corpses to the necromancer..’
The necromancer raised an undead army based on the corpse and marched to the Korean Peninsula..
At that very moment, General Choi Jeong-cheol used a tactical nuclear bomb and barely managed to stop the first invasion..
Anyway, that guy Gong Hyeonjun was in this exact place right now.…….
‘There it is.’
Lee Hyun-wook just identified the guy’s location..
Because that guy was approaching Lee Hyun-wook..
***
15minutes ago—
On the first basement floor of Dongdaemun Station, near the entrance to the shelter, there was a space called ‘Public Sanctuary’..
Sanctuary, literally meaning a sacred place, was a method in which a ‘sanctuary buff’ was provided within a certain area when more than a certain amount of sacred object items were placed..
The effects of the buff were very diverse. Representative examples include a significant increase in recovery from status ailments, and the priest's sacred power also increases several times, so a tremendous healing effect can be expected..
In other words, this was a kind of emergency room where even dying players could be saved..
But the inner office there… … Strangely, there was a place where the power of the holy object did not reach..
someone was sitting there.
The sanctuary manager, Gong Hyun-jun, was currently trying to ‘mana communicate’ somewhere..
"Yes, I am.”
- So, is it true that AMT troops came into the shelter??
This voice was Ki Baekjun.
"Yes, that's right. one… … It was a number less than fifty..”
- By any chance, Seo Eun-ha, is that woman there too??
There was a faint hint of irritation in his voice..
The five butchers realized that they had been attacked all at once..
No matter how much I thought about it, it was impossible, but if it was even remotely possible... … It was Seo Eun right away..
It meant that the second daughter of the Holy Knights was growing faster than expected..
"hmm… … No, among the tall women wearing military uniforms, there were none wearing armor. She was looked at so much that she was labeled as a weirdo. Oh well, it's true that it's strange. haha!”
- Tsk—anyway, you can’t let a single one out alive..
"Yes, once you come in here, you will never get out alive. I prepared it very well..”
He chuckled, turned around, and opened the cabinet in the corner..
Clap—
Inside were all kinds of flasks and plastic bottles..
Gong Hyun-jun picked up one of them..
The light brown liquid inside was poured into the coffee pot..
"Yes, I already tricked the 16 station guards inside into giving them tea and gave them a potion to turn into a beast. Once you start the spell, they will turn into beasts and tear apart civilians..”
- .......
"Ugh, that's not all. Tonight, after spraying the shelter with paralyzing poison gas,……."
He lifted a black box in the corner of the cabinet..
“……This alarm bell, which summons a swarm of underground rats, will cause every human being here to open their eyes and experience their eyeballs and internal organs being eaten away. Isn't it really fun??”
- Yes, I know you always do things thoroughly and according to plan..
"Sure. You won't be disappointed this time either..”
- If this project goes well, it is natural that significant research funding will be provided... … I will introduce you to the ‘Chairman’.
"yes! thank you! Please tell me I'll see you soon!”
The moment he smiled and showed his gums, the Mana Messenger automatically turned off..
At that moment, it seemed like the mana battery was completely depleted..
I brewed the coffee pot and checked the system messages..
[Hidden Quest]
- You will take off the light that does not suit you and surround yourself with darkness.…….
1) Biological experiment: Successful beast transformation experiment 30 times (17/30)
2) Massacre more than 1,000 ‘civilians’ by any means necessary. (Proceeding)
3) Provide nutrients to the group of 'Hellettes' sprouting underground and raise 30,000 of them. (Proceeding)
* Reward: Dark Spellbook with unknown author - 3
He smiled as he scanned the message..
As planned, this quest was to succeed tonight..
"Now, let’s go find the 18th test subject.?”
He put on a white robe and went out of the sanctuary humming a song..
Still, I glanced at the AMT soldiers from time to time..
Then, somewhere, I found a man who looked quite different..
A man equipped with two swords on his back was talking to the security team leader..
‘ah! That man is the leader of AMT.!’
He had a brilliant idea and laughed..
'The moment that man gives the order to respond, if he turns into a werewolf... … Sounds fun?’
And for tonight's big deal, it would probably be much more convenient to deal with the leader first..
He hid his bitter smile, smiled warmly, and waited for their conversation to end..
And when the man was alone, he naturally approached.
"hello.”
The man's name was Lee Hyun-wook, and the rank badge was not visible..
He looked at Gong Hyun-jun without any expression and nodded..
He looked like he didn't really want to talk..
However, Gong Hyun-jun knew well how to induce conversation with these people..
"I heard that this wave's undead are the main monsters. Is this true??”
“……Oh yes, that's right.”
"Wow, it must have been very difficult for you to respond..”
First, bring up the issue he is most concerned about and start a conversation..
"I guess yes, that's right.”
"I am the manager of the sanctuary at Dongdaemun Station, that is, a priest. And I majored in <Black Magic Response Theory> at the Raid Department of International Player University. It's not enough, but I thought it might be of some help..”
And appeal to your expertise regarding the problem..
"Oh, really??”
"Yes, I am working on my Ph.D..”
Then, as expected, the wariness disappeared from the man's eyes..
It had to be that way..
You must be feeling an overwhelming sense of responsibility, so hearing that you can solve the problem is bound to pique your interest.…….
"Good for you. If so, I really want to ask you something..”
The man's expressionless expression relaxed, and before he knew it, it became filled with worry..
‘It's easy, easy too!’
He hid his smile and nodded with a serious expression..
"Yes, please tell me anything. As far as I know, I'll be happy to help..”
"I was wondering how best to respond if I encountered an intangible ghost type. As you can see, there are currently very few priests in our unit.……."
"hmm… … That's a really difficult problem. It's difficult to explain clearly, but if you have some time, would you like some tea? Hey, I have some related materials in my office..”
The man looked at his watch in confusion, but then nodded..
“……I think about 20 minutes will be okay..”
Thus, Gong Hyun-jun succeeded in attracting the AMT commander to the sanctuary..
"Now, please sit down..”
"thank you.”
"Actually, I was thinking about serving as an AMT doctor during my 'player duty period' after finishing my studies in college..”
"Oh, is that right??”
"Yes, but if I want to continue my research, I think it would be better to become a Sanctuary Manager, even though it is a bit long. In reality, it is there. haha—”
Hyeonjun Gong continued the conversation naturally and poured two cups of coffee that had been brewed in advance..
Of course, something else was added to it, and the coffee was placed in front of the man..
"thank you It smells good.”
"It's not expensive coffee, but it's the best among instant coffees..”
Without any doubt, the man lifted the cup to his mouth..
‘Yes, drink it, swallow it quickly........'
But the spell he memorized did not work..
The man lowered the cup again, as if he suddenly remembered something..
"ah! By the way, sir, I was wounded in battle. Could you please take care of me??”
What does this mean suddenly?…….
I was impatient, but I hid my expression and nodded..
"Um, isn't there a priest among the troops??”
"My skills are not very good. Probably because they are all low-level players.……."
"Ah, then let me see..”
"Here, the left wrist..”
The man rolled up the sleeves of his combat uniform..
however … … There were no major injuries..
There was just a small tattoo shaped like a spear..
"hmm… … Where did you get hurt??”
"If you look closely, here—”
Ssssssssssssssssss—
'huh?'
It was strange. The tattoo was disappearing from his wrist, and some smoke was flowing out..
Pooh-ooh—
"......."
Gong Hyun-jun didn't know what happened..
He only realized rather late that there was a long spear stuck in his abdomen..
“Turn it off—turn it off……."
After spitting out a handful of blood, he raised his trembling head and looked at the man..
An expressionless, cold expression was staring at him intently..
the man raised his left hand.
Blah blah blah—
Something like scales appeared on the skin of his fingers..
And soon, the claws of an animal sprouted out sharply..
“big—!”
Gong Hyun-jun shouted, but no voice came out..
The man, Lee Hyun-wook, looked at the shape of Gong Hyun-jun's mouth and followed him..
"why……."
Lee Hyun-wook nodded..
"Yes, you would think so. We felt that way too.”
Then he took something out of his pocket..
It was a silver iron ball..
"Now, here's what happened... … You served me coffee, and by chance, I spilled the coffee and it ended up touching the iron ball containing divine power that I had placed on my desk..”
Lee Hyun-wook tilted the cup on the iron ball..
When the coffee touches the iron bead…….
Cheeeeee——
"The divine power reacted with the poison, causing this strange reaction.……."
“Shut up, whiff.—”
"Of course I was suspicious and you were embarrassed and started talking gibberish. It would be okay if I said something that seemed to involve Park Gil-sang, a member of the National Assembly at that time... … Anyway, when I seemed to let my guard down, I made the mistake of taking out a weapon and swinging it.……."
The dagger that Gong Hyun-jun had hidden in his waistband fell out on its own, and before he knew it, it was in Gong Hyun-jun's left hand..
I tried to throw it away, but my body had no strength..
"So, in the end, I had no choice but to……."
next moment—
Si—Ik—!
Lee Hyun-wook swung his left hand, and the guy fell down on the desk..
‘Shelter people will believe this.’
It seemed like they could deal with Gong Hyun-jun and, depending on the case, involve Park Gil-sang..
Lee Hyun-wook recovered the ‘Spear of Achilles’ that was stuck in the guy’s abdomen..
And I even got the ‘Mana Tank (Level 3)’ that was on the guy’s finger..
I thought that by tomorrow, the total amount of mana would increase several times..
"Um, is this place??”
Hyunwook Lee opened the cabinet door behind Gong Hyunjun and looked inside..
Contains all kinds of player-made potions.
"Beast Form Potion… … I've been researching it since then..”
Lee Hyun-wook stuck out his tongue, remembering the ‘final stage’ of this potion..
They roamed through downtown Daegu, leaving a huge number of victims..
Because I knew that, I didn't drink the coffee he gave me..
At that time, a uniquely shaped ‘black box’ caught my eye at the end of the cabinet..
‘No matter how you look at it, this item looks suspicious..’
When I lifted it up, information appeared before my eyes..
- Acquired the Devil's Alarm.
* When infusing mana, it attracts ‘Hellborn’ from the area..
"This……."
Yes, it was an item that could bring in countless swarms of rats breeding in underground tunnels..
Gong Hyun-jun used this to massacre the refugees in the shelter..
But that doesn't work anymore.
Lee Hyun-wook smiled..
"If you do this, the game becomes too easy.……."
It seemed like the swarm of man-eating rats infesting the basement could be exterminated in one go..
Comments