Munhwa Department Store was a shelter with security features that far surpassed the shelters of other survivor groups. There were emergency sirens, solar lights to obscure monster’s eyes, walkie-talkies at each post, and many more. Although it was an item that couldn’t be made anymore, technology from modern civilization was indispensable in this post-apocalyptic world.
In addition, they also converted a 9.5 ton truck into a combat vehicle, equipped with a barbed wire with electricity flowing through it, and thick walls made of few layers of steel that couldn’t be penetrated easily at the back of the vehicle.
Currently, Aracelli and I were inside the moving long blue truck, referred to as the Blue Dragon.
On the way, we had encountered several monsters. But most of them were killed by the machine gun installed at the top of the truck. And when a slightly larger monster came out, they were killed using missiles. Park Han-seo informed me that this area was cleaned up periodically, so it was okay to make some noise.
“Where did you get all these things?”
From what I remembered, most of the post-apocalyptic genre novels always start when the end is approaching, so I was curious about how Park Han-seo could procure such excellent weaponry.
“We bought it from ‘Jay Company’.”
“Jay Company?”
“Yeah. That is how people around here call Kim Ha-soo’s fortress.”
“Oh…..”
Well, Kim Ha-soo was someone who could buy anything he wanted using his ‘Shop Window’ ability. I’m still not sure about his motive of trading with people from the outside world, but, for me, the fact that it was a thread that connects me with Park Han-seo was enough.
“Jay Company also trades with other groups besides us. They often support the awakeners and the troops. It was also thanks to Jay Company that the Republic of Koran is still standing today. If they didn’t build a huge 10m high wall in the northern part of the ‘Koran Peninsula’ to block monster invasion, the Republic of Koran might have perished a long time ago.”
(T/N Koran is not a typo guys~)
“……”
The more I got to know about Kim Ha-soo, the more I thought about him. Thankfully, because Munhwa Department Store wasn’t that far from ‘Yeoron Island’, we arrived at the fortress in about 3 hours.
“There…….”
In the distance, through the pouring rain, I could see a huge island.
The island was surrounded by approximately 12m high concrete walls. On top of it, from the numerous parabolic antennas built around the island, it seems like it was also guarded by radar and satellite. There were also numerous troops on the lookout bunkers in the wall.
The anti-aircraft missile launcher showed its majesty on the turret which was built in the east, west, north, and south directions.
According to the topography, ‘Yeoron Island’ is similar to Yeoui Island in Seoul back on Earth. However, Yeoui Island consists of two islands and is located in Incheon.
“Originally, there were seven bridges leading to Yeoron Island. However, six of them were blown up by the Jay Company. The only one left is this Yeoron bridge.”
Of course, as the only bridge left, Yeoron Bridge was thoroughly armed with a state-of-the-art security system. After riding through it for a few minutes, a booming sound from a loudspeaker suddenly greeted us.
-Stop there! Identify yourself!
After stopping, Park Han-seo was the first person to wear a raincoat and get off. Then, Aracelli and I followed her closely with our respective black raincoats. From the other side, five thoroughly armed soldiers approached us.
‘Woah… Their equipment is no joke.’
They wore chain armor that covers their whole body, or body armor that covers the upper body, complete with all kinds of optical equipment. They were also equipped with state-of-the-art assault rifles with laser dot sights. It was far inferior from the equipment from 2050, the era I lived in. However, it’s still good to see that their equipment was a product of modern science.
Very few monsters of this world can tear that sturdy chain armor at once. Moreover, because monsters of this world don’t have ether coating their skin, they can be easily cut down by one company of fully armed soldiers like them.
‘It’s a chain armor.’
If I remember correctly, before the ether suit was invented, Earth used chain armor during Monster World War I. I guess, in every world, people tend to think similarly. That’s why the Earth-like culture and science spread around quite a lot of the world.
“It’s Park Han-seo. I come here because I have business with President Kim Ha-soo.”
“…Report to the captain. If you say that Park Han-seo is here, he will respond quickly.”
As I stared at the grenades hung on their waists, I was relieved that it wasn’t an ether grenade. Therefore, it posed no harm to my equipment.
Well, even if they throw it at Aracelli, she wouldn’t bat an eye even though her current mana is only 5%.
‘What is the current repair progress on <Bright Season> armor?’
[It is 71% fixed.]
Currently, I was wearing a first-grade thin lightweight ether suit inside my coat. My main armor was damaged because of Bang Ho-win’s powerful attack. Fortunately, hero-level items have [automatically equipped] option as well as [automatically repaired] option, which enables the item to slowly restore itself just by putting them in the inventory.
-Bztzzttt, ah ah. Can you hear me?
Kim Ha-soo’s cool voice came from something I presumed to be an interactive communication, not a walkie-talkie.
“Yes. I can hear you well.”
-Haha! Park Han-seo! Long time no see! You still have a sexy and cool face!
“I’ll only listen to your praise.”
-Are you finally joining our company?
“I’ll join you anytime. If you accept my men, though.”
Then Kim Ha-soo sighs and says.
-Didn’t I tell you before? We will never take those who have become a ‘cannibal’. Human taste is so sweet and intense that those who have tasted it will never forget it. Even if it’s your younger brothers, I can’t help it.
“……”
Park Han-seo bit her lips at his remark.
‘That’s why he didn’t accept them….’
The other day, the survivor of the subway station had told me that they were rejected by Kim Ha-soo when they tried to go under him. Now I know why. It turns out, Kim Ha-soo has the ability to distinguish normal people and those who have indulged in cannibalism, and he only brings people to his fortress after thorough verification.
“Forget it then. Rather, I brought you some guests. They will be extremely useful to you.”
-Guests?
“That’s right. Didn’t you say you needed a combatant? Take these friends instead of me.”
-Hmm…. I don’t accept unverified people. Are you confident in your skills? One is a young girl and the other one is a young man in his early twenties. I don’t think they are qualified though.
He pondered for a moment, then said once again.
-Well! You are people brought by our Park Han-soo, so I can give you a chance to prove your skills.
As soon as his words ended, Aracelli slightly flew to the air. When the soldiers saw it, they were frightened, and started stumbling and stepping back.
With a faint glow wrapped around her body, she flew to the railings, put one of her legs on it, and conjured a bullet in front of her finger. After that, she closed one of her eyes and took an aim towards somewhere.
Her target was a giant turtle monster that was floating on the sea.
As a magic circle formed on her fingertips, I was completely taken aback.
‘She reduced the mana cost by omitting the automatic aiming spell and personally taking aim?’
It seems like this was Aracelli’s unique way of using magic when her mana is limited while traveling through numerous worlds. Even though a ‘rebound phenomenon’ would occur if she failed to calculate even 1 character, she is still calmly doing it.
-Oh… Are you an awakener?
“You’ll know when you see it.”
And then, Aracelli made a motion of firing a gun with her fingers. A yellow laser travelled at lightning speed and pierced the turtle’s neck.
-This is…. a little, surprising. I think I disrespected such an important guest.
“That’s not the end. Last night, that kid hunted an S rank monster alone and rescued our department store.”
-S rank alone? I can’t believe it, I can’t believe it…
Aracelli’s impact was so strong, Kim Ha-soo didn’t even care about me.
“That young man is also a very capable person.”
“Yeah! He is my professor!”
-Oh, really? This is going to be a really sexy day!
“…….”
Hearing Aracelli’s words, it seems like Kim Ha-soo thought that I am some sort of her teacher… But I’m not. I might not be able to reach even her toe when she is in her peak, but I could surely catch up to her when she’s in her weakened state like right now.
There were two cards that I could reveal right now.
It was my S rank physical ability and mobility or a C~B rank magic with the help of Winchester and Flower Pot. In this world, S rank stats were likely to be overly noticeable, and I couldn’t afford to reveal all my skill in the midst of not knowing when I would face Kim Ha-soo, so I lifted up Winchester, which I had on my back in advance.
-It’s a gun.
It’s not strange for an Awakener to have a personal firearm, but it will surely look very ordinary compared to Aracelli who defeated monsters in the distance with single magic. It doesn’t matter though. In the first place, I don’t want to stand out.
I deliberately turned Winchester around and loaded it. Then I approached the fence and put one of my legs on it just like Aracelli. I calmed my breath and aimed towards a swimming monster in the distance.
Then, I pulled the trigger.
Pew~!
The very next second, the bullet struck the neck of a giraffe-like monster which showed up above water in the distance. However, the monster recognized that its neck and head were its weak points and had evolved in the direction of covering both of it with thick leather, so it could not be killed instantly.
-Hmm······.
At the same time, Kim Ha-soo’s voice, which seemed a little disappointed, came out.
Pajijijijik!!!
Suddenly, an electric shock flowed through the monster’s body, and it died immediately.
It was as I expected…. Or not.
Out of nowhere, the spark soared about 5m high to the sky just like a thunderbolt, and scattered with a loud rumbling to all directions, stunning all monsters within 10m radius.
‘What?’
My magic bullet doesn’t contain that much power. Something is strange, it feels like my strength has become stronger.
‘Flower Pot. Did you do it?’
My magic only gets stronger when Flower Pot tampers with it. So, I called her, but there was no answer from her.
-Huh? What, what kind of bullet did you use?
I’m also not sure…. But anyway, my goal of attracting interest from Kim Ha-soo has succeeded.
I told him a lie that I had prepared in advance.
“My abilities can give properties to bullets.”
-It’s a great ability!! Could you share those bullets with others?
“It is possible, but it is quite difficult.”
-Good. Very sexy! (T/N it’s the raw, don’t blame me for this sexy out of sudden.)(E/N: Can I presume that there could be some gaybait moments from here? ¬w¬)
If Aracelli proved herself as an individual with great combat power, I proved myself as a good combat assistant. The ability to assign attributes to bullets may not be that great alone, but if the bullets were shared with multiple people, it will surely shine.
-OH!!! Let me personally pick you up. Wait there sexily!
“Ah, yeah….”
Tuk, the communication was cut off.
When I heard the beep sound, I could only stand blankly. Park Han-seo tapped my shoulder.
“Then, I pray for you. I hope I can see you alive in the future.”
After saying that, Park Han-seo turned back and returned from the same path we had taken to come here. Meanwhile, Aracelli and I were able to enter Jay Company’s fortress with Kim Ha-soo, who picked us up in an armored car.
* * *
The fortress was more secure than I thought. On top of it, it was totally modern. All sorts of radar equipment were scanning the territorial waters and airspace 24 hours a day, dozens of guard posts were manned by dozens of guards to detect intruders. This place was far from an ordinary group of survivors from a destroyed world, it was looking more like a military base.
Kim Ha-soo, who was sitting next to me, said as we passed between buildings that were built in similar shapes.
“Yes, you look sexier when I see you myself. I love it!”
“Yes……”
He was an Asian in his mid to late 30s. If the Koran Peninsula in this world is the same as Korean Peninsula on Earth, he could probably be considered a Korean. His name also sounds Korean, so my guess is probably correct.
“You must have heard the story from our cute Park Han-seo?”
“I heard you are trying to organize a special force.”
“That’s right. Originally… I couldn’t get any more people, but you’ll be able handle it and make my dream come true!”
“Dream?”
I could see barracks were installed on every street that we had passed, and soldiers were running around the streets to train their physical strength.
‘That’s a machine factory. Is that… a butcher shop? Or is it a meat store? A small coal mine and a granary…. From a power plant to base station. What’s missing?’
When I came in, I realized that Yeoron Island was a place that had been developed beyond imagination. It was good to see all modern facilities were integrated to this place.
“…Just what more do you want in this perfect environment?”
“Look over there.”
Kim Ha-soo pointed out the window. Only then was I able to find another island which was located right next to this island. It was a little bigger than this island, the barrier around that island was also thicker. There weren’t many facilities. But……
‘Is that an apartment?’
There were dozens of apartments. There were also ‘residents’ living there.
“They are civilians. I remember the faces of all of them.”
“……”
“Not every one of them are nice. But they are all very sexy people who haven’t abandoned their humanity!”
I inadvertently turned my head and looked at Kim Ha-soo.
On top of his head, I could see a text that clearly indicated that he was the protagonist. In other words, his existence is something that is rapidly leading this world to destruction.
However,
“My dream is simple. I want to kill the monsters who occupy the northern plains and take over the land.”
“Is there any reason to do that?”
“This land is too cramped. I can’t feed them all with my shop window alone. I need land, a land for farming. And with that land as the cornerstone, we will establish a ‘country’ once again. How about it, isn’t it a very sexy and sensible plan? Haha!”
“……..”
I couldn’t answer his question.
It wasn’t because his plan was absurd.
If his dream was true, it means that the existence of the protagonist Kim Ha-soo is very essential in this world.
Shop Window. An ability to recover all modern culture and technology that were lost at the time of destruction was also the only way to revive a perished world.
“Professor….”
Aracelli, who was listening to the story, took my hand with an anxious expression. Without knowing about the worries that plagued our minds, Kim Ha-soo laughed out loud while looking somewhere farther away than the place I was looking at.
“So, I hope you can help me with that sexy ability of yours!”
[E/N: Honestly I am imagining him as a buff gym bro from the way he talks]
“……”
I couldn’t give him any answer.
* * *
And, that evening.
[An Episode has been skipped.]
[The probability of the world has been drastically consumed.]
[The world moves swiftly towards the ‘ending’]
The end began to come to the world that was slowly destroyed.