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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 33
Chapter Title: Preparing for the Wave - 3
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Thirty silver stakes.
These were special items he had requested from the A.M.T Armory through Commander Jeong-sik.
'Nothing better for driving into the hearts of the undead.'
Lee Hyun-wook levitated them one by one into the air.
*Woong—*
Ten of the thirty stakes aligned themselves in a row before his eyes.
"Whoa..."
Each was about 60cm long and weighed around 500g. Being a mithril alloy, they were remarkably light.
"Corporal Lee, does this mean all of these are about to get several times more expensive?"
"Yeah, that's right."
It was true that items enchanted with divine power were about to become more expensive.
However, the cause wasn't in Siberia, Russia, but right here in Seoul.
'Before that happens, I need to raise my divine power as much as possible.'
Hyun-wook was in the process of absorbing the divine-power-infused steel beads he had commissioned from Artisan Kang Jeong-du.
And after digesting about five kilograms, a new ability had manifested.
- Divine Power Emission Level 1 is being generated. (34%)
Just as eating poison-enchanted metal had granted him resistance, consuming metal enchanted with divine power caused the divine power itself to accumulate in his body, eventually allowing him to produce and emit it.
'If I raise it just a little more, that ability will manifest.'
*Clank!*
Just then, someone opened the armory door and entered.
It was a Private First Class from the 3rd Squad.
"Um... Corporal Lee? The promotion ceremony is about to start. I think you need to finish up what you're doing and, uh, get ready for the rehearsal."
Come to think of it, his promotion ceremony to Sergeant was scheduled for this afternoon.
***
The Battalion Commander, Kim Kang-seok, pinned the sergeant's rank insignia onto Lee Hyun-wook's chest.
"Sergeant! Lee Hyun-wook!"
A round of applause erupted from behind him.
"Sergeant Lee, congratulations."
"Yes, sir! Thank you!"
Usually, the company commander would conduct the promotion ceremony, but this time, the battalion commander himself had insisted on doing it.
He then began to praise Hyun-wook's achievements in front of the company members...
"As you all know, Sergeant Lee has performed incredible feats over the past few days..."
It was rather embarrassing, as if they were determined to force him into being some kind of role model.
In any case, for the 5th Squad, that night was a festive one.
"We can't just let today pass, can we? Honestly, this calls for a party."
"I agree with Corporal Ahn. Jun-mo and I will run to the PX right now!"
They had perfectly executed the special operation, received a huge reward from the commander, had six squad members promoted to D-rank, and on top of it all, Hyun-wook had received a special promotion to Sergeant.
It was a stroke of good luck on top of another, and the entire squad, except for Hyun-wook, agreed that it couldn't be ignored. Thus, a feast of frozen food, snacks, and soda was laid out.
"Isn't this what they call 'hitting the jackpot'?"
"No, you idiot! This is called getting carried by the scruff of your neck!"
"Ah! Y-you're right, sir! This is all thanks to Corporal—no, Sergeant Lee carrying us!"
The squad members were more energetic and harmonious than ever.
They ate and talked for a couple of hours, as if only good things lay ahead.
But Lee Hyun-wook's mind was entirely elsewhere.
'This can't be their last party.'
He glanced at his watch.
'Finally, tomorrow, at 23:59, just before midnight...'
The unprecedented event that would plunge Seoul into hell, the 4th Wave, was about to begin.
He began to stoke his 'Internal Furnace' for the last time.
***
At that same moment...
In an office in a building overlooking the city's nightscape, soft classical music played. A middle-aged man in a white suit stood by the window, making a phone call.
"..."
An inexplicable sense of unease hung in the air of this otherwise stately place.
One reason for this was the large German Shepherd sitting by the man's feet.
*Grrrrr...*
The dog was baring its teeth, glaring at something as if ready to pounce at any moment.
"Ugh, ugh..."
The shepherd's gaze was fixed on someone lying face down on the floor.
A young man.
His eyes and mouth were covered, and his hands and feet were bound.
"...Ah, yes, it's me."
Just then, the call connected, and the middle-aged man in the white suit turned and walked toward his desk.
- GUILD MASTER : KI BAEK-JUN
The nameplate on the desk revealed his identity.
This man was Ki Baek-jun, the master of the Taesan Guild, ranked third in South Korea.
"...Yes, that's right. It seems the 'candidate' who was supposed to be the 'Procurer' this time was a rather dull fellow. Yes, yes, I'm considering it a failure and preparing follow-up measures."
On one wall, numerous items were displayed, with a whole ogre taxidermied at the center. It wasn't just any ogre, but an 'Ogre Chieftain' wearing a crown made of wood.
"...Yes, I'm well aware that the 'Key' we were supposed to receive from the 'Seeker of Evil' this time is crucial to our future plans—one of the pillars for completing our empire. ...Of course, we must find it. Whoever has it in their hands won't have a clue what it's for anyway. Yes, I've mobilized all my people to monitor the 'Black Market' just in case it shows up there."
He operated his tablet, and a photo appeared on the screen.
The background was the kitchen of some restaurant.
On the floor were scattered all sorts of bone fragments and charred pieces of wood...
"The petty thief seems to be someone who uses fire as a weapon. I think we can identify them."
The location in the photo was inside a franchise hamburger joint within Seoul Station.
The very place where a gate had recently opened.
"Ah, I already investigated the station's security team. It doesn't seem to be them. I suspect the thief might be from the A.M.T rescue team, given that they joined the scene late."
He then pulled up a map.
"...And in many ways, that A.M.T 1st Battalion at Namsan has been getting on my nerves lately. I'm thinking of luring about three gates to open there when the wave starts tomorrow, and sending a few of our people to wipe them out early on. What do you think, would that be acceptable? Yes, and if we wipe them out, I'm hoping we might find the key among the pile of corpses."
At that moment, Ki Baek-jun's eyebrow twitched at something he heard over the phone.
*Crack—*
The screen of the tablet he was holding buckled, shattering like a spiderweb.
"Hahaha... How could they hide the item? It's not like they can swallow it like some secret message to get rid of it, and they wouldn't even know what it is. Hahaha... Yes, please don't worry."
He was laughing naturally, but his expression was anything but amused.
"Yes, Chairman, you don't need to worry about things in Korea. Yes, I'll be in touch."
He ended the call and ran a hand through his hair.
Then, with a blank expression, he whistled.
*Whistle—*
In an instant, the shepherd shot forward.
"Mmph! M-mmph!"
Its target, of course, was the man tied up on the floor.
But then something strange happened.
The shepherd's body began to swell, transforming into a grotesque shape.
*Kaaahk!*
Soon, it was no longer a mere dog, but a massive beast capable of swallowing a human whole in one bite.
"Mmph! Mmph! Mmph!"
Its late dinner began.
*Crunch! Cra-ack!*
But Ki Baek-jun didn't spare a single glance at the gruesome scene unfolding in his own room.
He leaned back in his chair, lost in thought for a moment.
Just then, the intercom on his desk turned on.
- Master, the Five Butchers have arrived.
"Send them in."
The door opened, and five men and women entered.
But the aura they exuded was incredibly bizarre.
They were like corpses—their skin was pale, their eyes dull and unfocused.
Yes, they gave off an unearthly chill.
"Five Butchers, I have a job for you."
"Yes, Master. Command us."
At Ki Baek-jun's gesture, the woman standing in the center approached.
Following his gaze, she picked up the tablet from the desk.
On the spiderweb-cracked screen was a map of Namsan.
"Infiltrate that place, and once the wave begins, make sure nothing living remains."
"Does the method matter?"
"Hmm... Are you saying you want to make them your 'kin'?"
"Yes, that's correct."
The woman grinned.
"Do as you please. And after that..."
Ki Baek-jun rose from his chair and walked to the window.
"...Spread that death across all of Seoul."
"Yes, understood."
"In next year's edition of the map of South Korea, Seoul must not exist."
***
"Yeah, Grandma, did you eat dinner?"
In Barracks 5, Park Jun-mo was on the phone with someone.
"Of course I'm eating well and doing fine, so don't you worry. Just take care of your own health."
He called his grandmother, his only family, at this time every day to check in.
But while he was usually somewhat timid, asking only about her well-being, today he was all smiles.
The reason was simple.
"Grandma, I'm going to get a lot of money for my recent accomplishments! Yeah, the country is rewarding me for doing a good job."
He had earned money he could spend on his grandmother.
"Yeah, let's go buy you some winter shoes together when I'm on leave next! And we'll replace that troublesome boiler... No, no, I really earned enough that it won't be a burden at all. How are you going to get through the winter with a boiler that keeps leaking? Hah... Why are you wearing three pairs of socks inside the house?"
Park Jun-mo's voice rose for a moment before he turned his head to glance around nervously.
On the innermost bed, Lee Hyun-wook was sleeping with the covers pulled over his head.
The seniors in the 5th Squad never gave the youngest member a hard time for taking calls inside the barracks.
In fact, if he spoke too quietly, they would tell him not to be so self-conscious.
But seeing Hyun-wook sleeping as if he were dead, he couldn't help but be mindful...
'And he looks like he might be sick...'
Since last night, Hyun-wook's face had been flushed as if he had a fever, and he was even breaking out in a cold sweat.
"No, it's not that. My seniors here are really good to me. Everything worked out this time thanks to them."
Just then, Hyun-wook rustled and sat up.
"...Grandma, wait, just a moment."
Park Jun-mo put down his phone and approached Hyun-wook.
"Um, Corpor—no, Sergeant Lee, are you not feeling well?"
Hyun-wook shook his head with a dazed expression.
"You're on duty with me early tomorrow morning. Should I find a replacement?"
"No, I'm fine."
"Yes, sir."
Hyun-wook stared into space for a while.
It wasn't that he was sick; he was checking the system messages.
- Halting operation of the Internal Furnace.
Last night, he had once again run the Internal Furnace at maximum capacity to absorb metal.
The result...
- Currently controllable 'metal' weight: 39,399g
- Mana (371/371)
- Divine Power Emission Level 2 is being generated. (11%)
He had managed to achieve these various stat increases.
Notably, the last line, reaching Level 2 in Divine Power Emission, came with a special change.
- Congratulations! You have met a special condition and will be granted a new 'skill'.
He had acquired a new skill.
[Skill Information]
- Name: Aura (Saint)
- Rank: D
- Effect: Consumes Mana (10) to grant a specific weapon 'Aura (Saint)'.
* Skill rank improves upon consuming a certain amount of 'metal imbued with divine power'.
'Good, I made it just in time.'
Aura, while the same word as the one meaning a person's atmosphere, was used slightly differently here.
It referred to the technique of infusing a weapon with 'mana' to strengthen it, sometimes also called Sword Ki.
In essence, this was a skill that allowed him to imbue a weapon with divine power.
This was what he had been aiming for from the start, the reason he had consumed so much divine-power-infused metal.
"Grandma, anyway, I'm coming out on leave the week after next, and we're getting that boiler installed! Just so you know!"
Hyun-wook looked at Park Jun-mo, who was still on the phone.
Leave next month...
Unfortunately, he wouldn't be able to go.
Just then, the barracks door opened.
"...No, honestly, the fire chicken dumplings are the best bang for your buck."
"See, you're still a rookie who doesn't know how to eat! It's cream udon with a Big Palm sausage, I tell you!"
Ahn Min-tae and Choi Tae-yong came in, chattering loudly, and turned on the TV.
"Hey, put on something other than the news."
"Oh, wait, look at this."
- ...And for our next story. Yesterday, we reported that evidence has emerged of the Sword Saint Slayer, Okita Kaito, illegally entering the country through Busan Port. Today, a large-scale task force centered around the police has been formed to capture Okita Kaito. Reporter Kim Gi-tae is on the scene.
"Wow... Why the hell did that bastard come to our country again?"
Ahn Min-tae said, his voice laced with irritation.
"Didn't that Kaito bastard go on a Japanese internet broadcast and rant that he cut down the former Sword Saint in a single blow, and that the title of Sword Saint has never suited a weak country like Korea?"
"Ah, is that true? I heard it was a rumor."
"...I don't know, that's what I heard. Whatever, he's a bad guy, right?"
Sword Saint, a title for the strongest player who wielded a sword.
The first Sword Saint had been a Korean, Guk Pyo-seong, who was ranked 4th in the country.
However, while visiting Japan on business, he was murdered in a Kyoto hotel by an internationally wanted criminal player, a so-called 'Red Player' named Okita Kaito.
Since then, the title of Sword Saint had effectively passed to Okita Kaito, but for Korea, it was a matter of pride, so they referred to him as the 'Sword Saint Slayer'.
A few years later, Choi Young-jun would cut down Okita Kaito and reclaim the title of Sword Saint.
'Okita Kaito, a Villain as expected. That means his movements are related to the 4th Wave.'
That's what Hyun-wook thought.
He now understood that making the Sword Saint Slayer, Okita Kaito, set foot on Korean soil was just another stepping stone to ensure the success of the 4th Wave.
'Because of this, Kim Kang-seok will temporarily leave the unit.'
Kim Kang-seok, the druid player known as the Mountain Lord of Namsan. The various 'beasts' he controlled possessed transcendent senses. For that reason, he would be dispatched for several days to track Okita Kaito.
In other words, the 1st Battalion's greatest asset was currently away.
'Their plans proceed without a hitch, while the Guardians are always one step behind.'
It was inevitable.
Several key components of the Guardians were malfunctioning, operating with major flaws...
'But by tomorrow, that plan will be thrown off course a little.'
Thinking this, Hyun-wook swallowed another steel bead enchanted with divine power.
"Hyun-wook, our esteemed Sergeant! No training today?"
Ahn Min-tae asked as he changed into his combat uniform.
"Yeah, I'm planning to rest today."
"Hmm, what's the occasion? You look a bit tired. Are you not feeling well? Ah, did you overdo it at the party yesterday? That's why you should take it easy..."
"No, I'm fine. Shut up."
"Yessir!"
- The Internal Furnace activates, drastically increasing metal absorption efficiency. (+200%)
He was tired, but he had to push everything to its limit until the very last moment.
***
The second watch for sentry duty was known as the worst shift.
You had to wake up again just as you'd fallen asleep after lights-out at 10 PM.
But Hyun-wook had specifically asked the administrative clerk to assign him to that time slot.
Because, at this hour, 'sentry duty' was the only way to be armed.
And so, Lee Hyun-wook and Park Jun-mo were climbing the mountain under the cover of night.
Hyun-wook was more heavily armed than usual.
He carried a K2C1 rifle, with the Sword of Clouds and the KG19—two swords in total—strapped to his back.
At his waist hung the 'Failnaught' and three steel beads.
It might have been overkill, but this was still only a fraction of his vast arsenal.
"Park Jun-mo, you have leave the week after next?"
"Ah, yes, sir. I applied for it last month."
"Your family will be so proud when you go home and tell them about your achievements, huh?"
At that, Park Jun-mo smiled and nodded.
"Ah, yes! I'm already excited just thinking about it!"
"Yeah, you really look it."
"Haha! To be honest, until now, I think I've only ever shown my family... my grandmother... a downcast side of myself. Because of that, she was always worried something bad would happen to me. It was to the point where I felt like I was being an unfilial son, making her worry so much."
"Why was that?"
"Well... I think it's because I was dissatisfied with myself."
Hyun-wook knew what that felt like.
Someone steeped in the sense of powerlessness, the feeling that they can't improve, ends up making those around them miserable too.
"Ah! But now, thanks to you, Sergeant Lee, my perspective has changed, and I feel like I can finally be a little more confident in front of my grandmother. Hahaha... Thank you so much."
After chattering on, he scratched his cheek, looking sheepish.
Hyun-wook's mouth turned bitter as he listened to the boy.
'Park Jun-mo...'
If things went as planned, Park Jun-mo would die tomorrow.
He would never get to see how much potential his ability held.
And he would never get to be the filial son to his grandmother in the way he wanted.
"Park Jun-mo. If you want to be a good son, you know you have to live a long and healthy life first, right?"
"Ah... of course. Since we're doing dangerous work, yes."
"To do that, you always have to keep your wits about you and fight to survive."
As he said this, Hyun-wook looked up at the sky.
Night, a pitch-black sky, but he could detect an unnatural violet tinge within it.
It was one of the signs of the wave.
"...Looks like it's going to rain."
"Huh? Rain, sir? Hmm, the weather forecast didn't say anything about that."
Hyun-wook silently checked his wristwatch.
23:45.
...14 minutes left.
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