Episode 5
Chapter 1: My World (5)
Without any assassin-type ability users present, the only way to kill monsters that were dimensionally separated from this dimension was to have striker-type ability users—who could ignore the monsters' dimensional separation—attack and biologically snuff out their breath.
To do that, the striker-type ability users had no choice but to take down the massive monsters with melee weapons like spears or swords.
Of course, while the ability users possessed physical abilities close to those of superhumans, the monsters were not merely large beasts either.
The mantis monster swung its scythe sideways, but the attack from the monster, which was at a distance from the group, merely cut through empty air.
However, a ripple in the air spread forward from the monster's scythe.
It was as if a line had spread sideways through the air, severing above from below.
"Everyone, group together!"
Yeonghun shouted to those around him. The striker team members hurriedly crowded behind the defense-type ability users.
Bang!
Light burst forth along with an explosive sound from the shields of the three defense-type ability users standing at the front, including Ganghyeok.
"Kuk!"
Groans burst from the mouths of the defense-type ability users. They had barely blocked the attack, but it seemed their dimensional power had taken damage.
Screech, thud!
From behind the group came the sound of telephone poles and walls collapsing.
The monster's attack, which couldn't be blocked by the shields, had flown past them and sliced through the surroundings.
Several of the contaminated humans who had gotten too close had their bodies cut off. They retreated further back.
After the monster's attack had passed, the striker-type ability users among the striker team members leaped out from behind the shields.
Through their combat experience thus far, everyone knew that right after an enemy's large attack was the time to strike.
The striker-type ability users rushing toward the monsters were all laden with multiple weapons dangling from their bodies.
They knew full well that having many weapons made movement inconvenient, but due to their tremendous strength and the monsters' defense, the weapons were all nothing more than consumables.
Major Jo Seongchan, leader of Team 1, was the fastest to arrive among the striker team members charging in.
Clang!
Specialized in speed among the striker-type ability users, his advantage lay in his brilliant consecutive attacks. But the sword strike of Team 1's leader, who had arrived first, failed to pierce the mantis monster's shell.
He shouted as he fell back from the recoil.
"The shell is tough! Normal attacks don't work!"
While the striker-type ability users' dimensional power could ignore the monster's separated dimension and attack it, ultimately, it was their own strength and skill that could deal damage to the monster.
The expressions of Yeonghun and the other striker-type ability users who were about to follow up with attacks grew even more grave. But since they couldn't change weapons immediately, they had no choice but to put more force into the weapons they held.
The mantis monster's arm was raised. It seemed a second attack was coming.
The charging group threw themselves at the mantis monster. Six spears and swords poured down upon it.
Clang! Clang! Crack! Thud! Thud! Thud!
Though they had struck with equal force, the attacks of the strike team members using swords were all deflected, while three out of four spears lodged themselves in the monster's legs and waist.
One spear, perhaps because its wielder had accumulated fatigue from the battle thus far, failed to pierce the monster's shell and simply broke.
The monster's attack, which it had tried to swing horizontally once more, changed direction due to the sudden assault, and in that direction was a striker team member who had lost his balance when his spear broke.
"Damn it."
He closed his eyes as he saw the massive scythe swinging before him.
Shhk!
The scythe split the striker team member's body diagonally in half, and the aftermath split the ground behind him to the wall diagonally as well.
The bisected corpse collapsed downward and blood splattered in all directions, but the expressions of the striker-type ability users clinging to the monster did not change.
It was a scene they had witnessed countless times while fighting monsters. Rather than mourning the dead, it was better to seize this opportunity to attack even once more.
The striker team members who had thrown themselves backward to avoid the monster's attacks all switched weapons.
The striker team member who had stuck a spear into the monster and pulled out drew a skewer-like sword, while the one who had swung a sword threw it away and drew a spear from his back.
They charged at the monster once more. At the same time, the defense-type ability users arrived in front of the monster.
Now a proper formation had been established.
Yeonghun also ran forward together with the other striker team members.
But there was nothing in his hand.
His weapons were still hanging from his back and sides. As he ran, his eyes were locked on the spear lodged in the side of the monster's abdomen, dangling loosely.
Bang!
Fortunately, the monster's attack this time was blocked by the shields before it could fully swing through, and all the striker-type ability users were able to attack the monster.
Puh-puh-puhk!
Amidst the sounds of spears and swords embedding themselves everywhere, Yeonghun circled to the side of the mantis monster and crouched.
And then he shot up like a spring toward the mantis monster, which had momentarily stopped in pain.
He threw his body forward and lashed out with his right hand from behind.
It looked like a straight punch thrown while leaping forward. But the hand he struck out with was wide open.
Bang! Puh-uk!
Yeonghun's palm struck the end of the spear lodged in the side of the monster's abdomen with great force, and the spear penetrated deep into the monster's belly.
The moment his hand made contact with the spear, Yeonghun's dimensional power flowed through the spear, allowing it to ignore the monster's dimensional defense and pierce through.
"Kyaargh!"
Seeing orange blood burst out through the spear, Yeonghun fell back with a glimmer of hope.
This was a significant injury.
There was a possibility.
The other members also stopped and thrust spears and swords at the screaming monster. Holes began to be pierced in the monster's shell.
Yeonghun, having fallen back and drawn a skewer-like sword, was suddenly overcome by a feeling that he was missing something.
At times like this, something was definitely going wrong. Following his instincts, he looked around.
And then his eyes saw another mantis monster behind the one they were fighting, gathering light in both of its scythes.
"The one in the back is attacking! Everyone, dodge!"
Yeonghun warned loudly to those around him and hurled his body aside.
The other striker team members heard Yeonghun's words and immediately dodged.
But Yeonghun's warning had come a little too late.
The scythes on both arms of the monster standing in the back swung out almost simultaneously, and two lines that seemed to sever space flew toward the front from those scythes.
Shhk! Shhk!
The result was devastating.
The bodies of the striker team members caught by the lines advancing in a cross that split the entire alley were cut off in all directions.
The defense-type ability users hurriedly raised their shields, but the attack bolstered by dimensional power strengthened over a long time was something even they couldn't block. They too were cut down along with their shields.
The surrounding walls and telephone poles were all cut down as well, but in the case of the single mantis monster standing in front, the lines did no damage whatsoever and dissipated upon hitting it.
Thanks to that, Yeonghun and Ganghyeok, as well as two ability users from Team 1 who had been in front of the mantis monster, survived.
All the survivors thought that there was no way out like this.
The mantis monster, which had been writhing in pain, also cut off the spear stuck in the side of its abdomen with its scythe and looked at the remaining striker team members.
Hundreds of compound eyes glared at the group.
At that moment, the surviving leader of Team 1 spoke to the remaining people.
"We'll split up here. Team 1 will escape through the collapsed wall."
Having said that, he immediately ran toward the wall. And behind him, the one remaining member of Team 1 followed.
It seemed he had been continuously checking for escape points since his attacks, which enhanced speed rather than strength, had proven completely ineffective against the mantis monster.
And now that the nearby walls had collapsed from the monster's attack, increasing the possibility of escape, he had moved immediately.
Yeonghun felt a bit regretful.
He had been so focused on fighting that he had been slow to assess the situation. Since they had moved first, it wasn't easy to move immediately.
But the monsters reacted much faster.
Wings sprouted from the back of the mantis monster that had annihilated the striker team members with its attack from behind. And the monster soared into the sky.
Seeing that massive bulk take flight was absurd. The mantis monster immediately pursued the fleeing Team 1.
"Captain, what should we do?"
Ganghyeok asked beside Yeonghun, panting for breath.
His trembling eyes seemed to show fear.
He was the largest member of the strike team, but the youngest in age. Before the monsters had appeared, he would have been at the age where he had just graduated high school and was starting out in society.
He was only in his third year with the strike team, still a young soldier.
Yeonghun hurriedly looked around. There was the wounded mantis monster in front of them, and contaminated humans blocking the path behind them.
But as the walls collapsed and the mantis monster in the back flew away, the contaminated humans seemed to be circling around to surround Yeonghun and Ganghyeok.
There didn't seem to be much time. It seemed they would be surrounded again before long.
Yeonghun made a decision.
"I'll attack to create an opening, so run forward. I'll escape right behind you."
The mantis monster before them seemed to have too severe a wound to fly.
If they broke through the mantis monster, it didn't look like the monster would be able to pursue them easily due to its injuries.
And Yeonghun immediately leaped forward. The sharp sword in his hand reflected light.
Yeonghun thrust his sword toward the leg of the mantis monster before him. His target was the leg that the striker team member in front had half-severed.
And the mantis monster's scythe came flying toward Yeonghun.
But he let go of the sword he was thrusting and rolled to the side of the mantis monster. It was a feint.
The scythe cut through the air, and the line that severed space flew behind Yeonghun.
Yeonghun, having rolled once, looked up.
He saw the spear lodged diagonally in the side of the mantis monster's abdomen.
The spear shaft, most of which had been cut off by the monster's scythe, gleamed sharply, but this seemed like the best method for now.
Yeonghun clenched his fist and threw his body toward the side of the monster's abdomen once more.
Thud!
The sound of something embedding itself was heard from two places simultaneously.
One came from Yeonghun's hand.
The sharply cut spear shaft pierced through Yeonghun's fist. His fingers were cut off, and a hole was punched through his palm.
The other came from inside the mantis monster's abdomen.
Even amid the pain rising from his hand, Yeonghun was satisfied with his attack.
It seemed the broken spear had touched the dimensional stone inside the mantis monster's abdomen.
Based on his experience thus far, he had continued attacking while estimating the location of the dimensional stone in insect-type monsters, and it seemed luck had been somewhat on his side.
Suddenly, Yeonghun felt something breaking inside his body, and dimensional power surged through him.
Ding!
A sound came from Yeonghun's arm. Surprised, Yeonghun checked his wrist.
Level: B
Dimensional Power: 0/5000
Yeonghun's level, outputted by the machine, had changed to B.
He didn't know the exact reason, but it seemed his level had risen because he had touched the monster's dimensional stone.
But there was no time to celebrate.
The mantis monster shrieked.
He didn't know to what extent the dimensional core was damaged, but now was the opportunity.
Ganghyeok ran out beside the shrieking mantis monster.
He threw away the shield he was holding and ran out bare-chested with the strike team-exclusive bag on his back.
He didn't even glance at Yeonghun, but Yeonghun didn't feel the slightest bit slighted.
Yeonghun left his mangled, bleeding fist and gripped a sword with his other hand and began to flee. Although his level had risen, it would be difficult to face the monster alone with this injury.
"Kuaaaargh!"
But a high-pitched freakish cry of the monster came from behind him, and turning around, he saw the mantis monster lunging at him.
Seeing the glowing scythe flying toward him, Yeonghun raised his dimensional power to the maximum.
Blood burst from his other hand, and his sword blazed white. He trembled as he felt the power surging within him.
The monster's glowing scythe was swung at him, and he leaped up, swinging his sword at the scythe.
B-rank dimensional power was on a different dimension from C-rank.
His glowing sword severed the mantis monster's head along with its scythe.
The monster's head flew up into the sky.
'I won.'
The moment he rejoiced, the headless mantis monster, which had been still, moved.
Its other scythe came down toward Yeonghun.
Bang!
From the sudden attack, he was sent flying backward, smashing through the door of one of the relatively intact houses lining the alley and crashing inside.
The remaining door panel was covered in blood.
Like other insects, the mantis monster collapsed straight to the ground and stopped after its final movement.
The contaminated humans watching this scene from afar immediately turned their heads. Ganghyeok was running far away.
"Kyaargh!"
The humans screamed and began chasing Ganghyeok.
A short while later, a small sound was heard in the quieted alley. It was coming from the house where Yeonghun had crashed.
Yeonghun was collapsed inside the broken door. Yeonghun, who had briefly lost consciousness, was beginning to come to.
As his vision began to return, Yeonghun's body immediately began to tremble from the pain.
He immediately reached behind him and opened the front zipper of his bag. He pulled out a syringe and stabbed it into his thigh.
It was a morphine injection. It was close to a narcotic, but there was nothing better for eliminating pain.
After a short while, as he came to his senses somewhat, he checked his body and fell into despair. There wasn't a single place that was intact.
The aftermath of blocking the mantis monster's scythe attack had crushed his entire body.
He had hurriedly raised his sword to block, but the sword without dimensional power imbued in it had merely prevented his body from being split in half.
Most of his ribs seemed to be broken, and blood kept flowing from his mouth, likely due to internal bleeding.
And from the lacerated wounds all over, blood was flowing.
But he had neither the strength nor the means to stop the bleeding.
He let out a quiet sigh. It seemed this was the end.
He had barely reached B-rank, only to die immediately. It was absurd.
He recalled Seonhui's voice telling him not to be late and smiled bitterly.
As he blankly waited for death like that, his eyes saw the dimensional connector fallen on the floor. It seemed to have dropped when he took out the syringe.
Yeonghun stared at the connector for a moment, then picked it up with his barely moving hand.