Struggling (9)

<< 5 >> But why is there no talk about Rank 10 these days?

Jekyll << I’m scared of what this bastard might be up to somewhere

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[1] I don’t know, you bitch

[2] There’s so much chaos these days, is there time to care? With just the Seoul area terrorism happening several times, we should be relieved just by not seeing them

ㄴ [ Original Poster ] Thinking about how the creepy rankers gathered and conspired during the mass slaughter era, I still get chills

[3] After completely failing when he led his followers to rebel against the government, there’s been no news

ㄴ Why does that bastard have followers?

ㄴ Were they brainwashed?

ㄴ What brainwashing lol He probably lured them saying to trust and follow him

ㄴ He just picked a few large Awakened groups and pulled them in as his subordinates, that’s all

[4] I’m more scared of the Heavy Weapons Girl than him

ㄴ Lololol Heavy Weapons Girl my ass

ㄴ She’s fine, relatively cooperative

ㄴ Isn’t she Rank 9?

ㄴ Rank 9 or 10, what’s the difference

ㄴ In terms of compatibility, wouldn’t heavy weapons win? Jekyll is the pinnacle of magic engineering

ㄴ Is that so

ㄴ Lololol Are you guys top-tier rankers or something? People who would die just from eye contact are sitting here comparing them

ㄴ In their rooms, these gallery users are already all rankers

ㄴ Look who’s getting angry alone lol

<< 6 >> Ah I don’t know about Jekyll’s bait

I firmly believe Orli will take care of them all one by one anyway

[ Photo of Orli with wings spread and hand stretched out ]

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[1] What’s with the photo? It’s super high quality lol

ㄴ [ Original Poster ] Even did Photoshop

[2] But aren’t they acquainted? Orli is behaving now, but if they meet, won’t we be screwed?

ㄴ Just the other day she terrorized the Alliance building, and you call that behaving lol

ㄴ Ah lol I mean she’s more behaved than a year ago lol

ㄴ Thinking seriously, it really seems like we’re screwed

[3] Won’t the Association somehow persuade her well?

ㄴ Fuck, you mean they persuaded her well and she’s been causing terrorism since before the gates? It’s a damn dangerous situation, don’t be complacent

ㄴ Then why don’t you try persuading her;

The vehicle shook. My body swayed. Last time it was a combat vehicle, this time it’s a truck?

In the back of the vehicle, a wide space. The wind blowing in the open surroundings was cool.

“It would be better to listen to me well during this job, Erica.”

I raised my finger. At the end was Erica.

“Three necromancer groups. The discovered location is Gwangju City, Gyeonggi Province. Once we arrive, you just need to act according to the plan we made.”

“Understood.”

“Are you ignoring my words now?”

“You all have high close combat stats, but that doesn’t mean you need to engage in melee combat. Since you’ve received some training, just focus on deploying magic formulas.”

It seems Erica doesn’t understand the current situation well.

I should teach her.

I stretched out my hand and snatched the notebook Erica was holding in one go.

“In front of me, the number one wanted Awakened who doesn’t know anything…..”

“Orli.”

Erica turned her head. Our eyes met.

Her colorless pupils reflected me.

“If you want to see me angry, keep doing that.”

Silence fell. Cold sweat flowed.

I hurriedly clung to her and slipped the notebook into her hand.

“S-sorry.”

“The confrontation situation will be overwhelmingly advantageous for us anyway. We have a famous ranker and all.”

The three hunters nodded while watching my reaction. I trembled slightly and rubbed my cheek against Erica’s shoulder.

“Are you angry…..?”

Soon after, a touch came. My hair was stroked and my ear was lightly pinched.

It feels good.

I blinked for a moment.

Am I being tamed right now? Is this happening according to Erica’s thoughts?

I hurriedly distanced myself. Erica glanced at me slightly and then turned her gaze back to the notebook.

What is it? What’s going on?

For now, I should make her realize that I’m in a superior position.

“If, if you’re trying to humor me, it’s already been exposed. If you think I’ll behave quietly even in combat situations with this, you’re mistaken.”

In other words, the treatment that the Association and she have been giving me surreptitiously so far has no particular meaning.

“I know that much.”

Erica answered like that while keeping her eyes fixed on the notebook.

This isn’t the picture I had in mind.

With the thought that something was going wrong, my head started to idle. Then I’ll just proceed with the plan. The sacrificial lambs this time will be those hunters.

While sitting, I calmly examined the hunters. I started to construct a simulation in my head.

“If a situation where you’re on the brink of death comes, what kind would you prefer?”

“What?”

“Ah.”

I misspoke.

Seeing their frozen faces, I waved my hand.

“I’m sorry. I think I spoke a bit incorrectly.”

“Wh-what?”

“If you were to die, what method of dying would you prefer?”

Rather than slightly glimpsing death, it would be more comfortable to imagine falling completely into the abyss.

Seeing their pale faces with closed mouths, I tilted my head.

“You, strange words…..”

“What did I do?”

This time Erica rubbed her face with one hand.

I turned my head again. The hunter in the next seat was trembling with his head down.

Suddenly, curiosity arose.

“Are you scared? But aren’t you happy on the other hand? I’m giving you the chance to choose your method of death.”

“……..”

“Isn’t it thrilling to be in a situation where you can meet your end when you want, how you want, in the way you want?”

Even this is a form where two emotional lines coexist. The fear of the unknown that’s creeping up on them is great, but they can be reassured by the thought that they can control at least the final edge.

“In my case, I think having a knife pierce my heart would be good. It’s clean, right? Limbs being torn apart, or other… etc. are a bit grotesque, aren’t they?”

“Please stop.”

My mouth was blocked and my vision swayed. My head shook.

Suddenly, I felt warmth. Our shoulders touched.

I can’t breathe. It’s hard to breathe through my nose.

“Mmph.”

I wish she’d let go.

I pondered for a moment. Usually, Erica would have hit me, but this time she’s pulling me in.

As my gaze wandered here and there, I met eyes with a hunter who raised his head. I saw his pupils shaking several times.

“Th-that.”

Is he finally opening his mouth? This deserves a celebration party.

His trembling appearance like a mute who ate honey had been making me want to stab him with a knife.

“St-still, dying is scary…..”

Puhah.

My mouth opened as I struggled.

“Is it because it hurts? That will be okay if you endure until you’re sufficiently accustomed to the pain.”

“Th-that’s not it.”

Our eyes met. I tilted my head.

“I have family….. If I die….. I can’t feed them. That’s scarier.”

A moment of silence fell. I blinked.

“That’s cool!”

This doesn’t apply to me.

Suddenly, I felt sad.

As I was getting used to the bumps of the vehicle, the wind tickling my hair disappeared and heat started pouring out.

The blazing sunlight was still telling us it was afternoon.

Seeing Erica get off, I followed. A huge cuboid-shaped building was visible in the distance. Research labs usually have that shape.

Hearing a thudding sound from behind, I turned my head to see a man picking up a dropped weapon and dusting off his clothes.

It was that hunter from earlier.

I smiled slightly.

“Don’t worry. I wasn’t really talking about killing you. I thought all hunters had a mission to want to die, but I guess not.”

“Ah, ah. Yes…..”

I twisted my side hair for a moment.

I tried hard this time too to make everyone meet a happy end, but unfortunately, the chance has passed. I have no intention of making them experience unwanted deaths.

Suddenly, I saw Erica preparing equipment in the front seat.

Come to think of it, it could be a good situation. Since I can focus more on Erica.

I was planning to use those hunters anyway. Let’s awaken urgency in a situation where guns and weapons create smoke and gunpowder smell.

And expect it. The sight of Erica brilliantly shining as she saves them.

I also thought about my place there. It would be better to be shattered in a corner, stabbed by Erica’s sword as the price for causing terrorism.

That’s what a beautiful world is like.

Before I knew it, the hunters were maintaining their weapons with determined looks in their eyes.

“Fighting! I’ll cheer for you!”

“Thank you……”

“I hope you complete your mission diligently and survive. Though it doesn’t matter since Erica will save you anyway…..”

I twisted my side hair for a moment.

“If Erica fails, I guess that can’t be helped!”

If they die, it’s sad but it can’t be helped. Because I’m a being that must be defeated, I can only watch without being able to help them.

The world I desire exists right in front of me, but it’s beyond my power. Because only Erica can achieve it, I just kneel down quietly and expect.

Suddenly, I felt my stomach churning. When I roughly vomited blood, my clothes got dirty. I squeezed my eyes shut, then opened them again and looked forward to meet Erica’s eyes.

She’s walking over. And a snow-white handkerchief rubbed my mouth. It was rough but warm.

The blood dried up. My breathing opened up again.

“The clothes….. we’ll have to wash them later.”

I nodded without being able to say anything.

I feel like I’m going crazy.