9. Mart Raid (3)

“…Ngh!”

I arched my back forcefully.

Suhyun moaned softly.

Feeling her warmth and breath against my ear, the soft tightness enveloping me below, I came with a shudder.

“…Haa…”

Gently pulling out, I stroked Suhyun’s hair.

“That was good.”

“…Me too.”

We rose with flushed faces and tired bodies, washing up together.

Suhyun waved goodbye with a smile as she left my room.

I waved back.

“Goodnight oppa.”

“Mhm. Sleep well.”

After seeing her out, I flopped onto my bedding.

“Haa…”

Nice.

The gloomy mood had completely lifted.

“Status.”

ㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡ

The Chosen One

[Specialization – Time Adjuster] [Level – 52]

[Title – Civilian]

Status

[Vitality – 22/30] [Perception – 2/2]

[Strength – 5/7] [Agility – 4/4]

[Spirit – 5/25] [Intelligence – N/A]

[Allocation Points – 7]

Skills

[Active – Acceleration] (Auto-cast active)

ㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡ

Hmm.

Been back awhile.

Mostly recovered.

Must be from carrying that corpse earlier.

Lost some Vitality.

…Or was it from fucking Suhyun just now?

“…Pfft.”

That’d be funny.

Definitely used some stamina.

Chuckling with my arm over my eyes, I checked my status again.

7 points.

Where to allocate…

More Acceleration charges would help.

But…

The recovery rate…

Only 3 points per hour.

Wish it were faster.

“…Tch…”

Still, better increase capacity.

Put 5 in Spirit, 2 in Strength.

6 Acceleration charges now.

Strength at 9.

Good.

Rest up, hit the mart early tomorrow.

* * *

Strolling leisurely through morning sunlight isn’t bad.

Vision sharper, air fresher, energy rising.

Must be from proper rest.

Once got blackout drunk – next morning was hell.

Never knew sunlight could hurt that much.

Wonder how my drinking buddies are now.

Been too busy surviving to check messaging apps – all dead now.

KakaoTalk, LINE – nothing works.

Servers must be toast.

Either message overload from the apocalypse, or more likely, the companies got wiped out.

No idea about foreign apps.

Never used them.

Internet and calls still work though – carriers must be functioning.

But who knows.

Infrastructure’s fine, but all the staff might be beasts now.

Walking to the mart, I tried calling friends.

…No answers.

Not a single one.

…Family won’t pick up either…

…Tch…

Let’s believe they’re hiding somewhere.

If alive, we’ll meet again.

No, they are alive.

We’ll reunite.

My brain knows the odds, but my heart needs to see proof.

Random strangers turning is one thing – friends becoming beasts? Entirely different.

…If they really changed…

…I’ll put them down myself.

Can’t let my former friends roam as monsters.

Reached the mart.

Peeking past the parking lot, the squid stall area’s a mess of glass and corpses.

Like the mart vomited bodies.

…Gonna be annoying navigating this.

Too many corpses between the entrance and inner doors.

“…Hmm…”

Too lazy to move them all.

Clear remaining hostiles first, then decide.

Stepped over bodies toward the entrance.

…Quiet.

I shouted:

“Hey! You fuckers eaten yet?”

…Fuck.

Need better taunts.

CRASH!

“Graah!”

Restroom doors burst open – two men, one woman charging out.

They spotted me, claws raised, howling.

“Kyaaah! Graaaah!”

Here they come!

Backstepped toward the squid stall drawing my sword.

Corpses feel mushy – disgusting!

Shing!

Come get some.

Frantic footsteps and howls approaching.

“Kyaaah! Kraaaah!”

CRASH! BANG!

Sounds like some fell inside.

Tripped on corpses probably.

Waited as something emerged from the entrance.

A man.

Clawing over bodies, stumbling toward me.

Finish him?

Wait.

“Kyaaah! Kraaaah!”

More behind him – middle-aged man and woman crawling out.

Good.

Acceleration.

[Auto-cast: Acceleration]

“Graa—aa—–“

Three beasts frozen mid-crawl over corpses, glaring.

Dashed in stabbing hard.

Crunch, crunch, crunch!

“–aa–rk!”

They toppled forward, rolling over corpses.

Blood sprayed violently.

[Level increased by 3.]

Getting the hang of this.

Not bad.

5 charges left.

…Play it safe…

Or…

Pondered briefly before entering.

Corpses everywhere – hard to move.

Carefully stepped through to the inner doors.

Mart interior surprisingly spacious.

More stocked than imagined.

Could feed the boarding house for a year.

Scanned the area.

Two large shelves toppled, shapes moving between them.

Probably more hiding.

“…Hmm…”

Hunting them individually seems inefficient.

Better maximize Acceleration.

…Lure them out.

Took a deep breath.

Huuu!

“For Azeroth!”

…Fucking hell.

Need better material.

Voice echoed through the mart.

Multiple howls responded.

“Kwaaaah!”

Dark shapes emerged throughout.

Yes, yes!

“Over here, cunts!”

CRASH! BANG!

“Kyaaah! Kraaaah!”

Shadows charging toward me.

Gripped sword with both hands.

One, two, three – fuck, too many!

Six total.

Six skulls to crush then escape!

CRASH! BANG!

Beasts knocked over displays charging at me.

Dark figures surrounding from all sides – mart seemed to darken.

Coming, coming!

“Kyaaaah!”

Now!

Acceleration!

[Auto-cast: Acceleration]

Point-blank!

Just 2 meters away!

Eight visible!

Not sure if accurate!

Lunged forward stabbing.

“Hup!”

Crunch!

Apron-wearing – employee?!

“Hup!”

Crunch!

Vest-wearing glasses man!

Delivery guy!

“Hup!”

Crunch!

Curly-haired ajumma!

Pulled from forehead, stepped back.

Timing perfect!

“–aa–rk!”

Acceleration!

[Auto-cast: Acceleration]

Chaos of collapsing bodies frozen mid-lunge.

Charged in sword-first.

Thu—dak—

“Hup!”

Crunch!

Slacks-wearing granny!

Yanked blade free, stabbed again!

Crunch!

Chubby woman with gold necklace!

Makeup so thick she looks worse than the Joker!

Wrenched sword out, stabbed!

Crunch!

Younger apron woman!

Not that young – late 30s?!

Aged well!

“Hup!”

Stepped back again.

Six down!

Next Acceleration ready!

-Thoom!

“–aa–krak!”

Acceleration!

[Auto-cast: Acceleration]

Darted sideways toward the squid stall.

Main exit blocked!

Seventeen fucking corpses in the way!

Shoulder-checked the wall reaching the stall. Vaulting over as Acceleration ended.

“-Graahk!”

Acceleration!

[Auto-cast: Acceleration]

“–aa—uu—–“

Cleared the display, sprinted to parking lot.

“Huu, haa!”

Reached the office.

Grabbing the doorknob – crashing sounds behind.

Locked myself in immediately.

Click!

“Haa, haa.”

[Level increased by 6.]

Whew.

Good.

Leaned against the door listening to distant growls.

“Haa, haa… huu…”

Snarling and howling everywhere.

Some getting close.

Sounds almost in my ear.

“…Huu…huu…”

Gripped my sword, watching the small window.

One charge left.

If shadows appear – stab first, ask questions later.

This is a metal door.

Can withstand their assault.

“Huu… haa…”

“Grrr… grrr…!”

Sounds fading.

Just wandering now.

Don’t know where I went.

…Hah.

Good.

3 at entrance, 6 inside.

9 levels gained.

“Haa…”

Carefully pulled up a chair and sat.

Recover, then go back in.

…Another late return tonight.