episode_0003

*****

38 Defensive War. There is a battle called that.

It started in the Maritime Province of Russia. A huge rift opened in an area with a small population, rapidly alienating the surrounding area and encroaching on Russia’s territory.

Of course, Russia was not leisurely enough to pay attention to areas with low population density. For a country with such a large territory, just eliminating huge cracks in densely populated areas was a challenge. The neglected crack gradually grew in size over time, and before we knew it, it had become a terrible evil scene.

However, this huge rift was far from the Korean Peninsula. The existence of the Awakened allowed North Korea, which had poor conventional weapons, to withstand the erosion of the cracks to some extent.

That is, until another huge crack opens in North Korea.

Now it’s finally time to wonder if society has stabilized. Monster waves poured out from two huge cracks as if they were aiming for something. There was nothing else to do but help North Korea. By the time the satellite was able to overcome the interference and understand the situation, North Korea was already in a state of semi-destruction.

Moreover, the monster wave was heading towards South Korea. The 38th parallel, which had been constructed to some degree as a defense line for previous military operations, was designated as a defense line to block the enormous army of monsters.

Ah, it was really amazing. I still think it was a miracle that we were able to stop it. It’s a shame because the assault operation between me, the best hero at the time, a paladin, a priestess, and a witch was successful. I don’t know how they prevented it in the original.

Whether it is fiction or reality, real life is best for growth. I am one level different now from when I faced Genesis.

In fact, it is capable of defeating any imperfect dragon.

“Kick it!”

A kick that spins dozens of times in the air like a storm. Against people, the gap is large, so it is a technique that is close to a sealer, but against such a giant monster, power is always a priority.

The magic power amplified by the rotation through the magic axis escaped through the kick and kicked the dragon’s mouth, which was about to roar.

“Kwoaaaa… !”

Even though they are beasts, even reptiles, they show emotions in their eyes like humans. I could bet my hand that the emotion revealed now is shock.

Well, I too would be shocked if an ant jumped and staggered me with a roundhouse kick.

“────!!!”

Does this mean that he won’t just sit back and be beaten? The magic in the air disappears as if it is being sucked into the dragon’s body. At the same time, numerous windows of light appeared in the sky, as seen just before.

The sight of the sky being filled with bullets, each one much more powerful than a tank shell, was quite overwhelming. Of course, this only applies visually.

“Inhale!”

Four or five spears per fist, the spears of light that would originally be mere energy are disappearing.

If you simply push with force, you just have to hit back with even greater force. Just a portion of the power that is endlessly amplified within the body can handle the Spear of Light.

Rather, I thought about it while dealing with it in person… . This dragon is very weak.

Just now, I made a statement by saying, ‘I can beat up any dragon,’ but that was just bravado to show motivation due to my ability. Originally, in this worldview, the dragon species is infinitely close to the strongest.

However, this dragon’s use of magical power was significantly inferior to that of the dragons I had seen. The spear of light that flew in just now was a technique that had been countered earlier. I already knew it wouldn’t work, but using it again doesn’t just mean there’s no other way to do it.

I also thought about the possibility that this dragon might not be Behemoth. First of all, the color is not black as I know, but golden. Looking at the strength of the dragon species and the damage inflicted by the Behemoth in the original, the current situation where I am alone in overpowering it makes no sense.

However, the presence of the soul was too strong to believe that this dragon was not a behemoth. The reason I asked for support from the two great heroes at the beginning of the rift was because I thought it might really become necessary.

If you listen to the story of the Sphere Shrine, it is said that this level of spirit was created with human souls… . Those damn Genesis bastards, I can’t even imagine how many people they sacrificed. They probably collected it over several years while hiding in the shadows while we were conducting the 38th Line of Defense or purification operations.

In such a situation, it is unnatural to think that there would be two of these. A dragon isn’t something that jumps out like this.

“Chet, even if it’s half-sized, you can shoot the breath!”

There was no damage, but it was difficult to access it due to the limited quantity. While neutralizing the Spear of Light, I felt an enormous amount of magical energy gathering outside my hidden field of vision.

This one hit doesn’t seem that much better compared to the dragons I faced before.

If I run now, can I stop it before it fires? No, it’s late. The body, which had made judgments through experience and senses before the head, immediately took action.

The image feels like unlocking the soul. The technique, which I had already become familiar with after using it several times, allowed me to quickly throw away the limitations of my spiritual attack.

“────!!!”

There was no crying. That’s because your mouth is full of that stuff. However, the energy delivered was so great that even the downy hair stood on end. An attack of such outrageous power that it can be counted on one finger in the entire worldview strikes down like a heavenly punishment.

The only thing I did against him was to fill my fist with magical energy and hit him.

───────.

As the actions were simple, the results were also simple. The blow I delivered completely destroyed the pillar of light coming down from the sky. The excessively loud collision went beyond the enhanced hearing range and filled the surrounding area with silence.

The loud noise rang out a little later, when the shock had dispersed in all directions.

“Krrrr… .”

The dragon looks on with a bewildered expression, as if he can’t believe the result before his eyes. Wow, you’re just taking a step back?

When I noticed that and grinned, the crying became even harsher, perhaps because of my pride.

Magic power began to gather in the dragon’s mouth once again. It’s definitely a threat, but in front of a clearly strengthened opponent, they prepare a big attack without even checking it like before. As expected, this dragon is very clumsy.

“I refuse twice!”

He jumped up at a speed that left even the roar behind him and kicked the dragon’s head. If the attack had been enough to stagger him just a moment ago, this time the dragon’s entire massive body was sent flying quite far away with just the impact of the head being kicked.

Even in my opinion, it is an incredibly powerful force, but it is worth it. This is a strengthener that depends on a lot of conditions. It is a typical type of skill that is strong if you can use it, but difficult to use.

If I could use it instead, there would be no enemy before me. With his overwhelming physical ability, he chased down the flying dragon and struck several more times.

“Big wow, big wow… !”

A dragon struggling as if in pain. In response to that gesture, several spears of light fly out.

But what didn’t work before strengthening can’t work now. Not only did I lightly bounce them off, but I even hit back at some with my fire mirror. The current situation was to that extent superior to me.

Leisure leads to observation. It didn’t take long for the questions I had from the beginning of this fight to be answered.

“Indeed, that’s what happened.”

“Kwoaaaa… .”

A dragon running away awkwardly. The tips of its body, including its wings, claws, and tail, were slowly turning black.

I couldn’t really notice it because it was hidden by the polyp’s unique presence, but now that it’s visible on the outside, I can understand it. What’s really dangerous is the part that turns black like that.

Perhaps the dragon’s magic power, or the remnants of the original dragon’s soul, were colliding with the human soul that was put in. As I fought with myself in that state, the original remnants were chipped away in the aftermath of the battle, and the soul I had put in would gradually eat away at my body.

The Sphere Shrine may have thought that the soul that was put into this dragon had adapted to the dragon’s body just because it started moving.

It’s been nearly 20 years since the awakened people appeared and the existence of the soul was revealed, but there are still many facts about the soul that have not been revealed. Even Genesis has some things he doesn’t know. The assumption that the soul has not yet adapted is also possible because I know the knowledge of the future based on the original setting.

Well, the important thing is to finish it before it is completely encroached upon. I quickly caught up with the fleeing dragon and pinned it to the ground.

If you know that it is just a shell of a polyp, there is no need to worry about counterattacks and look at the liver. Hunt with all your might.

“So just hold on and die in moderation!”

“Wow, uhhh… .”

Punch the dragon that crashed to the ground. Stepping on, hitting, kicking, swinging, beating… . Ah, it’s annoying. From the middle, I just lost my temper.

I make a fist with magical power. It is a natural act that even a novice awakener can do, but when 16 years of training are combined with the cheat given by God, the single blow becomes like the attack that crushed Brass just now. It simply throws in magical power, but because of the magnitude of that magical power, it even blows away the magical power that the dragon originally possessed.

Because monsters whose magical power affects their existence are weak to this type of attack. As the damage increased, the dragon’s body became stained black, but the rate at which it lost its golden color was even faster.

However, even though hundreds of attacks were fired at its weak point, the dragon still showed no signs of falling. There’s a tough topic called polyps. If this happens, we have no choice but to change our methods.

“───Inhale.”

Adjust your breathing, establish your posture, and take control with flowing movements. Rotating my body around the axis of magic and putting magic there is my basic fighting method.

The difference from before is the level of detail. It’s different from before, where magic power was simply poured in ignorantly, and everything was distorted with intention to achieve a level of sophistication that was almost illegal.

Tuk. It’s a light sound, just like fists touching, but the result is the exact opposite. A huge amount of magical power rages within the dragon’s body, to the point where its hard scales are distorted by the internal shock. Even if it was a dragon heart, it would not have been immune from this impact.

“… … Wow, uh… .”

Finally, with a death spell, the dragon fell helplessly on the ground. I breathed a sigh of relief as I watched the golden magic light and the black vengeful spirit escape from the giant body.

The magical light disappears from the dragon’s body. That fact points to one thing. The dragon’s body stopped circulating magical power. Considering that the dragon’s body is powered by magic, it is virtually as good as dead.

… Okay, it was an easy win. huh. After all, I am the strongest.

***

“Hey, did you see it? Isn’t it awesome?”

I came to the front of the sphere shrine where I was standing blankly. Of course, this guy doesn’t have a proper expression, but there’s still something conveyed through the atmosphere.

“… Are you human?”

“Then am I a dragon?”

Actually, I had no idea that I would win so easily. If more time had passed and the vengeful spirit had completely invaded the dragon’s body, things would have been different.

They probably needed at least one more Four Heroes, and since it wasn’t like the part-time worker that the Four Heroes were passing by, it would have taken time for them to come properly prepared. At that point, the dragon would have completely wiped out the northern part of Gyeonggi-do.

“I don’t think it was eaten properly, that lizard.”

“… I see, you just woke up…? . I guess I was uncharacteristically nervous, me too.”

The Sphere Gentleman also seemed to realize what was causing it. Well, anyway, if you think about it a little, you will get the answer right away. I don’t mind if you tell me this much.

“But even taking that into account, it is. To be honest, it’s true that you were nervous, but even considering that, it’s also true that you judged that you couldn’t deal with that dragon. It’s been three years since I last saw you, but what on earth happened in that time?”

“Well? I am willing to tell you in the interrogation room if you are caught calmly. Or do you show up as that good-looking clone again and recognize me as you please?”

3 years. There have been numerous incidents in the meantime, but Operation 38 Defense was probably the biggest. It was an incident that marked the beginning of a period of stability in Korea, but it was also a terrible incident that forced us to deal with countless vicious monsters.

In particular, among the monsters I faced within the super-giant rift, there was an ancient dragon. At that time, all of the Four Heroes and even the S-Class were mobilized to fight against each other. Thanks to this, I’m used to dealing with dragons.

“Now, you’re going to commit suicide anyway, right? You always did that. I’m tired too and I want to go home and sleep quickly, so do it quickly.”

“Hehe. Are you not going to stop me?”

“You’re not going to stop me? You know that I’m a sucker for anything other than ssambagjil anyway. Why would I tell you not to show your heroism and die if you kill him anyway and he will come back again? I’m not that kind of a guy.”

“I know that well… . Unfortunately, that won’t work. I have to deal with this and go.”

Sheesh. He seemed quite shocked by the dragon’s death, so I thought he might have forgotten the soul extraction device and committed suicide. I just wasted time doing bothersome judo.

“Ah, yes. You take care of things like that well. Then go bye.”

Wow. With one punch, the Sphere Gentleman’s upper body was blown away. Of course, if it continues like this, it is no different from the previous personnel management. This time, I tried my best to punch ‘sincerely’.

The wind blows even the remaining lower body of the Sphere Gentleman into pieces, and the violently curved magic explodes at the point of impact, cutting the fragments into smaller pieces.

Well, you have to break it down to a certain extent. I don’t remember very well, but in any case, all you have to do is ‘destroy’ it until you no longer feel the magical power. Of course, restoring the body also requires magical power.

“Well, I always think about that, but he’s an annoying guy.”

After struggling with the debris for about 5 minutes, I couldn’t feel any movement of magic power with my eyes. This should roughly be enough. There is still a lot of time left in reinforcement time, so if you go outside with the extraction device, this mission will be over.

… That’s what I thought, the sphere gentleman guy. In the end, it seems like I did what I had to do before leaving. The black light at the center of the soul extractor grew bigger and bigger.

No matter how quickly I destroy the Sphere Shrine, it is difficult to completely block that type of behavior. It would have been easier if I could use sealing techniques like a priestess. … Even if I wish for something that doesn’t exist, I can’t help it.

Still, this is a more than sufficient achievement. Not only did they capture the Behemoth that devastated Seoul, but they also destroyed the soul extractor. With this, the catastrophe of the ‘original work’ would have been reduced by at least three times.

I’m especially glad that this is another world. The soul extractor is a device that uses the devil’s heart to extract the soul, as the name suggests. If that had exploded near the city, all the souls in the surrounding area would have been mixed up or ascended to heaven, creating complete chaos.

However, this is the inside of an alien subspace, cut off from the outside. If it escapes immediately and only breaks the crack, the explosion will only sweep the inside of subspace. Rather than causing the Sphere Gentleman to self-destruct out of frustration, the purpose was probably to hide information by destroying the extractor.

After thinking about that, I relaxed my body. It was a bit burdensome, but there was also a sense of accomplishment and relief at having eliminated several major disasters.

However, it ended up being the worst choice.

[Keeek──!]

“What!?”

Right after I was about to go outside. Feeling a numb sensation in the back of my head, I instinctively took a fighting stance. However, because it has just been removed from the reinforcement, the magic power does not move properly due to recoil.

After forcefully pulling it up and examining the surrounding situation as much as possible, I was able to see that something was happening to the dragon’s corpse.

“Wonryeong… !”

The souls of ‘thousands of people’ who had been lumped together and twisted to be able to withstand the weight of a dragon’s body. It was coming out of the dragon’s body and howling.

I thought he was completely shattered by my attack, but did he just escape?

No, the cause is not important. The vengeful spirit hates all living things, and at the same time, it longs for a body to enter. Normally he would rush at me, but… . Right now, that dragon’s body is there.

Although it was destroyed just now, the Dragon Heart is an organ that automatically repairs itself using just the magic in the air. It wasn’t completely destroyed, so it would have recovered roughly at this level.

But it’s not that bad. It won’t rush at me, leaving behind its high-level body, and while it’s adapting inside the dragon’s body, if it goes out of the crack, it will get caught in the extractor’s explosion.

I have to destroy myself like that.

Why are you coming towards me!?

“Tch!”

It would be difficult if I took my time and the extractor exploded while dealing with him, so I quickly left my seat and headed towards the exit. No matter how much I am in the middle of a reaction, I can easily escape.

The spirit that got closer for a moment quickly moves away again. As I was running toward the exit, I felt the hair on my entire body stand on end.

This is intuition. That too, is so important that it can affect your life. why? Why at this timing? Dumb, think carefully. What does the spirit resent the most? A living being? No. What the vengeful spirit resents the most is… .

“… He made himself like that!”

When dealing with the dragon, I went back the way I came with even more power. Image—No, there is no time for that. fast. More, further, faster.

When we returned to the group, the spirit was just before reaching the soul extractor. As soon as he recognized it, he stretched out his fist. The magical power spreads out at an overwhelming speed, and the wind that shatters even the air is sucked towards the spirit,

One step ahead of that. The Vengeful Spirit’s finger touched the soul extractor.

“Jenj──”

The words after that could not be continued. Just before the wind hit, the vengeful spirit disappeared as if being sucked into an extractor, and at the same time, a soul-shaking shock shook the cavity.

The feeling of everything turning white and charred, losing strength, and falling apart. I know. Immediately after the end of the previous life. Something beyond death. The last moment of the end. Thoughts are fragmentary.

No, don’t give up.

Although my sense of time was disappearing, I desperately moved my spirit. Think back to when you met God. Even back then, I was a simple soul. If it’s your first time, you may not know, but you’re just doing something you’ve already done.

I feel strong resistance through my whole body, as if I have been thrown into a torrent. The waves, the current, and the whole world are trying to send my soul to a certain place.

Not yet. It’s still too early.

Come to your senses. First, you have to open your eyes. It’s an unpleasant feeling, like opening your eyes underwater, but you have to open them.

If it floats, it is light. We must go towards the light. For the soul, the sanctuary of the body shines brightly. You must go towards the light. We have to hold on to the light somehow.

Still a bit dizzy, but somehow, somehow… !

ah,

I reached it.

*****