episode_0169

169. Cataclysm

In the midst of sinking consciousness.

A body that swims endlessly as if it had fallen into the sea.

The surroundings are pitch black.

After a moment of confusion, a faint light began to appear in the distance.

“What is this? ”

I felt like I wouldn’t be able to speak because of the foreign body feeling that filled my esophagus as if I was underwater, but I was a little surprised to be able to speak and soon hear my own voice in my ear.

Soon, a faint light gradually came closer to me.

Coziness, longing, warmth.

It was just light, but it made me feel warm and positive.

But it wasn’t just light that was coming.

Hwaruruk-

When I heard a sound, I turned around and looked behind me, and in the dark place, something particularly dark was approaching me.

Like an abyss.

Something was burning, but an incomprehensible darkness was also approaching.

The first thing that came near me was darkness.

at las!!!!

“Ugh…!”

My whole body felt like it was being torn apart by a horrible voice that wasn’t just heard in my ears, but that seemed to hit me straight in the soul.

“Eeee!!”

I won’t leave it to you to decide.

Just before losing consciousness from the excruciating pain, a warm voice is heard from behind and the pain disappears.

But, as if what had already happened could not be recovered, a gentle voice was heard beyond my fading consciousness.

Please. Bless you all…

***

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*

*

“Ugh!!!”

“Cain…!”

“Ugh…!”

“Huh?”

When I came to, Sia and Lauren were looking at me with worried expressions.

“Why are you both like that?”

“Cain…! Huu …

“Sigh…!”

Sia hugged me and cried, and Lauren also had tears in her eyes.

Chook-!

In the midst of the chaos, the tent entrance opened and Julie popped her head out and spoke.

“Why, why? It’s because I suddenly had a seizure while vomiting blood while sleeping.”

“Yes?”

As I was thinking about it, I felt something wet around my neck, so I touched it with my hand, and my hand was slippery because of the sticky blood.

“Oops.”

“That…I’ll clean it up right away. Cain!!”

Lauren calmed down the flustered Sia, handed her a towel, and started wiping away the blood.

“I thought Sia would use her guardian angel and not listen and would really go to the goal.”

“Really?”

That’s a little scary.

By the way, that dream a little while ago… was too strange to be dismissed as a dream.

I have a bad feeling about this.

“Ms. Jury.”

“Huh?”

“I have a bad feeling about this. Let’s go back to the city quickly.”

“Really?”

Julie, who had been looking at me with a surprised expression, disappeared out of the tent when she saw my serious expression.

“Hey, Claude!”

“Yes…net! Juri.”

“Pack your bags quickly. Let’s go back quickly.”

“Yes!”

Outside, I could hear Julie and Claude packing up their tent.

“Let’s move too.”

“But…”

“Quickly.”

“Yeah…”

Sia, who was about to tell me to rest a little more, swallowed her words and started moving busily with Lauren.

I also quickly changed my clothes and started to pack my luggage, dragging my tired body towards the portal we had entered.

***

The hierarchical movement hall where many people come and go through the portals today.

One peaceful morning, something unexpected happened in the city.

Kururururung!!!

“What is it?”

“Earthquake?”

“No. This is..?”

What the bewildered explorers felt was the ground shaking as the hierarchical realignment occurred.

When a hierarchy reorganization occurs, all portals in the hall turn gray.

A sudden change strikes and astonishes the people.

“Mina!! Mina is still…!!!”

“No!!!”

“Lucas!!!”

The party entering the portal and the party returning to it were all calling out to their comrades, and chaos broke out inside the hall.

“Eww!! My arm…!”

“Just hold on a little longer!!! Help…help center!!!”

And some people who were unable to escape the portal because their bodies were crazy were seen having their limbs amputated.

“Chief…!”

“Report and upload immediately.”

“Yes!!”

In the midst of such chaos, the police officers who were supposed to restore order in the city watched the chaos unfolding before their eyes without taking any action, and instead sent personnel to report to their superiors without taking any action.

People were so panicked that no one noticed.

***

“Fuck. I almost got screwed.”

“You did a good job listening to me, right?”

“Perfect.”

As if I was being chased by something, everyone hurriedly passed through the portal, arrived at the level transfer hall, and sat down in front of the portal to rest, but chaos broke out.

We still heard the screams and cries coming from all around us, and we sighed in relief, rubbing our goosebumps-covered arms.

“This is not an ordinary thing.”

“I have something to tell you about that. Would you like to go to the dorm together?”

“Huh? What… okay.”

Julie was about to give in, but she gave in to my words and agreed.

“Oh… Let’s sit a little longer and then go.”

“Yeah.”

The moment our group took a short break to catch their breath, they crossed the border between the hall and the city.

Hwaaah-!!!

Light emanated from all of our bodies except Julie’s.

That too is the white pillar of light for leveling up.

I am, but did Claude become a level 5?

Except for Lauren, blue glows indicating an increase in status burst out from the bodies of me, Sia, and Claude.

“Ms. Jury?”

“Huh…? Ahaha…. Phew…”

Julie had her eyes tightly shut, worried that she might show some eccentricity, but she opened them at my questioning voice and felt relieved.

Then, he notices my expression and starts grumbling for no reason.

“What.”

“No.”

“Let’s go back. Let’s go to the union quickly.”

I, as well as my other colleagues, were curious about the new protection they had received, so they hurried to the union.

As we entered the compound, the atmosphere was very chaotic.

Most of the staff, who were usually seen sitting at the reception desk, were running around, and many of the explorers seemed to be panicking, making the inside look as chaotic as the transfer hall.

We headed to the reception desk where there was a lukewarm atmosphere.

“Cain…!!!”

“Lukewarm… Ouch..!!”

When I called out to Mi-on, who was fidgeting at the reception desk, she saw us, skipped the reception desk, ran over to me, hugged me, and kissed me.

“I…was worried about you…!!”

“Okay…wait a minute.”

I could also hear exclamations of “Wow~” coming from people around me.

I waited for her to calm down, gently accepting her lukewarm tongue as she kissed me, ignoring the reactions of those around her.

“Huh… Huh!! What am I doing…!”

“It’s over.”

“Ugh…..”

Mion, who had calmed down to some extent, fell to me in surprise.

“Oh my…”

“Lukewarm… You said you had no intention of meeting a man…”

Her colleagues around her were looking at her with strange smiles.

It’s similar to the fucking expression Claude makes sometimes.

“Ahhh…”

“I’m busy now, so let’s talk to my sisters later?”

One of the receptionists, who looked older, smiled broadly, blurted out a word, and quickly began to focus on handling the business.

“Excuse me, Cain. I can’t exchange or settle accounts today.”

“Huh? Really??”

“You know….”

Mion sighs as she turns her head to look around the inside of the union.

“The light on the location tracking artifact where the Explorer Card is registered has gone out too much.”

“How much?”

“At least 20 percent.”

How many people are involved anyway?

“I don’t think it’s time for that. But at least register the magic stone.”

“No, I’m busy…huh?”

When I gave her three intermediate magic stones despite her being busy, her eyes widened.

“What…what is this?”

“It’s a similar situation to last time.”

“Haa… Okay, I understand. I’ll pay you the settlement later and just accept it for now.”

We take out the exploration application form we applied for, quickly fill it out, and put the magic stone in the storage box.

“Come back in two days… no, three days.”

“Is that it?”

“There’s chaos. The union leader and the people from the city are having an emergency meeting right now, and I think we’ll have to stay up all night.”

I could see her lukewarm expression, seemingly exhausted, rotting away in real time, perhaps anticipating the hellish workload that lay ahead.

I hugged her tightly, stroked her head, and whispered.

“Work is coming in three days, but I’ll come see you every day.”

“Heehee…”

At my last words, Mion’s lips rippled and her rotten expression immediately melted away.

It’s cute.

“Cheer up, Unnie!”

“Yeah, Sia and the other party members worked hard. As for me.”

I kept hearing voices looking for Mi-on from behind, so I couldn’t hold on to her any longer and let her go.

“Then, everyone go to your accommodations.”

As we were entering the group, Juri was nowhere to be seen, but as we were heading outside to the dorms, Juri followed us.

“Wow!”

“Oh my gosh! Shit.”

“This kid. Now he’s mixing in some swear words?”

“No, I’m so surprised. Where on earth did you go… Oh, you didn’t go in together officially.”

“Let’s go quickly. We need to cut some of Frank’s steaks.”

“I agree.”

When we arrived at the accommodation, Mr. Hawk was waiting for us.

“These guys!! They’re alive!!”

“Mister.”

It was a bit odd to see the old middle-aged dwarf’s eyes watering, but we had a happy reunion with the old man, invited Roy and Tanya over for a meal, and decided to get some rest until the next day.

*

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*

“Hoo….”

After skipping sex for two whole days, the next day came.

I was so nervous about returning to the city right after waking up from a strange dream, and the moment I came back to my room after eating, I relaxed and fell into a deep sleep again.

Let’s check it out sooner than later.

“Status Window”

Name: Cain (Kim Seong-hu)

Level: 4 (10.43%)

Status

Strength: 4.38

Agility: 6.45

Stamina: 7.42

Horsepower: 3.51

Special Status

Technique: 15.08

Goddess’ Blessing: 10 (Hidden)

Kaho: NTL(EX)(See more), Hitomi, Self-awareness, Pillar West (new!)

Quirk

– Theft

The Robbery List

[Swordsmanship (100%)]

What the heck?