Chapter 268 - Rusted Rhapsody (1)
“It’s strange; it wasn’t like this before.”
Kang Shin-hyuk muttered as he looked around Neorust, a city where no proper building remained. This was where the former Neorust slums were located, but even if they were slums, at least there were buildings where people could enter and live. Now, only decaying and crumbling ruins remained. The scene repeated itself even beyond the slums, the only thing intact remaining being the tallest skyscraper in the city, with those huge screens still playing.
“Claire, am I not mistaken?”
“Yes. The city seems to have collapsed.”
“Here, the magi is amazing.”
Shin Eunah sounded slightly anxious as she responded. At first glance, it was an unusual atmosphere, but it was wise of Claire to bring Shin Eunah. If it were only them, it would’ve been quite dangerous.
“Dad!”
At that time, something jumping out of the rubble collided with Kang Shin-hyuk. It was so fast that it was impossible to resist, but Claire grabbed Shin Eunah, who was angrily raising her hand to fire off a thunderbolt.
“It isn’t the enemy!”
“Mom!”
It hugged Kang Shin-hyuk, then tackled Claire as well. Claire gently hugged Vita with an uncertain smile.
“Long time no see.”
“Exactly ten years, two months, seventeen days, fifty-three minutes, forty-eight seconds. I missed you.”
Vita’s appearance remained the same. No, it could be said she had changed. Of course, her face was the same, still youthful and beautiful with golden eyes and clean black hair, but the bartender outfit she wore had vanished. Now she looked like a female warrior at the end of a century... Looking closely, the bartender outfit was there, but the skirt was cut off the hem, and a side opening had been made to make it easier to move in. Grenades, pistols, and a longsword hung from her waist, and the suit was transformed into a combat vest. Only the lace shirt was the same, but it was also ripped here and there, giving it a sexy feeling.
“I’m ashamed to be seen like this, dad.”
“No, don’t call me dad.”
“It’s been ten years, so I wondered if you would return...”
“Ten years?! Only a few months have passed for us...”
Kang Shin-hyuk was amazed as he finally understood what she was saying. Thinking about it, that was about right. Originally, this place had a much different time ratio to Earth... He began to feel guilty for coming so late.
“Sorry, I was going to come sooner, but quite a few things piled up...”
“I understand. It’s okay, because you’ve come now.”
Vita left Claire’s arms and again embraced him, and she spoke softly. It should be awkward, as she was an adult woman (plus a post-apocalyptic warrior), but it didn’t feel that way at all. When he pondered it, this was something Shin Eunah had often done before.
“What, what? Mom and dad... The kid you two had? You had a child here?!”
Shin Eunah couldn’t take it anymore and finally burst into intense anger. Claire, having expected it, was quick to calm her down.
“Eunah, calm down. This is an android.”
“Liar! A human android like this... Really?”
“Of course. We didn’t have a child. Even if I did give birth, she wouldn’t look like this.”
Shin Eunah calmed down a little after realizing Vita’s inhuman side. She then blinked away her tears of anger as Claire spoke with a bloody smile.
“You did something like that...?”
“...Now then, Vita. Could you please explain the situation?”
“I’m still talking!”
“It’s dangerous outside, so let’s go in first.”
Vita, after embracing Kang Shin-hyuk and Claire, fell away with a satisfied look and guided them into the ruins. Curiously, there was a gap in the disorderly ruins that they could walk through. After walking for a while, a passage leading down to the basement appeared.
“Hmm... Whoo, whoo...!”
“Calm down, Claire.”
“What?! Yes!”
Kang Shin-hyuk calmed down the overly excited Claire. Shin Eunah, who was trying not to explode from jealousy, frowned at the waste materials covering the passage.
“It’s all covered in magi.”
“Yes, auntie.”
Shin Eunah wondered if she would explode Vita for that.
“Call me Thunder.”
“Then, Thunder, this magi is hiding the existence of the passage safely from them.”
“Them... Those who deal with magic? Demons?”
“I don’t know if they are demons, but they are ones who deal with magic. For more information, let’s go into the hideout.”
They had to walk the underground passage for quite a long time, but they were all superhumans. In an instant, the distance was shortened, and they came out into an open cavern in just two minutes. They were still underground, but halogen lights hung from the ceiling to spread artificial light. Looking around the place, there was an old sofa with cotton bursting out, a bookcase with a few old books, and an unsafe-looking bed. There were also several bottles on a table that looked like a bartender’s table.
“This place, what the hell...”
“It’s one of the refugees’ hideouts. Until a few months ago, I had a colleague here too.”
“...”
Vita’s words implied several things. Along with the fact that she served as a rebel, she moved with the others here... And that they were gone now.
“The rescue request you sent earlier, then.”
“Earlier? ...Did it happen again? That was sent three months ago.”
“Three months?”
-It looks like the ratio of time has been disturbed. It was good to set coordinates before coming.
Kang Shin-hyuk was stunned by the words Vita calmly spoke, so the administrator added a supplementary explanation. As if listening to them, Vita looked up and reached out to grab his hand.
“Three months ago, my colleagues got caught by them. I want to save them. Can you help?”
“A coworker from the slum...?”
“It’s half and half. In addition to me, the survivors of the slums joined the insurgents who were originally active. They tracked down the owner of that magi, who ruled this world, and found them here in Neorust.”
More and more settings that fit the apocalypse popped up. Claire looked sadly at Vita, who must’ve suffered a lot.
“If I had known, I would’ve come out to help early.”
They weren’t empty words; it was just that Earth had been busy for a while. By the time the gate situation barely stabilized, Shin-hyuk had been sent on the African expedition. However, if they had thought of crafting using the time here, they would’ve noticed sooner. It was a mistake that he didn’t think of actively utilizing the dimensional quest.
“It’s okay, Claire. I should’ve contacted you first, but it took some time to hack Gaia’s system...”
“What did you say?”
“I hacked into the contaminated Gaia system to find out how to contact the Hero Universe and borrowed that line to send a message. It was very difficult.”
“Administrator, what the hell is she talking about?”
-It means she inherited her mother’s abilities well.
He wasn’t convinced at all, but he decided to nod along. Looking at the carefree administrator, it seemed there were no other problems caused by that hacking...
“In the process, Gaia’s system detected my location, but at the time, it was an emergency...”
“You made such a request for your colleagues. So, how did you avoid it after that?”
“With their help, I managed to escape, but...”
-From the moment we arrived here, the passage to the contaminated Gaia system has been cut off, but the place where she was must’ve been traced.
The admin took over to explain Vita’s words. Vita, who had been pursued ever since sending the rescue request, was able to remove the tail with the administrator’s help only after joining Kang Shin-hyuk and the others. Seeing that she brought them to the hideout without hesitation, she seemed to be aware of that.
-Of course, it doesn’t mean much.
“Why?”
-Because the amount of energy that you three gather now is enormous. The Gaia system may not be able to track it down, but if there is a patrol unit running nearby, you will be caught soon.
“Okay.”
Shin Eunah answered this time, a golden bolt of lightning in her hand.
“I’m going to charge head-on from now anyway.”
“Calm down, Eunah.”
“No, Eunah is right.”
Kang Shin-hyuk shook his head and sided with Shin Eunah.
“You said your colleagues were caught? Maybe he was dragged there, right?”
“Yes, Shin-hyuk.”
The skyscraper that stood firmly amidst all the decaying buildings. It was the largest building in the city, connected to the sky.
“The resistance forces were also making it their final goal. The source of the magi is that building.”
“I knew it.”
In fact, from the moment they first came to the city, he thought this would happen. Of course, his ability at that time wouldn’t have been enough. But now...
[Kang Shin-hyuk: SS+ Rank] (Synchronization rate 75.5%)
[Trait]
Guardian Golden Dragon (SS)
[Physical ability]
Strength: SS+
Agility: SS+
Stamina: SS+
[Special ability]
Spiritual Power: SS+
Golden Dragon Fighter: SSS-
[Skill]
Golden Dragon (SS+): SS
Wind Mastery (SS+): S+
Light Mastery (SSS): S-
Fire Mastery (SSS): S+
Soul Poison (SSS): SS
Space Coordination (SSS): B-
Metallurgy: SS
Emotion: SS-
Repair: S+
Over the past two months, only one of his physical stats had increased, but that had brought them all to SS+. That was the difference between the sky and the earth compared to the first time he visited this city. Here, if he took Claire’s potion, all his stats would reach the current limit. It would give them a chance of victory even if they charged head-on to that building.
-Probably your work will be there as well.
The administrator’s words stopped him. It was what was on his mind. He had been hoping that the things he made in the past wouldn’t be involved with the horrors of this world. But, if it were in that building, he couldn’t deny it anymore.
“Then... What is it?”
-It is a sword.
Kang Shin-hyuk smiled bitterly. Perhaps sensing his heart, the administrator continued hesitantly.
-It is a sword that you abandoned before without being able to sell it.
Why didn’t he sell it? He lifted his head while guessing the reason, but suddenly a dull vibration rang out.
-Koooung
“They’re looking for us.”
Vita spoke calmly, and Shin Eunah nodded as she created lightning spheres in both of her hands.
“Then, let’s move. Now.”
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