Chapter 5

The next day. The sun is high in the sky.

“……What’s that?”

Ghost noticed ‘it’ first. Hundreds of meters away. Something wriggled in the half-demolished four-story commercial building.

Shadows clustered together. The black stain was moving inexorably. It was large enough to cover an entire floor.

“Which mutation is it?”

“Monsters are all mutants, but they still retain the form of the underlying creature….”

“Creature? That?”

Pablo and Leila exchanged in-game lines. Kim also looked over.

A familiar scene. An urgent soundtrack played in my head.

“It’s on.

The introduction to stages 0-4.

Whereas the previous battles were designed to test the Professor’s command skills, this one has an entirely different purpose.

This is called buildup.

A single scaffold leading to the boss stage. Here, the group realizes that they are facing a mysterious enemy.

“It’s a little nerve-wracking in person.

Shadows.

The Shabungi, as they’re known, are not a viable enemy at this stage. They’re under-equipped, under-leveled, and under-represented in the game.

“Next time I come back, I’ll be tighter.

Menacing standard attacks. Special attacks of insane power and range. Plus extremely high physical immunity.

‘That’s a shitty thing to say.

He can be cleared without difficulty if you organize certain agents. He’s a bit of a punching bag for higher-ups.

‘That’s not even a console…….’

After a while.

Dozens of large eyes emerged from the shadows that engulfed the building. The eyeballs moved in different directions as if of their own volition.

It was a bizarre sight to behold.

‘It’s too bad it’s so far away. I’d have fainted if I’d seen it up close.’

There was a swallowing sound from the front and back. It was ominous for the residents of Polaris, too.

“I don’t know what that is, but… I don’t think anything good is going to happen if we approach it, so we’re going to take a little detour, are you okay with that?”

“…….”

“Mr. Hyun, are you there?”

“Oh, me?”

I was half-listening because I knew the lines from memory. Until yesterday, every word had struck a chord, but I guess I’ve gotten used to it.

This can’t be happening. Let’s get a grip.

“Do whatever you’re comfortable with. I’m supposed to follow you anyway, you know, to get to that self, whatever.”

“…It’s the Celbrosics Lab. Are you sure you want to come?”

“He’s been ranting since yesterday.”

Pablo the Mine Slave. He’s just a character I can’t think of anything about. I don’t have any personal affection for him, but his constant sibilant remarks are a bit annoying.

“But he’s the most normal.

Leila and Ghost are seriously good guys. The bum named “Kim Yi Hyun” is very clumsy and suspicious, even for himself.

“I’m not saying I’m going to go in, I just want to see what it’s like, get a taste.”

“I’m sure you’ll like it.”

I started to say, “I’ll know when I get there,” but stopped myself. It was hard to be harsh when I saw Leila’s big smile.

I felt like I was bullying a child.

“Well, let’s go back the way we came.”

Ghost’s words made me bite my tongue.

But it wasn’t meant to be. The stage had already started when I spotted the shadow.

“Was it a setting to detect eye contact.

That’s not Shadoor himself. It’s a special ability summoned by a spell. It’s a radar of sorts.

And all four of them, gathered in one place, stared at the shadow at the same time. At least one of the many eyes must have caught sight of Leila’s group.

The information obtained by the shadow is passed to the shadow door.

An alleyway with a puddle of gunk on the floor. It hadn’t been 30 minutes since we decided to take a detour.

“……Damn. I’m surrounded.”

Once again, the Ghost was the first to speak up. His eyeballs rolled busily through his face mask.

The roof of a two-story villa, the railing of the lower level. I could feel it outside in the alleyways and even on the street corners I’d just passed.

“Ashwolf… is that you?”

Mutant wolves with ashen fur and three eyes. They are unaccustomed to combatants. They can be recognized by their scent alone.

The number is six. Not intimidating. But there was something I couldn’t ignore.

Every Ashwolf’s body was half covered in black stains. An odd amount of saliva dripped from their mouths.

“From now on.

Kim Yi Hyun’s throat was dry. If it’s a ‘strategy’, I made it last night. I tried out the skills and checked the conditions.

Still, I couldn’t help but be nervous. Shadows are a powerhouse in the Polaris universe, even if they are dismissed as shamblers.

If you make a mistake, you die.

Not right now.

“…Get out of the alley. Ghost, string. Please.”

The order came from behind him. It came from the professor, still on Pablo’s back.

In that moment, Kim was overcome with mixed emotions.

“A player is a player is a player.

I wouldn’t call it an order. It was surprising that someone who would be more confused than Kim himself was giving instructions.

“Sure.”

Ghost must have been thinking, too, because his tone was excited. He exchanged a glance with Kim, then broke into a run.

Thrrr.

The spear was in Kim’s hand, and he crossed the alleyway, poised to thrust it.

Halfway through, I got choked up.

“Did you turn it up to double speed? What is he doing that fast?

The distance widened. Ghost, now more than halfway across the street, slices through the two Ashwolves in front of him. He slices off their heads with a single blade.

The sprint doesn’t stop. He swings his sleeve-covered arm, and boom, another one leaps off the building and hits him in the head.

Three already. Now we’re halfway there.

“Chord!”

An Ashwolf fell from the iron staircase. Into the space that had opened up between Kim and Ghost.

Get it!

The blade of the spear lodged in his blackened hair. Kim shook off the spearhead as if to brush it off.

The spear was pulled out, and Ashwolf spun away, slamming into the wall.

‘It’s fraudulent to say the least.

Increase the damage of [Armored Spear’s] special ability, Basic Attack. Simple and effective.

“It feels like the correction is built into the strength itself.

It’s only “when attacking,” and there’s even a 3-time limit… but that’s a 1-star.

Anyway.

Once I got used to the handling of the [Unbreakable Spear], I was able to deal with Ashwolf with ease. Until yesterday, Kim was just a normal person.

“I’m sorry for crushing you every time you float!

[Those who say, “It’s a heresy,” are heretics. They’re like gamblers. They should all be cast into the Polaris World.

This time, I’m determined. If I return someday, I’ll make sure to retrain him.

Bam!

Kim swung her spear upward in a curving motion. One of the Ashwolves that leaped at him was struck and sent flying.

I was probably still breathing, but I didn’t care.

“Leila will take care of it.

There are two Ashwolves left in the alley, including the one you just beat up. A 4-star agent should be able to handle them while protecting the professor.

“There were a few left.

Ten enemies appear in stages 0-4. There are four more that haven’t shown up. Kim Yi Hyun felt the feel of the spear as he walked away.

A garbage-strewn sidewalk. Four of them had already been slaughtered.

“I don’t think there are any left.”

Ghost grabbed the bridge of his mask and pulled it up. He just said, “What the hell,” and he was anything but calm.

Kim’s curiosity was piqued.

In-game, it’s up to you to decide how you want to approach the stage. As such, the exact details of the battle are not shown.

There’s a lot of detail, but at least in 0-4, it’s a scroll.

If yes.

Let’s say the devs didn’t leave out the battle. Would Ghost have acted this way in the canon?

“Ghost. Not that I’m complaining, but can’t you move a little safer? I thought you were going to take things one by one.”

“Do I have to?”

Ghost looked around. He double-checked his safety and began to clean Kukri. Just then, the other three came out of the alley.

“It was a situation where we each had to do our part. This was my share, and you’re more than capable of doing your share.”

“……Ah, yeah.”

“You’ll quickly outgrow what you can handle. Yesterday and today, I felt that way, and when I get back to the lab safely, I’ll have a lot to teach you.”

Indeed.

Flag those who are about to die.

“No, you won’t die.

* * *

Night fell without warning.

After clearing stages 0-4, no battles occurred. There are no monsters roaming around in groups.

Lukewarm calm. Leila’s group felt more like the calm before the storm than relief.

“What was that… thing I saw during the day?”

Leila said, looking out the window. Pablo and Ghost gulped almost simultaneously.

“I don’t know, it was an ominous feeling.”

“The Ashwolves were in a strange state, too. They’re supposed to act in groups, but to climb up to the roof and ambush us? That doesn’t seem like the behavior of a beast.”

“He was also wearing that black thing, and judging by the timing of their appearance, it’s probably related to the ‘thing’ that was attached to the mall building.”

Pavel’s comment made Leila’s head spin. It was a conversation that had gone back and forth a few times before the night.

“I was being manipulated… I guess that’s the way to look at it.”

“It’s not good to jump to conclusions. I’ll have to talk to the researchers when I get back to the lab.”

“That’s what a professor looks like.”

“Mr. Pablo.”

“…Hmm.”

Pablo’s tail twitched under the sting of his eyes.

The professor was not there. He was too scared to come into the room, so I put him down in his room. It was hard to carry him around the whole time.

“What do you think, Mr. Hyun? You seemed to have a lot on your mind earlier, did you pick up on anything?”

It’s in your face.

I could have sworn it was. I’m already breaking out in a cold sweat thinking about what’s going to happen tomorrow.

Kim shrugged his shoulders and replied nonchalantly.

“I don’t know. Maybe it’s someone’s spell.”

“What? That doesn’t make sense.”

A nasal laugh. It was Pablo, of course.

“I’ve never heard of a spell that can cover a building, and I don’t know what it is, but if it’s a hundred, it’s a hundred spells. How can a human withstand that kind of power?”

“He asked, I answered. Why are you arguing?”

Leila let out a deep sigh.

“Mr. Pablo. Seriously, please, in moderation.”

“……Okay, sorry.”

He scratches his head and closes his mouth. Pablo’s sharp-eyed demeanor was uncharacteristic of him.

“I’m like, yeah. I think it’s a possibility.”

“That doesn’t sound good for us.”

“Worst case scenario, someone with such a threatening spell cast Ashwolf to attack us, and it’s no coincidence that the other monsters are nowhere to be seen.”

Silence descended. It was literally the worst.

The Ghost’s skills are impressive to say the least, and Kim is on top of her game, but that’s about it. Pablo and Leila must protect the professor.

So far so good, but when the offense picks up, someone is going to get hurt. Maybe it won’t end in injury.

The air in the living room gets heavy.

“Oh, it’s hard to talk in this mood. Leila, what time is it?”

“It’s 21:37, although it’s been a while since I reconciled it, so it might be off by a few minutes.”

Leila checked her analog wristwatch as she tugged at the frayed leather strap.

“I’ll be right back.”

A casual remark thrown off in passing.

“Yeah. Be careful where you go… okay?”

Leila’s natural retort slipped out of her mouth. Kim shot her a glare like she was crazy.

Did they even listen to the conversation? Didn’t they just discuss how dangerous this was?

“What do you mean by that? Suddenly where?”

Kim’s answer was simple.

“Walk.”

Approximately 17 hours before stage 0-5 begins.

It’s time to get ready to welcome Shaggy.