Chapter 23

Chapter 23

In a normal battle, there was no way the Whitefang could have been pushed back. A tunnel with no curves and no cover. There’s no room to duck under fire.

There is also numerical superiority. Assuming you don’t allow access, this is an environment where firearms have an overwhelming advantage.

But what about the reality. If anything, I was feeling the pressure of the white phosphorus.

“What a monster…!”

Squad leader Robben groaned. Snowfield ran flat out down the wall, away from the baptism of bullets. It was not a human movement.

The only reassurance was that the enemy was outnumbered. A single shot from Chelsea opened the way.

“They’re definitely on guard.

Kim watched Snowfield’s movements carefully, trying to read the situation as objectively as possible amidst the chaos.

In fact, Mary’s skill has a very short duration. A mere 3 seconds in her untrained state.

Three seconds was a long time ago. Snowfield’s spell had already stabilized.

“Still, it’s deceptive enough.

It worked in the game, and it works in real life. The fact that Snowfield isn’t just jumping in with both feet and trusting the spell is proof of that.

“I’m glad you got your money’s worth.

At this point, Mary was capped at three shots per spell. We needed someone who could use a limited-count weapon well.

‘……I didn’t realize it would be a lifeline.’

Kim checked my physical condition. It’s not bad. I feel a dull ache all over my body as if I have muscle pain, but my limbs move well.

In front of me was a whitefin.

No one was running around in a panic. Some were fighting, others were… frozen, unmoving.

I decided not to think about it for now.

It must survive, and it must be brought back alive.

Ting!

Kim removed the pin from the smoke bomb and tossed it halfway between Whitefang and Snowfield. He’d gotten it from his platoon leader. It hissed and green smoke began to billow out.

“Get back while you shoot!”

Bryce, realizing their intentions, hurriedly gave orders. Unfortunately, the men’s haste in pouring ammunition into the guns had left them empty.

But they won’t go quietly. It’s easy to envision a future where you’re wiped out by the enemy that’s chasing you. Someone had to stop them.

“Bryce. Hand over the shield.”

His voice was unusually clear, even to my dulled ears from the gunfire. Kim Yi Hyun discarded his dented shield and approached with his bare hands.

Kim wasn’t looking at Bryce. She glared at Snowfield through the smoke. His eyes were unusually venomous.

There was no time to hesitate. Bryce nodded. He handed over his own shield and shouted, “I’m coming!

“…… retreating! Spill all remaining ammo!”

Whitefang’s men fired into the smoke. Despite the growing distance, Snowfield showed no sign of pursuit.

One by one, the men ran out of ammunition. The hail of bullets dropped noticeably. By then, the snowfield had accelerated again.

Snowfield crossed the tunnel in a flash, and out of the smoke came the tunnel. I crouched low to narrow the area of impact of the bullets.

Poof!

The second shot was also a hit.

This time it was the shoulder. Chelsea didn’t have a spell. But his shooting ability alone will make him an elite member of the Rap in the future.

The frost has vanished from your armor once more. The momentum of the charge was dead. As if he hadn’t been waiting, Kim launched himself, slamming into the snowfield.

Bam!

“What the hell, it’s not even a truck…!

Kim gritted her teeth at the unexpected shock. Her whole body felt like it was breaking. A shiver ran down her spine at the thought of what it would have been like if it had been her bare body instead of the shield.

Snowfield is quicker to regain his footing than Kim is. Ignoring the sprawled Kim, he reaches out to the fleeing men.

Quack!

That’s when Snowfield’s leg caught the hook. The pull was strong. Snowfield braced himself and looked away.

“Go away, asshole.”

Kim was on the ground, clutching the rope. [Tactical Hook]. Two-star special armament.

It has no damage modifier because it is classified as an accessory and not a weapon. A piece of equipment with the simple special ability to attract enemies.

He’s a two-star with a lot to offer… but he’s still a two-star. Don’t expect too much from him. He’s also less effective against bosses in the game.

The hook froze, and a chill spread through the line. Kim quickly let go. This was no one to play with.

And a third foot.

Poof!

The last shot struck Snowfield in the side. As soon as the spell was suppressed, Kim drew out his [Armored Spear]. Though more inconvenient than a firearm, there was no weapon that could match the power of a blow.

Kim Yi Hyun leaped up and threw out [Moo Byung Chang].

The blow came from an unsteady position, but it was sharper and heavier than ever. I thought it might be the power of a crisis.

It turned out to be a good thing.

As it turned out, the tip of the spear didn’t reach the armor. I couldn’t even bemoan the waste. Kim looked down at my hand in disbelief.

“What did you do?

The two cracked spears intersected at an angle and fell. Before I knew it, the pole had been cut off. Surely this was not a one-star quality setting?

Even her last ditch effort failed. Chelsea’s – no, Mary’s – ammunition has run out, and if Snowfield doesn’t realize it now, he will soon.

I’m really out of options now. Just as I was thinking that, Snowfield spoke up.

“……They owe their lives to you.”

It’s a pretty good sounding name. Snowfield is a woman, as you can tell by her physique. And a pretty one at that. That’s why she’s so popular with users.

Snowfield seemed to want to talk. That was a good thing. For now, there was only one thing Kim could do.

Running your mouth.

He stayed alone, which was his intention from the beginning. He had no intention of sacrificing himself to save his companions. He’s no ghost.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to chase you?”

“The way ahead is complicated, with several paths merging in this tunnel, so I’ve been waiting for you here.”

“That’s nice of you to explain.”

This means that if they scatter, it’s not practical to catch and kill them all. In reality, the Whitefangs were scattering and fleeing.

“It doesn’t make any difference if there’s one or six of them, and if there’s a sniper, it’s seven, and my information will get to the ground.”

“Then I hope you’ll just send it to me.”

“Kidding.”

I say that with a smile. Snowfield wasn’t a pushover.

“We are distant. The people who have joined hands with us are criminals, devils who kill people for profit and then brag about it in front of everyone.”

The tone was contemptuous.

“At least you have the name of defending the city, and even if you’re the same murderer, I’m more willing to honor the likes of you.”

Snowfield stared down the tunnel. The route the enemy had taken……. Rather than that fact, his eyes focused on the darkness that had fallen underground.

“But where’s the good and the bad in the first place? I just feel sorry for my body, whoever it is.”

The darkness seemed to squirm as if it had a mind of its own, and it was her troubles, her anger, that made it so illusory.

“I think at the end of the day, everybody has a role…and it flows accordingly.”

“I’m sorry, I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“I see.”

His ideas were not clear enough for others to understand. Snowfield himself didn’t quite understand his own mind.

To protect Kilikia. Their purpose is so simple and clear, yet her heart is clouded with darkness.

Meanwhile.

For some time now, Kim’s mind has been running through a series of hypotheses, both proposed and dismissed. The topic was ‘why did Snowfield come here’.

The first thing I thought about was why things had turned out differently from the original scenario, and the answer was already there.

“Of course it’s me.

There were other possibilities. The possibility that there was a “foreign object” that fell on the Polaris other than Kim Yi Hyun here.

We ruled it out.

Thinking about it makes any reasoning impossible. He could only see the butterfly effect of his actions.

“So now the question is, what event is it associated with?

Kilikia. Ulantz. Tulavia. As time goes on, it’s going to be harder and harder to keep track, but Kim hasn’t done much yet.

If there was an event that might have influenced Snowfield’s behavior, it would be…….

There’s only one thing that comes to mind.

Kim moistened her dry lips with saliva. Now that she was done pondering, it was time to tease her tongue.

“You don’t look like what I’ve heard about you.”

Snowfield’s gaze fell on Kim once more. She’d been on the lookout for the sniper the whole time, but by the looks of things, he’d backed off.

I’ll use them as hostages to lure the enemy underground. No, that’s too much trouble. Now is the time to strike. This man is best dealt with cleanly.

Her hand tightened on the knife.

“The name, the. Talixis. Is it not?”

The snowfield froze.

“I guess it is. Well, it’s so characteristic. You always wear it when you’re out and about, don’t you?”

“Do you know me?”

“I heard something from a friend.”

“Friends?”

“A guy named Caribe.”

Silence descended.

Covered by his helmet, Kim couldn’t read Snowfield’s expression, but he could imagine it.

In my mind’s eye, Snowfield was panicking. His pigmented pale blue eyes were wide open, his lips pouting like a fish.

No, I’m not going to make that stupid face, because I’m deeply emotional, but I don’t usually show it.

“You’re called Shadows over there. How are you these days? Have you cured yourself of your sullen nature yet?”

Her voice was filled with emotion. Kim spoke in a nostalgic manner, as if they were long-lost best friends. It wasn’t hard to act.

Seungbae Yoo, Seungjun Oh, Sangkoo Kim…….

Kim had friends, too.

‘Bastards. You never thought I’d be rolling around here.’

I should have listened when I nagged him to stop spending money on his phone game. This is what I got for all my hard work shielding him from his love game.

Snowfield stiffened for a moment, then dropped her head slightly. Then she answered.

“Carib is dead.”

“…What, dead?”

“They said they found a body in the middle of nowhere in Cadillac. I can’t say anything more than that, and even if I knew something else, I wouldn’t be allowed to divulge it.”

“……Huh.”

Kim slowly lowered his gaze to the ground. She refrained from overreacting. There was no need to pry into the details of how Carib died.

As natural as possible.

In Snowfield’s eyes, Kim is an armed man who moves in and out of the underground. He is accustomed to the death of others.

He had already dropped the information that he was a friend of Carib’s. This time it was Snowfield’s turn to lead the conversation.

“Where did you meet him?”

“The Xuran Empire. I’m… from as far away as you can see, so I’ve been wandering around. Karib was quite helpful. I’ve been asked to join the Legion, but I’m not sure I have the heart for it.”

“When did you realize we were in Kilikia?”

“I wasn’t sure, just what he told me. He said if you ever stay in Kilikia, be careful. Haha, I was hoping for something at the time.”

Kim spat out a dry laugh and lifted his head again, staring at the knife, which hadn’t a drop of blood on it.

“How long are you going to talk?”

“You weren’t trying to beg for your life.”

“You brought up Caribe, I was just wondering how you were doing. I didn’t realize you were gone, but who am I to make connections for you.”

“…….”

“I know what you’re doing, Legion, and I know why you’re doing it, and even though I can’t relate to it, it’s none of my fucking business. It’s some kind of gigantic current, and as you say, assholes like me, we’ll just have to go with the flow.”

It was a lie, of course. I wasn’t about to be swept along gently.

Sometimes by deception, sometimes by death. I will use all my knowledge and power to disrupt.

Kim has already sacrificed a lot.

It’s easy to spew lies on the tip of your tongue. I could shoot people with impunity if I thought they were the enemy. My guilt and displeasure faded, and sometimes it felt like work.

I often think to myself. “I” wouldn’t do this.

Age 26. Office worker. A normal guy, who’s been beaten down by work, beaten down by people, called a shithead, played Polaris, and occasionally talked about living with a group of friends.

There were many times when I realized that I was different. Maybe in a year or two, Kim’s prototype will be weathered and gone.

It’s something to live with.

To keep themselves alive. To make the world a little less of a shitty place.

I decided when I saved Ghost and killed Carib. When I brought in Asterique and Roscoe, it only solidified my resolve.

“I’m not going to get fucked over here.

Kim closed her eyes and counted the seconds in her mouth.

Ten seconds passed, and the blade still hadn’t fallen. Snowfield stared down at Kim, his eyes serene.

In fact, Snowfield herself was not a sympathizer with the Legion’s ideas; she found the idea of oppressing the incapacitated unappealing.

It just wandered. While wandering, the Legion picked up Talixis, and from that day forward, Talixis became Snowfield.

Caribe and I were friends. That was why. Why I invaded Kilikia when I had no interest in doing so.

Now that Carib was dead and gone, I had to take his place. No one told me to do it, but I did.

So what is this person’s role?

Snowfield finally lowered his sword.

“Leave the city. If you want to live a long life.”

“Doesn’t …… kill you?”

“Kilikia is just the beginning. What can you do but let the waves wash over you, and I won’t have to do a thing.”

I didn’t completely trust Carib’s word that he was a friend. I just didn’t feel like killing anyone who remembered him with my own hands.

“Snowfield” was such a person.

Pekatum washed up in the Legion by accident. She could have been a member of the Mafia, a bounty hunter or League player, or an agent of Celbrox Labs.

It’s an unfortunate position to be in, which is why some players have been clamoring for him to be a playable character.

It was a wish that would never be fulfilled.

Chuck.

Snowfield turned and began walking away, as if there was nothing more to discuss. His shadow disappeared in a puff of green smoke, and his footsteps grew more distant.

Even after the smoke cleared, Kim kept an eye on it. She wondered if a knife would come flying at her when she turned her back.

How many minutes passed like that.

“…Hahaha.”

Convinced that Snowfield had left, Kim lay sprawled on the ground. Exhaustion took over her body, and her clothes were drenched in sweat.

“I really thought I was going to die this time.”

I realized how miserable the underdogs are in the Polaris world: all they can do to survive is talk.

It was an experience I never want to go through again. I’ve never taken a fight with low odds, but I’ll be more careful in the future.

“If it’s unfair, it’s unfair.

Shadow is dead and Don Snowfield shows up in Kilikia out of the blue? How could anyone humanly have predicted this?

But there’s no one to listen when you complain. You’re left to deal with the consequences of the unexpected.

‘I was in a hurry. There are several stages after LW-3, and you’re trying to eat it raw.’

I’ll give him credit where credit is due. At this point in the story, it’s a world that’s both similar to and different from the Polaris Kim knew.

“We need to be more careful.

We need to be more sophisticated than we are now.

Kim forced himself to his feet, exhausted. Up ahead was smoke that showed no sign of abating. Below him, he could see scattered shell casings and equipment.

And the body.

Platoon Leader Kiara. Tony, the cheeky one; Philip, the big, scared one; Iana, the one who fed us every time we met; Graves, the reclusive one.

Mary.

“……that fucking asshole.”

Kim turned on his heel. She had heard the commotion and was afraid the beast was coming. He had to get out of there quickly to avoid wasting time.

You throw a fit like a baby or beat your chest because you accidentally killed a coworker. Whatever you do, go home and crawl under the covers.

I wouldn’t do either.