Episode 7: Tidal Wave of Monsters / Chapter 108: New Land, New Era (2)

TL: emptycube / ED: Obelisk

The population of Dragonic was increasing.

As Earth only had around 2 years left before collapse, each sovereign actively encouraged emigration to Dragonic.

The colonized lands, which were scattered like dots, were connecting together. As they had already explored the topography between the colonized lands during the great war between the ‘Anti-Berserker Alliance’ and the Berserkers, trade between the different colonized lands was progressing smoothly.

The 6 overseers (excluding Nasir as he has no authority), the 9 great sovereigns, who acted on Nasir’s authority, as well as the 4 sovereigns who stayed neutral during the war. A total of 19 sovereigns recruited colonizers and allied with each other, growing their forces.

The majority of sovereigns drew colonizers in with promises of freedom and benefits. Freedom meant the freedom to choose how they made Mission Points, and benefits referred to tax benefits.

It had been a long time since major currencies on Earth had been replaced by Mission Points, which could buy supplies from the alliance. Methods to earn Mission Points included personally going out and completing alliance missions, providing goods to those who earned Mission Points through the first method, and selling Earth’s goods to aliens in the lowest-ranked supply store for Mission Points. (No one would buy any Earth goods when brought to the low-ranked supply store used by low-ranked warriors.)

As many people completely avoided alliance missions, which risked their lives, most colonized lands were maintaining a 2:3 ratio of combat-oriented colonizers to non-combat-oriented colonizers. Combat-oriented colonizers made more income, but non-combat-oriented colonizers were comparatively safer. There were even some among the colonizers who went back and forth between combat missions and business activities, balancing risk and income.

Most colonized lands weren’t simply a union of adventurers but were also comprised of inns, markets, woodworking shops, construction firms, restaurants, and red-light districts.

However, differences between the Berserkers’ land and other normal colonized lands could be seen simply from the streets.

First, the buildings were sloppy. Unlike other colonized lands, which built large, refined buildings by using cutting edge technology, their buildings were small, simple and crude. The material used to build them was different as well. Unlike other colonized lands, which made steel, concrete and other materials from the processing of raw materials collected in Dragonic, the Berserkers used raw materials like wood and stone to build their buildings. Without the need for a separate process and technology, the colonizers could simply cut the materials with their swords.

The difference between the Berserkers’ land and other colonized lands wasn’t comparative to the difference between the countryside and a city, but rather the difference between the Middle Ages and present age.

The only decent buildings within the Berserkers’ land were the ones built by the previous sovereigns before Choi Hyuk captured them.

The reason was simple.

There were no purely non-combat-oriented colonizers within the Berserkers’ land. They were all required to join a combat mission once every two weeks. Although there were some who, after completing their duties, spent the remainder of their time running business activities. However, when compared to other colonized lands, these colonizers, who went back and forth between combat and non-combat, leaned heavily towards the combat side. They didn’t have the various economies to support building decent buildings.

However, despite its crude appearance, the Berserkers’ land always bustled with activity.

“Looking for a party for a mission exploring the northern regions of Dragonic!”

“Recruiting for a reconnaissance mission on the Lemir Star! Preferential treatment to long-distance attackers!”

“We’re going on a mission to the Cayenne Star, subjugating monster remnants and exploring ruins. Our party prioritizes safety over results. We are a heavily armed troop. A tanker with at least 2-star Endurance is welcome.”

People gathered in every square, looking for parties to go on missions with.

Also, every shabby bar and restaurant was packed with people, sharing their visions of the future.

“Wow… Did you see those guys from the Lee Jungmin Clan fight? They were flying all over the place. It looks like they value mobility. When they fought, grinding down their opponents with speed, even large monsters were easily handled. I thought that fighting was all about clashing head on, but it looks like you need to use your head a ton.”

“Right. I think your fighting style is important. Overwhelm them with speed, crush them with power, or beat them with techniques. You’re screwed if you increase your stats without any thought.”

“Not only personal style, but there has to be a concept to your party as well. You can’t join really important missions with parties simply gathered in squares, you know? Even if it’s difficult, I think it’s important to decide a concept before forming a crew.”

“Yeah, that Changsoo fellow only recruited long-range attackers for a reconnaissance mission this time. They say he hit the jackpot. Said he earned a ton of Mission Points.”

“As expected, is it currently the era of long-range attackers?”

“Well, to make money at our level, long-range attackers are the best. But to take down the really strong guys, you’ll have to use close quarters combat in the end. Look at the Berserkers. They have a small ratio of long-range attackers, but no one can face them.”

“Talking about the Berserkers, Gilsoo recently joined a capture mission overseen by Choi Hyuk personally. He boasted so much that the commander of his troop was Director Lee Jinhee.”

“Director Lee Jinhee? Her probation is over already? Ah, has it been that long already?”

“Yeah, rumors have spread that Overseer Choi Hyuk specifically took her on an especially tough mission for her return.”

“Haa… If Choi Hyuk says it’s tough, just how tough is it? Though, as long as they survive, their earnings will probably be on another level… If it were me, I wouldn’t have gone. Unless it’s Director Baek Seoin’s troop.”

“They won’t even consider someone like you.”

“What’d you say?”

Those who chose the Berserkers’ land usually possessed strong adventurous spirits. They talked endlessly with one another, learning the latest information, and using that information to carve and polish better survival methods for themselves.

**

{Kahur Kabkun[1] discovered. Estimated to be low-ranked. We will take action to destroy it before it grows any further.}

{Good, Warrior Leader Choi Hyuk. You’re on a good pace. Just keep going like this.}

He heard Commander Mack’s bright voice.

{Military gate system. Opening the detected Kahur Kabkun.}

Along with the system voice message, the Kahur Kabkun opened. Kahur Kabkuns were black wormholes, supply routes for the monsters. They were passageways that connected the universe the monsters lived in and the current universe karmalings lived in. As this one was a low-ranked passageway, it would be packed with 3-4-star monsters.

“Let’s go.”

Choi Hyuk rushed towards the opened gate. The Berserkers and the colonizers, who were assigned from the Berserkers’ land, followed behind him.

Following Choi Hyuk’s policy, even those who weren’t Berserkers were dispatched to missions of the highest difficulty. Those assigned to the Kahur Kabkun destroying mission this time were precisely that. Although they weren’t Berserkers, they were acknowledged as fighting specialists.

They felt pride that they could fight alongside the Berserkers, who were known as the best. At the same time, they also had the aspiration to show the Berserkers up with their skills.

Yet, their pride and aspirations soon drooped like soggy sponges.

“Haaa! Haa!”

Not long after the battle began, many participating colonizers weren’t breathing properly. They were completely out of breath. Yet, the battle continued without stopping.

A living hell.

An endless number of monsters swarmed towards them inside the Kahur Kabkun, and the Berserkers continued their relentless advance.

“Stick to the front, bastard!”

A Berserker in command of the regular colonizers shouted.

Kaaaang!!

While flinging away an enormous monster’s front leg with his sword, he shouted,

“Stick to the front!!!”

It seemed it wasn’t easy taking the monster’s attack head on as his complexion wasn’t good.

“Kuaack! Kuaah!”

At his angry urge, the normal colonizers stuck to the front, their voices indistinguishable between a scream and a shout. Hit by a monster’s leg, a few of them were hurled far away. A gap opened up within the battle lines again. Then the Berserker in charge shouted again,

“Quickly stick together!!”

These regular colonizers were experiencing this kind of battle for the first time. It was a battle no different from a brawl. There was no point differentiating between the vanguard and the rear. The monsters, which were at the 3-4-star level on average, undoubtedly overwhelmed the 2-3-star colonizers. If those at the front became unable to fight, then those in the rear would take their places. If even they became unable to fight, then those who recovered from their wounds with potions and such would take over once again. This repetition of fighting and healing was like hell. A clearly unreasonable advance, yet this was precisely the Berserkers’ fighting style.

The difference between the Berserkers and regular colonizers… they realized that this difference wasn’t simply a gap in stats, but the difference in experience and expertise. The Berserkers, who were fighting as much as they were, didn’t slow down. Even though they were sweating bullets and accumulating wounds, their eyes shined with resoluteness and killing intent.

“Kuhap! Kuhaaa!”

Looking at their appearances, the participating colonizers squeezed out every bit of strength they possessed. Although it was partially due to their pride… They didn’t have a choice either. The moment they were separated from the group, they would die.

Then-

Flash!

They thought lightning had struck, but-

Blaze!

Flames surged like a forest fire.

The dark Kahur Kabkun brightened like dawn.

{Kiyaaaaah!}

The monsters screamed.

Due to the light, they could see monster cocoons packed on the outer walls of the Kahur Kabkun. Those monsters squirmed, still growing even in this moment as the Kahur Kabkun increased their sizes.

“Burn all those insects!”

Choi Hyuk’s voice was interesting. Even though it didn’t seem like he was shouting, everyone could still clearly hear his voice.

“Burn them all!”

The Berserkers repeated Choi Hyuk’s words in the same manner they would shout, ‘Party time!’

“Hiyaaahaaa!!!”

The Berserkers dashed forward in high spirits. The cocoons were ripped apart. As the large blood vessels flowing along the outer walls were stabbed all over the place, black blood began to flow down. Soon after, Choi Hyuk’s flames adhered to it and, as if burning fuel, it engulfed the blood and the remains. A sea of flames gradually spread everywhere.

“Haa… Haa… Crazy bastards… Haa…”

The regular colonizers, who had become so exhausted they didn’t even have the strength to speak, became pale at the sight of the Berserkers, who seemed just as vigorous as they were at the start.

With bloodshot eyes, the Berserkers ripped everything apart and, depending on the situation, were ripped apart as well. However, they didn’t hesitate in the slightest.

Why wouldn’t this be difficult for the Berserkers? However, they were used to this as they always fought to their limits.

Kwaooooh!

Enormous flames blew and a white flash shined in a straight line like lightning. Choi Hyuk’s Flaming Wing Dance and Instant Void Annihilation could clearly be seen from anywhere in the battle formation. The only reason why an army at the 2-3-star level could capture a Kahur Kabkun frequented by 3-4-star monsters was because Choi Hyuk was at the very front, ripping the brunt of the enemy’s attack to shreds.

“… Monster.”

“No, no, a god. That’s a fighting god.”

That was how the reverence they had for Choi Hyuk became a level deeper.

Berserkers’ fights ended as quickly as they were intense.

Choi Hyuk looked behind him. He saw regular colonizers, who were so exhausted they couldn’t even keep their eyes open properly, and Berserkers, who were snickering despite having lost strength in their legs. He also saw monster and human corpses strewn behind them like a carpet.

Choi Hyuk currently stood in front of the Kahur Kabkun entrance. A black abyss-like space was spread in front of him.

An unpleasant karma flowed in from beyond it. It was definitely karma, yet it was different from the karma earthlings and aliens affiliated with the alliance possessed. Although Choi Hyuk could almost identically imitate the karma the Flame Wing Tribe used, he couldn’t imitate this. This so-called ‘monsters’ karma’, which was fundamentally different from karmalings’, was unpleasant, sticky and ferocious.

Just beyond where he stood was a universe fundamentally different from the one earthlings inhabited. A universe in a completely different dimension. The homeland of the monsters. The world of death.

The black hole looked blood-red in Choi Hyuk’s eyes. It possessed killing intent thicker than any human’s he had seen yet. He could clearly see and feel its will of wanting to annihilate all karmalings. ‘Something’ from beyond was fuming. It was anxious to bore a wider Kahur Kabkun. As long as it could send a sufficient number of sufficiently powerful monsters, it would be able to instantly annihilate the karmalings of this weak universe… Its arrogant thoughts, irritated by the difficulty of crossing dimensions, crossed over in a telepathic form.

Choi Hyuk’s heart was filled with something fierce. ‘You’re that strong?’ was what he thought. When he saw something strong, he wanted to break it. It could instantly annihilate us if a Kahur Kabkun was big enough…? Wasn’t that being too arrogant?

However, Choi Hyuk suppressed his violent impulses. Now was not the time. He couldn’t handle the monster beyond right now. Wasn’t he so weak he couldn’t even enact his own revenge? Those monsters in the world beyond, known as ‘demises’, were existences even Exalted Wings like Dark-Sound feared.

‘But one day…’

Choi Hyuk suppressed his surging impulses as he threw a ‘Kahur Kabkun Destroying Bomb’ into the black hole and turned his back.

“We return.”

He had to quickly return and quickly prepare for the next fight as an especially large number of Kahur Kabkuns were appearing in the Virgo Cluster, which was at the border. It was also an opportunity for him to grow stronger.

[1] Kahur Kabkun, so this used to be called Kaluh Kabkun, but the author changed it. Going with this spelling from now on guys o/

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