Episode 82 – Encroachers (2)
“—!”
Even though I used a chainsaw, some of them were still alive. The residents rode out on horseback and killed the men, ending the situation completely.
I am quite satisfied with the performance of the chainsaw I used for the first time. Although the usage time is a bit short, it seemed like it could be used destructively if used well at the right time.
‘If I sell it, I can buy it again.’
From Noble mtl dot com
They walked around the messed up land and collected by-products. Those by-products were also valuable assets. I could make money by selling it to the Creature Hunting Hunters Association.
If you purchase equipment and arm your residents with the money you earn, you will have the upper hand in the battle against bugs.
[Bug appearance at lvl 3]
“uh?”
But, confused by the subsequent notifications, I absentmindedly enlarged the screen.
The residents, who were rejoicing in their victory and rushing to collect their by-products, also saw the plains visible in the distance, and their smiling faces gradually hardened.
Enemies of a similar size to the ones I had just defeated in one go had crossed the one-shot rift and were coming towards this place once again.
‘The number of them has increased.’
I couldn’t judge quickly whether it was a coincidence or not. In any case, the clear fact was that they were coming once again, and the residents were shouting and hastily preparing for battle again.
This time I couldn’t help. It took a little more time before I could use the chainsaw again.
He could blow a wind of healing, but he had to think carefully. Maybe this isn’t the end.
“–, —!”
The person leading the soldiers was a warrior named Lauren. Holding a bow and arrows made from mutant by-products, he consoled the panicked people and began the battle once again with the approaching enemies.
‘also.’
I was right in my decision to airlift the equipment through creature hunting. Weapons made from the by-products of mutants containing magical powers were effective in breaking the hard shells of enemies even when used by ordinary soldiers.
The arrows they shot flew straight through and pierced the bodies of the approaching monster ants. They kept their distance while shooting their bows, and the moment they ran out of arrows, they charged forward and started a proper fight.
Those who are not skilled are bound to feel awkward. Most of the battles they experienced were against enemies on horseback.
However, when fighting bugs and glitches that resemble monsters such as large insects, there were times when riding a horse was disadvantageous.
Therefore, they dismounted from their horses, formed a square, and fought them as infantrymen.
Some people were bitten by shields or weapons with their sharp and strong jaws, but when they bit one person, the others stabbed them from the side with weapons and immediately cut off the person’s life.
‘Luckily it doesn’t come again.’
There were a few casualties, but ultimately our troops successfully suppressed the enemy. The warriors, armed with hunter’s equipment, actively used their skills and equipment, and through a coordinated attack, captured the ant that appeared to be the leader, and the remaining ants were all killed after a fierce fight with their teeth clenched.
The tension eased slightly, but I still couldn’t relax. Because you might get hit with 3 or 4 hits in a row. Still, this time the invasion did not begin again even as time passed.
“—, –.”
Varun, surprised by the battle becoming bigger than expected, arrived late with reinforcements. Varun looked embarrassed and apologetic for not coming earlier, but Lauren, who led the troops and successfully defended the area, seemed to shake his head and say no.
‘You must be worried.’
I looked at Varun’s stern face and had a vague idea of his intentions.
Although we defeated them well, the shock of them attacking us one after another was quite shocking. Aside from the fact that they are strong, if their numbers increase, the war will inevitably turn into a war of attrition.
It didn’t sound good to us. If we weren’t constantly receiving new residents from outside, there’s no way we would be able to fight a war of attrition with those monsters whose identity we don’t even know.
No, seeing as how the recently cleared nests were growing at an incredible rate, a war of attrition was something that should not be done no matter what.
[Lv 3 bug appears]
“No again!?”
It wasn’t even over yet. At this point, we can’t pass it off as a coincidence. As soon as the second wave of enemies was defeated, the third wave began to arrive.
The number of allies, including reinforcements, exceeds a hundred, so a small group of about a dozen at most can be dealt with without difficulty, but I, as well as the residents in the screen, already have an intuition that this is not the end.
Obviously, the numbers will increase and they will become stronger. If there is a way, it should be solved.
-They invaded one after another? From one direction?
“Their patterns are becoming more and more diverse. Either they attack by crossing the crack, or they prey on local forces and build a nest there. “You will need to prepare.”
Immediately after properly blocking the third wave of bugs. I told Lee So-yeon this fact. Sharing information with her was very helpful, especially in investigating bugs, which were our main enemies.
‘From irregular small-scale invasions to nests that spew out large numbers of enemies if not killed in time, to sequential attacks in the form of waves.’
Their means of attacking us are becoming more sophisticated and diverse. We had to pay attention to prevent that too.
-We have now attacked a bug nest…
“Waves may appear there soon.”
By talking to Soyeon Lee, who was working slightly later than me, I was able to get a rough idea of what the pattern was.
It may have been a coincidence that the bugs that leaked out attacked the locals, ate them, and created nests, but it was clear that there was some sort of pattern in which the bug nests that needed to be attacked were determined.
‘I thought I might find some time to relax again.’
After finishing chatting with Soyeon Lee, I quickly logged into the game. I was slightly relieved that I could relax a little due to the performance of the residents who won the battle against local rivals, but it turned out to be a foolish thought.
‘Let’s proceed as quickly as possible.’
I accessed Dark Blood where Riena was waiting, gave her a thumbs up, accepted her greeting, and moved my character.
Given the unusual behavior of the bugs, the help of more games and programs will probably be needed. In order to even pay attention to them, I had to clear the game I was currently playing.
“Keuuu…”
“Kyaaak!”
The good news is that as Riena grows, her physical strength is also rapidly increasing.
“—!”
She pulled out her sword and swung at the ghosts that were screaming at her and fired a skill, and the frost ghosts that were in the middle of the slash were cut in half and killed.
Even after showing off like that, her fatigue level, as shown on the condition chart, barely wore off. It felt like I could fight all day if I wanted to.
***
‘What happened outside?’
If you pretend, you pretend. As she stayed with him, Riena’s insight quickly increased, and thanks to the many times they spent together, her ability to read his movements and actions and guess his intentions was better than that of any other resident.
From her perspective, he was once again preoccupied with something else.
Then there is only one cause. Something happened in the outside world. Of course, if it was a really big problem, she, the strongest warrior, would be taken out and put in, so Riena was concerned but wasn’t too worried.
“Ugh, again.”
On the way to the frozen fortress, enemies attacked again. Until now, they had been farmers who had become ghosts, but now the armed soldiers had become frost ghosts, their blue eyes flashing.
He first raised his staff and cast a spell, shooting a fireball that blew away cold air and hit them one-sidedly.
And in that gap, Riena burst in and swung a sword with a flashing golden light, cutting into the bodies of the enemies with a single sword.
The divinity she embraced purified and blew away the power of the ghosts.
“The heroes who inherited God’s will have arrived.”
“Who are you?”
“It’s just a vengeful spirit that can’t leave.”
Someone approached them.
Riena flinched at the sight of her translucent body, with both armor and head completely disfigured, and looked back at him, but he remained calm even when he saw the ghost that suddenly appeared.
Seeing that, Riena quickly regained her composure. The fact that he stays still is the same as saying that he already knows.
“A beautiful female knight who received divinity. The devil lives in front of us. “Did you come here knowing this?”
“That’s right.”
Now Riena proudly puffed out her chest and did not hesitate to answer. Because he had to pay the price for being called into this world and gaining unimaginable power. It was his duty to catch the demon lords, the game’s boss mobs.
It wasn’t difficult at all. Because I’ve already solved it twice.
“It seems like you only know half of it. The devil is a devil, but he’s a ‘real’ devil. really.”
“What is that…”
However, Vengeance laughed at her answer and trembled with a fearful expression on his face.
She already knew about demons, so she asked back, slightly embarrassed by the fact that they were real. At the same time, I reflexively looked back at him, but the sight of him calmly listening to the other person was also slightly strange.
As if surprised, he hurriedly approached the spirit and made a gesture as if he was going to talk to him.
“Take care of yourself. Perhaps that darkness cannot be helped even by divine power…”
After speaking, the spirit became blurred and disappeared.
Embarrassed, Riena stood still and looked at him, but he just stood frozen and motionless.
‘It has changed. Up ahead, something happened to this game.’
In fact, he was sweating coldly while sitting in front of the screen and was unable to press the keyboard.
Normally, NPCs you just met will not disappear in this way. After all quests are completed, the frost that has settled on the fortress disappears and Buddha attains enlightenment.
I couldn’t help but think that there was something in front of me between the strategy video and the already distorted variables.
‘bug?’
There was only one thing to doubt in this situation. Regardless of whether it was possible or real, I had to choose whether to keep going or not.
“These clever bastards.”
He laughed alone in the room. If you stop the progress here just in case, Riena’s growth and Dark Blood will no longer be available.
If the enemy had deliberately targeted this and infiltrated the game, it would have been a very clever and efficient action. Because the residents won’t get stronger without the game.
“Please trust me. “No matter what lies ahead, I will definitely win.”
Riena spoke to him in a cautious voice. Of course, her words cannot be heard through the monitor.
‘It probably means asking you to trust me.’
However, when he saw those eyes looking directly at him, he eventually put his hands on the keyboard again.