179 – The Returner’s Anguish (1)
“It’s a dragon.”
Immediately after viewing the video, I contacted Michael Jeter, the president of the association.
“What is the reply?”
“… “I’m not coming.”
However, there was no reply. If you think about Michael Jeter’s attitude of constantly replying until now… It would be correct to think that it’s because I’m busy.
“Let’s get in touch with other people.”
“Okay.”
From then on, Choi Ji-won and I used all possible means to inform people around us of the danger. Take shelter. A monster will appear soon. A dragon appeared in America.
Perhaps because a monster had already appeared, information filtering did not occur. People could fully read our text.
-A dragon appears… ?
-Is this something weird?
However, even if a dragon suddenly appeared, people did not easily believe it.
-Even if I tell you to run away… Where?
-At least it’s a subway station… Is there a place you recommend?
It was also true that in Korea, there was no place to escape to. In safety training somewhere, I heard that if a nuclear bomb explodes, you should evacuate underground, but there was a slight difference between a dragon flying in the sky and a nuclear bomb.
“First of all… Leave the apartment and evacuate to the subway. Or even near a military base.”
After quickly finishing the call, I tapped on the keyboard and started scrolling through social media again.
-Hey, isn’t this a real dragon?
-I just saw it too, and it is flying east. The photo only showed the tail.
-Isn’t this some sort of movie viral thing? Really?
Internet public opinion was still skeptical, but as evidence poured in, public opinion was increasingly shifting towards ‘Is it real?’
-It’s Harrisburg, and a dragon just passed by.
-It’s Philadelphia, and I see a dragon.
-It’s New York… I think it’s coming here.
Now, videos of people coming out of their homes and looking up at the sky have been captured. The number of people who reported the news of the dragon’s appearance to their family and friends increased, and in just 30 minutes, dragons became the focus of attention among awake people on Earth.
-It is a synthesis.
-There is too much evidence for it to be a synthesis.
-It is an American conspiracy.
-The movie shooting went viral.
-This is a large project promoted by a YouTuber.
“Hey, let’s go outside. “There is some kind of dragon in the sky.”
“Really? Can you see it from here?”
“I don’t know. But I heard you’re coming to New York, so you’ll see it.”
While countless rumors are being produced, reproduced, and spread.
“Hello, everyone! Can you see the screen?”
One young man even went so far as to turn on YouTube Live himself and begin his live broadcast.
“This is New York, and do you see that on my screen right now? It’s a dragon, a dragon! It’s a real dragon! “The dragon with wings, claws, and scales!”
The digital camera used to observe wild birds is now chasing dragons flying in the sky. Because the camera was installed in the apartment window, the angle was somewhat subtle, but unlike other people who watched live on their cell phones, the quality of this broadcast was very good.
Less than 5 minutes after going live, the number of viewers quickly exceeded 1 million. Because the broadcast was simply turned on without any special settings, the broadcasting computer was overloaded, leading to a vicious cycle in which the video stopped abruptly.
“Wow, a million. Nonsense. Is this manipulation? I don’t know either. I can’t see the chat window clearly! “Please chat a little more slowly!”
The young man who received attention was just happy. As people with superpowers appear, dragons may also appear. The number of subscribers will increase significantly.
“Oh, the dragon is getting closer. Wait a minute, I need to adjust the camera lens… “
-Hey, I can’t see the dragon very well.
-Try adjusting the camera.
“… “
But gradually, the dragon comes down. The young man’s hand movements, which were so excited, quickly become dull at some point.
Those big teeth. Slit pupils. Red flames flowing from the mouth.
“Uh, uh… “
The closer the dragon gets, the overwhelming presence you feel. The heart begins to beat rapidly. The computer screen is shaking, so I look down and my legs are shaking against my will. I felt wet so I wiped my chin and found that drool was dripping from his mouth.
“Save, live… “
Young people, no… Now, all citizens of New York were suffering from inexplicable chills. People who were holding their cell phones in the sky dropped them. All animals, including birds and rats, began to flee New York with all their might, and citizens sleeping at home woke up drenched in cold sweat.
To be honest, I came out without much thought. I thought it was just a simple happening. I thought it was a friendly dragon to us.
There were many excuses. But what good are all your excuses if there is no one to listen to them?
“Please save me!”
“Get out of the way! Get out of the way!”
“aaah!”
Like a herbivore facing a carnivore, all humans in New York have understood at the instinct level.
Now, they are on the verge of death.
“… “
Flutter. Fluttering.
A dragon hovering over New York, slowly moving its wings. Those split pupils look at humanity running away in disbelief.
Grumbling…
At the same time, the dragon’s mouth begins to glow red. If there was a great player nearby, he would comment like this.
‘Is that the breath from that creation? ‘You can’t stop that.’
“Ah, ah… “
The pants of a young man who turned on the live broadcast at home are wet with leaked urine. On his broadcast screen, a scene where the dragon’s maw was stained red was clearly visible.
“… Uh?”
Even the scene where a figure suddenly appears on the dragon’s back.
-He is the president of the association.
Michael Jeter was suddenly standing on the dragon’s back. His entire body is covered with items of unknown origin, and he is holding a large golden ax with both hands.
He literally appeared ‘suddenly’. As if he was always there.
“?!”
Is it because I was concentrating too much on holding my breath in my mouth? The dragon’s reaction to the sudden appearance of the enemy was slightly, very slightly delayed.
“Hmph!”
Michael Jeter quickly swung the ax, cutting off both wings of the dragon.
“Kooooo!!!”
Although a dragon does not use its wings to support its huge body, the magic for flight itself is built into the wings. The dragon’s body, which had been stabbed in its weak spot, slowly began to fall to the ground.
Quaaah!!!
Is it a struggle of its own? As the dragon fell, the flames contained within his mouth were released.
Dark night. The center of New York City suddenly burns brighter than daylight.
At the same time, the entire screen turns white with that light.
-The broadcast has ended.
All live broadcasts in New York, regardless of platform, ended in an instant.
“… “
“… “
Choi Ji-won and I looked at the broadcast screen that ended in silence. What I just saw was so shocking that I didn’t know what to say.
“This… “Can we win if we join forces?”
“… I don’t know.”
Although I only saw a very fragmentary scene… The dragon looked incredibly strong. Can my cold stop that breath? No way.
And the movement of the association president, Michael Jeter, has also become faster than before. Unlike us, it is clear that they have become stronger by constantly climbing the tower.
“… “
Now, those of us who did not climb the tower are definitely eliminated. I can’t picture Choi Ji-won winning against that dragon. It’s probably the same for Choi Ji-won. If he could win, he would probably say he would win like he did with the Minotaur.
“… “
Choi Ji-won looks down at her cell phone with a stern expression. I forced myself to pound on the keyboard, trying to gather a little more information.
“In Canada… A big bird… “
“A big wolf has appeared in the western United States.”
“They say an orc over 5 meters tall has appeared in Russia.”
“On the border between France and Germany, there are three giant chickens… They’re dying now. “I think it will be subdued soon.”
After America quit, monsters are appearing all over the world. However, not all countries suffered damage from monsters, and the strength of the monsters was completely different.
Wouldn’t simply picking 10 create a strong monster? It is clear that there are additional rules.
“I don’t know the exact rules, but… “Is this all there is for now?”
However, even at this point, one thing is certain.
A monster appears when a player enters the 15th floor. And now these monsters are the remnants of players who cleared the 15th floor in the early days. In other words, if you endure this, monsters will not appear for a while.
“… “I hope things end well for the US.”
I stared at the computer screen, shaking my legs anxiously. Did Michael Jeter win? If it’s the American West… This is where William Smith, who had the ability to recover, was located.
I felt a hand tapping my shoulder while I was in trouble.
“Huh?”
“… “It’s Junho.”
Choi Ji-won holds out her cell phone to me with a pale complexion. A tiger covered in blood appears on her screen.
“At Namsan… They say a huge tiger appeared… People are dying now… “
“… “
“People… People are looking for me… Choi Ji-won… Where and what are you doing? “
Choi Ji-won, who bit her lower lip so hard that it bled, looked at me with her moist eyes and said.
“… “It’s Junho.”
“… Uh.”
“I… Even if I die here… “I think I should go.”
I wanted to say it was dangerous, but… I couldn’t bear to stop her.
“Let’s go together.”
And she had no intention of sending her alone.