Chapter 356

〈 Chapter 356 〉 Part 1, Chapter 15, Section 14

I’ve been waiting for this day for so long!

The final Cube located on the Korean Peninsula.

The mastermind behind the ‘Pyongyang Incident,’ a device created to cause the irrational situation and downfall of the peninsula: <Nuclearian>. The day has finally come to take it down.

Around 6:30 AM on August 15, 2020.

Though the sun had yet to fully rise, four SS-Rank Special Ability users floated high above Pyongyang.

Me, <Blazing Phoenix>, burning brightly with blue flames within my black armor.

<Xiao Lin> wielding the <Phantom Dragon>, her gray battle robe adorned with yin-yang motifs, embodying the strongest warrior.

<Gaechonkwang>, resplendent in golden armor with flowing golden hair.

And <Seoyea's Daughter>, wearing her ethereal white feathered gown like a celestial being.

“…Seriously, we’re not going to livestream this?”

[Of course not.]

We planned to erect a barrier from the start, completely cutting off all external connections. Thus, there’s no worry about Seok Harang’s spirit-sensitive feathered gown leaking out.

‘Anyway, it’ll be broadcast worldwide later.’

The battle against Seongju will be watched by the entire world. So even if Seok Harang feels embarrassed about her outfit now, this secret won’t stay hidden forever.

“Don’t be shy, daughter of Set Night. You look beautiful.”

“I think it’s pretty good…”

Approved by the spirits. I’m used to seeing it, so it doesn’t look bad at all. It’s similar to when your personal color or Yuna’s influence starts showing through – like the pre-synchronization phase.

[Are all preparations complete?]

Enough chit-chat. The other three solemnly nodded. As someone who’d envisioned this battle in my mind for a long time, I had no complaints about having the best raid team assembled. In fact, I was grateful.

Flame!

I stretched my hand toward the sky and snapped my fingers. Under the rising sunlight, a dome-shaped barrier of blue flames spread out, blocking the view from outside.

“Next is me.”

Gaechonkwang shot an arrow into the sky using Vijaya. A golden barrier overlaid beneath the flame barrier, causing the double-layered defense to shimmer with blue and gold light.

“Hmm, as expected, you and I work well together.”

[Cut the nonsense. Phantom Dragon.]

“Hn.”

The Phantom Dragon extended her arms wide, one pointing to the sky, the other to the ground, tracing a taijitu symbol in the air. Gray magical power unique to the Phantom Dragon filled the space beneath the barriers, gradually forming a thick mist.

“Will this obstruct our vision?”

[It’ll settle down soon.]

As soon as I finished speaking, the fog dissipated. Seok Harang scanned the surroundings, sensing something amiss, while the Phantom Dragon took a deep breath.

“It’s just that you can’t see it because of Xiao Lin’s characteristic ability. The space within the barrier has been ‘filled.'”

“Ahhh, so that’s why…”

The area was saturated with the Phantom Dragon’s magical power, though invisible to the naked eye. This intangible barrier would serve as a buffer to weaken Nuclearian’s attacks reaching our barriers.

“Now it’s your turn.”

“Huff… Huff…”

Seok Harang exhaled white breath and slowly raised one hand. Frost formed on her extended hand and spread outward, creating a thick ice wall centered around us.

Snap!

As Seok Harang clapped her hands, the ice wall expanded in all directions, growing larger. Like an igloo, it enveloped the Phantom Dragon’s magical power, compressing it and extending to the edges of the barriers.

Four-layered barriers formed by four spirits.

My outermost barrier would block the view under the sunlight, while Karna’s brilliant light barrier beneath it would protect from within.

Seok Harang’s innermost ice wall would stop Nuclearian’s physical attacks, and the Phantom Dragon’s compressed magical air layer would contain any ‘radiation’ penetrating the physical defenses within the barriers.

Ultimately, these quadruple barriers would thoroughly prevent radioactive fallout like a concrete roof.

[Though we’ve made the barriers as strong as possible, remember not a single bit should leak.]

“Obviously… huff.”

Seok Harang shivered. Since I explained the strategies and characteristics of Nuclearian last night, she’s shown a responsibility far greater than before.

“Ugh, if monsters would just act like normal monsters instead of eating weird stuff…”

“Eating everything in sight is what makes them monsters. They eat Cubes, they eat nuclear bombs…”

The Phantom Dragon drew her weapon – a crescent blade surrounded by gray energy currents. She named it the ‘Phantom Dragon Crescent Blade’ and seemed quite fond of it.

“Phoenix, don’t hold back this time. I want to test whether my Brahmasthra or Nuclearian’s Breath is stronger.”

[With the barriers up, go all out.]

Karna readied his Vijaya, pulling back the bowstring. Golden magical power solidified into an arrow shape, ready to fire at any moment.

“Um, are you sure nothing will happen outside? We’re not accidentally turning East Asia into ruins, right?”

[Not just East Asia, but the entire Earth could be at risk. Don’t worry. If we fail, Earth fails too.]

Baek Hee-a wasn’t wrong to minimize the information. A disaster several times larger than the Chernobyl explosion would occur, eventually leading to Earth’s destruction from radioactive fallout before otherworldly beings even arrived.

The reason for setting up four layers of barriers isn’t anything else – it’s to contain Nuclearian’s radiation.

And SS-Rank special ability users can block that radiation with their magical power. While S-Rank Seok Harang might have been at risk before awakening her spirit powers, it’s no longer an issue at SS-Rank.

[Are we all ready then?]

Everyone nodded. I took out the TAT I prepared earlier.

“What’s with the sudden gun?”

“Is it for firing signal flares?”

[There’s nothing louder than gunfire to wake someone up.]

For a pistol, it certainly makes a lot of noise. I held the gun in one hand while forming magical power into a core-like orb with the other. The orb of blue flames contained immense energy, which I loaded into the gun barrel.

“Hey, what are you…!”

“Phoenix, are you going to shoot?”

[Of course.]

In skill combos, it’s best to use abilities with long cooldowns first. I aimed the gun loaded with the “Mini-Sun” at the center of the barrier floor.

[Cerberus Explosion, Fire.]

I calmly pulled the trigger, and true to its name, fire spewed from the muzzle.

Scre-e-e-ech!!

My ultimate technique, transformed into a bullet, quickly descended toward the ground, becoming increasingly unstable due to the descent vibrations. Then the bullet penetrated and embedded itself in the earth.

[It’s coming.]

The moment blue flames flickered from the ground, the earth trembled as if an earthquake had struck.

[There’s only one way to awaken Nuclearian – cause a nuclear explosion above its head.]

Most awaken it using Karna’s Brahmasthra, but I intended to land a preemptive strike while waking it.

Would this “monster that awakens by consuming nuclear explosions” survive swallowing my ultimate technique?

“…Here it comes!”

The Phantom Dragon, sensing something with her unique Qi perception, descended to the ground with her crescent blade in hand. Seok Harang began scattering ice butterflies around, while Karna stood poised with a serious expression, ready to release his arrow.

Gruuuh…

A massive cloud of dust arose. The ultimate technique embedded in the ground was moments away from exploding, emitting bright blue light–

Crash!

The appearance of an enormous mouth swallowing the ground shocked the three. Its size alone was impressive, but its form was truly overwhelming.

“Phoenix! Is that really Earth’s strongest monster?!”

[Indeed.]

I clenched my fist. The monster swallowed my ultimate technique’s bullet as if it were delicious prey.

And then…

BOOOOM—-!!!

An explosion occurred inside the monster’s belly. Its green abdomen suddenly swelled, and the creature flipped over and collapsed.

“Uh…”

“Something seems off…”

The expressions of the Phantom Dragon and Seok Harang turned sorrowful. Their magical power clearly wavered, and their movements started to slow.

[Tense up!]

Looks scarier because of its appearance. If it looked like a wyrm, we could easily beat it up due to physiological disgust, but the <Nuclearian> we face is definitely not that kind of form.

Mooohh…

Trouble. Nuclearian began emitting its signature cry. The sound was undoubtedly from suffering after the explosion of my ultimate technique in its stomach.

[Fortunately, the damage went through.]

“Do we really have to kill it?”

Even Karna, our last line of defense, hesitated to fire his arrows. The hand that previously boasted about shooting a hundred arrows before my signal trembled with hesitation.

[Don’t have any other thoughts! Kill it!]

“You… you have no heart or tears!”

[Exactly, so channel your magical power!]

Moooh…

Tears flowed from Nuclearian’s eyes. The Phantom Dragon covered her mouth with both hands, and Seok Harang stopped using her magical power while scattering ice butterflies.

[This is where we messed up from the start.]

Though I told everyone to steel their resolve, it seems everyone’s hearts softened upon seeing it. Could it be the passive skill inherent in its form affecting both humans and spirits alike?

Cuteness.

Moooh…

The sight of it choking and crying while saliva dripped from its mouth after the explosion touched even my heart. Though during my first attempt, I hesitated to give the attack order due to its appearance, my perspective changed after experiencing its terrifying destructive power firsthand.

[Don’t fall for it! That’s all radiation!!]

Those transparent tears and sticky saliva are actually concentrated cesium in liquid form.

In the original story, fellow S-Ranks who reached that level got forcibly retired due to radiation exposure from those tear showers, leading to game overs. After deleting the save file, I could never view Nuclearian kindly again.

[Breath, incoming!]

Not exactly a dragon, but a monstrous beast that gained dragon-like proportions by consuming Cubes and mimics some of their techniques.

Users respectfully referred to this sole existing monstrous king as the “Unique King.”

Grrrrk, Nrrrrk.

Its lime-green fur bristled. A tail resembling flames rose high into the sky. And those puppy-like round eyes were fixed on me.

[Shit.]

Nuclearian opened its mouth wide toward me.

MooOOOOOOOaaaah!!!

An indescribable roar accompanied by radioactive breath surged toward me.

***

Meanwhile, at the Phoenix Penthouse in Yeouido, Seoul.

Baek Hee-a stared intently at the satellite imagery displaying nothing on the screen. A stopwatch in the bottom-right corner of the screen rapidly counted down to 10:00 AM, while Baek Hee-a trembled under her blanket.

“Ugh…”

The beginning of a hellish three-hour wait. Though the operation had already commenced, Baek Hee-a had to remain stationed in Seoul until 10 o’clock.

“Martial Arts…”

“That guy’s chatter is pointless. Here.”

Cheon Gaeul offered Baek Hee-a a freshly baked egg tart at dawn.

“Have some sweets and calm down.”

“The world’s greatest barista’s dessert, or something like that.”

“…? If they’re a barista, shouldn’t they make coffee rather than desserts?”

“To pay the rent in this hellish Korea, selling just coffee isn’t enough, apparently.”

“……”

Baek Hee-a pondered while cutting the egg tart with a fork.

“This could be my last meal…”

“Honestly, you’re ridiculous. Why so pessimistic?”

“It’s natural to worry. Think about it. If the mission fails and the world ends, it’ll all be recorded. Executive Officer Baek Hee-a attempted a reckless Pyongyang conquest, leading to global extinction…”

“That’s true. Congratulations. Whether you succeed or fail, at least your name will be etched in humanity’s history.”

If successful, she’d be hailed as the hero who made the decisive choice to halt the nuclear explosion,

and if unsuccessful, she’d be remembered as the one who triggered Earth’s destruction through radioactive leakage.

“You’re really something else. I wouldn’t be able to do that.”

“Is that a compliment?”

“It’s a compliment. You’re truly amazing.”

While stirring her caramel macchiato with a straw, Cheon Gaeul’s voice carried a hint of envy. Baek Hee-a couldn’t understand why Cheon Gaeul envied her.

“Ah… You’re a special ability user too. Just like that, someone fights alongside you, another supports economically, another provides political backing. Compared to that, I don’t do much.”

Cheon Gaeul chuckled and sipped her drink again. Unsure how to console her, Baek Hee-a bowed her head slightly before speaking.

“…Still, Phantom is pretty impressive, right?”

“I’ve got big boobs. But so what? They don’t bounce anymore. Ugh, I need a vacation somewhere on an island. Maybe I should salsa dance in a swimsuit?”

“…Swimsuits and vacations?”

Baek Hee-a fidgeted with her fingers while taking a deep breath. Thinking about happy futures was far more productive than worrying all the time.

“…There’s an island belonging to my family in the South Sea. How does that sound? It’s got wide sandy beaches and a fairly large villa.”

“Tell me more.”

With three hours left before humanity’s fate regarding nuclear annihilation would be revealed, Baek Hee-a decided to spend the time discussing potential vacations with Cheon Gaeul.

The countdown had begun – the longest one in her life, impossible to endure with a clear mind.