Crack.
Simonia, warming up her body, seems ready to leap outside at any moment when I speak to her.
“Wait a moment, Simonia.”
“Uh? Why?”
She halts her steps and turns her gaze toward me.
“I’ll go with you.”
“What?”
Simonia furrows her brows.
“No. You’ve been injured, so don’t overexert yourself. Leave this to your sister.”
“It’s just a small cut, so I’m fine. We don’t know how many enemies there are, do we?”
Saying that, she looks at Bungbungi.
Bungbungi seamlessly glides through the crowd and lands on the floor, making it easy for me to hop on.
As I jump on, Bungbungi rises again, adjusting my position.
“And besides, Simonia, you’re more of a commander than a combat agent.”
In fact, it’s Chancellor Ryeoju or Freya who’s the exception; typically, the position of a commander is not one who fights on the front lines, but rather leads from behind.
Of course, Simonia is a significant antagonist in the story and is by no means weak, bolstered by her beastkin physical abilities and various items and equipment, but she is still not a frontline combat agent.
Additionally, there’s something else weighing on my mind.
“Hmm.”
Simonia ponders my words for a moment.
In that gap, I turn my head to inspect the clothes of the fallen strange figures scattered on the floor.
Plain masks cover their faces, paired with hooded outer garments.
At first glance, they seem ordinary, but the slightly revealed skin shows what I was searching for.
Chilling patterns, as if carved with a knife onto their flesh.
That was a bizarre symbol resembling an eye.
‘As expected…’
Doubt transforms into certainty.
That symbol is a symbol of that event.
Event, False Salvation.
True to its name, the event about False Salvation deals with the spread of a pseudo-religion known as the Ark of Eternal Life.
The story is about a fight against fanatics and their followers who believe in this false salvation.
Going into details, there are several other elements involved, but what’s important now is the activation condition of the event.
The activation condition for False Salvation involves failing three times at Ark events related to the main enemies, namely Invaders, Ustancha, and Cryptids.
The problem is that even if I combine everything I’ve experienced until now, it amounts to only two times.
The events related to the Ark related to the main enemies are limited to the invasion by Invaders when I summoned Nightmare and the attack on the sixth Ark.
Thus, it means that the conditions have not yet been met this time either.
‘Something is definitely off.’
While I’m thinking that, Simonia finishes her deliberation.
She pushes her sunglasses up and looks down at me.
A silent gaze crosses through the air.
After staring at me for a while, she lets out a small sigh and places her hand on my head.
“Alright, so you’re already prepared, huh?”
Pat, pat.
“Okay, understood. But you have to listen to me carefully, okay?”
“Yes, I’ll keep it in mind.”
“Then shall we go? You mustn’t stray too far from your sister.”
Simonia turns her body around.
“Ah, wait a moment.”
“Uh?”
I seek her understanding and immediately begin my preparations.
With her hands spread toward an empty space, she concentrates.
“Humanoid summon, Marionette. Armed with KM16A1 5.56mm assault rifle, micro KUZI, and infantry set.”
– Consumes MP to summon a creature equipped with the mentioned gear and corresponding equipment.
A mechanical soldier equipped with modern gear, though not as much as Simonia’s subordinates, rises beside me.
A series of summons.
I call forth four more after the Marionette squad consisting of five soldiers.
In total, there are fourteen soldiers.
I pick four of them and issue my first order.
“You guys, make sure to protect Lises, Seria, Nisia, and Seoli.”
[ Confirmed. ]
The Marionettes bow their heads and immediately scatter toward their respective targets, beginning close protection duties.
“Ow? Ah!”
Seoli, seemingly fascinated by the Marionettes, reaches out and taps on the armored plating.
“Then…. you all will follow this person, meaning follow Simonia’s orders.”
Pointing my finger at Simonia, the Marionettes nod.
[ Confirmed. Please give your orders. ]
The two squad leaders approach her and salute.
A slight smile appears at the corners of Simonia’s mouth.
“This feels reassuring. Shall we move right away?”
“Yes.”
Simonia pulls down her sunglasses again.
“You all lead the way. The rest of you will follow behind us.”
[ Confirmed. ]
Without a hint of hesitation, Simonia gives orders to the Marionettes as she exits the room.
“Edu, be careful!”
“Ow!”
Nisia and Seoli’s voices come from behind.
“Yes, I’ll be back.”
I wave goodbye to the two, and this time I hear Lises’ and Seria’s voices.
“Edu, please be careful.”
“Take care.”
“Yes, I’ll be back. Let’s go, Bungbungi.”
[ Beep. /⸜(｡˃ ᵕ ˂ )⸝]
After bowing my head toward them, I follow behind Simonia with Bungbungi.
Simonia and the Marionette squad move while closely sticking to the wall.
Bang!
The sharp sound of gunfire rings out.
Upon hearing the sound, Simonia taps the frame of her sunglasses and moves her head back and forth.
“…Hmm, eight? No, it’s nine.”
She taps the frame again and looks over here.
“Edu, there are two armed on the first floor, five on the second, and two on the third. It seems that one of the chiefs is among those on the second floor.”
“What do you plan to do?”
“I don’t know what they’re up to, but they’re drugged insects attacking people. The foot soldiers won’t be of much help, so let’s sweep them away and capture the head.”
Simonia lays it out calmly.
In contrast, I’m slightly taken aback by what she said.
“Oh, did you notice?”
The mention of them being drugged.
Even without properly examining them, she accurately assessed the state of the fanatics.
Madmen drenched in pseudo-religious beliefs.
Yet they would have had no time to brainwash even the lower-level believers fanatically, which is why they resorted to controlling people using drugs.
“Well, the eyes of druggies always look the same.”
She flicks her tongue.
“It seems like they’re forming groups searching for something, yet since they aren’t moving our way, their regulations and systems are typical of novices.”
“That’s a relief.”
Simonia adeptly draws judgments about the enemy from fragmentary information.
“Alright, let’s send those five up and descend ourselves.”
“Yes.”
With a gesture, Simonia commands the Marionettes.
“You all, let us initiate as we go first; when the gunfire rings out in intervals of two or three, begin the assault immediately. Once everyone is subdued, come down to the second floor to regroup.”
[ Confirmed. ]
The squad leader Marionette nods, and the squad leader and four following Marionettes ascend to the third floor.
“Let’s move as well.”
Then our group proceeds to the first floor.
Distinct bullet holes unmistakably etched into the glamorous boutique’s wall.
Just as I was about to shift my gaze downward, Simonia reaches out, covering my eyes, with Hands doing the same to block my view completely.
“Huh?”
“Edu, close your eyes.”
“What, my eyes?”
“Quickly.”
In a somewhat authoritative voice.
But I could sense concern for me in her tone, so I follow her instruction obediently.
“…Okay.”
I squeeze my eyes shut.
My vision goes pitch black.
A brief silence follows, and Simonia’s voice returns.
“Alright, you’re obedient. Now just wait here for a moment. You, no matter what happens, must protect Edu.”
“…Understood, Commander.”
She issues instructions to the soldiers.
Then, I hear footsteps moving away.
Predicting what might happen next, Hands covers my ears.
Bang, bang, bang!
The signal of the assault.
The quiet boutique fills with the sound of gunfire.
The gunfire reverberates, echoing off the walls.
One can tell with just the sound that an intense assault is taking place; gunfire continues to ring out endlessly.
The noise that was intense starts to fade just as quickly.
As my curiosity keeps growing, a hand rests on my shoulder.
“Edu, it’s done. Let’s head to the second floor.”
Simonia’s voice.
Before I could confirm anything, she pulls me up to the second floor.
“Edu, you can open your eyes now.”
“Yes.”
I blink and open my eyes.
Having kept my eyes closed for a while, perhaps it’s because of that, the view is blurry.
For some reason, the Marionettes are nowhere to be seen.
“Uh, what about the Marionettes?”
“I’ve kept them on the first floor because those desperate ones might jump down and try to escape.”
“Aha.”
As expected of the commander, there are no gaps in her leadership.
While I think that, the Marionettes who organized the third floor converge back with us.
“Shall we capture the ringleader and wrap things up?”
“Yes.”
….
– Hiss… Hoo…
A man in a gas mask hides and surveys his surroundings.
Immediately after gunfire erupted on the first and third floors, he and his subordinates halted their search and remained vigilant.
Another man approaches and whispers softly to him.
“Brother, we can’t contact the others.”
“…Is that so.”
Is that gunfire just now an enemy counterattack?
But surely the target would have arrived unarmed with his colleagues.
What on earth is happening?
Swallowing the questions that arise in his mind, the man in the gas mask rummages through his pocket.
What he pulls out is a round, disc-shaped device, vibrating lowly and emitting a gloomy purple light.
The method for restraining awakened ones given to him for this mission.
Seeing it working for sure, the enemy’s abilities should have been sealed, but how…?
“Brother!”
An urgent call hits his ears, pulling him from his thoughts.
As the man in the gas mask raises his head, gunfire sounds, and a sharp pain pierces his shoulder.
“Ugh?!”
He falls, bleeding red.
“Kyah!”
“Traitors!! We are going to salvation-”
Shouting their voices, other cultists resist, but their fight didn’t last long.
One by one, they drop like flies to the thunderous gunfire.
Even the enhanced physical abilities fueled by drugs stand no chance against the merciless shower of bullets.
“Don’t back down, brothers! This is all the path to glorious salvation-”
Bang.
A gunshot cuts off the man’s speech.
“Krah!”
Pain shoots from his wrist.
But that was only the beginning.
Bang.
“Ugh!”
Left wrist.
Bang bang.
“Krah!”
Now it’s both of his legs.
Screaming in pain and agony, the man in the gas mask thrashes around.
Just then, a large shadow looms before him, and his gas mask is kicked off.
“Ugh!”
A mature woman in red military attire looks down at him.
Golden eyes, split vertically through the murky sunglasses, shine brightly.
At the moment their gazes lock, the man realizes that the mission has failed.
‘Damn it, before it’s too late—’
Amidst the haze of pain, he rolls his tongue over the capsule he had hidden in his mouth.
But before he even chews the cyanide capsule, Simonia’s foot crashes into his open mouth.
“Ugh?!”
A cold gaze.
A chilling smile emerges on her face as she sticks out her tongue.
“Where do you think you’re off to, having made this mess? Maybe you should show a bit more tenacity before seeking comfort.”
From her waist, she pulls out something.
In her hand is a small syringe filled with a dark blue liquid.
“Ugh?!”
“Now, now, just stay still.”
The syringe plunges into the man’s neck.
The cold liquid flows into his body, and his trembling form stiffens rigidly.
As the man’s body becomes paralyzed, Simonia removes her foot and shoves her hand into his mouth.
What she pulls out is the cyanide capsule he had intended to chew.
“Tape.”
“Yes.”
Gripped in her other hand is military duct tape.
As the tape wraps around the man’s wounds, the bleeding gradually slows.
“Alright, this should be good.”
With a sinister smile, Simonia grins.
The man, now paralyzed, can only move his eyes to look up at her.
Unlike before, his eyes are filled with terror.
“Are you scared? Yes, you must be scared.”
Seeing the change in him, Simonia licks her tongue in wicked delight.
Her head slowly bows down.
In the man’s ear, Simonia’s voice echoes.
“You’ve wounded something I cherish…. You might as well give up any hope of dying peacefully. You filthy druggie.”
