Episode 17 – SSS Grade Talent (5)
Prince Lycaon of the Imyuntar paid respect to me before immediately turning to look at Antinus.
I couldn’t feel reassured because the other world species were companions.
“Antinus.”
“Lycaon…”
“What the hell is this?”
The queen of the Parasites just laughed.
“Have you forgotten your mission? Why are you fighting the humans of this world?”
“Kikik, mission? Was there something like that?”
Lycaon’s expression became determined at her teasing tone. “We are the ‘guides.’ We have to tell the people of the other worlds the right way to face the disasters that are coming.”
“You have already been spellbound by the dokkaebis. Wake up Lycaon.”
“You are the one who needs to wake up Antinus!” Lycaon’s voice was furious. “Have you forgotten the sacrifice of the Chronos warriors? Have you already forgotten the moment when the five ruling species was destroyed? We are here to stop the disasters. Work with the species here to defend the terraformed planet and rebuild Chronos’ civilization in this world! It is our sacred mission!”
Rebuilding Chronos’ civilization. Antinus no longer laughed. “Lycaon, it is impossible. This planet will perish. It is the fate of the scenario.”
“No, this time will be different.” Lycaon glanced at me. “The Protector has stopped a disaster before all the disasters woke up. He has the medallion of my people as proof. Perhaps there is a way to prevent the destruction.”
“If it was a deteriorated disaster, we could’ve stopped it at any time.”
“Earth is now only in the fifth scenario! There is no planet that has stopped a disaster before the fifth scenario began. Think about it Antinus! There is still hope for this planet!”
Antinus’ compound eyes slowly blinked. The cry of an insect was boiling inside her. Her cry was full of anger.
“Don’t be so arrogant. You came here to stop the disaster? If you really wanted to help them, why didn’t you start when the disaster’s destination was set to ‘Earth?’”
“That…”
Han Sooyoung quietly approached me while listening to their story. “These guys, what are they saying now?”
Han Sooyoung didn’t know the details of this scenario. The guides didn’t have such an in-depth conversation in the original third and fourth regression. Now they were talking about something vague.
Antinus continued speaking. “Lycaon! You are like me. We came to this planet for revenge! We will return the same disaster to those who brought us the disaster!”
“If you do that, you will die. The probability of the Star Stream won’t forgive the ‘guide’ for going against it.
Antinus laughed. “Lycaon, I died with my kind on Chronos.”
“…It doesn’t make sense.” Lycaon exposed his fangs. “Antinus. The conversation ends here.”
“Kikikik! Lycaon! Poor wolf of the Imyuntar! Have you forgotten the history of Chronos? The wolf has never once won against the insects!”
The battle between the prince of the wolves and queen of the parasites began.
Grrrrr!
Lycaon roared. The flow of ambient air was different. Some winds were fast while some winds were slow. Sometimes there was no wind and sometimes it was strong wind.
“I’m not the Imyuntar you knew!”
The winds in the surrounding area started to press on Antinus. Lycaon was finally showing his Way of the Wind that had evolved one step.
“Kiiit… interesting! I’ll check to see how your ‘way’ has grown!”
Antinus was the first one to move. The air barrier created by Way of the Wind and Antinus’ tail hit each other. Sparks filled the air and the sound of leather tearing was heard.
Han Sooyoung and I looked up at the sky, spellbound for a moment. This was the fight between fifth grade species. It was the confrontation of those who showed a superior physical superiority to humans.
Antinus quickly made her way through the gaps in the atmosphere and arrived in front of Lycaon. Antinus’ tail underwent an external transformation into a wedge and rushed to Lycaon.
It was only one attack but it could mean the different between defeat and victory. But at this moment, Antinus’ movements slowed down. It was like a repulsion force was pushing at her tail.
Kihit?
On the other hand, Lycaon’s movements were slightly faster. His attacks suddenly accelerated. Antinus’ tail struck empty air.
[The 5th grade species Parasite Antinus has activated Accelerating Wings Lv. 8.]
Antinus’ wings spread open and vibrated before she disappeared.
The S-grade movement skill, Accelerating Wings.
Her wings flapped thousands of times per second and she instantly appeared in front of Lycaon, as if she had teleported. Antinus’ arms turned to scythes and flew towards Lycaon’s back.
[The 5th grade species Parasite Antinus has activated Praying Mantis Breakthrough Lv. 8.]
The accelerated scythes struck the atmosphere wall, causing a terrible burst of noise. It was so fast that it seemed like even Lycaon couldn’t avoid it.
Even so, Lycaon evaded. At the decisive moment, Antinus’ attack slowed down while Lycaon’s movements accelerated. It was the difference between life and death. Antinus’ compound eyes blinked with surprise.
Yoo Sangah asked with surprise, “What type of technique is that. Instant Acceleration?”
“No, that is the Way of the Wind.”
The secret technique of the Imyuntar, Way of the Wind.
At first glance, the two of them seemed to change speed but this was actually Lycaon’s ability. The surrounding atmosphere flowed according to Lycaon’s will.
“Kit, this damn wind…!”
Antinus also noticed. There was wind on the path that she moved. Antinus was caught in the wind and Lycaon used the wind.
It was a skill that controlled the movements of Accelerating Wings while avoiding Antinus’s Praying Mantis Breakthrough. The roads made of wind could be used for evasion or to attack.
This was why I needed this skill. If I learnt Way of the Wind, I could replace the necessary skills with that one skill. Lycaon roared.
“Queen of Insects! Kneel in front of the wind!”
The wolves of the wind. The sharp claws of the wind tore at her wings, while a gale like kick hit her abdomen. His blow was filled with the wind’s acceleration and struck the upper part of Antinus’ shell.
“Kyaaaack…!”
Antinus’ lost half of her wings and she fell down. Perhaps if it wasn’t for the enlightenment I gave him, Lycaon wouldn’t have been able to defeat Antinus now.
I thought it was only good for others but it turned out to be helpful for me. The sign of a probability storm on Antinus’ body became stronger.
“Kiiit! It won’t end like this.”
Antinus attempted a landing with half her wings.
–Kim Dokja! Kill her! Quickly!
I was already running towards Antinus when I heard Yoo Jonghyuk’s voice.
[Blade of Faith is activated!]
It was possible to be caught up in her probability storm but that wasn’t important right now.
“My world, my race, my children!” She was heading in the direction of the disaster meteorite. “The cost of destroying my world, I will absolutely make you pay it!”
She shot all her magic power towards the disaster meteorite.
Lycaon ran to block the magic power while I swung the fire property Blade of Faith towards Antinus’ neck.
The insect’s mouth became a smile of ridicule. Was it blocked? I turned my head and saw Lycaon’s pale face.
“Grrr…Protector, sorry…”
Then all sound disappeared.
Light burst from the disaster meteorite and a huge explosion struck me. One of the fragments of the exploded meteorite struck my head. The world shook. Lycaon flew away from the explosion.
The ‘guide’ couldn’t withstand the force of this disaster. It was impossible to rewrite the history of ‘defeat.’
The balance of the world was collapsing.
[You have failed to clear the scenario.]
[The ‘Disaster of Questions’ has come to your world.]
My vision darkened and I was buried under a pile of shattered building fragments. I barely came to my senses when Yoo Jonghyuk’s voice rang in my ears.
–Kim Dokja! Wake up! Hurry!
-…Recover your spirit.
–Get moving! Now you can still stop the disaster!
I honestly thought it was too much. I didn’t have Way of the Wind and the Disaster of Questions had hatched. It was better to consider a different route than to carry out a suicide attack.
Yoo Jonghyuk opened his mouth like he read my mind.
–You, are you that weak?
–What?
-All the words you told me were false.
I reflexively raised my body. This bastard…
–The one who told me not to give up on this world will succumb to a disaster of this degree?
Laughter emerged. I had to hear this from Yoo Jonghyuk, not anyone else. Suicide wasn’t enough to get rid of the shame.
–Of course not. I was just thinking for a second.
The damn Yoo Jonghyuk was right. It was too early for me to say that was ‘impossible.’
I emerged from the pile of building fragments. The eight metre tall disaster meteorite had split in two. It was obvious that something had hatched from it.
I looked around quickly but couldn’t see the disaster.
“Hey, this is…” Han Sooyoung approached me with a restless expression.
I couldn’t see Yoo Sangah. Then I heard a voice.
“This place…”
There was a boy around a dozen steps away. He looked like a high school student. He was completely naked without a stitch of clothing. The boy muttered.
“This is… perhaps?”
The boy stretched and looked around like he couldn’t believe it. I listened to his murmurs and thought that I had to kill him right now.
However, my body couldn’t move.
[An early hatching has weakened the Disaster of Questions.]
[Due to the early hatching penalty, you won’t be able to attack the Disaster of Questions for three minutes.]
Dammit…
We were the ones being penalized? That dokkaebi scum, what was he doing?
The boy walked around the area and arrived in front of a woman nearby. It was a woman who was part of the Poisoner’s group.
The boy shouted in a clear voice towards the woman. “Woman! Hey, are you okay?”
“U-Uh… who…”
“Excuse me, can I ask you something?”
No. She shouldn’t answer that question. I wanted to shout but my voice didn’t come out.
“Where is this place? What year is it now?”
“W-Why all of a sudden…”
“Are you asking me a question back?”
The boy’s strange tone seemed to bewitch the woman.
“T-This is Seoul and… the current year…”
A system message was heard the moment the woman answered.
[The first question has been resolved.]
[The first seal of the returnee ‘Myung Ilsang’ has been released.]
“Ha, haha… Hahaha!”
“W-What is that…?”
The boy laughed wildly at the confused woman and asked, “Do you know how much I suffered? Do you know?”
“H-Huh?”
“Have you lived for 100 years? In a place where I was the only human… Do you know that there are other dimensions?”
“Other… dimension?”
“Disgusting insects, werewolves and bird people… I have a problem. Can you guess what it is?”
The confused woman shut her mouth. The boy asked, “Insects, wolves, birds. Which of these three races are the best?”
“What… the best?”
Once the woman asked, the boy laughed like he was dying with joy. It was a creepy laugh.
“Then… who among the three has the most delicious meat?”
I listened to the Disaster of Questions and thought. Yes, it might be natural that Antinus wanted to destroy Earth. It was because a ‘human’ of Earth destroyed her world.
The woman didn’t answer the boy’s question.
“P-Please, spare me…”
There was a sound and the woman’s head flew away. The boy chuckled and looked around.
“Now, there is this development. What, a S-grade incarnation? Those scum are squeezing this kid. It is also a heavy duty alliance. No wait, before that…”
[The early hatching penalty has ended.]
[The power that controlled your movements has disappeared.]
Shit. It was too late. I was about to yell when the boy disappeared and moved to a remote location. Unfortunately, it was a place where another woman was standing.
“Haha! Noona is pretty! Yes?”
I cursed.
–Yoo Sangah, avoid him!
Yoo Sangah raised her dagger and asked cautiously, “…Who are you?”
The boy grinned at the question.
“Are you curious?”
The boy’s hand grabbed Yoo Sangah’s chin at a speed that couldn’t be seen.
“Should I tell you?”
One of the five disasters that destroyed Chronos, the Disaster of Questions. He was a ‘returnee’ of Earth transferred back to this world.
