Chapter 363: Bomb (3)

'Dammit... Where is it heading to now?'

R-Zairon Nell checked the coordinates of the Quantum Transmission and made a dumbfounded expression.

382 places.

382 coordinates, all located on Angkara.

The metropolis.

Large areas of inhabitants.

Research cities.

Military bases.

Every single one of the densely-populated and important locations.

Not caring whether it was from the Neropa Union or Pompeion.

R-Zairon Nell freaked out as he looked at the fragments of bugs in front of his eyes.

'These... these things are going to fall on our planet?'

Kyaaaaak!

"These damned bastards! Why are their shells so hard?!"

"Hey! If you've got time to speak, then kill more of them!"

—booom!—

He could hear the voices of his teammates fighting the half-insect, half-human creatures.

They'd wasted their artillery before because they didn't want to approach them, and it had worked back then.

But they didn't have the leisure to anymore.

The artillery wasn't effective anymore, and there was no energy to spare.

—crunch!—

—boom!—

His subordinates were now ignoring the green liquid that they'd hated so much and were crazily swinging the plasma blades equipped on their Dragon God Armor.

'These things are going to fall...'

Zairon continued to repeat this phrase over and over again.

They'd managed to slice them apart because they were Dragon God Soldiers, but only just barely.

But with a normal weapon or a normal soldier?

They wouldn't be able to leave a single scratch.

These things that only Dragon God Soldiers could handle were going to land on their planet.

Things that could multiply at this rate and become this powerful with just meat.

If these things fell onto a city occupied by millions of people and used them all as food?

And used that food to multiply?

Zairon felt a chill run down his entire body as he thought of this point.

'No... It'll be an apocalypse.'

With their fleet of flames and the power of their 'Flame', they wouldn't lose.

But what should they do?

Would they need to burn down entire cities and kill all the innocent people there?

Combining the population of the people in those coordinates, it was a bit over four billion.

"Melchizedek... YOU DAMNED TIN CAN!"

—booom!—

R-Zairon Nell roared in rage as he destroyed the bugs around him.

—c hiiiiik!—

Something crawled out from beneath him, making mechanical sounds.

'...What is this?'

A metal pillar with thin screens around it.

It wasn't that weird since this entire city was like a large machine.

But the important thing was who had sent it to him, in this insect-filled city.

As R-Zairon Nell made a confused expression—

—chiijijik!—

—the panels made a noise as words appeared on them.

.......................................

—rumble!—

'...They're getting stronger and stronger.'

—crunch!—

Kiriel groaned inwardly as she fought.

Their strength kept increasing.

This was the third type of monster.

She'd initially fought on the outskirts of the city, but she soon realized that the quality of the monsters in the deeper parts was better and had gone there instead.

But the ones deeper in were really powerful.

'These aren't things I can deal with on a whim.'

—crunch!—

"Phew..."

Kiriel frowned after barely managing to defeat one monster.

The first type was an insect.

The second type was half-insect and half-human.

The third type wore armor, and they weren't at all easy to defeat.

Which meant that if she proceeded deeper, it would lessen her efficiency in gaining crystals.

It was better if she stayed around the shelters with 2nd and 3rd-type monsters.

'I don't know what to do.'

A familiar wave radiated out from the center of the city.

'Melchizedek, that crazy bastard. Planning to send away the whole city...'

If she wanted to help, then she needed to head towards Hansoo's location right this instant.

If she was going to continue growing, she needed to focus on hunting on the outskirts of the city.

Looking at it from the long term, the second choice was a much better option.

Since becoming a 3-Star Transcendent and then proceeding to help him was much better than going over right now.

Kiriel made some calculations and then came to a decision.

'...No. I'll have to go and help.'

No matter how she thought about it, there was not enough time to rise to a 3-Star Transcendent within the allotted period.

It was a good thing to have monsters swarm together like this.

Since it would be hard to find monsters packed this densely.

To find these many monsters, they'd need to comb through the wild for months.

But the issue was, the numbers were too dense.

It wasn't as if they could kill off the enemy with a simple sweep of a broom.

There was a limit to how much she could fight on her own.

'I need at least twice my current strength.'

If she couldn't rise to a 3-Star in time anyway, it was better to go help Hansoo to stop the transmission and then fight in leisure.

—crack!—

Kiriel finished off the monsters jumping at her and started to head towards the familiar aura.

At that moment—

—boooom!—

—boom!—

—from the location opposite to Kiriel's destination, a large explosion had occurred at a wall.

'What the hell.'

Kiriel frowned as she saw who was coming out from the newly-created hole.

Nine Dragon God Soldiers.

Rough breaths.

Red eyes.

Body postures that were ready to pounce on something at any moment.

Being covered from head to toe in a green liquid, they still seemed enraged from their previous battle.

'...Ugh, this might get ugly. I don't have time for this.'

One soldier, she could deal with.

No, since she'd gained the Dragon God Armor, it would be quite easy to handle one soldier.

But nine?

And if she had someone to protect behind her back?

That was a different story.

Especially since their individual abilities seemed to be higher than that R-Korun Nell that she'd previously dealt with.

'But... if I have to fight, then I will.'

Kiriel tightly grasped the fang in her hand as her Dragon God Armor released a white steam.

But then—

"No! Please! We aren't here to fight! Calm down!"

"...?"

—one man jumped out from behind the Dragon God Soldiers and shouted.

'...Who the hell is that?'

Unlike the fully-armored nine, the man looked like he didn't have any battle prowess whatsoever.

Kiriel made a confused expression.

....................................

"So... you want to make an alliance? Temporarily?"

R-Zairon Nell barely managed to reply to Kiriel's confused questioning.

"Yes, According to him, we seem to have the same goals. We can work together until then."

After saying the words that hurt his pride, R-Zairon Nell looked at the researcher-like man standing next to him.

No, he was an actual scientist of the Technorat branch.

'N-Aroel.'

He'd heard of him before.

The man with the same level of ability as N-Akuon, the leader of the Technorats.

Being the leader of all technical-related things on the Kalkuroun fleet was an immensely high position.

If he didn't have that ability, then he would've long lost his life from the rage of a Nell family member.

And being on the same level as that N-Akuon, that was not something so simple.

'I heard they sent him away due to some past incidents... It seems they sent him to be the leader of the Aokan.'

Then it made sense.

As to how he'd survived without any battle prowess while at Aokan, which had become as close as possible to a living hell.

For the leader of all technology in Aokan, he would know all its mechanisms and structures.

'Well, it doesn't seem as simple as that.'

R-Zairon Nell was at a loss as he looked at N-Aroel, who looked like he'd crawled out of a sewer.

Dirty, tattered robes and an overgrown beard.

Strange-colored skin as well as various machines attached to his back.

In comparison to N-Akuon, who was living an almost germophobic life on the Kalkuroun fleet, he looked well-prepared.

N-Aroel looked embarrassed at R-Zairon Nell's stare but soon focused on the task at hand.

"It seems you also have a job to fulfill, right?"

"...?"

"You have come for the crystals, correct?"

Kiriel frowned at this.

'Was he spying on me?'

But she hadn't felt anyone watching her.

N-Aroel seemed to have read Kiriel's thoughts and quickly shook his head.

"No, I didn't spy on you or anything. We've just studied you over a long period of time, so we kind of realized a few action patterns. All the strong members of your kind seem to be looking for crystals. And there's no other reason for you to enter this dangerous city."

"Hmm."

Correct to a degree.

N-Aroel continued to speak as he watched Kiriel.

"The Quantum Transmission has been activated. And... I believe there will be many more things we can do if we form an alliance. And it wouldn't be a waste of time, either. These crystals are important to you, correct? We have no use for them whatsoever."

N-Aroel looked at Kiriel and said:

"You can take the crystals and help us stop the transmission. It's not bad, right?"

"Not bad, you guys really are trying hard."

N-Aroel made a bitter expression at Kiriel's words.

"It has been a very long time since I've been trapped in this place, living like a rat. I have... seen a lot of things. As to what kind of beings these things are."

Kiriel and all the Dragon God Soldiers all made similar expressions of understanding.

It was only for a short while, but that was more than enough time to know what kind of creatures those things were.

N-Aroel continued to speak with a heavy expression.

"Look, imagine these things falling down onto a whole planet. To our planet. How could we not try hard?"

R-Zairon Nell looked at N-Aroel with a respectful gaze.

'I must remember this kid.'

N-Aroel glanced around and then continued to speak.

"There... is a secret tunnel here. Of course, there'll be a lot of Quirae along the way, but... We'll be able to get to the center much faster. I will lead you there, and you may take all the crystals you find along the way..."

"If you're heading to the center, I didn't come here alone, you see."

N-Aroel shook his head when he heard Kiriel speak about joining up with Hansoo.

"No, we won't go that way. We'll go a different way."

"Huh? Why?"

Instead of Kiriel, R-Zairon Nell was the one who asked.

Logically, it was better to group up with the other man and head into the depths.

N-Aroel screamed.

"Dammit...! We cannot go there! No matter what!"

"..."

Everyone looked questioningly at N-Aroel's reaction.

.............................................

—boooom!—

'It's really not easy.'

Hansoo thought to himself.

He thought it'd be easy to breach the center while wearing the blue armor, but it seems like he'd overestimated himself.

'4th-level. Hmm.'

"Haha... kekeke."

Hansoo frowned as he looked at the 4th-level evolution of the Quirae before his eyes.

Being a 4th-level wasn't an issue.

He'd thought the Quirae only devoured humans.

Then there wouldn't be much of an issue.

Since their strength relied on what they ate.

But the one that appeared before his eyes had definitely eaten something that wasn't human.

The spikes protruding out from the muscles on various parts of its body.

It was not a trait of the Quirae nor that of a human.

Nor was it a trait of the natives of Angkara.

'It... ate the original owners of the blue armor, huh? They were in there, I see.'

"Keke...kehehehe..."

The 4th-level Quirae screamed at Hansoo as they crawled out from a part of the city that was glowing brightly.