Chapter 250 - Real and false (3)

It was an empty space.

A six-winged snake spewed venom.

Within the inescapable, thick shroud of venom that fell like a dark night, a man looked away, unperturbed. The venom dispersed without even approaching him, and the snake, so colossal it could swallow the moon, only writhed in the air, not daring to approach first.

A blue light flashed, and this time a wolf with a heavily twisted metallic horn appeared. The monster, as large as the snake in the air, prowled slowly around the surroundings. Then vines rose from the ground. Swarms of relatively small venomous insects, three or four times the size of humans and numbering in the hundreds, snapped their sharp mandibles, and an ice golem growled so fiercely it made the ground rumble.

"So annoying."

He murmured softly. If there was a problem with the system, a crack would form, and through the crack appeared monsters containing the power of the source. Since the cracks were in the system that properly regulated the influence of the source trying to devour the world, the monsters that appeared through them were stronger than average.

The weakest, the venomous insects, were SS rank. The rest were all SSS rank, and high-grade beasts of that rank, too.

In the center of the slowly approaching formation of monsters, the man, Sung Hyunjae, only looked at the system window. With the complicated currents of mana surrounding him, he occasionally raised his eyebrows.

How complex.

Even if he borrowed the strength of the body he was in, it was impossible to delve into the system. He could barely interfere with the parts related to Han Yoojin, the singularity distorting this world at this moment.

"The creators of the system..."

Apart from the fact that they were on the side of the immoral people, he couldn't find out anything about them. Not how long they had existed, nor whether they were one or many.

What was clear was the fact that they had established the system to fight against the source devouring worlds. A system that would advance towards destruction slowly and systematically enough for the world's people to cope with it.

The frogs in slowly warming water could die boiled, resist until the end, or even jump out and flee. In any case, it would be better than throwing them suddenly into boiling water.

[But if you do this, it's definitely also related to me. Right?]

From the window floating before Sung Hyunjae, Han Yoojin's voice flowed. Unlike his distinctive voice, Han Yoohyun's voice was cut off and couldn't be heard at all. The same went for other people's voices.

The screen was clear, at least, so he could follow the conversation by reading their lips. Sung Hyunjae studied the window showing the brothers. To be exact, he focused his attention on Han Yoojin.

[Yoohyun, it's not your fault. You didn't do anything wrong.]

It was a warm and serious voice. There was deep affection and sincerity mixed in. To the point where he wondered how he could deliver his heart so strongly. Especially when it came to Han Yoohyun.

Han Yoojin's face, which barely smiled as if he would cry at any moment, brightened again. He frowned a little while talking about marriage, but the sadness had almost disappeared.

The brothers always had a good relationship. Wondering if he could pay a fee for watching, Sung Hyunjae checked his points.

"…Oh dear."

Before he knew it, he had run out of points again. Sung Hyunjae had no choice but to indicate the mission he had given before, then divert his attention. His eyes focused on the monsters that were growling and about to attack at any moment.

The fingers of his only hand moved slightly. White light gathered, forming a double-headed spear. It had the simple shape of an elongated rod without patterns or decorations. Twirling it slightly, Sung Hyunjae looked at the monsters as if they were items listed in his shopping cart.

- Krrr.

The wolf with the metallic horn reacted first. Casting a glance at the monsters around it as if asking for support, it bared its fangs. Its knife-like sharp teeth and claws were dyed black. Strengthening its attacks, it hardened the fur covering its entire body.

Seconds later, the wolf disappeared. It was an instantaneous move. At the same moment the wolf disappeared, Sung Hyunjae slightly extended the tip of the spear. He stabbed into the air without much force, and at the same time—

- Kyaa!

One of the wolf's eyes was pierced by the spear. He had launched the attack after predicting where it would move instantly. Then, from there, light exploded.

Bang! Like flowing waterfalls, waves of light burst out everywhere. No matter how high the ranks of the monsters were, they struggled to keep their eyes open properly. Their ears were blocked by the thunderous roar, and their sense of smell was overwhelmed by the stench of the burning wolf's body. They also lost the feeling in their bodies due to the interference from the dense electric current spreading around them.

Sung Hyunjae, having cut off the monsters' senses in an instant, began to move.

After the wolf, his next target was the snake. The current instantly disrupted the spreading veil of venom, and the strikes from his fingers easily tore off its wings. The heels of his shoes struck the fiercely raised head of the snake. The difference in size was literally like an elephant against an ant, but the snake couldn't overcome the crushing force and, with a loud koong, hit the ground.

Then... shhk... its head was cut off, and the writhing wound that was regenerating was scorched with an obsidian black color. It all happened in the blink of an eye.

Sensing that the snake's breath had stopped without the chance to make a single noise, the ice golem enveloped itself in layers of defensive abilities. Its translucent body was stained black while three layers of shield surrounded the golem.

At that moment, Sung Hyunjae was already perched on the golem's head.

- Kiriririk!

Thousands of venomous insects, escaping from the electric current net, beat their wings and started to head towards him. A deafening drone resonated in the sky as the black clouds of venomous insects moved as one. Each of them was the weakest of the monsters here, but with each other's enhancement abilities accumulating, they flowed with terrifying strength.

Gugugung, the golem raised its arm over its head. It was trying to trap the enemy to assist with the attack of the venomous insects, but... Teok. Sung Hyunjae raised a foot and blocked the enormous hand attempting to grab him. There was almost no sound. Although it seemed like just a light touch,

Ujijik—

Cracks quickly began to spread from where his shoe had brushed the golem's fingertips.

The black mass of ice shattered into pieces, and the white spear struck the top of the golem's head.

Penetrating smoothly through the useless layers of shields and into the ice, the spear once again poured out light.

A deafening explosion and a flash. In the midst of it, Sung Hyunjae, who had already retrieved the spear, now pulled out a long piece of thread, wrapped it around, and shook it. By some unknown ability, fragments of the shattered golem adhered to the intensely pink wool. Taking it, he hurled it like a shot towards the swarm of venomous insects rushing towards him.

- Kiii!

- Kirik!

The pink wool, wrapped in ice fragments, pierced through the center of the insect swarm. And immediately,

Kwang! Kwaang!

The wool wrapped in ice literally exploded. The mana-charged ice and water remnants of the monster were electrified and detonated with a mana outpouring.

About half of the venomous insects survived the horrific explosion and descended upon Sung Hyunjae. But at his feet, wool and golem fragments piled up. Another explosion echoed in the air. The remnants of the venomous insects fell like rain.

The corners of Sung Hyunjae's mouth lifted as he generated slight electricity to bounce off the falling debris.

"You catch on quickly."

His eyes were on the ground. As if sensing that, the ground moved slightly. Sung Hyunjae created a white spear in his palm once more.

"But I'm short on points to support my partner, so-"

I can't just let you go. The thrown spear sank deep into the ground. Then, secretions rose from the hole it left, like a fountain, and thick vines sprouted from the ground. Sung Hyunjae predicted the paths of the final struggles of the vines, moving like whips, and avoided them with minimal movement.

Before long, the last monster was still. Silence fell, and Sung Hyunjae collected the tips emerging from the monsters' bodies. In an instant, he accumulated tens of millions of points. The points he obtained from the venomous insects easily sent him over 100 million. It was an immense points account; if Han Yoojin could see it, he would have eagerly planned to steal it somehow.

But.

"The efficiency is extremely poor."

Points were also used to influence the system and send missions. Giving 10,000 points as a reward cost millions of points. The same applied to item rewards.

Sung Hyunjae reopened the window he had briefly closed.

[Compared to that king of, he is definitely meat and different. Chi Song, you should come too!]

[I also regret that he didn't.]

"I regret it too."

If Song Taewon had entered this world, wouldn't he have been able to see some entertaining sights? He might have had some unique feelings about City Akates in particular. Maybe there would have been a slight change in that rigid attitude of his.

Sung Hyunjae sat on a suitable rock. When they spoke of Sigma, Han Yoohyun and Moon Hyuna's mouths snapped shut. Then they started talking about this world.

- Grrrk.

After a while, something resembling a lump of clay crawled with a glow of calm blue light. It didn't dare to come closer, only sneaking around the surroundings.

[What a waste of your appearance. That's why I said you should smile a bit. Smile~]

Meanwhile, Han Yoojin was having a private conversation with Sigma. The window showed him chained and dragged onto the table.

"Oh, young people really are exalted."

Being young alone would have been enough of an advantage to take the lead. Sung Hyunjae clicked his tongue at Sigma's attitude. Though outwardly he pretended to be serene, he was reckless, even unstable.

It wasn't that he couldn't understand it. For Sigma, Sollemnis would be like a narrow cage. A tiny world where he went through the same daily life and events over and over again. And before him, trapped there and disappearing, fell a completely new existence.

Sigma had clearly felt intuitively that Han Yoojin—not just his actions, but his very existence—was of a different nature that didn't exist in this world. It would have felt like cold water had been poured over a dying fish.

There was no choice but to pursue it. And no choice but to lay his hands on it. For his own survival.

On top of that, Han Yoojin—

[To me, you are the only Sigma.]

The only real thing in this world. That reality affirmed it. He sincerely said that what should have been false was real. A massive error occurred. And immediately after.

Sung Hyunjae felt the world tremble. And someone else felt the same.

- I told you.

It was a white bird. The pale bird, reduced to the size of a small hawk, landed on a fragmented block of the ice golem, with the long tail feathers hanging down. Sung Hyunjae watched the white bird with a gaze far from favorable.

"Yes. It's as you predicted.”

The bird that counts stars, that predicts the future. She wasn't real. She was a remnant of data in this world, but she also knew the current future.

- Just because I've seen something doesn't mean it will always come true. It's simply that the chances of it happening increase.

Despite the white bird's excuse, Sung Hyunjae's eyes were cold. They even began to show murderous intent. The pupils of his golden eyes shrank like needles. But the white bird flew indifferently and perched on Sung Hyunjae's shoulder.

- Especially for this, I thought it would be unlikely. I didn't think he would accept it so easily.

“It's because my partner is kind. Beyond a certain line, he will accept anything. Whether it's a human, a monster, or anything else.”

Anything. Was it because he had raised Han Yoohyun? There was no limit. Until now, that was. Sung Hyunjae examined Han Yoojin, who was almost crying.

Even he himself was included. He had felt it for sure in the convenience store on his birthday. Han Yoojin erased the line that blocked Sung Hyunjae. But he seemed to believe he was still keeping his distance.

"That makes things quite worrisome."

Han Yoojin already thought of Sung Hyunjae as a person like him. That's why he had accepted his demand to be partners. And then… what should he do? Even for Sung Hyunjae, it was a rare and troubling problem. Han Yoojin was still rank F, weak, with decay inside him. Despite that, Han Yoojin normally worried about Sung Hyunjae.

If he got hurt, he would be concerned; if he was in danger, he would try to rescue him; innocently wish him a happy birthday, have their usual strange conversations, and greet him for the New Year. And maybe, somehow, Sung Hyunjae would change. He couldn't say he hadn't already been affected.

"Still, I won't be like Han Yoohyun."

After pondering what to do about this for not long, Sung Hyunjae's choice was protection. Having come this far, he didn't think of letting go.

Moreover, given that he was like this even now when he couldn't hold himself together, how would Han Yoojin change when the decay inside him was completely cured? So once he tried to treat it with his own hands.

But he was rejected.

Sung Hyunjae smiled slightly. Gradually, cracks began to form in his surroundings. The white bird took off and disappeared shortly after. Her information ended here. Even if something real found its way and accepted the false, it was impossible to transform such a huge existence. There was also a limit to the information she could give Sung Hyunjae.

Sung Hyunjae stood up, took care of the mud beast with ease, and sent a mission.

[Special main mission! Please protect Sigma!!]