Chapter 46

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To humanity, the phenomenon known as the 'Wave' was no different from hell.

But in the game system, it was merely a kind of 'event.'

– You have discovered a treasure chest (event)!

Therefore, such opportunities for good fortune existed all over the 'map.'

‘It’s lucky that there’s a chest here.’

Of course, these event chests weren’t only found here.

Though they weren’t easy to find, several existed throughout Seoul,

and it just so happened that one was located here.

“……”

Fortunately, there were no eyes watching in the vicinity. Lee Hyun-wook immediately opened the storage.

Clank—

Inside were two items:

A silver ring and a golden card.

First, he picked up the ring.

– You have obtained Mana Tank (Level 2).

‘Not bad.’

The Mana Tank he had obtained from Huh Young-tae last time was a Level 3 item.

Even that was a very expensive item, worth about 10 billion won.

But this time, it was a Level 2, one level higher.

It’s at least six times more expensive.’

In other words, this small ring was worth 60 to 70 billion won.

Of course, its effect would be about 50% higher compared to a Level 3, but those who had experienced the difference in battle would know how significant that 50% could be.

Lee Hyun-wook then took out the remaining item, the golden card.

– You have obtained Trait Blossom (Special).

*This item is automatically attributed upon acquisition.

‘This… is a jackpot.’

The previous Mana Tank was an item of such value that it would seem like a mere bonus in comparison.

The term 'blossom' of a trait, in simple terms, means that a new 'skill' is born.

A <Level Growth Player> gains a random 'trait blossom' every five levels, while a <Non-Level Growth Player> gains one when their abilities increase by a certain amount or when certain conditions are met.

In other words, the more a player advances, the fewer opportunities they have to gain new skills.

Therefore, being able to obtain a skill without any cost was a tremendous stroke of luck.

– Do you want to use 'Trait Blossom (Special)? (Y/N)

Lee Hyun-wook chose Y.

– Congratulations! A new skill has been created through a stroke of luck!

– Name: Metal Deformation

– Level: D

– Effect: Consumes mana to 'deform' the shape of controlled metal.

*The amount of mana consumed varies depending on the quantity of the target.

‘Metal Deformation, a skill that can literally change the shape of metal.’

Lee Hyun-wook took out a metal ball and attempted to use Metal Deformation.

Squish— Squish—

The metal ball was compressed and flattened, eventually transforming into a sharp weapon.

This skill could even be used on a body that had been 'hardened.'

Lee Hyun-wook simultaneously hardened his left hand and attempted to use Metal Deformation.

Squish—

Scales-like structures rose on the back of his hand and fingers. At first, it looked like a typical hardening, but they gradually elongated and sharpened, resembling a leopard's claws.

Sss—!

When swinging these claws, if he put weight on them, they would be more powerful than expected.

In an emergency without weapons, they could be used for self-defense or to ambush an enemy.

‘Though it’s weak now, it will be a highly useful skill in the future.’

The ability to freely change the shape of metal, like clay, would inevitably have a wide range of applications. For example, he had once used it to turn a large iron bar into a chain to bind an ogre.

While Lee Hyun-wook was advancing to the next level, the AMT soldiers had completed their inspection of the area,

and Ahn Min-tae, who was in charge of the 2nd platoon, came to report.

"There are no identifiable issues. The defense shield is fully charged and functioning properly. Oh, and during the search, we identified the points to set up night watch in advance."

Ahn Min-tae, who was just a minor figure in the company not long ago, now handled tasks efficiently. He was growing into a reliable talent.

"Alright, we can't move at night, but we'll launch magic drones to check the location of monsters in the area and prepare to leave the shelter before dawn. Tomorrow will be twice as long as today, so tell everyone to rest."

"Yes, understood."

"By the way, where is Sergeant Kim Se-hee?"

"Uh, she was over there by the gate just a moment ago…"

Lee Hyun-wook set out to find Kim Se-hee. He had something to give her.

Near the gate, in a quiet spot, he heard Kim Se-hee's voice.

"…No, just because you called it once, you’re making a fuss, a fuss! Really!"

She seemed agitated, shouting at someone.

The moment Lee Hyun-wook turned the corner and faced Kim Se-hee—

Swoosh—!

Something floating in front of her face vanished as if it had evaporated.

It was probably the wind spirit she was summoning.

"Sehee, are… are you talking to someone?"

"Ah…"

Kim Se-hee's face turned red, looking flustered.

‘She was fighting with the spirit…’

The power of a spirit mage comes from 'spirit affinity' or 'spirit control.'

By communicating with spirits to borrow their power or by pressuring them to forcibly extract their power— the higher these two values, the more high-level spirits they could control.

And most importantly, they could draw out the 'potential' of spirits.

However, at this moment, Kim Se-hee was neither.

‘Even so, to be swearing and fighting with a spirit… she’s more of a mess than I thought.’

But on the other hand, it was also somewhat hopeful.

From the way she used the wind spirit's power to swiftly catch the followers of Gong Ik-tae, one could see her potential.

If she could reconcile with the spirit, her abilities would improve dramatically.

"Um, what’s going on?"

Kim Se-hee, unable to hide her awkwardness, avoided eye contact.

"You know, it’s dangerous to be alone like this, right?"

"Ah, well, yes…"

"I didn’t come to scold you, but to give you something."

Lee Hyun-wook took something out of his pocket.

It was a small stone with a greenish hue.

"It’s a spirit stone. There’s no need to report to the unit. Use it, Sehee."

Kim Se-hee had a complex expression. She was grateful but also uncomfortable, trying not to show it, but her hesitant mouth betrayed her feelings.

She had just been swearing and fighting with the spirit, and now she had to give it a gift… She would have to pass it directly to the spirit, which was quite awkward.

"Ah, thank you. But how did you know I’m a spirit mage?"

It was rare for anyone to recognize her true specialty, as she usually used dual daggers.

"Sehee, you’re quite famous in our company."

"Hmm, not really… Anyway, thank you."

Lee Hyun-wook turned and said casually,

"By the way… try to get along with it, not fight with it."

"What, what, what… Don’t meddle in my personal affairs, except during missions?"

Kim Se-hee, with a red face, showed her irritation.

Well, she was a woman who even swore and fought with her spirit, so her temper was not ordinary.

Night soon fell, and Lee Hyun-wook issued orders for the entire company to be on alert and rest.

However, the company members all had anxious expressions.

It seemed like a day had passed without any results.

The pressure of the Seoul invasion, now only four days away, filled their minds.

'But the rest won’t last long. Something will happen here…'

Lee Hyun-wook was currently talking to the station security chief.

"…So, you’re saying that monsters entered through the subway tracks?"

The security chief nodded in response to Lee Hyun-wook’s question.

"Yes, they were rat-like monsters. Of course, not ordinary rats, but as big as dogs."

In the early stages, they had blocked the monsters from entering through the subway tracks.

Fortunately, there were only a few at the time, so it only caused a minor commotion.

‘Next time, it won’t end there.’

A horde of man-eating rats, the Hell Rats, would soon be swarming below in overwhelming numbers.

"Well, we’ve fortified that area. They won’t be able to break through."

"Yes, that’s true."

It had to be that way. Unfortunately, history didn’t unfold that way.

The magic defense shield disappeared, and the rat horde surged into the shelter like a black wave.

Thousands of people were devoured alive by the rats.

The reason was… there was a traitor inside the shelter.

‘A heretic…’

Gong Hyun-joon, originally a Priest-type player, began to seek the 'power of darkness' and eventually kidnapped players for biological experiments, becoming a madman.

After becoming a villain, he received support from Gordon Price and conducted his research freely.

He gathered people with similar tastes to form a group of 'Mad Scientists'…

‘They were particularly evil among villains.’

They spread a toxic gas in Beijing, massacring 4 million people in a single day, an unprecedented act of terrorism in history.

‘The reason for the massacre was to provide corpses to a necromancer.’

The necromancer used the corpses to raise an undead army and invaded the Korean Peninsula.

At that time, General Choi Jung-chul used a tactical nuclear bomb to barely repel the first invasion.

Anyway, Gong Hyun-joon was now in this place…

‘There he is.’

Lee Hyun-wook had just identified his location.

Because Gong Hyun-joon was approaching him.

***

15 minutes earlier—

On the first underground floor of Dongdaemun Station, near the shelter entrance, there was a space called the 'Public Sanctuary.'

A sanctuary, literally a holy place, provided a 'Sanctuary Buff' in a certain area when a certain number of holy object items were placed.

The effects of this buff were diverse, with the most notable being a significant increase in the recovery of abnormal status and a several-fold increase in a Priest's holy power, allowing for an immense healing effect.

In other words, this place could save players who were on the brink of death, acting as a kind of emergency room.

However, there was a strange area inside the office where the power of the holy objects did not reach.

Someone was sitting there.

Gong Hyun-joon, the sanctuary manager, was attempting 'mana communication' with someone.

"Yes, I'm here."

– So, it's true that the AMT forces have entered the shelter, right?

The voice belonged to Park Gil-sang.

"Yes, that's