< Terror (4) >
With a crunch! and an electrical zap, a loud spark erupted.
Crackling—! Sizzle!
Simultaneously, numerous reinforced concrete debris slowly began to float into the air.
The sight of those massive blocks moving against gravity, which seemed impossible for any individual to budge, was enough to leave those watching in sheer awe.
Boom! Thud!
As onlookers stood dazed, the large and heavy debris began stacking in one corner.
The grand spectacle concluded with the final piece of reinforced concrete gently settling atop the pile, perfectly organized.
“Hoo, where to next?”
The overwhelming figure before them, the leader of the Returners’ Association, Yoon Ji-yoon, spoke nonchalantly, deliberately ignoring the admiring gazes directed her way.
This situation was a national crisis of unprecedented scale.
There was no room to divert her attention elsewhere.
– That place was the last one. Thank you for your hard work, Branch Leader.
“…Really? Is there any urgent place left?”
– No, while not all arrangements are complete, there isn’t an urgent situation that requires your help right now.
However, her tension slowly melted away after hearing her secretary’s message through her bone conduction headphones.
After receiving news of the terror, she had been dashing around like lightning for hours.
Finally, in this large-scale disaster, she could take a breather.
“Hoo.”
As she relaxed her body with some light stretching, a sigh escaped her lips.
What on earth was this chaos without any warning?
‘A terror of this scale? This isn’t something you can prepare for in just a year or two.’
With that newfound leisure, various troubling thoughts struck her mind that she hadn’t been able to ponder before.
The identities and motives of those responsible, the aftermath of this incident, and how to address it all.
Each of these issues was undoubtedly a headache.
“Ah, I feel a headache coming on already.”
Yoon Ji-yoon tried her best to divert her thoughts elsewhere.
After all, she would have to deal with those issues for a while anyway.
Being alone and fretting was simply inefficient.
‘The vampires from the Blood Alliance helped a lot this time. Without their assistance, the damage from villains taking advantage of the momentary security gap would have been much worse.’
And there was no denying the contributions of their leader, Heinz II.
Of course, he was not only assisting with relief efforts but also controlling various underground organizations.
Collaborating with them without turning hostile was unquestionably a smart choice.
‘Thinking about it, there are quite a few other promising individuals as well.’
Next, her mind drifted to several Awakened Ones who had shone brightly amid the chaos.
Among them were a few familiar faces, but there were also many she had never seen before this incident.
‘Is the Agency for Abnormal Control really doing proper transmitter investigations?’
To think there were so many talented individuals she hadn’t even known about!
Although she hadn’t directly interacted with them due to the ongoing turmoil, her sensor—spanning several kilometers via minute currents—couldn’t be deceived.
‘Where have those talents been hiding all this time? If they all joined the association, things would get easier. Especially…’
Among them, there were a few particularly concerning figures.
One was the spirit master, an exceptionally rare individual among Earthlings, and the other, a mysterious figure clad in strange metal armor soaring through the sky.
‘And that spirit master is someone I can’t easily encounter. Seriously, how many times has this happened?’
Once again, an unidentified registered transcendent had emerged from Korea.
It left her uncertain whether it was something to rejoice over or worry about.
“…Then I’ll inform the media accordingly.”
“Let’s move on to the next topic. First, the approximate damage tally that has been reported so far is…”
However, regardless of her concerns, the government had already decided on their approach regarding the matter.
They needed to quickly lift the grim atmosphere engulfing the nation and redirect the citizens’ eyes, even if just momentarily, away from the uncomfortable reality.
The heroes of Korea rising amidst the crisis—this was the framing they laid out.
Creating heroes was the best way to instill patriotism and make people rally during tough times.
– Wow, is that guy really human?
– Thank you! ㅠㅠ Thanks to you, my father is safe!
– I want that suit..! Where can I get it? Is it magical equipment? Doesn’t Howard Industries sell them?
And this method worked even better than expected.
*
The sudden terror attack in Seoul left a significant scar on Korean society.
In addition to astronomical property damage, there were also substantial casualties and the resulting trauma.
Despite the swift actions of various organizations, including the government, the association, and the Pantheon, the count of victims wasn’t even tallied yet, with related agencies nearing paralysis.
It was fortunate that everyone’s efforts managed to bring the situation under control within a few hours, averting a martial law situation.
Naturally, all eyes across the nation, as well as abroad, were now focused on Seoul.
They sought more detailed information regarding this terror incident.
And in accordance with the government’s intentions, the media’s reports began to subtly adopt a specific tone regarding the events.
There were the unarmed individuals who entered burning buildings to rescue children, the wizards who extinguished fires with a torrent of water, the psychics who swiftly transported citizens to safety, and the priest who protected survivors with a barrier just before a series of explosions.
The coverage shifted its emphasis to the heroes’ actions in response rather than the damage caused by the terror.
Naturally, those mentioned in the media gathered public attention, and especially those who had excelled in their endeavors drew even more interest.
– But that’s really amazing. The fire that was raging disappeared in an instant, and the black smoke vanished without a trace.
– For me, the ground moving uncontrollably and the people being pulled up from beneath the rubble was the most fascinating part, lol. They panicked when the situation ended too abruptly, it was hilarious, lol.
– Rather than that, I feel more sorry for those who don’t have such amazing abilities but struggle to rescue others and end up hurting themselves. I couldn’t help but tear up.
– No, but seriously, does anyone know what that power suit is? It fires laser beams from the hands! And without any delay, it can vaporize walls in one shot! What on earth is that?
Amidst the chaos, many heroes were born.
Photos and videos spread across the internet, and quick-witted reporters managed to interview survivors at the scene, broadcasting the news.
– How did you feel at that moment?
– It was terrifying. We heard constant crashing sounds below, and the thick black smoke made it hard to see outside. The door leading to the rooftop was locked, and I thought I was going to die right there…
– So that person in the suit came to rescue you?
– Yes, that’s right! Suddenly, they appeared by crashing through the wall and reached out their hand, wrapping the black thread around those of us stuck together—.
In that sense, the unidentified hero clad in a metal full-body suit, as if stepping out of a movie, was a fantastic topic.
The visual that ignited people’s fantasies naturally captivated attention, and their displayed feats were exceptional, which made the public’s passionate response inevitable.
– A summary of the presumed specs of the AXXX man who appeared in Seoul has been released.
– Supersonic flight, zero to sixty in under two seconds, energy field covering the entire body with no delay beams, laser swords that slice through steel like paper, and an infinitely extendable energy wire in one hand, lol.
– While flying, they even propped up a tilted building with one hand. Plus, there’s no wasted movement in sight. It’s as if they had the routes pre-programmed into a computer.
– But the design and timing of the appearance… could it have been made there..?
And this excitement was directed squarely at the newly established enigmatic corporation, Howard Industries.
A fledgling company boasting overwhelming technology for producing top-tier magical equipment and the emergence of a superhero with a similar nature shortly after their opening.
Wasn’t the combination of those two distinctly interconnected at a glance?!
– So can I make an order for that?
– I heard they only accept potions as payment. I doubt they’d take just any potion, though.
– What if it’s all top-tier magical equipment parts combined together? If that’s true, how much would it even cost?
Among them, there were a few who were getting closer to the truth.
Of course, the core energy source of the Titan’s central unit contained a Dragon Heart from a great dragon, and obviously, to operate it properly, the aid of “Machina: Callicas” with its installed AI was essential, meaning they couldn’t sell a product with identical specs.
In essence, the Titan full set was an incredibly special item, comparable to a human-shaped, ultra-compact spaceship.
‘Well, it’s a good thing at least that we’ve generated global promotional effects once again.’
It wouldn’t be a bad idea to officially adopt Titan as the mascot of Howard Industries.
After showcasing Mjölnir, this could significantly help alleviate the doubts of those who were skeptical.
‘Of course, given this situation, we should hold off on expanding business for a while. With the wealth accumulated so far, a hefty donation would improve our image… It would also be prudent to allocate a certain ratio of potions for disaster relief.’
In truth, money had little meaning to him now.
The wealth he had accumulated from two worlds was almost beyond measure.
Especially the treasures held by Hans, the Undead King, and Horus, who inherited the “Golden Repository,” were literally mountain-high.
‘It wouldn’t be bad to offer charity under the banner of the Blood Alliance either. This is a perfect opportunity to change the negative perception surrounding them.’
The fact that the vampires, who had been operating in the shadows, contributed significantly to resolving this situation was becoming increasingly known.
This was an unmatched opportunity to alter the perceptions of those branded as demons.
While most would still harbor fear and disdain toward them, just the fact that society was one step closer was still of significant value.
‘Alright, with that settled, all that’s left is to handle this matter.’
Beeep— Beep—
Bzzzt—
A loud mechanical sound echoed in the space.
In the very center stood Hesperon, fully outfitted in the Titan full-set.
He connected the ends of the wires ejected from his shoulders to the terminals of the mechanical devices.
‘These certainly aren’t ordinary items. It’s taking longer than expected.’
This place was the hideout of the Buncheon Society, located underground in the Demilitarized Zone.
It was a site filled with the remnants of those who hadn’t managed to withdraw in time.
He had entered in a flash using “Hero’s Footsteps” to extract additional clues from the devices these thugs used.
Of course, his main body utilizing “Entity Projection” with Hans had already returned home after cleaning out their memories.
It was more than enough for Heinz II and the Blood Alliance, who held the grip on Korea’s underbelly, to mop up the remaining remnants.
Bzzzzzt—
How long had it been since he had wasted time in such a manner?
After countless complex symbols flashed through his right eye, the anticipated phrase finally appeared.
[System interpretation complete.]
[Hacking successful. Downloading data.]
Under normal circumstances, even an ultra-high-spec AI wouldn’t be able to hack just any device like this.
Especially not items affected by other machine civilizations.
The primary purpose of “Machina: Callicas” wasn’t for complex tasks like hacking; it was merely an “ocular prosthetic.”
[New system contacted.]
Yet, Howard’s “Technological Revolution” modifications and enhancements through “The Artisan’s Soul” shattered those existing limitations.
Hesperon’s “Chain of Pact” made it function not merely as a machine but as a clear part of his body.
And it also benefited from the effects of avatar growth adjustments and “Growth’s Leap.”
‘Adding on top of that the Titan-class hardware, that’s what makes this possible.’
These devices were probably items issued specifically for clandestine operations.
Of course, even the information these lowly thugs recorded wouldn’t be of any real value, but it wouldn’t hurt to reference the memories as they weren’t a hundred percent perfect.
“…Oh? What’s this…?”
He raised his eyes in delight, spotting an unexpectedly surprising yield.
He examined the information projected in his right eye, uncovered from the thugs’ database.
It was a clue regarding another key base of the Buncheon Society, its Southeast Asian branch.
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