I Became an Illegal Cheat User

135 – Breaking Through the Demon Realm (3)

Chilling!

“……!”

What is this feeling?

A sudden chill prickled at the nape of my neck.

Startled by that sensation, I quickly checked my surroundings.

Of course, even while doing so.

“Ah, I’ve been looking for you for a long time.”

Click.

“The reason…….”

Boom!

I didn’t stop pulling the trigger.

Whoosh!

A radius of 10 meters.

Darkness swirling around like a vortex.

From within that darkness, Lee Seoyeon—more precisely, the monster disguised as ‘Lee Seoyeon’—had its head blown apart.

Thud.

The body of the monster collapsed, headless.

At the same moment.

Grrk, grrrk.

The shape of the monster oozed grotesquely, melting away like mud.

As the head, the core and center of its body, disintegrated, I returned to the original form revealed by my talent, the Truth Eye.

‘Indeed, the Holy Bullet.’

While it may be no different from a regular bullet in other attributes, in terms of magic, it is more powerful than anything else.

But unfortunately, that power does not last long.

It makes sense, as the Holy Bullet I am currently using is one imbued with the holy sword’s ability, the “Death Mist Immunity” effect.

Thus, rather than firing in rapid succession, I took careful aim, one shot at a time.

With the power of a cheat, super accuracy, I burst the heads of the approaching cloaked monsters.

At the same time, I concentrated my magical energy.

Enhancing my vision, I sought to pinpoint the source of the chill that had sent a shiver down my spine.

‘Where are you?’

The coldness I had just felt.

It was not a presence that could be sensed from mere cloaked monsters.

It was a force that could only be emitted by beings at least my equal, if not greater.

Therefore, I did not dismiss what I had just felt as a simple sensation.

Given that it was a force I sensed when I was nearly fully recovered, with only 20% of my restraints remaining, it was even more significant.

So I immediately sought the source, but—

‘…It’s not here?’

I couldn’t see it.

Even with my enhanced magical perception.

Even when I tried to expand my senses.

The source of the chill.

I could not identify the essence of the feeling that had put me on edge.

‘The fact that I can’t find it with my eyes or senses means…’

…It’s not inside, but outside.

If that’s the case, it makes sense.

Though not as strong as Lee Seoyeon, my sensing ability is top-notch.

I can confidently say that I am superior to my peers who possess sensing talents or skills.

But how can I not find it?

In a space that’s only ten meters in radius?

‘It turns out we’re not even in the same space.’

So, of course, I can’t find it.

Still, you never know.

It could simply be that my abilities are lacking, and that’s why I can’t locate it.

‘Tera, what about you?’

So I asked my system, my supporter.

I inquired if Tera had found the cause.

[I’m sorry, Master.]

[I scanned the entire area where you are, but found nothing except for the concealed monster.]

‘You couldn’t find it either.’

Well, what can I do?

I have no choice but to be a bit more cautious.

Honestly, I want to find the cause right away and resolve this uneasy feeling.

But what can I do?

If Tera couldn’t find it.

Her search abilities are top-notch, to the point where I think that way.

Most superhumans can’t match her searching skills.

And I’m no different.

‘If there’s a downside, it’s that I’m the center.’

But there are so many advantages that the downside doesn’t even feel significant.

Infrared.

Heat sensors.

Life sign detection.

360-degree and spatial scanning.

And distinguishing friend from foe, among other things.

Tera is like a military-grade camera, effective and capable of scanning a wide range.

And yet, Tera couldn’t find it.

And here I am, with abilities that are merely decent, continuing to search?

It is beyond inefficiency; it is a foolish act.

‘Tera, you can’t see beyond the veil of darkness, can you?’

[Yes, I checked beyond the veil when we began our search, but just as you confirmed with your clairvoyance, all I could see was darkness. I could not see beyond the veil.]

‘As expected.’

I had been certain since I couldn’t see beyond the veil even with clairvoyance, but this reaffirmed my conviction.

The veil of darkness.

It is indeed peculiar.

Well, considering the veil rises high into the sky like a wall, what else could it be but peculiar?

As I finished that thought, I pulled the trigger.

Another concealed monster’s head burst open.

Boom!

With the thunderous sound unique to the Thunderbolt, the slide retreated and locked in place.

All the bullets I had loaded before entering this fog had been expended.

‘The buff has ended.’

By using up all the bullets, the effects of the holy sword that had been applied to them were nullified.

Thus, the bullets I would use from now on would only carry the effect of ‘indestructible’ attached to Astra’s S-rank equipment item.

‘…I wonder how much the damage has decreased.’

Where I currently stand is within the fog of death.

A place where even the divine power of Noah, the transcendent, the son and heir of the great saint, can be corroded in an instant.

In such a demonic realm, can bullets without the effect of the holy sword truly deal sufficient damage to the enemies?

I think not.

‘Tera, what do you think?’

[I share the same opinion as you, my lord. The bullets you have loaded now, due to the indestructible effect, will not corrode, but the actual damage of the holy bullets will be significantly reduced.]

Just as Tera said.

Holy bullets, imbued with sacred blessings (A).

They are consumable items that deal damage as the divine power contained within them explodes upon hitting the target.

However, in this fog of death filled with deceit, the divine power that constitutes the holy bullets cannot exert its strength.

In simpler terms, the special bullets limited to magic attributes have been downgraded to ordinary bullets.

As if to prove that.

Thunder rumbled! Boom, bang!

Bang!

“…It hurts.”

Just a moment ago, the camouflage monsters that had been taken down with a single shot were now standing strong after being hit multiple times—two shots, three shots. They wouldn’t fall.

“Yujin, it hurts. Why are you doing this to me?”

Grrr, grrrr.

Hmm.

I thought they would weaken.

‘But they’ve become way too weak, haven’t they?’

I clicked my tongue at the sight of the camouflage monster swiftly healing the holes that had formed all over its body.

Moreover, it should have been suffering continuous damage from the holy fire that erupted due to the divine power, but even that was being suppressed by some kind of cheat, flickering and fading away without burning.

‘This is a bit troublesome.’

No matter how much the holy sword’s abilities weren’t applying, this was too much.

An S-rank weapon’s basic damage added to the bullets could only inflict this little damage?

‘…I think I need to reassess my judgment.’

The fog of death.

I had thought it was dangerous.

But experiencing it like this, it was more vicious than I had imagined.

*Sigh*, it can’t be helped.

I hadn’t intended to use my target value.

But given how things have turned out, I’ll have to use it just a little.

With that thought settled, I immediately called for Terra.

“Terra.”

And as soon as I called her name,

an inventory opened beside me, and Battle Maid Terra stepped out.

“Master, what are your orders?”

Terra asked for commands not through a system message, but in her own voice.

In response to her question, I opened one of my system privileges, the point shop, and said,

“1 minute.”

No, 30 seconds.

During that time, please watch over me.

At my command, the battle maids slightly lifted the hems of their skirts towards me.

“Serving our master is the fundamental quality of a maid.”

As they said this, the maids let their skirts fall back down.

Then, with cold expressions, they turned to face the approaching disguised monsters.

Clank—, cha-ching!

The battle maids armed themselves.

They drew the blades hidden within their arms, the shadow blades.

“So please, leave it to us.”

With those words, the maids stamped their feet on the ground.

At the same moment, the monsters that had approached me were flung backward.

“Do not approach our master.”

Five battle maids stood around me in a pentagon.

And as the monsters drew near,

Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh!

With the blades sprouting from their arms, the shadow blades sliced through the disguised monsters.

Grrr, grrrr!

But as soon as their bodies were severed, the monsters quickly healed themselves with their unique regeneration abilities.

Though weakened, they showed no signs of distress against the maids’ attacks, which lacked the power of magic, even after being struck and burned by holy energy.

On the other hand, the maids were—

Sizzle…!

With a sound like something burning in acid, their bodies began to blacken in various places.

The power of the holy sword was not applying, and they were corroding in the atmosphere’s toxicity.

Yet, the speed of this corrosion was strangely fast.

It felt like it had barely been a few seconds since they had emerged from the inventory, yet already a third of the maids’ bodies had turned black from corrosion.

Seeing this, I quickly scanned the talents that appeared on the point shop screen and thought,

‘Why is this?’

Why had the corrosion already become so severe?

As I pondered this, I realized what was causing the speed of the corrosion to increase.

Rustle─, screech…!

The camouflaged monster.

It was because of those things.

‘…It’s an alien, or what?’

As the maids’ blades sliced through the body of the camouflaged monster, a sound like acid echoed.

I thought that sound was the sound of death.

But now I see, it was actually the sound made when striking the camouflaged monster.

‘With every attack, the corrosion accelerates.’

It truly is an unfair fight.

The monster doesn’t die due to its unique regenerative ability.

Yet, with every attack the maids make, the corrosion deepens.

“Body damage at 88%…, 89%…, 90%…, combat cannot continue.”

The maids, their outfits melting and most of their bodies blackened by corrosion.

As they said, it seems they can no longer continue the fight.

But it’s alright.

As unfair as it is for them, it’s equally unfair for us.

And rightly so.

“Body exchange complete.”

“Continuing combat.”

Battle maids.

The maids fighting the monsters are not human, but artificial bodies.

They were items benefiting from the cheat effect of infinite items.

So there was little complaint.

As long as Terra’s processing power lasts, the battle maids are infinite.

Of course, while the quantity is infinite, the application is finite.

I hurried to ensure I wouldn’t exceed the 30 seconds I had told Terra.

And just before the 30 seconds were up.

Ding, ding.

[You have purchased a Firearms Expert (A).]

[Purchased the Battle Priest’s Sacred Skill (A).]

I have just bought the two talents I need right now.

I can feel the new abilities seeping into my body, my soul.

I checked the points at the top of the point shop, feeling my strength growing.

[1,570,000]

A usage of 300,000 points.

I can see the number that was close to 2 million has decreased.

‘…I was prepared for this.’

But seeing the reduced points makes my mouth feel quite bitter.

However, given the circumstances.

‘Points can be gathered again.’

I let out a sigh, shaking off my disappointment. Besides, the target I set for myself is still quite far off.

So the regret isn’t that great.

‘Sigh…, 300,000 points.’

…Honestly, it’s a bit disappointing.

I smacked my lips, checking the information of the talents I purchased briefly.

[Firearms Expert (A)]

[When using firearms, damage increases by 100%.]

[Battle Priest’s Sacred Skill (A).]

[When divine light manifests, damage increases by 100%.]

[Holy power consumption reduced by 40%.]

There are other effects as well.

But what I need most right now is about power.

Therefore.

Clack.

I immediately checked the power.

Boom! Bang!

And the result was.

“Reason…….”

Boom!

…Thud.

It was a great satisfaction.