I Became an Illegal Cheat User

84 – Cognition (1)

Kwarrrrung! Bang, bang bang─!!

The thunder roared incessantly.

Simultaneously, the storm of lightning shot from my Thunderbolts struck the black waves.

– I command all Iron Golems.

With my attack as a signal, Terra’s orders fell upon the golems.

– Annihilate all the Fallen, the enemies of the Master.

In a flash.

The eyes of the Iron Golems, which had been glowing blue, turned red.

– Executing Mother’s command.

– Executing Mother’s command.

– Executing Mother’s command.

– Mother’s command…….

Whirring, thud!

With a mechanical sound, the iron golems began to move.

The upper bodies of the iron golems leaned slightly forward.

Thud.

One step.

The iron golems took a step forward.

Thud, thud.

Two steps.

Their pace quickened.

Whiiiiiiiiing……!!

Simultaneously, the iron golems raised their arms and began to rotate the barrels of the mounted miniguns.

Thud, thud thud!

The iron golems transitioned from walking to running.

With the heavy thudding of the golems, the ground cracked, sending stone dust swirling into the air.

And just as they drew closer to the black wave.

– Commencing annihilation of the enemy.

All the golems shouted in unison, declaring the start of the annihilation as they fired their miniguns.

KWAHAHHAHAHA──!!

A deafening roar echoed from all directions.

Along with that roar, forty white flashes poured forth toward the black wave.

『…Kyaaah!』

『Kyaah─! My arm! My arm……!』

『Hold the line, you in front! Hold on…, Kyaah!』

The corrupted ones leading the charge were struck directly by the flashes and were flung backward.

However, this only applied to the lower-tier corrupted.

The higher-tier corrupted, unlike their lower-tier counterparts who were either dead or had limbs blown off, charged forward while maintaining their magical barriers.

‘Just as I expected.’

Unless a Christmas miracle strikes their heads, the lower-tier fallen ones do not die, and the higher-tier fallen ones cannot even breach the demonic barrier.

From what I can see, it seems that the attacks of the golems controlled by Terra are not affected by cheats.

Literally, Terra is a system that supports me, but that means I cannot use cheats, as they are undeniably my abilities.

Of course, it’s not that I can’t find a way to supplement the golems’ insufficient firepower just because I can’t use cheats.

‘…What’s this? The machines’ fire is bearable?’

‘That’s not all; the demonic barrier hasn’t been breached either.’

‘If that’s the case… the machines don’t need to be afraid… wait, what’s that sound?’

Wiiiiiiiiing!

For instance… bombs, perhaps?

‘…It’s the bomb drones from earlier─!’

At the shout of a higher-tier fallen one, all the fallen in the front raised their heads.

Seeing hundreds of drones descending, all the fallen, except for those in the front blocking the golems’ attacks and those outside the range, used their abilities against the drones.

‘Shoot them down! Shoot them down─!’

‘Hey, you b*stard! Stop just talking and use your abilities too! Or send the demons flying!’

‘Damn it, are you blind? I’m already doing that! But why are those drones dodging so well!’

Despite the cries of one fallen, the attacks of hundreds of thousands of fallen were unleashed like anti-aircraft fire.

Wiiing! Wiiing!

– No chance.

Perhaps because Terra has a supercomputer-like system, the drones executed incredible evasive maneuvers, dodging the fallen’s attacks or self-destructing a few drones to eliminate seemingly unavoidable strikes.

Kwang! Bang, bang bang!

Still, it seemed they couldn’t avoid all the attacks, as some drones were hit and exploded in mid-air.

However, every time one was shot down, the drones waiting above would dive down to fill the gaps, making it feel as if none were truly destroyed.

At the same time, from the inventory that had been open all along, drones were automatically emerging in proportion to the number destroyed, rising into the sky… it resembled a scene from some game where an alien mothership launches interceptors.

‘Uh, uh-oh! They’re getting closer!’

Wiiiiiiiiing──!!

With the shout of one fallen, the drones began to accelerate en masse.

In response, the fallen intensified their efforts to shoot down the drones.

‘They’re… they’re colliding!’

‘No, don’t…!’

‘aaah…!’

In the end, we could not stop the drones’ descent.

Kwahwahwahwahwahwahwah──!!

As the corrupted entered the blast radius, the drones self-destructed in unison.

Consequently, a vast explosion erupted, incinerating all the corrupted within the area into a blinding white.

Of course, since my cheat wasn’t in effect.

‘Kuhak…, Khaaa….’

‘Kyaaak! It’s hot! It’s so hooot─!’

‘Someone put out the fire, please─!!’

The higher-tier corrupted writhed in agony from the holy flames, yet they did not perish.

But such suffering was only temporary.

Clank!

– Target locked: ‘Holy Flame’ engulfing the corrupted.

Kwahahahahah──!!

The higher-tier corrupted, now the primary targets of the Iron Golems, burst apart under the baptism of the minigun.

In response, some of the higher-tier corrupted attempted to shield themselves from the golems’ attacks by using the lower-tier corrupted as shields or employing their abilities.

‘W-why won’t it stop…!’

Alongside the corrupted used as shields, they vanished into dust.

‘If the magic barrier is gone, then it’s time to die.’

Even if the firepower of the Iron Golems was weaker than mine, the minigun and ammunition given to the golems were undeniably A-rank items.

Moreover, since the ammunition being used dealt devastating damage to magical entities, no matter how high-tier the corrupted were, without the magic barrier, they had no choice but to die.

– All designated targets have been eliminated. Re-executing the initial order for the eradication of the corrupted.

As the higher-tier corrupted engulfed in holy flames were all eliminated, the golems unleashed their miniguns upon the surrounding corrupted.

And it wasn’t long before.

– All ammunition has been expended.

– All ammunition has been expended.

– All ammunition has been expended.

– All ammunition has been…….

Reports of ammunition depletion echoed from all the golems.

‘Perfectly timed depletion.’

The total number of rounds sent to the golems was 2,000.

It was set to last about 30 seconds, in line with the minigun’s consumption of 4,000 rounds per minute.

And when the golems had exhausted all their ammunition, we were close enough to the black wave that I could see the faces of the corrupted without needing to widen my field of vision.

– Disengaging long-range combat mode.

As the golems reported in unison, they detached the miniguns and ammunition boxes from their arms.

As a result, fragments of their bodies fell away as well.

‘Oh… indeed, golems.’

Even though they were made of machinery, they fell under the classification of ‘golem,’ and thanks to their self-repair function, their bodies began to recover.

Perhaps because they were golems created by the mechanist Winley, their recovery speed was twice as fast as that of ordinary golems.

Moreover, unlike regular golems that only possessed self-repair capabilities, the iron golems had a special function.

– Initiating close combat mode.

That function was none other than ‘combat mode.’

Vwooom!

A magical shield materialized around the massive bodies of all the golems.

Simultaneously, blades resembling chainsaws sprang forth from their arms.

…Kiiiiiing─!

They began to spin at a furious speed.

And as they switched to close combat mode, their movements seemed to quicken.

Thud! Thud thud!

They charged toward the black wave, kicking off the ground with a speed even faster than when they were firing the miniguns.

I too increased my running speed, preparing to unleash the lightning energy charged in my Thunderbolt.

– Master, I will provide bombing support.

The drones hovering above descended in unison.

As before, they evaded the corrupted’s attacks with evasive maneuvers, and when they got close enough, they accelerated sharply.

Kwah-kwah-kwah─! Kwah-kwah-kwah-kwah──!!

White explosions erupted everywhere.

As a result, gaps began to form throughout the black wave.

– Master, I’ve created openings. You can jump in as is.

Nodding at Terra’s report, I gathered strength in my next step.

Bang─!

As my footsteps echoed on the ground, my body began to lift into the air.

Soaring upward, my body traced a parabola toward the space that was starting to fill with the fallen.

In that moment, I aimed my left hand’s thunderbolt at the cockroach-like fallen.

“First one.”

I pulled the trigger of the thunderbolt.

Crackling—!!

A bullet infused with tremendous lightning energy shot forth like a beam of destruction.

And just like that, the fallen that filled half the space… no, even those nearby were obliterated in an instant.

At the same time, my body thudded back down into the now-expanded space.

Thud, thud, thud!

The golems that had jumped with me also landed in the area created by Terra, plunging into the black wave.

Without hesitation, they began to swing their dual-edged chainsaws, slicing through the fallen around them.

“I can’t lose to the golems.”

I stowed the thunderbolt, which had unleashed a lightning explosion, into my inventory and clenched my fist tightly.

Then, I seized the head of one of the higher-tier fallen rushing toward me.

『…Gah, aah!』

The fallen, caught in my grip, let out a scream of agony and thrashed about.

Thud, thud, thud!

The fallen’s hands and feet pounded against my body.

But thanks to the items I wore, I felt only a slight impact; it didn’t hurt at all.

And the fallen could never escape my grasp.

After all, here I stood before the fallen.

‘50% additional stat boost in combat against enemies.’

‘100% additional stat boost in combat against magic attribute enemies.’

‘150% additional stat boost upon encountering evil.’

Thanks to the talent ‘Demon Slayer (S)’, all my stats received a 300% boost.

Thus, my current physical ability was not ‘176’ but ‘528’… in terms of stats, I was at the very edge of the higher tier.

Moreover, the fallen surrounding me were all suffering a 40% reduction in their stats due to ‘Despise the Weak’ and ‘Demon Hunting.’

And…, the effect of ‘Demon Hunting’ increased as my rage grew.

“Haah.”

A true pinnacle of corruption, unless a named one appears…

Kwahhh!

“Ahhh! P-please… save me!”

Puh-woosh!

There are no corrupt beings here that can stand against me.

Thud thud…

Having flung the corrupted being I had lost from my shoulder to the ground, I cracked my neck left and right, surveying the other corrupt beings around me.

“Ah… ahhh…”

“A-a monster…”

Now, not only the lower-tier corrupt beings but even the higher-tier ones looked at me with faces filled with fear.

Taking a step toward those corrupted beings, I unleashed the rage I had promised to my talent.

And just like that, the anger that had been suppressed erupted forth like a volcano, as if it had been waiting for this moment.

– Master, our goal is to blow up the legs of the Magi.

“I know, I know.”

Rage and hatred surged within me.

Along with an intense instinct for destruction.

“…It’s a bit hard to endure.”

As promised, my talent was shouting for me to tear apart the trash around me right now.

I tightened my left hand, dripping with black blood, until it made a sound, and continued speaking.

“So, Terra, you’ll have to guide me.”

– …Understood. I will be your path, Master.

As Terra spoke those words, a direction appeared in my vision, like a navigation system showing me where to go.

– Master, I will guide you in the direction you need to go, so fight to your heart’s content.

“Alright.”

I took a deep breath, closing my eyes as they heated up with fury.

As I embraced the raging anger within me and opened my eyes…

The once ordinary area transformed.

The corrupted beings that had taken on human forms…

All became hellish.

The once ordinary land was now a ground ablaze with hellfire.

The forms of the fallen were like the demons of hell.

And I.

Tear and slay the evil.

I became a demon slayer.

&

&

&

Beyond the Yalu River, the continent of death.

The fallen one with red hair, sitting in a chair lavishly adorned with all manner of jewels, rested his chin on his hand, furrowing his brow as if sensing something, glaring at the map on the table.

“…It’s strange.”

At the low voice of the man, the fallen one, his aide, who was also studying the map, bowed his head with restrained movement and asked.

“What is strange, O Greed?”

Pointing to Sinuiju, where the First Extermination Unit’s forward base was located, the fallen one, Greed, spoke.

“I received word just a moment ago that the forward base was nearly breached. Yet, there has been no communication since.”

“That is indeed… strange.”

Nodding in agreement with Greed’s words, the aide stroked his chin thoughtfully.

Then, he pulled out the symbol of corruption engraved with Greed’s insignia from his bosom and infused it with magic.

At that moment, the symbol of corruption resonated for a brief moment.

– Speak, O Agent of Greed.

A voice emerged from the symbol of corruption.

“Report on the current situation at the forward base of the Extermination Unit.”

As the aide inquired, a trembling voice flowed from the symbol of corruption.

– …There have been no reports of occupation yet.

“Yet? Are you saying ‘yet’ right now?”

– I-I apologize. However, according to the last report I received, the Ninth Extermination Unit has gone to provide support…

“What? The Ninth Extermination Unit?”

Greed interjected.

At that, the voice emanating from the symbol of corruption gasped in shock.

– G-Greed!

“Say that again. Did you just say the Ninth Extermination Unit has gone to provide support?”

– Yes, yes… that’s right.

“Then, is it Kallinya who has gone to support the first extermination unit’s forward base?”

– Ah, no. The one who has gone there to support is an intern from the extermination unit…

“…an intern?”

What did I just hear?

An intern has gone to support the most critical first extermination unit?

“…It seems there are many personnel going to support.”

As Greed spoke, the voice that echoed from the Symbol of Corruption immediately denied it.

– No, it’s just the intern alone.

“What?”

『Just the intern?』

Greed and the aide questioned in disbelief.

Then, from the Symbol of Corruption, a confirmation echoed once more.

At this, Greed rose from his seat and spoke.

“…I think I know who it is.”

『…So do I.』

Greed and the aide exchanged glances and spoke in unison.

“『Lee Yoo-jin.』”

Greed grinned as if delighted.

At the same moment, a glint of greed shone in his crimson eyes.