The Veteran Player Already Knows

Chapter 145 - Climax (5)

"I was originally seriously considering a comeback to active duty. Do you know what that means?"

"..."

Even if you suddenly bring up such a heavy topic, I have nothing to say, sunbae-nim.

Seo Ji-an thought to herself and smiled awkwardly.

The reason why Kim Kang-in, the strongest Climber in Korea and someone who could have aimed for the title of the strongest Climber in history if he could have maintained his prime, was now serving as a school principal was simple.

This person.

Had been 'dead' as a Climber for a long time.

His body had been shattered to the point where it wouldn't be strange if he died on the spot if he used his mana excessively even once.

Even now, there was probably an incident that everyone who had been involved in the Korean Climber world remembered.

A single night called the 'Black Night Incident.' The hostile incident with the Lancester family that made two of Korea's top Climbers retire at the same time.

On that day, Kim Kang-in received an injury that he could never recover from, Seo Jin-seong went missing, and his partner, Han Si-yeon, was left in a vegetative state after being injured.

"...Ah-in went through a lot back then. Hye-in's personality also changed after that."

"But lately, both of their faces have brightened up. I could tell even from afar."

"Isn't it because of this person?"

Seo Ji-an said, fluttering the documents in her hand.

It was a paper with the exact same content as the document she had previously presented to Sepia.

At the top of the document, Kim Gyu-sik's name was printed in large letters.

"...This guy never gets tired of cooking up interesting things."

Kim Kang-in, who had scanned the contents of the document, said with a smirk.

"The Lancester guys will be floored when they see this. Is he a master at using his head?"

"Rather than a master..."

Seo Ji-an frowned slightly and thought carefully.

No matter how much she thought about it, a word like that didn't feel like it accurately described the person named Kim Gyu-sik.

Ah, yes.

To be precise.

"...Doesn't it feel like the world is his toy box, that person?"

"A toy box?"

"No matter who the opponent is, no matter what the situation, everything is my toy, so I will control everything and do whatever I want."

"..."

Kim Kang-in, who recalled how that guy Kim Gyu-sik had worked so far, smirked in agreement.

"In that sense, I'm curious how he's doing in the ordeal right now, that person."

As she said that, Seo Ji-an activated the holographic projector in the room.

From what she had confirmed of the situation inside the ordeal a while ago, it looked like it was just about to reach its climax.

So at this point, it was about time for him to show some other strange sight—

-Savior: Prototype online.

-Deploying.

"...What is that?"

"It looks like a Titan...? Wow, I've only seen that in literature, this is my first time seeing it in person."

"Yeah. It's weird that something like that just pops out and walks around, but more importantly, what is that thing on the other side?"

"It looks like a robot... sunbae-nim."

To Kim Kang-in's dumbfounded words, Seo Ji-an also replied with a sentence that said her head was throbbing.

In fact, it was probably the same regardless of the generation, but especially for the older generation of Climbers, the Tower was a kind of 'battlefield.'

A series of judgment platforms where one had to risk their own life and fight fierce battles with the obstacles that came down from inside the Tower. To survive. Or not to survive.

For Kim Kang-in, who had broken through the 10 floors before the 11th floor, this was a natural proposition, so he thought he could understand why the whole world was on high alert after the 'ordeal' was opened.

In that respect.

In an ordeal where it was officially announced that half of the world's population would be wiped out if they failed, that is, in a major event where the world's attention was focused.

The sight of a giant robot with a design that was drenched in personal preference, looking like it came out of a special effects show, fighting a bloody battle with a Titan.

Both could be summarized in one word.

"Anything is really a toy to him. Isn't it?"

"...I agree."

Seo Ji-an replied with a hollow voice.

***

So, what was romance?

The very sight of a giant robot and a giant monster fighting a bloody battle was something that made a man's heart boil, but that alone was a bit lacking.

"Phew..."

I took a deep breath and 'synchronized' myself with the machine.

Yes, thinking about how much I had twisted my body to try this just once, I was truly overcome with emotion.

In order to realize the perfect scene I had in mind, the machine needed to be able to reproduce my desired movements in detail.

The easiest way to do that was to make the machine follow my body movements directly.

In fact, it was more correct to say that the energy in the Dragon's Heart was being used to operate this system.

[ Pilot synchronization complete. ]

[ Entering combat mode... ]

"Ah, don't do that."

[...]

I could feel the AI getting flustered at my sudden interruption.

And for good reason.

-...Ho. A worthy opponent.

At the timing when the Titan said that and was aiming its weapon at me with its eyes glowing ominously, I was telling it to deactivate the combat mode. Even I would be flustered.

No, but.

Generally speaking, when it came to a 'combat mode' in a robot, it was about shooting beams or drawing a sword and swinging it, right?

I had no taste for that.

-It feels like you have been prepared from the start to face this body. Good. Prepare yourself!

Ah, that's right.

It was the line of a villain that reeked of a traditional tendency to the point of feeling old-fashioned.

How should I put it, it was just right for an 'opponent.'

[ Arcane Burst: Modified ]

[ Observation ]

[ Bullet Time ]

Activating the skills in a row, I made the mana waves vibrate throughout the synchronized machine.

As the world slowed down, the attack swung by the Titan became clearly visible, and the giant body of the robot felt like my own.

-Swish. Thud. Bang.

With a light motion, I dodged the sword swung by the Titan, pushed its chest to create an opening, and drove a palm strike into that opening.

-!

-!!!

Of course, given the size of the body, even such light movements made a huge sound. The cylinders that made up the robot emitted tremendous heat, and the heavy sound of cutting through the air gave a magnificent feeling.

"Oh, ooh..."

Yes, this was it.

A 'fighting' giant robot.

This, this was romance...

To do this, I, huh!

I caught a dragon! I built a robot! I maxed out my martial arts skills!

If a man has a dream, shouldn't he be able to endure that much sacrifice, huh!

-...

But the Titan that was hit by that looked completely dumbfounded, as if wondering what this was.

-...You. Where is your weapon.

I tilted my head at the huge voice that echoed boisterously.

So, how should I put it.

It felt like he was hoping for a head-on confrontation of strength against strength, with weapons clashing majestically, size against size.

But he was quite flustered that I had suddenly counterattacked technically with my bare hands.

"I'm just going to fight like this."

-...Do you consider that, respect for a warrior! Draw your weapon at once...!

"Hey."

No. A person was having a good time, so why did you keep killing the mood?

What, a weapon?

I smirked and took a stance.

Well, even if it was a martial art that reeked of the old days, the stance for bare-handed combat was the same regardless of the era.

Fast consecutive strikes. A heavy blow that impactfully strikes to the vital points. Recovery.

And the moment I input those movements into this 'giant robot.'

The synapses powered by the fuel burned by the Dragon's Heart in the engine room, the muscle strands tied in bundles of pistons, began to move, emitting steam fiercely.

And.

-!

-!

-!!!

-!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The collection of knowledge accumulated for humans to hit humans most efficiently was grafted onto a 'body' that could produce the most violent kinetic energy in history.

Every single punch, every single kick, the short combination that followed a simple grappling.

Was an 'ultimate technique' that could easily split mountains.

Could easily shake the axis of the heavens.

Could easily overturn the world.

"Why do I need a weapon."

I muttered quietly towards the giant body of the Titan, which was staggering and collapsing after being hit by all those attacks.

"When I can do this."

Ah, yes.

This was the taste.

As I was smiling at the sense of accomplishment welling up in my chest.

-...You bastard-!

Even after being hit by that, it was still fine, as the Titan somehow stood up, blood pouring from its entire body.

-How dare you trample on a warrior's pride! You, know that you will not die a peaceful death!

"Ah, that's a relief."

A long time ago, what was it.

I think something like this happened at the Guild Grand Unification Event.

He couldn't last very long and collapsed.

In that respect, I was rather on edge. What if this guy couldn't withstand even this level of attack and collapsed?

"Please, I beg you, last even a little longer."

With those words.

The giant body of the robot began its heavy movements once again.

***

"...Phew."

Seo Ah-in sighed and wiped her eyes.

A roaring sound continued to echo around her, and a vibration that felt as if the very axis of the earth was being overturned continued, but she showed no signs of tension at all.

"...So."

Lee Si-yeong said with a chuckle, as if she had no energy left to be surprised.

"The EX-rank demonic beast Titan, which exterminated half of the African continent as soon as it appeared during the first Gate incident. The method of how to catch it was never discovered, and it was said to be practically invincible, is that right?"

"...Yes."

"Then what do you think of that scene?"

"..."

Seo Hye-in, who had shown a reaction of astonishment at first seeing the Titan, awkwardly shut her mouth.

Well.

Seeing the Titan, which was said to only appear in legends or myths, being beaten like a dog on a hot day, well.

Anyone would show that kind of reaction.

"But you know."

Seo Ah-in sighed and ran a hand through her hair.

"If he can beat it up like that, he must have countless other ways to kill it easily, right?"

"...I suppose so?"

"But to go through all that complicated process, throwing away all those many methods, it's better to assume that he just 'wanted to do that,' and 'had no confidence that he would fail,' so he went through all that headache-inducing process to do it, right?"

"...Probably?"

"What does that person think of the Tower... no, just living in the world?"

"..."

Lee Si-yeong stroked her chin in deep thought.

And then, she performed a miracle, sharing the exact same impression as a certain person in a range that was physically impossible to perceive.

"...A toy box?"

"..."

It was a mumble that everyone nearby could not help but agree with.