Chapter 38
There were several reasons why the Ghost Bat had become an entity of terror to the Space Marines.
Among those reasons, the one that made it the most terrifying was its stealthiness.
This wasn't referring to its Stealth Ability.
With a body length of 20 meters and a wingspan reaching 35 meters when spread—meaning it was larger than most heavy fighter jets—the creature surprisingly made almost no sound when it moved.
Yet, its movement speed was tremendous.
Even with that massive body, and without having anything like a fighter jet's engine, it could reach a top speed of 800 kilometers per hour once it started accelerating.
Thus, by the time one noticed it, it was already the moment the Ghost Bat was spewing out the Corrosion Worms it had cultivated inside its long body.
It was the moment despair washed over them.
It is the same now.
Swoooosh!
A single Ghost Bat was moving at high speed through the high sky while in Stealth.
The creature flying through the sky suddenly folded its wings and began to dive, and at that moment, its speed began to accelerate even further.
Like a missile!
Amidst that tremendous acceleration, the Ghost Bat found the target the Cyclops had ordered it to attack.
It looked at a Battle Tank in the distance.
To the naked eye, it looked like a dot, but that didn't matter to the Ghost Bat.
In the first place, the Ghost Bat had no eyes.
True to the bat, it identified targets by emitting special wavelengths, and its performance was excellent enough to find a Space Marine even in a harsh sandstorm.
Finding something as massive as a Battle Tank was nothing.
And the moment it discovered the target, the Ghost Bat's invisible body began to change.
Its body began to swell.
Soon, a small hole formed in the Ghost Bat's mouth.
Pshhhhh!
Something resembling an elongated spear was spewed out through that hole.
It was the Corrosion Worms cultivated in the Ghost Bat's body.
It was a nightmare-like worm for those who handled armored vehicles, including the Tank Crewmen of the Battle Tanks.
Its powerful Corrosion Ability was one thing, but as the expression implied, these were living worms.
Once hit, it didn't just end with that area corroding; it rapidly moved from the point of impact, corroding everything it touched.
If no action was taken, they wouldn't stop until they had corroded everything.
Even a mere graze was enough to deal fatal damage to the vehicle!
Therefore, the Ghost Bat had no doubt that the Battle Tank would soon become a lump of scrap metal.
Kreeeeek!
In response to that fact, the Ghost Bat, which hadn't made a single sound until now, began to let out a bizarre cry.
It began to shriek a cheer of victory.
At the same time, the Ghost Bat could feel it.
Crunch!
The Corrosion Worm Swarm that it had spewed out was accurately hitting the target!
And simultaneously, the Ghost Bat could hear it.
Skeeeoong!
Skeeeoong!
The moment the Thunder Railgun was fired, the air made a sound as if it were screaming from the powerful impact.
And the world Kim Seojun's Group saw was the same.
It shook violently.
However, Kim Seojun's eyes were different.
Amidst this violent shaking, his gaze was still directed at the target.
Soon, the moment the trembling stopped, Kim Seojun could hear it.
"I think it hit!"
Private First Class Park Boseop's voice.
"I definitely heard the sound of a hit!"
At his words, the voice of Major Lee Hyena, who was reinforcing the supports outside, could be heard.
"Crazy!"
She let out a sound of astonishment.
It was understandable.
"To think you'd actually pull this off!"
Kim Seojun had prepared a few more operations after attacking the Chinese Headquarters.
And he had said.
He had prepared a gamble separate from the operations.
In reality, it couldn't even dare be called an operation.
The strategy involves tossing a Decoy Battle Tank, a Battle Tank that was just an empty shell, in a suitable location, luring the Ghost Bat, and then aiming for the Ghost Bat at the exact moment it attacked!
Anyone who heard it wouldn't call it an operation, which was why Kim Seojun also described it as a gamble.
But now, that gamble has worked.
They had caught the Ghost Bat.
"Staff Sergeant Kim Seojun! You're amazing!"
At that fact, Private First Class Park Boseop looked at Kim Seojun, more intensely moved than ever before.
And he could see it.
Kim Seojun's face, which didn't have even a speck of a joyful smile.
It couldn't be helped.
\[There's no notification.\]
The status window isn't showing any signs right now.
This meant that the Ghost Bat was still alive.
Of course, Kim Seojun knew. It was a hit, and the Ghost Bat would have taken fatal damage.
But Kim Seojun wasn't someone who looked down on the Mogs enough to be relieved by that fact.
So Kim Seojun said.
"Change of Plans."
"Pardon?"
"Private First Class Park Boseop will take Major Lee Hyena and leave this place."
The moment they heard those words, Major Lee Hyena and Private First Class Park Boseop simultaneously harbored the same question.
And before that question could even be voiced, Kim Seojun said.
"I will Confirm-Kill the Ghost Bat."
At those words, the two were astonished.
"Staff Sergeant Kim!"
"That's too dangerous!"
Those words, of course, Kim Seojun knew well.
He knew better than those two.
Just how crazy an act what he just said was.
Right now, it is certain that the Chinese Headquarters will send all its forces the moment it realizes that, far from its scheme working, it has conversely taken the bait and fallen into a trap.
However, Kim Seojun knew.
"Right now, China is controlling the Mogs surprisingly perfectly. In such a situation, leaving the Ghost Bat alive is too dangerous."
What decision had to be made right now in order to survive?
"This is an order."
Furthermore, at this moment, all decision-making authority lay with Kim Seojun, and therefore, the moment they heard those words, the remaining two did not question him.
Rather, the two thought.
\[Getting out of here as quickly as possible is what will help Staff Sergeant Kim Seojun.\]
That leaving this place quickly was the best option, rather than trying to help for no reason.
Thus, the two moved quickly.
Private First Class Park Boseop swiftly went outside the Thunder, and in the meantime, Kim Seojun put the Thunder into his Inventory.
Afterward, the moment Kim Seojun took the Uryong out of his Inventory, Private First Class Park Boseop immediately started the engine, put Major Lee Hyena on the back, and began to speed off.
There were no farewells.
Because getting out of the area even one kilometer faster during the time it took to say those farewells was what would help.
Knowing that, Kim Seojun also willingly moved.
He too took out a Hoverbike, got on it, and began moving toward the point where he judged the Ghost Bat would have crashed.
While riding like that, Kim Seojun was able to spot it.
Something is wriggling in the distance.
The presence of the Ghost Bat, which had taken a fatal wound and had its Stealth State undone, was noted.
That wasn't all.
Kim Seojun can also see the Reconnaissance Drones circling around it right now.
There, Kim Seojun immediately lay flat on the ground and took a stance to shoot his gun.
Of course, he knew.
The moment the shooting occurred, the reconnaissance drones would swarm toward Kim Seojun.
But he didn't care.
\[If I use Teleport and Stealth, I won't die.\]
He had more than enough ability to evade the Reconnaissance Drones.
And he had no intention of hesitating to use those abilities.
Having one's abilities revealed was never a good thing, but Kim Seojun had experienced it countless times.
The moment you hesitate, the moment you hold back, is the moment death comes.
Above all, there was only one thing to consider right now.
Kree, kreeeeek…
It was turning that sound the Ghost Bat was letting out into its death throes.
For that, Kim Seojun willingly pulled the trigger.
Swoooosh!
The Gauss Rifle let out its distinct sound and spat out a bullet.
At the same time, Kim Seojun's body jolted.
However, it didn't shake as much as before, back when Major Lee Hyena had to hold him down.
It was thanks to the Strength Stat , which had increased in the meantime.
Swoooosh!
Because of that, Kim Seojun was able to proceed to the next shot with almost no delay.
Swoooosh!
He pulled the trigger up to three times in a single breath, and only then did the Reconnaissance Drones, having grasped the situation, react.
Whiiirrrr!
It was around then.
\[You have eliminated the Ghost Bat.\]
The notification was heard, and the moment he heard that notification, Kim Seojun immediately shouted.
"Stealth."
Then, his figure disappeared.
"Teleport."
Afterward, Kim Seojun used Teleport repeatedly from that location, rapidly changing his position.
After moving to a place about 500 meters away from where he had fired the gun like that, Kim Seojun observed the situation.
Rather than moving recklessly here, it would be better to move after seeing the Reconnaissance Drones that would arrive soon.
Or he also had this thought.
\[Shooting Down the Reconnaissance Drones is…\]
In Space, Reconnaissance Drones were precious items.
For operation in the barren environment of Space, their performance and durability had to be extremely good, which directly translated to their price, so the number of Reconnaissance Drones owned by each Headquarters couldn't be large.
Also, once they were broken or damaged, repair wasn't easy.
So usually, there were no cases of deploying a large number at once, but the number of reconnaissance drones visible right now was 23.
This means that just shooting down those would inflict considerable damage!
Of course, it wasn't an easy task.
Putting everything else aside, the moment he attacked, his location would be revealed.
Even if he moved using Teleport, it would ultimately be exposing his abilities.
So Kim Seojun was weighing his options.
Exposing his abilities versus Shooting Down those drones, just how much value did this exchange hold?
It was then.
\[You have acquired 2,000 points.\]
The settlement began.
\[You have achieved the First Kill of a Ghost Bat. A Gold Ticket is provided as a reward.\]
At the sound of that reward coming along with the Point Acquisition notification, Kim Seojun's eyes began to sparkle.
Naturally, Kim Seojun didn't hesitate here.
\[I have 3,000 points now.\]
"Purchase a Silver Ticket."
He immediately used the points he had gathered.
\[Congratulations. A Gold Rank has appeared from the Silver Ticket!\]
\[A Skill Upgrade Ticket (C) has appeared.\]
At the notification he heard, Kim Seojun's eyes shone.
This was a situation where he had the opportunity to raise one of his two D-rank skills, Stealth and Clairvoyance!
\[It's Stealth.\]
And at this point, naturally, using it on the Stealth Skill was the best choice.
Of course, Kim Seojun didn't use it right away despite that.
"Use a Gold Ticket."
He used the ticket he had obtained as a reward, as well, and at that moment, Kim Seojun could hear something.
\[The Telekinesis (F) skill has appeared from the Gold Ticket.\]
\[Huh?\]
The moment he heard that notification, the scale that was operating in Kim Seojun's head disappeared.
\[Telekinesis?\]
As he did, Kim Seojun looked at the Reconnaissance Drones, and the words of a Drone Operator who used to handle drones came to mind.
The words were saying not to touch the drone's wings, emphasizing how sensitive they were, asking if he would take responsibility if they broke from being touched like that, and saying that they were more expensive than his own life.
The moment he recalled those words, Kim Seojun placed the gun he was holding in his hand down on the ground.
And then he thought.
\[It feels like lightly touching the drone's wing parts\]
He thought like that.
However, there was no visible change.
The drones were still moving perfectly fine.
However, Kim Seojun's eyes were different.
He was making a surprised expression, and soon Kim Seojun said something.
"Use a Skill Upgrade Ticket on Telekinesis."
Private First Class Park Boseop and Major Lee Hyena rode hard.
Vrooooom!
The Uryong, having gone through Jo I-Hyeon's Upgrade, showed a tremendous speed that nothing could catch up to.
In this way, Private First Class Park Boseop and Major Lee Hyena arrived at the pre-arranged Point Location and waited for Kim Seojun to come there.
"Staff Sergeant Kim is late."
The face of Private First Class Park Boseop as he spat out those words was full of worry.
And rightfully so, because when Private First Class Park Boseop said he was late here, it didn't mean an hour or two late.
Even though it was over 5 hours past the scheduled time, Kim Seojun wasn't showing any signs of appearing.
No radio transmission could be heard either.
Given that fact, Major Lee Hyena didn't say a word.
There was no reason to speak.
\[If 6 hours pass and he still hasn't come, we will invade the Chinese Headquarters.\]
She was already resolved.
And Private First Class Park Boseop also knew what Major Lee Hyena was thinking right now, so he willingly prepared his own resolve as well.
Eventually, that time came.
6 hours had passed since the expected time, and then Major Lee Hyena looked at Private First Class Park Boseop and said.
"Start the engine."
"Yes, ma'am!"
At those words, Private First Class Park Boseop immediately boarded the Uryong and started the engine without even asking for the destination.
Vrooooom!
It was then.
- This is Staff Sergeant Kim Seojun. I am heading there.
A radio transmission came, and the moment it did, Private First Class Park Boseop, who had started the engine, immediately turned it off.
And 30 minutes later, they could see him.
Kim Seojun is appearing in a perfectly fine state.
"Sorry I'm late."
At that apology, the two immediately smiled.
"It's fine as long as you've returned safely!"
Just as he said, from the perspective of those two, the fact that Kim Seojun had returned was enough.
To those Comrades, Kim Seojun said.
"I was a bit late because I was doing some Drone Fishing. I felt it would be too much of a shame to miss an opportunity like this."
"Pardon?"
At those words, the two tilted their heads.
"Drone Fishing? Did you perhaps shoot down the drones? My god."
Private First Class Park Boseop, who spoke, made a surprised expression.
And rightfully so, because shooting down a drone with a gun was an impossible task for ordinary Space Marines.
Of course, it was true that Kim Seojun's shooting ability was on another level, but it didn't change the fact that it was an amazing feat.
"It wasn't a shoot-down."
"Yes?"
"It was fishing."
It was the moment Kim Seojun was about to explain something to the group who were tilting their heads at those words.
- This is the Poland Headquarters! It's me, Jo I-Hyeon! An urgent message has arrived!
A radio transmission came to Kim Seojun's Group, who were about to take a breather.
- A message came from Hawk Eye! It's a message that came in code, and I just deciphered the code...
Following that, the moment he heard the word code, Kim Seojun intuited.
It couldn't be good news.
And that premonition became reality.
- It seems like he died while going to hunt the Queen.