Chapter 94
1.
After rescuing the children, Kasaknat and Priest Babamut did not join Kim Seojun’s Group.
For one, Priest Babamut was still wary of humans.
And from the moment he gave up on protecting the children, Priest Babamut had no need to fear the Mogs.
Because the priests of the Xenos possessed physical toughness equal to that of their warriors.
Because shaking off a pack of Mogdogs and fleeing was nothing to him.
The same went for Kasaknat.
Thus, the two of them began to leave Kakom City together at full speed.
[Kasaknat, you have changed a lot.]
[Priest Babamut, you remain the same.]
Thus, the two shared a brief conversation.
It was literally a brief conversation.
After exchanging those words, they did not particularly speak to each other.
There was no need to.
Because both well knew what the life of a warrior wandering for the balance of the universe was like, and what the life of a priest dedicating their entire life to protecting the rules was like.
There was no need to ask what kind of hardships the other had endured.
Swish!
Priest Babamut merely opened his left hand to show it.
He sent his condolences to Kasaknat.
Kasaknat knew well what those condolences meant.
Because the one who had looked after and taught his son was none other than Priest Babamut.
To such condolences, Kasaknat did not give any answer.
He did not despair either.
Because now was not the time for that.
Planet Pora was in a state of crisis, and it was a situation where he had to rescue someone, even if it wasn’t his son.
It was a situation where despair and sorrow were far too great a luxury.
So Kasaknat merely clutched the compass hanging around his neck.
[This is!]
And at that moment, Kasaknat could feel it.
The compass moving.
[The compass moved!]
Naturally, Kasaknat informed Kim Seojun’s Group, his comrades, of that fact.
And the moment they heard the news, all the comrades spoke via telepathy.
[Seojun! Let’s go quickly!]
Saying they should go rescue Kasaknat’s son right away.
Of course, the current situation was not one where a decision could be easily made.
Kasaknat immediately spoke in a rush.
[It is dangerous!]
He had only blurted it out unconsciously a moment ago because he was too caught up in his emotions, but having regained his composure, Kasaknat immediately realized how nonsensical this rescue operation was.
For one, no one knew what would be there.
[The battle has just ended!]
However, the biggest problem was that Kim Seojun’s Group had just fought a very fierce battle.
A situation where rest was directly linked to life!
Moving to rescue Kasaknat’s son right away in such a situation was beyond unreasonable; it was reckless.
[I know.]
And Kim Seojun knew that fact better than anyone.
How dangerous it was to do something reckless while caught up in emotions.
So Kim Seojun said.
[Therefore, we will move following the compass right now.]
[Seojun?]
To the surprised Kasaknat, Kim Seojun said.
[Rest is not a problem.]
A moment later, Kim Seojun gave a brief explanation about the Fatigue Recovery Potion.
[These items apply to legion members.]
[Wow, that’s crazy.]
When they heard that explanation, everyone marveled.
At the same time, their concerns vanished.
[Going this far, anyone can see it’s telling us to shoot a touching human story movie. Ah, Kasaknat isn’t a human, so should I call it a touching alien story?]
They began moving at maximum speed toward the place Kasaknat’s compass pointed to.
There was no hesitation.
Except for one person.
“Staff Sergeant Kim, what are you agonizing over so much?”
Kim Seojun was filled with more agony than ever.
There was only one reason.
“It’s because of the use points.”
How should he spend the points obtained in this battle?
Normally, there would be no hesitation.
Because he would just need to purchase platinum tickets with all his points.
However, the situation was different now.
“I can buy a relic.”
For one, Kim Seojun could pay 1 Million Points to buy a hero-grade relic.
He didn’t think it would be bad.
Because the biggest advantage of the status window he had gained was that there were no duds.
The problem was the merit.
'I don’t know if it will be worth 33 platinum tickets, though.'
Basic spec-ups were also very effective.
'It’s too much of a game of chance.'
However, what troubled Kim Seojun the most here was this.
“There is nothing as certain as potions.”
The fact that the potions, which could be purchased for 100,000 points, ignored such probabilities and offered clear merits.
And it wasn’t just any merit.
What if he gave a Physical Enhancement Potion or a Psycher enhancement Potion to Kim Seojun’s Group, who were already strengthened by the Blessing of Ares effect?
What if Kasaknat, Noah Winston, and Major Lee Hyena showed twice the power they had now?
If so, there would have been no need to use hit-and-run tactics like they did in Kakom City a moment ago.
Because they could have just wiped them out.
Crucially, the value of the treatment Potion could not be compared to anything else.
In this situation, hastily using 1 Million Points was bound to cause hesitation in many ways.
Here, Kim Seojun put his thoughts aside.
It wasn’t something that would yield an answer just by agonizing over it for a few more minutes anyway.
Above all, he could make the choice at any time.
So for now, he had to observe the situation.
“I will watch the battlefield.”
Kim Seojun’s Group was able to see it 8 hours later.
“Staff Sergeant Kim.”
“Yes, I am seeing it.”
“I doubt it, but has Staff Sergeant Kim ever seen those mog guys build a house and live in it?”
“No.”
A massive castle built by Mogs.
Of course, it was different from the neat architecture built by humans.
To use an analogy, it was closer to a termite mound.
Just like building a house by piling dirt like a tower above ground instead of underground, the Mogs had built a house.
The level of completion was naturally dismal.
However, the expressions of Kim Seojun’s Group as they looked at it couldn’t help but stiffen more than ever.
Mogs were fundamentally beings that possessed only aggressiveness.
There was only one case where they displayed the concept of “protecting something”, and that was when protecting a queen.
Even then, it was mostly at the level of digging a cave and protecting her from there.
But to raise a structure like that?
“There must be a queen.”
There, Kim Seojun gave an answer.
“A queen on a nonsensical level, on a completely different dimension from anything humanity has encountered so far.”
When they heard those words, no one spoke up.
They were shocked by the reality they faced.
“Kasaknat.”
[The compass is still pointing there.]
However, what was even more shocking was that Kasaknat’s son was currently in there.
Here, Kasaknat did not say anything.
There was no need to speak.
If one had common sense, entering that place was a crazy act, and Kim Seojun was someone who knew that common sense better than anyone.
He was someone who knew better than anyone in space what choices had to be made for survival.
“I am relaying this to everyone.”
Such Kim Seojun said to all his comrades.
“From now on, I will enter the Mog’s Nest.”
2.
Entering the Mog’s Nest!
When he said those words, the first to react was Kasaknat.
[My son does not wish for that. I also do not wish for that.]
Saying that no one wished for something like everyone risking their lives to save his son.
[Everything has an end. Denying that is exactly what destroys the balance of the universe. Furthermore, I was prepared to become star dust.]
Saying that doing anything more reckless than this would not be for his sake, but an insult to him.
Kim Seojun understood Kasaknat’s feelings.
“I know that entering that place is a nonsensical act.”
If someone had ordered him to conduct an executive rescue operation in there, Kim Seojun would have refused.
Space Marines did not fear death, but a dog’s death was a different matter.
“However, our situation now is different.”
In other words, from Kim Seojun’s perspective, this operation was well worth trying.
“First of all, we have the compass. Also, survival is being confirmed.”
Firstly, they could check the location and survival status of the rescue target in real time.
This was an absurdly advantageous point in a rescue operation.
“Also, because it is spacious, there are many places to hide. If we were laying siege, that structure would be a headache, but when keeping a rescue operation in mind, it acts as an overwhelming merit.”
Furthermore, such a complex space was much more comfortable for Kim Seojun to operate in.
Because if push came to shove, he could change spaces just by using teleport.
“Also, the moment we secure the rescue target, we can escape immediately.”
Here, the inventory eliminated the biggest risk in such a rescue operation.
“Above all.”
Of course, the reason Kim Seojun was making such a resolution was simple.
“In the worst-case scenario, I can just use the warp skill.”
The fact that there was a way to escape without dying in any situation.
Moreover, they were now in a situation where they even had a Recovery Potion that could save lives in their hands.
A situation where the risk of death became practically zero; there was no reason not to do something in such a situation.
“Kasaknat.”
Above all, Kim Seojun said.
“It’s not to the extent that I can’t bear this level of risk for a comrade.”
Saying that what he was trying to do now wasn’t rescuing some executive he had never even seen just because they had a high rank, but rescuing a comrade’s son.
[Kim Seojun.]
At those words from Kim Seojun, Kasaknat could no longer voice any opposition.
There was only one thing he could say.
[I will gladly become star dust for you.]
Dedicating his destiny to Kim Seojun.
“The same goes for me.”
At that moment, Kim Seojun made his preparations.
“Everyone, please enter the inventory. I will proceed with this operation alone.”
After that, everything proceeded quickly.
Everyone entered the inventory.
After that, Kim Seojun immediately purchased one Fatigue Recovery Potion from the shop window.
It was that moment.
[Please open your palm.]
As Kim Seojun opened his palm along with the notification, a black bottle about the size of an index finger appeared on it.
Seeing that, Kim Seojun let out a hollow laugh.
'It’s exactly the same as a Stimpack Ampoule.'
Because it was exactly the same as the Stimpack Ampoule, a necessity for Space Marines and Psycher Agents.
Naturally, the method of use was also the same.
Kim Seojun opened the ampoule case on the left arm of his suit and inserted the Fatigue Recovery Potion inside.
After that, he injected the Fatigue Recovery Potion as if injecting a stimpack.
'Ah.'
Then, surprisingly, the world Kim Seojun saw began to become clear.
As if he had suddenly taken off sunglasses he had been wearing.
He felt all his senses, which had been exhausted by fatigue, being revitalized.
That wasn’t all.
His mind also felt refreshed.
'It’s worth the high price.'
Even though he had used a 10,000-point item, he didn’t feel even a speck of regret.
This wasn’t the end.
Kim Seojun paid 100,000 points to purchase a Physical Enhancement Potion and a Recovery Potion in advance as well.
Naturally, the remaining points came to Kim Seojun’s mind.
From there, Kim Seojun looked at the endlessly massive Mog’s Nest that he had to enter from now on.
'If I’m going to gamble, now is the only time.'
Here, Kim Seojun hesitated.
In fact, the hesitation was not long.
The reason Kim Seojun wanted to save points was to prepare for a large-scale battle.
However, right now, in this place, he must not engage in battle itself.
If a situation arose where he had to fight, then he had to flee without the slightest hesitation.
If even fleeing was not easy, he had to use the warp skill.
Therefore, preparing something under the assumption of battle was a meaningless act, and so Kim Seojun said.
“Purchase Hero-grade Relic Box.”
1 Million Points!
He paid those distant points to purchase the hero-grade, the lowest tier among the relic boxes in the shop window.
Of course, his expectations were not high.
From Kim Seojun’s perspective, he merely hoped that a card that could be of even a little help in this situation would appear.
[You have purchased a Hero-grade Relic Box!]
To such Kim Seojun, the status window spoke.
[The hero Herakles' Relic has appeared!]
'Huh?'
The moment he heard that notification, Kim Seojun made a dumbfounded expression.
'Herakles?'
It said hero-grade, but why on earth was a distant being like Herakles appearing here?
Of course, that wasn’t a problem for Kim Seojun to worry about.
From his perspective, only one thing was important.
Just what kind of Herakles' Relic would appear?
How would it help in battle?
In that sense, his expectations grew.
'Something incredible might come out. If it’s related to strength, it’s a jackpot.'
Because what represented Herakles was superhuman strength, and at this point in time, one of the things Kim Seojun needed the least was superhuman strength.
Of course, just because his strength increased didn’t mean he could engage in hand-to-hand combat against distant beings like the Mogs.
However, in a situation where he had to flee if push came to shove, superhuman strength was a great help in many ways.
To Kim Seojun, who was expecting superhuman strength like that, the status window spoke.
[Hydra’s Poison Bullet has appeared.]