Chapter 96
6.
When the Queen appeared, some people thought.
“If there’s a Queen, doesn’t that mean there’s a king too?”
There would be an even more terrifying existence.
Of course, experts said this about that.
“Calling it a Queen isn’t because its gender is female. It was just attached for convenience, much like how the individual leading a swarm in the case of ants or bees is called a queen.”
They said it was impossible for a king to exist just because there was a Queen among the Mogs, as they didn’t have a gender.
So no one had ever considered the existence of a King of Mogs.
Kim Seojun’s Group was the same.
In an era where Mogs were beginning to evolve, they thought Mogs they had never encountered would appear.
“A king?”
But to think a king would actually appear?
Given that fact, everyone in Kim Seojun’s Group felt a sense of dread.
They had no choice but to.
Because they knew.
“This is a headache. It’d be better if a Sky Whale or a behemoth appeared, but a king… Then doesn’t that mean it commands the Mog Legion?”
That the terror a king possessed lay not in its individual strength, but in its ability to rule the legion.
Even just looking at the Queen, it was apparent that the strength of the Mogs varied greatly depending on her presence or absence.
But what if that existence were a king?
Of course, such a thought could arise.
The thought, “Could it be a king weaker than the Queen?”
[Oh, Jumara.]
That speck of anticipation was immediately shattered by Kasaknat.
[To think a king would appear here!]
“Do you know of the king?”
[The king is a mutant. But it is different from the Queen.]
“How is it different?”
[The king wields Akar.]
Akar!
The moment they heard that, the expressions of everyone, including Kim Seojun, stiffened.
It was true because they knew.
The Akar spoken of by the Xeno species was a power like telekinesis.
And Priest Babamut had personally shown how terrifying an ability it was.
“To what extent is it?”
[It is extremely powerful, to the extent of making Priest Babamut look laughable.]
Kasaknat even said that its power was unfathomable.
[It can even make the bodies of trained Xeno Warriors like this.]
Kasaknat pointed his finger at Doctor Space’s gift hanging around his neck, the crushed cola can pendant, along with his words.
[At the same time, its range is very wide. By human standards, the King’s Domain is within a 5-kilometer radius.]
Furthermore, when they heard his next words, there was only one thought in everyone’s mind.
“…We almost had a huge disaster.”
It was a relief that Kim Seojun returned safely.
It made sense, because what if the king had been aware of Kim Seojun’s existence?
Kim Seojun would have become a crushed can without even being able to prepare.
Furthermore, if Kim Seojun had at that time chosen to come out carefully instead of escaping the Mog’s Nest with all his might, there was a high chance he would have died then too.
It meant that Kim Seojun truly had incredible luck on his side.
Naturally, everyone thought here.
“We absolutely have to run from this.”
They shouldn’t pay attention to this Mog’s Nest anymore.
In the midst of that situation, Kim Seojun spoke.
“First, I have a few things to convey. Please enter the inventory.”
After that, Kim Seojun handed a single bullet to Jo I-hyeon.
“It’s Hydra’s Poison Bullet.”
“Yes?”
Kim Seojun gave a brief explanation to her, surprised, and the moment they heard that explanation, everyone tensed up.
It wasn’t simply because something incredible had fallen into Kim Seojun’s hands.
Everyone thought.
“Kim Seojun is preparing for a hunt.”
Kim Seojun’s taking out Hydra’s Poison Bullet was to catch the King of Mogs.
Of course, that was nonsense.
In mythology, Herakles did catch incredible things using Hydra’s poison arrows.
If this poison worked, they might be able to catch the king.
“This is a crazy act.”
However, there were far too many hurdles to overcome in order to inject that poison into the king.
First of all, according to Kasaknat’s words, the 5-kilometer radius around the king was an unapproachable zone.
When saving Kasaknat’s son, the king hadn’t been aware of Kim Seojun, so an opportunity arose, but not anymore.
Now that it had confirmed an intruder had entered its nest, it was only natural for the king to be on guard.
And the king was sure to be surrounded by countless Mogs.
Or it was certain to be hiding deep inside.
How could one possibly reach the king in such a situation?
It would be much safer and more sensible to just walk into the stomach of a behemoth instead.
However, everyone here looked at Kim Seojun, and remembered.
The countless achievements he had accomplished.
“Let’s do it.”
That was why Noah Winston spoke on behalf of everyone at this moment.
“Let’s just try to catch it.”
“That’s right. Let’s catch it!”
Private First Class Park Boseop immediately agreed with her words.
“Right, we can do it. We’ll make it happen somehow.”
“We should catch it when we can. What’s the worst that can happen besides dying anyway?”
Following that, Major Lee Hyena and Brigadier General Lee Yeong-jun also agreed.
“I-I’ll try my best too!”
Jo I-hyeon also agreed next, and in that way, everyone looked at Kim Seojun.
His eyes were full of resolve.
“Everyone.”
Seeing those eyes, Kim Seojun replied.
“Why on earth are you suggesting we do such a crazy act?”
“What?”
“Catching the king at this point is far too dangerous.”
He didn’t have the slightest intention of catching the king.
It was obvious.
“Even just with the minimum conditions we’ve figured out right now, the hunting difficulty is on a different level than a behemoth or a Sky Whale. The bigger problem is that there’s a high chance that isn’t everything.”
In Kim Seojun’s eyes, what made the Mogs truly dangerous right now was that they were different from what humanity knew.
“They even conducted some kind of experiment on the Xeno species. We shouldn’t hastily guess what will happen here.”
Furthermore, the Mogs were attempting an even greater evolution here.
“Right now, we need to focus on what we can do.”
In this kind of situation, it was right to toss aside any spirit of challenge or adventure.
“No, wait.”
At Kim Seojun’s words, Noah Winston asked a question.
“Then why did you take that out?”
Why did he take out Hydra’s Poison Bullet when he had no intention of catching the king? To that question, Kim Seojun replied.
“It’s because I want to know if this poison can be analyzed.”
“Analyzed?”
“Yes.”
As he spoke, Kim Seojun looked at Jo I-hyeon.
“The best outcome is analyzing the properties of this poison and manufacturing it. If not, I want to know if it can be made into a gas form instead of a bullet form.”
“Ah!”
Everyone who heard that explanation marveled and was shocked at the same time.
To think he would have this idea the moment he received Hydra’s Poison Bullet?
Everyone got goosebumps especially at the mention of using it in the form of poison gas.
“If that works, the lethality will be different.”
A bullet could only kill one, but if it were a gas, its range would become mercilessly wide.
“If it becomes a gas, there will be many methods.”
Kim Seojun looked at the inventory and said to them.
“We could also use this place.”
“Ah!”
The biggest reason Kim Seojun wanted a gas form was none other than to turn the inventory into a gas chamber.
It was a chilling thought, and in other words, it meant Kim Seojun was viewing the situation more coldly than anyone else.
He knew that catching the king here was by no means a good thing.
“I-I’ll try.”
“Please do.”
After handing Hydra’s Poison Bullet to Jo I-hyeon like that, Kim Seojun turned his head and looked at Kasaknat.
Amidst this commotion, Kasaknat hadn’t participated in the slightest.
He couldn’t.
Because Kasaknat’s gaze was blankly staring at his son, Sikmuma, who was isolated inside the confinement facility built in the inventory in preparation for any unforeseen circumstances.
Kasaknat’s feelings were more devastated than ever.
He had saved his son.
However, right now, let alone hugging his son, it was impossible to even wake him up.
Waking him up without knowing what state his son was in after being subjected to the Mogs' experiments could actually cause a huge problem.
“Kasaknat.”
Kim Seojun approached Kasaknat and said.
“I will offer my condolences later. We still have work to do.”
[Seojun.]
At those words, Kasaknat replied.
[Thank you.]
Kim Seojun’s words were right.
[There are still kin left to save.]
Just as he said, the Xeno species who needed Kasaknat’s help right now were overflowing everywhere.
Furthermore, now that it was known a king had appeared here, simply holding their breath and waiting for the storm to pass was meaningless.
[We must gather as many as possible and leave this place.]
The only way for the Xeno species to live was to abandon Planet Pora, and the only ones who could do that right now were Kim Seojun’s Group.
[I ask this of you.]
“I will do my best.”
The moment they finished that conversation, Kim Seojun came back outside.
It was then.
[Oh, Jumara!]
The moment he came outside, Kasaknat sat on the floor, uttering those words, and raised both hands towards the sky.
He took a posture as if he were praying.
Kasaknat, who had been sitting like that for a long time, at a certain moment suddenly jumped up from his seat and said.
[The great High Priest has conveyed his will. A rescue ship will come here!]
The moment he heard those words, Kim Seojun’s eyes changed.
It meant the Xeno species was making a move to save the survivors of Planet Pora!
If so, what Kim Seojun’s Group had to do also became simple.
“When is it?”
[The day the next Papara rises.]
“The next Papara?”
[It is a purple satellite orbiting Planet Pora. In human time, it can be seen once every 33 days. It is 5 days later, based on right now.]
5 days later.
“Where is the location?”
[The rescue ship will come to Akbasua on Planet Pora. Akbasua is a ruin left by our ancestors on Planet Pora.]
Kasaknat, who said those words, no longer wavered.
Because what he had to do had become clear.
Also, this was a hope.
The hope that he could save even a few more of those living on his home planet!
“Kasaknat.”
Kim Seojun said to Kasaknat.
“About the High Priest’s will from a moment ago.”
[This is an astonishing power that only High priests can exhibit. A High Priest can convey his will regardless of distance.]
At that explanation, Kim Seojun said.
“Can anyone hear it as long as they are of the Xeno species?”
[That is correct.]
And the moment he heard that answer, Kim Seojun made a stiffer expression than ever, and Kasaknat, who now knew human expressions, asked urgently.
[Seojun, is there a problem?]
“The Mogs were currently conducting bio-experiments on the Xeno species here. They might even be controlling the Xeno species. So a question arises.”
[A question? Don’t tell me?]
“Yes, what you’re thinking is correct.”
Kim Seojun said to the surprised Kasaknat.
“That will of the High Priest might also have been conveyed to the Xeno species being controlled by the Mogs.”
7.
The Xeno species had restricted and moderated many things after suffering a blow close to annihilation due to greed and arrogance.
Among them, what they were most wary of was power gathering into one place.
Each and every one of the Xeno species was far too powerful, and in particular, someone who could use the power called Akar was rarely born among the Xeno species.
If such existences gathered in one place?
It would be more than enough to shatter the balance of the universe they pursued!
So they strictly managed their numbers, and at the same time, they placed various restrictions on exchanges between cities.
However, as long as they were of the same kin, they couldn’t live completely disconnected, and in a situation where they were fighting a war with a terrifying species called the Mogs, they had to prepare for any unforeseen emergencies.
So every planet had a place for that preparation.
On Planet Pora, the Akbasua Ruins were like that.
As a ruin left by the ancestors of the Xeno species, they didn’t know what function that ruin served in the past, and it was also a place they shouldn’t know about.
Normally, it was a forbidden place that shouldn’t be approached, and so conversely, the Xenos made it their last bastion.
There, the Xeno species left tools and weapons for survival and war, and had it guarded by those who possessed a destiny beyond that of warriors - knights.
That was why when the Mogs invaded Planet Pora, the surviving existences headed to Akbasua without exception.
The Xeno Knights of Akbasua accepted them while defeating the Mogs that frequently swarmed in.
That was by no means an easy task.
The number of Mogs that invaded Planet Pora was so large that it transcended their common sense.
On the other hand, the military strength of the Xeno species stationed on Planet Pora was on the meager side compared to other planets.
A situation that was practically no different from receiving a terminal diagnosis.
[The High Priest has conveyed his will.]
However, the moment the High Priest’s will was conveyed, the atmosphere of Akbasua heated up more than ever.
[They are coming to save us!]
They began to sing hymns toward the rising hope.
Amidst such hope, the one who let out a sigh of relief more than anyone else was Sakarakl, the knight commander of the Knights of Akbasua guarding Akbasua.
Knight commander Sakarakl, who had even lost his left arm amidst repeated battles with the Mogs - he, for whom everything was nothing but despair, waited for the rescue ship to arrive a day sooner.
And that time came.
[Papara will rise shortly.]
Darkness gradually began to settle over the sky, and the Xenos gathered in Akbasua all looked up at the sky.
They waited to see Papara, that purple satellite, filled with more hope than ever.
And soon, the Xenos gathered in Akbasua could see it.
[The Mogs, the Mogs are swarming in!]
The Mog Legion, whose numbers couldn’t be estimated, swarming in while surrounding Akbasua.
In front of that nonsensical sight, the Xenos gathered in Akbasua couldn’t even seek Jumara.
Indescribable despair began to fill Akbasua.
There was only one place without despair.
Dudududu!
Kim Seojun’s Group’s attack helicopter, which had arrived in the skies above Akbasua - that place alone was not engulfed in despair.
Of course, it didn’t mean it was full of hope either.
“Damn it, the numbers are crazy!”
Just as Brigadier General Lee Yeong-jun said, the situation was serious.
It was just that they had a place to lean on.
“Staff Sergeant Kim Seojun, this won’t be easy.”
The pillar named Kim Seojun.
“So what should we do? Should we just help them right away?”
And naturally, Kim Seojun’s comrades thought he would step up to provide support to save the Xenos.
Because if he wasn’t going to help, he wouldn’t have come here in the first place.
So everyone was waiting for the command to commence support to come from Kim Seojun’s mouth.
However, even as time passed, those words didn’t come out of Kim Seojun’s mouth.
“Staff Sergeant Kim Seojun.”
At the sight of Kim Seojun wasting time in a situation where every minute and second was urgent, Brigadier General Lee Yeong-jun eventually threw a question.
“Give the command quickly.”
“…I apologize.”
At the sight of Kim Seojun apologizing at that moment, Brigadier General Lee Yeong-jun made a surprised expression.
Because Kim Seojun wasn’t someone who apologized in this kind of situation.
“Is there a problem?”
“There is no problem. It’s just that I used the clairvoyance skill and I can see it.”
“You can see it? See what?”
That was why he asked, and to that question, Kim Seojun replied.
“There is something beneath those ruins.”