Chapter 51
“...No wonder his body can't take it.”
That was my impression after watching Mr. Choi train.
He was practically showing us exactly what it meant to push your body past its limits.
Zephyros nodded in agreement with me.
“What do they call guys like that these days... gym rats? I hear that's what they call them. That guy's the original gym rat.”
I agreed.
A 5,000 total across the big three lifts.
I'd never even heard of a number like that.
In a gravity training chamber built with dungeon technology, Mr. Choi kept increasing the weight and setting new records.
“Hahaha! This is delicious! So delicious!”
...What the hell is that? That's terrifying.
“Hey, you lunatic! That's enough! Stop!”
“Hahahaha! This is just right! I don't know what Kim Segyun did to it, but I need this kind of heavy weight to get proper stimulation!”
“Get a grip, you crazy bastard!”
Is that guy... all right?
After trying to push on to a 6,000 total, Mr. Choi finally stopped at Zephyros's insistence. He looked disappointed and smacked his lips.
“Do you have any protein powder here...?”
“We don't, moron!”
“Tch, I'll have to buy some.”
“If you buy a whole truckload, I'll kill you. Get enough to eat.”
“That's what I call enough to eat.”
Zephyros held his forehead and shook his head.
After all the commotion, Mr. Choi came down without a single bead of sweat on him.
“Want to go a round?”
“With me? Hey, I've been back on active duty for over a month. What business does a guy who just got out of a hospital bed have challenging me?”
Zephyros snorted as if the idea were absurd.
Still, I was curious.
Just how skilled was the man who'd once stood shoulder to shoulder with Zephyros?
“How about you spar with me?”
I couldn't resist finding out, either.
“Huh? You and me? I heard your level's still low.”
Looks like he'd searched the news in the meantime.
“That low-level friend of mine would beat me in a fight.”
“Is that so?”
“But he isn't just a meat shield. Do you know what a Vajra Guardian is?”
“...You mean even Geumgangsan is best enjoyed after a meal?”
Please don't sigh like that.
Sorry for being ignorant.
“It's a guardian from Buddhism, like a gatekeeper, holding a vajra in each hand. Even if he looks like a muscle-bound meathead... the reason he could reach the world's highest level as a tank is that he's a tank with mobility and damage. A damage-dealing tank.”
I couldn't quite picture it just from hearing the explanation.
“Hahaha! Then why don't I loosen up a bit?”
Hunter Choi opened his inventory and took out what looked like a pair of short daggers, one in each hand.
But...
What's that, sparks?
Astonishingly, electricity from the pair of daggers—in other words, the vajras—wrapped around his whole body.
No matter how powerful my bacteria were, they'd get fried if they touched that, wouldn't they?
“How should we do this spar?”
“Hmm.”
Good question.
If I went all out, I could probably overwhelm him with sheer numbers.
But neither of us could actually hurt the other.
“Put this on your chest.”
Zephyros handed each of us a small cloth ball.
“Whoever damages the other's ball first wins.”
“Oh, that's reasonable.”
The chest was a vital spot, after all.
In that case... I should get ready.
I immediately pulled my staff from my inventory.
And Sacrificial Offering, too.
Since it was a one-on-one fight, how should I arrange my presets?
After a little thought...
Slot 1 was, of course, my eternal favorite, Unit One: the Disassembly Legion.
Slot 2 was adhesive bacteria for crowd control.
Slot 3 had Botulinum, in case of an emergency.
Slot 4 was fire-resistant bacteria.
That left the final, fifth slot...
I should put the leftover bacteria there for Sacrificial Offering.
What I had left now was the hundreds of billions of yeast I'd roused to brew liquor.
With that many, holding out shouldn't be a problem at all.
“Shall we?”
“Sure. By the way, while you were getting ready, that fellow Zephyros gave me a piece of advice.”
“Advice? What kind?”
“Always...”
In an instant, Choi Kang disappeared from where he stood and appeared right beside me.
Again?!
“...Get the first hit in!”
His vajra came flying toward the ball hanging from my chest.
Did you think I'd just let you do that?
Unit Two!
“Huh?”
Choi Kang's steps tangled when his feet suddenly stuck fast.
For a tank with mobility...
If I tied down his mobility, his offensive power should drop drastically.
But...
Crackle! Sparks burst all over him, burning the adhesive until it charred in an instant.
Naturally, his feet were free again.
Could this guy actually be an even worse matchup for me than Zephyros?
With his feet free, he closed in in an instant and thrust the vajra into my chest.
But...
[Sacrificial Offering blocks an attack directed at you.]
[The target of the sacrifice is greatly enhanced. The number of individuals sacrificed is drastically reduced.]
[Undead sacrificed: approximately 1 million.]
A million? That's all?
It had taken tens of billions to block Zephyros's aura.
Just one million?
Is this guy weak, or is Zephyros that strong?
Or...
“Wait, time out.”
When I stepped back and called time, Choi Kang tilted his head, then backed off too.
“Huh, that's really strange. What kind of skill is this...?”
While he was mulling over my Sacrificial Offering, I looked at Zephyros and said,
“There's something I want to test, Teacher. Hit me with one aura strike.”
“...Are you insane?”
“I'm perfectly sane.”
“Sigh... Every one of you is a lunatic, a crazy bastard.”
Sighing, he drew a sword from his inventory and coated it in aura.
“I just stab you?”
“Yes, with everything you've got. About as hard as that last strike in our last spar?”
Zephyros shook his head, seemingly too tired to argue, and silently thrust his sword.
The swift sword strike came at an invisible speed and reached my neck.
[Sacrificial Offering blocks an attack directed at you.]
[The target of the sacrifice is greatly enhanced. The number of individuals sacrificed is drastically reduced.]
[Undead sacrificed: approximately 8 million.]
“Whoa...”
What the hell?
Zephyros's full-power strike had taken about 11 billion to block last time...
So how much more efficient was it now if it only took 8 million?
What in the world was the reason?
Zephyros was tilting his head too.
“What is it? Should I say you're tougher than last time?”
“Is that guy really a mage? He's on par with a tank. Do you even need me?”
My tankiness had improved, but Sacrificial Offering only activated while I held my staff, so it wasn't passive; I still needed someone to guard me.
It also consumed a tremendous amount of mana.
“J-Just a moment. Let me figure out why.”
Why had it gotten so much stronger?
[Currently maintained undead]
(5) Saccharomyces Ellipsoideus
─Population: approximately 330 billion
─Description: A yeast commonly found on grapes, primarily used in wine fermentation. It has been strengthened by exposure to a miracle of unknown origin. It displays powerful resistance to all types of external forces.
A miracle of unknown origin?
...Don't tell me...
“Nectar.”
“Hmm? What did you say?”
“Ah, nothing.”
Right, now that I thought about it... these were the yeast that had made Nectar, weren't they?
So exposure to Nectar had made them stronger?
“Sorry, but let's call it a day for the spar.”
“Oh, sure. Go ahead.”
“Well, we got a good enough measure of each other.”
“I have something to do, so I'll be going ahead.”
If my bacterial legion really was growing stronger from exposure to Nectar...
This was the perfect chance to step up once more.
**
In the training room after Segyun left.
Ryu Hyunsoo and Choi Kang, left alone, looked at each other and smiled bitterly.
“It's a little bitter.”
“So I'm not the only one who feels that way.”
“We used to be the best.”
“We did.”
“That guy really is strong.”
He hadn't even launched a proper attack, but...
A magic-type Hunter with that kind of defense?
“I thought maybe I should take my name down and put his up over there instead.”
“Heh. If you want to live up to your name, you need to work harder.”
“At my age?”
“What does age have to do with it?”
“Unlike you, I haven't been drinking Elixirs like water.”
Even so, Choi stood up and grabbed the barbell again.
Looking at his back, Zephyros said,
“You just got out after a long time. That's enough. Let's go.”
“Go where?”
“For a drink. At my place.”
At Zephyros's words, Choi shook his head.
“Why?”
“If I drink, I'll lose muscle.”
“...You never change, bastard.”
Shaking his head, Zephyros headed for the training room door first and said,
“Make sure you put out the lights when you leave.”
“Okay.”
And so, alone in the training room, the only sound for a while was the grunting of someone lifting a barbell.
Over and over.
Steadily.
All night long.
**
It was when Kaiser's private jet, flying from Chicago O'Hare to Bordeaux International Airport, entered French airspace.
─Your aircraft has been intercepted by the French Air Force. State your call sign, flight plan, airport of origin, and destination airport for identification.
Two French Rafale fighters had appeared outside the window, having caught up with them.
Seeing them, Kaiser's brow furrowed deeply.
“...Lord Kaiser. The French Air Force is directing us to Paris instead of Bordeaux. It seems we'll have to head to Paris.”
“Ahmad...”
Paris was a full two hours away from Bordeaux by plane.
There could only be one person who'd deploy air force assets just to force him to land in Paris.
“Lord Kaiser, the 52nd Fighter Wing is stationed at Spangdahlem Air Base in Germany.”
Kaiser had the authority to call upon U.S. military forces.
The private jet's pilot, a former U.S. Air Force pilot, knew that and brought it up.
U.S. forces were stationed in Europe to defend NATO.
If they scrambled jets from the 52nd Fighter Wing in Germany, they'd probably arrive within twenty minutes at the latest.
It was French airspace, but NATO had operational authority there.
But what if he called in U.S. Air Force jets to French airspace and got into a standoff with the French Air Force?
It was possible, but the political cost would be far too high.
He was angry, but had expected some posturing and was prepared to tolerate it, so he steadied himself and spoke to the flustered pilot.
“Cooperate with them.”
“Are you sure?”
“We have no choice. When in Rome, do as the Romans do.”
It was humiliating, but he was on French soil... and had no choice but to heed the man who lorded it over everyone like the ‘God of France.’
Kaiser's private jet was guided to Paris-Orly Airport and landed.
Just as expected.
As soon as he stepped off, a face he didn't want to see was smiling smugly at him.
With a huge undead legion behind him, no less.
Even at the very front...
There were two Death Knights, counted among the strongest undead.
A man emerged from the center, flanked by Death Knights.
“Well! Who do we have here? To meet the legendary Kaiser in my hometown! I must be very lucky today, huh? Hand over your passport. I'll handle it super fast.”
Kaiser frowned at Ahmad's awkward English, thick with a French accent.
“I'm not in the mood for jokes. You'd better have a reason for diverting me to Paris.”
“There are plenty of reasons, aren't there? We got a tip there were drugs on that plane, and another that it was carrying contraband.”
“Would it be wrong of me to think those tips were rumors from one particular person?”
“Who knows? If the Narcotics Bureau and customs authorities investigate, the plane might be held here for a day or two. We can hang out in the meantime.”
“I'm afraid not.”
Kaiser opened his inventory.
A massive greatsword emerged from within.
An immense radiance began to gather around the blade.
“An old man's time and a young man's time are worth different amounts. To make them equal, I think you'll have to throw in a few more things.”
Ahmad, struck by the radiance head-on, turned deathly pale and took several steps back.
The undead legion stepped in front of him.
But they too were visibly weakening.
“Should I just take what I want? A Death Knight might be worth it.”
Kaiser knew how much it cost to create a Death Knight.
Ahmad's Death Knights, in particular... had been made using resources on the scale of a nation's entire capacity.
If a Death Knight like that was dismissed, resummoning it would cost a tenth of its production cost.
At the threat of inflicting enormous losses, Ahmad gave an awkward smile and pulled his entire undead legion back.
“I-I'm kidding, just kidding. Can't a guy joke around?”
“...Then may this old man return to Bordeaux?”
“By all means.”
Kaiser put his greatsword back in his inventory, turned around, and boarded his plane again.
Kaiser's private jet took off again after refueling.
Ahmad watched until the plane was airborne, then cursed under his breath.
“What kind of tonic did that old man take to get back in such good shape? And why the hell is he coming to Bordeaux?”
As for the major events that had recently happened in Bordeaux...
“The Gate Brother cleared... and that crazy wine from Château Pétrus.”
Which of the two was Kaiser interested in?
Both were strange.
A Gate someone else had already cleared, with all the good stuff gone.
And something amazing, but still just an incredibly delicious wine.
Even Ahmad had tried it, and he didn't think it was worth Kaiser flying over here immediately.
But if he had to guess...
“Does that mean there's something in the wine, rather than in a Gate that's already been cleared?”
Ahmad's expression grew increasingly serious as he watched Kaiser's private jet soar into the sky once more.