Player of a Ruined World - Chapter 141

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Player of the Ruined World – Episode 141
I still had shockwave charges remaining, so the previous attack must have included the shockwave effect as well.
Yet it didn’t explode—it merely flew backward.
This creature is no ordinary foe.
“B-Baek Doyun…”
Kim Hanna beside me stares at me with a bewildered expression.
A glass shard the size of a hand mirror becomes visible beside Kim Hanna.
My reflection in that fragment reveals something no longer human.
Every vein across my body swells as if ready to burst through my skin at any moment.
The surface of my skin bulges nearly half a centimeter outward—my face mirrors this grotesque transformation.
Thick veins protrude boldly across my forehead, while my eyes blaze crimson with bloodshot intensity.
“I’m… holding… it in…”
For reasons I cannot fathom, my voice emerges distorted and strained.
Has my airway narrowed to maintain the pressure coursing through my body?
Yet breathing itself poses no difficulty.
Only now do I comprehend the truth.
My respiration has slowed to near apnea—each breath comes with agonizing deliberation.
My heartbeat follows the same pattern.
With each contraction, an enormous volume of blood surges throughout my body, then falls silent.
It feels as though my heart beats only once per minute.
Moreover, when I focus my gaze upon a specific point, everything around it slows to a crawl.
Whatever has become of my optic nerves, my visual processing has transcended its natural limits entirely.
As I slowly turn my head, the Ninth-Tier Mutant rises from the ground, its gaze fixed upon me.
Crack—snap!
Monstrous as this creature may be, it did not emerge unscathed from my assault.
Its shattered bones regenerate in an instant, and it crouches its lower body as if preparing to launch itself at me.
Boom!!!
Dust erupts from where the creature stood, and it hurtles toward me like a cannonball fired from artillery.
‘Slow.’
Though its initial burst appears swift, the moment I focus on its movement, everything unfolds like slow-motion footage.
Does my visual processing speed fluctuate based on the intensity of my concentration?
The mutant rushes forward and unleashes a 720-degree spinning kick aimed at my temple.
Unlike the other mutants, this one bears a human form, and its combat style mirrors human technique.
Could it be…
‘Created based on my own data?’
Whoosh—!
I effortlessly sidestep the cannonball-like kick aimed at my head and drive my fist toward the creature’s abdomen.
Crunch—! Boom!!!
The weighty impact reverberates through its flesh, ribs, and organs as the surrounding air tears asunder.
The creature vomits black liquid and flies backward another 200 meters.
Crash—!!!
The Mutant pierces through the Building Exterior Wall visible in the distance and crashes inside.
The building itself collapses from the sheer force of the impact.
“Roooaaarrrrr!!!”
It tears through the rubble and rises, unleashing a furious roar.
Whether it’s rage, irritation, or frustration at a situation spiraling beyond its control, I couldn’t say….
‘So loud.’
My hearing has grown unnaturally acute, making every sound grate against my nerves.
Crash!!!
This time, I thrust off the ground and drive myself into the creature’s embrace.
Like a bullet leaving a gun barrel, I surge forward with unstoppable momentum into its arms.
“Grrrrr…!”
Its eyes flicker as it looks down at me.
It seems capable of tracking my movements with its eyes, but that’s where its perception ends.
Its body cannot keep pace.
Crash—!!!
I drive an uppercut straight into it, shattering its lower jaw and sending a shockwave that liquefies its brain.
A tar-like, viscous black liquid oozes from the creature’s eyes, nose, and mouth.
Ding—!
[You have eliminated the Ninth-Tier Mutant.]
[200,000 points awarded.]
Two hundred thousand points for a single creature.
It truly was an absurd monster.
Wait—if this creature isn’t an exception but actually a Ninth-Tier Mutant, then….
“Target acquired.”
[Designate the target.]
“Ninth-Tier Mutant.”
[Ninth-Tier Mutant located.]
Whoosh— whoosh— whoosh—
Purple auras bloom like flames, gradually entering my field of vision.
“…Ha!”
There wasn’t just one.
Thirteen of them registered in my detection alone.
Should I consider myself fortunate?
As the tier numbers increase, the population of Mutants decreases significantly.
Just as the Eighth Mutant Variant were far fewer than the Seventh Mutant, the Ninth-Tier Mutants are even more scarce than the Eighth.
Which means the thirteen I’ve detected are likely all of them.
If I eliminate them.
If I kill them all… I can end this game.
The fact that I have fewer than ten Shockwave uses remaining troubles me somewhat, but it poses no real problem for me.
I could not envision myself experiencing defeat.
Boom!!!
Without hesitation, I rushed toward where the Ninth-Tier Mutant was located.
Given that they were clustered in the northern direction, there was a strong possibility they had been observing the battle situation all along.
This meant intelligence existed among them.
They had likely been continuously assessing whether we had any chance of victory as they watched our combat.
Their emergence now was clearly timed to exploit the moment when we were exhausted.
The one I had just eliminated was likely either hot-tempered or a scout.
Had they discerned my movements?
The creatures hiding in a particular building suddenly began scattering in all directions.
I could not let them escape.
Boom!!!
The moment I burst toward the nearest one like an arrow, the Ninth-Tier Mutant, its entire body pitch-black, hastily raised its guard.
‘It has learned.’
It seemed certain that it had been observing the battle.
Rather than raising its guard with a single hand, it was defending with both hands.
It knew what fate had befallen the one that died moments ago when defending with only one hand.
Crack!!!
A heavy resistance resonated through my fingertips.
But like a bulldozer that crushes everything in its path, I drove my fist forward using the momentum of my charge.
Boom!!!
Both of its arms shattered, and I could confirm that its ribs were pulverized by the shockwave.
Given their superior regenerative abilities, I could not afford to give them time.
The mutant tumbled through the air, flying dozens of meters away.
Following the airborne creature, I struck its face directly.
Crash!!!
Its face caved in, and a massive fissure erupted across the asphalt ground.
[You have eliminated the Ninth-Tier Mutant.]
[200,000 points awarded.]
Ding!
Immediately after, I heard rapid footsteps approaching from my left side.
Turning my head quickly, two Ninth-Tier Mutants were charging toward me like an unstoppable tide.
Had they determined they could not face me alone?
“Inventory.”
Whoosh—
The moment I drew the hwarang from the subspace, I hurled it toward the one in the lead.
The hwarang streaked through the air like a rail gun, carving a long diagonal path.
Crack—!!!
The hwarang that cut through the air embedded itself in the heart of the leading mutant.
With most mutants, the hwarang would have pierced clean through, but the Ninth-Tier Mutant’s defensive power was truly extraordinary.
The one behind it discovered its comrade with a pierced heart and immediately leaped into the air.
I caught on to their move.
The shockwave effect erupted from behind the creature whose heart had been skewered.
It had sensed this beforehand and jumped into the air to evade it.
The creature added the momentum of its charge and the speed of its descent, hurling its fist at my face with all its might.
A speed that would have been difficult to react to without absolute focus.
By the narrowest margin, I twisted my upper body to evade the attack, then used the rotational force to deliver a spinning kick in return.
Crack—!!!
The creature’s skull shattered, and the shockwave reduced its brain to pulp.
It collapsed to the ground.
[You have defeated the Ninth-Tier Mutant.]
[200,000 points awarded.]
Boom!!!
At the same moment, I felt a heavy pressure against my back.
…!
I hadn’t perceived it in time.
Crash—————!!!!
I was driven forward, grinding against the ground like a bouncing ball as I tumbled dozens of meters.
Had another one been charging from behind?
It was a diversion tactic.
When the creatures scattered in different directions, it wasn’t to flee—it was to divide my attention.
I shook my head vigorously and rose to my feet.
Whoosh—!
In an instant, a blackened foot appeared before my eyes.
I flinched and leaned my upper body backward.
Crash—————!!
A sonic boom erupted from the kick that tore through the air.
If I’d taken that head-on, my nose wouldn’t have been the only thing that collapsed.
Without absolute focus, it’s difficult to react to their speed.
These bastards… they’ve figured out my weakness.
They’ve noticed that my reaction speed only accelerates when I concentrate on a specific target.
Creatures with exceptional adaptability.
I need to move faster.
I have to eliminate them while Whirlwind is still active.
Whirlwind has 15 minutes remaining.
As their adaptability increases, their coordinated attacks are becoming increasingly precise.
Giving them time would work against me, so I need to make a decision now.
“Balhwa.”
Ding—!
[You have activated ‘Balhwa’ using the trigger word.]
[Strength, agility, stamina, and movement speed increase by 2.5 times for 20 minutes.]
[When Balhwa’s duration ends, Balhwa’s passive effect will not activate for 1 hour.]
“…!!”
The moment I activated Balhwa on top of my physical abilities already pushed to their absolute limit, a splitting headache crashed over me.
Thump—
A dizzying shock radiated from my heart, and I felt my vision plunge into darkness.
This was… a similar reaction to when I first used Frenzy.
Then, gradually, my darkened vision returned, and everything around me appeared drenched in crimson.
“Cough…!”
Against my will, ragged breaths tore from my lips.
Whoosh—!
At the same moment, I sensed a presence approaching from behind.
I wanted to turn around, but my head wouldn’t move.
But.
Splurch!!!
My right foot pierced through the abdomen of the Ninth-Tier Mutant closing in from behind.
My body was responding independent of my will.
Ding—!
[You have eliminated the Ninth-Tier Mutant.]
[200,000 points awarded.]
What is this?
My body has slipped beyond my control, yet it responds to the Mutants’ movements.
It feels as though something unknown is puppeteering my flesh.
Tap-tap-tap!
As the Mutants rushed forward, my body reacted of its own accord once more.
Deflecting every attack, tearing the limbs from the charging Mutants.
When several Mutants that had attacked me fled toward Palgong Mountain to the north, my body instinctively gave chase.
As if I would not spare those who had shown intent to strike me.
As if I would slaughter them all.

* * *
“We’re ready!”
“Same here!”
Meanwhile, everyone remaining at the Shelter boarded the bus without exception.
Considerable time was wasted debating whether to leave the children behind or take them along.
Lee Kwanghyun was the one who opposed the idea of leaving the children behind.
If a high-tier Mutant entered the Shelter, even the current number of people would struggle to handle it—attempting it with fewer people would be impossible.
Yet taking the children along was deemed too dangerous by the Survivors at the Shelter.
After a heated debate, the decision was ultimately made to bring the children with them.
The majority opinion was that the bus was safer than the Shelter.
“Kids, what did I tell you?”
“Fasten your seatbelts!”
“And?”
“Keep your heads down!”
The children answered Lee Kwanghyun’s questions with vigor.
Though their responses were forceful, all of them trembled with fear.
These children who would clench their lips and shed tears like dewdrops at the mere sight of a Zombie.
Simply boarding the bus had required tremendous courage from them.
As Lee Kwanghyun settled into the driver’s seat and checked the vehicle’s condition, a familiar voice crackled through the radio.
-Brother Kwanghyun, can you hear me?
“Loud and clear. How about you?”
-I can hear you fine too.
Jo Yunhwan’s response lacked conviction.
Lee Kwanghyun noticed this and furrowed his brow as he asked.
“What’s wrong? Got another complaint?”
-It’s not a complaint… I’m just anxious.
“The kids are all here on the bus—what could you possibly be worried about?”
-Is it really… the right call to go provide support?
“Staying here has its limits too. Do you think we can keep holding out with our current strength?”
Jo Yunhwan had no answer to Lee Kwanghyun’s question.
Even after dealing with the Fifth-Tier Water Demon, countless Mutants had continued pouring into the Shelter.
Mimicry Species, Water Demons, Severing Types, Resonance Species—all of them.
The Safe House’s effect was limited to blocking Zombies from approaching.
There was no way to stop the Mutants that kept streaming in.
If anything, it was a stroke of luck.
Most of them had been Fourth-Tier or lower Mutants.
But there was no guarantee that what had happened so far would continue in the future.
Had even just three Fifth-Tier Mutants entered, the outcome at the Shelter would have been different.
It was also why all the Survivors at the Shelter had agreed to board the bus and relocate together.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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