The Archmage’s Destruction Strategy - Chapter 9

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

The day Sung-jun disappeared carrying his teacher’s body, the original world that people knew completely collapsed.

Sung-jun’s teacher Minastrias had succeeded in sealing Silermantis, one of the Seven Calamities that invaded Seoul.

However, she could not handle the large-scale erosion incidents that began occurring simultaneously across the nation at the same time.

In Busan, a giant ape that looked like a horned gorilla grabbed and threw fishing boats docked at the port, turning the city into chaos, while in Daejeon, a giant monster that looked like a winged zebra destroyed large buildings in an instant by releasing sound waves that turned everything they touched to powder.

For the Government of South Korea, which had no choice but to deploy most of its main forces along the border due to the enemy nation of North Korea, this was truly a difficult situation to handle.

However, fortunately for the people of South Korea, disasters of that level were situations that the agents of the ‘Division of the Dimensional Agency’ that the Government of South Korea had painstakingly cultivated could sufficiently handle.

“We just received a report from Division 7 agents that they have eliminated the general-class entity ‘Siren’ that appeared in Daejeon.”

“What about the damage situation?”

“4 Class-2 agents killed, 27 wounded. 1 Class-1 agent wounded, 12 killed. One Special-class agent wounded.”

“A Special-class agent?”

“Well, it was a general-class entity and a long-range attack type erosion entity.”

“Good. Then we can consider the Daejeon area somewhat reclaimed.”

The man in uniform muttered as he removed a red pin from the large map of South Korea attached to the whiteboard.

“Any reports on erosion entity movements?”

“No major movements have been observed yet. As if trying to claim their territories, they massacre all humans in the areas where they appeared and then hold their positions.”

A special situation room in the basement of the Yongsan Presidential Office.

In this special space designed to operate command systems even during nuclear war situations, men in military uniforms and agents in suits were mixed together, assessing the current situation.

“If it’s this bad with just general-class entities, if that snake-like creature that appeared in Seoul Airspace had remained… it’s horrifying just to imagine.”

It was understandable that the Man in Uniform thought this way.

Telephone, internet, satellite communications…

All communication methods that humanity had used until now were cut off overnight, making it impossible to assess the situation of allied nations at all.

If it had been possible to dispatch intelligence agents even by land route, they could have somehow assessed the situation of neighboring countries, but since the hostile nation of North Korea was firmly positioned to the north of South Korea, which connected to the continent, they couldn’t even send liaison officers.

The liaison ship they had sent to Japan with some hope was swallowed whole by an unidentified Giant Monster that emerged from the sea before it could even reach Japanese waters.

The moment they confirmed that approach by sea was impossible, the Government of South Korea immediately began emergency control of all oil sales.

Due to South Korea’s characteristic of depending entirely on imports for all petroleum resources consumed domestically, all national infrastructure could stop the moment crude oil imports through sea routes were blocked.

From right after the large-scale invasion of erosion entities that threatened human survival began, the Government of South Korea started mobilizing every possible means to prevent the collapse of government functions and protect the lives of its citizens.

On the first day of erosion, they declared a national state of emergency martial law, on the second day they prohibited all hoarding activities, and on the third day they banned the sale of vehicle fuels such as gasoline and diesel at all gas stations nationwide.

Three months from that day, even electricity was only supplied during specific hours.

South Korea’s proud logistics system that delivered orders placed in the evening by dawn, and the delivery system that brought warm food to your doorstep with just one phone call, were now completely non-functional.

Electricity and petroleum.

The most powerful energy that had helped lead humanity’s golden age during its most brilliant period had now conversely become the greatest shackles holding humanity back.

“Haven’t the communication systems been restored yet?”

“Are you referring to domestic systems? Or overseas communication networks?”

“Both.”

“Domestic communication networks are currently undergoing burial work for exposed sections based on available lines. As for overseas communication networks… I’m sorry, but the technical team reports there’s no hope.”

“Are you saying the monsters completely destroyed even the satellite communication networks?”

“Destroyed… should we call it that? According to telescope observations, the satellites themselves weren’t destroyed. Rather, it’s more accurate to say an invisible barrier is interfering with the entire communication network. That’s why the technical team judges there’s hope for restoring communication lines through underground cables.”

“Of course, that’s only possible under the premise that electricity is fully supplied.”

A voice other than the aide’s was heard.

This time it was Han Suryeon, the head of Special Task Force 7 of the Dimensional Bureau and the strongest Awakened belonging to the Government of South Korea.

When Han Suryeon, a former Olympic archery gold medalist, entered the situation room with her entire body stained with blood, the Man in Uniform frowned.

“You could have washed up before coming in.”

“As you know, due to the control measures directly ordered by the Martial Law Commander, hot water doesn’t come out at this hour. If I’m going to wash anyway, I’d like to wash with warm water.”

“Then at least remove the flesh stuck to your body. Isn’t the floor getting dirty?”

“The floor…”

Han Suryeon, who had been looking at the man for a moment, snorted. Then she slammed down her bow, covered with blood and flesh, on the situation room desk and said:

“This might look disgusting to someone who sticks pins on maps inside a cozy bunker. But for the agents fighting at the front, battlefields covered in blood, flesh, and feces are closer to their daily reality. A clean room like this is a luxury and a kind of dream to them.”

She said that today alone, 14 agents had died. And they were heroes who did their best until their final moments before death.

“Isn’t it strange? That the number of Class-1 agent deaths is higher than the much weaker Class-2 agents. The reason for such a strange casualty ratio is that Class-1 agents sacrificed their lives to protect their weaker juniors. For what? So that you could remove one red pin from this damn map of South Korea in this warm and clean room.”

Suddenly, a blue light began to swirl around her fist.

And before anyone could stop her, she roughly struck the situation board with the map attached using her ability-infused fist.

CRASH!!!

However, even after receiving her ‘strong protest’, the man in uniform was just looking at her with a calm expression.

“You seem to have practiced quite a bit this time, but that doesn’t mean I can pull personnel. Section Chief Han Suryeon.”

“Is that not possible?”

“It’s not possible.”

“Then next time I’ll try a different approach.”

Seeing her suddenly show a calm and cold demeanor like a completely different person, the people in the situation room looked bewildered.

Then a man who had been watching the inside of the situation room through the door crack rushed in urgently.

“Oh my! Section Chief! How can you cause a disturbance here no matter how angry you are! I’m sorry! Everyone! Please continue with your work!”

“Kim Changhyeok, I got angry and caused a disturbance as you said, but my opinion was still rejected. What should I do next?”

“No! Section Chief! When! Did! I! Ever! Tell you to cause a disturbance?! Really, please don’t say things that others might misunderstand!”

“You definitely told me on the way up from Daejeon today that since I always speak so coldly it doesn’t work at all, and this time when I go up I should just completely destroy the situation room… Mmph!!”

Before the woman could finish speaking, the muscular man covered the woman’s mouth.

“Hahahaha!!! Did the erosion entity we fought this time have hallucinogenic abilities? The Section Chief keeps talking nonsense? Hahahaha!! Then I’ll take the Section Chief to the Medical Room!! Everyone, keep up the good work!!”

Thus Kim Changhyeok burst into awkward laughter loudly and left the situation room carrying Han Suryeon under his arm.

“That person is… Han Suryeon, right? South Korea’s strongest Awakened…”

“That’s right. If it weren’t for her, the Government of South Korea would have collapsed long ago. If only she could give up that obsession with the man in the costume…”

“The man in the costume?”

That was the reason Han Suryeon had caused a disturbance in the situation room.

Finding the man in the costume who was rumored to be related to the disappearance incident of the giant erosion entity that appeared in Seoul Airspace on the very day the large-scale erosion occurred.

However, even after a week-long large-scale search, she and the members of Division 7 failed to find the man in the costume, and Martial Law Command, facing an urgent field situation, pulled her out despite her insistence on continuing the search and forcibly deployed her to the front lines.

Rather than wandering around looking for an unidentified Awakened whose very existence was unclear, regardless of whether he would be helpful, the priority was eliminating the erosion entities that were currently threatening South Korea’s survival.

And above all, General Oh Beomseok, who served as the Martial Law Commander, did not believe in the existence of the man in the costume at all.

‘According to reports, the strength of the snake-type erosion entity that appeared in Seoul Airspace would be more than all the erosion entities reported nationwide combined. At that level, even if Pioneers directly intervened rather than Awakened, victory would be difficult to guarantee.’

Oh Beomseok recalled the last communication he had with the US government before contact with other countries was cut off.

Those words spoken in a voice filled with despair that he could hardly believe came from a minister of the United States, supposedly the world’s strongest nation.

-General. We, no, probably humanity is finished. This will probably be our last communication, but I hope you survive as long as possible.

From the content of that communication, Oh Beomseok made the assumption that a giant erosion entity like the one that appeared in Seoul Airspace had also appeared in the United States.

And for the same reason, communication with the US government was completely severed.

Thanks to that, the 28,000 United States Forces Korea personnel who lost contact with their home government had urgently returned home by ship, leaving only minimal personnel behind.

Of course, with all communication networks severed now, only heaven knew whether they had safely reached their homeland.

‘Sigh… In the current situation, I’d rather Section Chief Han Suryeon’s words were true. If that man in the costume actually exists, and if he really has the power to defeat a giant snake-type monster, he would have been the most important force to turn the current situation around…’

At the very moment Oh Beomseok was muttering this to himself, there was someone thinking exactly the same thing.

It was Han Suryeon, the head of Special Task Force 7, who was being carried out under the arm of her subordinate Kim Changhyeok.

Even while traveling nationwide daily to eliminate erosion entities, she consistently could not give up her obsession with the man in the costume.

‘If that man had been there…’

‘I need that man…’

At the very moment these two people were desperately thinking of a man in their hearts, the ‘man in the costume’ they so desperately longed for was setting up a pathetically humble meal table in a shabby state near a valley where no one was around.

Something resembling soup made by roughly throwing potatoes and carrots into plain water and adding whatever came to hand. And rice mixed so randomly with all kinds of grains that it was hard to find any trace of white rice.

And in front of that, a photo of the man’s teacher, Minastrias, displayed on a smartphone screen since there was no proper portrait photo, was placed in front of the opposite rice bowl as if having a video call with the man.

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