HACKED 32

Everyone has a plausible plan. Until they get hit.

“Argh!”

Crunch!

“You wicked beast! Get away… Ugh!”

Splatter!

“My arm, my arm!”

Groans filled with pain erupted from all over. The horrific rupturing sound of breaking bones and tearing flesh followed as a bonus.

The knights had arrived armed with glittering armor, capes without a single speck of dust, and ornately decorated swords. They were now being mercilessly ravaged by an unidentified pale monster.

It wasn’t that they had just been helplessly attacked from the start. Sensing an indescribable, ominous premonition, they had hurriedly tried to initiate a conversation.

‘I don’t know what this “husband” thing is, but first, please calm down. We came here to help you… Gack!’

Though the neck of the one who spoke was sent flying in a single strike.

A powerful opponent is scary. Furthermore, if their appearance is as bizarre as any monster, it’s even scarier, and if conversation doesn’t work at all, it’s even more terrifying. Unfortunately, the opponent before their eyes possessed all three traits.

Moreover, this monster even controlled blue flames while singing some sinister song. What was it again? Something about a song that went ‘Fox, fox, what are you doing?’

‘Damn it, how should I know what side dishes you’re eating… Ugh.’

Like that, another person’s neck was sent flying.

By this point, everyone had come to realize it. No matter how many of them gathered or what strategy they devised, it was impossible to defeat the opponent before their eyes.

“That’s why I told you! This is a trap!”

“What nonsense… It can’t be possible for a rookie Compiler who doesn’t even know basic common sense to have such a strong Incarnation!”

“Then how are you going to explain this situation?”

<IsItPresbyopiaCrap>’s chivalric order consisted entirely of 3-star to 4-star Incarnations. Let alone the 4-stars, even the 3-stars were top-tier among their rank, as their basic stats were well-rolled and their equipment was fully matched. In terms of combat power, they were much better than ambiguous, lower-ranked 4-stars.

And yet, six such Incarnations charged at once and couldn’t defeat a single opponent? The meaning of that fact was clear. It meant that the white monster before them was a 5-star, and a high-ranking one at that.

“I’m telling you, we were all tricked! We should have been suspicious from the moment there were no defenses at the entrance. Stupidly!”

“Who was it that said let’s not waste time and get inside quickly?”

“Cut it out, you bastards! We’re all going to die at this rate, and you think a verbal spat matters!”

Half of the six unit members were instantly killed or incapacitated. Far from joining forces to fight, the remaining half were busy blaming each other and only concerned with preserving their own lives. It was a situation that couldn’t be more bleak.

“To trick us so perfectly and dig a trap like this. Just how far ahead did the Compiler here see?”

“…Who knows.”

The third unit member, who was pressing down on the blood gushing from a deep gash in his side, replied with a voice mixed with groans. The heads of the remaining two turned simultaneously.

“What?”

“Is it true that all of this right now is a situation planned and directed by this Pantheon’s Compiler?”

“What nonsense are you talking?”

“Look at that.”

He pointed at the monster before them with his only free hand while the other still pressed his wound. The monster was chasing another unit member with its pale hair, which reached below its waist, disheveled and wild.

“Aaah… Ugh, don’t follow me…! H-help… Aaargh!”

The unit member, who had been struggling to fight with a sword in his other hand because one arm had been severed, finally collapsed to the floor. The monster did not miss him. It followed him tenaciously and eventually climbed on top of the fallen man, thrusting its claws into his chest.

Splatter! Splatter! Thud!

The sound of a human’s abdomen being torn and organs being dragged out echoed. Blood was sprayed on the walls and floor, which were already as empty as a haunted house. Even those far away could see fragments of flesh flying in all directions.

Even though there were still three opponents left to deal with, the monster didn’t look this way at all. Turning its back completely to them, it focused only on tearing apart the body of the victim in front of it. Even though that victim had stopped breathing a long time ago.

A slaughter for no reason, solely for its own venting and pleasure. A cruel act that continued even after the opponent died. It was an unrealistically terrifying sight.

‘Ah, I’m glad it’s not me.’

This thought flashed through all three of their minds at the same time. There was not the slightest bit of regret for their dead comrade.

They had committed countless massacres under the name of Pantheon Hunting, but there was no such thing as camaraderie among them. Their daily life consisted of being replaced immediately if the Master obtained a stronger Incarnation than them or if they went against the Master’s command. When everyone was busy surviving for themselves, there was no way for affectionate feelings for each other to arise.

“Now is the time. Run!”

At that signal, the three ran with all their might. Even though the three prey fled at once, the white monster did not look back.

How many corners of the similar-looking corridors did they turn? How many floors of stairs did they go up and down? Eventually, the presence of the monster completely vanished.

The three knights crouched against the wall, panting. They were all covered in blood and dust, and their appearance was a mess. Their initial majesty was nowhere to be found.

“What were you saying earlier? If what that guy did wasn’t his Master’s instruction, then what was it?”

“That guy has no comrades. He’s completely alone. At first, I wondered if other guys were waiting in ambush for a staggered attack, but look. No one appeared until we fled this deep. If they wanted to completely cut off our breath, now is the chance, since our strength has taken a hit.”

“We can’t be sure. We shouldn’t jump to conclusions about anything. Because we might get hit again if we believe there are no comrades.”

“Right, there might not be comrades. Isn’t it possible that the Compiler ordered a solo operation in the first place? Since he’s that strong, maybe a one-man unit was organized.”

However, the unit member shook his head at their rebuttals.

“I don’t think that’s it either.”

“What do you mean it’s not?”

“If he received a command to kill us all alone, why did he just let us go? Wasting time mutilating the corpse of someone already dead? It doesn’t add up.”

“That’s…”

The other unit member opened his mouth to reflexively refute, but he was left speechless. Come to think of it, his comrade was right.

“So what’s the conclusion?”

“This Pantheon is not normal.”

The unit member said flatly.

“We saw it from the entrance. The interior looks like a haunted house that’s been abandoned for hundreds of years, and not a single other Incarnation has been seen the whole time we’ve been coming here.”

“If it’s still a rookie Compiler… then there would be few Incarnations under his command…”

“Then the scale of the Pantheon should have been much smaller.”

“What?”

“You didn’t know? Well, I suppose you might not. Since you came in midway because another guy was replaced.”

The Incarnation who said that smirked. He didn’t even look at his comrade’s face, which was distorted with humiliation.

“Originally, the Pantheons received by newly appointed Compilers are cramped spaces where not even ten people can live. You start from there and gradually expand as you build up experience and results. But what about here? All the upgrades that could be done were done, so the scale is super-sized, but the inside is empty? Where did the dozens or hundreds of Incarnations who should have filled this place go?”

“…”

“From start to finish, everything here is strange. A trap? An ambush? Maybe we’ve gotten caught up in something more dangerous than that.”

“…”

“There were no instructions from a Compiler from the beginning. That monster is probably just moving as it pleases, according to its instinct.”

“Don’t make me laugh. What kind of idiot Compiler would leave such a disaster wandering around his own home base!”

The knight smiled bitterly at his comrade’s reaction. To think he still didn’t understand even after all this explanation.

Things they hadn’t seen because they were blinded by inertia and arrogance. Things they were trying to ignore despite feeling an ominous premonition. Those things were gathering together and gradually taking shape more clearly.

“There are positive speculations and negative speculations, which one do you want to hear first?”

“…The former.”

“Maybe even that monster’s Master gave up control.”

“That’s the positive one? Then what’s the negative speculation?”

“He let it loose on purpose, taking advantage of the fact that it can’t be controlled. Regardless of whether allies get hurt or not.”

The knights fell silent all at once. A chilly shiver ran down their spines. After a brief silence, one person stammered like a groan.

“W-who would do such a crazy thing…”

“Who else could it be? There was a more insane Compiler than our Master. Right here.”

Their Master had killed countless fellow Compilers purely for fun until now. He is a villain with no room for extenuation. They themselves are also villains for obeying that command without even doubting it, even if it was the Master’s command.

But it seems that will also come to an end today. Since they had taken many innocent lives, they knew they would eventually meet an unfortunate end, but to think it would be today.

They exchanged glances with each other.

But immediately after that, someone’s shout was heard.

“What! You were all here? Damn it. You leave me and go without a word? I’ve been looking for a long time!”

A familiar figure appeared around the corner.

“Uh, you… you were from earlier.”

‘I don’t know what this “husband” thing is, but first, please calm down. We came here to help you… Gack!’

The unit member who was the very first to be attacked by the monster as soon as they set foot here. He, who was thought to have died with his neck cleanly sent flying, was moving alive and well right before their eyes.