HACKED 89

Our side suffers from the fatal weakness of an absolute lack of manpower. As long as this weakness exists, the probability of our defeat increases significantly the more time we drag on.

In such a situation, the strategy we can adopt inevitably becomes hit and run. It would be different if we could invade their side and land the first blow, but we cannot even do that because the Hyper-Dimensional Gate is broken.

‘The taste of a forced speed-run served up by the system… It makes me grit my teeth.’

The screen, which had been quiet ever since the acquisition notification for the ‘Fragment of the Key to the Door Leading to Reality (2)’, made a sound again.

Ding!

[Warning!]

[Shock has been detected in the power system.]

[The power system has been damaged.]

Power System Activation Progress… 99%

“Ugh…”

An unpleasant dizziness shook my head. I struggled to steady my staggering body while covering my eyes with one hand.

‘This dog-like shock detection notification. I was wondering exactly when it would start this time.’

Since they said a battle broke out at the entrance of the Library District, this shock must be a result of that. Seeing as the value only dropped by 1%, it doesn’t seem like the walls and floors were smashed to pieces like last time. Did a bookshelf break or something?

“Are they getting thrashed already? Honestly, they are guys who are no help at all. By now, they should have cracked at least one or two enemy heads, and even that wouldn’t be enough.”

San Gun supported me while delivering a line that lacked any sense of crisis. I sighed and tapped his forearm to signal him to let go.

“I’m grateful, Elder. But this isn’t the time for this. Go fight quickly.”

“To think the words following ‘Elder’ are telling me to go fight. Isn’t this an attack on the elderly?”

“I’m saying this because the person who should have gone to fight long ago is standing here like this. And it’s not like you actually think of yourself as an old man anyway.”

“To be old means to have survived, and to have survived means to be strong. Even if I were truly a grandfather who could go any day now, I would still win against those bastards easily.”

‘Hmm. Looking at their formation bonus, it didn’t seem like it would be that easy.’

As if my thoughts were reflected plainly on my face, San Gun turned his head toward me and whispered in my ear.

“This time, I’ll do it gently so it doesn’t hurt you. It will be different from last time. Last time was because it was the first time. I’ll do well.”

He probably meant he would fight in a way that causes less damage to the Pantheon, but for some reason, it sounded strange…

Despite saying such things, his voice was unnecessarily good, so my ear tickled every time the vibrations hummed. I pushed him away while rubbing my ear with the base of my palm.

“Ah, yes. I get it, so just go now.”

He let out a light snort.

“Even with such an unfriendly fellow, I still serve and live with him because he’s pretty.”

‘What, why. So what. Is it any surprise that I’m unfriendly?’

By now, shouldn’t my Incarnations know? That their Master is a hopeless social misfit and a shut-in.

Right, the other Incarnations. Unlike someone here slacking off openly, the rest of the Incarnations must be fighting diligently. I believe in them.

Are the ones at the Library District entrance right now the twins and Hwarang? I don’t know how many of the enemy’s forces went that way, but it will be somewhat overwhelming for the two of them to block. We will have to endure some damage—or, to use San Gun’s words, a ‘thrashing.’

And, actually, for us, it is better the more our allies get ‘thrashed’ to some extent. Because…

‘That thing called a formation bonus isn’t only for the enemy units.’

San Gun left in a flash without even saying goodbye, just as abruptly as he had entered. His black silk sleeves embroidered with patterns fluttered briskly.

Watching his back, I recalled our unit’s formation bonus that I had checked earlier.

Formation Bonus ‘Wind, Frost, and Unchanging Constancy’

: It is our spirit.

Activates when all unit members possess the ‘Korean Origin’ trait. Every time the average health of the unit members falls below 80/60/20/10 respectively, one ‘Han (恨)’ stack is accumulated. Each time this stack builds up, a weight is added to the attack power of all unit members. At the maximum value (4), they can attack while ignoring all effects such as buffs, debuffs, items, and status ailments. (Current Han stacks: 2)

Come, enemy units. Do you have enough saved attack skills?

I am ready to be hurt.

˙✧˖°🎮 ⋆｡˚

The four unit members who, defying the instructions of their unit leader, the S-rank Hunter, intruded into the 5th floor. They passed through the main gate, which is the entrance to the Library District, went past numerous bookshelves and corridors, and finally arrived at the Library Director’s office.

They were not hindered by anything on their way here. It was natural. Because in this place, there was no presence of any kind, not even a single mouse.

“I don’t know what language the signs are in… but based on the structure, this seems to be the Compiler’s room.”

“Judging by the scale and the atmosphere, it likely is.”

However, the Library Director’s office was unremarkable despite its name. There was no sign of the Compiler, and the source of the power system controlled by the Compiler was not there either. The entire vast space, which was unnecessarily wide, remained in darkness with the lights out.

Even half of the Library Director’s office had been burnt black and turned into a pile of ash. It was something that could not be understood with common sense.

What Compiler in the world would leave their own office in such a state? There was no way a natural fire could have occurred in a Pantheon that exists by the will of the Compiler, and if the Compiler had set the fire intentionally… that was even stranger.

“The flow of power was definitely coming from here…”

The Library Director’s office was no different from a ruin. Not only was there no power source, but even the remnants of power could not be felt. The sense of disparity that had been growing as they came this far reached its peak.

“We’ve been tricked.”

<The Origin of the Amazons> grit her teeth.

“It was their trickery. There is no power source here. We have been thoroughly deceived.”

The moment they realized the ‘flaw in the logic’, the ‘State Secret’ skill was completely broken. Just like the moment when Nameless Star was peeling the face-skin off a dead comrade in front of the Incarnations sent by <IsItPresbyopiaCrap>.

Finally, their minds clear and their sense of reality returns fully. Looking back after escaping the skill, it is absurd. It is to the point where they cannot understand why they fell for such a crude skill.

The ‘State Secret’ skill works in that way. It is similar to the mechanism where victims fall for scams like voice phishing. From a third party’s perspective, it’s a childish and shallow trick that makes one think, ‘Who would be fooled by that?’, but the person being targeted is deceived without even knowing they are being tricked.

“Let us leave here for now. Should we not join up with those two?”

“Then must we go back to the place we entered? The distance is too far.”

“The S-rank Hunter and <The Hunter Hunted by Divine Punishment> must have headed straight for the upper floors. Since that S-rank Hunter fellow kept chirping like a parrot to go up, go up. We must go to the upper floors too.”

“If we go back to the door we first entered, we might be late. In a space this large, there won’t be just one entrance. Let’s find another way and go up as quickly as possible.”

They came out of the Library Director’s office and searched for another exit. Without even discussing it separately, the way they scattered in an orderly fashion to search their respective assigned areas was indeed like veteran hunters.

It was then.

Active Skill ‘Changgwi: Gulgak(倀鬼) : Folded Pavilion’

: Once a tiger eats a person…

Taunts the casting target. If the taunt is successful, the casting target enters a type of hallucinatory state, ignores all previous behavioral instructions, and moves toward the caster.

San Gun’s skill, ‘Changgwi: Gulgak : Folded Pavilion’ was activated.

Of course, this status window is not visible to the one who has become the target of the skill. What he can perceive is only an inexplicable sense of fear and an eerie chill pervading his entire body.

“Something feels ominous…”

The middle-aged Westerner, <The Sharpshooter Who Hit the Apple on the Head>, stiffened his face.

He noticed something strange with his uniquely keen senses, but once he became the target of the skill, he could not resist. The intelligence gradually faded from his eyes. Soon, he began to walk toward one spot with a dazed face.

“Hey, Mr. Westerner. What is wrong? Did you find something?”

An old man holding a wooden bow asked from afar. The Sharpshooter replied mechanically.

“It is nothing. I simply thought I would take a look over there.”

The Sharpshooter walked with heavy steps toward the other side of the dark corridor.

Soon, the dead end of the corridor appeared. It was pitch black all around, but since his eyes had finished dark adaptation while staying here for a long time, he could roughly distinguish silhouettes. There was a large door at the end of the corridor.

And without any warning or signal, another skill was activated.

Active Skill ‘Changgwi: Gulgak(倀鬼) : Totem’

: If a tiger eats a person twice…

Temporarily neutralizes obstacles between the caster and the casting target. These obstacles include not only physical doors, walls, and traps, but also mental-type buffs, talismans, and guardian rituals.

The Sharpshooter did not stop and walked as if possessed. Without even imagining what was lurking beyond that door.