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nEpisode 2: Exodus

/ Chapter 25: Wyvern of Destruction (1)

nTL: Myoni

nEdited: Obelisk

nThe number of monsters Choi Hyuk killed in a day was absurd but it still wasn’t enough to reverse the flow.

nIf Choi Hyuk tried his best, he would barely be able to hunt 400 monsters a day.

nAt first, he would be able to kill one every second but as his stamina decreased, the speed slowed down as well. When he started to get out of breath, his performance would drop rapidly and if he was surrounded by monsters in that state, he would die. He always had to check his condition and retreat when it was appropriate.

nOn the other hand, the number of monsters was piling up.

nAfter 10 days had passed, situations started to arise where Choi Hyuk was unable to destroy a portal every day.

nThe number of monsters that crossed through the portal would increase by 20% every day. This was an exponential growth. Even if he killed continuously, it was becoming harder and harder to catch up that increase.

nOn the 10th day, 20,000 monsters poured in from the 33 portals. With the help of his allies, they were able to reduce that number to 20 on the 15th day, but even then, approximately 30,000 monsters poured in every day.

nOn the 15th day, the streets were filled with over 130,000 monsters. It was the main reason why it was becoming more difficult to fight them.

nHowever, that wasn’t all. The amount of supplies would reduce by a third every 10 days.

nInstantly, supplies that were originally able to feed 500,000 people could only sustain 170,000. But, there were 300,000 people still alive on the 10th day. During this time, due to the amount of supplies, they didn’t starve to death but faced with survival, intensified the temptation of the groups.

nThe key reason for their temptation was the portals.

nAnd this temptation became a framework for Jung Minji.

n‘While we go out and destroy portals, those who just sit there, only caring about their safety have no right to supplies!’

nIt was a strategy that was necessary for destroying portals but, at the same time, it was risky. It was because normally, assembly areas set up Weakening Barriers, which makes the monsters two times weaker, but to destroy a portal, they had to step out and fight against the full strength of the monsters.

nBecause of this, the number of deaths and victims continued to increase in groups allied with Choi Hyuk. And those assembly areas who only sought after supplies were becoming more secure. While there were people who fought for the safety of everyone, there were others who just wanted a free pass.

nEventually, faced with this crisis, Jung Minji raised her sword. It was a clever move that would relieve the dissatisfaction of the groups who destroyed portals onto others.

nShe dispatched an envoy to a neighbouring assembly area. The rule she imposed was simple.

n‘Tomorrow. You are to spearhead the fight to destroy a portal. Or you give up your right to supplies.’

nHer proposal was ignored. And the next day, that assembly area turned to ash. They weren’t able to endure the attack of her troops who were tempered through fights against monsters. And Jung Minji didn’t accept surrenders.

n“Do we kill them all?”

n“Kill them all. Except for those who are less than 14 years old.”

n“How do we determine their age?”

n“Just… If they look young, let them live…”

n“Let the children live… then what about their parents?”

n“… Kill their parents.”

nJung Minji easily empathized with the weak. She wasn’t confident in being able to kill those who surrendered so she left Chu Youngjin in command.

nEven when she hardened her heart, she was still unable to order the death of the children. Of course, instead of being respected, her ambiguous attitude brought sarcasm. To some, she was extremely merciless and to others, she was half-baked.

nStill, her decisive actions displayed a surprising amount of power. The neighbouring assembly areas who were shocked at her merciless slaughter decided to take part in fighting the monsters.

nThe other 6 powers who were allied with Jung Minji also took similar actions.

nAt that time, two rumors about slaughter were spreading like wildfire.

nChoi Hyuk and Jung Minji’s slaughter.

nBecause of this, the allied forces were able to take advantage of this fear to win over other forces more easily.

nNot long after, everyone had started to destroy the portals in unison. Due to this, they were able to reduce the number of portals to 20… but the number of casualties were significant as well.

nAnd the number of monsters were still growing.

n250,000 survivors. 130,000 monsters.

nIt was already an established fact that at some point, the number of monsters would exceed the number of people.

n**

nAfter fighting monsters, Choi Hyuk would always train.

n“Soaring Slash!”

nWhen he shouted the skill, the karma in his body would automatically move. The karma that enhanced his bones, joints and muscles gathered at his hand. By using the pressure of the gathered karma, he was able to transform it into a sword… but eventually, it wasn’t able to even reach half the blade before returning to its previous state.

n{Failed. To use a C rank skill, you need at least one stat and Retribution to reach C rank (3-star).}

nAnd a message would pop up.

nChoi Hyuk sighed as he examined his status.

n——————–

n{Choi Hyuk}

nPower: 0  (★★)   Speed: 0 (★★)  Control: 114 ( 114) (★★)

nEndurance: 18 ( 18) (★★)  Stamina: 18 ( 18) (★★)  Recovery: 0 (★★)

n*Retribution: 0 (★★)

n*Free karma points: 68

n——————–

nAs there weren’t many worthy opponents, even though he killed all those monsters and people, he wasn’t able to grow that much. All he earned were 18 free karma points from killing 6 2-star monsters.

nThat was only because he received an additional 2 free karma points for killing ‘mid-bosses’ or else he would have only earned 6 points.

nAnd Choi Hyuk changed his items… He got rid of the items that increased his Power and Speed and pushed Control.

nBecause of this, his Power and Speed became 0.

nOf his newly equipped D rank items, 3 were new and he traded for the remaining 2. Control was a relatively unwanted stat so it wasn’t hard finding someone to trade.

nAs they were all normal D rank items, the items Choi Hyuk earned weren’t unique. He even had two ‘Rings of Concentration’.

n——————–

n{Ring of Concentration} x2

nRank: D

nControl: 10

nYou are able to use the skill {Concentrate} once a day. For 1 minute, Control increases by 10%.

nThere is no additional consumption of Stamina.

n——————–

n——————–

n{Necklace of Concentration}

nRank: D

nControl: 10

nYou are able to use the skill {Concentrate} once a day. For 1 minute, Control increases by 10%.

nThere is no additional consumption of Stamina.

n——————–

n——————–

n{Longsword of Desperation}

nRank: D

nControl: 20

nDurability: 271

/ 300

n——————–

n——————–

n{Shoes of a Dancer}

nRank: D

nControl: 10

nYour reflexes are slightly faster.

nDurability: 48

/ 50

n——————–

nA set of items with only Control.

nChoi Hyuk had decided on Control after racking his brains over it.

n‘It is impossible to get a stat and my Retribution to 300 by the 30th day.’

nThe number of monsters was continuously increasing. And the number of mid-bosses increased accordingly. However, as there were too many underlings, it was becoming more difficult to hunt down the mid-bosses.

nHe needed 418 more points but at his current rate of 18 points every 5 days, he would only earn 54 points.

n‘Killing those who aren’t a match won’t even give me the slightest benefit…’

nAt this rate, it would be impossible to use Soaring Slash. But, if he didn’t have Soaring Slash, he didn’t have a blade made of karma and if he didn’t have that, he didn’t have an area attack… which meant that he wasn’t able to make a breakthrough and decrease the number of monsters and that meant it would be impossible to kill the Wyvern of Destruction.

nAs a result, his last resort was enhancing his Control. He had pretty much staked everything.

n‘Will it work? No, it has to.’

nUp until now, it was best to increase his stats harmoniously. Control or Endurance, as long as they were able to handle his Power and Speed, it was enough. What would he do with Control that well surpassed his Power and Speed?

nBut, Choi Hyuk’s thoughts were completely different. The clue was provided by Baek Seoin.

nHe said.

n‘I know right? It’s like the tutorial has finished… If you looked at it like a game, we should now be choosing our classes. Which means that we can’t increase all our stats like before.’

nAfter reaching 2-stars, the increase in points rapidly decreased. Only 1 free karma point. His suggestion could be correct. That you shouldn’t focus on every stat but choose to focus on certain ones.

nThat meant that a Control stat that exceeded Power and Speed was definitely useful.

nThere was also another evidence. That was Choi Hyuk’s senses.

nThe more he increased his Control stat, the more easily Choi Hyuk could manipulate karma. It was especially different when he exceeded 100 points of the 2-star stat.

nNow, he wasn’t only able to control his Power and Speed. He was able to control his karma.

n‘Like this.’

nChoi Hyuk focused on the karma in his arm. His arm inflated to twice its size. In that state, he punched a car.

nBaaang!

nIt wasn’t pushed back but exploded as if it was hit by a bomb. As it wasn’t satisfying enough, this time, he slammed a wall of a building with his palm.

nThud!

nAn entire side of a wall exploded. The impact from his palm was enough to visibly shake the 4-story building.

n“Ahh…”

nHowever, Choi Hyuk’s arm wasn’t unscathed. An obvious result as the explosive force exceeded his Endurance.

nChoi Hyuk’s face distorted and retracted the karma concentrated in his arm. It felt like his arm had fractured but with his current Recovery stat, he would naturally recover in 5 minutes.

nBut, Choi Hyuk didn’t rest. This time, he held a sword with his left hand.

n“Concentrate!”

nThe skill embedded in the Necklace of Concentration and the Rings of Concentration, {Concentrate}.

nEach one would increase his Control stat by 10% for a total of 30%. 148 Control!

nIn this state, Choi Hyuk once again attempted the skill.

n“Soaring Slash!”

nInstantly, the karma in his body automatically moved. It moved beyond his hand and towards the sword. However, the result was the same. Once again, it wasn’t able to reach half the blade before returning to its previous state.

nHowever, Choi Hyuk’s original motive wasn’t to succeed. He remembered the pathways and direction the karma moved in.

n“Huuuu…”

nHe calmed his breath.

n‘I need to see results this time.’

nChoi Hyuk personally moved the karma with his 148 Control stat. Choi Hyuk, who remembered how the karma was pushed back when it reached half the blade when he activated the skill, squeezed out all the karma in his body and compressed it. He then sent it to his hand. The karma that was compressed to the point it was hard, tangled up as it made its way to his hand.

n“Grkkk….”

nIt felt like his arm would explode. However, Choi Hyuk continued to push the karma. The karma passed through the handle of the sword and filled up the blade. And just when it reached the point the skill couldn’t pass,

n“Gah!”

nChoi Hyuk used all his strength to push the compressed karma up. Karma shot up like a geyser. Bang, bang! It felt like fireworks were shooting out of his hand. And then,

nSwish…

n“Ah…”

nChoi Hyuk clearly saw it.

nIt was only for a split second but a blue blade had formed. Karma that filled up the sword had emerged.

nAnd,

n“Urkk…”

nA side effect. Exhaustion and injuries from forcefully pushing karma.

nFlop.

nChoi Hyuk who had lost all strength in his body collapsed. His hair was dripping with sweat. However, the tips of his lips curled upwards.

nHis guess that he could make a blade made of karma without the assistance of a skill… was right.

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