novelPioneering Africa (4)
| ← Ch.085 | Ch.087 → |
Stone Ground, the world's No. 2, was one of the most wizard-like melee superhumans. He had mastered his magical ability to manipulate the earth through his body, and even if it were impossible to build an island in the middle of the sea, he could build a temporary pier on this sandy beach. In addition, he could make a fortress of unnaturally hard stone.
"Isn't he just a wizard?"
"Actually, they say he learned magic first. Stupid." Shin Eunah spat out these words fiercely while they watched the superhumans secure a port and a forward base all at once through Stone Ground's ability.
"It's far more restrictive than magic, and he's not free to switch it. In the first place, it's a power based on his body, not mana."
"So it's not magic."
"But that's why it has certain advantages. Until his body collapses, the structures he creates will last a long time."
While the Stone Ground continued to show off his strength, all types of buff abilities rushed in to support him.
"We've come here and finally divided by country. Setting up that guy's camp is just one thing."
Bridget Poulsen muttered vaguely as she watched Stone Ground. Kang Shin-hyuk shrugged in response, also not supporting Stone Ground despite having a buff capability.
"We may sleep divided by country, but if monsters come in, we have to block them together regardless of that."
If he had taken Stone Ground along for the last dimensional quest, it would've ended quickly without needing to make all those ingots.
"Can't Mr. Puppeteer make things like walls? You made all those other things very well."
Bridget asked with her eyes twinkling as if she had read his mind. Kang Shin-hyuk, who had no confidence in accomplishing that labor again, responded profoundly.
"I can't. I'm no architect."
"It's okay; we already have one."
"What? That uncle over there?"
Surprisingly, the Korean camp had a ranker with the traits of architecture! He was a high ranker named Park Moo-jin. He had been garnering attention for his ability to defend or attack using structures freely, but the foundation of his ability resided in architecture.
"Wow, so cool! Fight on!"
"Oh, Red Shoes...?!"
Bridget, her eyes alit with fire upon seeing Park Moo-jin building the Korean camp, ran over to him and started dancing to buff him.
"A person who works hard is so cool!"
"Is this a buff? Hm, hah. Thank you."
Park Moo-jin began to show off his ability twice as fast as before, his shoulder swaying and his mouth smiling slightly. Kang Shin-hyuk fully understood his heart. She didn't have a very good reputation in superhuman society, but she was very pretty. There were few men who wouldn't get energized with a glamorous beauty cheering for them.
"Fox."
"Why is R angry?"
"It's a fox!"
Eleanor angrily trampled the sandy beach, furious at Bridget for showing an appearance that was impossible for her, given her certain proportions. He felt bad, but Kang Shin-hyuk sincerely wished that she would stop doing things that gave her the impression of an elementary school student. On the other hand, Shin Eunah looked at her with her cheeks puffed out.
"I guess you haven't noticed at all."
"That kind of behavior is common with my seniors, ow."
Shin Eunah slapped him on the back. However, at least, Bridget Poulsen had fought quite hard on this expedition, so now the Korean superhumans looked at her with a rather favorable eye. Even now, in constructing the base camp, she was dancing to her fullest and showing off her talent. What was all that for? Yes, it was the act of laying down the groundwork for her naturalization to Korea."
"I absolutely hate it."
"Isn't it okay?"
"If you're off guard, you'll fall for her."
"I don't think she's such a person... no, forget I said anything."
Kang Shin-hyuk had cleared up any unnecessary misunderstandings about her by fighting alongside her in the gate, Shin Eunah's eyes had only grown sharper.
"You should never give up your juniors."
"Okay, I understand, ow. Ouch."
Shin Eunah cried out and slapped his back again. At the same time, he felt something hit his shoulder as Eleanor joined in. Did Shin Eunah even know he was dating Claire?
"It's really absurd."
"Attractiveness is a sin."
"Don't say that anywhere else."
-After all that, your sins are really deep. The administrator told you not to give your heart to the foxes...
No, then, wasn't that saying not to even talk to other women? Kang Shin-hyuk lamented that he was in such a situation, but then Eleanor, who slapped him hard again, spoke up.
"England, I want to see it."
"It's strange to go so suddenly, so say that you're doing aerial reconnaissance."
"Yes, thanks."
He gently rubbed his shoulder as Eleanor left. Shin Eunah clicked her tongue, but he blatantly ignored it. Among those watching the scene from a distance, the name Casanova was carefully spreading, but fortunately, Kang Shin-hyuk didn't hear it.
***
Battles continued to take place even as they built their camps. The monster troops, which had been pushed off the coastline due to the magic bombardment, led more forces as if they couldn't give this land to humans even after their deaths. However, the power of the superhumans was different from when they were on board the ship. Back then, most fighting had to be left to the ranged superhumans, but now they could show off their melee abilities.
"It's just this much!"
"It's definitely the start, so there are still a lot of monsters below A-rank!"
"Push them all the way! Recover the corpses of the monsters!"
"Let's hope this doesn't drop the price of the parts."
"I would've been ruined if I didn't come here."
There were many strong variants among the monsters, but those fighting now were also only the strongest among the superhumans. As the warriors at the forefront of humanity pushed in unison, the monsters that had evolved for decades in Africa were pushed back. At least, that was the case for now.
"Each country is slightly starting to diverge."
For Kang Shin-hyuk, who was taking a break in the air to recover the energy he had spent, the situation on the battlefield was clearly visible. He sat atop the wall built by Stone Ground, leisurely intercepting the monsters who broke through the superhuman lines to approach the wall.
"If high-level monsters start to appear like that, they'll quickly collapse."
"It's an expedition that will fail anyway. For humanity, I'm glad we made it this far."
Shin Eunah was sitting next to him, still adhering to her poignant tone as she evaluated the superhumans.
"If you lose your power and run away, it will cause another conflict. It's obvious, but it can't be fixed."
"I guess a lot has piled up."
"It's a scene I've seen since I joined the association. Humans know how to blame others for their stupidity but can't admit their own."
She sounded like she was above them, not a human herself, but it made sense given the majesty of the power she had shown before. In her eyes, all the humans struggling for ranks with their own ability seemed below her. He was curious what her feelings toward her parents were, but he couldn't dare ask.
"My role is to oversee humanity's retreat with as little damage as possible. Africa won't be resolved with a legion of superhumans. You have to come here with a small group."
"You have a plan."
"There is one. I've realized from my childhood through the Hero Universe that if you leave Africa alone, something big will happen someday."
She looked at Kang Shin-hyuk seriously.
"A guerrilla operation used talents like my junior. If you reach the central point that makes up the monsters' power on the continent and destroy it, there is a chance. However, there are still not many who can match my mobility and power."
"I'm still far away."
"You have enough, junior. You can move through space, the ability to strengthen everything, excellent combat power, and you have the upper hand against magic. If possible, raising your attack power a little more..."
The evaluation of the world's No. 1 was strict. She was someone who shot off golden lighting and had an infinite amount of magical power, so it was natural that his own was insufficient. He had shown off his versatility on this expedition, but Shin Eunah was already too crazy when it came to her destructive power.
"But junior, this."
Shin Eunah was working on extracting mana and depositing it into the Great Heavenly Spirit.
"How is it?"
"There are limits, but I haven't reached them yet. And I think it's probably possible to grow one step further using this..."
Kang Shin-hyuk produced the tree branch Halo had given him as a reward. Shin Eunah seemed surprised to see it.
"Uncle Halo, he hasn't given me anything like this."
"You can do dimensional quests now too. Ask Halo if he has any requests."
"He won't give me anything like this."
Kang Shin-hyuk thought so too, but he looked away.
"It depends on the level of the quest."
"Dimensional quest; I hope to go on one with you later."
The idea of doing a dimensional quest alone with Shin Eunah felt so threatening that he couldn't nod."
"Yes, I have a My Room too."
Eunah spoke quietly and leaned on his shoulder.
"Come to play because I'll decorate it beautifully. I'm inviting you because you're my junior."
"What about Claire?"
"Claire too... I will invite her. Previously..."
Shin Eunah's voice shrunk. Kang Shin-hyuk's intuition told him now was the time. He held her hand firmly, having no intention of missing his chance this time. She tried to pull her hand away, but he didn't let go.
"Hurts..."
"I said you should be independent, right?"
"I was independent; I did it."
-Don't slow down and attack!
The moment he had decided to speak seriously, the administrator's energetic intervention arrived. That was probably why it backfired.
"Rather, it's you who can't stand being alone."
"What?"
"Yeah!"
He opened his eyes wide, but Shin Eunah pressed the attack. She stood in front of him, face-to-face, shouting at him.
"What kind of high schooler sees a woman with such eyes!"
"Huh...?"
Then she threw the orb at Kang Shin-hyuk and vanished from the spot. It was the first time that Shin Eunah had been so actively annoyed with him, so he was baffled. Did this mean that the child was growing... thinking so, he suddenly jumped up.
-Fox, fox, ahhhhh...!
Perhaps Shin Eunah wasn't wrong.
| ← Ch. 085 | Ch. 087 → |