Level 4 Human in a Ruined World

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]

Chapter 756: Voyage (3)

The representative of the Earth Ship versus the challenger from space.

Since Yeongwoo's daily life was already being broadcast live all over Earth to begin with, the moment the news broke that a duel would take place in Gwangjin-gu, more than half the residents of Seoul started to make their move.

And among them were the Red Foot clan, who possessed the authority to use the hyper-speed transit routes.

“...What an absolute mess.”

Yongsan's Strongest Sword, Kim Doha, looked across the Yeongdong Bridge with a troubled expression.

It was because he saw the Red Foot clan swarming in droves from that direction.

At this, Seongbuk's Strongest Sword, Lee Yoobin, tilted her head.

“They're Orcs. Should we block them from entering too?”

“Of course. The directive this time is to block the entry of all residents.”

“But... can we even call them residents? Ah, I don't mean it like that, it's just that they're a race with a very special relationship with our representative.”

Lee Yoobin waved her hands and looked around, as if telling them not to misunderstand.

To this, Songpa's Strongest Sword, Oh Yeonhee, stared with a cold expression at the Orcs who had already surged to the middle of the bridge.

“Since Mr. Yeongwoo hasn't specified any exceptions, they are also subject to control. To begin with, it's a showdown between cosmic powerhouses. Whether they're Orcs or Strongest Swords, standing nearby will just end with their heads flying off.”

Ever since the Earth Ship advanced into space and the appearance of monsters and mutants ceased, the prestige of the regional Strongest Swords had dropped significantly.

Nevertheless, Oh Yeonhee's influence within Seoul remained relatively intact, and because of this, the other Strongest Swords nodded at her words without complaint.

“Well... it's not exactly a performance meant for our entertainment, anyway.”

When Lee Yoobin shrugged and said this, Dongdaemun's Strongest Sword, Jang Jeongho, who had arrived late to the scene, wrinkled his nose and added a word.

“But that guy over there seems to think this whole thing is quite entertaining.”

In the empty air where Jang Jeongho pointed, a large screen was floating, and on it, the Earth Ship's representative, Jeong Yeongwoo, stood tall in the middle of Gwangjin-gu with a face full of curiosity.

He was waiting for the challenger coming from outer space.

“Again, don't misunderstand, I don't mean anything else by this but... honestly, isn't this dangerous? I feel like the right move would have been to just shoot down the airship.”

At Yeongwoo's expression, which looked as though he was eagerly anticipating the meeting with his opponent, Lee Yoobin let out a sigh as if she truly couldn't understand it.

Then, a low voice flowed out from behind everyone.

“Mr. Yeongwoo is now an existence that we cannot evaluate or fathom. Because he practically lives in space.”

At this, all the Strongest Swords present turned around, and they were soon able to see the figure of Jo Sangik.

“I don't necessarily think it suits Mr. Yeongwoo well, but wouldn't it be for some kind of honor, anyway?”

Then, Jo Sangik quietly added his final thoughts.

“Of course, it might just be that he invited the opponent out of pure curiosity. In any case, is there any way for us to know the truth?”

Unlike Jo Sangik's concerns, Yeongwoo was actually waiting for his opponent with a quite clear purpose in mind.

“Hehe, its instantaneous acceleration is dozens of times that of a high-speed airship?”

A thick smile hung around Yeongwoo's mouth.

“By the way, when is he coming? He has an airship fast enough to intrude into the relay tunnel, yet he's late at a time like this.”

At that, Mushio Tare, who was standing next to Yeongwoo, cautiously offered an opinion.

–He must feel like a star standing before a black hole. No matter how great a path one walks, they wouldn't be completely devoid of fear.

“But wouldn't he have overcome that fear after seeing the Earth Ship inside the relay tunnel? Isn't that why he called me out instead of turning back?”

–He must be preparing for the duel of a lifetime. Depending on the species, some perform their own unique rituals right before a life-or-death battle.

That was exactly the reason why Yeongwoo had intentionally brought Mushio along to this place.

Wasn't he a navigator who had seen and learned countless things while following great individuals for a long time?

So, figuring he might need some of his advice for this duel, Yeongwoo had dragged him all the way out here.

“Anyway, I can just assume he's washing his neck clean in preparation for his death, then.”

–.......

While Mushio avoided answering with silence, a deafening roar finally echoed from beyond the sky.

Boooooom!

The sound, like a cannon being fired, was unmistakably the noise of the challenger's aircraft entering the Earth Ship, and soon Earth issued a warning in advance through Yeongwoo's consciousness.

○ Get ready. The opponent just entered the airspace above Seoul.

'I'm already standing here, is there anything more to prepare?'

○ You don't know what kind of guy your opponent is. He might suddenly launch a bombardment, so be careful.

At this, Yeongwoo quietly shook his head.

'If he was that kind of guy, he would have turned back the moment he saw the Earth Ship.'

Through his past experiences in space, Yeongwoo had come to know well.

The fact that, generally, an honorable person thinks their opponent will also be honorable, and a despicable person naturally expects the other side to use despicable tricks as well.

Therefore, by now, the opponent would be immensely awestruck.

Not only was it surprising to unexpectedly discover a planetary ship, but hadn't the planetary shipmaster forsaken the chance to shoot him down and accepted the challenge instead?

'Which is why right now is actually a golden opportunity.'

○ ...What opportunity?

'If we fire the anti-aircraft guns right now and bring down that airship, we can win the duel and hijack the airship. Though, we'd have to do some repairs on it.'

○ Don't tell me, you bastard.

'Ah, I'm just saying.'

Yeongwoo chuckled wickedly.

Even so, honestly, he was a little tempted.

If he were to wave his hand and issue the command right now, the anti-aircraft guns installed all over the Korean Peninsula would spew fire in unison.

Had he not used the Chairman's name while trying to act cool earlier, the anti-aircraft guns might have already raised their heads.

Baaaang!

Meanwhile, another deafening roar rang out, and a streamlined object pierced through the white clouds and appeared.

–He has arrived.

Mushio looked at the aircraft in the sky with a very calm voice.

On the other hand, Yeongwoo, unlike his relaxed demeanor from earlier, had his eyes wide open with a very surprised expression.

Because.

Swoooooosh!

The outer hull of the airship descending with a swift sound was a brass color.

Exactly the identical color as the one he had seen in his dream earlier.

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]

“...Huh?”

Come to think of it, the streamlined aircraft the challenger had flown in also looked like a missile.

“Don't tell me what I saw back then was...”

The unidentified missile that had caused Yeongwoo to wake up from his dream.

The truth was, it wasn't a missile, but the challenger's hyper-speed aircraft itself.

Klaaaang!

Following that, the aircraft in question plunged deep into the ground of the Gwangjin-gu ruins.

“.......”

From the way it looked, to how it was lodged with its round, warhead-like head pointing towards the ground, it looked as though it would explode at any second.

Then, finally.

Crash!

With a rough smashing sound, the side panel of the airship swung outward, and from within it, a person wearing a similarly brass-colored set of armor leaped out.

Thump!

'Unlike my expectations, his entrance isn't very cool. Anyway, doesn't the fact that he was able to challenge the one written on the first line of the registry mean he's a powerhouse?'

○ Well... just because they're strong doesn't mean they're all from noble origins.

With Earth's final words, the challenger in question stepped onto the ground of Gwangjin-gu.

Thud!

A heavy footstep, befitting his massive armor, echoed throughout the area.

Even the weapon slung on the opponent's back was a blunt instrument that looked like some building pillar... or rather, a greatsword with a very dull edge.

“That's a weapon I've never seen before.”

As Yeongwoo muttered while staring at the opponent's large weapon, Mushio quietly offered some advice.

–That itself could be a weapon, but there are also cases where it is an armory.

“An armory?”

–Before the battle begins, they stand it on the ground and endlessly summon weapons from within it to fight.

“If they're going to do that, they're better off using a catalog... Why do something so ignorant?”

–Because not everyone possesses a weapon catalog.

“Ah.”

But would someone who walks the great path really not even have a single weapon catalog?

Swish.

Eventually, the challenger who had arrived on Earth straightened his upper body and slowly scanned the panoramic view of Gwangjin-gu.

Then, as Yeongwoo fell into his line of sight, he slightly raised one hand to ask for his understanding.

–Ah, please give me a moment of your time.

“What? You already dragged things out landing. And you're asking for more time in the midst of this?”

–This could be my last, couldn't it? So I wish to record this moment.

“What?”

Then, the opponent took out a triangular mechanical device from his bosom.

“.......?”

As Yeongwoo stared at this sight, soon, the alien in the brass armor brought the triangular machine close to his eye and looked here and there.

Click, click.

He was taking pictures.

Moreover, the guy was a cyclops, so every time he took a picture, the triangular camera came to the exact center of his face, making the sight look slightly bizarre.

“No, if you die here anyway, the pictures you took won't have any meaning. Why are you doing that?”

At Yeongwoo's words, the opponent stuck out his single eye that had been hidden behind the camera to the side.

Then he hid his eye behind the camera again and, this time, took a picture of Yeongwoo.

Click.

–If I lose this fight, the codex will no longer record me. And my name will also be erased from the registry.

“Right. You know it well.”

–However, my family will remember me until the moment their lives end.

“...You're suddenly playing the family card here?”

–This record is for my family, my own personal codex. I will let my wife, and my jewel-like daughters and sons know. That I fought a planetary shipmaster.

“.......”

For Yeongwoo, it was an absurd situation.

Because by the looks of it, it seemed the reason he had stalled for a long time up there earlier was also to take pictures of the Earth Ship.

“But this is inside the relay tunnel. Will those pictures even be transmitted to your family?”

When Yeongwoo expressed a very reasonable doubt, the opponent set the large pillar he was carrying on his back down onto the ground.

Craaash!

–Planetary Shipmaster Jeong Yeongwoo. The one who has placed all the ash-gray nameplates beneath your feet. The moment you opened the door, I knew intuitively. That I had found the honorable path well.

“No.......”

–If I die, please deliver this record to my family. If they know that I lost my life to the sword of a planetary shipmaster, my family will also consider it an honor.

“No, you can just not die, right? Anyway, I understand well that you are brave, so turn back now. This is a first, but I'll let you go without extorting money from you. Instead, just leave that airship behind.”

For Yeongwoo, it was an incredibly unconventional offer.

To the point that Mushio, who was standing next to him, had his mouth hanging wide open.

However, the brass-armored cyclops, who had come here already prepared for death, did not back down easily.

–But if I win, your glory and the cosmic marvels become mine. Therefore, you must leave a record as well.

With those words, as the cyclops was about to toss the camera, Yeongwoo waved his hand and refused.

“I already have more than enough records. The problem is that you look like you're itching to die.”

Following that, Yeongwoo drew the Bastard from his waist, flaunting a red demonic energy.

It was a hint to the opponent that this sword was a myth.

“I'll give you one last chance. Take all the pictures you want here, and send me the planetary coordinates where your family is waiting. Then I'll send you back there.”

But the cyclops was already pulling open the unidentified pillar he had set on the ground.

Clank!

Then, from within it, a large long gun and two creatures that Yeongwoo was seeing for the first time in his life crawled out on all fours.

Looking somewhat like lizards, yet on the other hand, somewhat like insects... bizarre creatures.

Nevertheless, Yeongwoo could instinctively tell.

That those things were the cyclops's hunting hounds.

“I'm getting a bit curious about how you fight. I see now that you have a knack for hastening your own death.”

–You talk too much, Planetary Shipmaster. It is you who will have to prove to me. How you managed to achieve all of this.

“All of this” that the cyclops mentioned included everything installed in Gwangjin-gu.

Not just the helm, but the hyper-speed transit routes, the grand conference hall, and even the ceremonial hall.

At this, Yeongwoo pushed Mushio Tare back behind him and tilted his head from side to side.

“It looks like some young cyclopes are going to lose their father today.”

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]