Ubermensch – Chapter 100

Chapter 100

While the car was moving, Mason’s cellphone rang.

“Who is it?”

Not many people knew Mason’s phone number. Among them, there were very few who would call at this early hour.

‘Kacha?’

It was Yekaterina.

“Hello.”

“What’s going on?”

“CIA?”

Mason tilted his head.

“Isn’t that the US intelligence agency?”

Yekaterina spoke in a calm voice.

“What specifically should I be careful about?”

Yekaterina’s words ended there. Mason frowned.

‘In a world where monsters are rampant, do people really have to fight amongst themselves?’

When Mason arrived at the terminal, the camp vehicle was already starting up.

“Mason. You’re here?”

At Masika’s words, Mason nodded.

“Is the destination Jongno?”

“Yes.”

“What’s the route?”

“We’ll go straight up Dongho Bridge.”

Masika added.

“We cleaned up diligently during the Winter Defense, so it should be an easier path.”

“I hope so.”

Mason got into the trailer with his armor and hammer.

It was as Masika said.

Thanks to grinding countless monsters during the Winter Defense, the road to Jongno was clear.

The occasional small monsters hid as soon as they heard footsteps, and a few unlucky ones were shot by the ranged dealers for fun.

“We’ve arrived at Dongdaemun Station.”

The main operation area for this mission was between Dongdaemun Station and Jongno 5-ga Station.

“Let’s clear out Dongdaemun Station first and set up camp.”

“Okay.”

The raid members were divided into parties and entered the subway to clear it out.

Cleaning the subway was a tedious but important task. It would be a headache if a horde of monsters popped out from underground after setting up a formation to catch a raid boss.

They blocked different entrances and entered all at once. It was a typical and simple clearing operation.

After clearing the subway, the people set up camp.

“Okay, everyone, take your buff potions. And Mason, make sure to take your lembas.”

This raid also served as a field test for various new products. Thanks to Mason’s presence, the Revengers, who had practically transcended raid team level power, were perfect test subjects.

It was during this busy camp setup.

Vroom…

An engine sound could be heard in the distance.

“A car…?”

It was a rare sound in the post-apocalyptic Seoul.

“Who is it?”

After checking the vehicle, Masika said.

“It’s Cell Sword.”

“Does our operation area overlap with theirs?”

“No. According to their report, their operation area is Dongdaemun District. The target is a level 48 raid boss Hydra. However…”

“However?”

Masika frowned and said.

“Cell Sword is a raid team that’s notoriously difficult to control. Most of them are former felons.”

Now that she mentioned it, Mason had heard about it from Seo Yeonhee before.

She said that it was a raid team that Mason wouldn’t like, and they wouldn’t like him either.

The camp vehicle was getting closer. There was no doubt that it was coming towards them.

“Get ready for battle for now.”

Mason crossed his arms.

“But don’t engage first.”

“Yes.”

Screech!

The camp vehicle stopped.

And two men got out of the camp vehicle and slowly walked over.

They glanced at the Revengers members who were in battle stance and gave a cynical nod.

“Are you Raid Leader Mason?”

The one who spoke in a flippant manner was a middle-aged man with an eyepatch. He was a large, well-built man with a thick, bushy red beard.

He wore thick, sturdy armor and carried a cutlass and a round shield.

Main tanker. He seemed to be the raid leader.

And standing next to him was a thin, wiry black man who looked quiet and intellectual thanks to the glasses he wore.

Mason said.

“If you know my name, tell me yours too.”

“I’m ‘Redbeard’. Igor ‘Redbeard’ Sotanovich. Former pirate captain and current raid leader. This is our strategist and rogue, Salem Sahad.”

Mason looked skeptical at the archaic word.

“…Pirate captain?”

“A manly profession, isn’t it?”

Igor chuckled and patted Mason’s shoulder.

Unlike him, who was walking a fine line between friendliness and rudeness, Salem bowed politely, impeccably.

“Salem Sahad.”

Mason crossed his arms and asked.

“What brings you here?”

“Business, of course.”

Salem said with a smile, looking at the ranged dealers on standby.

“We have something to discuss.”

“…”

Mason gestured to release the battle stance.

“Let’s hear it.”

“We’ve individually received a quest this time. A salvage quest.”

“So?”

“It’s within your raid team’s operation area.”

Mason frowned.

“I haven’t heard anything about that.”

“Of course not. We didn’t report it to the government.”

“So you’re saying that you’re not encroaching on our territory but…”

“…You’ve come to a place where we originally had business.”

Mason looked at Masika.

She nodded.

Whether their actions were legal or illegal, it was something that could happen.

“You said it was a salvage quest?”

“Yes.”

“Are you here to loot precious metals in this area?”

Jongno was famous for its gold and jewelry stores. There would still be things to be found if you looked carefully.

But Salem shook his head.

“We’ve already secured enough loot. We’ll leave as soon as we complete the quest we received.”

“What is it?”

“Retrieving a will. It’s a long story to explain…”

“Then explain it briefly.”

Salem said with a wry smile.

“There’s a legal dispute over inheritance distribution in a wealthy family. We’re here to retrieve their father’s will that they left behind in Jongno.”

“Then why did you bring a camp vehicle?”

Mason pointed at Cell Sword’s camp vehicle.

“If it’s just retrieving a will, as you said, wouldn’t it be enough to just send one rogue?”

“The problem is… that building is a Wyvern’s nest.”

Mason narrowed his eyes.

“Were you planning to catch the Wyvern?”

“We didn’t have any intention of catching it. We were just going to chase it away.”

Flying monsters were usually treated as one level higher than their actual specs. This was because they could choose the battlefield and the timing of the battle, and they could flee if they felt disadvantaged.

But if they weren’t planning to kill it, if they were just going to chase it away… the difficulty of dealing with it would be significantly reduced.

“But you’re already here. It’s become a difficult situation for us. If we accidentally provoke the Wyvern…”

“…It’ll become our problem?”

“Yes.”

Now that he thought about it, it was an awkward situation for both sides.

Cell Sword’s job was complicated because of the Revengers, and the Revengers were in a position to be dragged into a fight because of Cell Sword.

“That’s why we’ve come to discuss this.”

“Seo…”

Mason unconsciously looked for Seo Yeonhee and realized anew that she wasn’t there.

“…Masika. Let’s talk.”

“Yes.”

The two entered the camp vehicle.

“What do you think?”

“It sounds plausible.”

“I…”

Mason hesitated for a moment before speaking.

“I don’t feel good about it.”

“Maybe it’s because you don’t like that type of people?”

“That’s true.”

In the first place, this wouldn’t have happened if Cell Sword had properly reported and clarified their operation area. They were committing at least tax evasion, at most a crime.

He didn’t like them just for being former felons. It was clear that he didn’t like them.

“The problem is, I don’t know if I don’t want to cooperate because I dislike them or because I’m suspicious of something.”

Mason was more intuitive than logical, so he had good instincts.

The problem was that it was difficult for him to judge in this case.

Whether he didn’t want to work with them because he disliked them, or because there was something suspicious about their plan.

“Then why don’t we cooperate for now and kick them out later if there’s a problem?”

“Should we?”

“Even in the worst case scenario, our raid team alone can handle two raid bosses.”

Mason could fight one raid boss alone. Even if he couldn’t kill it, he could at least buy some time. The time needed for the rest to catch the other one and support Mason.

“Besides, their healers are also part of the Heavenly King’s Inner Circle, right? They wouldn’t dare backstab us, not if they want to keep playing in Korea.”

Convinced, Mason nodded.

“Then… let’s cooperate with them.”

The two went outside.

Salem said with a smile.

“Have you reached a conclusion?”

“Set up camp. Whatever happens, let’s move together for now.”

“Yes.”

While Cell Sword was setting up camp, Mason approached their healer leader. She was a Turkish beauty in red named Aynur Guen.

“I apologize. Our raid members are a bit rough around the edges…”

“It can’t be helped.”

Talking to her, it seemed there was nothing particularly wrong with what Igor and Salem had said.

“However…”

“However?”

“Both Igor and Salem are strangely obsessed with this.”

“What do you mean?”

“They’re villains. Third-rate villains. Their way is to back down immediately when things get disadvantageous or don’t go their way. But to go through the trouble of interfering with Raid Leader Mason-nim just for one quest? It’s not like them.”

“You’re saying they have another motive?”

“I think so. I can’t be sure, though.”

“If they have another motive…”

Mason narrowed his eyes and looked at Igor. He was chugging rum with theatrical exaggeration, and Salem was calmly talking to Masika.

“…We need to figure out what it is first.”

As soon as the camp was set up, Mason and Masika, Igor and Salem gathered in the meeting room to discuss their next course of action.

“How about we catch the Wyvern first and then the Chilling Turtle?”

Masika shook her head at Salem’s suggestion.

“Let’s catch the Chilling Turtle first and then the Wyvern.”

There was a subtle power struggle between the two.

Cell Sword had no reason to stay after achieving their objective. Masika’s plan was to use them thoroughly since they had agreed to cooperate.

And Salem’s plan would be the opposite.

As long as they had different, incompatible motives, the conversation could only go in circles.

“…Sigh.”

At that moment, Mason slammed his fist on the table with a bang.

Igor, Salem, and Masika flinched and looked at Mason.

“Mason…?”

“Cut it out. I’m tired of this pointless conversation.”