Ubermensch – Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Heavenly King Yekaterina’s position was a peculiar one.

She stood at the apex of the Player System. She could directly and indirectly control the violence embodied by Players.

And, South Korea was a country that had undergone a military coup.

Naturally, they couldn’t help but view the unionization of armed groups with unease.

To avoid backlash from Players, the government wasn’t directly interfering… but they were hoping someone would restructure the current market.

That’s why Seo Yeonhee was receiving covert support from various sectors of politics and business.

So that she could reorganize the Player system without destroying it.

Within the Player System, Seo Yeonhee was challenging Yekaterina alone. Within the framework of South Korea, Yekaterina was standing alone against Seo Yeonhee, the proxy of the political and business world.

“Mason, I only need you. With your strength, knowledge, and your very existence… I can reshape the Player System. And with that, I can defeat the Heavenly King.”

Mason sank deep into his chair.

Yekaterina and Seo Yeonhee viewed the Player System from the same perspective.

Violence uncontrolled by the state.

Their objective was the same too.

Monopolizing that violence.

Yekaterina, to create a nation for pseudo-humans.

Seo Yeonhee, to kill Yekaterina.

‘This is difficult.’

Mason felt a sense of confusion.

‘The affairs of humans are truly… difficult…’

Mason spoke calmly.

“I’m just a Player. I have no intention of getting involved in fights between people.”

“I know. That’s why both the Heavenly King and I are only keeping an eye on you, Mason.”

“How do you plan to take me away when I’m part of the Holy Knights?”

“Mason, you will leave the Holy Knights someday. I’m building goodwill for that time.”

“I have no complaints about the Holy Knights.”

“You might think that now. But…”

Seo Yeonhee looked at Mason with deep, enigmatic eyes.

“Someday, Mason, you will leave the Holy Knights.”

Her words carried a deep, ominous resonance. Mason swallowed hard.

“Well… if that day ever comes, I’ll think about it.”

“Yes.”

Seo Yeonhee said in a dry voice.

“When that day comes, please remember me.”

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On the way back in Seo Yeonhee’s car, unlike the journey there, a heavy silence hung in the air.

Mason knew well that the past was a brutal era.

An era where humans sought to kill each other.

However, reading about it and experiencing it firsthand were two entirely different things.

From Seo Yeonhee, Mason could sense a calm murderous intent. Not the dynamic rage he possessed, but a cold, refined intent to kill. And the very fact that it was directed towards another human being gave Mason goosebumps.

‘How can a human rationally and deliberately think about killing another human?’

Mason felt a growing discomfort in his stomach.

It wasn’t due to his internal organs.

The car stopped at the gates of the Holy Knights’ headquarters, and Mason stepped out of Seo Yeonhee’s car.

“The date was fun.”

“Was it a date, what we did?”

“We went to a hotel. That’s enough to be a date.”

“You slept with another woman, though.”

“That’s what makes it an ideal date, isn’t it?”

Mason chuckled and patted the car.

Seo Yeonhee gave a wry smile and started the engine.

“See you next time, Mason.”

As she drove away, Mason’s face grew increasingly grim.

Until he came face-to-face with Sung Kijun.

“Seems like you’ve gotten caught up in some troublesome business?”

“Well… that’s right.”

Sung Kijun pulled out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket.

“Want to try one?”

“Why do you smoke that stuff anyway?”

“Because it allows me to sigh without showing it when I want to.”

“Just sigh openly, then.”

“If everyone’s watching my every move, I can’t even sigh freely…”

Sung Kijun lit his cigarette.

The fading smoke drifted far into the distance.

“Mason.”

“What?”

“Why do you fight?”

“For humanity, to eliminate monsters.”

“Yes, is that so…”

Sung Kijun stubbed out his cigarette.

“It seems you still need to stay with us for a while.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, it seems like we need you to babysit for a little longer.”

At that moment, Sung Kijun’s phone started beeping from his pocket.

The Holy Knights’ emergency communication network had been activated.

“Let’s go, big guy.”

Sung Kijun clapped Mason on the back.

“Time to go see those monsters you love so much.”

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After that day, Mason’s days were filled with activity.

The Holy Knights received urgent quests from the government quite frequently.

It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say they were practically a direct attack team under the government’s control.

In his spare time, he leveled up by joining suitable camps or mid-to-low-level raid teams.

A gigantic, battle-hungry superhuman. And beside him, a delicate healer as fragile as an orchid.

Their fame began to spread little by little.

And, in many of their activities…

“…Hey, you two are following me, aren’t you?”

Seo Yeonhee and Deroa were also present.

“Yes, we are following you.”

“…Can’t you at least pretend you’re not?”

“Why would I lie? It’s the truth.”

Seo Yeonhee laughed.

However, Mason was gradually getting used to them too.

Seo Yeonhee was top-notch in all areas except combat, and she was a formidable melee fighter as well.

In addition, Deroa was a skilled mage with both destructive power and a good sense of tactics.

Missions with them were easy and straightforward.

The more he worked with others, the more he realized their skills.

“If you’re going to follow me around like this, why don’t you buy me a meal?”

“What meal! A grown-up should drink alcohol!”

Deroa exclaimed boisterously. Mason said with a sullen look.

“I’m not drinking with women anymore…”

Seo Yeonhee chuckled.

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It happened while they were leveling up smoothly.

“Mason, refrain from individual activities for a while.”

“Okay.”

Mason nodded at Sung Kijun’s words.

“But why?”

Asking for the reason came next.

“This week is our standby period.”

Raid teams with a certain level of power often had standby periods in preparation for emergencies. This was because if a monster that required immediate interception appeared, such as the Elder Worm they had encountered before, they would have to be dispatched urgently.

“Isn’t the Holy Knights practically on standby all year round?”

Sung Kijun gave a wry smile.

“I can’t deny that… but it seems something has come up.”

“What is it?”

“It seems there’s a problem with the Under Dark Legion.”

They were the fourth-ranked top-tier raid team in Korea.

A team led by the ranged dealer ‘Hawk Eye’ Masika Karembe, known for their proficiency in mid-to-long-range firefights.

“What kind of problem?”

“Their main tanker, sub-tanker, and most of their melee dealers are severely injured. The main tanker is retiring from being a Player altogether.”

Originally, the Under Dark Legion, not the Holy Knights, should have been dispatched during the Elder Worm incident.

However, they had too many injured members to function properly, and the Holy Knights had to fill the gap.

They had been struggling in silence, but it seemed they had finally officially received a verdict that they were unable to operate as a raid team.

As a result, a large portion of the pre-arranged schedules had to be changed.

“Whether the Under Dark Legion will disband or recruit a tanker from outside is uncertain… but in their current state, they can’t operate as a raid team.”

Even without healers or dealers, a tanker was absolutely necessary.

The ability to hold back monsters. Without that ability, engagement itself was impossible.

“What do you think will happen?”

“I think they’ll disband.”

Sung Kijun said calmly.

“Main tanker-level tankers are rare among freelancers.”

“Can’t we spare one from the Holy Knights?”

The Holy Knights had three main tanker-level tankers. Plus, there was Mason who was still growing rapidly. They had a luxurious tank line-up.

“We’ve already received an offer to discuss it. I’m thinking about what to do.”

Sung Kijun looked at Mason.

“Do you have any thoughts?”

“No, not really.”

Mason shrugged.

“I need to level up first… and I like the Holy Knights.”

“Is that so?”

Sung Kijun nodded.

“Anyway, you’ve also been offered as one of the options. They said if the three of us aren’t available, they’ll take you.”

“I’ll pass.”

“If you change your mind, let me know. I’ll contact you.”

With the start of their standby period, Mason’s minor camp activities also came to an end.

“This is an opportunity in itself. Why don’t we do some combat training?”

“Tactical training?”

“No, combat training.”

Mason was a veteran, and there was nothing more to teach him in terms of tactical movement. If anything, his weakness lay in his combat ability itself.

“I’ve been noticing it for a while, but you’re terrible with weapons.”

“Me?”

“Yes, you’re not properly channeling your strength into your weapon.”

“…Well, that might be true.”

Mason knew that the concept of weaponry and tools was blurred in his own time. There was no need to handle cold weapons, and even if one were to handle cold weapons as a hobby, there was no reason to study the techniques involved.

“I’ve only ever handled lightsabers and monomolecular swords.”

Both were weapons that disintegrated matter upon contact. There was no need to worry about putting weight behind the blade or anything like that.

Even after coming to the present, there was no reason to hone his weapon skills.

Because he had monstrous strength and speed.

“You’re tearing with the blade by pressing down with it rather than cutting.”

“Then, what should I do?”

Sung Kijun drew his sword and swung it slowly.

The smooth exchange of muscles from shoulder to elbow, elbow to wrist, and then to the grip of his fingers.

Fwhoosh!

The sound of the swing whipped through the air like a lash.

Mason stared intently before casually swinging his arm.

Fwoooom!

The force of the blow was several times stronger than the sound Sung Kijun had produced.

“…No, don’t just rely on brute force, incorporate technique.”

“I understand what you’re saying, but…”

Mason gripped the practice sword.

And he tried to swing it like Sung Kijun had done.

A slash from shoulder to elbow, elbow to wrist, and to the grip of his fingers.

And the practice sword, laden with the weight of the slash…

Snap!

Despite cutting through empty air, it broke.

“See?”

Mason scratched his head.

“The weapons of this era are too crude for me to use technique.”

Because he could exert more than the pressure a sword, as a tool, could withstand through pure strength alone.

“Still, you need to practice.”

“If the sword doesn’t break, my arm will.”

“…”

Sung Kijun sighed.

“Alright, then let’s do a different exercise.”

Sung Kijun picked up a practice shield.

“Go ahead and tackle me.”

“You’ll get hurt.”

“Don’t worry about me, just do it.”

Mason nodded and lowered his body.

“Uwaaaaaaaa!”

Thud!

Mason’s tackle flew towards Sung Kijun’s waist. Its destructive power was truly monstrous, as if it could break mountains and change the course of rivers.

However…

“Hup!”

Fwoooosh!

Mason’s body was flung into the air.

Thump…

Mason lay sprawled on the ground, his eyes wide with surprise.

“What did you do?”