Ubermensch – Chapter 73

Chapter 73

Mason was the raw stone of a savior.

He was a man born in the sterile room of goodwill, raised in a world where failure could not exist.

For him to save the world, there was something he had to experience.

The world’s evil and failure, or rather, the world itself.

The world was not always beautiful. It was harsh and complex, and at times, even fragile and ugly.

He who sought to save the world had to accept its shadows.

Hitler, having experienced failure and frustration, tried to create his own world without shadows, and because of that, he became a monster.

Then what kind of person would Mason become, having experienced failure and frustration?

It was unknown.

However… it was something he would have to face someday.

That’s why Yekaterina had no choice but to send him to the Han River. She had no choice but to be anxious about what would happen to Mason, unable to do anything…

“Commander Mason is a good person. Even if he breaks, he won’t become a monster.”

“I hope so. I really hope so…”

Yekaterina moistened her lips with wine.

“…Because he’s not surrounded only by good people.”

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Seo Yeonhee was watching.

Mason’s back as he looked towards the Han River.

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The next battle passed without incident.

The problem was the third battle.

“Huh?”

A monster, clearly a raid boss at first glance, was charging in frantically. It was a gigantic mantis.

It seemed to have been drawn in along with the goblins, following the movements of its prey.

“What’s that?”

When Mason tilted his head, Andrei shrugged.

“A monster, what else?”

That was right. Even if it was a monster they had never seen before, a monster was a monster.

Mason raised his hand and aimed at the giant mantis, and as he did, beams rained down on the giant mantis from the rear.

Taang! Taang! Dudududududu!

Not only core weapons, but live ammunition heavy weapons were also being fired together.

However, the giant mantis, thanks to its chitin or perhaps its level, was enduring the barrage of beams and bullets and pushing forward.

“It’s tough, huh?”

Unlike Andrei, who spoke with an indifferent expression, Seo Yeonhee frowned and said,

“Shouldn’t we do something about that?”

“It’s alright.”

Andrei said casually.

“We can just unleash our monster.”

At that moment, Mason roared and charged forward like a wild beast released from its cage.

“Uwaaaaaaaa!”

Booowoong… Kwaang!

With a single blow from the Lion’s Great Hammer he swung, a group of goblins were shattered into pieces and scattered. Taking another step forward and striking again, another group turned into a spray of blood and flew in all directions.

Two attacks, and two charges. That was enough.

To open a path towards the giant mantis.

“Uwaaaaaaaa!”

As Mason charged with a fierce roar, Seo Yeonhee shouted urgently.

“Mason!”

Mason’s weapon, the Lion’s Great Hammer, was a two-handed hammer equipped with a repulsion field. The most efficient way to attack with a two-handed hammer was a downward strike with all one’s strength and weight.

“Be careful of the bridge, the bridge!”

To inflict damage on the raid boss-level giant mantis, Mason also had to give it his all. However, if he, a superhuman, struck with all his might, there was a risk of the bridge collapsing.

Even if it was a raid boss, it was just a single monster. Seongsu Bridge was too precious to trade for the skull of a single monster.

At that moment, Mason smirked.

Kung!

The Lion’s Great Hammer swung by Mason slammed into the giant mantis’ side.

“Nuaaaaaaat!”

As he roared and swung his arms, the Lion’s Great Hammer, bent like a whip under the monstrous pressure, struck the giant mantis.

Puhung!

With a tremendous roar, the giant mantis’ body was flung away.

“…”

“…”

Off the bridge, into the Han River.

Splash!

The giant mantis that fell into the Han River struggled briefly, then giant fish emerged from the river and swarmed the giant mantis.

Sploosh! Sploosh!

There was a struggle, and there was splashing. The fading struggle and splashing turned into trembling.

Even that didn’t last long.

The giant mantis sank powerlessly into the water.

Seo Yeonhee wore a sheepish expression.

“…There was that way, huh?”

“Do you think I’m an idiot?”

“…”

At Seo Yeonhee’s silence, Mason gave a wry smile.

“Anyway, I’m worried about the other side.”

Boss monsters and raid bosses were gradually starting to be drawn in by the goblins. That meant that strong monsters could also appear on other battlefields.

“Andrei, if a situation arises…”

“You mean I should take care of this place? So you can go help the other areas?”

“Yes.”

In the current engagement situation, there was no time to fight leisurely. High-level monsters had to be eliminated as quickly as possible to maintain the goblin extermination speed.

And what better card to play against monsters than Mason?

“Alright, boss. Leave it to me.”

Andrei said with a cheerful face.

He seemed more delighted than ever. Even with the horizon filled with enemies.

It must be due to the nature of a born warrior.

Mason roared.

“Let’s go!”

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The third battle also ended smoothly.

“How’s the situation?”

After sunset.

With the battle over, the raid leaders of each team gathered at the command center.

Sung Kijun spoke leisurely.

“It’s manageable so far.”

“That’s a relief.”

“It’s ‘so far’, though.”

It seemed that Sung Kijun was also concerned about the other monsters being brought in by the waves.

The more waves surged, the more frequent the appearance of boss monsters and raid boss monsters would become.

“So, if a monster appears that can’t be easily subdued, call me.”

People thought for a moment and nodded.

“Indeed, that would be better.”

They were all commanders of a raid team. It was only natural for them to grasp Mason’s plan and its intentions.

Then Han Areum raised her hand.

“What if multiple battlefields need Mason?”

“That’s…”

Mason was momentarily speechless.

There were currently three battlefields. Mason being somewhere meant he wasn’t in the other two.

If all three places were in critical condition at the same time, where should he head first?

“We need someone to coordinate the entire battlefield.”

“That’s right.”

There was no problem with the idea itself. The problem was the selection.

‘Who should I choose?’

Mason thought for a moment.

Originally, command was the responsibility of the general commander. It was a role Mason should take on.

However, Mason’s combat power was indispensable to humanity.

So he had to choose someone else.

It had to be someone with a broad perspective, able to quickly assess the situation and facilitate tactical coordination.

The problem was that there weren’t many players with a broad perspective.

Of course, each raid leader had leadership and judgment, but they couldn’t pull out the raid leaders, who were also the main force of each team.

Someone who wasn’t a raid leader, yet possessed both judgment and command ability.

There was only one answer.

Mason opened his mouth.

“Let’s entrust it to Seo Yeonhee on our side.”

Seo Yeonhee’s ability to handle situations was unmatched among those who weren’t raid leaders, or even among all players, including the raid leaders. The larger the battlefield, the more helpful her broad perspective would be.

“Seo Yeonhee.”

Seo Yeonhee was one of the first players and had to wander around after confronting Yekaterina.

She was still alive and active despite being the Heavenly King’s greatest enemy. No one denied Seo Yeonhee’s abilities.

However, no one readily agreed.

All the other raid leaders were glancing at Gwendolyn and Liza.

Entrusting the role of controller was practically equivalent to holding the lifeline of each raid team.

And Seo Yeonhee was renowned as the Heavenly King’s greatest enemy…

Liza spoke with her eyes closed.

“If it’s Commander Mason’s order…”

Gwendolyn also spoke in a reluctant voice.

“…If you insist, I won’t object.”

“Good.”

That’s how the day’s meeting concluded.

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And Mason was strolling along the Han River.

It was once a promenade and a resting place. This place, now desolate with concrete and steel barricades.

Mason was gazing across the river.

Silver scales breaking on the surface of the water. There was moonlight, and there were headlights and lights.

The Han River. The Han River was a beautiful place.

So beautiful that it was a shame to have lost it.

“You appointed me as the controller?”

And with her back to the Han River, a person was looking at Mason.

A breathtaking beauty in a tight-fitting rogue combat suit, draped in a loose robe.

It was Seo Yeonhee.

‘She’s beautiful.’

Was it admiration for the water’s surface? Or for Seo Yeonhee?

He couldn’t be sure which.

Perhaps it was both. The Han River might have been swept away by Seo Yeonhee’s captivating beauty.

Mason quietly opened his mouth.

“Yes.”

“It’s a heavy responsibility.”

“Yes, it is. But… you can do it, can’t you?”

“I can do it.”

Seo Yeonhee looked at Mason.

“Just in case, you do realize that you’ve entrusted the lives of the Guardians and the Forest Guard to me, right?”

“I know.”

Mason gave a wry smile.

“I’m not that foolish.”

“Then why are you entrusting me with this position?”

“Because of your ability.”

“In this case, wouldn’t it be a matter of character?”

Mason looked straight at Seo Yeonhee.

“I… don’t think you’re someone who can’t distinguish between public and private matters.”

“The distinction between public and private matters is more personal than you think.”

The wind blew. A wind mixed with the smell of fish and blood.

“I don’t care if innocent people are swept away as long as I can get revenge on Yekaterina. Killing Yekaterina’s subordinates will weaken her, and that will make my revenge easier.”

Seo Yeonhee’s hair fluttered in the wind, and she looked at Mason. With a smile at the corner of her lips, whether it was self-deprecating or cynical, he couldn’t tell.

“Say it again… that you trust me.”

“I trust you.”

Mason looked straight at Seo Yeonhee.

With unwavering eyes and an unhesitant voice.

“I… believe you can overcome your hatred.”

Seo Yeonhee was silent for a moment. Her eyes, as always, hid her true feelings.

It was a brief silence. But it was a long enough silence.

“…Yes.”

With a short answer that was neither affirmation nor denial, Seo Yeonhee disappeared as if melting into the night’s darkness.

Mason turned his head and looked at the Han River.

“Whew…”

He was tired. Much more so than fighting thousands upon thousands of monsters.

‘It’s difficult.’

Trusting someone… was truly a difficult task.

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Yekaterina tilted her wine glass.

“Until now, Mason has been in a position to be trusted, a position to be expected of. But… now that he’s become a commander, he’s now in a position to trust and expect someone else.”

“Do you see that as a problem?”

“Yes.”

At Red Knight’s words, Yekaterina made a dark expression.

“To be disappointed and betrayed by someone… you have to trust that person.”