by Yoo Seong
However, that changed if the regular soldiers got involved. The regular troops would lighten his burden.
‘But that only applies to other prisoners.’
The reason was simple.
‘That sneaky bastard, he’s a soldier…..’
Ark bit his lip as he glared at Valencia. Valencia received bribes from other prisoners but he had a significant amount of influence among the regular soldiers. It was because he was the leader of the 1st armoured platoon that he could receive the bribes from the prisoners. Valencia utilized that influence to step on Ark.
“Pedro!”
Valencia surveyed the battlefield and called to a soldier. Then the soldier called Pedro led 10 soldiers and advanced towards Ark’s troops. It wasn’t to help them.
“Sonic Sword!”
Tang-! Tang-! Tang-!
Ark and the Royal Guards were attacking the Carack.
“9 o’clock! Attack the Carack that the prisoners are fighting!”
Tu tu tu tu! Tu tu tu tu! Tu tu tu tu!
The soldiers immediately started firing after receiving Pedro’s command. The regular troops received the full support of the galactic federation. The weapons couldn’t be compared to those of the prisoners. They had machine guns as well as RPG’s (rocket launchers). Their firepower with the addition of the special bullets were a lot more powerful than the Royal Guards! The Caracks were instantly turned into chunks of blood once the regular soldiers attacked. Ark and the Royal Guards had worked hard to shave away their health.
‘Dammit, again!”
Ark glared at Pedro and his cronies. Their purpose wasn’t to fight. Valencia’s goal was to interfere with Ark and the Royal Guards. That was the duty given to Pedro. And Pedro had executed this mission for the last few days. If Ark’s unit moved forward then they would follow! They followed Ark like a leech and stole the lives of the Carack that Ark worked hard to decrease. But they didn’t strike right away. Pedro waited until Ark and the Royal Guards had wasted the expensive Fire Bullets before attacking and stealing the achievements.
‘If it was that much then I can endure it……’
They even provoked dozens of Carack and drove them towards Ark’s unit. They couldn’t kill Ark directly so they tried to use the Caracks to kill them! Quite a few Royal Guards died because of that
But there was no way to deal with it.
“Hyung-nim, what now?”
“It can’t be helped. They won’t act once we withdraw to the rear.”
Gaining achievements was difficult with Pedro’s unit interfering. If they tried to endure against the Carack then it would just become more difficult. Moreover, the Rama would soon send in their regular troops. So it was better to retreat early and secure their safety.
“Retreat to the rear while guarding against the Carack!”
Ark led the Royal Guards and retreated. Meanwhile, the battle between the federation and the Rama was becoming more violent.
“Num! Kara! Marakana! Okara! Akarana!”
The Rama’s regular soldiers moved forward and assaulted the federation soldiers. The Rama was a species users were able to choose that weren’t significantly different from humans. The Rama had dark skin and pointy ears similar to a Dark Elf in medieval times.
Kwa kwa kwa kwang! Pepeng! Pepepepeng!
A confused fight between the Rama and the federation started. Soldiers wearing heavy armour and superalloy swords crashed into each other. There was a colourful exchange of light as the futuristic firearms and psychic energies attacked each other. It was like a scene from a fantasy SF game!
“……As expected.”
Ark muttered while watching the battlefield. It had been 10 minutes since the battle earnestly started and things were increasingly tilting towards the side of the Rama.
‘It is natural. If the core of the 1st armoured platoon is helping the prisoners who paid them or interfering with others then of course they couldn’t fight properly.’
And that wasn’t the only reason. Just like Mellin said a few days ago, the galactic federation wouldn’t throw a huge amount of funds and troops to this planet because they were losing to the Rama. Therefore they placed Beltana as a low priority planet and focused on others. On the other hand, the Rama received a lot of support from their main planet! So there was a difference in firepower, biological weapons and androids. In the end, there were dozens of casualties and the regular troops crumbled.
-Retreat! Return to the defense base in area B-3. All troops return to the Memeod!
The Commander’s voice could be heard from the Nymphe. Anyway, Ark and his troops had retreated from the battlefield a long time ago.
“That’s it. There have been orders for retreat. Leave the field and return to the Memeod!”
Ark turned his body without hesitation and headed toward the Memeod. Peratul’s voice could be heard as he approached the Memeod.
-Prisoner units hurry! The Memeod will be leaving in 30 seconds!
-Time before the Memeod leaves: 29, 28, 27 seconds……
The Nymphe displayed the remaining time. If he couldn’t board the Memeod within the time limit then he would be left on the battlefield. The battlefield was infested with Carack and Rama warriors
However, there was no reason to hurry. Ark’s unit was a distance away but they could easily board the Memeod within 30 seconds.
‘This is as far as we could get today.’
Ark thought as he led the Royal Guards towards the Memeod.
Pepepepeng, pepepepeng, pepepeng!
Suddenly, dozens of smoke bombs exploded in front of them.
“What, what the? This? Why are there smoke bombs here……?”
Ark burst out with confusion and looked around. Then there was a mechanical sound and something hit his side. Ark was thrown several metres away from the impact. It wasn’t just Ark. Something collided with all of the Royal Guards and they were thrown to the ground.
“This is…..”
“Aigoo. I didn’t see you there. I’m sorry?”
Valencia’s sarcastic voice was heard among the smoke. Ark immediately saw Valencia and the 1st armoured platoon when he flinched and turned around.
“Shouldn’t you get up?”
“You bastard!”
“It serves you right for going against me.”
Valencia smirked and jumped onto the Memeod.
-Time before the Memeod leaves: 1, 0 second…..
Ku ku ku ku! Ku ku ku ku!
The door closed and the wheels of the Memeod started rotating. At the same time, it quickly crossed the ice.
“H-Hyung-nim!”
Ralph stared at Ark with a pale white face. The Memeod transporting the troops were gone. Ark and the Royal Guards were stranded.
‘That bastard Valencia, doing such a thing…..’
Flames seemed to appear around his whole body as he imagined Valencia’s laughing face. But it quickly blew out thanks to the -50 degrees temperature.
‘The distance to the B-3 retreat spot is 50 km away…….’
Ark looked at the ice covered wilderness. It was a virtual reality game so the players could use all their senses to feel. It was the same for the cold. The body coating helped them adapt to the harsh environment but they still felt the chill. They had to march 50 km in that cold. However, Ark had more to worry about than a 50 km march.
–There are some guys remaining! Kill them!”
Ka ka ka ka, ka ka ka ka, ka ka ka ka!
The smoke slowly cleared and the Carack and Rama saw them. A Rama warrior led dozens of Carack and rushed towards Ark’s unit. He cursed at Valencia.
“Dammit! Go!”
—————————————————————————————
Hwiiiii-!
A snow storm raged in the sky. The -50 degrees weather seemed to scrape against his skin. However, Ark already couldn’t feel the chill.
‘Dammit……’
Ark bit his lip and sighed
. It had been 1 hour since they had fallen into Valencia’s trap and missed the Memeod. Thus Ark had been engaged in a desperate struggle for 1 hour. Dozens of Carack and a Rama warrior were pursuing Ark’s unit. But it wasn’t easy to shake off the pursuit if the Rama warrior. The Rama had already defeated the federation!
Karararara! Kararararak!
There were Carack and Rama everywhere he escaped to. It was a desperate situation but Ark wasn’t giving up. If he died then all the experience he earned would be lost. Moreover, his achievements would decrease by 100. However, there was a reason Ark didn’t give up.
‘Valencia!’
Valencia was a scoundrel bullying the users! If he died like this then Valencia would win. Ark couldn’t endure it.
‘I have to live and return! I will definitely live and make him regret it!’
Ark held up so far thanks to that one resolution. Naturally the process wasn’t easy.
“Hyung-nim, there are a bunch of them! They’ve blocked all routes of escape!”
Every time he was caught by a Rama warrior, a group of Carack would block them from retreating. The Royal Guards bought time while he escaped! Escape! Escape! But every time some Royal Guards died and now there was only Ark and Berad left. Only two people were remaining.
‘We can’t last much longer……’
Ark looked around desperately. This place was dozens of kilometres away from the federation base. Of course, Ark didn’t know the geography. The GPS on the Nymphe indicated that the B-3 area was in a straight line…….
‘For there is be a crevasse in this place of all things!’
A 10 metres crevasse was blocking the path in front of him. And the Rama and Carack were pursing them. They were literally chased to the edge of a cliff. Valencia’s face appeared in his mind as he saw the gaping crevasse. At the same time, a deep anger swelled in his heart.
‘No! I can’t give up yet!’
Ark gripped his weapon and raised his head.
‘This is the worst situation. But I still can’t give up. 10 Carack and 1 Rama warrior had chased me up to here. The problem isn’t the Carack but the Rama warrior!’
The Rama warrior was a regular soldier. He met the federation’s regular soldiers so he knew their average level was over 40. On the other hand, Ark had just reached level 30. Furthermore, his equipment was incomparable to that of the Rama warrior.
‘But if I can knock the Rama warrior down……’
He could take care of the remaining level 15 Caracks. If he combined forces with Berad then he could somehow handle them. Of course, that was only talk unless he knocked down the Rama warrior. If the Rama and the Carack attacked at the same time then it was game over. No, there was no guarantee that he could even reach area B-3 if he escaped from here. The Rama had already seized the area.
‘But I have to try!’
Ark shook his head and gripped the dagger. He whispered as the Rama warrior gradually narrowed the distance.
“Berad, can you distract the Carack?”
“Hyung-nim, are you perhaps…..?”
“If you take care of the Carack then I will deal with the Rama warrior.”
“Rama warrior……Hyung-nim can deal with it alone?”
“There’s no choice.”
That’s right. Berad nodded and clenched the hammer with both hands. Berad actually had a higher level than Ark. However, Berad admitted that Ark had better combat skills.
“I understand. I’ll stop the Carack even if I’m torn apart!”
The Rama warrior laughed and shouted.
-Kukukuku, it is up to here. Carack, kill them!
The 10 Carack yelled and rushed forward at the Rama warrior’s order. At the same time, Berad brought his hammer down against the ground.
“Oscillation!”
Kwaaaaaaah-! Pepeng-!
The propulsion device on the hammer shook and cracks appeared in the ice. The Carack stumbled from the shock and Berad raised his hammer before shouting.
“Hyung-nim, now!”
Then Ark shot forward like an arrow towards the Rama warrior. A black light separated the darkness and flew towards the Rama warrior’s neck.
“Sonic Sword!”
Jjang!
-Heh, a prisoner of the federation dares attack me?
The Rama warrior laughed and blocked Ark’s dagger with his shield. A deep blue sword also appeared from the Rama warrior’s right side. It was a beam sword Ark hadn’t seen yet! Ark hurriedly opened his shield at the sight of the beam sword. However, there was the sound of breaking glass as the shield opened. The shield has shattered with one blow!
‘No matter how weak the shield is……’
To have his shield shatter in one blow from the beam sword meant that the Rama warrior was tougher than expected! The Rama warrior laughed after the shield broke and approached.
–Is that the extent of your skills?
The Rama warrior wielded his beam sword and began to pressure Ark. The tremendous power of the beam sword broke the shield in one blow! Even a slight blow of the shield would deal a critical hit! Ark rolled across the floor and avoided the sword. However, he soon realized that he had been pushed in front of the crevasse. Ark’s face darkened as he saw the crevasse.
“D-damn!”
–Your tricks end here. Energy blast!
The Rama warrior’s beam sword expanded explosively. The beam sword reached the size of 2 metres!
‘…….Now!’
Ark’s eyes brightened and he rushed towards the Rama warrior. He placed the Fading Steel against the Rama’s shoulder and pulled the trigger.
Tang-!
The Rama warrior’s shoulder exploded and he was pushed back.
-Ugh! This bastard!
The Rama warrior clutched his shoulder stepped back. But anger lit up his eyes and he swung the sword. Ark smiled pleasantly and rotated his body around the Rama warrior. And Ark kicked his back!
-Heok!
A cry of confusion emerged from the Rama warrior’s mouth. Ark had been pushed back against the crevasse by the Rama warrior. Now they had changed positions and the Rama warrior was against the crevasse. The kick in the back caused him to slip into the crevasse. Falling into the crevasse meant death!
‘Success!’
This was what Ark had aimed for. When he checked through the Infrared Scope, the Rama warrior was level 50. Ark’s probability of winning was only 10%. Even if he somehow defeated the Rama warrior, there was no guarantee that Berad could stop the 10 Carack. Therefore Ark’s plan from the beginning had been to push the Rama warrior into the crevasse. All his preparations was for this move! He waited until the Rama warrior was distracted and pushed him into the crevasse.
‘That’s it. This is an icy ground. Once pushed then it will be difficult to recover. Now that he has fallen into the crevasse……’
Ark was sure of his victory.
-Impertinent brat! Armour armament!
A flash of light appeared around the Rama warrior’s body. At the same time, the space distorted and armour like objects appeared. The armour moved like the skin of an insect and formed around the Rama warrior’s body. The insect like armour around the Rama warrior was similar to the Protoss in StarCraft. It was the alternate form of the Rama warrior that Ark had never seen before.
‘T-that is the battle suit of the Rama!’
Armour armament meant the Rama could use the battle suits immediately! The federation and Rama’s battle suits had different mechanical forms and initiation.
–I won’t be tricked by your plan!
Kwajijijiji! Uddeok!
The Rama warrior’s armoured fist struck down on the ice and he stopped moving. It seemed like Ark’s plan had ended in failure……
“Not yet! Armour armament!”
The same thing happened to Ark’s body. Armour appeared from the distorted space and wrapped around his body.
-W-what? A federation prisoner with armour armament…..something like that…..!
The Rama warrior cried out with surprise. Ark shot forward like an arrow while encased in armour and crashed into the Rama warrior. The force caused the Rama warrior to fall into the crevasse
Ark confirmed that the Rama warrior disappeared into the crevasse and turned around.
“Pant pant, it is a success. Now…..”
Snap!
Then Ark’s ankle was grabbed by the Rama warrior’s hand. Ark’s foot slipped on the ice as it was pulled. And endless darkness spread out underneath his body! Ark had fallen into the crevasse. A moment of carelessness had caused Ark to fall into the crevasse. He heard a popping sound as his ankle kept being pulled.
–You!
The Rama warrior had grabbed his ankle. The Rama warrior glared and reached out his left hand holding the beam sword.
-I will kill you with my own hands!
“Don’t make me laugh! If I die then you’ll die!”
Ark pointed the Fading Steel downwards and pulled the trigger. The Rama warrior was surprised and quickly activated his shield. However……
Cheolkeok, cheolkeok, cheolkeok!
Bullets shot out from the Fading Steel. They bounced off the Rama warrior’s shield.
-Kukuku, you stupid fellow. You wasted all the ammunition in your gun. You’re pathetic. Let’s see if my sword or you reloading your gun will be faster!
The Rama warrior swung his beam sword again. No, he tried to swing it!
“You said I have no more bullets left?”
Ark smiled and pulled the trigger another time.
“Set Bullets Shooting!”
At that moment, 3 bullets emerged from the muzzle! It perfectly hit the face of the off guard Rama warrior. But Ark couldn’t see the Rama warrior’s confused face. The three bullets had exploded in the Rama warrior’s face.
Pepepeng-!
-Kuaaaaak!
The Rama warrior’s head bent like a bow. The hand that was grabbing Ark’s ankle let go from the impact. The Rama warrior grabbed his face with both hands and spun like a pinwheel as he fell down. The Rama warrior had separated from Ark! However it was too late. Ark was already falling down the crevasse.