Chapter 278

Episode 278 – Collapse (3)

‘Is it visual impairment?’

Hanging on the silo, I checked my physical condition.

Color Bomb inflicts strong damage to the opponent while also causing random negative effects. Of these, the more annoying part is the latter than the former. It weakens bodily organs such as sensory muscles, disrupts concentration, etc.

Because I was hit with a rainbow-colored energy bullet in my abdomen, my visual function was greatly impaired. To the point where everything around you appears blurry.

‘It would have been quite difficult without the auxiliary institutions.’

The largest part of Aimorph’s sensing organs is the auxiliary organ located under the chin. Even if you can’t see it with your eyes, you can clearly sense what’s going on inside this silo.

I clung to the silo wall and watched the opponent’s movements with my auxiliary organ.

Currently, Cynthia is focusing on recovering from her wounds. The smell of blood flowing from the wound and the cold sweat flowing from the pain is getting weaker.

In the meantime, I organized the important newly acquired information.

I did some experiments while fighting her.

I tried hitting it with my hand to see if it was only protecting against projectiles, and I also tried using the ‘predatory leech hand’ to see if it could eat away the shield.

As you can see, the result was a failure. In return, the fingers and the inside of the palm of one of his fighting arms were blown off.

The next thing I tried was a joint operation with No. 26.

The protective shield she installed is in the form of a dome laid on the floor. In that case, attacking through the floor would also be effective.

I poured acid breath onto the shield. Cynthia thought I was trying to attack the shield, but in reality, I was trying to make a hole in the floor.

Number 26 went downstairs safely, hiding from the toxic smoke generated when the floor melted. There, it struck the floor beneath the shield with its gigantic tentacles.

Meanwhile, I wasn’t playing either. I used ‘Messenger of Chaos’ just in time for him to destroy the floor, and it sent one pirate into a frenzy.

Unfortunately, Cynthia responded by changing the shield into a sphere, blocking the effect of the Herald of Chaos. Because of this, the pirate failed to kill Cynthia.

‘Still, I got some important information.’

The shield cannot block attacks originating from within. She was injured after being shot by a security guard.

Among the installed defense techniques used by boss-level creatures, there is a type that never takes damage within the protected area. Her skills are not of that type.

‘However, I don’t think it will be easy to induce an attack from within.’

Cynthia, who was unexpectedly attacked inside the shield, pushed the bodyguard out and eliminated the threat. As a ranker, I thought I was infected with something and reacted quickly.

If the bodyguard had died inside the shield, there would have been a slight chance of the madness bomb spreading, so it was a bit disappointing.

They’ve been hit hard once too, so they’ll be on high alert. My opponent is also a ranker like me. Unless you go crazy, you can’t fall for the same trick twice.

‘Or should we try to use this in reverse?’

It’s been a while since I fought Cynthia. At this point, she probably knows that I have no means of breaking through the shield. Therefore, it is natural for me to try different methods to attack.

The weakness of the shield revealed so far is that it is vulnerable to attacks from within. Since both she and I know this, this part becomes the key to the strategy.

‘You’d think...’

While she is deluded, I plan to aim elsewhere.

My auxiliary organ wriggled to see Cynthia’s reaction.

I can feel her exhaled breath leaving the protective shield. The pain was relieved thanks to the treatment techniques, and the panting was becoming less frequent.

‘good.’

I figured out how to attack it.

Lastly, after checking the most important time for this plan, I sent a message to number 26, who was waiting downstairs.

[Zuzuzuzu(Are you okay?)]

「Yes! It’s okay!」

[Zuzuzuzu zuzuzuzu (I’m sorry, but I’ll ask for one)]

「What? What is it?」

[

Zuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu

The guy didn’t seem to want to leave this place, but eventually agreed.

“Big baby, don’t get hurt anymore!”

Instead of responding to me, she put the pirates behind her on the transport ship. A small amount of oxygen is supplied on board, so you can endure a little longer.

Of course, Cynthia is an exception because she has to deal with me.

As I was getting ready to fight again, she opened her mouth.

“I have something to say about number 5.”

It’s surprising that she won’t know that if she waits, the odds will be worse for her than for me.

‘Has proper thinking become impossible?’

Looking at the non-stop cold sweat and unstable breathing, it was easy to see that she was in a very desperate situation.

“You might not know it from a game, but this is reality. “There’s no need to avoid it when we can talk, right?”

It’s not wrong, but there’s no need to talk about it now. She and I were fighting to kill each other, and this conversation could give her a chance to fight back.

“Are you so immersed in Aimov’s life that you refuse to even talk to fellow humans?”

The moment I heard that, I paused without realizing it.

“Same human being?”

“yes.”

“I don’t think that’s what you would say after hunting down other players.”

She is one of Jason’s companions. They tried to enslave the Mother of Heaven and kill other players to steal their perks.

“That had something to do with why I asked to talk to you.”

“What do you mean?”

“I do not agree with their wishes at all. In fact, I didn’t receive any special benefits.”

One of the things she said was something I also heard from Jason. Cynthia said that while working with Jason, she never tried to take advantage of it herself.

In my experience, perks can only be taken away by directly killing the opponent. All of Muriel Jason’s perks were also robbed in that manner.

“Such excuses mean nothing. “It is true that you contributed to the death of another player.”

“It was to achieve the goals of my faction. “The reason I hung out with them was for intelligence.”

“Spy?”

Cynthia put her hand near the chest of her clothes as if she had trouble breathing.

“5th place. “Isn’t the reason you prey on others to see the end of evolution, that is, ascension?”

“okay.”

Since it wasn’t anything to hide, I answered simply.

Then she continued speaking in a more stable voice than before.

“My colleagues and I aim to clear the game and return home.”

The moment I heard those words, I remembered what Heavenly Mother had said before.

There was a fight between players trying to see the ending and players trying to dominate the world.

And I am closer to the former.

“Would you like to cooperate with us?”

Therefore, the words that came out of Cynthia’s mouth were quite predictable.

‘It’s cooperation.’

Even without thinking too deeply, her proposal is quite attractive.

Cynthia’s faction will also know that the players once tried to cooperate with each other to reach the ending, but failed for some reason. Nevertheless, those who are aiming for the ending are likely to know a lot of information that I do not know.

Now that the game has changed a lot, there is a huge gap between knowing in advance and moving without knowing. Especially if the difficulty of the ending mission has risen sharply, it will definitely be advantageous to cooperate with them.

‘Of course, but...’

But there is a catch to her suggestion. After thinking for a moment, I made a choice.

“I refuse.”

“Think about it...yes?”

Of course Cynthia thought I would accept.

She looked at me in disbelief when she heard my refusal.