Chapter 158: Ursafex

Chapter 158: Ursafex

Master Smith Under Ministry of National Defense

158 – Ursafex

Until Myung-jun in Nautilus approached closely, Grimpanther did not take any action.

Myung-jun, too, refrained from making any provocative attacks that could trigger Grimpanther, who was warily observing him.

Even when Myung-jun descended to the ground from the swiftly flying Nautilus, Grimpanther merely stared at the Elimination Suit Myung-jun was wearing.

Seeing this, Myung-jun, who was watching Grimpanther warily, spoke.

“Aren’t you going to attack?”

“Growl...”

Grimpanther responded with a growl, a sound typical of feline animals.

However, the multi-language translation implant embedded in Myung-jun’s body translated Grimpanther’s voice, which lacked human vocal cords, into a form that Myung-jun could understand. Thanks to this, Myung-jun understood exactly what Grimpanther was saying just from the growl.

‘Your purpose is to save that human with severed legs over there, right? Do as you wish.’

“And what if you stab me in the back later?”

‘I don’t know what you mean by stabbing in the back. I have no intention of attacking until you are ready. Finish quickly and come at me with all your might.’

“Is that confidence born from absolute belief in your own strength? You might regret it later.”

‘You might be their last resort, but it would be an amusing pastime to see their trump card shattered before their eyes.’

At that moment, Skyler, watching Myung-jun converse with a beast twice his size, spoke.

“Excuse me, are you talking to that monster?”

“Yes.”

“You can communicate with monsters?”

“Not all of them. Only a few gate bosses above grade 6 can engage in basic conversation. Judging by the level of conversation with that black panther, the difficulty of this gate is at least grade 8, if not higher.”

The mention of ‘at least’ grade 8 implied the possibility of the opponent being a grade 9 or 10 monster, causing Skyler to gulp involuntarily.

However, Myung-jun ignored Skyler and calmly pressed the button to disable the external speaker.

“Nautilus.”

[Nautilus awaiting command.]

“Activate maximum alert mode. If the opponent shows any sign of movement, unleash a concentrated barrage immediately.”

[Command confirmed. Activating maximum alert mode.]

“Open the cockpit hatch.”

[A monster with hostile intent is within the danger radius. Do you wish to open the hatch?]

“Open it.”

[Protective field for the pilot deployed. Opening the cockpit hatch.]

As the cockpit hatch of the Elimination Suit opened, Myung-jun and Skyler, who was sitting on his lap, were revealed.

At that moment, Grimpanther, who had been sitting as if it wouldn’t attack, moved its forepaw at an invisible speed.

-Boom!!!-

[Warning. Protective energy field output decreasing. Remaining defense below 5%. Emergency closing of the hatch.]

With a tremendous impact on the craft, a sharp, crescent-shaped force clashed with the translucent energy field surrounding the cockpit.

The hatch of the Elimination Suit closed at a terrifying speed, and Nautilus began its counterattack.

[Nautilus counterattack protocol initiated.]

With a system message, Nautilus, having unlocked all its weapons, began attacking the spot where Grimpanther had been with terrifying power. Sensing the immense force behind the attack, Grimpanther immediately vacated the area.

The Minigun, a rapid-fire platform of large-caliber shells that had previously devastated a horde of enhanced monsters.

Ignoring Grimpanther’s chilling warning, Myung-jun checked the remaining ammunition of Nautilus.

“Nautilus, report ammunition status.”

[Reporting the remaining ammunition loaded on Nautilus. Including subspace quantities: Minigun rounds 14,221, remaining 13%. Juice Maker missiles 132, remaining 22%. Amaterasu grenades 3,824, remaining 22%. Spear penetrator rounds 529, remaining 10%.]

“At the current rate of attack, how much combat time is left?”

[Time remaining until all ammunition is expended: 2 minutes 56 seconds.]

“Cease fire.”

As Nautilus’s bombardment, which had been turning the plain into a canyon in real-time, ceased, Grimpanther also stopped moving. He then glared at Myung-jun and spoke.

‘Have you given up?’

“No matter how strong the firepower, it’s meaningless if it doesn’t hit.”

‘That’s true. Speed is the most powerful force that overwhelms all other strengths.’

“Depending on the situation, I generally agree with that opinion.”

‘Then this fight is my victory. One thing to ask, among the human race, how strong are you?’

“I’m almost 100% sure that I’m the strongest among those I know.”

‘The strongest human... is only this strong...’

Grimpanther roared, a sound that translated as laughter to Myung-jun’s ears but as a terrifying scream to Skyler’s, who lacked a translation implant.

‘Hahaha!’

Skyler, sitting on Myung-jun’s knee, instinctively grabbed his arm tightly, her hand trembling with the fear of facing inevitable death. Despite the current situation, where his trump card had been defeated for a ridiculous reason, Myung-jun maintained a calm expression. The Magnet Phylone, which had failed miserably, was merely a ‘test’ for Myung-jun and held no other significance.

The real trump card Myung-jun had prepared for Grimpanther was not a simple electromagnet.

“Hey, black cat.”

‘Black cat!? Are you referring to me?’

“Yes, don’t get too cocky for a big black cat.”

Grimpanther was taken aback by Myung-jun’s voice, which was too calm to be mere bravado.

‘What confidence do you have to show such bravado? Although I was surprised by that strange attack earlier, you’ve already lost your trump card. And there’s not much ammunition left to keep me in check.’

“Yeah, honestly, that earlier thing surprised me too. But don’t think that ridiculous gag card was my trump card. The ‘real’ one is about to be shown.”

Myung-jun took a deep breath and spoke with eyes that had grown infinitely cold.

“Beast-type target elimination protocol, ‘Ursafex,’ activate.”

As soon as Myung-jun finished speaking, the 5-meter-tall power armor ‘Elimination Suit’ he was wearing and the 25-meter-long mobile floating fortress ‘Nautilus’ began to transform simultaneously. Red warning lights flashed, and numerous system messages echoed in the cockpit where Myung-jun sat.

[Ursafex protocol activated. Preparing to transfer system control authority.]

[Activating occupant protection equipment. Anti-shock system ready.]

[Mainframe structure modification of power suit completed.]

[Initiating ejection of Ursafex transformation parts.]

As the power suit Myung-jun wore leaned forward, the external armor covering most of the massive Nautilus flew off with sparks and began to merge with the suit. Unlike the sleek exterior armor of Nautilus, these external armors had a wild design, covered in thick fur like the hide of a giant beast.

Moments later, the suit Myung-jun wore no longer resembled a 5-meter-tall steel giant. Instead, standing in his place was a colossal mechanical beast in the form of a bear, towering at 15 meters, as if it had stepped out of ancient mythology.

[Beast-type target elimination protocol, ‘Ursafex,’ activated. All control authority is now transferred to combat AI ‘Ursafex.’]

The thick fur covering the entire body of the transformed Elimination Suit was the hide of ‘Ursafex,’ a bear-shaped gate boss with overwhelming durability that even Myung-jun had given up processing.

“Sorry, but from here on, I won’t be fighting. This monstrous guy is stronger than me in close combat.”

Myung-jun’s voice reached Grimpanther’s ears, who was confused by the sudden appearance of the giant bear-shaped beast, now larger than himself.

“Let’s see which is stronger, the bear or the panther.”