The situation with one minute remaining until the scenario start.
I and the clones summoned by my Shadow Clone Technique each made their resolves and finished preparing to fight.
[The third main scenario is activating!]
With a sizzling sensation, the barrier blocking the tunnel towards Euljiro 3(sam)-ga disappeared, and simultaneously, monsters began spawning from the Red Zone.
The ranks were primarily filled with Grade 9 Underground Species, groundhogs. And interspersed among them were Grade 8 Underground Species, grolls. Soon, the monsters saw us, bared their fangs, and began attacking.
"We proceed as planned!"
"""""Yeah!!"""""
Soon, we each took our stances, and a clone spoke up.
"Then, as planned, I'll take the first move!"
The clone who said that immediately charged towards the monsters and activated its skills.
[Activating skill Zadkiel Lv. 1]
[Activating skill Suin Lv. 3]
At the same time, an intense chill flowed from around the clone, enveloping the monsters. Soon, the monsters' feet and arms froze solid from the chill, rendering them immobile. Then, the Suin that flew in next sent the monsters' heads and arms flying through the air.
"Leave the support to me!"
[Activating Stigma E.G.O. Bullet Lv. 2]
Another clone using E.G.O. Bullet promptly aimed its gun at the monsters and fired bullets from the very back, supporting us.
"Spinning Shot!!"
[Activating skill Spinning Shot Lv. 1]
Another clone sprayed thin, fine, and incredibly sharp threads from its fingertips, binding the monsters, then—
Pshoooot!!!!
—it powerfully pulled the threads in that state, easily slicing the monsters' limbs to pieces.
"Let's go! Jade Hounds!"
""Awoooo!!""
Yet another clone, along with the Jade Hounds summoned using the Ten Types Spirit Summoning Technique, dealt with the monsters. Additionally,
"Predator!"
[Activating skill Predator Lv. 1]
It used Predator to devour the corpses of dead monsters and disassemble them through Da-Hyeonja.
[Activating skill Blackening Lv. 4]
[Activating skill Reinforcement Magic Lv. 2]
[Activating skill Dragon Slash Lv. 1]
Another clone used the physical enhancement skills I currently possessed, then immediately wielded Kayserium and used Dragon Slash to slice through the monsters.
"Engage!"
[Gouzou Wolf!]
And I transformed into Gouzou Wolf and charged forward, cutting down monsters with the Wolf Decalibur 50.
After hunting monsters like that for a few minutes, a dokkaebi appeared in the air.
[Hahahaha! This is turning out fun. While others are trying so hard to get into Green Zones, you deliberately don't enter one and choose to fight monsters instead.... Whatever the case, there should be a penalty like yesterday, right?]
Following Bihyung's ringing voice from the air, a system message continued.
[A scenario penalty has occurred!]
[Some previously existing 'Green Zones' have been deactivated.]
Simultaneously, several nearby Green Zones deactivated, and the people inside them nearly became a meal for the monsters, but—
"Not so fast! Haniel!"
A clone that saw those people immediately used Haniel to temporarily turn the monsters into teddy bears, then rode Haniel to rescue the people.
"Jade Hounds, you guys save people too."
""Awooo!!""
At the clone's command, the Jade Hounds also scattered to help people.
[Constellations of the absolute good alignment are moved by your good deed.]
[The Constellation 'Demon-like Judge of Fire' is greatly moved by your good deed.]
[You have received a 1500 coin sponsorship.]
A little while later, thanks to the efforts of the Jade Hounds and the clone riding Haniel, most of the endangered people were moved to Gong Pildoo's Green Zone. Those who couldn't enter a Green Zone were moved to the safest possible place by us and then protected.
[Wolf Decalibur Finish!]
"Suin!"
"E.G.O. Bullet, First Bullet —Magic Bullet!"
"Predator!"
"Haniel!!"
"Spinning Shot!"
Amidst the endless waves of swarming monsters, I grew rapidly.
[Reinforcement Magic Lv. 2 -> Reinforcement Magic Lv. 5]
[You can reinforce things even more strongly.]
[Shadow Clone Technique Lv. 3 -> Shadow Clone Technique Lv. 4]
[The magic power required to summon clones has decreased.]
[Haniel Lv. 5 -> Haniel Lv. 7]
[The skill's duration has increased.]
[Blackening Lv. 4 -> Blackening Lv. 6]
[The enhanced stats have increased a bit more.]
[Predator Lv. 1 -> Predator Lv. 2]
[Ripple Lv. 3 -> Ripple Lv. 6]
[Overall Ripple abilities have increased.]
[Earth Flow Wall Lv. 2 -> Earth Flow Wall Lv. 3]
[Scarlet Orbs Technique Lv. 3 -> Scarlet Orbs Technique Lv. 5]
[You can use an even stronger Scarlet Orbs Technique.]
[Suin Lv. 3 -> Suin Lv. 6]
[Power, sharpness, etc. have increased, and magic consumption has decreased.]
[Knocking Lv. 1 -> Knocking Lv. 2]
[You can perform Knocking even more accurately.]
[Dragon Slash Lv. 1 -> Dragon Slash Lv. 4]
[The skill's power has increased.]
[Zadkiel Lv. 1 -> Zadkiel Lv. 3]
[Zadkiel's ability 'Jae' has been unlocked.]
[Spinning Shot Lv. 1 -> Spinning Shot Lv. 5]
[The quantity and quality of threads produced have increased.]
[Scarlet Flame Kill Lv. 1 -> Scarlet Flame Kill Lv. 3]
[You can assimilate even more strongly now.]
[Bullet Lv. 2 -> Bullet Lv. 5]
[The second bullet has been unlocked.]
[The third bullet has been unlocked.]
[The Constellation 'Prisoner of the Golden Headband' plucks his hair, seeming satisfied.]
[The Constellation 'Black Flame Dragon of the Abyss' is satisfied with the spectacle you created.]
[The Constellation 'Demon-like Judge of Fire' celebrates your survival.]
[The Constellation 'Secretive Plotter' questions your abnormal growth rate.]
[A small number of Constellations are astonished by your power.]
[Several Constellations are amazed by your power.]
[You have received a 2,300 coin sponsorship.]
[You have endured the night in Chungmuro without a 'Green Zone'.]
[You are the second person in Chungmuro Station to complete the 'Endless Dawn' achievement!]
[You have received 1000 coins as an achievement reward.]
Current held coins: 141,548c
"Phew... is it over?"
I looked around.
The scattered blood of monsters on the ground and monster corpses rolling on the floor.
Originally, there should have been people's corpses and blood there too, but thanks to our efforts, there were none.
I saved some nameless individuals with my own hands.
But they will die someday. By monsters or by people, whatever the cause, they will die someday.
That death could be tomorrow, or the day after.
Wouldn't it have been better to just leave them to die rather than live with the anxiety of not knowing when death will come?
....
".....What the hell am I thinking? Am I some philosopher? Their acquaintance? Family? Comrade? They're people whose names I don't even know, why the hell am I worrying about them like this? Whether they die or not is none of my business..... Ha.... I must be really tired to be having such ■■■ thoughts...."
Perhaps due to the drawback of the Shadow Clone Technique, which transmits mental fatigue and stress to the main body, the fatigue from 6 clones × 8 hours = roughly 2 days' worth of exhaustion hit me all at once.
'Ugh.... I need to sleep a little...'
Soon, I leaned against a nearby wall and fell asleep.