Chapter 27: The Rebel’s Awakening

"Accelerate!!"

Swaaaak-!

I had never been so grateful for the heavy air that pressed down as circulation halted.

I dashed over, almost flying, and pulled away the chunk of concrete covering Ji-eun.

What I uncovered was—

'No...!'

The back of her skull was shattered.

From her small head, an overwhelming amount of crimson, clear fluid was spilling.

Her body hung limp, drained of strength.

Anyone could see this was the very picture of despair.

Thump───thump.

Within slowed time, I could faintly hear a heartbeat.

...It wasn't too late yet.

"Summon!"

A sticky lump slowly took shape on my palm.

I had only managed to break off a fragment, but it was big and thick enough to more than fill both hands.

Golden honey dripped between layers of shining, glistening pastry that stacked upon itself.

▣ Giant Hornet’s Stone Honey (石淸)

High-quality honey gathered by the giant hornet between trees and rocks.

Permanently increases Stamina and Strength by 1 when consumed.

Stamina, Strength—none of that mattered now.

What I needed was...

When applied to damaged areas, perfectly regenerates them. However, cannot be used if the heart has stopped.

The effect of Stone Honey (石淸): ‘perfect regeneration.’

Thump───thump.

Her life was fading, but thanks to Acceleration, her heart had not completely stopped.

'With this!'

Srrk-!

I pressed the Stone Honey firmly onto her collapsed occipital bone, and the stacked honeycomb began to melt away.

Is this what flowing, translucent gold would look like?

'Please, please, please, please, please, please...!'

On that priceless golden fluid, I layered desperate prayers.

Srrr.

The fully-melted Stone Honey spread, wrapping around the caved-in area in a gentle circle.

For a brief moment, a brilliant light flashed.

— Flash!

Within the golden membrane, a clean white skull and the gray matter filling it began to take shape.

The wax foundation of the honeycomb melted into scalp.

Translucent skin covered that, and then...

Tick!

With a sound as if everything returned to its place—

"Gasp...!"

Ji-eun's eyes flew wide open.

"!!"

['Yongsan District' survivor count: 1,000.]

"...Eun-ho?"

【'Ferry Captain of the Administration Bureau' is shocked, demanding to know where you got the giant bee's Stone Honey.】

【'Investigation Bureau Prince' gapes, saying not even Stone Honey can bring back the dead.】

【An anonymous observer is curious about the secret of resurrection (蘇生).】

The survivor count increased from 999 to 1,000.

The observers were chattering noisily.

But none of that mattered.

'It worked...'

Seeing Ji-eun blinking blankly, I finally let out the breath I'd been holding.

Thud!

Relief washed over my whole body, and my legs gave out beneath me.

The moment I collapsed onto the wreckage of the building, as if I'd been hit by a bomb—

[Data required for trait unlocking has been collected.]

It drilled into my mind...

[Congratulations!]
[A unique trait has been unlocked, based on your spirit of resistance that defies even the flow of life and death, your unconventional strategy that reshapes the game instead of yielding to authority, and your natural aptitude as a revolutionary!]
[Target 'Lee Eun-ho' has been granted the 'Rebel (反骨)' trait.]

A flurry of unknown messages.

"Trait?!"

【'Ferry Captain of the Administration Bureau' staggers back in shock at 'Lee Eun-ho's' words.】
【An anonymous observer smacks their lips and their eyes gleam.】
【Many observers are curious about 'Lee Eun-ho's' trait.】

The observers' reactions were astonished.

[Check your trait effects!]

There was so much I wanted to know...

But the most important thing for now—

"Mmm..."

—was Ji-eun.

The woman who had nearly died—no, had died and come back to life—trying to save me.

"Uh, uh...?"

Haah.

I let out a deep sigh from within, and Ji-eun struggled to sit up.

Thank goodness.

Thank goodness she's alive.

"I... I definitely..."

Thank you.

Thank you for not letting your heart stop.

For holding on.

But—

"Ji-eun, you just died and came back to life."

It was pure luck.

If I hadn't greedily stolen the Stone Honey...

Even if I had saved her, if I'd been just a little bit late.

If I hadn't delayed her heart from stopping with Acceleration...

By now, Ji-eun would have...

"Right...? I'm sure I hit my head..."

"What were you thinking? You should've protected yourself first!"

The shock made me question her, almost scolding.

"There...was no reason."

But Ji-eun just looked at me calmly, answering in a quiet tone.

"How could I just watch someone fall? And it's not just anyone..."

Ji-eun took a shallow, slow breath, carefully choosing her words.

"I'm sure you would've done the same, Eun-ho."

Her clear, determined eyes regained their light as she stared straight at me.

"I..."

Does she really believe everyone has a heart as good as hers?

My words caught in my throat, feeling both pained and envious of that pure goodness.

But—

"Promise me. Next time, take care of yourself first."

"..."

Ji-eun simply blinked her round eyes with her lips sealed tight.

Is she more stubborn than she seems?

"Ahh... Suddenly, my head..."

As if we were in a staring contest, Ji-eun suddenly raised her hand and pressed her forehead in exaggerated fashion.

...Maybe I pushed too hard.

"For now..."

Phew.

After letting out a short sigh—

"...Thank you."

I bowed my head deeply.

Whatever else, I'm grateful.

She saved me when I almost ended my life beneath the dark earth.

"Me too."

Her clear eyes were so bright, I almost saw my own reflection.

As our eyes met, Ji-eun beamed.

"Thank you for saving me, Eun-ho."

[Would you like to check the effects of the 'Rebel (反骨)' trait?]

"Check."

[Exclusive stat 'Resistance' has been created.]
[The 'Resistance' stat increases when you achieve results contrary to the greater cause (大義), and points cannot be manually allocated.]

'Resistance stat?'

So, a stat could appear too.

But, achieving results contrary to the greater cause...

I had no idea what the greater cause was, or how I was supposed to "achieve results" against it.

But one thing was clear.

[Traits are bound to the first person who unlocks them and cannot be shared with other targets.]
[Trait-exclusive skills have been unlocked.]

Regardless of traits or Resistance, one thing was for sure—

They were definitely not useless.

〔 Rebel Trait Exclusive Skills 〕

Counterattack (Lv.1)
: Consume Resistance stat to reflect a portion of the damage received back to the enemy.
: Reflected damage = (consumed stat)%.

?? (Lv. ?)

?? (Lv. ?)

You can return as much damage as the stat consumed.

In other words, if I use 10 Resistance, 10% of the damage is reflected.

Currently, my Resistance stat is only 1.

I was frustrated that I couldn't test it out right away...

'Let's just survive for now.'

In the middle of the collapsed city.

My entire field of vision was foggy.

The dirty, dark fog even blocked out the moonlight—it looked like the end-of-the-world skies you see in movies.

But at least—

"The earthquake seems to have stopped."

"You're right!"

The earthquake was over, and Ji-eun was back to full strength.

"Let's hurry, Eun-ho!"

Jaehyuk had sent me a message a few minutes ago.

ㆍTo: Lee Eun-ho
ㆍFrom: Choi Jaehyuk
ㆍWhere are you, Hyung? I'm in front of the Sheraton Hotel now. Noona can't receive gifts because her message failed to send.

After telling him to wait due to his urgent message, I set out for the Sheraton Hotel.

A few minutes later, as we hurried up the slope past the ruins of Seoul Station—

"Hyuuuung! Noooona!"

Far off, Jaehyuk came running, panting.

Judging by the loads on his shoulders, he even brought the backpack I’d left behind.

Good kid.

"Noona! Are you alright? I got worried because the message said you couldn’t receive gifts!"

"I'm fine. But why are you alone? Where’s everyone else?"

"Well, uh... we all got scattered."

"Scattered?"

Jaehyuk shuddered as if recalling something horrific.

"Yeah! Suddenly the apartment collapsed, and those things appeared..."

Those things?

I waited for more, but Jaehyuk just pointed somewhere, pale as a ghost.

— Grrrrrr...

A beast's growl echoed—something you shouldn't hear in the middle of Seoul.

"Th-there!"

"Wh-what!"

Ji-eun and I turned to follow Jaehyuk’s gaze—and saw an enormous shadow that could swallow us both.

A beast the size of a house drooled from its maw.

Thump. Thump.

It slowly approached, its pillar-like legs moving forward.

On its back were blood-red bat wings; long fangs hung from its mouth.

Each growl sent inky saliva streaming down those fangs.

"That thing—its saliva is poisonous!"

[Defeat the ‘Venomous Sky Tiger’!]

KWAARRRRRGH!

It roared, jaws wide as if to tear space itself—

Thump. Thump. Tak. Tak. Tadadak-!

—and charged.

"Summon Blade-Beaked Sword!"

Crunch-!

I blocked its flashing fangs with my sword as its gaping jaws snapped down.

The beast’s massive size radiated weight and menace, pressing on me from every direction.

Hah!

I kicked its lower jaw to gain some distance.

Then drove my sword deep into its pitch-black torso.

Puk-!

The blade slid in smoothly.

Strange.

Its black hide looked tough, like armor, yet the muscle and bone barely offered any resistance.

【An anonymous observer marvels at how much you've changed in such a short time.】
【‘Investigation Bureau Prince’ asks if you were hiding your sword skills.】
【‘Crow of the Administration Bureau’ says they knew you weren’t a normal person and slaps their knee.】

‘It’s thanks to the swordsmanship skill.’

When fighting carnivorous plants, I wasn’t sure, but now I was.

"Basic Swordsmanship (Lv.2): Increases attack power by (15) when wielding any longsword."

Attack power +15.

With that, I could cut through a monster’s hide and bones like butter.

In other words—

‘I can fight even without the Acceleration skill!’

[You have defeated the ‘Venomous Sky Tiger’!]
[Additional reward granted for defeating a target outside the mission criteria.]
[You have received 50 Welfare Points.]

"Eun-ho?! What was that just now...?"
"Hyung! How did you suddenly change like this?!"
"Explanations later! To your right!"
"Eeek!"

— Clang!

There wasn’t just one.

Another tiger lunged at Jaehyuk, but its fangs bounced off his armor and it fell back.

One, two, three, four...

Counting the ones sneaking up in the back, there were seven in total.

I could fight them all alone if I had to, but—

"Can you handle this?"

"I-I'll try! Summon!"

Swaak-! KWAARRRGH-!

While I cut down another charging tiger, Jaehyuk readied for battle.

[You have defeated the ‘Venomous Sky Tiger’!]
[You have received 50 Welfare Points!]

Maybe watching me mow them down gave him courage.

He took a deep breath, glancing between me and the tiger, and charged.

"Here I goooo!"

With trembling legs and a determined look straight out of a shounen manga, he yelled, ‘Uwaaah!’ and stabbed with his sword—

Tang!

"...?!"

—Only for the sword to bounce off.

Stopped cold by the tiger’s hide.

"Uh...?"

Jaehyuk stared at his empty hand, stumbling backward.

...It’s understandable.

If not for my swordsmanship skill, I’d have struggled too.

But—

"Jaehyuk! I’ll help too!"

If Ji-eun uses her skill...!

"N-noona!"

Pushing aside the bewildered Jaehyuk, Ji-eun stepped forward with confidence.

[You have defeated the ‘Venomous Sky Tiger’!]
[You have received 50 Welfare Points!]

Even as I cut down another tiger charging at me, I couldn’t help but glance her way.

Telekinesis... That’s what she called it, right?

How will she fight?

Will she lift the tiger and slam it down?

Or launch a weapon at it?

"Haah!"

Ji-eun glared at the ground near the tiger with fierce eyes, as if she’d pierce the asphalt itself.

‘Ah! She’s going to drop a chunk of concrete on it!’

Just as happened to her earlier.

A creative use, as expected.

My expectations soared, and even while slicing off monster fangs and necks, I couldn’t take my eyes off Ji-eun.

A moment later—

Pashsss!

Rising bits of concrete rubble.

Pashssssss!

More bits.

Pashssssssssss!

...A tremendous amount of bits.

‘Huh?’

She kept gathering only rubble as if to throw a feast.

Was that her intent...?

"Ah... This isn't right..."

...Guess not.

KWAARRRRRGH!

After hesitating a moment, the tiger realized the debris wasn’t threatening and charged again.

Haah.

[You have defeated the ‘Venomous Sky Tiger’!]
[You have received 50 Welfare Points!]

【An anonymous observer is greatly satisfied by 'Lee Eun-ho' monopolizing the points!】

‘I wanted to share the Welfare Points, but...’

It seems it’s not time for that yet.

"Accelerate!"