Light of Arad: The First to Walk - Chapter 168



Only Noblemtl

168

The chili shrimp swung the whip hard.

“Another shockwave, everyone get ready to jump! Three, two, one, now!”

Kuuuuung… … !

The entire floor shook as one of the fighting androids swung its power toward the ground.

Vivi stumbled and hit a pillar with a thud, frowning.

“What!? Sis! If you’re going to count the timing, you have to count properly! If you count like that-.”

Kaaaaaaaang-!

“-Huh?!”

Vivi couldn’t finish her sentence.

It was because of the black knight Sandor who raised his shield and blocked her path at that moment, and the powerful sound of the impact hitting the shield.

“Whew…”

Vivi had to breathe a sigh of relief as she realized that the friction sound of repeated hits to his shield was from shotguns and that the gunner android’s arm had been transformed into a cannon.

Chili Shrimp, who was looking at Vivi, who was blinking while adjusting her glasses, snickered.

“You don’t have to say thank you, Vivi. If you have time to talk, take care of that guy with the sword over there before he runs wild! He was so out of his mind, shooting clones and all!”

“Then I’ll just handle it without saying anything! !”

The sight of Vivi running away, insisting that she wouldn’t say thank you.

The chili shrimp had to shake its head.

Is that a joke, a leisure, or a serious matter?

‘Whether he’s blind, naive, or rather experienced, he’s the type that would confuse people if they really worked together.’

Seeing her act like that was so pathetic that she almost wanted to curse, but even she couldn’t help but acknowledge Vivi’s skills when it came to dealing with monsters.

How fierce it is that seven androids, the boss monsters of the Helix Research Institute, have appeared.

Even now that I have managed to defeat the four monsters and have found some peace of mind, dealing with them is not easy.

‘Should I have called Director Ka or Director Gal?’

The reason was that the chili shrimp were not being treated with sincerity.

If Jinseong had seen her, he would have recognized her qualifications as someone worthy of being possessed.

‘No. There’s no need to rush out. Don’t get ahead~ Don’t fall behind~ It’s best to stay in the middle. You have to prepare for anything that might happen.’

Sufficient understanding of the situation comes first.

Even if the androids in front of him were the bosses of the actual Dungeon & Fighter dungeon or Helix Lab, Chili Shrimp decided that there was no need to just take out all the pieces and destroy them.

‘Giselle… … As long as the human that Jinseong chased remains, what does a boss like this have to do with me not even treating him like a boss?’

Because Jinseong and Giselle Logan, who Jinseong had chased, remained.

What does it matter how many Androids there are?

However, the battle had to be fought so that neither Chili Shrimp nor Vivi got hurt, so it was just a hassle for her.

“Hey, Vivi, do you really need to drag it out like that? I know surprisingly has a debuff effect, so why don’t you just rush in, use 2-angle, and be done with it?”

Now, when he was starting to get tired of this kind of play, Chili Shrimp urged Vivi on.

In fact, this was the fundamental reason why the battle was dragged on like this.

“No! How did you find an android of this level! My sister has already blown up four of them, so I’m dying of frustration. You have to just completely shut down the system.”

It was because of Vivi’s suggestion to subdue the androids in front of her while preserving them in perfect condition.

Chili Shrimp sighed, but couldn’t hold back his curiosity.

“……But why is that? What are you going to do with all that?”

“Of course. It was also a request from you, Jinsang.”

Vivi answered the question that was thrown out as if it were a question.

It was an immediate answer that made the eyes of the chili shrimp turn.

“What do you want? Last time, you said you’d make me some armor or weapons that my summons could wear, or you’d strengthen them, and then you ran away right away-.”

“Huh? Running away? You should speak properly. That wasn’t enough to cover Anton’s expenses, so I asked for other things as well. I even asked for money.”

“That, that’s… no, so. The truth- the truth, how much did you plan on receiving from that person? What did you have to pay for him to be so generous?”

The embarrassed chili shrimp changed the subject.

Vivi hesitated for a moment when asked that question, but soon pulled the trigger.

“Nothing. Rather… no, anyway, I wasn’t promised anything in return for doing this.”

How can I possibly tell you all about the many things that happened in heaven?

If Jinseong had seen it, he would have felt Vivi’s growth even more, just by swallowing it with a moment’s hesitation.

Of course, to Chili Shrimp, who was unaware of such circumstances, it was just an absurd answer.

“Investing by looking at that person’s future value… is that the concept? Hehe, I get that Jinseong isn’t an ordinary person… Miss, but the world is all about transactions. Well, even so, each person has different values, so I won’t force you on them… But don’t do anything that would make you feel taken advantage of. I’m probably almost as old as you- Ahem, anyway, remember this older sister’s advice well.”

Could it be said that the power of experience is to subtly reveal one’s values, almost as if crossing the line?

Chili Shrimp smiled sinisterly at Vivi, who had a serious expression on her face.

And I tried to say.

“Well, I guess that doesn’t matter. In my opinion, Vivi, you seem to like that person-.”

Taaaaang-!

“-Whoaaaaa!? Wh, what are you doing!? Are you crazy?”

A remark that almost blew a hole in Chili Shrimp’s own head.

The chili shrimp looked at Vivi with wide eyes.

Vivi’s eyes, completely turned towards her.

“Huh? No, I shot at the android over there. Did it graze you?”

There was no way Chili Shrimp wouldn’t know the sincerity and threat contained in that voice and eyes that spoke so casually.

“I see… that’s possible. Yes, that could be possible. In this chaotic battlefield-.”

Parttsutsutsu────────!

At that moment, a noise different from the sounds the androids had been making until now rang out.

Vivi and Chili Shrimp saw a blue magnetic field forming in the air, and a figure tearing through it as if it was Giselle Logan.

He quickly scanned the battlefield and immediately shouted.

“Kehelhelhel, you’re not dead yet?! Everyone, sortie! We don’t need this place anymore, pour everything in and blow it up-!”

“uh?”

“huh?”

All the machinery in the Helix Labs began to glow.

* * *

This is Giselle, who Jinseong was chasing.

It was a completely unexpected situation for Chili Shrimp and Vivi, who had no idea what was going on.

“Director Gal! Deputy Director Eche! Get the surroundings organized right away!”

“! !”

However, the two were not ones to just sit there blankly.

Giselle is already running away, and there are sudden explosions heard all over the Helix Labs where only androids had been until a moment ago, and various ZX series units are starting to pop out here and there.

“What happened?! Where did the human I was chasing go and where did that guy come from?”

“Mr. Jin-sang, we have to chase after her first! We can’t let Giselle run away!”

“If you’re a human with eyes, a nose, and a mouth, of course you’d think that! Run!”

The situation became even more chaotic as not only the remaining androids but also the ‘trash mobs’ started to pop out, but the situation itself started to get sorted out more quickly than before.

Of course, the reason was because of the second awakening skill used by Chili Shrimp, .

“Ah, ah, my android test subjects-.”

“Scream loudly and quickly, quickly! Giselle, that human is thinking of blowing up the entire lab. We’ll be in danger if we don’t stop him or get out! Do you want to be buried alive?”

“-I don’t like that, but ugh… let’s go, for now!”

Giselle ran off somewhere in an instant.

To keep up with that quick movement, Chili Shrimp and Vivi also had to speed up, and at that point Vivi felt it again.

“Manager San, Manager Bun, disperse! Manager Lu will move with Manager San, and Deputy Sally and Deputy Ra will move with Manager Bun! Director Gal, tie up the androids!”

From the decision to instantly team up and deploy summoned creatures separately to execution.

With a few whips and encouragements in the air, he was able to build a line that could quickly grab and restrain all the summoned creatures, making it impossible for Vivi and Chili Shrimp to move without any obstacles.

‘He’s really an amazing person. His personality and way of speaking don’t really match, though… ‘

Vivi quickly brushed away her small exclamation and immediately raised her weapon.

Looking at the experimental tools and production facilities arranged in a wide space, the place where the machinery that was currently being produced and operated was located, and the place where Giselle ran as soon as she entered the place, she immediately pulled the trigger.

The bullets fired with the gunshot hit the table Giselle was heading towards.

To be exact, they targeted the computer located there, as well as the main unit, documents, and folders scattered about.

“Data! I came to collect data! If you’re planning to blow up the lab, you’ll want to collect important things before you do so- Sister! Break everything that looks like a computer or USB! Everything that looks like a data chip! !”

“……Ah, I see.”

The chili shrimp also nodded while looking at Bibi.

1. Chase and capture or kill Giselle.

2. After that, leave the lab.

Since Chili Shrimp was only focused on two things, he couldn’t help but be quite surprised by the option to ‘destroy data’.

‘He looks so foolish… … I see. Blowing up the lab means he’s going to run away after collecting the important data. If we can stop him from taking the data, we can delay the lab explosion itself. It’s not easy to catch him right away… … .’

Above all, it feels more rational and efficient than Chili Shrimp’s own plan.

In fact, Giselle’s forehead, which was wearing glasses that looked like sunglasses, had more wrinkles than ever before.

“Damn, that damn Black Arm guy was causing trouble too-. Adventurers, are you guys going to do the same!?”

“Be quiet! Where did Jinsang go? Tell me what happened!”

Bibi screamed.

The corners of Giselle’s mouth went up.

He turned and ran, no longer facing the papers or data files, and shouted.

“Kekekekekeke, I’ll probably be dead in the castle of the dead. Heh, I guess I won’t be seeing you adventurers anymore anyway. The data can be extracted again anyway, and all I have to do is find the right energy source to recharge it!”

“Huh? Energy? Recharge-…… Ah!?”

The moment Giselle turned around, Vivi saw her.

Something in the shape of a dark blue sphere in the direction he was heading. If it were a battery.

If it’s the energy used to power and create Androids and such here.

‘No. I can’t let Giselle take that. But that doesn’t mean… … .’

Should I shoot? Can I shoot?

If we take Vivi as the standard, Giselle is in the straight line ahead. The battery is beyond that.

Unless you can bend the bullet, you’ll have to go through Giselle’s body to get the battery.

But it’s Giselle.

From Vivi’s perspective, as she recalls her experiences with Jinseong and the things he said, she can’t help but think that she can’t let Giselle die right now!

“What are you doing, Vivi! Shoot! What are you doing saving your two-legged skill!?”

“That, that’s the one who should call me Kashiyas!”

“Then that human will be split into six in an instant, and I won’t be able to control it to that extent-.”

Giselle must be subdued.

You must not kill.

When these subtle restrictions leave the two adventurers at a loss as to what to do… … .

“Kekekekekeke, goodbye, you idiots! Never again-”

Giselle reached for the battery.

At the same time, Giselle’s plan was to activate the dimensional transport device shining in his arms and escape from here.

“-There’s nothing to see-.”

Whoosh────────… … .

But his outstretched hand could not reach the battery.

Suddenly, a purple line was drawn on the device he was holding against his chest.

Also, the battery right in front of me suddenly died, and a dark purple line was drawn on it.

“-huh?”

It was an incomprehensible phenomenon.

A line of color that stimulates our instincts as humans more than our curiosity as scientists, causing fear and anxiety. It is drawn as if it will touch our bodies, so it is impossible to move easily.

That wasn’t the only problem.

“-what-.”

As Giselle turned her gaze to see where and how the lines were drawn, other lines began to enter her eyes.

The mad scientist turned his head and saw purple lines being drawn everywhere he looked.

Giselle had to open her mouth wide, as if she was dreaming, as if she couldn’t believe it.

“What, what is this!? What’s going on!? All of a sudden…?”

As for the surprising things, the chili shrimp and bibimbap were the same.

The chili shrimp turned its head towards Vivi.

She couldn’t understand what was happening before her eyes.

“Vivi, you-.”

“No, that’s not me. This is… This is probably…!”

It was natural.

Even if Chili Shrimp doesn’t know, Bibi knows.

“Dark Knight… 2nd Awakening Skill!? No, but I guess my level isn’t enough yet-.”

Beside all the purple lines that were drawn.

A black silhouette, presumed to be male, was faintly visible.

That silhouette you can see in the distance.

But then a familiar voice was heard right next to Vivi.

“If we really want to be specific, it’s not a sudden awakening, it’s an awakening, Vivi. The correct expression would be a second awakening skill. And it’s not like I’m using it anyway.”

“Kkiing?! Surprise-.”

Vivi turned her head in surprise, but Jinseong was not there.

When countless black, yet familiar silhouettes once again came into view… … .

“Go.”

The true voice spread.

───────────… … !!!!

The interior of the Helix Research Institute was suddenly filled with purple light.