Chapter 406 - Total Assault (2

# Angel Assault

"Aaaah! What on earth is happening?!"

"Kyaaaah! In the sky, m-m-monsters!!!"

It was a massive catastrophe that wasn't in the original story.

The angels that had been coming in small numbers until now suddenly launched a full-scale attack all at once.

Angels appeared in virtually every city worldwide, anywhere humans lived.

They invaded this world, filling the sky densely.

And naturally, where I was located was no exception.

"Oppa! Oppa, something terrible is happening...!"

In downtown Seoul.

There, I was looking up at the countless angels that had appeared, blocking the sky.

Ah. We're screwed.

"Sob, aaaah! Everyone hide!!"

"What on earth is happening!!!"

People started running away in panic.

In that situation, I frantically analyzed what was happening.

...The angels launched a massive assault unlike in the original story. Why? Was this the reason their attacks had been minimal until now?

No, that's not it. But if attacks of this scale are happening worldwide right now... this doesn't make sense. This isn't something that could be prepared by just reducing attacks for a few days. The Sun God shouldn't even have this much power.

So what could it be?

My thoughts were interrupted by the churning in my stomach.

"Ugh..."

Throb-

With the sudden pain in my heart, I clutched my chest and staggered slightly.

Meanwhile, alarmed, Seo-eun and Ms. Su-bin shook my arms and said:

"Oppa, what are you doing? Let's run away quickly!"

"Da-in! Let's hurry...!"

The situation wasn't good.

No, it was practically life-threatening.

We were alone without any ability users nearby, just me without powers, Ms. Su-bin, and Seo-eun under the angels' attack.

However.

Even so, we hadn't felt any major crisis yet.

"Kuk... Yes, I understand. Everyone, take my hand."

I had the perfect skill for escaping emergency situations like this.

Teleportation.

Hiding my throbbing headache, I took both their hands.

With Seo-eun and Ms. Su-bin clinging to either side of me.

...The angels' forces would soon reach the ground, but there was no major problem. I just needed to teleport us to an underground shelter.

I wanted to summon Halo right away, but since he's also an angel, attacks wouldn't work on him anyway, so he wouldn't be much help.

'...I'll have to push myself and teleport straight to the Association.'

Thinking that, I attempted to teleport.

And at that moment.

-Throb.

A tearing pain inside my body.

Along with a pain that made it hard to breathe, I felt that something had gone wrong.

With that strange feeling, as our bodies began to move.

"Kuhak..."

-Thud.

Crash-bang-bang-bang-bang-bang-bang

"Kyaaaah!"

"D-Da-in? Are you okay?"

How far had we moved? Without reaching our target underground shelter, I crashed into some street pavement and was thrown off.

Dizziness.

That was all I felt.

After rolling on the ground once, I staggered to my feet. ...Perhaps I fell first to protect them. Feeling blood flowing from my head, I waved my hand to signal I was fine to Seo-eun and Ms. Su-bin, who were running toward me with worried and confused looks.

...No. That's what I tried to do.

"Ugh. I'm, fine... cough."

Splat.

Until I unexpectedly coughed up a handful of blood.

The sticky blood I felt on my hand as I coughed.

"Cough, cough."

At the same time, my vision momentarily blurred.

"O-Oppa! Are you okay? Oh, no...! Wake up!"

"Da... Da-in? What is this... no, we need treatment quickly..."

"Ah..."

Clutching my churning stomach.

I collapsed to my knees on the ground without realizing it.

"Arrrrrrrrrrrr!"

Hearing the angels' howls from above, feeling the blood dripping from my mouth, I struggled to maintain consciousness through the haze.

What on earth is happening?

...Should I have anticipated this from when the angel attacks stopped?

No. I had definitely prepared. But for the invasion to come precisely when I was alone without any ability users, at my weakest moment.

...Could they have known everything? Taking advantage of when I was most vulnerable.

No, that must be paranoia.

"Cough."

After coughing up blood once more, I barely regained my fading consciousness and muttered.

Anyway, it's over now. The angels are getting closer, and for some reason my body is becoming more unstable rather than stronger.

Damn it. Star God. Are you messing with me until the very end?

After silently cursing with sincerity, I gathered my wits and barely managed to mutter:

"...Seo-eun, cough, Seo-eun, Ms. Su-bin. Go... go ahead without me."

"Da-in, what are you saying?!"

"...Oppa, stop talking nonsense. Let's hurry and escape!"

With those words, Seo-eun and Ms. Su-bin hoisted me onto their shoulders.

The streets were already empty as everyone had fled, leaving only us who had crash-landed due to the teleportation error.

'No, there's no time for this...'

The angels were already flying right above us, casting shadows everywhere.

At this rate, it seemed like all three of us would die miserably.

...I have no choice then.

Using my last bit of strength for one more try...

"ARRRRRRRR!!!!!!"

As the angels' voices echoed directly above us, I attempted one final teleportation.

And.

The result was failure.

Crash-bang-bang-bang.

...Far from reaching the Association, I couldn't even bring Seo-eun and Ms. Su-bin with me, moving only about 50 meters before crashing to the ground alone.

From a distance, Seo-eun and Ms. Su-bin were looking at me in dismay.

"Ah..."

And already.

Time was up.

"ARRRRRRRRRR!!!"

Angels with golden spears attacking from directly above us.

Like countless birds, filling the sky without a single empty space. Coming down with only the intent to kill us.

I watched them in a daze, as if time had slowed down.

How did it come to this?

Before my eyes.

Ms. Su-bin pulling out a gun from her pocket with a hardened face as she looked up.

Seo-eun summoning some small robot with her smartphone.

Their images appeared dreamlike to me.

...I could also use the tentacle suit, Behemoth, in my pocket to resist for a while... but how long could I hold out?

Even just the angels visible now numbered in the tens, hundreds, thousands.

Would I lose everyone like this?

Seo-eun and Ms. Su-bin... lose them all here? So futilely? Without being able to do anything?

Right. This was always a cruel world, wasn't it?

'......'

I gritted my teeth.

Even in this situation, my pathetic ability is useless until the end.

Just like that, just like that... I'm going to lose everyone.

Half-collapsed like that.

Feeling the angels about to swing something at me from above, I quietly closed my eyes.

End it here.

Unable to do anything, losing everyone I've protected until now.

Thump.

When I first arrived in this world and discovered my two abilities, I was extremely worried. With these weak abilities, I wouldn't be able to survive in the rapidly escalating power inflation. ...No, with this power, I wouldn't be able to protect this world.

Realizing I couldn't protect this world with my power alone, I gathered others. Because I was weak. To use the power of people stronger than me who could protect everyone.

And that plan was quite successful. I managed to get through three turning points differently from the original, without major sacrifices.

However, my power.

Even until then, there had been no growth.

Thump.

'...Don't mess with me.'

I'm supposed to be someone with the power of stars.

At the very least, I should be able to protect the people by my side.

Even if it costs me my life.

Please.

Give me power too.

Thump.

Thump-thump-thump-thump-thump-thump-thump.

Snap.

"ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!"

With those thoughts.

I quietly opened my eyes.

And before me.

-......

As if someone had pressed a slow-motion button.

Time was flowing slowly before my eyes.

Slowly, Seo-eun and Ms. Su-bin about to be engulfed by the wave of angels descending from above.

Similarly, the cold sensation I felt on the back of my neck.

In a world that seemed to have turned black and white.

Feeling all of that, I quietly reached out my hand to them.

And.

Along with the sensation of life force burning away inside me.

In the slowed time.

Swooooooosh

Black light erupted from my outstretched hand.

Like threads, countless black strands extending outward.

Those threads quickly stretched toward all the angels around us in the slowed time.

Pik. Pik. Pik. Pik.

Those black tentacle-like light threads pierced through the angels' chests one by one.

Like a black tree drawn in watercolor growing from my hand.

One by one, extending into countless branches, piercing the hearts of angels.

So thin and black that they could hardly be called light, twisting as they extended...

It was like black blood oozing from my body, burning the last flame.

Like that, black trees filled the sky.

Like a spider web, at the moment all angels were pierced.

Snap.

Time flowed again.

And the angels that filled the sky fell like leaves.

"Krarrrrrrrr!"

Amidst the countless angels falling like rain with their final death throes.

I stood dazed on the ground, blood still flowing from my head, black light strands extending from my hand.

And then.

"Urgh..."

I vomited black blood uncontrollably, then collapsed.