WVKWnovel Chapter 326: SECOND AWAKENING
Chapter 326: SECOND AWAKENING
"I AM not as progressive as I’d like to be— I still think Guides don’t belong in the frontline," Yuno said firmly, arguing with the voice in his head. It wasn’t his voice, and it didn’t sound like the System either. But he was pretty sure that someone— something— had gotten inside his head. "Guides can’t fight like Espers do, after all. Yeah, we’re physically stronger than average humans. But we’re not that powerful against monsters."
"Uh, I agree with what you’re saying, Yuno," Jericho said while looking around nervously. "But who are you talking to? I don’t think you’re talking to the System since you don’t seem to be looking at your Status Window."
"I’m talking to the voice in my head."
"Oh, you’ve finally gone mad."
"No, literally— there’s a voice talking in my head," Yuno insisted. He knew that he was a bit crazy, but he hadn’t completely lost it yet. "It’s telling me to fight."
"Fight the monsters? Crazy."
"I know, right?"
"Don’t listen to the voice in your head," Jericho said in a serious tone. "It wants you dead."
Yuno wanted to say something in agreement with Jericho’s statement, but he stopped talking abruptly when Nam Sori suddenly appeared above them.
"I told you to get inside, you stubborn Guides!"
Nam Sori scolded Yuno and Jericho before putting a barrier around them.
Oh, nice timing.
Because right after Nam Sori put up the barrier, at least twenty winged monsters descended as if they wanted to grab Yuno by their long and sturdy-looking beaks.
Yeah, I can totally feel that I’m the target.
Fortunately, Nam Sori and the Rogues were strong enough to kill the winged monsters.
Yuno could tell that the monsters were screeching loudly— especially once the Espers had hit or sliced them.
Thankfully, the barrier was lowering the noise from outside.
"These winged-monsters seem to be using their small brains, Yuno," Jericho said while looking up at the sky and observing the winged monsters that remained in the sky. "They didn’t attack at the same time."
"Yeah, the ones attacking are low-grade monsters," Yuno agreed while observing the winged-monsters, too. "The ones that stayed up there are mid-grade monsters— and they seem to be intelligent."
"They’re also glaring at you, Yuno."
"Oh, you also noticed?"
"It’s hard not to notice when their bloodlust is directed at you. Your friend seems to have noticed as well," Jericho said, pointing at the semi-transparent barrier that was starting to turn murky. "Look, she’s trying to hide you now."
Yuno smirked proudly. "Nam Sori is really capable."
In just the blink of an eye, it became dark inside the barrier as if a curtain had fallen over it— hiding them from the world.
"We should be safe for now. Your friend seems strong enough..."
Hmm?
Yuno wondered why Jericho suddenly stopped talking, and then the older Guide’s eyes widened in shock.
"Your chest is bleeding, Yuno!"
Is it?
Yuno looked down at his chest, wondering if he was truly bleeding because he didn’t feel any pain at all.
But Jericho wasn’t lying.
What the fuck?
Not only was Yuno bleeding, but he also had a huge hole in his chest.
But I don’t feel anything...
Oh, he spoke too soon.
As soon as Yuno thought that he wasn’t in pain, his chest suddenly tightened so tight he thought his ribs would crush his heart.
But that didn’t happen.
Instead, something came out of his chest.
What the hell is this?
Yuno grabbed the handle that came out and pulled it as slowly as possible.
Jericho’s eyes widened in shock when the entire thing was halfway out. "A rifle?"
"It’s not just a simple rifle," Yuno said while pulling the entire weapon out of his chest. "It’s a fucking steampunk rifle."
And it looked so chic!
"This is totally my style," Yuno said, staring at the cool weapon with shining eyes. "I didn’t know my chest was a weaponry."
"I don’t think this is the right time to joke about that," Jericho said while staring at Yuno. "There’s something wrong with your body, kid. Look— your chest wound has already closed."
Right?
The pain also stopped once the steampunk rifle was out.
Yuno was just about to talk to the voice in his head when his Status Window popped up.
[Guide Noh Yuno, here’s a side quest for you: Hit and kill 50 winged-monsters with the
Reward: Second Awakening.
Bonus: Ability to Guide monsters and tame them.]
Oh?
The ’bonus’ was tempting.
But...
"Second Awakening?" Yuno asked curiously. "What does it mean?"
Before he got a response from the System, he had already gotten distracted when something hard hit the barrier.
CLAAANGGG.
That was the sound of a glass breaking.
At the same time, the ground started shaking hard.
Ah.
When Yuno looked up, he realized that the barriers had long cracks all over.
"The monsters are probably stronger than expected," Jericho said worriedly while checking the poor state of their shield. "It’s not going to hold up for long, is it?"
"No, so get behind me, Jericho," Yuno said, gripping his steampunk rifle properly. Yes, he was a Guide. But, while in the Lab, they were taught how to handle different weapons. It was a part of Charles Kang’s plan to turn them into combat Guides. "I’ll use this rifle to fight the monsters."
"For real?"
"It was an order from the System."
"I thought it was from the voice in your head," Jericho asked, confused. "Or maybe the voice in your head was actually the System?"
Yuno didn’t get the chance to respond to Jericho because the barrier finally collapsed.
As soon as the shield shattered, a giant winged monster greeted them.
Tsk.
"Yuno, Jericho-nim, run!"
It was Nam Sori, yelling worriedly at them while being crushed by two giant winged monsters.
And it wasn’t just Nam Sori who was struggling.
All the Rogues were being overpowered by the winged monsters— the mid-grade ones.
But it seems like their grades are higher since Nam Sori is struggling.
However, Yuno didn’t have time to worry about that.
When he saw the giant winged monster screeching while charging at him, he immediately raised the steampunk rifle and fired.
At the same time, his Status Window popped up again.
[The
In short, it was Yuno’s mana that was powering the weapon.
No wonder I’m already feeling weak!
***
[RECOVERY COMPLETE.]
Fucking finally.
Ki Gayoon immediately got up and stretched his arms.
The numbness in his body was gone, so he could move freely now.
"I’ll go and help Matthew."
[No.]
"The fuck you mean no?"
[It’s here— the Final Boss.]
Ki Gayoon clicked his tongue. "I really don’t mind fighting that thing, but I’m worried about Matthew and Noh Yuno. Keep me updated with their status, will you?"
[The System will—]
BANG!
What seemed like a meteorite fell down on the mansion, crushing it instantly.
***
YUNO was taught how to handle weapons, so he knew how to use a gun and a rifle.
But his shooting experience actually came from video games.
I’m glad I had a gamer phase during my emo years.
As a result, Yuno was shooting the winged monsters as if he had been a sniper all his life.
Heck, he was even shooting on one knee.
He didn’t just look cool— he was actually doing great as he hadn’t missed a target yet.
It was all thanks to the shooting glasses that appeared out of nowhere when he started shooting. The glasses were an Item that had the ability to increase his shooting accuracy.
And the best part?
The rifle came with a silencer, so it didn’t bother his hearing.
Plus, the recoil wasn’t that bad.
"Yuno-ya, how do you do that?" Nam Sori, who had finally gathered herself together and was back to slaying monsters, asked in surprise. "You can kill the higher-grade monsters with just one shot?! What are you, an S-Class Esper?!"
"I know, right?" Yuno agreed because even he was shocked that the monster would turn into ashes as soon as his Mana bullets hit them. "Maybe I do have the potential to be an S-Class Esper!"
He only meant it as a joke.
Hence, he was surprised when his Status Window popped up.
[Congratulations, Guide Noh Yuno.
You have awakened as an Esper.]
Yuno was, needless to say, flabbergasted.
I’m an Esper now?
***
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