A woman fell into the Han River and died, and out of nowhere, I leveled up.
I've reached level 5, but there's no time to figure out why.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Thud thud thud thud.
The orc charges straight at me like a bull.
Its massive bulk and menacing features make the sight utterly intimidating.
'No way to dodge...'
I had two plans when I fled in this direction.
One was to jump into the Han River.
The other was to hide and hold out until the monsters were gone.
Regrettably, both plans failed.
Thud.
I leaped right back down from the subway car I'd just climbed onto.
Hanging on up there would be too tough.
Instead, I plan to lure the orc into falling into the Han River.
I position myself at the edge of the severed bridge section, ready to launch my body.
Thud thud thud thud thud.
'Ah...'
The orc gradually slows its pace.
I thought it'd barrel in like a wild boar, but despite its brutish looks, it seems to have some intelligence.
"Grrrrowl."
The orc lets out a bizarre guttural sound.
As if mocking my shallow strategy.
Then it swings its arm wide to grab me.
I drop into a low stance and step into a familiar footwork pattern.
Whoosh.
Its thick arm whistles past overhead.
I slip behind the orc and thrust the iron rod with all my might.
Squelch.
It glances off.
The orc twisted around quickly, so all I managed was a gash on its forearm.
'Reflexes and agility are decent.'
The orc reaches for me again.
Its hand is so enormous it blots out my vision in an instant.
I backpedal rapidly.
"Hoo."
In the brief opening, I visualize the fight with the orc in my mind.
I incorporate every scrap of surrounding info without missing a beat.
I plug in the data gathered from observing it from afar with the firsthand experience of facing it up close, refining its movements and mine.
"Kwaaaagh!"
Maybe it's pissed that it can't catch me easily.
The orc bellows a roar.
Then it charges straight in.
Arms spread wide, it looks just like it's going for a takedown.
Tap thud.
I hurl myself sideways, bounding off a sedan to escape.
Bam!
The orc tries to turn and smashes right into the car, tumbling over.
'Ah...'
I went to stab its nape, but it recovered its stance faster than expected.
'Tricky bastard.'
This thing's a real monster.
In a different way from goblins.
If it were human, it'd be dead by my hands already.
I even had an opening just now.
But its absurdly tough body ruined every chance.
Short, thick neck and unrealistically bulky shoulders.
Wrists as thick as my fists.
And yet, movements that are springy and elastic.
'Joints seem similar, though.'
It doesn't have any technical finesse.
Still, no matter how I imagine it, going toe-to-toe head-on means no chance of winning.
'If it grabs me, I'm dead for sure...'
Its reflexes and reaction speed are decent—relative to its strength.
The orc's power is beyond human limits.
Everything else, excluding raw muscle, is like an elite athlete.
'Drag it into a long fight...'
Could I win a war of attrition?
Too bad—I'm more exhausted than the orc.
"Kwaaaagh!"
The orc roars again and lunges.
I slither away like a loach, imagining over and over.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
In my life, I've been called a genius twice.
The first time was at the hospital.
The doctor in charge of me said my spatial perception and visualization skills were at a genius level.
The second time was at the MMA gym.
Training there was incredibly fun and suited me perfectly.
The coach thought I'd debut pro for sure.
Shwick stab.
Watching the orc reminds me of heavyweight fighters.
But it has no technique.
No grappling, no feints.
Thanks to that, I've stabbed the iron rod into its body a few times.
"Kraaagh!"
It snarls as I slice its calf.
The downside is I've never used a weapon like this before.
Not a single clean hit.
But I can't fight it barehanded either.
'No more screams...'
The voices from over there have gone silent.
Did the goblin pack finish everyone off?
Thud thud thud thud.
I decide to go all-in as the orc charges me again.
Time to unleash the buildup I've been steadily stacking.
I backpedal until I hit the spot I'd marked mentally, then plant my feet.
Tap.
The orc, thinking it's cornered me, spreads its arms wide.
As I drop low, it mirrors me.
I've already slipped under its armpit several times.
Grabbed its back, then stabbed with the rod.
It's got brains.
The orc, having learned my moves, rolls its eyes around.
Shiiiick.
I feint a surprise thrust at its face with the rod.
First direct frontal attack.
"Kruk."
The startled orc instinctively moves its hand.
Trying to grab the rod.
That's blocking its own view.
Zzzzzzt.
I release the rod and slide between its legs.
Glass shards on the ground scrape my skin.
Thud.
I slide and grab one leg with all my strength.
Pivoting on my hips, I press down on its Achilles.
Its leg strength is insane—nearly slipped free.
Whooom.
The orc topples.
Its forward-leaning center of gravity collapses completely from my tackle.
Pffuk—
Success.
Rebar thicker than my fingers tears through its nape and juts out.
From the leg collapse, the protruding iron.
Fighting the orc, I imagined relentlessly, enduring for this one tackle.
Drip.
The orc stops moving.
Green blood drips from it onto the ground.
That sound rings especially clear.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙Your level has increased.
That familiar voice rings out, and...
'Ah.'
A profound sense of liberation washes over me.
Freedom, joy, satisfaction.
All those emotions surge and explode at once.
'First time.'
It's the first time.
I've fully realized my imagination into reality without holding back.
At the gym, my visualization helped a ton with training.
The coach called it innate talent.
But reality was different.
I adjusted my imagination to fit the rules and social norms.
I couldn't fully express what I wanted.
It was inefficient.
'Fun.'
Now it's different.
My muscles ache, skin's scraped raw.
But I imagined freely and moved as I desired.
And claimed victory.
'Plus, I got stronger...'
Leveled up again to 6.
Took five-plus goblins for a level before, but one orc did it.
Correlation between monster strength and level ups.
Changes from leveling.
Lots to think about, but I want to savor this liberation fully.
No leisure for that yet.
'Hiding's out.'
The goblin pack's heading this way.
Another orc in the rear.
Everyone else must be dead.
'Where to go...'
Body's a wreck.
No major wounds, but everything screams in pain.
Blood-soaked clothes weigh me down.
"Hoo..."
I exhale long, steadying my ragged breath.
Rack my brain furiously for a way out of this hopeless mess.
'That...'
An emergency ladder leading down under the bridge.
Head there, might hold out.
Wish I'd spotted it sooner—didn't see it coming this way.
'Maybe the monsters give up.'
I steel myself and run.
Ladder's between me and the monster horde.
"Kirik."
I run, goblins chase.
The orc barrels through, shoving goblins aside.
"Kwaaaagh!"
Orc reaches the ladder first.
No slowdown—it keeps coming, hand outstretched for me.
Tap.
No choice, veer off course.
Dodge into abandoned cars to avoid encirclement.
Goblins arrive, blocking paths.
Whoosh thwack.
I bash a pesky goblin with short swings of the rod.
Stabbing takes recovery time.
'They know?'
Feels like they know my target.
They cluster thicker toward the ladder.
I weave through cars like a maze.
Get surrounded, it's over.
"Kragh!"
Suddenly the orc leaps onto a car roof.
It lunges down swinging a fist.
Whoosh boom!
I roll on the ground, barely dodging.
A goblin jumps on my back.
"Guh."
It bites my shoulder.
Want to grab and peel it off, but no hair to grip.
Reach back, jam fingers into what feels like its eye.
Pok.
"Kieeeek!"
Unpleasant squish on my fingers, goblin's scream pierces my eardrums.
"Fuck."
Finally shake it off and stand—another goblin leaps.
Arm up, barely block.
Forearm gets bitten instead.
Whoosh thwack.
Somehow I've stopped moving.
Thrashing amid goblins swarming front and back.
Bites and scratches accumulate on my body.
"Kwaaaagh!"
Barely guarding vitals like my nape.
Kaboom!
Orc's shout, then brutal impact to my side.
"Kiik."
The brute shoved the car I'd used as a shield—with its body.
I'm sandwiched between goblins and the car like a sandwich.
"Krak."
Orc appears before me.
Thud thud thud thud.
I smash the goblin trapped with me using elbows, locking eyes with the orc.
Somehow, it looks triumphant.
"Ngh."
Try to force my way out from between the cars.
Body won't respond with power.
"Grrrowl."
"Laughing?"
Orc bares yellow teeth.
Definitely grinning.
It pounds the hood boom boom, delighted.
Whooooosh.
Death's breathing down my neck.
Resolve to kill that orc somehow—then wind blows from somewhere.
For no reason, I look up.
'Holy shit...'
A massive creature flies across the sky.
A winged dragon.
The word "dragon" pops into my head instinctively.
It soars higher and higher.
Screeeeee————————————
Ears ring deafeningly, and the world freezes.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
The dragon kept climbing into the sky until it vanished from sight.
And I finally wriggled free from between the cars.
While I struggled, the monsters stayed put.
Doesn't make sense.
Though nothing's made sense lately—this scene is that bizarre.
'That sound?'
All monsters around me halted like time stopped.
If not for the flowing river and distant explosions, I'd swear time froze.
Anyway, I extract myself safely, grab the rod.
Approach the orc cautiously.
Shick stab.
It stays still until I pierce its throat.
Absurdly easy to finish it, retrieve the rod.
Leveled up again.
'Hold on...'
About to bolt, but the goblin horde's still frozen.
Body needs treatment now.
Rest too.
But greed kicks in.
Frozen goblins look like pure XP.
'Opportunity.'
Won't get many like this.
Grip the rod tight, stab the nearest goblin's throat.
Stab.
The one next to it.
And the one a bit farther.
Levels rise.
I mop up the bridge, dripping blood.
Feels like I'll collapse any second, but obsessed with the gains.
'Level 9...'
Killed every goblin, hit 9.
Higher levels need more goblins.
'Just a few more for 10...'
No goblins left, sadly.
XP event over—fatigue crashes in.
"Ugh."
Dizziness hits.
Stagger, barely steady.
"Kuh... kgh."
Suddenly, groaning moans.
Shake head, focus, listen.
"Kgh..."
Human voice.
Follow the sound.
After a few steps, find someone face-down in a pool of blood.
'That guy...'
Man in a hat.
The one who stepped up first amid the chaos, leading people.
The man who awakened to overcome the crisis.
Squelch squelch.
Approach him.
He's still breathing.
Limbs mangled.
Wouldn't be odd if he died right now.
I look down at him and make a decision.