Fired Characters from an Idle Game

37. The Usual UFC – (2)

The coming of Mirien, Storm of the North Sea, to our stronghold brought with it a new change.

A change that seemed, at first glance, minor. Yet, it was a change of considerable magnitude.

[4★ Hellfire Hound has completed Calamity Synthesis.]

[Reward: 50Exp / 3★ Crimson Wolf]

[5★ Mirien, Storm of the North Sea, has completed Calamity Synthesis.]

[Reward: 150Exp / 4★ Rock Crusher]

*Ting.*

“Oh.”

For the first time, synthesis of a 4-Star Calamity had been achieved.

And the star of this event was none other than Mirien, Storm of the North Sea.

Her aptitude for synthesis was a remarkable ‘S’.

Meaning she was second only to Asteria, who possessed the S+ synthesis aptitude, amongst all existing Calamities.

“Actor! Did I do well!”

“Ah, you really did wonderfully.”

Furthermore, once she’d resolved her misunderstanding, Mirien treated me like a beloved older brother. The feelings she harbored for me were likely closer to love, but I chose to stubbornly ignore that fact.

Love, or not, just the fact that Mirien, and the other three Calamities, were all watching me was suffocating enough.

[4★ Rock Crusher has been assigned as a Guardian of the Stronghold 「Tower of Reversal」.]

[Y]

I set the newly acquired 4-Star Calamity, Rock Crusher, as a sentinel for the tower. Should any Awakened, foolish enough to disregard their own lives, attempt to intrude, Rock Crusher would be our gatekeeper.

An Earth-attribute 4-Star Calamity. Though not a Named one, he should be able to handle three or four 3-Stars without much difficulty.

“…Actor, praise me more.”

“Yes, yes. You did well. Really.”

As such, Mirien’s arrival at the stronghold was a great boon. She wasn’t particularly suited for combat, but possessed a significant advantage in non-combat fields, making her future contributions something to look forward to….

“….”

I paused my thoughts, catching the sight of the ashen-haired Saintess, smiling radiantly in the distance.

She, of course, was looking at me.

[5★ Searched Saintess Selene is watching you!!]

The two exclamation points in the status window spoke volumes of Selene’s current state of mind.

Like a husband caught in the act, I stammered, hesitant.

“…Selene, you… you know. Synthesis is one of Mirien’s specialties… and you have other specialties, besides….”

“Yes. I understand, my Lord. You needn’t be so considerate. More than anything, am I not your adjutant?”

Selene placed an emphasis on the word ‘adjutant,’ for some reason.

“…Ah, um.”

As I trailed off, Mirien, who had been silently observing this farce, narrowed her eyes.

Then, with a mischievous smile, she plopped down onto my lap.

“Actor, I’m also confident I can be a good adjutant. Better than that she-fox, even! Especially with synthesis.”

Perhaps it was because her build was so slight, I barely felt her weight.

However, there was a weight pressing down on my shoulders.

The weight of the frigid air that had settled there.

“Remove that wretched creature at once, my Lord. Her mage’s stench will cling to you.”

“…Ah, no, I’m not saying to remove her, but…”

As Selene raged, Mirien twisted her lips and wrapped her arms around my neck.

Like a sloth clinging to a tree, bare skin was visible between the gaps in her blatantly displayed skirt, but Mirien didn’t seem to care in the slightest. In fact, she might not even possess a sense of shame.

“…My Lord?”

“She’s… a child. Let’s be understanding.”

“She is no child. That creature is the Great Calamity who slaughtered tens of millions.”

*You burned the world too,* I thought.

But her gaze was too piercing to voice that.

…Too piercing.

“A-anyway, let’s discuss our future course of action.”

I managed to change the subject.

“As it stands, we can’t exactly go to China, can we?”

Discovering that Karne’s location was in China was certainly a victory.

But going to meet her now was impossible.

Although I had managed to secure an assurance from the Bureau that they wouldn’t interfere with my actions through the last performance, they wouldn’t tolerate the country’s only S-class Awakened leaving the country.

Especially with the fourth Outbreak only five days away. No matter how incompetent the South Korean government may be, they wouldn’t neglect the country’s greatest power.

Besides, even if I faced Karne right now, I wouldn’t have the strength to restrain her. She currently possesses three 4-star Calamities. No, if you include the unknown ones, she’d be an even more formidable force.

I may have two 5-star Calamities and three 4-star Calamities at my base, but Karne was no pushover either.

In the end, now was the time to increase our strength.

“…More importantly, Mirien, wouldn’t you want to get off soon?”

“I think I deserve a bit more praise. A Four-Star Calamity, you know? Those aren’t exactly handed out. Actor thinks so too, doesn’t he? He always cheers me on.”

“I know… I do, but…”

Cold sweat trickled down my back.

Yet Selene simply tilted her chin, a picture of serene composure.

“No, it’s quite alright. My Lord, please don’t concern yourself and continue with what you were doing. Even if you were to place your hand upon that filthy wench’s thigh, or delve within the folds of her skirt, I would be perfectly fine.”

“…No, when did I ever do that?”

“You might, conceivably. It’s perfectly alright. My Lord is more than entitled to indulge in carnal pleasures.”

Selene offered a smiling facade as she spoke, but I noticed the Sigil of Holy Flames encircling her had begun to burn with a keener, more menacing intensity.

Mirie, seemingly enjoying this little game, rubbed her cheek against my chest.

*Crack*.

The sound of grinding teeth filled the air.

“…You filthy little whore.”

In the end, it was Selene who couldn’t hold back.

The Wedge Sword of Hellfire was drawn.

Just another typical UFC.

*

Five days later.

[The Rift is Erupting.]

[From the Eruption of the Rift, you may collect various Calamities.]

[Defeat the Calamities and subjugate them. The subjugated Calamities will reinforce your stronghold as loyal minions.]

[The Eruption will end in 6h.]

“Hoo.”

The System Window heralded the start of the fourth Eruption.

As I had done during the last Eruption, I climbed to the rooftop of the Management Bureau building and surveyed the surroundings. From the swirling vortex of the rift torn open in the sky, a stream of miscellaneous Calamities began to pour forth.

Most were One-Star to Two-Star, nothing particularly outstanding like last time. However, their numbers were far greater than in the previous Eruption. Moreover, during the Tower of逆天 Eruption incident, Selene’s rampage had caused a great many Awakeners to lose their own Calamities.

This Rift Eruption would definitely be more challenging than the last.

Most troublesome of all, however, was the fact that I had a few uninvited guests at my side.

“Hehehe.”

This girl with a vacant smile, who genuinely seemed to possess a lower intellect.

B-Rank Awakener Seo Yerin, and a few other Awakeners, had been organized into my group.

Despite my protests that I needed no help, the Bureau had stuck these people to my side under the guise of providing minimal escort for an S-Rank Awakened.

‘b*stard Bureau.’

I cursed inwardly.

Regardless, Seo Yerin approached and gave a polite bow.

“I heard from Sena-unni that you saved me. Thank you so much.”

“Ah, it wasn’t really anything.”

“Can I film you again this time?”

“Film me?”

Seo Yerin already held her phone aloft.

“Yep. Director Yu Junseo has decided to use me as Miss Nam Jooyeon’s exclusive camerawoman.”

“…Why on earth?”

“The video views surpassed a hundred million. I guess he highly values that contribution.”

“No, that’s not what I meant. Why is the Bureau filming my videos at all?”

“Um… what did he say? It was… public relations… or something?”

Yu Junseo, you son of a b*tch.

My face twisted, but with Seo Yerin holding a camera, there wasn’t much I could do.

My face was already plastered everywhere, so one more video wouldn’t change much.

“Just don’t get in my way.”

“Yes! I promise I won’t be an inconvenience!”

Seo Yerin’s face lit up as she nodded enthusiastically.

A flower garden for a brain is what that is.

I sighed and manipulated the status window.

[Summoning 4★ Storm Dragon Tempestia.]

[Summoning 4★ Stone Crusher.]

Unlike last time, I possessed two 4-star Calamities.

And so, the summoned 4-star Calamity Stone Crusher possessed a colossal size rivaling that of Storm Dragon Tempestia.

“Gasp! This is the rumored second 4-star of the S-Rank Awakened!”

Seo Yerin, who had already been filming me with her camera, exclaimed with a fuss.

In truth, compared to Sky Dragon Tempestia, Stone Crusher was not a named Calamity, so it was inevitably weaker, but this Calamity possessed its own unique advantages.

Like this.

[4★ Rock Crusher casts skill 「Ground Shatter」.]

Kugugugu!

The Rock Crusher slammed its massive, boulder-like fists into the earth.

Several buildings, lacking seismic resistance, crumbled, yet the sheer destructive force was magnificent. Nearby, a host of lesser calamities were extinguished. A wry smile tugged at my lips as I watched kill logs flood my status window.

‘Performance is certainly reliable.’

Within Disaster Order, Ground Shatter was akin to a sealed technique, a wide-area skill indiscriminate in its targeting. But now, with reality mirroring the game, it had found its niche.

In well-controlled areas, devoid of civilians or other Awakened, a single Earth Shatterer could bottle up dozens of calamities.

During a defensive war like this, such a merit was not to be dismissed.

“Ah, amazing! A feat even ten Awakened would struggle with, done single-handedly…! The power of an S-Rank!”

Seo Yerim added her verbose commentary, which I pointedly ignored.

Now that I thought about it, what she was doing felt less like simple recording and more like internet broadcasting.

[4★ Tempest Dragon Tempestora casts skill 「Sky’s Roar」.]

Regardless, thanks to the activity of the two 4-star disasters, the section allotted to me was completely swept.

A brief respite opened before the next wave descended.

Seo Yerim, apparently not interested in filming me catching my breath, stowed her phone and hurried towards me.

“N-Nam Juyeon, S-Rank Awakened! Truly incredible! Guardian of Seoul! Dragon King! Maestro!”

“…”

This flurry of compliments seemed less like a broadcast script and more like Seo Yerim’s usual manner of speaking.

“…Just call me Juyeon, plainly. And drop that cumbersome Dragon King title.”

“…A-ah, but how could I…”

Seo Yerim’s cheeks flushed pink as she spoke.

“T-Then, Nam Juyeon-ssi…?”

“Yes.”

“You were amazing! A second 4-star, the Earth Shatterer! You can now rightfully claim to be the best Awakened in the world! Even more than that Chink!”

Seo Yerim beamed, giving me a thumbs-up.

Instead of basking in the praise, I focused on her last remark.

“Chink? Why the sudden slur?”

“Didn’t you know? China has an S-Rank Awakened too, a counterpart to Korea’s. And that guy has a 4-star disaster as well. But the pride of the Republic of Korea, Nam Juyeon-ssi, arrived and bam! A clear re-ordering of the ranks!”

Seo Yerim gesticulated wildly as she lauded me, but I let it wash over me.

Come to think of it, Kang Sena had mentioned something about an S-Rank Awakened in China, not too long ago.

“Seo Yerin-ssi.”

“Neh!”

Quite the stir of interest.

Because I had heard news of Karne from Mirien.

In any case, even if just to meet her, I needed to know the ins and outs of China’s situation.

“…Do you happen to know anyone on the Chinese side who is Awakened?”

“Pardon?”

“Well, it doesn’t necessarily have to be an Awakened person. The Awakened management bureau there… no, is it the Public Security Bureau in China? Anyways, I was wondering if you had any connections in the management bureau or the Public Security Bureau, if you could connect me.”

“….”

Seo Yerin blinked a few times.

Then, her eyes darted back and forth.

It seemed she was harboring some needless misunderstanding; Seo Yerin’s face turned pale. Eventually, her lips parted slowly.

“D-don’t…”

“Don’t?”

“Don’t go… what are you trying to do by becoming an honorary *zzhanggae*….”

“….”

It seemed Seo Yerin was a nationalist to the bone.