I'm Doomed

There is a weapon called the Rod of God.

It’s a kinetic weapon that can achieve nuclear-level destructive power by dropping tungsten rods from orbital altitude.

Despite having the advantage of no radioactive contamination unlike nuclear weapons, it never made it to actual deployment due to issues like the cost of lifting metal rods weighing several tons into orbit, technical difficulties, and relatively low power. However, this conversely meant that if those problems could be solved, it would be a perfectly viable weapon for actual combat.

“Couldn’t we recreate the Rod of God using Dragonia?”

Dragonia wasn’t just a simple city but an ark for survivors of a destroyed dimension and an invasion weapon for conquering other dimensions.

Naturally, it had capabilities like levitation.

Though initially skeptical of Yuseong’s idea to summon Dragonia into reality and strike the ground from maximum altitude, as their conversation progressed, Sophia had no choice but to change her mind.

“While it would certainly be simpler and more efficient compared to weapons using modern or future technology, it still wouldn’t be free and definitely couldn’t be done overnight. I’m already at my limit with just my current work.”

“We don’t need to add anything or modify it – can’t we just detach the sections planned for disposal and drop them?”

“What about accuracy? We’re not properly aiming and firing, just detaching sections – precision strikes would be impossible.”

“Precision would be nice, but considering the power and area of effect, wouldn’t it be enough damage even if it just lands nearby?”

If it had involved creating something entirely new or would take a long time, Sophia would have opposed.

However, Yuseong’s pseudo-Rod of God plan required no preparation or time.

The only things needed were calculating the drop trajectory to ensure the detached sections landed as close to the target as possible and adjusting Dragonia’s position.

Sophia readily agreed, saying she could handle that much, and this was the result.

‘Meteor Strike? I didn’t sense any energy fluctuations?’

Ultimate magic, sealing, dispel, illusion.

Various thoughts appeared and disappeared in his mind, but his body, tempered through countless battles, instinctively took the optimal stance to defend against the approaching meteorite.

He raised both arms to protect his head and released dense energy that was visible to the naked eye just as the meteorite struck the city.

BOOM!

The impact of thousands of tons of mass accelerated by gravity was tremendous.

Massive shockwaves spread out with an indescribable roar that tore the atmosphere and vaporized the ground.

“…!”

Harnak’s scream from the excruciating pain of his body being torn apart and vaporized was completely drowned out by the meteorite impact’s thunderous roar.

Before this catastrophe of collapsing skies and upturned earth, all Harnak could do was endure until this hellish moment passed.

“Cough!”

After what felt like an eternity, sound finally erupted from Harnak’s mouth.

His physical condition was the worst possible.

Both arms had vanished without a trace, and his entire body was charred black.

However, a faint smile played across Harnak’s face.

Though he had taken extreme damage, he had survived nonetheless.

Injuries could be healed, the city could be rebuilt by his subordinates, and the escapees could be caught – that was all.

He hadn’t truly lost anything.

“I can’t remember the last time I was injured this badly. It gets my blood boiling. While I’m at it, I should gather my subordinates and…”

Harnak’s monologue was cut short because the city was once again plunged into darkness.

Looking up at the sky with trembling eyes, Harnak unconsciously muttered:

“…This is a bit much.”

A second meteorite, no smaller than the first, filled Harnak’s field of vision.

* * *

The first thing that entered his vision after passing through the brilliant light tunnel was a burning building.

‘What kind of world is this?’

In a situation where a meteorite could fall on his head at any moment, there was no leisure to check and choose quests.

He had selected the name at the very top the instant the quest list window appeared, so everything was unknown – what kind of world this was, what the current situation was, what needed to be done.

‘The setting seems fantasy. Looks like it’s during a war…’

After roughly assessing the situation from the clothes being worn, building architecture, sounds of weapons coming from all around, and corpses scattered everywhere, Yuseong immediately raised his sword and took a defensive stance.

-What is this? An illusion?

Though the client’s voice was heard, Yuseong made no response.

While he didn’t intend to not clear the quest, this quest’s purpose wasn’t completion but escape.

Though he had avoided the meteorite impact, considering the aftermath, it would be appropriate to wait at least half a day, or generously a full day, before returning to Earth.

‘I don’t know this world’s time ratio, but it hasn’t even been a minute since starting the quest. Unless there’s an extremely radical time ratio difference, if I return to Earth now, I’ll definitely get caught in the meteorite impact’s aftermath. I can talk with the client all I want later. Right now survival is the top priority.’

Anything could happen on a battlefield.

To avoid the misfortune of dying from a stray arrow flying from somewhere, Yuseong leaned his back against a nearby wall while watching his surroundings.

Finally, a message appeared before his eyes.

[Synchronization with ‘Abel’ is complete]

[You can now use ‘Abel’s’ skills]

“Status Window.”

Name: Abel

Class: Hero Candidate

Level: 551

Title: The Unchosen

Strength: 752

Agility: 851

Wisdom: 1,028

Constitution: 960

Magic Power: 1,054

Divine Power: 64

Skills: Light of Dawn(A), Andrei’s Mana Training Method(A), Swordsmanship(A-), Mana’s Blessing(B+), Aura Blade(B+), Holy Weapon(B+), Shield Arts(B), Holy Armor(B), Bless(B-)…

Yuseong’s expression changed subtly at seeing thousand-level stats and high-rank skills for the first time since Hae Cheongyeong.

While a powerful client meant he could obtain high-rank skills and powerful artifacts, it also meant the difficulty would inevitably increase.

‘If this is a problem that such a powerful person can’t solve, it must be at least a B-rank quest.’

Yuseong immediately called up the quest window and let out a hollow laugh.

“I’m doomed.”

[The Hero Who Couldn’t Become a Hero]

-Civilization Classification: M-8

-Civilization Grade: 0.71

-Difficulty: A-

-Abel, the official heir of the Andrei family that has produced heroes for generations, was stripped of the Andrei name and expelled from the family for not being chosen as a hero. To find out why he couldn’t become a hero and restore his lost honor, he joined the hero’s demon lord subjugation party, but all Abel could realize was that the new hero was unfit to be a hero. Something must be wrong. Please help Abel so everything can return to its natural order.

-Clear Conditions

1. Revoke current hero’s qualification: 40,000,000 Karma, Elixir×1, Blessed Mithril Long Sword×1, Blessed Mithril Full Plate Armor Set×1, Supreme Holy Water×50, True Judgment×50

-Additional Conditions

1. If chosen by the goddess as new hero: 100,000,000 Karma, Divine Artifact Blessing×1, Seed of Divinity×1

An A- rank ultra-high difficulty quest.

Moreover, unlike the high difficulty quests he had cleared until now, this was the type where tricks would be hard to employ.

‘I’ll need to investigate the details first, but looks like I should prepare for failure with this quest.’

-Who’s speaking! Is this illusion magic? Or curse magic? You think you can defeat me with such cheap tricks?

‘Calm down. I have no hostility toward you. Rather, I came to help you.’

-Came to help? What nonsense. You think you can defeat me with such cheap tricks? If you really have no hostility, undo this state and return me to normal. Then I’ll believe you.

‘Well, that’s not something I can control.’

-I thought so. What’s your goal? Planning to cause chaos using my body? Then you’ve made a mistake.

‘I’m telling you that’s not it. Let me explain what’s going on…’

As Yuseong was about to explain everything from the beginning, he sensed a powerful presence and stopped moving.

“After setting such a nice trap, all I caught was one half-wit who failed to become a hero. Too much of a loss. I wasn’t hoping for a hero or Saintess, but isn’t this a bit much?”

-Damn it. I thought something was off…

Yuseong slowly raised his head to look at the sky.

A woman with two horns, massive wings, and a lazily swaying tail.

One word reflexively escaped:

“Succubus?”

“Your reaction seems like you’re seeing me for the first time? Don’t tell me you’re angry because I called you a half-wit?”

The succubus tilted her head and smiled playfully.

Though her seductive figure and beautiful voice could enchant any man, Yuseong didn’t even twitch.

This was because Yuseong was using Eye of Truth to see not her exterior but her interior.

‘…She’s a monster.’

The succubus possessed overwhelming magic power.

Converting to points, it was about five times this body’s magic power – in other words, magic power reaching 5,000 points.

High stats don’t guarantee victory.

This is because there are countless variables in actual combat like skills, items, combat experience, and condition.

‘But even so, five times is too much, isn’t it?’

Just as he had been crushing enemies with 3,000 points of strength, with 5,000 points of magic power, she could overturn the battle just by releasing energy without even needing to use skills.

‘This is absolutely unwinnable.’

Direct confrontation, surprise attack, escape.

No method offered any chance of victory.

The moment that succubus decided, he would die.

Yuseong desperately racked his brain while using Asura Perception Way.

It hadn’t even been 5 minutes since starting the quest.

Though the only information available was the few lines of text written in the quest window and the succubus’s words, that was enough for Yuseong.

‘That succubus. She seems to know you – what’s her name?’

-Serena.

Having realized this was an emergency situation, Abel answered cooperatively as if his uncooperative attitude until just now had been a lie.

‘Not sure if this will work but…’

While it might have a higher survival probability than fighting, it could also potentially help with the quest if handled well.

After finishing his calculations, Yuseong deliberately spoke in a trembling voice:

“Serena.”

“My, how strange that you would call me by name. Well, I should be polite too then. Abel. Any last words?”

“Earlier you said catching me in your trap was a loss, right?”

“I did. Why?”

“If you spare me, I’ll help you catch better prey.”

“…Hmm.”

Serena’s eyes narrowed.