Chapter 95

“It would have been fun if there were aliens or UFOs.”

Although there were monsters invading Earth, there were no aliens.

According to Sophia’s explanation, Area 51 was just an ordinary research facility where the Air Force developed and tested experimental aircraft and cutting-edge vehicles, not a facility researching aliens or UFOs as conspiracy theories claimed.

Of course, after Sophia became a researcher at Area 51, it had become quite far from ordinary.

‘Well, I guess monsters could be considered aliens too, so maybe I shouldn’t be disappointed?’

Shaking his head to clear away the idle thoughts, Yuseong reached for a bag that was placed nearby.

A bag containing a skull mask and clothing suitable for Halloween.

These were disguise items prepared by Sophia in place of himself, whose every move would inevitably be exposed.

After putting on the clothing, shoes, gloves to cover Thousand Hands, and finally pressing on the skull mask, a display appeared before his eyes showing Area 51’s layout and various routes to the destination.

Having completed all preparations, Yuseong began striding toward Area 51 over the hill.

Beeeeep!

When he was about halfway there, red warning lights began flashing throughout the base as loud sirens blared.

“That’s a quick response.”

Though he had been walking as casually as if taking a stroll, he hadn’t expected to be detected this quickly.

A Humvee approached Yuseong as he shielded his eyes from the intense searchlights.

“Stop! This is a restricted area, no civilian access!”

“Get down on your knees slowly with your hands forward!”

Yuseong was about to say something while looking at the soldiers aiming their guns with annoyed expressions, but he exercised superhuman patience and kept his mouth shut.

Though he wanted to make some amusing alien-related jokes since he’d come all the way to Area 51, one of the holy sites of conspiracy theories, revealing his voice would defeat the purpose of the disguise.

“Can’t you hear me? While I’m still asking nice-“

Crack!

“…Huh?”

The black sergeant disappeared with a heavy sound.

And in his place appeared the masked figure with the skull mask.

The soldiers belatedly grasped the situation and tried to pull their triggers, but Yuseong’s fists struck their vital points first.

“It’s surprisingly hard to control my strength.”

Even without activating Tyrant’s abilities, his basic strength far surpassed humans.

While there was no need to control his strength when facing monsters, the opponents were ordinary humans – soldiers loyal to their duty.

Temporarily incapacitating them without causing life-threatening injuries was more difficult than expected.

After checking the soldiers’ conditions, Yuseong immediately began sprinting toward the base.

Though it was frustratingly slow using only leg strength for running, he had no choice.

If he were to demonstrate Flash Step or superhuman leaps here, his identity would be immediately exposed.

‘I have to be careful not to use any skills by mistake, though super strength can’t be helped.’

Though he couldn’t use most of his skills in this situation, he wasn’t worried.

Even without using skills, ordinary humans wouldn’t be able to handle a user’s strength.

Ratatatata!

“I take back that thought.”

Intense gunfire erupted, kicking up thick dust clouds around him.

Yuseong clicked his tongue as he took cover behind a nearby building and spotted unmanned machine guns firing from guard posts.

While Contractor abilities were far more useful than modern weapons when dealing with monsters, that didn’t mean Contractors were stronger than modern weapons.

It was like a game of rock-paper-scissors.

Contractors, monsters, and modern weapons existed in a relationship where each could counter the others.

Though he was a user rather than a Contractor, while other users might manage, with his skills that were barely taking their first steps, facing guns head-on would be difficult.

The gunfire grew more intense.

Though he was completely cornered, Yuseong leaned against the wall with a composed expression, waiting for the right moment.

And soon after, the awaited moment arrived.

Click!

As if by prior arrangement, all the machine guns stopped firing simultaneously.

“W-what’s going on?”

‘What else? Hacking.’

He wasn’t thoughtless enough to charge straight into a U.S. military base relying solely on physical ability while most skills were sealed.

The plan was for Sophia to disable all security systems in Area 51 as soon as his presence was confirmed, which was why he had approached so confidently.

While disabling security systems might not be a major blow for an ordinary military base, Area 51 was different.

Whether they placed too much faith in cutting-edge technology or wanted to minimize the number of people who knew Area 51’s true nature, Area 51 relied on unmanned systems for most of its security, making this all the more devastating.

“There he is!”

Unless dozens of soldiers fired simultaneously in broad daylight, it would be impossible to catch him on a night like this with just about ten soldiers.

Easily evading their fire using the darkness, Yuseong swiftly subdued the soldiers and entered a building in the corner.

A firmly closed gate.

After tapping the thick gate that looked like it could withstand missile strikes, Yuseong inserted his fingers between the gates with a faint smirk under his mask.

“Hup!”

After evenly distributing magic power and internal energy throughout his muscles, bones, and skin, Yuseong spread both arms with all his might.

Amazingly, the gate weighing dozens of tons slowly began to open.

“Good Lord!”

“M-monster? No, it looks human… Could it be a humanoid monster?”

Beyond the gate were dozens of people who appeared to be researchers.

Everyone wore shocked expressions, unable to believe that a single human had forced open the closed gate with pure strength, but Yuseong was equally surprised.

‘What is that?’

The researchers were wearing exoskeleton suits that seemed straight out of movies or games, or holding futuristic-looking rifles.

When a bright light gathered at one of the gun barrels aimed at him, Yuseong instinctively activated Asura Perception Way and threw himself sideways with all his might.

Crack!

The flash from the barrel moved so fast it was imperceptible even in slowed time.

After briefly glancing at the flash that had narrowly grazed his side, Yuseong dove between the researchers and began unleashing Thunder Fist.

Though it wasn’t intentional, since he frequently used Shadow Moon Style 16 in most battles, using Thunder Fist wouldn’t risk revealing his identity.

The highest priority targets were researchers holding guns.

After thoroughly destroying the guns so others couldn’t use them and taking down the researchers, Yuseong slightly twisted his body upon sensing a blade flying toward his side.

Whiiiing!

A blade vibrating at intense speeds.

Probably an ultrasonic blade.

But that wasn’t the important part.

‘They reacted to my speed?’

Strictly speaking, they hadn’t reacted but rather detected his position and launched an attack, but either way it made little difference.

His current agility was 349 points.

That was 35 times higher than an ordinary adult’s 10 points.

Unlike strength, agility wasn’t a simple stat where 35 times the value meant moving 35 times faster, but nevertheless, it was absolutely not a speed that ordinary people could match.

‘Yet they managed it.’

Though it didn’t change the outcome, it was impressive.

Darting between the confused people while unleashing Thunder Fist, Yuseong finished the fight by striking the back of the neck of the last researcher who was trying to flee and abandon their colleagues.

“Hmm, these definitely seem made with much more advanced technology.”

He had been suspicious since there hadn’t seemed to be anything impressive in America or Area 51 considering she claimed to have spent over a decade in government custody making countless items, but seeing the equipment the researchers brought made him somewhat less doubtful.

Energy rifles, ultrasonic blades, drones that assisted combat with organic movements.

Most impressive of all was the exoskeleton suit.

He knew America operated special forces equipped with reinforced exoskeletons, but what the researchers wore looked much slimmer yet more robust.

‘Strength, agility, and constitution increased by 40 points?

From a user’s perspective, 40 points might seem trivial, but for ordinary people, it’s an incredible option that instantly makes them over four times stronger.

Even by Contractor standards rather than ordinary people, it’s quite useful.

While armor made from certain special monster corpses has additional options, most armor used by Contractors has no options besides defense.

What if the technology used in these exoskeleton suits could be applied to such armor?

Considering that Contractors’ stats are invariably in the early hundreds, one could expect a 20% to 40% combat power increase at minimum.

After closely observing the researchers’ equipment, Yuseong abandoned his lingering interest and moved into the facility.

Since Sophia must have made these devices anyway, it would be better to make new ones later rather than taking broken ones.

“Not one step further… Kuhek!”

“Damn it! Maximum output!”

As he went deeper inside, new equipment began appearing.

Bipedal war machines like Titans or Gigants that could be piloted, spider-shaped unmanned robots, barrier generators, indiscriminate sonic weapons.

While these weapons could be quite effective even against Contractors, unfortunately the opponent was a user.

Researchers and soldiers were knocked out and restrained.

Equipment was destroyed without exception.

Breaking through blocking barriers with raw strength, Yuseong finally arrived at a door in the facility’s deepest part.

Crack!

“Why aren’t you opening the door?”

“It’s not that I won’t open it – I can’t. This room won’t open without the consent of at least two senior researchers. I’m like a princess imprisoned by the Demon King.”

An underground chamber as vast as a plaza.

In the middle of the basement filled with the noise of countless monitors and various unidentifiable machines stood Sophia wearing a white lab coat.

“So I’m the hero who came to rescue the princess? If you couldn’t get out of here, how did you come to my room last time?”

“Obviously I created an opportunity using items from the other world. I used up all the karma points I’d scraped together for this moment, including the spatial transfer device I gave to Mr. Yuseong. If Mr. Yuseong hadn’t helped, I shudder to think how much longer I would have been trapped.”

“Couldn’t you escape without my help, even if the spaceship issue was different?”

“Don’t joke. How could I escape America without outside help? You saved my life.”

“Hmm.”

He wasn’t sure if she was just being polite or if she truly believed she couldn’t evade American pursuit on her own.

Observing Sophia with suspicious eyes, Yuseong scratched his head at her innocent gaze and said.

“So where is that device? Do we need to move somewhere else?”

“No need. It’s right here.”

What Sophia pointed to was a large cylindrical machine occupying about half the underground chamber.

Activating Eye of Truth, Yuseong involuntarily asked after sensing the unimaginable power within:

“Didn’t you say it was installed in a spaceship?”

“Yes. That’s why it’s here.”

Sophia casually replied to the blank-faced Yuseong.

“They kept making such ridiculous demands that I angrily bluffed about converting all of Area 51 into a spaceship. The higher-ups probably think this land will float away and travel through space like Castle in the Sky Laputa.”