LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 158
Chapter 158 – Storm (8)
‘Where on earth is this?’
Eve, having momentarily lost her senses due to the unfamiliarity, suddenly regained awareness and flinched at the strange air around her.
Like a doll caught in a claw machine, she was whisked up into the sky and unceremoniously dropped somewhere unknown, leaving her in a state of extreme confusion.
‘This is definitely what Riena talked about…’
But deep down, Eve knew what had happened. She had been chosen by the Guardian Deity and had even received a bow when that recognition was granted. Riena had also shared stories about the world within the game.
After handing over a gift, Riena, recognizing Eve as an ally, explained exactly how the Guardian Deity would assist them.
“Th-then this place could be…”
With her trembling body, Eve stood up to find a strange landscape unfolding before her. There was also a stranger. A human clad in a tight-fitting suit that looked vastly different from the armor of the Arin Tribe or the Elves—someone she had never seen before.
However, Eve already knew that this unfamiliar being was the avatar of the one who had summoned her here.
“I-I’ve already heard the story from the Paladin. Oh, great being.”
She opened her mouth first, glancing nervously to show respect. It felt strange, but according to Riena, this could be an opportunity.
Having fought against unimaginable foes known as Bugs and lost many of her kin, Eve desperately wished for power.
‘Just follow orders. That’s what I was told.’
She stole a glance at the helmet-clad figure whose eyes she couldn’t see, shouldering the bow on her back and awkwardly grasping the gun instead. She didn’t even know what a gun was. She merely mimicked his pose, grabbing the object in her hands.
‘Oh, this is!’
Suddenly, he squatted and stood up repeatedly, nodding his head. She already knew from Riena what that gesture meant.
Realizing her actions aligned with his intentions gave Eve a slight boost of confidence.
“Thank goodness.”
Seeing her expression brighten, he too felt a sense of relief through the screen. Thanks to Riena, he had acquired knowledge in advance, making gameplay much easier.
He turned to lead the way, and Eve maintained her tension as she followed behind, gun in hand.
“Where on earth are we…?”
Now able to scrutinize the surroundings, Eve observed the unfamiliar scenery, constantly twisting her head and eyes at the first sight of it.
The urban landscape, shattered and in ruins, felt alien to her as an Elf. While some skyscrapers stood tall, exposing their interiors, her pointed ears twitched amidst her hair as she took it all in.
It was indeed overwhelming to be in such a massive city for the first time, but what struck her most was the eerie atmosphere permeating that vast space.
As an exceptional Hunter and Warrior, Eve instinctively sensed the ominous vibe within the desolation.
‘I’m following orders, but I can’t predict what else they want me to do. There doesn’t seem to be anything conspicuous in the character story either.’
As Eve tried hard to conceal her tension while observing her surroundings, the one controlling the character was equally filled with curiosity.
The character he was playing was just one of dozens of playable characters.
He had read through the character’s story online, but nothing mentioned the current situation. It was also quite different from the game’s tutorial.
Though many games activated through the Master Program often mirror actual gameplay, they can also be completely distinct, so he decided it was unnecessary to dwell on such thoughts.
“What’s that noise?”
“Um…”
At that moment, as they followed the path, strange sounds began to echo around them. Odd mechanical noises and an unsettling presence approached.
As he maneuvered his mouse to aim the gun, Eve blindly mimicked his awkward stance, unsure of what she was doing.
‘What now? Even though I’m an Elf with shooting skills, Eve doesn’t even know how to fire a gun?!’
He glanced back at Eve with a look of panic. It was still too soon for her to handle any enemies.
“Damn it.”
But the foes wouldn’t wait for them. Drones of the main antagonists, the rebels, appeared before them, wielding weapons.
He raised his chainsaw at the approaching robots while wildly firing his gun in this non-tutorial-like tutorial.
‘This is tough.’
He sighed as he watched his bullets ricochet everywhere.
It wasn’t that he had never played an FPS game, but it wasn’t exactly his style either. The last time he played was over a decade ago back in elementary school.
For such a novice, facing the number and level of the enemies was a bit overwhelming.
[Dark Bullet: Rapid Fire]
Thus, he activated the skill. The hyper field he had entered was not just about shooting guns, but a hyper FPS where various skills could be employed.
A dark aura enveloped him, and the bullets he fired began to glow purple like flares.
“Yikes!”
Meanwhile, Eve, caught off guard by the unexpected gunfire, stumbled backward.
‘The Guardian Deity wants me to fight using this. Just like him.’
In the moment of the enemy’s assault and the initiation of the attack, Eve found herself nervously pacing at the back while he confronted and blocked the enemies.
The bow on her back had been directly gifted by the Guardian Deity. However, he wanted her to fight with a weapon she was not familiar with, rather than the bow she cherished.
Realizing his intention, she felt too shy to pull out the bow in such a situation and could only awkwardly hold the gun.
“How on earth do I use this weapon?!”
Fumbling with the gun, she decided to mimic his actions as she placed her finger on the trigger.
“Whoa!?”
Startled by the fired bullet, she fell back but quickly stood up, trembling her ears as she realized she knew how to use it. All that was left was to aim and shoot.
Though it was her first time firmly grasping a gun, it didn’t pose much of a challenge. Being innately talented, she naturally aimed and hit her targets without hesitation.
‘Fast and strong. Is this magic? I can’t believe such a weapon exists.’
With her rifle shouldered, she began shooting at the enemies with remarkable accuracy.
Every shot hit its mark. Even as the enemies charged at her from all directions, she precisely targeted the vital points of their heads and engines.
“You shoot a bit slow for a Warrior.”
In the midst of all this, an enemy approached her, swinging down a saw, but Eve was, after all, a Warrior.
Dodging effortlessly, she swiftly eliminated the assailant, contributing to the defeat of all foes while awakening her new talent.
‘As expected.’
Watching this unfold, he felt a sense of satisfaction and chuckled. To become a prophet, genuine talent was essential.
Instinctively grasping and firing a gun without any knowledge. He intended to mold Eve into a warrior who could lead talented Elves like Riena.
“What an amazing rookie! But don’t get too comfortable. Move quickly.”
Through communication, Luna urged him not to let down his guard, stating that it wasn’t over yet.
“Wait just a moment!”
As he strode along the path, Eve hurriedly followed behind. Their tutorial was far from over.
‘The fight against the rebels is key to the story. Hmm.’
“Unbelievable. The castle is flying in the sky…”
The two hid among the debris of buildings, looking up at a massive airship soaring across the sky. The rebel ships hovered around, dropping drones in search of them.
To carry out Luna’s orders, they had to navigate through those drones and get to their destination.
“With Eve’s talent, we stand a chance.”
He didn’t trust his own lackluster skills, but he believed in Eve’s talents.
He felt that, with her by his side, even breaking through an impossible encirclement might be viable.
“Let’s run!”
“There are enemies ahead!”
Though they had only been together for a short time, they seemed to communicate perfectly as if they could read each other’s thoughts.
Thanks to Eve keenly observing his actions and grasping his intentions like Riena, they battled together, breaking through the encirclement of enemies and crossing the city.
‘Strange foes, but much better than those monsters.’
Faced with various drones, Eve now wielded her gun with precision, taking down enemies with incredible accuracy.
Some drones shot back at them, but wrapping herself in a mana shield, she deflected all the bullets and continued her assault relentlessly.
“Isn’t that a bit broken?”
Watching her shoot while deflecting all enemy fire felt absurd, making him chuckle. Of course, there were invincible characters in the game, but they were usually regarded as ultimate abilities.
“Wow.”
The roles had reversed. Eve, who had merely been a support following behind him, was now leading the charge, eliminating all blocking enemies.
Wielding her gun with the agility unique to Elves, she dashed around effortlessly, shooting as fluidly as if she were drawing a bow.
‘Now I understand why I was brought here.’
Eve suddenly realized that her latent talent was flourishing within her. Above all, this power was the strength she desperately needed to combat the Bugs.
If she could learn this skill thoroughly, as Riena suggested, and if many more of her kin could master it, it seemed they could win against the monsters that had previously appeared insurmountable.
‘It’s bigger than I thought. This could work.’
He shared similar sentiments. Helping the Elves indeed required a new approach. This was the result of careful thinking to maximize the talents they possessed, and it made him feel satisfied and relieved.
“What the hell is that crazy girl?! Quickly send reinforcements. Turn the airship around!”
And those observing were not just him through the screen.
Countless individuals who had never even appeared in the actual game were watching her with incredulous eyes as she came alive on camera.
“Luna, did you already know and send Rogers?”
“Th-That can’t be! She’s just an ordinary trainee…”
Neither side could conceal their reactions. Luna, who was giving him orders, was just as astonished. Usually going about her business thoughtlessly, she was left agape at Eve’s performance.