Surviving without God Chapter 92

Brody’s office. Before the sniper shot from the “Society of Forgotten Books” rang out there, several chains of events overlapped.

It all began with Gunther’s suspicion. Imdiately after he was shot in the Labyrinth, he asked himself a reasonable question.

“How the hell did they track on such a massive second floor?”

The teleportation portals in the Labyrinth always throw the user to random coordinates. Yet the sniper had precisely ambushed Gunther and prepared the shot the mont he stepped onto the second floor. In a space where thousands of buildings intertwine, such accuracy could not be explained by simple luck.

So how was it possible? There was only one answer.

“It must be a tracking device.”

Gunther imdiately recalled the items he had taken from the body of “Nine,” the man with the scar. The pauldrons, the daggers, and the silver coin with an unusual engraving. The mont he thought about the coin marked with the number “9,” the puzzle fell into place.

The sniper had once suddenly disappeared, leaving the young Nine behind. According to the information gathered by Brody, it happened on the “Day of Nostalgia,” when the “Society of Forgotten Books” left the Border City. There was nothing strange about leaving behind a beacon for a future reunion while fleeing.

“He followed the signal... and must have been furious when he saw covered in Nine’s belongings.”

The silver coin was a transmitter the sniper could track.

After confirming this, Gunther released Nine under one condition.

— ...I will help you reunite with your benefactor. In return, when everything is over and you leave the Labyrinth, send that silver coin to this address.

— Understood. I promise.

It was a deal built on the single thread that could lead to the “Society of Forgotten Books.” Nine departed, and soon a package arrived at Brody’s mansion confirming that the reunion had happened. Inside was the coin. According to Gunther’s calculations, the sniper himself wanted the coin to end up with him. They had surely already realized that Gunther was hostile to Luthien. And the enemy of my enemy is my friend. Such a connection benefited both sides.

“As I expected, the tracking magic on the coin was still active.”

Up to a certain point, Gunther simply waited for the “Society” to make contact themselves. They knew his location thanks to the coin, and his help in reuniting Nine with the sniper was a clear signal of goodwill. There was no reason not to co.

“Besides, I took that divine relic they were hunting, even though they don’t know it.”

But a variable intervened. The Perfur ca and killed Brody. There was no more ti to wait for contact. Gunther ca to a conclusion.

“If the mountain won’t co to Gunther, Gunther will go to the mountain.”

He knew the influence of the “Society of Forgotten Books” had not vanished yet. There was clearly a hand inside the Border City helping them. Otherwise how could the sniper, who had left the city decades ago, have entered the Labyrinth? If soone managed to sneak him past Luthien’s dense surveillance networks, that patron most likely ca from the Upper City.

So Gunther called Dimona.

“To deliver the coin directly to the residence of the Luthien diocesan head.”

The coin was considered a symbol of the “Society.” If such an item were delivered by drone to the diocesan residence, Luthien’s reaction would be predictable.

“They’ll assu the ‘Society’ has started moving again and turn everything upside down.”

For the “Forgotten Books” themselves, this would beco a critical situation that had to be prevented at any cost. Gunther calculated their psychology precisely and made the gamble. And indeed, Dimona’s report confird it.

[Gunther, just as you said. The drone was attacked during delivery. The item has been stolen.]

That didn’t matter. His real goal was to make them read the note enclosed with the coin. The note said:

Today around four in the afternoon. Two Perfurs will appear on the wasteland in the Middle City. I will fight them. If you help , I will return the relic of the ancient god stolen from the Labyrinth.

“The staff is important enough for them to break decades of silence.”

It was an adventure built on fragile hypotheses. But ironically, it was the only gamble he could make.

“If they don’t co... well, I’ll die one more ti.”

In this situation he could rely on no one except the sniper. The Elder Perfur could sll enemies within a radius of hundreds of ters. That was why Gunther could not ask for help from the fighters of his own platoon. If the Perfurs sensed sothing suspicious, they would simply flee and return later even more dangerous.

But the sniper was different. That monster had managed to hit a target from one kiloter away in the tangled chaos of the Labyrinth’s second floor. This place was the perfect stage for his intervention.

...Yes, it was a long and complicated story.

— BANG! —

— Ah...

Gunther looked at the Youngest, whose chest now had a gaping hole. Despair froze in her eyes — she could not understand what had happened. Gunther, who had already died before, knew better than anyone the taste of that shock. Under normal circumstances even a great marksman would struggle to hit soone as fast and agile as her. But in that brief mont when she froze to deliver the killing blow to Gunther... that mont turned her into a perfect target.

— Seriously...

Everything had gone according to plan. Suppressing the laughter trying to escape his throat, Gunther reached again for the sword stuck in the Elder’s abdon.

— Fwoosh! —

The scarlet flas that had spread to the hilt recognized their master and opened the path again. Gunther twisted the grip violently and shouted.

— I’ve suffered enough because of you bastards!

[Strength check successful]

[Magic power check successful]

The blade where the Elder gripped it flared even more violently, severing the monster’s fingers one by one. The sword was freed. Gunther imdiately brought the blade down on the neck of the Youngest, writhing on the ground.

— Youngest!!

The Elder’s cry was filled with rage. The massive butcher’s cleaver slashed across Gunther’s shoulder, tearing out a chunk of flesh. Blood sprayed so violently it blinded his eyes, but Gunther clenched his teeth and held firm. An old warhorse never spoils the furrow — even engulfed in flas, the monster resisted with insane strength.

— Whoosh! —

Gunther swung the sword again, but because of the close distance the power of the two-hander was halved. At the mont the Elder prepared to deflect the strike —

— BANG! —

Another sniper round slamd into the Elder’s side.

— Kh—aaagh!

His thick hide prevented the bullet from passing through, but the trendous impact made even that monstrous body stagger. Gunther did not miss the mont.

— Sli —

He grabbed the thin rapier that had fallen from the Youngest’s hand. Abnormally slender, exquisitely sharpened, with an unbelievably sharp tip — that grotesque blade. Ironically, that thin point was the most lethal doom for the Elder.

— Let’s finish this!

Gunther stepped on the Elder’s foot and jumped. Using the burning flesh as a foothold, he climbed upward along muscles slick with blood and sweat. Each ti the rapier pierced the sli-covered body, flesh tore apart and sparks flew.

[Skill “Zero Point Strike” Lv. 1 activated!]

— Kh—aaaargh!

The Elder shook wildly, trying to throw him off. A massive fist struck Gunther, tearing open his side and cracking his ribs. But Gunther did not stop. Covered in blood, with the Straight Line of Despair in one hand and the rapier in the other, he climbed that mountain of flesh.

Finally standing with both feet on the Elder’s shoulders, Gunther raised the blazing sword. For a mont their eyes t. There was despair in the Elder’s eyes, but sothing else was reflected in Gunther’s.

The image of his colleague, who had worked all night for him, lying on their favorite workplace with her head torn off.

— Die!!!!

Flas danced along the blade. Gunther drove the sword straight into the giant eye socket.

***

Whoooooosh!

The snowstorm grew stronger. The thickening twilight finally plunged everything into deep, grim shadows. Gunther stood before two corpses.

— Fuuuuh.

Not a single part of his body remained untouched by the brutal battle, and the side effects of “Overdose” were slowly beginning to engulf him. Yet there was not a trace of hesitation on Gunther’s face.

Beep—

Gunther called the support team through the Operate Link.

— Moonless Guardian, what happened?

A routine report followed.

— During the clash, the Youngest and the Elder of the Perfurs were eliminated. Requesting cleanup.

...Although the consequences of that report were anything but routine.

— ...What? What did you just say? Perfurs?

— Sending coordinates.

At that sa mont everything on the other end of the line turned upside down. Soone gasped loudly, followed by the sound of chaos and hurried movent.

— Y-you’re sure? You defeated both Perfurs alone?!

After a brief silence soone from command took over the connection, and a calm voice spoke.

— This is Jackal from the support group. Coordinates confird. We will arrive in thirty minutes. Are there additional risk factors at the site?

— No.

Although the Youngest had absorbed much of the battle’s noise with “Absorption of Sound and Echo,” the remaining traces still needed to be erased. Including the bodies. And in such matters the support team were true professionals.

“Good. It’s done.”

He stood straight, staring at the ssages flooding his vision. Since the mont he arrived in this world, never before had so many notification windows appeared.

Ding!

The Perfurs were monsters who had reached the middle of the 4th hierarchy. Gunther had essentially defeated enemies two entire hierarchies above himself. And the “World” did not hesitate to reward him generously.

[The devourers of innocence who reveled in their bloody feast, the Elder and the Youngest, have been defeated]

[Their banquet table is drenched in their own blood, and the endless feast has been halted forever]

[Luthien’s influence in the Border City sharply decreases for a short period]

[Within “Night Raven,” rumors spread about a legendary newcor]

[Calculating rit points...]

[Level Up! / Lv. 58]

[Level Up! / Lv. 59]

[Level Up! / Lv. 60]

[Level Up! / Lv. 61]

[Level Up! / Lv. 62]

[Endurance 55 → 56]

[Strength 59 → 60]

At the 60-point threshold of Strength, Agility, and Endurance there existed a hidden chanism.

[Congratulations! Strength 60 is the first breakpoint surpassing the physical limits of a human]

[When power breaks its limit, the body’s overall output increases explosively]

[Strength perk unlocked!]

Weight Ignorance: You may handle even heavy weapons and heavy shields without feeling their weight.

Technique Adjustnt: Power of strength-based skills 45%; destructive force against large objects (fortress walls, steel gates, etc.) becos significantly more effective.

Gunther inhaled deeply. From his fingertips to his spine a wave of relief ran through him, as if invisible shackles had fallen away from his body. The sword in his hand felt light. No — it felt as if the world itself had suddenly shrunk and the weight of existence had evaporated.

But that was not all.

[Agility 57 → 60]

[Congratulations! Agility 60 is the first breakpoint surpassing the reaction speed accessible to human perception]

[Agility breaks its limit and improves explosively]

[Agility perk unlocked!]

Reflexes: Chance to evade projectiles 30%.

Action Chain: Delay between attack, dodge, and sudden thrust −40%.

Mobility Adjustnt: Maintain maneuverability even in heavy armor; efficiency of stealth, evasion, and sudden assault skills 35%.

In an instant Gunther’s vision changed. Each snowflake seed to slow its fall, and the currents of wind beca so clear it felt like they could be touched. All movent around him stretched smoothly as if underwater, while his own senses retained their original speed. It resembled a simplified version of the Eyes of the Tyrant functioning in passive mode. Significant changes also occurred in his skills.

[Mastery of “Fla of Eternal Tornt” (Stage 2) increased]

[Mastery of “Eyes of the Tyrant” (Lv. 1) increased]

[Mastery of “Zero Point Strike” (Lv. 1) greatly increased]

[“Zero Point Strike” level increased to 2]

[Mastery of “Knight Swordsmanship” (Lv. 3) greatly increased and reached Lv. 4]

The swordsmanship level that had been stagnant ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) for so long finally rose. For rare-rank skills, level 5 was the limit.

[The King of Knights of Ninety-Five Defeats contemplates passing down a new technique]

Most likely, if he made another Karma offering, he would be able to learn an ancient-rank sword technique. Gunther exhaled briefly.

“I feel about twice as strong.”

Now he could face enemies on the level of the Perfurs head-on without relying on stimulants or trump cards like the Eyes of the Tyrant. This ant he had far surpassed the average strength of an Execution Unit operative. It also ant that if the scenario unfolded as expected, in the first act almost no one would remain who could seriously threaten him... except one person.

“...Though as usual, new dangers will appear soon.”

[Shepherd of the Flesh Marsh spews bubbling pus, defiling everything around]

[The King of Burrows scrapes black claws against the walls, emitting a dreadful scream]

How many evil gods had already taken offense at him.

And then—

[Giant roots of Jean Daet tremble as if probing you]

[The Lord of Imitations mocks you]

...The Lord of Imitations?

Disturbing and incomprehensible ssages poured in. But Gunther’s gaze did not linger on them for long. Because a more tangible presence had already seized his full attention.

Crunch—

The sound of footsteps pressing into packed snow. A dull echo spread through the cold air like ripples on water. Visibility was zero because of the blizzard, yet it was not difficult to guess who it was.

[The Seeker with Double Claws stares at you]

[...Three gods hold their breath]

“Finally.”

The mont he had been waiting for so long.

The sniper of the Society of Forgotten Books stepped out of the shadows.