Chapter 177: Great Invasion (2)

Fighter jets flew around the barrier covering the sky.

One of the fighter pilots let out a low sigh.

“Fuck...”

A radius of 1,000 kilometers centered on Gangneung, Gangwon Province, South Korea.

It was an enormous barrier that included not only the entirety of South Korea’s territory, but also North Korea, major cities in Japan and China, and even Russia’s Primorsky region.

The same was true for the other countries where Dimensional Rifts had opened.

- The Great Invasion rule has begun. Dimensional Rifts have appeared in South Korea, India, Thailand, Nigeria, and Germany, and at the same time, barriers like those from the Quarantine Zone have...

[Battlefield 1 Population: 735,788,130]

[Battlefield 2 Population: 519,143,236]

[Battlefield 3 Population: 371,608,735]

[Battlefield 4 Population: 360,581,243]

[Battlefield 5 Population: 263,057,291]

From Battlefield 1 to Battlefield 5.

The numbers were assigned in order from the highest included population.

India was Battlefield 1, Thailand was Battlefield 2, South Korea was Battlefield 3, Nigeria was Battlefield 4, and Germany was Battlefield 5.

The news, communities, and Communication Channel were all on fire.

[MorningStar: Fuck, I got Battlefield 2? Anyone else who got it, come out]

[Firefly: I’m in Battlefield 4... Looking at the rules, doesn’t Battlefield 5 seem like it’s in serious trouble?]

[Prara: So this means one of the five Battlefields absolutely has to open its Dimensional Rift, right?]

[Clover: Yeah, and they have to deal with ten million monsters]

[Cat: WTF, this is insane;]

The rule was simple.

Starting from Battlefield 1, they would vote in order on whether to open the rift or not.

If they chose to open it, ten million monsters would pour out of that rift.

And if none of the preceding Battlefields 1 through 4 chose to open it, the Dimensional Rift of Battlefield 5, which was last in order, would automatically open.

In other words, Battlefield 5 was the one with no choice.

Battlefield 5 included all or part of numerous European countries, including Germany, France, Italy, Switzerland, Austria, and the Netherlands.

[Cloak: What the hell is ten million monsters? Isn’t this basically just telling us to die...?]

[Samurai: Looks like it really is just telling us to die]

[SnowWhite: It says the levels are randomized from 10 to 100. Even if ten million Level 10 monsters alone came pouring out, it would be a massive disaster, but this is...]

[MassiveExplosion: Does that make any sense? If they’re Level 100, wouldn’t that be around Stage 9 or 10 if you compare them to Fallen?]

[Prayu: That’s what I’m saying, whichever Battlefield gets picked is basically being told to die]

[Anaconda: This rule is really beyond imagination...]

[FaithfulServantOfPerson123: The people in Battlefield 5 are fucked. What are they supposed to do]

[Feed: Wow, all the people in Europe are going to die;]

[Pavlov: Couldn’t one of the other Battlefields choose to open its rift?]

[HeavenlyMonster: Who would choose to open this? Whichever Battlefield gets it is basically guaranteed to be annihilated]

[Breathing: The monsters come out of the rift, right? Couldn’t they fire nukes and missiles at it...?]

[Grrrrr: It says they’ll pour out for 72 hours. I don’t think even nukes would be enough]

[Teriot: I’m in Battlefield 5, am I really going to die...? Like this?]

[Knuckle: Why the fuck do I have to die, you bastards. Save me]

Ten million monsters.

The monsters’ levels were randomized from Level 10 to Level 100.

Everyone knew.

That this was not a scale that could be dealt with.

That this was a rule that could only end after one of the five Battlefields took everything upon itself and hundreds of millions of people died.

The Tower’s malice, beyond imagination, descended upon humanity once again.

The countries in Battlefield 5, faced with an absurd disaster, were thrown into an emergency.

Since the barrier blocked entry and exit, naturally, it was also impossible for people to escape outside the Battlefield.

[Battlefield 1 is currently voting.]

[Remaining voting time: 30 minutes 35 seconds]

Even in the middle of all that, the vote was proceeding.

But the result was practically already decided.

None of the Battlefields up through Battlefield 4 would choose to open the rift.

There was no way they would voluntarily take on a catastrophe of ten million monsters.

The European countries included in Battlefield 5 fell into complete panic.

Their militaries hurriedly began to move, and the heads of each country even rushed to issue statements.

“Europe will be destroyed! The world will fall into a Great Depression! Please, the Battlefields with far larger populations must open their rifts...!”

There was nothing they could do.

It was merely desperate struggling and pleading because of that.

There was no way the people included in the other Battlefields would listen to them. Were they seriously asking them to die in their place now?

[Immortal: There’s nothing we can do... Battlefield 5 has the smallest population, so it should be the one to make the sacrifice]

[Pluto: Europe is going to be destroyed. Is this really reality]

[Dagger: Battlefield 1 is obvi]

Amid the chaos and panic that had swallowed the world without warning...

Time continued to pass.

***

“Whewww...”

The Great Invasion had begun.

I was watching the situation unfold.

This fucking Tower had once again dumped chaos beyond imagination onto the world.

In terms of scale, you could call it the worst one so far.

Naturally, Battlefields 1, 2, 3, and 4 would choose not to open their rifts.

In the end, the rift in Battlefield 5, which included numerous European countries, would open.

Ten million monsters.

It was not even ten million trash mobs. Monsters as high as Level 100 could come pouring out.

It was impossible for them to handle that.

Since the barrier blocked everything off, it was also impossible for me to move to Europe and deal with the monsters.

[The Great Invasion will end when either everyone in that Battlefield dies, or every monster dies.]

In the end, the Great Invasion would only end after more than two hundred million people in Battlefield 5 all died.

...A way to stop this disaster.

There was one.

Only one.

The people of Battlefield 3 had to choose to open it.

Only then could I personally go to Gangneung, where the rift had opened, and deal with the monsters.

Ten million monsters over 72 hours?

I could do it.

I could do it.

Even if the maximum was Level 100, they were still just trash mobs to me.

The monsters would all come out through the rift anyway, wouldn’t they.

So it was more than possible.

Without a single casualty, I could block the rift by myself and deal with every single monster.

Yeah, as long as the Climbers of Battlefield 3 chose to open the rift.

[Person123: I have a request for all Climbers in Battlefield 3.]

I wrote a long post in the Communication Channel and uploaded it.

It was a post appealing to them to choose Open because I could deal with all of the monsters.

'...Will this be enough?'

But I had doubts.

Would people really trust me and open Battlefield 3’s rift?

The number ten million was simply that overwhelming.

I was truly certain that I could handle it, but other people would not be.

...If I was going to do it, I had to appeal to them as much as I possibly could.

I closed the Communication Channel and immediately left my room.

My family was watching the news in the living room with grave expressions.

I said.

“I’m going to Gangneung for a bit.”

“...”

My parents looked like they had a lot they wanted to say, and worry and anxiety were clear on my sister’s face as well.

My father came closer.

Without saying much, he patted me on the shoulder.

“Be careful.”

“Yes.”

I hugged each of my family members once.

Then I activated the teleportation device.

[0:01]

The place where Battlefield 3’s rift had appeared.

I warped in the direction of Gangneung, Gangwon Province.

***

“It’s dangerous. Please do not come any closer.”

A restricted perimeter had been set up around the Dimensional Rift in Gangneung.

Police officers and soldiers carrying guns were controlling civilian access.

Reporters from broadcasting stations were arguing with them, trying to get even a little closer to the rift.

“Yes, the Dimensional Rift that opened in Gangneung still appears to show no changes. Battlefield 1 is currently voting, and there are now 20 minutes remaining...”

FWWWWOOOOSH...

At that moment, a faint sound of air being cut came from somewhere.

The reporter, who had been continuing to speak while looking at the camera, reflexively raised his head.

One by one, the others also looked up at the sky. Their eyes widened.

“...Huh?”

“T-There’s a person over there...!”

Because there was a person flying through the sky.

That person landed near the rift.

THUD!

The soldiers approached in surprise, and the gazes around him focused on him.

A masked man.

He spoke to the reporter standing right beside him with his mouth hanging open.

“May I borrow your microphone for a moment?”

“...Pardon?”

The bewildered reporter handed him the microphone.

The masked man took the microphone and stretched one hand upward.

Then a massive pitch-black ray shot into the sky.

FWAAAAASH!

“...”

Even the soldiers who had been rushing toward him stopped all at once at the sight.

The man spoke.

“I am Person123.”

His voice had been modulated slightly lower.

Silence descended.

The reporters, the soldiers, and the civilians gathered around.

Everyone stared in shock at the masked man who had identified himself as Person123.

All of the broadcasting station cameras turned toward him.

No one doubted what he had just said.

That black ray he had just fired was practically proof of Person123’s identity.

Humanity’s savior and hero, Person123, was standing right before them.

It was the first moment he had directly revealed himself to the world.

The other reporters who came to their senses tried to approach him. In order to thrust their microphones toward him.

But Person123 raised a hand as though stopping them.

Under an oppressive presence that was difficult to put into words, the reporters had no choice but to stop again.

Only the reporter standing directly in front of Person123, the one who had handed him the microphone, swallowed hard and waited for what he would say next.

With countless gazes focused on him.

“The reason I came here is to make a request of all the Climbers included in Battlefield 3.”

Person123 spoke.

“If Battlefields 1, 2, 3, and 4 all refuse to open their rifts like this, ten million monsters will pour out of the rift in Battlefield 5, which comes last. Even if the countries included in Battlefield 5 do everything in their power to stop them, it will be a disaster they can never handle.”

There was no one who did not know him.

But it was a disaster that someone had to endure.

It had simply, unfortunately, become the European countries included in Battlefield 5.

“I will say this clearly here.”

Person123 continued.

“I can stop them.”

At that one calm declaration, someone unconsciously sucked in a breath.

“Without a single casualty, I will personally deal with all ten million monsters. So I earnestly ask every Climber in South Korea, China, Japan, and Russia included in Battlefield 3. Please vote in favor of opening Battlefield 3’s rift.”

Person123 had already posted a message in the Communication Channel a little while ago, but...

It was truly a shocking declaration.

And it was also a desperate appeal.

“You will be afraid and anxious. I know that. But if things continue like this, more than two hundred million people inside Battlefield 5 will all die. The only way to end the Great Invasion without anyone dying is to open Battlefield 3’s rift and have me fight the monsters.

I will say it again, but I can fight all ten million monsters by myself. Please trust me. Climbers of Battlefield 3, please vote in favor of opening the rift. Please make the choice that can save hundreds of millions of lives. Please, I beg you.”

This live broadcast spread across the entire world in an instant.

The world was turned upside down by Person123 appearing in person.

- Person123 has personally appeared at the Battlefield 3 rift in Gangneung, South Korea. He is currently urging the Climbers of Battlefield 3 to choose to open the rift, and...

[Wild: Holy shit! Person123 appeared in South Korea!]

[Turmeric: I’m seeing him at the scene with my own eyes right now. I can’t believe it]

[FallenOne: He says he’ll stop ten million by himself? Is that really possible?]

People were shocked that Person123 had revealed himself in reality, but opinions were also sharply divided over whether he could truly stop ten million monsters.

[GraveRobber: Isn’t that too much even for Person123...? Ten million. Ten million. How is he supposed to stop that alone?]

[Alcohol: He says it’s possible. He must be saying it because it’s possible.]

[Twilight: There’s no way Person123 would gamble with people’s lives and tell Battlefield 3 to open its rift. Didn’t he make the calculation because he knows it’s more than possible?]

[Smash: Still, ten million is a bit...]

[Blancd: You people still lack faith. Have you already forgotten what happened during the Qualification incident and the Joint Battle? There is no limit to his ability]

[Whiskey: If Battlefield 3’s rift really opens, the military and the other Climbers should still help too]

Meanwhile, Battlefield 1’s voting time ended.

[Battlefield 1 voting has ended.]

[Vote Results]

Open: 29 votes

Do Not Open: 380,123 votes

[Battlefield 1’s Dimensional Rift will not open.]

Naturally, the rift did not open.

It moved on to Battlefield 2’s turn.

[Battlefield 2 is currently voting.]

[Remaining voting time: 59 minutes 59 seconds]

Another hour quickly passed.

[Battlefield 2 voting has ended.]

[Vote Results]

Open: 1 vote

Do Not Open: 278,591 votes

[Battlefield 2’s Dimensional Rift will not open.]

Battlefield 2 also chose not to open its rift.

And then, the long-awaited turn of Battlefield 3 came.

[Battlefield 3 is currently voting.]

[Siv: The problem is what choice the Climbers in Battlefield 3 will make]

[Hound: They have to open it. Let’s trust Person123. Otherwise hundreds of millions of people will die]

[Law: Ha, I’m a Battlefield 3 Climber, but I don’t know if this is really right...]

[Paul: I’m a Battlefield 3 Climber too, and I’m choosing Open. I trust Person123 no matter what]

[Jordan: Please. Please save my wife and daughter. Please save the people in Battlefield 5.]

Time passed.

The eyes of the entire world focused on the result of Battlefield 3’s vote.

Especially the people included in Battlefield 5, who prayed more desperately than anyone.

Please, let the Climbers of Battlefield 3 listen to Person123 and choose Open.

And...

[Remaining voting time: 1 second]

[Battlefield 3 voting has ended.]

The result came out.

[Vote Results]

Open: 130,759 votes

Do Not Open: 70,156 votes

[Voting has ended.]

[Battlefield 3’s Dimensional Rift will open.]