I Became a Swordsman in a Dystopia - Episode 2

Crisis equals opportunity.

A famous saying, but one I can’t agree with.

In the face of overwhelming crisis, opportunities don’t exist.

No, perhaps a crisis where you can still look for opportunities isn’t really a crisis at all.

“Fuck.”

The curse escapes involuntarily. 

In this chaos, cursing is all I can manage.

Along with it comes fear.

Not just because of the current situation.

But because of the countless possible futures that could unfold from here.

“…This is driving me crazy.”

Normally, I would’ve been no different from the citizens having panic attacks before my eyes.

But beyond just staying calm, my mind is ice-cold.

Is it because of the message floating before my eyes?

I’m not sure.

【Survive the Confirmed Apocalypse.】

【Difficulty: LAST】

Familiar yet foreign.

No, foreign precisely because it’s familiar.

A combination of characters I’ve only seen on screens before.

This alone vaguely explains the current situation.

That I’m inside the game I’ve been playing until now.

‘Difficulty: LAST…’

The biggest difference from what I usually see on screen is the difficulty.

It’s a difficulty level I’ve never seen before.

That’s why a hollow laugh escapes my lips.

“Heh heh…”

A reality that’s hard to accept.

Is this really not a dream?

-SLAP!

Without hesitation, I strike my cheek, bringing a piercing pain that sends chills down my spine.

The pain brings even more confusion.

And so unconscious actions follow.

Like looking around with blurred vision as if in a trance.

‘No mutants have appeared yet… what should I do?’

No matter how I look at it.

This isn’t the gameplay timeline.

This is the prologue timeline.

The part that’s briefly shown for world-building before the game starts.

That’s why it’s even more incomprehensible.

The fact that I’ve dropped into this prologue situation.

There’s a significant time difference.

Because of this, the psychological pressure hits even harder.

The sense of alienation from an environment I’ve never played in.

Even that adds to the complexity in my head.

So what I chose was a temporary method to stop thinking.

Looking carefully around again, the scene is chaotic.

Multiple things are happening all at once and fallen people clutter my vision.

“D-Dorothy!”

“Get out of my way! I need to get to the repair center!”

No, not people but androids.

Asleep with their internal circuits burned while maintaining their smiles.

It’s grotesque.

And someone running away carrying one of these grotesque dolls on their back.

The world feels like slow motion until our shoulders collide.

-THUD!

“Agh!”

“Uh…”

“Watch where you’re going, you- Oh, I’m sorry!”

After a moment of the other person looking up at me in surprise with mild pain.

They quickly pass by.

That pain serves as the final punctuation mark to all my thoughts.

‘This is real.’

Now I have to accept it.

This isn’t a dream.

I even slapped my cheek to be sure.

A dream world couldn’t have such clear sensations.

This is another world.

Familiar yet alienating and disconnected.

Earth 100 years later.

Apocalypse City.

The city of the end.

I realized something.

Do I have time to just stand here dazed, stomping my feet?

Have I still not grasped the situation even after directly witnessing the inevitable phenomena occurring in this world?

Rather, isn’t this an opportunity now?

The prologue situation I’ve never played through.

If it’s now…

“I might be able to change it.”

My feet move more easily than expected.

“I have to go.”

Even though I can’t get my bearings in this confusion, I have to move.

I absolutely must move from now.

Where to?

How?

If this is the prologue.

There are only 12 hours left until the first mutant appears.

This is the starting point.

Perhaps a chance to change the starting difficulty.

*  *  *

A world that’s exactly like the one from the screen.

No, more precisely, I’ve entered the screen world.

What’s important is that finding my way isn’t difficult.

7 years of playing the game allows me to gauge locations without a map even through blurred vision.

Thanks to this, my steps are hurried as I push through the busy and chaotic crowds.

‘This is Rosen Street 3.’

Just a bit further is Waylis Headquarters, the very center of the city.

Actually, I don’t even need to know the way.

The massive building towers over everything with an overwhelming presence.

While seeing the scenery in person brings unique feelings, I can’t help but grimace at the terrible burning smell along the path to my destination.

“It’s, it’s collapsing!”

“Kyaaaa!”

“Stop pushing!”

-CRASH!

‘There are too many obstacles.’

The setting is a cyberpunk era.

A world where electronic civilization has developed to the extreme.

Even a widespread EMP in modern times would be catastrophic, but in this era where electronic machines have replaced most things, an EMP opens the gates of hell.

From above, aircraft crash into buildings as they fall, debris rains down, and countless people become entangled.

First the androids collapse, then humans are next.

People with artificial organs start falling one by one.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t afford expensive emotions like sympathy or compassion for that sight.

I’m just moving urgently because I have a destination, feeling the same confusion as them.

Besides, the real catastrophe hasn’t even begun yet.

The real catastrophe isn’t this leisurely.

Mutants.

While it’s said jokingly that the EMP opened the gates of hell.

The moment they appear is when true hell begins.

So I must prepare.

‘It’s absurd, but I have no choice but to prepare.’

On one hand, this strong compulsion makes my head hot.

Even though I try to shake off my thoughts by violently shaking my head, I still can’t adjust to the current situation.

While it’s probably not something one can adjust to in the first place, I forcibly brainwash my mind.

‘I’ve done this thousands of times. Thousands of times…’

A complicated mind isn’t helpful.

Moving solely for the objective was the best option.

Yet at the same time, I’m starting to feel regret.

‘Fuck, what’s with being a swordsman…’

The traits I had chosen came to mind.

I can’t jump to conclusions yet – the traits might not have been applied. 

However, that hope gradually crumbles as I struggle with my unfocused vision. 

This isn’t just imagination – it’s real from the start. While auxiliary glasses would be fortunate, I’m hardly in a position to go hunting for them right now. 

What if all the traits have been applied exactly as they were in the game? 

And in this world where firearms reign supreme, no less… 

The memory of what atrocities I had committed comes flooding back.

【Legendary Sword Talent】

【Humanity’s Ultimate Weapon】

【Mechanical Cardiopulmonary】

A few excellent traits,

and… 

【Gun Phobia】

【Implant Incompatible】

【Damaged Immune System】

【Dyslexia】

【High Basal Metabolism】

【Poor Vision】

Traits I shouldn’t have chosen.

It’s truly a hopeless future.

The reason I chose melee weapons was because the character was the one wielding them.

When it becomes reality, will I be able to move like in the game?

Even with cheat traits like 【Legendary Sword Talent】 or 【Humanity’s Ultimate Weapon】, what if the basic software is just an unemployed game addict?

“Haa, shit…”

Still.

Even so, I can’t be certain.

That too hasn’t been verified yet, so it’s too early to jump to conclusions.

The fortunate thing is that at this point, I can adjust a few things before the situation becomes a worst-case scenario.

That’s also why I’m hurriedly heading towards Waylis Headquarters.

‘I need to solve those things first to be comfortable.’

And then.

Slowly.

Is it starting to happen?

“Urk… cough…”

“W-What’s happening!”

“Blegh!”

Right in front of me.

A woman wearing obviously expensive clothes starts dry heaving while bracing herself against the ground.

‘The precursor to becoming a mutant.’

The urgency feels even more real.

Coincidentally, the reason why mutants are born in the direction I’m passing through is displayed on a large poster.

[҉N҉H҉-҉0҉3҉,҉ ҉a҉g҉i҉n҉g҉ ҉i҉s҉ ҉a҉ ҉d҉i҉s҉e҉a҉s҉e҉.҉]

Text that’s illegible and obscured.

It must be because of the 【Dyslexia】 trait.

But it doesn’t matter. I know everything inside and out.

I’ve played so many times that I remember even such minor details.

The content is simple.

A powerful message that humanity has overcome aging.

In the setting, humanity in this world really does overcome aging.

The so-called NH-03.

Through genetic manipulation treatment, they were able to defy the providence of aging.

While there were supposedly no side effects until now… 

“Why the hell did they have to develop such a thing…”

The problem is now.

The moment the manipulated genes come into contact with the special waves created by the mega flare’s aftermath, they begin to mutate.

Although I can’t know exactly without being able to see a clock, there should be roughly 11 hours left.

Until one-third of humanity turns into mutants.

“Hmm…”

Perhaps because my thoughts deepened.

I forcibly swallow a sigh trying to escape and shake off my idle thoughts.

Right now, I’m in front of the headquarters.

*  *  *

Pandemonium.

That’s exactly the right expression.

In the chaos that I’m gradually getting used to, I can see several people collapsed.

However, my vision focuses on one point.

The entrance to the headquarters.

That’s it.

I need to get past there and reach the top floor.

Getting the ‘master key’ that can control the city is my absolute first priority. 

But then a thought hits me – in a city completely stripped of power, what good would a master key even do? 

I’m reminded of a post someone made in the community during the early days. Back then, they were quickly dismissed as just another clueless game noob.

EMP, electromagnetic pulse, is a phenomenon that can occur even from nuclear explosions.

The method to block this phenomenon is simpler than you might think.

Shielding, completely blocking the surroundings with conductors.

For example, if you put electronic devices in a sealed metal container, they’re safe from electromagnetic pulses.

Therefore, in a world where nuclear weapons exist, it’s not like there’s no preparation against EMP at all.

Key facilities have shielding functions.

This place is the same.

While the entire Waylis Headquarters doesn’t have shielding functions, key departments and the top floor do have shielding capabilities.

The ‘master key’ that can control such key facilities is the top priority task that can change the survival difficulty.

What’s the first thing to do after acquiring the master key?

‘I need to shut down the reactors.’

The first thing to do with the master key is to create an environment where survival is possible.

The survival difficulty becomes easier by eliminating the worst environmental factors one by one.

So the key facility is power plants.

Among them, all facilities that produce electricity through nuclear fission must be shut down.

Currently, the nuclear power plants are fine.

They haven’t stopped operating due to their shielding functions.

That’s the problem.

They’re still producing electricity while all the power lines that transport electricity have burned up.

And the moment mutants appear and infected beings increase exponentially.

Managing the nuclear power plants becomes practically impossible.

Just a few hours.

In those few hours, the unmanaged nuclear power plants will start causing problems.

And the moment the reactor cores melt and release to the outside in whatever way.

The surroundings will all turn into wasteland.

The land becomes a radiation-contaminated dead zone. 

And while its massive reach is bad enough, what’s worse is that every key facility within that radius becomes permanently unusable.

‘If the city becomes contaminated with radiation, it’s the start of another apocalypse. I must stop it no matter what.’

As I organize my thoughts, my mind becomes calmer.

Even the remaining confusion feels somewhat suppressed.

However, in the midst of this.

My eyes meet someone’s gaze.

“Ex-Excuse me!”

Someone unexpectedly runs over.

They grab my arm with an urgent expression.

“Could you help us?”

The unfamiliar man glances behind him.

Behind him, several humans were recklessly trying to break the headquarters’ entrance.

There was chaos as they rammed their bodies and kicked at it.

“Damn it, suddenly there’s a power outage and people at the entrance…!”

I was surprised for a moment.

I couldn’t understand why they were singling me out for help among so many people, but looking around, I could see that most people were already engaged elsewhere.

At that moment, I could recall something.

‘This is…’

This situation reminded me of something.

“You look like you exercise a lot, if several people work together, we can surely open it quickly!”

Then.

Text I know all too well starts arranging itself in my vision.

【Encounter Occurred】

In all this chaos, I’d completely forgotten about this. If anyone should know how to understand and utilize this system, it’s me.

‘…I had forgotten about encounters.’

【People Trapped in Waylis】

[Due to the unprecedented citywide blackout, distressed civilians are appearing everywhere. One of them is now asking for your assistance.]

[(Help) Requires: Strength LV3]

[(Refuse)]

And just like that, in this chaos, my first real choice in this world presents itself.