I Became a Genius Swordsman in the Pretty Girl Game

The Gleus 666’s engine purred quietly as it navigated the rough terrain, but inside, there was not a hint of vibration.

“Whoa! The ride is incredible! Amazing! No need to start the engine, it moves automatically! This is the Gleus 666?!” Yoo-ri exclaimed excitedly from the driver’s seat.

I had offered the first shift to Yoo-ri, knowing how much she had wanted to drive this car. Initially, she had hesitated, saying,

“Are you sure? Usually, you don’t let others drive your car first.”

But when I said, “Are we not close enough for that?” she eagerly took the wheel.

“Wow! I don’t even need to hold the steering wheel! It automatically adjusts for curves!” Yoo-ri’s enthusiasm knew no bounds.

However, as she continued driving, a subtle change came over her expression. “Hmm? Do I even need to brake? It seems to have a smart auto-driving system that takes me to my destination via the fastest route…”

The Gleus 666 was so advanced and luxurious that there was little for the driver to do. All Yoo-ri could do was sit and stare straight ahead. In fact, with the automatic defense system in place, she could even lie down and sleep without any worries.

“Then, what’s the point of sitting in the driver’s seat…?” Yoo-ri muttered, a sense of disillusionment creeping into her voice.

Sitting in the passenger seat, I smiled and asked, “So, what do you think of your dream car, the one that hunters dream of driving?”

Yoo-ri fell silent and then quietly replied, “…”

She clenched her teeth and turned away, her expression one of shattered fantasy. “It’s so hollow… Reality is more bitter than I thought…”

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About six hours into Yoo-ri’s driving shift, she said, “Let’s switch, Jin Yuha. Well, I guess there’s no need to switch, but I should at least take a nap in the backseat.”

Yoo-ri moved to the backseat, and Shasha Fong took the passenger seat next to me.

The Gleus 666 continued its journey, its engine rumbling softly in the night. The surroundings were pitch-black, with not a single streetlight in sight, and an unusual silence enveloped us.

Shasha Fong sat stiffly, her eyes fixed on the road ahead, anxiously biting her nails.

“Stop biting your nails,” I said, gently taking her hand and preventing her from doing so.

She turned to me, her eyes filled with worry. I knew what she was concerned about, so I reassured her, “Your father will be fine.”

“Do you really think so…?” she asked, her voice wavering.

“Yes,” I replied confidently. “Originally, we might have been too late, but you brought that with you.” I glanced back at the rear of the vehicle.

“Huurgh…”

In the back, Ga-eul was still deathly pale, charging the White Magic Stone.

“As long as that stone shines, he’ll be fine,” I said, stroking Shasha Fong’s head. “So, trust us and wait. We’ll save your father.”

“Thank you… truly…” Shasha Fong murmured, her eyes glistening with gratitude.

Just then—

Screeeech!

The vehicle came to a sudden halt, and I narrowed my eyes, scanning the dark road ahead.

“Huh, it detected the enemies before I did? This car is really something,” I muttered to myself.

I turned to Shasha Fong and said, “Shasha Fong, wake up everyone in the back and tell them to get out of the car. And you stay inside and don’t move.”

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As my party members stepped out of the vehicle, the Gleus 666 emitted a soft hum, and a translucent hexagonal protective barrier enveloped it. The automatic defense system had kicked in.

Bang! Bang!

I lightly tapped the barrier with my fist, thinking, ‘This car is truly impressive. With this, I don’t have to worry about leaving people behind to guard it.’

Inside the car were Shasha Fong, who lacked combat abilities, and Ga-eul, who was busy charging the White Magic Stone.

I had considered leaving someone behind to protect them before engaging in battle, but with the car’s automatic defense system, one less worry weighed on my mind.

“What’s going on?”

“Huaaaam…”

“Is this a rest stop…?” my party members asked as they stretched their limbs, having been cooped up in the car for so long.

Kang Do-hee scanned the pitch-black surroundings and said, “Enemies.”

“Yeah, we’re getting close to our destination,” I agreed. “We could just ignore them and keep driving, but I think it’s better to take care of them now.”

“Hmm, it’s hard to see without any streetlights,” Shin Se-hee remarked.

She extended her hand, and a towering pillar of fire erupted above her head, illuminating the area.

What we saw sent shivers down our spines.

“…”

“What… is that…?”

“This is insane.”

“It’s horrific.”

Everyone’s faces reflected their shock. The creatures before us were abominations, a grotesque fusion of human and monster. They had blank, white eyes where their irises should have been, and their mouths hung open, drooling. They resembled zombies straight out of a horror movie.

“Ugh… Ugh…”

“Is something wrong?” Shasha Fong asked, her eyes wide as she took in the hundreds of creatures before them.

I nodded in agreement with Se-hee’s assessment. “Yeah, they’re failed experiments from the Shin family. Chimeras.”

“Se-hee, can you make the fire bigger?” I asked.

“Hmm? Sure.”

Whoosh!

Se-hee increased the size of the flames, creating a blazing inferno that rivaled the sun in its intensity.

Then—

“Ugh…”

A couple of chimeras in the distance turned their heads, having noticed us.

Or, to be more precise, they had been made to notice us.

“Kreeeek!”

The creatures let out horrific screams as they charged towards us, followed by the rest of the horde. It was like a scene straight out of a zombie movie.

To lighten the mood and ease the tension among the party members, I casually asked, “Isn’t this your first time in actual combat, Se-hee?”

“Jin Yuha, that’s a bit hurtful,” Se-hee replied with a smile. “We fought the Fire Dragon together, and we also went to the library not long ago.”

“Oh, right. Sorry,” I apologized.

“Back then, you just set the flowers on fire from behind. This is the first time we’re fighting side by side. I wonder if you can keep up,” Kang Do-hee teased.

Se-hee let out a low chuckle. “Just because I sit at my desk all day doesn’t mean you can underestimate me. Don’t forget, I’m Cheonhwa.”

“Cheonhwa? More like snake,” Kang Do-hee retorted.

As the two bickered, I formulated a strategy in my mind.

‘Hmm, without Ga-eul, we have two specials, two dealers, a tanker, and a healer…’

A mischievous smile played at the corners of my lips as I envisioned the possibilities.

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“Oh my god, there are so many of them!” Shasha Fong exclaimed, her eyes glued to the approaching chimeras.

She knew what these creatures were—the failed experiments of the Shin family.

Her mother had forced people to participate in bizarre experiments conducted by suspicious individuals, and the failures were discarded in the vicinity of Guangdong Province to prevent outsiders from entering.

When Shasha Fong’s mother had left home a month ago, the number of failures had not been this high. Back then, it had been possible to find a gap and escape, but now, it seemed impossible.

‘Did I make a mistake…?’ Shasha Fong wondered, feeling a deep sense of regret. ‘Did I let my momentary selfishness lead to the sacrifice of Utopia’s members?’

Just then, a voice interrupted her thoughts.

“Huff, huff… It’s fine.”

“What…? Are you talking to me?” Shasha Fong asked, turning to the source of the voice.

It was LLim Ga-eul, her senior, looking pathetic with her sweat-drenched hair sticking to her face.

“Huff, huff… Pass me that water, please.”

Shasha Fong handed LLim Ga-eul a water bottle, which she gulped down in one go.

“Phew, that’s better! Anyway, I just wanted to say that there’s no need to worry,” Lim Ga-eul said, wiping her sweaty face with the back of her hand.

“How can you say that? There are so many enemies out there…” Shasha Fong replied, her voice laced with concern.

Lim Ga-eul tied her wet hair into a tight bun and said, “Well, I may be fond of and cherish my juniors, but let’s be honest, they’re basically monsters. I know this because I spent an extra year at the Academy.”

Lim Ga-eul turned her gaze to the window, looking out at the night beyond. “Utopia is an absurdly powerful group…”

Shasha Fong followed her gaze, and her eyes widened in surprise.

She saw a dazzling display of crimson rain falling from the sky, each droplet a miniature inferno.

“So, since you’ve entrusted this task to us, don’t worry. Nothing bad will happen,” Lim Ga-eul assured her.

Kwaaaaaaaa!