Hoarding In Hell [EN]: Chapter 266

266. The Sky Fortress (3)

‘Adam Poltra, of course. I knew she’d be here.’

Chrome.

If the Alliance covertly claimed to ‘protect humanity’ from the shadows, Chrome openly postured to safeguard humanity by manipulating national leaders in the spotlight.

Among them, Adam Poltra was Chrome’s sharpest blade.

I had already done some research on Adam Poltra. Her official records ceased a decade ago.

At the time, she was only 16 years old but already held the unbelievable rank of 4-Star, Level 50.

Beyond that, there were no records.

Aside from being born in Ukraine, it was impossible to find out what her abilities were or what equipment she possessed.

Since Park Hwi-so had personally gathered this information, it was safe to say there was virtually no more to be found.

Adam Poltra had never stated it herself, nor had it been officially acknowledged, but Chrome internally recognized Adam Poltra as the strongest ability user in the world.

Of course, Chrome had never presented objective data or proof of this fact.

However, as if there was no need to argue, they humbly said, ‘How can there be superiority among Hunters? Compatibility and experience must align,’ but behind the scenes, they naturally regarded Adam Poltra as the best.

It was like pitting a wolf against chickens in a cockfight.

‘How amusing.’

Adam Poltra’s power certainly exceeded normal limits.

However, to Hyun-woo, that subtle arrogance and humility were simply amusing.

In any case, if they knew the value of the Sky Fortress, it was natural for Chrome to attend this meeting.

Hyun-woo tried to gauge Adam Poltra’s abilities, but she was wearing a gas mask that covered the lower half of her face, as if it were only natural.

‘It’s a shame… but is that Professor Maria Keller next to her?’

Hyun-woo focused on the elderly woman who had come with Adam Poltra.

Maria Keller, the person Adam Poltra followed like a dog.

She had even halted the ongoing Tepes case during the Pyongyang Reclamation War with a single phone call.

Only Maria Keller had taken in Adam Poltra from Ukraine, raised her, and could command her.

Adam Poltra carried out Maria’s words as if they were the most important task. Maria was also known as a 4-Star ability user, but her official level was only 1.

Literally, she had never worked as a Hunter despite having innate talent.

Just in case, he checked with his monocle, but it was definitely Level 1. She didn’t even have a single skill.

‘It’s only natural, considering her condition.’

Hemiplegia [paralysis of one side of the body] and a hand that didn’t move properly. She was hardly in a condition to live as an ordinary person, let alone a Hunter.

Of course, she was far from an ordinary person; she was the world’s greatest scholar.

Perhaps she had chosen a path even better than being a Hunter.

***

Adam Poltra expressionlessly scanned the conference room.

Some were whispering secretly, some were silent, and some were already raising their voices.

Because it was a conference where reporters were prohibited from entering, national leaders were already loudly proclaiming their positions.

And the ability users.

Mediocre ability users were flaunting their pride and subtly engaging in a war of nerves. Among them, some showed blatant hostility toward Adam Poltra.

‘Insects.’

Adam didn’t even feel emotions like contempt or childishness.

She simply felt like sweeping them all up with a broom and throwing them away somewhere. Pressing down on them was unpleasant and dirty, so she didn’t want to do it.

Just then, Maria grabbed her tie and pulled it sharply.

“Adam, be humble.”

“Yes.”

Maria gave her a warning as if she had read her mind.

Maria tried her best to remember that the insects in front of her were individuals like herself, who had grown up receiving love and affection from their parents.

It wasn’t easy.

To her, it didn’t feel different from watching ants care for their eggs.

At that moment, Adam met someone’s gaze. And her gaze remained fixed.

Kang Hyun-woo. He was here.

Kang Hyun-woo was looking at her with a strange smile.

For the first time, Adam Poltra felt a presence from someone other than Maria Keller.

If Maria Keller and Adam were in a relationship that bound each other, Kang Hyun-woo was captivating Adam’s gaze like a powerful sun.

No one else seemed to feel his presence.

Kang Hyun-woo’s presence was directed only at her.

“Who is it?”

Maria’s voice broke Adam’s reverie.

Adam barely took her eyes off Hyun-woo and carefully leaned in to whisper in Maria’s ear.

“It’s Kang Hyun-woo.”

“Oh.”

Maria Keller pursed her lips and frowned.

“So, a meeting has finally been arranged like this. I would have preferred it to be at Chrome headquarters, but to meet in such a bustling marketplace… How does it feel? Do you feel anything significantly different compared to then?”

Adam Poltra couldn’t answer easily.

During the Pyongyang Reclamation War, she thought Hyun-woo was unique, but not to the point of catching her eye.

She thought Maria would like it if she brought him to Chrome. But she didn’t feel he was comparable to herself.

“…Yes. It seems he has chosen a Star [powerful backer or faction]. I can feel a burning intensity.”

“Oh dear.”

Maria Keller lightly clicked her tongue.

“Well, it’s only natural. Someone like Kang Hyun-woo couldn’t have been missed by the Stars.”

She muttered as if she was truly disappointed.

“He could have been a hope for humanity, but in the end, he entrusts his will like that. Well, perhaps that’s the limit of humanity.”

Maria reached out and took Adam Poltra’s hand.

“You must come to your senses, Adam. You are humanity’s last bastion.”

Adam Poltra was about to answer that she understood. But then a light chime rang out. It was a notification that the meeting had begun.

***

Although the notification that the meeting had begun rang out, the atmosphere in the conference room was still chaotic.

The number of attendees was far fewer than expected. Above all, what most perplexed the attendees was the United States.

While other countries at least sent diplomatic envoys to convey their intentions, the United States sent no one.

It was a treatment that completely ignored Russia.

“Is the United States out of its mind? Something unidentified is sweeping across the continent even now! But they’re ignoring it because they’re across the ocean?”

The new chairman of the former China, or rather, the North Chinese government, slammed the table and shouted roughly.

Thanks to the translators each of them had in their ears, they could understand what he was saying almost in real-time.

The North Chinese chairman’s anger was understandable.

China, which bordered Ulaanbaatar, was the first to send an investigation team when Ulaanbaatar was devastated.

And they belatedly realized that damage had also occurred in nearby areas bordering Russia without their knowledge.

“Moreover, to bring such a puppet regime to a place like this! Is this a treatment that ignores One China?”

The Chinese chairman pointed at the chairman of the South Chinese government, who was seated on one side of the conference room, and shouted.

However, the South Chinese government chairman ignored him as if mocking him.

Just as the North Chinese chairman was about to shout again, someone rose from their seat.

“Everyone, you all have your own positions and things to say, but first, I would like to talk about the disaster we are facing.”

It was a man with half-faded blond hair and sunken eyes.

He had a somewhat gloomy impression, but no one in this place could easily treat him lightly.

Even the North Chinese chairman, who had been interrupted, was no exception.

President Petrovich, who had officially and unofficially ruled Russia for the past 10 years, spoke again.

“Distribute the briefing materials.”

As President Petrovich instructed, secretaries began distributing tablet PCs to the leaders.

Hyun-woo manipulated the tablet PC that President Kim Si-hoo had received from behind, confirming the general content.

It was material with photos, data, and videos. It contained detailed information that was unbelievable to have been created in just a few days.

“First, I understand that Ulaanbaatar has now been completely annihilated. I am saying this because I think everyone will have a sense of crisis and focus if we make that point clear. A country’s capital, a city with a population of over 1 million, has disappeared overnight.”

The leaders were all silent.

A capital disappearing overnight. It was a situation that anyone in charge of a country would hate to imagine.

Moreover, the whereabouts of the Mongolian government itself are unknown. It is likely that they disappeared along with Ulaanbaatar.

“And the disaster that destroyed Ulaanbaatar… we are seeing it as a kind of giant life form.”

“A life form?”

As someone asked suspiciously, President Petrovich gestured and pointed to the tablet PC.

“Look at the contents. There is a description of its appearance and ecology. It has a semi-circular body about 18 kilometers in diameter, with countless long, thin tentacles. It looks like a kind of jellyfish.”

Indeed, the data book also depicted a jellyfish-like body with long tentacles hanging down.

Mount Everest, which seemed to be a comparison target, was drawn next to it.

“And the back… it has very good camouflage abilities. It can completely transmit light and mimic the surrounding environment. The only way to know its appearance for sure is when you are under its belly.”

“Hmm, so it’s hard to pinpoint its exact location unless you get close.”

“That’s right. The speculation that it is in eastern Kazakhstan is just a conclusion based on its speed of movement so far. We don’t know its exact location either. And this is important… it seems to be a kind of living dungeon. A dungeon in a Flood state [a state where monsters endlessly pour out].”

The conference room was filled with silence. As the silence continued, German Chancellor Almuth opened her mouth with difficulty.

“What did you just say? A 18-kilometer-diameter airborne dungeon in a Flood state?”

Even if just one Flood occurs, they focus on suppressing it as early as possible by deploying all available Hunters.

This is because they know how big a disaster a Flood can be.

But a dungeon that flies in the sky and pours out monsters.

“That’s not the only problem. The monsters released from this creature are very diverse in type and level. But the common thing is… they are very good at using their own language and know how to move in an organized manner. In some areas, even the construction of fortresses has been observed.”

The leaders, who imagined monsters pouring down like rain from the sky, and on top of that, the monsters carrying out occupation wars in cities and even building fortresses, turned pale.

Eventually, Chancellor Almuth said with difficulty, as if she couldn’t believe it.

“That’s… an occupation war.”

Ignoring someone’s nonsense that it was an ‘over-setting,’ President Petrovich calmly acknowledged it.

“That’s right.”

Of course, it was an answer to the occupation war.

Only then did the leaders understand President Petrovich’s urgent invitation and the holding of an international competition.

This was the first challenge that humanity was receiving from something other than humanity. It was a situation that all countries had to unite to stop.

The North Chinese chairman shouted with a pale face.

“Then shouldn’t we shoot it down immediately, even if we have to use nuclear weapons!”

“As I said.”

President Petrovich glared at the North Chinese chairman with sharp eyes and said.

“Its size is 18 kilometers in diameter. I don’t know how it floats, but it can’t be lighter than air. Scientists estimate its actual weight to be about 21,000 tons. That’s the weight when it’s estimated to be a simple giant jellyfish. What do you think the impact would be if it were shot down?”

The fall itself is a major disaster.

There are problems caused by using nuclear weapons, but if it falls to the ground as it is, a disaster that would make hundreds of nuclear warheads pale in comparison could occur.

Also, if it is shot down, over whose territory will it be shot down? This alone would create international conflict.

“We can’t drop it, and we can’t leave it alone, so what should we do?”

Everyone fell silent at someone’s question.

Everyone had the same thought in their heads.

But they couldn’t bring up the story carelessly. It was because they didn’t want to take responsibility for saying it first carelessly.

In the end, President Petrovich, whose country was on the verge of collapse, opened his mouth.

“There is only one way to silence a dungeon that has fallen into a Flood state.”

Hunters are deployed to the dungeon.

Even if it means grinding in ability users from all over the world.