Chapter 67: Episode 10-Disaster of Lasers (6)
[Song in the Comment Section]
"This looks very wrong."
Currently, George and I stood on the sandy shores of Alki Beach. Only fifteen meters away were KKK members prostrating in front of the Disaster of Laser's egg. They were currently praying, feeding their mana so it could hatch quickly. While that happened, soldiers placed the necessary armaments. We nestled our supplies behind houses and the tree lines, trying to have as much cover as possible.
"This does look pretty cult-y. Like, some satanic ritual," I added.
[Constellations have screenshotted this moment!]
[Constellations are sharing the image through InStargram!]
[Constellations are adding the image to "Out of Context" compilations!]
"Honestly, it's not far from the truth."
No longer paying attention to the men in white robes, I scrolled through my smartphone and read my notes regarding the catastrophe.
The Disaster of Lasers was extremely powerful, although their name was somewhat of a misnomer. All of his attacks would be invisible if they truly wielded lasers. Their mode of attack was highly energized beams of crystal shards; his energy beams created a field of electromagnetic tension, causing his emissions to retain their elongated form.
I read ASS and rediscovered the Disaster's backstory. If the current events followed the original, then the Disaster of Lasers came from the planet [Refraction], situated near a red giant. If the lore was correct, then his world was created by the [Crystal Gods], and his planetary system was located near an [Ebony-Cluster], ruled by the Innumerable Hands.
The Disaster of Lasers was a fledging crystal formation when the Dokkaebi took him as a fetus. In reality, he was one of the weakest [Crystal Creations], but his strength shone in other planets and scenarios. Now, we were trying to summon such a monster to Washington.
"It feels pretty post-apocalyptic, doesn't it, George?"
The sky was nothing but a red haze, and the sun resembled a red eye staring at the world below. Surprisingly, I experienced this before. It didn't happen every summer, but wildfires would congest the dry atmosphere with smog. The heavens would turn crimson, and the air would turn poisonous; it was stated that breathing in the pollution was the equivalent of smoking a pack of cigarettes. It was almost poetic - I experienced a glimpse of the apocalypse before it ever came.
[The "Disaster of Lasers" emergence is imminent!]
I saw the scenario message streaming in.
-!Tsuchuchuchut!-
[Ethan, what the hell?! You are hatching the Disaster?!?]
Herald appeared from thin air and was visibly distressed. He was even talking aloud for others to hear.
"Didn't I tell you?"
[No!! You didn't! Ethan, the Bureau is shocked by your decision and other Dokkaebi in the area are scrambling!! I'm going to have to enforce a scenario!]
"Okay then."
[Ethan! It's a Disaster! How are you so nonchalant?!]
"Because I have methods for fighting it. Initiate the hidden scenario when it hatches. See if you can also add some penalties to help."
Herald pressed his hand to his forehead and massaged it.
[Please, provide a capable scenario and make sure it isn't a tragedy. May the blessing of the story grace you.]
With a fizzle of lightning, he vanished. Then a new message appeared.
[The "Disaster of Lasers" has come to your world!]
The crystal egg illuminated within and cracks formed in its surface as if it could no longer contain its energy. The men surrounding the egg slowly backed away in fear, but it was too late for them.
"Wha...?"
"Fuck, what is this!?"
"Run!!"
[Due to the early hatching penalty, you won't be able to attack the Disaster of Lasers for three minutes!]
+
[The sub-scenario - Disaster Subjugation]
Category: Sub
Difficulty: B ~ ???
Clear Conditions: Kill the Disaster
Time Limit: None
Compensation: 50,000, ???
Failure: The fall of Washington State Dome
+
After that, the world exploded in brilliant light.
***
"Huarurgh!!"
"Kaurk!!"
Men and women were coughing. Dirt and debris rained down. I was temporarily blinded, but I saw the crystal egg explode in the distance - a large crack was evident in its center. Like the nuclear blast from Chernobyl, a stream of pure energy erupted and rose vertically into the sky. It was kaleidoscopic: the colors ranged from red, blue, green, yellow, and purple. Soon, it dissipated, and the world fell into silence - as if holding its breath.
The crack shimmered, and chunks of gems fell onto the hard ground. It was incredible - the heat of the blast hardened the beach's shores into glass. Soon, the red fragments of the meteorite were spilling out. It was strange. The flow was too deliberate... as if the rocks possessed a mind of their own. The crystals eventually stopped and coalesced into a shape.
"My god..."
That was the Disaster? All of those rocks?
"I'm going towards it."
"Ethan, no!"
"We have to stall for three minutes."
[Constellations admire your bravery!]
I approached the peculiar rock formation. The pulsating crystals quivered and trembled.
"Gwah... h-help."
One KKK member was still alive. He had both of his legs blasted off, and his body was charred. I ignored him.
[For the first time in the scenario, you have encountered a being from another world!]
[The Disaster of Lasers is staring at you!]
[Constellation "Egyptian Thought" is interested in the creature from another world!]
[The Disasters of Lasers is assimilating to your species!]
Soon, the crystals moved and shifted until it was an anthropomorphic existence. It stood at two meters; the skin appeared as if hewn from red rubies, and the entire body and head looked like a cut jewel.
[You have activated "Other World Interpreter" Lv. 1!]
If I was correct, then the [Crystal Creations] used a special language that combined visual light patterns with phonetics.
[Gwaahhh...]
The humanoid figure lit up and produced a rumbling sound. This was the language of the [Crystal Gods.]
"Hello? Can you hear me?"
[Wha... What are you?]
"I'm a human. We were the dominant species on this planet. You've currently assimilated to us."
The Disaster turned its head left to right and looked at the surroundings.
[A-am I home?]
"No. I apologize, but this isn't [Refraction]."
The story of ASS said this about his homeworld: [The planet [Refraction] - as the Dokkaebi called it - is a rocky planet near a red giant. It is mostly a landmass consisting of barren wastelands scorched by its sun. Instead of trees, crystal stalagmites erupt from the ground and absorb the sun's rays. Underneath the rocky, sandy surface is the vibrant world of the [Crystal Creations] - deep caves house and birth these creatures. They feed on thermal energy and store it within themselves, and the Disaster of Lasers is no different. His composition is mostly Interitite crystals, red gems that possess destructive power.]
It was easy for the Disaster of Lasers to mistake this place as his home. It was familiar: the red sky, the dead foliage, and the hardened ground reminded him. Passages from TWSA flitted into my mind.
-[Every creature has a desire, and the Disasters are no different. Some of them want incredible power to destroy, infect, or conquer. Their purposes vary, and each is diverse. If so, what was the Disaster of Laser's desire? It was simple.]-
[No. No. Why... why am I here?]
-[He wanted to go back home.]-
"Y-you bastard... You set us up. You used us..."
A single survivor from the blast was crawling in my direction and cursing me. Sadly, his timing couldn't be worse.
[SHUT UP!]
With a flick of his hand, the Disaster aimed his index finger at the crawling Klansman and fired a single beam into their head. They were dead in an instant.
[How many worlds...?]
(Oh, geez.)
[How many worlds will I have to destroy!?! When will I fulfill this contract?!]
[Constellations that adore destruction are enraptured by the "Disaster of Lasers" and their words!]
[When will I be free?!]
(I think I should back away now....)
The Disaster's next shout was bloodcurdling - it carried no curses but conveyed his rage perfectly. It was nothing but pure, incomprehensible fury, all aimed at the stars.
[Star Stream!!]
[The "Disaster of Lasers" is activating "Energy Emissions" Lv. 5!]
Numerous vents opened up in the Disaster's body, and it began to glow. I was fully running now.
[STAR STREAM!!]
The world lit up again. Just before it happened, I dove into one of our trenches and waited out the onslaught of pure pandemonium.
[Many Constellations are cheering for you!]
"If there is a god out there," I said.
"The light is fading!!"
"I can see it!!"
"Open fire!!"
"Please, protect us."
***
Was this how a real war would feel like? Was the battle experience nothing but hiding in a dirty trench, ducking your head, hoping to survive the senseless chaos that surrounded you? I wasn't sure.
-!Bzzt!-
"All units, aim the Frost Missiles and fire when General Machen orders!!"
I peeked over the trench and saw the Disaster speeding through the battlefield. He was under intense fire but was still able to move. They ran up to a truck-mounted machinegun and - with one punch - completely obliterated the gunner's head.
There were only a few opportunities to kill this creature. Our first onslaught required precision, and I didn't trust myself to order the barrage. There was only one person who could see through the chaos of battle and orchestrate it: George Machen. I prayed his [Total War] stigma did not fail him.
-!Bzzt!-
"All units, FIRE!"
With a deafening boom, cylindrical capsules flew towards the Disaster before it could react and dodge. Instead of a conflagration of fire-
-!Shinkinlinkink!-
-ice exploded and formed, entrapping them. I spoke into my radio again.
"Prepare the incendiary charges! Fire on General Machen's orders!"
In the distance, I could see mortars being refilled and RPGs being reloaded.
"All units are ready!"
-!Bzzt!-
"Wait for the Disaster to expose himself!"
A crystalline fist emerged from the ice, and continued to shatter it. Soon, a humanoid figure was seen. It did it too quickly.
"Gunners, spray the Disaster! Don't let it escape! Suppress it!"
Gatling guns roared to life and peppered the monster, and in response, the Disaster fired unfocused energy beams in every direction.
"We've been hit; we've been it!"
"Squad one is pulling out!"
"Fall back!"
"Fire the incendiary charges!"
Another volley of missiles shot forward, but the Disaster anticipated the attack and shot most of them down. They evaded most of the projectiles and moved closer to us.
"Artic Squad and Hell Squad, move in!"
I was part of the Hell Squad. I shot forward and ran with the flame-throwing equipped soldiers.
Now, you may be thinking, why would I use flame throwers to fight the Disaster? Wouldn't they use the thermal energy to empower themselves? It was valid to an extent, but I was exploiting a fundamental area of physics and chemistry: thermodynamics. Specifically, thermal shock.
Every blacksmith dreaded thermal shock: it occurred when metal underwent drastic temperature changes, causing cracks in the material. I didn't know if the same logic applied to alien crystals, but this was the only method I knew.
"Freeze his legs!!"
An ice thrower aimed the nozzle of his weapon and shot a stream of thick vapor. It quickly formed a chunk of ice, trapping the Disaster's feet.
"Hell squad, fire!!"
We were only a few meters away from the calamity - I raised my hands and unleashed the flames of Muspell. Beside me were brave soldiers shooting their flame throwers, which were filled with [Greek fire.] The stream of fire encompassed the [Crystal Creature] until it screamed out.
[Aaarrrghhhh!!!]
Retaliation soon came, and energy beams nailed some men in the stomach. They buckled over and fell to the ground. Explosions from their flame throwers should've come, but that only applied to back mounted types. Every single one was efficient and hand-held. The guns were like those belonging to notorious criminals Captain Cold and Heat Wave.
"Fall back!"
The surviving members retreated. Before they did, the Artic Squad froze the Disaster of Lasers in place to buy us time.
[NOO!]
It wasn't enough, though. The calamity broke through the ice, and with a raise of an arm-
"Get down!!"
-killed nearly all of the squad members.
"Damnit!"
Over the radio, I could hear George ordering the snipers to fire. When the Disaster remerged, thick armor-piercing bullets pierced him in his torso and thighs. One shot nailed the calamity in his head, causing a chunk of his cranium to fly away with a minor explosion.
[Uwwaarrghhh!!]
I had a feeling that shot belonged to George's rifle. Just like when gangsters were speeding towards me, George was the one who saved my life with his sniping skills.
"Everyone, get to cover!"
We fled far enough, and I ordered every gunner to resume the onslaught. The bullets from before bounced off, but they cracked the creature's body this time.
[AARRGHHH!!!]
Before, they used individual fingers to fire energy beams. This time, they formed a single fist and aimed.
(No...)
[The "Disaster of Lasers" is activating "Focused Energy Spears" Lv. 3!]
Shafts of scintillating light thick as a forearm propelled forward-
-!Krakaboom!-
-!Krakaboom!-
-!Krakaboom!-
-and obliterated most of our artillery gunners.
"Five gunner units are down, I repeat, five gunner units are down!"
Soldiers manually fired their Henry Repeating Rifles, but it had little effect.
[The "Disaster of Lasers" is activating "Energy Sweep" Lv. 4!]
The calamity folded their arms together, and with a single motion, unfurled them while simultaneously launching a boomerang-shaped projectile. It smashed into a building, toppling its upper half. It resumed normal fire and shot the buildings, causing them to crash down.
-!BOOM!-
Maybe one mortar remained. A frost charge nailed the Disaster in the left-side torso, and the [Crystal Creature] froze again.
"Squads, move in!"
Armed with frost and incendiary grenades, the men and women threw them at the Disaster, reapplying thermal shock and stressing their body.
[The "Disaster of Lasers" is activating "Rapid Energy Spray" Lv. 8!]
They held their hands in a clawing motion, and light beams rapidly pelted us. Still, we had to close the distance.
-!Chi-chit!-
Soldiers armed with shotguns aimed the barrel at the being from another world. One even said, "Hasta la vista, baby."
The Disaster shattered into pieces, and their arm was torn off.
[Auuwaarrghhh!!]
Filled with pure desperation, they formed a fist with their remaining right arm and poured every single ounce of power into this attack. Instead of aiming the attack towards us, the Disaster brought his arm downwards and fired.
-!!BAKASHABOOM!!-
The ground itself was torn from our feet.
***
I opened my eyes. I was covered in dirt, sand, and debris, which continued to rain down. My ears were ringing, and discolored spots were all I could see. I stood up and saw the Disaster limping towards me in my daze.
[Constellations are interested in this fight between opposing species!]
[I-I wanna go home.]
My skill translated their faint flickering and deep grumbles as such. The Disaster, meant to instill fear into humans, looked towards the sky. The Disaster didn't possess flesh or blood, but their mannerisms conveyed his longing.
[Some Constellations are empathizing with the Disaster from another world.]
[L-let me go. I want to go home.]
The Disaster's entire left arm was gone: his legs were shattered and cracked in some places, and his vibrant shimmer dulled. A portion of his head was gone, and his torso crumbled in places. This was it. The fledging villain versus the Disaster.
[Some Constellations admire your heroic actions!]
[Constellations have sponsored 1000 coins!]
"I'm sorry."
The Disaster's gaze fell on me.
"But I'm gonna put some ice in your eyes."
In response, the Disaster raised his fist and aimed at my heart.
[You have activated "Frost Hands" Lv. 3!]
[Your skill is conflicting with your biology!]
Biting cold washed over my hands until I couldn't feel them anymore. With trepid steps, I inched forward. I mustered my willpower until enough confidence filled me. This was the last hurdle. With a desperate shout, I charged on.
"Arrghhh!!!"
The Disaster echoed my roar and shot forward as well.
[Gwaargghh!!]
We ran towards each other - fists raising and aiming at each other's faces. This was our final battle.
***
I stroked Aliana's sleeping head and hair. There was barely any left.
(Now, why did you have to cut your hair like this?)
My best friend insisted on cutting her hair short after the scenario's introduction. Honestly, it made her look boyish. She emphasized that it was for "efficient reasons" because long hair is dangerous to have. It was true, but she could've stopped at shoulder length. It was like she wanted to look like a boy.
(What are you feeling right now?)
Aliana, who was a little rough around the edges, became more surly and aggressive. She distanced herself from other girls more than usual, which said a lot because she had already done that before. She distanced herself from everyone. I was worried. She was changing. Everyone changes gradually, but it's not positive every time. She was short-tempered with boys and girls alike - she barely talked, and she was quiet around me. She kinda reminded me of those typical, aggressive female protagonists from politically driven movies.
(I can't blame her.)
Did she remember everything that happened in the First Scenario? I didn't know if she actually did, but it seemed like Aliana hated guys. I could understand. What Jake did....
"Is she sleeping alright?"
My thoughts were interrupted.
"Yeah, mom."
We were in the cafeteria. Everyone was waiting for their rations of bread and water. Aliana was sleeping on the table's bench, resting her head against my lap. It wasn't every day she slept well. I stroked her head again, hoping to comfort her.
"Mom, do you think we're gonna make it through this?" I asked.
"Alicia... I don't know. These uncertain scenarios, these situations, I don't know what to expect anymore."
"Honey, we'll make it through this."
My dad clasped my mother's hand and held it in his. I smiled. I was luckier than most, luckier that I still had most of my family.
"Okay, everyone, get in a line!"
The official workers called for everyone.
"I'll go get the food and water. Just sit and rest."
"Thank you, sweetie."
As some people rose to get their food, I looked at everyone in the cafeteria. Everyone was... despairing. They looked lost, uncertain, and hopeless. Life was sapped from their faces, and the atmosphere was tinged with depression.
(I wish there was...)
Hope? I feel pathetic. Here I was, like some damsel in distress, hoping for someone to fix all of our problems.
(What can I do?)
[Your Constellation sponsor is staring at you.]
[Your Constellation sponsor is prodding you to take proactive decisions.]
[Your Constellation sponsor is warning you of events to come.]
[Your Constellation sponsor wants you to be wary!]
I didn't know what to do in this situation. I just knew that something needed to change.
"Wha?"
"What the hell is this...?"
"Disaster...?"
"Lasers?"
Everyone was talking aloud and craning their necks downward. I knew what that meant. Everyone saw a scenario message.
[Hm, now this is interesting. That broken Incarnation actually did it. Hahahat!]
The Dokkaebi of our channel was staring at something, which caused him to laugh.
"What's happening?"
Aliana woke up. She immediately rose from her sleeping position and looked at her notification.
"What the?"
Dad was walking towards us with food in hand but paused when a message appeared in his vision.
"What happened?" My mom asked.
Soon, the notification came to my inbox and automatically opened. I read the message while Aliana looked at me and asked, "What does this mean?"
I didn't know. But maybe... hopefully... it was the change I wished for.
[Someone has dealt with the Disaster of Lasers that came from the east!]
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
EnderGolem997
EnderGolem997 Yo, new viewpoint. If you want to know, that was Alicia! Yep, it finally came! I wanted to write this chapter for a long time! Anyways, the upcoming chapters will be from her viewpoint now, but it'll change back to Ethan after a certain point.
Also, Merry Christmas! I'm really happy that I was able to post two chapters in one day, especially on a holiday! View it as my gift to you guys! (^v^)
Also, if you feel like it, please vote with power stone and leave a comment! I thank my readers every week!
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