Ear-splitting shrieks came crashing in from every direction.
It had already been half a day since this sound first began repeating in the Marines’ ears.
There was no escaping it.
"Kieeeeeek!"
"Kieeeeeek!"
"Kieeeeeek!"
A Zergling’s sharp claws pierced a Marine’s head.
"Ghk!"
They slaughtered every living thing in sight.
"Aaaaargh!"
"No!"
"Get the fuck away!!"
The ground was stained with the Marines’ blood.
It was a hopeless situation, but—
"Don’t be scared!"
Forward. Then forward again.
There was no way back.
Retreating meant death. Jack Howard, who understood that better than anyone, clenched his Gauss Rifle and shouted.
"Tommy!!"
One shout.
No other words followed. Yet he moved as though he had received an entirely different order.
"Sera!"
At that same single shout—
"Kieeeeeek!"
The Zergling’s hard jaws—
"Kieeeeeek!"
Heads went flying. They were driving back the Zerg in perfect coordination.
It was the result of all their effort.
He had forgotten how many times he had fought this battle now.
He had simply repeated it again and again, died, started over, and moved his body once more.
And this was the result.
"Kieeeeeek!"
"Kieeeeeek!"
"Kieeeeeek!"
"Kieeeeeek!"
The Zerglings that had once reached him at point-blank range could no longer even get close to Jack Howard.
As time went on, that distance only widened.
As if he were wielding an entirely different weapon.
"Group up!"
At Jack Howard’s command, they became one.
"Spread out!"
They dispersed.
After repeatedly closing ranks and spreading apart, they finally reached it.
The final stretch.
"Banelings!!"
Zerglings swollen with acidic toxins.
Here, where Banelings—the evolved form of Zerglings—swarmed—
"Spread out! Fall back!"
At Jack Howard’s words, Sera and Tommy slowly pulled back.
"Aaaaargh!"
"Gaaah!"
"Aaaagh!"
"Aaargh!"
The Marines who failed to do so were blown apart alongside the Banelings that came spinning toward them.
The charred corpses of Marines lay scattered everywhere, but Jack Howard’s expression did not change.
"Advance! Stop! Spread out!"
He gave orders, moved, then made his Gauss Rifle spew fire again.
I can do this.
Rrrrrrrrrr—
Rrrrrrrrrr—
Rrrrrrrrrr—
All he could see were Banelings rolling viciously toward him.
Even so, Jack Howard did not retreat.
He continued doing exactly what he had been doing until now.
"Now! Focus fire!!!!"
Rrrrrrrrrr—
Rrrrrrrrrr—
Boom!
Rat-a-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat.
Boom!
Rat-a-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat. Rat-a-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat.
Boom! Boom!
Rat-a-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat—
They targeted and detonated only the closest Banelings with precision.
Perfect coordination, unlike anything he had seen before.
This time, they would definitely survive.
That was what Jack Howard thought.
Rrrrrrrrrr—
Rrrrrrrrrr—
Rrrrrrrrrr—
Rrrrrrrrrr—
Rrrrrrrrrr—
Until he saw the Baneling leap from the ground.
"Fuck!"
The moment he saw the Baneling suddenly rush in, Jack Howard’s thoughts stopped.
His feet froze, while only the hands gripping his Gauss Rifle trembled.
Rrrrrrrrrr—
As the Baneling drew closer, death settled over Jack Howard’s mind.
He had thought that this time, they would surely survive.
His comrades had performed so well that he could scarcely believe it.
And yet, because of one remaining Baneling, this...
"Fuuuuuck!"
The Baneling exploded.
But Jack Howard felt no pain.
Had he been blown apart so completely that he could not even feel pain?
No.
Because there were two people standing before him.
"Jack!"
Sera and Tommy approached with their visors raised.
The two of them shouted at Jack Howard.
"Jaaaaack!"
"We won!"
*
"Fuuuuuck!"
"..."
"Nobody told us anything! Nobody said there would be that many Zerg..."
"I never should’ve enlisted..."
"Ah, I can still hear that sound..."
"Fuck. Fuck..."
The Barracks dormitory.
The Marines were not doing well.
They all seemed broken.
After what had happened, it was only natural.
I thought I was dead too.
I didn’t think I would still be here, but I cleared the chapter.
The fact that I was here was proof of that.
How had I survived?
I had been certain I would be blown apart by that Baneling.
At that moment, it was like someone shoved me backward...
"Jack!"
Just as I was lost in thought, Tomtom came over.
Tommy, that is.
"Huh?"
"It’s cleared out. Let’s go wash up."
"Ah, yeah. Okay."
I got down from my bed and followed Tommy.
I had wanted to wash up earlier, but there had been a ton of people.
We left the dormitory and walked down the corridor together.
"Hey... Jack."
"Yeah? What is it?"
"Thanks."
"Huh? For what?"
"Thanks to you, I’ll get to see Merian again."
"Ah. Yeah."
"I still can’t completely believe what you said, but I’ll follow your instructions no matter what."
"All right. Thanks."
Tommy, whom I had thought was a complete deadweight.
I thought he would be nothing but a big, useless lump, but he was actually pretty useful.
He was worse than Sera, but I was still here.
So I planned to make active use of him.
Fuck, no.
When the hell was I going home?
I beta-tested for them. Shouldn’t they send me home by now?
Fucking Blizzard.
Those goddamn bastards.
The old Blizzard was gone.
Get your shit together already.
You aren’t the Blizzard you used to be.
I had only written stuff like that, and they possessed me into a game...
Fucking bastards.
Complete pieces of shit.
Anger welled up inside me, but for now, I washed up.
I took off my clothes and entered the shower room.
I was following Tommy when—
"Jack!"
Someone called out to me from behind.
I turned around, and a supple, curvaceous body filled my view...
"Uh...?"
"There’s an open spot beside me, so wash here."
"Ah, yeah..."
I did as Sera said.
Water streamed down my body.
At the same time, my cock grew hard.
"I really thought we were going to die. Didn’t you?"
"Uh... I really thought we were going to die too..."
"When that last Baneling popped out, I really thought it was over..."
"Yeah. Me too... I thought it was over..."
I glanced over.
They were fucking huge.
"Ah! Right! It was really scary."
"Yeah... it was. ...No. We made it because you helped me."
I talked with Sera while we washed.
The more we talked, the harder it got.
This thing was huge too.
Way bigger than what I originally had.
So this was an advanced barracks...
Fuck. I had misunderstood Blizzard.
No, I had said outrageous things about Blizzard without knowing a goddamn thing.
They lacked development capability.
Get your shit together. You aren’t the Blizzard you used to be.
The bastard who said that was an idiot.
I was the idiot.
So let me correct myself.
Blizzard was the greatest company I had ever seen.
"Yeah. Jack, see you later."
"Yeah. Okay..."
Blizzard is the best!
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