A Space Marine Got a Status Window

There were several reasons why the Ghost Bat had become a terrifying existence for Space Marines.

And among all of them, the reason that made it especially terrifying was its stealth.

This wasn’t referring to its Stealth ability.

With a body length of 20 meters and wings that reached 35 meters when fully extended, the creature was larger than most large fighters and, surprisingly, produced almost no sound at all when moving.

And even so, its movement speed was extraordinary.

Despite possessing such an enormous body and lacking anything resembling a fighter’s engine, once it began accelerating, it could reach a maximum speed of 800 kilometers per hour.

That was why, normally, by the time someone noticed the presence of a Ghost Bat, it was already vomiting out the Corrosion Bugs it raised inside its extremely long body.

That was the moment when despair took hold.

And now, exactly the same thing was happening.

Whoooosh!

A Ghost Bat moved at high speed through the sky while remaining under Stealth.

After flying like that, at a certain point, it folded its wings and began to descend.

At that instant, its speed increased even further.

Like a missile!

Amid that extraordinary acceleration, the Ghost Bat searched for the target the Cyclops had ordered it to attack.

It focused its attention on a battle tank in the distance.

To the naked eye, it barely looked like a dot, but that posed no problem for the Ghost Bat.

For starters, Ghost Bats had no eyes.

Just as the word “bat” in their name suggested, they identified their targets by emitting special waves, and that ability was so extraordinary that they could locate a Space Marine even in the middle of a violent sandstorm.

Finding something as enormous as a battle tank posed no difficulty whatsoever.

And as soon as it found its target, the Ghost Bat’s invisible body began to change.

Its body began to swell.

Shortly afterward, a small opening appeared in the Ghost Bat’s mouth.

Psssssssh!

Something elongated, resembling a spear, shot out through that opening.

It was a Corrosion Bug raised inside the Ghost Bat’s body.

For armored vehicle operators, including battle tank crews, those insects were a true nightmare.

Their powerful corrosive ability was terrifying enough on its own, but, just as their name indicated, they were living insects.

When one struck, it didn’t merely corrode the area it hit.

Starting from the point of impact, it moved rapidly and corroded everything it touched.

If no countermeasures were taken, it wouldn’t stop until it had corroded everything.

That meant even a simple graze was enough to cause critical damage to the vehicle!

That was why the Ghost Bat had no doubt that the battle tank would soon become a pile of scrap metal.

Screeeeech!

Certain of that, the Ghost Bat, which until then hadn’t made a single sound, began producing a grotesque shriek.

It began letting out a cry of victory.

And then the Ghost Bat felt it.

Crack!

The group of Corrosion Bugs it had expelled had struck the target exactly!

At the same time, the Ghost Bat heard it.

KRAAAANG!

KRAAAANG!

The instant the Thunderclap’s railgun fired, the air produced a sound as though it were screaming from the powerful impact.

The same thing happened to the world Kim Seojun’s group saw.

Everything shook violently.

However, Kim Seojun’s eyes were different.

Even amid those violent tremors, his gaze remained fixed on the target.

And the instant the vibrations finally ceased, Kim Seojun heard it.

“I think it hit!”

It was Park Boseop’s voice.

“I definitely heard the sound of the impact!”

Following his words, Major Lee Hyena’s voice could be heard from outside as she reinforced the supports.

“Shit!”

She let out an exclamation of astonishment.

And she had good reason to.

“He really did it!”

After attacking the Chinese headquarters, Kim Seojun had prepared several additional plans.

And he had said something else.

Aside from those plans, he had prepared a bet.

In truth, it couldn’t even be called an operation.

They would leave a battle tank in a suitable location as bait, one that was nothing more than an empty shell, to lure in the Ghost Bat.

And the instant the Ghost Bat attacked.

They would take advantage of that exact moment to shoot it!

No matter who heard that idea, it would be difficult to call it an operation.

That was why Kim Seojun himself had described it as a bet.

But now that bet had worked.

They had shot down the Ghost Bat.

“Sergeant Kim Seojun! That’s incredible!”

At that fact, Park Boseop looked at Kim Seojun with more excitement than ever.

And then he saw it.

There wasn’t even the slightest trace of a joyful smile on Kim Seojun’s face.

It was inevitable.

‘No notification appeared.’

The Status Window hadn’t shown him any sign.

That meant the Ghost Bat was still alive.

Naturally, Kim Seojun knew.

The shot had hit, and the Ghost Bat had probably suffered fairly serious injuries.

But Kim Seojun wasn’t someone who underestimated the Mog enough to relax just because of that.

That was why he spoke.

“Change of operation.”

“What?”

“Park Boseop, get out of here with Major Lee Hyena.”

As soon as they heard that, Major Lee Hyena and Park Boseop had exactly the same question.

But before they could voice it, Kim Seojun spoke.

“I’ll go confirm the Ghost Bat’s death.”

Both of them were horrified.

“Sergeant Kim!”

“That’s too dangerous!”

Naturally, Kim Seojun knew that too.

He knew it even better than the two of them.

He knew perfectly well how insane what he had just proposed was.

As soon as the Chinese headquarters realized that not only had their plan failed, but that they themselves had taken the bait and fallen into a trap, they would undoubtedly send all their forces.

However, Kim Seojun knew something.

“Right now, China is controlling the Mog with astonishing precision. Under these circumstances, leaving the Ghost Bat alive is too dangerous.”

He knew what decision he had to make now in order to survive.

“It’s an order.”

Furthermore, at that moment, all decision-making authority rested with Kim Seojun, so as soon as they heard those words, the other two raised no objections.

On the contrary, both of them thought the same thing.

‘Getting out of here as quickly as possible is what will help Sergeant Kim Seojun the most.’

Instead of getting in his way by trying to help him unnecessarily, the best thing they could do was leave that place as soon as possible.

That was why both of them moved quickly.

Park Boseop immediately got out of the Thunderclap, and meanwhile, Kim Seojun stored the Thunderclap in his Inventory.

Then, as soon as Kim Seojun took the Wulong out of his Inventory, Park Boseop immediately started the engine, put Major Lee Hyena behind him, and began accelerating.

There were no goodbyes.

Because traveling even one more kilometer during the time they would have wasted saying goodbye would be a much greater help.

Kim Seojun knew that too, so he moved without hesitation.

He took out another hover bike, mounted it, and began heading toward the place where he estimated the Ghost Bat had fallen.

As he advanced, Kim Seojun managed to see it.

Something was writhing in the distance.

It was the Ghost Bat, severely injured and with its Stealth deactivated.

And that wasn’t all.

Kim Seojun could also see reconnaissance drones circling around the area.

At that moment, Kim Seojun immediately lay down on the ground and assumed a firing position.

Naturally, he knew.

As soon as he fired, the reconnaissance drones would rush toward him.

But he didn’t care.

‘If I use Teleport and Stealth, there’s no way I’ll die.’

He had more than enough abilities to evade the reconnaissance drones.

And he had no intention of hesitating to use them either.

Revealing his abilities was never a good thing, but Kim Seojun had experienced it countless times.

The instant you hesitated.

The instant you tried to hold something back.

That was the instant death came.

Above all, at that moment, there was only one thing he needed to consider.

Screeech…… Screeeeech……

Turning those sounds coming from the Ghost Bat into its death throes.

To accomplish that, Kim Seojun pulled the trigger without hesitation.

Zzzzzzt!

The Gauss Rifle spat out a bullet with its characteristic sound.

At the same time, Kim Seojun’s body shook.

However, he didn’t stagger as much as before, when he needed Major Lee Hyena to hold him steady.

It was thanks to how much his Strength stat had increased.

Zzzzzzt!

That was why Kim Seojun was able to fire the next shot with practically no delay.

Zzzzzzt!

He pulled the trigger three times in succession, and only then did the reconnaissance drones, which had finally grasped the situation, react.

Whirrrrr!

It was around that moment.

[You have eliminated the Ghost Bat.]

As soon as he heard the notification, Kim Seojun immediately shouted.

“Stealth.”

His figure disappeared.

“Teleport.”

Then, Kim Seojun repeatedly used Teleport from that position, rapidly changing locations.

After moving about 500 meters away from the place he had fired from, Kim Seojun observed the situation.

Rather than moving recklessly, it would be better to wait and see what the reconnaissance drones that would soon arrive did and act accordingly.

Or, perhaps.

‘Shoot down the reconnaissance drones……’

In space, reconnaissance drones were valuable objects.

To function in hostile space environments, they needed excellent performance and durability, which was directly reflected in their price.

That was why no headquarters could have too many reconnaissance drones.

Furthermore, once they broke down or suffered damage, repairing them wasn’t easy.

For that reason, large numbers of them normally weren’t used at the same time.

However, the reconnaissance drones Kim Seojun could see at that moment alone numbered 23.

That meant shooting them down by itself would already cause considerable losses to the enemy!

Naturally, it wouldn’t be easy.

Setting everything else aside, the moment he attacked, he would reveal his position.

Even if he used Teleport to move around, he would end up revealing his ability.

That was why Kim Seojun was weighing both options.

Revealing his ability or shooting down those drones.

How much was that trade really worth?

It was then.

[You have obtained 2,000 points.]

The reward calculation began.

[You have eliminated a Ghost Bat for the first time. As a reward, you have received a Gold Ticket.]

Upon hearing that reward along with the notification of the points obtained, Kim Seojun’s eyes began to gleam.

Naturally, Kim Seojun didn’t hesitate.

‘I already have 3,000 points.’

“Purchase Silver Ticket.”

He immediately used the points he had accumulated.

[Congratulations! You have obtained a Gold-grade reward from the Silver Ticket!]

[You have obtained a Skill Upgrade Ticket (C)!]

Kim Seojun’s eyes gleamed when he heard the notifications.

Now he had the opportunity to upgrade one of his two rank D skills, Stealth or X-Ray Vision!

‘Stealth.’

And at that moment, naturally, the best option was to use it on Stealth.

However, Kim Seojun didn’t use it immediately.

“Use Gold Ticket.”

First, he used the ticket he had just received as a reward.

And at that instant, Kim Seojun heard.

[You have obtained the skill Telekinesis (F) from the Gold Ticket!]

‘Huh?’

As soon as he heard that notification, the scales he had been weighing mentally disappeared.

‘Telekinesis?’

Kim Seojun looked at the reconnaissance drones.

And then he remembered something a drone operator had told him a long time ago.

Not to touch the drones’ propellers, that they were extremely delicate, that who would take responsibility if he damaged them by touching them like that, and that they cost more than he himself did.

As soon as he remembered those words, Kim Seojun set the weapon he was holding on the ground.

Then he thought.

‘As if I were lightly touching the drone’s propellers.’

That was what he imagined.

However, no visible change occurred.

The drones continued moving normally.

But Kim Seojun’s gaze was different.

He showed an expression of surprise.

Shortly afterward, Kim Seojun spoke.

“Use Skill Upgrade Ticket on Telekinesis.”

Park Boseop and Major Lee Hyena were moving at full speed.

Vroooooom!

The Wulong upgraded by Jo Yihyeon displayed such extraordinary speed that nothing seemed capable of catching it.

In that way, Park Boseop and Major Lee Hyena reached the point they had agreed upon beforehand and waited there for Kim Seojun to appear.

“Sergeant Kim is taking too long.”

Park Boseop’s face was filled with concern as he spoke those words.

And he had good reason to be.

When Park Boseop said he was taking too long, he wasn’t talking about one or two hours.

More than five hours had already passed since the scheduled time, and there was still no sign whatsoever of Kim Seojun.

They weren’t receiving any radio transmissions either.

At that, Major Lee Hyena said nothing.

There was no reason to.

‘If he doesn’t appear after six hours, I’ll storm the Chinese headquarters.’

She was already prepared to do it.

And since Park Boseop knew perfectly well what Major Lee Hyena was thinking, he also mentally prepared himself to accompany her.

Finally, that moment arrived.

Six hours had passed since the scheduled time.

Then Major Lee Hyena looked at Park Boseop and spoke.

“Start the engine.”

“Yes, ma’am!”

At those words, Park Boseop immediately mounted the Wulong and started the engine without even asking what their destination would be.

Vroooooom!

It was then.

— This is Sergeant Kim Seojun. I’m heading toward your position.

A transmission came through.

At that instant, Park Boseop, who had just started the engine, immediately shut it off.

And thirty minutes later, they were able to see him.

Kim Seojun appeared before them completely unharmed.

“Sorry I’m late.”

At that apology, both of them immediately smiled.

“The important thing is that you came back safe and sound!”

Just as he said, for them, it was enough that Kim Seojun had returned.

Kim Seojun explained.

“I was delayed a little because I was fishing for drones. It would’ve been too much of a shame to waste an opportunity like this.”

“What?”

Both of them tilted their heads in confusion.

“Fishing for drones? Did you shoot down the drones? My God.”

Park Boseop showed an expression of surprise as he spoke.

And he had good reason to.

Shooting down a drone with a firearm was something impossible for a normal Space Marine.

Naturally, it was true that Kim Seojun’s shooting ability was on another level, but that didn’t make the feat any less impressive.

“I didn’t shoot them down.”

“What?”

“I fished them.”

At his companions’ confused expressions, Kim Seojun was about to explain something to them.

It was then.

— This is the Polish headquarters! I’m Jo Yihyeon! An urgent message has arrived!

Just as Kim Seojun’s group was finally about to be able to relax, they received a transmission.

— A message from Hawk Eye has arrived! It’s an encrypted message, and I just finished decrypting it, but……

As soon as he heard that it was an encrypted message, Kim Seojun sensed it.

It couldn’t be good news.

And that premonition came true.

— It looks like she died while going to hunt the Queen.