POTRW 10

 Player of the Ruined World – Episode 10

Maybe he thought Park Sang-il and I didn’t look too good.

Park Sang-ha, standing beside us, spoke up.

“Even if the time limit looks tight, if we keep moving nonstop from now on, isn’t it still doable?”

“That’s right. If each person takes down about 250 zombies… it’s manageable, right?”

I replied with a faint smile, and Park Sang-hoon also spoke casually.

“Besides, as the episode progresses, other survivors will arrive anyway. Let’s gather as many points as we can before they show up.”

It was still early in the episode.

The zombies weren’t that strong yet.

We were already prepared for combat and had experience dealing with zombies.

If the four of us hunted together… it wasn’t an impossible number.

Park Sang-il glanced at Kim Hee-joo and Kyung-seo beside him.

“Let’s find a place where Hee-joo and Kyung-seo can hide first before moving.”

“I’ve already checked.”

“Already?”

I opened the 3D terrain map and checked the building numbers.

“Let’s head to Building 105 first.”

“Where’s that?”

“It’s close. Here.”

As I pointed at a spot on the map, Sang-il alternated between the map and the actual surroundings, stroking his chin.

“Hmm… the layout’s a bit confusing.”

“I think it’s because the complex was leveled. The first floor isn’t really the ground level.”

“What kind of place has the first floor three stories up?”

“The way up should be over there.”

“Good thing we have a 3D map. If it were flat, we’d waste a whole day just finding the way.”

Just as Sang-il was about to move, I grabbed his shoulder.

“Wait, let’s change weapons first.”

“Weapons?”

Right now, we were using kitchen knives, steel pipes, and baseball bats.

If we had to kill 1,000 zombies within 24 hours, we couldn’t afford to check each fallen zombie one by one.

“Sang-ha hyung, how many points do you have?”

“2,158 points.”

“It’s 500 points to craft one weapon, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Make four.”

“Blunt weapons?”

“No. We need speed, so blades are better.”

At the mention of blades, Sang-il tilted his head.

“Is it really better to use swords? Wouldn’t blunt weapons be safer?”

“Maker-crafted weapons have special effects. Blades are better.”

“Special effects?”

“Right now, even if you cut off a zombie’s head, it keeps moving for a few seconds, right?”

“Yeah. Some even stayed alive for three minutes after losing their head. You told us to watch our ankles because of that.”

“That’s right. But if you cut a zombie’s neck with a Maker weapon, it dies instantly.”

Sang-il and Sang-hoon looked surprised.

Meanwhile, Sang-ha sat down on the spot and immediately began crafting.

He opened the system window and asked,

“There are a lot of blade types. Which one should I make?”

“A hwando would be good.”

“Hwando? The sword used in the Joseon era?”

“Yeah. It’s a good length and easy to carry.”

As Sang-ha started crafting—

Zzzzt—!

A small furnace appeared in front of him, sparks flying from within.

“Whoa, that’s freaking amazing.”

Sang-il crossed his arms and spoke, but Kim Hee-joo lightly smacked his arm—probably telling him not to swear in front of the child.

[Equipment crafting has begun.]

[Crafting item: Hwando]

[Time remaining: 10, 9, 8, 7…]

After 10 seconds, the shape of a sword emerged above the glowing furnace.

A single-edged blade, slightly curved.

There was even a ring at the end of the hilt.

It resembled the traditional Joseon-era hwando, but slightly larger.

Sang-ha handed the completed sword to me.

“How is it?”

The blade was about 80 cm long, with a 20 cm handle.

A bit larger than a typical hwando… but it didn’t matter.

It was light and well-balanced.

“It’s light. Easy to swing, and well-balanced. Thanks.”

The furnace continued working.

Even in the pouring rain, the fire didn’t go out.

Soon, four swords were completed, and each of us grabbed one and tested it.

“It’s really light. Won’t it break easily?”

That concern was natural.

I smiled lightly and replied,

“It’s not made from any real-world material. It’s very durable and extremely strong.”

“It’s this light and strong? What is this, adamantium?”

“Well… in the sense that it doesn’t exist in reality, yeah, kind of.”

Now that we had weapons, it was time to move.

“Putting remaining points into agility.”

[1,000 points consumed.]

[Agility +10]

[Current stats: Stamina 45, Strength 25, Agility 30, Skin 5]

[Points: 19 | Coins: 3]

With these stats, early-stage zombies would be easy to massacre.

And with Maker weapons, our hunting speed would increase several times over.

After finishing my stat allocation, I looked at Sang-il.

He drew his hwando from its sheath.

“Let’s go.”

“Grrr…”

Visibility was only about 20 meters.

Amid the heavy rain, irregular splashing footsteps echoed.

“Do-yoon, four zombies, 30 meters to the right.”

“Let’s take them out and move.”

Sang-il pointed in their direction.

“I’ll take the one in front. Do-yoon and Sang-ha, take the ones behind.”

“What about me?” Sang-hoon asked.

“You stay with Hee-joo and Kyung-seo.”

As soon as the briefing ended, we rushed forward.

“Kraaaah!!”

The zombies turned toward us.

Slash! Rip! Slice!

Before they could react, the hwando cut through them cleanly.

Flesh and muscle split apart effortlessly.

Even bones as thin as wrists were sliced like paper.

This weapon is insane.

In No Way Home, you couldn’t feel this kind of impact.

Now that I used it in reality—it was on another level.

We cleared the four zombies instantly.

Sang-il stared at his sword in disbelief.

“With weapons like this, we could take on any number of zombies.”

“Don’t get careless. They get stronger later.”

Sang-ha, checking the system, asked,

“Do-yoon, can weapons be upgraded too?”

“Yes, but it costs a lot of points.”

“Oh… it doubles each time.”

“Yeah. It’ll double with each upgrade.”

After explaining briefly, I looked at Sang-il.

“There are more on the way to Building 105.”

“How many?”

“Ten visible. There might be more hiding.”

“I’ll handle them.”

I gripped the sword and ran ahead into the rain.

I wanted to test both the weapon and my body.

“Krrr…”

“Graaah!”

The zombies noticed me.

Slash! Stab! Slice!

The hwando felt nothing like a bat.

It flowed naturally from one motion to the next.

Stabbing their necks or hearts was effortless.

Just changing weapons reduced my fatigue dramatically.

And with increased agility, strength, and stamina—

The zombies looked slower.

I could react to anything.

In moments, all ten were down.

I checked if any were still alive.

“Kh…!”

One was still moving.

Its neck hadn’t been fully severed.

Do zombies feel fear?

I stared at its face.

Only hunger.

It crawled toward me, teeth clacking.

Even dying, it tried to bite me.

I gripped the sword with both hands—

—and cut its neck cleanly.

At that moment—

“Kraaaah!”

A sound came from the bushes.

My body reacted instantly.

Whoosh—

“…Huh?”

Nothing hit.

Then I saw it—

At waist height—

A child.

Not even ten years old.

It lunged at my side, drooling.

It was too small. The blade missed.

Time seemed to slow.

‘A child… no, a zombie.’

I twisted my wrist and redirected the blade—

Slash!

The head fell.

I saw it clearly.

A chill ran through my body.

I froze.

Moments later, Sang-il and Sang-ha arrived.

Sang-ha stared silently at the child’s body.

Elementary school age… maybe even younger.

He couldn’t look away.

I could tell what he was thinking.

It must be hard.

Everyone accepts the end differently.

Some despair. Some freeze. Some rejoice.

I didn’t know which he was—

But I hoped he’d endure.

Even I hesitated.

So for him…

‘Get a grip.’

If I don’t kill them, I die.

“Sang-ha hyung.”

“….”

“Hyung?”

“Ah… yeah.”

“You have to accept it.”

“……”

He nodded bitterly.

Sang-il patted his back and called the others.

As they approached, Sang-ha stepped in front—

Blocking the view of the child’s body.

I looked at Building 105.

“It matches the 3D map. Let’s use this as our base.”

Before anyone could see the body, I went inside.

We entered through line 5–6.

I opened Unit 106.

Inside was clean.

After checking every room, I said,

“Hee-joo noona, stay here with Kyung-seo.”

“It’s the first floor… is it safe?”

“The entrance is first floor, but the back windows are high.”

“So it’s easier to escape?”

“Yes. Higher floors trap you if zombies come.”

They agreed.

As long as we stay quiet, it’s safe.

“Let’s go. We need to move fast to kill 1,000 in 24 hours.”

Sang-il spoke.

“Now that we have weapons, how about splitting into two teams?”

I looked at everyone.

It would be faster…

But risky.

I looked at Sang-il.

“Are you sure?”

“Haha! Worried about me?”

I realized—

I wasn’t their guardian.

He smiled.

“Relax. I’m joking.”

“I wasn’t serious.”

I looked away awkwardly.

Then he asked,

“Baek Do-yoon… did you learn swordsmanship?”

“Just a bit… during hard times.”

“During hard times? Shouldn’t you rest then…?”