Multiverse , Leveling Up in the World I Created

Chapter 449: 449 Resident Evil 9

It took time because there were many obstacles on the road, but we steadily advanced toward the hospital.

We were passing by a park when suddenly [Foresight] showed me something flying in and exploding, so I quickly reversed the tank.

Screeeech!

"Ugh! Why did you suddenly..."

Boom!!!

Jill was annoyed because her body lurched forward from the sudden reverse, but when she saw the missile fly in and explode ahead of us, she looked toward the park in surprise.

"That’s a missile!

Who fired it?

Was it the military?"

But what slowly walked out from there was not the military.

It was a huge figure, at least 2.5 meters tall, wearing a black long coat, and judging by the rocket launcher in one hand, it was clearly the one who had just fired the missile.

"Star..."

As it stepped into the light, the horrific shape of its face became clearly visible.

The flesh all over its face was twisted, and the skin from its nose to its chin was peeled off, exposing its teeth, gums, and writhing jaw muscles.

Even more unsettling was the large mechanical device embedded in the center of its chest, which alone made it obvious at a glance that this being was not human but an artificial lifeform.

"Damn!

It’s that thing, the pursuer I told you about earlier, like the Tyrant!"

Even without Jill telling me, I recognized at a glance that it was Nemesis.

So I urgently shouted to Brad.

"Brad, don’t come out!

That tank can only fight properly with a gunner.

Leave this to us!"

"Oh, okay."

To keep Brad out of the fight, I drove the Metal Slug toward the open park and drew Nemesis’s attention.

Jill operated the triple-barreled Vulcan cannons mounted on both sides and poured a continuous barrage of fire at Nemesis.

Ratatatatatata—!!!

But Nemesis wasn’t just taking it lying down.

It moved with unbelievable agility for its massive size, dodging the Vulcan rounds as it ran, then immediately raised its rocket launcher and fired a missile at the Metal Slug.

Whoosh! Boom!!!

I used [Foresight] to perform evasive maneuvers as much as possible and dodged the missiles coming from the rocket launcher.

"That thing wasn’t just a mindless charger!?"

"It looks like it got an upgrade!"

"This is insane."

I was also quite surprised.

In the original game, it slowly approached Jill, and its attack patterns were clearly visible, so if you timed the dodge right, you could relatively easily evade and toy with it.

But the real Nemesis was completely different.

It dodged bullets while accurately operating its rocket launcher, and its movements were much more agile.

The one saving grace was that the rocket launcher was also subject to real-world limitations.

It took considerable time to reload after each missile fired.

’It’s definitely smarter than the Tyrant.

But this isn’t something Jill can handle alone...

Even if I hadn’t gotten involved, would it have followed the original?’

While I had these doubts and fought Nemesis, the park was gradually being devastated by the massive amount of bullets and missiles.

Ratatatata—!!! Bang!!! KABOOM!!!

"Hit it properly!"

"I’m trying!"

I said that, but it wasn’t like Jill’s shots all missed.

There were clear marks all over Nemesis’s body where Vulcan rounds had pierced through.

But the thing only staggered for a moment after taking a few hits, and its movements didn’t slow down at all.

Moreover, some of the holes in its body were already filling up with flesh and rapidly closing.

"This isn’t working.

Let’s use the main cannon."

"How do we use it?"

"Press the mode button in front to switch to the main cannon."

"Okay."

Jill pressed the mode button as I instructed and switched to the main cannon.

The targeting reticle on the monitor changed, and I heard the sound of the main cannon being loaded.

Keeeng, click!

"Done, it changed!"

"Don’t fire yet.

Wait.

I’ll create an opportunity."

"Okay."

I circled around Nemesis for a moment, waiting for it to use its rocket launcher.

The moment Nemesis stopped and aimed its rocket launcher, I immediately turned and charged toward it at full speed.

Whoosh—!

As expected, Nemesis fired the rocket without hesitation.

I timed it perfectly and used the Metal Slug’s powerful hydraulic system to launch the vehicle into the air.

Clunk—!!

The missile passed just under the tank, and as soon as I succeeded in dodging, I shouted to Jill.

"Jill, now!!!"

"Eat this and get lost!!!"

Bang!!!

Jill, responding to my signal, fired the main cannon while the Metal Slug was still in the air.

Thanks to the added momentum from our charge, Nemesis was already right in front of us, and at this range, there was practically no chance of missing.

KABOOOOOM—!!!!

The power of the large-caliber main cannon that exploded at close range was stronger than I expected.

The moment the shell directly hit Nemesis, an enormous blast echoed, and the debris and shockwaves struck us hard.

Crash!!!

"Ugh..."

At that moment, Brad, who had been watching everything, urgently radioed us.

—"Hey! Jill, Jin! Are you okay?"

"We’re alive... Damn, it exploded too close, my head is ringing."

"Same here."

—"Phew... I’m glad you’re both alive.

But what the hell was that?

A tank jumping!"

"Yeah, I’m curious about that too."

Brad and Jill seemed more interested in how the Metal Slug jumped than in whether Nemesis was defeated.

"I installed a powerful hydraulic system under the tank.

That’s how it can jump like that.

I just installed it for fun, I never dreamed I’d use it like this."

At that, Jill chuckled and spoke.

"We should be thankful for that fun.

Otherwise, it might have taken us much longer to deal with that thing."

While we were talking, the black smoke that had been obscuring our view from the explosion slowly began to clear.

"Thank goodness.

It looks like it’s definitely over this time."

Looking around, I saw a large crater created by the main cannon’s power.

Scattered all around it were chunks of flesh and things that looked like ankles, presumably remains of Nemesis.

There was no way it could have survived in that state.

’It’s over without even getting to transform.’

In the original, it changed its form three times and chased Jill to the very end, but here it met its end without even a chance to mutate.

It was a somewhat anticlimactic end, but because of it, Jill’s safety was all the more assured.

That alone was enough for me.

We caught our breath for a moment in the devastated park and replenished the Vulcan cannon ammunition we had used in the fight against Nemesis.

"We used a lot of ammo.

We don’t have any more to resupply, so we need to conserve."

"Okay.

Can we use the main cannon again?"

"We probably can, but I’m not sure.

We took down the target at such close range with the main cannon that this tank might have taken a lot of damage too."

"I suppose... It took that explosion head-on, so it wouldn’t be strange if something broke."

Actually, there was no problem at all.

Since the Metal Slug was made of Oramite, the strongest metal in the Warhammer universe, there was no way an explosion of that magnitude could damage it.

But if I said it was perfectly fine after experiencing that explosion up close, they would find it suspicious, so I deliberately said that.

After reloading, we had a quick drink to moisten our throats and set off again.

It didn’t take long to get from the park to the hospital, but perhaps because it was a hospital, an enormous number of zombies seemed to be inside as well as around the hospital.

"There don’t seem to be any survivors?

But you said the vaccine is here?"

"Yeah, that’s what I heard.

I got information that Umbrella commissioned a doctor named ’Nathaniel Bard’ to develop a T-virus vaccine."

"He might not only have the vaccine he developed, but also know about a lab developing even stronger viruses."

"Then we need to deal with the zombies ahead."

At that moment, Brad spoke.

—"This time I’ll help too.

You said that tank is low on ammo.

Even without a gunner, I can park the tank and shoot myself."

"That would be helpful."

We drove the tank to the hospital and started dealing with the zombies.

"Graaah"

Ratatatata—!!! Bang, bang, bang—!!!

Splat!!! Splat!!! Splatter!!!

—"You damn zombies!!! I’m Brad of S.T.A.R.S.! Remember my name, all of you!!!"

Brad seemed way too excited while killing zombies.

Well, I also enjoyed wiping out large numbers of zombies with overwhelming firepower.

It felt like a huge stress relief.

"I think we’ve cleared most of the zombies outside?"

"Yeah, we’ve dealt with all the zombies we can see."

So I asked Brad for a favor.

"Brad, we’re going inside to get the vaccine, so guard the tanks."

—"Will do."

I put on a bulletproof vest like last time, grabbed the Origin shotgun, Mallorian Arms 3516, Yukimura, and even the backpack, then got out of the Metal Slug.

Jill also got out with the M3 shotgun and Lightning Hawk (.44 Magnum) that were in the Metal Slug, along with extra ammunition.

"Looking at the hospital’s condition, there don’t seem to be any survivors, but I hope at least the vaccine is safe."

"Yeah, I hope so."

Bang! Bang! Bang! Boom! Boom! Boom!

We dealt with the zombies wandering inside the hospital one by one and advanced further.

When we encountered a locked door, this time too, we blew it open with the shotgun, which was no different from a master key, and pushed through.

Jill, now seemingly used to it, followed without a word.

Then when I shot a door that looked like an office, the nurses inside raised their hands and urgently spoke.

"Don’t shoot! We’re not infected!"

Perhaps because we arrived quickly, contrary to my expectations, there were still survivors in the hospital.

"Do you know where Dr. Bard is?"

As soon as I finished asking, the nurses cursed and vented their frustration.

"That filthy pervert?! He locked the office door and holed up inside, abandoning us to save himself!"

"People are dying out here, and he just hid to save himself!"

At that, Jill sighed and spoke.

"I can tell roughly what kind of person the doctor is."

"Yeah, I know."

Nathaniel Bard was quite arrogant and condescending, and according to the lore, he insulted nurses and engaged in workplace bullying.

It seemed he was the same here too.

I asked the nurses if there were any other survivors, but they said they were the last.

They didn’t seem to be lying, so I took the nurses and moved to the office where the doctor was.

Knock, knock, knock!

"Dr. Bard! We know you’re in there! We came for the vaccine!"

Jill knocked on the locked office door and spoke to the doctor.

Then the doctor inside shouted irritably.

"There’s no more vaccine! Umbrella destroyed all of them! All the vaccines I worked so hard to make! There might be some left in the basement, so go look for yourself!"

I knew the doctor was lying.

He had one spare vaccine.

So I immediately shot the door with the shotgun, kicked it open, and went inside.

Then I pointed the gun at the doctor and threateningly asked.

"Where’s the vaccine?"

The doctor, seemingly scared, began to stammer.

"If, if you kill me, you won’t be able to make any more vaccine! Are you okay with that?"

Bang!

I fired a shot right next to the doctor and asked again.

"Last chance.

Either give us the vaccine and escape from here, or become a corpse and zombie food."

Then the doctor, wetting himself, slowly pointed to the door at the back.

So I signaled to Jill.

"Here it is, the vaccine.

I think this is it."

While I threatened the doctor to keep him from doing anything stupid, Jill went through the door he pointed to and found the vaccine, a purple liquid in a metal syringe.

Seeing the doctor’s despairing expression, it was clearly the real vaccine.

"One last question.

Do you happen to know a lab that researches other viruses?"

"I don’t know! I was only commissioned to make the vaccine, I don’t know about any other research facilities!"

At that, I put the gun to the doctor’s forehead, threateningly cocked it, and said briefly.

Click!

"Then we have no more business."

But this was all an act to scare him.

If I really intended to shoot, I would have pulled the trigger immediately without bothering to cock the gun.

Jill, being familiar with firearms, seemed to catch on to my intention, as she quietly watched, struggling to hold back laughter.

Whether the act worked or not, the doctor urgently spoke.

"W, wait! Don’t shoot! I don’t know about other labs, but I know someone who might!"

"Who!?"

"Chief of Police Brian Irons! He might know! He’s close with influential people at Umbrella. He would definitely know!"

At that, Jill frowned and cursed.

"That bastard Brian was in on it too!"

I figured I had heard everything I needed to, so I lowered the gun, carefully packed the vaccine into a special case, and tried to leave with Jill and the nurses.

Then the doctor followed us and spoke.

"I know where a helicopter is that I can use to escape from here. We can go there."

"Why are you telling us that? You can escape on your own."

"Who knows what’s between here and the helipad, and I don’t know how to fly a helicopter. So help me. I’ll guide you to the helicopter, and we can escape this city together. And to mass-produce that vaccine quickly, you definitely need me!"

At that, Jill offered an opinion.

"Jin, we can’t keep taking these people with us. How about evacuating them first by helicopter?"

I thought about Jill’s words for a moment, then nodded and answered.

"Yeah, let’s do that. Like you said, it’s better to get them out first. We don’t know what else might show up. And it’s dangerous to move with this many people."

At that, the doctor seemed relieved and let out a sigh of relief.

I took them out to the hospital entrance and boarded them onto the tank, then Jill and I got back into the Metal Slug.

Then Brad grumbled.

—"Having pretty nurses on board is nice, but who the hell is this old geezer who pissed his pants!? I’m dying from the smell of piss!"

"Just bear with it a little. He’s the doctor who developed the vaccine. He’ll guide us to where the helicopter is."

—"Really? I hope we get there soon."

This time, since the doctor had to guide the way, the tank went first, and the Metal Slug followed behind.

The place the doctor guided us to was not far.

After passing two blocks behind the hospital, a white helicopter with a large Umbrella logo came into view.

From its size, it looked like it could comfortably seat about eight people.

At that moment, it occurred to me that this place looked familiar.

I had seen it somewhere before.

And the moment I confirmed the helicopter in front of me, I realized why.

That helicopter was none other than the one Jill and Carlos used to escape Raccoon City at the end of Resident Evil 3.

’I suppose it’s only natural that it’s not far from the hospital, since they got on right after coming out of the underground lab.’

While I was thinking this, Jill said to Brad.

"We need to find the other research facility, so Brad, fly the helicopter and drop them off somewhere safe."

"How are you two going to escape?"

"When we’re done, I’ll contact you, or we’ll find our own way out."

Brad sighed and spoke.

"Hah... seems like there’s no other choice... Anyway, okay. I’ll drop them off and wait on the outskirts of the city. When you’re done, contact me right away and I’ll come pick you up."

"Thanks, Brad."

Brad shook hands with us one by one, then boarded the doctor and nurses onto the helicopter.

He sat in the cockpit, started the engine, lifted off, and flew out of Raccoon City.

We watched the helicopter disappear for a moment, then reconnected the two tanks with the tow chain and headed for the police station.

Of course, I used [Life Magic] to thoroughly clean up any piss stains and smells the doctor might have left inside the tank.

And I also secretly used [Matter Copy] on the vaccine to duplicate one more and stored it in my inventory.

Actually, the route I had planned almost went off course for a moment.

Finding surviving nurses was unexpected.

Still, thanks to the doctor revealing the helicopter’s location, I was able to evacuate them, so I considered the planned route unchanged.

However, this created a variable: Dr. Bard escaping Raccoon City.

If the doctor made a deal with the U.S. government and handed over the vaccine manufacturing method, Raccoon City might not be destroyed and the zombies might even be cured.

’Raccoon City not being destroyed... That’s a huge variable.’

But I thought the likelihood of that happening was very low.

Umbrella would try to thoroughly cover up all evidence, including the virus, and would likely eliminate the doctor before that.

Even if the vaccine was completed, they would clearly discard it without hesitation as evidence.

Moreover, other forces looking to use the virus wouldn’t sit idle either.

In the end, even if he escaped from here, the doctor was as good as dead.

’These are the guys who even turned the president into a zombie.

There’s no way a mere doctor can withstand them.’