Chapter 146
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 146
Chapter Title: Suwon, Dragon Hunt - 5
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In games, it was a given that higher-level monsters had more "health."
They had a set value called HP (Health Points), and hunting was all about chipping that away.
In that sense, taking down a high-level monster required a great deal more time and effort.
So, in this "real world" that had turned into a game, what concept did health represent?
*‘It can generally be analyzed as barrier thickness, the strength of the outer shell protecting the core, and regenerative ability.’*
In other words, you had to nullify all of those and inflict a fatal wound to kill a monster.
Furthermore, if you could "perfectly" satisfy those conditions, it was even possible to kill one in a "single strike."
*‘...Even if that monster was a dragon.’*
Currently, the barrier around Azi Dahaka's neck was severely damaged.
This was the perfect opportunity to finish it in one blow.
*‘Add Dragon Slayer to the mix, and the chances increase tenfold.’*
It was an anti-dragon power that nullified a certain amount of a dragon's barrier.
If a 26.5-meter Orihalcon giant were to channel that power into a 40-meter greatspear and throw it with all its might...
*‘...A one-hit kill is possible.’*
KRA-KOOOM—!
The 40-meter greatspear shot forward like a rocket, crushing the air and leaving a sonic boom in its wake—
*‘This one shot is all I need.’*
The moment the greatspear left Talos's hand, Lee Hyun-wook raised his left hand. Focusing all his senses, he detected the metal projectile brimming with immense kinetic energy and delicately imbued it with power.
WHOOOOSH—!
*‘The slightest miscalculation will drastically alter its trajectory and speed.’*
Just then, Azi Dahaka spotted the greatspear flying toward it.
「Don't tell me, is that...」
For its eyes to flash with panic, even for a moment, was no small matter.
「You bastard, how—!」
Immediately after, it began to form a magical barrier in the spear's path.
A four-layered, hemispherical barrier blocked the greatspear's trajectory.
VWOOM— VWOOM— VWOOM— VWOOM—
But the greatspear tore through them as if they were paper.
CRASH—! CRASH—! CRASH—! CRASH—!
*‘As expected of the power of Dragon Slayer.’*
A special power that nullified a portion of a dragon's authority, combined with the immense strength of the Orihalcon giant itself—the two forces intertwined in a single spear, hurtling toward Azi Dahaka's neck.
*‘This is the end.’*
There was no way it could block that strike.
SCHLICK—!
A direct hit—
THWUMP—The greatspear's tip, Mogeulayi, pierced through its neck and emerged from the other side.
Scales clattered to the ground as its eyes widened as far as they could go.
Blood rained down, and the life faded from its eyes.
「Gah—ack—!」
A desperate death cry, no different from that of any other beast, erupted from the great creature's mouth.
「To... end like this... so... meaninglessly...」
With those final words, its head and tail, suspended in midair, went limp and succumbed to gravity.
- Congratulations! You have defeated 'Azi Dahaka,' the incarnation of Angra Mainyu!
As always, that system message marked the final moment of the conquest.
*‘This... was much easier than I thought.’*
Honestly, it was all thanks to the Mogeulayi brought by the dimensional traveler, William Bernard.
Without it, even if they could have won, it would have come at a tremendous cost.
*‘But... the Necromancer might be around here, so I have to be careful.’*
Lee Hyun-wook scanned the entire area using Huginn's senses.
To that man, a dragon's corpse would be an irreplaceable treasure.
It was a chance to create a 'Bone Dragon,' so he might be lying in wait for an opportunity.
*‘Honestly, I'm not ready to face the Necromancer again yet.’*
Fortunately, however, his fears did not come to pass.
***
"......."
Meanwhile, the members of the Slayers Alliance, like a mob of meerkats, craned their necks, staring blankly between Azi Dahaka's corpse and Lee Hyun-wook. Their faces were etched with utter bewilderment.
In addition, the hosts of every media outlet broadcasting the scene were all left speechless.
The <Kill the Monster> broadcast was no exception.
- Ah...
- Uh...
For a long while, the two MCs filled the airtime with nothing but strange mumbling.
- Uh, um...
Taking out a supreme being like a dragon with a single blow was just too surreal.
No one knew what kind of commentary to add to this moment, so they all remained silent.
After a moment, Tyrone Thompson struggled to speak.
- ...Like a hunter. He was like a hunter.
He paused as if to gather his thoughts, then continued.
- The target was right in front of him, but he didn't rush in. He held his breath and watched. No hunter would make the mistake of pulling the trigger too soon when facing a bear.
- Ah...
- Like a true hunter, the moment his prey fell into the trap... he landed a single, decisive shot.
Earlier, he had assessed that Steelain was doing nothing but dodging.
He was well aware that he was now reaching the opposite conclusion, and he was embarrassed.
- Ha... I've been reminded several times today of how shallow my insight is. It's been a rather shameful day in many ways.
- Tyrone Thompson, don't be too discouraged. This is an outcome no one could have predicted, isn't it?
Just then, Azi Dahaka's corpse was sucked into the light at the bottom of Laputa and vanished.
- It seems Steelain is taking the reward for this big event as well. Well now, haha...
It was the moment Steelain acquired the Black Dragon's entire body.
- They're often called dragon materials. Tyrone, what would you say is the value of that Black Dragon?
- Well. Honestly, I don't think there's a more fitting answer than 'incalculable.'
The value of items that could be crafted from the Black Dragon's hide, bones, and heart was beyond imagination.
- And isn't Steelain considered to be at the forefront of magitech, with Laputa as his foundation?
- That's right. The world's best materials, processed with the world's best technology... The items he could create...
No one could even begin to imagine what the results would be.
***
The moment Azi Dahaka died, rewards appeared before the eyes of those who had contributed to the raid.
- Congratulations! You have thwarted the invasion of Angra Mainyu!
* Rewards for this <Sudden Event> will be distributed based on contribution.
- Congratulations! A lucky reward has been granted! (2nd Place)
1) Dragon's Treasure Vault Key (7)
2) Dragon's Rare Ruin Entry Pass (1)
That system message appeared before Edward Woods's eyes.
But even he, a Dragon Slayer, didn't know what they were.
*'...A Dragon's Treasure Vault? What is this?'*
He had received similar keys when he took down the sub-adult Red Dragon in London, but back then, seven chests had dropped right on the spot. This was likely a similar concept, but on a much larger scale.
Just then—
RUMBLE—
A loud roar echoed from somewhere, followed by a rather large earthquake.
"Adjutant, what's the situation?"
The adjutant, having assessed the situation, ran over to report.
"Confirmed, sir. The four gates are closing."
"Hmm, that alone wouldn't cause such a roar, would it?"
"Ah, and... a nearby mountain is collapsing."
The only mountain in the vicinity was Paldalsan, at an altitude of 145 meters. It was outside the combat zone, so there was no reason for it to suddenly collapse. This suggested the phenomenon was related to the event.
Then—
- (!) The 'Black Dragon's Labyrinth' has been generated in the vicinity.
"...Huh? A la-labyrinth? What's that?"
Everyone turned to Edward Woods with bewildered expressions.
He was the only one who could possibly provide an answer.
After some thought, he offered his conclusion.
"Hmm... It seems we can claim our rewards there."
And considering the 'keys' and 'entry passes' were distributed based on contribution,
the quality and quantity of rewards one could obtain likely depended on those numbers.
*'I was given seven keys... but I only managed to land a single blow.'*
This meant Steelain must have received far more keys and entry passes.
Sure enough, a much higher number had appeared before Lee Hyun-wook's eyes.
- Congratulations! A lucky reward has been granted! (1st Place)
1) Dragon's Treasure Vault Key (36)
2) Dragon's Rare Ruin Entry Pass (3)
*‘In my past life, I think I only got four keys, right?’*
Even though he had personally finished it off, his total damage dealt hadn't been that high.
And that wasn't the only reward.
- Congratulations! You have completed a special achievement.
[Achievement List]
7) Dragon Slayer
- Condition: End a dragon's life by direct means.
- Effect: Diminishes all of a dragon's powers. (-50%)
Just like in his past life, he had become a Dragon Slayer by killing Azi Dahaka.
However, the Dragon Slayer option was not added to the Mogeulayi that had ended Azi Dahaka's life.
That was because this particular Mogeulayi already had the Dragon Slayer option.
*‘This was a chance to add the Dragon Slayer option to another Mogeulayi...’*
It was an incredibly disappointing outcome.
*'...Well, no use crying over it.'*
It had been a necessary choice to secure a definite victory. He couldn't afford to gamble by leaving the dragon with a sliver of health just to land the final blow with a different weapon.
*‘Chasing a potential gain when the beast could have escaped at any moment would have been pure arrogance.’*
But...
- Congratulations! Having met a special condition, a mysterious power now imbues Mogeulayi.
*'......Huh?'*
Lee Hyun-wook tilted his head. What special condition had he suddenly met?
[Item Information]
- Name: Mogeulayi (Hero)
- Effects
1) Mass Release (1-5): Releases sealed 'mass' and grants the user 'Adamant Bones.'
2) Shockwave: Generates a powerful shockwave. Its destructive power is proportional to Mass Release (1).
3) Mana Burst Blade: Imbues the blade with the 'Power of the Typhoon,' causing the next strike to create a 'Gust.'
4) Space Cutter: Fires an extremely sharp blade of wind that cuts across a wide area.
5) Dragon Slayer (2): The power to slay dragons, allowing you to 'greatly' ignore a dragon's authority. Also grants 'Dragon Force,' enhancing all abilities (+30%) and forming a superior 'Mental Barrier.'
He could see that the fifth effect, Dragon Slayer, had been enhanced to 'Level 2.'
*‘What, Dragon Slayer can stack?’*
In any case, a look at the description showed it had changed from ignoring a 'portion' of a dragon's authority to 'greatly' ignoring it.
On top of that, incredible additional effects like 'Dragon Force' and 'Mental Barrier' had been granted. This was a jackpot.
*'...With this, taking down Nidhogg will be much easier.'*
As promised to Donald Harris, the Guardian of the World Tree, he had to help hunt 'Nidhogg' soon.
That beast was also an adult dragon, so he had expected a difficult fight, but this would make things considerably smoother.
*‘And it means I can create a triple-stacked Dragon Slayer Mogeulayi, right?’*
What other options would be added in the future... he couldn't help but look forward to it.
RUMBLE—!
All the while, immense vibrations began to emanate from Paldalsan Mountain in the distance.
*‘As I thought...’*
Just as Lee Hyun-wook remembered, the 'Black Dragon's Labyrinth—a Rare Ruin' was forming there.
After blocking the 4th Wave, the blessing of 'Laputa' appeared. After stopping the Black Orc army's invasion, the 'Divine Tree' was born. So, what would be granted after stopping the invasion of Angra Mainyu's army?
First, a <Labyrinth>, a large-scale dungeon, would form on Paldalsan Mountain in the real world.
*‘And the real reward lies dormant in the final room of that labyrinth.’*
It was a kind of linked event; the true prize could only be obtained inside that labyrinth.
Lee Hyun-wook raised his Mana Messenger.
"Ah— Park Jun-mo, you got one of those Dragon's Treasure Vault Keys too, right?"
- Yes, that's right! I got two!
"You need to get your reward too, so come down to the ground now."
Lee Hyun-wook headed to Paldalsan Mountain with Park Jun-mo and Kim Se-hee.
But the Slayers Alliance had already arrived before them.
"Huh, why are they blocking the whole path?"
Just as Park Jun-mo said, they had swiftly occupied and cordoned off the entire Paldalsan area.
"They probably figured out the reward is there and are trying to claim it first."
But of course, they couldn't block Lee Hyun-wook's entry.
Lee Hyun-wook walked naturally through their ranks.
Sharp, blatant stares followed him from all directions.
Just then, Edward Woods appeared before him.
WHIRRRRR—
The two men faced each other under a sky filled with broadcasting drones.
"......."
A brief silence. In the strange quiet, only the chirping of mountain birds could be heard.
Thud— Thud—
Edward Woods walked toward him.
"...That was impressive."
He extended his hand, and Lee Hyun-wook shook it.
It had been a rather emotional confrontation, but it seemed he wanted to end it like a gentleman.
"Now, let's go check our rewards."
***
After about ten minutes of earthquakes, a massive lava cave had reportedly formed on Paldalsan Mountain.
This miraculous phenomenon was a rather familiar sight to the people of today.
"—They say an entrance leading underground has risen up on the mountaintop!"
A scout team from the Slayers Guild, who had searched the entire mountain, reported back, and everyone headed in that direction.
Sure enough, a strangely shaped rock had emerged on the summit, and within it was an entrance leading underground.
"Alright, let's descend one by one, with the tankers in the lead, just in case."
- Warning! You have entered the Black Dragon Labyrinth.
A long, wide, and high passage stretched out before them, like a lava tube.
They walked for about five minutes but found nothing out of the ordinary...
"—Halt, there's something ahead."
At some point, a T-junction appeared.
"Hmm, an ominous-looking giant door. And there are two of them..."
As Edward Woods said, massive stone doors blocked the paths to both the left and right.
"I'll go and check."
Edward Woods's adjutant said, approaching the doors and placing a hand on each in turn.
"—The left is the Labyrinth Entrance, and the right is the Treasure Vault Entrance!"
As he shouted, Edward Woods turned to look at Lee Hyun-wook.
"Steelain, the labyrinth must be some kind of hidden stage, right?"
"Yes, I think so too."
"In that case, this labyrinth raid... would you like to do it together?"
Just as he had before the dragon raid, Edward Woods proposed an alliance.
But the core of the offer was different this time. Before, he had asked Lee Hyun-wook to serve under him...
"...And I will leave the position of raid leader to you, Steelain."
This time, he was swallowing his pride and offering to serve under him, a gesture of reconciliation.
He must have been quite surprised watching Lee Hyun-wook take down the dragon. As someone who prided himself on being a Dragon Slayer, was he showing respect to Lee Hyun-wook for succeeding so spectacularly in that field?
*‘He might be sincere, but either way, it's going to be a hassle.’*
Inside lay the 'true reward' of this event.
And no one but Lee Hyun-wook knew how to obtain it.
There was no need to create an unnecessary party.
"Hmm, my apologies... but I plan to attempt the raid separately."
When Lee Hyun-wook politely refused, Edward Woods's expression hardened slightly.
"...So you're really going to go it alone until the very end."
"Hmm, not alone. I have my own team."
"Hah— Shouldn't we try to reach some kind of agreement by now?"
He showed his displeasure and started walking ahead. Lee Hyun-wook followed him.
"Are you suggesting another competition to see who can clear the labyrinth first?"
"That's not it. It's just... a little uncomfortable. I'm shyer than I look."
He let out a cold laugh—Hah—and turned to look at Lee Hyun-wook.
"Steelain, our forces are here. We could attempt the raid right now."
It was clearly a threat, but Lee Hyun-wook didn't respond.
He knew exactly what would happen if they attempted the raid first.
*‘The moment they reach the final door, they'll have no choice but to turn back.’*
To break through the final gate, an F-Class Player was needed.
They would only get a hint as to who that was upon reaching the final gate.
*‘But I already know very well who he is.’*
And he had already investigated where that person was at this very moment.
"...Then let's check the treasure vault first."
Edward Woods said, suppressing his displeasure.
Immediately, a few Slayers Guild members heaved open the right stone door.
THOOM—
- Congratulations! You have discovered the treasure vault of the Black Dragon Azi Dahaka!
"Whoa..."
Dragons of legend were said to love shiny things, weren't they?
As if based on that motif, the entire place was filled with gold, silver, and jewels.
"Wow— I bit it, and it's real gold!"
But the Players' reactions were rather lukewarm.
"What are we gonna do with a bunch of gold?"
The real reward they wanted was, of course, 'items.'
And as they went a little deeper, a completely different scene appeared.
"Hey, there's a bunch of chests over there!"
In the dim space, large wooden and iron chests were stacked in rows.
It felt less like a treasure vault and more like a massive warehouse.
"Everyone, it may look shabby, but this is the real reward."
Edward Woods announced, then continued to explain.
"Some of you will have obtained keys earlier. Those keys can open any of the chests here without restriction, but a key is consumed upon use. In other words, one key opens one chest."
Then he turned his head to look at Lee Hyun-wook.
"...It seems the rewards are going to be random. This happens from time to time."
The sound of people swallowing dryly could be heard all around.
"Wow, does that mean we have a chance to get the first-place reward too?"
"Hoo... Honestly, this is completely random, isn't it? I'm going to trust my luck."
There were several people who had achieved a minuscule contribution and received only a single key.
For them, it was a chance to obtain a legendary-grade item they might never have dreamed of.
"Now, then, shouldn't we decide who gets to open one first?"
Edward Woods said, and Kim Se-hee, who was standing next to Lee Hyun-wook, stepped forward to object.
"Wait a minute. Shouldn't the person with the highest contribution get to choose first?"
Even if it was random, choosing first was an advantage, making the order a sensitive issue.
And typically, after a raid, priority selection rights—so-called 'seeding rights'—are given based on contribution. In other words, according to Kim Se-hee's argument, Lee Hyun-wook should be the one to choose first, following that custom.
Edward Woods's adjutant stepped forward to counter.
"...Hmm, we don't recall signing any such contract. What are you talking about?"
"What?"
"That only applies to a 'joint raid' that begins with a mutually agreed-upon contract."
Their argument was that since this was an 'unrestricted competition' without such procedures, that rule didn't apply.
"What do you mean..."
"Team Leader Kim, it's fine."
"...Hah, I understand."
It was deeply unfair, but when you thought about it, their point was valid.
"Why do we need something elaborate to decide this? How about we just draw lots?"
The one who said that was Amanda Anderson, and Edward Woods nodded in agreement.
"I don't think that's a bad idea. Steelain, do you agree?"
Lee Hyun-wook also nodded, and soon, lots were prepared in front of everyone.
But just then, a certain conversation flowed into Lee Hyun-wook's ears.
- Hey Rick, you can swap the lots with magic, right?
He had hacked all the nearby Mana Messengers, preparing for any unforeseen circumstances.
And just in time, he had picked up the small, whispered voice with its suspicious content.
*‘These guys, they're planning to rig the draw?’*
It seemed they planned to secretly cast a spell on the lottery box and then swap out all its contents.
*‘When it's my turn, they plan to switch it to lots that only have a specific number.’*
Edward Woods might not have ordered this manipulation, but it was infuriating nonetheless.
*‘Well, it doesn't matter. No, this is actually for the best.’*
Without any protest, Lee Hyun-wook meekly drew his lot.
The result was a staggering 17th place.
Out of the 18 people with keys, he was 17th, the second to last.
And Edward Woods...
"Hmm, 2nd place."
2nd place. They had probably adjusted it to something reasonable to avoid suspicion.
"...Steelain, are you alright?"
he asked, just to be sure. Honestly, this was a rather sensitive issue.
"Yes, I'm fine. Let's proceed quickly."
He truly didn't care at all. In fact, he was thinking this worked out perfectly.
Soon, the unknown mage Player who had drawn 1st place stepped forward.
"Hoo..."
Gulp—
His gaze fell on the largest chest in the right corner, but he didn't dare covet it.
He was sharp enough to know he should leave it for Edward Woods, who was second in line.
Clank—
He chose a moderately sized chest and opened it.
"Oh..."
Inside was a set of highest-grade status recovery potions.
If sold on the market, it would fetch hundreds of millions of won.
"Alright, now it's my turn."
Now it was the second turn, Edward Woods's turn.
He pretended to think about it, then predictably chose the largest chest.
CLANK—
With a heavy sound, the lock turned, the chest lid opened, and a brilliant light spilled out.
WOOO— WOOO— WOOO— WOOO—
"Oh, what is it?"
At the unusual reaction, the Slayers Guild members watched the scene with faces full of anticipation.
But what came out of it was something that fell far short of expectations.
"Uh... It looks like some kind of gemstone."
It was adamant, about 11kg of it.
"Hmm..."
It was certainly a valuable and significant amount, but it was clearly far from a first-place prize.
After that, he chose his chests quite carefully, using his remaining six keys in succession.
Clank—
"......."
But all that came out were material items that could be called 'junk.'
Clank—
In the end, having drawn nothing but duds, Edward Woods's expression grew considerably dark.
"......."
The others glanced at him cautiously, but their faces held a glimmer of hope.
If the top prize hadn't appeared yet, it meant there was a good chance they could get it.
And so, the random chest opening—which could be called a gacha—continued.
But strangely, no jaw-dropping items appeared.
"Hey, these are all just so-so items, aren't they?"
"I feel like I've been completely scammed..."
And finally, it was number 17, Lee Hyun-wook's turn.
But...
"...Huh, we're short on chests? There are only five left!"
There were only five chests remaining, a far cry from the 36 keys Lee Hyun-wook possessed.
"How can that be? Does that mean the system gave out more rewards than there are?"
"Nah, they must be stuck in a corner somewhere. Come on, everyone, let's look carefully!"
But then...
"Hey! There's a door on the floor here!"
The moment someone shouted that, everyone's faces went blank with shock.
"Huh? A door..."
"Wh-what door?"
As he said, there was a door leading underground in the corner of the room.
But until now, it had been hidden by chests and couldn't be seen.
Just then, Lee Hyun-wook stepped forward and spoke.
"...It seems this treasure vault was two-tiered."
The real treasure was about to be revealed.