Chapter 2
Chapter 2
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 2
Chapter Title: Monsters Melting Away
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The Status Window had gone haywire, and the flashlight was flickering.
I tried turning it off to save the battery.
Darkness. Pain. A foreign sensation.
Overwhelmed by the stress crashing in all at once, I turned it back on.
“Huuuh.”
Calm down.
Keep your head, and you can survive even a tiger's den.
But not even a tiger could get in here.
This was the sealed rock bottom of the underground to begin with.
How the hell do I get out?
“Smartphone... busted. Geiger counter's acting weird too.”
The crunching stopped after I smacked it a few times; now it's whining.
Then it shut off completely.
Every useful electronic gadget was kaput.
The only thing I could trust was the blinking light.
If even this died, I'd really be screwed.
Time to make a call.
Luckily, dropping with the backpack was a silver lining.
I emptied out the backpack next to me.
The stuff inside was fine.
Pulled them out one by one.
Dozens of lowest-grade Mana Stones.
Emergency rations for any emergencies.
Two small water bottles.
A machete for self-defense.
That was it.
“Was only gonna mine and bail anyway.”
Team Leader Kim. And Senior Apprentice Brother.
Worried about them.
Hope they landed in some other pit like me.
Please be safe.
Even better if they dodged serious injuries like this.
“How long since I fell here?”
I pressed the glow button on my wristwatch.
Three hours since the drop.
No point hoping for rescue.
That quake and the collapsing debris...
The whole mine must've caved in.
And I'm at the bottom of some immeasurable depth.
First things first: get out of this pit.
I'm not the type to quit here.
Family's waiting out there.
A family that can't even stay alive without me.
The worst scenarios flood my mind.
Unpaid hospital bills stacking up.
Nearly ten million won.
No hospital's gonna let that slide.
They'll track down the guardian—me—and get my address.
Then ship out Mom and little sister Somi.
The two who can't even breathe without life support.
Just abandon them like that.
No duty to care for broke nobodies.
“I have to get back. No matter what.”
I swept back my hair and pulled myself together.
Stood up.
“Kuh!”
A sharp pain lanced through my side.
My side, skewered by the pickaxe head.
I gripped it and edged carefully toward the hole.
Up close, it looked even smaller.
Barely crawlable.
Touched it gingerly.
Tap. Tap.
Solid.
Well, yeah—if it wasn't, there wouldn't even be a hole.
Digging this out barehanded? No way.
Could bring the whole thing down if I pushed too hard.
Guess eating dirt while digging's a bust too.
Fine. Then...
My gaze drifted down.
The pickaxe head gleamed in my trembling eyes.
Pull it quick and plug front and back?
Tear up some cloth first.
Palm-block it initially.
Then tie it tight and neat with cloth.
“Situation like this, no room for second-guessing.”
Still, the debate raged on.
This one choice could mean life or death.
No downside to max caution.
Three lives riding on my single one.
The weight crushed my chest; breaths came short.
Do it? Don't? Have to? Better not?
“Fuck! Fuuuuck!”
Curses fueled my resolve.
Do it. Gonna do it!
Shed the dirt-caked vest and sliced it with the machete.
Rinsed off the dirt with water and stashed it inside the backpack.
Moved my shaking-like-crazy hands.
Gripped the pickaxe. Steadied my breath.
“Hoo! Hoo!”
Decision point.
Shoved aside the final doubts and pulled.
“Huuuup!”
It hurt! Hurt like absolute hell.
And something felt clamped tight.
Wouldn't budge easy.
Should pop right out with a good yank, right?
Why's it stuck like this?
“Kuaaaah!”
Every second dragged more pain.
Tears and snot everywhere.
First time feeling agony like this.
Body spasming in pieces.
Still, wouldn't let go.
Tszzt!
A little at a time.
Clinging flesh like vines? Nah, hallucination.
Welded tight.
Half out.
Last half. Pull like lifting a spoonful of rice!
Tzztchak!
“Kuheuk!”
It came free. Flesh and skin stuck to the pickaxe.
The grotesque sight wrinkled my nose.
Shit, not the time.
Massive bleeding. Blood pouring out!
No thanks to shock-death.
Yanked out cloth and bound it fast.
Hand brushed the wound by mistake.
“Eek!”
Squeezed eyes shut, bracing for the pain surge.
Smooth. Flat.
Surely massive pain from here... Huh?
“Hold up. Smooth and flat?”
Something's wrong.
Instinct kicked in; I felt around.
Front and back of the side.
No hole.
“Huh?”
Flashlight beam: flawless skin.
Like it never happened.
But the holey clothes screamed otherwise.
It was real.
Just... filled in.
Healed the instant I pulled it.
“What the...”
Wondered what changed.
Front digits unchanged; number barely budged.
But my eyes snagged the difference.
The hundred-thousands digit shifted.
Calories plummeted fast.
Reason obvious.
To rapidly heal my wound.
First time experiencing this.
Never stockpiled calories in the hundred-thousands before.
Now it clicked: the Status Window wasn't glitched.
Calories were legit.
Just couldn't keep pace with the insane shift.
My Innate Ability had indigestion, basically.
What the hell did I eat on the way down?
Whatever. Thanks to the Innate Ability, I cleared the hurdle.
Could pass the pit now.
“Good. Even worst case, I've got an escape hole.”
Ultra regeneration courtesy of massive calories.
Who knew my Innate Ability had perks like this?
Felt like stumbling into some epic opportunity.
If I survive like this, maybe try being a Hunter?
High-rank Hunters get nicknames, right? Zombie Man or somethin'?
Positive thoughts.
Tied the backpack strap to my ankle.
Prep complete.
Flashlight in mouth.
Shoved into the pit.
Tighter than expected.
Wriggle. Slowly.
Luckily, no claustrophobia.
Breathing steady. No panic.
Mindset that any pain heals quick?
How far along...
Wide open space!
The change I'd hoped for.
Flashlight beam fans wide.
Crawled hard.
No fatigue—calorie magic.
Not just ultra regen.
Throat's not dry. Stomach's not growling.
Don't tell me no sleep either?
Hate insomnia derailing my brain.
Such thoughts, and out the hole.
Stood, swept flashlight around.
Pretty spacious area greeted me.
“Still blocked everywhere. Exit... Hm?”
Odd structure.
Cylinder building with an upside-down iron door.
Shape looked familiar.
“Looks just like the Tower of Trials?”
Differences: wall color, door.
Not pristine white—all black.
Door flipped, up top.
Even opened, gotta jump to enter.
Like staring at the Tower of Trials flipped upside down.
Sightseeing over.
Decision time.
No escape hole in sight.
Door right there.
Tower of Trials—Hunters only.
With my current setup, worth a shot?
Heard floor 1 is brutally tough.
Clear it, rewards flow.
Set a world record?
Rewards benefit the masses.
Hero of the group. Nation even.
“Gulp.”
Dry-swallowed.
Anyone can challenge the Tower.
Any Awakener.
Just skipped 'cause sub-Hunter Innate Ability.
But ultra regen from 2 quadrillion calories and tireless bod?
Maybe climb the Tower?
Reach surface level, bust out.
If no exit, snag communication as reward.
Check family status.
Beg hospital for leniency on bills.
Good. Go big or go home. Gripped the knob.
Were the patterns on the Tower's iron door always this freaky?
Never inspected close.
Iron door etched with bizarre motifs.
Screaming demons. Humans. Beasts.
All mashed in despair.
Creepy as hell just looking.
But no reason to balk.
Kugugugung!
Heavy iron door creaked open slow.
Black void welcomed me.
Pitch curtain hid unknowns.
What dangers lurked.
What trials awaited.
Didn't know jack.
Still, took the step.
For my survival. For family.
Eh? Tower of Despair?
And not floor 1, but –1 Floor?
Questions didn't last.
Flash!
Darkness vanished in a blink.
Pure white space welcomed me.
“What the heck. Why not the Tower of Trials?”
Something felt off.
Black hue, door reversed.
But Despair?
Name sounded bad news.
While choking down the dread...
Despair—not trial—kicked off.
Condition popped up before my eyes.
[Overcome the Despair.]
📍 Goblin:0/500
📍 Goblin Hero:0/1
True despair crashed down.
Five hundred? That's guild-level deployment.
Goblin Hero? A-rank Hunter mandatory.
Tower's solo challenge only.
So this is...
Even S-ranks would struggle!
Pure despair.
And F-non like me walked in.
No exit.
Have to clash head-on.
What do I even trust?
Calorie-fueled ultra regen?
Tireless normie body?
Outcome painted clear.
This is just...
“An unkillable meat sandbag!”
Fucked.
Ripples already from all sides.
Hundreds burst out squealing.
Squeaks everywhere—noise assault.
The last one: bigger, geared up.
Goblin Hero.
Mutant in the crawling mob.
Somehow sword-proficient and tough.
Didn't wanna know details.
Videos shoved it down my throat.
Slicing B-ranks like twigs... like...
“Uuugh...”
Fear drove me back.
No space to retreat.
Goblin tsunami from every direction.
Meat sandbag fate?
Pain till calories run dry?
Terrified. Scared shitless.
Staring down despair with quaking eyes...
Kekik?
Something shifted.
Hundreds charging—halfway maybe.
Front-runners froze abrupt.
Same all around.
Confusion. Weirdness. Agony.
Kekikikik!
Changes hit fast, in stages.
Hair rained out.
Vomited guts.
Stomach empties, bowels follow.
Kegruk...
Clear eyes dulled milky.
Front collapsed into their own filth.
Second row. Third.
Onrushing wave ebbed like tide.
Neat rows dropped. No twitch.
“D-Dead?”
Kyaek! Kyaaaaak!
Backmost Goblin Hero held out.
It roared and leaped.
Too quick to follow.
Next instant, right in my face.
Scimitar mid-swing.
Guhuk...
Slurred words. Froze.
Blisters bubbled across skin.
Skin melted jelly-soft.
Dropping eyeballs and muscle—freakish.
That was it.
End of the beast that diced strong Hunters easy.
Watched the whole freakshow blank-faced.
Tower's voice didn't register.
These symptoms... it's like...
“Acute radiation exposure, right?”
Got it.
2 quadrillion calories. Rapid rad poisoning.
What I scarfed was...
✓First Record Holder! Reward enhanced!
✓New Record! Clear time updated.
✓Time 1st Place! Guild buff granted!
[Select guild to bestow buff on.]
Amid the barrage of alerts...
I muttered blankly.
“I went and ate uranium.”