Chapter 299
Chapter: 299
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>Translator: penny
>Chapter: 299
>Chapter Title: Code Zero (4)
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>Unsettling elements had been steadily revealing themselves from the very beginning.
Static—crackle—
Noise that disrupted his vision whenever he was starting to forget about it, and timings that deviated bit by bit from expectations.
But.
‘It's still within the range I can handle, still......’
Seongjin pressed forward each time, double-checking the clear blueprint etched in his mind.
He might end up getting scolded by his father for pushing a little too hard. But if he successfully pulled Owen out in the end and shoved him front and center, surely he'd be forgiven with just a flick on the forehead?
[We're here!]
And just like that, the party completely escaped the maze and finally arrived before a massive stone door.
[This is the boss room of this dungeon, the 'King's Hall.' According to the guide, the Orc King Raigas, who built the maze, appears as the boss himself.]
The firmly shut stone door was covered in ornate carvings befitting the name 'King's Hall.'
The twin pillars supporting the door held blazing golden torches, their intricate reliefs flickering and writhing as if in agony, dragged along by the dance of the flames.
[Raigas is a boss with pretty complex patterns for a C-rank. Everyone remembers what I explained about the Orc King, right?]
At that, the Silent Villains slyly averted their eyes from Dexter and pretended not to hear.
[Hey, come on, at least we can expect a good ranking now, right? We cleared the maze faster than expected!]
[Great, Dexter! Your plan was brilliant!]
[Hold on, don't just gloss over it like that, you guys!]
But unlike the party members chattering in relief, Seongjin's expression wasn't great. He scowled, surveying the area around the stone door with dissatisfaction.
"Hmm......"
This wasn't good. That vague sense of unease he'd felt earlier was growing stronger by the minute.
‘It's still within the range I can handle, but......’
Static—
Right on cue, that peculiar noise swept across his vision once more.
[We've cleaned out the central maze completely, so the defense battle should be a lot more manageable. Alright, I'm going to trigger the trap alarm. Everyone, get ready.]
Dexter said that as he stepped forward toward the stone door.
[Do you know which one is the alarm, Dexter?]
[Of course. There are quite a few fixed alarms right in front of the boss room. They're the last trap meant to smack players in the back of the head just when they've relaxed after clearing the maze completely.]
[That's really dirty!]
[But they're so well-known now that they don't even work as traps anymore. These days, people just use them to check if any mobs are still lurking around.]
With that explanation, Dexter unhesitatingly placed his hand on a gargoyle statue decorating the right side of the stone door.
That was the moment.
-Kikikik.
A small laugh echoed in Seongjin's ear. It was faint, like a mere whisper of wind—
‘...Yustitia?’
There was no way Seongjin wouldn't recognize that repulsive voice. The damp, faded voice of chaos that had relentlessly pursued him from the dark abyss.
Seongjin, grasping the situation in an instant, shouted.
"Hey, Dexter! Wait a......!"
But it was too late.
Dexter had already fully twisted the gargoyle's head to the side.
"Huh? What?"
Dexter turned around in confusion.
Beeeeep—!
A piercing alarm split the air.
[......?!]
Fwoosh!
At the same time, the surrounding torches, which had been glowing gold, instantly turned red. It was obvious at a glance that something had gone terribly wrong.
[W-What's that?]
[Dexter! Something's off! This doesn't seem like the usual trap alarm!]
And then, an unbelievable sight unfolded before their eyes.
Rumble rumble rumble......
With a heavy vibration shaking the entire dungeon, the boss room's stone door—which no one had touched—began to slowly open!
[......!]
The unexpected turn of events froze the entire party in place.
[Why is the boss room opening now?]
[Did Dexter hit the wrong alarm?]
[No way! The boss room can't just open unless you use the key directly!]
Leaving the panicked party members behind, Seongjin stood still, waiting for the enemy that was about to appear. The powerful foe the goddess had arranged for him, twisting the rigid rules of the ordered world.
-O destroyer of Pangea's order......
At last, standing in the fully opened boss room entrance was a massive orc at least five meters tall.
Wrinkle-lined skin symbolizing the rings of age, crimson eyes blazing with fury. And a hefty double-headed axe slung over its shoulder.
It was the dungeon's boss, Orc King Raigas.
Thud!
With a heavy thud, the Orc King stepped toward them. It seemed to have recognized them as enemies the moment the boss room opened.
-O ominous one foretold by the goddess long ago......
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Each time the beast lumbered forward with its massive body, the recoil shook the entire dungeon violently.
-As the goddess foretold, you have indeed arrived before this 'wise Raigas'!
Was this some kind of cutscene for the main story? The entrance was incredibly intimidating.
With each low word it uttered, cold breath scattered into the air, and an ominous aura grew thicker.
-The sins you have committed, you will clumsily claim are solely for Pangea's sake.
-Know your place! You are nothing more than a pathetic fish dirtying the puddle the more you struggle......
Flash!
The Orc King's sharp gaze swept over Seongjin's party.
‘...That's a C-rank boss?’
Dexter paled and unwittingly stepped back. Even knowing it was just a game, the beast's murderous aura made his legs tremble and strength drain from them on instinct.
The problem was the Silent Villains, who couldn't understand a word the Orc King was saying.
[It's different from bosses in other dungeons? It's talking to us. But why is it so angry?]
[It praised itself as wise? It can't possibly be wise!]
[Conversation seems possible at least, but what if it's mistaking us for someone else?]
Tense from the unforeseen situation, the Silent Villains urgently exchanged glances and thoughts.
Having never properly followed the main quest before, their confusion was perhaps inevitable.
[...The Orc King is telling us the main story. According to the game lore, the player is 'Thunderstorm Von,' prophesied to disrupt Pangea's order. It's like an anti-hero......]
Dexter belatedly tried to explain.
[Don't worry about that crap.]
Seongjin cut him off abruptly and stepped forward. As if he cared about some arbitrarily set main story.
[That's just data reciting scripted lines like a play. It doesn't matter who we are. So everyone, get ready to fight!]
Twist.
In an instant, the Orc King's eyes turned sideways, locking precisely on Seongjin. Crimson eyes wrapped in extreme rage yet also emanating a calm, piercing chill.
But it was only for a split second. The Orc King averted its gaze and began reciting its final line toward empty air.
-Thus, I shall personally end your feeble struggles! I, wise Raigas, lord of the great orcs!
Its massive roar echoed through the dungeon, reverberating to the far ends of the maze.
-I reject the prophecy! I shall fight fate!
-Come at me then, Thunderstorm Von! Bringer of storms to destroy this world!
Rooooar—!
A fierce gust erupted from its bellow, shaking the surrounding torches as if they might snuff out.
[That thing... you said its attacks are really complex, right?]
It didn't look easy to handle. Owen urgently suggested as much.
[Doesn't its axe just multiply or something, and it shoots magic too? How about we retreat to the central maze for now, keep some distance, and it slowly?]
Seongjin was a bit dumbfounded.
It remembered the Orc King's finishers as just that? It was clear he'd completely forgotten Dexter's detailed pre-briefing.
[Good idea, Owen!]
[Let's fall back! That's safer!]
Hatasu Titi and Guroop agreed, quickly turning around.
But things didn't go as they thought.
Grumble......
Thud, thud.
From the right and left mazes, orc squads appeared. They must have swarmed here the moment the alarm rang.
[Damn......]
With sighs, the Silent Villains hesitated and raised their weapons. For the first time, faint despair and urgency flickered in the eyes that had remained composed throughout.
[...What I triggered was definitely the alarm! But why......]
Dexter muttered, his face drained of color.
[No matter how I think about it, there's no way! The boss barging in during our tightly planned defense battle. What? What is this? I've never heard of this happening...!]
These guys were really something else right now!
[Everyone, snap out of it!]
Thud!
Seongjin stomped forward forcefully, aiming his beginner's sword as he shouted.
[We planned for attacks from three sides from the start! Right?]
[Lee Seongjin......!]
[The center's clean, so all that's left is the side passages and the boss—three sides! What's the problem?]
Ah, right. Yeah. The Silent Villains' eyes gradually returned to normal.
Only Dexter wore a desperate, pleading expression, but Seongjin brushed off the minor anxiety from non-combat personnel.
[Just proceed with the defense battle as planned! Leave the rest to me!]
At the same time, a faint silver glow lingered in Seongjin's eyes before vanishing.
[Owen, take the right! Guroop, left! Don't spread out too far so you can switch attacks right away!]
It was the first time Seongjin had called Guroop by name briefly, but no one would object.
Owen and Guroop gripped their weapons and dashed toward the directions Seongjin indicated.
[Dexter, you're center. Don't try to creep forward with your magic scrolls—stay in the middle and give directions so those two can switch properly!]
Dexter stopped rummaging in his pouch, his jaw trembling as he replied.
[O-Okay!]
[Good. Titi, grab your shield and follow me.]
We're taking down the boss together.
Hatasu Titi, fully understanding Seongjin's gaze, nodded with uncharacteristic resolve.
* * *
The defense battle, originally meant for three people, became extremely tight without tank Hatasu Titi.
Even though they'd cleared the central maze, the distances between sides were too far for back-and-forth engagements.
Especially when identical squads appeared on both sides simultaneously—Owen and Guroop's hands were incredibly busy.
Thwack! Thud!
Guroop fired lethal arrows at the longbow squads peeking from both maze entrances, then lightly leaped back and gripped his daggers.
[I've cleared the ranged condition!]
[Good! I'll take left this time! I'll sweep first—hold on a bit!]
Since matchup advantages heavily influenced their attacks, Guroop would sometimes join with a sword when needed. He still had plenty of weapons he'd collected dreaming of slaying the Demon King.
For orc mages, however, Guroop's arrows had to handle both squads.
[Sorry! Missed two!]
[My HP's bottomed out, but I'll manage! Don't worry about it—move here and clear the condition! Archers this time!]
But when mage power was needed, the two had no real options. They could only wait for Seongjin to help appropriately.
[O true master of my soul—eeeeeee!]
Fwoosh!
Fortunately, black smoke erupted from behind them each time with ghostly perfect timing. The eerie summon, writhing like it was alive, instantly cleared the mage squad's condition, then mercilessly battered the melee warriors coming from another direction.
Gurk! Gack!
[Newbie!]
Owen glanced back worriedly, despite being busy with the boss.
[Don't worry about this side—focus on your own job! Idiot!]
The guy sure had a vicious way of saying "be careful."
[Lee Seongjin, watch out!]
Then Hatasu Titi warned. The Orc King had hurled its massive double-headed axe at Seongjin.
Boom!
A terrifying axe throw that could one-shot even decent defenses. 'Rage Charge' shook the entire dungeon, carving a deep furrow where the kid goat had stood.
Of course, Seongjin—who had sensed the attack—had already begun evading.
Thud!
Seongjin landed lightly beside Hatasu Titi and cautioned him.
[After 'Rage Charge,' it fully absorbs all shock for 5 seconds. So don't attack carelessly—put more distance! If you're too close, that skill can chain like just now!]
[Got it, Lee Seongjin!]
Hatasu Titi obediently replied and widened the distance on Seongjin's opposite side.
Watching the scene, Dexter inwardly clicked his tongue.
‘What the hell is that guy? He memorized everything from my briefings perfectly?’
Unlike the defense battle, he'd covered the boss fight relatively briefly. Since it wouldn't stick in their heads after the maze anyway, he planned to explain properly in front of the boss room.
Yet he'd remembered even the casual warnings down to the second?
Thud!
The kid goat stomped the ground again. Hatasu Titi followed up, charging at the Orc King.
But—
Clang!
His mace bounced back violently with a deflating sound.
[Sorry! I was a bit early!]
[No! It was exactly 5 seconds!]
Titi's attack was flawless. It was just that the temporal distortion around the Orc King was worsening.
[Account for a slight margin—treat it as roughly 6 seconds!]
Seongjin replied as he circled the Orc King counterclockwise. Spotting a brief opening, he slipped inside the sword arc and swung.
Slash!
The excellently rendered graphics exposed a long gash on the Orc King's ankle vividly.
-You filthy vermin!
Roooar!
The howling Orc King suddenly thrust its double-headed axe forward from its chest, eyes flashing.
[Ah, 'Ring of Wisdom'! 1.5 seconds to activate, then it sweeps over 180 degrees in a circle—wide-area magic!]
Hatasu Titi quickly dashed toward Seongjin. The quick-witted shield warrior had learned that staying near the kid goat avoided lethal hits.
Fwoooosh!
At the same time, the magic ring spinning from the shield began spewing terrifying flames like a flamethrower.
Sizzle—
A charred semicircular scorch mark etched grotesquely into the dungeon floor.
And after the magic skill, 0.5 seconds of stiffness.
Stab!
Seongjin didn't miss the timing, thrusting his sword powerfully into the beast's knee. A precise strike targeting the ACL.
Groooar!
The Orc King, hobbled in movement, roared in irritation and wildly swung its double-headed axe.
[Raigas is too huge! Beginner sword won't crit easily!]
Boom! Bang!
Struggling to block the axe with his shield, Hatasu Titi shouted.
[It's fine!]
He was landing crits properly anyway.
Seongjin answered simply, then stomped off seeking the next attack window.
Pop!
[After 'Ring of Wisdom' activates, weapons are magic-free for about 9 seconds.]
Thud thud thud thud!
Seongjin busily dashed over the swung axe, closing in on the beast's face in an instant.
Startled by the sudden approach, the Orc King flinched back—
Slash!
Twisting his body slightly, Seongjin carved a long slash beside its eye.
Flash!
The wound briefly gleamed, signaling another crit.
‘Left is mages, right is melee.’
Meanwhile, Seongjin's senses diligently tracked the orcs swarming from the mazes.
‘Mages switching from buff to attack mode has about 1.5-second delay.’
The moment the mage squad peeked out, Hayes' evil spirit was resummoned to clear the 'condition.'
[O master! By your commaaand!]
Waaaah!
The eerie evil spirit, shedding black tears, charged with a twisted grin!
The fact that its creepy form was now vividly clear—that was the sole side effect after the graphics stabilized.
‘Melee warriors' perception delay: 1 second.’
Before the orc mages' screams even finished, Hayes' evil spirit engulfed the melee squad that Owen had softened up.
Gurk! Gack! Kraaack!
‘Full wipe takes 4 to 6 seconds.’
Seongjin, timing it generously, immediately recalled Hayes. Then sent it straight at the Orc King.
[All who block my master's path, be cursed by heeeeell!]
Fwoosh!
The gleeful black smoke struck hard, staggering the Orc King.
Stab!
A fierce slash exploiting the gap.
‘Knockback 3 seconds—apply extra damage in between.’
Stab! Stab! Stab!
The staggering Orc King's axe arm twitched. Seongjin quickly retreated, thinking.
‘No, the errors keep accumulating—keep it under 2 seconds.’
He widened distance until just before 'Rage Charge' activated, then hurled Hayes at the rear maze again.
[O master of my soooul!]
Slash!
Simultaneously, a long, lethal sword wound raked down the pursuing Orc King's leg.
"This is insane......"
Dexter, who had witnessed everything from start to finish, unwittingly let out a low groan.
What? How could a human do that?
Seongjin, having fully internalized the briefing and even the error margins through his body, looked to Dexter like a precision machine carving with a scalpel.
Thud!
Meanwhile, the kid goat who had reached the ceiling leaped down at near-arrow speed.
Slash!
A sharp sword slicing the carotid.
Undoubtedly another crit. At last, the Orc King could no longer support its massive frame and knelt to the ground.
Thud!
-Why!
The blood-soaked Orc King wailed in anguish.
-Why do you look upon me with such pity! You crawling vermin—why!
Seongjin curled his lip, baring his teeth savagely.
Hey, you twisted lump of data.
It'd be too pitiful to keep hitting you, so just die already!