Chapter 34
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 34
Chapter Title: Flesh Mending Flower
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In the southeast of the vast primeval jungle, past a giant foul-smelling flower about ten times the size of a rafflesia and dragonflies that devoured frogs, following the river led to a massive cliff.
The cliff, draped in thick vines, bore claw marks etched like a chessboard, hinting at something ferocious.
The first dungeon on the uninhabited island: Saber Tiger Den.
Having grown accustomed to the island through field monster hunts and foraging, the hunters gradually began challenging the dungeons.
And right now, in the Saber Tiger Den, a party had defeated 100 saber tigers, called 'Smilodons,' and entered the boss room.
The hunter wielding a greatsword, Kim Donghwi, was overcome with despair.
'Ah. We can't beat this.'
Even lying down, the saber tiger came up to his chest, which was plenty big.
But this one was the size of a house.
Saber Tiger King 'Rexmilodon.'
At the creature's roar, Kim Donghwi hadn't been able to move a single step since earlier.
To see just how satisfyingly the human before it would shatter, Rexmilodon swung its forepaw horizontally.
"Get down!"
Boom!
A hulking man blocked the forepaw that swept the ground with his entire body.
Roooar!
Somehow irritated, Rexmilodon brought its remaining forepaw down on the human who had blocked the first. It looked like a cat kneading dough, but underneath were two humans.
"Huaaaagh! Save me, monk!"
Having blocked two man-sized forepaws with his own body, he couldn't possibly be unscathed. Blood poured from his entire frame, yet the giant man muttered something without flinching.
"......Amitabha Vairocana Mahamudra......"
A Buddhist mantra of radiant light. As the chant intensified, golden energy welled up in the right hand of the monk—no, Soma Sangai.
In his right hand was the weapon from the sanctuary guarded by the southern demon beast Mandarion.
Heavenly Knot Vajra Pestle [S-]
Soma even closed his eyes calmly and began chanting the mantra.
"Om Mani Padme! Hum! Tathagata!"
Power built in the mantra, and simultaneously, terrifying golden lightning gathered on the vajra pestle.
[The vajra pestle's forbidden curse, 'Demon-Slaying Thunderlight,' activates!]
[The thunder god from myth responds to your will!]
[Avatar Spartacus (A++)'s counter skill '!!!Revolution!!!' activates!]
[Returns 5 times the fatal damage received from the enemy!]
"Hum! Vajraaa—!"
A fierce lion's roar and light burst from between Rexmilodon's forepaws. Immense pressure and current swept the saber tiger king's upper body, soon filling the cave with blinding flash.
Crackle—crackle—
When everyone's vision returned, the sight was the boss monster's lower half, its upper body completely incinerated above the chest.
Thud!
"Huff, huff."
[Soma Sangai's party has defeated the boss 'Rexmilodon' of 'Saber Tiger Den.']
['Floating Stone Fragment 1 (1/6)' drops.]
[Rare material 'Saber Tooth-made Rudder' - Steering capability +9%.]
[Dungeon clear reward...]
[4 indigo coins each...]
[Clue about the uninhabited island provided.]
[Uninhabited island monsters grow stronger by consuming materials and coins.]
A comrade approached the blood-soaked Soma.
"Are you okay? Let me heal you!"
"I'm fine. Treat the fallen ones first."
Despite the bleeding that was anything but fine, Soma walked on silently.
A pool of blood had already formed at his feet. But the female hunter nodded awkwardly at the stern, pillar-like Soma and headed elsewhere.
'Finally just the first one.'
Six days since arriving on the third floor, and clearing the first boss already put them on the fast side.
The third floor's survival difficulty differed from the first two.
Unlike the first floor overflowing with bizarrely edible plants from fruits to grasses, nearly everything here required checking for poison or digestibility.
No safe zones inaccessible to 'village' monsters like on the first floor, where drinking water, fire, and cooking tools were plentiful—this place had nothing.
Just a jungle teeming with bugs and rotten leaves.
The second floor provided food but was otherwise barren plains, and they'd only stayed a day or two, so no issue.
But in this empty jungle, survival skills were essential from shelter to foraging.
Hunters' superior physical abilities helped somewhat, but jungle survival was separate from stats.
Even while busy securing shelter, stable water, and food, leading the party smoothly and clearing a boss was impressively quick.
After reorganizing, Soma's group exited the Saber Tiger Den and resupplied water from the river at the cliff base.
Kim Donghwi, whom Soma had just saved, hinted casually.
"Mr. Soma, water's fine, but food's running short."
To raid the boss faster than others, they'd sacrificed that much foraging time.
They'd spent in the dungeon the roughly six hours normally for gathering food, so shortages were inevitable.
"It's okay. We've arranged to link up with another party at the northern rocky mountain. They still don't know where the river is, so we can trade water. And with Betty's avatar healing, we might cover a day or two of food."
"Understood, Mr. Soma..."
Shindou, standing nearby, spat out words.
"What's to understand? That's not enough food. Plus, Betty's not overflowing with mana. She just bottomed out healing everyone starting with you."
"I-I'm fine."
Soma's group totaled twelve, including the famously rare healer Betty. It made trading on healing convenient, but Betty herself was exhausted.
Soma fell silent, then spoke in a serene tone.
"If it's still short, we can release info on this dungeon we cleared."
"Th-that..."
At the idea of sharing dungeon info, everyone looked regretful.
"With your strength, Mr. Soma, we could just take it..."
"Shindou!"
Donghwi beside Soma snapped angrily at Shindou's words.
But it didn't end there.
"Weak tribes get their water taken."
Mubarak, from South Sudan in Africa, crossed his arms and continued.
"Held guns to raise cattle. Held knives to protect farms. If you don't take from others, you don't survive. That was common sense where I lived. And it's common sense in this world too."
Mubarak gazed at Soma with eyes like muddy decay, eyes resigned to the world.
"Mr. Mubarak. I understand. Let me share my honest feelings.
I don't want to hurt anyone. Not you, Mr. Shindou, Ms. Betty, or anyone else outside our group."
It sounded like weak-hearted words at first glance. But Soma's presence was different.
"Such thinking might drag us all to hell. But... as long as my life holds, no one can drag you there. I'm enough for that alone."
His steadfast gaze and rock-solid will emanating aura made everyone shrink inexplicably.
Soma smiled faintly.
"We've talked plenty. We must meet them before sunset. Let's move."
The group nodded wordlessly and packed. After dark, finding safe shelter grew hard. Less sleep directly hit survival and combat, so they hurried.
Everyone left the Saber Tiger Den area toward the rocky mountain.
Scout hunter Shindou, leading, sensed something off.
"Mr. Soma. This doesn't match what you said. Wasn't it just one party?"
At the designated rocky mountain rendezvous, at least thirty hunters were detected.
Soma's group halted midway up the rocky mountain.
"A trap?"
"Too soon to say. With just two or three scouts among them, they could hide it. Doesn't seem like they're hiding. Plus, split into four groups, might not be one party."
"Just a coincidence?"
As the group pondered, Soma said quietly.
"I'll go ahead alone."
"Mr. Soma, that's dangerous. You still have aftereffects from your injuries..."
"I won't die in a place like this. I'll go alone."
Soma ascended the rocky mountain.
'Not even a full Vajra Yaksha of hell, let alone a demon general—dying isn't an option.'
Resolved to become one yaksha and shatter Babel, Soma powered his sturdy legs to the summit.
"Mr. Soma has arrived."
Shaide, with whom they'd agreed to meet, exaggeratedly rejoiced and clasped Soma's hand.
"Yes. Mr. Shaide."
"Your comrades must be standing guard around. No need to worry. Let me introduce the other three first."
Shaide led Soma to where the other three leaders sat.
Seated, Shaide interlaced his fingers and began.
"Mr. Soma. As you know, tomorrow's when the seventh boss monster appears."
【Rule】 3. The seventh boss monster in the island's center, 'Lava Stone Tyrannosaurus,' hunts once a week.
"And judging by the name, it'll emerge from the volcano at the uninhabited island's center."
"Other parties are on edge because of it. 'Hunt' means it'll aggressively attack hunters."
"Unknown if it'll bring sub-monsters or come alone. Tomorrow's a wildcard."
Shaide and the other two leaders eyed Soma.
"This rocky mountain's high. Good for fighting monsters and overlooking the island.
How about a temporary alliance with us for tomorrow?"
An unexpected temporary alliance proposal. Soma kept his signature calm expression.
"Thank you for the offer. It's a fine one, but I'll consult my comrades first."
"You're Soma, right?"
A man apart from the other leaders spoke. Short hair, military bearing.
"You. Heard you're a solid tank. Let's test it."
A transparent scorpion tail emerged from beneath Soma's feet.
Soma grabbed the tail effortlessly with one hand.
Sinews like old tree roots bulged, and the tail vanished with a crackle under his grip.
"Twice as fast."
No sooner had the tail vanished than more sprouted, grazing Soma's body.
Veins bulged at Soma's temples as hot energy surged through him.
"Hum!"
Bang!
An unbelievable shout exploded from human lungs.
Hunters startled by Soma's lion's roar—which billowed even his clothes—stepped back.
"That's a bit much for a joke."
"Didn't even see the edge of your skill. Sorry for provoking. Name's Jian."
Withdrawing the scorpion tail, the man named Jian greeted.
"Why test me?"
"I—no, 'we'—think differently from Shaide here."
"'We'?"
"We're the southern megagroup. About 200 total, biggest on the island. And..."
Jian crossed his arms and spoke.
"We'll hunt the Lava Stone Tyrannosaurus tomorrow."
Soma stiffened slightly.
"No info yet—isn't that hasty?"
"Heard you cleared Saber Tiger Den today. You'd get a clue from that."
"Yes."
"From our clues clearing three other dungeons, the T-Rex grows stronger each time. Meaning the first, weakest appearance is the best shot."
"Hmm..."
"Our top leader's demon-strong. Plus, thousands of recovery items stocked."
"Th-thousands?"
The other leaders, hearing of recovery items for the first time, were stunned.
"Sorry for hurting you. Heal with this."
Jian tossed an item from his pocket at Soma's feet.
A flesh-colored flower that healed wounds.
Ha Yeonsi's Flesh Mending Flower.