Chapter 6
Chapter 6
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 6
Chapter Title: Poisoned Blade
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“We're accomplices in the strictest sense, aren't we? Trust me.”
“Okay. Are you heading to the Sun Guild?”
“Running away would only raise suspicions, so I have to go back. I'll report that we were attacked by monsters. It's the truth, and the evidence is solid.”
Lee Seong-un answered with a pleased expression, as if things had worked out perfectly.
“I like your straightforwardness. Then, can I take these guys' items?”
When I asked, Lee Seong-un hesitated for a moment before nodding.
“Yes. Take them all. They're Sun Guild items, so even used, they'll fetch a good price.”
Take them all and sell them. That's the plan?
'Not just any items—Sun Guild gear has unique serial numbers, so it'll definitely be traced back to me. They'll pin me as the killer. Clever.'
“Got it. The most intact one is the sword Cha Mu-hyuk was holding.”
I approached Cha Mu-hyuk's corpse lying next to Lee Seong-un.
One step, two steps.
The moment I passed by Lee Seong-un.
I drew not the sword from the sheath at my waist, but the dagger hidden in my bosom, and swung it.
Slash!
“What is this?!”
My dagger had aimed for his throat, but even with his delayed reaction, it only wounded his arm.
As expected, the level gap in the early stages is absolute.
Moreover, I hadn't allocated the remaining stat points from leveling up to 7.
“What do you mean? Still pretending to play dead?”
“……”
“You didn't stop me from taking and selling the items. You were trying to frame me as Cha Mu-hyuk's killer, right? He was clearly killed by the Orc Shaman and you.”
Lee Seong-un's eyebrow twitched at my blunt words.
“You catch on quick.”
“I've seen a lot of the dirty world. It just comes naturally.”
“That doesn't seem like something someone your age should say.”
Lee Seong-un spoke calmly as he raised his sword toward me.
“I have no ill feelings toward you, Lee Han.”
“I don't have any toward you either.”
In response, Lee Seong-un chuckled inappropriately for the situation.
“Lee Han, I know.”
“Know what?”
“That you're not even level 10, let alone 29.”
Of course you do.
“Actually, your initial ambush was too slow, and even now...”
Indeed, if I were really level 29, Lee Seong-un's neck would already be snapped.
“Do you think you can kill me like that?”
“It's almost impossible.”
“And that black skeleton. It seems to have no attack power. You have no way out of here, Lee Han.”
“You catch on quick.”
“I've seen a lot of the dirty world too. It all comes naturally.”
But that was the limit of Lee Seong-un's insight.
“Still, you're far off. You need to see a bit more of the dirty world. Oh, but you can't anymore.”
“What do you... Huh?”
Lee Seong-un made a puzzled sound and dropped to one knee.
“Why is my body...”
“Poison, obviously. Haven't you hunted goblins?”
“Poison? When did you...”
“I applied it to the sword sheath beforehand. It seeped well into the dagger.”
Without a healing skill, poison resistance, or stamina over 100, you can't ignore poison. He won't die, but paralysis is inevitable.
“Cowardly...”
“That again? Were you honorable when you stabbed Cha Mu-hyuk in the back?”
Lee Seong-un's body collapsed forward, merging with the earth.
But with his high stamina, he forced his mouth open with a strained expression.
“I swear I won't tell anyone about today... Please, please spare me...”
As death loomed, he began to beg.
“Isn't it too late?”
“I have a family... wife and daughter. To survive, I had to stay in the Sun Guild...”
Sure.
No life without its reasons.
“Quite grand. But the future of this world depends on me. And you're better off not being part of that future.”
“What does that...”
There was no value in hearing more from Lee Seong-un.
Slice!
I slit the throat of the immobile man with the dagger.
“Guh... Gack...”
“Don't worry. Because you failed to kill me, your family might live happily in the future.”
After confirming Lee Seong-un's death, I drew my sword and shook off the blood.
I called Kkaebi, who had returned by then.
“Dump all these bodies in the lake.”
Leaving the corpses could draw nearby orcs with the blood scent.
Kkaebi dragged the bodies one by one to the lake on my command.
Watching, I calmly sliced open the Orc Shaman's stomach again.
“Kkaebi, you did great.”
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Kkaebi is satisfied with the master's intense praise. After killing Cha Mu-hyuk, a full five days had passed.
During that time, Kkaebi had properly shared experience points and reached level 13.
⚔ STATUS ⚔ ⚡ Strength: 13 💨 Agility: 13 ✨ Magic Power: 39 💪 Stamina: 13 Still low, but all stats had risen evenly.
“Kill that one too and let's head back.”
Now Kkaebi could kill the Orc Shaman even while holding my sword.
Kkaebi nodded at my words, and its sword pierced the Orc Shaman's nape.
'Convenient.'
In this way, Kkaebi had hunted non-stop, even while I slept.
'Back to Earth, rest a day, then move.'
Sleeping five days on bare ground had my body screaming.
It craved a fluffy bed.
'Overworking the body reduces efficiency anyway.'
I sent Kkaebi back, stopped by the portal city to sell the magic stones.
A whopping 5 million won.
In just five days, I'd earned enough to roughly outfit gear for me and Kkaebi.
After that, I crossed the portal back to Earth.
The sight of intact Korea from 10 years ago, the first since regressing.
New sensations flooded me.
'The portal was at Gwanghwamun.'
To head home first, I took a taxi.
'Did she enter Utopia?'
I pulled out my phone and called Jeong Sia.
Ring! Ring!
“Hello? Lee Han?”
Jeong Sia's voice came through the phone.
“Yeah. Big Sis, it's me.”
“Why so late contacting!”
She answered happily.
“Just came out of Utopia.”
“Whoa? Hunted for five days straight?”
“Yeah. Worked hard so I could hunt with you, Big Sis.”
“Saying that makes me touched?”
Unlike me, Jeong Sia treated me purely with fondness. Our conversation flowed comfortably, like old friends.
I got to the point.
“But what about your trait? Haven't gotten it yet?”
“Yeah... not yet...”
Jeong Sia answered in a deflated voice.
“It's fine. You'll get it soon. Probably.”
But she had no reason to feel down. Her legendary trait was guaranteed unless something major happened.
“Will I really get one?”
“Don't worry, I told you. Good things come to good people! You'll definitely get one, Big Sis.”
“Hearing that gives me strength! Um... by any chance, free in a week?”
Jeong Sia cautiously asked about my schedule. What could it be?
“A week from now? Why?”
“It's my birthday. Wanna grab a meal together?”
Eat together on her birthday...
We weren't that close yet.
“Birthdays are for family.”
And I shouldn't interfere unnecessarily with Jeong Sia's future.
“My parents are both abroad, so I'm alone.”
“Then spend it with friends.”
“I went to middle and high school abroad, so no friends.”
I got the gist.
'No wonder she was so friendly to me right away.'
The reason Jeong Sia treated me warmly.
She was the lonely type, happy just to have someone nearby.
“If you're busy, it's fine. I'll be alone anyway.”
Jeong Sia spoke weakly.
In this situation, no choice.
A special day once a year.
Refusing the invite might sever our connection after she got her trait.
“What were you gonna do if we didn't eat together?”
“Not going to Utopia till my birthday, probably just stay home alone.”
“Then can I eat at your place, Big Sis?”
Instead, meet with minimal risk.
“At, at my house?”
Jeong Sia stammered in surprise.
“Yeah. Craving home-cooked food.”
“Home-cooked?”
“Yeah. I'm an orphan, never had anyone cook for me. I'll buy the cake though.”
This was true. Not that pitiful.
I grew up in an orphanage, doing whatever I wanted without creases.
“Oh... Okay! I'll make it! I'm pretty decent at cooking!”
At the orphan mention, Jeong Sia's voice brightened more. Fitting for the Pure White Saintess—truly kind.
“Then I'll contact you in a week, Big Sis.”
“You heading back to Utopia?”
“Yeah. Got a place to check. I'll come out on time.”
“Okay? See you in a week.”
I ended the call amid Jeong Sia's excited voice.
The taxi had arrived near my place by then.
“Thank you.”
Stepping out, I looked at the tightly packed studio village.
Lilac Studio 201.
My cozy nest as an orphanage grad with just high school diploma. Back then, I risked life in Utopia solely for money.
'Well, now too, more money the better.'
But only if I survive.
For now, focus on getting stronger.
'Dungeon tomorrow.'
Plan to conquer a dungeon with a skill I desperately need.
Level: 15 Remaining Stat Points: 56 That's why I'd held off allocating stats until now.
The next morning.
A good night's sleep at home erased all fatigue.
“Now let's go.”
I ate something rough, left home, and took a taxi straight away.
Destination: Seoul Station.
The portal closest to the dungeon I needed.
'Time to prepare.'
After portaling to Utopia, I headed straight to a nearby shop.
First, picked a weapon for Kkaebi.
A sharp dagger.
Heavy weapons would hinder Kkaebi's speed, so light it was.
'Now it'll evasion-tank while attacking.'
I boldly skipped armor too.
With the rest of the money, I bought a red jacket made from Red Bear leather.
An item reworked into casual Earth wear.
I wasn't near-immortal anymore. Had to mind the small things.
'In the past, I wouldn't have worried about dying.'
Now relying on items. But this opened overwhelming growth from a different angle.
A rare like Kkaebi showed this performance—what if I made mythic-trait skeletons and grew them...?
'Trial dungeon first. Secure absolute power.'
With bag and rations bought, I left the city for the remembered dungeon location.
'That mountain.'
A red mountain not far away.
The skill I wanted slept there.
'Jeong Ji-un got this skill about two years from now. Probably.'
This skill's original owner wasn't me. A comrade I once trusted with my back.
'Jeong Ji-un, this time it's mine.'
The betrayer who stabbed me in the back.
'Time to prepare for the hunt.'
At the mountain's base, I summoned Kkaebi.
“Use this, Kkaebi.”
I handed Kkaebi a dagger. It took it politely with both hands.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Kkaebi is happy with the master's gift. This much happiness for that?
“The monsters here are called Ghost Trees.”
Kkaebi nodded quickly, as if listening intently.
“Weak point is the red core on the back. Smash it, and they die. Easy, right?”
Monsters around level 10.
“From now on, you take the front.”
That's why I put Kkaebi upfront.
With its evasion, it could dodge the sluggish Ghost Tree attacks and easily target the weak point.
Kkaebi stepped forward and began climbing the mountain.
Crunch! Crunch!
Soon, the sound of trees crumbling echoed.