Chapter 30
Chapter 30
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 30
Chapter Title: Land of Distrust (5)
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I have no idea what more I can do if this doesn't work. I'd cheered him on to boost his spirits, encouraged him sincerely that it wasn't that hard, and even patted his shoulder. I'd pulled out all the stops.
After going this far, what more could anyone expect? Sa-yoon wrinkled his nose as he stood there watching Geon-ju. He was starting to find it irritating that Geon-ju hadn't even said thank you.
Then, out of nowhere, a shrill screee echoed from the sky.
Sa-yoon swiftly drew his bow from his inventory at the piercing cry.
He tilted his head back, nocked an arrow, and pulled the bowstring taut toward the heavens. His eyes, honed to S-rank limits, widened, spotting a black silhouette hurtling toward them from afar.
Infusing the arrowhead with frost energy, he released the string. The arrow streaked through the air in a icy trail, striking the flying creature circling overhead.
A short screech followed as the arrow hit true, sending the beast plummeting. Confirming its faint form, Sa-yoon activated his skill.
Formless Dagger
Retrieve weapons telekinetically without touching them.
The skill allowed him to summon back any weapon he'd used with just his will, no hands required. Using it, he recalled the arrow embedded in the monster. It returned with the creature still impaled, thudding down at Sa-yoon's feet.
-Ssss...
A massive creature with a fish-like face, bird body, and two tails flopped pathetically before expiring. Its corpse slumped lifelessly on the ground.
"……."
Everything happened in an instant. Sa-yoon turned to Geon-ju, who stood frozen in bewilderment at the absurdity, feeling refreshed.
His body had felt stiff lately, but moving like this helped loosen him up. The irritation from Geon-ju's ingratitude was starting to fade.
"These are flying-type monsters. Right around C-rank gate level, so with some effort, you should be able to take them down."
"…What about the Crazia Worms?"
Geon-ju pulled up the clear conditions window, noting the monster kill count had increased, and asked with a sullen expression. Sa-yoon lifted his right foot and stomped hard, finally coaxing a response from the pretty boy.
Rumble rumble rumble—
The ground shook like an earthquake. At first, it seemed like Sa-yoon's stomp, but the vibrations persisted long after. As if something enormous was tunneling through the earth.
"Incoming."
Sa-yoon, eyes fixed on the ground, murmured as the monster entered his detection range. Moments later, the earth split open, and a maggot-like beast as long as a train burst forth, its massive bulk erupting upward.
Ku-gu-gu-gu.
The world seemed to shrink at its appearance. The thing was enormous. It turned its head, locked onto Sa-yoon, and charged. Geon-ju, watching, flinched back.
But to Sa-yoon, it was tediously slow. Agility SS wasn't for show. He waited casually, then hurled his dagger into the Crazia Worm's gaping maw at the perfect moment.
—Grrraaawrk!
The beast thrashed wildly, pained by the sword it'd swallowed. Deeming it unworthy of an incantation, Sa-yoon used Formless Dagger again, shredding its insides with the razor-sharp blade.
-Grraaaack!
The monster's screams echoed everywhere. From its writhing, its guts must be a mess. It shrieked and flailed, then tried burrowing back underground to escape Sa-yoon, convulsing massively. Residual tremors made it look like it was seizing.
Boom!
The giant worm's body crashed limply. Sa-yoon retrieved his dagger from the half-buried, motionless corpse and froze off the grime with frost energy, shaking it clean.
Hm.
At least this one died cleanly.
Unlike the messy fight with the Palsirokus, he nodded in satisfaction and shoved the dead Crazia Worm's body toward Geon-ju, who'd watched silently throughout.
"Crazia Worm."
"……."
"This one's a D-rank boss, give or take. Just handle it moderately."
His advice meant to take it easy. Sa-yoon checked the clear conditions.
The kill count had ticked from 0 to 1. Geon-ju alone couldn't fill the rest.
Sa-yoon had no intention of staying in this gate over two days. Even if the average clear time was five days, he planned to finish within 40 hours max.
To do that, he'd help, but more urgently, Geon-ju needed to get used to fighting these things. Sa-yoon wouldn't let him hide behind the newbie label forever.
Doing it once beat watching a hundred times, so Sa-yoon stepped onto the Crazia Worm's corpse, elevating his viewpoint. Geon-ju was taller, so he'd always looked up at him slantwise, but now his face was clearly visible straight-on.
"What're you spacing out for, pretty boy?"
"……?"
Sa-yoon barked suddenly, and Geon-ju's face drew a question mark. Sa-yoon glanced at the Crazia Worm, flying monster, and Palsirokus he'd killed, then nodded toward the meadow still spread behind him.
"I've taken one of each, so now it's your turn."
"……."
The demo was over; time for the real thing. Twirling his dagger encouragingly, Sa-yoon watched Geon-ju's incredulous look.
"Not gonna?"
Ignoring him, Sa-yoon prodded with his eyes and chin. Geon-ju's eyes narrowed. The Land of Distrust was living up to its name.
"Can't?"
"Never said that."
So straightforward.
Still young and green. Just one prod, and he fell for the bait like a rookie.
He lounged like a loafer, then eyed the flower field. Tilting his head at the blooming variety, Sa-yoon quickly noted the oddity.
"What."
"…All those are Palsirokus?"
"The flowers?"
"Yeah."
"You think every single one is a Palsirokus? Just some of them. And not just flowers, either. They usually disguise as normal stuff, so for example, this could be one too."
Sa-yoon snapped a branch off a nearby tree. It screamed and began morphing into a monster. Lucky guess—spot on.
The wriggling thing took form, smaller than before. Rank 4.
-Kieek…
Not bothering further, Sa-yoon stabbed with his dagger, infusing frost. The useless thing collapsed helplessly.
The kill count updated in a flash.
"That last one was Rank 4. Pick wisely and get one."
If it's too hard, I'll help.
Casually adding that, Sa-yoon watched as hesitant Geon-ju carefully selected a flower and sliced it. A red rose fell harmlessly.
"Miss."
Sa-yoon informed the lingering Geon-ju. He let out a short "ah" and tried others.
He found cherry blossoms and cut a branch. Eyes full of faint hope, but he just got a sturdy, un-wilting gate-grown cherry branch.
After that, he got half-smashed rocks or leaf-sliced pumpkins. Might as well open a exhibit.
Shwick.
"……."
"…You got some ritual to do or something?"
Already his tenth bust. Sliced flowers, trees, rocks, even poked worms—no Palsirokus. At this point, Sa-yoon suspected they were avoiding Geon-ju on purpose.
How could none appear?
This was the real freak show.
Ambivalent whether to be shocked or impressed, Sa-yoon wore a vague expression. Frustrated, Geon-ju mussed his hair more sloppily than usual.
"Need help?"
"I'm good."
"Why? I can help with this."
"I said I'm good."
Hurt feelings, huh.
Prickly one.
Sa-yoon just watched as Geon-ju refused help. Even without his aid, one should appear soon. No way he'd whiff eleven times, bad luck or not.
And Geon-ju pulled off the impossible. When a four-leaf clover brought awkward silence instead of luck, even Sa-yoon fell solemn.
Finally, Sa-yoon pointed at a dandelion that'd bugged him.
Reluctant since it wasn't his pick, Geon-ju checked the pile of plants he'd slashed, then slyly lowered his sword.
Thud.
The blade plunged into the ground.
-Kieek!
"Ah…."
"There we go."
The sliced dandelion finally twitched, swelling larger. Then—
Suddenly, Geon-ju tried attacking the transforming Palsirokus but bounced off an invisible barrier. Sa-yoon blinked, grasped it, and burst laughing.
"Pretty boy, that's cold. Comics give villains hero transformation time. You're worse than the bad guys."
"…Shut up."
Always quick with the tricks.
Realizing his own doing too late, Geon-ju hushed Sa-yoon lowly, embarrassed. His ear tips pinked. Sa-yoon chuckled at the obvious blush and teased once more.
"System probably blocks attacks during transform so guys like you can come out."
"Stop…."
Whiny half-polite. Must be mortified.
Flushing as Sa-yoon relentlessly mocked and nitpicked, Geon-ju refocused as the dandelion he'd hit kept ballooning endlessly.
He'd thought it'd take time since it'd disguised so tiny, but it grew past average man height, dwarfed nearby trees, then surpassed the Rank 2 Palsirokus Sa-yoon had killed.
No limit in sight. Geon-ju gripped his sword tighter.
The smile vanished from his face.
Sa-yoon, who'd climbed a tree and dangled his legs from above, whistled.
That was Rank 1.
A strong one, even among Rank 1s.
Looks like his pretty boy was seriously unlucky.