Chapter 75
Chapter 75
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 74
Chapter Title: The Awakened Ice Queen
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Originally—no, to be precise, according to the game—Dungeon Boss Ice Queen should be Hero-grade.
This was right around when players were just starting to tackle the Blaze Point, early in Revenge's service period.
With players' levels and pay-to-win spending still lacking, how could they take down a Special Boss at Legend grade?
'That said, they couldn't keep a special existence like a Special Boss at Hero grade forever.'
So Revenge chose a scenario where the Hero-grade Ice Queen loses to players, retreats while brooding over her defeat, then returns stronger to assault the castle!
The classic awakening event.
'And yet she's already Legend?'
I had easily seized the outpost she once occupied. It was thanks to the knights and soldiers I'd diligently raised, the unexpected boon of Hayes' presence, but above all, the absence of the boss who should naturally have been there.
"No wonder you're expanding this boss-less pushover territory so aggressively...!"
With no bosses in the outposts, their power must have flowed to the Ice Queen. But even so, upgrading on her own without an awakening event or world quest?
Moreover, the ice barrage she was unleashing now was beyond comprehension, no matter the grade.
Boom!
Ice spears the size of utility poles rained down in rows, shattering buildings and drawing screams from all directions.
No matter how sturdy a Hero-grade castle's structures were, they couldn't withstand this absurd bombardment.
"All troops—rise! Scatter and evade the attacks from the sky!"
After shouting that, I manipulated the system UI to summon Kasim.
Hayes, already finished changing gear, mounted before I did.
Thud!
Kasim kicked off the ground and shot up like lightning. The impact exceeded 10G—unbearable for ordinary people—but neither I nor Hayes were ordinary.
"What's going on? The Ice Queen launching a bombardment at this dawn hour!"
"No such thing in the future you experienced?"
"Forget the Ice Queen; even a few Ice Golems were a big deal."
As we talked, the distance to the Ice Queen closed. No other monsters flanked her. Not surprising, given she was flying like this—an astonishing feat in itself.
'Did the Ice Queen have a flight pattern?'
But no matter how I thought about it, she didn't. I'd scoured the internet for every strategy guide; no way I'd misremember.
However... come to think of it, she never really walked on the ground either.
In guild raid or event raid videos against the Ice Queen, she always hovered about a meter off the ground.
Vmmm!
The Ice Queen turned her gaze toward us as we ascended. With eyesight intact, she couldn't miss Kasim's house-sized bulk.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Launched ice spears missed Kasim, slicing through empty air. Despite its massive size, it dodged every attack with swallow-like agility.
Kasim was a mount pet after all—one with the [Riding—Sky Dominator (Legend)] trait, boasting peerless flight capabilities.
The Ice Queen grew irritated at Kasim nimbly evading everything.
[That drake's annoyingly fast!]
'Intelligent, as expected.'
She had lines and event cutscenes in the game, after all. Just the appearance, phase change, and death scenes, but still.
'Even if she can talk, no time for chat!'
I steered Kasim into a charge at her. Fortunately, the Ice Queen's flight speed was pathetic—not fighter jet, plane, or even helicopter level, more like a helium-filled blimp.
[Hmph!]
But she snorted, exhaling a circular blast of cold air that froze into a massive ice barrier in midair.
Positioned perfectly to collide if we kept flying straight.
Whoosh!
In that instant, Kasim tucked its right wing and angled the left against the wind.
Bang!!
Air exploded as Kasim's trajectory bent at a right angle. The barrier harmlessly grazed its folded wingtip.
Even I on its back could scarcely believe the maneuver. I was fine, but Hayes nearly got flung off.
Flap!
Another wingbeat closed the gap to under 30 meters.
"Enjoying the bombardment?"
Her sneak attack had been devastating.
Dropping ton-weight ice from dizzying heights could inflict lethal damage even on us, shielded by a sturdy castle.
'But without free flight, she can't beat Kasim in the sky!'
With the [Riding—Sky Dominator (Legend)] trait, Kasim boasted unimaginable aerial prowess—fluid maneuvers surpassing eagles or swallows.
To such a beast, the blimp-like Ice Queen was mere prey.
Whoosh!
At point-blank range, I kicked off the saddle and leaped up. I dashed along Kasim's neck, vaulted off its head.
Grrr!
Ignoring Kasim's irritable growl, I unleashed sword aura. Fortunately, as a fellow swordsman-samurai lineage, Point Thrust Sword Demon could use sword aura skills too.
Clang!
I shattered a small ice barrier in one blow, bounding off the fragments.
"Hah!"
Leaving Hayes' ki shout as she deflected an ice spear aimed at Kasim, I closed in on the Ice Queen.
Clang! Clang!
I dodged ice spears flying right at my face. Tremendous speed, but hitting me—capable of batting bullets—was impossible.
Surprisingly, the Ice Queen grasped that instantly.
[Good instincts.]
As she muttered.
Whoosh!
Ultra-frigid cold air erupted from her center. Unavoidable attack! I couldn't block or dodge; it hit me square. My skin froze bone-white.
But that was it.
With my +9 Cold Resistance Ring, ice attacks were useless against me.
[What...?]
Seeing her flustered for the first time, I focused every ounce of will into my grip on the +9 Mighty Sword.
Crunch!
Every muscle in my body twisted.
Gulp.
I heard Kasim swallow the divinity in its mouth.
[Kasim roars!]
-Rooooaaarrr--------!
A wave of light battered the Ice Queen. She frantically raised an ice wall.
Crack!
Hayes' rapier, cloaked in sword aura, pierced its center— she'd caught up.
And right behind.
Clang!
My Mighty Sword plunged down like lightning.
[Critical Hit!]
The massive sword strike cleaved her from crown to groin.
"Hahaha!!"
Picture-perfect combo and synergy.
'But lucky...! Taking down a Special Boss this easily.'
That's when I thought that.
Chill.
A sudden combat premonition surged; I whipped my sword in alarm. Midair, evasion impossible.
Crack!
'Oh, damn...!'
Perfect parry, yet I couldn't fully block. Because what flew wasn't ice—but an ultra-compressed cold spear.
Crackle!
No chance to react; monstrous cold surged along my Mighty Sword, engulfing my body.
'It's fine! 90% cold resistance!'
But instead of penetrating, the cold.
Shatter!
[Tear it to shreds.]
Froze over my skin, forming weapons.
[Polar Night.]
Stab! Stab-stab-stab!!
My heart pierced.
Intestines, liver pierced. Through my throat, backs of hands and feet. Pelvis, thighs.
And finally.
"Log out!"
Back in my one-room before the cold weapon speared my head. Blood poured from my body. The ice blades impaling me vanished, but the wounds didn't.
"Heal, healing... Ah, wait. At 20% HP or less, better to..."
★☆Job Change Complete☆★
Point Thrust Sword Demon (Legend) => Imperial Knight (Hero)
Class change triggered the trait immediately.
[Indomitable]
HP below 20% massively boosts recovery speed for 1 minute. A trait useless in reality—until now.
'Or rather... that means the injuries are that severe.'
Truth was, I'd never utilized HP before. It didn't apply properly. Even a severed arm deducted only 10%—what good was that?
Only now, on death's door, did it activate.
Sizzle!
Smoke rose from wounds; gushing blood slowed.
'Not enough.'
Vision dimmed. Not mere cuts—my body shredded head to toe; it wouldn't move right.
'Wh-what. I was winning... split her in half...'
Yet reality: me, sprawled in a pool of blood.
Utterly unimaginable end.
'Ha, damn...'
I smiled bitterly. Or thought I did— even twitching a lip took effort.
It could happen anytime, really.
Crossing Earth and Ardania to heal didn't make me immortal. Instant death, or wounds too fatal for self-treatment like now—with no one around to help—I'd die.
'So pointless...'
So thinking.
'Pointless...'
I slowly closed my eyes.
* * *
An unvisited one-room. Corpse slumped in a blood pool. Or near-corpse, soon to be one.
To another, just a scene. But inside that flesh, things differed.
Han Jaeyeon never imagined it, yet the element he'd pondered and embodied deepest began unfolding as consciousness faded.
Yes. A new element.
Martial Arts.
Snap!
A new piece slotted onto the Go board. Unlike others, Martial Arts was overwhelming—with a transcendent history—it claimed nine castles alone.
Displacing the body, sleep, recovery Jaeyeon had placed in each.
Once settled, nothing impeded it.
Creak.
Door opens. First Gate: Reception Gate.
Creak.
Door opens. Second Gate: Heavy Gate.
Creak. Creak! Creak!
Opening. Again. Utterly unstoppable.
Inner power unaccumulated, yet perfectly mastered: six core arts, four sword manuals, three fist techniques, six footworks....
Creak!
Daily repetitions. Fierce life-death duels. Sleepless nights clutching a blade against unknown death....
All that experience.
Despair, frustration, rage, struggle, sorrow, longing, pleasure, ecstasy.
And.
Enlightenment.
Creak!
Finally, the fifth door opens.
Fifth Gate. Sage Gate.
The [Martial Arts] element completes, etched into the mindscape. Not mere piece—a self-contained microcosm unfolds.
Twitch!
The corpse-like body stirs. Vast mana within Jaeyeon's form boiled madly.
No, not just mana.
Inner power surged.
"Haa...."
Exhale expelled turbid qi.
"Huu...."
Inhale drew in true qi.
In the unvisited one-room.
A soul within roiled in upheaval.