Chapter 125 Baby Talk
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Translator: JayM
Chapter: 125
Chapter Title: Baby Talk
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The 7th floor of the Forest area.
In the center of the devastated clearing…
Jeong Yoo-shin and the troll locked eyes.
The troll’s face was stiff. Jeong Yoo-shin noticed its hand that was gripping its club tremble slightly.
Was it afraid?
Come to think of it, it was understandable.
A mere human, its prey, had deflected its wooden club.
And even after it had struck the human with all its might, the human had gotten back up as if nothing had happened.
*Slap!!!*
Jeong Yoo-shin slapped himself.
‘I’m losing it.’
Was he really trying to read a troll’s mind? This was serious.
Jeong Yoo-shin turned to look at the dwarf priest beside him.
“Kubo, tell Mars to find the holy relic and bury it.”
“A-Alright.”
Unlike Jeong Yoo-shin’s calm voice, Kubo’s voice trembled with fear.
He held his longsword in a reverse grip in one hand and his flint and steel in the other.
*Crunch. Crunch.*
He slowly walked forward, stepping on the churned-up earth.
His upper body was naked again.
The pieces of chainmail embedded in his skin bothered him, so he dug them out one by one.
It would be better to just go naked next time.
This level of budget mismanagement would make even the US Congress shake their heads.
He saw Iron Mask in the distance leaning against his sword, struggling to stand.
His usually calm eyes were trembling violently.
He waved to Iron Mask and then charged towards the troll.
“Grooooar!!!”
The troll swung its club.
*Whoosh!!!*
He forced his aching joints to move, sidestepping just in time to avoid the blow.
*Boom!!!*
The massive club slammed into the ground, sending dirt and debris flying in all directions.
*Thud! Thud!*
Sharp pebbles grazed his cheek.
But Jeong Yoo-shin’s eyes were as calm as a still lake.
The troll, as if trying to finish him off, swung its club repeatedly.
Downward strikes, side swings, upward swings.
*Boom!!!*
*Boom!!!*
He dodged every attack, blue flames flickering in his eyes, and slipped between the troll’s legs.
‘Sigh.’
He took a deep breath…
And struck the flint against his sword.
*Scrape!!!*
Sparks flew onto his left hand.
*Whoosh!!!*
“Kyaaaaaaaaaaa!!!”
Jeong Yoo-shin screamed.
The searing heat burned his skin and flesh.
He had applied the dwarf priest’s Holy Fire Protection spell and the explorer’s Pain Relief Cream.
Yet, an unbearable pain beyond words shot through him, making his head pound.
All the pain he had experienced in the labyrinth so far was nothing compared to this.
It was enough to make him collapse and beg God for death.
But he couldn’t. He had someone to kill.
He gritted his teeth so hard that broken pieces of his molars mixed with blood and saliva dripped from his mouth.
He gripped his longsword with one hand and swung it frantically.
He had a plan, but the pain had wiped his mind blank.
*Slash!!!*
The flesh parted, revealing the yellowish fat beneath.
*Sizzle.*
He plunged his burning arm into the wound and ripped at the flesh.
“Kyaaaaagh!!!”
The troll screamed in agony and thrashed wildly, trying to crush Jeong Yoo-shin beneath its feet.
Thump!!! Thump!!! Thump!!! Thump!!!
But Jeong Yoo-shin clung to the troll’s waist, searing its flesh with fire and creating new wounds with his sword.
The troll continued to stomp its feet.
Like perfect partners, Jeong Yoo-shin and the troll danced a frantic tap dance.
Whenever the unbearable pain made him want to die, he swung his sword.
*Slash!!!*
*Sizzle!!!*
He severed the troll’s Achilles tendon and plunged his burning fist into the wound, burning it.
His body was slowly recovering thanks to the Revenger imprint.
New flesh grew over his arm, which should have been charred to the bone. More precisely, his muscles and nerves regenerated. And then the hellish flames burned them again.
The repeated cycle of burning and regeneration accelerated the growth of his Revenger imprint.
An endless campfire.
He was the fuel.
As he was having these absurd thoughts, Aldein suddenly appeared before him.
The one-eyed elf grinned and pointed.
‘Skar, carve the flesh carefully. Its skin is thick, so follow the grain of the muscle. How? Gently, like entering a virgin hole.’
“Yes.”
Jeong Yoo-shin replied politely.
“Skar!!!”
Iron Mask, who had approached him, shouted while swinging his sword.
“Are you the First Prince?”
“Skar!!! Get a grip!!!”
“The Fifth Prince left me a message. He said he’s waiting for the day you’re fully healed. You have a good little brother.”
“…”
Jeong Yoo-shin ignored the frozen Iron Mask and resumed his dance.
The troll roared and swung its club madly. He wasn't sure if it was a scream or a cry of agony.
Perhaps it was his own scream.
The pain split his mind. The smell of roasting meat tickled his nose, and a memory surfaced in his mind.
He was camping with his father while grilling meat.
He remembered sitting by the grill with pork belly sizzling on a hot plate.
‘Father, isn’t it cooked yet?’
‘Wait a bit.’
‘Yes.’
The smell of cooking meat wafted through the air.
‘I think it’s ready now.’
‘Not yet.’
‘It smells burnt. Is it ready now?’
‘Wait a little longer. And Yoo-shin, get a grip.’
“Yes, Father.”
He returned to reality.
Was this reality?
People he knew were standing outside the clearing and watching him. Karl, Anne, Marie, Einhorfer, Kelton the shitty mage, Ahiman, Lionel the duck, Ashur, Snout, Aldein, Dalmong, Tarman, and even Ditto’s family, including their severed heads.
And lastly, Karin and Mion.
He didn’t understand why they had all gathered here.
Just then…
A gust of wind suddenly blew from behind him.
He turned around to see Mars burying something and covering it with dirt.
A gale began to blow as the holy relic was buried.
His black hair danced in the wind.
‘Is it time?’
The flames were slowly consuming his left arm.
He couldn’t endure it any longer. He focused his mind, which was wavering from the pain.
He picked up the halberd that had fallen to the ground and threw it at the troll’s eye.
*Swish!!!*
The halberd flew straight and true, gouging the troll’s eye.
“Kyaaaaagh!!!”
The troll screamed and clutched its face.
Jeong Yoo-shin extended his hand towards Iron Mask.
“Prince, give me your sword.”
“My name is Evan.”
“Evan, lend me your back. I need to jump up and take the troll’s head off in one blow.”
“You impertinent…”
Iron Mask threw his greatsword.
*Thwack!*
Jeong Yoo-shin let go of his longsword and caught Iron Mask’s greatsword.
“Let’s go. Quickly. I think I’m dying.”
Iron Mask ran towards the troll without a word.
Jeong Yoo-shin followed.
As they got closer, Iron Mask dropped to the ground, offering his back.
*Thump!!!*
Jeong Yoo-shin stepped on Iron Mask’s back and leaped high into the air.
He soared, propelled by the gale unleashed by the dispersing mana.
But it wasn't enough.
He couldn't reach its head.
Just then…
[Wind]
The elf mage cast a wind spell, supporting his feet.
“Barbarian!!! Go!!!”
The elf mage shouted from behind.
*Whoosh!!!*
He leaped again and reached the troll’s face.
He raised his burning fist.
[Sacred Weapon]
He used up all the mana he had scraped together with Revenger and imagined a thin cloth glove while imbuing it with properties…
To burn even brighter…
And to be infused with holy power.
The holy power and fire intertwined, blazing fiercely.
A fire punch.
Once in a lifetime.
He would never use this technique again, even if he died.
*Wham!!!!!*
His flaming fist struck the troll’s jaw.
The troll’s head snapped back.
“Kyaaagh!!!”
With the troll’s scream as his battle cry, he spun in mid-air, grabbed the greatsword, and swung it.
*Slash!!!*
The greatsword sliced halfway through the troll’s neck and embedded itself deep within.
“Guh!!!”
The troll gurgled and flailed its arms.
He pulled out the greatsword, threw it away, and grabbed the troll’s neck.
“Haaaaaaaagh!!!”
Jeong Yoo-shin screamed as he tore at the troll’s half-severed neck with both hands.
*Rip!*
The troll thrashed madly, but Jeong Yoo-shin continued to pull with all his might.
The muscles and tendons in the troll’s neck tore, and blood spurted from the severed blood vessels.
The holy flames suppressed the troll’s regenerative abilities.
And then he saw the white neck bone.
He raised his flaming fist and struck it repeatedly.
*Wham! Wham! Wham!*
The neck bone, which was as thick as a human torso, cracked.
“Crack!!! Kyagh!!! Kyaaaaagh!!!”
The troll let out a mournful cry, as if pleading for mercy. But Jeong Yoo-shin didn't stop, continuing to pummel the bone until it shattered.
*Crack!!!*
The troll’s neck bent at an unnatural angle.
*Rip!!!*
He didn't stop there. He grabbed the half-severed neck with both hands and tore its head off from its body.
Thump!!!
The severed head fell to the ground.
Subjugation complete.
As the troll’s body began to crumble, Jeong Yoo-shin collapsed.
[Extinguish]
The elf mage rushed over and cast a fire extinguishing spell on Jeong Yoo-shin’s arm.
The weakened flames, after burning for so long, were easily extinguished.
“Lionel, since when could you use magic?”
Jeong Yoo-shin asked while looking at his steaming arm.
The elf mage grabbed Jeong Yoo-shin’s shoulder and shook him.
“Barbarian! Get a grip!”
“Skar!!!”
His companions quickly rushed over.
Jeong Yoo-shin closed his eyes. Now that the pain had subsided, he felt incredibly tired.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Jeong Yoo-shin’s consciousness drifted like a buoy on the sea.
He heard voices.
“…Who is he?”
“…Pouring oil on his arm and setting it on fire… Terrifying.”
“…We’re almost there.”
He opened his eyes and saw a bonfire.
His party members were gathered around it.
“Skar, are you alright?”
Iron Mask asked.
“…I’m fine. Are we still in the labyrinth?”
“Yes. Just one more day.”
“Is that so? Is everyone alright?”
“Everyone’s fine. Priest Kubo had a hard time, though.”
“I see.”
He looked up at the elf mage and the dwarf.
Durin, the dwarf, was laughing, having completely lost her mind. She was in a similar state to Dean.
“Mage, what are you going to do with the dwarf?”
The elf mage sighed deeply.
“Sigh. I’ll take her to the Magic Tower. They’re currently researching ways to cure madness. But I didn’t know it was you.”
“What do you mean?”
“The head of the Swordsman’s Guild visited the Magic Tower a while ago. He asked if there was any way to cure his black-haired disciple who was suffering from madness.”
“And?”
“I told him there wasn’t. He said he understood and left. We offered to examine the disciple, but he refused.”
He kept encountering such strange connections in this world.
Jeong Yoo-shin didn’t reply and closed his eyes again.
A cool mana gently enveloped his body and mind.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
A day passed after he regained consciousness.
Despite various incidents, the party safely reached the 7th-floor teleportation stone.
They had completed the request and survived. That was enough.
“I-I need to rest.”
Kubo muttered blankly.
“Me too.”
Mars nodded in agreement.
“…”
Jeong Yoo-shin silently placed his hand on the teleportation stone.
Iron Mask placed his hand on his shoulder.
Even though a day had passed since Jeong Yoo-shin regained consciousness, his vacant expression worried him.
“Skar, are you alright?”
“I’m fine.”
Jeong Yoo-shin replied while shrugging.
…Except for the fact that Ditto’s head was floating around him.
He couldn’t show it. If anyone noticed, he wouldn't be able to enter the labyrinth again.
Especially Ashur. He couldn’t let Ashur find out.
Whoosh.
A red portal and a blue portal appeared.
The party members entered the blue portal one by one.
Jeong Yoo-shin also stepped into the blue portal.
He felt a floating sensation and the warmth of the air against his skin.
He shielded his eyes from the bright sunlight.
Was it morning or noon?
He wanted to sleep.
“Sigh. I thought I’d get an imprint this time.”
Mars muttered while sighing.
Jeong Yoo-shin chuckled.
“Mars, imprints aren’t that easy to…”
Jeong Yoo-shin stopped mid-sentence.
A bright light emanated from his body.
“Wh-What?!”
Jeong Yoo-shin looked down at himself in surprise.
The light intensified, enveloping his entire body.
And then…
Flash!
The light slowly faded.
The party members’ eyes widened.
“Oh…God.”
Kubo whispered, invoking his deity.
Where Jeong Yoo-shin had been standing…
A black-haired, young boy stood blankly.
The boy looked down at his hands and spoke.
“Huh…?”
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T/N - Ahahahahaha. Wtf dude! That’s messed up, but it’s so funny. Gacha games really are the devil’s game, but it’s so fun to watch them inflict misery on other people.
Also, damn. Another badass fight. The MC is really leaning into a brutal fighting style, and I love it! I just don’t know if I should get pumped up for the fight in this chapter or laugh at the MC’s miserable luck over getting what is very likely to be a negative imprint.