Chapter 5
Chapter 5
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 5
Chapter Title: Event Occurrence (3)
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“You fucking idiot, goddamn moron, stupid bastard...”
I hadn’t passed on the information properly.
I hadn’t expected them to have a civilized conversation with me anyway.
I had fully anticipated the guild members blocking my path.
The problem came after that.
‘My ability didn’t work properly.’
The Glowing Crystal Cave wasn’t a high-difficulty gate.
The challenge in this raid was simply the gimmick that would inevitably catch you off guard if you lacked ‘information’.
So, whether they believed me or not, just handing over the info should have been enough.
If they kept even a sliver of vigilance in the back of their minds, they could respond accordingly. That was the goal—transmitting the knowledge I remembered through illusions...
But Jin Seohyeon’s mental barrier was beyond imagination.
This wasn’t like using my power against someone hostile like Park Sugwang, where I held nothing back. When I adjusted the output, my mana didn’t even reach her.
I panicked and cranked up the power without worrying about mana drain, and only then did it take hold—but that was it.
Unlike my expectation of immersing her in a vivid illusion of the elaborate keywords I’d set, she only absorbed a fragment.
It probably felt like a blurry image or a dream to her.
I couldn’t be sure if that alone would change the outcome.
If only I’d gone all out from the start. If only I’d ignored the fallout, gotten the Hunter Association’s cooperation, and made contact with Arang Guild.
Regret that I could have done better. Guilt as if I’d contributed to her death.
Negative emotions swirled, but I shook them off.
The results weren’t out yet.
I could regret later, after confirming if the raid succeeded or failed.
I still had work to do.
The reason I’d taken the train from central Seoul all the way out here wasn’t just because of Jin Seohyeon.
Since I’d decided to intervene in the event, I figured I needed to act aggressively.
So, while sorting through nearby gates I could handle on my own—ones worth the risk without overdoing it—one caught my eye.
“Thank you.”
After a ten-minute taxi ride, I arrived at the base of the neighborhood’s back mountain.
The exact location required some legwork, but scouting wasn’t hard.
It was spring, but not long past winter, so visibility was good. Results came quickly.
Caution tape strung between trees.
How many reasons could there be to set this up on a low mountain too barren for wildlife?
Sure enough, a gate waited at the spot—but that wasn’t all.
‘Hunter Association staff? A hunter?’
A man guarding the gate entrance.
Probably assigned to watch duty since it popped up near a residential area.
This wasn’t in my plans.
I ducked behind a tree to rethink, but the conclusion stayed the same.
‘Push forward.’
No way I’d come this far and leave empty-handed.
Conveniently, I had the perfect ability to turn the situation around.
Illusion targeted not at people, but at space itself.
A boundary formed over my body’s outline, and I felt mana steadily draining away.
‘Not great fuel efficiency.’
Mana consumption exceeded expectations.
No time to dawdle. I stepped out from the tree and started walking.
My figure must have entered the man’s field of vision.
But he showed no reaction, as if seeing nothing.
I’d slipped right out of his perception.
Still, caution was key.
My ability was too weak to fully fool hearing on top of sight.
Loud footsteps would raise suspicion.
I moved carefully toward the gate.
As I passed right by the man, he turned his head, and our eyes met.
Cold sweat broke out.
“Yawn...”
I froze. Moments later, he turned away.
I let out a silent sigh of relief and finally slipped through the gate.
The scenery shifted. I released the ability.
Thick fog so dense you couldn’t see an inch ahead.
C-rank Gate: Resting Place of the Dead.
Beyond the gate, fog that continuously eroded mental strength and disoriented you.
No monsters along the path if you stuck to it, but stray off-course, and you’d face hordes of specters. A special gimmick demanding high mental resistance and the power to fight ghosts—fail either, and it was hell.
I stood still, focusing my mind.
Then I smiled.
‘No problem at all.’
A fact I’d learned experimenting with illusions.
They didn’t work on me.
More precisely, almost not at all.
Two hypotheses:
One, my ability didn’t target myself to begin with.
Two, my mental resistance was absurdly high.
Just a hunch before, but this confirmed it.
‘In terms of mental resistance, I’m superior to most S-ranks.’
Power to fight specters? Just don’t get lost in the first place.
I remembered every correct path at the forks.
From here, my task was a leisurely stroll down the set route.
I began conquering the gate in a way only I could in this world.
“Screaming Grass, Twilight Treeweed... Jackpot, total jackpot.”
A pristine C-rank gate interior untouched by anyone.
Alchemy heaven. I harvested whatever I could reach and stuffed it into my bag.
Even if alchemy combos were tricky right now, no reason to delay gathering materials.
Quality might dip a bit, but stockpiled ingredients meant I could brew potions the moment I had a proper setup.
Worst case, sell them raw.
This quality? Decent cash for sure.
Sadly, freebies like this were rare.
Hard to find another shot like it, so maximize gains while here.
“Dragon Flower... They’re letting all this go to waste.”
Stowing carefully to avoid damage, the bag hit capacity.
“Heh, packed tight.”
My bag bulged, and so did my spirits.
At the three-way fork, I took the right path without hesitation, gauging the remaining distance.
Last split just now.
Straight ahead, and I’d face the boss.
The gate’s sole unavoidable fight.
Part of me wanted to call it here and head back satisfied, but that defeated the purpose.
The room beyond the door guarded by the boss.
Securing the relic there was the real goal.
I’d run simulations, reviewed endlessly, concluded it was ‘possible’—yet facing it now, rationality wavered.
Mess up, and I’d lose my life.
No second chances.
But I needed to get used to this.
Bigger life-or-death crises awaited ahead.
This moment? Just the tutorial.
‘...Let’s go.’
Dragging heavy feet forward, something like coalesced darkness appeared.
A knight’s silhouette holding form even in the fog.
Full-body armor and blade visible beyond pitch-black shadow.
Boss monster: Knights’ Nightmare.
Common sense said even slimes were beyond me.
But I couldn’t slay slimes—didn’t mean I lacked the power to fell this thing.
I carefully set my bag aside.
It hadn’t noticed me yet.
First strike was mine.
Habitually checked mana.
Jin Seohyeon’s illusion, perception block entering the gate.
Even accounting for recovery, no room to spare.
No mana to waste.
Circulating mana, I crept closer with extra care.
Still outside ability range.
Pure combat power gap? Overwhelming. Slip up, instant death.
A bit closer. Just a little more.
One step from range.
It looked my way.
I hesitated briefly.
But its reaction was off.
The bodiless black shadow lunged.
No time to think.
I reflexively hurled backward. Shadow’s blade stabbed where I’d stood.
Insane speed. Hesitated, I’d be dead.
The knight’s silhouette turned back.
My turn to strike.
Full output, no holds barred—mana drained in a rush.
Opponent: Pure mental entity, no flesh.
High physical resistance, but mentally vulnerable.
My ability hit unresisted.
Kiiik, gigig—grotesque shrieks as the knight’s shadow twisted at inhuman angles.
A human would be comatose or dead.
It writhed in agony but held form.
Dazed from exertion, but no time to watch.
I poured everything, ready to bottom out mana.
Raw keywords as they surfaced, unrefined.
Head throbbed. One more push, total depletion.
But luckily, a scrap remained—and I got the desired reaction.
Frantic spasms stopped. Shadow condensed inward.
Baseball-sized, it stabilized. No anomalies.
Mental entity neutralized.
Sigh of relief.
No time for victory laps.
Specters would swarm as fog cleared post-dissipation.
Grab what I want and bail first.
Sling bag on, open the door the shadow blocked, enter.
Acrid stench through thick dust.
Dim room center: Remains slumped against a chair.
What relic? Fatigue forgotten, anticipation surged.
Defeat Knights’ Nightmare, enter Chamber of Repose: Lone remains with one random equipped item—the gate’s relic reward.
‘Hoping for the pendant.’
Pendant housing a specter capable of physical force.
Perfect to shore up my combat weakness. Top priority item.
Approach remains, scan body.
No crown. No shoes. No gloves... No pendant.
Neck bare.
No grand prize, but other goodies abound.
As I inspected, mouth dried, heart raced.
‘...Why’s nothing visible?’
Never happened before. Bug? Why now?
C’mon, seriously—
Boom!
Doorway thud startled me; I knocked over the remains.
Mental entity collapsing.
No more delays.
Regret lingering, glance at fallen remains—something gleamed.
‘...A ring?’
Tucked in overlapped hands, overlooked.
Pry ring from bony finger. Semitransparent window popped up.