Chapter 144
Chapter 144
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 144
Chapter Title: Challenge the Impossible
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Among all the beings I've encountered so far, the most elusive was undoubtedly the Dark Emperor.
Gi So-yul.
World ranking 379th assassin.
Her footsteps were as light as a feather, and her movements carried no presence whatsoever.
- Grrr! Woof!
But today, it felt like that record was about to be broken.
- Grrrr......
A shepherd burst from the shadows, baring its fangs.
Crunch!
A chilling roar echoed out—not the ordinary sound of a dog's jaws snapping.
'Damn it.'
I immediately twisted my waist and thrust out my spear, hastily transformed from my weapon.
Thank goodness I'd trained my reaction speed in the previous theme to some extent.
Without that preliminary training, I'd have been eliminated already at that speed.
Thud!
Fortunately, its defense seemed weak; it let out a dull sound and fell away.
'Trouble is.'
This wasn't all there was to it.
If this speed was everything, I wouldn't have even brought up the Dark Emperor.
"Everyone, be careful!"
I shouted.
"There are even more terrifying ones lurking nearby!"
The ones fighting on the front line right now weren't all of them.
There were many Shadow Shepherds.
And their types were varied too.
How did I know?
"You...... bastard! Get your head straight. Those guys aren't playing around."
An old man was chattering away beside me.
"Some of those over there probably have stealth abilities even you couldn't detect. And among them, one...... is someone even I could barely sense."
'No way, for real?'
From the far reaches of the universe.
Had the absolute ruler of the Shepherd world appeared?
If even the old man who toyed with Gi So-yul single-handedly said that, it was time to get tense.
"I know a thing or two about stealth arts myself. Those pitch-black mutts feel like they evolved purely for them. Look at that sleek skin with no wind resistance. And their paws—it's like they've got cushions, so you can barely hear them. It's a whole different level from human stealth arts."
Ssshh!
I turned around, and another one was already closing in.
"Crazy."
The fact that I'd even noticed it now was thanks to my heightened reaction speed.
It wasn't like I'd predicted it.
It was so stealthy, even the Great Azure Heart Technique could barely pick it up.
This might be tough to hold out against for long.
I scanned my surroundings.
Black auras already filled the area in all directions.
"Everyone, maintain formation! Don't give them any gaps to infiltrate the rear!"
Whoosh! Thud!
I swung my spear, sweeping aside one that had lunged at me.
- Woof! Yelp!
I could feel the damage landing properly.
At the same time, immediately.
Whoosh!
I switched my spear to a staff and slammed it into the ground.
Woooong!
Haze rose from all directions, enveloping my body.
Activation of the skill, 'Skeleton Lord Summon' (S-grade).
Ssshh!
"My lord, you called?"
"Another new race this time, Master."
The guys who were once ordinary bones had now become Lords, appearing all around me.
From Bone-il to Bone-pal, excluding Demir.
- Grrr!
The charging shepherds backed off warily.
At the same time, they tapped their paws on the ground! Preparing to charge again.
"Damn!"
Vladimir shouted.
"Yeah! You dog bastards! Come at us all at once! I'll handle you with my newly upgraded skill!"
"Healing if it's urgent!"
"Yeah, don't get scared, everyone! Worst case, we just get eliminated!"
"Hey, Maxi bro. That's exactly what scares us."
The team members held their positions.
Whoosh!
I swung my spear downward as well.
'No more cheap tricks from now on.'
I drew up energy through my entire body.
From Theme 3 onward, it was pure tempering.
Straight-up frontal combat to hone myself.
'Elder.'
"Yeah."
'I'll take all the training I missed right here. Close-quarters combat training in real battle.'
I had Taeyang direct and control the bones.
Truth be told, they moved in perfect sync without me saying a word.
"Good. That's the spirit. So, what'll we start with? Sword? Bow? Spear? Or a new weapon?"
'Real battle, so new weapons might not be ideal. Spear's the most comfortable for me.'
Ssshh!
I stepped forward.
Moving up to the front where my comrades held the formation.
At the same time, I shut out my ears.
The team members' shouts, the skeletons' creaking, the clash of weapons—everything.
It would only hinder me against these assassin hounds.
I focused solely on the old man's voice.
"Kid. Don't think about countering their attacks. Let the ambushes glance off and seize the initiative. No matter what weapon you hold, don't get dragged into the fight—dominate it. That's the priority."
'Like when you faced Gi So-yul before, right?'
"Gi So-yul? Who's that? I don't even remember, you punk."
Classic old man response.
Step.
I walked forward.
At the same time, I circulated the Great Azure Heart Technique in my chest.
"That's right. Use the Great Azure Heart Technique. It's the supreme art this master chose from all gold and the world. No matter how they split into dozens or hundreds of paths to attack, grasp the flow of qi, and you'll naturally know which are feints and which way to slip out."
'Find the weakness and dodge there. Easier said than done...... but I'll give it a shot.'
I closed my eyes.
The faint flows of qi lurking all around became perceptible.
'T among them, the weakest is to the left.'
Step.
I stepped that way and swung my spear fiercely.
The most comfortable spear path, swung as my heart desired.
"That's it. Textbook movement."
Ssshh!
Three shepherds passed through where I'd been standing.
Thud!
A scream rang out right in front of me from the one I'd targeted.
Definitely satisfying feedback.
And since it moved as I thought, it was fun too.
'Feels solid. Probably because you're right here, Elder.'
"Tsk tsk, you're doing well too, kid. You've reached the level where you learn one and know one."
'Hmm? Isn't that just a given?'
"Tch, weren't you the guy who couldn't even do that basic stuff?"
'Elder, that hurts—it's standing my bones on end.'
Ssshh!
The Shadow Shepherds' attacks grew fiercer.
Since I'd put up a decent fight, faster ones were joining in one by one.
- Grrr! Woof woof!
If the last one was beginner level, this was mid-tier maybe?
The howl was different.
Not just barking—it felt like an echo from the depths of an abyssal pit?
A sound that instinctively evoked fear.
Ssshh!
Their movement noises had diminished even more.
It was like fighting with earplugs in.
"Still, you're lucky, kid."
The old man looked relieved.
"Whether it's because this is a trial or some other reason, the fact they're coming sequentially is a relief. The real one hasn't even moved yet."
'If you've been saying that from earlier...... there really is an impressive one, huh? No way it's stronger than you?'
"What?"
The old man's eyes bulged.
"You cheeky brat. Is that something to say? Of course not compared to me."
Even though he seemed prideful, the old man's words were quite objective.
If he said it wasn't stronger than him, then it really wasn't.
'Then.'
Good.
At least it wasn't an absolute being on the level of Aranbalon or the Giant Dragon.
Though if I had to rank those two dragons, they'd be above absolute—disaster class.
"Huu."
With my breath, I began to dominate the space, just as the old man instructed.
'So compared to what we've faced so far, this is manageable at least?'
Like building tolerance to pain, trials are all about experience.
The more you've overcome, the higher the odds you can do it again.
'Then.'
Smirk.
A smile crept onto my stiff lips.
'Mind if I take a crack at that scary one you mentioned?'
Ssshh! Bang!
I bashed another approaching shepherd with my spear.
Using the momentum of its charge, I landed a perfect counter.
With space dominated, predicting paths was easy.
Thud! Boom!
The enraged shepherds charged again, but.
'Not a chance.'
Every time I swung my spear.
Their skin split and bones shattered.
Their fangs and claws never touched me.
"Tsk tsk, you think that's easy? Don't get cocky, kid."
The old man watching clicked his tongue.
"The reason you caught Aranbalon wasn't your pure strength. The Giant Dragon had its power fully drained, and that horrific presence in your weapon lent you aid."
'I know, I know.'
I nodded nonchalantly.
'Not underestimating. It's just my little hobby, Elder.'
"Hobby?"
The old man tilted his head.
'Yeah.'
I grinned.
'Challenging what others say is impossible.'
* * *
'Hmm.'
Delaila bit her right index finger as she watched the hologram.
In her view was Ju Dong-hoon diligently swinging his spear.
'Indeed. What record will he set this time?'
Delaila tensed up.
Theme 4 was similar to Theme 2—a space contracted with an absolute ruler of one world.
'Shadow Shepherd King.'
One of those who disrupted 'dungeonization,' akin to the dragonkin.
Not as strong as dragons, but in stealth, unmatched among the shadow tribe.
Delaila recalled her past encounter with the 'Shadow Shepherd King.'
- A curious being.
- An alien race from somewhere in that universe? How did you reach here?
An entity she met while wandering with dungeons open.
He could only convey intent.
No sound.
Perfect silence.
No footsteps, no barks, no movement noises at all—utterly flawless.
The pinnacle of assassination.
- A being that can connect different worlds? Intriguing.
- Then, can you connect us to a better world? This place is barren and dark.
That world was dim.
Shadows exist because of light, but.
Too many shadows blocking the light.
- Light makes shadows shine brighter. We want to step into the sunlight too.
The jet-black dog's desire was simple.
Abandon their gloomy world and move to another.
But with her power, it was impossible.
Every 'dungeonization' she performed required that much plausibility.
She could go anywhere, but others couldn't.
Want to?
Then achieve feats worthy of it.
That's how the contract formed.
- Fine.
- You just want us to fight the challengers you send in the virtual space you create?
- We earn points based on their level, and when we accumulate enough, you grant our wish......
- No downside. Worth a shot.
The shepherds had nothing to lose.
Even better, if they took fatal damage in the virtual space, they'd return to their home world.
No need to lose pups of the tribe.
Thus, Theme 4 was born.
"......"
Delaila, lost in memory for a moment, opened her eyes.
'Shadow Shepherd King.'
She murmured inwardly.
Maybe today is the chance.
The chance to send the tribe into the light.
The chance to build enough plausibility.
She clenched her fist.
'Who will win?'
It was now natural for Delaila to think such absurd thoughts she never would have before.