Chapter 342
Chapter 342
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 342
Chapter Title: Apophis (4)
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“Elder.”
The grandfather stood with his hands clasped behind his back, wearing a kindly expression.
Yakjon, Ji Do-ik, looked at Joo Dong-hoon with eyes full of curiosity.
“I have a separate task for you, Elder.”
“A task?”
Suddenly, Ji Do-ik recalled the guild master’s words from moments ago.
- This guild master plans to throw a trial your way.
The guild master’s tone had carried a subtle weight.
“Heh heh.”
The corners of Ji Do-ik’s eyes lifted slightly.
“Very well, what trial do you have in mind for this old man?”
The faint smile on his lips held a clear gentleness.
He knew full well.
Some members thought of the guild master as petty.
‘Nonsense.’
What guild master in the world would allow members to enjoy such absurd privileges?
And look at him.
Eyes as noble as a lone pine standing tall in winter.
Shoulders as broad and majestic as the Pacific Ocean.
What a reliable, reassuring presence!
“Here, take this.”
“Hm?”
Ji Do-ik took what he offered with curious eyes.
“What…… is this?”
The moment it touched his hand, a tiny yet mysterious energy began at his fingertips and slowly spread up his arm.
At the same time, the hairs all over his body stood on end.
‘Fear.’
Yes.
It was unmistakably an aura that induced fear.
“This is called Apophis’s inner core.”
“……Apophis’s inner core?”
At that moment.
A status window appeared in Ji Do-ik’s vision.
[Item: Apophis’s Inner Core]
[Grade: SSS]
[Type: Material]
[Description: The inner core held by Apophis, the serpent of fear. It contains tremendous energy.]
[Effect 1: Can be used as a material for spiritual medicine.]
“Heooo?!”
Ji Do-ik’s eyes bulged like a frog’s.
How could he not be shocked?
‘SSS Grade?’
Even S Grade items were treated as priceless treasures on the market.
No exaggeration—they fetched whatever price the seller named.
And this wasn’t just SS Grade, but SSS Grade material?
“Wh-where did you get something this precious?”
“It’s the trial for you, Elder.”
“Trial?”
“Why don’t you try making some splendid spiritual medicine with this material?”
“……This is the trial?”
Ji Do-ik covered his mouth with his left hand.
Wasn’t this a blessing, not a trial?
Yes.
The trial Joo Dong-hoon spoke of meant the path to growth.
And he himself.
Once he smoothly incorporated this material into spiritual medicine,
he would shed one more layer of the wall blocking him and grow.
Moreover, this would be of immense help not just to him, but to all the members.
‘Spiritual medicine made from SSS Grade material…….’
What effects would it boast?
He couldn’t even imagine.
“Why?”
The guild master smiled faintly.
“Is it too difficult a trial?”
No, far from it.
A ranker never misses an opportunity like this.
And this ‘Apophis’s Inner Core’ (SSS Grade) was undoubtedly the greatest stroke of fortune in Ji Do-ik’s life.
“If it’s too hard for you, I can take it back…….”
“No, no!”
Whoosh!
Ji Do-ik quickly hid the inner core behind his back.
Then he let out a hearty laugh.
“Hah, hahaha! Even if it’s impossible, I’ll make it possible! Of course.”
Non-combat class.
“Y-yes, exactly!”
A path had opened for even Yakjon to climb higher in the ranks.
* * *
“…….”
Hoo.
Dark Emperor, Gi So-yul, looked up at the empty sky.
This place was the opposite side of the paradise-like haven.
Dmir had named this location ‘Apophis’s Tomb.’
‘Apophis’s Tomb?’
What did that mean?
Anyway.
Excitement bubbled wildly in Gi So-yul’s chest.
The reason she had joined Starhaven on a whim and followed Joo Dong-hoon around was to grow stronger.
The opportunity she had missed at the start.
‘That deep-eyed white-haired elder…….’
To gain something from Joo Dong-hoon, who received guidance from that incredible old man.
And now.
He had said he would surely give her a trial.
That he would create a chance for her to grow stronger.
‘Is that place here?’
Gi So-yul lowered her gaze from the sky, turning her head to the side.
Pazzzik!
There stood Thunderclap Floa, sparks flying from her.
“What is it, what’s going on! You damn owner! Tell whatever it is to come out. I’ll crush them all!”
On the opposite side.
“Uhahat! Uhhahaha! Uhhahahahaha!”
Berserker Jang Dae-woong squatted while letting out bizarre shrieks.
On his shoulder was a lump of metal that looked ten times his own size.
Never mind how he could squat with that.
‘When did he even bring that thing?’
Gi So-yul stuck out her tongue in amazement.
- Keeik, kieeeek!
“Hey there, hey there! That’s right.”
Matt Gerald gazed lovingly at the super dragon.
Wooong, wooong!
Do Ha-rang and Emily stood rigidly, regulating their mana.
Whoosh, fwoosh!
Iron Fist Bong Jae-young silently threw punches.
And others.
Fighting Tiger, Spring Apostle, Twin Blades, Guide, Gladiator.
Absolute Invincibility, Shadow Secret, The Druid, Asura, Poet of Praha.
All the rankers who could be called Starhaven’s combat operatives had gathered.
Everyone except Mother Yang Jung-ae and Yakjon Ji Do-ik.
They all exuded their own confident auras.
Each having achieved decent results through their training.
‘Honestly, with this lineup, we could take over a few countries.’
‘Could we take on the Demon King’s army or the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult?’
‘The lowest rank here is 380th, Agnes…… Heh.’
A sense of pride.
The pride of being a member of the famed Starhaven!
‘Dong-hoon.’
Gi So-yul’s eyes cooled sharply.
Among the many, she alone was tense.
‘What exactly are you planning to summon…….’
At that moment.
“Alright.”
Joo Dong-hoon stepped forward before them.
He gave Arin a glance.
Arin nodded and slammed her staff down with a thud.
“You all came here of your own free will, right?”
‘Is this free will?’
‘It’s free will, sure.’
‘If we didn’t come, we’d have to leave the group…… but no one forced us, so yeah, free will.’
A fleeting doubt arose in the members’ minds.
But that wasn’t the important part.
“Alright then. To put it simply: survive from now on. I guarantee you’ll gain something each time you take down one.”
‘Survive?’
‘One by one? So there are multiple?’
‘But what?’
As the members tilted their heads.
Creeeeak!
The sky began to rip open its maw.
The ancient magic to summon the serpent of fear.
Summon Apophis.
The red eyes of the constellation-level monster flashed within the torn sky.
* * *
Kugoogogoga……!
Heaven and earth shook.
- Kieeeek, kieeeeeek!
A horrific roar that sent chills racing across their skin.
Apophis’s bellow chilled the members to the bone.
“Kuuh…….”
“Wh-what…… is that.”
“……A giant snake?”
The members, lowering their stances, stared at the sky in shock.
“A sn-snake can’t be that big…… Crazy?!”
Instinctively, the members sensed it.
How terrifying that existence was.
All of them had fought the Earth Guardian Dragon.
They had experience enough to gauge an opponent’s strength to some degree.
‘This is insane.’
‘It’s no different from back then.’
‘That thing’s not a snake, it’s a dragon. A dragon.’
‘No, throwing something like this at us as a trial?’
Some turned to look at Joo Dong-hoon.
Pleading looks on their faces.
“Alright, just one is a pretty straightforward trial. You’re not saying you can’t even handle this much, right?”
‘This much?’
‘No, are you kidding?’
‘We can’t even move, let alone breathe?’
It was a situation to curse about, but now there was no choice.
- Kiaaaaaaaa!
Having roared at full volume, Apophis began spewing poison.
“Sh-shit!”
“Charge!”
“Let’s just try!”
And so.
A battle began, whether it was training or survival, no one knew.
* * *
“Kuaaaak!”
Pazik, pazzzik!
Thunderclap screamed with electricity as she was flung away.
“Kuhahat! Tough bastard. Kuhahat?! Kuaaaang!”
Jang Dae-woong flew through the sky, unsure if he was laughing or screaming.
Kwaaaang!
More precisely, he was sent crashing into the ground.
The two highest-ranked members were getting utterly thrashed, so the others had no chance either.
“Apophis’s weakness is its eyes! Target the eyes!”
Kapu bellowed the analysis at the top of his lungs, but it was useless.
What good was knowing the weakness without the power to strike it!
It was like knowing a person’s vital points but being an ant that couldn’t reach them.
“G-guild master!”
“This isn’t right!”
“We’ll all die!”
The members shouted.
Pazzzik!
Floa agreed.
“Yeah, you damn owner! A trial’s only a trial if you can handle it! Back then with the dragon, you basically took it down yourself, aaaang!”
Hm.
Arms crossed.
Watching them, I shook my head.
‘Disappointing, more than expected.’
Just 20 minutes.
The time they’d held out without my help.
At this level, even if all of Starhaven ganged up, they wouldn’t touch me.
How could the power gap widen so much in such a short time?
Especially Jang Dae-woong and Floa.
Just a few years ago, they were idols I looked up to.
“You damn brat.”
The old man watching me clicked his tongue.
Pardon?
“You don’t even realize how ridiculously strong you’ve become?”
Ah.
So that’s it?
It wasn’t that they were weak.
I had become outrageously strong?
“That damn brat’s thoughts!”
The old man glared.
“Don’t you dare voice that out loud. I don’t want to be remembered as some unlucky jinx skill, you brat.”
Yes, yes.
Of course.
He’s got his own thoughts too, so I’m just thinking it in my head.
“But.”
The old man grinned.
“They definitely have the potential to face Apophis.”
Pardon?
They’re getting wrecked like that?
“Watch closely. They’re all scared, aren’t they? It’s inevitable. You don’t teach a newborn to sprint right away—you start with baby steps, or they’ll naturally be afraid. It’s a natural physiological response.”
‘Ah.’
“Even if that newborn has sturdy thigh muscles and a solid foundation. It’s like how I didn’t teach you all of Mantra on first meeting.”
‘So that means?’
“Show them.”
The old man nodded.
I nodded back.
“That Apophis snake head is actually nothing special.”
Fwoosh!
Uncrosing my arms, I drew the God-Slaying Spear.
“Guild master! Kuaaaak!”
“Cough! M-my ribs are broken!”
“P-poison, poison, poison, poison!”
Ignoring the panicking members, I nodded to Dana beside me.
“Yes, Master. I’ll heal them immediately.”
Dana’s prompt response.
Fudududuk!
In that instant, countless skeleton healers began filling the battlefield.
Yes.
They couldn’t be a burden.
When the crisis Rightsender mentioned arrived later.
At the very least, they needed to be able to keep pace with me.
For that to happen.
“Everyone, fall back. And watch.”
Just as the elder said, I’d show them.
How to cook that terrifying-looking Apophis.