Chapter 60
Chapter 60
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 60
Chapter Title: Sliced
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Sliced.
No, melted was a more fitting description.
The flame of 'Muspelheim' caused the mass of flesh to literally melt away.
Starting from the part that touched the sword, rapidly, like hot cheese dripping down.
Seo Woojin withdrew his sword and watched the scene impassively.
The flames enveloping the body vanished as if snuffed out, and his cold gaze settled on the melting flesh.
'As expected, knights.'
Visible through the dissolving flesh was armor emblazoned with the clear emblem of the Empire's Knight Order.
"Just how many..."
Even by visual count, there were over twenty heads.
Which meant at least that many knights had formed this mass of flesh.
"I wonder if the others are okay."
A sigh escaped Seo Woojin's lips.
The knights' skills were exceptional.
Not comparable to heroes or Rudain, but at least mid-tier or higher.
They could slaughter ordinary monsters without breaking a sweat.
For dozens of such knights to end up like this...
"We haven't even been here a full day yet. No, wait."
Seo Woojin shook his head mid-sentence.
This ruin had a distorted timeline.
His own time might not have reached a day, but others could be different.
If someone like Im Tae-eun had been wandering here for over a week?
It wasn't an impossible hypothesis.
"I need to hurry to the center of the ruin."
The cause of these anomalies was most likely at the ruin's heart.
That was how it usually went in games or novels.
But finding the path there was the problem.
A straight corridor stretching in one direction.
Even following it wouldn't lead to the center, probably.
If it were that simple, others would have found it already.
Seo Woojin turned his head.
There was a massive hole punched through by the flesh mass.
It had melted under Muspelheim's extreme heat, but it was plenty big enough for one person to pass through.
"...Kinda scary."
Beyond the hole was perfect darkness, nothing visible.
As if space itself ended outside the corridor, like the void of outer space.
Naturally, stepping foot there was terrifying.
No telling what might happen.
'Better to fight a monster.'
Fear of the unknown gripped even Seo Woojin.
But there were no other options.
Sticking to this corridor might never reach the center, or take an eternity.
Better to risk it and find another way than waste time like that.
He had confidence he could handle whatever happened out there.
"I can use my full power without anyone watching."
Like with Muspelheim.
Seo Woojin had far more hidden strength than what he'd shown.
He took a shallow breath and stepped forward.
In moments, his figure vanished into the darkness.
* * *
"Hey! You did that on purpose, didn't you?"
Seong Yura berated Kim Dahye with a face full of fury.
A bullet had just whizzed toward her head.
"No."
Kim Dahye blankly shook her head.
"What do you mean no! If I hadn't dodged, it would've hit me right in the back of the skull...!"
Seong Yura ground her teeth, trembling with rage.
She'd been shocked at first sight of the gun.
But soon realized its power was negligible.
Even taking a direct hit from Kim Dahye's bullets wouldn't threaten her life.
Sure, minor injuries, but that was the extent.
Realizing this, Seong Yura began treating Kim Dahye even more like a servant.
Her 'Fire Mage' class had its uses, so she started bossing her around like a maid.
But Kim Dahye showed no reaction.
She simply did as told—building shelters or facilities—without a word of complaint.
This only emboldened Seong Yura to push harder.
"Do that one more time, and I'll leave you behind. Got it?"
Nod.
Kim Dahye just nodded blankly, expression unchanged.
"Tch."
Seong Yura clicked her tongue and marched ahead.
The monster they'd just faced was pretty strong.
Without Kim Dahye's timely support, it might've gotten dicey.
Her 'Saintess' class wasn't suited for combat.
'It's getting tougher.'
Two weeks had passed since Seong Yura arrived here.
Early monsters were weak enough to crush with a flick of her finger.
But they grew harder over time.
Especially the last one—really tough.
'I need to find the others soon... Why'd I end up with this dimwit?'
Despite countless aids from Kim Dahye, Seong Yura felt no gratitude.
If anything, she thought she was at a loss.
Kim Dahye was just dead weight.
Though reality was far different...
"Hurry up! Stop dawdling."
Kim Dahye moved sluggishly.
Frustrating for Seong Yura, eager to escape this place.
She wanted to ditch her and go solo, but couldn't.
Hated to admit it, but she didn't want to wander alone again.
"Monster."
Suddenly, Kim Dahye raised her gun and spoke.
"What?"
Seong Yura whipped around.
A massive, muscular monster with a rat head charged at them.
Over two meters tall, yet eerily silent—no presence at all.
No cry, no footsteps, no killing intent.
Tatata-tat-!
Kim Dahye's gun barked again.
Seong Yura was between them, but Kim Dahye didn't care.
"Hey! You really...!"
Startled, Seong Yura barely dodged the bullets, shouting.
But that was a mistake.
This rat-head wasn't one to take her eyes off.
It tanked the bullet barrage bare-handed, unscathed, no blood spilled, and swung its fist.
The silent strike made Seong Yura throw up both arms in defense.
Pwoof-!
"Kyaaak!"
Impact like her arms shattering coursed through her.
Kwang-!
She avoided a direct hit but couldn't fully dissipate the force, slamming halfway into the wall.
Seeing this, Kim Dahye canceled her 'Summon.'
Judged the K-2 couldn't inflict meaningful damage.
She quickly opened her sketchbook and selected one from the 'Storage.'
"Summon."
With a bright light, a long object took shape in her hands.
"Y-You! No way...!"
Seong Yura, barely regaining her senses, gaped at what Kim Dahye held.
"If you fire that, I swear I won't let you off!"
But Kim Dahye ignored her, activating the weapon.
Fwoosh-!
Aladdin's magic wand.
A garish RPG-7 warhead with a pink ribbon launched at the monster.
"Yaaah!"
Seong Yura nearby screamed as the warhead detonated.
Kuuuaaaang-!
* * *
"Hm?"
Seo Woojin perked his ears.
"Did I just hear something?"
It wasn't loud.
But something had definitely tickled his eardrums.
Seo Woojin changed direction toward the sound and moved.
"Can't see a damn thing here."
Tense as he was, the dark space posed no threat.
If anything...
'Comfortable.'
Like the space he saw when leveling up.
Seo Woojin wandered the darkness, feeling cozy.
But he was stumped—no clues on others.
Then, finally, a change.
Seo Woojin quickened his pace.
How long did he run?
Something appeared before Seo Woojin's eyes.
"This?"
A crack.
Right in the empty space, a fissure.
Seo Woojin cautiously touched it.
"It feels solid."
Visually, empty air.
But tangible—real.
"Then."
Seo Woojin drew his sword without hesitation.
Then swung with full force.
Craaaack-!
With a tearing sound, the crack widened.
Bright light seeped through.
Seo Woojin peered through eagerly.
Finally, with a rumble, the space collapsed.
"Huh?"
Seo Woojin blinked at the sight.
"Da-hye!"
Incredibly, beyond the crack was teammate Kim Dahye, one he'd desperately sought.
But not all were welcome.
"...Seong Yura? And that..."
A huge monster.
Mid-battle, apparently—the rat-headed beast writhed silently, covered in burns.
"We'll talk details later."
Happy to see Kim Dahye, but Seo Woojin prioritized the monster.
"Aura."
New monster type.
Looked strong, but not freakish like the flesh mass.
One skill would suffice.
Especially with its severe wounds—easy pickings.
Slash-!
Seo Woojin's black sword, cloaked in Aura, severed the rat head.
Clean, no-frills strike.
The headless body crumbled to ash and vanished.
At the same time...
Fwaaa-!
Bright light burst from Seo Woojin's body.
[You have leveled up.]
Seo Woojin's level rose.
The flesh mass had nearly filled his EXP, but he hadn't expected it so soon.
A black space unfolded before him.
Similar to the ruin's darkness.
But far cozier.
Like being in his mother's embrace.
"Thought I'd never see this again."
Hadn't come since level 10, despite ups—so not unreasonable.
Seo Woojin smiled, basking in the long-lost fullness, looking around.
Expected emptiness, but no.
"What's that?"
Something in the black space's center.
It looked like...
"A book?"
A massive tome.
Seo Woojin approached unconsciously.
And read the title.
[Otherworld Demon King Chronicle.]