Chapter 15
Chapter 15
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 15
Chapter Title: A Tearful Farewell
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The final stretch. Right before the boss room.
A strange tension hung in the air among the party members.
Then, the woman wrapped head to toe in bandages broke the silence and approached me.
"Kiddo, what did we come here for? Tell me yourself."
Hearing "kiddo" from a full-grown adult felt a bit off-putting...
But stirring up trouble right before the boss room wouldn't do us any good.
I calmly recited everything I'd heard so far.
"The Necromancer needs to turn the boss into a new summon, so we absolutely can't use Heal or Purify. Right?"
"Good, you get it."
I looked up at the boss room door.
Beyond that door was the boss that had claimed the lives of dozens of Awakeners.
And the woman who looked just like my favorite flower, Belladonna, was about to welcome that boss as her new summon.
If any Heal or Purify skill touched the boss, it would prevent the summoning...
So the simple plan was to stay as far from the boss as possible once combat started and just buff the party members with attack boosts.
"Alright then! Opening the door!"
Rumble—
With the heavy grinding of stone, the stench of rotten dust and mold assaulted our noses.
Even just breathing felt like it was rotting my lungs from the inside.
"We warmed up on those minions, now let's have some real fun!"
Shouting that, the bandaged woman unwound the bandages on her left arm and raked her flesh with her elongated nails.
Drip—
Red blood trickled down her skin as her lips twisted into a grotesque grin.
Then the Necromancer, who had been holding back her power, began chanting an incomprehensible incantation and swinging her skull staff.
"[Incomprehensible incantation]" A dark crimson magic circle etched itself into the floor, and from it rose a wraith in black armor and a skeletal giant in a red cape.
Everyone's eyes locked on one spot.
In the center of the room, atop a massive throne.
Toward the monster so thoroughly decayed it was unrecognizable.
'...How do you even fight something like that?'
The moment I saw it, fear overwhelmed me.
Honestly, I wanted to run right then and there.
But the Full Moon elites weren't scared like me—they looked genuinely thrilled, faces lit up like they were ready to die for this.
...Who were the real monsters here?
"I'm going first."
The hooded man vanished in an instant and reappeared behind the boss in the blink of an eye.
He casually spun his dagger and glanced our way.
"You psycho, I called dibs on the first hit!"
The bandaged woman burst out laughing and shot after him.
"Healer, if anything dangerous happens, just run to me."
Even the Necromancer, who had been guarding me while sweating buckets, now walked away with calm strides.
Apparently, her summons couldn't use their full power if she stayed too close to me...
In the end, I was left alone to face the horror and revulsion flooding this wretched space.
"I'll end it in one hit!"
The bandaged woman swung her massive sword down at the boss.
Boom—!!
An explosion rocked the room as a huge dust cloud billowed up.
"Cough, cough..."
As time passed, the dirt settled bit by bit.
And the boss's unmoving form came back into view.
...No.
There was one thing.
A tiny change that only I could notice.
"......"
The boss's gaze, once fixed downward, was now turned toward me.
The moment our eyes met, the boss slowly rose from its seat.
Chunks of rotten flesh and bloody clumps dropped from between its armor plates.
Then, it charged straight at me, dragging its massive bulk.
Thud—! Thud—! Thud—! Thud—!
The summons and two dealers surrounded it from all sides, but they couldn't hold it back.
The distance between me and the boss shrank in seconds.
Terror unlike anything I'd ever felt gripped my entire body.
My arms and legs began trembling uncontrollably.
Dong—!
At that moment, a faint vibration and mana pulse emanated from my pocket.
The Lumina Bell flower I'd brought just in case had saved me from panic once again.
I snapped back to my senses and stared down the approaching boss.
'Don't panic. Think calmly.'
I couldn't use Heal or Purify...
Besides running, what other options did I have?
The best thing I could do...
Ah!
"I'll be the decoy, so hit it from behind!"
I shouted at the top of my lungs and bolted, gritting my teeth.
I didn't know why, but the boss was fixated solely on me.
If the dealers attacked its exposed back while it chased me, we could take it down easily.
"Hey, skull-face! While the kid's playing decoy, finish your casting! Hood, you and I hit that bastard together."
I sprinted wildly toward the optimal spot in the corner of the boss room, where all three could strike simultaneously.
Dodging the boss's attacks and running full tilt left me gasping for air.
Just when I thought I couldn't run anymore.
"Hah... hah..."
I finally reached the corner.
The shadow looming behind me grew larger and larger.
"Now!"
At that instant, the dealers unleashed a coordinated barrage.
The Necromancer's summons charged at the massive boss too.
But.
"Why the hell aren't our attacks landing?!"
Once again, it ended in utter failure.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ The boss slowly approaching me let me experience deathly terror for the first time.
One Lumina Bell flower wasn't enough to handle this level of fear.
My mind started filling with panic.
'I should've... just said no...'
I should've refused right when I first thought about not going...!
But it was far too late for regrets now.
Groooan—...
A flail caked in chunks of flesh was already rising above my head.
If that smashed into me, it'd be straight to the afterlife.
'Am I... really going to die like this?'
The spirit flower is about to bloom soon?
I've only just started stably selling Lumina Bells?
And, and also...
I've finally gotten close to being a community name...
I even have a disciple who hangs on my every word...!
'I don't want to die!'
I can't die here, not like this, like some dog in the street.
Whether the Necromancer turns the boss into a summon is no longer my concern.
I need to use every Heal and Purify I have to survive this place without regrets.
'And the fastest, most reliable way to do that...'
I quickly opened my skill window.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Proficiency increased. New skill unlocked. That moment, I spotted the message: 'Proficiency has increased, unlocking a new skill—.'
'...Oh, right.'
Back when the rampaging gate opened in Seongbuk-gu.
I'd popped Lumina flowers like candy while spamming Heals, and a proficiency-up message had appeared.
I unlocked the new skill without hesitation.
⚔ STATUS ⚔ Holy Light: Emits a beam of condensed holy-attribute mana. Additional effect: Destroys barriers or external veils. There it was in my skill window—the offensive skill I'd wanted so badly.
Holy-attribute, so it'd probably ruin the boss's summoning if it hit...
'But I'm about to die here, who cares!?'
I immediately drew up all the mana in my body.
A brilliant, intense light began gathering between my palms.
"Die!"
I fired the beam at the hulking figure before me.
Crack—
Like a plate splintering, the transparent barrier enveloping the boss shattered.
The new attack skill was way weaker than expected—it didn't hurt the boss at all, just broke the barrier around it.
But.
'Perfect.'
Pretending like it was all part of the plan, I yelled to the dealers.
"Barrier's down! Attacks should land now!"
With its protective barrier gone, the boss visibly panicked and looked down at itself.
I slipped out of the corner in that opening.
"What? There was a barrier? That's why none of my attacks landed?"
"You show your back, you pay the price."
Furious at being toyed with, the dealers finally overwhelmed the boss in one combo.
And with the Necromancer sealing her new contract, the gate was cleared.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ The moment we cleared the gate, people in matching black team uniforms filed in.
Full Moon Guild staff, it turned out.
They picked up monster byproducts, pried wall materials from the boss room, collected loot from chests, and carted it all out.
Valuable loot would be appraised by the guild's evaluation team and distributed to the party members later.
'No way the rank-one guild would skim our rewards, right?'
I couldn't help but have reasonable suspicions.
Still, the Chief Secretary promised fair compensation, so I'd trust them for now.
"Kiddo, good work."
The bandaged woman appeared out of nowhere and ruffled my hair roughly.
"How'd a little thing like you even think to play decoy? Other healers just worry about saving their own skins—they'd never throw themselves in like you."
"Ah... haha."
A very satisfied smile lit up her face.
"Hey, you ever think about joining Full Moon? We're the top guild, you know. Say the word, and I'll make sure no one messes with you. Think it over."
Who'd even mess with me...
I'm not the type to pick fights anyway...
Full Moon's recruitment felt brutal too.
And if I joined Full Moon...
Gates like this one would become routine.
I'd die before joining them.
I gave an awkward smile and backed away slowly.
Thud—
I bumped into someone and spun around in surprise.
My Belladonna lookalike Necromancer gazed down at me, her face brimming with emotion.
"Healer... Even with your life on the line, you held back on Heal and Purify... to help me achieve my goal...?"
She grabbed both my hands, sweat streaming down her face.
"You didn't have to go that far... Thank you so much. I was able to make the contract because of you. I'll never forget this favor..."
I smiled awkwardly and rolled my eyes.
I'd totally considered using Heal on the boss...
But hearing her thanks stabbed at my conscience.
'Time to make my escape...'
I bowed to the Full Moon elites.
"Everyone, great job! I have somewhere to be, so I'll head out!"
I turned to leave quickly.
"Um...!"
The Necromancer grabbed my arm urgently.
"Can we... meet again sometime...?"
It felt like I was in a drama, playing the parting lover.
I nodded with a smile.
"Until we meet again, stay healthy, okay?"
"Thank you. I'll train hard to become an even better healer..."
She seemed reluctant to part, her eyes suddenly welling up with tears.
Seeing that tugged at me too, tears pricking my own eyes.
I wasn't usually the crying type.
But lately, I'd been tearing up more often for some reason.
"You can... contact me, right?"
"Of course. Come visit my place sometime—I'll show you lots of pretty flowers..."
With that tearful farewell, I checked the time and realized I was cutting it close for the purified water trade.
I hurried off.
Tap, tap—
Walking while glued to my map app, I got the feeling someone was following me and glanced back.
Swish—
What do you know.
The Necromancer, who I'd just tearfully parted with while wiping her eyes, was awkwardly walking right behind me.
"Haha..."
"...Haha."
Guess we were headed the same way.
We exchanged awkward laughs and picked up the pace.
We'd just had this touching, wistful goodbye...
But going the same direction kinda ruined it.
Embarrassed, I practically ran and arrived at the meeting spot way earlier than expected.
I opened the trading app to message the seller that I'd arrived.
"Um..."
A familiar voice came from behind.
"Purified water, by any chance..."
No way.
It couldn't be.
I slowly looked up at the seller's face.
"......"
"......"
An excruciatingly awkward silence settled between us.