[EP5. Arena]
[EP5. Arena]
Fifty sub-space entrances ripped open on the arena floor, unleashing a flood of monsters.
The monsters were none other than the stone golems.
Thud!
Thud!
As the stone golems landed, they all dropped to one knee toward Jae-jun in unison.
The sudden appearance of the arena-filling stone golems made the orc Garrosh instinctively recoil.
"Chwik!
What the hell are these things?"
The stone golems looked utterly different from how they'd been in the cursed dungeon.
Back then, they were just crude masses of boulders slapped together.
Now, each golem's body had turned a dark crimson-black.
And every time they moved, mana sparked and crackled off them.
Stone Golems added to legion.
Stone Golems enhanced proportional to user's abilities.
Stone Golem speed increased.
Stone Golem mana efficiency maximized.
Vrrr...
The stone golems' bodies trembled faintly.
'Not bad at all.'
They even looked far superior to his familiar, Gworok.
Thinking of Gworok for no reason made Jae-jun's chest tighten.
"...Attack!"
At Jae-jun's simple command, the stone golems charged the orc Garrosh en masse.
Thud!
Thud!
Roooaaar!
Cheers erupted from the stands.
Whoosh!
Clang!
Garrosh's muscles bulged as he swung his axe-spear.
The mana-infused axe-spear shattered a stone golem's head.
"Chwik!
How do you like that?!"
Splat!
Splat!
Every time Garrosh moved his massive frame, another stone golem crumbled and fell.
But Jae-jun just watched impassively.
The stone golems were holding their own better than expected.
Splat!
A stone golem's massive fist smashed into the orc's shoulder.
"Chwik!"
The golem's body split in two from a reflexive axe-spear swing, but another golem lunged in and grabbed hold.
Splat!
Splat!
Garrosh, battered by fists raining from all sides, gradually turned into a bloody mess.
"Chwik!
I won't let you get away with this!"
Crunch!
Bloodlust flashed in Garrosh's eyes as black spots—actually massive tattoos—crawled across his body.
Tattoo sorcery, unique to orcs.
"Raaaaagh!"
Slash!
Garrosh pulverized a stone golem's arm and whirled his axe-spear wildly.
The struck golems were sliced apart in an instant.
Boom!
Garrosh bulldozed through the stone golems and charged Jae-jun.
"Die!"
'Is that all stone golems have?'
Jae-jun pulled the Frost Blade from his inventory.
Whoooosh!
Garrosh's axe-spear arced in a massive semicircle toward Jae-jun's head, whipping up a gust of wind.
Jae-jun raised his sword and deflected it aside.
Clang!
Garrosh looked stunned that a human had blocked his full-power strike.
"Not bad,"
Jae-jun's words dripped with mockery.
Garrosh's face twisted in rage.
Raaaaagh!
But this time, Jae-jun struck first.
Clang!
Garrosh blocked Jae-jun's sword with his axe-spear.
"But I think my strength is greater?"
"You dare, human?!"
"Chwik!"
Garrosh snorted, planning to bisect this insolent human.
Daring to match strength with a great orc warrior like him?
He gripped the axe-spear handle tighter.
But it began sliding backward.
Garrosh's face contorted in panic and fury.
"Chwik!
Impossible!"
"Let's end this."
'Shadow Slash!'
Jae-jun's sword slipped past the axe-spear in a flash, cleaving Garrosh from heart to left arm in one stroke. Blood sprayed like a fountain.
Slash!
Garrosh stared at Jae-jun in disbelief.
"H-how...?"
"My stats are higher than yours."
Slash!
Jae-jun's sword severed Garrosh's neck.
Thud!
Thud!
Crunch!
Garrosh's head hit the arena floor and was pulped under a stone golem's fist, vanishing into gore.
It had been a tedious fight for Jae-jun.
Orc Garrosh defeated.
Win in the Arena!
◈ Moved to inventory.
And then the announcer's voice rang out.
The announcer sounded oddly deflated, and the door opened again.
Roooaaar!
The stands' reaction was in stark contrast.
Jae-jun unsummoned the stone golems and headed inside.
Lucifer stared at him impassively.
The emotion in those eyes, sunken into his wrinkled face, was none other than...
wariness?
For a split second, Lucifer had clearly eyed Jae-jun with caution.
Jae-jun had noticed similar odd behavior from Lucifer even before the match, and doubts were starting to creep in.
Then Lucifer broke into a wide smile and welcomed him.
"Impressive.
You've grown even stronger in that short time."
"The opponent was just weak."
Jae-jun followed Lucifer to the office.
Will he hand over the reward today too?
"Newbie!
You're amazing!
So damn strong!
How are you this powerful?"
"You idiot, it's 'cause you're weak!"
"What'd you say?!"
Ignoring their bickering, Jae-jun entered the office.
"Pull out your arena plaque."
"This?"
He took out the wooden plaque from before.
It had originally been engraved with a single dagger, but now it bore a number.
"1984?
What is this?"
"The orc Garrosh's ranking from today's win."
"So when this hits 1, it's over?"
"Exactly."
Jae-jun stared at the plaque before stowing it in his inventory.
"Got it.
Then tell me where the next soul fragment is."
"Mm...
Fine.
Next location: Munmu King's Tomb."
"Munmu King's Tomb?
Isn't that the underwater grave?"
As far as Jae-jun knew, it was the tomb of King Munmu, who unified the Three Kingdoms and vowed to become a dragon to fend off pirates, built in the sea.
"Do I have to go underwater?"
"No.
The gate's just deep in the ocean."
That was manageable.
"Any more insane familiars this time?"
Lucifer's brow furrowed slightly.
"It's just hidden.
There might be subordinates of other demon kings, but... at your level, no big issue."
"Understood.
Guess I'll head out."
Jae-jun stood, a silent request to be sent back from the arena.
Being around Lucifer felt uncomfortable since the suspicions arose.
Lucifer nodded.
But then his movement halted abruptly.
"What?"
"...You can't leave yet."
"What do you mean?"
Can't leave?
"Your next match is up immediately."
"I just fought?"
"...The announcer forced it."
"That crazy bastard?"
Jae-jun's face twisted.
He wasn't tired, but he could guess the intent behind chaining matches.
"This never happens.
Looks like they've got me pegged."
"They?
Who?"
Lucifer smiled thinly.
"The ones siding with the other demon kings."
Clank.
Lucifer headed straight for the passage.
Then, instead of Jae-jun's cell, he opened another prison door.
"What?
My turn already?"
Unlike with Jae-jun, Lucifer opened the other cell without a word.
The two teammates who emerged were a striking pair.
One was an elf, the other a dwarf.
Standing together, the contrast was comical.
The elf was slender, tall, and stunningly handsome.
The dwarf was half the elf's height but a bundle of rippling muscle covered in shaggy hair.
The elf glared.
"What're you staring at, runt?"
"What business is it of yours where this human looks?
Damn elves.
Tsk tsk."
The dwarf toddled over to Jae-jun and extended a hand.
"I'm dwarf Barik.
Humans can't pronounce clan names, so just call me Barik."
Jae-jun shook it.
"Choi Jae-jun."
"Handshake between the soon-to-be-dead?
I'm Nariel Phalasion.
Just Nariel."
Jae-jun nodded with a wry smile.
"Why'd you let us out?
It's not our turn yet."
Barik asked Lucifer, who scowled irritably.
"They requested a team battle.
Announcer accepted."
"...Those damn bastards!"
"Shouldn't you have blocked this, Lucifer?"
Nariel vented at Lucifer.
Lucifer just scowled, saying nothing.
"What's a team battle?"
"Deathmatch, all members.
Rare as hell, but the announcer's committed."
"Where's the enemy team?"
Lucifer muttered darkly at Barik's question.
"Orcus's team."
"Orcus? The orc god?"
"...We're screwed."
Nariel, belying his looks, spat on the floor with a curse.
"How many on their side?"
Jae-jun's face involuntarily crumpled at Lucifer's next words.
"...Fifty."