Chapter 168
Chapter 168
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 168
Chapter Title: A Gift for Future Kim Shin-hwa
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The violence of the sea.
Devoid of intellect, emotion, purpose, or reason, it simply wields overwhelming power and destruction.
A horrific entity born as if the dreadful Sea of Death itself had ascended to godhood was pursuing me.
‘But it’s not a proper manifestation.’
Among Dagon’s avatars, this was the weakest one.
Of course, its sheer overflowing power and size overwhelmed the others.
When considering overall stats, its ability distribution was incredibly unbalanced.
And then.
Rumble—
Its body kept crumbling. It was reconstructing just as quickly as it fell apart, but the state was unstable.
‘This situation never happened in the game.’
Probably because of the [Feast Offering] trait. Normally, it wouldn’t have manifested in such a brute-force way. It had twisted open the entrance to the completely collapsed Sea Well and forced its way through.
If I could just hold out a little longer, it wouldn’t be able to withstand its own power and would dissipate.
‘The problem is I don’t have that kind of time.’
Far in the distance, a pitch-black line came into view.
The line was steadily drawing closer, gradually expanding into a surface.
It was the Great Barrier Wall. Not much time left. A monstrous barrier twenty meters high and ten meters thick. At this rate, I’d smash right into that wall.
『Grrrrraaahhh!!』
The thing accelerated.
A monster that was already overwhelmingly massive in its own right, now charging with an enormous volume of seawater.
“Ugh, damn it!”
As if time wasn’t already short enough!
I summoned my mana, drawing maximum power from the magic stone engine propelling this ship.
Grind!!
The ship picked up speed.
I scowled, gazing far ahead, past the [Pale Wave], toward Insu Village.
‘I never thought I’d actually have to use it.’
I sent my consciousness far away. To my summon. Bound by soul and pact.
Grind—
My vision shifted. A murky, clouded view.
Right now, I was seeing the world through the eyes of the necromantic golem—Bulk. My mind merged with Bulk’s crude thoughts. I checked Bulk’s status and spoke.
“Ugh, still underwater, huh. Yeah. Good work. This is something only you can do.”
I moved Bulk’s body. Driving the iron framework forming its body into the seabed, it advanced slowly but steadily. Almost there. Amid the horrific muddy water, I barely made out the surrounding terrain.
Completely collapsed buildings. Structures barely holding their shape. Ones only partially destroyed. Using the map of Insu Village in my head, I reverse-calculated the positions.
“The village head’s house is that way. No time. Sorry, but pick up the pace.”
Crack—snap—
A horrific pressure dragging at its body, localized whirlpools, debris swept along by the current. I could feel Bulk’s body being whittled away.
The village head’s house was half-collapsed. Bulk’s immense strength cleared the obstructing debris. Rumble— The building, barely hanging on, got caught in the vortex and vanished.
Yeah. And that.
Grind—grind—
A clear noise even underwater.
Like metal grinding, or teeth gnashing.
The safe. The one that had stored cursed gold in its belly.
“You’ve been through it too, huh.”
Before the Dragon King Festival began, I’d given the safe an order.
Melt all the gold in your belly into one mass.
Using Bulk’s arm, I lifted the safe.
Boom!
Its feet sank into the ground.
“Damn. The ground around here is too soft.”
Any way around it? The water level had dropped some, but carrying this out was impossible.
“Alright! Red, let’s go!”
A massive downpour. Weather no ordinary bird could pierce, but our Red could handle it.
“Kreeee!”
Through Red’s vision, I checked its wings—now larger and stronger than before—and the long tail trailing behind.
‘Thanks to absorbing the Sea Well’s mana from the Dragon Child’s body.’
Like when it ate the ocarina last time, some trigger might make it evolve again. What is this, a damn PoXmon?
Still, I’d never raised a blood-based summon like this before, so I was a bit uneasy... Ah, no time for that.
It hadn’t evolved, but its mana storage and conversion efficiency had skyrocketed. It could even cast spells from adjacent schools now.
“Alright, Red, over there. See those hard things sticking up out of the water?”
Underwater, the necromantic golem—Bulk—had woven the rebar and building debris forming its body into supports.
“Yeah. I’ll handle the mana control, so you just blow hard! Here we go!”
“Kreeee!”
Red exhaled mana toward the iron framework supports.
In an instant, I controlled it, focused it, infused attributes, converted it. Weaving the mana into a spell with meaning.
[Ice Hollow]
Whoooosh!!
Red’s breath became a gale of lethal cold.
Crack—crunch!!
The iron supports fused with the surrounding water, instantly forming a massive iceberg.
“Yeah! Good job! You’re the best, Red!”
What had looked like a line moments ago was now a majestic barrier in full view. Just a bit longer, and this ship would slam into it.
‘Or get caught first.’
『Grrrrraaahhh!!』
“Ugh. Driving me insane.”
The fragmented consciousnesses—split into three—would probably start guzzling mana now too.
To spare some mana for them, I had to conserve as much as possible. To prevent waste and boost precision, I formed hand seals I usually skipped and chanted.
“Thunder.” “Strike.” “Inscribe.” “Draw.” “Path.”
It was called a chant, but really just fragmented phrases lined up. Not implementing a game-provided spell.
Mana runes without concrete form floated in the air, along with glowing rings. Mana lines emerged.
Right now, I was creating a new spell.
Inspiration kept surging. I shared the rising ideas with my other consciousnesses, refining the spell’s form.
“One—”
Zing—crackle—zap!
Behind the monster, far away, a massive ring of lightning formed.
“Two—”
Another one.
“Three—four—five—”
More. And more.
I kept creating lightning rings. Scattered hoops, like forging a single path connecting the monster to somewhere.
Thud—thud—
I tested the iceberg with Bulk’s fist.
‘This should be enough, right?’
Creak—creak—
Bulk climbed the iceberg, lugging the safe. Having sacrificed much of its iron frame, it was now too small to really call “bulk” anymore. It looked like a skeleton moving without its exoskeleton.
Out of the water, I saw Red shouting something in my voice. Good job, Red! You’re the best! Stuff like that. It seemed pleased.
Honestly, I couldn’t relate. Not empathizing with my own enjoyment... Better wrap this up quick before it drags on.
Thud!
The massive iceberg Red had made. And atop it stood... me?
No, not me. Bulk, under my control. Bulk fused its body to the jagged iron protruding from the iceberg. I spoke to the safe it held.
“Open up.”
Creak—
The safe opened. A magical safe I’d restructured with [Recognition] before. Inside was a massive amount of cursed gold, fused into one at my command.
Grind—
From the safe emerged a gigantic spear of cursed gold. Ignoring physics, too long and thick to fit inside.
Not really a spear—more like a golden pillar? A massive golden pillar sharpened at the end. Or a ballista bolt.
“Ooh, nice? The Kim Shin-hwa on the ship said make a projectile and I’ll fire it?”
“Talking about Kim Shin-hwa like that feels kinda weird, doesn’t it?”
“Who cares about titles? I’ve cheered myself on like ‘Kim Shin-hwa fighting’ before.”
“Hmm.”
I ignored “him” and prepared the spell.
‘A projectile, huh.’
The Kim Shin-hwa on the ship, prepping his spell, kept sending new inspirations and revised plans. Not too hard.
I had my own ideas too. I shared them with the other two, drawing mana.
Needed precise tuning. Skipping automated chants wouldn’t cut it. Slowly, like a song, I chanted.
“Though born of the sea’s curse, your essence is gold. A vessel for mana. By radiant command, refine thyself like diamond, become the arrow that shatters evil. By radiant command anew, burn away the karma piled from poison upon poison, become the arrow that shatters evil. By radiant command once more...”
Less a chant, more a pronouncement empowering the target. Not implementing a game-provided spell.
Crack! Crackle-crack!!
The golden pillar’s surface shaved away. Runes and holy script to vanquish evil and expel corruption engraved across it.
Right now, I was creating a new spell.
“Alright, Red. You’ve had a hell of a day. This’ll probably be the last one. Never been home, right? Home, and Hyun will make you something tasty.”
“Kreeee!”
Red replied firmly to my words. It flapped its wings vigorously.
“Good. Same as before. Big breath in, and when I say, blow it all out. I’ll handle all the control.”
“Kreeee... Sluuuuurp!”
Red inhaled. Absorbing surrounding mana, it ballooned enormously. In seconds, a giant red balloon.
But headache-inducing. The two Kim Shin-hwas on either side kept whimsically tweaking the spell form. Ah—stop! Annoying! Stick to the original plan!
“Ugh, guess we’re rolling with the changes?”
I started shaping the spell to match what the other Kim Shin-hwas had made. And the inspiration flooding in. Ah, I get why they changed it. Can’t resist this.
I shared the new idea with the other two and chanted. Too bad Red has no hands for seals.
“Go! Burst! Explode! I’ll launch you! Destroy! Destroy! Destroy! Fly! Pierce the enemy! Go! Fly! Go! Burst! Burst! Burst!”
A chant, but really just a declaration of will. No need for fancy phrasing. Not implementing a game-provided spell anyway.
Mana surged around Red like waves.
Right now, I was creating a new spell.
“Railgun—something like that?”
In the end, we were building a gigantic cannon.
The Kim Shin-hwa on the ship formed the barrel—
The one possessing the necromantic golem crafted the projectile—
And I, in Red, handled the propellant—and the firing.
“Uwaaaah!!”
I drew mana to steer the ship further west.
The Great Barrier Wall wasn’t straight. With Chaopyeongdo and Munsan-eup jutting out, veering that way bought a little time.
But it cost speed.
『Grrrrraaahhh!!』
“Shiiit!!”
Gonna get caught!
[Jade Ice]
Rumble!!
A massive ice sphere hurtled toward the [Pale Wave]. Crunch! Boom boom!
It crumbled part of its form, but too small compared to its colossal body. No good? Almost there! Get grabbed by it! Or smash into the wall!
Or both!
From my triple-split vision, my consciousnesses signaled in unison.
“Ready!”
“Here, take it!”
“Yeah, fire already!”
I swiftly formed complex seals, realigning the lightning ‘rails.’
“Thunder—draw...”
And I issued the final command to the projectile I’d send at the enemy from afar.
“By radiant command, follow the thunder’s guidance, become Indra’s...”
And I, in the sky, gathered the final power to launch this projectile.
“Burst—fly—annihilate—”
Zzzzzap—
Kaaaaboom!
A flash that could burn out my optic nerves, and the golden arrow launched.
The golden arrow flew at unbelievable speed. Rain vaporized instantly—air tore along its path— a horrific screech like a death knell erupted.
Kiiiiieee!
Through Red’s synced vision, I shouted. Or rather, thoughts faster than voice. All three were me anyway.
‘Damn, it’s dodging!’
『Grrrrraaahhh!!』
The [Pale Wave], spotting the screaming arrow, tried to turn. The ship rocked. I lost balance but cast anyway, consequences be damned.
“Where you gonna run!”
[Chains of Dominion]
Rattle!!
And the child of darkness aiding me.
“Don’t go!” “Don’t go!” “Don’t go!” “Don’t go!” “Don’t go!” “Don’t go!” “Don’t go!” “Don’t go!” “Don’t go!” “Don’t go!” “Don’t go!” “Don’t go!” “Don’t go!” “Don’t go!” “Don’t go!”
『Grrrrraaahhh!!』
And finally, my projectile struck its back.
KaaaaBOOOOM!!
Unreal impact. Raindrops bounced back skyward from the sheer force.
“Hit!”
My voice from Red’s mouth.
“Think we overdid it?”
My voice from the necromantic golem.
“Uwaaaah!”
Just my scream.
The [Pale Wave]’s colossal body flew into the sky.
No—unable to withstand the projectile’s impact, it got launched upward. It was charging forward anyway; this was like getting shoved from behind.
And where it flew—
Kagooogo boom!! Kagooogoo boom!!
It smashed into the Great Barrier Wall.
Tssshhhh!!
The anti-magic spells and sealing barriers on the wall activated.
Crackle—KABOOM! KaaaaBOOM!!
Endless explosions.
“Hmm, yeah, figures.”
“We kinda expected this, right?”
“Honestly, I figured one puny shot wouldn’t take it down.”
Crumble—crash—crash—
Unending roars. Earthquake.
Shock. Something massive was happening.
“Cleanup’s... that, right?”
“Oh, that?”
“......Don’t.”
Rumble—KABOOM! Kagoo boom!
The Great Barrier Wall collapsed.
Finally, the least perceptive of our trio said it.
“Well, future Kim Shin-hwa will handle it somehow.”