Chapter 26
Chapter 26
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 26
Chapter Title: The Other Side World (1)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
People get stronger when they're pushed to the brink.
My longstanding theory proved right once again.
Bang!
A gunshot rang out, etching a mark onto the monster's forehead.
At the same moment, Im Da-hee's spear surged toward that mark.
Crackle!
Electricity coiled precisely around only the spear tip.
Krunch!
Crackle, boom!
The monster was electrocuted and a holy explosion erupted simultaneously.
Naturally, it died on the spot, crumbling to ash and vanishing.
Im Da-hee glared sharply at the monster's ashes.
'Nice.'
I felt immense satisfaction watching her.
A few mob pulls, a few battles.
After repeating combat like that endlessly, Im Da-hee had grown stronger and more skilled.
She no longer discharged electricity from her body or needed intense focus—she could channel it straight into her spear tip.
Going further, she could now manifest it on any part of her body at will.
- Gyaaah!
A monster appeared from the ceiling, untouched by light.
Below it stood Park Garam, still oblivious.
The moment I raised my gun to pull the trigger—
Crackle!
Electricity sparked, and Im Da-hee vanished.
Krunch!
She reappeared with the monster—about to ambush Park Garam—impaled on her spear.
Thud.
Im Da-hee slammed the skewered monster to the ground and glanced at Park Garam.
"You okay?"
"Y-yeah... Th-thanks."
It was a cool pose even a guy would call badass.
But Park Garam's grateful expression looked awkward.
Just moments ago, he'd been too downcast to even meet her eyes, so the sudden change felt off.
Still, she'd fought through intense battles multiple times.
She'd begged desperately to rest.
Even so, I kept pulling mobs until we'd found all the survivors, and she swung her spear relentlessly, crying out "Please!"
Now, with all survivors located and the final mob pull done—
The dejected Im Da-hee was gone. In her place stood a proud warrior woman.
At last, she'd taken her first step toward becoming a wielder of the Thunder Spear.
...But perhaps from the grueling fights, side effects emerged.
Crackle... Pop.
As her mana depleted and the electricity skill cut out—
"......Ah."
She reverted to her dejected self.
Worse than before.
"Ah, uh......"
Beyond avoiding eye contact, she could barely face anyone now—her head drooped low.
"......"
Park Garam shook his head at her display.
As if to say he had his gloom, but not that bad.
It was like watching a comedy skit. I chuckled and pulled the survivors from my inventory.
Thud, thud, thud.
The ground shook from their weight.
Without inventory, I'd have lugged these heavies while fighting monsters.
I let out a short sigh of relief and tapped my smart watch against the three dummies.
Ding. The training objective updated.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙
【'Team 1' Training Objective】 [Virtual Scenario Description] You've rescued the survivors. But to escape the Backside World, find another rift somewhere. Objective: Locate the rift. - Time Limit: 1 hour. ※ Rift location: [Here].
Next objective: "Locate the rift."
Since this was a simulated Backside World for training, it helpfully revealed the location.
I tapped the [Here] at the bottom.
A hologram map of the area projected above my smart watch.
"Huh, it's close."
A swirl icon marked on the map, and nearby, three human figures.
Unmistakable markers. I immediately led Park Garam and Im Da-hee toward it.
En route, tons of monsters attacked, and forks appeared.
Monsters turned to ash as they came; the map handled forks flawlessly. Smooth sailing.
Soon, we reached the spot.
But... a massive iron door blocked the way.
I knew what this was.
"......Boss room, huh?"
Yep.
This giant iron door ahead housed the boss monster.
I didn't know which one.
Like how entering a Backside World rift scatters you randomly if not together within a minute—boss monsters here were randomized too. No knowing till entry.
But no problem.
I knew strategies for every possible boss.
"Alright, let's go in."
I placed my hand on the door.
Rumble...
It slid open like an automatic door.
I tried peering in to ID the boss.
Too dark inside—no shape visible.
Had to wait for it to fully open.
Clang.
Door swung wide.
I stepped in.
Fwhoosh.
Like entering a game boss room, lights from cave-wall magistones illuminated everything.
Now I saw the boss's form.
"Oh!"
I cheered the instant I identified it.
A massive blue swirl—like the exit rift—squatted before a hulking boss monster.
It was none other than—
"A rock golem?"
A rock golem.
One rivaling a small hill in size.
Rock golems were the rarest random boss in boss rooms.
Thus, among simulated Backside World bosses, the strongest and hardest.
Its rock body shrugged off mana-infused weapons unless you wielded sword aura like Lee Seo-yeon or Arthur—only surface damage.
Plus self-repair. Pulverize to dust or smash the core, or it wouldn't die.
Top 5 bosses to avoid early-game.
But that was back in the game.
To current me? A welcome, easy one.
Because rock golems...
"Lucky break."
Are inorganic.
"Loosen up, folks. Casual stroll in."
""......??"
They looked baffled as I dropped combat stance and sauntered in. Still, they followed orders.
Thud.
Door sealed behind us.
Ding.
Training objective updated.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙
【'Team 1' Training Objective】 [Virtual Scenario Description] You've found the rift. But it's deactivated. To activate it, defeat the boss monster ahead. Objective: Defeat the boss monster. - Time Limit: 1 hour. ※ Defeating the boss auto-activates the rift.
I smirked at the one-hour limit.
Others might overrun it.
Not me.
Hell, I'd take it down in 15 minutes.
Why?
I have this skill.
⚡ SKILL ACTIVATED ⚡
『Transfer (F)』
Teleports held items to a desired location.
- Teleport held items within 1m radius.
- Cannot teleport into living beings.
Time to shine.
Great skill, fun utility—but never main event.
Until now, facing this golem.
Nothing beats Transfer here.
"No attacks, everyone. Just watch."
"O-okay."
"...No idea what you're planning, but we'll wait."
With their nods, I got to work.
Golem still crouched, rock-solid, unprovoked.
I crept close, opened inventory, and Transfered non-lethal (shockwave) grenades and mines from training ground—straight inside it.
Stepped back to observe.
"......"
Quiet.
Mana used, items inside—but no direct hit, so zero reaction.
I grinned and got comfy.
1m limit? No issue.
Plenty of consumables left.
Mana/spirit cost negligible.
Beaming, I stuffed grenades and mines everywhere—1m intervals per skill limit.
After 10 minutes blanketing it, I pulled my grenade launcher from yesterday's Arthur spar—Sword-Off type.
Led Park Garam and Im Da-hee far back.
"Park Garam, know Shield magic?"
"Y-yeah. I c-can."
"Cast it, please? Things'll get rough."
"O-okay..."
He gathered mana in his hands, muttering unintelligible chants.
Five seconds of incantation.
Purple mana turned Gray Witch's signature gray.
He slammed his hands down.
Hummm!
Semitransparent gray mana barrier enveloped us.
I tapped it.
Tung, tung.
Drum-like sound, but solid feel.
Just to check:
"This hold against flying rocks?"
"Y-yeah. Even i-if Sh-Shubamkwang explodes r-right in fr-front, th-this barrier Master t-taught me w-won't br-break."
"That tough? Perfect."
Shubamkwang-proof shield.
Practically Arthur's "Heavenly Fortress" tier.
Oh, Shubamkwang's a real monster—bomb with a horrific face, suicide type. Screams "Shu—bam!" before boom, hence the name.
Silly name, deadly blast laced with demonic energy. Even high-rank heroes take fatal hits up close.
Super sturdy barrier, then.
Blast away carefree.
"Oh, and can we shoot out from inside?"
"Y-yeah. H-hold it and sh-shoot? P-possible."
"Impressive."
Blocks incoming, allows outgoing.
Gray Witch disciple for the win.
Top-tier, Park Garam!
"Heh, heheh!"
He creepy-laughed, thrilled.
"Heh... Haah, haah... Hee hee."
...Cheeks flushing, hot breaths now.
Gaze turning... risky. I ignored, faced the golem.
Target: mine jutting from its head.
Raised launcher, pulled trigger.
Thwoop.
Clean shot, grenade flew.
Hit target.
Massive explosion.
───────────!!
Space rippled from shockwave briefly.
Kaboooooom────!!!!
Earth-shattering roar, like world remade.
Golem? Gone without trace.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Meanwhile, outside the simulated Backside World.
"Team 6, proceed."
Per Kang Cheol-su's order, Team 6 leader Lee Seo-yeon and two members stood before the rift.
"If shit hits, forget training—mash that emergency rescue button on your watch. I'll haul you out. Got it?"
""Yes, sir!""
"Good. Enter."
She gripped sword in right, gun in left, stepped in.
As her teammates followed—
Slosh.
Rift rippled like waves.
"Stop! Halt! Don't enter!"
Kang Cheol-su blocked her teammates from the anomaly.
Grabbed them, leaped back.
Simultaneously—
Kraka-ka-ka-boom─!!
Blue rift turned red, ballooning wildly.
He hit the emergency panel by the door, but—
Rumble...
Door closed too slow.
"Fuck! This is why accidents happen!"
Slow open, slow close. He snarled, kicked left door hard.
Screeech—clang!
It slammed shut.
But forcing it jammed the right one—froze solid.
One kick fixed that too.
Bang!
Sealed.
Crisis averted—for spread. But 16 students trapped inside.
He called someone on his smart watch.
- What is it?
The woman who'd opened the rift earlier.
No delay: "Vice Principal, Code Red."
- ...Sending your instructor now.
Fwoosh!
Space warped; a woman appeared.
"Senior, heading in right away, right?"
Instructor from entrance exams—monitored Lee Yoo-jin with Kang Cheol-su: Lee Yeon-ji.
Alias: "Battle Mage."
Space magic specialist.
"Yeah, straight in."
He cracked neck and wrists.
"Don't know which bastard, but endangering my kids?"
Crunch.
Fist clenched; space warped around him.
"I'll rip 'em in half."
Face twisted demonic. Lee Yeon-ji muttered, "Sigh, of all people, Cheol-su..." shaking her head.
But briefly.
"C'mon, senior. Save the rage for inside. Grab my hand?"
She extended hers.
He took it familiarly.
"Teleporting. Might feel dizzy~."
Space rippled around them.
Pop!
They vanished—just like she'd arrived.