Chapter 134
Chapter 134
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 134
Chapter Title: Warrior Welcomes the Newbie
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The duel between Balak and Narin had finally come to an end.
But Narin was utterly bewildered after witnessing Balak's fist aura.
'He's... way stronger than I ever imagined.'
She had felt a chill when that red star, like death itself forged into form, came crashing down.
But the blue star that followed later was beyond her comprehension entirely.
What in the world was that power?
In any case, Narin had just received an invitation from Balak, something akin to asking her to become his disciple.
In the East, becoming the disciple of such an overwhelmingly powerful being was seen as a heavenly gift.
But right now, there was something she absolutely had to know.
"G-Grand Master... where exactly is this place? And the place I was in..."
"Ah, I forgot to mention that. This is a dungeon. That glowing crystal cave you just saw? Dungeon too."
"Dungeon... You mean the 'secret realms' the gods created for mortals in the lower world? But why would someone like you be in a place like this... Wait, no, this place is a secret realm?!"
The dark sky was filled with stars.
Moonlight gently illuminated the earth, as if smiling softly.
Sure, the reeds had taken a beating from the recent battle.
But wasn't this just a beautiful natural landscape?
As Narin struggled to believe this was a dungeon, Balak pondered how to explain it.
"Balak, sir~ Great work~"
"Belesa! You've arrived!"
Belesa had shown up.
She had watched the entire exchange between Balak and Narin from start to finish.
So she quickly summed up the situation.
"Oh dear... Um... Are you alright?"
"Y-Yes?"
"You got absolutely demolished by Balak, sir. And Balak, sir... you can't just handle a lady like that. It'll cause big trouble."
"When it comes to martial artists, what's the difference between man or woman?"
Balak was equality incarnate.
But here, with cheat-like mana at play, gender held no value to him whatsoever.
Belesa, who knew Balak's egalitarian views, just accepted it.
But to Narin from the East, it was quite a novel concept.
"Y-You mean you have no issue with women being martial artists, Grand Master?"
"Why would I? You're living proof, Changwol."
" ...! "
The acknowledgment from such an overwhelming powerhouse made Narin feel like the resentment passed down from her ancestors was easing just a bit.
As her heart wavered, Belesa urged Balak to look away quickly.
"Is there a problem?"
"This lady is basically naked right now!"
"Eh?"
At Belesa's point-out, Narin finally noticed her own state of dress.
She had originally been wearing light, flowing silk robes—not armor.
Her top was already torn to shreds from the hammer blow to her gut.
And her bottoms—!
"Eek?!"
"Sigh... Realizing it only now means you're pretty oblivious. So turn away already?"
"Tch, she was fine during the fight..."
Balak turned away with a grumble.
Narin, who was all but naked, flushed bright red from head to toe.
**************
Thanks to Belesa, things sorted themselves out smoothly after that.
The boss room, upgraded for good reason, had auto-restored to pristine condition.
Narin's clothes returned to normal, and she received proper healing too.
Now, having exchanged names with Belesa, Narin's state was—!
"T-To a man... and a man I'd just met..."
"Ahem... Changwol, still that embarrassed?"
"You're broken."
She embodied the East in every way.
Once Narin had somewhat regained her composure, Belesa answered nearly all her questions.
"That rugged highland I was in... it was really a secret realm?!"
"Yes. And this is Balak's dungeon."
"No way..."
Narin recalled the outskirts of that highland.
A strange, thick fog had lingered there.
Anyone who entered it returned to their original spot.
If the highland was inside a dungeon, it suddenly made sense of that eerie experience.
"Th-Then what about that jewel cave and the massive graveyard I saw?"
"Hm? Changwol, tell me more about that."
"In the highland I was in, stepping on a strange formation took you there."
At that moment, Balak remembered what Kairel had told him about the trolls and banshees.
The blacksmith troll was obviously the boss of the jewel cave.
And the banshee had to be the graveyard boss.
"Boss rush is way longer than I expected."
"Grand Master, what does that mean?"
"Changwol, let me explain the structure."
And so, some highly inaccurate information was imparted to Narin.
Normally, she might reject it as nonsense, with Belesa chiming in with the truth.
But unfortunately, Narin had experienced a dungeon layout similar to Balak's "boss rush" description.
"I see... It's like that top-tier secret realm I entered."
"Oh ho, what was that place like?"
"That secret realm had multiple rooms, each with a different powerful ghost. Beat the duel in one room, and you moved to the next."
"So the whole theme there was a boss rush."
Belesa, listening in, felt pangs of conscience.
But the pact sealed her lips anyway!
Her already blackened soul just grinned and let it slide.
"Sigh... Still, finding out Pengpeng was a dungeon boss too is a shock."
"There was nothing else in that crystal cave but Pengpeng."
"Good thing the little guy's a spirit beast. Otherwise..."
Narin sensed something odd as she listened to Balak and Belesa.
Pondering it, she realized.
"U-Um, Grand Master?"
"What's up?"
"Did you just say you're the owner of this secret realm?"
"Yep."
"Then you were... dragged here too?"
"Yep. Got yoinked."
"Heh heh heh... We're all in the same boat~"
Only then did Narin realize her massive misunderstanding—and promptly showed her Eastern politeness.
Thud!
"I-I'm so sorryyyyy!"
"Oh, a regular bow instead of a grand one. Been a while."
"Balak, sir, where'd you even see a 'grand bow' like that?"
"Everyone's got their thing."
Narin prostrated herself for drawing her sword first on an innocent man.
Balak and Belesa accepted her apology with smiles.
***********
Word spread that a new face had entered Balak's boss room, so Ferguson and Orek came by.
"G-Gulp..."
"Changwol, you okay?"
"Y-Yes, nothing."
Seeing Ferguson and Orek, Narin realized she was a frog in a well.
These guys were dungeon bosses like her too!
That meant they came from outside as well—
"...So this world was actually on the brink of destruction."
"Come on~ Don't say that just 'cause you saw us."
"Narin, if you'd joined Balak and the brothers at that meeting, your whole perspective would flip."
The two men, having gone to the meeting with Balak, had broadened horizons.
They spoke of countless hidden masters in this world and admitted they still had far to go.
Now that the whole family was gathered.
It was time to decide Narin's status.
Balak wanted to recruit Narin, who had limitless potential to grow stronger.
Problem was, unlike Kairel, the human-looking Narin— what exactly was she?
"So anyway. Changwol, what's your exact race?"
"I couldn't figure out what all was mixed in Narin either."
"M-My... true nature?"
Like Kairel with her half-breed woes, Narin struggled with the question.
But those worries vanished with the others' words.
"I'm a demon, naturally."
"I'm a werewolf."
"Orc here."
"I'm a succubus."
"......... "
Yes!! Their races were wildly diverse!
And one of them was a half-breed like her!
Gathering courage, she revealed herself.
"I-I'm half-human, half-yokai."
"Half-yokai? You mean demon-beast?"
"Yes... It went like this..."
Just as Narin's long flashback was about to begin.
Everyone around her hated that stuff.
"Changwol... Summarize your backstory in three lines."
"Balak's right. Dragging out your past... it's kinda..."
"Ahem!"
They'd all just met today.
No drinks flowing, and suddenly from the side:
[In the past, I had such a tragic, tear-jerking life—!!!]
Not the vibe.
Narin conceded that backstory-dumping was lame.
"Not a great tale anyway, so here's the summary."
"Refreshing, I like it."
"Dad was yokai, mom human. Lived with mom in the mountains. Met my master, fourth successor of the Moon Shadow Phantom Sword, learned the blade, and traveled the world."
"So you went from East to West?"
"Yes."
Everyone nodded at Narin's crisp summary.
"Still, Changwol, your mom sounds incredible."
"Yeah."
"Mothers are truly wondrous."
"Heh heh heh."
"Um, hello?"
Narin had just said she lived alone with mom in the mountains.
Dad's a yokai?
Meaning mom got seriously wronged by that yokai.
And got pregnant!!
Narin's mom could have hated the child.
But she described her as a wonderful mother.
Touched by that maternal love, the dungeon bosses patted Narin.
Yet her reaction seemed off.
Why was her face red?!
The guys, not prying into pasts, let it slide.
But Belesa, super curious, peeked into Narin's mind.
"Huh?"
"Belesa, what's up?"
"Oh, nothing!"
Narin's mom hadn't been assaulted at all.
If anything, the yokai was the one...
**************
Belesa realized Narin's mom was one bold woman.
Now with nothing to do on floor 1 but chat, she gave Balak a magic tool to teleport to Pengpeng.
After promising to build Pengpeng a house, she left.
Narin also accepted Balak's disciple offer, heavenly gift and all.
"Changwol, you already had a master. You cool with that?"
"My master had multiple grandmasters too. So no issue for me."
Swish...
"Master, time for the disciple ceremony."
"Nah, no need for that crap."
"Pardon?"
Sadly for Narin, Balak was a hardcore master.
He despised formalities like disciple rites.
To him, only reality mattered!
Ultra-practical training!
"Changwol, see my sworn brothers? You'll train like they did."
"...No way, Balak?"
"Nope?"
"Ahem, you brats, what're you saying!"
Excluding daughter-in-law Ophelia, everyone in this dungeon was basically Balak's direct disciple.
Pepi was too weak, sure.
Kairel only got five hours of training.
But those who've hit mental limits and those who haven't? Worlds apart.
And Narin was a fresh young martial artist!
To awaken her talent, Balak steeled himself and loosened up.
Crack!
Pop!
Bone sounds echoed, a chill filled the boss room, turning Orek and Ferguson's faces pale.
"Number two."
"Yessir!!!"
"Still no challengers reaching the rest area 'cause of the beastfolk?"
"Probably another week or two! Pepi and Kairel can head straight there, shortcut blocked!"
"You're getting the hang of it. Now, maknae?"
"Yessir!!!"
"Mini-dungeon's on you."
"G-Got it!"
As Narin failed to grasp the situation.
The boss room neared full lockdown.
"Eh? Uh... What?"
"Changwol! No need to freak."
"M-Master, what is this... "
"Training to get stronger. Specifically, to test your limits."
" ...! "
"All of them endured this secret process, that's how they got so strong."
Secret training from an overwhelming powerhouse!
Craving higher realms, Narin nodded.
"Hahaha! Knew it from the start—you're gonna be huge, Changwol!!"
"R-Really?"
"I never!! Say empty words!"
Thus, Narin volunteered for what no one else wanted.
What could they do?
Ferguson and Orek bolted.
No one else came to the boss room.
So...
Thud!
"Welcome aboard, volunteer."
Hell's gates opened for Narin.