Chapter 355: Ascension to Immortality (11)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 355: Ascension to Immortality (11)
By the time they breached the entrance to the residential district, Great King Jingwang and Great King Chogang, who were hurriedly preparing to flee, froze in front of the entrance to the 3rd Hell.
This was because Great King Songje, who oversaw the 3rd Hell, and Great King Ogwan, who oversaw the 4th Hell, had blocked their path.
“…Be honest with us.”
“Just what kind of mess did you make for a hole to be punched straight through from the 2nd Hell all the way to the 10th?”
…I wondered how far it went, but they pierced all the way to the 10th Hell?
In truth, even they thought it was far too much to hope that the other Great Kings wouldn’t notice. However, they had hoped to keep the knowledge to as few people as possible. The fact that it had reached the 10th Hell meant every single Great King was now aware of the incident.
It would be stranger if someone didn’t notice a hole literally skewering Hell.
“Well, the thing is…”
The problem was whether the others would even believe them if they told the truth.
An intruder broke in, and since he was stronger than expected, they summoned the Heavenly Army. But because it was the banquet season, they couldn’t get the specific troops they wanted, so the Victorious Fighting Buddha—Sun Wukong—flew down instead. Then, the intruder, who was already strong, suddenly became even more powerful as if he had undergone an Awakening and slammed Sun Wukong into the very bottom of Hell?
If another Great King had told them the same story, they would have told them to stop talking nonsense because April Fools’ Day was still a long way off.
Nevertheless, Great King Jingwang decided to come clean. Now that they were caught, it was only right to cooperate.
“We are in no mood for jokes, Jingwang.”
“Exactly. No matter how scared you are, at least say something that makes sense. An Earthly Immortal suddenly becoming strong enough to surpass a Celestial Immortal? Have you been reading third-rate novels lately?”
See? Who would ever believe this?
Great King Jingwang and Great King Chogang vented their frustration, but the other two only glared at them, telling them to quit the bullshit.
* * *
This is driving me crazy.
Just when I think I’ve finally lost those yokai bastards, those madmen with stakes immediately start chasing me. And when I run to avoid them, more yokai crawl out from somewhere, as if they’ve caught my scent.
With yokai behind me and stake-wielding monsters in front, I’m being hunted from both sides. I can’t move forward, so I’m just circling the same area.
To make matters worse, my shoes are in tatters from constantly moving through terrain covered in spikes and nails, and I’ve lost quite a bit of blood from the occasional skirmishes.
How long has it been since I felt like this?
In the past, this kind of situation was normal. I used to be chased by heroes and villains alike, covered in wounds.
…Ah, but back then, it was better than this.
Seo-ha was always by my side. Even if she wasn’t right next to me due to circumstances, I could endure it by thinking that she would be there to greet me when I returned.
I shouldn’t have leaned on her so one-sidedly like that.
[Uuuuuuuuuu~]
…It seems they have no intention of giving me time to regret the past, as the yokai have latched onto me tenaciously again.
“…Right. I don’t have time to be doing this here.”
If I want to fix my mistakes, I have to deal with this terminally ill body of mine first.
As I forced myself up, nails and spikes poked through my tattered shoes into the soles of my feet. It wasn’t unbearable, so I mustered my strength and began to run.
The monsters are approaching again.
I drove my dagger into the neck of a beast lunging at me, drawn by the scent of blood, and dodged the fangs and claws of another monster aiming for my throat.
I lunged at one of those stake-wielding monsters that appeared yet again, but it was stronger than I expected, and I was sent flying by a swing of its arm.
“…At least I landed on my back.”
If I’d scarred my face, everyone would have worried.
“I’ve done as much as I can.”
— Are you going to take it?
“…It’s better than dying. Even if I stubbornly try to hold out, I don’t think the girls will praise me for it.”
Truthfully, I didn’t want to use it if possible, but I can’t die just to save it.
Just as I was about to take the medicine the Doctor gave me…
A golden storm swept through, blowing the yokai away.
“The… Nimbus Cloud?”
The golden storm that blew the yokai away soon changed its form into something quite fluffy. To put it simply, it was the actual Nimbus Cloud that Sun Wukong had arrived on.
I briefly wondered why the Nimbus Cloud had suddenly appeared to help me, but then I saw the golden cloud charging toward me like an angry horse.
Ah, you’re not here to help? You’re trying to catch me too!
“Shit…!”
The moment I thought I had dodged it by throwing myself aside, the Nimbus Cloud was already waiting where I landed, as if mocking my efforts.
As a side note, the Taoist art known as the Nimbus Cloud in Journey to the West is described as being able to travel the impossible distance of 108,000 li in the blink of an eye, which translates to roughly 42,400 km per second.
…Well, whether that’s true or not is secondary; the point is that its overwhelming speed is an undeniable fact. What’s even scarier about the Nimbus Cloud is that, depending on the user’s skill, there are no restrictions on changing speed, stopping, or turning, even at that staggering velocity.
Which meant…
“The Nimbus Cloud can only be ridden by those with a pure heart, so I definitely can’t ride it, right?”
— Then how do you think I rode it? To be precise, one must learn the Taoist art to make themselves light enough to ride a cloud. Stop talking nonsense.
It meant I had no way to escape.
Poof. Before I knew it, I was enveloped in a sensation that was exactly as fluffy and cozy as it looked. The golden cloud changed its shape to bind me, wrapping around me.
I was technically restrained, but because of the soft, pillowy texture, it didn’t really feel like I was being held captive.
The inside of the cloud was even strangely warm, making me feel like my wounds were being healed.
…Is this better than playing hide-and-seek with yokai in a hell full of nails and spikes while I’m powerless?
For a moment, that crazy thought crossed my mind, but the moment the stationary Nimbus Cloud began to move, my half-frozen brain started working again.
If I think about it, if I’m dragged away like this and face Sun Wukong, she’s going to pluck my eyes out without hesitation.
Naturally, I hate the idea of having my eyes plucked out, but if the girls saw me like that, they would definitely lose their minds.
“Um, the position is a bit uncomfortable, so could you let me go?”
I needed to escape, but I couldn’t think of a proper way, so I tried talking to it.
Why am I talking to a cloud? Have I finally lost it?
But strangely enough, it worked. The Nimbus Cloud changed the way it was holding me, transforming into something as soft as a bed. It was still restraining me like a blanket, but my back felt oddly comfortable.
“…Huh? Can you actually understand me?”
The Nimbus Cloud produced a small, round puff of cloud as if to say yes.
— Well, the Nimbus Cloud itself is just a technique for riding clouds, but this fellow is a bit special. It has a will of its own.
…Then can’t I persuade it?
— Persuading it will be impossible, though. I once got into a huge argument trying to persuade this thing, and in the end, I couldn’t break its stubbornness.
‘No, then you’re saying I just have to be captured like this?’
— Well, if you really want to, there isn’t no way to escape, but…
The feeling of the fluffy cloud patting my back as if asking if I was comfortable now was very strange.
More importantly, seeing it start to float as if it were about to depart now that I wasn’t uncomfortable, I realized I had to hurry.
‘Whatever it is, just do it quickly! If I get caught like this, my eyes are definitely getting plucked out…!’
— Mmm, I think you’ll regret it, but… well, I suppose it’s better than being caught.
I wondered what kind of method it was for Sun Wukong to hesitate so much, but the moment an image flashed into my mind, I realized why she had been so reluctant.
Three women, completely melted with desire.
Cathy Noona, Ha-ni, and even Ga-eul.
They were breathing heavily, their clothes disheveled, as they began to reach out toward me. As I was pulled toward the bed by the three of them, unable to even resist…
“Ah.”
I felt a sudden sense of floating.
— The Nimbus Cloud technique cannot be used by those with strong worldly desires. So, by momentarily showing you an illusion to swell your desires, you naturally slip off.
Aha, I see. Come to think of it, I think I’ve seen a description like that before.
Honestly, it’s a bit embarrassing, but it’s not unbearable.
“…Next time there’s a method like this, could you use it a bit sooner?”
Specifically, I wish he’d used it before the Nimbus Cloud took off.
Because the cloud’s departure and my escape happened almost simultaneously, I was left stranded in mid-air, with no idea where I was.
And unfortunately, since I couldn’t use my Artifacts, I had no talent for flying. Naturally, gravity began to pull me down.
— Mmm, yes. I admit it. I was too late.
As I gained momentum, I began to fall faster and faster.
…Seriously, it’s just one thing after another.
* * *
Lilac, the loyal boy who followed his friend all the way to Hell, looked at the streets of Hell now dyed in platinum light and thought to himself:
Truly. Truly, no matter what happens, I hope So-hyun lives a long life. No, wait.
“Haha! You think things like you can stop me?! If you don’t want to see this city blown to bits, you’d better move out of the way!”
For the sake of humanity’s peace, he absolutely must live a long life.
It was good that we deceived the army at the entrance and infiltrated quickly, but just before we reached the palace of the one called Great King Chogang, those who realized they had been tricked brought more troops to block our path.
At first, we tried to resolve it through dialogue, but having already been deceived, they wouldn’t listen to a word we said.
The trouble started when Park A-ram stepped forward, dissatisfied with the meaningless passage of time.
— Look, honestly, I’m sorry we tricked you, but we have a pretty urgent situation of our own, okay? One of our comrades is… well, he’s sick in many ways, and we got separated, so we have to go find him…
— Silence! What right do you intruders have to speak! If he’s your comrade, then he’s an intruder just like you! Whether he’s sick or not, what does that have to do with us!
— Uh, well, that’s true, but for now, let’s try to resolve this as peacefully as possible…
— Don’t listen to them! Everyone, prepare the capture formation!
— Wow, honestly, I’m being humble because I feel a bit bad, but you guys really don’t know when to stop, do you? Where did you learn the manners to keep ignoring someone when they’re talking?
In the end, the Platinum Witch revealed her true form and clashed with the legions of Hell. Initially, the legions of Hell tried to overcome the power gap with sheer numbers and balanced the scales using various strange Artifacts.
However, after seeing them try to protect the streets from stray attacks, Park A-ram smiled, saying she had found their weakness. Then, without a moment’s hesitation, she proceeded to take the streets of Hell hostage.
…Of course, I’m sure she doesn’t actually intend to drop that magic, but since we’re supposed to be heroes, everyone’s behavior has become far too extreme without So-hyun here.
“If you don’t want your town to become a mess, drop your weapons right now!”
“That Professor over there is the type to actually do it if she says so~ You’re all going to regret it~? It’s not like we’re asking for anything grand, we just need you to open the path~”
…Everyone, you’re not actually planning to drop it, right?
Seeing Professor Cathy and Baek Seol Senior shouting at the front made me a bit anxious.
“Oh? Seeing you glare like that makes me feel like my hand might slip. You. Yeah, you. The one at the very front. Don’t look away. Should I drop it? You want me to really drop it!?”
…Professor Park A-ram is just acting too, right? She’s not actually going to do it, right?
“This isn’t working! Professor! Just drop it already!”
“Seeing how they’re hesitating, I guess this street isn’t that precious to them after all?”
And after seeing Ga-eul and Han-hee join in the shouting, I became certain.
“Everyone, please drop your weapons and surrender! These people are serious…!”
So-hyun, it seems that without you, the top powers of our Academy are no different from a runaway train that can’t be controlled.
I don’t think I can control them at all, so could you please come back quickly?