Chapter 56: Whoa...
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 56: Whoa...
[Transporting to Planet EB-17]
[Confirmed: 3 matching targets]
[Matching time has been significantly increased for a smoother dating experience]
[We hope you have a wonderful time]
The familiar sensation of the air shifting around me washed over me.
In an instant, the musty smell of my studio apartment was replaced by the foul, fishy stench of an underground passage.
And not far off, a familiar face was there to greet me.
A vicious lizard head, stark white hide that looked like it could easily deflect a bullet, and a massive, muscular frame that seemed to be three meters tall.
-Grrrr...
It was the Lizard Warrior, the gatekeeper of the underground dungeon's first floor.
The first time I saw it, I'd vaguely wondered if I could even take it down. Not anymore.
The magic stone embedded in Gilenium began to glow.
[Strength]
[Haste]
[Balance]
[The Steps of Fire]
Support magic is, by nature, common magic.
Elementalists, Conceptualists, and Alchemists can all use it.
However, it consumes a significant amount of magic power and has the drawback of not being castable on others.
Furthermore, casting it on oneself puts a strain on the magic circuits, so it wasn't a type of magic that drew much attention from mages. In fact, it was considered half-obsolete.
But none of that mattered to me.
Magic power? I could replenish it quickly with a little meditation, and my total capacity had long surpassed the level of a 2nd Circle mage.
Besides, thanks to the holy water I drank last time, my magic circuits had been strengthened. There was no reason not to use support magic.
-Kuaaaah!!
Unable to wait any longer, the Lizard Warrior charged at me, holding its one remaining spear.
The pressure it exuded was unbelievable for a C+ rank monster.
[Thought Acceleration]
Even so, it was nowhere near the level of the Ice Golem.
In time that had slowed to nearly half its normal speed, I invested most of my remaining magic power into a barrier spell.
I abandoned the idea of creating a wide-range barrier.
All I had to do was envelop the Lizard Warrior's spearhead.
Just as I had once created a barrier only on my glabella in an extreme situation, this time I envisioned, constructed, and deployed a barrier that would wrap around the spearhead.
Clang!
-K-krrk?!
The Lizard Warrior, which had been charging at an incredible speed, found its spear frozen in mid-air by the barrier around the tip. It desperately clung to the shaft, struggling to break the barrier.
[Weakness Insight]
Its frantic struggles were no different from it getting on its knees and begging me to attack.
Ignoring the brain, glabella, neck, and heart, I charged toward the area that glowed the brightest red.
My speed must have been unexpected, because the Lizard Warrior let go of its spear.
Having abandoned its weapon, it tried to backpedal and dodge the attack, but I wasn't so unskilled that it could evade me with its posture broken.
It had only been a short week, but I'd received one-on-one coaching from the Wolf Girl who could draw out an Aura Blade.
I'd also gained real combat experience in a B-rank isolated gate.
I had trained my magic power in my spare time and strengthened my magic circuits with holy water.
Even without an increase in my realm, I was now strong enough that I didn't have to run from a Lizard Warrior.
Thwack!!
Gilenium, emitting a blue light, shot forward like a flash and pierced straight through the creature's side.
With a hole the size of a tire punched through it, the Lizard Warrior collapsed, spewing not an unpleasant cry but an endless stream of dark red blood.
Ting-
[You have defeated the Lizard Warrior.]
[First Kill Reward: 200 Coins]
I didn't really care about the reward coins.
The sense of accomplishment from taking down the Lizard Warrior was much better. Besides, I already had over 2,000 coins.
With nothing worth buying in the shop right now, coins weren't that important.
Still, I made sure to buy up any health potions, magic potions, and vitality potions—which seemed like a lesser version of holy water—whenever they appeared.
I used magic detection and found no other monsters nearby.
I considered meditating to restore my magic power, but just in case, I drank a magic potion first.
There was no point in saving it only for it to go to waste.
The magic potion tasted like a familiar sports drink.
After catching my breath for a moment, I bent down to harvest the Lizard Warrior's magic stone. That's when I spotted something glittering near the corpse.
It was a small key and a dagger.
The key's purpose was obvious. It had to be for the stone gate up ahead.
Right now, though, the dagger caught my eye more than the key.
“Don't tell me this is an artifact...?”
It was equipment dropped by a monster. I couldn't help but get my hopes up.
Forcing my wildly pounding heart to calm down, I gripped the dagger and focused.
A while ago, I'd discovered a new function of the app.
An absurdly useful feature that allowed me to identify a magic tool or artifact just by holding it and concentrating.
Ting-
[Information on the newly acquired item is being collected.]
[Viper's Fang
Grade: Rare
Increases the power of attacks from behind.
Reduces the user's presence.
On hit, has a chance to inflict a poison effect on the target.
Allows the use of 'Wind's Walk'.]
“It's an item for an assassin.”
After a quick glance at the description, I put the dagger into my inventory.
I was already unhappy with my current situation as a mage running around lopping off monster heads with a sword. Imagine if I went down the assassin skill tree on top of that.
What kind of failed character build would that be?
Of course, being able to use magic, swordsmanship, and even assassination techniques would theoretically make me invincible, but since I live in the real world, I have to look at things objectively.
There's a reason high school students are split into science, liberal arts, and arts & physical education tracks for college.
Still, the good thing was that the dagger did seem to be an artifact.
Other than Gilenium, I'd never seen a piece of equipment with so many different effects.
At the very least, it wasn't an ordinary magic tool.
I was already planning to get rid of the wand and magic sword I wouldn't be needing soon anyway. When I get back to Earth, I'll have to run through a few suitable gates to create a plausible origin story for these items.
“Should I head up for now?”
I wanted to see Iris too much to get lost in other thoughts.
*
Finding the way up wasn't very difficult.
All I had to do was follow the map I'd made last time. It would have been weirder if that was hard.
However, the path back was littered with the corpses of the monsters I'd killed.
As the stench of rot constantly assaulted my nose, my gaze naturally drifted elsewhere.
[Remaining Matching Time: 166:42:36]
Is this what they mean by a sight that fills you up just by looking at it?
With three matching targets, the matching time had increased tremendously.
I was a little surprised, but considering how ridiculously short the matching time had been until now, even a week wasn't exactly generous.
'If only I could extend it with coins, I'd make it a month.'
It was a shame I couldn't.
Lost in these and other idle thoughts, I soon reached the stairs leading up.
It took me a little over two hours to get here.
Since I didn't have to worry about monsters or traps, it was only natural that I arrived quickly.
I considered resting for a bit before going up, but the thought of Iris made me choose to climb the stairs immediately.
As I climbed the stairs one by one, I was suddenly reminded of a friend from high school who constantly skipped evening study hall just to see his girlfriend.
He had no knack for it, so he got caught by our homeroom teacher every single time he snuck out and got his ass beat with a paddle.
The funny thing was, even though he got beaten every time, he never stopped skipping.
I once asked him why he couldn't just meet her after study hall was over. This is what he said:
-I'm already holding myself back from running to see her during class.
Back then, I thought he was talking nonsense, but now I could understand him.
That was exactly how I felt right now.
Even as I ran until I was breathless, I was still looking for a way to get up there even a little bit faster.
That's how desperately I wanted to see Iris.
After running for a long time, I saw a faint light filtering down from above, and my heart began to pound without me realizing it.
It wasn't from exhaustion.
I slowed my pace and climbed the remaining steps one by one.
The light grew more intense, and in the moment the air changed—
“Hyun-woo...?”
My eyes met with the person I had longed to see.
“Iris!”
Her eyes wide, Iris immediately ran and threw herself into my arms.
I held her tight, as if afraid I might drop her.
From my perspective, it had been over two weeks since I'd last seen Iris, but for her, it had probably only been a few hours.
Even so, I was deeply grateful for how warmly she welcomed me.
“Are you hurt anywhere?”
After a while in my arms, Iris looked me over from head to toe, her eyes filled with concern.
She looked so cute that I had no choice but to punish her.
A life sentence: she wouldn't be allowed to leave my arms until I was satisfied.
“H-Hyun-woo, I can't breathe...!”
Even as she said she couldn't breathe, Iris was the one snuggling deeper into my embrace.
As if to make up for the time we'd been apart, we stayed clinging to each other for a long while.
Then it occurred to me that the World Tree was quiet.
“Iris, where is the World Tree?”
I could have just called her the World Tree, but I couldn't do that in front of Iris, her ardent believer.
It was the same principle as an irreligious man starting to attend church because he loves his girlfriend so much.
“Ah, she said she was visiting the Divine Realm for a bit. I think she'll be back around tomorrow... but I'm not entirely sure.”
“Is that so?”
I didn't show it in front of Iris, but when I heard the World Tree was away, my first thought was that the timing was perfect.
It would have been awkward to be all over Iris with the World Tree right there.
Like trying to be affectionate with your wife in front of your mother-in-law?
Then again, according to the myths Iris told me, the World Tree created the elves.
Thinking of it that way, the analogy wasn't entirely wrong.
Anyway, my mother-in-law is a tree. I don't think I'll be able to use wood as kindling for a fire ever again.
“Um, Hyun-woo. Did you perhaps go back to your original world?”
“Uh... is it that obvious?”
“Yes, your magic power is much more stable than before. Your total capacity has increased a lot, and your magic circuits are stronger, too. And...”
Iris suddenly blushed.
“Y-your body is more toned, too.”
“...”
In that moment, my new goal was set: a total of 800 kg on the big three lifts.
Lifting 800 kg without using magic power would be no easy feat.
“You must have gone through a lot.”
While I was lost in thought, Iris gently caressed my cheek with her soft hand.
“It was nothing.”
Until I could get Iris out of this shithole, those were words I didn't deserve to hear.
“Should we eat first?”
I'd brought a few takeout course meals from the most famous vegan restaurant in Gangnam for Iris, since she's a vegetarian.
My inventory was a bit tight, but I made room by getting rid of some unnecessary survival supplies, so it was fine.
Nothing was more important than the food that would go into Iris's mouth.
“Okay!”
Look at that. She's so happy, her cute ears are even flapping with a bright smile. What's the big deal about ditching a few survival supplies?
As I watched her with a pleased smile, my eyes fell on the torn parts of her dress.
I felt a little guilty.
After all, I was the one who'd torn her clothes like that.
It didn't seem completely unwearable, but it wasn't great for her to keep walking around like that.
It was a good thing I'd brought a few outfits for her just in case. Otherwise, she would have had to stay in that state.
I don't know much about women's clothes, so I just bought everything the department store employee recommended. I hope there's something in here that Iris likes.
Fortunately, clothes were grouped into a single category regardless of whether they were tops or bottoms, so I could fit dozens of outfits into a single inventory slot.
'This dress would look good on her... Oh, there's a tight-fitting knit sweater and jeans, too. Holy shit, should I go with this one?'
Still, since this would be her first time wearing modern clothes, I wanted to see her in an outfit that suited my tastes.
Of course, I had no intention of forcing her if she said no.
As I rummaged through my inventory with the eyes of a male scrolling through a porn site for dozens of minutes looking for fap material, I felt an instinct I simply couldn't resist.
Honestly, it wasn't an outfit that the pure and innocent Iris would like, but I wanted to see her wear it, just once.
“Iris.”
“What is it?”
Nestled against my chest, Iris looked up at my call.
The moment I saw her endlessly clear eyes, an indescribable guilt began to boil up inside me.
But I couldn't give up now.
“Uh, don't you need to change your clothes?”
“Huh? Ah...”
Iris glanced at the torn parts of her dress around her chest and back, then blushed in embarrassment.
“I brought some clothes from my world. Want to try them on?”
“Really?”
Seeing Iris rejoice like a child at the mention of new clothes, my simple guilt evolved into a heart-wrenching anguish.
Nevertheless, having come this far, I couldn't back down.
I carefully took out the clothes and handed them to Iris.
Iris took the clothes and was momentarily horrified by the bold design, but after my earnest plea for her to wear them just once, she shyly nodded and quietly stepped outside the temple.
And so, after what felt like three hours but was only three minutes...
“H-Hyun-woo...”
“I think... the clothes are a l-little small...”
The moment I saw Iris after she had changed, I was speechless.
The tight tank top and dolphin shorts accentuated her devastating figure.
Her bursting breasts, well-defined hips, and her large, firm-looking butt and thighs.
In the end, my patience snapped.
“H-Hyun-woo...??”
It was only natural that I would grab Iris's wrist and lead her out of the temple.
With the World Tree gone, there was only one thing for me to do.