Chapter 147

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Translator: penny

Chapter: 147

Chapter Title: Frozen Ruins

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"Ssshhh..."

"What the fuck."

Armor. Armor. Armor. No matter where I go, these frozen armors cling to me like glue. And the fucking worst part? These bastards just ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠sit there like decorations until I get close. [Presence Detection] doesn't even ping until I'm right up in their grill.

'Figured it out thanks to the familiar.'

I'd sent the familiar ahead into that long corridor instead of going in myself, then used [Sensory Transfer] to scout. That's how I caught on.

'Why don't they react to the familiar, but go nuts the second it's me?'

When I send the familiar, they stay put like statues. But the moment I get a bit closer, they sense me like ghosts and come charging. They didn't react even under [Sensory Block], so it's not like they're detecting life force or anything...

'Condition set: Block all senses that detect me as the target.'

So I tweaked the approach. Those frozen knights... fuck, that's a mouthful. From now on, you're Arthas.

Anyway, [Sensory Block] wasn't completely useless, so I adjusted the conditions to block every sense it used to detect me specifically and gave the skill a shot.

And the result...

"Ssshhh..."

"Damn it. How the hell does it know?"

The skill definitely landed. It guzzled way more mana than a standard [Sensory Block]. But just when I thought I was safe and closed in, the bastard attacked again.

-Whoosh! Swoosh!

"Huh? What?"

But it wasn't a total loss. Dodging its swing this time, I noticed ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠it wasn't showing the same elite swordsmanship as before.

Less precise, maybe? It wasn't swinging with clear recognition of me—like a puppet following orders, stiff and mechanical...

'Turn off the skill for now. Gotta conserve mana.'

I felt like I was onto something, but no telling what else might pop up, so I dropped the skill to save mana. The instant it wore off, Arthas whipped his sword at me with fluid, expert technique—totally different from seconds ago.

"Is this place just crawling with these fuckers?"

I'd traversed plenty of corridors, cracked open multiple doors, but it was the same monsters everywhere. Just the numbers varied.

One other thing I'd spotted...

'Whoa.'

The skill triggered just as I was about to step forward. I carefully used [Trap Disarm Lv. 4] to pry up the stone underfoot and disable the trigger.

-Click!

'Nice. Leveled up.'

Like the ruins on the 9th floor, nasty traps lurked everywhere. Thanks to them, [Trap Detection] and [Trap Disarm] were leveling steadily...

-Stab.

"Ah."

-Krrrng!

After disarming one and stepping forward confidently, the stone underfoot sank slightly. Then razor-sharp ice spears erupted from the ceiling amid a whirlwind of bone-chilling cold.

"Gahhh! Fuck!"

I hadn't activated [Sensory Block] in time, so the chill pierced straight to my bones. Part of my body froze solid as I screamed.

Even at Lv. 5, [Trap Detection] kept missing these high-level traps. Without my resistance skills, I'd be dead ten times over.

"H-Huh... Fuck..."

With trembling hands, I pulled food from my inventory—not my usual stuff, but the flaming monster meat I'd hunted on the 21st floor on the way down.

-Crunch!

Biting into the bloody, flames-licked meat scorched my throat and stomach, but [Regeneration] kicked in from the heat influx. Finally, my frozen body started thawing bit by bit.

"This is insane... Didn't think [Regeneration] could slow down."

The skill regenerated even burns without issue, but frozen wounds healed way slower. Cell activity slowing? No clue how [Regeneration] works exactly.

This space wasn't just cold—something else was at play. Grab anything but this flaming food, and it'd freeze solid instantly. So I was stuck burning through 21st-floor monster meat, but even that had limits.

"This place is pure evil bullshit..."

I clicked my tongue at the ruins' traps, hell-bent on killing intruders.

[Sensory Block] barely working on monsters, slowed regen... Felt like someone designed this shit specifically to fuck me over.

Undead, so no poison. No idea how they detect, but stealth fails too. At least resistances hold up.

"Finally the end?"

I stopped before a massive door, nothing like the others.

'[Presence Detection]... no dice, as expected. Wasn't hoping anyway.'

Obviously something inside, but no ping. Part of me wanted to hole up, ignore doors, wait for rescue...

'If this mutation's legit... rescue might not come. Or it'd take forever.'

Post-mutation labyrinths spike in danger, so the Labyrinth Guild bars adventurers right after. If I'm on 22F, it'd take ages for anyone to reach here.

'Even with inventory, no clue how long I can hold out.'

Better to scout the ruins while potions and food last. That's what I'd been doing...

'But how is this place so goddamn barren?'

Ruins should have artifacts or relics, right? The 9F ones were sparse, but this? Not a single usable item anywhere...

Searched every room—no exit, just this huge door left.

'No way there's no exit...'

Unwelcome thought, but I shook it off and reached for the door... then stopped.

'No idea what's beyond.'

I channeled mana into my drawn sword. The Berserker's Gauntlets—soaked in blood along the way (freezing kept sucking)—let out an ominous howl, granting terrifying power.

'Whatever's behind that door.'

I'll smack it first and find out.

-BOOM!

The crimson slash, loaded with max mana I could wield at once, cleaved the massive door in half and kept going.

-KABOOM!

Everything in its path shattered. The slash barreled on before clashing with black-and-blue armor, finally losing steam.

"Hmm..."

I eyed the hulking figure unscathed by my slash. Compared to the other knights in these ruins, its armor looked pristine, high-quality.

"...Should've called this one Arthas, not that other scrub."

The moment I muttered, the knight in dark blue armor—Arthas... no, the knight—propped itself up in the vast hall's center, greatsword planted in the ground.

".....I...an..."

"What? It talks?"

A chilling voice leaked from the armor's seams. My spine tingled as I stared in shock.

"...Seen all kinds of monsters so far, but never one that speaks human tongue."

"...His... will..."

"Cut the cryptic shit only you understand. Can you explain so I get it? Who's 'He'?"

Hoping for dialogue, I tried talking. But the knight drew its greatsword, blue glows piercing from the visor, locking eyes with me.

-Chill!

"Guh!"

Killing intent hit. I ducked instantly—a frosty slash sheared a few hairs and demolished the passage I'd just entered.

'Fuck. This ain't a joke.'

That glimpse of top-tier swordsmanship from the slash had cold sweat trickling as I regripped my sword.

The other ruin monsters had decent skills, but this knight's aura was on another level.

-Thud!

It kicked off the ground, charging. I crouched to brace, parrying the hefty greatsword swing.

-Clang!

'Ngh, heavy!'

Even with perfect form to mitigate, the weight transmitted through my blade made me grit my teeth. I burst mana to create distance.

-Crackle!

"Urk?!"

But then, eerie energy bloomed from its greatsword, slowly freezing my blade where they touched—and creeping toward my arm.

"You fucking—!"

-Fwoosh!

Panicking, I pumped mana into my sword, flames barely shoving the ice back. I kicked at the closing knight to gain space.

-Thwack!

"Kff!"

But as I kicked, it swiftly recovered the greatsword and smashed its elbow down on my ankle. Off-balance, I awkwardly tumbled across the floor.

"...W...weak..."

"Fuck. Never thought I'd get mocked by a monster."

I brushed off ice shards and charged this time, kicking off the ground.

-Clang!

As expected, it anticipated and raised the greatsword's flat to block. But when longsword met greatsword, the outcome flipped expectations.

-BOOM!

"...Uh... what?"

Immense power surged from my arms, muscles bulging, forcibly batting aside the blocking greatsword. I followed with a flurry of swings; it recovered to defend.

'Inventory, store.'

-Swoosh!

"...!!"

I feinted a wide swing, stowed the sword in inventory mid-motion, and drew a fresh one with my left hand.

-Stab!

Then jammed the left-held blade straight under its chin.