Chapter 29
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 29
Chapter Title: How to Save Erina Esnatia
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Why on earth would a mere C-grade dungeon bear such a grandiose name as [Temple of Fate]?
Because of the condition required for it to appear.
Condition.
I looked up at the ceiling.
The words were clearly inscribed there.
[Only permitted to those loved by fate.]
After this dungeon was first discovered, there had been endless debate over how to interpret those words.
But after years of research yielded nothing, everyone concluded they meant absolutely zilch.
'In the end, with no incidents for decades, they figured that proved it.'
Hardly anyone in the current [Awakening to SSS Hunter Academy] would even remember this.
'Those loved by fate.'
Simple.
Fate is dictated by the god of this world.
And the god of [Awakening to SSS Hunter Academy] is its author.
The one who receives his favor is, naturally, the protagonist, Lee Seong-hyeon.
The condition to become [those loved by fate] is to be a regressor.
In other words, just Lee Seong-hyeon—the regressor—touching this wall would cause the cave to collapse, and the door to the [Temple of Fate] to open simultaneously.
It's a contrived plot device to shove the protagonist forward.
How ridiculously convenient.
'I'm not the protagonist, and fate sure doesn't love me. But I have to get in there.'
Obviously, as a non-regressor, no matter what I do to this wall, the door to the [Temple of Fate] won't open for me.
'Skillbook.'
Skills:
- • Poor Strike LV. 3 (E-grade)
- • Dark Screen LV. 2 (D-grade)
- • Bunny Hop LV. 1 (D-grade)
- • Regression LV. 0 (EX-grade)
: Skill Phantom (D) is mimicking Skill Regression (EX).
Fine.
If the [Temple of Fate] won't open its doors to me, I'll just trick the temple itself.
To that end, I used Phantom to mimic 'Regression' on my Skillbook.
'Even with the same skill, mimicking Regression would be impossible without knowing it exists or how it works.'
But since I know exactly what the Regression skill is and its mechanics, I could replicate it via [Phantom].
All that's left is to place my hand on the wall in front of me and fling open the doors to the [Temple of Fate].
-Thud, thud.
As I approached the wall, Erina Esnatia looked my way.
"What are you doing, KIMCHI? Hurry up and finish so we can go back. I want to end things with YOU quick!"
"I'm tired. Let's rest a bit."
Erina Esnatia scoffed, covering her mouth with her hand in mockery.
"HA! As expected, KIMCHI weakling. Pathetic."
Even if she didn't know her life was saved thanks to me, was there really reason to hate me this much?
I'd just schemed a little meeting,
fibbed a bit about my name,
pretended to be her fated one for a moment.
Ah, yeah, I get why she'd hate me.
"Fine, got it. Let's rest a little. I'm worn out from leading the way."
Erina Esnatia clicked her tongue and shook her head like she had no choice.
"Ok. YOU figured out all those traps alone, so yeah, you're tired."
"What's this? You're actually giving me credit."
"What the hell do YOU think I am?"
"A total psycho bi..."
"Shut up and rest."
Under her glare, I quietly sidled up to the wall.
"But seriously, KIMCHI, your trap-spotting skills aren't normal at all... Not bad, actually. Did someone teach you?"
"Self-taught."
"As if."
She stared at me like that was absurd, then muttered to herself.
"No way... A commoner like KIMCHI couldn't get proper training. So, really self-taught? Is that even possible? Maybe he's unexpectedly..."
I can hear you.
Erina seems to have caught her breath now.
Rest too long, and it'll just raise suspicions.
Time to start.
I casually placed my hand on the dead-end wall of the dungeon.
'Come on, let's go together. Erina Esnatia.'
You're forcibly drafted for the [Temple of Fate] raid too.
The instant my hand touched the cave wall.
-Click.
Soon, this cave would collapse, sealing off the path we came from.
And at the same time, the dead-end wall before us would become the entrance to the [Temple of Fate].
'Alright, let's go! My tutorial, my opportunity! Time to claim it all!'
Krummmble—!!
An enormous rumble.
With it, the entire cave began shedding rocks like it was crumbling apart.
"W-WHAT?!! What did you do, KIMCHI!!"
"I didn't do anything. You saw."
"Shit!! I knew it."
What the hell is she on about?
She glared and pulled out her shield.
"KIMCHI!! You thought you could take me?!"
"No. Calm down."
"I can't calm down!! This! This is YOUR doing, right?! What are you planning with pretty ME!!!"
The moment something happens, she suspects me first.
What inhumane distrust!
Okay, the collapse was my doing,
but her assumption's off.
"I have zero interest in your body. Relax."
"WHAT...?!"
No time for chit-chat with her.
If we don't move fast, we'll be buried and actually die.
'Hard pass on that!!'
Boom—
Rummmble—
The cave collapsed relentlessly from the way we'd come, no respite.
This spot would give way soon too.
"HELP!!!!! I can't die yet! I haven't met my destined prince!!! Buried alive with a KIMCHI like you? No way!"
"Y'know, thinking about it, kimchi's supposed to be buried anyway."
To ferment.
"FUCK!!! SHUT UP AND FOLLOW ME!!!"
Erina screamed and yanked my wrist hard, dragging me along.
"RUN!!"
'Is that why her Skillbook genre became Holy Knight? Because she looks out for others even in situations like this.'
Sure, she acts tough, but the girl's got a good heart.
-Boom!
-Boom!
Dodging the falling rocks behind her, we retreated to the cave's corner, but we were soon cornered at the dead end.
"No more places to dodge!! I'll turn into fermented mush with a weak-ass KIMCHI like you!!"
Erina Esnatia shrieked in despair.
Nope, scratch that.
She's a Holy Knight to suppress her wicked nature with the Skillbook.
Definitely.
I don't wanna get buried with you either!!
"HELP!!!!"
Open the [Temple of Fate] door!!
Rooooar—
At that moment, amid the crashing sounds, Erina Esnatia's eyes sparkled as she shouted.
"K-KIMCHI! It's open!! Destiny truly shines on ME! We're not dying here!!"
The dead-end path of this cave had crumbled away, revealing the [Temple of Fate].
'Finally.'
Honestly, I thought I'd messed up.
Thought I'd go from KIMCHI to SINKIMCHI.
The entrance matched [Awakening to SSS Hunter Academy]'s description: a crumbling, eerie temple that looked frozen in time.
'Wait, something's a little off?'
Like time had stopped.
Temple fragments hovering in midair.
'This is weird...'
It differed slightly from the novel's description.
What was going on?
That's when Erina stepped toward the [Temple of Fate] entrance and yelled.
"We're going in! Stay here and you're DOG dead, KIMCHI!"
Like she said, this place would collapse soon anyway.
We had to enter the [Temple of Fate] to survive.
Though a dungeon boss awaited inside.
K-Warrior and badass... Erina Esnatia. That combo should win.
Yeah, totally doable!
"Let's go!!"
After entering the Temple of Fate, the outside had completely collapsed.
"OH... It's pitch black."
Just as she said, total darkness here.
"Stick by my side for now."
"SHIT! KIMCHI stays behind me. I'm the front line here."
"Thanks for thinking of me."
"YOU'RE a weakling, so if a monster shows, you'll DIE. DIE."
Damn, this girl...
Wanna smack her from behind.
Wait, it's dark anyway—might as well.
Yeah, just a light tap...
The moment I raised my fist to Erina's occiput, she shouted like a brilliant idea had struck her.
"First, send a rescue request outside!"
"Yes! Do that!"
Pointless, really.
This place was completely cut off from the outside.
No sending rescue requests, obviously.
"WHAT!!! What's this?! K-Comms are jammed!!"
"Try harder."
Erina Esnatia clutched her head in frustration.
Kinda funny.
Then she perked up like she'd thought of something.
"We find the exit door! YOU search quick too! There's gotta be a fateful door for ME!"
A door, huh.
The [Temple of Fate] interior does connect to an outward passage.
She raised her shield cautiously and advanced, determined to find an escape.
'There is a passage, sure. The problem is...'
[Fate.....]
The air turned icy in an instant.
Everything felt frozen still.
Like the world was slowly cooling.
"KIMCHI? I feel a weird energy."
At that moment, a blue light sliced through the darkness, aiming straight for Erina Esnatia.
-Whoosh.
I yanked her nape backward.
"W-WHAT! Why again? KIM..."
That's when countless blue lights bloomed across the dungeon floor.
"W-What's this! K-Dungeon SHIT!"
Those lights stretched to the limits of vision,
forming an endless horizon unimaginable for a dungeon interior.
'What the...'
No such description in the [Temple of Fate].
How was this happening?
Erina looked at me in panic.
[One abandoned by fate....]
"K-KIMCHI. What'd you just say to me...?"
"No, I didn't say anything..."
How was any of this happening?
I couldn't figure it out.
[The noble guest is an uninvited lowly one. A cogwheel that cannot defy inevitable fate.]
'This is...'
I shouted toward Erina Esnatia.
"Erina, shield up! Battle ready!"
"What?! Why all of a sudden..."
"Now!"
"O-Okay. Why yell like that..."
-Shhhk.
From the darkness, like cloth unfurling.
In the shadows where heavy blue light intertwined with black blood, a massive female silhouette loomed.
Clear as day.
Something was clearly going wrong.
[Its end is only death.]
Fucked.