Chapter 77
Chapter 77
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 77
Chapter Title: Isolated
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Isolated.
When I came to, all I could see was darkness.
A pitch-black void where I couldn't see an inch ahead. I quietly opened my eyes there.
'...Does it make sense that my head hurts this much just from stealing some dirt?'
It was almost ridiculous.
⚙ Holy Sword ⚙ It's because of your trait that interferes with space. Interfering with the Labyrinth eats up a ton of your allocation. '...You could've told me something like that existed.'
⚙ Holy Sword ⚙ I didn't expect it to turn out like this either. Hmm, but I've taken a look at it again. 'At what?'
⚙ Holy Sword ⚙ A Gift related to space. Gifts tied to time, space, annihilation, and creation are incredibly rare. '...'
I had completely missed the mark.
But it was strange too.
'Has the Plunder (S) Gift really never come up before?'
Rogue Mastery had appeared, but every time Plunder was mentioned, listeners recoiled in horror.
Or they fell into some grand delusion like that.
"You've opened your eyes. Good."
I heard Glasses B's voice.
Hearing it immediately put me at ease.
'Doesn't seem like anything happened.'
Cheong Yurang and Mayu must have passed out.
"How much time has passed?"
"About five hours. More importantly, thanks. I survived because of you."
"We're stuck together for now, though."
"Haha..."
Glasses B let out a hollow laugh at my words.
"So, what do we do?"
"Check our food first."
"Food's not an issue. The four of us have enough to last at least a week."
"That's a relief, then."
"The problem is..."
Glasses B looked up as he spoke.
"...those things. Hundreds of them."
"...'
I could feel them even down here.
The ones up there were still around.
"Figuring out what to do is the issue."
"Can you reach the entrance with the Gift or skill that made this place?"
"...That seems tough."
Maybe because it was the Labyrinth's special space.
Stealing a roughly 10x10m space had my head throbbing like it would split open.
'Waiting for rescue...'
Would be idiotic.
The Labyrinth was a tangled mess of space-time.
We couldn't hope for rescue here.
We'd probably die of old age first.
'Then we have to move.'
For now.
I closed my eyes and scanned the surroundings.
"Glasses."
"...You mean me?"
A bewildered voice responded. Come to think of it, we hadn't introduced ourselves.
"No, wait, we haven't done proper introductions. I'm Darsel."
"...I'm Han Yuseong."
"Let's get through this together."
Darsel... no, Glasses B gave a faint smile and shook my hand.
'...Names are similar.'
Marcel, Darsel.
Maybe he's Marcel's clone or something.
"Do you know the bone monsters' weakness up there?"
"Sorry, no idea."
"Then we'll have to experiment ourselves."
"Experiment?"
I closed my eyes, focused, and sensed the presences from above.
'First, one guy.'
⚡ Plunder Activated ⚡ Plunder (S) Target body seized
I yanked one guy's body itself right to me. Then I slashed down with my sword.
Krunch!
The bone monster died in one swing.
But I felt stumped.
'Tougher than I thought...'
⚙ Holy Sword ⚙ Not tough? As if reading my mind, the holy sword chuckled like it was amused.
⚙ Holy Sword ⚙ Now weave your sword aura with your ki. I followed the holy sword's advice. Crackle—purple and black lightning intertwined, rising over the blood-soaked sword.
And once more, Plunder.
⚡ Plunder Activated ⚡ Plunder (S) Target sliced apart
Shlick.
This time, it cleaved right through.
'At this rate, I could handle dozens.'
The problem was they numbered in the hundreds.
Darsel and I experimented whenever we had a breather.
The results?
"Magic resistance means we use spells for support only, and the frontliners have to hold them off."
Couldn't wipe them in one go—had to kill them one by one, stubbornly.
That made them a pain.
⚙ Holy Sword ⚙ Hmm... The holy sword fell silent.
⚙ Holy Sword ⚙ The only way to break through is unlocking the beastkin racial trait. 'Any escape routes?'
⚙ Holy Sword ⚙ Probably. Things have gotten pretty interesting. 'Interesting?'
⚙ Holy Sword ⚙ Yeah. It'll all depend on the resolve of that Cheong Yurang guy pretending to sleep over there. 'Cheong Yurang's resolve?'
⚙ Holy Sword ⚙ ... The holy sword clammed up after that.
Is it junk?
As I seriously considered that.
I looked at Cheong Yurang.
The holy sword said he was faking sleep, at least.
"How about waking up now?"
"...You noticed?"
Cheong Yurang slowly sat up and spoke to me.
This seemed genuine.
'So if Cheong Yurang resolves himself...'
That would be proof we could escape this place.
Before I could say it, Darsel spoke to Cheong Yurang.
"Cheong Yurang."
"What?"
"We might die here anyway, so how about unlocking your beastkin trait?"
"...'
"Y-You! What are you saying to Cheong Yurang?!"
The rabbit beastkin girl, now awake, pointed accusingly at Darsel.
"Mayu, be quiet."
Cheong Yurang approached me.
"No helping it."
Cheong Yurang closed his eyes, then looked at me with trembling, feverish gaze.
His eyes burned with strange fervor—a mix of excitement and joy.
"This is an emergency. It might decide the fate of our entire beastkin clan. No, it definitely will."
With that, Cheong Yurang pulled out a dog collar.
"Take this."
"...??"
The sudden turn left my brain lagging.
I stared at the collar he offered.
It looked exactly like a dog collar.
"Yuseong, accept it and put it around this servant's neck."
"...??"
Even more incomprehensible.
"Our top priority is informing my father about this place. To do that, we have to use our beastkin uniqueness to escape. Yuseong... if you become this servant's master, we might break through."
What kind of crazy talk is that?
"So become this servant's master, Yuseong."
What are you even saying?
*
Each race has its own unique traits.
Elves handle spirits and wind, gaining innate senses and archery aptitude.
Beastkin possess ferocious physical prowess, keen smell, beast-like instincts, and bloodline aptitude.
Orcs have savage strength, high stamina, warrior spirit for victory, and weapon aptitude.
Dwarves wield sturdy bodies and spirit-attuned power, immovable on solid ground above all.
Humans uniquely lack any traits.
'On the flip side.'
Humans hold the potential to possess all those traits.
Anyway, these five races guarded their territories and gathered Labyrinth byproducts.
Each found ways to awaken their so-called racial traits differently.
And for beastkin, of all things.
'Beastkin awaken their bloodline by choosing a mate.'
What dogshit is that?
Apparently, because Cheong Yurang carried Fenrir bloodline.
'...My head hurts.'
Fenrir.
Dog-type beastkin designate a lifelong partner.
Live together, die together.
That's the dog clan beastkin's racial trait.
Just designating one partner grants them unimaginable power.
"...Th-That can't be! I'll do it instead!"
"You, trying to handle Cheong Yurang? Don't talk nonsense."
Darsel sneered at the beastkin Mayu.
"After surviving this long, haven't you opened your eyes? Inferiority complex or admiration. That man saved us with space-manipulating power. He has the bare minimum qualifications."
"Urk..."
"Yuseong, you qualify to be Cheong Yurang's master. Even my eyes can't see your full depths."
"But Darsel, until yesterday you said he wasn't fit for Cheong Yurang..."
"No clinging to the past. What matters is now and the future."
Darsel said gravely.
"Anyway, take the collar already."
"...'
I accepted the dog collar.
I looked at Cheong Yurang. His blue eyes trembled with excitement before closing.
Like receiving a kiss.
But I had to put the dog collar on her.
"...'
No matter how I thought about it, it didn't make sense. How does putting a dog collar on a woman make her stronger?
This isn't some Japanese eroge.
'Ah.'
Come to think of it, this game's roots were Japanese. With that realization, I gave up thinking.
And put the dog collar on her.
And then.
Boom!
A ferocious gale whipped up in all directions.
*
I stared upward in disbelief.
After I collared her, Cheong Yurang transformed into a massive white wolf.
A whirlwind formed around her, punching through the ground and soaring up.
'What the.'
The wind billowed, turning to storm that swept away the bone monsters.
"...My god, how much potential do you have that Cheong Yurang got this strong?"
"...'
Mayu, the woman called that, stared at me with pursed lips.
I ignored her and climbed up. Cheong Yurang had ground the bone monsters to dust in moments.
'Terrifying.'
Better not mess around with her from now on.
As I resolved that.
Cheong Yurang manifested before me.
"Get on my back."
"Can I?"
"Faster that way."
I mounted the wolf-transformed Cheong Yurang's back. Soft, fluffy fur.
"What about us...?"
"The wind will guide you."
As Cheong Yurang spoke, wind rose, floating them gently.
"...'
"...'
"...'
Speechless.
⚙ Holy Sword ⚙ Better hurry. That form is temporary. 'You sure took your time telling me.'
Cheong Yurang seemed aware too, speeding up.
Fwoosh!
Graceful movements, but wind swirled. Each step covered over 10m.
As we advanced.
'...'
A presence emanated.
A skeletal mage leaning on a staff, sitting on a rock.
Perfect. I was pissed anyway.
⚙ Holy Sword ⚙ That's...! Run! You can't handle that! 'I can.'
⚙ Holy Sword ⚙ Yeah, you could kill it! But it'll turn into a soul state, devour part of your party's souls, and take a body! The holy sword spoke urgently.
⚙ Holy Sword ⚙ Use your space-related Gift to escape. 'Can't escape.'
Wrong assumption from the start.
About my Gift.
'My Gift isn't space-related.'
⚙ Holy Sword ⚙ What do you... Before the holy sword could finish.
The skeleton's eyes curved. No idea how, but we all knew it was grinning.
⚙ Skeleton Mage ⚙ Welcome. To your arrival in hell. "Attack that thing. Don't worry about the back."
"Got it."
At my words, Cheong Yurang gathered mana in his mouth. Immense power.
I drew the blood-soaked sword and focused.
Sword aura laced with ki. Using it in real combat required prep.
Crackle.
Black and purple lightning surged over the blood-soaked blade.
Kaboom!!
A monstrous mana-charged breath blasted the skeleton.
⚙ Skeleton Mage ⚙ Kuhahaha! Fools! Charging without a thought, daring to challenge us! The skeleton raised a hand, summoning countless bone monsters from below.
A barrier formed before it.
Cheong Yurang's breath halted against it.
'Fine.'
I prepared my sword art while descending.
Kaboom!
Darkness surged loftily, melting the skeleton's barrier.
⚙ Skeleton Mage ⚙ You're more appealing than that wolf. The skeleton reached toward Hyuncheon, striking true.
At the same time.
⚙ Skeleton Mage ⚙ I crave your body! I sense potential beyond ordinary dreams. "I hate you bastards."
I glared at them with genuine disgust.
No good gear.
Just EXP.
Rishiel called it compensation.
'Where's mine?'
With that thought, I reached out.
⚡ Plunder Activated ⚡ Plunder (S) Soul seized
The sensation of its soul caught in my grasp.
⚙ Skeleton Mage ⚙ This can't be! H-How can you wield soul power...! The skeleton recoiled in shock.
And then.
Shhh.
Its soul got sucked into the lofty darkness and vanished.
Watching that.
⚙ Holy Sword ⚙ Impossible... How? No way, is that why they called you thief—stealing it? Not a space Gift, but stealing space itself...? That's not human power... The holy sword's voice rang out, incredulous and horrified.