Chapter 62
Chapter 62
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 62
Chapter Title: Hello?
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Hey?
There's a line that pops up a lot in tragic stories.
Do you know the feeling of falling into an endless pit?
I get it now.
The feeling of plummeting into an endless pit.
To put it in one word.
"This is sooooo scaaary!!!!!!!"
"Kyaaah!! Seong-hoon! Do something, Seong-hoon!!"
"You do something!! Wings!! Get out the wings!!"
"I can't right now!! Even if I could, I can't fly!!"
You're so damn useless.
How many times is this now? How many times have we fallen into some bottomless hole?
Still, though.
With God or Benia, it was fine at least.
Somehow safe.
But now? If we don't find a way, we're dead. The blasting headwind and Raphael clinging to me like a cicada make the reality sink in.
"Lachesis!! Save us!!"
"Then save me! Let Raphael fend for herself!! She's an angel!! She won't die!! Angels just fall from high places and become fallen, that's it!!"
"Are you insane?! Don't throw around 'fallen' like that! And angels die without wings too, you know?! I don't have my wings right now?! The angels who fell from high places and became fallen all had wings!!"
"Then what the hell do we dooooo!!"
My shout echoes. My voice fades farther away. The headwind makes it hard to even breathe.
What do I do? I racked my brain as hard as I could. I mentally sorted through my inventory items, but nothing useful.
The only things I can use right now.
Rune, scythe, Death Reaper, Reaper's Robe.
If I slip into the darkness with the Reaper's Robe, does the falling stop?
Too risky to gamble with my life. This kinetic energy won't just vanish.
I need something to slow us down.
"Scythe? Jam the scythe in? Into the wall? Slow us down?"
"How much farther are we falling?!"
"Good point!!"
Shoot the rune downward to slow us? Probably won't do much, just inhale explosion smoke.
We're going too fast anyway; if I throw it, I'll eat the blast!!
"Death Reaper. Jam the Death Reaper into the wall!! It's a legendary weapon, won't break!!"
That could work! But no, hanging on the wall is temporary, not a solution.
What then!! As if mocking my looping thoughts, a voice rang out. So close it nearly burst my eardrums.
"Seong-hoon! Floor!! The floor!!"
Looking down at her words, I saw it. Still a ways off, but visible. Ant-sized, minuscule, but there was light.
That's the bottom. Where I'll splat.
"Screw it!! Death Reaper it is!!"
"Do something!!"
I tried pulling [Death Reaper] from [Inventory], but a blue window blocked me.
"Nooooo!!"
How far does my luck go? Actually, isn't this Raphael's luck? She's stuck to me every day?!
"Raphael. If we survive, let's take some time apart."
"Don't talk like we're breaking up!! I have nowhere to go!!"
Surviving is the issue first. It's getting closer. The ground closing in means death closing in.
Ah. I see it. I see my future as rat paste!!
I closed my eyes. Was that cold something passing between my lids just imagination?
This is it, huh. Entered my novel and now ending it because of this damn angel.
My mind pictured the funeral crowd, but my eyes forcibly opened.
"Why are you closing your eyes like you're giving up?! We're gonna die like this?!"
Yeah.
No way out. Use Park Shin-woo's artifact? It's one-person only.
I use it alone and Raphael to Lachesis? Then she won't make it back.
No options left. Can't even give up. Raphael had one arm around my neck, the other stubbornly prying my eyelids up.
What is this, Arctic insomnia buddy routine? What are you doing?
"No choice. Heal my split personality yourself."
I said that and reached for [Death Reaper].
Why am I doing this for her?
"Don't wanna nurse some wall-shitter."
Okay. Cancel. Let's just plummet and die together.
"?!"
I stopped, and Raphael grabbed my collar, shaking wildly. Like "What are you doing?" but I ignored her.
Decision made. You die, I die.
"Ahh! God! Killing Raphael and heading to heaven!"
"It's usually hell?!"
"Killing you guarantees heaven."
"Lee Seong-hooooon!!"
The ground rushes closer. Raphael tugs my collar like mad, but nothing changes.
No. Something did.
Blue windows flooded my vision, along with an alien sensation. The floating feeling and headwind wrapping my body vanished.
Fwoosh─
Like a pigeon spreading wings, two pristine white wings—big enough for five grown men—enveloped me.
"S-Seong-hoon. You're an angel?"
"As if."
100% human. Korean, even.
Raphael stared at me wide-eyed. I'm flustered too. Look at this damn God helping instantly because Raphael's in danger.
Do that for me sometimes.
Like feathers, we floated gently in the air, landing naturally on the ground.
The wings melted away like snow upon landing.
"Wait. My blessing evolved? Hmm. Guess I'm just that great."
No. Wrong.
"My skill's great."
"God gave it to you."
Shut up. No comeback, so I flicked her forehead and headed to the exit.
Conveniently, only one exit. Outside was surprisingly bright. Not cave-like at all.
Lots of rocks. Dozens taller than twice my height.
"How do we get out from here? Falling's handled, but."
I ducked behind a random rock, put my index finger to my lips, and beckoned Raphael over.
"Look there."
Raphael tilted her head and looked. A giant. Black-skinned monster big enough to leap a house.
It sat cross-legged, like a treasure-guarding warrior.
Above its head, a dazzling glowing stone cluster. It sat silently beneath the light.
"Anyone'd think it's a hermit master."
Anyway, gotta take it down. Simple reason.
Only way out of a hidden stage is clearing it.
Entry's limited, and hidden stages are secret rooms dungeons make to guard treasures more precious than their own lives.
No way they'd let you leave. Few exit options.
Space magic. Artifacts. Clear.
Can't use magic, artifact's one-person. Only clear left.
Normally I'd artifact out no fight, but our angel wiped the options.
"You go back."
"Sorry!!"
Not ending with sorry. I eyed it closely. Raphael pressed her head to mine beside me.
Anyone'd think we're a duo. Shove off. I pushed, but the damn blonde resisted and spoke.
"Pose like a hidden master, but looks pure orc."
"It is!! An ogre! Back off a bit!! You look dumb!!"
"Dumb? I'm not dumb."
I ignored Raphael finally at a distance and kept watching. Black skin, nearby club.
Black Ogre.
Ogre variant, B-Rank.
Why a high-rank monster in E-Grade dungeon? Dungeon core made it to guard treasure.
Obvious it'd spawn stronger than the boss guarding itself.
Dungeon grades change often anyway.
"Raphael."
"Finally running? Robe! Here!!"
Raphael spread her arms. No shame? I chopped her head.
"Ow!!"
She clutched her head glaring. "What?" eyes, but she'll listen now.
[Reaper's Robe] unusable. Can't escape with it.
Even if, evasion not solution.
"Gonna kill that thing."
"What?! How?"
"That."
I covered Raphael's surprised shout and pointed with the other hand.
A sword there. Red sword. Ominous aura. Right in front of the ogre's guard spot.
Kim Tae-hyun's sword. Growth weapon. Upgrades with owner. Top-tier performance.
"??"
Confused face. I explained slowly.
That sword's amazing. Could slice the ogre easy. Use it to kill monsters.
Protagonist did originally.
Explained simply. Raphael finally nodded.
Then hid behind a nearby rock.
"Fighting!!"
You help too.
Plan's simple.
I use [Reaper's Robe] to steal the weapon right under the ogre. Raphael pulls aggro meanwhile.
Luckily sleeping now, but plan for when it wakes.
"J-Just when it wakes, right?"
"Fail and we both die."
"That puts pressure."
"Then pray like an angel."
Honestly, hope it stays asleep. Snag weapon, perfect. Right?
"Just use magic?"
"Yeah."
Ogre reacts to magic. Skin detects it, earned "mage killer" nickname.
Magic will draw aggro sure.
I left trembling Raphael and donned [Reaper's Robe].
Vision went dark, followed navigation (cat)'s guidance.
I halted. Deep breath. Please don't wake. Please.
Earlier, clearly dozing off. Wouldn't notice if carried away.
I slipped out slowly. Blinding glow from the stone hurt my eyes at first, but I adapted quick.
Kuuuuh─
Huge breathing. Up close, no joke. Chills down my spine just from breathing.
Sharp fangs peeking between lips. Rough skin, pressure from mere breath.
Its existence hit just looking.
Didn't stop me though.
I crept forward. Crept like "slow" was too fast. Stealthily.
No sound, grabbed the red sword.
Good, still asleep. Inhaled small, yanked it out in one go─
Eyes met.
Ogre awake, staring this way.
Sharp gaze locks. Goosebumps crawl up.
Spine tingles, heart pounds mad.
Killing intent from its eyes didn't take long.
"Uh... hello?"