Chapter 14
Chapter 14
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 13
Chapter Title: It's Fine Because I'm a Genius Despite the Time Limit
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The nest caused spatial distortions, making its scale vast.
It was dozens of times larger than Yeouido, and the environment varied wildly depending on which sub-realm you entered.
Some were dense jungles. Others were barren deserts. The one we entered, Sub-Realm 9...
"Of all things, a cave. Visibility's low, so tighten up the formation."
"Talk about rotten luck. This setup's way too favorable for them."
Just as Joo Ah-rin and Kang Cheol-min said, it was the worst possible environment.
Like jumping into a river to catch a crocodile.
The only silver lining was that the ceiling was high and the width generous for a cave.
Otherwise, it would've been a real ordeal for a team with three ranged types.
We wouldn't have been able to fire off spells or incantations freely.
Sniff sniff—
Min Young-ji, at the lead, advanced while alternating between sniffing the floor and walls.
Her pitiful combat skills overshadowed it, but her scouting trait was one of the rarer abilities out there.
I hadn't expected her scouting method to be this unique, though.
I rubbed my eyes for a second.
Sniff sniff—
This demure girl was chasing the scent of terrain and beasts like a dog... or someone with rhinitis.
Tch.
Still, her accuracy seemed spot-on, at least.
"Um, that way, I think."
Unlike her timid tone, Min Young-ji guided us without hesitation.
Conquering a sub-realm ultimately meant reaching the core at its end.
Destroying that central power source meant we could save time on searching.
How much farther did we go like that?
"Hang on... The demonic energy's gotten thicker."
Min Young-ji, who'd been doing great, suddenly stopped.
"Be precise. Where?"
As promised, Kang Cheol-min took point. I kept my tension high, staring ahead.
Then came a musty, chilling sensation, like my skin was being pricked—sharp, acrid pain.
Demonic energy.
It had been ages since I'd felt the aura unique to demonic beasts. Focusing my mind, I caught suspicious sounds following it.
Scraaape—
A faint tapping, or the harsh scrape of metal on metal.
No harm in warning the team, so I did.
"Hear anything?"
"What sound?"
"Even I, a superhuman, didn't catch it..."
The responses were lackluster.
Joo Ah-rin furrowed her brow and perked her ears, while Kang Cheol-min smirked and shrugged.
"Then your senses are just dull."
"...You talking to me?"
Obviously.
I shrugged right back, and Kang Cheol-min irritably looked away.
"Min Young-ji, you sure?"
"...Yeah, I definitely smell it. B-but I don't know the direction well."
"What bullshit. Sniff again. That's your job."
Pathetic prick.
[Activating trait 'Sensitive Senses.']
I heightened my senses, especially hearing, to track the sound circling my ears.
...That instant.
Scraaape—
Scraaape—
Like a megaphone blasting it, the huge volume slammed my eardrums.
Right after, I sensed the general direction.
No way...
A chill ran down my spine.
The things were lurking right nearby, like predators stalking prey.
The moment I realized, I yelled.
"The floor!"
KABOOM.
My shout coincided with the ground flipping over. Rock dust and debris filled the air, messing with visibility.
Scraaape—
Scraaape—
Like frogs croaking in the rainy season, noisy tapping echoed from all sides.
Dozens of shapes emerged amid the chaos.
They burst up through the cracked earth.
"Th-the things!"
"Ambush!"
"Eek!"
Their bodies were pitch black, height about elementary school kid size, roughly human-shaped.
So at first, no real sense of wrongness.
But the moment I saw their eyes, I knew better.
Just whites packed in, no black pupils...
Scraaape—
Their already glowing white eyes flashed as they charged.
"Fuck, since when do rank-10 demonic beasts ambush!"
"Eek, too close!"
Nearly twenty swarmed from front, back, left, right—team in panic.
Kang Cheol-min swung wild punches, disrupting Lee Min-ha's casting.
Min Young-ji shrieked and collapsed.
"Stick to the right wall! They're numerous, but we can handle them in formation."
Right on cue, Joo Ah-rin's command and her summoned water divine beast.
Whoosh.
Without that purifying jet from the beast, we'd have taken heavy losses from the start.
"Haerin, save the team first!"
At her master's order, the lion-like divine beast, Haerin, sprang into action.
True to a divine beast contracted to one person for life, she looked young, but her innate bloodline was killer.
Grooowl—
Haerin swept the surroundings with a low roar, buying us time to regroup.
"Barely a handful of punks."
Kang Cheol-min rampaged late, and Lee Min-ha finally cast, raising pillars of flame.
The tide seemed to turn back.
Scraaape—
Until a louder cry shook the cave.
...It's the boss.
I knew instantly.
Ten sub-realms leading to the main chamber.
The ruler of the highest difficulty, Sub-Realm 9. The gloomfiend chieftain appeared at the critical moment.
* * *
It slithered up from the ground.
Sleek body, height like an adult's, stark white glow beaming from its eyes.
That eerie light bathed the area, sending regular gloomfiends into a frenzy like fish in water.
Scraaape—
Scraaape—
Scraaape—
Joo Ah-rin, commanding Haerin, read the shift instantly.
"No need to tense up. Stick to the plan calmly."
"Got it."
"I'll back you up."
Kang Cheol-min steeled himself and charged the chieftain, Lee Min-ha following.
Meanwhile, Joo Ah-rin and Haerin cleared the flanks.
"We'll mop up the regulars and gang up on the boss. Support with your incantation when ready."
"Got it."
She remembered to loop me in, but didn't seem to expect much.
Planning to handle it solo? Suddenly, a biting chill infiltrated the cave.
Craaack—
The hallmark of top-tier attributes: freezing.
The extreme cold that could freeze even roaring flames had manifested.
Tsss—
Joo Ah-rin held off over ten alone without retreating.
Sky-blue mana from her graceful hand froze even their fluid, hazy bodies.
"Impressive, alright."
Power to back the arrogance, but no room for complacency.
"Burning that much energy early—how's she gonna handle the boss?"
Things heat up fast, cool down fast.
She trusted Kang Cheol-min and Lee Min-ha to pin the boss...
Eh.
Unsettling, but I shook it off.
She'll judge fine on her own. That's their expertise.
Not the priority now.
[Using trait, Manifestation.]
I slipped back quietly and activated the trait.
Manifested a new armament, then manifested it swiftly.
"Performance at 10%, time limit 5 minutes."
[Conditions met.]
[Manifesting.]
Moments later, a crude, rough dagger filled my hand.
[Yeon Gaesomun's One(一) Sword]
[Grade: Special] [Performance Limit: 10%]
[Description: One of the five swords said to be wielded by Goguryeo's Great General Yeon Gaesomun. Excellent cutting power and durability, lightweight.]
[Effect: Agility +8%]
My only hero-grade set armament.
Five swords total; combined, 'Hero' grade, but individually 'Special'—low mana cost, inconspicuous.
Perfect for casual use without drawing eyes.
Prep complete.
Thud.
I kicked off hard—blinding speed that made me wobble... nah.
Just normal dash.
Anyway, target ahead!
A gloomfiend frozen solid by the freeze.
Immobilized prey—stabbed it easy with one sword.
Shunk—
[Defeated rank-10 demonic beast, gloomfiend.]
[Nest special trait applied.]
[Acquisition time halved.]
[Acquired 4 hours.]
Halved?
Face scrunched, but no time to dawdle.
Craaack—
Even now, Joo Ah-rin's hand claimed more than one or two pointlessly.
"Damn."
Better they sacrifice for me if dying anyway.
Picked next target, proposed to Joo Ah-rin.
"You're already worn out. Just freeze 'em. I'll finish."
Dashed, stabbed another's head—bewildered Joo Ah-rin asked.
"...Aren't you an incantator?"
"Me? Yeah, incantator. Why?"
"Thought swinging a sword was an incantation too."
What, poke with a fan or bell?
"Anyway. I'll trust you."
Words said, eyes still doubting. But she went along—key.
That started it.
Freeze, then head.
[Acquired 4 hours.]
Freeze again, head.
[Acquired 4 hours.]
[Acquired 4 hours.]
.
.
[Remaining time: 3 days 22 hours 13 minutes]
Smoother than smooth—made me think.
Is this an orchard?
Just plucking ripe apples dangling there.
"Nice, gotta have days like this."
Luck hit hard, grin rising.
If not for the sudden scream, I'd forget Lee Dae-ho's team struggled.
KABOOM.
"Ugh. Fuck, it slipped."
"Kyaa! C-careful!"
Suddenly, Kang Cheol-min smashed into the wall like crumpled tin, Lee Min-ha pale as she screamed.
Over them shot the chieftain's form.
That bastard Kang Cheol-min.
All big talk like he'd solo it...
Flash—
Chieftain charged relentlessly, like it had a target.
End of path: visibly exhausted Joo Ah-rin.
...Screwed.
Rushed to help, then paused.
...
What could a 10% One Sword with no crowd control do up close?
No answer.
"Guess run first."
Can't make impossible possible.
Decided, bolted opposite way.
"Y-you..."
"What the hell, asshole!"
What? One step back for ten forward, dude.
Joo Ah-rin faltering mid-freeze, Kang Cheol-min yelling as he staggered up—but I steadfastly widened gap.
At safe distance, stopped, activated trait.
[Using trait, Manifestation.]
Original plan: strike when Joo Ah-rin and Kang Cheol-min linked up on boss.
Gone wrong.
Joo Ah-rin tired, Kang Cheol-min and Lee Min-ha clearly combat-ineffective.
One way.
"I'll take it down. That fucker."
Luckily, mana for two incantations left.
Quickly inscribed flame orb.
Zzzzzap.
That instant, Joo Ah-rin's freeze clashed with chieftain's fluidization.
Eerie cold surged, but weaker than before.
Chieftain intact, Joo Ah-rin barely holding with Haerin's aid.
About to pour mana into completed incantation.
But...
...Will this work?
Doubt crept in.
Sure, not absolute matchup. Strong fire burns shallow dark.
But iffy.
My flame orb's just 1-star.
High manifestation fidelity or not, if two orbs don't kill?
3rd place my ass.
No mana left—then it's disaster.
Waste precious time, shift goal.
From quest to survival...
Like original Lee Dae-ho team.
Paused manifestation, pondered.
Too many eyes for Seven Star Chart...
"One not-too-awkward way..."
Earlier, sharing attributes, something clicked.
Like Joo Ah-rin's freeze, incantators had their special.
Called 'Reverse Heaven Incantation.'
No issue using.
With Manifestation.
Problem: first time manifesting.
Risky adven—
"Cowardly bastard..."
Suddenly, Joo Ah-rin's bitter voice.
"No, there's reason. Wait just a bit."
"Calls himself a teammate."
No, pondering how to help now?
"Disgrace to the clan, damn bastard..."
"..."
Cornered people change—lesson anew.
That desperate. Shortened my dilemma.
Tss tss.
Overlaid another incantation on the flame orb.
Blue paint spread over red incantation— all remaining mana drained instantly.
Sequentially vs. all-at-once gap surprisingly huge.
"...Fuck up and we're screwed."
Legs shook, surroundings reeled—but held.
Moments later, tiny fireball wrapped in blue ribbon shot from completed incantation.
RUMBLE—
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