Chapter 77
Chapter 77
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 76
Chapter Title: It's Okay Because I'm a Genius Even If I'm on a Time Limit
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The change brought about by being two instead of one was enormous.
We dispatched the golems far more easily and reached the summit of the rock mountain in no time.
But if even this had been factored into the test to ramp up the difficulty...
Then the final boss's bulk-up fell within a somewhat understandable range.
He had followed out of worry about sending me off three months early, only for it to backfire spectacularly.
“Even at full power, it’s an opponent we can’t guarantee victory against.”
Amid all this, Baek Sa-young flashed a faint smile, his signature competitive spirit kicking in.
In stark contrast, my expression had hardened.
It was an unavoidable situation, but we had to obtain the armament no matter what.
Still, this was a golem I’d never seen before, so I had no idea just how strong it was.
As I racked my brain over it for a moment...
My forward field of view suddenly rippled, and I quickly looked up.
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[Inter Quest]
[Objective: Defeat the Mid-Tier Elemental Golem]
[Reward: 10 days added to remaining time, 30 SP provided]
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[Name: Elemental Golem (Combined Form)]
[Attribute: ???]
[Description: As a combined version of mid-tier golems, each part has a different attribute, making it extremely tricky to fight. Its pure combat prowess approaches that of a Rank 4 demonic beast.]
What the—no way, this wasn’t some SF anime.
Realizing it had actually combined left me stunned for a moment.
And a Rank 4 demonic beast? Even with two of us, that wouldn’t be easy.
“This isn’t the time for that.”
But I quickly pulled myself together.
In the end, taking it down meant a happy ending for both of us.
I’d get the quest rewards, and Baek Sa-young would get the armament. Win-win.
I reread the message.
From the description as a golem aggregate, I suspected some unique trait.
But there was no better way to confirm than seeing for myself.
“Wait here a sec.”
I dropped low and crawled forward stealthily.
The rock mountain summit was cratered like Baekdu Mountain, allowing me to approach without being spotted.
I took in the golem’s form from up close.
On closer inspection, its height was nearly 6 meters, and the black rock comprising its body gleamed smoothly like black armor.
But what I was after couldn’t be discerned with the naked eye.
No choice, then. Time to buy a paid item.
[Changing settings for ‘X-Ray Vision.’]
[Allows viewing inside living beings for 5 seconds.]
[Required SP: 20]
Twenty?
A rip-off for just five seconds, but I had no choice.
Better than charging in blindly and making an irreversible mistake. I needed certainty.
The moment I decided, I activated the enhancement.
Soon, a vivid blue tint seeped into my vision—
Tssszzt.
A searing pain burned through my optic nerves, but I forced my eyes wide.
With the x-ray vision active for only five seconds, I peered into every corner of the thing.
Ah.
Its interior lay bare, nothing but rock filling my view.
Then, in that pitch-black night-sky vista, I spotted a single flickering light.
“Found it.”
I clenched my fists, zeroing in on the area about 50 cm below the center of its chest.
I’d hypothesized that a fusion like this would have a central power source acting as the core.
Sure enough, a fist-sized gem throbbed like a heart.
But piercing it in one go wouldn’t be easy.
A hazy membrane enveloped the gem.
The double-layered barrier bore intricate runes, suggesting even an armament manifestation wouldn’t shatter it easily.
It was like they’d built an ironclad defense to prevent any core-destruction exploits.
“Hmm.”
But what could they do?
I wasn’t related by blood, just roped into this by chance, so I had no intention of playing fair.
Plus, I preferred exploits over straightforward methods—things like that just begged to be tampered with.
“Ugh.”
As the enhancement ended, I let out a short groan.
The world spun, pain stabbing like my eyes might pop out, so I hurriedly pressed my eyelids.
“You okay?”
“Yeah. More importantly...”
Once the pain subsided somewhat, I spoke again.
I explained that its body parts each had different attributes, rendering attribute matchups meaningless.
Then I revealed its sole weakness—the core’s existence—to draw its attention, and asked him to breach the first defensive barrier.
I’d handle the second barrier myself, but I needed time to prepare.
The second one was thicker than the first.
“Got it. I’ll make it happen somehow.”
We exchanged a look, as if sealing a pact.
Was it because I’d once experienced the immovable mountain that was Han Su-hyeok?
“Perfect timing—I’ve got a good idea. Just trust me.”
Baek Sa-young, wearing a somewhat relaxed smile given the situation, shot forward like a hawk and landed in front of it.
The 6-meter-tall fusion robot—no, Elemental Golem—tilted its head with an unnatural creak—
Toward Baek Sa-young.
Its eyes flashed like shifting from standby to combat mode, then it charged, shaking the ground with thunderous booms.
No exaggeration—its fist hurtled toward Baek Sa-young like a wild boar’s charge.
I figured he’d dodge, of course.
The power seemed like it’d send him straight to the afterlife if it connected.
Kwajijijik—
But Baek Sa-young chose the opposite.
In a split second, his mid-length sword bent near to breaking as it blocked the fist head-on.
Gritting his teeth, Baek Sa-young refused to pull back his sword even as he was pushed inch by inch.
The mystery resolved the instant his sword began shifting rapidly.
Even as he was driven back, his blade blazed red, then whipped with fierce winds, then shimmered blue—changing by the moment.
The intent was too obvious to miss.
“That madman.”
He was deliberately testing to find an attribute that countered it.
Novel and groundbreaking, but equally reckless.
It wasn’t something the Baek Sa-young I knew would ever do, but the effect was undeniable.
The moment his sword glowed yellow, a deep gash scarred the demon’s fist.
Earth overcomes water.
Proof that its right fist was water-attributed.
Ptooey—
Baek Sa-young spat a mouthful of blood and maxed out his earth attribute.
He drove his deeply embedded sword even deeper, slicing off half the fist, then met the incoming left fist with his blade again.
Kwajijik—
The pattern repeated.
Among the shifting colors, the bluish aura stood out vividly.
Weak to water meant it was fire-attributed.
Confirming the result, Baek Sa-young stepped back, withdrawing his sword.
He swiftly ducked a kick from behind, fluttered upward like a butterfly to approach the left fist again, and stung like a bee.
As he descended, he slammed his sword in, making the golem’s eyes flash.
It shook its left arm violently like dusting it off, but Baek Sa-young held firm.
Only after the left arm split completely did he land and reset his stance.
I was more shocked than expected, staring blankly for a moment.
I’d seen depictions of Baek Sa-young’s battles hundreds of times.
This was the first time—without doubt—that he’d pressed so boldly, so decisively.
I soon learned what had driven Baek Sa-young to such ferocity.
“Sometimes you gotta know when to break things, right?”
Despite being a battered mess, Baek Sa-young wore a viscous smile I’d never seen before.
Apparently, after I’d cluelessly sliced that mana orb with my sword due to my ignorance...
He’d decided to experiment with pattern changes.
A genius lived up to his name.
Or rather, Baek Sa-young was Baek Sa-young.
It had been just a week since he’d dismissed it as a boring sword.
To so effortlessly and aptly shatter a lifelong prejudice that others couldn’t shake off in a lifetime—it was astonishing.
“Jeez.”
Perhaps he’d already grown, armament or no.
So.
The original plan—Baek Sa-young opening the way, me finishing it—needed revision.
That suited us better.
No.
“It’s what the real Baek Sa-young should do.”
Ziiing—
I activated manifestation to create the Loyalty Vanguard’s dagger.
I inscribed the latent heat rune formula onto the blade, compressed it, and bound it with heavenly silken thread.
Tadak—
To show something different from the Special Forces Unit, I kicked off the ground and charged the golem.
Baek Sa-young, having sliced even its shoulder, staggered at his limit—but I’d decided to trust him, so all the way.
Reaching a suitable distance, I shouted to him.
“Plan change. I’ll break the first barrier—you finish it.”
“What? This suddenly? I’m already at my limit.”
“Sometimes you gotta know how to surpass your limits, right?”
“Wow. You...”
Baek Sa-young trailed off in disbelief, but I breezily ignored him and hurled the dagger.
About 5 meters from the golem.
Point-blank range—it embedded in its abdomen instantly, and the moment latent heat triggered, fierce sparks erupted, staggering the golem.
“Now!”
I signaled Baek Sa-young, but he was already springing forward.
As if compressing all his mana—not quite Cheon Seo-yun’s level, but...
Gripping a greatsword nearing 3 meters, he charged solely for the breakthrough.
With single-minded intent to pierce the target, he drove the sword in.
Puhwuuk—
Right where my dagger had lodged.
“......”
Unlike when the first barrier shattered—no omens, just silence enveloping the space.
Kuuung—
The golem collapsed.
Its glowing eyes dimmed like dying embers into darkness.
* * *
[Successfully completed the Inter Quest.]
[Defeated the Elemental Golem.]
[Reward: 10 days added to remaining time.]
[Obtained 30 SP for a camaraderie-shining development.]
After finishing the final test, we entered the temple.
“Hey, you okay?”
“Nah. Feels like I’m gonna die.”
Baek Sa-young staggered on the verge of total exhaustion, no different from after taking a hit from Han Su-hyeok.
But lured by the carrot called reward, he dragged his feet to the temple’s end.
And finally.
“Ah.”
“Whoa, what is that.”
A space of radiant light that drew gasps of awe.
Entering the warm-lit hall, we spotted a single sword impaled in the center like it owned the place.
The Heavenly Sword.
Right now, it might look like a rare upper-grade item with a dull edge like a club, but unsealing the layers as we went would one day elevate it beyond hero-grade to mythic—an armament tailored for the protagonist.
Only Yoo So-young knew its true name, so it was simply called the Heavenly Sword, but its power was undeniable.
“Ah.”
Baek Sa-young stared endlessly at the sword, at a loss for words.
Did it recognize its master?
The Heavenly Sword hummed in response.
Without a shred of attachment, I told Baek Sa-young.
“Looks like a good sword. You take it.”
“Me? But we came together...”
“We’re here thanks to you. I was just tagging along. Besides, I’m a spellcaster, remember?”
Baek Sa-young chewed his lip in thought, then nodded.
“I’ll ask Senior first.”
Mentioning that damn Special Forces Unit again.
But it didn’t feel out of place, so I nodded silently.
“Alright, then.”
Baek Sa-young approached the Heavenly Sword cautiously.
He reached out a trembling hand to grasp the hilt.
But.
“Huh?”
His hand froze mid-motion.
As I looked on questioningly, Baek Sa-young continued.
“Ha Yul, there’s another armament here?”