Chapter 6
Chapter 6
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 6
Chapter Title: Instant Death, Time Stop Word of Command User
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"I'll go in first!"
"Go ahead."
Aden charged forward, brimming with excitement.
But her nose slammed right into the gate.
"Ouch!"
"What are you doing?"
Sudden slapstick out of nowhere?
Aden rubbed her nose.
"W-what? Why..."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Awakener's rank is too high. Dungeon rank: F- Maximum entry for E+ rank Awakeners. "Huh? No way!"
Aden's shoulders slumped.
"Chin up, kid."
"I wanted to see Master's magic, and a Perfect Clear too! Waaah!"
Kang Hyun rubbed his chin.
"Hmm."
Hold on.
What if?
Kang Hyun snatched a field mouse from the grass.
"Inventory."
"Pardon?"
Whoosh!
The mouse vanished.
He pulled it out again.
Squeak squeak!
It scampered unharmed from his palm.
"Got the gist."
Kang Hyun, pinnacle of Word of Command.
In that brief moment, he roughly analyzed the subspace magic known as Inventory.
"Hey, hop into the subspace for a sec."
"Pardon?"
No time to reply.
Whoosh!
He stuffed Aden in.
Into the Inventory.
Then entered the gate.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ You have entered F-Rank Dungeon <Dragonfly Plains>. Remove the World Tree branch to clear the dungeon. "Inventory."
Pulled out Aden.
"Huh?"
"Time didn't pass inside, right?"
"Not sure about that, but it felt like just a moment."
"How many seconds?"
"A few seconds? Hmm?"
Confused expression.
"I just know it was brief."
Aden hadn't perceived the flow of time.
As expected.
'Time stops inside to preserve items.'
A familiar principle.
It matched the Word of Command 【Stop】 perfectly.
'Easy.'
Space magic was uncharted territory.
Yet Kang Hyun analyzed the unknown phenomenon effortlessly.
'If I dissect this properly, I could get closer to space-based Words of Command.'
Keep it in mind.
Dungeon first.
Dragonfly monsters buzzing before them.
Size of pigeons.
Piiik-
"Give it a shot."
"Huh? Isn't Master clearing it?"
"I need to see you do it first to guide you. Your turn."
Aden's shoulders sank in disappointment.
'I was looking forward to Master's magic...'
But she pulled herself together.
'...Right. I'll see it soon enough.'
Plus, this was her first time casting magic.
Her heart pounded.
The magic she'd always admired!
'Finally!'
Kang Hyun secretly had high hopes for his disciple too.
The media hyped A-Ranks so much.
'Core national asset or something?'
A-Rank Awakener.
Society's upper echelon.
Top combat power.
S-Rank was another league, so excluded.
'Let's see what she's got.'
Has she learned well?
Aden closed her eyes.
Clasped her hands.
'First time, but theory's solid.'
Aden had studied diligently under her master.
Finished calculations in her head.
'My strongest: fire magic.'
Lightly, 5th class.
"Ignis Vorax!"
"Ignis Vorax!" ⟨ Ignis Vorax ⟩
A flashy magic circle appeared.
Aden's spirits soared.
Surrounding mana density increased, granting buoyancy.
Fwoooosh-!
Huge flames erupted around her body.
Dragonflies grazed by the fire.
Burned to crisps helplessly.
Piiiik-
The fire spread like octopus tentacles unfurling.
Chaining through the burning dragonflies.
Aden shouted.
"Whoaaa!"
Voice trembling with emotion.
'I did it! I cast magic! This massive fire! I'm a mage too!'
Like Sir Kyle!
Excitement?
Her pupils glowed blue with mana light.
The fire endlessly absorbed A-Rank mana.
Grew enormous.
Size of a house.
"...Huh?"
Why's it still growing?
'What's going on?'
Dragonflies long extinct.
Momentum to burn everything.
Master and herself included.
"U-uwah! Master! Run!"
No. Stop! Please stop!
"Uwaaaah-!"
"Sigh."
Were flames this loud and menacing?
Terrifying.
Roooar-!
Aden sensed death.
Flopped flat on the ground.
But moments later.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ "【Stop】" Keeein-
Fierce winds from the flames.
Grass swaying in them.
And the house-sized writhing fireball.
All stopped.
"Tch."
"Ugh..."
Aden still huddled.
What a mess.
"Get up, kid."
"Uwaah! Don't come closer! Run! At least Master survi-"
"Oi."
Kang Hyun smacked the back of her head.
"Ow! Why hit me!"
"You're far from ready, kid. Why pick fire, the hardest attribute to control without experience?"
"Huh? Really?"
Noob trait.
They fantasized about fire and lightning.
"Memorize that sensation. That's fire's 'spreading property.' We covered this."
"Oh, right. Mana was too much, fire grew uncontrollably... Huh? F-fire!"
Aden belatedly freaked out.
But froze looking up.
"Ah...!"
Beautiful.
The stopped world.
A scene defying nature's laws.
Mystical from its alien feel.
'Like a movie...'
When watching Sir Kyle's movies.
Always loved the 【Stop】 scenes...
"Huh?"
It stopped?
'How?'
She recalled belatedly.
The low voice as she gave up and flopped down.
Stop.
"Uh, uhh..."
Mouth agape.
Stiffly turned her neck.
Looked at Master.
"Hey, even that stops on command. Does it make sense my tiny mana could halt that? Of course it was blocked."
Though it used up all his mana in one go.
"Uh..."
"You completely lost mana control, turning the fire into a natural phenomenon. Loss of control means you'd have burned too if left alone."
"N-no."
Each word golden wisdom.
But not registering now.
Mind blank.
Recent news flashed.
Frozen Heroes' Square.
Mysterious S-Rank Word of Command User.
"...Master?"
"What. Listening? Repeat what I said."
"N-no. Master, this couldn't be..."
Kang Hyun finally noticed her state.
"Ah."
She doesn't know I'm a Word of Command User, huh.
Got too into teaching.
"Master, are you... the S-Rank Word of Command User?"
"I told you, it's me. Oh, not S-Rank."
"What!? No...!"
He had said it.
'That's me.'
'Pardon? What is?'
'The mysterious S-Rank on the broadcast.'
'Haha, I see.'
"No...!"
Who'd believe that!
"Even the academy was originally [Kang Hyun's Word of Command Academy], kid."
Now [Kang Hyun's Magic Academy].
"Huh? Come to think of it."
She remembered.
That's why everyone called him a fraud.
'It wasn't a scam?'
He was really a Word of Command User?
Of Kyle's?
"Th-then! You really inherited Sir Kyle's legacy!?"
"Nah? It just worked."
"Pardon?"
"Use your brain hard. That's it. Words of Command aren't special."
Literally true.
Hero Kyle's story.
He just awakened to Word principles alone.
"I get the shock, but it's not that big a deal."
"What do you mean! If Words of Command aren't impressive, what is!?"
Kyle superfan.
Aden, who always admired Words and magic.
So she jumped around.
"I'm weak. No mana for Words."
"Weak how we- Huh, could I beat you? With my A-Rank mana-"
"You joking?"
Crossed the line.
Who you calling frail Word-only user.
"All you've got is a big mana pool, nothing else."
"Th-that's sexual harassment!"
"What."
Sexual harassment where?
"N-never mind. Don't get mad..."
"Anyway, don't go blabbing I use Words. I'm weak."
"Ah..."
Same conclusion.
Aden disappointed.
"Our Master is this amazing and...!"
"I am pretty great."
"The S-Rank Word User the news is hunting is our Master!"
"Not S-Rank."
"Does Perfect Clears!"
"Ah, Perfect Clear!"
Aden snuck in via loophole, didn't she.
Wonder how it judges.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Dragonflies already ash.
Found and slashed the World Tree branch.
Shwick-
⚔ ACHIEVEMENT ⚔ Perfect Clear! (Solo) ⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ A tremendous achievement! You have perfectly thwarted the World Tree's invasion! A 'Blessing' descends on the surrounding area due to your feat! All will praise your achievement! Thankfully, the dungeon wasn't stingy.
"You see it too?"
"See what?"
"Can't see it, huh. Counts as solo clear."
Message says 'Solo' too.
"Rewards solo too?"
"Ah, that's a bit disappointing."
Thought he'd found a reward copy bug.
Soon cracks split the air.
World shattered with a crash, dungeon cleared.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ A brave hero has 'Perfect Clear!(Solo)' an F-Rank Dungeon, perfectly thwarting the World Tree invasion! A 'Blessing' descends on the area in honor. Celebrate him! System blabbing to the neighborhood again.
'Rewards?'
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ 'Perfect Clear!(Solo)' dungeon. Special reward granted. Random Box granted. 'Different from last?'
Last Random Box gave Inventory, felt special from start.
This seemed ordinary.
Open Random Box? "Yes."
Precedent was Inventory.
What'll it be?
Super excited.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Opening Random Box. Fancy effects and sounds, box opened.
Fwaaah-
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Dried Divine Spring Elixir granted. "Oh! Dried Divine Spring Elixir?"
He knew it.
Small elixir appeared in his palm.
Aden recognized it instantly.
"That's it!"
Aden, well-studied in many ways.
To help her master.
"For Magic Power F+ or below, raises Magic Power by one! Rare elixir!"
Kang Hyun nodded satisfied.
Directly boosts Magic stat.
'Status window.'
⚔ STATUS ⚔ ⚡ Strength: F- 💨 Agility: F- ✨ Magic Power: F- 💪 Stamina: F- 🍀 Luck: F- 🛡️ Endurance: F- Awakener Viewer Name: Kang Hyun | Rank: F- Trait: <Reincarnator> | Skills: - 'Whoa... look at these pathetic stats.'
Word use or combat mastery irrelevant.
Not reflected at all.
System rank purely stat-based.
So Kang Hyun's was F-, like most rookies.
Time to build up steadily.
Aden's eyes sparkled.
"Wow, Perfect Clear lives up to hype! F-Rank dungeon drops such a rare elixir... Ack! Stop!"
Kang Hyun popped it straight in his mouth.
Crunch crunch.
"Wh-what are you doing! Spit it out! Eating raw is dangerous!"
"Nom nom."
"Without proper processing, it damages all meridians!"
"Pfft."
Tastes fine.
'Ahh, healthy flavor.'
Tongue numb bitter.
'How many elixirs did I eat in my past life.'
Wouldn't ignore basics.
Kang Hyun already absorbing via mana circulation.
No greater elixir expert in the world.
"Ptooey! Ptooey quick!"
"Ptui."
Absorbed mana, spat shell.
"...Huh? No pain?"
"Your master's quirky, just roll with it. Keep jumping and I won't last."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ 'Magic Power' increased. (F- → F) "Ahh, bitter. Disciple, water."
"Yes sir!"
Aden dazed handing water.
"World has raw elixir munchers... "
"Don't imitate."
Actually hurts.
For real.
"But saving for F+ more efficient, no?"
"Who knows when."
Urgent need: mana.
Minimum mana over efficiency.
Kyle's cultivation method.
Needs baseline mana accumulated.
'F this much... Around D- should do.'
Till then, gobble whatever drops.
Rinsed mouth with water.
"Next dungeon."
"Huh? Again?"
"This filled mana."
This time one rank up.
"Max capacity up too, F-Rank next."
Thus, tackled another.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ A brave hero 'Perfect Clear!(Solo)' F-Rank Dungeon... Blessed Seoul again.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ 'Perfect Clear!(Solo)' dungeon. Special reward granted. Random Box (+1) granted. "Box looks fancier?"
"Better stuff?"
Open box.
Fwaaah-
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Dried Divine Spring Elixir acquired. "Yes!"
"Oh! Another elixir?"
Same item, but elixirs always good.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ 'Magic Power' increased. (F → F+) "Magic Power maxed! Next!"
"Yessir!"
Now F+ dungeon.
Magic Power F+ now.
Cleared again.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ A brave hero 'Perfect Clear!' F+ dungeon... ⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ 'Perfect Clear!(Solo)' dungeon. Special reward granted. Random Box (+2) granted. Third Blessing today.
Third reward.
"Okay!"
"A-Rank conquest on momentum!"
"Grab rewards!"
"Magic elixirs go!"
Riding the wave, both hyped.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Opening Random Box. Dududududu.
Light and effects burst from box.
Fwaaah-
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Perfect Moisturizing Mask (Black) acquired. "Uh, whuh?!"
This is!
"Mind blown!!"
"...By?"