Chapter 224
Chapter 224
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 224
Chapter Title: 51. Match Fixing (2)
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Transcendent language.
The higher beings of the universe wielded this language freely, but lowly-born creatures like Youngwoo or Dragosh could not.
For a mere planetary resident just starting to learn the transcendent language, the most they could manage was a single word.
And the information that word could contain was purely limited to what the speaker themselves knew.
Thus, the 「Mara」 uttered by Dragosh moments ago could be seen as fragmented information.
Even so, its description was so extraordinary that Youngwoo had no choice but to tense up.
—Lord of the Void, the one who walks in the shadow of cosmic laws. King of Ten Thousand Demons.
"Wait. Walks in the shadow of cosmic laws?"
As Youngwoo pieced together the meanings embedded in 「Mara」, he paused at the phrase about walking in the shadow of cosmic laws, more than any other descriptor.
This wasn't mere metaphor; it literally meant that multiple cosmic laws bypassed 'Mara'.
At least, according to what was contained in the transcendent language Dragosh had uttered.
Which implied.
'No way, this Mara guy doesn't even pay taxes?'
Youngwoo unwittingly fumed internally, then gently covered his mouth.
The opponent's descriptors were Lord of the Void and King of Ten Thousand Demons, after all.
Moreover, judging from Dragosh reciting a prayer to the heavens, the identity of 'Mara' was.
'...No way, a god? But does the universe even have gods?'
A god of the universe.
Youngwoo couldn't quite picture it.
Especially since he had glimpsed a portion of the universe's true nature.
'If there's really a god in the universe, what kind of status would that be?'
This wasn't mere metaphor; it literally meant that multiple cosmic laws bypassed 'Mara'.
At least, according to what was contained in the transcendent language Dragosh had uttered.
Which implied.
'No way, this Mara guy doesn't even pay taxes?'
Youngwoo unwittingly fumed internally, then gently covered his mouth.
The opponent's descriptors were Lord of the Void and King of Ten Thousand Demons, after all.
Moreover, judging from Dragosh reciting a prayer to the heavens, the identity of 'Mara' was.
'...No way, a god? But does the universe even have gods?'
A god of the universe.
Youngwoo couldn't quite picture it.
Especially since he had glimpsed a portion of the universe's true nature.
'If there's really a god in the universe, what kind of status would that be?'
One must not forget what kinds of beings teemed within the universe.
The chairman who rode a massive tombstone and beat up civil servants was part of the universe, as were Toma who manufactured planetary bombardment weapons, and Lemoo, the intergalactic purveyor of lewd content, all occupying portions of that vast cosmos.
'......'
So Youngwoo tried to imagine the chairman bowing his head before a god, but it was hard to picture.
That guy would probably aim his Sashenga at the god and demand it kneel instead.
'But if Mara really evades taxes, he's no ordinary being for sure. Even the chairman wasn't free from taxes.'
Youngwoo knew well that the chairman had properly paid inheritance tax on the Sashenga.
So perhaps today, for the first time, he might witness a being of higher stature than the chairman.
'Ah...! Then Mara is probably a Rank 2 or higher being?'
At that, Youngwoo reflexively sought out the goblin to prepare the golden sphere, only to recall again that it hadn't entered the dungeon.
'Damn, if that Mara is a Rank 2 being, this is the perfect chance to break my record.'
[Golden Tempest]
|Summon the golden rain using one of the following four methods. (2/4)
-When a Rank 2 or higher otherworldly being visits.
Of course, having confirmed Mara's existence, there was potential to encounter him again even if not here.
For instance, after the dungeon ended and the land fused, he could head to Romania where Dragosh lived.
'If Dragosh dies here today... no, if I'm forced to kill him, Mara might come for me directly.'
Even if it was an enraged Mara.
In any case, what mattered was.
Fwaaaaaah!
A bright, massive beam of light, visible even from Arena 1, plunged down into Arena 2 on the opposite side.
And soon.
Baaaaang!
With a deafening roar, something appeared in Arena 2, where werebeasts and seven humans had been mingled.
"......!"
Youngwoo widened his eyes and stared at the feed from Arena 2.
There, two knights in silver-white armor stood flanking Dragosh left and right.
'What the hell is that? Mara's bodyguard squad?'
Youngwoo swallowed hard as he scrutinized the unidentified knights.
Their faces were hard to make out, filled with glow inside the armor, but he could tell they stood five meters tall.
Each held a broad, massive weapon in their right hand—impossible to tell if sword or shield—and the moment the werebeast copies saw it, they lost their will to fight and retreated, as shown on screen.
Even beings created solely for this gambling match felt fear at the knights' presence.
'Does that make sense? Is he really the King of Ten Thousand Demons?'
If it was a demon king, surely Dogo, the origin of evil karma, couldn't be absent.
But from the circumstances so far, even Chairman Dogo would have to bow before this Mara who sent those knights.
'Shit... Europe had an even better lifeline.'
As Youngwoo clenched his fist in frustration, Mara's knights began moving, trailing white afterimages.
Shiiiiaaa!
Their movement felt like jellyfish drifting in the sea, undulating fluidly, but their speed and firepower were unbelievable.
Taaaaang!
Each swing of their blades felled werebeasts like slicing tofu.
"...My god."
Before the startled Youngwoo could even exhale, all the monsters in Arena 2 were cleared.
Then naturally.
"......!"
The four Rank 3 bettors who had invaded the arena to kill Dragosh now drew all eyes.
Not just from the remaining participants in the waiting room, but from Mara's knights as well.
'Those four are dead for sure. And now Rank 2 strong survivor, weak survivor is locked in.'
It wasn't bad for Youngwoo.
Fewer participants meant fewer betting rivals.
True, eight more Rank 3 bettors hadn't invaded yet, but none would jump into that suicide pit now.
'Even if all twelve went in, those two knights would win. I guarantee it.'
And indeed, no more requests to move to Arena 2 came.
In the end, only the brave vanguard four who jumped in to save their bets met pointless deaths.
'Choices have consequences.'
As Youngwoo bid farewell to the four soon-to-be-corpses via the feed, Mara's knights stepped forward in unison.
Shiiiiaaa...!
Their signature undulating footwork resumed.
'Here we go.'
For Youngwoo, this was a chance to glimpse the prowess of underlings sent by a 「Mara」-level being.
However.
'...What?'
Contrary to expectations, gathering meaningful intel was difficult.
The vanguard four were top experts from around the world, yet not one lasted even a single exchange against the knights.
Creeeeng, creeeeeng!
The unique roar of the knights' weapons even reached Youngwoo in Arena 1, and those who blocked them split silently in half on the feed.
It wasn't a fair fight to begin with.
'...What is this? Too OP, isn't it?'
Having butchered the four intruders in an instant, Mara's knights slammed their heavy weapons into the ground and halted, as if their work was done.
Then.
「Stage 2, strong survivor. Weak survivor.」
「Stage 2 complete.」
The text announcing the second match's end appeared, followed by the betting results.
「A total of 8 participants have earned 1 betting point.」
Next, Youngwoo's personal scorecard appeared before his eyes.
[Jeong Youngwoo07]
|Betting Points: 2
|Current Rank: Tied 6th (6 people)
*Rewards given from 5th place.
*Ties prevent rank advancement.
'Tied 6th? Not easy at all. But we've thinned the herd a lot.'
With eight Stage 2 betting successes yet tied for 6th, two must have only 1 point.
Meaning two of the three who gambled wrong in Stage 1 had bet on strong and weak survivor.
'Good. Four rivals down this time, maybe I can aim for sole 1st if...'
As Youngwoo wriggled his hands dreaming of a rosy future, he glanced back at Arena 2 and widened his eyes.
"Huh? No way! Why aren't those bastards leaving?"
Mara's two knights sent to rescue Dragosh were still in the arena.
"Hey! Ref! Isn't that cheating?"
Youngwoo shouted at the arena void, but the response was.
「Stage 3 will begin shortly.」
Just the usual next-match notice.
'No, this means...'
With everyone seeing Mara's knights lingering, wouldn't everyone keep betting weak survivor from now on?
That locks him at tied 6th till the end.
Disaster.
'Can't let that happen.'
Youngwoo vowed again while glaring at Mara's knights.
Of course, given their prowess, killing Dragosh normally seemed impossible.
He was even starting to doubt if bombardment would work.
'Those knights might block even that.'
So how to create a variable?
As Youngwoo pondered deeply, the Stage 3 match details were finally revealed.
「In Stage 3, each representative must face ten mutants.」
'Ten? Not multiplying like 2,4,8?'
Surprises nonstop.
Not 2,4,8 or even 2,4,6, but 2,4,10.
'Then how many in Stage 4?'
At this point, predicting stage difficulties was pointless.
No pattern seemed to exist.
Anyway, what was certain: Stage 3 meant ten mutants, and Dragosh would survive again.
'This damn dungeon.'
「All participants, please complete your bets within 5 minutes.」
[1] Strong survivor, weak survivor.
[2] Strong death, weak survivor.
[3] Strong survivor, weak death.
[4] Strong death, weak death.
Betting time returned, and now all eyes in the waiting room turned to Arena 1.
The variable in this gamble had shifted from the weak side to the Easterner07 playing strong.
How far could that ridiculously superhuman Eastern strongman endure?
'From the vibe, they all think I can handle up to ten at least.'
Youngwoo gave a wry smile.
But that was karma.
Hadn't he shown utterly overwhelming firepower in the first two matches?
「All Stage 3 bets completed.」
As expected, Stage 3 betting ended early, and results followed.
|Arena 1 – 16 votes
"Shit."
All in on 1 again.
Even surviving this match wouldn't budge him from tied 6th.
「Bets complete. Stage 3 commencing.」
Then the arena doors burst open noisily on all sides, heavy presences emanating from within.
Ten mutants charging out.
At that, Youngwoo.
Clack!
Stamped his forepaw firmly like before and muttered to the ground.
"Jus... just enough not to die. Exactly not dying......"
Body defects, regeneration, slime core, unfair trade.
【Power increases up to 80% based on limb damage degree.】
【All stats +25% upon reaching near-death.】
【Regeneration skyrockets.】
【Hurting enemies boosts wearer's recovery.】
Youngwoo recalled in order the items that would pull him back from death's door.
Because from now on, he had to put on a desperately pathetic weakling act.
「Kyaaack!」
「Haaaah!」
Mutants pouring from all four directions closed in, and Youngwoo drew and swung Sashenga from his waist at them.
"G-Goooo......!"
Whiiiiiing!
The mythic magic sword traced a crimson arc ahead.
Three oncoming mutants vanished in an instant, followed immediately by.
Puhbuhbuhbuck!
The remaining seven surged like waves, engulfing Youngwoo.