Chapter 46
Chapter 46
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 46
Chapter Title: The Bet
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“……”
“……”
“……”
Everyone had the same reaction.
Lim Chang-yeol and the fifty members of the Seoul Union, along with Kim Byung-han and Kankun, all froze at Park Chan-woo's response.
'Is he insane?'
'Has he lost his mind?'
'What kind of lunatic is this guy?'
Anyone could see that Kankun had taken a liking to Park Chan-woo.
He had singled him out, sensing only in him the 'scent of a fierce warrior,' while ignoring everyone else.
If he despised magic and opposed Adora, then a near-level-83 monster was offering to take him under his wing.
And yet.
“……You refuse to agree?”
Along with the warning-filled messages.
Kankun's face twisted into a ferocious scowl.
Choosing his faction was a declaration of loyalty to him.
Once made, it was an absolute commitment that couldn't be undone.
And yet?
Refuse to agree?
Didn't that mean magic wasn't repulsive, and he wouldn't oppose Adora?
There was no reason for a warrior who didn't share his convictions to fight alongside him.
“Krrgh……!”
“M-My body……!”
Kankun unleashed his killing intent.
Everyone around broke out in cold sweats, hunching over.
Some even fainted.
His aura was that thick.
But.
'……He's fine?'
Kankun was puzzled deep down.
Park Chan-woo stood firm, unflinching against his aura head-on.
Normally, one's body would falter and mind break.
Just being nearby affected everyone.
Yet Park Chan-woo didn't even avert his eyes.
'This is a first for a human.'
He was definitely different from all the other summoned humans so far.
There must be a reason the orcs' souls were with him.
Soon, Park Chan-woo spoke.
“Are you afraid?”
“…Afraid? Of what?”
“Of the death magic corrupting your heart. Of Adora, who wields it.”
“……You spout nonsense from that loose mouth of yours. Nothing can make me, Kankun, afraid.”
“Then why do you only seek help from worthless humans? Why not overcome it yourself?”
The Witch of Death, Adora, had healed her own wounds from Kankun.
She helped people find sacred items, actively smashed layer guardians, and climbed the floors.
But not Kankun.
He just stood by the altar, passively receiving the sacred items brought to him.
Park Chan-woo didn't like that attitude.
Especially.
'That attitude treating magic like something repulsive.'
He couldn't deny magic just to win Kankun's favor.
For a mage, words were truth, and denial meant the downfall of magic.
Denying it oneself would naturally weaken its power.
Still, withstanding Kankun's killing intent head-on puzzled even him.
'Is it the effect of the Creator's Nemesis title?'
Creator's Nemesis.
A title that activated the 'unbreakable will' effect against creators.
The problem was that Kankun wasn't a creator or a demon.
Yet his killing intent couldn't pierce him.
'Creators are lords of the Abyss. Orc Master Kankun is also lord of the orcs.'
That was the only overlap.
If not…
'Maybe Kankun designed this trial.'
The creator of this domain might be Orc Master Kankun.
Kankun and Adora.
They were said to possess the most special things in this 'Tower of Hubris.'
It was possible.
So.
“You can't beat Adora, Kankun.”
“Do you really want to die?”
Kankun's patience reached its limit.
He glared at Park Chan-woo with murder in his eyes.
Afraid of Adora, of all things.
Unable to defeat that hated existence!
One more word of drivel, and he'd smash him.
“I'll make sure we win.”
“……?”
He thought he'd misheard.
The words lacked any realism against Adora.
Even millions of these summoned humans couldn't beat her.
Park Chan-woo knew that, but he didn't stop provoking Kankun.
“Overcome the death magic yourself, and I'll make you win.”
“……Hah.”
“And one who bows to magic isn't a warrior.”
In other words, Kankun wasn't a warrior.
That's what Park Chan-woo was saying.
But it was also true that Kankun overcoming 'death magic' himself was impossible.
Less than a day left.
Too tight for anything.
But if he didn't even try to overcome it himself, defeat against Adora was certain.
'They won't even reach the 10th floor.'
Kankun was strong.
To climb the Tower of Hubris, Kankun had to change.
He had to stop fearing magic for victory.
Once reliant on sacred items, it was doomed to ruin.
“…You seem confident.”
Suddenly, Kankun's expression cooled.
Kankun continued.
“Bring a mid-grade or higher sacred item within the time limit. Fail, and you'll all pay with your lives. You dared speak of victory before me, so you won't claim you can't, right?”
He'd dared to talk back to him.
Make us win?
Let's see you try.
Fail to bring a mid-grade or higher, and it's annihilation.
Park Chan-woo smiled.
“Fine. But you must overcome the 'death magic' yourself too. Fail that, and you're no warrior—nor will we display a mid-grade or higher sacred item.”
“Hey, Park Chan-woo!”
Kim Byung-han shouted, his face pale.
Just moments ago, he'd felt 'death'.
Kankun had been dead serious about killing them all.
“Why make a bet on your own……!”
“……Not bad.”
Lim Chang-yeol cut in.
They'd brushed death, but the bet itself was intriguing.
If successful, they'd gain an edge over any group here.
“So, do you have a plan?”
A sharp, piercing tone.
He'd acted alone, regardless.
It hugely impacted team play.
If no plan, he deserved reprimand.
Of course, there couldn't be one—
“I do.”
…Defying expectations, Park Chan-woo spoke confidently.
“What’s the plan?”
“Remember how all the sacred items on the altar's display were lowest-grade?”
Currently, three sacred items sat on the altar's display.
Lowest-grade Strength Sacred Item, Lowest-grade Stamina Sacred Item, Lowest-grade Agility Sacred Item.
That's what was there.
Lim Chang-yeol nodded.
“So what? Doesn't that mean higher grades are harder to get?”
“But Kankun specified ‘mid-grade.’ Hardest to obtain on the 1st floor, but they definitely exist.”
“……What are you getting at?”
“Tower of Hubris, 1st floor. Think about the highest-difficulty spot here, and the answer comes.”
“Where the layer guardian is……”
Lim Chang-yeol muttered softly.
Park Chan-woo agreed.
“Exactly. That's where the mid-grade sacred item will be.”
“So, we go to the ‘layer guardian’ alone? Without Kankun?”
He'd been told to defeat the layer guardian with Kankun's help.
Meaning, impossible without him.
Yet asking fifty level-10s, fresh from first limit breakthrough, to take it down? Absurd.
But Park Chan-woo didn't waver.
“Getting the sacred item is our job. Even if it seems impossible, it's designed to be doable.”
“What if it goes wrong? You taking responsibility?”
Kim Byung-han interjected.
It felt like an impossible mission no matter how he thought about it.
Park Chan-woo shrugged.
“The bet's on anyway. Now it's just succeed or fail.”
Of course, failure meant total annihilation for everyone here.
That was certain.
Escape from that Kankun? No chance.
Lim Chang-yeol let out a scoffing laugh.
“…You're something else.”
He'd planned it from the start.
Calculated words. 'I'll make sure we win' dragged them all in.
'Dangerous guy, as expected.'
A nail that wouldn't stay hidden.
In that sense, Park Chan-woo was dangerous.
No one knew if that nail would pierce his own flesh or another's.
But they were already in.
From the moment he withstood the killing intent and sealed the bet.
As Park Chan-woo said, only success or failure remained.
However.
The leader here was Lim Chang-yeol.
Decisions were his alone.
Someone acting freely needed an example made.
That was how he'd survived the underworld for years.
“……Fine. We do it your way here. Everyone, head to the layer guardian.”
Still, Lim Chang-yeol yielded a step.
He was curious what Park Chan-woo's choice would bring.
'Me, afraid of magic?'
Kankun pondered.
Was he truly afraid of magic, of the Witch of Death Adora?
Turning away because death magic scared him!
'If I can't overcome even this, I'm no warrior?'
…Who could dare say such nonsense to him?
He was the Orc Master.
Lord of ten million Red Claw Orcs.
No orc, no rival, ever dared ask if he was 'afraid.'
They pissed themselves and fled at his gaze, no room for words.
Especially these summoned humans—all incapable of facing him.
And yet?
'I'll make you overcome it.'
Magic didn't scare him.
Death, the Witch of Death—all conquerable.
But.
“……”
The death magic in his heart didn't budge when he gathered his energy.
It squeezed him tighter instead.
The Witch of Death Adora was his first worthy opponent.
Her magic had wiped out ten million orcs.
'What I… can't overcome……'
Nothing.
There must be nothing.
But instinctively.
Kankun feared that witch.
As the guy said, no confidence in winning a rematch.
Damn it.
Kankun ground his teeth.
Ten hours passed, then twenty.
The promised time approached.
'Bringing a mid-grade or higher sacred item is impossible anyway.'
Just as he couldn't overcome death magic, humans couldn't fetch one either.
Impossible.
But.
The moment he was certain of failure.
“Kankun.”
There he was, from afar.
With his comrades.
“As promised, I brought it. A mid-grade sacred item.”
……Holding a mid-grade sacred item in hand.
