Chapter 64
Chapter 64
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 64
Chapter Title: Renewed Temple Trial
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The first thing Kang Jin-hyuk saw upon entering the dungeon wasn't a monster, but Lucia.
She had set up camp at the entrance and was waiting, with countless candy wrappers scattered around her feet.
With a stick candy in her mouth—god knows how many she'd gone through—Lucia approached Kang Jin-hyuk.
“What the hell was all that commotion outside?”
“Commotion?”
“Don't play dumb. All the magic circles I set up in your house got smashed to bits.”
“When did you even...”
“If you suddenly kicked the bucket, I'd need a rough idea of the situation, wouldn't I?”
The alarm magic circles had all been destroyed by sheer physical force.
The fact that every one installed throughout the house was broken was proof that something huge had gone down there.
Lucia had been getting antsy because Kang Jin-hyuk hadn't entered the dungeon for a while after it happened.
“Were you worried about me or something?”
“Can't you tell?”
Kang Jin-hyuk had half meant it as a tease, but her blunt reply left him stunned instead.
“Uh... seriously?”
“Yeah, I told you. It'd be a pain if you suddenly died. Who's gonna buy these for me then?”
Lucia dangled a freshly unwrapped candy right in front of Kang Jin-hyuk's eyes.
Seeing that, Kang Jin-hyuk let out a hollow laugh tinged with deflation.
“Of course.”
Expecting any girlish sentiment from Lucia was idiotic.
Kang Jin-hyuk shook his head and headed down to the lower levels.
His destination was, of course, the Dragon's Temple.
As he made his way there, Kang Jin-hyuk explained to Lucia everything that had happened outside.
And on the off chance, he even asked her for help.
“Nope. Sounds boring as hell.”
“Knew you'd say that.”
There was zero chance Lucia would care about a spat driven by sleazy self-interest.
Even so, Kang Jin-hyuk—who had clung to a shred of hope—felt disappointed inside.
‘I thought we'd gotten kinda close, but was it just me?’
Maybe she really only saw him as a candy delivery service.
The thought hit him, plunging him into sudden gloom.
“What's with the long face? Because I won't help?”
“Yeah.”
“Tsk tsk. How's a guy gonna make it being that stingy?”
After the sexist jab, Lucia patted his shoulder like she was consoling him.
“But I'll tag along anyway.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. If you die, I'll at least get revenge. I know enough loyalty for that.”
“...Damn, that's almost touching.”
Kang Jin-hyuk brushed off her words as a joke, not reading anything into it.
He had no clue it was her awkward way of showing camaraderie.
*Sigh.*
If Kang Jin-hyuk died and she went outside, Lucia could never return to the dungeon.
She'd lose any shot at going back to her original world for good.
Even if it meant living out her days in a world where the very air was poisoned, she'd make sure to avenge you.
That was the intent behind Lucia's words.
“Pointless trying to talk sense to a blockhead.”
“What's that supposed to mean?”
“Exactly what it sounds like.”
Lucia bolted ahead in a huff, leaving Kang Jin-hyuk looking baffled.
“Why's she pissed all of a sudden?”
Even when they reached the Dragon's Temple entrance, Lucia was still sulking.
No matter how he racked his brain, Kang Jin-hyuk couldn't figure it out, so he threw in the towel.
“Whatever it is, snap out of it. Want more candy?”
“Just get in there already. You said you need strength to not die.”
Lure in Tyrant to take down Titan.
The crux of the plan was pitting Titan's Kang Jun-tae against Tyrant's Jo Won-cheol.
Mutual destruction was the dream scenario, but when did the world ever go according to plan?
If Kang Jun-tae somehow survived, mopping up would fall to Kang Jin-hyuk.
He couldn't leave it to Seo Sang-ho, who wouldn't wake from his coma for another two weeks.
“I need to get way stronger than I am now, at least.”
Kang Jin-hyuk had the Alaurune's Return Pill, but a day or two of grinding levels wouldn't stack enough stats.
Even doubled, it wouldn't touch S-rank Hunter territory.
It'd be S-rank against S-rank, so they'd be drained, but that didn't guarantee a win.
A cornered rat bites a cat—but what if the cornered beast was a tiger?
Charge in with mediocre power and grit, and he'd get shredded without a prayer.
“What if you fail?”
Kang Jin-hyuk gave Lucia a grim smile.
“I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. What else can I do?”
It was the only play that came to mind.
He didn't even want to imagine the fallout of failure, so escapism it was.
“It'll work out somehow.”
Not that he was diving in blindly, of course.
He'd maxed out prep with what he had.
So no regrets even if it tanked.
With a quick deep breath to loosen up, Kang Jin-hyuk balled his fist and hammered the temple door.
“It's past twelve! Open up!”
The first visit, the doors had slid apart left and right—but this time, response was different.
Light blazed under his feet, and suddenly he was back in that spot from before, facing the old man in the temple.
Not just the place, either.
The old man sat in his chair, unchanged, waiting for him.
“Urgency is written all over your face. What's going on?”
“Got myself in a messy spot.”
“Hmm... Not just your neck on the line, then.”
“Fortune-teller instincts still sharp, huh.”
The old man stroked his beard and let out a hearty chuckle.
“Fortune-teller. Could be amusing on a slow day.”
His laugh cut off as he tapped the floor once with his staff.
*Thunk.*
The temple plunged into pitch blackness once more.
“Then I'll divine your future.”
In the void where nothing was visible, the old man's voice cut through clear.
“You'll swallow that Return Pill before the day is out.”
The words barely landed when Kang Jin-hyuk felt a chill grazing his neck.
“Damn it!”
Not this time—he wouldn't just take it.
His repeated resolve paid off; he dodged on instinct.
The blonde youth, decapitation foiled, stepped back a pace.
“Not bad.”
He'd been caught once before, sure—but spotting and evading it instantly wasn't average talent.
“Ambush handling: pass.”
“Means more tests ahead, huh.”
“Quick study—good.”
The youth lunged, closing the gap in a flash, and brought his sword down vertically from overhead.
Too late to dodge, Kang Jin-hyuk judged—so he raised his baseball bat to intercept the blade's arc.
*Boom!*—like a bomb detonating between bat and sword.
Kang Jin-hyuk learned that day metal clashes could roar like that.
“Urgh...!”
Force buckled him; one knee started to bend.
Kneel here, and he'd crumple—so he poured aura into both legs.
“Hoh.”
The youth's eyes widened in genuine admiration at Kang Jin-hyuk straightening up and holding firm.
“Awakened aura at your age already. Remarkable progress.”
“Cut the self-congratulations!”
Aura surged into both hands now, but the youth yanked his sword free and retreated.
Kang Jin-hyuk, denied his counter shot, smacked his lips in frustration.
“Quick eyes.”
“Not eyes—your tells are obvious.”
“...”
The words yanked him back to his scrap with Kang Jun-tae.
“You track the aura buildup and read my moves. That it?”
“You know your flaw. But what good's knowing if you can't fix it?”
Same as not knowing.
The youth nailed the bullseye.
“Fuck's sake. Not like it's a manga—think a day's enough to fix a weakness?”
Kang Jin-hyuk's hand darted to his waist.
The youth clocked five small vials coming out.
“When control lags, cash shop's the answer.”
“Cash... shop? What're you on about?”
While the youth puzzled over the gibberish, Kang Jin-hyuk chugged every drop.
High-grade potions—not just MP recovery, but max MP boosts too.
Eye-watering price, but zero regrets.
Money spent was nothing next to smashing that smug mug.
“Raaagh!”
Kang Jin-hyuk unleashed aura full throttle.
No focus on limbs—it bloomed body-wide, radiating fierce crimson glow.
“Drugs for power? That counts as your strength?”
Kang Jin-hyuk barked a laugh at the critique.
“Potions I bought with my cash? All mine!”
The sheer gall, devoid of any conscience, cracked the youth up.
“Hah hahaha! Fair point!”
Both hands gripped the hilt tight; knees and waist bent into a proper stance.
“Now we'll get serious. Block this if you can.”
Blink—and he was in Kang Jin-hyuk's face.
No panic: Kang Jin-hyuk swung the bat with everything.
But the youth's sword batted it aside first.
“This test: flurries.”
Before recovering from the rebound, the sword was slicing for his neck.
Dodge too late, counter too late.
Options sealed, Kang Jin-hyuk spun on his heel, riding the bat's kickback to slap the sword away.
The split-second improv was plenty to impress the youth.
“Splendid.”
“You think I'm busting my ass for your applause?!”
Another spin—he accelerated to crack the youth's temple.
But the youth blocked the hyped-up swing effortlessly.
Bare-handed, no less.
“What kinda freak is this.”
“Freak's a stretch.”
A wry smile crossed the youth's face—then he felt the bat's texture and bugged his eyes.
“Orichalcum? Way above your paygrade, kid.”
“Saying I'm aluminum-tier?!”
Perfect—Kang Jin-hyuk triggered the bat's enchant skill.
Lightning even S-rank Hunter Kang Jun-tae couldn't shrug off raced from bat to hand to full body.
Dazzling flash—and Kang Jin-hyuk waited for the charred husk.
“Hmm... that does sting.”
Kang Jin-hyuk gaped at the youth, barely wincing.
Never dreamed he'd see someone else's power and react like that.