Chapter 29
Chapter 29
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 29
Chapter Title: Philosopher's Stone
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[...Philosopher's Stone?]
Proving himself a grand archmage, Ratan instantly recognized the stone in Woojin's hand.
"That's right. Then you know what we can do with it too!"
Swooooosh―――!!!
As soon as he shattered the stone, pure white smoke billowed out fiercely, as if a raging heat had been trapped inside.
'Please...!!'
It had to produce something useful.
Woojin stared at the ashes of the [Philosopher's Stone] with trembling eyes.
Thud―.
Once the smoke cleared, a massive knight stood blocking his path.
A towering height of at least two meters.
The knight gripped a round shield in one arm and a thick halberd in the other as he swung his weapon toward Ratan.
Boooom―――!!!
It was visibly a heavy blow.
Ratan's tentacles exploded into fragments the instant they met the Guardian's halberd.
[Guh...?!]
Catching him off guard, Ratan recoiled in surprise.
"Hup―."
After drawing in a deep breath,
Whoosh―!!
Woojin darted behind the Guardian, targeting Ratan as he was flung back.
His figure faded into afterimages.
[Presence] had activated.
'Now.'
As if reading Woojin's mind, the Guardian raised its shield and launched itself at Ratan.
Crack―!!
The moment the Guardian drew Ratan's attention, Woojin thrust his sword into the creature's back with all his might.
Sizzle...! Zzzzap...!!
Lightning surged from the blade, piercing straight through Ratan's body.
"...Huh?"
That was when it happened.
As if to prove he wasn't human, Ratan's neck twisted 180 degrees to glare down at Woojin behind him.
Woojin sensed something off in the creature's eyes.
"Cough!"
Red blood spurted from Woojin's nose and mouth.
'Why...?'
He was the one attacking...
In that instant, a memory flashed.
During those dozens of days trapped in the game, scouring communities for escape methods, someone had posted about it.
Info on [Evil Tail]'s major NPCs.
Among them was data on Ratan Gray.
The debuff spell [Blood Balance].
When struck, it transferred a portion of the damage to a pre-marked target.
Back then, he'd skimmed over it, but now...
'Experiencing it myself... this sucks. Damn it.'
Having lost so much blood at once, Ratan seemed to multiply into dozens before his eyes.
Crunch.
The Guardian blocked Woojin's front.
Crack―!!
Ratan's tentacles crumpled the shield in one go.
Bang―! Bang―!! Rumble―!!!
Tentacles extended from his body and began pummeling the Guardian.
In a blind frenzy to protect Woojin, the raised shield was reduced to rags in seconds.
Splat―!!!
As the shield flew off, tentacles pierced the Guardian's entire body without mercy.
An overwhelming gap in strength.
Plop―.
As Ratan placed his hand on the Guardian's chest, black flames ignited.
Flames as dark as pitch.
And magic on top of that.
The Guardian shuddered in agony as its armor half-melted.
"Insane..."
Crunch―!!!
Ratan stomped the Guardian's head, crushing the helmet with a dull thud.
The Guardian's movements ceased.
Gazing down at its limp, corpse-like form, Ratan sneered at Woojin.
[For something you relied on, it's nothing special.]
He kicked away the shattered helmet and slowly advanced on Woojin.
"You monster bastard."
How much time had passed?
It felt eternally long, yet it might have been mere minutes.
Could he hold out?
Gulp―.
Woojin averted his eyes from the fallen Guardian and gripped his sword.
No need to deliberate.
If he couldn't hold...
He'd die.
"Damn it, I didn't want to use this."
A dark crimson aura surged around Woojin's body.
"Raaaaagh―――!!!"
The ancient orc's soul began filling his mind.
[Fight... Fight...!!!]
As his vision turned red, an unbearable rage boiled up.
Madness swelled.
Grrrrrind―.
Woojin's muscles twisted unnaturally as he rocketed toward Ratan at tremendous speed.
His mind went blank white.
'What the hell is that?'
Woojin turned his head, peering at his shoulder through blurred vision.
Everything below his left shoulder was gone.
'...My arm.'
He'd felt off-balance every sword swing...
That was why.
Splat―!!
Suddenly, Woojin's head snapped back.
Like in a cartoon, both legs floated into the air before slamming into the ground.
"Gah!!!"
No more blood to spit; he only heaved ragged breaths as he fell.
Lake water flooded his nose and mouth.
"Ah... Uh... Uh... Huh..."
His mouth wouldn't work right, letting out eerie wails as he flailed.
Shwick―!!
Ratan's tentacle stabbed his thigh.
Shwick―! Shshwick―!!
Arms, shoulders, sides—sharp tentacles rained down from above, embedding in his body on the water's surface.
'...Ah.'
Each stab made his body jolt upward.
His flailing arm, exhausted from desperate struggle, finally went limp and dropped.
'Sleepy.'
His eyelids felt heavier than the sword he'd swung wildly.
'What am I even doing here? I just want to...'
Go home.
Piles of paperwork to handle, contracts to close...
Is Mom okay?
The little one's college entrance exam is soon...
Memories flashed like a life review.
Crunch―.
Woojin bit down hard enough to shatter his teeth.
'What do you mean what...!'
To go back home...
'This is what I'm doing!!!'
Fwoosh―――!!!
He kicked off the lakebed with all his strength, launching skyward.
Splat―!!
Ratan's tentacle impaled his shoulder.
"Gaaaaah!!!"
His sword slipped from his grip, and even his remaining arm dangled uselessly.
Crunch―!!!
Yet he didn't slow; he charged straight into Ratan's embrace.
[...?!]
Ratan's face twisted in genuine bewilderment at the reckless charge.
Crack...!!
Wrapping his legs around Ratan's waist, he barely flung his limp arm up to lock around the creature's neck.
[Gaaaaah―――!!!]
Hanging from Ratan's back, Woojin sank his teeth into the nape with desperate force.
The rotten stench of corpse flesh made him want to vomit.
But he tore chunks repeatedly.
[You mad bastard!!!!]
Ratan frantically tried to shake him off.
Rumble―!!!
In that instant, a thunderous roar split the air as an arrow streaked across the lake surface, slamming into Ratan's head.
[...Guhk!!!]
The impact hurled Ratan backward.
Bang! Bang!!
Rooooar―!!!
Lightning crashed atop his skull.
Wind spirits sliced off both arms simultaneously.
[Gaaaaah―――!!]
Overwhelming power.
Even in his hazy mind, Woojin heard it clearly.
Bang―!!
Rooooooar―!!
The arrow's boom,
[Guhk... Cough...]
and Ratan's groans.
"Hah... Hah..."
Grip―.
Woojin hauled himself up again.
He fumbled for the sword on the ground and clutched it.
"Are you insane?! Stay down!!!"
Irulin shouted in alarm upon seeing him.
But despite her cry, Woojin took a step forward.
Not because of the ancient orc's madness raging in his head.
Clink―.
He raised his sword over the fallen Ratan.
"I..."
As if vowing to himself, Woojin uttered the words from deep in his chest.
"...will survive no matter what."
Crunch―!!
Like driving a nail, Woojin's sword plunged vertically into Ratan's throat.
Slash―.
A horizontal slice severed the head cleanly.
As if expelling everything, his body collapsed at once.
"...Khan!!!!"
In that moment, someone grabbed the falling Woojin.
The scent of fresh grass wafted.
He opened his eyes.
Woojin blankly stared at the unfamiliar ceiling.
'I didn't die...'
"...Ugh."
Trying to rise sent pain through his body, as if every bone was shattered; he couldn't move.
Turning his head with effort revealed strange surroundings.
Corpses mounted on the walls confirmed they were still inside Darin Lake.
"Are you awake?"
Gowoon, spotting his stirring, rushed to support him.
"...What happened?"
"Everything worked out fine. I got my revenge, and Lady Luen finished her treatment."
Irulin, beside Gowoon, spoke up.
"...I see."
Woojin clicked his tongue at her response.
"Looks like I'm the only one who took a loss."
Recalling the shattered cross and wrecked Guardian, he let out a wry chuckle.
"Surviving isn't nothing? Don't push yourself now. It's only been a little while since we reattached your arm."
"Arm? Oh... right."
Woojin lifted his severed arm.
He flexed it every way and bent his fingers—no odd sensations, thankfully.
"Nice work."
The wound had healed, but the memory lingered vividly.
Thinking of the battle with Ratan made Woojin shudder involuntarily.
'Yeah. Surviving alone is a miracle.'
Expecting rewards in this mess might be greed.
"Not my skill. Just luck. I found a hidden warehouse under the lab."
"Warehouse?"
"Yes. This is it. Seems like a spot where Master and Zion Müllenga stored their magic artifacts for black magic research."
She pointed to a small glass vial.
"Lucky us, there was even elixir. Diluted about ten thousand times, but reattaching a severed arm? No problem."
"...Elixir?"
Woojin slowly scanned the room.
As she said, crates he'd never seen lay beneath the mounted corpses.
"All these are Ratan's magic artifacts?"
"Yes."
In that moment,
Woojin's eyes gleamed.
"You okay?"
As he stood, Gowoon asked worriedly.
"Fine. Felt like death earlier, but now I'm good."
"Huh?"
If hoping for rewards was greed...
Screw it. What's wrong with a little greed?
After all that hell.
Click―.
Woojin opened the crate.