Chapter 80
Chapter 80
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 80
Chapter Title: Capturing Hanjo
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Yi Ryanghun and Hanjo couldn't put up any resistance.
Even with the white-haired old man and Cheok Jun-kyung there, the two of them couldn't hold off all of us.
I walked toward the remaining robed man.
Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud.
As I drew closer, he retreated backward.
“Kim Cheonjae, let's call it here for today.”
“What?”
“I underestimated you far too much. I never imagined that guy would be working with you.”
“……Who the hell are you.”
The robed man spread his arms wide and began chanting a spell.
The incantation was short, with a forceful cadence—definitely someone with a combat-class job.
I couldn't give him any opening.
“Block him.”
The skeleton mage under my command unleashed magic at the robed man.
Fire, ice, and earth spells all at once.
A blazing red fireball, a solidly frozen icicle, a jagged stone chunk covered in spikes.
The robed man finished his chant, drew a short dagger, and swung it through the empty air.
Slash—slash. Slash.
The three spells were sliced apart before they could even touch him, crashing to the ground.
The icicle and stone were solid, so that made sense, but a mere elemental force like fire being cut and dropping to the earth?
Fwoosh!
The robed man's hood shook, revealing just a glimpse of his lips.
He was smiling.
He then raised the dagger high above his head and shouted.
“Until next time. Group Warp! Destination: ‘Ruined Village.’”
Light poured out from his body. The same glow emanated from the white-haired old man, who was facing off against Yi Ryanghun and Park Gyuhwan trapped in the prison.
“Damn it!”
One of the priciest spell scrolls out there, costing five thousand Jenny.
[Group Teleport]
An instant relocation that carries every group member within a 100-meter radius to a pre-memorized location.
Far too expensive to use before the late game.
Boom!
A pillar of light descended from the sky, whisking away Yi Ryanghun and his crew.
All except for one.
“……Hanjo.”
* * * * *
Wasn't he part of the same group? Hanjo was the only one left behind.
I sat down in front of the prison cell holding him, waiting for ‘Throat Eavesdropping’ to wear off.
Once the skill activated, not even the skeleton leader could stop it.
“Jo Young-gi. Where are Kim Yeon-hee and Kim Ria?”
“They're guarding Ma Jeongwoo and that black friend of his.”
“……Got it. And Sora-ssi?”
“Sora-ssi? Oh—. That woman?”
Jo Young-gi looked troubled as he continued.
“She wasn't there.”
“……What?”
“There were only those two at the spot you mentioned. Everyone else is on standby at the hideout.”
“Where's the hideout?”
“Near the plaza. Not far from here.”
“Near the plaza……”
—Roooar!
While we talked, the monsters pouring out of the gate got organized and charged all at once.
Cerberus and gargoyles after the ogre—a full platoon’s worth.
Roughly thirty to forty of them.
“……Go.”
Gawain and Park Gyuhwan swept through the monsters emerging from the labyrinth gate. At some point, Park Gyuhwan had started using aura too.
I'd pegged him as just some grunt soldier, but special forces were on another level.
He rampaged like a madman, the word "frenzy" fitting him perfectly.
Jo Young-gi watched my subordinates in combat and clapped his hands.
Clap!
“Wow—the labyrinth gate wasn't supposed to be an event where every player in Kyungseong teams up to clear it? Why are these monsters so weak?”
“The monsters aren't weak.”
“……Then. You're the one who's strong?”
“Naturally.”
Jo Young-gi didn't argue.
He'd seen the fight I put on earlier, so he knew my capabilities.
“Kim Cheonjae, I've been thinking hard about this. If I stick with you, we might actually see the end of this game.”
“……”
“There was one other player who gave me that vibe before, but the game tanked back then.”
I scratched my head.
I knew exactly who he was talking about. Had to be either Ma Jeongwoo or me.
Should I reveal my identity now?
Crack. Crraaack.
The prison holding Hanjo started crumbling bit by bit. He was slyly positioning himself toward the shadows, getting ready to bolt.
“Hanjo, don't even think about running. I've already got your ability figured out.”
“Even if you catch me, Yi Ryanghun won't come back.”
“I don't need that bastard anyway. If he's headed to the ‘Ruined Village,’ we're bound to cross paths again.”
The moment the skeleton leader's prison dissolved, I activated Iron Maiden.
Transparent thorns wrapped around his body, embracing it.
“……What the hell is this?”
“Damage reflection spell. You can't attack anyone now.”
“Damage reflection?”
“Yeah. Any damage you deal bounces right back to you.”
“……”
“Kill me, and you die too. I kill you, and it's no issue for me.”
Hanjo hissed through clenched teeth.
Hiss—.
His brow furrowed, creases forming between his eyes.
“You learned one hell of a shitty skill.”
“Thanks for the compliment. So, shall we get started?”
“……With what?”
“Revenge, you piece of shit.”
I kicked Hanjo in the shin. It felt like striking steel—not a human leg.
Even with my Death Knight boots, my toes went numb.
“……You've turned into a complete monster.”
Hanjo flashed an awkward smile.
“Is that praise?”
“It is. Your body and mind are perfectly in sync now.”
I ended the chit-chat and kept pounding him. Full-force punches shattered his nasal bone; I twisted his elbows until his arms were useless.
The X Virus was a toxin that implanted DNA from one of the so-called great demons, rewriting muscle fibers and brain cells.
The bones stayed the same.
Hanjo gasped raggedly, his face a bloody mess.
“We're not done yet.”
I followed up with a kick to the ribs, making it hard for him to breathe, then drove my heel into his solar plexus.
“Gaaack!”
“No matter how tough your body is, joints and vital points are a different story.”
“Urgh…….”
“You were all hyped up to kill me earlier, but your reactions are pretty tame now.”
Hanjo took every hit in a groveling stance.
No fight left in him, apparently.
If it were me, I'd have lunged anyway. Why not get some revenge in before dying?
Even with broken arms, I'd get up and kick, or bite with my teeth if I had to.
With a blank expression, I said to Hanjo.
“You a real man? In a spot like this, shouldn't you charge in ready to die?”
Hanjo lifted his head slightly, still curled up.
“Hoo……. That it?”
I pulled a cigarette from my pocket and tossed out the words.
“You think that's it?”
“……”
“You're not getting off easy. Not with all the people you murdered unjustly.”
“Do whatever. I'm not begging you to spare me.”
“No intention of sparing you, so don't bother thinking it.”
Blood-drenched Hanjo let out a sleazy laugh.
Kuhahaha—!
His gore-smeared mouth was revolting.
A guy about to die, laughing like that—living up to his psycho rep?
I slapped his cheek lightly with my palm.
“……Funny?”
“Damn right it is. You absolutely won't kill me.”
“What?”
It was so ridiculous I snorted on reflex. What made him so cocky?
Hanjo slowly raised his upper body.
“If I die, Japanese and Korean players will be screwed in every round from here on out—no backup.”
“……And?”
“Then no one on the East Asia server breaks past the seventh round limit. Everyone stays trapped in this game forever.”
The infamous seventh round, where you had to take down one of the great demons.
Every player on the East Asia server gathered for the boss raid.
“……Don't need you. I already know how to clear the seventh without your lot.”
“What?”
“Yi Ryanghun must've told you who I am by now.”
Hanjo's face hardened.
He'd dropped some cryptic lines too.
‘Fail to clear the round, and no one gets out of this game.’
Sounded like he knew the exit strategy.
Hmm.
“Hey, mummy. You're talking like you know how to get out of this game.”
Hanjo grinned.
“……I do.”
“You do?”
“Can't promise a full hundred percent, though.”
Jo Young-gi, who'd been listening, placed a hand on my shoulder.
“Kim Cheonjae. We should take this guy somewhere and have a long talk.”
“……”
“Let's relocate first. This is the global server—trouble if others show up.”
I glanced back and forth between Hanjo and Jo Young-gi, lost in thought.
What if he was just bullshitting to weasel out of this?
Pass on killing him now, and who knew when I'd get another shot……
Ding-!
“Huh?”
A system message chimed.
[Sudden Event: Protect the Peace! <Nightmare> (Completed)]
[All labyrinth gate monsters have been defeated.]
[Monster kill rate 100%. Special reward granted to player ‘Kim Cheonjae,’ who monopolized every last one!]
I turned around—every monster that had been spilling from the gate lay defeated.
Boom!
The gate exploded.
A single wooden chest remained in its place.
“……What's that now.”
Beep. Beep. Beep.
The ancient relic radar blared. The map pinpointed the exact spot: the chest from the reward.
Jo Young-gi gulped and double-checked the system message.
“Nightmare?! The monsters you were fighting were Nightmare difficulty?”
“……Yeah.”
Hanjo stared at the fallen monsters in disbelief.
“Kim Cheonjae…… Why'd a freak like you have to be in Korea…….”
I finished scanning all the messages, then slammed my palm heel into Hanjo's nape.
Thwack!
He went limp and collapsed forward.
“Jo Young-gi, let's move.”
* * * * *
Yi Ryanghun and his gang had been whisked away by the pillar of light to somewhere in the Ruined Village.
Crash!
Looking around, I spotted a cross.
Had to be the church at the village center.
Yi Ryanghun cracked his neck side to side, stretching, then muttered low.
“Ugh…… Everyone okay?”
The robed man gazed up at the cross nonchalantly and replied.
“Yeah. You two?”
“I'm good. Old timer! Dongpal gramps!”
The white-haired old man clutched his waist as he rose.
“Aigoo…… Told you, old coots like me don't mess with warp scrolls.”
“Better than croaking.”
Yi Ryanghun flashed a cheeky grin at the robed man.
“Hey, Goti. We owe you one—lived thanks to you.”
Sunlight streamed into the church, casting a perfect cross-shaped beam.
The dim interior brightened, illuminating the robed man's face.
Tousled perm hair cascading to his neck. A sharp jawline, deep-set eyes, and piercing, angled gaze.
His face crisscrossed with dozens—no, hundreds—of long and short scars.
The one called Goti removed his hood.
Flutter.
“Yi Ryanghun, proceed with the next plan.”
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