Chapter 33: Boss Monster.
Chapter 33: Boss Monster.
Kim Hanbyul never took her eyes off me. Her eyes pleaded with me to get up, to run, but I had no intention of doing so.
It seemed my companions had gravely misunderstood the situation.
Finally, with a flash of blue light from the Warp Gate, I saw that everyone but me had been successfully transported.
Did they leave?
They left, right?
They were gone.
Before I knew it, a dark shadow loomed over me. The boss monster, seemingly unconcerned about its lost prey, was growling at me incessantly. I placed both hands on the ground and slowly pushed myself up. Having rolled around for the first time in a while, my whole body felt stiff. I twisted my torso to stretch my back, and a series of cracks echoed as my joints popped back into place.
I looked down at the crossbow that had served me well, then let it fall. I no longer needed it. It struck the dirt with a soft thud and rolled. Without hesitation, I planted my foot on it.
Crack!
After watching the crossbow snap in half, I indifferently extended a hand toward the place where the others had dropped their gear. I raised my magic and invoked Telekinesis. The longsword Ahn Hyun had discarded spun through the air and settled neatly into my hand.
And at last, I held a longsword in my hand again.
One of the things that had felt strange throughout the Rite of Passage was the absence of a sword. In the Hall Plain, I had treated my sword as if it were my own life. Whether I was sleeping, eating, or even washing, I always kept my sword by my side. Perhaps that was why, when I handed the sword to Ahn Hyun, it had felt as if I’d lost a comrade-in-arms.
It was all over now. I could finally return to the Hall Plain. How I had longed for this moment. How desperately I had prayed to return. What I once thought was a dream became a reality when I obtained Zero Code, and now, I was just one step away from that reality. I felt my chest swell with emotion.
It was as if Eternal Flame, slumbering in my heart, was responding to my fervent feelings. My heart pounded wildly, and I felt the blood coursing through my veins burn hot. The breath I had held, the heart that had been dead, began to blaze fiercely once more. This was the moment just before the curtain rose on the long war, beginning anew.
Kuaaaaaaaah!
The boss monster’s roar echoed. Before I cut it down, I quietly gazed at the sword in my hand. I had acquired skills surpassing my past self, but there was no guarantee I was the strongest. Still, I felt no fear. For I had made a firm vow: even if I were to fall into the abyss again, even if I were to be grievously wounded once more, I would never give up. Without a shred of worry, I raised my sword and aimed it at the boss monster.
The moment I truly took hold of the sword, the very air around me changed.
『Special Ability Unity of Sword and Self (Rank: EX) activates. From the moment you take up a sword, every action performed with it receives an additional positive correction. Years of seasoned experience, numerous achievements, and your class bonus grant a two-rank increase.』
『Latent Ability Close-Quarters Combat (Rank: A Plus) activates. This ability has already surpassed the limits attainable by those who wield melee weapons. In close combat, you will never be overpowered. Years of seasoned experience and your class bonus grant a one-rank increase.』
I had once been a Sword Master, and now I was a Sword Specialist (Swordsmanship Expert). I possessed sword-related abilities and a sword-related class. The difference in my power with and without a sword was as vast as heaven and earth. Before, my presence had been like a drifting cloud, faint and elusive. Now a storm of killing intent carrying the unmistakable will 〈I will kill you.〉 surrounded the creature.
To my eyes, the creature now looked utterly insignificant—less than an insect. When I stepped forward, the boss monster stepped back. That was inevitable. No matter how cunning it was, it remained a monster with intact animal instincts. Once it recognized the overwhelming gulf between us, it had effectively lost the will to fight.
The foundation of my swordsmanship lay in Tai Chi. Rather than suppressing an opponent with overwhelming force, many of my techniques turned both my power and theirs to my advantage. Since my Strength lagged behind that of the highest-ranked Users, it had been my only viable answer. More precisely, I applied the principles of concentrating qi to attain softness and overcoming hardness with softness. The essence was to subdue movement through stillness.
I slowly lowered my sword. Since I couldn't expect the beast to attack first, I planned to strike. My current stance was a preparatory one, just before unleashing my unique sword-drawing technique. Of course, I knew it could look like I was wide open.
But for that very reason, my opponent couldn't predict the trajectory of my first strike. If I swung my sword at lightning speed from this position, my opponent would either be struck down before they could even read my sword path or be forced to cede the initiative.
I watched the boss monster tremble before me and immediately unleashed my sword-drawing strike.
And then.
My sword aura tore through the air, advancing relentlessly toward the beast.
*
“One-Sword Kill. That was a magnificent sword-drawing technique. User Kim Soohyun, congratulations on surviving the Rite of Passage. I hereby certify that as of Day 6, 16:42:27, you have earned the right to enter the Hall Plain.”
I had split the boss monster in two with a single strike. Those were the first words Seraph spoke to me after I returned to the Summoning Room. She was still hovering above the small altar, her luminous wings shimmering as she watched me calmly. Though it hadn't even been a week, it felt like I was seeing her after a long time. I gave a brief nod and collapsed onto the floor.
“What about the others?”
It was an abrupt question, but the Rite of Passage differed from the Hall Plain. In this space there were no restrictions on observing Users. Since Seraph had clearly watched my actions, I assumed she had also seen the Users traveling with me.
“Revealing information about other users is not permitted.”
“I'm not asking for their three sizes. You can at least tell me if they made it back safely. You're being awfully sensitive.”
Hearing my words, Seraph let out a deep sigh before answering in a composed voice.
“Users Ahn Hyun, Ahn Sol, Lee Yoojung, and Kim Hanbyul have been successfully transported to the Summoning Room. They are currently on standby with their designated angels.”
“I see. So they get half a day of training and then enter the Hall Plain?”
“The training does not take that long. However, we must unlock the classes and abilities that suit each user's disposition. User Kim Soohyun, you completed the process skillfully under your own initiative, but please do not assume it is the same for other users.”
I fell silent at her words. In the past, after surviving for seven days, I had returned to the Summoning Room, learned the basics of the Hall Plain, and entered after completing the initial setup. The time it took felt like about half a day.
“The transport of all users to the Hall Plain is processed simultaneously. Therefore, it is necessary to wait for the users who will earn their qualifications at the end of the 7th day of the Rite of Passage.”
“Then can I at least go n—”
“Absolutely not.”
This was not welcome news for someone who wanted to enter as soon as possible. I had even dealt with the boss monster quickly for this very reason. I tried asking just in case, but seeing Seraph cut me off before I could even finish, I grumbled with a sullen face.
“So you’re saying I have to stay here for almost a day and a half. I’m just supposed to wait around? What am I supposed to do, play patty-cake with you?”
Despite my irritated tone, Seraph replied clearly.
“I can do that for you if you wish. For users who pass early, we typically provide more detailed information about the Hall Plain.”
“Don’t need it.”
“Then would you like to play patty-cake?”
“Ugh… No. Let’s just talk.”
Seeing Seraph ask so seriously, I shook my head. This angel just didn't get jokes. Since it had come to this, I decided to ask a few questions that had been on my mind during the Rite of Passage. My tone, of course, was dripping with provocation. At my suggestion to talk, Seraph tilted her head, then gave a slight nod.
“Playing through the Rite of Passage, I have to ask, did you guys even think about the balance?”
“Yes.”
Seraph’s reply was curt.
“…Let’s set aside dropping us in the middle of a forest and the Wraiths. But what kind of sadistic idea was that summoning spell and boss monster? Seriously, what sort of Rite of Passage is this? Prospective Users can’t possibly clear it.”
“Is there a problem?”
“At the end, if I hadn’t been there, my party would have been wiped out. I just can’t understand the reason for unleashing a monster like that.”
Without a moment’s hesitation, Seraph began to speak.
“The Rite of Passage automatically adjusts its balance to the level of the Users participating in each round. This round was exceptional, of course, because User Kim Soohyun was excluded from that calculation. In any case, this year contains enough promising Users to rank among the five strongest groups in history.”
“Even so, the boss monster makes no sense. How are users who can’t even use magic supposed to kill a boss monster?”
“Killing it is impossible. There is a different method of clearing it. The boss monster is randomly summoned between 200 and 300 meters from the Warp Gate. It is impossible to face it alone, but with at least five people, a minimum of one person can reach the Warp Gate.”
I immediately understood what Seraph was saying.
“…So you’re saying one person escapes by using up to four others as bait.”
“Correct.”
I was at a loss for words. But at the same time, I could vaguely understand why they had placed the boss monster near the Warp Gate. The users who passed would have to taste the sorrow of losing the comrades they had journeyed with. Since such events were commonplace in the Hall Plain, it seemed their intention was to deliver a similar shock right from the start.
It was a cruel design, I thought, but I had no room to argue. After all, the reason I had returned was, in a way, because I couldn't overcome a similar sense of loss. I sighed inwardly and was about to change the subject when Seraph spoke first.
“I admit that there was a certain level of difficulty. For your information, the first four people who arrived simultaneously have been given a small Gold Point reward.”
“…Oh? No one should have passed before us. What about me?”
“User Kim Soohyun passed in 5th place. The four I mentioned are tied for 1st place. As a reward, they will each be granted 2,500 Gold Points.”
Oh, that was good news. An extra 2,500 points at the beginning would be a tremendous help. Gold Points from the User-Exclusive Shop were exceptionally useful in the early stages. My eyes lit up as I spoke.
“Ooh, Gold Points. Give me some too.”
“Unfortunately, it is only awarded to 1st place. Originally, one person would have received 10,000 points, but since there were four this time, we had no choice but to divide it. User Kim Soohyun is not eligible.”
Is that so. Disappointed, I smacked my lips and nodded. With 2,500 points, they could exchange it for Hall Plain gold and not have to worry about being short on money at the beginning. Or they could buy a beginner’s weapon. Noticing my expression, Seraph spoke to me with a look of confusion.
“User Kim Soohyun. You seem quite disappointed. It is merely 2,500 points.”
“Gold Points don’t just grow on trees, you know.”
“That is true. However, User Kim Soohyun, your current Gold Point balance is precisely 3,784,720 points. I do not believe you need to be so concerned with a mere 2,500 points.”
…Huh?