Chapter 24
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 24
Chapter Title: Perfectly Warped
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Pic. Roll, roll.
The white monster that had flown into the corner of the rooftop was still alive, trembling as it struggled to rise.
Boom! It was stomped with enough force to send vibrations through the air. The white monster, shaking as it barely turned its head, reached out toward me—then thunk. It was stabbed by the sword once more. Soon after, it slumped powerlessly.
“What…….”
Before I could even recover from my bewilderment, the white monster broke apart like a cluster of fireflies, scattering into the air and vanishing. It disappeared silently, leaving only a pure white magic stone behind—as if reminding me it had been a monster all along. Without a trace.
“Tch. No wonder the quality felt off.”
It wasn’t me who said it. Nor was it anyone I knew.
Clink. Twin daggers connected by iron chains—they were what had pierced the white monster moments ago.
The one who’d stabbed it picked up the pristine white magic stone.
“…….”
I slowly shifted my gaze. From the tip of the dagger, up the hand, to the torso, and finally the face. A plain sleeveless top and loose pants. Dark brown short hair. A white mask hiding the face. A hunter I’d never seen before in my life. But before I could even process that—
Clang!
“What the hell. Why are you □□□ here…….”
My body moved on instinct.
I couldn’t understand the strange language used to describe me—it was one I’d never heard before—but I had no time to waste on such useless nonsense, nor any need to.
Thud. I shot across in an instant, slamming into the wall of the opposite building. The white mask hunched for a moment before kicking off the structure and swiftly leaping back onto the rooftop.
“Wow. They told me not to step in yet, so I held back. But waiting paid off.”
“Who the hell are you.”
“Me? Hmm…… Secret! It’s not time yet.”
“Time?”
“You’ll find out soon enough, like it or not.”
Clink. The sound of chains rang out as the daggers were aimed at me.
My head was a mess. Why did these anomalies always pile up all at once?
‘At least give me time to think.’
I bit my lip hard and stared at the woman in the white mask. A build nearly twice my size. Strength that felt S-Rank at least.
Whoosh. I lightly spun my scythe, and the white mask responded by grabbing her chains, whirling her blades in response. Then—clang! The sword and scythe collided, grinding like metal on metal, laying waste to the surroundings.
It wasn’t until after several clashes that I realized what I already knew: I was being overpowered. I was weak in the original world, so of course I wouldn’t be strong here.
“What’s this? Not that strong after all?”
The eyes visible beneath the white mask curved into crescents as they looked down at me. They’d shifted from the gaze of an enemy to that of a predator eyeing prey.
Bang! My swift strike sent the white mask reeling back. Her power was immense—the skid marks she left on the rooftop were stark.
“Ah, right. This works too, doesn’t it?”
I charged straight at the white mask as it slowly tried to stand.
For now, she wasn’t an ally. High chance she was an enemy, and even if not, she was a target that needed to be eliminated for sure.
After all, there was only one dungeon entrance, and the only ones who’d entered were me and my party. A hunter who shouldn’t have been able to enter had gotten in, which meant they were connected to the dungeon. And the change in quality? That suggested they were involved all the way up to managing it.
Boom! Her kick sent me flying from the crumbling rooftop edge, crashing into a nearby building. As I hunched for a split second, the white mask closed in fast. I yanked myself free from the structure and dodged to the side. Her sword slammed into the building with a terrifying screech.
Crunch.
The building split and tilted, then collided with the one in front.
“This spot showed up the most. Why ruin it?”
“What?”
“The flow!”
I opened my mouth to ask what flow she meant—only to clash with her sword again.
Clang! We traded blows in midair several times before landing lightly and immediately clashing once more. No room to question, no chance to speak.
Like a hunter relentlessly tracking its quarry, the white mask pursued me without mercy.
“Ugh—”
I failed to block a swift strike, and the dagger plunged deep into my shoulder. It pressed for a moment before being yanked out fast. I felt the blood surging out in a gush.
“Weak, but you dodged pretty well. Guess this is the end?”
“What, poison on the blade or something?”
“Oh.”
Guess it really was.
Whoosh, whoosh. The white mask, swinging her chain-linked blades, suddenly stopped spinning the chains and let out a deep sigh before speaking.
“What’s with you? Barely any change in expression. No fun at all.”
She’d stopped attacking altogether, clearly banking on the poison.
I pressed my shoulder and scanned the surroundings. Collapsed buildings, cracked ground. Black residents fleeing or peeking from afar.
‘She took a stab to the gut, so she must be hurting just as much.’
Even if I ran, the odds of linking up with my party weren’t high. They might’ve already moved to the next stage. In that case—
“How about I tell you something?”
“What?”
“Our side’s hunters……”
Click. Something gripped in my hand—a small vial. I popped the cap and poured the liquid into my mouth.
“What the—?”
Clink! The glass vial I tossed shattered on impact.
“Always carry antidote as standard. Tough luck.”
“Antidote……?”
Another vial filled my palm. As I went to uncap it—
Crash! The white mask closed in instantly and smashed the bottle. The contents splashed onto my shoulder.
“You didn’t need to drink this one.”
“What?”
I backed away and checked my shoulder. The liquid soaked in quickly, the throbbing wound knitting closed until only a faint stiffness remained.
Seeing my healed wound, the white mask’s eyes widened. She spoke in an irritated tone.
“…What do they call this again? Hmm…… Ah. Little fox kit?”
“Bit harsh calling me a fox kit when I’m just patching myself up.”
I shook out my arm and gripped my scythe firmly again.
Party or no party, escaping was impossible. No flight ability, no teleport—made it all the harder.
‘So instead……’
I scanned the area once more. Ruined buildings from the chaos, faint smoke rising, flames from an exploded car. Better to hope my party came this way. If they’d gone to another stage, oh well.
‘…And the final boss is still out there.’
No clue how much time had passed. Probably hours.
I asked the white mask.
“Anyone else besides you?”
“Others? Oh! Yeah! I called ’em!”
“…Tch.”
If the others had gone after my party, counting on help was pointless.
♧♣♧
“…….”
All around was pitch black, so Ryu Cheon-hwa thought.
‘Not the next stage……probably.’
Han Ji-eon, who’d been behind him, was gone too. In this inexplicable situation, Ryu Cheon-hwa sighed and muttered.
“Guess I need to move first.”
Unlike before, there weren’t even roads visible. Alleyways like a maze. No idea why they’d been separated, but he figured he’d find them eventually. For now, he walked.
“Hope Han Ji-eon Hunter didn’t head to the next stage alone.”
Step. Turning the corner brought the same scenery, as if looping in one direction. A real maze.
“Buildings unnecessarily tall…….”
Ryu Cheon-hwa glanced up at the dizzyingly high structures, then boom! He leaped high, slamming his hand into the wall to stick. As he reached up to climb—
Clink.
“…….”
The sound of metal on metal—more precisely, accessories clinking.
No Korean S-Rank hunter made a sound like that. Likely a monster, he thought. He pulled his hand free with a pop and dropped back to the ground, turning toward the noise.
Step by step. With each footfall, the clinking overlapped in sync.
Right before the corner, Ryu Cheon-hwa stopped. The metallic sound that had been there suddenly cut off. As if it had never existed, silence reigned.
“If you won’t come out first…….”
Ryu Cheon-hwa lightly raised his fist and tapped the wall. Then—
Boom!
The wall crumbled, debris scattering everywhere.
“…….”
Plink, plop. Ryu Cheon-hwa kicked aside the building rubble on the ground and took a step forward.
“Hm?”
Ruins all around. Nothing. No person, no monster.
“More precisely, maybe…….”
Buzz. A sound from above. Ryu Cheon-hwa raised his arm on reflex.
Boom! Something collided, fierce winds whipping up damage around them.
“What is it?”
Golden eyes. White skin, white hair. Short locks swaying, revealing golden earrings that clinked.
“No way it’s a hunter.”
That flashy getup would’ve made them famous quick, but Ryu Cheon-hwa had never seen them before. Intrigued, he asked.
“Who are you?”
“…….”
Buzz. A golden line formed between pale hands, shaping into a figure. The golden shape spun briefly before golden eyes fixed on Ryu Cheon-hwa. In the dark alley, those eyes gleamed unusually bright—bracing for attack.
Ryu Cheon-hwa asked.
“Asking again.”
Flash. He gripped the suddenly appearing red mantle and continued.
“Who are you?”
“…….”
Slowly, very slowly, the white figure’s mouth opened. The inside was golden too.
A low voice echoed from the parted golden maw.
“□□□. □단 해야□.”
Flash. Bizarre golden patterns emerged on the snow-white skin.
The white figure gestured as if tossing the hovering golden shape atop one hand. It floated lazily toward Ryu Cheon-hwa before buzzing massively and swallowing him whole.
“Novel, sure.”
Tap, tap. Ryu Cheon-hwa lightly rapped the golden wall, then boom! Swung his fist. The golden barrier shattered.
“But that’s it.”
He brushed aside the golden fragments scattering in the air and looked back at the white figure.
“Last chance.”
“…….”
“Who are you?”
“□□□ won’t know.”
“Cut the weird language. Don’t you know manners?”
“…….”
Ryu Cheon-hwa eyed the golden gaze. The look was insufferably arrogant—like a tyrant glaring at a vassal, no, even lower, far beneath. Irritating, unless it was him looking down.
“Feels like I’m talking to myself here. How about fixing that bad habit of not answering questions?”
Ryu Cheon-hwa smirked faintly down at the white figure. It flinched, then assumed a battle stance.
“No interest in talking, huh.”
“□□□.”
“What the hell does that gibberish even mean.”
Step. Ryu Cheon-hwa planted one foot forward, staring the white figure down. Then he spoke again.
“Doesn’t matter. They all spill everything right before they die.”
Boom! The ground cracked as both charged at each other.