Chapter 49
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 49
Chapter Title: Damhwa's Domain
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"Azell."
—Kyaa!
Something resembling a fairy popped out of thin air and circled around Damhwa, rubbing its cheek against him like it was acting cute.
"Sorry for ignoring you."
—Kkiuu!
Damhwa stroked the fairy as if soothing it, then his eyes sharpened. He fixed his gaze on the massive monster. The monster, too, stared back at him with its red eyes curved like a smile.
Damhwa's hand stopped petting the fairy, and with a poof! of smoke, he vanished—only to reappear right next to the giant monster. In one swift motion, he swung his arm.
Slash! A thick flower stem topped with a blooming flower like a club shot up from the ground, piercing straight through the monster's enormous arm. At that instant, a ding rang out, and a hologram window popped up in front of his eyes.
[The key is opening the door]
[Progress: 1%]
[Help the key open the door!]
The fact that this appeared the moment Damhwa moved confirmed it—he was the key.
'Then the monster must be the lock?'
I propped myself up with my arms, finally able to move a little, but someone pressed down on my shoulder, forcing me back to the ground. Puzzled, I looked up.
There stood Ji Hwa-yeon.
"Ji Hwa-yeon?"
"Why put yourself out there?"
"Huh?"
"There are plenty of hunters here. Focus on recovering."
With that, she turned away. She crossed her arms and scratched her forearms with her nails. Blood sprayed out, floating in the air.
Soon, a red rain poured down on the giant monster.
Ji Hwa-yeon watched the scene for a moment before turning back and saying,
"Don't move."
Her smiling face carried an undercurrent of menace, so I stayed put.
As I sat there, Park Woo-yun and Yoon Sia crept over—they must have heard the same thing.
"Awesome!"
"Huh?"
"That fight earlier!"
"Oh."
"Yeah... it was so cool...."
Thanks, but in reality, I'd just let my guard down and gotten stabbed.
"Anyway, this is taking a while."
I nodded at Park Woo-yun's words and glanced at the window that had been hovering nearby.
[Progress: 34%]
Even with more hunters joining in, the giant monster lived up to its size, refusing to go down easily. No surprise there—it was huge, but its speed outpaced even S-Rank hunters.
Still, the progress bar climbed steadily without stopping.
[Progress: 41%]
'...But why does it feel like....'
It's going too smoothly?
Just one addition—Damhwa—and things were unfolding too easily. The monster had torn through everyone else in seconds, yet now it was taking this "key" without much fight. Sure, with the average hunter rank here, it might be expected, but the issue was that this wasn't your average monster.
It was the tower lord's true form, after all. Based on the tower lord's personality from what I'd seen so far, there was no way it'd let itself get killed this easily. Not even if this was an illusion.
Some time passed, and I checked the progress again.
[Progress: 98%]
"...."
Maybe I'd been too tense. Right then, as it hit 99%—
Static crackled across the window like an error, and the number started dropping. I whipped my gaze to the monster.
Boom! It shoved the hunters back in one go. Even my brother and Ji Hwa-yeon were flung away. I glanced at the window.
[Progress: 0%]
"...."
The moment it hit zero, the window glowed crimson. A massive hand reached out from a black void. Then, what looked like legs slowly emerged.
The area filled with groans. The giant feet hit the ground. Static flickered as its form blurred, fading away—revealing another shadowy figure beneath.
Some repelled hunters lay unconscious; others rose, tense, watching the scene.
The black shape vanished completely, and a breeze rustled through. In its place, something else revealed itself.
"...What the hell."
It had a human shape like ours, but it sure as hell wasn't human. A glass mannequin stuffed with machinery and wires. Where a brain should be, red eyeballs clacked around. Its mouth was smeared like a kid's messy lipstick scribble, torn wide.
Clack. The eyeballs swiveled. It turned its head in that direction—and spotted the fallen Damhwa.
Crash! Before the monster could strike, I darted forward, scooped up Damhwa, and rolled aside. My creaky body nearly buckled, but I caught myself with a hand to the ground.
'No alert even with the key down means attacks work.'
But it was fast. I'd barely snatched him as the eye moved—if I'd been half a second slower, clear failed.
Thud! Hunters attacked from behind. The monster blocked with one arm and flicked them off effortlessly. Then it lurched its head toward me—specifically, the Damhwa in my arms.
I yanked out a handful of magic stones and crushed them. I could recover mana somehow, but better safe.
The other hunters realized I held the key and formed a defensive line in front of me.
"Wake up already!"
I shook the limp Damhwa and yelled, but nothing. Dodging the monster's aggressive charges, I retreated farther.
—Kkiuu....
"...You...."
—Kki! Kyaa! Kkiu!
The spirit-like creature flailed its tiny arms, seeming to explain something.
"Sorry. Can't understand you."
—Kyaaau....
Leaving the barrier might be safer, but if that left us unable to attack or defend, we'd be screwed. Couldn't move easily.
'What now.'
Damhwa wouldn't wake—maybe hallucinated or frail. Other hunters were stirring, after all.
The progress? Not even 1% despite attacks.
'Talk about broken balance.'
Fleeing the persistent monster—
"Han Ji-eon Hunter!"
Yoon Sia waved me over. No destination in mind, I trusted and headed there.
"Ugh! Han Ji-eon Hunter, behind you!"
The monster closed in fast. Yoon Sia and Park Woo-yun rushed to intercept—
"Ugh!"
Park Woo-yun tripped. I reached to grab him, but too late.
"Park Woo-yun Hunter!"
Crunch.
He hit the ground, shattering into pieces. Stunned silence.
"...What the...."
"Arghhh!"
Park Woo-yun leaped back, freaking out at his shattered glass body.
"...What just happened."
"Ah."
Damhwa stirred in my arms. He'd woken when the monster broke—must've done something.
I set him down, about to check if the monster was dead—
Clunk, clatter. Snap.
The shards reassembled grotesquely.
"You've revealed your true form."
Damhwa stepped in front of me, pushing me back. He muttered softly.
"...Run."
"Huh?"
"I can't beat it now. Even at full power, I couldn't. No chance."
"...What if you had power—and it was amplified?"
"Who knows. Unlikely, but maybe."
I spun around and shouted.
"Bro! Gimme that bracelet!"
My brother looked flustered but tossed it over. The monster lunged for it, but Ji Hwa-yeon and others' attacks let it land safely in my hands.
"Put this on."
"What.... Got it."
I slipped the silver bangle bracelet onto Damhwa's wrist, then piled magic stones into his palm. Mostly C- or E-Rank, but.
"Crush them."
He did. Unlike with us, all the energy absorbed straight into him.
"This.... I see. Thanks."
"If it's not enough—"
"No, it's plenty."
"I can give more—"
My vision spun. I refocused, but my body wouldn't respond.
Damhwa murmured.
"Rest."
I collapsed, hands sinking into soft grass and flowers.
'...This....'
The whole area around Damhwa turned lush and green.
He walked slowly toward the monster, drawing a long sword that appeared beside him and aiming it.
"This is my domain."
A sword adorned with blue roses.
Not just me—everyone slumped down. Damhwa was draining our energy.
But it wasn't just us. Sensing danger, the monster hesitated back. Damhwa advanced without pause.
"You have nowhere left to run."
He brought the sword forward into a combat stance.
"Everything is my kingdom, my world, and...."
He paused, then resolved, mouth opening. His teal hair fluttered in the wind.
"For me."
Boom! The sword slashed instantly. The force shredded nearby flowers. The monster countered fiercely, but Damhwa—fueled by all our energy and amplifiers—showed no openings.
Exchanges dragged on, and a gap formed. Snap. A hunter grabbed its leg. Panicked, it crushed the hunter's head. Big mistake.
Slash— Damhwa's sword whipped through, cleaving the monster's head clean off.
"...."
Thud. Thud. The head rolled. Alerts blared as the window flashed wildly.
[Progress: 100%]
[The door has opened!]
[Enter within 1 hour or be disqualified!]
[☆00:59:59★]
I staggered up toward Damhwa, but he turned to me with the most relieved smile.
"Thanks."
Like spring breeze scattering, he dissolved into blue leaves.
'...Makes sense now that it's over.'
Only my brother's bracelet lay where he'd vanished—unfaded, so it hadn't registered him as alive.
I handed it back to my brother.
"...You okay?"
"Pot calling the kettle black."
Familiar faces gathered. Ji Hwa-yeon spoke up.
"Who's missing from the group?"
"Oh, uh, I'll go find Im Ha-neul Hunter."
"Wandering off to search is too risky—time might change."
"No, I mean, he was with us up to here. Probably nearby."
"Ah. Go ahead then."
I scanned beyond the vanished barrier. No sign of Im Ha-neul. Where was he? Why'd he even disappear?
"...."
All buildings collapsed. If he'd been standing, we'd have seen him. After about 30 minutes searching—
"...Bloodstains?"
Blood splattered everywhere. Fresh rubble too.
I searched nearby. The blood trailed wide—signs of a big fight.
Hoped Im Ha-neul still had use left. But a thick blood stench hit me—from a roofless house, door ajar.
I stepped inside slowly. Blood squelched underfoot. Looking down, then up—dust floated in the intruding light. And.
"...Damn."
Im Ha-neul, blood-soaked and staring blankly into space, slumped against the wall.