Chapter 30
Chapter 30
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 030
Chapter Title: Savior of Seoul (8)
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The gargoyle shaped like a human statue didn't so much as twitch. Even as Lee Sang-hyun approached or stared it down openly, it kept pretending to be nothing more than a stone carving right up to the end.
'So it was alive after all.'
It looked like a statue carved from stone on the surface. But blood was flowing inside it.
Thump... thump... thump... thump...
Faint as it was, there was no doubt it was a living creature with a 'heart' pumping blood.
Lee Sang-hyun spoke to the gargoyle.
"If you're going to deny it to the end, then die."
In that instant, a flash of light streaked through the air.
Slash!!
By the time the gargoyle sensed the threat and tried to move, it was already over. His sword whipped out like a bolt of black lightning.
"Kii... eee..."
Its death rattle trailed along the line from the crown of its head to the floor as it split neatly in two.
Thud... rumble...!
The bisected gargoyle collapsed. There were no surprises.
Lee Sang-hyun calmly awaited the results.
Rumble rumble rumble.
The human statues crumbled away in short order.
Before long, every last one had turned to dust. A golden key floated up from the remains.
'That's it.'
Lee Sang-hyun snatched the key.
Whoosh!!
Suddenly, space warped. It seemed the area had lost its purpose now that Lee Sang-hyun had cleared the quest... The problem was how fast it was collapsing. Dangerously fast.
'The door...'
Lee Sang-hyun quickly scanned his surroundings. Nothing jumped out at him right away.
Then his senses caught something.
'Up?'
He looked up and spotted a strangely shaped door embedded in the ceiling.
'A door in the ceiling... How ridiculous.'
Unlike a spiral staircase or a cage dropped from above, this malicious door placement drew a wry smile from Lee Sang-hyun.
But only for a moment.
He channeled mana into his legs and leaped with all his might, grabbing the door handle.
'Here goes.'
Click!
He inserted Eurielle's key into the lock and turned it. The mechanism released, the door swung inward, and it sucked Lee Sang-hyun inside.
To players chosen by great constellations, the Black Wolf was just a boring monster. But to the unchosen, it was a nightmare incarnate.
Grrrrr...
It took a mere minute for an ordinary home to turn into hell.
The beast mercilessly tore apart and devoured a family that had barely survived goblins and orcs.
Crunch! Chomp!
It stuffed what looked like an adult man into its belly in a little over ten seconds. The woman took even less time. One bite sufficed.
Shiver. Tremble.
Only a girl who seemed to be a high schooler survived by the skin of her teeth—but she wasn't really alive. Not when she had no idea when it would eat her next.
'Mom, Dad...'
Huddled under the bed, the girl wrapped her arms around herself and sobbed silently. Tears streamed endlessly down her face.
Unfortunately, she had witnessed her parents being devoured. The memory had half-faded, but she'd seen it with her own eyes.
After that, overwhelming terror drove her under the bed, but she'd already screamed by then.
Tremble. Tremble.
'This is a dream, just a dream...'
The girl prayed this moment was a nightmare. She desperately wished to wake from this horrific dream.
But sadly, no such luck. This was harsh reality, not a dream.
Grrrrr...
The Black Wolf that had eaten her parents entered the room, dripping blood.
Step. Step. Step...
The girl heard its footsteps. Even as she clamped her hands over her ears, they rang clear.
'No...! Nooo...!'
She squeezed her eyes shut and prayed. To anyone, please save her. Free her from this nightmare. She prayed and prayed.
Sniff. Sniff sniff.
But the fear didn't fade. It came right up to the bed and opened its jaws.
The girl screamed in despair.
Aaahhhh!!
It was a temple made of pristine white marble. But it was far from beautiful. Ruined and shattered everywhere, it was little more than rubble.
Torches lay scattered on the ground amid marble fragments. Few remained intact.
"......"
Lee Sang-hyun walked forward through the marble debris. Far ahead, someone sat.
Step step.
Perched on a broken marble pillar was a burly little giant about three meters tall.
The little giant's name was Steno. She was one of Eurielle's sisters.
Yawn.
Steno yawned as she woke. Her expression was utterly bored. She seemed indifferent to Lee Sang-hyun's presence, but she at least stood up.
Steno spoke once she rose.
"...Whoever you are, fight me."
Her voice matched her expression—flat and disinterested. Like she didn't care how it turned out.
That's when Nameless chimed in.
Nameless said fist.
'Fist?'
It wasn't hard to understand. But Lee Sang-hyun had to pause.
'No way... He wants me to fistfight that giant?'
What came to mind was a brawl. Fists clashing in a brutish showdown.
"......"
Considering Nameless's instructions so far, it had to be a fistfight.
"...If you don't want to fight, then leave."
Steno said arrogantly, arms crossed.
"......"
Lee Sang-hyun sheathed his sword as he stared at Steno, who wasn't even looking at him.
Yawn.
Steno remained bored. She didn't seem to care about him at all, not even whether he was alone or with others.
"...Decide quickly. This is annoying."
"......"
There was no need to feel insulted.
People who were negative about everything and found it all a hassle were a dime a dozen. And yet, it still stung.
Grip.
Lee Sang-hyun clenched his fist. Then he stepped forward and stood before Steno.
"I'll fight you."
His voice was filled with resolve.
"...Oh?"
But Steno's expression didn't change a bit. It was like do whatever. She didn't uncross her arms. Utterly defenseless.
"Let's begin."
Yet Lee Sang-hyun didn't exploit the opening. He ignored the berserker instinct to strike weak points and merely tapped Steno with his right fist.
Like lightly patting a cheek.
"Your turn now."
Rumble craaaash...
Marble pillars shattered and collapsed. The thick dust showed no sign of settling.
"...How cheeky."
Steno's face twisted unpleasantly, surprisingly enough. She seemed angry. Considering her bored expression just moments ago, it was a dramatic shift.
Tap. Drip. Drip drip.
Lee Sang-hyun emerged from between the fallen pillars. Despite taking a massive hit, his expression was unchanged. Far from excited, he seemed even calmer.
"My turn now."
Steno's eyebrow arched at his words.
"What?"
Ignoring her, Lee Sang-hyun stood before Steno and swung his right fist with all his might.
Thud!!
His right fist struck Steno's abdomen dead-on.
But it lacked her overwhelming destructive power. He didn't roll dozens of times, smashing pillars—he barely budged her a step.
A subtle blow at best.
"...What was that?"
Steno finally asked.
What the hell was that supposed to be?
What was he thinking, swinging like that?
Lee Sang-hyun answered.
"You said to fight you."
"What...?"
"I'm just fighting you right now. And my turn just ended. Yours now."
"......"
Unexpected words? Or absurd? Steno's expression turned strange.
But soon after.
Something boiled up on the face of Steno, who had been bored with everything.
It was ecstasy.
Heh heh! Heh heh heh!!
Unable to contain herself at the joy of battle she'd forgotten for so long, Steno laughed. Then she swung her right fist at Lee Sang-hyun with all her might, just like he had.
In terms of sheer 'strength' alone, Steno surpassed even Eurielle. A hit didn't just break bones—it pulverized most beings.
That's why no one fought her head-on. They avoided battle or struck at her weaknesses from afar.
"...Boring."
To Steno, who admired—nay, envied—the arrogant giants, such fights were dull.
Utterly uninteresting. Always irritating. Dealing with them was a chore.
"...Boring."
Sometimes she even stopped fights because battling itself felt like too much hassle.
"...Take the key and get lost."
Days like those were unbearable for Steno, who yearned to lord over the heavens arrogantly and settle everything with raw power like those giants. Even a bored yawn wouldn't come.
"......"
Never once satisfied. Always dissatisfied, her envy of the giants only grew.
"...I envy them."
Deep down, she wanted to leave this 'tower' and fight those arrogant giants.
How many times had she thought that? Countless—tens of millions, probably.
But she couldn't... She'd even cursed her beloved sisters more than her own life.
"......"
When would she escape this tedious play? When could she fight like the giants?
Maybe...
Never...
Never..............................................................................................................................
"Your turn now."
...She'd thought so.
...It would never come.
...But it appeared.
"My turn."
A fool trying to decide and resolve everything with raw strength, like those arrogant giants.
A frail thing that wouldn't back down an inch.
A 'human' swinging fists.
Thud!!
Impossible, but it happened.
It kept happening.
"...Ptoo."
Even after being struck and sent flying, even aware of the power gap, he got up and charged without a care.
"My turn."
He never aimed for weaknesses. No defense. Just clashing with pure strength. Like the giants.
Chill!!
How long had she waited for this moment!!
How badly had she craved this fight!!
How much, how muuuch!!
Shudder!!
Unable to contain her joy, Steno shouted. She shouted at Lee Sang-hyun.
"Fight me head-on!"
Over and over, dozens, hundreds of times.
Thousands, tens of thousands.
Get up and fight.
Thud! Thuuuuud!! Thud! Thuuuuud!! Thud! Thuuuuud...!!