Chapter 33
Chapter 33
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 33
Chapter Title: Savior of Seoul (11)
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Lee Sang-hyun snapped awake from his dream and immediately sat up to check his condition.
"······."
Grip!
Surprisingly, his body was in perfect shape. Despite the brutal battle he'd just endured, it hadn't shattered—in fact, it now radiated tremendous power.
...Did I awaken?
It must have happened while he was dreaming—right after he collapsed. Everything was clear now.
Hmm. Never thought awakening would happen like this.
Honestly, he hadn't expected it. He'd only hoped to survive without dying... but not only did he pull through—he awakened. Lee Sang-hyun let out a wry smile.
What's that...?
His gaze shifted to the side, landing on a golden key. It looked like the key to the next floor.
Whirr!
Lee Sang-hyun snatched the key floating in midair. At that instant, the ruined temple began to shake violently.
Rumble rumble rumble!!
...It's collapsing.
Chunks of stone and dust rained from the ceiling. The marble pillars, barely holding on, started crumbling one after another.
Lee Sang-hyun quickly scanned for an exit.
There!
A hidden door peeked out amid the shattered pillars. He bolted straight toward it.
Boom! Kwang! Kaboom!
Dodging the falling debris was effortless. His heightened senses made it a breeze.
Got it.
He jammed the golden key into the lock and twisted it right.
Click!
The door swung inward with a groan. Even as it did, the temple's collapse accelerated, toppling the last defiant pillars.
Whoosh!
The moment light seeped through the widening gap...
The temple collapsed.
It was an ancient city. One so old it had faded under the weight of tens of thousands of years.
"······."
The city's name was Prometheus.
A name Lee Sang-hyun recognized from Greek mythology—the Titan who stole fire from the gods.
Hm?
After just one step, a strange sensation crawled up his ankle. He looked down and saw his shoes had faded.
Sssshhh...
Medusa...
Anyone familiar with Greek and Roman myths knew that name. Reflexively, Lee Sang-hyun scanned his surroundings.
...This place is seriously dangerous.
It was a primal fear etched into his instincts. If this Medusa matched the myth, a single glance would turn him to stone.
Lee Sang-hyun expanded his sensory domain. Or tried to.
Moisture... No, has everything stopped?
The city was frozen 'still' under time's grip. His senses couldn't extend no matter how hard he pushed.
Losing his sensory domain felt as suffocating as being locked in a pitch-black basement.
But Lee Sang-hyun didn't falter. Trusting he'd find a way, he pressed on along the city's streets.
"······."
The ancient city was eerily silent.
No wind, no water, no grass or insects. Everything halted with time—except the echo of his footsteps.
Step step.
...Creepy yet fascinating. Like stepping into a black-and-white comic.
The faded streets were gray, letting him distinguish buildings from roads.
Following the cobblestone path inward led to a plaza. Far ahead loomed a massive temple.
...That's it.
The giant temple gleamed 'white,' stark against the gray—not something he could mistake.
...It's like it's outside time's flow.
That was the vibe. As if that temple alone existed in a different timeline.
Lee Sang-hyun sprinted toward it. His sensory domain remained offline.
"?!!"
Upon reaching the temple, something registered.
...Blood?
It was blood. But it wasn't flowing—frozen solid.
Medusa?
Medusa sprang to mind first. Though it could be something else, he stayed cautious.
...Here goes.
With half-closed eyes, Lee Sang-hyun crept inside ultra-carefully. There, he spotted the monster: serpentine body, human torso.
Medusa.
He noticed her first. She had her head turned sideways.
Now!!
Lee Sang-hyun lunged to end it in one go, swinging his sword three times in a flash.
The first two were sword beams; the third cleaved her head clean off.
"?!!"
Less than a second from head to tail sliced apart. Pathetic compared to Euryale or Stheno.
Even so, he kept his guard up, retreating and firing a sword beam at her head.
Slash!!
It split her skull in two.
Not yet.
Bracing for surprises, he thoroughly diced her heart and tail too.
Sslash!!
His empowered sword beam executed flawlessly, shredding Medusa completely.
...Dead?
Even an immortal would perish in that state—or so he hoped.
Hiss.
But Medusa didn't die. She reappeared unscathed.
"?!!"
Their eyes met for a split second. He hadn't let his guard down—expecting movement from the corpse—but she popped up right beside him.
"Not bad?"
A chill ran through him as he leaped back. His back was slick with sweat.
"...But no. This isn't it either."
Medusa didn't pursue. She just muttered emptily.
"...You're not the one."
Her eyes were forlorn.
Luckily, this Medusa differed from the myth. Eye contact didn't petrify.
And she wasn't as strong as Euryale or Stheno. Grade 4 at best? Objectively weak—laughably so for a final-floor boss.
Shiiiing!!
Yet she was immortal. Slicing, decapitating, piercing her heart, bisecting—nothing worked.
She didn't regenerate or revive. She perfectly 'restored.'
...A hundred times?
Even a thousand wouldn't kill her, he doubted.
"...What are you doing? Tired already? Kill me. Hurry up and kill me. Cut off this head. Stab my heart—stab it!!"
Sshaaa!!
Medusa charged, begging for death. No technique—just slithering and clawing.
...Ten thousand times?
No being had infinite stamina or mana—save gods, and even theirs was finite.
But would ten thousand kills end her?
...Unlikely.
Lee Sang-hyun concluded she wouldn't die. No amount of attacks would work.
Slash!!
"...No! This isn't it!! Kill me... Kill me, I said!! What are you waiting for? Please, just kill me!!"
Kiiiaaak!!
She rematerialized—head intact, flawless.
Lee Sang-hyun tried anyway.
"...No. This isn't it!! How many times do I have to say it? How many times?!?"
On a whim, he felled her over a hundred times.
Slash!!
"I said nooooo!!"
But over a hundred beheadings, and she lived—spewing rage instead.
Boom! Kwang!!
Her charge shattered pillars; petrified victims crumbled to dust.
...No dice.
Lee Sang-hyun grimaced, seeking alternatives. One came to mind...
"...How can I kill you?"
Asking the one screaming to die. If she truly wanted it, she might tell.
Of course, it was foolish.
"How the hell should I knooooow?!?"
If she knew, she'd have offed herself long ago.
Fair enough...
Lee Sang-hyun berated his stupidity and pulled away.
Smashing her skull with temple weapons or crushing her heart? No dice. Medusa was immortal.
Perfectly so.
Hiss. Hiiiiss.
Her cold gaze fixed on him as he half-abandoned weapons. Like worthless trash—mixed with resentment.
"...You're not it either. I hoped since you killed Euryale and Stheno... but no."
"······."
"...You'll turn to stone like the rest. Because you can't kill me. The one forever trapped here."
Hiss. Hiiiiss.
Her warning chilled him—a prophecy destined to come true, tightening around his throat.
"...Squirm all you want until then. It'll be less boring that way. Or die. Just die."
Shaaa!!
Her twisted face burned with hate—and envy for those who could die.
Kwachik! Krunch!!
Lee Sang-hyun fled her frenzy, racking his brain.
...Is there really no way?
But every idea looped back to square one.
He resolved to his last resort.
...No choice. Have to ask.
Truth be told, he hadn't wanted to rely on Nameless. Independence from the 'Nameless' one was key.
Forever leaning on just him? No.
He'd aimed to beat Medusa solo. Failed. Utterly.
Plenty of time left, sure—but ticking away relentlessly.
Swallowing regret and shame, Lee Sang-hyun called out inwardly.
If you can hear me... please tell me what to do.
Nameless's aid was always spot-on.
He'd hinted at bursting billions of eggs, shown the sole path to beat Euryale without dying, pointed the way past Stheno to higher floors.
This time, though... vague.
...Think?
No quick insight. Had to chew it over dozens of times.
His brow quirked oddly.
Think...?
Nameless seemed to want him to find the path himself.