Chapter 49
Chapter 49
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 49
Chapter Title: Chapter 49
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 49
Chapter Title: Constellation Gallery EP.48
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Gwangju Chungjang-ro, west side. The third floor of an abandoned building.
The place now called 'headquarters'.
Inside, all eyes were fixed on one man.
His name was Kwak Manho.
A brutish face to match his massive build.
A single knife scar etched across his prominent cheekbone made his appearance even more menacing.
He pulled a cigarette from his pocket.
Without lighting it, he just stuck it in his mouth and muttered.
"Slayer alert's going off... In this tiny Gwangju, you think there're two or three guys capable of that?"
His eyes narrowed.
From beneath half-closed lids, a beastly gaze shot out like lightning.
"Boss. What the hell did you do this time, you bastard?"
He knew.
Lee Daeju. Small-dicked and cocky, but a murderous demon whose viciousness was second to none.
That's why he'd handed half this turf over to the guy.
'That crazy bastard's gone off the rails.'
He'd stick a knife in your throat without hesitation the moment you crossed the line with one of his own—no excuses accepted, utterly merciless.
Instilling fear with ruthless acts, then using that fear like feed to control the pack. A true lord.
So whether he'd purged his underlings, slaughtered civilians, or hunted monsters, it had to be that guy's doing.
And since the bastard had real talent for management, Kwak Manho trusted him and let him handle things without meddling too much.
"But boss, that thing about... the region's rank going up... what the hell does that mean?"
"What else? Means we're the big dogs around here now. Our class has leveled up, that's what."
"But... we don't exactly know what good that's doin' us..."
Kwak Manho grinned.
"Reputation's up, or some damn blessing dropped, whatever. Our signboard's worth more now. Guess we oughta pat the boss on the back for that."
At that moment, the door slammed open.
The man who burst in, gasping for breath, had terror in his eyes.
"Boss! The boss...!"
Silence fell.
Kwak Manho's right-hand man spoke first.
"...The boss what? Finish your damn sentence."
"The boss got... taken out by that prick wanderin' around with two chicks..."
"Taken out how?"
Kwak Manho and the others around him narrowed their eyes in unison.
"You mean taken out like I think you mean?"
"Y-Yes..."
"Son of a bitch. What the hell's wrong with the boss? Why'd he have to go and get taken out?"
"That gutless bastard played weak like a cornered rat to drop our guard, then the second the boss let up..."
"That little shit played us for fools."
Kwak Manho, who'd been listening quietly, let out a hollow chuckle.
"Slayer... Guess it wasn't our little prick after all."
He took the cigarette from his mouth and continued slowly.
"Where is he now?"
*
The street cleared of goblins was quiet.
The crunch of debris underfoot with every step.
Beyond that, a chilling aura crept up the nape from wind-swept alleys.
'...No.'
Not chilling, exactly. This was different.
Thick, damp, sticky something.
Like spilled blood on the floor, clinging to your ankles as you tried to step past.
'This the ominous vibe Kang Harin was talking about?'
My gaze naturally locked onto one building.
An abandoned structure, neither too tall nor too short.
Windows shattered, iron door ajar and warped.
From afar, just another collapsed storefront—but something in there definitely had my attention.
'What is it? Definitely not being tailed.'
No sense of someone following from behind.
No one chasing me.
Yet, the presence was unmistakable.
And it... wasn't moving.
It had been there from the start, and would stay there forever.
"Kang Harin."
"Yes?"
"This the tailing sensation you mentioned?"
Kang Harin glanced around.
Then shook her head.
"I've felt it since earlier, but it's totally different from before. You feel it too, Juhan-ssi?"
"Yeah. So not a tail."
"Right. Definitely different."
"Could just be different stalkers have different presences."
This feeling—I couldn't just walk past it.
Hated the nagging uncertainty.
Better to scout the situation, identify it, then prepare countermeasures.
'Got Harin's armor on too...'
I took a deep breath and suppressed my presence.
The moment the distance to the building closed.
'Dungeon?'
Monsters didn't just spawn willy-nilly?
Until now, monsters in normal city areas meant that was the dungeon.
'Whatever. It's a hidden spot.'
Definitely something to gain here.
Achievements, rune stones, whatever.
'Feels like finding a treasure chest.'
This place I'd found wasn't just about survival.
Dungeons had goals, conditions, structure.
Like a quest-clear reward dungeon in a game.
"Juhan-ssi, this place..."
"I know. I saw it too."
Kang Harin was probably about to say the dungeon got detected.
But it had entry conditions.
'10 high-grades?'
Simple enough condition.
But that could mean 'that's enough to clear it'—or 'that's the bare minimum to even enter.'
Either way, intriguing right now.
What the hell was beyond this unknown?
I wanted to check it out.
No, clash with it.
"Alright. 10 high-grade entities. Once that's done, I'm heading into the dungeon."
I glanced back as I spoke.
Kang Harin and Lee Tulip.
"But it might be dangerous for you two..."
Words trailed off as I thought.
Was leaving them behind the right call?
Me going solo was risky for me, and they'd be at risk too.
Goblins, Tulip could handle. But another Awakener might show.
Didn't know the dungeon layout—splitting the team was the real danger.
"...Never mind. Let's move together."
The two nodded without a word.
No idea what awaited inside, but if it got dicey, I'd burn some saved gold. That's what it was for.
'And if it's tough enough to need gold, the rewards'll more than cover it.'
Call it an investment.
ROI unknown.
But one you had to make.
*
Maybe because the region's rank had risen—high-grades were easier to spot than expected.
A blue goblin draped in a robe.
White frost steamed up from the robe.
"Keruk. Kerrrrruk."
"I need to take it down for the kill count. Nobody jump in."
"Got it."
The thing stretched both arms toward us.
Thanks to my boosted senses?
I could feel the air warping faintly.
"Incoming."
Before the word finished.
Pabababak!
Ice shards like icicles rained down like arrows.
As I casually swatted them aside without effort.
Jajajak-
The contact point froze instantly.
'Freezes body part on hit?'
Ice freeze immunity? Nope.
Cold resistance? Nope.
'Kill it quick before it lands.'
I stomped the ground hard.
Kwang!
Shot toward it like a bullet.
Whipping wind, whooshing air.
The incoming ice shards sped up accordingly.
Chajajak- Chajajak-
Every sword swing caught a tiny stun from the contact.
In that instant, one frost shard hit my knee.
Jjak-
Lower body froze solid in a flash.
But fine.
Pakang!
Shatter it and keep running.
And soon, its head came off.
Kung!
But not over yet.
High-grade meant an alert on kill—so slice fast.
The Grave of Ten Thousand Demons flickered with an ominous blue glow before fading.
Six left now.
'Why's this one blue, though?'
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