Chapter 52
Chapter 52
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 52
Chapter Title: Chapter 52
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 52
Chapter Title: Constellation Gallery EP.51
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The place we had just entered was pitch black.
It was literal darkness where nothing was visible.
A space where even the shadow of your hand held up in front of your face couldn't be seen, all senses stripped away.
'But... I can feel it.'
Something was definitely breathing somewhere in this darkness.
This had to be the boss monster.
My breath caught in my throat. The inside of my throat burned.
It felt like my bronchial tubes were burning hot from the inside.
I could already feel my vitality starting to drain.
"Lee Tulip! Can you neutralize this right now?"
"I can, but! Using an active skill for a quick heal won't help! I'll get poisoned again right away, so I need to make an antidote... but I can't see anything...!"
Fuck, this is a race against time.
Better to resolve it quickly rather than just endure.
I turned my head and shouted to Kang Harin.
"The stuff you grabbed from your first solo apartment! You have a flashlight, right!? Give it to Tulip!"
"Yes!"
While Harin rummaged through her inventory, Tulip cautiously spoke up.
"Uncle, wouldn't it be better if you took it and dealt with the monster first?"
"It's fine. I can clearly sense where it is right now."
Before I could finish speaking, a sharp presence sliced through the air.
Pa-ba-bak-!
Flying ice shards and spears grazed past my body.
That was really close—just a single strand of hair's breadth.
'Flexibility has dropped to a tangible level...'
A sticky, heavy body.
The 50% stat reduction created more than just a numerical difference.
Movements slowed, reactions dulled.
Thanks to that, the ice bullets started hitting my body.
Even trying to shatter them and push forward wasn't as easy as before.
Every sword swing made my shoulders heavy, senses lagging by half a beat.
'This sucks...'
Even so, I overcame it.
'Warhammer summon.'
I put strength into it, and the ice bullets shattered with a crash.
Ice fragments scattered, and riding the momentum, I swung my sword.
'There it is.'
My senses told me.
My vision was blocked, but my senses were alive.
I threw the sword following the presence.
Swae-ae-ae-ak-
The flying sword made a thud as it embedded into something solid.
I hit it. Definitely.
But there was no sound after.
No groans, no movement.
'It completely erased its presence.'
Obviously beyond a high-grade ghoul.
And this one probably had a separate 'core' too.
'Fighting like this is just wasting time.'
I needed to end it quickly. The poison was building up.
I could feel my vitality draining.
My head throbbed. My fingertips were numb.
'Quickstep.'
I shouted inwardly.
But... no response.
What? Paralyzed?
Or had my mana run out already?
Or maybe because stats were halved?
'Fuck, at this rate it's tough.'
My hands trembled.
My body felt heavy.
But not yet.
It wasn't over yet.
I planted my feet and lowered my stance.
"Lee Tulip! Tell me the moment you're ready! I'll hold it off as much as I can!"
"Just a bit more... really just a little longer!"
Right. I wasn't alone here.
These were the people I led and brought along.
Right now, guaranteeing their lives too was what I had to do as party leader, as the leader.
'This isn't the time to think only of myself.'
I opened the shop.
[Search: Mana Potion]
A stream of recovery items popped up.
Among them, the cheapest one caught my eye.
Ah, fuck my life, that's insanely expensive.
Buying that would be less profitable than just leveling up Intelligence, which I need to do anyway.
But before that, there was one thing left to try.
'Embarrassment is momentary.'
Precious comrades over a moment of shame.
I steadied my breath and shouted toward the sky.
"Constellation teachers! Can you sponsor some mana recovery potions?!"
My ears burned red after shouting, but luckily it was too dark for anyone to see.
"Fuck, thank you!"
More than that, they could see my ears turning red. Fucking embarrassing.
Anyway, I got the sponsorship, and made some money too...
'Use 20,000 gold to raise Intelligence to 10.'
[Intelligence level has risen!] (x10)
In an instant, my senses sharpened.
The flow of mana circulating in my body became vivid.
As if I could feel chakra.
You gallery idiots, no—using high-grade when low-grade would suffice is a massive waste.
The moment I refute that, it becomes a confession that I'm watching Constellation Gallery, so I can't retort. Frustrating.
Putting that aside, I shouted inwardly.
'Quickstep.'
In an instant, my body leaped lightly.
But it wasn't like before.
The speed, reaction speed was slower than usual.
'As expected, with stats halved...'
Still, much better.
I lowered my body and charged again.
The flow of air, the direction of the beast-like killing intent—in the distant darkness, I seized its presence.
'Let's end this.'
I gripped the sword tightly.
And slashed.
Swiik-
The sensation at my fingertips.
Flesh tearing, vibration scraping bone.
But midway through, the sword stopped dead.
I used Quickstep, and had the warhammer too!
It didn't sever in one strike?
"Fuck... if only there was no deadly poison fog."
That was then.
What the hell suddenly?
I never tried to use 'Incitement'?
'Wait a sec.'
Did it judge my inner thoughts as Incitement like last time?
That means this guy used the deadly poison fog... and furthermore, Incitement works on mobs too?
'Insane...'
Thoughts started chaining.
But not now.
Judgment later, end the fight first.
'Strike of Judgment.'
Lightning-like energy flowed along the sword tip.
The sword danced.
Seok-
It didn't stop at one strike.
'Strike of Judgment!'
'Strike of Judgment!'
'Strike of Judgment!'
The strike that split the darkness and plunged down cleaved the bastard's crown and embedded deep.
Kwang!
Suddenly, an explosive shockwave swept the area.
The deadly poison fog cleared away like it was sucked out.
🎉 First successful dungeon clear!
💰 Reward: Stat points +5, 10,000 Gold
Fuck, give me items at least.
Who are these unusable stat points mocking?
Did my sincerity get through?
Another notification followed.
Two resistance rings?
Not bad?
No, great.
Didn't get a skill, but these are invaluable rewards.
Meanwhile, my vision gradually brightened.
The deep pitch-black darkness lifted as if it were a lie, and the surroundings reverted to a normal building interior.
'The space restored to its original state, huh.'
Tulip and Kang Harin looked fine too.
"You okay?"
"Yes. I made the antidote and immunity potion too."
"How'd you make it so calmly? Impressive."
"If I just shook like before, it'd only make things more dangerous."
"Being calm all the time isn't always best."
"Huh?"
"You need the right amount of tension."
Kang Harin widened her eyes.
"You made it yourself? I thought it was some instant magic."
"It's a concept similar to the armor you made yourself, sis."
"Ah, then it can be seen as magic."
With the battle over, stats returned to normal.
But the drained vitality didn't recover.
Fatigue seeped into my bones, and a long-forgotten lethargy enveloped me.
"Shouldn't you drink a recovery potion too, Uncle?"
"It's recovering little by little."
I sat down as if collapsing backward.
And checked the items.
One glowed with cold blue light, the other with deep green.
No need to mention the freeze ring, but even a deadly poison ring?
Considering this was proof of the fog the boss personally deployed... it's 'evidence of the boss kill' in itself.
Real fucking honey item.
Or rather, the reward for nearly dying.
"Let's get out now. We need to move to the next area quickly."
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