Chapter 26
Chapter 26
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 26
Chapter Title: The Lightning Key
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Inside the Player Kit screen.
Soo-hyuk began rampaging, unleashing lightning bolts in all directions.
Rocks shattered, sending dust flying everywhere.
A golden light gleamed in Soo-hyuk's eyes as he summoned the lightning.
It looked cool, sure, but if you thought about it, it was a total waste of effort.
No explanation, just blindly firing off lightning—naturally, the reaction was like this.
'That must be draining his stamina like crazy.'
Lightning wasn't just a mana-draining skill.
It gnawed at stamina too, dealing continuous damage to the user's body like a double-edged sword.
Yet Soo-hyuk was spamming it without any clear target.
'What the hell is he...'
And sure enough.
The chat was turning negative.
Unhyang's hand, poised to kick someone, froze.
'No. If I act first here, it'll undermine faith in the streamer too.'
No matter how much she ragged on him like a slacker, she was his dedicated manager.
A manager jumping the gun could pour oil on the viewers' fiery discontent—especially when the streamer was the issue.
Soo-hyuk was a skilled streamer.
Intervening now would only erode trust in him.
'Wait. Trust in Soo-hyuk.'
And a moment later.
"Hoo..."
Soo-hyuk stopped, sweat beading on his forehead, and muttered.
"Found it."
Crack!
The final lightning bolt shattered the rock.
His breath grew ragged, sweat dripping from his brow. He halted to catch his breath.
"Hoo..."
He'd been moving nonstop. Spamming lightning like this really made him feel the upgrade to Selfish Sacrifice.
He eyed the debris of the broken wall.
Beyond it.
Whatever had been drawing in the lightning finally revealed itself.
"Found it."
Soo-hyuk grinned beneath his mask.
He'd wasted some energy, but it was a bargain at this price.
As his focus slipped, the chat caught his eye.
"...?"
The chat vibe was off.
Skimming it, viewers seemed frustrated by his actions.
'Did I act too much on my own?'
Fair enough.
Viewers only saw the stream; they couldn't sense the trial like he could.
They just got the visuals.
Thinking back on how he must've looked, his face burned.
Now wasn't the time for excuses—he needed to explain.
"Thanks for the 10 points, BeachClub. Yeah, that must've looked weird."
He pondered how to explain, then spoke.
"Just keep watching and trust me."
Step.
Instead of explaining more, Soo-hyuk walked into the debris.
He shoved rocks aside by hand. He wanted to blast the rest with lightning, but no more needless stamina drain from now on.
No telling how long the trial would last.
Crackle.
Clearing a bit by hand.
A rusted door emerged.
Its height and thickness unknown. Traces of a massive door.
Judging by the huge keyhole big enough for a person, it was no ordinary size.
Viewers now understood Soo-hyuk's actions.
The lightning spam was to find this door—complaints vanished.
Now the issue was different.
Door found—now to open it and proceed.
But this giant iron door, fit for giants, looked impossible.
No key, and smashing it? No way.
To one viewer's question, Soo-hyuk shook his head.
"Impossible."
Soo-hyuk ignored the scrolling chat and looked up at the door.
A castle-like massive door. Thickness unimaginable.
If it was truly for the Giant Tribe, even prime Soo-hyuk couldn't smash it.
'This is floor 2, right?'
The Lightning Trial goal: find Giant's Trace.
The village-attacking giants weren't real—just specks compared to true giants.
True Giant Tribe wielded godlike power.
'That dad giant wasn't normal either...'
Slide.
He touched the door and looked up.
Not fully revealed, but instinct told him.
'This is real.'
Why in a mere floor 2 trial?
From killing Wolf Warrior Greg in Starting Dungeon?
Or slaying the Giant Tribe leader he shouldn't have?
Or...
The chat pulled him back.
Yeah.
Hypotheticals were pointless. He had to clear the trial ahead.
First, open this door.
Dad giant was approaching the village for revenge even now.
No time. No key hunt possible.
Fortunately, unlike viewers' worries, no need to fetch a key.
"I have the key."
He already had the key to this door.
'This keyhole—'
Crackle!
Mana gathered in his hand, forming golden lightning.
Soo-hyuk's eyes gleamed at the keyhole.
'It's shaped exactly like lightning.'
Unlike blindly firing to find the door.
He focused, sharpening the lightning with intent. The concentrated bolt grew larger.
No need to reply.
Actions would show.
His arm burned like it was charring. First time making such power with a healthy body.
Even with Selfish Sacrifice.
Crafting a key big enough for this door wasn't easy.
'One shot. Gotta open it in one.'
Couldn't spam this. Better overdo it once than half-ass and fail.
Growing the lightning bigger.
Perfectly timed chat—and Soo-hyuk fired the lightning into the keyhole.
Kaboom!
ZZZAP!
Blinding light erupted. The area flashed gold, thunder roaring in ears.
A flashy blast.
The glow from the keyhole faded quickly.
Disappointment crossed Soo-hyuk's face.
'This my max right now?'
Powerful, sure. Overkill for floor 2.
But to him, lacking.
He knew why.
He wasn't that Soo-hyuk from back then—just same name.
Lightning fragment small, stats low. Long way to go.
Still.
'This should do for a key.'
Rumble...
Heavy groan as the door slowly opened. Ground shook like an earthquake, then revealed vast space inside.
'Sixth stage: Legend.'
Millennium Mountain.
The legend of a lightning fragment hidden here was the core.
'So the mountain was camouflage for this door.'
Soo-hyuk looked up at the peak piercing clouds.
What lay within?
Lightning legend, yes—but maybe more.
Step.
Matching viewers' hype, Soo-hyuk stepped slowly through the open door.
Vast, dark space with no visible ceiling.
The moment he fully entered.
Screeech!
Thud!
Door slammed shut, revealing the interior landscape.
In the village barracks.
Not one knight looked cheerful.
"Can that guy really obtain the lightning?"
Old knight Dale's question—Pelius nodded.
"He can. Definitely."
After sending Soo-hyuk, they had one task.
Total war with the giants.
The final battle to stop giants rampaging in this land.
"Such faith."
"He's proven himself once. No need for doubt."
"Is that so?"
Dale nodded to Pelius's repeated trust.
A masked foreigner, not even a knight—what power could he have? But Pelius was a talented young knight.
His faith had reason. Maybe he'd really get the legendary lightning.
But.
"F-Fuck lightning, we're all dead."
A soldier, trembling despite the heat, interjected.
"Y-You don't know. Th-That giant... what power it has..."
A survivor from a giant-ravaged village.
Not wrong.
Lightning fragment legendary, but giants were too.
Could that foreigner defeat a giant even with lightning?
Hope yes, but no certainty.
Step.
Pelius approached the terrified soldier.
Gaunt from days without proper food.
"Can't give up like this, right?"
Many survivors in the village.
Fought giants, fled, lived—gathered here.
Couldn't abandon.
Had to cling to slim hope.
"Don't be so scared. Let's trust him together—the young hero fighting for us without reward."
The soldier's shakes eased at Pelius's comfort.
"O-Okay..."
Then.
"Disaster!"
A messenger burst in, panting.
"H-He's here!"
Thump.
Faint ground rumble from afar.
Pelius's eyes shook.