Chapter 312
Chapter 312
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 312
Chapter Title: Lightning Has No Sound
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Siwoo and Yeryeong had slept for over two days straight.
Fatigue had built up in Soo-hyuk as well. Taking trial after trial had worn him down mentally, and he'd fought the Hydra while pushing his output to the max.
The one who woke Soo-hyuk, who had been sleeping alongside them, was Unhyang.
Rustling sounds made him open his eyes, and there she was, back already.
"Oh, you're awake?"
Unhyang held a bowl of porridge. Judging by the large plate, she'd already delivered one to Siwoo, Yeryeong, and Hyomin each.
"Eat up and get some more sleep. Even if you sleep well, you need food to recharge."
"I'm good. We've slept plenty."
Was it because it had been so long since a proper long rest? It felt incredibly sweet and refreshing, like honey. His stomach was growling fiercely; he felt like he could chew on anything, even without the porridge.
Taking the spoon, Soo-hyuk scraped the bowl clean down to the bottom. To let him focus on eating, Unhyang stepped out briefly and returned with water.
After downing the water and feeling his belly fill up, his mind finally cleared.
"By the way, what about Clementine?"
Because of the Hydra, he hadn't checked on her even after the trial ended. Still, he'd felt reassured knowing Unhyang was there with her.
Thankfully, Unhyang was a capable manager.
"She headed back after the stream ended. Said she'd wait for your call."
"Guess I should visit her soon."
"She seemed to understand. She knew full well how many people would die if you left the Hydra alone."
"Good to hear."
"And... she actually seemed pleased."
Taking the empty bowl, Unhyang beamed.
"She said she trusts you even more because you're that kind of person."
It wasn't just Clementine.
That's what drew Unhyang to Lee Soo-hyuk—the way he charged ahead without looking back.
"Plus, the grand magus came to see you at the end, right? That probably boosted her trust even more."
Unhyang knew Clementine's story. And she knew the connection to Hiles was why she'd sought out Soo-hyuk.
So Hiles approaching Soo-hyuk first was huge good news for Clementine.
"You okay with the next job?"
"Have to be."
"The Red Tower Lord is dangerous. In strength and in power."
"The Hydra was a cutie pie, then?"
Unhyang chuckled at Soo-hyuk's retort.
Fair point. Soo-hyuk had never taken the easy path.
He knew instinctively. The easy road led nowhere far. Only places reached through hardship were truly safe.
Soo-hyuk smirked at her half-joking laugh and picked up the mask beside his bed.
"We finally made it."
The 9th floor.
He'd climbed farther than ever before.
The result of nonstop trials. But rather than relief, a heavy pressure filled his chest.
It was inevitable.
"Next up... we gotta break through the guardian."
Guardian.
No one knew what it was like better than Soo-hyuk.
Each floor up, the guardians grew a dimension stronger. The gap widened the higher you went, until even he hit the wall called Hydra.
Same now.
Players couldn't breach the 9th floor guardian. Even the Heavenly Demon had said it was impossible.
And now, it was Soo-hyuk's next step.
"Leveling up through trials ends here. Time to try other methods."
"You mean Clementine's request?"
Soo-hyuk nodded.
"Never had a god-tier item before, but its effects won't be minor. Plus, points as reward."
For Soo-hyuk, who couldn't take more trials, this was his last shot at leveling up.
"Why go that far?"
Unhyang was puzzled.
"For revenge?"
Why was Soo-hyuk pushing so hard?
If it was revenge, he could take it slow. Soo-hyuk would surely take Kim Il-su's head soon enough.
He could pause. Skip these dangerous gigs.
The words hovered on her tongue, but she held back. Anything more would be meddling.
Somewhere between colleague and manager.
Unhyang tried to stay right on that line. That's how the relationship could last, she thought.
"Revenge... it's important."
Of course, he had no plans to stop.
Kim Il-su, Jin Do-ha. They'd pay eventually.
Why they did it. What greed drove them.
Even if they had reasons, they'd face justice.
But Soo-hyuk wouldn't end it there.
"But isn't what comes after even more important?"
"After?"
"We all share the same goal, right?"
Hiles, the Heavenly Demon. They all knew. The vague dread growing stronger the higher you climbed.
Reborn in a new body and fallen low, but the fear remained.
"And you're misunderstanding one thing."
"Misunderstanding?"
"You think we're picking the hardest fights."
Soo-hyuk glanced at Siwoo and Yeryeong, who had woken and now stood by the door.
"Not anymore. I'm not alone."
"Wakes up and first thing is bossing us around."
"Eyes on god-tier loot, selling out his friends."
Soo-hyuk chuckled at their teasing.
"Yeryeong, doesn't that save your life once?"
"Ugh-."
"I got nothing banked."
"You... run off then."
"Interest is high, though."
"Still a money grubber."
"Whose nickname was Money Bird again?"
Sandwiched between them, Soo-hyuk lit up. He seemed like a totally different person in their circle.
Watching them, Unhyang thought.
The ones to worry about might not be these folks. Maybe the Red Tower instead.
Soo-hyuk left the lodging and headed to the clearing.
Normally he'd spar with Yeryeong or Siwoo, but not this time.
This wasn't honing what he knew. It was testing something new for the first time.
A pure white glow flickered at his fingertips.
The lightning started at his fingers, then climbed his hand, enveloping the back. Like wearing gloves, but controlling the wrapped lightning made him break a sweat.
Tssst-.
Kraaang-!
Soon, the lightning gloves burst apart, blasting Soo-hyuk's body straight back.
His hand burned hot. Hot enough to hurt.
"......As expected."
Clenching his fist, Soo-hyuk frowned.
Lightning was hard to handle. Extremely so.
A power that clung tight like armor. Delicate like muscles or cells, yet explosive.
That's why it could be a weapon or armor. No wonder Zeus became king of Olympus with this force.
Omnipotence fit it best.
Lightning was a perfect symbol for Zeus.
Tssst-.
Once more, Soo-hyuk wrapped his hand in lightning.
Same result. The lightning around his hand resisted control, burned in, then exploded, shoving him back.
Bam-, bam-!
Bam-!
Kaboom-!
No matter how many tries, the outcome didn't change. He hadn't expected to master such a tricky power in a day, but this was excessive.
Not using lightning against the Hydra was the right call. Trying it out of greed would've wrecked the fight entirely.
Tingling-.
His hand kept aching from the failed wraps.
At this rate, he might not be able to use it at all.
"What're you doing here?"
Siwoo showed up late.
"Weren't you sleeping more?"
"Slept enough."
"Perfect timing."
Soo-hyuk extended his hand toward Siwoo.
"Cool it down for me."
"......What'd you do solo to mess up your hand like this?"
Whoosh-.
Amused but obliging, Siwoo cooled Soo-hyuk's hand. The chill on skin that looked ready to cook brought some relief.
"Not easy."
"Lightning?"
"Yeah. Feels like the toughest."
How did Zeus handle it? Unlike Lightning Bolt or Thunder, Lightning gave no clue on control.
"......Gotta meet that guy again."
"Who?"
"Dunno."
"Meeting someone you don't even know?"
"Gotta figure that out too."
Soo-hyuk nodded.
"Gotta see him."
"Where to now?"
"I'm staying here. Guard me good."
"What're you on about?"
Incomprehensible. Meet someone but stay put?
Instead of answering, Soo-hyuk closed his eyes. Unlike before, reaching it was no longer hard.
Tssst-.
Lightning surged around Soo-hyuk's body. Siwoo, caught off guard, backed away hurriedly.
Soo-hyuk, wrapped in lightning, cut off from the outside. Soon, he sank into it.
His body floated, mind diving deep. When his tightly shut eyes opened again, lightning loomed before him once more.
"Coming along nicely now?"
The white one's mouth appeared. What was once invisible and unfelt now felt vividly alive.
Unsettling, no matter how many meetings.
Probably because he had a guess at its identity.
"Grown real used to it, huh? Better than before."
"It's you, right?"
"What?"
"The one who brought me back."
Last time too, the lightning had spoken like it knew him. He'd suspected then, but it was surely tied to his reincarnation.
"Who knows. Me? What am I?"
"Lightning Bolt and Thunder too, probably."
Names varied by phenomenon, but all three stemmed from one source. Soo-hyuk figured this was that source.
Still just a hunch. No certainty without its answer.
"Seeing me too often ain't good. Scary, right? Worried you'll end up like those guys."
Thor, Zeus.
The lightning had warned through them. See me often, and you might become like them.
"Think you're different? Special?"
"I get it. No need to say more."
"Huh?"
"Don't get comfy. Keep fearing me. That's your point, right?"
He pondered why it warned him off.
"If that's it, I know better than anyone. Like you said, I died once because of this power."
A smirk curled the lightning's mouth. With expressions visible now, its intentions started clarifying.
As if knowing exactly why Soo-hyuk came, it said flatly,
"Lightning has no sound."