Chapter 32
Chapter 32
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 32
Chapter Title: Spear of Lightning
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The moment he stepped out of the mountain...
Lee Soo-hyuk and the viewers witnessed something tremendous.
From the mountainside, the giant's presence came into view.
It looked just like a toy village made of Legos being swept away. The tiny dots at the giant's feet seemed no different from a swarm of ants.
"Haa..."
A sigh escaped him, along with his inner thoughts.
"Why does that bastard keep getting bigger...?"
At first, he thought it was just an illusion due to the distance.
But the difference was too stark to dismiss as mere imagination.
'It's at least twice as big as it was in that cutscene.'
No matter how far away it was, it had grown so much that it was impossible to miss.
There had to be a reason why it had gotten even bigger.
And that reason was probably...
...related to the grand theme of this trial.
The name 'Lightning Trial'.
'This is the last one.'
His instincts as a Player were telling him so.
As expected, that thing was the final boss of the 'Lightning Trial'.
No matter how much he twisted and turned, there was nothing after this.
Well...
If something even bigger than that appeared, he'd have to curse the heavens.
'Lightning, huh...'
Crackle-
A faint spark danced at his fingertips. He'd acquired it sooner than planned, but lightning was now in his grasp.
It felt strange.
Was the reward at the end of this trial really just lightning?
'No. Absolutely not.'
Lightning.
It was undoubtedly an incredible skill.
Even a single fragment wielded power on par with A-rank or higher, and each additional fragment doubled its strength.
He knew that.
He knew, but...
'It's still not enough.'
The moment his thoughts reached that point, Soo-hyuk shook his head.
'Don't get greedy before it even starts.'
The trial wasn't over yet, and it was far too early to think about rewards.
For now, he needed to focus on the goal right in front of him.
'Full-on battle is out of the question.'
Even after fully opening his meridians and gaining a substantial stat boost in this trial, clashing head-on with that thing was impossible.
No, it hadn't appeared as something to brute-force in the first place.
'Is this the only way?'
Crackle-
A yellow orb in his hand leaked faint sparks.
It seemed unable to contain its power even before activation.
The giant ahead wasn't meant for this phase either, but strictly speaking, a Legendary-grade item was the same.
Then, one chat caught his eye.
"Run?"
Soo-hyuk shook his head.
"No need."
He'd defeated wolf warriors, giant tribe leaders, and all sorts of tough bosses to pass the trials, but the viewers couldn't easily trust Soo-hyuk.
It was natural.
No matter how godly his controls were, how could he kill a monster of that size?
And Soo-hyuk thought the same.
But...
This wasn't a trial solved that way from the start.
"No need to overthink it."
Grip-
He tightened his hold on the Spear of Lightning in his hand.
"Just land one good throw."
With his back to the path leading to the village...
Soo-hyuk's footsteps headed toward the mountain peak.
Boom-!
Thunder roared as lightning struck down.
From the thick clouds overhead, bolts gathered in his hand.
Crackle, crackle-!
It burned hot.
Even after quite some time since activation began, it was still only at 33 percent.
It felt similar to using Lightning.
The difference was that the penalties hit much harder than simple use.
It was the first message like this since starting to use the skill.
He knew effects applied to items from the demon sword, but failure to resist was unexpected.
Well...
No matter that it was a growth-type skill, Selfish Sacrifice was still D-grade.
Its level was too low to block the load from a Legendary item.
'This is where it starts.'
Spear of Lightning.
Fully activating this item was the true beginning of the trial.
Sizzle-!
It thrashed wildly in his hand. Creating a spear with this much power using skills alone was impossible for him now.
The reason it was possible was one.
A Legendary-grade item. The 'Spear of Lightning', which could activate only once.
'I can do this.'
Skills or items with long activation times had one thing in common.
They wielded far greater power than their grade suggested.
The lightning rampaging in his hand right now was proof.
A small glow shaped into a spear form, emanating power impossible for this stage.
'Of course, only if it hits right.'
Boom-!
Lightning struck again, swelling the spear in his grasp.
Zing, electricity coursed through his palm and body.
"Kuh..."
He staggered.
Each bolt delivered a massive shock. He gripped tight to hold onto his mind and the spear.
Soo-hyuk glanced at the chats, and the corner of his mouth twitched up.
It was spot on.
A Player who obtained Lightning would suffer eternally. After all, Lightning was a power that burned the user's stamina as fuel.
Boom-!
The moment the activation hit 50 percent, a bolt far larger than before crashed down.
The glow from the lightning intensified. In that instant, he saw the distant giant at the base of the mountain turn its head this way.
'It noticed.'
No matter the distance, this racket couldn't be hidden.
And it was night now.
The lightning illuminating the peak soon lit up the village below.
'Halfway there.'
Activation rate 50 percent.
It needed exactly this much more to reach full form.
"This is brutally tough."
Drip-
Sweat from his forehead hit the ground.
This trial was truly vicious.
There was only one way to pierce the giant's heart and end it.
Activating the Spear of Lightning from the sixth trial.
'No.'
Crackle-!
He glanced at the thrashing spear in his hand.
'That's just the start.'
Like any weapon, no matter how powerful, it meant nothing without a hit.
Especially at this range.
"Pida-!"
Thud-
The giant that spotted him let out an enraged scream.
It charged toward the mountain where lightning fell.
Whether misfortune or luck, the situation had changed from his initial plan.
"Whoa?"
Thud thud thud thud thud-
Each step covered over ten meters, with impressive jumping power too.
The giant leaped upward and swiftly passed the lower mountain slopes.
"Pidaaa-!"
Grrr-
It used house-sized hands to climb the mountain. Fierce red glows flashed in its eyes, and growls echoed.
The moment it saw Soo-hyuk, it realized.
He was the human who killed its son.
"It's really pissed..."
He muttered in bewilderment at the faster-than-expected approach.
No time to reply to each chat.
They weren't asking out of ignorance anyway.
The distance that took forever even by carriage was closing in seconds for the giant.
Its physical prowess was insane—it practically flew up the mountain.
It'd reach here in minutes.
'Focus.'
At the steep cliff's edge.
Soo-hyuk looked down at the rapidly ascending giant.
Fortunately, its speed matched the activation time calculations.
The issue was simple.
Hit or miss.
'One shot only.'
His pupils dilated.
Focus sharpened, dulling the lightning's penalties on his body.
A voice echoed in his mind.
"Don't take your eyes off it."
Every time Soo-hyuk threw the spear, he recalled those words.
Su-hun.
Blue Eyes' comrade, nearly two meters tall, hurling a three-meter spear.
The day he first formed a spear with Lightning, Soo-hyuk learned javelin throwing from him.
"Never look away. That's where javelin throwing begins."
The giant charged like a blur. The mountain shook with each step, its form growing larger in his vision.
He didn't blink.
The throw had already begun.
"Forget parabolas, don't even think it. Predictions? No need."
Su-hun's advice as he watched Soo-hyuk throw Lightning spears.
"Just throw. You've played shooters, right? They have hitscan."
Hitscan.
A common feature in FPS games where bullets instantly reach the target.
"Trajectories? Tell it to the dogs. Thinking? Don't. You're different from other spear throwers."
Sizzle-!
The thrill of electricity on his fingertips intoxicated him.
Activation neared completion.
With this power, it felt like it could pierce anything.
But...
'Not enough.'
Simply hitting wasn't sufficient.
Hitting non-vitals like hand, foot, thigh, or shoulder still meant failure.
'Vital spot.'
The most lethal one.
Grip-
Still not averting his eyes from the giant.
In the final moment, Soo-hyuk recalled his conversation with Su-hun.
"Then? What do I do?"
"It's not a normal spear anyway, right? Don't think throw—think shoot."
"Shoot?"
"Yeah. Shoot."
"Seems the same. I asked for javelin techniques?"
He wanted lower body usage, timing, techniques.
Su-hun's answer differed slightly.
"Same?"
Soo-hyuk realized only after throwing Lightning.
"Doubt it. Totally different."
They weren't the same at all.
Thud, thud, thud-
Footsteps neared.
Now close enough to see the pupils in its glaring eyes.
He understood the frustration.
It felt like the giant could reach out and touch him now.
Without stopping activation, he took utmost care.
'The vital...'
Thud-!
Its footfall boomed loudly.
Rooooar-!
The leaping giant's gaze locked onto Soo-hyuk's position.
It had arrived.
And in that instant.
Fizzle-
Through the giant's frontal pupil, a small golden glow leaked out.
The decision was made.
Where to plunge the spear into that massive body.
"-Right there."
His body, bent back to launch the spear, snapped forward.
Flash-!