Chapter 407
Chapter 407
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ace
Chapter: 407
Chapter Title: Bami's Wings
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Before heading to the Demon Realm, the busiest person by far was Kindre.
Was it guilt over not being able to join the journey? Since that day, she hadn't slept a wink and had holed herself up in the workshop.
Even though it was just a temporarily borrowed workshop, her work showed no signs of slowing down.
She crafted hundreds of daggers for Ye-ryeong to use, reforged Si-woo's spear, and even remade Unhyang's sword.
Items played just as crucial a role for players as their stats did.
Suhyuk knew all too well from bitter experience how massive the impact of even a single divine-grade item could be.
In that sense, Ye-ryeong had racked up the biggest achievement of the recent great battle.
"Is this really okay for me to use?"
Ye-ryeong's eyes sparkled as she gazed at the dagger Kindre had modified.
Despite her hesitant words, her expression suggested she was about to start drooling.
The dagger was none other than the divine-grade item Kindre had reworked: Hydra's Poison Fang.
"Should I restore it to its original form?"
"No, no no! Absolutely not!"
Ye-ryeong frantically shook her head, hiding the dagger behind her back.
Her goofy grin made it clear she was head over heels for it.
Kindre's face was marred by deep dark circles. Though she'd spoken with confidence, Suhyuk hadn't truly expected her to pull it off.
"Modifying a divine-grade item can't have been easy."
"It wasn't."
More than half the time spent on this project had gone into reworking Hydra's Poison Fang.
"All I did was reshape it to be more comfortable for you to use, Ye-ryeong. The item's effects are exactly the same as before."
"And that's not enough?"
"...Next time, if we have more time, I'll try something different."
Kindre seemed eager to tinker with divine-grade items some more. It looked like her pride stung a bit at not being able to upgrade it.
But Suhyuk wasn't disappointed in the least.
'It's even more terrifying now.'
No one knew the terror of Hydra's Poison Fang better than Suhyuk.
Sure, his current poison immunity made it harmless to him, but without it, his fight with Kim Il-su might have been a real headache.
Even a graze could be fatal. Poison was the ultimate weapon for upsetting the balance of power.
And if the one wielding it was Ye-ryeong?
Judging purely by item-player synergy, he was certain it outshone Kim Il-su's by several times over.
"That good, huh?"
"You kidding? Who wouldn't love this?"
"Don't lose it. And don't mix it up with your other daggers when you're throwing."
"Even if I throw it, I'll always recover it. No worries."
And she meant it. Whether swinging it by hand or hurling it, Ye-ryeong never wasted a dagger. The fact that all her daggers were well-worn relics was proof enough.
He hadn't said it out of actual worry anyway. It was just a reminder to handle it with extra care.
At that moment, Kindre—who had been staring blankly at Ye-ryeong's dagger with her hollowed-out eyes—spoke up.
"With this, four divine-grade items are gathered in one place."
"Huh?"
"What?"
Suhyuk and Ye-ryeong both looked stunned.
They both realized it with a start at her words. Suhyuk glanced down at the Black Soul Ring on his finger and muttered to himself.
'...Now that you mention it.'
The Heavenly Demon had recovered from his injuries and reclaimed his Heavenly Demon Sword. He was already sharpening his blade again, nearly fully healed.
One to the Heavenly Demon, one to Ye-ryeong, one to Hielz, and one to himself.
Four divine-grade items, all together. Four in name, but practically every one except that single outlier.
Kim Il-su's loss of Hydra's Poison Fang and the Heavenly Demon's return had made it possible.
"Here."
Just then, Kindre handed Suhyuk a sheet of cloth.
"What's this?"
"Check it out. That's quicker."
Suhyuk took the white cloth. It was incredibly light—barely any weight at all—and paper-thin.
【 Bami's Wings 】
# Grade:Legendary# Wear Limit:None
A weightless cloth forged from compressed adamantine. Its elasticity and durability are exceptional, allowing use as armor.
# Effect:Movement Speed Slightly Increased# Effect:Damage Reduction: Up to 30%
Suhyuk's eyes widened as he checked the item's details.
The grade jumped out at him first. Legendary? No way.
The effects were astonishing too.
Movement speed boost and damage reduction. But the cloth form itself was a massive advantage. It could layer over armor or even go under clothes.
"You made this yourself?"
"Yes. Give it a try."
Suhyuk wrapped Bami's Wings around his vital spots—mainly areas vulnerable to attack like his nape and the backs of his arms, which he'd have to shield with his body in a pinch.
With its damage reduction, it could very well serve as a second life in a dire situation.
This item just might save his skin one day.
Best of all, it imposed zero restrictions on movement. If anything, the speed boost made his body feel even lighter.
"Uncomfortable?"
"Not at all. I love it. But when did you even have time for something like this...?"
"I've been working on it bit by bit ever since I joined the guild. Since I can't go to the great battle."
Kindre handed the item to Suhyuk, then mumbled awkwardly.
"Make sure you come back alive."
The entrance to the Middle Realm on the 7th floor.
A thick green tent had been pitched there.
Dozens of tents were scattered around, surrounded by armed players on high alert.
They stood vigilant against demons that could surge through at any moment. Especially lately, with demon skirmishes on the rise, security was tighter than ever.
That's when it happened.
Rustle—.
Across from the tent.
A bush swayed unnaturally.
A man on watch reacted on instinct, thrusting his spear toward the bush.
Stab—.
The sensation of bone and flesh piercing.
Kieeeek—!
A mountain beast shrieked. Gutted straight through a vital spot, it twitched and went still.
The man snorted as he spotted the deer in the bushes.
"Where do these damn things keep coming from...?"
Shiiiik—.
Sharp claws lunging for his unguarded throat.
In that instant, the man sensed his death. A demon's sneering face loomed close before his eyes.
No escaping those razor claws at this range.
But right then—
Thud—!
The claws and the demon's head exploded in a spray, a hole blasted clean through.
Kyararak—!
Hundreds of demons burst from the bushes right after.
Demonic energy swirling, they charged from the forest toward the tents.
Just as the prepared players and demons were about to clash—
"Clear out!"
A shout rang out, followed by magic bullets firing from both hands.
Rat-tat-tat-tat-tat—!
It sounded just like a real gun. The shots punched holes straight through the demons' bodies.
Magic bullets poured out relentlessly.
In seconds, they swept the forest clean. Demons shredded like rags, their mangled flesh splattering blood as they collapsed.
As the gunfire died down, the man who'd ducked and covered turned to look behind him.
"C-Captain!"
Click—.
There stood a woman with guns in both hands and a cigarette dangling from her lips.
Woo Seo-hyeon.
The high ranker who'd devoted her life to repelling demons.
She was the commander of this extermination squad.
Word on the street was that demons couldn't cross because of Woo Seo-hyeon—that she was the self-proclaimed guardian of the human realm here.
But the public image didn't match the real Woo Seo-hyeon at all.
Her personality was less guardian, more soldier.
"I told you not to touch anything—beast or whatever."
"S-Sorry."
"You know one careless move from you could lead to the whole squad getting wiped in the worst case?"
"...Yeah, right, with you here."
He said it half-jokingly, but it was his honest truth.
He'd spent years in this squad blocking demons and had seen Woo Seo-hyeon's skills up close. That's why he was so sure.
Her prowess was unmatched. Her gun-like skill and sheer firepower didn't discriminate by foe or numbers.
The man was convinced.
No one could keep up with her when it came to fighting demons.
Fwhoosh—.
Smoke billowed from Woo Seo-hyeon's cigarette.
As she reloaded, she warned her other subordinates.
"Don't let anyone through. Not a single one crosses. Simple, right?"
"Yes!"
"You know things have been tense lately? Word is a demon brigade commander slipped through not long ago."
"That guy's been crossing for ages, from what I hear!"
"On your face."
"Face down!"
"Goddamn runt, full of shit."
Woo Seo-hyeon scowled and continued.
"Anyway! From now on, not one gets through. Not even a rat! Got it?"
"Yes!"
"Louder! I said?"
"Sir!"
"Good."
Satisfied with their response, Woo Seo-hyeon nodded.
That's when—
Rustle—.
A faint rustle of leaves from the bushes.
So subtle it would've gone unnoticed without total focus.
But Woo Seo-hyeon's reaction was swift and decisive.
Click, bang—!
A magic bullet fired in an instant.
It tore through the bushes. Steam rose from the glowing barrel.
With half-smoked cigarette still in her mouth, Woo Seo-hyeon grumbled.
"One rat left, huh?"
She'd thought she'd swept them all clean.
Luckily, her instincts were spot on. She'd wiped out every demon that had crossed into the Middle Realm.
Not a single one survived.
Demons, that is.
"Your temper's as hair-trigger as they say."
The voice came from the bullet-riddled bushes.
Woo Seo-hyeon reloaded and aimed her gun. She didn't fire immediately like before, but her wariness spiked.
'Still alive?'
Not just alive—the voice carried leisure.
It's a person.
She couldn't always distinguish human from demon by voice alone, but she could this time. Years of battling demons had honed that instinct.
Woo Seo-hyeon raised a hand, halting her subordinates mid-charge at the bushes.
Not a demon, but she didn't drop her guard. Gun trained, she called out.
"Who are you? Show yourself."
Magic gathered at her barrel, ready to fire if he didn't emerge.
Then, a figure stepped from the bushes.
"Wasn't really trying to hide. You were busy fighting, busy chewing out your squad... just looked occupied."
It was Suhyuk who'd emerged.
The path to the Demon Realm started here, at this first gateway.
Suhyuk brushed the dirt from his clothes as he approached. Spotting the tight security, Woo Seo-hyeon aimed again.
"One more step and I shoot. State your business—from there."
"I'm heading to the Demon Realm."
"...The Demon Realm?"
She mulled his words, gun still menacingly trained, then asked.
"Your business suicide by chance?"