Chapter 100: Gray Temple (4)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 100: Gray Temple (4)
Slash!
Upon contact with the extremely compressed flames, the iron shield was sliced through like a sheet of paper.
"M-my mana-infused shield was destroyed in a single hit..."
"Aaaaargh! This is basically a laser!"
It was exactly as they said.
The streams of fire were designed to slice, not burn.
The problem was that there were over a hundred of them.
Furthermore, because the streams of fire were closing in from all directions simultaneously, even dodging seemed nearly impossible.
'W-what is going on here!'
Takeshi stared at Jinhyuk with panicked eyes.
After all, Jinhyuk was the one who had spoken as if the left path was the correct answer.
He desperately hoped Jinhyuk would say that this lethal trap was just a performance and that there was a way to solve it.
However, Jinhyuk subtly avoided Takeshi's gaze.
"Wow. I don't know who it was, but they dragged the raid team straight into hell. Usually, isn't this kind of thing the raid leader's fault?"
His attempt to casually shift the blame was incredibly natural.
He got me.
Takeshi felt a shock as if he had been struck on the head with a hammer.
But there wasn't even time to regret.
"W-we have to dodge somehow!"
They had to dodge, not block.
The fact that the tanker's shield couldn't withstand it meant that no one here could block those streams of fire.
"Damn it!"
"Everyone, jump!"
The players of the Samurai Guild quickly threw themselves out of the way.
To survive the lethal trap aiming for their ankles, knees, waists, and necks, everyone moved frantically, drenched in sweat.
'Newbies will be newbies...'
Smirking, Jinhyuk pulled a black scroll from his subspace inventory.
Then, he broke the sealed wax.
Wroooooom!
[The Barrierist's 1st Class Change Quest begins.]
To become a Barrierist...
A long, tedious explanation stretched out, but Jinhyuk skipped the status window as if it wasn't even worth looking at.
Since he already knew what he had to do, there was no reason to read the explanation.
'Manifesting a fragment of a barrier for a class change is a piece of cake.'
Jinhyuk concentrated mana at the tip of his finger.
Crackle!
A brilliant white spark erupted.
Soon after, a massive, intricate pattern appeared in the air.
It was a barrier inscribed with runic words.
[The barrier 'Inadequate Physical Barrier' is activated!]
[The first condition of the Class Change Quest has been met!]
Though it had the modifier 'Inadequate,' a fairly decent-looking barrier unfolded.
'Since I haven't officially changed classes yet, this is my limit.'
Normally, to change classes to a Barrierist, one had to lock themselves in the library on the 1st floor of the Tower and study basic runic language for at least six months.
Of course, using a barrier that could actually be utilized in combat required far more time.
Even Jinhyuk, who had been completely obsessed with the game, had taken five years to master the final stage, the Ancient Runic Language.
'It's definitely... not an easy field.'
There was a reason it was classified as an unpopular class.
People chose virtual reality to escape from reality; no one wanted to spend all day and night studying in a library.
"P-Player Kang Jinhyuk, what on earth is this..."
"Is it... magic?"
"No. It's different. I've never seen those characters before."
Lee Young-kwon and the other players were taken aback by the sudden appearance of the runic words.
They had occasionally seen barriers activated through skills, but this was their first time seeing a real barrier activated by formal runic words.
But their awe didn't last long.
The streams of fire had already reached right in front of them.
"Skills and abilities are useless against that. We have to move too."
Lee Young-kwon threw his shield and armor to the ground to lighten his body.
However.
"It's fine. You can just stay still."
Jinhyuk leisurely crossed his arms, looking at the cube-shaped barrier enclosing the players.
"S-stay still? What do you mean by that?"
Lee Young-kwon asked back, but Jinhyuk only gave a meaningful smile.
And at that moment.
Rumble!
The streams of fire slammed into the barrier.
"Urgh!"
"Aaaaargh!"
The players screamed, thinking they would be sliced to pieces along with the barrier.
But.
"Huh?"
"What is this? It's perfectly fine?"
Not a single scratch appeared on the surface of the barrier.
No, it was more than that.
The streams of fire hesitated on the surface of the barrier, then bounced off and headed in the opposite direction.
Right toward the players of the Samurai Guild, who were still hopping around frantically at this very moment.
"Ah. Sorry! Another one's heading your way."
Jinhyuk raised his right hand slightly as a half-hearted apology.
"How could this be..."
Lee Young-kwon's pupils shook violently.
The others watching were equally shocked.
"To deflect that..."
"Unbelievable. To think there's a player with a reflector-type skill."
"As expected... S-ranks are on a completely different level."
They already knew Jinhyuk was incredible from various videos.
Korea's 16th S-rank ranker.
The monster who had suppressed not only Cheon Yu-seong, known as the Sword Demon, but also Hong Deok-pyo, the master of the Black Cloud Guild.
The pioneer who first conquered the 4th and 5th floors.
Just listing his achievements was enough to make one's jaw drop.
But seeing it with their own eyes was a completely different story than hearing about it or watching a video.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
Everyone's hearts beat rapidly.
The sense of security that came just from being with a top-tier ranker.
Even though they were standing right in front of a death trap, they didn't feel even a shred of danger.
But right then.
"Shall we get going?"
Jinhyuk moved. He was about to step outside the barrier.
"Gasps!?"
"P-Player Kang Jinhyuk! Wait a moment!"
"Yes?"
"The trap isn't over yet."
"That's right. It's dangerous to go out now."
With urgent voices, Lee Young-kwon pointed outside.
There, the players of the Samurai Guild were dying miserably.
They were doing everything they could to dodge the streams of fire rushing from all directions, but it didn't look like they could hold out much longer.
Ah. Was that what they meant?
"My timing is impeccable, so you don't need to worry. Besides, if you dodge that 300 times in a row without getting a single scratch, it actually gives you an item."
It was called the [Burning Flame].
It was a special item that would be very useful later on.
This was quite high-level information...
So.
Are there any brave souls who want to try it with me?
Jinhyuk smiled and looked around.
"I-I'm fine."
"P-Player Kang Jinhyuk, please collect a lot of them."
"We'll just watch from the back. Yes, indeed."
Even though he mentioned a hidden item, no one stepped forward.
Seriously, newbies these days have no grit.
Crack!
Lightly cracking his joints, Jinhyuk stepped outside the barrier.
Dozens of fire streams crowded in densely, but to a veteran who had already memorized every pattern, it was child's play.
Matching the fast-tempo music playing in his head.
'Your Honor, drop the beat!'
Jinhyuk began to move in earnest.
'Three left, three right. Next, I need to jump forward one meter and roll, right?'
He saw gaps barely wide enough for a single person to pass through.
This time, he had to pass through those gaps.
A situation where a single mistake meant instant death.
Yet, not a trace of the tension that any normal human would show could be found on Jinhyuk's face.
* * *
"Haha... I really have nothing to say."
Lee Young-kwon muttered with a hollow expression.
He, too, had proven his worth in the Gladiator Arena on the 5th floor and had received immense expectations from various media outlets.
But.
'I can't even begin to imagine.'
The precise, calculated movements, the confidence radiating from him even from a distance.
And beyond all that, his attitude of actually enjoying this situation.
He didn't feel like he could surpass Jinhyuk in any aspect.
'This is why Team Leader Kim Gi-tae said we should willingly accept a loss if we have to.'
In fact, Lee Young-kwon had been given one piece of advice before coming here.
To give up all the benefits the Ssaulabi Guild could gain from this raid.
At first, Kim Gi-tae also wanted to arrange the terms in favor of the guild, but he said he soon decided to look at the bigger picture.
It was a hard pill to swallow.
Rewards, fame, monopoly.
Who would accept it if the second-largest giant guild in Korea had to lay down all of that?
Conglomerates might be greedy, but they never gave up their advantages.
But the reason for it...
'The executives were wise.'
Lee Young-kwon realized it deeply at this very moment.
* * *
The streams of fire finally subsided after more than thirty minutes.
'As expected, rewards are best after working up a sweat.'
Jinhyuk toyed with a strangely shaped red gem.
It was the [Burning Flame].
'Everything is going smoothly.'
Everything went exactly as planned.
Now, once he dealt with Medusa, he would have all the materials needed to craft 'that item.'
He was not far from his goal.
By the way.
'I wonder how many survived?'
Putting the item into his subspace inventory, Jinhyuk turned his gaze toward the Samurai Guild.
"Pant. Pant. Pant."
"M-my arm! My arm is gone!"
"Aaaaargh! Y-Yoshida is dead!"
"Damn it! Assess the casualties and injuries immediately! Stop crying and move!"
Naturally, the situation was grim.
Not a single person among those who had entered so confidently was unscathed.
Only Maeda, who possessed superior skills, and Takeshi, whom Maeda had desperately protected, escaped with minor injuries.
As expected, watching a house burn down is the most entertaining thing.
Even more so if it's the house of someone you dislike.
"My deepest condolences. This barrier was strictly for thirty people, so even if I wanted to let more of you in, I couldn't."
Jinhyuk approached the Samurai Guild and offered his half-hearted condolences.
"Y-you bastard!"
Maeda jumped up from his seat.
Perhaps because his eyebrows were singed by the heat, a savory smell wafted from him.
"Pardon?"
"Don't play dumb with that innocent face! The fact that not a single Korean was hurt means you knew about this trap and its countermeasure! Am I wrong?!"
"Well, I had a rough idea. Is that a problem?"
"I-Is that a problem? How can you say that...!"
"Isn't it? We accepted your whining to tag along to a labyrinth monopolized by Ssaulabi. And you guys were giggling about how some veteran on the 30th floor was going to carry you, only to fall off a cliff and get smashed. I don't see why you're taking your anger out on us."
"Shut up! Even so, watching us die right in front of your eyes and not saving us is something only trash would do. Do you not have a shred of sympathy?!"
Sympathy, my foot.
Talk about the thief calling the police. Being able to spout such nonsense consecutively was a talent in itself.
Well.
He could understand.
"I suppose absorbing too much radiation can make one's mind a bit unstable."
In movies, getting hit by gamma rays or eating plutonium makes you a superhero.
But in reality, you're lucky if you just get hair loss; usually, it's a tragic ending with leukemia.
How miserable must their lives be?
"...What?"
Maeda was temporarily lost for words at the shocking remark.
With a blank expression, he chewed on what he had just heard for a few seconds to make sure he had heard correctly.
"H-how dare you say such a thing. You're crazy. Do you not realize this could become a diplomatic issue?!"
"A diplomatic issue?"
Jinhyuk's eyebrows furrowed.
He seemed to be gravely mistaken about something.
"I'm not a politician."
Diplomacy and all that nonsense were things for the higher-ups to worry about, not his concern.
Lastly.
"You'd better watch your mouth around me. The traps here aren't over yet."
Jinhyuk spoke coldly.
At the same time.
Rumble!
The scattered streams of fire began to gather in one place.
In the blink of an eye.
The layered flames quickly coalesced into a single form.
"Hssssssss!"
The form of a giant snake made of fire.