Chapter 102: Medusa Raid (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 102: Medusa Raid (2)
Divinity.
It was the term used to describe the absolute beings existing within the Tower.
They looked down upon humans from above, constantly searching for useful talent.
All to expand their own domains in the upper floors of the Tower.
And yet...
To think he could be chosen by such a divine being!
Takeshi's body trembled slightly. His lips twitched repeatedly, unable to contain his sheer ecstasy.
This is the opportunity of a lifetime.
Aligning oneself with the right crowd was a universal rule of survival.
If a miraculous opportunity presented itself, it was only natural to seize it.
So that's why he was so abnormally strong.
It made no sense how he cleared trials so easily—trials that even rankers from major guilds failed.
Moreover, overcoming them all alone without any help from other players completely defied common sense.
But...
Every single doubt washed away the moment the man revealed himself to be a divinity.
He was probably just enjoying a little game.
After all, gods are beings that cannot be judged by human standards.
Rumble, rumble!
Even at this very moment, the sight of him raising an ice barrier to block the breath attack was nothing short of awe-inspiring.
Furthermore, wasn't he maintaining another barrier on the other side to protect the players of the Ssaulabi Guild?
His hesitation didn't last long.
He was now absolutely certain which side he had to stand on to survive in this crazy world.
"May I ask what kind of favor you are referring to?"
"I heard your guild picked up a rather interesting toy recently."
You know.
That thing.
"The one Japan treasures as one of its Three Sacred Treasures."
"N-No way...!"
"Yes, that 'no way.' That's exactly what I want."
The relic the Japanese Samurai Guild had obtained after conquering a ruin.
The Sword of Kusanagi. In other words, the Ama-no-Murakumo-no-Tsurugi.
Bring it to me. I want it badly.
"B-But that is kept deep within the guild's vaults. It's difficult for anyone other than the guild master to even get close to it..."
Takeshi trailed off, looking troubled.
A relic was a guild's number one treasure—a symbol of power that could never be surrendered.
Naturally, the security surrounding it was bound to be incredibly tight.
"I know it won't be easy. But shouldn't a human chosen by me be capable of doing things that 'aren't easy'?"
The key here was to stroke the guy's ego.
To tell him he was a special human, so he should be able to achieve at least that much.
When a lofty divinity praises you so highly, anyone would let it go to their head.
"I appreciate you thinking so highly of me, but..."
He was hooked.
Now, for the finishing blow, Jinhyuk just had to shake him up with a story that surpassed his wildest imagination.
It was a tactic often used when selling products or making contracts—overwhelming the other party with jargon to leave them dazed.
But it was also highly effective in situations like this.
"Right now, up there, some Norse hammer-wielder is running amok with a wolf pup, doing Ragnarok or whatever. Surprisingly, our side is actually being pushed back."
Thor, the major god of Norse mythology.
Ragnarok, the final war that heralded the end of the world.
It was a story that would make the Norse divinities clutch the back of their necks in outrage, but Jinhyuk didn't care.
If they were mad, they could come down here themselves.
"In places under the influence of the World Tree, even I find it hard to exert my full power. That's why I need as many relics as possible."
"Ah..."
Takeshi's jaw dropped at the sheer scale of the revelation.
But it was only for a moment.
"I understand. The sword... I will obtain it by any means necessary. Please trust me with this task."
"Good. And before you go, I'll specially engrave a stigma on you."
To be precise, it was the Brand of the Flame Soul.
"It's a type of contract, but it's not particularly dangerous. If you betray me, you'll just burn alive. But since you won't betray me, it doesn't matter, right?"
"O-Of course."
Takeshi nodded with a stiff expression.
He had absolutely no intention of betraying him now.
Who in their right mind would cut their own golden lifeline?
"It doesn't hurt as much as it looks, so don't be scared."
Jinhyuk pressed his glowing red index finger against Takeshi's chest.
[Lv. 5 'Brand of the Flame Soul' has been activated.]
A vivid red brand was engraved.
Perfect.
With this, a loyal intern for the Veteran Company had been born on the Japanese side.
Since a slave contract had been bound to his soul, it wouldn't matter even if he eventually realized he had been tricked.
"Now, off you go. I'll take care of this snake."
Jinhyuk turned around.
There, the snake, having already unleashed its fourth breath attack, was heaving its entire body.
Because it had poured out massive amounts of mana in rapid succession, the temperature of its flames had cooled down significantly.
"Kieeeeee!"
Thoroughly irritated, the Fire-Drinking Snake let out a sharp shriek.
Well, since I claimed to be a god, I can't afford to look like I'm struggling.
He had already put so much effort into mimicking that chuunibyou tone. If he didn't completely dominate the fight now, wouldn't that be incredibly embarrassing?
Screeech!
Clang!
Jinhyuk slowly drew his Twin Dragon Swords.
A dazzling, sharp aura gleamed along the blades.
Something to finish this in one blow...
There was one.
The skill that had trapped the named monster on the 3rd floor in an instant.
Although he couldn't use it recklessly due to its massive mana consumption...
There was nothing better than this to show off his presence.
Jinhyuk gathered his mana.
Crackle!
Blue mana enveloped the entirety of the blades.
An indescribable light began to encroach upon the passage.
"Kieeeeee!"
Sensing that something was seriously wrong, the snake lowered its posture.
And at that exact moment...
[Glacial Shaping: 'Sword of the Sky' has been activated!]
Streams of ice descended from above, and...
[Glacial Shaping: 'Sword of the Earth' has been activated!]
Streams of ice surged from the ground, meeting in the middle.
* * *
The surging flames were gone.
Before everyone's eyes stood only a massive pillar of ice, preserving the shape of the snake.
"A-As expected, you are amazing."
Takeshi swallowed hard.
An overwhelming power.
Now, named monsters on the lower floors of the Tower weren't even enough to serve as a post-meal warm-up for Jinhyuk.
He had grown that strong.
All thanks to growing through the best opportunities and the most optimal routes.
Not bad.
Jinhyuk stared at the ice statue with an indifferent expression.
While Takeshi's eyes warped with shock, to Jinhyuk, the result was hardly surprising.
Since this is my second playthrough, of course it should have this much power.
If he couldn't even do this, he wouldn't deserve to be called a veteran.
"Why haven't you left yet?"
"Ah, no. I was just... worried about what you would do with those people..."
Takeshi's gaze drifted toward the Ssaulabi players beyond the barrier.
He seemed worried that someone might have overheard their conversation.
After all, he had to be the only one chosen.
He was greedy to the core.
Which made him all the easier to manipulate.
"I manipulated the barrier to block the Ssaulabi Guild's sight and hearing, but it would still look strange if they saw you and me talking. We aren't exactly close enough to be having a friendly chat, are we?"
Jinhyuk added a brief explanation.
In other words:
Get lost before anyone sees you.
Since the Japanese players had already been wiped out anyway, no one would find it strange if Takeshi fled.
"Ah... Such deep insight! I understand. I shall leave immediately."
Takeshi bowed deeply.
Then, he vanished back the way he came.
At the same time...
Hummmmm!
The barrier overlaid with Glacial Shaping vanished. As their blocked vision returned, the players of the Ssaulabi Guild walked out from behind the barrier.
"Everyone, prepare for battle!"
"Damn it! Focus on offensive skills... Huh?"
"W-What happened?"
"Gasp!"
"No way. The snake...?"
Everyone's pupils dilated as if they were about to burst.
They had seen white characters suddenly appear after the breath attack was unleashed, but after that, they could see and hear nothing.
It was as if they had been trapped inside a sealed box.
And a moment later, when the box finally shattered and they stepped out of the barrier, too many things had changed.
"Player Kang Jinhyuk... did you defeat it?"
Lee Young-kwon asked Jinhyuk.
In truth, he asked despite already knowing the answer.
"Yes. It's easier to handle this guy alone rather than having a crowd jump in."
"I... see."
A monster that had wiped out the elite raid team of a major guild in an instant.
And he had defeated it alone?
Without a single scratch?
Just how strong is this man?
Lee Young-kwon, who had been gasping in awe, bit his lip in frustration.
Are we... not even worthy of being background decoration?
A mere ticket to legally enter the labyrinth.
To Jinhyuk, that was all the Ssaulabi raid team was—nothing more, nothing less.
It was also an indirect suggestion: I'll carry you, so just sit back and watch quietly.
Grit!
Lee Young-kwon's fists trembled slightly from frustration and shame.
However, no matter how angry he got, it was an undeniable reality.
Lee Young-kwon knew better than anyone that if they stepped forward in this raid, they would only get in the way.
"Whew. First, we will reorganize the raid team. I will speak to you again about what to do next..."
But it was right as Lee Young-kwon was about to speak.
Slither!
The sound of something brushing rapidly against the ground echoed.
It was a light yet chilling movement.
So she's finally here.
Jinhyuk quickly heightened his senses. A thinly compressed wave of mana spread out widely with his body at the center.
"Hmm."
Then, from between the pillars...
"A human who shrugged off my pet's attack. And to think you even found my location. How amusing. It's been a very long time since I've felt this excited."
A sultry voice chimed in.
It was the master of this labyrinth, the magical beast spoken of in mythical hero tales.
Medusa.
"I-It's the boss!"
"Damn it, don't make eye contact! Look at the floor! Look at the floor!"
The legend that one would turn to stone upon making eye contact with Medusa was incredibly famous.
Even so, the reason this labyrinth was so difficult to conquer was that knowing her ability didn't make dealing with it any easier.
Kill the boss without making eye contact?
How was that as easy as it sounded?
They had to fight with their most crucial sense sealed.
While looking at her reflection in a shield could prevent petrification, they still had to fight with a massive handicap.
Ultimately, the key to this raid lay not in a large raid team, but in a single individual.
It all depended on Jinhyuk.
"So you're that human?"
Medusa smiled coyly at Jinhyuk.
Her reflection in Perseus's shield was quite terrifying.
"Fufufu. Don't look at me through that cold piece of metal. Look at me directly. It's bad manners to avoid a lady's gaze."
Lady, my foot.
Even if Medusa looked like a refined lady, one must not be fooled by her appearance and let their guard down.
She possessed all the traits of a snake; when devouring her prey, her mouth would tear wide open horizontally.
"I'll pass on a gluttonous lady who swallows people whole. I can understand one chicken per person, but one person per snake is a bit too terrifying."
"My, my. It seems you know quite a lot about me."
Of course I do.
"How could I not know the tragic princess who lost all her sisters?"
At those words...
"You..."
Whoosh...
The atmosphere shifted instantly.