Chapter 182: Crest of the Red Oath (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 182: Crest of the Red Oath (2)
[One of the floor's boss monsters expresses discomfort with your actions.]
A crimson status window appeared.
At the same time.
[Ha... This is ridiculous. What do you think you're doing right now? Huh?]
A voice transmitted via telepathy pierced his mind.
It was a woman's voice, dripping with irritation.
‘As expected, she's the first of them to react.’
Among the three monsters possessing strength that ranked at the very top even on the 9th Floor—often called the paradise of monsters—
was the Half-Avian thunderbird, 'Atasha', a creature blending the forms of a bird and a woman.
The heavyweight named monster he wanted had eagerly taken the bait.
“Why? Are you upset because I killed a few of your cute little pets?”
[Hey... I see you're somewhat strong for a human, but don't get cocky just because of that. You could get wiped out in a single blow. Huh? Did you hear me? Stop smirking just because you beat a few measly ogres. If I had been there, someone like you would have been...]
Hmm...
“It really is fascinating.”
[Fascinating? What is?]
“I've fought many bosses and named monsters so far, but I've never met one as shallow and vulgar as you.”
Though there were exceptions,
they say a big mouth is usually inversely proportional to actual skill.
Now that she was running her mouth even more than before, he was strangely looking forward to seeing if she could back up even half of her words.
[Krrr! Fine. This will be fun. After all, a fish has to be lively for it to be satisfying to beat.]
“I was just thinking about how best to beat you to a pulp myself. It seems we're on the same page, don't we?”
Jinhyuk smiled brightly.
And before Atasha could say anything, he added another word.
“Ah! Don't get all worked up and snap back. Spamming indirect messages with voice attachments must drain your Coins fast, and with your financial situation, you can't afford it, can you? There's nothing more entertaining than watching someone else's account crash... but that's only fun when they actually have money. I'm only giving you advice because I'm worried you'll end up homeless on the streets.”
How much could a birdbrain have saved up anyway?
Even if she did have savings, she'd probably forget about them the moment she turned around.
Especially since she was a thunderbird.
[...Kill him! Kill him right now!]
Along with her screeching roar,
Rumble, rumble!
One side of the passage wall slid upward.
What revealed themselves were more ogres.
Or rather, they looked different from the ones he had killed first.
While the previous ones had impressive, muscular, and heavy builds, the ones appearing now had long limbs and agile, slender frames.
They were armed with 1.7-meter-long sharp swords, blunt-looking rectangular shields, and armor that covered all their vital points with chains.
“They certainly look a bit different. Their meat looks incredibly tough—not the kind of guys you'd want to put on a dinner table.”
Most impressive of all were the crests engraved across their entire bodies.
A faint red light emanated from the patterns, which resembled a tiger's mane.
[The ones I sent earlier were just scouts. You could say they were meant to test the waters and retreat. These guys, on the other hand, are built for combat. They are the elites we selected to deal with troublesome pests. Look. You can see their crests are different from the start...]
The thunderbird's long-winded speech never reached its end.
Whoosh...
Tap!
Jinhyuk's palm made contact with an ogre's abdomen.
Splat!
A gruesome sound of tearing flesh echoed, and a fountain of blood dyed his vision red.
[F-Fast?]
It was an utterly absurd speed.
The modified ogres, specialized in mobility and close-quarters combat, couldn't even react?
That was impossible...!
But what was even more shocking was that a mid-sized monster like an ogre had died instantly from such a light gesture.
Unlike the thunderbird, who was panicking at this unexpected turn of events,
‘The impact feels incredible.’
the corners of Jinhyuk's mouth curled up sharply.
The Black Heaven Demonic Emperor Art.
Fitting for a martial art used by the Dark Emperor, its power transcended imagination.
He had mostly fought using swords lately, but this kind of hand-to-hand combat had its own charm.
In particular, the exquisite combination of the 'Moon-Shrouding Claw' and the simultaneous channeling of internal qi and mana brought back a thrilling sensation he hadn't felt in a long time.
‘This is perfect for a warm-up.’
Since they were so large, hitting them felt incredibly satisfying.
Using the 'Sword Demon Emperor Stepss', Jinhyuk instantly slipped behind another ogre.
Boom!
Once again, his fist shattered the ogre's armor into pieces.
“Kreeegh!”
Its body bent completely in half, the ogre collapsed on the spot.
That made two.
The last one launched a desperate, almost frantic counterattack.
Its sword, raised high into the air, plunged straight down.
In that instant,
Thud!
the ground beneath Jinhyuk's feet caved in, forming a circular crater.
Rumble!
A black energy surged from his body.
An incredibly ominous force... It was Demonic Qi, a power that only a select few within the Heavenly Demon Cult could master.
The sword descending toward his crown was blocked by that energy, freezing mid-air.
The incoming fist was reflected in the ogre's terror-filled pupils.
As if in slow motion,
the fist shattered its tusks and plowed straight into its skull.
Crash! Crash! Crash!
Boom!
Spinning 360 degrees, the ogre's body smashed through a wall and embedded itself into the wall on the opposite side.
Then, it broke through that wall as well, flying into the next room.
It kept going and going, its entire body being pulverized into mush...
By the time the barely recognizable, mangled ogre finally came to a halt, holes had been punched through more than seven walls.
[Y-You brute...!]
The thunderbird's voice was thick with bewilderment.
However, unlike before, her anger was now devoid of confidence.
“I think that's enough of an introduction, so I'll leave you with one last word.”
Jinhyuk tilted his head up slightly,
addressing the three monsters watching him from somewhere.
“Wherever you are, hide well. Very, very well.”
They probably believed this labyrinth would serve as a secure hiding place, but...
If they relied on a mere 10,000-kilometer sandbox, this game of hide-and-seek would be over in the blink of an eye.
* * *
“T-This is impossible...”
Friedman, who had been watching the entire battle, finally exhaled the breath he had been holding.
He had forgotten to breathe, paralyzed by an overwhelming strength that took his breath away.
“With just... a few punches, he took down those monsters...”
‘Just.’
He couldn't help but use that word.
The movements seemed so simple, and the linear attacks looked almost anticlimactic.
“Watch your mouth. It may look simple at a glance, but he has displayed a level of martial prowess that someone of your clumsy caliber cannot even begin to fathom.”
Wolyeong frowned.
As someone who ranked among the absolute strongest in the Black Wind Society, Wolyeong keenly understood just how incredible the movements and martial arts Jinhyuk had displayed truly were.
Melena, standing right beside him, chimed in.
“That guy is a total monster. That's why everyone gets exploited by him.”
“Come to think of it, who might you be, young lady? I saw my Lord bring you along, but...”
“Before I answer that, did you and those guys behind you also get forced into joining that 'Veteran Corporation' or whatever it's called?”
“I have never heard of such a sect.”
“You're so young, yet you talk like an old man. Are you filming a historical drama or something?”
“A historical drama...?”
Wolyeong tilted his head in confusion.
Melena let out a small sigh of frustration.
“Tsk, tsk. Your future looks incredibly rough. Though, who am I to pity anyone when we're both walking into hell together?”
“I am fully prepared for the path my Lord walks to be stained with blood. However, judging by your words, you seem to know my Lord quite well, young lady?”
“Not that well... Well, actually, since not many people survive after meeting him, I guess I do count as someone who knows him well. Anyway, what are you curious about? As your senior in the company, I'll tell you what I know.”
“I am curious about what my Lord is usually like.”
Wolyeong knew far too little about Jinhyuk, whom he would serve from now on.
Aside from the fact that he was the Dark Emperor's top disciple and that he lived a double life as Kang Jinhyuk and Unknown.
Therefore, he wanted to know everything. Every single detail.
At that,
Hmm...
Melena pondered for a moment before speaking slowly.
“A demon king... I suppose.”
Frighteningly strong, more persistent than anyone, and showing not a shred of mercy to his enemies.
That was the person named Jinhyuk whom she knew.
Just then,
“What are you two talking so much about?”
Jinhyuk, the subject of their conversation, approached.
“N-Nothing! We didn't say anything. Seriously!”
A flustered Melena hurriedly shook her head.
On the other hand,
“You have worked hard, Lord.”
Wolyeong bowed, his face reflecting a mix of complex emotions.
It was a blend of awe at the flawlessly executed martial arts and
the natural expectation that the disciple of the Dark Emperor should be capable of at least this much.
[Wolyeong's loyalty and affinity have increased by +5.]
[Loyalty points remaining to complete the copying condition: 95]
A status window appeared before Jinhyuk's eyes.
‘So this is how I can fulfill the copying conditions.’
If he continued to assert a strong presence like this, it wouldn't be long before he could copy one of Wolyeong's abilities.
Good.
That was sorted out...
“You should take the injured and get out of here. As you can see, these aren't opponents someone of your level can handle.”
Jinhyuk spoke to Friedman.
Friedman, who had still been dazed, snapped back to reality only after hearing Jinhyuk's voice.
He knew better than anyone that they were 'not on a level to handle them.'
‘With my skills, I can't even hold a candle to those people.’
The men in black who had wiped out the goblins in one fell swoop were undoubtedly powerhouses of immense strength.
Even if he brought the entire Lockheed Guild, they wouldn't be able to play even a tenth of the role those thirty men did.
Furthermore,
Unknown, whom those men in black served so respectfully, was a monster of an entirely different dimension.
If he tried to force his way in, wouldn't he just be a nuisance and a burden?
‘There is nothing I can do.’
His hesitation didn't last long.
“...Understood. I leave the rest to you.”
Friedman nodded.
While the survivors of the Lockheed Guild gathered the bodies and the wounded, Jinhyuk, Wolyeong, and Melena huddled behind a large boulder to discuss their next move.
“What are you going to do now? Are we going to find the exit the standard way, step by step?”
“Taking a leisurely tour wouldn't be bad, but the conditions here are terrible for sightseeing.”
Suffering in a musty maze on the 1st Floor was enough. He had no desire to spend months eating moss and bats all over again.
“Lord, do you have something in mind?”
“Watch closely.”
Jinhyuk accessed the 'Coin Exchange'.
He was about to show them a veteran's method for clearing a labyrinth in the shortest time possible.
* * *
A crevice hidden deep within the labyrinth.
There was a place that could only be reached after passing through tangled passages and countless traps.
It was the staging ground where the monsters that had crossed over from the 9th Floor resided.
From small species like goblins and orcs to mid-sized ones like ogres and wyverns, dozens of monster species growled and bared their fangs.
Some, unable to contain their boiling bloodlust as if itching to run wild right away, were even attacking each other.
And,
the three boss monsters managing them were currently frozen in shock and horror before a crystal ball.
The scene displayed in the crystal ball showed Jinhyuk.
There was nothing surprising about that in itself.
The problem was...
“What a lunatic...!”
“Is he... is he out of his mind?”
“I told you! He's a complete psycho!”
what their primary target of concern was doing right now.