Chapter 60: Thousand-Handed Thousand-Eyed Avalokiteshvara (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 60: Thousand-Handed Thousand-Eyed Avalokiteshvara (1)
"W-when did..."
A black moon was reflected in Cadric's pupils.
The moment of death.
Cadric felt time slow down.
He hadn't even noticed the approach.
When on earth did he get here?
No, had there ever been an option to escape from the very moment they first met?
His mind felt like it was about to explode with all kinds of possibilities and assumptions.
And that was...
Slice!
...the last thought Cadric ever had in this world.
Thud!
The headless corpse collapsed to the floor.
"Kieeeek!"
"Kegh!"
With Cadric's death, all the undead he controlled crumbled into handfuls of dust and vanished.
There were still surviving necromancers, but they wouldn't last long.
The enraged stone statues immediately pursued them.
"Aaargh!"
"S-spare me!"
The battlefield began to run red with blood.
The necromancers, who had been unilaterally hunting, had suddenly been reduced to hunted prey.
And taking advantage of the chaos...
Hmm. Everyone seems rather busy.
Jinhyuk approached the four-story stone pagoda, which was now left virtually unguarded.
* * *
A four-story stone pagoda carved from a massive block of granite.
In front of the safe containing the key to the inner chamber stood three stone statues armed with spears and swords.
"Groooar!"
"Graaa!"
Considering there should normally be more than ten times this number of guards, three was practically an open invitation.
Jinhyuk cracked his knuckles.
"I suppose having no brain has its perks."
Even after witnessing such an overwhelming display of power, they wouldn't feel fear.
They were merely puppets moving exactly as the boss monster commanded.
In a way, an army that moved without hearts felt like the ultimate army.
Jinhyuk picked up a spear and shield lying on the ground.
It's been a while since I fought with these.
He covered his front with the round shield in his left hand and thrust the spear through the gap.
It was the exact stance he had practiced to death back when he was obsessed with the movie 300.
Though he was alone and couldn't execute a coordinated phalanx formation of three hundred men like in the movie...
...he had trained with spear and shield until his hands blistered, all to maximize his efficiency as a solo fighter.
Ah! Of course, he had practiced one more thing besides spearmanship and shieldwork.
This was the most important part.
"Should I go to you? Or are you coming to me?"
Maintaining his stance, Jinhyuk slowly bobbed up and down.
The key here was to subtly expose openings.
As if asking, I'm giving you this much of an opening, and you're still not coming?
Did the taunt work?
The stone statues lunged forward simultaneously.
Boom!
Crash!
They were coming.
Jinhyuk angled his shield.
The beauty of shieldwork lay in dispersing the impact.
Screeech!
The statue's sword and spear scraped harmlessly along the sloped surface of the shield.
Now!
Having deflected the impact, Jinhyuk spun his body a full 360 degrees.
Thud!
The spear, carrying the momentum of his spin, pierced straight through the stone statue's head.
In a split second that was practically simultaneous...
...Jinhyuk swept his spear toward the legs of the second statue.
"...Groo?"
The statue's leg buckled, throwing off its center of gravity.
It was only possible because he had aimed precisely for the joint.
"You look like you're destined to freeze to death."
Tap.
The spear tip touched the statue's chest.
[Lv2 'Ice Sculpting' has been activated!]
Crack!
The frost emanating from the tip of the spear clung to the statue's chest.
The cold spread in an instant.
It took less than three seconds for its entire body to freeze solid.
That's two.
Only the last one remained.
Jinhyuk assumed his basic stance once more against the retreating statue.
The spear and shield perfectly divided the roles of offense and defense.
However...
"Groooaaar!"
Letting out a bizarre shriek, the stone statue suddenly reached toward the pagoda.
And it pulled out a golden key from inside the structure.
What was it doing?
Is it trying to beg for its life by handing over the key? Jinhyuk wondered, but...
Gulp!
The stone statue swallowed the key whole.
[The key to the inner chamber reacts.]
[The Gate is activating!]
[A being beyond the Gate responds to the call.]
Status windows popped up in rapid succession.
Hummmm!
The air shifted violently.
"Well, look at you. You've got more guts than I thought."
To think it would sacrifice itself to open the Gate.
Jinhyuk licked his lips.
Right then...
Rumble!
A green vortex manifested in the stomach of the statue that had swallowed the key.
It was sacrificing itself to summon a high-ranking monster from the inner chamber.
Zzzzt!
A surge of mana, completely different from anything before, erupted.
As the murderous intent prickled against his skin, a strange gleam appeared in Jinhyuk's eyes.
It wasn't out of fear or panic at the unexpected turn of events.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
His body had been raring for action after a battle that ended far too quickly...
...and now, he finally had a chance to fight properly.
Besides...
If they're willing to abandon their home turf advantage and come out on their own, I'm more than happy to oblige.
If it was a named monster he had to face anyway, it was much better to fight it out here than inside the inner chamber.
A moment later, something approached from beyond the shimmering Gate.
Step.
Emerging with light footsteps was a statue of Avalokiteshvara, possessing countless arms.
[The Named Monster, 'Thousand-Handed Thousand-Eyed Avalokiteshvara', manifests!]
"Hmm."
The Thousand-Handed Avalokiteshvara slowly scanned its surroundings.
Behind its benevolent smile, a thick stench of blood wafted.
Then, its gaze locked onto Jinhyuk.
"This is unexpected. I did not think there would be a human among the intruders capable of threatening even the key within the stone pagoda."
"Why be surprised by just this? I'm going to slay the boss monster of this place in a few days anyway."
"Hahaha! What an audacious human. If nothing else, I must commend your sheer audacity."
The Thousand-Handed Avalokiteshvara burst into amused laughter.
Jinhyuk was dead serious, but it seemed the monster took it as a joke.
Damn it.
This was why fighting intelligent monsters was so annoying.
Because of the effects of 'Communion', he couldn't help but feel an unintended sense of familiarity.
"Cut the posturing and bring it on. I want to wrap this up quickly and get some rest."
"I wished to enjoy our conversation a bit longer, but it seems you do not share the sentiment?"
"I don't mind chatting, but that usually requires beer and chicken instead of swords and blood. And I'd prefer someone with soft skin over a blocky stone statue."
"Cherish even this fleeting moment, young human. When your time to die comes, you will yearn for even this very second."
Shring!
The Thousand-Handed Avalokiteshvara drew a sword from its back.
And starting with that...
Shring! Shring! Shring!
...weapons began to fill its countless hands.
Swords, sabers, and blades, along with various spears, axes, and even maces and bows appeared.
It was practically a walking armory.
"As payment for your insolent tongue, I shall sever your left arm first. Next will be your left leg. Then your right arm. And finally, I will take your head."
"Sorry, but I'm quite fond of where my limbs are. I think I'll keep them right where they belong."
"You will make for a satisfying cut. This is why I can never grow tired of you humans."
The corners of the Thousand-Handed Avalokiteshvara's mouth curled upward.
Sssss...
Its materialized bloodlust mingled with its mana.
He couldn't put this thing on the same level as the ordinary stone statues.
Jinhyuk lowered his stance as much as possible, shielding his body.
So that he could prepare for any attack, no matter when or how it came.
"Fuuu."
Jinhyuk regulated his breathing, awakening every single sense in his body.
His nerves became as sharp as a blade.
From this moment on, he couldn't afford to blink even once.
Then...
Boom!
The air tore open.
It was an attack that broke the speed of sound in an instant, without any visible propulsion.
But...
Left shoulder.
His body moved faster than his thoughts.
Jinhyuk deflected the sword strike using his shield.
Clang!
As metal clashed against metal, brilliant sparks flew.
"Oh?"
An exclamation of admiration escaped the Thousand-Handed Avalokiteshvara's mouth.
Its face showed genuine surprise this time.
"Why the surprise? Is this your first time seeing someone block an attack?"
"To think you could react to the realm of supersonic speed..."
He wasn't reacting after seeing it.
He had simply faced it countless times before, meaning he had memorized the trajectory and timing of the attacks.
Of course, that wasn't something just anyone could do either.
"Haha. This is becoming increasingly intriguing."
The Thousand-Handed Avalokiteshvara launched another attack.
This time, it targeted his left arm and right leg simultaneously.
I can't block both with the shield.
In that case...
[Lv2 'Ice Sculpting' has been activated!]
Ice shields patterned with snowflakes materialized.
Crack!
Naturally, this wouldn't be enough to completely stop the Thousand-Handed Avalokiteshvara's attack.
But slightly altering the trajectory of the strike...
...was entirely possible.
More than possible.
Jinhyuk concealed his body amidst the fully bloomed snowflakes.
Of course, the Thousand-Handed Avalokiteshvara wasn't about to just watch.
"Where do you think you are going!"
Nine spears were immediately hurled.
Crash! Crash! Crash!
The ice shields were completely shattered.
Yet, not a single spear had actually hit Jinhyuk.
"...I am certain I struck you?"
It had aimed precisely.
And it had struck precisely.
Then why?
"This also has the effect of distorting vision."
The layered ice reflected light, creating an optical illusion.
Having slipped beneath the Thousand-Handed Avalokiteshvara, Jinhyuk choked up on his spear.
A distance that sacrificed reach to maximize speed.
And from the 'Blood Demon Qi' manifested on the spearhead, dark red mana writhed.
"Urgh!"
The Thousand-Handed Avalokiteshvara quickly spun around.
It moved its thousand arms in a desperate bid to defend itself.
But it was too late.
Thud!
The spear, which had already left Jinhyuk's hand, pierced deep into one of the Thousand-Handed Avalokiteshvara's arms.
"Aaaargh!"
The Thousand-Handed Avalokiteshvara's face contorted hideously.
A sensation it had never felt before in its entire existence.
Pain.
That unfamiliar, sharp experience was more than enough to shatter its rationality.
It wanted nothing more than to tear the human before it to shreds right this instant, but...
...dealing with the dark red mana spreading up its arm took priority.
"Is this... poison?"
"Something like that."
Blood Demon Qi possessed far less destructive power than the Grave of Swords.
Instead, once it inflicted a wound, it dealt continuous damage.
Crack!
Without hesitation, the Thousand-Handed Avalokiteshvara ripped off the arm pierced by the spear.
Wow.
"I guess you really want to live."
He thought it would hesitate for at least a few minutes.
To tear off its own arm without a second thought showed an extraordinary attachment to life.
"Do not be so arrogant. If you were going to strike, you should have aimed for my head. What do you hope to achieve by taking a mere single arm?"
Well, that was because...
"Because I know that even if I aimed for your head, I wouldn't be able to kill you."
To kill a named monster in this place, ordinary weapons wouldn't suffice.
That was why he had targeted the arm on purpose.
To be precise, he had targeted the arm holding the 'gemstone' among its countless weapons.
Jinhyuk extracted a blue gem from the severed arm.
Then, from his subspace inventory, he pulled out an item he had saved specifically for this very moment.