Chapter 50
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 50
Chapter Title: Wingless Crane and Swan Lake
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Bang!
I pulled Ego's trigger, blasting the corpses' ankles, but the damn things chased me with impressive tenacity. No legs? They crawled on arms. No arms? They used their heads. Remarkable willpower.
Bang, bang, bang.
Only after utterly demolishing their limbs could I shake off the pursuit.
Thud!
"Ugh!"
Is it because there's no song that it's not dancing?
Grumpy partner. Fine, fine. I'll play it ahead, okay?
The "Lake of the Monstrous Bird" that popped up right in front of me twisted my thoughts however it liked and actually started blaring music.
♬♩♪
Swan Lake. Even I, with zero knowledge of classical music, had heard it at least once.
Bang, bang, bang.
Ang, doe, tua!
Its boosted defense meant even clean shots didn't one-shot it.
Whoosh!!
Dusim screeched shrilly as it soared over my head, then pecked straight for the Lake of the Monstrous Bird's neck.
Get lost! What the hell is this?!
I broke out of the Lake of the Monstrous Bird's line of sight and bolted toward an area free of monsters. But after running for a while, my stamina was starting to hit its limit.
Thud!
Can't even fly and it's killing me, but now some weirdo shows up too? Worst mood ever. You vanish like that hag and never show your face again!
"Eek!"
This time it was the "Paper Crane That Can't Fly." Every flap of its paper wings sent its unsteady body floating several meters through the air. I scraped across the dirt, my whole body throbbing, but with corpses still crawling everywhere, I had no choice but to scramble right back up.
Crunch.
"This...?"
Vines burst from the ground, wrapping tight around the paper crane's body.
It hurts! Gonna squeeze me like this? Why are you doing this to me?!
"Ha~ quick one, huh."
Ha Mi-jun Hunter strolled casually behind the thrashing Wingless Paper Crane. His stylish shirt sleeves were rolled up now, probably getting annoying.
"Doesn't look like any major injuries~ Lucky. I was so worried you'd scar that cute face."
"...Ha Mi-jun Hunter looks unscathed too."
He flashed a bright smile, readjusted his grip on Woodcutter, and raised his arm high.
Crack!!
Ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow!
Every time Ha Mi-jun Hunter's axe came crashing down, words of agony writhed in the air before my eyes.
Rustle.
The axe blade finally severed the Wingless Paper Crane's legs.
Can't fly, and now legs too? Like this, I can't even run fast! Who the hell are you? Why are you doing this to me?!
The paper crane flapped desperately on the ground like it was dying of injustice.
Crunch.
Undeterred by its pitiful struggles, Ha Mi-jun Hunter drove Woodcutter into its neck and turned to me with perfect composure. His serpentine eyes curved into thin crescents.
"Keep running for now, Ji-ui. Those corpses pouring from the scales? Faster than you'd think."
"Got it! See you lat—"
Now I'm really pissed. Wanna stab 'em all to death.
Three, two.
"Wha...?"
The Wingless Paper Crane suddenly started counting down.
No memory of it acting like that!
Instinct screamed it was up to something.
Slam!
My body moved faster than words or thoughts. I morphed Ego into a harpoon gun and slammed the harpoon into the ground where the crane had fallen. Leaping forward while pulling the trigger shoved my body right between it and Ha Mi-jun Hunter.
Thump!
"Ugh, Ji-ui?!"
I shoved Ha Mi-jun Hunter with all my strength, sending him stumbling back. Ignoring his uncharacteristically flustered face, I whipped my gaze to the paper crane.
Shield first!
One.
Shatter!!
"Gah...!"
Self-Sacrifice for Others
Sacrifice yourself to protect another.
⛨ Bearer does not die when taking attacks in place of others. Pain is still felt.
Achievement Greatly Increased!
Achievement: 89%
The shield spared my vitals, but its long beak still pierced my side and punched clean through.
Rustle.
Thanks to that insane mission, I wouldn't die—but the pain was all too real. No proper breath reached my lungs, and my vision kept bleaching white.
Slash.
"Huh...?"
A streak of inky darkness cleaved the Wingless Paper Crane clean in half. White fluid bubbled up from the gash like a geyser, and through the surging pillar, a familiar face emerged.
Kang Se-bin...
Aaahhh it hurts it hurts it hurts so much! Savior, just kill me! Too painful!
Beyond the status window brimming with screams and despair stood cold, pitch-black eyes—eyes that seemed to devour every light in the world, utterly ruthless.
It was a face I knew better than anyone's, yet it sent chills racing down my spine all the same.
...Scary.
The feeling Se-bin evoked was pure terror. Her icy profile made my whole body feel like it was freezing solid.
Whoosh.
Just before her eyes turned my way, someone scooped me up, yanking me from the ground in an instant. Only one person could fly like this.
"Choi Min Hunter..."
"Kyaa! Shin Ji-ui Hunter! J-just hold on! Hang in there—keep your wits about you!"
Han Jin-woo Hunter's shriek stabbed into my ears.
Rustle.
"Ugh!"
"Sorry! It's the healing process—just a bit longer...!"
Goddamn, this hurts...
The more it healed, the sharper my senses got, making the pain crystal clear.
"Breathe."
I clutched Choi Min Hunter's clothes tight and endured the agony with my whole body. The blood from my side finally stopped, fresh flesh knitting over, and my breathing eased at last. My grip slackened.
"Are you all right?"
Feels like I always show her my worst injuries.
I nodded to Choi Min Hunter and glanced down at the wound.
Rustle.
The last leaf covering the injury rustled away, leaving my abdomen flawless, not even a scar. Han Jin-woo Hunter sighed in relief, patting his chest.
"All good!"
"Thank you..."
"Can you return to the fight?"
I nodded at Choi Min Hunter's question. Aside from the scales, stamina was low anyway—a little more distraction, and we'd wrap it up quick.
Whoosh—
Choi Min Hunter soared higher, and with my arms around her neck, I watched the scene below. Se-bin had pulverized every crawling corpse, then jammed her blade into the Wingless Paper Crane's neck.
Why'd a monster like this spawn? I don't wanna fight you! All I want is the Savior!
She'd whittled its HP down to nothing while I got patched up.
Dozens of black hands wrenched its neck, locking it in place.
Perfect opening for payback.
Bang!!
I pulled Ego's trigger. The sound bullet pierced its body dead-on. Just like it'd punched a hole in my gut, a massive wound tore open in it—and it shattered into dozens of fragments.
Thanks. Guess I'm free now too.
Edited monster "Paper Crane That Can't Fly" has been extinguished by "Shin Ji-ui".
Saying thanks just pisses me off more.
By the time the Wingless Paper Crane crumbled fully to dust, we'd touched down.
Tap.
Choi Min Hunter set me on the ground and immediately launched toward the Lake of the Monstrous Bird.
Boom boom boom!!
Crimson flames swallowed the lake whole. Stray sparks got swept back together by Dusim's winds.
I'm scared! So scary!
Bang!
The instant the charred Lake of the Monstrous Bird burst from the smoke, I pulled the trigger. The pristine white bullet slammed into its torso just as the orchestra hit its climax.
W-Wait! No! Savior! Before I go, at least let me match once...!
Its three beaks clashed noisily against each other before plopping to the ground.
Wanted to surrender my body to those waves...
Edited monster "Lake of the Monstrous Bird" has been extinguished by "Shin Ji-ui".
All that remained was that "Tilted Scales."
I caught my breath and checked on the others.
Oh yeah—didn't get to check if Ha Mi-jun Hunter was okay earlier.
Watching someone else take a hit for him right in front must've shaken him up.
I turned toward Ha Mi-jun Hunter, standing by the paper crane's remains.
"Ha Mi-jun Hunter! You okay?"
"......"
"Ha Mi-jun Hunter?"
What the—this guy.
Ha Mi-jun Hunter stared down at me, a bit spaced out.
"Ah, Ji-ui."
"You good? That must've startled you."
"...Ah."
Charisma increased
Awakener "Ha Mi-jun" is shaken by the words of Awakener "Shin Ji-ui".
Shaken? The hell by what?
His reply felt off too... Did something happen while I wasn't looking?
Ha Mi-jun Hunter cast his eyes down with a wry smile, running a hand through his hair. It was a calm expression I'd never seen before—no cheeky grin, no sly, snakelike smirk.
"I'm fine. You saved me, Ji-ui."
"Glad to hear it."
"Ji-ui!"
Se-bin's voice called out then. I turned to see her rushing over, a bit disheveled. She grabbed my shoulders and scanned me up and down.
"Healed up proper? You good?"
"Yeah. Fine."
"We got this—why not hole up in the bunker now?"
"You're overreacting... I'm good. Who knows what else might pop off."
I patted her arm, and a sad-puppy look stared back at me.
Total one-eighty from that face earlier.
It was so gentle it felt like a personality swap. Chilling when she sliced the crane, but now? Just a big ol' puppy.
I will judge these sins!
Tch, no time to chat.
Thud.
Cutting off my talk with Ego, the scales hovering in the sky plummeted to earth. A massive quake shook the ground as the corpse pile in one pan began tumbling downward.