Chapter 98
Chapter 98
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 98
Chapter Title: To the World's Abyss, Samcheong-dong Investigation (1)
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0.
In an era where the sun and moon that once illuminated the world had died and faded away. In an era where even the tales of valor from ancient kings and heroes were forgotten by the fireside.
And now.
Sun, moon, kings, heroes, firesides.
In an era of ruin where not even those who remember such words remain.
That dragon still survives, devouring the abyss.
The promise.
To keep the promise from that day.
To wait for the mother who vowed to return someday.
No matter the reason.
That dragon still devours the abyss with its own body.
1.
“Truly impressive. With this, you’ve hunted five subordinates all on your own. An astonishing feat.”
New Seodaemun-gu Cathedral, Holy Apostles.
The Star Messenger greeted me reverently as I emerged from the chapel. I didn’t care for the formality.
“Enough chit-chat. It wasn’t just me either.”
For this soulstone synthesis, I decided not to borrow the power of the council members. So I had gathered the exact number of soulstones needed myself.
“I came here for one reason. To request soulstone synthesis.”
“Chit-chat? How rude. There are no idle words in what I say.”
The Star Messenger’s eyes narrowed like a crescent moon.
“Every word I speak is the proclamation of the great stars. It is the bread of life bestowed upon this world.”
“……!”
“You’d do well to listen carefully. I might have to etch into you that hubris leads the vanguard of ruin.”
I swallowed hard for a moment.
Not yet…… not yet. I feigned a humbled posture and let out a sigh.
“Anything else you’d like to say?”
“There are four Paradises in this city. You know that, yes? Remarkably, each one has a Lead Hunter.”
“……There are three more Lead Hunters?”
That was genuinely shocking information.
Four Lead Hunters in Korea—no, in Seoul?
“Precisely. Remember that their achievements are in no way inferior to yours.”
“……!”
“Two have already completed the Seventh Subordinate hunt, and one is in progress. In fact, you’re the one falling behind.”
What……?
I tried to refute that it was nonsense.
- You are the Apostle of Light.
Xerinia’s advice flashed in my mind.
- With the Apostle of Light here, the apostles of the five absolute gods have likely descended already.
They’re looking for me.
Why……? To grasp the intentions of the [Master of the Broken Dawn]?
“You catch on quickly. Very good. The chances of them being hostile to you are quite high.”
“……!”
“With this, the hunt has become a race against time. The faction that conquers the Nightmare first will hold the advantage afterward.”
“Afterward?”
“The second act of the hunt, of course.”
Second act……?
As she said it, the Star Messenger clearly held back a laugh.
What’s so funny?
A chill suddenly ran down my spine.
“My advice ends here. Now, let’s see which subordinate’s soulstone it is.”
I handed the Star Messenger Arczreheid’s soulstone.
The soul of the exalted one.
I hated giving it to her, but there was no choice if I wanted to unleash its power.
“Serasiroom. Indevabers.”
As the Star Messenger clasped her hands and chanted the prayer, Arczreheid’s soulstone and countless top-grade soulstones floated into the sky.
“By the will of the great stars, let it be done as the Hunter desires.”
The soulstones flickered like starlight, then merged into one, scattering a fierce blaze.
When the world darkened again.
The Star Messenger held something in her hands.
Rusted plate armor soaked in the abyss.
This…… the sturdy armor Arczreheid had worn?
“The transcendence manifests in material form. Receive it.”
The moment I took the armor.
An information window appeared as expected.
[Legendary Equipment Equipped: Corroded Armor of the Ancient Guardian]
Plate armor woven from dozens of iron sheets.
It draped over the shoulders like a poncho, thankfully compatible with [Shadow Exoskeleton Cloak].
Its weight was quite heavy.
But I had experienced this armor’s sturdiness firsthand.
I let out an exclamation.
It wasn’t that heavy…… yet classified as heavy armor? Its physical defense had to be exceptionally high.
After the fierce battles with Yujulem and Arczreheid recently, I’d felt the need for better defense. Perfect timing.
And.
Exclusive skill, 《Abyss Emanation》.
So this was the source of Arczreheid’s destructive physical prowess.
It would be useful.
Lifting my gaze from the tooltip, the Star Messenger was smiling.
“Now, you head to the world’s abyss.”
“The world’s…… abyss? Where is that?”
“When a world receives the stars’ favor, passes its youth, and reaches adulthood, all things in that world gather and prostrate themselves.”
What……?
It took a moment to parse the religious phrasing.
“No need to overthink it. I speak of the land you intend to go to now.”
Well, well.
Ha…… playing word games.
In short, a ruined world turns into an abyss. But……
“……May I ask a question?”
“Of course.”
“The entire world gathers together? What does that mean? How can a world move?”
The Star Messenger let out a seductive laugh like starlight.
“That mystery of the stars. That apocalyptic spectacle is best witnessed with your own eyes rather than heard from my humble words.”
2.
[Region Entry: Nightmare Zone - New Jongno-gu: Samcheong-dong]
Emerging from the Paradise mist, we entered a snowy land.
A city where snowflakes drifted silently.
A city blanketed in pure white…… Samcheong-dong was a winter city.
“Fuck, it’s freezing…….”
Jeong Ha-kyeong shivered and grumbled. The clothes wrapping her small frame were.
A pristine white fur cloak.
Fur leather gloves and boots.
Thanks to the <Workshop>, all council members were equipped with cold-weather gear.
Except for me.
I couldn’t forgo the [Shadow Exoskeleton Cloak] and [Corroded Armor of the Ancient Guardian], so I layered up on undergarments instead.
“This is bullshit. It’s June…… no, July? Mid-summer, right?”
Seeing white breath from her mouth, I checked the stigmata on the back of my hand.
Is this climate because of the ice dragon?
I knelt on one knee and grabbed a handful of snow from the ground.
Cold…… real snow.
For a fleeting moment, I recalled my distant childhood, frolicking in snowfields…… but shook it off.
“According to Tae-yeop’s guess, the climate is influenced by the otherworld too.”
Standing from the snowfield, I slipped on leather gloves.
“Fuck the otherworld. Ugh…… cold…….”
I was with the subjugation team.
The subjugation team was effectively the First Search Unit of the Samcheong-dong advance guard.
- With no information on the land, the subjugation team will take the lead.
Besides the subjugation team, the Second, Fourth, and Seventh Recon Units—our best squads—were deployed.
“Let’s start the full search operation.”
After relaying to the subjugation team members, I planned to divide into pairs as usual.
“Wait a sec.”
Unexpectedly objecting was…… Do Su-jin, of all people.
“Why is the two-person pairing always the same?”
Do Su-jin.
A beauty who seemed to embody winter.
She fit perfectly into the winter scene permeating Pyeongchang-dong.
“It’s about time we mixed it up.”
“What bullshit is this all of a sudden?”
Jeong Ha-kyeong snapped back.
Do Su-jin responded with a cool smile.
“I know you paired us for synergy.”
She glanced at me briefly, then averted her eyes.
“But how do you know there isn’t better synergy with others?”
“What kinda crap is that.”
Jeong Ha-kyeong closed in on Do Su-jin like she’d grab her collar.
“How great a synergy can a bitch like you produce?”
“Exactly. You don’t know either, right? We’ll see when we compare long and short. So…… I propose reshuffling the pairs.”
Tricky situation.
The two women growled at each other.
Reshuffle the pairs……? Wait, that means……!
Ah, I couldn’t help but smile.
“You two want to pair up for this investigation.”
Is that it?
They were like sworn enemies, yet she’s trying to get closer to Jeong Ha-kyeong. It tugged at my heart for some reason. But……
“Nope.”
“Hell no? Fuck no? Absolutely disgusting no?”
……They shot me down from both sides instead. I fidgeted and stepped back.
“O-of course, that’s not what you meant?”
“No!”
“Wanna die?”
“No…… I was so happy thinking you two were reconciling…….”
As I spoke with teary eyes, both women sighed almost in unison.
“Kim Baek-jun.”
A voice so oppressively taciturn.
Turning, Im Yong-gon had returned. He’d left the squad five minutes ago to scout the surroundings.
“It’s too quiet. Unnaturally quiet.”
“……?”
“And no signs of life. Gives me a bad feeling.”
Silence is the prelude to ambush.
It always had been so far…… We had no choice but to tense up. I made the call.
“We all move together. Splitting into pairs now isn’t wise.”
“Agreed.”
We crossed the winter city in full combat readiness.
The biting cold wrapping our bodies.
The crisp crunch of thin ice underfoot.
No traces of world convergence.
Only snow-covered modern buildings in sight.
After about ten minutes.
An unbelievable sight etched into my retinas. Amid the snowfall, the city abruptly ended?
“A cliff edge……?”
Absurd.
A cliff in the middle of Seoul?
I could only exchange bewildered looks with the squad.
“What now?”
“We have to check it out. Only way to know.”
Do Su-jin and Im Yong-gon.
I agreed with Im Yong-gon too, so we cautiously approached the cliff’s edge.
And…… what is……?
The incomprehensible vista before us.
I gaped like an idiot.
The entire world had collapsed.
Skyscrapers, apartments, shopping malls.
Heaven and earth had tumbled and crumbled, forming a steep slope……
- You head to the world’s abyss now.
Abyss?
No way…… this is the apocalyptic spectacle?
“We…… have to go down there?”
As Jeong Ha-kyeong muttered reluctantly.
Throb.
The back of my hand.
The stigmata engraved there.
Began aching madly, draining strength from my whole body in an instant.
This…… why……?
Was my heart reacting?
My heartbeat pounded, squeezing my breath.
“……Crazy?”
“……What’s that?”
“……A dragon?”
And the cries of astonishment.
Even lifting my head took immense effort.
But in the sky…… my god……?
A dragon?
It was definitely a dragon.
The fantastical being from movies, gliding silently through the heavens on quiet wingbeats.
A body transparent like crystal.
Wings covered in bluish frost.
Lake-blue dragon eyes…… no way, that thing……?
Its eyes locked on us for a moment.
「IERAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS.」
A roar that shook the skies.
A roar that trembled the land ruled by snow and silence.
[Corroded Armor of the Ancient Guardian]
[Description Summary]
- 1: Hideously rusted plate armor
- 2: Essence of a subordinate corrupted by a nameless demigod.
[Equipment Grade and Type]
- Legendary / Heavy Armor
[Exclusive Skill: 《Abyss Emanation》]
- By harboring the abyss within the body, explosively enhances physical abilities.
- Duration: (6) seconds / Charges: (1)
Guardian of the Spirit Wood.
Armor of the Spirit Wood Knights' Captain.
The 48 iron plates blessed with the Spirit Wood's sap allowed the wearer to stand firm before the abyss.
The Spirit Wood Knights swore to protect the Spirit Wood from the abyss by drinking its sap.
But now.
May their mission find rest.