Chapter 200
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 200
Chapter Title: Cave of Trials
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The first trial could be cleared efficiently with a tank.
‘If you have a taunt skill to draw the monsters’ aggro, or something like Ahn Sang-chul’s Knight protection skill, you can block them easily.’
But that didn’t mean you absolutely needed a tank to clear it.
‘The key is to avoid getting hit by monsters for 10 minutes.’
Before the monsters appeared, Ryu Min raised his scythe and looked up.
Massive stalactites adorned the cave ceiling.
*Shhrrrrk—*
The scythe extended like a whip, cleanly slicing through dozens of them.
“What are you...”
*Thud—thud—thud—thud!*
The giant stalactites crashed to the floor, forming a barrier like iron bars that blocked the cave path.
Only then did John Delgado understand Black Scythe’s actions and close his mouth.
‘N-No way... he’s going to block the monsters with the stalactites?’
They were suddenly trapped behind stalactite bars, but the effect was undeniable.
“Grrrrowl, grrr!”
“Hiss!”
Werewolves and lizardmen trying to enter the cave were blocked by the stalactites and couldn’t approach.
They could see their prey but couldn’t reach it.
The monsters strained to break the stalactites, but it was futile.
These otherworldly stalactites were heavy enough to embed themselves in the cave floor.
They wouldn’t shatter that easily.
‘To slice through stalactites like that so effortlessly...’
Black Scythe had cut them as smoothly as tofu. It was impossible to gauge the damage output.
“The first trial is basically done. Let’s all rest for 10 minutes.”
Following Black Scythe’s casual words as he sat on the floor, the others sat down one by one.
‘Unbelievable. I never thought it could be cleared this easily.’
John inwardly clicked his tongue in amazement as he sat.
Monsters were foaming at the mouth and going berserk just 10 meters away, but he didn’t feel endangered.
The stalactites were packed so densely that no monster could slip through.
After 10 noisy minutes, a message appeared.
[You have succeeded in the first trial.]
[The team’s cumulative damage taken is 0.]
[As a success reward, the door to the next trial opens.]
*Groooan—*
The cave wall shifted, revealing the blocked path.
Looking back, the monsters that had been raging to break through had vanished without a trace.
“Let’s go.”
The party followed Ryu Min.
John Delgado wondered what the second trial would be, but the other party members already knew.
They had heard it through prophecy.
After about 100 steps, a wide cavern appeared before them.
“Is this it? The second trial location?”
As John approached with the others, a message appeared, just as expected.
[Second Trial]
└Defeat 100 Second Trial Golems within 1 hour
└Success ▶ Opens the next trial
└Failure ▶ One party member erased by vote
[Second Trial Golems are special monsters immune to ranged weapons and magic.]
[Defeat 100 golems within the 1-hour time limit to end the trial.]
[If you fail to defeat 100 within the time limit, it is considered a failure.]
[If you fail to overcome the trial, one party member will be erased by internal vote.]
‘Immune to ranged weapons and magic... special monsters?’
The mission was simple, but the monsters were not.
‘Doesn’t that mean archers and mages can’t do anything?’
Reading the description, John suddenly thought of Dark Soul, the Messiah member and marksman.
If he were here, he’d just have to sit on his hands.
[Monsters will appear in 10 seconds. Please prepare for their emergence together!]
As John read the message, Black Scythe stepped forward again.
“Everyone, fall back behind me. I’ll handle the monsters.”
The party members retreated without argument.
In this situation, only Black Scythe could fight the monsters.
It was effectively a melee DPS-only scenario.
‘[Zephy] and [Dumb Idiots] aren’t holding weapons, so I can’t tell their classes...’
They didn’t seem to be melee DPS without weapons.
Same for [Democracy], who had applied buffs.
‘My summons can do melee DPS, but...’
Black Scythe probably wouldn’t let him join.
‘Yeah. Better to leave it to Black Scythe and clear it quickly than butt in unnecessarily.’
At level 90, he could handle it easily.
That was when it happened.
*Groooar—*
Stone fragments piled up from all directions, forming five golems.
They were easily over 3 meters tall—bigger than expected—but it didn’t matter.
In front of Black Scythe, they were just rocks.
*Splatter! Splatter!*
*Rumble—*
Had two seconds passed?
The golems crumbled almost immediately after spawning.
‘I expected it, but this fast...’
Black Scythe’s scythe moved too quickly for the naked eye to follow.
All John saw was it whipping by as the golems collapsed.
‘He attacked from range like a whip, but they still died. In one hit.’
Due to the scythe’s nature, it wasn’t classified as a ranged weapon.
John marveled as experience messages popped up.
[You have defeated a Second Trial Golem!]
[Experience +1.53%]
[Gold +600]
[Experience +1.53%]
[Gold +600]
[Experience +1.53%]
[Gold +600]
...
...
‘Even in a party, this much experience and gold...’
The golems must be insanely strong.
Yet Black Scythe sent them back to oblivion the moment they spawned.
*Splatter—splatter—splatter!*
*Rumble—*
It didn’t even take an hour to defeat 100.
Just over two minutes.
[You have succeeded in the second trial.]
[The team’s clear time is 00:01:59.]
[As a success reward, the door to the next trial opens.]
*Groooan—*
A secret door on one side of the cavern opened, revealing a path.
“Let’s go.”
Following Black Scythe led to another cavern.
[Third Trial]
└Defeat 100 Third Trial Golems within 1 hour
└Success ▶ Opens the next trial
└Failure ▶ One party member erased by vote
[Third Trial Golems are special monsters immune to melee weapons.]
[The trial ends after defeating 100 golems within the 1-hour limit.]
[If you fail to defeat 100 within the time limit, it is considered a failure.]
[If you fail to overcome the trial, one party member will be erased by internal vote.]
[The golems will be summoned inside the cavern shortly.]
The third trial was also defeating 100 monsters.
The difference: immunity to melee weapons.
‘This time, only ranged weapons or magic?’
John couldn’t contribute since he lacked both.
He had to rely on someone else—naturally, his gaze turned to Black Scythe.
The strongest mage he’d seen so far.
“I’ll handle it.”
Black Scythe stepped up again, putting John at ease.
He figured the third trial would be cleared smoothly too.
But the buffer didn’t seem to think so.
“Huh? Black Scythe, you can use magic too?”
She hadn’t seen him cast any, despite being teammates.
“I can. Learned it recently.”
“Oh.”
Democracy retreated without further questions.
She trusted him completely.
[Monsters will appear in 10 seconds. Please prepare for their emergence together!]
Exactly 10 seconds after the message vanished.
Five golems formed around them, just like before.
Immediately.
*Crackle—zap—crackle!*
Black Scythe’s lightning spread everywhere, striking the golems.
One-shot, as expected.
‘Still ridiculously strong...’
Seeing the skill that wiped out 30 of his summons in one go, John swallowed dryly without realizing.
The third trial was cleared in just over two minutes too.
[You have succeeded in the third trial.]
[The team’s clear time is 00:02:02.]
[As a success reward, the door to the next trial opens.]
‘Lucky. Black Scythe knows magic.’
If the party had no ranged weapons or magic users?
They’d have struggled in the third trial.
‘Probably playing hide-and-seek with the golems to avoid dying.’
After an hour, they’d have to vote to erase one member to proceed.
‘I bet some parties got erased by vote here.’
Thinking that, John followed Black Scythe through the secret door.
Instead of a large cavern, a narrow passage appeared.
Then a message popped up. Reading it, John’s eyes widened in surprise.
[Fourth Trial]
└Help the angel win the battle
└Success ▶ Opens the final trial
└Failure ▶ One party member randomly erased
He thought it’d be monster-slaying again, but no.
‘Help an angel?’
As he puzzled over it, an explanation appeared.
[Shortly, an angel and demon will appear before you, swords drawn against each other.]
[The demon is inherently stronger, so the angel is at a disadvantage.]
[Help the angel secure victory to end the trial.]
[However, attacks and skills are prohibited this time. You cannot interfere except with support skills.]
[The only way to aid the angel is with support skills.]
[Use skills to turn the tide!]
[If the angel is killed by the demon, it is a failure.]
[If you fail to overcome the trial, one party member will be randomly erased.]
An avid gamer, John grasped the intent immediately.
‘Ah, got it. This one tests support abilities.’
His gaze shifted from Black Scythe to Democracy.
Good thing the team had a buffer.
‘With her three-set buffs, she could reverse the disadvantage in an instant.’
He thought it’d be another easy clear, but Black Scythe spoke up as expected.
“I’ll handle it. Everyone else, just watch.”
‘What? This one too?’
It was a support test—did Black Scythe even have those skills?
Before he could resolve his doubts, the trial began.
“Die, you crazy angel bitch!”
“You filthy demon scum!”
An angel and demon had appeared, swords pointed at each other.
The problem: the angel was sorely outmatched in strength and skill.
‘How’s he gonna help? He doesn’t have support skills, does he?’
John’s question was answered the moment he saw Black Scythe act.
*Hummm—*
A warm light enveloped the angel.
‘Ah! He has Emergency Treatment.’
The common skill Emergency Treatment was still a support skill.
The issue: it was too weak for proper support.
‘It can barely stop bleeding... what?’
Mid-thought, John doubted his own eyes.
The underwhelming skill had instantly healed the angel’s torn wounds.
‘What? Was Emergency Treatment that good?’
No way.
He knew how pathetic it was from experience.
It couldn’t possibly rival a heal like this.
‘Then what’s going on?’
The angel, who had been faltering against the demon, revived energetically under Black Scythe’s periodic treatments and fought back.
“Gaaah!”
“Die! Die, you demon scum!”
Finally, the angel’s sword pierced the demon’s chest.
The disadvantaged angel turned the tide and won.
[You have succeeded in the fourth trial.]
[As a success reward, the door to the final trial opens.]
Black Scythe’s help got them through again.
‘No need for me at all.’
John gave a hollow smile and followed Black Scythe as usual.
Or tried to.
‘Huh? What’s he doing?’
Black Scythe, whom he expected to move right away, stood stock-still.
His gaze was fixed in midair, as if reading a message.
John’s guess was spot on.
A message had appeared before Ryu Min’s eyes.
[You have completed the subquest!]