Chapter 201
Chapter 201
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 201
>Chapter Title: Grasping Glory
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Ziiing...
"Um..."
Ziiiiing...
Kang Seol's body shook as if an earthquake had hit.
It was due to the influence of the peerless items he possessed, and the sight was quite bizarre.
"A-Are you okay?"
Philia tried to ignore Kang Seol, who was shaking like mad, but it got so intense that she finally asked if he was alright.
"I-I'm... fine. I-It’s... almost... here."
- Stoic face but automatic vibration mode lololol
- You sure you're okay?
- Only he's hearing smartphone vibrations lololol
- Lmao what is this a cultivator tractor?
- This is the king engine!
Kang Seol's group continued walking toward where the strange tremors were growing stronger.
As sunset painted the sky, they traversed the ridgeline toward the valley...
Shwaaaaa...
"There's a waterfall here?"
"Yeah, and it's pretty big..."
- View slays; set up a stall here for chicken soup...
- One-shot phoenix chicken soup: 150k won
- Just bulldoze the stall.
Ziiiiing...
The tremors intensified as they approached the waterfall.
"This seems to be the place..."
Kang Seol suddenly dove into the valley stream.
Splash-!
"S-Snowman?"
"Bro?"
He swam through the stream, scouting the structure.
'Here it is.'
Splash...
Kang Seol poked his head out of the water and said,
"This way. There's a passage under the waterfall."
"Really?"
"Then I'll..."
The group swam under the waterfall without caring about getting soaked.
Muck stirred from the stream bed, but Kang Seol, confident in his swimming, led the other two to the cave hidden behind the falls.
"Phew..."
"Haa... haa..."
"Should we dry our clothes?"
When Kang Seol asked, Philia shook her head.
"This much dries quickly. I have a related ability..."
"Me too. Let's just go."
"Got it."
Kang Seol nodded and headed inside.
Whiiiiiish...
A damp, eerie wind blew in.
[Ghostly wails call to you from somewhere.]
[An ominous aura looms from somewhere.]
After a bout of becoming a vibrating human, Kang Seol and the others felt the tremors fade as they ventured deeper into the cave.
"This must be it."
"Yes."
It wasn't surprising that Kang Seol had pinpointed the location without any hints.
'There are exactly five confirmed ascension sites.'
Places he had learned about while playing Eternal World. He could spread out a map and jab his finger right on them.
East, west, south, north, and central.
The ascension sites served the same purpose but offered different trials.
What stood out was that they were all extremely heterogeneous places that didn't fit their surrounding terrain.
The southern ascension site was no exception.
'Ghost Gate.'
The ghosts that would appear here were fairly common in the East, with plenty of countermeasures.
But since this was the south, some might be seeing ghosts for the first time, and many wouldn't have proper countermeasures.
That made this place even more infamous.
"...Looks like we're here."
Rumble...
A door plastered with noisy talismans greeted them.
"Seems so. The vibrations stopped."
The Ghost Gate had four gates total.
This was the first one.
"No hesitating."
"Yes."
"Yeah, bro!"
Kang Seol placed his hand on the door covered in talismans.
[You qualify to enter.]
[The trial of the Ghost Gate opens.]
[The door opens for a short time.]
[Acquired additional info for the hidden adventure 'Grasping Glory.']
[Sudden adventure 'Grasping Glory' occurs.]
[This adventure is extremely dangerous.]
[This is a linked adventure, so you cannot select the next one.]
[Skip rest.]
[Next adventure begins.]
[Twenty-seventh adventure begins.]
[Adventure 27. Grasping Glory]
* * *
Kang Seol's group walked slowly through the darkness.
Step...
Step...
They weren't injured or tired-looking, but one thing had changed.
"It feels... empty, somehow."
"Same here."
Kang Seol nodded at their grumbling. Han Yeomyeong's cherished black sword had been replaced with a spare, and Philia's bow was the same.
Kang Seol, with five peerless items, had to swap out five pieces of gear.
Adventure 27. 'Grasping Glory'
You have collected quite a few items that exist only one in this world.
These mysterious items emanate an aura clearly distinct from others. And this aura has led you here.
Has someone invited the qualified you? You walk this place quite naturally.
The one inconvenience is that the owner has taken your items.
You don't know who the owner is, but you must stop his prank and claim rightful compensation.
Goal: Reach the end of the Ghost Gate.
This is a sudden adventure.
This is a dangerous adventure.
Remaining time 「Unknown」
Han Yeomyeong and Philia, without five peerless items, probably saw a different nuance in the description.
- Proving you're not just here on item carry?
- Collected five peerless and they yoink 'em lol;
- Isn't this theft?
Their steps halted at the second gate.
Rumble...
A door with a demon's face welcomed them.
[Mid-level Insight activates.]
[Only ghosts can open this door.]
Kang Seol stared at Han Yeomyeong and said,
"Probably from here on, we'll have to proceed separately."
"Likely."
"If it gets dangerous, feel free to turn back."
- Yeo-myeong stays.
- Open the door and go.
- No responsibility lol
Both Han Yeomyeong and Philia shook their heads.
"I'm good. I can handle it. Confident."
"...Philia?"
"Me too. Thanks for the worry, but no help needed."
Kang Seol nodded.
"Then, let's open the door."
"Yes!"
Han Yeomyeong extended his right arm forward.
Zzzzzzzzt...
Black energy flowed into the demon's face through its eyes.
Flash-!
As the demon's eyes filled with black, the door began to open.
Creaaaaak...
Whish-!
Countless hands shot out from within, lunging at them.
Boom-!
The door closed, and the three vanished beyond it.
* * *
[Rolling magic resistance die.]
[Magic resistance die lands on 2.]
[Han Yeomyeong falls into Blood Torment.]
Han Yeomyeong walked a path stained with blood.
"...Why did you kill me?"
"......"
Han Yeomyeong closed his eyes and repeated to himself.
'This is a mental attack. Don't break.'
Even obvious mental attacks left an impact. Sometimes, realizing it's a bad dream still ruins your whole day.
This was exactly that.
Step...
Han Yeomyeong took steps forward.
A decapitated corpse pressed him relentlessly.
"You're incomplete. You eat fear but pretend otherwise. You're a lost cause from birth."
"Shut up..."
"Face the guilt in your heart. You... sinned against us."
"Yeah! You butchered us mercilessly with that sword! Hehehe! I clutched my spilling guts, sweating bullets! Look!"
It was clearly ghostly trickery.
He knew that.
Yet the unpleasantness dragged on.
One corpse struck at Han Yeomyeong's heart.
"You... really, Han Noeul is just a hassle, right?"
"...What?"
"You're realizing it now. This malice-filled world isn't one for ordinary weaklings like Han Noeul to survive..."
"......"
"You're struggling with it too."
Han Yeomyeong walked in silence.
"Ignoring me? The feelings you realized killing us!"
He answered calmly.
"Yeah, that's right... Noeul's too weak for this nauseating hellhole. But that's not all I realized killing you."
"What else?"
Shing-!
Han Yeomyeong drew his sword.
"That I need to sweep away trash like you before my sister encounters it."
"Hah?"
"Come at me, ghosts or corpses, you damn bastards."
His eyes turned blood-red.
"If you've revived, I'll kill you again."
Splatter-!
Han Yeomyeong began slaughtering the ghosts.
......
Meanwhile, at the same time, Philia's situation.
Hers was far better than Han Yeomyeong's.
She hadn't killed hordes of villains like him, nor carried guilt for it.
[Rolling magic resistance die.]
[Magic resistance die lands on 4.]
[Philia resists Blood Torment.]
[Blood Torment weakens.]
[Philia falls into Loss Torment.]
But instead of guilt, another burden weighed her steps.
"Sister..."
Only one appeared, but that alone tormented Philia.
"......"
"I... I... it hurts..."
"I'm sorry."
"Where are you? I... I'm in pain."
Regret for what she couldn't protect. Soft-hearted and distant by nature, the new dagger in her heart agonized her.
......
* * *
The group struggled with torments.
Kang Seol, who had slain countless villains... and shouldered even more burdens... ought to face even greater torments.
The ghosts ensnaring them likely thought so too.
[Rolling magic resistance die.]
[Magic resistance die lands on 4.]
[Great Protection activates.]
[Add 2 to magic resistance die.]
[Magic resistance die lands on 6.]
[Snowman perfectly nullifies Blood Torment.]
[Snowman maintains clear mind.]
[Pure aura repels impure energy.]
If Han Yeomyeong was surrounded by blood, and Philia held back by burdens, what of Kang Seol's path?
Kang Seol looked up at the unfolded path. More blood, guts, and bones than Han Yeomyeong's mocked him.
"Obvious."
Responsibility—with power greater than anyone's—came burdens just as heavy.
Anyone peeking at Kang Seol's path might call it hell.
A man stood, glaring down at Kang Seol. Kongori's great white shark, torn apart by Jamad.
"Hehehe... you killer demon."
"......"
"I saw your face when you killed me! You enjoyed it, clearly!"
Heka rose massively, as if to aid him.
"Beings like us rise anywhere. Killing us is futile. You just wanted to bask in the strongman's authority!"
Swish...
Jamad peeked out and said,
"Ghosts are rampaging. Trying to possess you. Don't listen..."
Kang Seol raised a hand slightly and nodded.
Snicker...
Jamad smirked and retreated.
Kang Seol replied to the ghosts.
"Hm... maybe."
"What?"
"Maybe you're right."
Fortunately, after shedding Cordon during the night raven awakening, no god-related nightmares came.
'Whatever.'
Slither...
An unknown woman appeared, bleeding, and said,
"If only... you'd stayed in Novira! So many wouldn't have died!"
"Well... even if I was there, I couldn't have stopped Jando and Magr?"
"......"
"Not like I have two bodies."
Kang Seol brushed it off casually and advanced. Resentments poured on him.
"Hypocrite!"
"Never pretended to be good."
"With that power, and yet..."
Kang Seol raised a hand slightly and halted. The ghosts oddly followed, pausing.
"Sigh... tedious. Hey..."
Kang Seol eyed them with bored eyes and spoke.
"If you were that wronged, you shouldn't have been weak."
"...What?"
In this hellscape, Kang Seol spoke plainly.
"Get lost. Don't waste my time."
At his words, the blood-and-resentment-filled space began to fade away.
"Hehehehe! Fun guy! I'll be watching!"
Slither...
As the ghosts dispersed, a door appeared.
"Third gate..."
Creeeak...
Kang Seol entered the next door.
Fwoosh!
Light spread like paint, revealing a splendid night view.
"Ahahaha!"
"Give me this. No, not that, this..."
Kang Seol scanned the surroundings with a puzzled gaze.
'Even more chaotic in person.'
People carrying lanterns.
Shops laden with flashing lanterns.
An unfamiliar scene unfolded.
Night market.
Kang Seol stood amid the festive atmosphere and looked around.
Everyone wore burlap sacks, enjoying the market.
"Wahahahaha!"
Kang Seol checked his reflection in another's armor.
Where his face should be, something like a will-o'-wisp blazed.
'...Soul state?'
'Whatever, close enough,' Kang Seol wandered.
Jamad advised him.
"I sense it."
"What?"
"Our items."
"Hm..."
"Hidden among them."
Urga marveled.
- Ho... intriguing. Not a human soul. This is...
Kang Seol nodded.
"The souls of the items."
The auras felt were all unique—peerless-grade souls, it seemed.
In this sea of peerless souls, Kang Seol had to find his own peerless items.