Chapter 13
Chapter 13
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 13
Chapter Title: ACT3. The Faceless Competitor (2)
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I could feel hostility from Hwang Chan-jin.
I instinctively reached for my dagger, then remembered it was gone and lowered my hand.
I have the Hunter's Set.
Since humans are animals too, all the attack power increase options apply.
Although I'd lost some options because I lost my weapon, it wasn't a major problem right now.
I recalled the information I'd gathered on Hwang Chan-jin earlier.
Hwang Chan-jin's traits are quite good, but his base stats aren't high.
He couldn't exert that much power.
‘I wouldn't lose a fight, but there's no reason to fight when I don't even have a weapon.’
Hwang Chan-jin's eyes slowly grew cold.
Deciding I shouldn't delay my answer any longer, I shook my head and replied.
“...No. I have no intention of fighting you. I'd appreciate it if you'd drop the hostility.”
“How can I believe that?”
Hwang Chan-jin slowly closed the distance.
How long has it been since the world changed for him to already be so distrustful of people, this guy.
No. On second thought, I'd probably react the same way.
He came here planning to break away from the survivor group from the start, only to find an uninvited guest.
I put on a pained expression and shouted in frustration.
“Damn it. I was just attacked by a monster and I'm injured. I'm not in good shape. What do I have to gain by fighting you when you look perfectly fine?”
Hwang Chan-jin's eyes scanned my clothes, which were soaked with blood in places.
Seemingly concluding that I wasn't lying, he nodded and spoke.
“I see you have no hostility. However, there's something I need to confirm with you.”
“Confirm?”
The moment I asked, a chillingly sharp blade touched my Adam's apple.
Perhaps because of the cold aura emanating from the sword, it felt as if my throat had already been cut.
Vicious.
I could have dodged it, but to continue my act, I had to appear as if I couldn't react.
“Speak. Why did you come here?”
Hwang Chan-jin pushed the sword forward slightly.
I felt the sensation of something cold trickling down.
The blood, which should have been warm, had chilled the moment it emerged due to the sword's icy aura.
‘If he came here on purpose, not by accident like me, he must be after ‘that’.’
I'll try to feel him out a bit.
I answered by telling the truth, but not the whole truth.
“It was a giant worm... I was attacked by a monster with hundreds of teeth and fell through a hole. You'll see if you look up.”
“That would be a Death Worm. What a joke. You're saying that thing appeared here?”
Hwang Chan-jin's face grew even colder.
I winced as the blade finally pierced my skin, but that helped hide the glint in my eyes.
‘He knows what a Death Worm is.’
I deliberately mentioned only its features without saying its name, and he immediately blurted it out.
Someone who's reached at least Chapter 3.
And to know about this place, at least Chapter 20. Or even higher.
I finished my calculations internally.
I can use this.
It would be hard to reach the end of this place without a weapon, but if this guy clears the way, there's a good chance.
“If you don't believe me, why don't you check for yourself? The size of the hole and the tunnel it made in one of the walls.”
“...Only that thing could cause this much damage. Still, I find it hard to believe you killed a Death Worm.”
“Don't jump to conclusions. How could I kill that monster?”
“Then...”
“I told you from the start, I fell while dodging its attack.”
After staring at the hole above for a long while, Hwang Chan-jin finally withdrew his sword.
The wound on my neck was no longer bleeding, perhaps because the cold had provided some impromptu first aid.
“Ah... ahh. Ah. Mm.”
“What are you doing?”
“Just checking if I could still talk.”
“You're a strange one.”
Sheathing his sword, Hwang Chan-jin started to move as if he had no more business with me.
“Once you enter this place, you can't leave until it's cleared. Did you know that?”
“Can't leave?”
“...You know nothing. Never mind.”
I didn't miss the momentary change in Hwang Chan-jin's eyes.
He was no longer wary of me.
Our little Q&A had convinced him that I didn't know much about this place.
Was that all?
Since I acted like I didn't even know what a Death Worm was, he wouldn't suspect for a second that I'd played the game.
It was all going according to plan.
“Why are you following me?”
“If I stay here and get attacked by a monster, I'm done for. I don't have a weapon right now.”
“Pathetic. In a world like this, losing your weapon means losing your life.”
“So I'll be in your care. Oh, and of course, I won't get in your way. I'll keep my distance.”
“Do as you please. But whether you're in danger or not, I won't save you.”
“That's good enough for me.”
With a whoosh, he increased the distance between us.
Judging by the way he spoke, it seemed Hwang Chan-jin was indeed after ‘that thing’ inside.
‘Is he telling me not to even dream about it because he's going to take what's in here?’
I suppressed the silly chuckle that was about to escape.
Would I just stand by and watch someone else take such a great early-game powerhouse item?
Of course, I had no intention of letting Hwang Chan-jin take it.
Fiddling with a round, orb-like object in my pocket, I followed behind Hwang Chan-jin, maintaining a constant distance.
‘Three hours...’
With that much time, it would be a close call to get ‘it’ and escape from here.
***
Originally, this wasn't a place you could come to in Chapter 1.
Not only were people busy escaping to the Seoul World Cup Stadium, but it was also difficult to clear alone with the meager stats and traits of Chapter 1.
While stats could be covered somehow through experience, achievements, and hidden rewards, traits were another matter.
That's why even I used to come here only after things had settled down a bit.
*Shhhk!*
But perhaps because he possessed a trait of an unbelievable grade for Chapter 1, it seemed more than enough for Hwang Chan-jin.
However, separate from that, there was something puzzling.
‘He killed it?’
Hwang Chan-jin was proceeding by killing every single one of the creatures guarding the dungeon.
He shouldn't be killing them indiscriminately.
This itself was a kind of test, and Hwang Chan-jin was messing it up from the start.
He had to subdue them without killing them to pass.
But subduing an enemy is only possible when you're overwhelmingly stronger than them.
It's easier to kill than to subdue.
Even if you're stronger than each individual enemy, if there are too many and the situation doesn't allow for subduing them, you have no choice but to kill.
‘Even so, to kill them...’
I was certain.
Hwang Chan-jin didn't know the conditions for obtaining ‘it’.
“You're lucky.”
Hwang Chan-jin muttered, flicking the red blood from his sword.
“About what?”
“None of the monsters are going toward you. And they aren't appearing from the rear either. They should be coming from the entrance. I can only say you're lucky.”
“...Don't tell me, the reason you thought it was okay to leave me in the rear was because you expected me to draw the aggro of any enemies that appeared from behind?”
“If you can't fight, you should at least earn your keep for being allowed to live.”
*Heh*, I clicked my tongue.
I was starting to get a feel for Hwang Chan-jin's personality.
He's quite a character.
This type of person always makes a name for themselves later on.
For better or for worse.
“Worry about yourself. Looks like more have appeared.”
“They're not at a level you need to worry about.”
Once again, Hwang Chan-jin's sword danced.
Rather than killing them directly with the blade, his main method of attack was the glacial energy that moved with the sword.
Watching him, I swallowed a laugh.
‘I was worried he might have noticed.’
Eye of the Illusion Slayer.
An item you can get with a certain probability by catching a Ghost Shadow, it makes all designated enemies within a certain area see an illusion.
Of course, this wasn't aimed at Hwang Chan-jin.
I glanced at the gazes of the tiger-like creatures.
They weren't looking at me at all.
I'd made Hwang Chan-jin look like their parents' murderer; there was no way they'd notice me.
‘And nothing was supposed to come from behind anyway.’
I'd used a whole can of air freshener when leaving the school, and my body still smelled of it.
The only monster that appears in this area during Chapter 1 is the Death Bite.
The scent would linger around the hole, so the rear was effectively safe.
Before long, Hwang Chan-jin had dealt with all the creatures that appeared and was catching his breath.
He must be exhausted from the repeated battles.
Even with a good trait, his base stats were still lacking.
Still, given his personality, he wouldn't be able to ask me for help.
“Need some help?”
“A guy with no weapon shouldn't stick his neck out. Mind your own business before you get killed.”
“What a way with words.”
Not that I'd actually intended to help him.
I looked ahead.
We were about to reach the end of the path.
A single sword rested there.
A useful item that, if obtained early, could easily be used until the mid-game and beyond.
“...There it is.”
Hwang Chan-jin stopped dead in his tracks and turned his head toward me.
Right next to his face, I could see a single sword embedded in an altar.
Sa-in-cham-sa-geom.
A famous sword unique to Korea, also called Sa-in-geom for short.
The constellation patterns and Hanja incantations engraved all over its blade were captivating.
Though some called it a shamanistic tool rather than a practical weapon, in ‘End of Apocalypse’, it appeared as a renowned sword that was also highly practical.
“You've seen it too. You can tell that sword is no ordinary weapon.”
“Looks nice.”
“That's why I'm asking. If you're also after that sword, I'll kill you right now. If not, stay far back.”
“I'm not that shameless. You're the one who fought through all those creatures to get here. Why would I try to take it?”
Shrugging, I took about ten steps back.
I even raised both hands above my head to show I had no intention of doing anything.
At that, Hwang Chan-jin narrowed his eyes as if surprised, then approached the altar.
[It has been long since I have seen such fierce warriors. To have overcome such a perilous path and reached this place.]
A light slowly began to emanate from the Sa-in-geom.
A golden aura, reminiscent of a tiger's majesty.
Standing before the altar, Hwang Chan-jin silently reached out his hand toward the aura.
The final test.
The stage where the Sa-in-geom itself would judge whether he had passed the trial with distinction.
He was obviously thinking, 'Of course I'll pass,' but...
That was never going to happen.
[You are not worthy.]
“What...?”
The golden aura receded, leaving only a bewildered Hwang Chan-jin.
*Pfft*. I barely managed to suppress a laugh.
This was the fate of one who knew the Sa-in-geom was here, but not the specific conditions to obtain it.
“What do you mean...! Ugh!”
Finally, an enraged Hwang Chan-jin tried to forcibly grab the Sa-in-geom and pull it from the altar, but he was immediately thrown back.
If his strength and mana stats were at least over 40 it might be a different story, but at his current level, he couldn't force the Sa-in-geom into submission.
Even if he managed to take it by force, he wouldn't be able to draw out its true performance.
As Hwang Chan-jin glared at the Sa-in-geom, grinding his teeth, a seemingly displeased voice echoed from somewhere.
[One who has killed needlessly is not worthy.]
“Really? Then maybe I can?”
I walked past Hwang Chan-jin, who had a look of complete incomprehension, and approached the altar.
He tried to stop me, but his limbs were paralyzed from his attempt to forcibly take the sword, leaving him unable to move.
As I stood defiantly before the Sa-in-geom, the golden aura erupted once more.
Sensing that something was wrong, Hwang Chan-jin urgently retorted.
“I only killed the monsters that were occupying this dungeon!”
[Do you truly believe they were all monsters?]
The corners of my mouth lifted slightly.
Throughout our time in this dungeon, I had never once called those creatures 'monsters'.
Because none of them were monsters.
‘If they were monsters, their blood would have been blackish-purple.’
Everything Hwang Chan-jin killed had bled red.
Proof that they weren't monsters.