Chapter 97
Chapter 97
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 97
Chapter Title: Into the Room of Truth - 2
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Flash!
The surroundings were instantly engulfed in darkness.
In the blink of an eye.
Thanks to the skill's effect, the ogre and Kim Minjun were transported to another dimension.
"Whoa. It's been a while."
Seeing the barren landscape of the World of Despair brought a wave of nostalgia.
The black earth cracked and split from lack of moisture.
The sky shrouded in dark energy.
How many bastards had he taken care of in this place?
"Ugh, uwoooo!"
While Kim Minjun calmly took in the scenery, the ogre let out a deathly roar, as if it were about to drop dead right then and there.
Even just breathing felt like it was killing him.
"What have you done to me, human!"
"Watch your tone."
Anyone who enters the World of Despair has all their actions restricted.
Kim Minjun naturally had the authority to adjust those restrictions.
He had set them just enough to keep the ogre from dying.
Not dead, but in enough agony to wish for death.
"Grrk...."
The ogre clawed at its throat.
It couldn't breathe properly, and its entire body felt like it was about to burst.
"Wh-who are you...."
"I heard ogres were smarter than orcs. Quick on the uptake. Good."
As the human in front of it nodded once, the choking pressure around its throat vanished completely.
Just what was that human... no.
What was the true nature of this being wearing human skin?
"You want to know my identity? What else? I'm human."
"Uwoh!"
Did that mean it could even read minds now?
Terror made its body tremble uncontrollably.
"This is my domain. In here, I'm the king."
Kim Minjun smirked at the ogre gripped by fear.
Its body might be tough, but its mind was weak.
'A bit more scare, and it'll break quick.'
He raised one arm and swung it wide.
Boom!
A black spire crashed down right in front of the ogre's nose.
So close that the slightest movement would have skewered it.
"Uwoh! Sp-spare me! I'll do anything! Uwoh!"
Overwhelmed by terror, the ogre flattened itself to the ground, desperately begging for its life.
'Done.'
It had taken that massive brute just three minutes to submit.
That was how powerful the World of Despair's effect was.
"From now on, memorize everything I say. If you want to live. Got it?"
"Uwoh! Yes!"
**
Meanwhile.
Chaos had erupted outside the dungeon.
Not just the company commanders, but even the battalion commander had rushed to the dungeon entrance.
"Report the situation!"
"Y-yes, sir!"
At the battalion commander's furious voice, the 2nd Company commander snapped to attention and began his report.
"We waited for the mana cannons as per protocol, planning a full assault the moment the ogre showed itself!"
"Before the mana cannons even arrived, the ogre burst out and pushed the troops back. Then Sergeant Kim Minjun went inside with it—to prevent further casualties. Is that correct?"
"Yes, sir!"
"Hoo...."
Lieutenant Colonel Lee Junbum stared at the sealed dungeon entrance and sighed.
From what he'd pieced together, the company commander had done nothing wrong.
He'd swiftly ordered a withdrawal to protect the troops.
Did that mean Sergeant Kim Minjun was at fault?
No way.
He'd stepped up alone against an ogre monster to protect the soldiers.
"Sergeant Kim Minjun."
"Captain Park Seohun!"
"What's the chance Sergeant Kim Minjun beats that ogre?"
"...To be blunt, sir, I estimate less than 1%."
Less than 1%.
He knew that.
But Sergeant Kim Minjun had always exceeded expectations....
"Don't fire the mana cannons until Sergeant Kim Minjun's survival is confirmed. Understood!"
"Yes, sir! I'll relay the order!"
Forty minutes passed after that.
As officers and soldiers held their breath in anxiety.
Ssssh.
"There! The dungeon entrance is opening!"
The blocked entrance slowly began to unseal.
Boom!
At the same moment, a massive foot stepped out of the dungeon.
The ogre's foot.
"Uh...."
"What...?"
The hunters, who had reflexively aimed their guns, wore expressions like they'd seen a ghost.
And for good reason.
Kim Minjun was following right behind the ogre.
"......"
"Am I seeing things?"
Officers and soldiers alike rubbed their eyes.
Monsters lived to kill humans on sight.
Ogres especially had a destructive temperament.
"Hey! Say it just like I taught you!"
"U-uwoh! Humans! I was wrong! I don't want to fight!"
That ogre was on its knees, hands raised above its head.
Like an elementary school kid about to get punished by its parents.
"Surrender! I surrender! I'll obey the humans!"
"Watch your tone?"
"I'll obey!"
After Kim Minjun spoke, ten seconds of silence followed.
The ogre kept glancing at him, holding the pose.
"S-Sergeant Kim Minjun?"
"Sergeant Kim Minjun!"
The battalion commander broke the silence.
He alternated stares between Kim Minjun and the ogre in disbelief.
"You tamed that ogre?"
"Yes, sir. Tamed isn't quite right—subdued is more accurate."
"...How the hell did you do it?"
"It has the intelligence of an 8-year-old child. Once I imprinted the fear of death, it lost all will to fight."
There had been attempts to capture ogres alive before.
But not a single one had succeeded.
They had insane stamina and durability, and the moment they were thought subdued, they'd take their own lives.
"Uh, uh. Capture team! Hold up. Do we even have a special vehicle to hold it? Contact the transport unit first!"
"Y-yes, sir!"
The battalion commander radioed Hunter Command.
Report: Ogre captured alive.
Hunter Command kept asking if it was real.
"Yes, sir! I'm seeing it with my own eyes! Confirmed! We need special vehicle support!"
-Vehicles en route!
Exactly one hour.
From the ogre crawling out of the dungeon—not killed, but captured alive.
**
That incident turned the Hunter Army upside down.
Word had spread even to the regular army.
"Just what trick did he use?"
"Not a single scratch on him—how's that possible?"
No precedents for capturing an ogre alive.
And zero casualties among the troops deployed.
Sergeant Kim Minjun.
The result of one man.
"Rumor has it he beat the ogre to a bloody pulp until it begged for mercy."
"Bullshit. Don't you know ogres have that macho trait? Kill or be killed. Every ogre we've tried to capture before offed itself."
Thanks to that, every barracks echoed with talk of Kim Minjun.
"Hey. I heard something straight from Sergeant Kim Minjun."
As everyone spun baseless theories, Corporal Kim Kwangshik piped up slyly.
"What? Spill it!"
"Tell us quick, or else."
Hunters swarmed around him.
"He said making it lose the will to fight and instilling terror of him did the trick."
"Pfft, no shit."
"You weren't there, so you don't get it. I saw it up close. The ogre couldn't even meet Sergeant Kim Minjun's eyes."
"What the hell is that guy's deal? Super Saiyan or something?"
"Lasers from his hands? How'd he do it?"
Of course, unaware that Kim Minjun was a warlock, the hunters just traded wild guesses.
"Minjun. You really okay?"
Meanwhile.
Kim Minjun was waiting in the battalion commander's office with Lieutenant Kim Chulmin.
The company and battalion commanders were out for reports on last night's incident.
"Sergeant Kim Minjun reporting. I'm perfectly fine, sir."
Kim Minjun twisted and turned to show his platoon leader.
"Yeah. You got a full checkup at the hospital yesterday, so you should be good."
The platoon leader gave a hollow laugh as he watched.
He'd seen it with his own eyes, too.
But only from outside the dungeon.
Only Kim Minjun knew what happened inside.
"Ha, damn... I knew you were no ordinary private from day one... But an ogre? That's crossing a major line."
"Is it, sir?"
"What do you mean 'is it'! Search the world—no other hunter's beaten an ogre barehanded! And that's not all! Securing a live ogre sample? Korea's the first!"
Unless he got a special promotion, Lieutenant Kim Chulmin declared he'd raise hell over his rank insignia.
"No need for that, sir. We pulled off something unprecedented. I think they'll take care of it."
"You're the first guy to talk about an unprecedented feat this casually, you punk! Kahahaha!"
He laughed heartily, joking that at this rate, he'd get promoted to captain too.
"And that's not all. Who's the happiest right now?"
"The battalion commander, sir?"
"He is, but the division commander will be thrilled. A feat like this? It'll boost his promotion points. The brass will have their eyes on you."
The brass eyeing me.
Truth is, I'd already gotten hints of that.
This incident would've jacked up my value even more.
'As expected. Subduing that thing was the best move.'
Thanks to the new skill.
Without the World of Despair, even I couldn't have captured the ogre alive.
Beating it senseless wouldn't make it obey.
'Things are falling into place perfectly.'
Soon, with the brass's backing and a fat reward, it'd be perfect.
Clang!
Lost in satisfaction, someone flung the door open.
Two stars on the rank insignia.
104th Division Commander, Major General Doo Seokyong.
"Loyalty!"
"L-loyalty!"
Seeing him, Kim Minjun and Lieutenant Kim Chulmin shot to their feet and saluted sharply.
"Yeah. Big thing last night. You okay?"
"Yes, sir!"
"Good. Platoon leader, mind stepping out? I need to talk to Sergeant Kim Minjun."
"Yes, sir! Right away!"
Lieutenant Kim Chulmin bolted out without looking back.
"...You did us a huge solid."
Now alone in the office.
Major General Doo Seokyong beamed at Kim Minjun.
He hadn't felt this good since pinning on his stars.
"Sergeant Kim Minjun. Got some things to discuss. You free?"
"Yes, sir! All good."
More than good.
Time was all I had.
"First, the good news."
What followed from the division commander.
'Jackpot.'
Kim Minjun cheered inwardly.