Chapter 158
Chapter 158
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 158
Chapter Title: Nayeo-ju Saves the World
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“Hic, sob. M-Mister……”
A child called out to Kang Han from behind his back.
It was a tiny voice, thick with fear.
Kang Han glared at the monster before him as he thought.
What did I say back then?
‘Run away.’
I said it, scared out of my mind.
‘You have to survive.’
Yeah, that was it.
And then he’d suffered a grievous wound battling a C-grade monster called Scaler—whose name he now knew.
His body had only just awakened to S-grade, and he had no idea how to properly use his locked skills.
But this time was different.
Kang Han channeled electric current through the rebar gripped in his hand.
A lie.
This whole thing was nothing but a vicious nightmare.
The rebar had already transformed into a spear crackling with bright yellow electricity.
Kang Han readjusted his grip on the familiar black spear that clung to his hand like an old friend, then spoke to the child behind him.
“Don’t cry.”
He could never forget it, not even in his dreams.
The fact that he, Kang Han, was no longer as helpless as he’d been back then.
“I’ll protect you.”
He slashed the electricity-wrapped spear down in a long diagonal arc.
“Kek?”
Just like Kang Han moments before, the Scaler had no idea what had hit it.
It simply oxidized along the spear’s path.
A single attack.
That was all it took.
As the Scaler before him oxidized, the world encircling him began to scatter into ashes.
Kang Han turned around.
The child was gone.
In the nightmare crumbling away bit by bit, Kang Han closed his eyes tightly for a long moment before opening them.
“Kuuk!”
“Ah, no……!”
Before he knew it, he was back at the campsite inside the maze dungeon, where a bonfire crackled.
Kang Han stroked Baek Young—who was still trapped in his own nightmare—to wake him, then turned his head.
He froze solid, thinking.
I must still be stuck in that nightmare.
“Nayeo-ju.”
She was gone.
“Heh heh, here it is. Found you.”
This was the privilege of being possessed, alright.
I couldn’t hold back my grin at the sight of the rickety old chest in the maze’s secret room.
“Na Baek-ho-ya, know what this is?”
“Kyaaang?”
“Open the lid like this, and ta-da—treasure!”
I said it with flair and popped open the chest.
Inside sat a single pouch, all by its lonesome.
It looked even more worn and frayed than the chest itself.
I reached out slowly, carefully lifting the heavily decayed pouch with both hands.
“I do feel kinda bad ditching the folks having nightmares, but how the heck do you explain this being here?”
This secret room was hidden away tight.
Follow the path I’d memorized ahead of time to the entrance, shove the weirdly smooth wall with everything you’ve got, and boom—another path opens up.
Go up and down that one, twist and turn, and eventually you stumble into this secret room.
“See, Na Baek-ho-ya? This baby permanently boosts your stamina.”
Unlike the threadbare pouch, the glass vial inside was luckily intact.
Lots of accessories like rings or earrings boost stamina—but only if you wear ’em.
I wouldn’t have busted my ass coming all this way for junk like that.
“This? Gulp it down, and poof—no evidence.”
Chug it quick, head back to camp, and spin some yarn about getting lost.
“Perfect, right?”
“Kyaaang!”
Honestly, judging by the chest and pouch, who knew how ancient this potion was? Kinda gave me the creeps downing it.
Worst case, I croak from it?
I squeezed my eyes shut and threw back the whole vial.
The effect hit right away.
Kya, that’s the stuff!
It didn’t surge my body with sudden power like Im Cheong-su’s potion, since this one boosted max stamina.
But now I could dish out way more healing and dark purifications in one go.
“Sweet. Time to head back?”
Feeling on top of the world, I flashed Baek-ho a big grin and retraced my steps.
Got lucky—no wrong turns.
I figured I’d stroll right back into camp safe and sound.
“Aaaak!”
Something yanked my ankle hard as I crept through the dark maze by flashlight.
The ivy vines—totally fine seconds ago—had shot up in a flash.
No way—I didn’t even know it was a monster!
Before I could brace and resist, I was dangling upside down in midair.
“Kyaaa—!”
Baek-ho freaked, bulking up in shock.
But even at full-grown tiger size—which was still just “barely” big enough—it couldn’t yank me down from that height.
“Na Baek-ho! I’m fine! Calm down!”
“Keuheong! Keung!”
I yelled to soothe him, and he quit leaping in place.
Couldn’t stop the anxious pacing, though.
I thrashed to free my bound ankle—even if I fell, whatever—but it just burned through my stamina.
Probably this monster’s whole hunting gimmick.
In the end, I went limp, hanging slack.
“Ha. Now what?”
Taking down the Nightmare was a breeze.
One fireball from Yang Hwa-yeon, and it went up in smoke.
Before Kang Han even woke the others.
“What do you mean she’s gone?”
Yoo Jin-rok wiped the tears streaking his face—from dreaming of his daughter’s death—and asked Kang Han.
“No clue. Nightmare’s influence? Or dragged off by another monster?”
“Hang on—why’s a monster leaving its own field? This is C-grade turf!”
“Ha, damn it. Let’s find Nayeo-ju Hunter first.”
Jeong Yi-do, Magma Guild’s shielder, said it while calming Jang Su-ho’s panicked outburst.
That’s when it happened.
Silent till now, Yoo Jin-rok pointed down a path leading from the campsite.
“That way.”
“You tagged her with tracking!”
Jang Su-ho perked up.
A skill for nabbing fleeing monsters in A-grade-plus dungeons—one mark, and you see the target’s path. Everyone knew Yoo Jin-rok had it.
Yoo Jin-rok led the pack, skill active, face set like stone.
Nayeo-ju’s safety was on him.
And he’d lost her to a pathetic C-grade Nightmare attack.
Step, step.
No one said a word as Magma Guild and Justice Guild tromped through the maze.
Moments later, Kang Han—one step behind Yoo Jin-rok—bolted ahead.
“W-what?”
“Nayeo-ju’s voice—coming from over there.”
Han Ji-seong, S-grade like Kang Han, answered for him. Everyone else broke into a run.
A few corners later, a crystal-clear cry hit their ears.
“Save Nayeo-ju!”
Every face went sheet-white.
Save her?
What the hell kind of mess is that?
And when they finally rounded into the scene, words failed them all.
“Guild leader, hurry! Blood’s rushing to my head—I’m gonna die!”
“Just hold on a sec.”
Nayeo-ju dangling like a piñata midair. Kang Han scaling the vine toward her. Baek-ho watching the whole thing anxiously.
“How’d that lady…… and how the heck’d she get up there?”
Lee Yu-eul muttered, dazed.