Chapter 109
Chapter 109
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 109
Chapter Title: Study Room Dungeon (2)
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"That's strange."
The Heavenly Demon, who had been watching the situation, muttered softly.
"Why are those monsters circling around here without leaving?"
[Exactly. Larvae do tend to swarm in groups, but they never gather like this in one spot to attack Awakeners. The only exception would be...]
Nameless trailed off mid-sentence.
It had just noticed the black liquid stuck to the Heavenly Demon's right sleeve.
[Carrying a relic from a Larva, like the 'Dead Man's Tear,' which has a 0.2% drop rate.]
Nameless's eye sensors flickered faintly.
In the end, the reason a Larva horde had suddenly appeared here was because of the Heavenly Demon.
[It seems the relic dropped from the first Larva that charged at you, Heavenly Demon. But your punch was so powerful that it shattered along with the relic, leaving this smeared on your sleeve.]
"What are you talking about?"
Nameless let out a sigh and pointed at the Heavenly Demon's sleeve.
[The Dead Man's Tear acts like a hotspot that summons Larvae—a magical device that calls monsters. You walked around with it on your sleeve, so naturally, they swarmed you.]
The Larvae had tracked the Heavenly Demon carrying the Dead Man's Tear but kept circling his area due to the Hidden Shadow Stealth Technique.
Then, when he got close to Cho Hong's battlefield, they surged toward her, and she ended up passing out from mental exhaustion.
"I see."
Even though he had caused the entire crisis, the Heavenly Demon remained nonchalant.
[But it's still really odd, Heavenly Demon.]
Nameless, who had been buzzing around scanning the surroundings, flashed its eye sensors.
[This feels like some kind of experiment. Don't you think?]
"What do you mean?"
[Look. There are nanodrones— the kind TV stations use for dungeon explorations—filming this whole thing.]
At Nameless's words, the Heavenly Demon narrowed his eyes.
Sure enough, tiny flying devices the size of flies were buzzing around the Special Response Team.
[Nanodrones require Association approval to use. Sending them in during a broadcast ban suggests an Association Awakener is monitoring the situation...]
Nameless pressed its two arms against its round face and continued.
[Why are they just filming instead of providing support if things get dire?]
"Who cares."
In the meantime, the battle had resumed below.
Larvae rained down from the sky like missiles, while the one-eyed monsters unleashed powerful streams of fire.
Boom.
As Han Manjae deployed a powerful energy barrier skill, golden bell-shaped waves rippled outward in all directions.
"Eunho! Take the team leader to the safe zone first and come back!"
Han Manjae shouted after erecting the barrier, and Yoo Eunho nodded.
"Got it. I'll be right back, so hold on."
Transparent light particles surged up beneath Yoo Eunho's feet as he held Cho Hong inside the energy barrier.
He was about to use the ultra-high-speed movement skill, renowned as the pinnacle among physical skills.
"Huh? What the—?"
A glint appeared in Yoo Eunho's eyes as he activated the skill.
Ultra-high-speed movement made time seem to slow down.
Through it, he spotted the nanodrones floating nearby.
'Which bastards sent these?'
Whoosh. Crackle.
Yoo Eunho zipped around like lightning, smashing all the nanodrones in the vicinity.
"Bro!"
Yoo Eunho suddenly yelled after halting the skill.
"Once this is over, let's grab some squid!"
Han Manjae's expression flickered for a moment.
It was a prearranged code among the team members, meaning 'We're being watched.'
"Yeah. Let's feast when it's done."
As Han Manjae nodded gravely, Shin Chaeyoung, who had been guarding Cho Hong, paled.
"No way..."
A white light began emanating from the unconscious Cho Hong's body, and an intense glow poured from her closed eyes.
"The team leader... she's rampaging again!"
At Shin Chaeyoung's urgent cry, Han Manjae whipped his head around.
"What?"
Cho Hong's prone body had already turned blindingly white.
When her skill 'Link Field' went berserk, all creatures within 100 meters would suffer paralysis or start acting unnaturally against their will.
"Knock her out quick!"
Han Manjae shouted desperately, but Shin Chaeyoung shook her head.
"I-I can't."
Her rigid body suggested she was already paralyzed.
Yoo Eunho, watching this, yelled.
"I'll do it!"
At that moment, the light pouring from Cho Hong intensified.
Staring into it, Yoo Eunho's body began to paralyze as well—his hand frozen midway to her temple.
"Urk!"
As the pure white radiance from Cho Hong's eyes threatened to blanket the world in white...
"Demon Flower Extreme Inferno Palm!"
Sizzle.
A streak of green flame flashed through the air, severing the necks of the swarming Larvae mid-flight.
At the same time, a red shadow descended from above. It was the Heavenly Demon.
"No choice. It's even probing my mind."
Cho Hong's skill rampage had reached even the Heavenly Demon's psyche.
Thus, he had no option but to reveal himself.
"You still can't control your power properly."
The Heavenly Demon looked down at Cho Hong and flicked his finger, sending a burst of finger wind.
With a series of pops, the light emanating from her acupoint-struck body vanished.
Simultaneously, Yoo Eunho and Shin Chaeyoung's paralysis lifted.
"Heavenly Demon!"
As the relieved Yoo Eunho called out joyfully...
Bzzz.
A short vibration rang out, shoving the Heavenly Demon's body a dozen meters away.
The returning Iron-Eater had manipulated the one-eyed monsters to fire an ultra-high-temperature particle beam.
Sizzle.
The Heavenly Demon, who had ducked, glanced down at his chest, where white smoke trailed.
Even with his Diamond Body, it wasn't impervious to flames that could melt steel like water.
"Hmm."
Yet his chest was unscathed.
The Gwangma Blood Battle Robe he wore had deflected the intense heat.
"Impressive heat."
The Gwangma Blood Battle Robe not only repelled most external forces but also self-repaired any damage.
Just like the Our Clothes of this world.
"Hmph."
The Heavenly Demon dusted off his chest with a smirk. The Iron-Eater monster and one-eyed horde widened their eyes further at the sight.
"To dare ambush me."
In an instant, hellfire-like Blood Flame Radiance blazed in the Heavenly Demon's eyes.
"H-Hey, Heavenly Demon. This place is dangerous, so..."
Han Manjae approached cautiously, but the Heavenly Demon waved him off.
"Go. I'll handle this."
Han Manjae glanced back awkwardly.
Though the paralysis was gone, Yoo Eunho and Shin Chaeyoung were exhausted, and Cho Hong was still unconscious.
At this point, leaving cleanup to the Heavenly Demon might be the wisest choice.
"...Understood. Thank you."
Bowing his head, Han Manjae scooped up Cho Hong and retreated swiftly.
Yoo Eunho smiled and bowed to the Heavenly Demon.
"Thank you, Heavenly Demon."
Shin Chaeyoung stared at him intently before turning abruptly and vanishing.
"She didn't even say thanks."
Yoo Eunho pouted toward where she had gone, then grinned.
"See you later."
Once Yoo Eunho left too, only Larvae filled the sky over the clearing, with the Iron-Eater and one-eyed monsters on the ground.
Surprisingly, the Iron-Eater monster showed no sign of fleeing from the Heavenly Demon's presence—instead, it seemed to burn with even greater battle intent.
[Heavenly Demon. Honestly, I wondered if this was the reconstructed Study Room Dungeon seeking revenge on you through those one-eyed monsters.]
At Nameless's out-of-left-field remark, the Heavenly Demon smirked.
"A dungeon? You think that building is seeking revenge?"
[Yes. Some believe each dungeon is a living entity. The countless monsters and materials inside. When they're all cleared, it reconstructs...]
Nameless's voice grew quieter before regaining strength.
[Doesn't it mimic the cycle of a living being?]
"Well, it could be."
The Heavenly Demon nodded thoughtfully.
Nameless's words sounded far-fetched but always held logic and reason.
[But... today's events don't seem like dungeon revenge.]
The Heavenly Demon stared at Nameless incredulously.
After pontificating on dungeons, now it backtracked?
[Oh, the dungeon stuff was something I've wanted to mention for a while. The current situation feels like someone deliberately orchestrated it.]
At the sudden claim, the Heavenly Demon's thick brows shot up.
"What do you mean by that?"
[Just a hunch.]
"Trying to imitate me now?"
As the Heavenly Demon scoffed, Nameless replied gravely.
[No... What if someone created this scenario on purpose, and you just happened to get caught up in it?]
The Heavenly Demon eyed the one-eyed horde and the massive Iron-Eater looming behind them.
"Ridiculous. What profit comes from this farce?"
Nameless responded with unusual seriousness to his snort.
[I don't know. Maybe something we're unaware of.]
A strange glint entered the Heavenly Demon's eyes as he gazed at the distant sky.
This world held secrets and laws unknown to him. Stacks of monsters whose forms he hadn't yet seen.
And someone plotting something sinister.
"Interesting."
The Heavenly Demon bared his fangs in a grin.
Lately, he had sensed the black hand of fate reaching for him.
Fate. It was a powerful existence he couldn't yet crush. A fierce desire to shatter it welled up within him.
-Roooar!
-Rumble rumble!
Scarlet fire streams and Larvae soon poured down like missiles.
The Heavenly Demon channeled the burning desire and heat in his chest into his fists.
Boom!
With an explosion, his fists blazed red with raw power.
"Come on!"
It was pure, unadulterated craving for battle—not inner energy, not Heavenly Demon abilities.
* * *
Today was the Special Response Team's dinner night.
With no commute and work blending seamlessly into living space, dinners usually happened inside the villa.
"Delivery's here."
Every ten minutes, delivery vans pulled up, dropping off thick food bags.
Yoo Eunho had ordered every squid dish imaginable with Cho Hong's corporate card.
"Damn. Truth is, I hate squid."
Yoo Eunho sighed while receiving the bags out front.
To keep the 'squid' code secret, they had no choice but to eat squid on surveillance days.
"Eunho, what'd you order so much for? Party or something?"
Han Manjae, sitting on the front porch bench, gaped at the deliveries.
Squid steamed whole, sashimi, stir-fry, pancakes... every squid dish conceivable.
"Got to order plenty. Figured they'd want a lot."
"Who's 'they'?"
Yoo Eunho grinned and glanced at the rundown building.
A rooftop room with a white blanket hung out was visible.
"Hope they like squid. Wouldn't want to get chewed out for nothing."
"Better to just do a proper team dinner next time. Isn't it a regular spot for the team leader's work?"
At Han Manjae's casual reply, Cho Hong's face fell.
"No thanks. That guy's a heavy drinker."
"Huh?"
"Every time he shows up, he downs nothing but that pricey Three Blessings Brew. One wrong meal could cost a year's dinner budget."
"Really? Still, we should do it once. Even if we pay out of pocket."
Yoo Eunho nodded at Han Manjae's words.
"Spot on. Oh! We'd need to know what he likes to eat together properly."
"What favorites would he have? Look at him—he'd chew rocks."
"Hey, bro. I'm telling Heavenly Demon that later."
Cho Hong grimaced like she had indigestion.
"Argh. Eunho, you just can't stop with 'Heavenly Demon' this and that. No shame?"
The Special Response Team now bantered freely about the Heavenly Demon.
Shin Chaeyoung sighed as she watched the team chattering like a neighborhood gossip circle.
"He ate the ray fine."
"Huh?"
Cho Hong, Yoo Eunho, and Han Manjae blinked simultaneously.
Shin Chaeyoung, who had disliked the Heavenly Demon most, saying that meant she approved of him joining dinners?
"No, just saying."
Was it a slip? Or quiet acceptance?
The team members exchanged knowing smiles as she spun around and headed inside.