Chapter 129
Chapter 129
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 129
Chapter Title: What Happened in the Octopus Leg Bridge Dungeon (3)
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"They're already lying in wait at the entrance."
Kang Minju's voice held no tension as she gazed at the passage leading to the core.
"We'll need to get into combat readiness the moment we go in."
"Th-that's fine, right?"
Jang Seongryun wore a tense expression.
From his face and eyes, it really seemed like he'd never faced a boss monster before.
"It's been a while since I've seen monsters coming out to greet us at the entrance..."
"Hmm."
Kang Yunho adjusted his goggles slightly and spoke while looking at the frightened Jang Seongryun and I Seolhwa.
"Why don't you two just stay here?"
"Pardon?"
"Once we've dealt with the Bead Fox, we'll call you. No need to follow us."
"No. We'll help too."
Jang Seongryun clenched his fist with determination, and Kang Yunho recalled the registration cards he'd seen earlier for the two.
'They said 6th Grade.'
Both had physical awakening levels close to 70%. Jang Seongryun had Air Shield. I Seolhwa possessed a C-grade skill called Energy Shot.
"It seems pretty dangerous."
At Kang Yunho's words, Jang Seongryun scratched his head.
"Seolhwa's Energy Shot can attack from range, so maybe we can provide support from the rear..."
Rumble rumble rumble.
At that moment, a bizarre roar poured in from somewhere, like a torrent.
Turning around in confusion, gray shadows were surging toward them like waves in the distance.
"What the hell is that?"
The instant Jang Seongryun stared into the darkness, Kang Minju shouted loudly.
"Hurry into the dungeon core!"
The oncoming gray shadows were hundreds... no, thousands of Gkok Gkok Rats.
"Ugh!"
Screaming, the Jang Seongryun couple followed after the Kang siblings and ran toward the dungeon core.
"We'll try to break through without taking out the Gkok Gkok Rats if possible, so you two just keep up as best you can."
At Kang Minju's shout, the couple nodded with fearful expressions.
"Got it."
Octopus Leg Bridge Dungeon core.
The place was decorated like a medieval village.
Houses and stables built here and there. Even a well in the village center.
Boom!
And in the village center, amid explosive sounds, a fox with a sparkling bead on its tail darted through the air.
The boss monster of Octopus Leg Bridge Dungeon, the Bead Fox.
"Hah!"
In front of the Bead Fox, Kang Yunho and Kang Minju were unleashing their skills.
Kang Yunho, moving at high speed, fired lightning from the monomolecular cutter in his grip.
Kang Minju spread her arms wide, creating transparent shields like water droplets around herself and Kang Yunho.
"Hngh!"
And at the village entrance, Jang Seongryun was pouring out Air Shields, while I Seolhwa fired Energy Shots.
"Damn. Too many."
Gkok Gkok Rats with a threat level of just 200 weren't that dangerous.
But the thousands filling the dungeon core were another story. Occasionally piercing the Air Shields, they bit at Jang Seongryun's arms and legs.
"What the hell happened! Why are all the Gkok Gkok Rats that should be scattered throughout the dungeon gathered here?"
At Jang Seongryun's shout, I Seolhwa, who had been firing Energy Shots, wore a despairing expression.
"I don't know. What do we do?"
* * *
Atop the clock tower overlooking the village.
The Heavenly Demon watched the battle unfolding below, cloaked in Hidden Shadow Stealth Technique.
[The Kang siblings' skills are quite unique.]
Nameless pointed alternately at Kang Yunho and Kang Minju with a finger.
[What Kang Yunho is using is probably the A-grade skill 'Arrow Lightning.' What Kang Minju is using... hmm, looks like the A-grade skill 'Melody of the Wind.']
The Heavenly Demon furrowed his brow at Nameless, who kept saying "probably."
"You're not certain?"
[When compared to the skill compendium, there are subtle differences. Well, even the same skill can look different depending on the awakener's individuality.]
"Arrow Lightning and Melody of the Wind. The names sound impressive enough."
[They are indeed very powerful offensive and defensive skills. And when combined, they create exquisite synergy.]
But despite unleashing flashy skills one after another, the Kang siblings were struggling.
Not just the Bead Fox, but thousands of Gkok Gkok Rats kept charging relentlessly.
"Damn!"
Then Jang Seongryun, who had been pushing back Gkok Gkok Rats with Air Shields, spat a curse.
"You damn rat bastards!"
Nameless, silently watching, pointed at the couple with a regretful voice.
[Unfortunately, that Jang Seongryun couple will soon be torn apart by the Gkok Gkok Rats. Their physical awakening levels and skills are too weak to handle thousands.]
"If they hold out, they'll just die anyway. Why not run?"
As the Heavenly Demon sneered, Nameless replied in a hollow voice.
[With thousands of Gkok Gkok Rats charging endlessly, how could they break through?]
"I see."
Nameless shook his head while watching the red-eyed Gkok Gkok Rats charging in.
[By the way, Your Excellency's abilities never cease to amaze me. You just struck the dungeon wall in passing... how did you summon every Gkok Gkok Rat scattered throughout the dungeon to the core?]
Upon entering Octopus Leg Bridge Dungeon, the Heavenly Demon had immediately sensed countless rats inhabiting the interior.
To gauge their strength, he struck the dungeon walls, sending vibrations everywhere.
"Big or small, rats are sensitive to vibrations."
He spoke flatly, but even he hadn't expected this many to swarm.
He thought maybe a hundred or so, but unexpectedly, every Gkok Gkok Rat in the dungeon had flocked to his location.
[Can you control rats with vibrations?]
At Nameless's question, the Heavenly Demon's gaze deepened as if recalling the distant past.
"Just mimicking the technique of the Myriad Beasts Sovereign, who once ruled the southern wilds."
[You must have been close.]
"Not close. Rather, like now, he summoned all sorts of rat bastards and sicced them on me."
It seemed like reminiscing fond memories.
But the words spilling from the Heavenly Demon's mouth as he calmly recalled the past were brutally cold.
"So in the end, I fed him to the rats on his way out."
Nameless suppressed the urge to scream and spoke.
[Then, the Gkok Gkok Rats becoming ferocious is also due to Your Excellency's technique?]
The Heavenly Demon was versed in all martial arts, but regrettably knew little of the Myriad Beasts Sovereign's beast control.
'I merely mimicked a rat bastard's rat-summoning trick, how would I know?'
Unable to say that, the Heavenly Demon snorted and repeated himself.
"Rats are sensitive to vibrations."
[...I see.]
Nameless turned his head again, his visual sensors flashing.
[But it seems they're reaching their limit now.]
The thousands of Gkok Gkok Rats were no less than the boss monster, the Bead Fox. No, they surpassed it.
[If left as is, all four will lose their lives.]
"Not a chance."
At Nameless's worried words, the Heavenly Demon spoke with an intrigued expression.
"She hasn't revealed her true strength yet."
[Who do you mean?]
"That woman there."
The person the Heavenly Demon pointed to was none other than Kang Minju.
Was the woman struggling to summon wind while wearing a spherical nanobot helmet a hidden powerhouse?
Nameless flashed his visual sensors with a puzzled expression.
[By the way, it's truly strange. From the current situation, none of these four seem like association elites or hunters... what on earth is going on?]
The Heavenly Demon wore a subtle smile.
"We'll find out soon enough."
* * *
A Gkok Gkok Rat broke through the Air Shield and bit the back of Jang Seongryun's neck.
"Urk."
Screaming, Jang Seongryun quickly struck the Gkok Gkok Rat.
But flesh had already been torn away, and the bite area burned with pain.
"Ughhhh."
Feeling the pain scattered his focus, and the Air Shield gradually weakened.
"Seongryun, the shield's breaking!"
At I Seolhwa's shout, Jang Seongryun fumbled at his waist and pulled out a round pill.
An expensive painkilling awakener drug for prolonged or emergency combat: Soma (SOMA).
-Squeak!
But another lunging Gkok Gkok Rat made him drop the Soma from his hand to the ground.
"Th-this..."
Despair surged, weakening the Air Shield further.
The rats didn't miss the gap, burrowing in one by one.
"Eeeeek!"
A Gkok Gkok Rat's biting power rivals a hyena crunching bones.
Even a 6th Grade awakener without hardening skills couldn't withstand their teeth sinking into flesh.
"You fucking!"
Finally abandoning the Air Shield skill, Jang Seongryun gripped his monomolecular cutter with both hands twisted.
"You rat bastards! I'll slice you all!"
"S-Seongryun!"
But this time, a scream burst from I Seolhwa's mouth.
I Seolhwa, who used the ranged skill Energy Shot, lacked close-quarters combat ability.
She wasn't even equipped with a monomolecular cutter.
"Oh no."
Kang Yunho sighed as he watched I Seolhwa surrounded by Gkok Gkok Rats.
"Oppa!"
At Kang Minju's shout, Kang Yunho quickly raised his monomolecular cutter in front of him.
With a clang, the Bead Fox's sharp forepaw snapped the monomolecular cutter in two.
"Damn."
The monomolecular cutter was sharp enough to slice steel.
But without perfect angling for defense, it broke this easily.
"What kind of B-grade dungeon is this? Even A-grade dungeons don't have monsters swarming like this all at once!"
Kang Yunho irritably shouted, tossing the broken monomolecular cutter to the ground.
"Minju. Retreat! We can't hold anymore."
"What about those people?"
"Who cares. We told them we couldn't take responsibility."
"Does that make sense?"
Kang Minju bit her lip while fiddling with her helmet's lock.
"I'll calm the monsters for a bit, so you take them and get out first."
"Are you crazy? You gonna use that in front of civilians?"
"No choice. They won't understand even if they see it."
Kang Yunho shook his head while looking at the Jang Seongryun couple.
"There are too many Gkok Gkok Rats! How do you plan to handle them all?"
"It's fine. They're just low-threat Gkok Gkok Rats anyway. I can do it."
Kang Minju slowly removed her helmet.
Revealing beautifully shimmering golden eyes.
Kang Minju, with white skin and silver pupils, looked like a spirit transformed into human form.
"Damn."
Clenching his fists tight, Kang Yunho used Arrow Lightning to protect Kang Minju.
Shaaaaaa.
At that moment, golden mist began slowly rising from Kang Minju's eyes.
Woooong.
Mystical light spread from her eyes, slowly floating in the air.
Flash!
It was like a flashbang exploding inside.
In an instant, the dungeon interior was bathed in white light, and the frenzied charging Gkok Gkok Rats and Bead Fox halted momentarily.
-Grrrrrr.
The Bead Fox groaned lowly and rolled onto its back,
-Squeak squeak.
The Gkok Gkok Rats groaned as if stunned, slamming their heads into the ground.
"What are you spacing out for!"
Kang Yunho shouted at the dazed Jang Seongryun and I Seolhwa.
"Get out now! No time!"
"Y-yes!"
Only then did the two snap to and hurriedly ran toward the exit.
"Those people really..."
Monsters acting strangely, and Kang Minju floating above like an angel.
Even while fleeing, Jang Seongryun's gaze was fixed on Kang Minju.
How much time passed?
Shaaaaaa.
As the light gathered in Kang Minju's eyes faded with a mystical sound,
-Grrrrr?
-Squeak squeak?
The recovered Bead Fox and Gkok Gkok Rats looked around in confusion.
Thud.
Kang Yunho quickly caught Kang Minju as she lost consciousness and fell from the air.
"Minju, you okay?"
"Mm."
Kang Minju nodded faintly and spoke weakly.
"We have to run. Before the monsters recover..."
"A-alright."
Scooping up Kang Minju, Kang Yunho bolted out without looking back.
[What... was that?]
Nameless muttered lowly from below the clock tower, having watched everything.
[That unfamiliar power wave... it was a skill I'd never seen even in my lifetime.]
"How would I know."
At the Heavenly Demon's words, Nameless felt a twinge of embarrassment.
Realizing that asking the Heavenly Demon about unknown phenomena had become a habit.
'Since His Excellency arrived, even my own knowledge feels suspect.'
Whirrrr.
The moment Nameless began complex calculations to analyze Kang Minju's skill,
-Was it Kim Minjun who summoned all the rats at once?
Suddenly, a bright light appeared before the Heavenly Demon's eyes, accompanied by a woman's voice.
It was Kang Minju's voice, who had been unconscious.
[Wah! Your Excellency. What is this?]
As startled Nameless jumped, the Heavenly Demon replied calmly.
"Impressive technique. Separating spirit from body for use."
Then, a shy voice came from the light.
-Actually, my ability is Mind's Eye. Can't use it for long though.
As the Heavenly Demon stayed silent, Kang Minju spoke again.
-Through Mind's Eye, Kim Minjun looks so mystical. Cold ice and flames together. Chill that could freeze the world and blaze hot enough to burn it all...
Was she describing the Heavenly Demon's inner world?
The Heavenly Demon replied flatly to Kang Minju's words.
"Probably the forms of the Cold Spirit Ice White Divine Art and the Demonic Flame Extreme Territory I cultivate."
Then, with a shaaa sound, the light floating before the Heavenly Demon's eyes gradually dimmed.
-Time to wake up, it seems. Minjun, sorry, but I'd like to propose a deal...
"A deal?"
-I doubt you'd grant a request. Just a feeling.
Surprisingly, Kang Minju had accurately pierced the Heavenly Demon's personality.
The Heavenly Demon favors those quick-witted and exceptional.
"A deal, you say."
Nodding at the light before him, the Heavenly Demon said.
"Let's hear it."