Chapter 34
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 34
Chapter Title: Ruin Conquest Complete
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Though Yeon Sung-hun had taken the heaviest damage, they had somehow managed to defeat the doll without anyone getting seriously hurt.
Yeon Sung-hun declared the complete conquest of the ruin to the raid members gathering around him.
In a situation where something more might still lurk, they couldn't exactly call it fully cleared yet, but no one could imagine anything else waiting beyond this.
Even if something did remain, the current raid team—no, Yeon Sung-hun specifically—had no strength left to keep exploring.
The backlash from chugging too many potions belatedly hit him like a truck.
He couldn't show it much in front of the raid members, but his body began to tremble uncontrollably.
Seeing this, Choi Yeon-ah spoke up with concern.
"Rest a bit, Guild Leader."
"Yeah, Oppa. We'll handle the cleanup."
Instead of nodding at their words, Yeon Sung-hun glanced sideways.
Lee Ha-na, who had just woken from her faint, had drunk a potion to recover and was now dragging over Kim Jun-su, who lay sprawled in one corner.
Kim Jun-su's condition, having fainted as well, wasn't great.
He'd taken deep wounds and been left like that for too long.
He'd recovered some with a belated potion, but no one knew when he'd wake.
If unlucky, he might not stir until after this expedition ended.
Yeon Sung-hun quietly bit his lip at the sight.
No matter how thoroughly they prepared, sacrifices were inevitable when reality threw the unexpected at you.
It had been that way in the wars of his past life, and it was the same with the rifts in this one.
Yeon Sung-hun knew this better than anyone, yet seeing someone he cared for like a little brother down like this didn't sit right.
After staring at the unconscious Kim Jun-su for a moment, Yeon Sung-hun turned to the other raid members.
"Yeon-ah-ssi, scout the surroundings, please. Ha-na-ssi, sorry to ask, but join her now that you're up."
"No, it's fine. I couldn't even help... I'm sorry."
"Don't think like that at all. It was unavoidable. Truth be told, we survived the end thanks to you."
Even with Yeon Sung-hun's words, Lee Ha-na's face remained full of self-reproach.
She'd probably carry that guilt for a while.
All he could do was hope time would heal it.
Kim Jun-su would likely feel the same once he woke, but Yeon Sung-hun couldn't worry about that right now.
He was truly at his limit.
"What about me, Oppa?"
"You stay here and watch over me and Jun-su. We're both about to pass out soon."
"Huh? Oppa? Pass out?"
Those were the last words Yeon Sung-hun heard as Han So-yul stared at him in confusion before his consciousness faded.
He really couldn't hold on any longer.
The three rushed to catch his collapsing body.
Yeon Sung-hun dreamed.
A dream from his time as Faust.
He'd had these kinds of dreams occasionally before, so it wasn't particularly strange.
The one constant in those dreams was his one and only friend, Mephisto.
The scenarios changed each time, but Mephisto was always by his side.
That friend had been a major turning point in Faust's life.
This dream showed their first meeting.
Before the full-scale continental war erupted, what they'd thought was just a minor border skirmish with a kingdom had snowballed.
To the point where they conscripted every able-bodied young man.
Faust couldn't avoid the draft either.
As an alchemist, he at least stayed in the rear making potions for the soldiers, but as the war grew, that changed.
With rebellions in the south draining troops, even alchemists like Faust got sent to the front lines.
Those with connections might've dodged it, but back then, Faust was just an unknown alchemist peddling potions in the underworld.
Naturally, he ended up at the foremost vanguard, where he met his future friend.
Despite his noble status as an imperial prince, that friend rolled in the mud with the common soldiers at the front.
He later learned there were 43 princes alone, and so many princesses they couldn't even count properly, so with no real power back then, he'd had no choice but to hole up at the front.
Though knowing his personality, he'd probably have charged in anyway.
At the time, Faust had no clue he was an imperial prince.
Not even nobility—his speech was too crude... no, too flippant.
Mephisto stuck to Faust like glue.
He'd latched on persistently even before Faust showed anything special.
Faust never learned the exact reason.
Even later, Mephisto just said he liked him, without specifics.
No matter how much Faust ignored him or snapped, Mephisto never left his side.
Eventually, worn down by the one-sided pursuit, Faust threw up his hands and gave in.
Then disaster struck.
The legion they were in got ambushed and annihilated by a republic aiding the kingdom.
In that horrific slaughter, Mephisto revealed the truths he'd hidden.
His identity as a prince, and his dream to become emperor and reform the rotten empire.
Faust naturally thought he'd finally lost it and was spouting nonsense.
Given his usual frivolous demeanor, it didn't fit a prince at all.
Mephisto blew up at Faust's reaction, insisting it was true, but Faust just scoffed.
With the area fully overrun by the alliance forces, the two who had revealed the truth fought to survive.
Hiding in corpse piles, rolling through shit if needed.
In the process, they rallied the surviving legion remnants and became their commanders, facing the alliance.
By then, Faust started wondering if he really was a prince.
Everything he'd shown so far was too impressive.
He reflected on that dream Mephisto had mentioned before too.
Becoming emperor and overhauling the decayed empire—a grand ambition.
Still pie-in-the-sky, but after seeing Mephisto in action, Faust thought maybe it was possible.
His own help played a part, but Mephisto had pulled off miracle after miracle.
Could he really do it?
Thus, Faust decided to help Mephisto.
Truthfully, Faust had no grand dreams or ambitions like that.
It was simply about aiding a longtime friend.
He'd never admit it back then, but deep down, he already saw Mephisto as a true friend.
To Faust, who had resolved to help, Mephisto said,
"Become a hero for me. The greatest, brightest hero of all."
As Faust demanded what bullshit that was, Mephisto just smiled slyly.
And from then on, he truly made Faust into a hero.
While Mephisto stayed firmly in the shadows, pushing him to the forefront.
There were various reasons, but current Yeon Sung-hun vaguely guessed another hidden intent.
"Position makes the man," as they say—Mephisto aimed to make Faust care for the nation and its people under the banner of hero.
He knew Faust was indifferent to the empire and most things in it.
In time, Faust did start taking interest in the empire and its people.
No matter how aloof he was, how could he ignore those cheering him as a hero with smiling faces?
Faust never suspected it in his dreams, but Yeon Sung-hun only realized Mephisto's scheme in this life.
A true friend's plan, always yielding more than one move's worth.
Thus, hero Faust and Mephisto ascended: Faust to legend, Mephisto to emperor.
And as desired, he completely overhauled the rotten empire.
Rewriting history.
And as a bonus, turning his friend into pure legend.
What a guy.
The greatest genius Faust—or Yeon Sung-hun—had ever seen.
'Well, his flightiness is a bit of a flaw.'
Were all geniuses quirky somewhere?
'Wait, does that mean I'm the same?'
He grimaced at the unacceptable truth, and Yeon Sung-hun woke.
A bright light pierced his blurry vision.
How much time had passed?
As he slowly sat up, pain wracked his body, drawing an involuntary groan.
"Ugh..."
"Oh? You're awake?"
The soft voice belonged to Choi Yeon-ah.
She approached from nearby where she'd been resting.
"Lie back down a bit longer."
"I'm fine. More importantly, how long was I out?"
Had he lost consciousness too long?
Remembering they were still in the ruin, Yeon Sung-hun asked urgently.
"About six hours. No more dangers seem left, so we decided on rotating watches. My turn now."
Yeon Sung-hun nodded at her calm explanation.
He spotted the raid members sleeping a short distance away.
"Thank you. And sorry for passing out. As raid leader, I should've seen it through..."
"Don't say that. You were the MVP by far this time."
Choi Yeon-ah shook her head firmly, and Yeon Sung-hun nodded in agreement.
Objectively, he'd pushed himself the hardest.
But that was that, and looking after his team to the end was still raid leader duty.
He didn't argue further against her resolute expression, but Yeon Sung-hun fully acknowledged his own failing.
'Next time, I really need to pace myself.'
Honestly, today's stunt was insane—something he could never repeat.
Mixing not one, but three incompatible potions, plus others? He might suffer aftereffects for days.
'No different from a junkie.'
Yeon Sung-hun chuckled dryly, then shook his head lightly and asked,
"How's Jun-su?"
"Still out. We'll probably need to take him straight to a hospital once we're out..."
As Choi Yeon-ah's face clouded, Yeon Sung-hun rose.
Pain made him groan again; she quickly supported him.
"What are you doing?"
"Need to check him. Help me over, please."
Remembering his medical knowledge, perhaps?
Despite worrying for him, she dutifully escorted him to Kim Jun-su.
Yeon Sung-hun plopped down before the deathly-still Kim Jun-su.
He extended a hand, carefully channeling mana.
His own overworked circuits rebelled roughly, but he gritted his teeth through it.
After briefly assessing Kim Jun-su's state, he withdrew his hand with a sigh.
"How is it? Is he okay?"
"Lucky—no major issues. Couldn't check his brain thoroughly, but seems fine there too. Hospital for certainty, but right now, it's just blood loss fainting."
With that, Yeon Sung-hun rummaged in his item bag and pulled out a potion.
A blood-boosting one, like a hemostatic.
This should cover the blood loss.
Potions worked even down the throat, but to avoid mishaps, he carefully fed it to Kim Jun-su.
And on top, a premium health booster for family use.
Watching it go down smoothly, Yeon Sung-hun grinned.
This ought to put minds at ease.
Gazing at him, Choi Yeon-ah said,
"Taking care of raid members is important, but look after yourself first, Guild Leader."
"I know my body. A few rough days, but no immediate danger."
She sighed at his casual tone.
Then, she scooped him up effortlessly.
"Y-Yeon-ah-ssi?! What the—"
A princess carry.
With genders reversed, leaving Yeon Sung-hun flustered.
To him, she said firmly,
"If you won't rest, I'll make you. I won't allow more. Please rest, Sung-hun-ssi."
"...Fine, just put me down first? This is mortifying..."
"Over there."
No arguments allowed, she declared, depositing him on a prepared blanket.
Even that brief time was plenty embarrassing.
Yeon Sung-hun covered his face with his hands.
"No more of this. Guild leader's orders."
"I won't if you take care of yourself."
Yeon Sung-hun smiled wryly at her words.
To avoid more humiliation, he'd have to baby himself.
To the obediently lying Yeon Sung-hun, Choi Yeon-ah said,
"No more thinking. Just rest. I'll tell So-yul to watch you next shift."
"...Thanks."
"This much is natural between us."
She grinned playfully, then tucked him in like a mother.
Her gentle pats brought a grave humiliation, yet his consciousness blurred anyway.
A short movement hadn't erased the deep fatigue.
As he fought to stay awake, she said softly,
"Sleep well, Sung-hun-ssi."
With that, Yeon Sung-hun fully sank into sleep.
Unlike his earlier blackout, this was a peaceful slumber.
The next day, Yeon Sung-hun woke.
The other raid members were up, resting variously.
Kim Jun-su had apparently regained consciousness overnight and bowed repeatedly to the late riser.
He'd heard what happened while out.
No tears, but his face was near weeping with guilt, head bowed low.
No matter what Yeon Sung-hun or the others said—that it wasn't his fault—he showed no improvement.
Unlike Lee Ha-na, not contributing till the end clearly gnawed at him most.
Like her case, time would heal it better than any immediate fix, so Yeon Sung-hun didn't press.
He trusted Kim Jun-su to shake it off and return to normal soon, like before.
With Yeon Sung-hun finally up, the full team began proper cleanup.
Choi Yeon-ah, Han So-yul, and Lee Ha-na had sorted some, but plenty remained.
The very purpose and goal of this ruin dive.
Everyone's faces lit up checking the gains—except Kim Jun-su's.
"Jackpot! Jackpot! Look at this, Oppa! Fucking insane!"
"So-yul, you... where do you even learn words like that...?"
"Jeez! I picked 'em up from Unnie ages ago!"
"You! Spreading rumors—!"
"Ask A-reum Unnie! Her mouth was so foul back then—!"
Choi Yeon-ah quietly subdued the cheekily chattering Han So-yul.
At an astonishing speed he'd never seen before.
Yeon Sung-hun chuckled at the sight, then smiled warmly at the piled treasures.
The ordeal was worth it.
True to the precautions, everything here was top-tier.
Some plain jewelry or gear, but plenty of astonishing pieces that made the hardship fade.
Top among them: the magic sword the doll wielded.
Appraisal needed for details, but even a rough scan screamed extraordinary.
Comparable to Choi Yeon-ah's beloved 'Daeha'?
The ruin dive paid off with this alone.
And the gains didn't end here.
Not fully inventoried yet, but worthy of a king's tomb.
With pleased faces, Yeon Sung-hun and the team carefully packed the haul.
Detailed checks would wait till outside the rift.
They couldn't gauge true value anyway.
Thus, the ruin conquest ended successfully.
Retracing their steps, Yeon Sung-hun's group exited the ruin.
One thing left.
The sand worm.