Chapter 131
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 131
Chapter Title: The Ancient Guardian
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Merhen Castle Training Grounds.
In the center of the training grounds, Ha-jin lay sprawled out, gasping for breath.
"Tch, that's enough for today. Tomorrow will be even tougher, so brace yourself."
"Yes, sir...!"
"Hmph, at least your response has some spirit."
Karyan sheathed his wooden sword and left the training grounds.
Hidden: Dark Lord.
To obtain it, he needed to receive a quest from Karyan, but the man was still just pushing Ha-jin relentlessly.
He hadn't issued the quest yet.
'Why won't he tell me about the memoirs?'
When curiosity got the better of him and he asked, the answer was always the same.
"What?! You think you can approach the Dark Lord with that rotten potential? You've lost your mind completely!"
And then the training intensity ramped up even more.
"This isn't easy...."
Ha-jin whispered to Jeong Hoon.
Whisper: zlJongHaJin12 - Hoon: Hey, what are you up to? Is the footage turning out good?
But no whisper came back.
This guy isn't logged out?
Is he super busy?
Whatever. I need to rest a bit first.
Ha-jin logged out immediately, his body too exhausted to keep playing.
He needed to sleep early to make training on time the next day.
Whirr Whirr
Before surrendering to bed, he turned on his smartphone, which he'd left off for a while, and notification bombs exploded.
Most of them were from Jang Dae-hwi.
"What's up with Dae-hwi hyung? Why so many messages?"
Ha-jin was dead tired, but he called Jang Dae-hwi first.
The call connected quickly.
Hey! Why haven't you been picking up?!
"Ah... sorry. I've been really busy lately...."
And what's with your voice? Are you sick or something?
"I haven't been sleeping properly...."
His eyes felt like they could close any second.
Don't freak out... Guess how many subscribers our YouTube channel hit?
"How many...."
If it grew a lot, maybe 200-300k?
The enhancement skill Jeong Hoon got was sensational even to him.
It was more than enough to draw attention.
900k.
At "900k," his drooping eyes snapped half-open.
He was shocked, sure, but he didn't even have the energy to fully open them.
"...For real?"
Yeah! That raid boss just melted... What the hell is your friend's deal?
"Melted the raid boss... Damn."
Hoon, what trick did you pull this time?
Guy's always something else.
The place is blowing up! Comments are flooding in, and even named guilds want to scout you all!
Jang Dae-hwi's voice brimmed with excitement.
"Oh, by the way, Hoon's already in a guild, so no."
What? He's in one? Which?
"Hoyoung."
Whoa... Hoyoung? Oh, that explains why they weren't showing interest.
"Ugh... Anyway, let me sleep. I'm wiped."
He needed to crash soon.
Only then could he survive Karyan's training tomorrow.
Hey! The real important stuff is coming up...
"What? Ads...? If that's it, I'm rejecting them all, so no need to convince me...."
What?! Do you know how big this is?!
"I'm rejecting anyway.... Our channel's just for tips. It's not about making money...."
No... even so....
"Hanging up. I might actually pass out...."
Ha-jin ended the call and fell asleep instantly.
Something's off.
Birsin hadn't been able to shake the unease since earlier.
"Hold on."
He finally stopped Jeong Hoon, who was walking ahead.
"What's wrong?"
"It's weird. When I came in, it wasn't this big."
He remembered clearly, even if it was a year ago.
The mine hadn't been this expansive.
They'd already disarmed three traps and pressed on.
By his memory, the Cheonui Ore should have appeared by now.
"Let's keep going for now."
"...Got it."
Birsin nodded with a troubled expression.
What's his deal?
'He looks full of worries.'
Mukho and Anima seemed bothered by Birsin's face too.
'Probably because the mine's changed.'
Cheoncheon Mine.
This mine wasn't just revealing hidden traps.
When Birsin entered back then, 90 of the mine had been deactivated, letting him reach the Cheonui Ore quickly.
But touching the stele activated the traps, unburying the mine and bringing it to 100.
'Five more traps ahead.'
Opening the entrance door was just the start.
The second had the floor cave in, shooting arrows.
The third narrowed the walls suddenly, nearly suffocating them.
But five more traps remained.
Resisting poison.
Right.
The next was poison.
A faint sour scent hit themthat was the poison.
'An unavoidable trap.'
Jeong Hoon shrugged it off thanks to Poison Immunity, but Birsin, the mineral researcher, couldn't.
"Cough! Cough!"
Suddenly, Birsin behind him clutched his throat in agony.
His eyes bulged red, lips turned purple, foam bubbling at his mouth.
"You okay?!"
As Jeong Hoon moved toward him, Birsin waved him off frantically.
He pulled a vial of clear liquid from his waist pouch and chugged it.
Whoa, that goofy-looking guy's carrying antidotes?
'Looks unprepared, but he's thorough after all.'
Agreed.
Who'd have thought he'd carry antidotes?
"Cough! It's not working... Sa-save...!"
Never mind.
Phrenology is science!
'Yep. Can't ignore science.'
Ignoring the casual banter from Mukho and Anima.
Jeong Hoon rushed to Birsin and checked his condition.
Criticalabout to flatline.
Good thing he'd stocked antidotes from the alchemist district before leaving the capital.
Prepared just in case of traps, and it paid off.
'Mid-grade antidote should do.'
He picked the mid-grade one and fed it to Birsin.
Soon, Birsin's breathing steadied.
Jeong Hoon hoisted him up and got out of there.
"You okay now?"
"Huff... huff... Thanks. Really, thank you...."
Birsin, strength drained, couldn't even stand from his seated spot, just thanking Jeong Hoon nonstop.
"We gotta keep moving. Up you go."
Using Mid-grade Healing.
Jeong Hoon healed Birsin to ease his fatigue a bit.
"Whew, thanks."
He'd somehow endured the first three traps.
But the fourthpoisonhad him convinced he was done.
He finally knew what dying felt like.
Still, no giving up.
With the resolve to see the Cheonui Ore again, Birsin forced his legs to move.
The remaining traps were wildly varied.
One required finding the odd image to open a sealed door.
Another unleashed magic blasts from all directions.
And a curse that insta-killed if not dispelled in 10 minutes.
Of course, Jeong Hoon dismantled them all.
Using Dispel.
He dispelled the curse on himself and Birsin.
"Whoa... Incredible. You can even lift curses."
Birsin now gazed at Jeong Hoon openly with admiration.
NPC Birsin's trust greatly increases.
An exclamation mark flashed over Birsin's head.
Surprise quest completed.
You win the bet.
Acquired Unique Enhancement Stone x22.
They hadn't cleared all traps yet?
Ridiculous, but Birsin promptly admitted defeat and handed over the Unique Enhancement Stones.
"You sure it's okay to give them now?"
"You're gonna clear the next ones anyway, right?"
"Well, can't argue that."
"Then I lost. What more?"
"...."
"Disappointed I paid early? How about another bet? If we reach the Cheonui Ore, I'll give you something better."
A question mark blinked over Birsin's head.
Surprise Quest: Bet with Birsin (2)
-Restriction: User acknowledged by Birsin
-Reward: ??
-Description: Reach the Cheonui Ore.
Loves his bets, this guy.
Jeong Hoon didn't accept yet, just looked at Birsin.
"So what do I bet?"
"Nothing. You win if we reach it; I win if not."
"That so?"
"Accept the bet?"
No reason not to take the quest then.
Jeong Hoon accepted it right away.
"I'll take it."
One trap left.
No room for carelessness, though.
Lv.200 Ancient Guardian
The last was killing a Lv.200 guardian.
In a vast cavern, a guardian the size of an adult man.
But no slacking.
Ancient Guardian begins operating.
Ancient Guardian uses Scan.
Ancient Guardian attempts to copy 'Hoon' user's abilities.
Ancient Guardian copies 'Hoon' user's 'Myeongwang Fist Technique', 'Divine Steps', 'Block', 'Black Field'.
Its ability was absurd: copying all the opponent's skills.
'Can't imagine how shocked I was when a mere Lv.200 copied my skills....'
When they found the Cheonui Ore, Alessandro's level was over 500.
Even veteran Alessandro was stunned when the Ancient Guardian copied him.
Activating Black Field.
Ancient Guardian uses Black Field.
All stats boosted 1.2x.
Monsters invading the Black Field area have all stats reduced 3.
Abilities cancel out.
Jeong Hoon activated Black Field; the guardian did too.
They canceled, fields vanishing.
That was the problem.
The copy not only matched but countered user abilities.
That's why items were key to killing it.
All stats increased 15.
Damage reduction 20 applied.
Duration: 1 hour.
Jeong Hoon used his stat amp ring.
The guardian couldn't activate.
"Raaargh!"
Furious at the item, it charged Jeong Hoon.
Ancient Guardian uses Myeongwang Fist Technique.
Myeongwang energy gathered on its fist.
'Oh ho.'
Jeong Hoon's lip curled.
Clumsy, but definite Myeongwang energy.
Look at it copy. Straight-up cheating, right?
'Cheating?'
Copying someone else's stuff on the sly.
'I see. Good word.'
Jeong Hoon drew Anima and unleashed Divine Steps.
Ancient Guardian uses Divine Steps.
The guardian matched with Divine Steps, closing in tight.
Its Myeongwang Fist Technique rushed at Jeong Hoon's side.
'Myeongwang Fist Technique 1st Dan.'
Jeong Hoon countered with 1st Dan, clashing fists.
Energies canceled, scattering into air.
Crunch.
Same skill, but raw power favored Jeong Hoon.
"This is insane...!"
Birsin gaped.
The outlander he'd pegged as similar was dominating the guardian.
'No, it makes sense.'
Birsin shook his head.
Considering the outlander's feats since entering, no surprise.
Tap.
Jeong Hoon jumped, planted a foot on the guardian's shoulder, backflipped huge, nocked an arrow, and loosed.
It hit the guardian's forehead.
Ancient Guardian uses Block.
Block.
Yeah, after mastering the copied Myeongwang Fist Technique, it'd use the copied Block at this timing.
But that's over now.
"Raaargh!"
Ancient Guardian uses Divine Steps.
Guardian dashed again with Divine Steps.
Jeong Hoon pocketed Anima and met it with Myeongwang Fist Technique.
Ancient Guardian uses Myeongwang Fist Technique.
Guardian mirrored perfectly.
Jeong Hoon pulled his shoulder back, smashed a fist into its face; guardian did the same to his.
But the guardian's fist missed Jeong Hoon's face.
Jeong Hoon had tilted his head aside, barely dodging.
"Huh?"
Smack!
While it blinked in confusion, Jeong Hoon's Myeongwang Fist Technique plunged into its gut.
"Raaargh!"
Guardian swung copied Myeongwang Fist Technique again.
Aimed at Jeong Hoon's gut.
Jeong Hoon guarded with left arm, thrust right to smash its throat.
Using Mid-grade Healing.
Damage to his left arm? Zeroed by mid-grade healing.
The brutal fisticuffs continued.
Jeong Hoon stayed pristine as time ticked; guardian worsened.
He stopped dodging punches entirely.
Using Mid-grade Healing.
Every hit from guardian, instant heal, then pounding with Myeongwang Fist Technique.
Finally, guardian dropped to its knees.
"Uuugh...."
The relentless beatdown ended.
Jeong Hoon drew Leviathan and stabbed its heart, where the core nestled.
Crack.
Core shattered; guardian crumbled.