Chapter 134
Chapter 134
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 134
Chapter Title: First Raid
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"Gyaargh!!"
—Boom!!
As the copper golem's fist grazed past my body and slammed into the ground, the earth tore open.
Thank goodness it was slow. That thing would've killed me for real if it had hit.
"Snowy, what do we do about that? It's a monster."
"Smash it!"
"That?"
—Clang! Clang!
"Damn it."
It smashed its fists together like it was putting on a show. Every time it did, a chill ran down my spine.
"That's just a golem."
It looked well over four meters tall.
"Huh... a golem?"
A massive, sluggish body, but each strike packed the power of a heavy weapon.
"Core, core! It's the core."
"Hot!"
"Not that kind."
But how?
—Thud! Boom!
As I kept retreating, the thing went berserk.
Even a glancing blow would rip me apart.
Usually, those kinds of monsters have a power source embedded in their head or chest.
"Stick your tongue out like this."
"Snowy, it's not because it's hot. I mean the golem's core."
"Huff, huff."
"That's a doggy."
A speed battle?
It's comical from afar, but up close, that speed is no joke.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Grabbed the bottle in hand and hurled it. The glass shattered against the golem's leg, splattering its contents all over its body. "Take this, taste some good old Korean sesame oil!"
Crash!
Crash!
Crash!
A nutty aroma filled the air.
"I'm hungry."
"We just ate."
I'd hoped it might slip, but no such luck.
I'd just turned it into a ridiculously nutty golem.
Everything I'd learned rolling around in the training grounds so far was that it was trying to make me grow.
Which meant this thing would drop if I met the right condition.
—Hiss, hiss.
"Hoo—"
Its arms were decently fast, but its movement speed was slow due to the weight.
The footprints carved into the ground showed just how immense that weight was.
Getting behind it to attack seemed impossible too. The swing range of those arms was too wide.
"Hmm. Looks metallic. Should I try freezing it?"
"Yeah!"
I didn't know if Snowy understood, but she agreed anyway.
If that heavy metal body suddenly contracted from the cold, its movements would be restricted.
Even a slight twist would cause a domino effect of massive damage.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Chilly Potion Recipe Holy Water Ice Luckily, the ingredients were available from the shop, but I couldn't understand why that damn holy water kept showing up in everything.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Holy Water (Holy Water) 5ml Water filled with holy power. Price: 40,000,000 won We were at a point where I had to pinch every penny, and this was way too expensive.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Delicious Water 500ml The saying 'you gain weight just drinking water' only applies after you've tried this. A single drop of holy water is subtly mixed in. Price: 4,200,000 won "No choice. Bootleg holy water it is."
Even in this mess, the golem was thudding closer.
I had to keep backpedaling.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ A large cauldron materialized before my eyes as I activated the Alchemy skill. ⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Ice 3kg Price: 4,000 won I tore open the ice bag and dumped it into the cauldron, then added the delicious water.
Glug, glug, glug.
"Ugh, this is infuriating."
The narrow mouth made the water pour out at a snail's pace.
I spun the bottle to create a whirlpool, and only then did it flow faster.
"Alchemy!"
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Alchemy in progress ■□□□... The golem chasing me sped up like it was feverish.
"Hurry up!"
Bang!
Smoke billowed from the cauldron.
With only two ingredients, it finished faster than expected.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Alchemy Major Failure Lukewarm Potion As I checked the result, the moonlight suddenly dimmed, casting a huge shadow.
—Boom!!
"Aaagh!!"
"Fun!"
Dirt and sand flew everywhere.
"It's do or die now."
A lukewarm bottle gripped in my hand.
Crash!
Its size made it easy to hit even with a casual toss.
The golem glanced at the shattered potion spot on its body, then resumed stomping forward as if nothing happened.
—Thud!
"Wow, crap."
I summoned the cauldron again and shoved in more ingredients.
"Alchemy!"
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Alchemy Failure Somewhat Cool Potion "Quit screwing around for real."
As I examined the failed potion, Snowy, curious, scurried down to my shoulder and poked at it.
"That's dangerous."
In frustration, I chucked the potion, and it burst against the approaching golem.
"Grruuu..."
"What."
The golem suddenly froze and made a weird noise.
"What'd you say?"
"Soo... somewhat cool, grrruuu...!"
"Shit."
—Boom!!
"Please, just once. Alchemy!"
Bang!
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Alchemy Success Chilly Potion A potion so cold it chilled my hand just holding it appeared. White smoke leaked from the bottle cap.
"Eat this!"
Crash!
Crack.
Crack.
The exploded potion on the golem's belly spewed white smoke, flash-freezing its massive body.
Crunch, crunch.
—Thud!
A grating sound came from the golem's body as its movements slowed.
Through the frost-covered chest, something glowing bright red was visible.
That's it.
I stomped the ground, and a pale green wind split the air, propelling me forward.
[Gale]
Bang!
My body accelerated.
The closer I got to the golem, the more it loomed like a mountain.
Reaching its foot, the golem tried to grab me with its frozen arm.
[Skyward Gale]
I stepped on the wind, accelerating at a right angle.
Bang!
Dodging the arm, I launched into the air toward its chest.
No ground to push off meant no power.
Skyward Gale again.
The wind condensed beneath my feet.
Stomped the wind, planted my foot.
True Step.
I gathered all my strength into my fist.
"Hngh!"
—Boom!!
The recoil pushed my body back.
Crack!
A cracking sound came from the golem's chest.
Still, its red eyes gleamed, so it wasn't enough.
I stomped Skyward Gale in midair again, accelerating into a charge at the golem.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Heavy Strike infuses the blow [Super Heavy Strike!]
"Die already, please!"
—Booooom!!
"Haa, haa."
The golem's eyes dimmed, and its massive body toppled backward.
Boom!
Flowers crushed, grass clippings scattered.
"Whoa, whoa! Got it! I really got it!"
Approaching the golem cautiously, it showed no sign of moving.
The first raid was a huge success.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ +500,000 won Experience +25 Growth Rate: 25% Seeing the experience pop up in my status window confirmed I'd cleared the raid.
"Whoa, raid reward is 500,000 won and 25% experience?"
In a scenario where ten lives wouldn't be enough, who was this for?
I'd have been thrilled back in the day, but times had changed.
"This isn't a trash mob, right?"
"Yeah."
"Right?"
Giving 25% experience meant it definitely wasn't trash.
I didn't know who made it, but the temperature-sensitive metal material was my advantage and the key to clearing this raid.
Approaching the fallen golem, a nutty smell wafted up.
Frozen sesame oil clung thickly to its lower body.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Sesame Seeds 1kg Fresh Korean sesame seeds. Price: 38,000 won "Nutty, so nutty."
Sprinkling sesame seeds on top of the nutty golem made it even nuttier.
As I sprinkled, Snowy scurried down and poked the bag.
"Wanna try, Snowy?"
"Yeah!"
I scooped a handful and held it out; she used her tiny paws to sprinkle sesame seeds on the golem.
She wanted to try everything I did.
"Gotta make it nutty."
"Nuuutty."
The golem topped with sesame seeds was a total mess.
Was this really the raid reward?
Golem sesame oil frozen salad.
—Hiss, hiss.
"Hoo—"
Cigarette smoke drifted pleasantly.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Gluttony devours the foe Crunch!
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ +500,000 won Experience +25 Growth Rate: 25% Snowy, who had been poking the golem, startled as it vanished and leaped into the air.
Catching her as she floated, her eyes were wide open.
"Puhuhu. Surprised?"
"Yeah!"
What I'd learned from this raid: I needed to level up Alchemy, and Alchemy was a money-devouring monster.
But there was one MVP.
"Hoo—"
The training grounds seemed to want to teach me something while pushing me to grow constantly.
It mostly taught power usage, but not through knowledge—through making me work for it physically.
"But I have to do this again?"
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Growth Rate: 50% Water costs alone were 12.6 million won.
"Water bill's making me dizzy."
I'd earned a million total, so still an 11.6 million deficit.
Time to find a new skill?
"Dunno."
"Dunno."
Snowy mimicked me like a habit.
Grabbing her as she rolled on my head, her ears perked up.
"Fluffy ball."
"Yeah!"
"Another bowl of ramen?"
"Yay!"
There must be a real black hole in my fluffy ball's tummy.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ 🔔 Han Ga-eul has started streaming ⚔️ Comments — [⚔️ One Lion Roaaaaar!!!] [⚔️Guild Master!!! Raise the sword!!!] "I already did."
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