Chapter 157
Chapter 157
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 157
Chapter Title: Clearing the Tutorial
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⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ One-Time Use Voucher Acquired! The few clues I had pieced together in my mind, rapidly forming an unwanted conclusion.
In the end, time had passed.
Suddenly, I recalled Baekseol throwing a massive fit inside, demanding to know what she'd been doing for so much time to pass.
Running my hand over the desk, I could tell it had been well-maintained.
Which meant an extreme amount of time hadn't gone by.
After the Vajra Immortal's trial ended, Baekseol had mentioned that a long time had passed.
Was this connected to that?
My head felt all tangled up.
─Tss, tss.
"Hoo─"
Lily would have nagged me about smoking in the room making it smell, but now there wasn't even anyone to scold me.
You have to realize early on that the nagging from someone precious is full of affection.
Otherwise, only belated regret comes knocking.
That was a story Grandpa Herman told me while stroking my hair.
─Waaah!!
A shout loud enough to snap me out of my reverie came from the window.
Opening the window and looking out, I saw two groups of people facing off.
Leaping out the window and rushing over, the scene came into sharper focus.
This wasn't a standoff; the balance of power was off, and one side was being crushed.
Flames rose from spots all over the buildings, acrid smoke stinging my nose as it passed.
Pulling up my combat senses expanded my vision, making everything crystal clear.
The fishy stench of blood cut through the thick smoke.
People screamed as they swung sharp weapons at each other, lusting after one another's blood.
And amid it all, I spotted a familiar face.
A child with light green hair bouncing around every which way.
Lily.
And then, someone in heavy plate armor swinging a weapon at Lily.
"Stop!!"
Boom!
No matter how hard I stomped the ground, it wasn't nearly enough.
Too slow.
⚡ SKILL ACTIVATED ⚡ [Swift Gale's Ria Lv.5] ⚡ SKILL ACTIVATED ⚡ [Strong Gale's Ria Lv.10] ⚡ SKILL ACTIVATED ⚡ [Whirlwind's Ria Lv.15] Still too slow.
⚡ SKILL ACTIVATED ⚡ Light bursts forth. The cluster of light condensing beneath my feet swells to a blinding size.
⚔ STATUS ⚔ ⟨Hermes' Sneakers meet the conditions⟩ ⟨Sprouting wings begins⟩ ⚡ SKILL ACTIVATED ⚡ [Mad Gale's Ria Lv.20] ● Traces of divinity dwell within
○ Divinity is accumulating
○ Wings are sprouting
◈ Side Breeze
◈ Hemp Breeze
◈ Sky Breeze
◈ High Fresh Breeze
◈ One Gust of Mad Wind
Equipment level rises with stacked purchases
[Owner: Han Ga-eul (Heavenly Peach)]
[Remaining Funds: 6.41353 billion won] Gathering strength in my legs, I stomped the ground, and my body accelerated.
The wind ahead split apart, while a fierce gust pushed from behind.
I became one with the wind.
In a single step, the mad gale surged.
⟨One Gust of Mad Wind⟩
The ground folded beneath me as my body shot forward.
📜 NOTIFICATION 📜 《The Sky Paradise Bird Kalavinka rejoices in the raging mad gale》 [Kalavinka's Sky blooms] By the time I came to my senses, I'd instantly arrived before the knight in heavy plate who had seemed so far away.
The people around and the knight swinging at Lily all had their eyes go wide.
Through the visor, I saw sly, narrow eyes.
⚡ SKILL ACTIVATED ⚡ [Heavy Strike infuses the blow] ⟨Super Heavy Strike!!⟩
─Kwaaaang!!
The knight's helmet crumpled under my fist and slammed into the ground.
Kwagagak─!
The pent-up wind finally burst free, unleashing a deafening roar that tore at my ears.
"Sis!!"
"Oops."
Lily, who'd been blinking in shock, threw herself into my arms.
"Sis! Sis!"
"Yeah, yeah. It's sis."
Patting her small back, she started bawling as relief finally hit her.
My chest grew damp.
"Waaah! Siiiis!!"
"Yeah, sis is right here."
The more I stroked her back, the harder she cried.
I wanted to comfort her more, but the situation was dire.
The fight had only paused briefly thanks to the knight I'd dropped.
"Lily, be good and stay back, okay?"
"Yeah!"
Lily nodded vigorously.
The kid who'd always tried to act grown-up was finally throwing a tantrum like a child should.
This suited her much better.
But true to her smarts, she slowly pulled her face away.
"Sis..."
"Yeah. I'll be careful?"
"Mhm."
She sniffled from crying so hard.
Stroking her head once, she scampered back.
"Be careful, milady. The one in the center is an Imperial Guardian Knight."
A gravelly old voice from behind. Turning, it was the old woman who'd read my fortune last time.
The Grand Elder, I think. Her face was a mess from the fierce battle.
The one she pointed to wore gleaming armor.
"You don't touch kids. You fucking bastard."
Stepping forward, sharp winds enveloped my body.
⟨One Gust of Mad Wind⟩
I closed the distance to the so-called Imperial Knight in an instant.
Even at a speed no normal person could track, his eyes followed me, rolling lazily.
⚡ SKILL ACTIVATED ⚡ [Heavy Strike infuses the blow] ⟨Super Heavy Strike!!⟩
"Tutorial trash mob fucker!"
─Kwaaaang!!
He raised what looked like a sturdy gauntlet to block my punch, sliding back with a screech.
"...Impressive."
Staring at his dented gauntlet, he turned a cool gaze my way.
Splat!
My chest burned hot.
Blood poured from a gash deep enough to expose bone across my chest.
I hadn't even seen the attack.
Pain hit late.
Sometime in there, a long sword had appeared in his right hand.
"Ha."
The Full Moon Tree Clan had high mana affinity across the board, so the Imperials had been periodically abducting them.
This bastard nearly subjected Lily to human experimentation.
I'd almost failed to protect her.
The pain from the sword mark on my chest quieted. My insides twisted.
Thump.
Thump.
My heart pounded wildly.
At the same time, clumps of black smoke billowed from my body.
A phenomenon I'd seen once before. At the ship party, from that old hag called the Great Mother.
📜 NOTIFICATION 📜 《War God Asura delights》 [Asura's Ferocious Murder God blooms] "Guh!"
The guy before me was stronger than any human I'd faced.
For the first time, the leisure on this powerhouse's face faltered as he stepped back.
His eyes bulged as he resisted the black energy; blood-red tears streamed from burst vessels.
⚡ SKILL ACTIVATED ⚡ A ear-splitting screech rang out as I swung my hand. 📜 NOTIFICATION 📜 《Vajra Immortal who lifts heaven and earth nods》 [Vajra Immortal's Heavenly Might blooms] [Mahuraga's Molting blooms] ⚔ STATUS ⚔ [Stamina Lv.9 ▶ Mighty Power Lv.1] [Mighty Power Lv.1]
▷ Muscle Strength Increase [☆]
▷ Cardiopulmonary Endurance Increase [☆]
▷ Muscle Endurance Increase [☆]
▷ Agility Increase [☆]
▷ Tenacity Increase [☆]
▷ Balance Increase [☆]
▷ Flexibility Increase [☆]
▶ Diamond Force
▶ Regeneration
▶ Heavenly Might
▶ Yang Force
▶ Crushing Force
▶ Brutal Force
Skill level rises with stacked purchases
[Price: 1.024 billion won]
[Remaining Funds: 5.90153 billion won] ⚔ STATUS ⚔ [Body grows] 📜 NOTIFICATION 📜 《Great Serpent Mahuraga, severing folly, rejoices and devours Mount Tai》 《Sky Paradise Bird Kalavinka clutches its nape, seeing the vanished nest》 ⚔ STATUS ⚔ [Body imbalances are resolved] [Body becomes more sturdy] [Body becomes more steadfast] In that interval, the knight had forcibly shaken off the black energy and raised his sword.
Activating慧眼 in time this time, I could see the sword path I'd missed before weaving through the air.
Still fast.
Now I understood why there'd been so many warnings.
I wondered what bastard named this place 'Tutorial'.
Lost in thought, the blade was already nearing my throat.
I parried the blade,
Thud.
And drove my fist into his side.
─Kwaang!
He slid back again from the hit.
Gross bastard.
I hadn't put full power in my haste, but him blocking it again made him feel like a monster.
Paang!
Just one level up in the skill, and my body felt light as air.
"Hoo."
Stomping the ground and charging, he hastily corrected his crumbling balance.
─Kwaaaang!!
"Guh! Monster...!"
"Gift below."
Pointing at his feet, his gaze drifted down.
Kwaang─!!
Hit square in the legs by a Triple Heat Grenade, he flew back again.
Scanning around for the situation, I spotted the downed plate knight nearby.
Grabbing his ankle crumpled the greave.
Kuduk k kuduk!
"Kaaaaak!"
"Haha."
Dragging him straight toward the Imperial Knight, who was still kicking.
"I got a sword too."
The Imperial Knight, dazed from the grenade, saw his ally dragged over and his pupils shook.
"Hup! Friend Sword!"
Kwaang!
"Aaaak!!"
Swinging the held knight like a weapon, metal clashed against metal in a shower of sparks.
"Friend Swordplay!"
Kwang!
"Guh!"
Kwang!
Kwang!
Kwang!
The knight in my grip grew quieter.
Blood and flesh oozed from inside his armor.
From swinging wildly, the blade had dulled.
"Fun."
Tossing aside the useless sword, I approached the Imperial Knight, who was breathing raggedly.
Still alive, it seemed.
Click.
Pulling off his helmet revealed a handsome middle-aged man.
The term 'hot middle-aged guy' seemed made for him.
Only now did I recall this damn training ground's start was a romance fantasy.
"Mister. Snap out of it."
Speaking to him, he met my eyes while heaving breaths.
"You the Imperial Guardian Knight?"
"...Ha."
"Ha?"
Pinching his cheek made his mouth gape.
"Quit the 'ha' bullshit. Gonna yank your teeth, patient."
Crunch.
"A─ Ah!!"
Crunch!
"Aaaah!!"
"Quit whining, bastard. So, are you the Guardian Knight?"
"......"
"Useless fuck."
"...Grant me a glorious death."
"Glorious my ass. I'm ripping out all your friends' spines, got it?"
For a moment, a spark flared in the fading eyes of the Imperial Knight.
"I... was once part of the Imperial Guardian Knights. After retirement, I took up this work."
"This work? Kidnapping, right?"
The knight slowly nodded.
"Since I'm on my way out anyway... I'll tell you everything. So please, spare my subordinates."
"Don't need it, mister."
That last spark faded as he lost focus again.
Placing my foot slowly on his throat, he smiled as if relieved.
"Fuck off."
Wooduk!
Crushing the throat guard crushed everything inside too.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ <Tutorial Cleared> <Returning in 100 seconds> "What?"
I'd planned to storm the Hongmun, get the antidote.
Use that to clear slowly, but suddenly it ended.
The Tutorial's final battle meant vengeance.
Lily was the avenger, target the humans who kidnapped her parents.
Putting together what I knew, the knight whose neck I just crushed was the culprit who took Lily's parents.
How long had he been at this? Felt too easy a send-off.
"What about Lily then?"
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ <Calculating rewards> "You fucker, what about Lily!!"
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ <Returning in 90 seconds> Grind.
My teeth ground together.
Sudden end screen left me clueless.
My head spun.
"Time! Fix the time first!"
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ <Forcibly calculating rewards> <Reassembling the misaligned axis of time> <Returning in 80 seconds> "Hoo."
A sigh of relief escaped me.
Then someone tugged my hem.
"Sis..."
"Lily."
Kneeling and spreading my arms, Lily hugged me.
"Sorry I was late."
"Yeah."
"I overslept."
"...Yeah."
All I could do was repeat my apologies.
"Sorry."
"Hic... Yeah."
"Sorry."
"Hic."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ <Returning in 70 seconds> "Lily. Give sis a kiss."
Mwah.
Pressing my cheek to her tear-streaked face, I felt her soft lips press and pull away.
Salty.
"Haha, you kissed sis's mouth? Thanks."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ <Returning in 60 seconds> Sniffling, Lily hugged me again.
"Candy."
"Right, sis still has candy for you?"
Lily nodded eagerly.
"Finish this, then sis'll feed you candy?"
"Mhm."
The world looked sad.
Rubbing her cheeks to wipe her tears only brought fresh ones like chicken droppings.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ <Returning in 50 seconds> "Lily, sis'll clean up quick and come back. Wait just a bit."
"Mhm."
As I tried to stand, she pouted and teared up.
Still, I had to do what needed doing.
Knowing I could intervene a bit in rewards meant next time I could fix things.
And this shitty training ground wasn't fully over, so I could see Lily again anytime.
But first, clean up so her temp home wasn't filthy.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ <Returning in 40 seconds> 40 seconds was plenty to mop up the remnants.
Once blood was spilled, the second came easy.
True to tutorial monsters, they tore off with little effort.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ <Reward calculation complete> <Reward downgraded due to intervention during calculation> <Reward: One Sniff of Great Replenishing Pill Voucher> "Fuck."