Chapter 182
Chapter 182
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 182
Chapter Title: The Clock Tattoo
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Still, this time there was no need to hold out for long.
It took about ten days. Panting heavily, I wiped the sweat dripping from my forehead and let out a laugh.
"Feels refreshing."
As expected, taking down a big one takes a lot of time. Sure, it was a weird-looking freak, but with that massive size, it qualifies as a big one.
"Hey, hey, snap out of it. Are your eyes glazing over?"
With all those compound eyes, who could even tell if they were glazing over or not?
Looking at how it was gasping like it was on its last breath, it seemed like it needed a ventilator shoved down its throat or something.
But not yet.
"Doesn't matter. I'm not attacking right now."
I needed to burn it a bit more. No way I wouldn't notice it desperately hanging on, trying to land at least one hit somehow.
―You persistent... bastard.
Finally, either giving up completely or going for a last-ditch strike against me. I'd been blocking it nonstop until now, and I'd seen this coming—I wasn't about to take the hit.
"It's over."
With a thud, Narun collapsed to the side. Of course, I hadn't even twitched a finger. I'd just silently maintained the blue trajectory's vibrations, watching it all the while.
―There are still seven more left.
"I know. The fact that I get to play with seven more freaks like you? Thrilling."
I replied in a deadpan tone, and it let out a low chuckle.
"What's so funny when you're about to croak? What, are you actually the weakest of the Great Eight?"
Don't give me that cliché development.
―We've long surpassed the realm where we can be compared by strength or weakness.
It seemed like there was more it wanted to say, but it held back.
Anyway, in a voice like its breath was failing, it painfully continued.
―You fools have no idea why we've come here.
"Yeah, no clue, and I don't care. Just get lost."
I'm not asking for much. Just leave us alone. Though I doubt words would make it go.
Narun fell silent. Its breathing gradually slowed. Death was closing in.
―…
Narun's massive body, now a monster, began melting away, turning into a sticky liquid.
I erased all the blue trajectories. Narun was dead. And with this, Gonsarok—one of the Great Eight infamous for its tenacity—had met its end.
"So, I'm curious what the reward actually is."
A box appeared before my eyes. Proof that the Erosion Core was completely finished.
"Light?"
Inside the box wasn't a ring or bracelet, but a cluster of light. And that light, as if waiting, got sucked straight into the back of my hand. In that instant, it felt like my entire hand was burning.
I grimaced, enduring the pain. This light wasn't harmful. Just painful, like a shot—hurts but not dangerous.
Hearing the voice echo up to that point left me stunned for a moment. For a brief moment, become the strongest being I knew of?
"That's me."
The strongest I knew? No one but myself. It said "brief," but how brief exactly? That's the key.
What a messed-up ratio. On the back of my hand, a faint white-glowing clock tattoo had been etched—a clock with only an hour hand.
I got the gist. Once it's full, I can use 12 seconds.
"Dizzying."
12 seconds. No, in a real pinch, even 1 second would suffice. Plus, checking now, it started me off with a full 12 seconds right away.
"In a situation like this, most would probably turn into Narun."
Not transforming into an imaginable strongest, but the known strongest. Naturally, among beings hunters have faced so far, Narun was the top.
I'm just the weird case.
"Man, handing something like this to me is troublesome."
Recalling the Paradox Flame takes at least 2 seconds.
In other words, to use Paradox Flame, I need to secure at least 2 seconds or more.
If I revert to my past self, control the flame, then snap back to now, control would slip—and Earth would suffer big time.
A sensation like my hair being yanked blurred my vision. When I came to, I was back where Gonsarok's Erosion Core had existed.
And from Jeong No-hun's sub-space that I'd brought along, people started pouring out.
"Why are you all so clean?"
I eyed the nine hunters with a hint of dissatisfaction. Han Sang-ah answered.
"We figured something like this might happen, so we convinced Jeong No-hun to stock the sub-space with shower supplies and deodorizers."
Choi Yeoreum boiled water, and they took turns bathing, apparently.
Plus, food waste and filth from using the bathroom? All dried crisp by Choi Yeoreum's flames, pulverized by Sung Si-hoon, then vacuum-sealed by Jeong No-hun.
"Damn it, some of us are suffering out here while you lived like kings in a hotel."
The hunters looked a bit guilty at my words. They all knew I looked like a beggar after days of fighting.
"Looks like everyone got their marks."
They all nodded. I was curious about the other hunters' tattoos, but didn't ask.
Folks like Sung Si-hoon, Choi Yeoreum, or Jang Tae-seok were just temporary allies with a common goal.
Han Sang-ah, Jeong No-hun, or Lee Se-eun might tell me, but no way the others would spill their rewards.
But I did check the effects on my friendly hunters' tattoos.
Han Sang-ah: Abundance. When activated, unlimited mana for a set time.
Lee Se-eun: Mercy. Gradually heals nearby friendlies. Costs 3 months of the effect for a powerful heal—restores to full as long as you're not dead.
Jeong No-hun: Retribution. Lights up the tattoo with each attack. When full, auto-consumes it all for an unavoidable strike.
Seems the ruling process as king influenced the power they got. Whatever it was, clearly potent.
"Having fun?"
An unfamiliar voice whispered in my ear. Eerie and unpleasant. Turning my gaze made my head throb.
A purple bubble in humanoid shape, draped in golden rags, floated in the air. The bubble frothed endlessly, popping and reforming.
"Wh-what... is that thing?"
Choi Yeoreum clutched her head, staggering as she muttered.
"The ecstatic chaos beyond comprehension. Capricious amalgamations, perplexing distortions with utterly deceptive illusions."
"Speak Korean, you punk."
What the hell was that gibberish? My headache was worsening. It was the kind from perceiving something beyond grasp—my brain rejecting recognition the moment it registered.
"Oh, too perplexing? Then simpler."
Han Sang-ah staggered as she spoke.
"I've... seen your kind before. You're a Shadow Eye Club monster."
I shot Han Sang-ah a glance, then back at it.
I lightly tugged the golden rags on the bubbling foam and gave a casual greeting.
"Simple reason for coming. Got something to handle right now."
As it spoke, moving its hand, the other hunters' bodies got bound in purple bubbles. It glanced at my tattoo.
"You'll have to use up all your tattoo's reserves right here. Yoo Chan-seok, right? You're holding up well."
I stared at it, then burst out laughing in disbelief.
"Use it all? You sure you can handle it?"
It snickered at my words.
"That power's strong, but 12 seconds? Manageable."
This thing thought using the power meant facing Narun.
"No Erosion Zone, yet here you are. How?"
"A little loophole. Details are secret~"
Damn pest. I fiddled with the tattoo briefly.
"Use it all? If you survive, sure."
"No problem, I said. Why can't you just believe—"
My Paradox Flame-wrapped body vanished, reappearing before it, uppercutting its chin.
Its body rocketed skyward like a missile, and I leaped after it.
"End."
You fool—even without a spear, current me's fine. Shame it has no face to show surprise. Catching up, I smashed down with my fist.
The plummeting purple bubble trailed a comet-like tail, burning up alive.
Leaving one blue trajectory as a foothold, I returned to Chinese soil. Paradox Flame burned off the impact, no collateral damage.
"12 seconds, my ass."
Took about 4.3 seconds. Against Narun, definitely over 12.
"Wh-where'd that purple bubble go?"
Sung Si-hoon blankly scanned around. Over before they knew what hit.
"Just an uninvited guest. Business done, it went home on its own."
No reason to explain details to Sung Si-hoon. He's keeping his tattoo's effect secret from me too.
Thus ended the minor commotion. Testing the tattoo felt... ambiguous.
12 seconds is too short. Narun could tank it and get wrecked, but it'd survive. Then back to current me. And refilling? A whole year.
Problem is, these monster scum won't wait politely a year just 'cause I need it.
Life's like that—quiet when you're ready, crises when you're not.
Realistically, treat it as a one-use item that recovers bit by bit. Use 0.5-second bursts to dodge death. Emergency tool only.
Bet on it—0.5 seconds is plenty. Confident I can evade or block anything.
Best not over-rely on gear anyway. And hey, it's like carrying 24 extra lives.
I clapped once and addressed the other hunters.
"Alright, time to head home in triumph."
We crushed Gonsarok. Plus, I wiped out an undead legion teleporting to Seoul mid-fight.
Can't wait to see what's waiting back home.
"Han Sang-ah, Jeong No-hun."
On the boat ride back, I called them over.
"What's up?"
Han Sang-ah asked. I looked at them both.
"I ruled as king in Sunhyeon for a full 10 years."
They exchanged glances, faces saying they had no idea what I was on about.
"We did too."
"No, for real. Straight-up 10 years."
Jeong No-hun's jaw dropped.
"You maniac. Wonder what a shrink would diagnose you with."
"...Want me to spill what I remember?"
Han Sang-ah nailed exactly what I was after. On the way back, as they shared stories, I focused on reviving my hazy memories.