Chapter 59
Chapter 59
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 59
Chapter Title: Marathon's End
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I heard a faint sound, like something cracking.
The thermometer floating above my head shattered. And the overwhelming heat that had enveloped my body vanished.
"Guess that means my body temperature's back to normal."
When you're struck by hypothermia, you actually feel like stripping off your clothes. The fact that I no longer felt that way meant my temperature had finally stabilized.
Liberation. Han Sang-ah's strike had landed perfectly, proving that the gamble we'd agreed on had paid off.
"Good. Han Sang-ah's done her part."
I spun my spear with a flourish and grinned up at the woman hovering in the air.
"Now it's my turn to do mine."
Thanks to Han Sang-ah's efforts bearing fruit, we'd successfully smashed that creepy thermometer floating over my head.
"I'll melt you down nice and slow."
Han Sang-ah's role was over. That meant it didn't matter if it took days to deal with the monster in front of me. No need to keep a safe distance from it anymore, either.
All the conditions that had restricted my movements were gone.
"Body's not in great shape, though."
After hypothermia, your body doesn't listen properly. It was the price I'd prepared to pay for Han Sang-ah's success. Like the massive gash torn into my side, for instance.
Still, this was nothing. I used my spear to push myself up and straightened my stance.
"Let's see how long you can dance with me."
The exhausted one dies first. I withdrew the Paradox Flame that had been burning away the curse embedded in the ice. For a prolonged battle, I needed to burn something else.
And how much time passed after that?
Finally, the monster facing me stared in utter disbelief. Its regal, queenly poise was marred everywhere by spear gashes and stabs, covered in wounds.
"That's over two weeks now."
Precisely two weeks, two days, and three extra hours. Even the monster, who I'd thought would never change expression, now looked completely drained.
Neither the monster nor I had suffered any fatal blows. But the minor scratches had piled up like steady drizzle.
"I've never seen a mad bastard fight like you... Even if a cockroach and a leech mated, I doubt something like you would crawl out."
It had fiercely pressed me at first, but now it didn't even have the strength left.
"They say life is a marathon."
A wave of drowsiness suddenly washed over me. I ignited Paradox Flame on my body to burn it away, then slowly advanced, spear aimed at the enemy before me.
"Farewell."
With a whoosh, the spear extended and pierced the monster's heart. Impaled on the shaft, it stared blankly at the spear through its chest, then muttered in disbelief.
"Die of exhaustion? I'd braced for death someday in my life, but this..."
It muttered in astonishment, then its body began turning to ice from the toes up. Toes, calves, thighs, hips, abdomen, chest... Slowly freezing over, until its entire body was encased in ice.
Then it crumbled and scattered. The expression on the falling ice shards was one of utter futility.
"Sorry I couldn't give you a heart-pounding fight."
That's just not my style. Everyone who's truly fought me has always left the world with dissatisfied looks. Probably because it wasn't the end they wanted.
I adjusted the spear back to dagger length and hooked it to my belt.
"Oh, a box."
A crunching sound rose from the ground as snow surged up, forming a massive chest.
"Looks like it's over."
After two weeks of silence, Han Sang-ah's voice crackled over the radio.
"Hey, I thought you were dead."
She replied to my words.
"I'd already done my part. Calling would've just distracted you from the fight."
So she just chilled without a word for two weeks? What a character.
"Open your box."
I wasn't the only one clearing an Erosion Core. She must have one too.
"After all this hell, it better not be a spam set."
I slowly opened the box.
"A ring."
Platinum adorned with sapphires. I drew on my knowledge to inspect it, then let out a small sigh.
"Damn. What kind of pervert made this."
Slip it on, and sharp needles shoot out from the inside, stabbing into your finger and taking root. Long enough to pierce the bone.
It'll hurt like hell, but endure the brief pain and you're done. And the effect you get in exchange is top-tier.
"The Amulet of Dominion, right?"
In my previous world, there was an item by that name. A magic tool that forced you to the ground, unable to even lift your head if you failed to resist its power.
This ring works the same. The moment I will it, it exerts force to freeze the target.
And opponents without a proper counter melt into a frozen statue in seconds.
Even if they resist successfully, they have to keep resisting the ring's power while fighting me.
It instantly freezes anyone below a certain level, and constrains the movements of those above it.
The best part? It completely seals off one of the enemy's strategies.
"No herding me with numbers."
They can't overwhelm with sheer quantity. Any swarm tactic inevitably includes weaker members, and those won't even reach me before freezing solid.
I'd seen the Amulet of Dominion in action once before.
I examined the ring closely, then sighed softly.
"Ah, my poor finger."
I slipped it onto my index finger. The needles sliced flesh and pierced bone. A sharp sting.
Once I came to my senses with the ring on, I was back at the spot where I'd entered the Erosion Core. Han Sang-ah was there, scratching her matted hair and picking at her eye boogers.
"I go through hell for a week, and you're just sleeping?"
"What could I do awake? Help somehow?"
Han Sang-ah shot back.
"Anyway, why's your hair like that?"
Her hair was patchy white, decolorized.
"No idea. Looks like you got a ring."
What she'd earned for clearing the Erosion Core was a longcoat. Not just any coat—insane magic resistance.
It'd take serious skill to pierce that resistance and hurt her. Plus shock absorption.
All physical damage loses half its power on contact with the coat.
"What?"
Han Sang-ah held out her hand to me.
"High five."
I gave her an incredulous look but slapped her palm anyway. Clap.
"We earned this."
"Yeah. We did."
And the rewards we'd claim ahead would be sweet. We'd cleared a Rank-1 Erosion Core without Lee Se-eun's help.
...
A vibration rang out. Han Sang-ah pulled out her smartphone. A call out here in the wasteland meant satellite phone.
"Yes, Grandfather. That's right. We just returned from the Erosion Core."
Grandfather? I looked at Han Sang-ah. Her grandfather was the Geumyang Group chairman. The man wielded enough wealth to blow up a country or two like it was nothing.
"The news travels fast. No, I'm not saying it's wrong for Grandfather to worry about his granddaughter."
Already heard and calling her? Han Sang-ah spoke to her grandfather in a dry tone.
"Wouldn't it be proper to ask her wishes first? One moment."
She paused the call and looked at me.
"Grandfather wants to set up a dinner."
"With me?"
She nodded.
"He says he'll arrange it immediately upon our return to Korea."
"...I'd be honored."
She nodded and resumed the call.
"He says he'd be grateful. Yes, we'll await word."
After she hung up, people soon swarmed in.
The hunters mobilized for the Bratsk Refrigerator Erosion Core removal approached Lee Se-eun with weary faces.
"Lee Se-eun Hunter. Still no word."
Lee Se-eun, lounging in a folding chair puffing pipe smoke, replied languidly.
"Means he's still alive."
"It's been over two weeks already."
She nodded, dangling her hand off the armrest.
"Yeah, I can count. Might wanna try some patience."
Two weeks could be "already" or "only," depending on perspective.
"It's a Rank-1 Erosion Core."
"When you first tackled a Rank-1, Lee Se-eun Hunter, it took five days."
Lee Se-eun finally rose and fixed her gaze on the hunter who'd been talking to her.
"Right, it took me five days at first. A week seems plenty bearable, no?"
The reason they were panicking over something that just needed waiting was simple: anxiety.
"No updates in over two weeks."
"Looks like they've developed tech to communicate inside Erosion Cores without me knowing."
Communication with those inside was impossible by any means. They knew that but brought it up anyway.
"Operator Galmaegi is waiting patiently too."
The hunter clenched his fist at her words. He knew. But Galmaegi wasn't waiting patiently.
Inside Galmaegi, debates raged. Not just them—most hunters involved were endlessly discussing next steps.
"We're concerned for your position, Lee Se-eun Hunter."
She stared at him. True enough. Everyone here trusted her name alone. Failure would tarnish it.
Truth was, she should be the most tense.
"It's fine."
But she was calm. She'd spent considerable time with Yoo Chan-seok and Han Sang-ah in England, aiding their training.
She knew how he fought. If he'd failed, he'd have returned long ago.
No word in over two weeks meant he was still battling inside in his unique style. No reason for her to worry.
The others didn't know his way.
"Who could've imagined it, really."
"Pardon?"
Instead of answering, Lee Se-eun pulled out a thermos, poured half into the lid, then filled the rest with honey.
Yoo Chan-seok didn't approach fights planning for minutes or hours. His unit of engagement was different.
"Nothing."
Not two weeks—maybe over a month. But the longer it dragged, the higher his success odds climbed.
"Report: Report. As of now, the Bratsk Refrigerator Erosion Core has been confirmed destroyed. Repeating: As of now, the Bratsk..."
Confirming the report through her earpiece, Lee Se-eun smiled, gulped the syrupy tea, rose, and tapped out the pipe ash.
See? He melted it down in the end.
"This is gonna cause a storm."
Success conquering a Rank-1 Erosion Core. And the ones inside—Yoo Chan-seok and Han Sang-ah—were rookies by classification.
And the hunter who cleared the Refrigerator wouldn't settle for just one Rank-1.