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Chapter 111

From the appearance, the difference between the first and second floors was almost nonexistent. It was as if the entire view was enveloped by sharply carved stones resembling marble.

However, there was one distinct difference. The air was so heavy and suffocating that simply breathing felt like a chore.

The stifling atmosphere transformed the once mystical ambiance of the first floor into a sensation of being trapped in some beast’s maw.

“Now I feel like I’ve actually entered the territory.”

Of course, it wasn’t a big deal for Choi Yeon-woo. After nearly ten years living inside the Gate, being overwhelmed by an atmosphere was no longer on the agenda.

When witnessing A-rank Hunters getting into fierce and emotional fights, one could easily become unfazed by any regular boss room.

“Is Shar okay?”

“Hmm? Is something wrong?”

“No, it’s fine if you can’t feel anything.”

Seeing Shar’s usual calm demeanor, Yeon-woo shook his head.

Thinking about it, it’s the dragons that instill fear, not the ones who get scared.

“Let’s go to the third floor. We can decide whether to proceed further from there.”

“Is it really that dangerous?”

“That’s my intuition.”

No matter how illegal those grubby treasure hunters were, some of them must have been skilled Hunters. Considering that, the amount of the cadavers was undoubtedly abnormal.

‘Is it due to the pristine natural environment?’

It was likely that the ruins had only been discovered relatively recently. Yeon-woo seemed to have stumbled upon a fresh request from the Hunter Guild. Otherwise, there was no way that such a large number of cadavers could be classified as a D-rank request.

At least a C-rank, and it could very well climb to B-rank if one wasn’t careful.

‘I can barely handle C-rank, but B-rank would definitely be overwhelming.’

Originally, an Aura Expert is classified as a C-rank Hunter. However, the reason Yeon-woo wasn’t taking the C-rank exam was that they had set performance metrics very high to ensure definitive differentiation for rank advancement.

In any case, estimating that the third floor is around D to C-rank. No solid evidence, but his instincts told him so.

At that moment, something caught his senses. A faint vibration.

‘Looks like something is about to show up.’

[Just as Dad said. Hmm… there are a lot of strange points, but for now, I’ll send the video.]

A lot of strange points? Yeon-woo had his doubts, but as Tae-oh spoke, an image flowed into his mind. A blurry silhouette was trudging through a dimly lit corridor.

Overall, it was a heavy silhouette under 3m tall. From a distance, instead of being bumpy, it gave off a smooth feeling, resembling the stonework of the area.

However, what initially looked like a regular Golem began to morph starting from its chest, where the Golem’s core would typically be.

Its sleek stone body slowly developed muscles and veins, showcasing a bizarrely swollen mass where its head should be.

‘…What the hell is that.’

[That’s… gross!!]

[Looks like a villain from a comic book.]

Listening to the kids’ light-hearted comments, Yeon-woo fell into thought. Had something like that existed? He didn’t recall hearing anything like it before his regression….

Could it be that something changed since he regressed? But back in those days, he was too busy being a porter to gather any information.

‘It looks like a regular stone Golem, but that strange… mass is a mystery, so let’s fight with caution.’

[Got it!]

[Then Tae-oh will check if other Golems are approaching. It’s good since it can detect life signs!]

Is that really a good thing? While pondering that, Shar and Yeon-woo hid in the rooms on either side of the corridor. The fact that only one Golem was heading their way likely meant it wasn’t aware of their intrusion; otherwise, multiple Golems would have come rushing at them.

‘This is perfect for testing things out.’

It was just the right opponent to decide whether to continue to the third floor.

Thud, thud… The Golem walked down the dusty floor, as if ordered by something, while another force tugged at its logic circuits in opposition.

The Golem was able to ignore the ‘unknown’ beginning to bloom within its circuits because the anxiety arising from following the ‘unknown’ was massive.

The meticulously calculated logic circuits made the Golem soon sense the presence of an anomaly. Something unfamiliar. Something absent from its storage. Something warm…

As it sensed something brushing against its flesh, the Golem slowly moved its body. A ‘light’ floating in the air. It lifted its head. Although it couldn’t see in front due to being covered in flesh, the sensation of life indicated that something was there.

It raised its head and lifted its arms-.

“Shar, now’s the time!”

At Yeon-woo’s signal, Shar dashed out. He had roughly instructed her on the combat rules necessary to engage the Golem. While it might be difficult for ordinary people, Shar should be able to manage it.

As the Golem stretched its arms toward the light, its head slowly turned toward Shar. But by the time it looked, Shar was already crouched low, tackling the Golem’s lower half.

Toppling it was difficult, if not impossible, given its structure.

This method was hard for anyone not possessing enhancing attributes, but for Shar, who had the body capabilities of an enhancer from the start, it would be a viable approach.

She slipped her arms between the thick stone legs and wrapped herself around the leg as thick as her own body.

“Huh, umm!!”

With a shout that bubbled up from deep in her belly, Shar took a single step forward. The stoutly designed legs lowered their center of gravity as they were slightly lifted by Shar’s immense strength.

Boom!!

With a tremendous noise, the Golem’s frame shook. As it fell, the Golem braced itself with its arms against the ground. Yeon-woo didn’t miss that opportunity. Another miscreant noticed the Golem’s movement and swung its arm, but Yeon-woo leaped high above the arm.

Yeon-woo’s target was the waist. Of course, there was no reason to aim for the waist when dealing with a Golem. The upper body, designed to give weight for destruction and durability, and the lower body for support were both carved from solid stone.

Nevertheless, Yeon-woo targeted the waist because of that unknown mass. Whatever that mass atop the torso was, it clearly needed to be reported to the Hunter Association.

To chop through that solid waist, a heavy sword was necessary. Even though he hadn’t specifically learned about the art of wielding a hefty sword from anyone, he couldn’t help but think he was using it wonderfully as he took a deep breath.

As he inhaled, the Aura expelled around his sword, establishing a realm of will. It created an absolute space that one couldn’t dare to invade unless at an equal level, then he swung the sword down like a lightning strike.

Swish, it made a noise like slicing through a carrot with a kitchen knife.

The Golem, sprawled like a condemned prisoner waiting for execution, was split in half, the top and bottom coming apart with a loud crash.

Naturally, without extracting its core, this wouldn’t stop the Golem’s movements. The severed lower half would stop, but the upper half would remain to act, calling upon other Golems connected to it.

There were several ways to sever that connection. Either shatter the core or create a kind of realm that disrupts communication. Or perhaps…

“Transfer it to another dimension.”

Taking a deep breath again, Yeon-woo made a quick two slashes. From left to right, then from right to left. Earlier it felt completely non-biological, but this time, there was a satisfying sensation of cutting through flesh.

Boom, boom. The Golem’s arms, enveloped in flesh, fell to the ground. The reason for cutting off the arms was that he worried about damaging the items in Relin’s Warehouse if he put them in there in that state.

It felt like a completely different dimension, but it was merely a separate storage space located within the confines of Relin’s Archive.

“Alright, this should be enough to report for the request.”

Although Golems might have already been summoned, Yeon-woo hurriedly shoved the Golem’s fragments into Relin’s Warehouse. However, it seemed a bit overloaded to store any Golems appearing afterward, so he decided to focus on destroying the cores for any future ones.

“But seriously, what the heck is this mass…?”

“Right?”

As Shar poked the flesh attached to the severed arm with a stick she found somewhere, it twitched in response. Yikes, that’s disgusting.

“Even though I chopped it off, it’s still alive…?”

“Who knows…?”

If it were something like a planarian, it evoked a pretty horrific image to think of it living despite being in three pieces. Focusing on Relin’s Warehouse, Yeon-woo separated the recently collected Golem parts from all the other cargo inside. If they stuck to anything else, it would be a total disaster.

“Well, it’s a bit unsettling, but… let’s proceed.”

Even if the Golems hadn’t received a signal, if a patrolling Golem took too long to return, it would lead to some feedback. Until then, he planned to investigate the ruins.

*

Many people crossed the desert. Some did it for dreams, others for money, and some for reasons undetermined.

But sometimes even if their thoughts differed, their ultimate goals could overlap. Human life is utterly unpredictable, capable of leading to new experiences.

Summer vacation is a time of rest for students at the Academy, but even more so, it is an opportunity for further advancement. Free from the Academy, it’s a time to attempt new things based on the broadened perspectives gained within its walls.

Not all students can obtain what they desire. Not to mention, there’s no guarantee that what one desperately wishes for is genuinely beneficial for them.

Once, a man asked a girl.

What would she do if she realized that what she truly wanted wasn’t right?

Though she pondered his words, she replied.

How could that be? It must be just.

“That’s why us old folks always worry.”

At some point in life, there comes a moment when what one believed to be true shatters. At that moment, how will one’s disciples respond?

Knowing a child who once stumbled at that crossroads, Yuri quietly raised her glass.

It was a story from a rainy day.

(To be continued in the next chapter)

 

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