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Chapter 261

‘This isn’t a combat-type monster.’

If it were a combat-type creature, it would have easily dealt with Yeon-woo’s ambush. As Yeon-woo twirled the dagger he snatched from it in his hand, he thought this way.

If the opponent were accustomed to fighting, they wouldn’t be clutching their abdomen and coughing like that; they’d be preparing for Yeon-woo’s next attack.

No fighter would let a momentary pain distract them from keeping an eye on their enemy.

“Cough, cough… how…!”

“How what? It’s so obvious. At least try to hide it a little.”

Scoffing, Yeon-woo marched toward the monster that resembled a clown. Seeing Yeon-woo approach, the creature trembled and crawled away in fear.

“D-Don’t come near me!! Stay away from me!!”

“No, if you say that, it makes it look like I’m just picking on you for no reason. You should’ve been ready to get hunted someday, you idiot.”

As he said this, Yeon-woo glanced at the numerous corpses and skulls piled behind him.

There were countless dead bodies, each wearing outfits that were too distinct to count.

Among them, there was only one that could be guessed to be from Earth. It could be inferred that this gate had not been opened to Earth for long.

“I-I can’t possibly get hunted, that’s impossible…!”

The creature cried out in despair. What could I say? It was the typical appearance of someone who was desperate for attention.

It was unfortunate for those who had died. They must have perished without any means, being caught in an illusion.

If only they could wake up from their dream, they wouldn’t have been an enemy that could be subdued so easily.

“So, how would you explain the current situation? Are you dreaming or something?”

“Y-Yes, that’s it! I’m having a nightmare. That much is clear. There’s no way I could die otherwise. Yes, there’s no way I, chosen by the Demon King, could die like this…!”

“Look at this guy.”

To not trust anyone and then believe the enemy’s words trying to kill him. This level of escapism was truly an art form.

But the Demon King? What kind of Demon King would bless such a creature?

Well, whatever the case, it would be better for my mental health just to send him away quickly. Keeping this pathetic fool in sight wouldn’t do any good.

“Then die like that.”

Lifting his arm above his head, Yeon-woo reversed the grip on the dagger and drove it down. Thunk. The dagger pierced cleanly through the clown’s chest.

The creature known as the Crazy Clown died just as absurdly easily.

Crazy Clown. Although he specialized in tricks, there were some like him who primarily specialized in illusions.

And those kinds of creatures often had weak minds. They relied too much on the convenience of their illusions.

“How ridiculous. Is this nonsense about a Demon King all just a lie?”

This was the simplest gate exploration ever. This is why one shouldn’t depend solely on abilities. Here was yet another lesson learned.

Of course, the true lesson wasn’t about that. After kicking the monster’s corpse to clear it away, Yeon-woo made enough space.

There was no helping it. The inside of the gate was exceedingly cramped. There were so many skulls piled up that they took up most of the internal space.

He was desperate to finish the offering and get out of the gate, but he couldn’t. He had to solidify the realizations he had just experienced.

He could feel it. The twisting energy trying to transcend the wall.

Something deep inside Yeon-woo was screaming to get out, that now was the time to break through the barrier. It was a primal cry.

“I’ll finish this up and clean it up in a bit. Just wait a moment.”

Muttering this as he faced the heap of skulls, Yeon-woo sat down abruptly and closed his eyes. He accelerated the flow of his aura through his bloodstream.

The gold tower he had been slowly building through his experiences solidified while fighting against Christopher’s illusion.

‘The problem was thinking it was impossible from the start.’

This realization stemmed from the understanding that a hero must dive into things that seemed unachievable.

He had to recognize that as a hero, he shouldn’t define his potential by superficial standards.

In one word, it was “skeleton water.”

He was able to penetrate, break through, and slice even the punches of the Gloomy Monster, which had seemed impossible to confront.

Though he sustained injuries, they were nothing compared to the wounds the Gloomy Monster had suffered.

No matter what anyone said, the academy had a saint, and he had the regenerative power of the stigma given to him by Dawn.

Nothing was impossible. While it wasn’t improper to clearly analyze the factors and deduce the success rates, it was undeniably wrong to limit one’s potential in doing so.

As people overcame the walls of a Sword Expert one by one, they moved toward beings that could not be defined as mere humans.

Expert level was already superhuman, and once they reached the Master level, they transformed into beings that transcended even that term.

Could a being capable of such transformation limit their own potential? It was no wonder they couldn’t advance to the next step.

‘Wonhyo Dae-sa, you were right….’

*

‘D-Damn… what kind of fool are you…!!’

Teeth gritted, the clown-like monster, Crazy Clown, trembled while clenching its sharp fangs tightly.

The safety mechanism was destroyed. The doll he had created shattered, injuring the soul trapped within, awakening the main body in shock.

While grinding his teeth, the Crazy Clown had no intention of leaving this space. The difference in power was far too significant. The illusion had already shattered, making it meaningless to attempt to walk again.

The Crazy Clown planned to wait until that guy left this place.

With its only weapon, the illusion, dispelled, it had no way to fight against such a beast.

As it waited, the Crazy Clown suddenly perceived something strange through the eyes of the doll that had just died but whose form remained.

It saw Yeon-woo, who was sitting down, eyes closed, and focusing. The Crazy Clown recognized this well.

Meditation or training one’s vital energy. It also knew that during this process, humans were completely defenseless.

‘You stupid kid, you didn’t notice…!!’

Not realizing that what had just died was merely the doll and not the main body.

If that were the case, then it would be easy. At this moment, while he was off guard, it could dash out and kill him.

If it could kill such a hunter, there was no doubt they would acquire massive amounts of mana.

‘Then, then the Demon King will…!!’

Giggling evilly, the Crazy Clown began to rise to move.

*

Before long, Yeon-woo opened his eyes. It didn’t take long to refine the realizations he had come to. Most of it had already been learned from other fights.

In truth, it was akin to study. It felt like polishing his own bowl. It was the process of becoming a slightly better person than his former self.

His senses expanded. Although he didn’t feel a vast difference in physical ability, there was something instantly perceivable.

The illusion in front of him faded away. The world came into view, neat as he saw it through the eyes of a dragon. The utilization of mana was far cleaner than before.

“Ohh….”

Yeon-woo, checking his state while sitting, picked up White, which he had placed on the ground.

Swinging his arm widely, White shot forth in a straight line toward one side of the space like a bullet.

There was no sound of impact against the wall. With a sound reminiscent of a bursting air bubble, it pierced the wall. No, it hadn’t pierced; it was hidden within an illusionary space.

A scream resonated. It was the voice of Crazy Clown, which he had just heard.

He hadn’t realized it before learning, but the main body of Crazy Clown existed in that secret space over there.

‘What a foolish mistake, laying low in meditation and almost dying.’

With a bitter smile, Yeon-woo stood up. His physical abilities hadn’t notably improved, but he certainly felt more agile.

“…Alright, I’ll find the artifact and gather the remains to bury them outside.”

Thus, one gate came to an end. There were questions to be asked, but the creature was not the kind to respond, regardless.

*

“I can’t believe this is an artifact.”

Yeon-woo muttered while gripping the lightning-shaped dagger he’d used to slay the monster. What kind of invaluable item was being used to kill someone?

In any case, it was good to have obtained an artifact. The information regarding Leviathan was indeed accurate. Now, if he handed this over to Riley, he would surely receive some good news.

“Still, my curiosity has been piqued.”

Artifacts aren’t things you see every day. He had once seen a rocket-shaped artifact carried by the professor, but peering into it made him feel guilty, as if he were intruding on the professor’s memories of his younger days.

As he contemplated this, Yeon-woo looked down at the dagger. It was a dagger with a violet, ominous flame. His golden gaze swept over it.

Fortunately, Yeon-woo’s mind didn’t drift into his memories. Indecipherable characters danced around the artifact.

“Let’s see… longing, underworld, reunion…?”

Considering its characteristic of forcibly creating spatial rifts, it seemed this item’s owner had longed for someone, ventured into the underworld, and through that process, this dagger turned into an artifact, enabling their reunion.

“It reminds me of Orpheus’s tale.”

Simultaneously, he thought it resembled his own situation. Yeon-woo also needed an artifact that could rupture space to retrieve Nea.

“…Hmm, please help me out. I beg you.”

Yeon-woo could only murmur that toward the dagger. Despite his slightly biased view of it due to its ominous color, if this was influenced by the corruption of the underworld, then it also seemed quite pitiable.

Wrapping the dagger in cloth, he stored it into Relin’s Warehouse. Today, he desperately wanted to see Nea and the children. It had only been two days, but still.

“Kids, Daddy’s coming! Wait for me!!”

Hastily, with an overly animated gesture, Yeon-woo dashed out.

(To be continued in the next chapter)

 

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