episode_0236

Jeong Yushin looked at the greatsword that had broken in two.

The middle part snapped clean, shortening its length.

“No. Fucking hell.”

What on earth is going on?

He’d heard what the dwarf blacksmiths said.

A weapon from deep within the labyrinth. Made of black iron, so it wouldn’t melt even in a forge’s fire.

He even swung it himself, slamming it into the ground.

But it broke in half so easily?

Jeong Yushin threw off his helmet and slumped to the ground.

“My 200 gold coins!”

Kennes came over and examined the cross-section of the broken blade.

“That’s strange. The cross-sections don’t match.”

Jeong Yushin looked up.

“What are you talking about? None of the dwarf blacksmiths could tell.”

Kennes shrugged and pointed to the cross-section.

“Look here. The grain is different. There are traces of a broken sword being forcibly reattached. Seems like a very skilled blacksmith deceived the others.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. Don’t look at me with such suspicion, Ska. My father was a blacksmith, so I know a little bit. Anyway, that’s odd. Did you buy it at auction?”

Auction?

“I didn’t buy it at auction, I bought it in a direct deal. Was there an auction house?”

“Of course. There’s one in the central district. They have a variety of items, so check it out sometime.”

Having said that, Kennes smacked his lips.

“And next time, buy it at auction. What made you trust a direct deal? In the labyrinth city.”

“Hoo.”

Jeong Yushin sighed and was about to throw the remaining sword on the ground, but Kennes waved his hand to stop him.

“Don’t throw it away. It contains valuable black iron. It seems to contain other minerals as well, but I don’t know what they are.”

“Okay.”

Jeong Yushin summoned the golden coffin and put the broken blade inside.

All that was left was the handle part.

It was a broken sword, but because the blade was so long, it was about the same size as any other greatsword.

‘I guess I’ll have to use this.’

It’s better than nothing.

Jeong Yushin got up from his seat and slung the broken sword over his shoulder.

He felt a sense of destiny when he first saw this sword.

Was he mistaken?

‘It was a broken destiny.’

As he buried his bitter feelings and prepared to leave.

Armin crouched in front of the mountain troll corpse and took out a small glass bottle.

“What are you doing?”

“Ah! The request list I received this time included collecting mountain troll blood!”

“Let’s do that later. We need to get to the shelter first.”

“Ah, got it!”

Karin led the way.

As they walked across the sloping field, they could see some explorers in the middle of the mountain range in the distance.

Explorers were often seen because there were only wild grasses and small rocks, which cleared the view.

They seemed to have their own set routes and were constantly moving.

Karin increased her speed so as not to be outdone, and the party members quickened their pace as well.

Had they walked for about 30 minutes?

The sky darkened, and something even darker began to slowly rise from the east of the mountain range.

Suddenly, a chill ran down his spine.

For a moment, it became quiet as if silence had fallen on the plateau.

Beyond the mountain range. In that very place where it was beginning to darken, he felt a ‘gaze’.

His heart began to beat rapidly.

He knew it instinctively.

What was rising over the mountain range was a ‘monstrosity’.

“Run!”

Even before Karin could shout, the party members were already running across the plateau.

“Guaaah!!!”

Armin tripped over a rock and fell.

Before Jeong Yushin could turn his head, Kennes quickly picked up Armin, held him in his arms, and ran.

Jeong Yushin and the party members sprinted madly across the plateau.

As the sky grew darker, the psyche cried out.

Never look up.

The ‘monstrosity’ floating above the mountain range would tear apart the minds of the weak like paper.

Jeong Yushin, who was running hard, was overcome with a strange feeling.

Something’s wrong.

He was clearly running while looking at the ground.

He was sprinting with all his might.

Why was he so slow?

It was frustrating.

‘Look up.’

A small whisper was heard in his head.

“Bullshit!!!”

Jeong Yushin shouted out obscenities and ran.

How crazy did he run?

“We’re here!”

As Karin’s voice burst out in front of him, he raised his gaze just a little.

Between the steeply sloped canyons, he could see a small brick building.

A building like a cathedral or temple. He was sure. That was the shelter.

Karin arrived first and threw open the church door, and Jeong Yushin and the party members tumbled inside.

“Haaah!!!! Haaah!!!”

Jeong Yushin clutched his chest and breathed roughly.

He clearly didn’t raise his head to look at the sky.

A sound that seemed to gnaw at his brain rang in his head.

“Close the door!!!”

A shout came from the other side of the building.

Jeong Yushin didn’t have time to identify who was shouting, he jumped up and pulled Karin, who was staggering at the doorway, and closed the door.

Thud!!!

Jeong Yushin leaned against the door as if collapsing.

Someone continued to pour dark, secret languages into his ear.

He felt nauseous and his vision flickered. As if colorful paints were painted over his vision.

Jeong Yushin took off his helmet and slapped himself on the cheek.

Slap!!!

His lip burst and blood flowed down.

It wasn’t enough.

He slapped himself several more times.

Only when his cheek was swollen did his mind return a little.

“Uwaaaah!!!”

Armin knelt down and vomited. Kennes approached and patted Armin’s back.

Jeong Yushin approached to check on Karin’s condition.

Karin had a pale complexion, her eyes closed, and she was silent.

Jeong Yushin gently stroked Karin’s shoulder, and only then did she open her eyes.

“Ska? I’m fine.”

“That’s a relief. I was worried because you came in last.”

Karin gave a faint smile.

“I’m the guide. I have to open the way first.”

That’s reassuring.

He was once again aware that she was not the Karin she used to be.

“Ahem!!!”

A clearing of the throat was heard from the other side.

When he turned his head, a middle-aged gnome was standing there.

“Judging by the looks of you, is this your first time?”

“That’s right. It’s our first time in the mountain area.”

“I thought so. The expressions of explorers who set foot in the mountain area for the first time are all similar. You don’t even have to raise your head to see the monstrosity to be overwhelmed by its presence.”

The gnome grinned and took a small glass bottle from his pocket.

There was green liquid sloshing around in the glass bottle.

“It’s a medicine to stabilize your mind, would you like to drink it?”

Jeong Yushin shook his head.

“No thanks.”

He couldn’t suddenly accept a potion from a gnome he didn’t even know. He didn’t even know what medicine that stabilized the mind was.

“Suit yourself.”

“Nops, step back.”

At the voice from the other side, the gnome called Nops immediately backed away.

Jeong Yushin looked in the direction of the voice.

It was already dark because it was a brick building, but the other person was in the shadows.

When he narrowed his eyes, he saw someone wrapped in a robe. His voice was also submerged in the darkness, making it difficult to distinguish whether it was a woman or a man.

The robed figure didn’t seem to have any intention of getting out of the shadows.

The robed figure’s gaze briefly lingered on the broken greatsword and then left.

Jeong Yushin stared at the figure and stepped back.

To come up to the mountain area with only two people.

Should he see them as being reckless?

No.

He should see them as skilled.

Jeong Yushin suppressed his curiosity.

‘Enough.’

If that figure and the gnome didn’t bother him, there was no need for him to interfere either.

There was a more important problem.

Jeong Yushin approached Armin.

Karin and Kennes were patting Armin on the back and taking out a water bottle to wash around his mouth.

“Armin.”

“Haaah!!! Haaah!!!”

He seemed to be in a panic, having suffered a considerable mental shock.

“Armin, look at me.”

Jeong Yushin knelt on one knee and raised Armin’s chin.

What should he say to get him out of his panic?

After thinking for a moment, he opened his mouth.

“Get a grip. What do you think Eru would think if he saw you like this?”

A faint reason settled in Armin’s eyes.

“Haaah!!! Cough!!! I, I’ve got a grip!”

“Good.”

Jeong Yushin let go of Armin’s chin.

Karin and Kennes looked at Jeong Yushin with surprised faces.

“Ska, why did Eru suddenly pop up?”

“There’s a reason.”

Jeong Yushin shrugged his shoulders.

He couldn’t just reveal the know-how of a motivational speaker.

It was his bread and butter. It was also related to Armin’s personal life.

Jeong Yushin sat down with the party members.

It wasn’t an atmosphere for conversation.

Karin took out an hourglass and a map from her pocket and put them down.

The sand inside the glass bottle slowly flowed down.

“It’s been an hour when it’s all down.”

“I see. You’re trying to measure the time that ‘monstrosity’ is floating in the sky?”

“That’s right.”

Karin replied without taking her eyes off the map.

She had gone through that commotion and was still trying her best to use her brain to figure out the route. He decided not to disturb her anymore.

Jeong Yushin looked at Armin.

“Armin.”

“Yes.”

Armin’s complexion was pale, but his expression wasn’t as consumed by fear as before.

‘I think I’m the problem.’

Jeong Yushin swallowed a bitter smile.

He hadn’t told anyone, but even now, strange hallucinations continued in his head. His vision also spread and shrank like paint smudged.

He didn’t show it.

“What’s the biggest summon you can create?”

“It’s an iron golem.”

“How many?”

“A total of two.”

“Good. You ride one. And use the rest in battle. The battle time might be extended. We’ll have to speed up.”

“Got it.”

Jeong Yushin looked at Kennes.

There wasn’t really anything to say. He had been doing well so far.

Honestly, he was surprised.

To take down a mountain troll with one arrow.

The giant iron bow wasn’t just for decoration.

Jeong Yushin closed his eyes and leaned his back against the wall.

‘It’s not easy.’

Was the madness that he thought had disappeared after obtaining the Body Regression Imprint being stimulated and slowly returning?

Jeong Yushin endured the hallucinations silently without showing any signs.

How much time had passed?

Just as the hallucinations disappeared.

Thud. Thud.

Footsteps were heard.

The gnome and the figure.

Jeong Yushin opened his eyes and looked at the gnome.

“Are you perhaps the famous Ska?”

The gnome said with a smile.

Jeong Yushin nodded his head.

“That’s me. The conscience of the labyrinth city.”

The gnome rolled his eyes and barely opened his mouth.

“Um… the monstrosity is gone. Are you really okay?”

“I’m fine. But how did you know the monstrosity disappeared?”

The gnome took out an hourglass from his pocket and shook it.

“The monstrosity is floating in the sky for exactly 4 hours.”

“That’s right. It’s exactly 4 hours.”

Karin chimed in.

The figure wearing the robe looked down at Jeong Yushin for a moment and then turned his body.

“Nops, let’s go.”

“Yes.”

At the figure’s words, Nops quickly moved his feet and waved his hand.

“If you survive, let’s meet again.”

Squeak.

The huge wooden door opened and the two went outside.

At that moment.

A white bone was briefly seen from the swaying hem of the robe.

Jeong Yushin’s eyes widened.

Could it be a demon?

Did he see something?

No.

It was possible.

It was possible for someone with a demon imprint to enter the labyrinth.

He shook his head and shook off his thoughts.

‘There’s no need to get involved. I have my own problems.’

Jeong Yushin turned his head and looked at the party members.

“Armin.”

“Yes!”

Armin, who had come to his senses, closed his eyes and chanted the summoning magic.

[Iron Golem]

[Iron Golem]

After a while, a light flashed and a golem that was a little over 3m tall popped out.

Thud!!!

Thud!!!

“Karin.”

“It’s at least 4 hours to the next shelter.”

Jeong Yushin put on his helmet and slung the broken greatsword over his shoulder.

“Good. Let’s go.”

The 16th floor mountain area.

A misty plateau.

Jeong Yushin’s party, who had left the shelter, began to run.