Report
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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Hestia]
[Proofreader - Kaya]
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Chapter 23: Someone Else's Opportunity is Best Taken First (3)
"Grrrrrrrrrr!"
A monster wearing a white mask let out a grotesque shriek, similar to the sound of phlegm bubbling.
The Masked One.
A monster that wields all kinds of curses through the mask covering its face, and possesses physical abilities comparable to a 2 Star Hunter.
Kang Minyeong grimaced.
"I hate exhibitionists, but that mask is just unpleasant."
Fallen Worshippers.
Devil's Eyes.
And finally, Masked Ones.
These are monsters that are difficult to encounter in ordinary 2 Star Gates.
A sinister light flashed over the white mask.
Blackish-red spots bloomed on the scales of Fafnir, who was at the forefront, spreading like mold.
"Gririri."
Laughter spilled from within the mask.
The Curse of Decay could only be lifted by cleansing the affected area with a priest's blessing or holy water.
"Should I give you a blessing?"
【No. I have something I want to experiment with, this is a good opportunity.】
Spirit power concentrated in Fafnir's hand.
He fixed the form of the energy just before it manifested as an aura, and gently pressed it against the blackish-red spots.
Tsssss!
With a burning sound, the curse's energy was absorbed into Fafnir’s spirit power.
【Spirit power is also a type of mana, so I thought I could dispel it with a stronger force.】
It was as Fafnir said.
The power to defy death.
In other words, spirit power is classified as the highest among energies with otherworldly attributes.
It's strong enough to absorb most curses if the energy is properly applied.
'Did he figure that out instinctively?'
Even Yoojin only learned this advanced information thanks to the [Library of Knowledge].
To grasp it solely through intuition...
Even though it was a soul he had handled as a minion in his previous life, Fafnir's tremendous talent was something he couldn't get used to.
It was a good thing he went to pay his respects right after returning.
【I need to get more used to this body.】
"Isn't it enough already?"
【It's not easy to concentrate energy other than in my hands. I can't touch everything every time I get cursed.】
"There's a suitable opponent, so give it a try. I'll only intervene if it's urgent."
The necromancer and his minion conversed casually.
The Masked One, who was some distance away, became enraged.
"Grrrrrr!"
Once again, a curse eroded Fafnir's flesh.
"Let's see what happens if..."
He used Unholy Blessing on the area affected by the curse.
As expected of a holy spell, it dispelled the Masked One's mana.
Crack! Crack!
Clear cracks appeared on the white mask, the medium for the curse.
As the curse was exposed to the holy spell, the backlash was transmitted directly.
"Alright. It would be troublesome if that broke."
He launched five Cursed Fangs simultaneously, piercing the Masked One's neck and heart.
Yoojin removed the white mask from the face of the bowing Masked One.
〔Do you like that kind of mask? Quite the morbid taste.〕
'I have a use for it.'
〔Perhaps that mask is related to the secret of the Gate...?〕
'Seems like you're finally getting a sense of it?'
It's not just the Masked One's white mask.
〔 ∆ · ⦿ · ☺ 〕
Symbols that appear every time the temple is reconstructed.
Each symbol represents the horns of the Fallen Worshipper, the pupil of the Devil's Eye, and the mask of the Masked One.
'They don't just tell us about the next monster that appears.'
The marks corresponding to each symbol.
If he gathers enough of the three mentioned earlier, he can move on to the basement of the Forgotten Temple, where the Gate's core is located.
'I need 49 of each in perfect condition.'
The white mask's durability drops quickly when using curses or experiencing backlash like just now.
And it's difficult to preserve the Devil's Eye intact while hunting.
Not only that, he has to find 48 pivotal pillars while wandering around a building the size of dozens of soccer fields combined.
〔Those are very demanding conditions.〕
'That's why it hasn't been conquered for nearly a year.'
I don't know how Jang Miseon discovered these conditions.
"Hyung-nim. The Phoenix Guild is hunting nearby."
In the direction Kang Minho pointed, a group with the phoenix mark was hunting Masked Ones in coordination, with a few temple pillars between them.
'Speak of the devil.'
A flashing blade.
The sword swung by the woman called the next Sword Saint, Jang Miseon, cut the Masked One in two.
From the crown of its head to its groin.
Blood gushed out from the cut, soaking the floor.
〔Cutting a curse? Is she infusing her strikes with some kind of energy?〕
'It's nothing like that.'
It must be an option of the [Wind Sword] item she's holding.
It's a weapon that cuts through anything, tangible or intangible, if you 'slash' with the right timing.
'But if you fail to cut along the grain accurately, you'll be the one cut.'
A genius who would have surpassed the Sword Saint if she hadn't died falling into Arhan's trap.
It seems those words weren't for nothing.
'Jang Miseon is also the pioneer of the Forgotten Temple's capture method.'
I can't let my guard down.
"Let's increase the hunting speed a little more."
【Competition? It's been a while since my heart burned like this.】
Fafnir, burning with competitive spirit.
On the other hand, the faces of the Little Runts team members behind him darkened.
As Yoojin, feeling somewhat apprehensive(?), burned with motivation, Jang Miseon, hunting at a distance, also glanced at him.
"Are you concerned?"
"That team. Their hunting speed is extraordinary. It's amazing how they summon undead as familiars."
"They won't be as good as Hunter Miseon. Don't be too conscious of them."
A Hunter from the Phoenix Guild, who was on the same team, added nonchalantly.
"If they were talented Hunters, wouldn't they have been scouted by a large guild?"
The Phoenix Hunter chuckled.
Jang Miseon didn't reply and just stared at Yoojin, who was hunting Masked Ones.
'He's not an ordinary person.'
Her sharply honed instincts sounded an alarm.
A dangerous presence that stimulated her senses despite the distance.
Somehow, she had a feeling that she would encounter him not just here, but in other Gates as well.
＊ ＊ ＊
Six days had passed since the start of the Forgotten Temple raid.
"This seems worse than the border region."
Kang Minyeong remarked.
"Monsters keep appearing endlessly."
Kang Minho added.
The Little Runts team skillfully gathered mana stones from the monsters slain by the undead minions.
"You guys have only seen orcs in the border region."
Scoff
Yoojin let out a cough in disbelief.
These guys...
Aside from Gates where opportunities are hidden, they'll mainly be hunting in the border region, yet they have such naive thoughts.
He needed to show them just how harsh the border region could be.
【Haahaha! Come at me, you insignificant creatures!】
Fafnir boldly leaped into the midst of the Fallen Worshipper horde.
He was becoming increasingly audacious.
A body created based on a draconian corpse.
He was doing this to create an unstoppable situation, claiming to be internalizing the enlightenment gained during sparring.
〔Unlike your contractor, you are truly valiant. You have the qualities of a hero.〕
'Damn it. I'm the one who has to heal him, you know?'
There was no in-between with him.
Because he didn't separate the soul and the dragon's essence with the Life Force Vessel, it would be troublesome if Fafnir received a fatal injury.
"Go help him."
He minimized the damage by deploying additional Armored Zombies.
[Using Life Drain.]
When the number of monsters dwindled, he had the Armored Zombies or Fafnir hold them down and steal their life force.
[Level Up!]
[Current level is 27.]
He also gained an enormous amount of experience.
'This is what they call killing two birds with one stone, right?'
Chuckle
One side of Yoojin's cheek twitched.
〔I told you to laugh with dignity.〕
'Come on, don't interfere with how I laugh.'
〔A Saint chosen by me should have dignity.〕
‘Yes, yes. I've heard your incompetent words loud and clear.’
After the hunt, he didn't forget to secretly place the monsters' body parts on the pillars with the marks.
Woooong!
A blue light shimmered on the symbol.
'Now the 48th.'
Even though he sped up due to the competition, it still took quite a while.
Finding the pillars with the marks was a task in itself.
And when he tried to activate the pillars, some didn't react because of the high damage to the marks.
'It won't react because of a few broken capillaries in the eyeball?'
Even though he used the Cursed Fang to keep the crucial parts intact as best as he could, he sometimes failed to activate the pillars.
It took quite a bit of time, but now that the preparations were complete...
"You guys go sell the mana stones."
"What about you, Hyung-nim?"
"I need to level up, so I'll keep hunting."
"Understood."
After sending the Little Runts team outside the Gate under the pretext of disposing of byproducts, he headed towards the center of the temple.
How long had he been walking?
The ground beneath his feet began to shake.
【This place never stops changing. Let's get out quickly.】
"I'm not leaving this time."
【Was it your dream to be turned into ground meat?】
"I've observed something while raiding this Gate."
Fafnir immediately understood Yoojin's words.
【Oh? You found the secret of the Forgotten Temple?】
"I have to risk my life to confirm it."
Yoojin revealed the symbols 〔 ∆ · ⦿ · ☺ 〕.
"We need to find a pillar with this shape engraved in the center of the temple."
【Zombies have no intelligence, so only you and I can do the legwork.】
"Run until your feet sweat."
Recalling his memories, Yoojin ran towards a nearby pillar.
Bang! Bang!
Suddenly, walls protruded, and the floor caved in, as the temple began its reconstruction, moving erratically.
An Armored Zombie, unable to avoid the collapsing floor, was sucked in.
[Armored Zombie has been destroyed.]
‘I can't even collect the bones.’
How many minutes had he been running through the reconstructing temple?
【Master, this way.】
Upon discovering the 49th pillar supporting the temple's axis, he held out the marks he had prepared beforehand.
Crackle!
With sparks flying, the horn, eye, and mask were absorbed into the pillar.
As the last pillar was activated, the ceaseless tremors of the temple subsided.
"Whew. I thought I was going to die."
Rumble!
The floor right in front of the activated pillar caved in, revealing a passage leading underground.
Without hesitation, Yoojin headed towards the basement of the Forgotten Temple.
＊ ＊ ＊
Thud- Thud—
Yoojin's footsteps dispelled the silence of the underground passage.
【You're quite calm for someone who's uncovered the secret of a long-unconquered Gate.】
"I haven't completely conquered the Gate yet."
【True. We have no information about the boss monster.】
Fafnir muttered in a low voice.
'Actually, I know what's going to come out, but...'
He was glad he remembered Jang Miseon's interview in detail.
If he had judged that the Gate was too difficult to conquer with his current abilities, he would have had to recruit more team members.
'There's no need to share the rewards.'
How long had he been walking?
An iron door, 20 meters high, blocked Yoojin's path.
【This must be the boss zone.】
"The atmosphere is ominous."
The place where the core that maintains the 'Forgotten Temple' Gate is located.
[Masked Beast Death Gardius]
Not the letters of this world, but the language of the demon realm was engraved on the iron door.
The moment Yoojin placed his right hand on the iron door...
Creak—
The solid iron door slid open to both sides with a heavy groan.
"Come here."
Through the gap in the opened door...
"Groaaaaaaaaar!!"
The guardian protecting the core of the Forgotten Temple.
The Masked Beast welcomed the intruder with a roar.
The Masked Beast Death Gardius was like a combination of the three monsters that appeared in the Forgotten Temple.
About 5 meters tall.
Three heads attached to its torso were covered with white masks, and one of the heads had a large single eye reminiscent of the Devil's Eye.
〔What an undignified-looking monster.〕
Below its neck was a bundle of dozens of tentacles that resembled hair.
And elastic muscles reminiscent of the Fallen Worshipper twitched hideously.
"Stop barking. It's noisy."
As Yoojin muttered nonchalantly, a sinister light flickered in the single-eyed mask.
Crackle!
A purple beam as thick as a log grazed the ground and quickly approached Yoojin.
An eye ray far more powerful than the Devil's Eye's death ray.
【You cannot touch Master without my permission.】
Wooong—
A dark air current surged over Fafnir's outstretched fist and blocked the death ray.
Dark Aura materialized by imbuing spirit power with his will.
Although its first attack was blocked, the Masked Beast didn't care and moved on to its next action.
Tears of blood flowed from the white masks.
An instant curse that afflicts the target the moment it's used, leaving no room for evasion.
- Koooo!
- Keeek!
The monsters he had defeated in the Forgotten Temple appeared as illusions, confusing Yoojin's eyes.
The Masked Beast's curse wasn't a simple illusion.
It embodied the unique murderous aura and presence of the monsters, so even though he knew they were illusions, he couldn't help but flinch.
"You. Food. I eat."
The Masked Beast's eyes narrowed slightly.
A sneer that exuded confidence in victory.
"Hey, are you laughing?"
[Using Unholy Blessing.]
Crack—
A small crack appeared on the Masked Beast's mask. The backlash from the curse cast on Yoojin damaged the medium.
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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Hestia
[Proofreader - Kaya]
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