Chapter 58

Chapter 58

 

Park Jun-ho could not close his hanging mouth.

Lee Ha-kyung’s figure as he fought an unidentified monster inside the barrier.

He simply could not believe it.

As he watched the battle, Park Jun-ho muttered to himself.

“How is this happening?”

“What is?”

Seo Jun-hyuk, who was beside him, asked.

But there was no need to ask.

Because Park Jun-ho’s expression explained everything.

Astonishingly, Lee Ha-kyung was leading the fight on even terms.

He was holding out calmly even before the overwhelming combat power of the Talent Predator.

Park Jun-ho felt as though he had been struck once in the head.

‘What exactly is it? When I saw him fighting the Core Guardian, I felt something similar to this.’

Until now, Park Jun-ho had lived as an Awakened in a petty way, to put it crudely.

The Raiders Guild’s tyranny had been none of his concern.

Because the benefits were too sweet for him to care about his conscience.

Perhaps because of that.

At some point, Park Jun-ho had changed to become similar to his companions.

When Choi Hyun-ki gave an order, he followed it without any doubt.

Even if it was not the right thing to do.

That was also why he had opposed Undying One Lee Ha-kyung.

However, recently, he had come to a painful realization.

Park Jun-ho muttered quietly to himself.

“He isn’t staying still because he lacks power.”

It seemed as though Lee Ha-kyung could grind the Raiders Guild down if he wanted to.

Because with that absurd combat power, all he had to do was destroy the Master.

If the central figure called Choi Hyun-ki disappeared?

Where would loyalty be found in the Raiders Guild?

It would surely disintegrate into thin air in an instant.

Park Jun-ho murmured again.

“Choi Hyun-ki is still alive because Undying One has a line he will not cross.”

Social norms and morality were extending that man’s life.

Park Jun-ho honestly spoke about what he felt.

Then Seo Jun-hyuk, who had been beside him, abruptly cut in again.

“It would not be an exaggeration to see it that way. To be honest, Ha-kyung is better at fighting than any Awakened I have ever seen. Separate from strength itself, I mean.”

“That is certainly true. He is not losing despite being at an overwhelming disadvantage.”

“But, senior?”

“Yes?”

“How long are you going to stay like that? Even the Healers are attacking like mad right now. Are you going to keep resting?”

“Ah! I apologize.”

Perhaps because he had been scolded by someone young enough to be his nephew.

Park Jun-ho’s neck and ears turned red.

Even so, he did not put up his pride.

He merely fired his mana gun diligently.

He could not let this end without doing anything, as he had during the fight with the Core Guardian.

After they poured attacks in for quite a while, a hole finally appeared in the Shadow Chamber.

Rrrrrrr! CRASH!

“We did it!”

“Let us go in like this and support Ha-kyung!”

The team members cried out in triumph and leaped over the barrier.

However, it was right then.

―Tch! It cannot be helped. See you next time, rotten human.

Veil Lancer’s voice suddenly rang out.

Then a tremendous Shockwave blew the team members away.

[Veil Lancer deploys Plasma Bolt]

Giyuuuuung―! BOOOOOM!

“Uwaaah!”

“Guh!”

Park Jun-ho, who was sprawled on the ground, abruptly raised his head.

Then a horrifying sight entered his eyes.

A gigantic pit that looked easily more than fifty meters in diameter.

At its center, a human form with its arms and legs blown off was twitching.

Veil Lancer floated in the air and smiled viciously.

―Khahahaha! Did you think I would run away just because I said I would see you next time? To fall for such simple psychological warfare, how utterly stupid.

The bastard’s torn wings had recovered before they knew it.

If Veil Lancer flew around at tremendous speed and poured out attacks?

It would be as terrifying as a fighter jet.

Park Jun-ho shuddered without realizing it.

“Damn it.......”

Because he had sensed a future where they would be torn apart just like Lee Ha-kyung.

The team members also could not hide their shock.

“Surely not?”

“N-No way, right?”

“Damn it. It is not even a Field Boss, so why is a normal monster that strong?”

“Do not just stand there blankly. Let us respond first!”

Great Sage struggled to calm the chaos.

However, it was right then.

Crack! Crunch!

Lee Ha-kyung, who had been sprawled on the ground, suddenly slammed down his right arm.

He raised his upper body with raw strength.

Then he steadied himself on legs that had quickly grown back.

It was truly an astonishing sight.

Crack! Crackle!

Blood vessels and muscles filled in the place where there had been nothing but bone.

And Lee Ha-kyung returned to his original state in an instant.

His inner suit had all burned away, but Reactive Magic Armor remained intact.

Of course, its condition was bad enough to require repairs.

Lee Ha-kyung’s appearance was unsightly, but his momentum alone was overwhelming.

Veil Lancer’s eyes filled with shock.

―H-How in the world?

“I have a stubborn hold on life. If you are curious how I survived, try doing it again. But this time, you will not be the only one slipping out.”

―......”

At Lee Ha-kyung’s answer, Veil Lancer fell silent.

Then it immediately tried to flee.

At that tremendous speed unique to it.

―See you next time, boy....... Uheok?

However, Veil Lancer could not leisurely disappear.

Because a tremendous energy reaction suddenly appeared behind it.

On top of that, all the strength drained from its body in an instant.

When Veil Lancer suddenly looked back, it was horrified.

―Wh-What is that!

Immediately afterward, a gray-white Disc twenty meters in diameter surged upward.

A skill whose form had been changed by the condensation of transcendent power.

It was Transformed Soul-Sever.

Swoooooong―!

****

[Kin-Eater skill target set]

[Target: Veil Lancer]

Piiiiing―!

As soon as Lee Ha-kyung used Kin-Eater, he deployed Transformed Soul-Sever.

There was no Mana Suppression Effect from Shadow Chamber either.

Where was there any reason to hesitate?

So he had slammed it in immediately.

But the feeling in his hand was terribly unsatisfying.

It had merely grazed it.

It felt as though he had struck empty air.

Sure enough, Veil Lancer soon vanished.

Leaving only both its legs and traces of blood behind.

Lee Ha-kyung smacked his lips in regret.

“It isn’t even a lizard. How can it just throw down a pair of trotters and leave?”

If Veil Lancer had heard that, it probably would have exploded in rage.

He had brushed it off lightly with words, but his fingertips were trembling faintly.

Because what had just happened was far more dangerous than when he had collided with the Core Guardian.

His arms and legs had all evaporated.

More than half of his abdomen had been blown away, and even his organs had spilled out.

That was the result of concentrating all his capabilities on protecting his head and heart.

Thanks to that, Lee Ha-kyung had been able to use Tyrant’s Bracelet.

Truly, if he had been even 0.1 seconds late, he would have died on the spot.

He suddenly looked down at his palm.

‘So it finally broke.’

In Lee Ha-kyung’s hand were shattered pieces of metal.

The weapon that had been with him until now.

Ever since he had obtained it in the Abyss of Collapse.

The Miasma-Stained Karambit.

It had been so small, and its blade was curved, so at first it had not seemed very good.

But thanks to its hidden function, he had continued to use it all this time.

Because he could change the form of its blade as he wished.

For some reason, a regretful feeling slowly crept up in him.

Lee Ha-kyung carefully collected the fragments.

‘You worked hard, friend.’

He felt bitter, as though he had sent someone off.

As he stood there blankly like that.

His team members ran over and surrounded him.

“Are you all right?”

The first person to ask was Great Sage.

Lee Ha-kyung waved his hand and said,

“My body is fine, but my weapon broke. My armor also needs repairs.”

“It seems continuing the exploration will be difficult.”

“I think it would be best to withdraw here for today.”

“By the way, where did that creature go? Was it completely crushed?”

“No. It escaped. Leaving only its two legs behind.”

“Mm! This is troublesome. There will surely be another attack next time.”

Everyone nodded at Great Sage’s opinion.

Of course, there were probably not many bastards like Veil Lancer.

However, there would not be only one either.

They had barely won this time.

If two or more of them descended upon them?

Perhaps because none of them even wanted to imagine it.

Every one of them looked sickened.

Lee Ha-kyung also wore a grave expression.

“We will have to strengthen our forces and return. For today, let us go back first.”

“Yes.”

Following Lee Ha-kyung’s order, the team members began preparing to withdraw.

Since they had come fairly deep inside, leaving was not easy either.

Even so, the Raid Team was able to get out smoothly.

It was thanks to every team member possessing outstanding skill.

The new team members Lee Ha-kyung had selected also stood out through their performance.

‘I would like to keep bringing those people along, if possible.’

It seemed he would have to ask them separately later whether they wanted to join.

But for now, reporting to the Association came first.

The Emperor of The Void, who commanded overwhelmingly powerful subordinates.

That bastard wanted to make Earth like the Upper Floors of the Abyss.

What could possibly be more astonishing than that?

After returning to the office at Association Headquarters, Lee Ha-kyung wrote a report.

Of course, he did not do it himself.

He asked Jeong Tae-won.

“Will this content suffice?”

After looking over the report, Lee Ha-kyung nodded with a satisfied expression.

As expected of an all-purpose secretary, Jeong Tae-won’s work was clean.

Lee Ha-kyung immediately snapped his fingers and said, “Good. Please send it up like this.”

“Yes. Is there anything else you would like me to do?”

“My weapon broke. Are there any usable artifacts? An ordinary sword-shaped one would be enough.”

“It would be best to search through the artifacts held by the Association first. I will help you find a weapon that suits you perfectly.”

“Thank you. Ah, please have my armor repaired as well.”

“Yes, I will entrust it to the headquarters facilities.”

When Jeong Tae-won left the office, Lee Ha-kyung sank deeply into his chair.

Special Advisor or whatever it was called.

He wondered if it was really acceptable for things to be this comfortable.

After he stayed like that for a while, John, who had been lying on the sofa, raised his arm.

“Bro. I have a question.”

“What is it?”

“Can’t you give me a position, too? It looks really comfortable.”

“What would John do as something like an Advisor?”

“I can leave the house while pretending to work.”

“You are already doing that now.”

“Come on, that’s different from doing it legally.”

“It seems the cooldown has just come back. Should I put in a call to your house?”

“Whaaat? I have made so many sacrifices for you, bro, and you’re really going to do this?”

“What sacrifices?”

“I serve as a sturdy foothold for you. While you trample all over me every time?”

“Oh....... Damn it. Could you not phrase it like that? There is a lot of room for misunderstanding.”

Lee Ha-kyung shook his head from side to side.

Recently, he thought he had gotten better at banter.

But apparently, he was incomparable to the real thing.

He had also submitted the report to the higher-ups.

Everything Lee Ha-kyung needed to do was finished.

Now he only needed to rest and wait until Jeong Tae-won contacted him.

Then the computer screen suddenly caught his eye.

“Huh?”

“What is it, bro?”

“It looks like the AI Raid Video has already been uploaded.”

“This quickly? It has not even been a few hours since we returned.”

“Everyone should be busy resting. Who in the world testified?”

“Is it not probably those three newly picked people?”

It was not impossible.

After all, this was probably their first time properly active in The Void.

Their mouths must have been itching that much.

Lee Ha-kyung clicked the article with the highest view count.

[Breaking News] Undying One Lee Ha-kyung, stronger than the Talent Predator stronger than the Core Guardian?

―I thought the article title was just bait, but watch the AI Raid Video. It’s seriously fucking insane.

└I just watched it. Do you know what’s even more surprising?

└What is it? Stop dragging it out and tell us already.

└The person interviewed for this AI Raid Video was Park Jun-ho.

└Lunatic Rifle?

└That person is from Raiders. Aren’t they on bad terms?

└He left the guild this time and joined up. Looks like he turned over a new leaf after seeing Undying One tear the Core Guardian apart?

└Now even his enemies sincerely submit to him. It’s Great Ha-kyung again!

The groundless praise made Lee Ha-kyung’s face grow hot.

On the other hand, John was only tilting his head.

“Hey! Immortal God Bro.”

“What?”

“Is Park Jun-ho a canine? Like that Talent Predator bastard?”

“......”

Lee Ha-kyung was sincerely relieved by John’s poor Korean.