NOVEL NEXT Chapter 61
Chwaak─!
“Kiiaaaak!!!”
The sword, swung with all my might through the flames, deeply sliced through Grielops’s torso.
Puhwak!
Instead of the blood that should have poured from the deep wound, only a swirling darkness erupted like smoke.
“Guh…”
Chiik─
[Grielops casts ‘Quick Step’.]
‘Now it uses skills while regenerating too, huh?’
The creature stretched out its fist, wrapped in dark mana.
Tsut.
I twisted my body to dodge its follow-up punches.
“Gah!”
Dodging and parrying, I began to get pushed back.
‘At this rate, I’ll lose distance again. Just like it regenerates, I have Yeriell’s heals and potions!’
I had just taken a gulp of earth’s fortitude, reducing penetration damage and increasing defense.
Give up flesh to take bone!
As I dodged the continuous punches and kicks, I swung my sword.
Teng. Tung. Purok!
Chwaak!
I trusted my armor against the non-threatening attacks.
Puk! Tum!
I ducked and weaved, avoiding the trajectory of the lethal attacks.
Though my battered armor was gradually falling apart, it had a definite effect.
‘Yeriell, heal!’
─Sure!
[The damaged areas are healed due to the effect of Heal.]
With the increasing number of lethal cuts on Grielops’s body, the rate of regeneration slowed.
Though my own body was accumulating shock, I was slowly recovering thanks to the heal.
‘Sure, my recovery rate is reduced because of the distance, but it’s still something!’
In a brawl, it was obvious that unarmed Grielops had the disadvantage.
[Gruugen’s Grip]
[Black Fangs]
Even from afar, I saw Lumia casting a spell to heal me as Yeriell did.
Since she had already lit up from casting a heal, there was no point in hiding now. As long as we could prevent it from approaching them, that was all that mattered.
With wounds increasing and backline support interfering.
[Grielops casts ‘Earth Slam’.]
Was it because it thought there was no other answer than to die if it got closer?
Ignoring a few more cuts, it closed its eyes and jumped high, slamming down on the ground.
Tu quaang!!
Seeing the circle on the ground, I barely pulled away, but what I overlooked was that we had just been in a close-range fight.
A black shockwave expanded from the point of impact, sweeping my entire body as I could only cross my arms to block.
I was pushed back slightly, but that was all.
[Grielops casts ‘Quick Step’.]
In that brief moment, Grielops twisted its body, escaping urgently with a bizarre backflip and increasing the distance.
‘Damn it. To think it has agility with Quick Step too.’
Paan!
I gritted my teeth and charged again.
[Grielops casts ‘Crouch’.]
[Grielops casts ‘Divine Ray’.]
It crouched down and spread its arms wide toward the front.
Ziiing─
This is different! The charge… is faster!
The white light was gathering at a pace incomparable to before it was nearly dead.
If I tried to dodge, it would be too late.
Switching to the Great Sword without hesitation…
But it was in that moment when I couldn’t even raise the blade to form a shield, preparing for bloodshed.
[Divine Shield]
Tu kwaa gwaa─
In an effort to protect me, Yeriell created a shield as the ray was fired.
Pakang!
It seemed like it could hold, but maybe because it was the same divine type, it shattered easily.
But…
[Divine Shield]
Just before the ray could touch my body, another shield formed, barely holding it off.
‘Nice assist!’
Thanks to that, I bought myself some time.
Again wielding Barak, I focused my mind.
Hwarak!
The accumulated killing intent from slashing at Grielops ignited my blade.
‘Release the killing intent!’
Just when the sword could no longer withstand the tremors, I swung it toward Grielops.
“Eat this!!”
Kwaaa─
The intense divine ray continued to pour from my outstretched hand.
The released mass of killing intent clashed with it.
At first, it seemed like the red aura would falter, but it devoured the white light and hit the creature, causing it to explode.
─Kwaaaang!!!
“Kyyaaaak!!”
As the monster’s dying wail came to an end, the venue was filled with dense smoke and silence from the powerful explosion.
Did it finally die?
[Grielops casts ‘Intimidation’.]
“───!”
A ripping cry caused a gust of wind.
The thick smoke dispersed.
‘Wow… What a persistent little shit. It took that and still held on?’
The creature’s horrific figure, crouched down with its whole body regenerating, was revealed.
“■■■■!”
Having taken a beating, it seemed to have completely lost its sanity, only letting out incomprehensible growls.
How long does it plan to keep regenerating? Is it drawing resources from somewhere else?
Just as I bit my lip and prepared to charge again.
“Take this!!!”
*
Damn. Damn.
I should have protested harder when that idiot warrior, claiming to be the leader, suggested entering this suspicious cave.
If gods really do exist, I want to ask them something.
Couldn’t I have just lived normally, eating well and living comfortably in Zone 6? Escaping the labyrinth at floors four and five, making a quick sum as usual…
Was that just too much to ask for?
Damn it. Was this the result of everyone else agreeing to enter? What is that majority rule even worth?
If I could see those dead fools again, I’d want to ask if they felt satisfied after acting beyond their means and getting themselves killed.
Especially that pig who carelessly touched that ominous orb right in the center, which was clearly something you shouldn’t mess with.
I didn’t just want to let it off with that blow from the golem; I wanted to kill him with my own hands.
Kwaaang!!!
My hands trembled at the horrifying battle happening in the distance.
Yeah. In this temporary party now left with only me, surviving thanks to the mercy of another adventurer party is truly a stroke of luck.
But still, is it acceptable to just watch silently like this?
Nothing I could do after getting dragged in here?
Haven’t I had enough of being swung around and almost getting wiped out by someone else’s foolish decisions since entering the cave?
Now I had to just watch a mad monster rampage without any means to intervene.
Powerlessness weighed down on my whole body.
Clearly the party leader, yeah, Aren, was right.
─“Even if it looks like that, it’s a long-range attacker and can use magic, so leave the offense to me, and everyone should focus on defense and evasion!”
The two nearby with me in the back could summon shields or cast spells to hinder the enemy.
Yet, all I could do was move stealthily and quickly.
I had no way to influence the battle.
Biting my lip, my forehead became hot as I thought hard.
‘I need to think of something. Come up with something that’ll help the current situation! At this rate, I’m just dead weight!’
An ambush from behind?
I’d probably die before I could even get close.
Throwing a dagger infused with magical power?
With my mana barely at E-grade and still struggling with control, I’d just end up putting the others in danger if I tried to force a dagger throw.
…Then!
The thought process was long, but the action was swift.
“Hey! Where do you think you’re going!”
The angry priest grabbed me, but I ignored him.
There was no time to explain.
Swish.
I circulated just a squeak of mana through my body, activating mana concealment.
‘Stay calm. If I grab the orb before the golem reacts and throw it, that’s all I need to do. Simple, right?’
Suppressing my trembling hands, I walked slowly.
The completely open wall revealing this space still remained unsealed.
Swish. Swish.
Emerging from the cocoon space, I headed towards the box.
The golem sleeping in the corner… was still unresponsive.
‘Yes, the moment I grab this, it will wake up.’
Standing before the orb, I took a deep breath and reached out my hand.
The moment my rough fingers touched the smooth surface…
Zing!
The golem opened its eyes, raising its head and glaring at me with sinister light in its gaze.
If I got caught this time, I would really die. From now on, it’s a race against time!
I bolted towards where Aren’s party was fighting.
“Kuaaa!”
The golem in the corner sprinted after me, jumping a short distance with a powerful leap.
Kuwoong!
It blocked my way instantly.
“Damn!!!”
Just because I got away once, do you really think I’d let it happen again?!
Huuk.
Sliding low to the ground, I slipped between its spread legs.
A massive golem’s arm swung through empty air in vain.
The golem was closing in on me with rage, and I forced myself to ignore it as I quickly regained my stance.
Balancing myself and moving my feet diligently, I soon spotted them.
“Take this!!!”
Channeling all my strength into my right arm, I threw the orb.
Pah!
This was the best I could do.
Please reach it!
*
Thump!
Jacob, who had been out of sight for some time.
I thought he was frozen in fear, but he yelled and threw something in my direction.
What is this?
As I caught it and checked, Jacob had thrown nothing other than the black orb the golem had been guarding.
‘Wait. Why the sudden throw? What am I supposed to do with this?’
Thump. Thump. Kuwoong!
As expected, the earth golem, with heavy footsteps, was rushing in from afar.
This bastard is really here to mess things up…!
…
Hold on.
Even so, he couldn’t have thrown it intending to ruin the situation.
Thinking it through, I began to understand Jacob’s intent behind throwing the orb.
‘Right. Use it as bait to lure the golem to attack Grielops and pit them against each other! With the monster having totally lost its senses, it’s a gamble I’m willing to take!’
As long as Grielops didn’t stop regenerating, the battle wouldn’t show any signs of ending unless it had an attack stronger than the release of killing intent.
If everything went as expected. This might just work.
Thud thud thud─
The golem transformed into a sphere as it rolled toward Grielops.
It didn’t have any particular attributes, but at this distance, it should be easy to hit.
There’s no time to lose. I took aim and threw!
Pah!
“─!”
I saw Grielops collide with the orb and quickly rolled to the side.
The golem, rushing at full speed, body-checked Grielops from the side.
Kwaaang!!
While it withstood my attack, it seemed the golem’s follow-up much stronger than a headbutt was too much for Grielops to handle.
With a loud boom, it was smashed away and rolled across the ground.
“■■■!!!”
Ah, its eyes have gone completely wild.
Ignoring the Grielops crashing into the ground, the golem picked up the orb in the dirt and turned its back.
Grielops screeched as if saying “where do you think you’re going?” and charged at the golem.
Tu bang. Bang. Kwa bang!
The golem, silently returning to its original spot while protecting the orb.
Upon receiving Grielops’s continuous attacks, cracks began to appear on its massive body, and finally, it could no longer withstand and began to respond, its ominous gaze glowing brighter.
“Quoaa!”
“■■■■■!”
The golem bore down with overwhelming mass and destructive power.
Grielops, enshrouded in dark mana, retaliated with powerful blows erupting flames.
As I watched the monsters clash at the verge of death, I slowly raised my sword from a distance.
In fact, if everyone’s safety was at stake, it was clear that Grielops was a monstrous onion that just kept coming no matter how much you cut it.
But now that it was so focused on the golem, it would be best to slip away.
‘Even so, I must see this through to the end.’
[Chaos urges you to act according to your desires.]
An opportunity like this may never come again.
Wooong─
With determination to kill it for sure, I infused mana into my sword.
Crack.
I got into position. Twisting my upper body, left foot forward, with my left hand at the sword’s tip.
With my center of gravity at the front, I pushed off the ground with my left foot.
I recalled the final strike used against the Pool Serpent.
‘To put it strictly… it was a failed attack.’
While gathering massive mana was great and all…
The concept of breaking through with a pinpoint was defeated when the mana exploded out of the Pool Serpent’s body.
This time would be different.
I pictured it in my mind.
An attack that punctures, not by exploding the gathered mana from within, but by piercing through with a singular point.
Crack. Crick.
Just before the blade shattered, mana began to accumulate, causing cracks to appear.
The flickering mana focused at the sword’s tip to the point everything around seemed to distort.
“■■■!”
“Quoaa!!”
The tangle of creatures behaved wildly.
The golem was riddled with cracks, losing one of its arms, while the intense red gaze had weakened significantly.
It seemed it had also reached its limit for regeneration, with Grielops covered in wounds, darkness seeping out from it.
As the sword became saturated to the point it could no longer absorb mana, I redirected the flow with the tip of my toes.
I waited, waiting for the moment their bodies would collide. The moment I could ambush the unguarded Grielops from behind.
“Quoaa!!!”
“■■!!”
…Now!
Paan─!!
I slammed into the ground.
“Waaaah!!!”
Every nerve surged toward the tip of my sword.
At the point of extending my taut arm, everything else faded to white.
Only Grielops’s back and the sword in my hand occupied my entire field of vision.
Before my blade could touch Grielops’s back, I suppressed the erupting mana that was on the verge of bursting.
‘Not yet. It needs to coalesce just a bit more. A little longer, just a bit more!’
Realizing my presence too late, Grielops twisted its body.
But it was already too late.
Thud!
The sword struck it the moment I reached.
Sinking deep, I thrust my hand holding the sword with my left hand once more before unleashing the suppressed mana all at once.
Bang─!!!
In an instant, the mana burst forth from the tip, piercing everything in its path.
Grielops and the golem entangled with it.
“■■⋯Kek.”
Grielops looked down at the gaping hole in its torso.
It muttered something, but the words did not follow.
It seemed the regeneration had finally stopped.
“⋯.”
Thud.
Grielops collapsed forward, powerless, and became utterly still.
‘Finally, it’s dead.’
As I gazed at the shattered sword shards and the hilt of Barak scattered about, a crackling sound echoed.
I looked up and focused on the front.
The golem mirrored Grielops, lifeless.
A cylindrical hole through its center was visible, along with what remained of its core.
‘So that’s the core that formed the golem’s body. I got lucky just by waiting for the moment they overlapped.’
“Ku, quo.”
The golem gazed longingly at the orb lying nearby.
Straining, it reached out a hand.
Kuwoong─
Before it could even touch, it collapsed backward with a thunderous noise.
Silence.
I held my breath, concerned that Grielops might resurrect or that the golem would suddenly move with its half-remaining core, tightening my body in tension.
10 seconds. 30 seconds. 1 minute.
“It’s over.”
Judging that waiting any longer was pointless.
I immediately relaxed my entire body and slumped down.
“Wahh.”
“Aren.”
“Big brother!”
‘Big brother…?’
Seeing the three of them run toward me, I sighed a breath of relief.
Now, there’s only the return trip left.
‘Once I return to the city, I’ll take a few days to rest without a care. I’ve done everything I could since arriving here. Right?’
[Chaos comforts you, reminding you that you truly worked hard today.]
[Chaos tells you to go and rest well.]
Nodding, I looked away.
“Whew.”
A gray and black hue began to rise above the gaping hole in Grielops’s chest.
There’s even one treasure chest left that I still haven’t opened outside.
Now, it’s time to collect the reward for all this hard work.