Chapter 33: Boss Monster. |
Kim Han-byeol never took her eyes off me. Her gaze pleaded with me to get up, to run, but I had no intention of doing so.
It seemed my companions had gravely misunderstood the situation.
Soon, with a final flash of blue light from the warp gate, I saw that everyone but me had been transported.
Are they gone?
They’re gone, right?
They’re gone.
Before I knew it, dark shadows swirled around me. The boss monster, seemingly unconcerned about its lost prey, growled at me incessantly. I placed both hands on the ground and slowly pushed myself up. After rolling around for the first time in a while, my whole body felt stiff. I twisted my torso for a moment to loosen my back, and the sound of cracking joints filled the air.
I glanced at the crossbow I had used so well until now, then let it fall to the ground. I no longer needed it. With a soft thud, the crossbow tumbled onto the dirt floor. Without hesitation, I stomped on it.
Snap!
And so, at last, I held a sword in my hand.
One of the things that had felt strange throughout the Rite of Passage was the absence of a blade. In the Hall Plain, I considered my sword as precious as my own life. I kept it by my side when I slept, when I ate, even when I washed. Perhaps that was why, when I handed the sword to An Hyeon, I felt as if I had lost a trusted comrade.
It was all over now. I could finally return to the Hall Plain. How I had yearned for this moment. How desperately my heart had wished to go back. What I once thought was a dream became a reality when I obtained the Zero Code, and now, I was just one step away from that reality. I felt my chest swell with emotion.
The Essence of Fire sleeping in my heart seemed to respond to my burning emotions. My heart pounded fiercely, and I could feel the blood coursing through my veins turn scorching hot. The breath that had stilled, the heart that had been dormant, began to race wildly once more. The prelude to a long, new war was just about to begin.
ROOOOOOOAR!
The cry of the boss monster echoed. Before I cut it down, I quietly stared at the sword in my hand. Though I had acquired skills surpassing my past self, there was no guarantee I was the strongest. But I felt no fear. I had made a firm resolve not to give up, even if I were to fall into despair once more, even if I were to be gravely wounded again. Without a shred of worry, I raised the sword and aimed it at the boss monster.
The moment I held the sword with true intent, the very air around me transformed.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙
[Special Ability Sword and Mind as One (Rank EX)
has been activated.] [The moment you hold a sword, all actions involving the sword will receive an additional positive correction.] [Due to years of seasoned experience, numerous achievements, and class correction, you receive a 2-rank boost.]
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙
[Potential Ability Close Quarters Combat (Rank A+)
has been activated.] [For one who wields melee weapons, this ability has already surpassed its limits. You will never be pushed back in close combat.] [Due to years of seasoned experience and class correction, you receive a 1-rank boost.]
I was once a Sword Master, and now, I was a Sword Specialist. I possessed abilities related to the sword and held a class dedicated to it. As such, the difference in my power with and without a sword was as vast as the distance between heaven and earth. Before, I was like a fleeting cloud; now, a storm of killing intent, thick with the clear will of ‘I will kill you,’ enveloped the creature.
In my eyes, the monster now seemed utterly insignificant, less than an insect. When I took a step forward, the boss monster took a step back. It couldn't be helped. No matter how cunning, it was still a monster with primal instincts. Having recognized the immense gap in our classes, it was safe to say it had already lost its will to fight.
The foundation of my swordsmanship was rooted in the principles of Taegeuk. Rather than overpowering with brute force, many of my techniques involved redirecting my opponent’s strength along with my own. For me, who lacked the raw strength of the top-tier users, it was my only viable method. To be more specific, it utilized the principles of using softness to overcome hardness, with the key being to subdue motion with stillness.
I slowly lowered my sword. Since I couldn't expect the monster to attack first, I planned to strike. This was a preparatory stance, a prelude to unleashing my unique sword-drawing technique. Of course, I knew it could appear as if I were defenseless.
But for that very reason, my opponent could not predict the path of my first strike. If I swung my sword with lightning speed from this position, they would either be struck down before they could read its trajectory or be forced to cede the initiative.
Looking at the boss monster trembling before me, I immediately drew my sword.
And then.
My sword qi tore through the air, advancing relentlessly toward the creature.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
“One-Strike Kill. A magnificent sword draw. User Kim Su-hyeon, congratulations on surviving the Rite of Passage. I hereby certify that as of Day 6, 16:42:27, you have earned the right to enter the Hall Plain.”
I had sliced the boss monster in half with a single strike. Those were the first words Seraph uttered after I returned to the Chamber of Summoning. She was still on the small altar, her shining wings fluttering as she watched me calmly. Though it had been less than a week, it felt like I was seeing her again after a long time. I gave a slight nod and slumped to the ground.
“Where are the others?”
It was a blunt question, but the Rite of Passage was different from the Hall Plain. It was a space where there were no restrictions on observing users. Since she had clearly seen my performance, I assumed she must have seen the users I was with as well.
“Revealing information about other users is not permitted.”
“I’m not asking for their three sizes. You can at least tell me if they got in safely. You’re being awfully sensitive.”
Hearing my words, Seraph let out a deep sigh before replying in a composed voice.
“Users An Hyeon, An Sol, Lee Yu-jeong, and Kim Han-byeol have been successfully transported to the Chamber of Summoning. They are currently on standby with their designated angels.”
“I see. So they get a half-day of training and then enter the Hall Plain?”
“The training does not take that long. However, we must unlock the classes and abilities that suit each user’s disposition. User Kim Su-hyeon completed this process smoothly under his own guidance, but please do not assume it is the same for other users.”
At her words, I fell silent. In the past, after surviving for seven days, I had returned to the Chamber of Summoning, learned the basics of the Hall Plain, and entered after setting up my initial stats. The time it took felt like half a day.
“All users will be transported to the Hall Plain at once. Therefore, it is necessary to wait for the users who qualify at the end of the 7th day of the Rite of Passage.”
“Then I’ll just go in n—”
“Absolutely not.”
This was not welcome news for me, who wanted to enter as soon as possible. I had even dealt with the boss monster quickly. I asked just in case, but seeing Seraph cut me off before I could even finish, I grumbled with a pout.
“So you’re saying I have to stay here for a day and a half. Just wait around? You want to play patty-cake with me or something?”
Despite my irritated tone, Seraph replied clearly.
“If you wish, I can accommodate you. For users who pass early, we usually provide more detailed information about the Hall Plain.”
“Don’t need it.”
“Then would you like to play patty-cake?”
“Sigh... No. Let’s just talk.”
Seeing Seraph ask so seriously, I shook my head. This angel had no sense of humor. Since things had come to this, I decided to ask a few questions that had been on my mind during the Rite of Passage. Of course, my tone was dripping with provocation. At my suggestion to talk, Seraph tilted her head and then gave a slight nod.
“Playing through the Rite of Passage, I couldn’t help but wonder, did you guys even think about balance?”
“Yes.”
Seraph answered with a single word.
“...Let’s say dropping us in the middle of the forest and the wraith were acceptable. But what’s with the boss monster in the summoning scroll? What kind of twisted logic is that? This isn’t a Rite of Passage. No prospective user can pass this.”
“Was there a problem?”
“If I hadn’t been there at the end, my party would have been wiped out. I just can’t accept the reason for unleashing a monster like that.”
Without a moment’s hesitation, Seraph spoke.
“The Rite of Passage automatically adjusts its balance according to the level of the users participating in each round. Of course, this round was special, with User Kim Su-hyeon being an exception. In any case, this year’s users were among the top five most promising in history.”
“Even so, the boss monster doesn’t make sense. How are users who can’t even use mana supposed to kill a boss monster?”
“Killing it is impossible. There is another method. The boss monster is randomly summoned between 200 and 300 meters from the warp gate. It is impossible to face it alone, but with at least five people, a minimum of one person can reach the warp gate.”
I understood what Seraph was saying immediately.
“...So the idea is to escape by sacrificing up to four people as bait.”
“Correct.”
I was at a loss for words. But at the same time, I could vaguely understand why they had placed the boss monster near the warp gate. The users who passed would have to experience the sorrow of losing the comrades they had journeyed with. Since such events were commonplace in the Hall Plain, it seemed their intention was to deliver a similar shock right from the start.
The thought that it was a sick hobby crossed my mind, but I had nothing to say. In a way, the reason I returned was because I couldn't overcome a similar sense of loss. I sighed internally and was about to change the subject when Seraph spoke first.
“I admit there was a certain level of difficulty. For your information, the first four people to arrive simultaneously have been given a small Gold Point reward.”
“...Oh? Then no one from our group could have passed before me. What about me?”
“User Kim Su-hyeon passed in 5th place. The four I mentioned before are tied for 1st place. As a reward, they will each be given 2,500 Gold Points.”
Oho. Now that was good news. 2,500 points would be a significant help in the beginning. Gold Points, which could be used in the user-exclusive shop, were extremely useful early on. My eyes sparkled as I spoke.
“Ooh. Gold Points. Give me some too.”
“Unfortunately, it is only provided to those in 1st place. Originally, one person would have received 10,000 points, but since there were four this time, we had no choice but to divide it. User Kim Su-hyeon is not eligible.”
Is that so. I smacked my lips in disappointment and nodded. With 2,500 points, I could have exchanged them for Hall Plain gold and not worried about being broke at the start. Or I could have bought a beginner’s weapon. Noticing my expression, Seraph spoke to me with a look of confusion.
“User Kim Su-hyeon. You seem quite disappointed. It is only 2,500 points.”
“Gold Points don’t grow on trees, you know.”
“That is true. However, the Gold Points currently in your possession are exactly 3,784,720. I do not believe you need to be concerned with a mere 2,500 points.”
...Huh?