LIGHTNOVELSTORY Chapter 109 - Encounter (1)
Chapter 109 Encounter (1)
Gate Strategy Specialist, Bojji Kkong.
He didn’t have high expectations for Yu-jin.
His abilities were only at the lower B-level.
Though he was difficult to evaluate based solely on his abilities…
He wouldn’t be able to perform solo in an S-class gate.
That’s what he thought.
That’s why he paired Ninomiya with Yu-jin.
He figured that she could manage somehow if she was by his side.
“Finished! Whew~ Great job, Kkong.”
“Don’t let your guard down. We still have to clear the boss room….”
‘I saw this future, but I still can’t believe it. Even with a mana fuel rod, this is unbelievable.’
However, Yu-jin once again performed a remarkable feat.
A gate strategy conducted by only five people.
A crazy plan that sounded like a suicidal wish to lure and defeat monsters one by one.
Yu-jin accomplished this perfectly.
Of course, it wouldn’t have been possible without Kkong’s command, Aika’s support, and the abilities of the Shia-Alice combo…
But that didn’t diminish the brilliance of Yu-jin’s achievement.
An S-class gate, with all monsters except the boss room cleared.
Total time taken: 10 hours.
Number of injured and dead: 0.
This was an achievement only possible because of Yu-jin.
Joy flickered in Kkong’s eyes.
‘As expected, my only friend…!! Yeah. He has to be at this level to match me!!’
– Grin.
“…”
‘Why is he looking up at me with those bright, oddly moist eyes? Is he picking a fight?’
It was an annoyingly adorable sight for Yu-jin, but anyway.
The gate strategy was almost complete.
Only the final stage remained, the place where the most casualties occur in gate strategies.
Only the boss room.
Kkong and Yu-jin’s eyes met.
“Make sure to rest well before entering. You too, Yu-jin….”
“You’re going to scout the boss room, right? I’ll go too.”
“…You. Follow me.”
Then the two of them slipped away.
During the rest period, they were discussing the boss room strategy.
Aika tried to follow them,
“Master. I’ll go too….”
“Master, please rest. You’re exhausted from assisting me, aren’t you? You need to rest even a little.”
“I’m fine.”
“How can you say that? Just overworking my delicate master already breaks my heart.”
“…Heh. If my student insists so much.”
– Smirk.
‘Being treated like a delicate woman is the best…!! Good thing I hid my strength!’
Obediently waiting due to Yu-jin’s genuine 200% concern.
Thanks to that, Kkong and Yu-jin could freely wander the gate.
Just the two of them. Whispering to each other.
Conversations between comrades who overcame hardships together were the warmest…
“…What? There was a notification that this was an S+++ grade gate? Only to you?”
“Yeah. I don’t know why, but it’s probably because of me. Something similar happened with the A+ grade gate. It’s much worse now though….”
“Why are you telling me this now, you crazy bastard!!!”
…It wasn’t exactly warm, but they were friends nonetheless.
Yu-jin, having confessed the truth, averted his eyes.
“I thought if I told you after we carried out the gate strategy, you’d scold me less… I’m really sorry.”
“Ugh, you son of a…!”
– Smack.
Kkong lightly punched the annoying young man’s back.
He would die if he hit him seriously, so he hit him softly.
Even though he puffed his cheeks while doing so, it was just cute.
Thanks to this, Yu-jin wondered if Kkong was assigned the wrong gender, but anyway.
The atmosphere became quite relaxed.
“…Sigh. But since you confessed before the boss room. And you carried out the strategy. I’ll let it slide this time.”
“Thank you, sister.”
“Who’s your sister? Anyway, any other peculiarities?”
“Well….”
Finally, Yu-jin spoke with relief.
The earnest young man continued his explanation.
‘Can I mention the question mark? Where….’
– Ding.
[Skill ‘Perfect Hypnosis’ pops up with an NG placard.]
‘As expected. I figured this wouldn’t be possible.’
Although he couldn’t speak about ‘???’,
“They say an overlord intervened. After killing the dungeon master.”
“…What?”
The biggest reason he confessed.
He succeeded in conveying the threat lurking in the boss room.
Kkong’s eyes narrowed.
“Overlord? I’ve never heard of that. Is it a special monster?”
“I don’t know. The first letters appeared, but they were so distorted I couldn’t read them.”
“Unreadable letters? Really.”
Even Kkong, who had been through all sorts of experiences as an S-class, had never heard of this.
An ‘overlord’? What the hell was that?
And what’s this? It killed the dungeon master, the boss monster?
“So, you don’t know anything beyond that?”
“Yeah. I leave the rest to you, Kkong.”
“Leave it to me.”
Kkong took charge to solve the mystery.
The massive magic circle leading to the boss room.
Standing before it, he gathered his mana…
To activate his unique talent, ‘Foresight’.
Five minutes passed.
“Kkong?”
“…”
“Kkong. Why is it taking so long? Are you tired?”
“…I can’t see.”
After a long time of concentration, Kkong finally turned around when Yu-jin, who couldn’t wait any longer, urged him.
A single drop of nosebleed ran down his nose.
His darkened complexion was filled with despair.
Tears welled up in his eyes.
To define the emotion in his expression in one word…
‘Fear’.
Kkong, who had seen the future, was terrified and on the verge of tears.
Yu-jin also became serious.
“What do you mean you can’t see?”
“Exactly what I said. No matter how much I use Foresight, I can’t see the future after we enter.”
“Really, Kkong?”
“Yeah.”
Yu-jin, Kkong’s close friend, knew.
What Kkong could see with ‘Foresight’ was only the future scenes he would witness himself.
He had to move and observe in some way for future prediction to be possible.
But not being able to see the future after entering meant?
“There’s a monster ahead. A monster that will kill me.”
It implied Kkong’s death.
It must be an instant death.
If he could breathe for even a moment, he would not be completely unable to observe the future.
Yu-jin urgently questioned.
“If you don’t enter and the other awakened ones enter together?”
“Death.”
“…What if the master and I join?”
“Death.”
Kkong repeatedly shook his head.
In the countless futures he observed for five minutes.
No matter how much they prepared and entered. No matter if they entered with everyone they trusted.
Even if they were protected by the gorilla who was pretending to be weak.
His future was always invisible.
At least it was clear that he would die.
Despair was inevitable.
‘Yu-jin, you bastard… Sigh. I can’t even blame him. I was the one who said let’s go together.’
– Grin.
“We’re screwed.”
Despite that, he didn’t blame Yu-jin, the cause of the problem, and instead smiled, showing his character.
Faced with the dismal smile, Yu-jin…
“Why give up so soon. We’ve only thought about it for five minutes.”
“…? What, you.”
“We have plenty of food, so we can think about it for a day or two more. We can wait until you find a way.”
Instead of despair, he spoke of hope.
His golden eyes flashed.
‘You think you can kill Kkong instantly? While my master and I are by his side?’
‘Impossible. Even those monsters from the EX-class gate couldn’t manage that.’
Unlike Kkong, Yu-jin understood.
EX-class gates. No matter how much they swung their swords, they couldn’t touch them, and they only attacked them unilaterally.
Even those monsters couldn’t kill him and his master.
He didn’t know what the so-called overlord inside was…
But could it really be worse than those bastards?
Just because it had a few more pluses, could an S-class compare to an EX-class?
“And besides, I believe in you. You’re not someone who would die in a place like this.”
“Yu-jin….”
“So, don’t cry. It’s annoyingly cute and makes me want to hit you.”
– Ding!
[Skill ‘Perfect Hypnosis’ cheers you on, jumping around in a cheerleader outfit!]
“…Ah.”
Kkong’s eyes gradually cleared.
Unlike me, who believed in my ability to see the future, this guy believes in me as a person.
…Really. What kind of face am I showing in front of my friend?
He wiped his black eyes with the sleeve of his suit.
“…One hour. I’ll rest for just one hour and try again. Until I get it.”
“Sure. I’ll be right next to you, so if you need mental therapy, just let me know.”
“Thanks.”
Then he plopped down.
Sitting cross-legged, he closed his eyes.
His mind and body were exhausted from the 10-hour strategy.
He needed to recover everything.
To find a way to survive from a future full of despair.
And as time passed.
After overloading his power to the point of vomiting blood.
– Ding.
[You have acquired the status ‘Overload’. The skill ‘Foresight’ is unavailable for a week.]
“———Cough!!!”
“Are you alright!? Take a moment to rest.”
“I… I saw it. The future.”
Finally, something appeared in Kkong’s Foresight.
A future where he didn’t die after entering the gate.
“Really!? That’s amazing….”
“……”
‘How should I put this.’
However, his face was still dark.
He had only seen 30 minutes into the future.
No one died, but…
Someone was suffering to the point of wanting to die.
His friend. Yu-jin.
‘What on earth has to happen for someone’s face to look like that?’
The condition he saw for the future was this.
Only Yu-jin would enter first, and after some time, the main group, including himself, would follow.
He wondered if this guy would survive alone, and he tested it…
What he saw was?
In the ruined boss room, Yu-jin was ‘alone’ and trembling.
His face was pale with fear. His hands gripping the katana so tightly that they bled. His breath was panicked and shallow.
He couldn’t even guess what Yu-jin would have to go through in those 30 minutes to be so broken.
‘Moreover, just seeing this puts such a strain on me?’
There was another odd point.
He could usually see the future up to a day ahead.
30 minutes ahead shouldn’t be that burdensome.
But now?
As soon as he observed it, it was so exhausting that he vomited blood.
As if he had forcibly seen a future beyond his ability to handle.
“The truth is, that….”
That’s why Kkong’s voice was full of apology.
The future he observed, where even he, an S-class, vomited blood.
He felt sorry for putting Yu-jin, still a novice, into what might be a historic crisis for humanity.
“So, you’re just shivering in fear? Not even injured or anything?”
“It’s not that simple. The future I saw was so intense that I coughed up blood just by looking at it. So, the ordeal you’ll face….”
“As long as I don’t die, it’s fine.”
Of course, Yu-jin was unfazed.
He didn’t know what would happen, but as long as he didn’t die, it was good.
Even if he got hurt, he could get treatment from Soo-yeon, so it was fine.
“…But will I wet myself?”
“…Yeah.”
“Ugh. I better go to the bathroom first, then.”
There was no shame before his wives, so it was fine.
A smile barely appeared on Kkong’s lips.
“Is that important, you fool?”
“For a man, pride is a serious matter.”
“Agreed.”
The atmosphere finally lightened again.
Afterward, Kkong went back to the other awakened ones.
The final strategy for the S-class. No, the S+++ class gate strategy.
To persuade them to send Yu-jin alone into the boss room, a crazy act.
“From now on, Yu-jin will….”
“You’re going to send my student alone in there? …Are you crazy?”
“Master, please!! He may look delicate and gentle, but he’s reliable at times like this!!”
“Let go of me, student!! I must fold that kid in half…!!”
“…”
‘Chaos from the start. Seriously.’
Of course, the other awakened ones.
Especially Aika, who strongly opposed it in her extreme tone,
“If Yu-jin dies, I’ll die too. Is that enough, Ninomiya?”
“…What?”
“If he gets even a scratch, you can beat me until you’re satisfied. As you said when we went to Korea, you can even make me a woman, and I won’t blame you.”
“Oh.”
Kkong’s trump card. Betting his life as a man.
Yu-jin was moved, and the surrounding awakened ones were impressed, even Aika hesitated.
A man betting his lower body was something one had to acknowledge.
“Thanks for trusting me. I’ll make sure I don’t get hurt and come back.”
“Alright. Good luck.”
As a result, the earnest young man headed to the boss room.
Leaving behind the salutes of countless awakened ones.
Without any fear or hesitation.
Trusting only his friend’s words.
‘I don’t know what kind of hardships lie ahead….’
– Swoosh.
‘I trust you, Yu-jin. With my life.’
The final strategy involving the life of the 7th-ranked S-class and the future S-class.
It had begun.
* * *
Right after moving to the boss room.
“A human-shaped monster!! Even though it’s pretty, I won’t show mercy….”
“E̷i̵n̶e̸ s̷o҉l҈c̶h҈e̵ Schutzbarriere f҉ü҉r̵ d̶i҈e̴ Seele z̴u̷ e̶r̴r̴i̵c҉h̶t̷e҈n҈,҉ z҈e̴u̴g̵t̶ von bemerkenswerter Kunstfertigkeit.”
“…Huh? Are you a human? Are you human?”
– Tilt.
“Ahem. Can you hear me like this?”
“Wow!! You speak Korean too!!”
Yu-jin was injected with a mysterious sense of Korean pride.