Chapter 68
Kikik!
Kyagak!
The Briar Pirupikos charged at Seong-Hwi.
“Huuu,” Seong-Hwi inhaled deeply as if trying to wake up every cell in his body.
He unsheathed the Ackher Ring Dagger and swiftly evaded a Pirupiko trying to tear his face with its hook-like claws by leaning backward. He then stabbed its abdomen under its belly button.
Gyaaah!
The Briar Pirupiko melted like ice cream once its os was destroyed. Seong-Hwi noticed another Pirupiko swinging its fist imbued with Chaos Mana at him. He was covered in the melted Pirupiko’s blood but unfazed, grabbing the Pirupiko’s fist and twisting it.
The Lapang-rank Pirupiko’s arm was ripped off, breaking like crunchy chocolate. Seong-Hwi stabbed its neck, heart, and os before it could even scream. Not even ten seconds had passed so far.
“Hup!”
Seong-Hwi charged at his next prey, using only physical prowess. It looked as if he was kicking the air, but a Pirupiko flew into the area he kicked. He threw the Ackher Ring Dagger at the Pirupiko, blown away by his kick, and destroyed its os.
He pulled the Longus String and let the dagger fly like a whip to one of the Pirupikos charging at him. The string wrapped the Pirupiko, and Seong-Hwi pulled it toward him. He extended his fingers, enveloped his hand with mana to make it as sharp as a spear, and stabbed the Pirupiko’s os.
“Huuu,” Seong-Hwi caught his breath and looked forward.
He saw a Pirupiko about a head taller than the others, holding a grey briar like a whip and glaring at him.
“Kikik! Enemy! Kill! Gya! My subordinates!” it shouted.
It used language, and because it understood the concept of enemies and subordinates, it possessed a minuscule sense of reason.
It’s a Segal-rank Chaos, Seong-Hwi thought.
Segal-rank Chaos could use Chaos Mana more finely than Lapang-rank Chaos, allowing them to use skills.
“Gyak! Die!” it shouted as it activated a skill.
[Activating Skill: Thorn Bullet.]
The Chaos swung the briar. Its thorns, infused with Chaos Mana, shot like bullets. Seong-Hwi was not as elegant as a dancer, but dodged the thorns by a hair’s breadth, moving so fast that he left afterimages.
“Chaaa!” Seong-Hwi shouted as he threw the Ackher Ring Dagger filled with mana.
However, it flew past the Segal-rank Pirupiko and stuck deep into a tree behind it.
“Kyakya! Idiot!” the Chaos mocked Seong-Hwi.
However, it had been preparation for Seong-Hwi’s next move. Seong-Hwi jumped forward as he pulled hard on the Longus String, flying toward the Segal-rank Pirupiko at incredible speed.
It uses ranged skills. I have to get close!
“Gyaaah!” The Pirupiko noticed Seong-Hwi’s intention and raised its hook-like hand to cut the Longus String.
However, Seong-Hwi reached the Pirupiko faster than it could cut the string. Seong-Hwi’s kick, carrying the acceleration and his entire weight, smashed into the Pirupiko’s face. The Pirupiko’s back was exposed. Seong-Hwi did not give it any time to rest and retrieved the Ackher Ring Dagger to sever its wings.
“Gyaaah! My wings!”
“You shouldn’t show your back to an enemy during combat!” Seong-Hwi shouted as he wrapped the Longus String around the Pirupiko’s neck and strangled it.
“Kergh!”
“Haaah!” Seong-Hwi shouted as he focused all his strength on his arms.
He ripped off its head, and its spine was pulled out with it.
“Huuu,” Seong-Hwi caught his breath and stared at the Segal-rank Pirupiko on the ground, struggling even while beheaded.
He threw the Ackher Ring Dagger and stabbed its os.
[9,552 Karma obtained.]
[Purification merits obtained.]
The Segal-rank Pirupiko became a puddle of blood after giving Seong-Hwi nearly ten thousand Karma. The Akasha Messages did not end there.
[You defeated powerful enemies without relying on skills.]
[Recording this feat in the Akasha.]
[Strength, Health, and Dexterity stats transcend their limits from stimulation.]
[Heightening the caliber of Strength, Health, and Dexterity.]
[Strength E(99) → Strength E(75)]
[Health E(99) → Health E(77)]
[Dexterity E(99) → Dexterity E(74)]
It worked, Seong-Hwi thought.
The caliber of Strength, Health, and Dexterity was slightly heightened as he had hoped from fighting the Pirupikos using only physical prowess. It had been four days since he decided to carry out the Fairy Queen’s Knight quest. He had obtained a lot of Karma and more or less scouted the Shadow Fairy Queen’s territory.
But I haven’t found her base yet.
Seong-Hwi could ask Gilder, but that could raise suspicions.
Role Players consider the world inside a dungeon as reality rather than a treasure trove.
Hence, Seong-Hwi was better off searching for it himself.
I should head deeper today.
***
The Shadow Fairy Queen’s base was deep inside the forest. It was also covered by a wide-area illusion skill, making it difficult to perceive from the outside. Giant trees surrounded an open field filled with over a thousand leaf cradles.
The cradles were noticeably different from the cradles Dryas cared for. The leaves were brown instead of green and were wrapped in grey briars that supplied the dews in the cradles with Chaos Mana like an incubator with oxygen.
“My lovely baby fairies!” a female fairy said as she smiled at the brown cradles.
Surprisingly, she looked the same as Dryas except her eyes and hair were grey instead of gold. She also had ten pairs of multicolored wings on her back. She was the Shadow Fairy Queen, a Uluhatu-rank Chaos. She would have been no different from other fairies if it weren’t for her overflowing Chaos Mana.
“Ahhh, I wonder when you’ll be born? I wonder how beautiful the babies will be! These babies will ease my loneliness!”
The Shadow Fairy Queen brought her hands together and prayed for corrupt fairies to be born from the brown leaf cradles.
“Huh?”
Just then, the smiling Shadow Fairy Queen suddenly frowned. Her senses caught an approaching insect-like presence.
“How dare you?!” she shouted in rage.
Her Chaos Mana surged as she activated a skill.
[Activating Skill: Dry Seed.]
A wilted flower rose, turned to where the intruder’s presence was felt, and fired a seed like a cannon. The Dry Seed sank into the ground, and grey briars sprouted rapidly.
“It’s that human again!” the Shadow Fairy Queen mumbled as she felt the presence fleeing.
She was aware that an insolent human was assisting her mother, Dryas.
He always lingers around the area, but he’s never come this close! she thought inwardly in rage.
“Mother! Ahhh, beloved Mother! Please, don’t rush me,” the Shadow Fairy Queen said. She declared, “Your lovely daughter will kill you, no matter what!”
***
Arf! Arf!
Seong-Hwi followed the Foolish Dog.
[Karma: 38,114]
I have this much after raising the stats with heightened caliber back to 99, Seong-Hwi thought.
He thought about the best way to use the Karma he had gathered in the past four days as effectively as possible.
This is the best way, no matter how I think about it.
Seong-Hwi stared at the silver bracelets on his wrists, engraved with a three-legged dragon. The Silver Bracelets of Queen Consort Muryeong didn’t stand out, but were the most valuable among his items right now.
He used ten thousand Karma to purchase a bronze cube and raised the silver bracelets’ stat to D-rank.
[Silver Bracelets of Queen Consort Muryeong D(14) obtained.]
[Silver Bracelets of Queen Consort Muryeong E(99) → Silver Bracelets of Queen Consort Muryeong D(14)]
[Changing the effect of Silver Bracelets of Queen Consort Muryeong.]
[The left bracelet boosts Health by D(40). The right bracelet boosts Strength by D(40).]
[Health and Strength cannot receive this effect because they are E-rank.]
The effect rose from E(45) to D(40). Although the number had decreased, the effect rose overall because the rank rose.
I knew it had high potential, Seong-Hwi thought.
Seong-Hwi smiled at the Akasha Message with satisfaction and used seven thousand Karma to raise the Health and Strength stats, which decreased to E(54), back to E(99). Next, he used his remaining twenty thousand Karma to purchase a bronze cube each for Health and Strength. His Health stat rose by D(10) and his Strength stat by D(13).
[Boosting Health and Strength by D(40) as per the effect of Silver Bracelets of Queen Consort Muryeong.]
[Health D(10) → Health D(50).]
[Strength D(13) → Strength D(53).]
As a result, Seong-Hwi’s Health and Strength stats instantly passed the halfway point of D-rank. He could feel that his muscles were much harder than before.
With this, my Health and Magic stats only have a one-rank difference.
The burden on his body and mind would decrease, and his endurance would increase.
I can push myself a little more now. For example... I could borrow a four-card destiny.
[Silver Bracelets of Queen Consort Muryeong (Artifact)
Rank: D(14)
Description: A pair of bracelets crafted to pray for the well-being of the Queen Consort. The left bracelet boosts health. The right bracelet boosts strength. The artifact resonates with other artifacts excavated from the same tomb if nearby.]
An unexpected Akasha Message appeared as Seong-Hwi examined the silver bracelets’ changed effects.
[Foolish Dog destroyed.]
[Unavailable for 72 hours.]
The shocked Seong-Hwi quickly activated his skills after checking the Akasha Message.
[Activating Unique Skill: Borrowing Destiny.]
[Iljimae the Gentleman Thief of the Plum Blossom]
[Activating Exclusive Skill: Shadowless Plum Blossom Branch.]
[Activating Unique Skill: Symbol Embodiment.]
[Hermit’s Robe, one of the symbols of No.9 The Hermit]
Seong-Hwi instantly disappeared as if he were melting snow. A few seconds later, someone flew across the sky. It looked like a Segal-rank Pirupiko at a glance, but it had a sword on its waist and wore armor covered in spiky briars.
[Thorn Knight Pirupiko of the race Chaos, discovered.]
“Am I in the wrong place? The presence suddenly disappeared,” the Chaos mumbled as it looked around, searching for something.
It could speak fluently despite being a Chaos.
It’s an Adora-rank Chaos! Seong-Hwi shouted inwardly.
He held his breath and observed the Chaos. The Chaos Mana it exuded was on par with his mana of C-rank Magic.
“The queen is on edge these days...” the Adora-rank Pirupiko trailed off as it flew away, not noticing Seong-Hwi.
Seong-Hwi’s eyes shone as he watched the Chaos.
I’m in the right place!
He had approached the Shadow Fairy Queen’s base without realizing it while he followed the Foolish Dog.
***
Seong-Hwi combed through the area, concealed by his skills. Although he had been careful, he searched several regions. However, he couldn’t find any traces.
Strange. Their base must be nearby if an Adora-rank Chaos is patrolling the area.
[Activating Unique Skill: Symbol Embodiment.]
[Observer’s Earring, one of the symbols of No.9 The Hermit]
Seong-Hwi’s field of view switched to third-person. He looked around and saw Shen, Lapang, and Segal-rank Pirupikos standing guard, indicating their base was near.
Seong-Hwi closely examined the Pirupikos’ formation. They seemed scattered sporadically, but had something in common.
They have their backs to the east and are watching the west! It’s undeniable proof their base is to the east, but the fact that I can’t see it only means one thing. It’s hidden by a barrier or illusion skill!
Seong-Hwi embodied the second-strongest symbol of the No.9 The Hermit card.
[Activating Unique Skill: Symbol Embodiment.]
[Hexagram Lantern, one of the symbols of No.9 The Hermit]
A lantern appeared in Seong-Hwi’s hand. A golden hexagram was inside the lantern, acting as the light source. The Hexagram Lantern symbolized correct awareness—the wise and spiritual awareness of a hermit. The symbol, powered by mana and Destiny Force, could see through illusion skills.
Seong-Hwi’s vision through the Observer’s Earring instantly changed. A large open field appeared from the dense forest. It was filled with over a thousand cradles that resembled the ones he saw in Larayu Cradle.
Are those cradles made of... dry leaves? I should take a closer look—Kurgh!
Seong-Hwi was about to approach the open field when his eyes met those of a female fairy standing beside one of the cradles.
How could our eyes have met?! My presence is hidden, and I’m using the Observer’s Earring to watch in third-person! That can only mean one thing!
The enemy was powerful enough to see through all his skills.
Seong-Hwi immediately ran away, which saved his life. Something sank into the area where he had been standing. Grey briars, filled to the brim with Chaos Mana, grew from it and began to chase him.
Seong-Hwi fled as he evaded the briars and thought, I found it!