Chapter 61

[Translator – Prøks]

[Proofreader – Prøks]

Chapter 61: The Heaven and Earth Net (5)

He ran with Seo Yerim, dismounting from our horses. The progress bar continued to climb.

97. 98.

[Progress: 99%]

Even though it reached 99%, the undead were still nowhere to be seen.

His decision to go full throttle with doping had been the right one.

99.1

99.3

99.5

99.7

99.8

99.9

And just when he thought they’d make it.

“Haha! Where are you off to in such a hurry!”

A massive amount of dark energy erupted from all directions. Undeterred by the ominous aura, He summoned Dolsoe and a horde of skeletons without hesitation.

[‘Dolsoe’ utilizes his defensive stance!]

Dolsoe stood guard, his shield held firmly in place.

The skeleton horde followed suit.

Boom!

An explosion erupted.

[Skeleton 706 has been recalled…….]

[Skeleton 1,032 has been recalled…….]

.

.

The skeletons were recalled haphazardly as a price for their actions. The Death Lord’s passive skill had been used up a long time ago, so there was no chance of resurrection.

Dolsoe, too, seemed to have taken a serious blow, his entire body shattered.

Yang Jeonghak, the Leader of the Murim Alliance.

Cheon Guyang, the Heavenly Demon.

Baek Hakseong, the Leader of the Unorthodox Alliance.

The three old monsters blocking their path came into view.

Their faces were ashen white, indicating how hastily they had rushed here.

Cheon Guyang clenched his fists.

“Cunning bastard. We almost missed you. Why do you run away so despicably?”

Yang Jeonghak pointed his sword.

“Heh heh, it’s been a long time since I’ve had to run this hard.”

Baek Hakseong’s eyes turned cold.

“……You are no longer my flesh and blood.”

An eerie aura completely enveloped the surroundings.

Seo Yerim’s face hardened.

The words Kim Minwoo had said last time came to mind.

He had clearly said that it would be difficult to even last ten minutes.

She had scoffed at the time.

Now, she felt like she should be grateful for those words instead.

‘……Even five minutes would be tough?’

Her body was tired, but the three of them were just that strong.

Their destination was right in front of them, but she wondered if they could break through the path blocked by those three.

Then.

Kim Minwoo looked at her intently and said.

“I’ll take care of the Murim Alliance Leader and the Unorthodox Alliance Leader.”

“……Are you sure?”

“We have to. To survive. We need to break through before more reinforcements arrive.”

“……Alright.”

The two of them drew their swords.

“Heh heh. Little Baek Socheon, you’re quite brave. You think you can take on the Leader and me?”

“I thought you only knew how to pee and whine, but these kids these days have no fear. Ha ha! Then I’ll take that woman!”

The five of them charged simultaneously.

An explosive sword aura erupted from Seo Yerim’s sword. Cheon Guyang, who had scoffed, threw a punch.

The Leader of the Unorthodox Alliance and the Murim Alliance Leader rushed in.

On the other side, Cedric and Dolsoe charged in as well.

“I’ll handle the small fry! You, the unfilial bastard, take on your own father!”

“Alright.”

Boom!

Baek Hakseong’s sword collided with Kim Minwoo’s. The first clash was evenly matched.

‘He’s worthy of my attention.’

When wielding a sword, the most important stats are strength and agility. Stamina and mana are just secondary factors. When Baek Hakseong had tested Kim Minwoo’s stats with sword energy…

The difference in their stats now and then was like night and day.

At least in terms of stats alone, Kim Minwoo was now on par with Baek Hakseong.

In an instant, they exchanged dozens of blows.

Baek Hakseong’s eyes narrowed slightly when he saw that Kim Minwoo wasn’t being pushed back as easily as he had thought.

Soon, his sword was filled with mana.

A chilling aura surged forth.

In an instant, the sword energy split into dozens of strands and engulfed Kim Minwoo’s entire body. Kim Minwoo summoned some skeletons to block his path.

A few strands of sword energy grazed his body, causing blood to spray.

Screech!

Baek Hakseong’s blade slashed in, taking advantage of a gap.

Kim Minwoo deflected it with his Ghost Sword.

Clang!

The two swords clashed, sending sparks flying.

Kim Minwoo swung his sword down as if to strike.

Baek Hakseong’s figure blurred.

‘I knew he’d do that.’

These guys are all about using secret arts.

They quickly circled around behind him.

He was prepared for that.

He immediately turned around and swung his sword.

Whoosh!

His blade pierced right through Kim Minwoo’s shoulder.

In return, Baek Hakseong’s arm was half-severed.

“Ugh?”

Cheon Guyang’s surprised voice rang out.

Yang Jeonghak, who had been fiercely attacking Cedric and Dolsoe, also stopped moving. Judging by the results, both of them had one arm hanging limply at their sides.

This meant he had achieved a draw with the Leader of the Unorthodox Alliance.

An alarm bell rang in their minds.

The Leader of the Unorthodox Alliance’s level was not something they could easily surpass.

Which meant…

That Baek Socheon was a truly dangerous being.

Cheon Guyang, now fully serious, launched a fierce attack on Seo Yerim.

In an instant, she was on the defensive.

Baek Hakseong also unleashed all his skills. Dolsoe and Cedric couldn’t hold on for much longer and were reverse-summoned.

On his side, it was a similar dogfight.

‘It’s a shame I don’t have any skills.’

He deliberately didn’t use any curses.

It would probably take him dozens of tries before it landed, and even then, the chance of it actually cutting his defense was less than 5%.

‘I need to save my mana.’

Baek Hakseong was a master.

He wouldn’t give me the opportunity to drink a potion.

Even if he did drink one, getting addicted during a battle would be disastrous.

He had to use his mana sparingly, mostly to summon Cedric and Dolsoe.

Just then…

[Cedric is reverse-summoned.]

[Dolsoe is reverse-summoned.]

All the summoned creatures disappeared.

Immediately afterward, the Alliance Leader Yang Jeonghak also joined the battle. He hastily summoned them back again, but the two were already engaged in close combat.

Their hands and feet became even more tangled.

‘Damn it.’

On top of that, Seo Yerim’s body was becoming riddled with wounds.

It was clear that she was losing.

If she held on well, it would be for 30 seconds at most.

After that, she might die from the Heavenly Demon’s attacks. Kim Minwoo thought about it for a few dozen seconds.

There were basically two options.

First, abandon Seo Yerim.

She wouldn’t last long.

The Heavenly Demon would join the fight soon too.

Then, he would have no chance of survival.

On the other hand, if he abandoned her…

‘I’ll probably survive.’

He thought he might be able to create an opportunity to escape.

Second, save her.

Baek Hakseong and Yang Jeonghak were no pushovers. He would probably have to do something big to save her.

‘Maybe I can somehow save her.’

The problem was that the chances of him dying would increase significantly.

Just then…

He saw Seo Yerim, who had been thrown back by the Heavenly Demon’s technique, spitting blood from the corner of her mouth.

‘Ugh…’

Kim Minwoo gripped his sword tightly.

The reason he had been able to make it this far without much difficulty. It was all thanks to her.

She had used her reconnaissance skills and archer abilities to capture all the scouts and vanguard troops.

And that wasn’t all.

She had fought alongside him against countless search parties. If she hadn’t been there, it would have taken them much longer to clear a path.

‘And this isn’t a game.’

This was reality.

Even taking that into account, he was the type of person who didn’t hesitate to kill those who deserved it.

On the other hand, it also meant that he had to do whatever it took to save those who needed to be saved.

Otherwise, it would weigh heavily on his conscience.

A brief moment of deliberation.

The decision was quick.

‘I’ll save her.’

And he would find a way to survive as well.

Even though the chances were low, it wasn’t zero.

In other words, there was a possibility of success.

‘Then let’s do it.’

When had he ever taken the easy way out?

“Cedric!”

In an instant, Cedric fired a breath attack in front of him. The immense flames caused Baek Hakseong to step back slightly.

He immediately charged towards the opening.

The two masters instinctively swung their swords.

[Dolsoe uses Provocation (A) on Yang Jeonghak!]

[The opponent’s level is too high!]

[Provocation is successful for a very short time!]

[Translator – Prøks]

[Proofreader – Prøks]

Yang Jeonghak flinched for a moment.

He managed to barely deflect Baek Hakseong’s sword.

The trajectories of the two swords that were aimed at his heart and neck shifted.

He raised his already mangled arm to block one.

The sword that was about to stab him from behind struck him in the back. Yang Jeonghak’s blade protruded from below his abdomen.

Blood gushed from the corner of his mouth.

He ran forward, still clinging to his completely shredded arm.

A split second.

What he pulled out of his inventory wasn’t a potion, but a Thread of Ascension.

“Cool! You wanted this, right?”

“……!”

The three of them turned their attention to the thread.

A brief moment of vulnerability.

He approached Seo Yerim, who was stumbling.

Cheon Guyang, who had quickly regained his senses, threw a punch.

A flurry of fists rained down like stars.

His chest, face, and forearms.

Three rapid blows landed.

In return, he was able to reach Seo Yerim.

He immediately grabbed her by the waist.

“Go!”

He turned and threw her with all his might.

Even as she flew towards the clear area, no one tried to chase her. The thread was drawing all their greed.

He turned around and raised his sword.

The three masters were already charging towards him.

‘Can I survive?’

The determination of the elders was beyond his imagination.

He had taken more hits than he thought.

His body was trembling…. a lot.

Just then…

Thwack!

A very small sound came from behind him. It was a sound that was all too familiar to Kim Minwoo.

A precision shot.

It was the sound he had heard when she used her skill.

A single arrow.

When he heard the sound, he knew where it was headed…

‘Baek Hakseong.’

The Leader of the Unorthodox Alliance.

It would hit the one who was flying towards him now. And it was an arrow imbued with precision shot.

His calculation was complete.

At the same time, he aimed his sword at Baek Hakseong, the only one of the three who was rushing in.

The arrow, which had been flying hidden behind him, suddenly changed its trajectory and grazed Kim Minwoo’s face.

Baek Hakseong, startled by the arrow that suddenly appeared in front of his nose, raised his sword to block it.

The fact that he reacted in that split second was proof that he was a true master.

But…

Would he be able to block the sword that was already aimed at him?

Whoosh!

“……!”

Baek Hakseong, who had stopped in mid-air while blocking the arrow, was pierced right in the heart by a sword.

A clean instant death.

[Leader of the Unorthodox Alliance Baek Hakseong has died!]

[Level up by 6!]

[You have succeeded in an almost impossible hunt!]

[You have acquired the title ‘The Beginning of the Legend’!]

[The title ‘Slayer of the Strong’ has been changed to ‘Law of Victory’!]

[The Thread of Ascension blossoms, soaked in the blood of the strong!]

[You have reached Level 151 and fulfilled the conditions for the second trial of the Death Lord!]

[You may now be summoned if you wish!]

He had killed one of them.

In return…

Whoosh!

He was stabbed in the heart as well.

Bam! Bam! Bam!

He was sent flying, his entire body pummeled by the Heavenly Demon’s fists.

Even in that last moment, he did not let go of the thread.

[Warning!]

[You have suffered a fatal injury!]

[The effect of ‘Indomitable Spirit’ is activated!]

[Your soul is enduring the death of your body!]

[Soul gauge is starting to decrease!]

[Soul gauge (56/60)]

When did his soul gauge increase from 50 to 60?

He didn’t know.

That wasn’t what mattered right now.

He couldn’t move a finger, but that didn’t matter.

Inventory.

That miracle should be applicable to plant humans as well.

[Soul gauge (52/60)]

While floating in the air.

He put the thread into his inventory.

[Soul gauge (48/60)]

His body flew through the air.

The Heavenly Demon and the Alliance Leader immediately followed him. The two of them chased after him with fire in their eyes. His already battered body had been stabbed in the heart and beaten all over.

It was clear to anyone that this was a fatal blow.

They must be thinking they’ve killed him by now and are looking at each other with the intention of getting the thread.

[Soul gauge (44/60)]

But he’s still not dead.

And thanks to Baek Hakseong’s death, the two of them are attacking much more ferociously than expected. In particular, the Heavenly Demon’s punches, which he was throwing in fear while flying around, were top-notch.

The speed at which he was flying was quite fast.

Even from behind.

Thwack!

An arrow flew again and blocked Yang Jeonghak, who was running ahead of him.

Yang Jeonghak twists his head slightly to avoid it. This slowed him down a bit.

And thanks to that, he was able to barely reach the clear area first.

At that moment…

[Soul gauge (40/60)]

Everything stopped as if time inside the gate had stopped.

‘Ugh. I’m leaving after eating well.’

[You have achieved the clear objective.]

[You have cleared the special route!]

[Gate clear rewards will be given!]

[As a clear reward, the title ‘The Beginning of the Legend’ will be changed to ‘The Beginning of the Legend – Part 1’!]

[As a clear reward, the ‘Thread of Ascension’ will evolve into the ‘Ring of Ascension’!]

[Would you like to go outside?]

“Ah, what do I do!”

Seo Yerim ran over in a hurry in the stopped time.

Maybe because they were in the same clear situation, she seemed to be able to move even in the stopped time.

To be very precise.

‘It’s not completely stopped.’

After clearing, time flows very slowly for a very short period of time.

To the point where one second felt like dozens of seconds.

Seo Yerim must have experienced this state first. She probably didn’t escape right away and waited.

Since she was in a party state and she cleared first, she must have shared the second time stop state.

She continued to talk while holding his body in a hurry.

“Oh, are you okay? You’re not dead, are you? You’re alive, right? You won’t die right away when you go out, right?”

She looked at him with trembling eyes.

‘I’m not dead yet…’

He focused his mind.

His eyelids began to tremble very slightly.

Seo Yerim’s eyes widened when she saw that.

“Y-you’re alive! There will be priests outside. Don’t worry, just hold on for a bit!”

He guessed what she was thinking.

Originally, priests or healers were waiting at the entrance for high-level gate raids.

This was because it was common to be severely injured when coming out.

Even so, the gate that was attracting attention had changed to A-rank.

Of course, there would be chaos all over the country, and there would be a lot of healing ranks waiting at the entrance.

Wouldn’t they have to heal him if he came out with his sword?

‘Let me get some benefits too.’

High priests are the ones who save those who are about to die, so if they pour out their heals, he will be healed.

‘The Indomitable Spirit is holding on for much longer than I thought.’

‘It takes about 4 points per second, so I should be able to hold on for 9 seconds even when I go out.’

That should be enough time for them to use a healing skill.

And so he left the gate.

“H-hurry, heal Kim Minwoo! Now!”

At Seo Yerim’s cry, all the healing Awakened waiting in front of the entrance rushed in.

“Oh my… his body is completely shredded?”

“Heal him quickly!”

A huge amount of heal was poured out.

To the point where he was literally bathing in heals, all the wounds on my body began to heal.

Only then did the tension finally ease.

It was only a matter of time before he fell asleep.

[TL/N: Believe me when I say that no one is more happier than me knowing that mc didn’t get some random Plot Armor to Survive that and was actually at the brink of death. W Writing by the Author]

[Translator – Prøks]

[Proofreader – Prøks]