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Chapter 51
[Shadow release is possible on this target.]
A black shadow began to wriggle from the Poisoned-Tooth Sand Centipede’s corpse.
[Tries to release shadow.]
[Attempting to release…]
Kihyaaaaa!
In the shadows, the fangs of a giant centipede moved to reach out.
However.
Ring!
A notification popped up with the sound of metal snapping.
[Shadow release failed.]
[You have two more chances left.]
‘Failed?’
Suho gritted his teeth.
‘Is it because I’m lacking?’
The shadow fragment skill had a chance of failure.
It was clearly stated in the skill window that the probability of release failure increases in proportion to the target’s ability level, and in fact, the poisonous sand centipede was far stronger than Suho.
‘Honestly, I didn’t even kill it myself.’
In order to catch this one, Suho used all the means and methods he had.
He was even more desperate.
‘Two chances left…’
After taking a deep breath, Suho calmly attempted the second release.
“Arise.”
Ring!
[Shadow release failed.]
[You have one more chance left.]
“…”
Suho gulped.
Now one last time.
Kihyaaaaa!
The sand centipede was struggling to get out of the black smoke with its countless legs even at that moment.
‘Do you want to come out too?’
Suho’s eyes softened.
‘Do it.’
‘Let’s defeat the enemies side by side.’
Suho solemnly stretched out his hand in front of the giant corpse.
“Arise!”
Krrrk!
The sand centipede roared and stepped out of the black smoke.
That was just the beginning.
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Numerous legs came out to stand on the ground and raise its body.
The black smoke began to weave the unfinished body.
[Shadow release succeeded.]
“Nice!”
Suho was delighted.
[?? Lv.1]
Knight Class
Soon, a huge sand centipede made of black steam appeared in front of Suho.
[Kiyaaaaaaah!]
[…!]
Esil had escaped from Vulcan’s Horns before she knew it. She trembled and took a step backward.
Gray, who also just in time fell from Suho’s body, curled up and hid behind Esil.
Suho recalled the memory of the battle and swallowed hard.
‘Now, this monster is mine.’
Ring!
[Names can be given to soldiers of knight class or higher.]
[The given name will be maintained until the shadow disappears.]
[Please specify the soldier’s name.]
Giving it a name was not the important thing at that moment.
They still had a job to finish.
[Shadow Centipede Lv.1]
Knight Class
“Let’s go.”
Suho roughly decided on the monster’s name and got on its back.
“W-Wait…! Me, too!”
“Hnnggg!”
Esil hurriedly hugged Gray and jumped onto the shadow centipede following Suho.
Suho smiles at that.
He turned his gaze and glared at the depths of the labyrinth.
“Good. Should we go now?”
* * *
Meanwhile, Randolph continued to run through the labyrinth with a small group of men.
“M-Mr. Randolph!”
“No more mummies are following us…!”
Chuck.
Randolph stopped walking and looked at his men who were running out of stamina.
“Tsk. Weak things.”
He kicked his tongue at his subordinates who fell behind.
“Well, they’re strong guys anyway, so they’ll come after me somehow. Let’s keep moving!”
“Y-Yes!”
Their speed slowed down.
They were now moving carefully step by step.
Randolph walked down the endless hallway, staring in all directions.
“… Why did the mummies disappear?”
“Maybe we are almost at the end?”
“Hmm.”
A small smile crept across Randolph’s lips.
They found writing in the pyramid.
Let there be light in the future of the challenger.
“Now, we are the only challengers left.”
He surely believed that the artifact will be theirs.
“Search all over!”
“Yep!”
“There’s surely something.”
The Scavenger Guild was famous for having a strong body.
Their strengths shined especially in rough terrains.
“Endure the traps with your body! Just break and smash everything, find any clues!”
No one dared to stand in their way.
The walls collapsed, and if they saw even the slightest suspicious object, they smashed it. They proceeded towards the end of the labyrinth little by little.
At the end…
“It’s a door!”
A huge door appeared in front of them.
“We found it!”
“We’re here!”
Joy spread across their faces.
They opened the door without hesitation.
“…!”
“C-Crazy!”
Their eyes opened wide.
There was huge circular space.
In the middle of it, a huge crocodile man was chained.
‘He’ opened his eyes to look at the uninvited guests.
Chills!
“…!”
They saw the vertically split eyes of the reptile and felt fear.
He was the only one there.
“Ha!”
Randolph plastered a cruel smile on his lips and had extreme energy in his whole body.
“Found it! Boss Mob!”
Armed with all his skills, he prepared.
“Listen!”
His subordinates flinched and looked at him.
“Don’t be afraid, let’s all come together! Remember the prophecy! If we defeat him, all the wealth and glory will be hours!”
They knew about it.
The shaman’s prophecy.
-Sooner or later, life born from death will awaken from its seal. And that power will raise the dead.
Power that can defy even death!
The prophecy that seemed absurd planted conviction in their hearts as they wandered the labyrinth.
‘Those mummies! The power to raise the dead must lie dormant here!’
They knew that the power would surely become theirs the moment they caught that crocodile monster.
Just like how it was in all the dungeons they’ve been through so far!
“Alright, let’s go!”
“If we fight all at once, we have a chance!”
“I believe in you, Randolph…!”
Swak!
At that moment, the heads of the hunters who were running valiantly exploded.
“W-What!”
What attacked them was none other than the thick tail of the crocodile man.
Although bound by chains, he arrogantly looked down at the ridiculous humans who attacked him like moths.
“Krrrr…”
White smoke flowed from his mouth and he flashed a terrifying smile.
In an instant, the heads of ten hunters were blown away.
The Scavenger Guild tanks who were known for their robustness…
“S-Save us…”
The hunters who barely survived began to walk backwards with pale faces.
Eventually, they turned around and started running to where they came from.
“Oh no! S-Save…!”
Swak!
Another life was lost.
Randolph…
“That’s right! Mr. Randolph! If it’s Randolph…!”
The surviving hunters urgently looked for Randolph and turned their attention towards him.
However, he had already fallen out from the first attack and was pinned to the wall.
“Ack…”
Randolph gets up again after being covered in blood.
His eyes were still burning hot.
“T-This is fun. I finally met someone worth fighting against.”
He filled his mana again and charged forward.
Swak!
“…!”
Something moved past him.
Nothing was visible.
“Aaaarrrghh!”
Blood gushed out like a fountain.
Randolph let out a scream, clutching his missing arm.
“Hey, healer…!”
Randolph frantically turned his head to find a healer, as he was already darkly defeated.
‘I can’t win.’
It was an unmatched fight in the first place.
‘Insanely strong…!’
At that moment, what came to his mind was the guild leader of the Scavenger Guild.
Only ‘Goliath’, Thomas Andre, made his body tremble just by making eye contact.
He suddenly felt that fear of facing an overwhelmingly strong man equal to Goliath.
“R-Retreat…”
He said with a trembling voice
A terrifying roar escaped the mouth of the chained giant crocodile.
“Grrrrr!”
“Accckkk!”
The guild members began to flee with all their might.
Right then.
Clack!
The chains that bound the crocodile giant’s body broke off.
Hell began.
* * *
“Hey!”
Randolph ran away.
It was the first time in his life he ran that hard.
As a result, he was able to save his life.
“Shit! Shit!”
The problem was that Randolph was the only one who survived.
He had lost all his men and he was muttering the same words incessantly, with an expression stained with fear and anger.
“It is a monster. A monster, a monster!”
He could never win.
No, if it was a person who could communicate, he would have lied down and begged for help.
He didn’t even know why such a strong demon beast was confined in that place, tied to such a pitiful chain and couldn’t even move.
His brain was a mess.
‘What the hell is this place?!’
Grumble!
The walls of the labyrinth collapsed and Suho appeared in front of Randolph.
“Huh?”
Through the hole in the wall, Suho recognized Randolph.
All of Randolph’s suppressed anger burst out at Suho.
“You…!”
Randolph’s eyes were burning with rage and thoughts were creeping in at the same time.
‘Okay, I’ll catch him and use him as bait when that baby crocodile comes to catch me. Then, I could probably survive!’
Randolph jumped at Suho with a face full of joy.
No matter how much he was injured, it was not hard to catch that summoning hunter.
He was an A-Class tank of the Scavenger Guild!
If his opponent wasn’t someone like the Boss Mob from earlier, he wouldn’t be defeated no matter who he fought!
Grumble!
A thunderous roar erupted from his body, and an explosive aura focused on his fists.
It was so powerful that it could crush even one insignificant hunter to death like a worm.
“This is all because of you! If it wasn’t for you, we would have pushed through with our plan, step by step…!”
Grumble!
“An attack…?”
The wall collapsed, revealing the huge shadow Suho was riding on.
“… Huh?”
Suddenly, Randolph’s expression changed.
‘What the hell happened?’
[Kiyaaaaaa!]
Poisoned-Tooth Sand Centipede.
It was the giant monster that took the lives of many hunters who came to Kamaru’s pyramid.
‘This is nonsense…’
How could he do something like that with summoning magic?
As an A-Class hunter, Randolph was also very familiar with summoning techniques.
With such techniques, one could never summon a beast with the level of a boss mob like that.
Otherwise, the summoner could have been eaten by the summoned beast.
But now…
“Damn…”
A horrible demon from the Red Desert appeared in front of him.
It was brought by Suho.
Chapter 52
[Kiyaaaaaaa!]
The shadow centipede bared its ferocious teeth at Randolph, who dared to kill his master.
Krrrk!
The huge monster charged and hit Randolph.
“Ack!”
He bounced off and crashed into the wall.
It has happened countless times already.
However, Randolph was still clinging on to the fact that Suho was just a summoning hunter.
“How could you summon something like this! If I could just kill you, everything would be…!”
Blag!
He didn’t even get to finish his words.
* * *
Although he had killed Randolph, Suho had a rather serious expression.
“Where did an A-Class hunter get such an injury?”
Randolph was a very tough human being and he showed great power even in that state.
The problem was that the being who made him that way was just out there.
“What the hell is in there?”
Esil also had a serious expression.
“Something is wrong. If he had been alone, he would have escaped right away.”
Suho’s senses stats were also sending strong warnings as he got closer to the depths of the labyrinth.
He himself also felt something strange.
‘I don’t know why, but somehow it feels like it’s waiting for me.’
The same goes for the mummies that were just artificial beasts.
… As well as the prophecy.
Most of all, he was very curious about what the great spellcaster Kandiaru, who was said to have designed the level-up system, was doing in this pyramid.
The answers to all those questions will be right in there.
Eventually, Suho arrived at the huge door.
Looking up at the door, his eyes lit up.
“Let’s go in.”
“Wait. Preparation time!”
Esil called him urgently.
Then she pointed to Vulcan’s Horn in his hand.
“Can I go in right away?”
“Do you want to go in now?”
“Well, I guess?”
Everything is hard the first time, easy the second time.
Frightened, Esil quickly transformed into a spirit and possessed Suho’s sword.
[Vulcan’s Horn devours the demon’s soul.]
“He seems to be eating too much today, he might get anorexia.”
Suho, who roused his mind by talking nonsense for a while, finally opened the door.
Squeak!
A vision of a giant crocodile man came into his field of vision.
[Death-Eating Crocodile Ammut]
“Krrrk!”
‘Ammut? I think it’s a name from Egyptian mythology.’
Suho remembered.
Originally, Ammut was a monster similar to Cerberus in Greek mythology.
Its appearance was often described as a crocodile head, a lion mane on the neck, a lion upper body, and a hippo lower body. But, that monster was just a muscular crocodile human.
The moment Ammut spotted Suho, he immediately rushed at him.
“Krrrk!”
Thud! Thud! Thud!
His gigantic steps shook the entire pyramid.
“Everyone, attack!”
The shadow soldiers, led by the shadow centipede, began attacking Ammut.
[Krrrk!]
[Kiyaaaaa!]
The shadow centipede coiled around his massive body while the shadow spider wrapped his arms and legs in webs, blocking its movement.
Meanwhile, the sight of the shadow mummies attacking him all at once was truly a masterpiece.
The problem was that he was too strong.
“Krrrk!”
Blag!
Ammut’s strong forearms grabbed the shadow centipede’s neck and smashed it to the ground.
Then, with a most cruel smile, he slammed his fists into the torso of the shadow centipede lying on the floor.
Bam!
Truly an overwhelming power!
-Suho!
“Okay. We’ll attack, too.”
When Esil shouted, Suho also rushed towards him.
[Use ‘Skill: Giant’s Armor’.]
Swook!
“Krrrk?”
Ammut’s eyes flashed as Suho’s size suddenly doubled in front of him.
His transformation did not end there.
“Blessing!”
[The spiritual body of ‘Pet: Gray’ is strengthened in the body of the pontifex.]
Swoosh!
Suho’s hair was bleached silver, and a divine wind blew through his whole body.
[Use ‘Skill: Grassland Wind’.]
[Movement speed temporarily increases by 30%.]
[Attack speed temporarily increases by 30%.]
Swoosh!
At an incredibly fast speed, Suho poured all his strength into Ammut.
[Use ‘Skill: Blade Storm’.]
Swish!
“Krrrk!”
Ammut laughed and threw his fist at the storm of blades that swung at him.
It was a simple punch, but its power was enough to tear the wind and threaten even Suho beyond.
[Young Master! It’s dangerous!]
Suho managed to dodge the attack by turning in the air with the Ruler’s Power.
He turned his back and fiercely swung his twin swords at Ammut.
Slash!
“Krrrk!”
Ammut grabbed the head of the shadow centipede and swung it at Suho like a whip.
Swoosh!
[Kiyaaaaa…!]
With that incredible whip, the huge centipede’s body shattered the marble floor and the walls.
The shadow centipede screamed in pain.
Suho narrowly avoided the ridiculous attack and continued to swing his sword aiming at Ammut.
Right at that moment, Suho’s eyes flashed.
“Shadow centipede! Come back!”
[Kiyaaaaa!]
The body of the shadow centipede that was being swung from Ammut’s hand turned into black smoke and scattered in the air.
“Krrrk?!”
Ammut, who suddenly became empty-handed, showed a puzzled expression for the first time.
“Arise!”
The shadow centipede came out of Suho’s shadow in an intact form wrapped around Ammut’s thick nape and bit it.
[Kiyaaaa!]
“Krrrrk!”
It was a clash of giant monsters.
But as seen earlier, the gap between the two was already clear.
-All the shadow centipede can do is to buy time!
Hearing Esil, Suho quickly analyzed the situation.
‘His skin is so thick and strong. It’s not a kind of defense that the blade can penetrate.’
To fight such an opponent, a blunt weapon was a lot better than a blade.
In other words, overwhelming power.
Suho quickly checked his mana.
‘I have to attack with a strong one.’
It would be nice if that one shot worked, but if it failed, he had to get out of that place as soon as possible and adjust his power again.
“Bang.”
Swoosh!
[Use ‘Skill: Strike’.]
Ruler’s Power enveloped Suho’s first, and an armament that looked like a huge gauntlet appeared.
“Ha!”
Without hesitation, Suho thrust his fist down at Ammut, who was scrambling with the shadow centipede.
Smash!
“Krrrk?!”
Blood gushed out of Ammut’s mouth as the attack was from Suho’s entire concentrated power.
This was the first time he has dealt significant damage!
“… Krrrk.”
A faint light returned to Ammut’s eyes, which had been stained red.
Surprisingly, his mouth opened and words that Suho couldn’t understand came out.
“… A rigid body technique?”
“Huh?”
“Ha ha ha! It has been so long! I’ve never been hit by a fist like this!”
Suho couldn’t help but be embarrassed to see Ammut suddenly burst out laughing.
“W-What?”
[Eh? Young Master, that guy…]
-Was you talking about that person?
Suho had no choice but to stop the attack for a moment, which baffled everyone who was engaged in an all-out war.
At that moment…
Swish.
[You purchased ‘Item: Lesser Mana Potion’.]
‘I’ll quickly replenish mana first.’
Suho keeps an eye on the situation while drinking potions.
Ammut really didn’t show any more will to attack Suho.
Just like a child who found an interesting toy, he just stared at Suho’s fist that hit him with twinkling eyes.
“Hey.”
Ammut calls Suho without hesitation.
“Try that one more time.”
“W-What? The ‘Strike’?”
“Strike? Do you call it by that name?”
Ammut was giggling even as he coughed up blood from his mouth.
‘I don’t see the need to decline when he’s the one asking me to hit him.’
Suho glanced at his own mana power first.
In the past, he would have run out of mana after a single blow, but thanks to the ‘Ring of Horus’ given to him by Rio Xing, he still had enough.
[Use ‘Skill: Strike’.]
Fwoosh!
Suho’s fist turned black again.
He raised his fist.
“Wait. I want to watch it for a while.”
Ammut’s vertically split reptile eyes spun round and round, closely watching Suho’s fist.
He then bursted into laughter again.
“Hahaha! What? You can only do Spiritual Body Manifestation with your fist? Is that even enough to give half-punch?”
“… What are you talking about?”
And what ‘Spiritual Body Manifestation’?
Suho eventually lost the will to fight.
Which hunter in the world would be treated like that by a boss mob he met in the dungeon.
A message has arrived from the distant world of rest.
[The King of Beasts, Fang Monarch, giggles as he observes the situation.]
“Are you laughing at me now?”
[The King of Beasts, Fang Monarch, would like to inform you that he is the mentor who raised the Iron Body Monarch.]
“Mentor who raised who?”
[Ehhh?! What do you mean “what”?! The one who raised the Iron Body Monarch!]
Unlike Suho, who was puzzled, Beru was shocked and made a fuss.
“Seriously? So, they were people who knew Tarnak after all? I knew it.”
Hearing their conversation, Ammut smirked and grabbed the shadow centipede that kept biting his neck with both hands and threw it on the floor.
[Kiyaaaah!]
The shadow centipede regenerated itself and attacked Ammut, but Suho took the shadow centipede and asked.
“Tarnak?”
“King of Monstrous Humanoids, Tarnak. Iron Body Monarch.”
Ammut chuckled as he spat out the black blood from the corner of his mouth.
“I am the mentor who taught him Spiritual Body Manifestation.”
-I’ve heard of that before.
Swook!
Esil escaped from Vulcan’s Horn and continued.
“The reason why the King of Monstrous Humanoids came to be called the Iron Body Monarch is because he uses a unique technique called Spiritual Body Manifestation.”
“Kehehe. That’s right, I am the one who passed it on. Tsk. But, what now? I heard he died?”
Ammut sat down with his butt on the floor.
At the same time, his eyes remained only in Suho’s enveloped fist as if possessed.
Grin.
“Yeah, that’s fine.”
Ammut said he had a good idea, looking at Suho.
“Hey, you. I see some potential. Tarnak must be dead anyway, so why don’t you learn instead?”
“…?”
“I’m talking about the Spiritual Body Manifestation.”
“All of a sudden?”
Right then, a message appeared in front of Suho.
[‘Daily Quest: Spiritual Body Manifestation Training’ has arrived.]
Chapter 53
Humanoids.
Goblins.
The names that refer to them are indeed diverse.
A mean dwarf goblin.
A wild hunter orc.
A vicious giant ogre.
The world of Sura consisted of all kinds of magical monsters that competed with each other.
It was a world of humanoids that has been around ever since.
And… The lowest in the world…
GOBLIN
The weakest of the weakest that always had to fight fiercely to survive at the bottom of the pyramid, a gutter-like depth.
The reason why the King of the Monstrous Humanoids was born from those weak goblins started with a very small whim.
Cruel Crocodile Humanoid (Croco).
Croco ‘Ammut’, who reigned at the top of the ecosystem of humanoids, was interested in seeing a baby goblin he encountered by chance one day.
“Hey, look at this rascal? I like the look in its eyes.”
“Krrrk!”
The little one was a baby goblin who was born weak from birth.
That’s why it was a poisonous species that survived by biting off the eyes and ears of its kind more viciously than anyone else.
The baby goblin, who struggled to survive even after being covered in blood, was never discouraged even in front of Croco, the strongest humanoid.
Even though its body was already trembling under the weight of fear, its eyes were staring at Ammut with the strong desire to eat him.
That very look caused a small whim in Ammut’s heart.
The smallest and weakest goblin tried to survive a fierce battle.
What would happen if he would mentor that shitty fellow himself?
How strong can it become?
‘… This is going to be fun.’
Ammut eventually decided to take the baby goblin without killing it.
“From now on, I will call you Tarnak.”
“Krrrk?”
“I will train your wretched body to become like Croco’s. Hang in there as much as you can.”
Ammut picked up the trembling little goblin with one hand and took it to his habitat. He even gave him a name.
From that day on…
“Krrrk…!”
Ammut raised Tarnak and he received training to become stronger.
The training was so harsh that he almost died countless times, but Ammut never intended to let go of his new toy, Tarnak.
‘If he dies, then that’s it.’
In the first place, it was just an experiment that started with a small whim.
Not starting with the idea of ??success, Ammut pushed Tarnak mercilessly.
Time had passed like that.
Tarnak, who was forced in such an experimentation under the guise of training without knowing why, became stronger little by little.
Finally…
“Krrrk!”
Born as a goblin, he single-handedly succeeded in defeating an orc, a higher-level individual, for the first time.
That day, Tarnak asked Ammut what the power he was learning was.
“What is this?”
Ammut also contemplated the name for the first time that day.
It was a technique that strengthened the goblin’s wretched body like Croco…
“Spiritual Body Manifestation.”
Ammut made up the name on the spot with his characteristic cruel grin.
“What you are learning is the Spiritual Body Manifestation.”
Spiritual body…!
Tarnak remembered the name in his mind.
Even after that, Tarnak continued to be tortured in the name of ‘Spiritual Body Manifestation’.
Gradually he became stronger— strong enough to defeat Orcs, Trolls, and Ogres single-handedly.
More time passed after that.
Eventually, Tarnak became stronger than his mentor, Ammut.
The monarch, who was the King of the Monstrous Humanoid at the time, was killed.
Tarnak was chosen as the vessel of the King of the Monstrous Humanoid and as the ‘Monarch of Iron Body’. Darkness dwelled in his body.
For the war against the Rulers, he was a brilliant light that lasted for eons of time.
* * *
“… In the end, goblins were just goblins. They were bound to meet a stronger opponent and die. No matter how much he struggled, Tarnak was still one of those common humanoids.”
Ammut clicked his tongue self-deprecatingly, thinking of his disciple who died.
At the same time, he looked at Suho, who had listened to his boring stories so far.
Suho had become as small as a goblin.
Just like when Tarnak was first discovered by Ammut.
Sigh.
Suddenly, the corner of Ammut’s twitched and his sharp teeth glistened.
“Then, ‘he’ appeared in front of me.”
“Who?”
“The great spellcaster Kandiaru.”
Ammut remembered his first meeting with him.
By the time the news of Tarnak’s death in the War of the Outer Gods reached Ammut, who was then living in seclusion, a shaman from the Hwan tribe appeared in front of him.
He came up with an interesting proposal.
-Tarnak’s mentor, Ammut, would you like to study Spiritual Body Manifestation with me?
-W-What do you mean?
-I will make the best place to train Spiritual Body Manifestation with my magic and I’ll keep putting usable test subjects in it. How is it?
Kandiaru’s proposal was quite interesting to Ammut.
With the confidence in creating a strong monarch by himself, Ammut captured and trained several goblins, however, all results were unsuccessful.
Unlike Tarnak, the other goblins could not stand the intense training and died soon after.
It was a huge disappointment to Ammut.
If it would continue to happen, he would eventually come to the conclusion that Tarnak was unique, and that the Spiritual Body Manifestation technique he developed was not great.
It was very embarrassing.
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Kandiaru dug more into that.
-Wouldn’t you like to confirm it? If it was your Spiritual Body Manifestation technique that was special, or was it Tarnak?
-You don’t have to deliberately provoke me like that. I like your suggestion, too. Even if I wanted to, the time I have is gradually running out.
Ammut was dying at that time.
Old age.
Even the strongest humanoid Croco could not do anything with his given lifespan.
However, Kandiaru smiled sinisterly as if there was no problem at all.
-I’ll take care of that, too.
With an insidious smile, he said something trivial about lifespan.
-I’m currently researching about eternal life.
In the end, Ammut took Kandiaru’s hand.
He soon regretted that decision.
Flash!
Ammut’s eyes turned red with anger.
“Kandiaru sealed me in this damn tomb. Eternal life? Tsk. What a scam!”
Ammut’s rage shook the pyramid.
Of course, Kandiaru didn’t lie.
As per their agreement, Ammut did not die in the end. He transcended lifespan and was able to live forever.
However, it was only within the pyramid.
[It seems that this crocodile has become the same as the mummies here.]
Beru whispered into Suho’s ear.
Ammut’s rage died down and he suddenly began to chuckle.
“Ha ha ha! Right. The bandage wrapped around their decaying corpses is the pyramid to me!”
[Has he gone crazy?]
“You got it spot on! I’m already out of my mind! I became senile because my time of death was long past!”
[Is that something to brag about?]
“I remember the mission given to me clearly though! I was imprisoned here by a contract with Kandiaru to study Spiritual Body Manifestation forever, but I ended up fighting against the challengers who came to learn that very technique from me! Ha ha ha!”
[Young Master.]
Beru spoke to Suho.
[Are you really trying to get training from that senile crocodile?]
“What can I do? It’s a quest.”
Suho realized the meaning of the writing Kandiaru had engraved in the pyramid.
‘Let there be light in the future of the challenger.’
-Great Spellcaster Kandiaru
‘He said a challenger, so he meant to try it if one wanted to learn Spiritual Body Manifestation.’
It’s fun.
Suho quietly flashed a smile and looked at the message that appeared in front of him.
[‘Daily Quest: Spiritual Body Manifestation Training’ has arrived.] (Unchecked)
Looking at the quest, it didn’t seem to be harmful to himself.
‘Besides, since it’s a daily quest, it must mean that they would give me a reward every time I train.’
Either way, it’s a win-win situation for Suho.
“Okay, I will learn that Spiritual Body Manifestation technique.”
Ammut smiled broadly at Suho’s words.
“You made the right choice. I was going to kill you if you refused my offer, but you saved me a lot of trouble!”
“…”
Gasp.
That was Esil, who was next to Suho.
Esil, a demon noble, was facing Ammut’s energy more sensitively than Suho.
Even though he was senile, the mighty energy that radiated from him as the strongest humanoid, was no joke.
If he showed his will to live on a whim, they would end up like the Scavenger Guild members who were lying around miserably.
Ammut jumped up and gave a command to Suho.
“Ha ha ha! Alright! Let’s start training right away! From now on, your name is Tartar!”
“My name is Sung Suho…”
“Come on, Tartar! Let’s start training right away!”
“No, it’s Sung Suho…”
“My second disciple Tartar! From now on, I will strengthen your wretched body like Croco!”
Ammut roared loudly, ignoring Suho’s answer.
He seemed very happy to find someone he could use after a long time.
“Khehehe. It would be better to make a firm resolution in the future because my training is very harsh and dangerous. So far, countless humanoids could not withstand my training and died.”
Gulp.
Suho swallowed hard.
[The King of Beasts, Fang Monarch, listens to Ammut.]
Even the Fang Monarch, Rakan, showed interest.
Spiritual Body Manifestation was such a great training that it raised a weak baby goblin into becoming the King of the Monstrous Humanoids and the Monarch of Iron Body.
“Tartar, from now on you will…!”
“Check.”
Suho checked the message and Ammut explained the grueling training.
“100 push-ups! 100 sit-ups! 100 squats! Run 10km! You do this every day!”
“… Uhm?”
Ring!
The contents of the daily quest unfolded before Suho’s eyes.
[Daily Quest: Spiritual Body Manifestation Training]
100 Push-ups: Incomplete (0/100)
100 Sit-ups: Incomplete (0/100)
100 Squats: Incomplete (0/100)
Run 10km: Incomplete (0/10)
※However, you must carry Ammut on your back.
“However! You must carry me on your back. Ha ha ha!”
“…!”
Suho’s eyes widened at that nonsense.
“Get started! Let me see how you hold out!”
Swoosh!
Ammut’s enormous body became more and more transparent and floated into the air.
“Spiritualization?!”
Esil recognized that and opened her mouth.
A force then unfolded above Suho’s head.
…!
“Keugh?!”
Tremendous gravitational field pressed down on Suho’s entire body.
He had to use all his strength to avoid being weighed down by that terrible weight.
[Haha! That’s pretty good! If this is the case, I can add a little more weight!]
Swook!
“Ha ha ha…!”
Ammut’s weight increased on top of Suho.
Suho’s muscle fibers were torn, and blood vessels began to burst out.
“S-Suho!”
[Young Master…!]
Esil and Beru quickly stepped back to avoid the gravitational field looking at Suho with worried expressions.
[Haha! What are you doing?! Will you do push-ups only if you can no longer stand up?!]
Hearing Ammut’s ridicule, Suho gritted his teeth and managed to lie down.
When he lay on his stomach, he felt as if his body would be crushed by the enormous gravitational field.
“Ack! R-Ruler’s Power!”
Swoosh!
Suho barely used his invisible hand to support himself.
‘This is why everyone else died!’
He began the push-ups of hell.
[One! Two! Two! Two!]
“Why are only counting up to two?!”
[Wrong posture!]
‘Is this a gym?’
Chapter 54
The Spiritual Body Manifestation training was hell itself.
[Eleven! Twelve!]
“Kheuugh!”
Twitch.
20 push-ups and he tore his muscles.
[Twenty five! Twenty-six!]
“Keuk…!”
Twitch! Drip!
His tendon ruptured at count 30.
[Thirty eight! Thirty nine…!]
Quadruped!
He broke his arm at 40.
“Ouch…!”
[Ha! You are weak! Is this all you got? Show your guts!]
Ammut had no intention of looking after the circumstances.
Rather, he laughed loudly at Suho’s weakened body.
Extreme Sparta.
So far, there have been numerous disciples who have failed to withstand his training and have fallen out.
However, this pyramid is a Spiritual Body Manifestation training center specially prepared for Ammut by the great spellcaster Kandiaru.
[Training will continue even if a bone is broken!]
As soon as Ammut finished speaking, white bandages flew from all sides and wrapped around Suho’s limbs.
Swook!
As his broken bones were forcibly put together, great pain ensued.
[Alright! Can we continue training now? Sixty more left!]
It seemed that the bandages were the same as the bandages wrapped around the mummies in there.
The magical bandage, which wrapped the dead and decaying corpses, surprisingly allows broken limbs to move.
However, the pain remained because the wounds were not properly treated.
Rather, it was forcibly moving the broken arm, so more excruciating pain followed.
“Kheuugh!”
Seeing Suho pouring blood and sweat all over his body and clenching his teeth, Ammut laughed viciously.
[Why? Do you regret it now? It’s already too late. A strong power comes with a lot of pain! The path given to you is one of two. Enjoy the pain or die in the pain.]
Suho had one more path.
‘This is how it goes, right?’
Suho forced his lips to curl up and opened the shop window.
Ring.
[You purchased ‘Item: Low-level Healing Potion’.]
Swish.
Suho snatched the healing potion with his telekinesis and poured it into his mouth.
Gulp.
The healing potion seeped into the rags wrapped around his body.
His broken bones reattached, and his ruptured muscles and veins began to regenerate.
[Huh?]
Ammut’s eyes widened.
Suho made eye contact with him with a confident look.
“So, how many more do I have left now?”
[…]
Ammut suddenly recalled the number of disciples he had driven to death in order to create another guy like Tarnak.
In the end, they all cried out in pain and died.
This guy was something different.
Maybe it’s different this time around?
Ammut showed his teeth and laughed grimly.
[Kehehehe! You have a fun skill! With that, I can increase the intensity with peace of mind!]
“No, wait.”
That’s not it!
Dun!
“Kheuuugh!”
A heavy feeling of pressure weighed on Suho.
[You have a long way to go! Let’s continue training!]
After that, Suho had to repeat several times drinking potion whenever his arm broke before finally finishing the push-up.
Then, the hellish sit-ups awaited him.
[One! Twol! Two! Two! Nah! You don’t have a straight posture!]
Oh, God.
‘Was sit-ups such a dangerous exercise?’
At first, his abdomen hurt as if it was going to explode, but eventually his spine broke.
“Kheugh!”
‘It really hurts.’
It hurtes beyond words.
Swook!
Then, a bandage flew and wrapped Suho’s body.
Again, he was forced to move, so it hurt even more.
Suho opened the shop window, enduring the pain of fainting with superhuman mental strength.
Swish.
[You purchased ‘Item: Low-level Healing Potion’.]
He forcibly attached his broken spine with the healing potion and started exercising again.
[Haha! Good, good!]
Ammut seemed to like Suho very much, who could continue to train no matter how broken (?) he was.
It was only after his back was broken twice more that the 100th count was over. Before Suho knew it, his whole body was wrapped in bandages.
‘Ah.’
A sudden realization came.
“Wait. Could it be that all the mummies here are like this?!”
[Haha! You got it right! All the mummies in this pyramid are your ugly seniors who died first!]
“I mean…”
This gym is too much, really.
[If you don’t want to become like them, don’t die and hold out until the end! Eventually, the light will surely be waiting for you! Squat this time! One! Two!]
This time, the squat from hell tore Suho’s thigh muscles mercilessly.
Twitch!
When more pressure was added, both his legs were eventually broken at the same time.
Another bandage flew and wrapped around Suho’s leg.
“Shop…”
Swish.
[You purchased ‘Item: Low-level Healing Potion’…]
Suho was exercising with a healing potion in his mouth like an IV.
Eventually…
Ring!
[The level of ‘Skill: Endurance’ increased!]
[Physical defense +40% → +60%]
“…”
‘Does this make sense?’
Just doing some bare-body exercises made him stronger.
He didn’t specifically become stronger just because his skill level increased, however, his pain was alleviated.
Considering that this hellish training was a daily quest, it would be a huge gain in the long run.
He should definitely be happy, but why was he in tears?
[Great! Running this time! Run at full speed!]
“…”
Running 10 km was not easy, of course. Even standing under a huge gravitational field was a struggle.
The moment Suho’s leg relaxed even just a little bit while running, his ankle got sprained.
A tremendous pressure pressed down on his ankle, tearing the ligaments.
Snap. Snap. Snap.
The sound of the ligaments being torn one by one was terrifying.
As expected, a bandage flew and wrapped around his ankle.
‘These bandages are no joke!’
Suho really became like a mummy.
His eyes flashed.
‘If I’m going to run anyway, wouldn’t it be better to run faster?’
‘So this hellish workout would be over soon!’
“Grey, blessing!”
[The spiritual body of ‘Pet: Gray’ is strengthened in the body of the pontifex.]
Swoosh!
Suho’s hair turned silver, and wild energy flew through his body.
[Use ‘Skill: Grassland Wind’.]
[Movement speed temporarily increases by 30%.]
[Attack speed temporarily increases by 30%.]
As Suho sped up, Ammut let out a satisfied laugh.
[Good! This student has a lot of talent! Alright! Run with all your means and methods!]
“Nonsense. What kind of training is that? It’s torture.”
Esil, who was watching all this from afar, could not keep her mouth shut.
Beru’s reaction was different.
[Kuhm. I missed this.]
Beru was locked in his memories with a vague expression on his face.
[Looking back, the Shadow Monarch once trained like that. Although, the difficulty level was a little different.]
“Mr. Sung Jinwoo did that kind of training too? I see…!”
Esil tried to remembered the old days.
The days when she once followed Sung Jinwoo as a guide.
Apparently at that time, Sung Jinwoo did light exercise from time to time.
“… Hmm?”
For a moment, Esil’s expression hardened.
It was really light back then.
Was it just a push-up, or was it just a sit-up?
“…?”
[…]
Esil and Beru’s gazes intertwined in the air.
Without a second thought, they silently nodded their heads.
‘Mr. Sung Jinwoo had it easy.’
‘His Majesty…’
For the sake of Suho’s mental health, this should be kept a secret for the rest of his life.
Nod.
A silent contract was concluded between the two.
* * *
Ring!
[You have completed ‘Daily Quest: Rigid Body Training’.]
100 Push-ups: Completed (100/100)
100 Sit-ups: Completed (100/100)
100 Squats: Completed (100/100)
Run 10km: Completed (10/10)
※However, you must carry Ammut on your back.
“I-It’s over…!”
Suho, whose whole body was wrapped in bandages, fell on the floor.
Watching the scene blankly, Ammut murmured softly.
[Oh, it really worked?]
“What did you say, punk?”
[No, hehe. I mean it’s supposed to work, but except for the Iron Body Monarch, there was no one who succeeded. It’s true!]
“…”
Ammut was secretly avoiding Suho’s stinging eyes.
Ring!
A message arrived just in time, and Suho took his eyes off Ammut.
[The completion reward has arrived.]
[Do you want to check the reward?]
( Y / N )
[The following rewards are prepared.]
Reward 1. State Recovery
Reward 2. Ability Points +3
Reward 3. 1 Random Box
It was a daily quest, so the reward was the same as when he caught 100 goblins.
‘But, why does it feel so unfair?’
“Accept all.”
Swoosh!
First reward, status recovery.
Suho’s condition was restored in an instant.
As he jumped up with his lighter body, Ammut’s eyes shone with interest.
[Whew. You’re a really strong guy. Very good.]
Suho allocated all his ability points into his strength stat.
In order to endure this daily quest in the future, strength was essential.
… And the long-awaited random box.
Ring!
[Obtained ‘Item: Mummy’s Bandage’.]
“Ah, shit…! Are you kidding me?!”
Curses came out of his mouth on reflex.
The effect of the bandage was excellent though, based on this experience.
[Item: Mummy Bandage]
Difficulty to obtain: Class C
Type: Consumables
A magical bandage made by Great Spellcaster Kandiaru.
It helps force the body to move even in a dying state.
(When sold to the shop, it will be added to the purchase list.)
“…”
Suho sold the bandage to the store without hesitation.
Swish.
[‘Item: Mummy’s Bandage’ is added to the purchase list.]
[From now on, you can purchase ‘Item: Mummy’s Bandage’ from the shop.]
The bandage itself did not have a wound healing effect, but the effect was very good when used with a potion.
Most of all, it was comfortable and nice because the bandage was a magic bandage that automatically wraps.
‘But, why do I feel so annoyed?’
When Suho came to his senses (?), Ammut released his spiritual form, returned to his original crocodile giant form then started talking.
“Hehe. Good work. Today’s training ends here. Now try using that skill again.”
“Which one? Strike?”
“Yeah. That clumsy version of Spiritual Body Manifestation technique.”
“…?”
Suho tilted his head and allowed the Ruler’s Power to dwell in his fist.
[Use ‘Skill: Strike’.]
Swoosh!
The black gauntlet wrapped around Suho’s fist crossed his elbow and covered his shoulder.
Ring!
[‘Skill: Strike’ is upgraded to ‘Skill: Spiritual Body Manifestation’.]
Chapter 55
[Skill: Strike Lv.1]
Active skill
Requires 300 mana.
Coats the body with the ‘Ruler’s Power’ to amplify attack power.
→
[Skill: Spiritual Body Manifestation Lv.1]
Active skill
Requires 600 mana.
Strengthens the body with the ‘Ruler’s Power’.
The attack and defense power of the strengthened area is amplified.
“Oh.”
The skill has evolved.
Suho turned his arms covered in black energy and his eyes shone.
Originally, ‘Strike’ was a skill that only amplified attack power.
However, instead of doubling the required mana, the attribute changed to become an overall enhancement as well as attack power.
‘Besides, it’s only level 1 now. If I repeat this training every day from now on, my level might continue to rise.’
Perhaps the range of this black armor gradually increases as the level goes up.
Suho’s eyes suddenly looked at Ammut.
It reminded him of the overwhelming presence that had taken over the entire space by transforming into a spiritual body earlier.
“Kehehe. Yes, that’s right.”
Ammut grinned as he noticed the meaning behind Suho’s gaze.
“If you master the technique, you will eventually become strong like me. Without any other skills, you can become the strongest with purely physical strength. Now, try hitting me with that power!”
As Ammut spread his arms wide, Suho made a puzzled expression.
“Tsk. Do you really want to get hit?”
“Yes! Giving and receiving each other’s strength is the greeting method of Croco! Show me your power!”
Ammut looked vulnerable.
However, looking at the tough crocodile skin that covered his entire body, it seemed that he could endure everything in his power.
“Don’t regret this.”
Suho resolutely raised his arms and aimed at the center of Ammut’s body.
Grumble-!
A huge aftershock raged at the overwhelming force.
Ammut only took a step back.
“Whew! What a nice fist.”
Ammut grinned as black blood poured out of his mouth.
“This should be enough to teach you from now on. You passed!”
“Passed?”
“Yeah. This means that I will officially accept you as a disciple. I can stop accepting other challengers now.”
He stomped his foot.
The floor shook and a huge magic circle began to spread out in all directions centered on his foot.
Swoosh!
[Young Master!]
As the entire pyramid was covered with magic circles, Beru and Esil hurriedly ran to protect Suho.
[Spellcast!]
“The walls of this dimension are warping!”
Esil, who had already crossed a dimensional wall once, knew very well what that feeling was.
“Don’t make a fuss. I have no intention of harming you.”
Watching their reactions, Ammut chuckled.
He muttered with eyes reminiscent of past memories.
“A long time ago, Kandiaru came to me and said that he will help me to study Spiritual Body Manifestation to my heart’s content. He promised to endlessly replenish the number of challengers who will learn those techniques.”
But…
Ammut’s mouth was torn open, sharp teeth shining.
“A wicked shaman. From the beginning, the challenger shits were a joke.”
He came to realize.
After all, this whole system…
The Spiritual Body Manifestation… was only an arrangement for the small human being in front of him.
Ammut smiled as he looked clearly into Suho’s eyes from the center of the magic circle and the pyramid that was swaying like it was about to collapse.
“Actually, I noticed the first time I saw you that you are the descendant of the Shadow Monarch. Wicked spellcaster! Making me mentor the son of the man who killed my first disciple, Tarnak.”
What Ammut was looking at now was not Suho’s appearance but the light of a great soul felt within him.
‘… He must have known that I would have never been able to reject Suho if I saw him right in front of me.’
Alright. You guys won.
‘I’ll gladly be a fool.’
Even now, having realized that wicked ulterior motive, he had no choice but to let it go.
he was just curious
His own technique developed the lowly goblin Tarnak into a vessel for the King of Monstrous Humanoids.
What if the same strongest power was taught to a human with a great soul?
How far would he be able to transcend the class ranks!
‘Kehehehe. Just imagining it makes my heart flutter!’
Ammut chuckled and quietly recited the incantation Kandiaru had taught him.
“Let there be light in the future of the challengers!”
The space shook, and a system message appeared in front of Suho.
Ring!
[Recruit ‘Ammut, the Death-Eating Crocodile’ as ??an NPC.]
[Do you want to accept?]
( Y / N )
The message flashed in Suho’s eyes.
‘An NPC?’
It was a term that anyone who knew about the game could not understand.
The system was always referring to Suho as the ‘player’.
On the other hand, NPC (Non-Player Character) is a character who is not a player.
It was like a helper who stayed in one area and helped the smooth progress of the game.
[Y-Young Master?]
Beru was blinking from the side and it seemed that he also did not understand the current situation.
He was just a fighter, and not the designer of the system.
‘This is the system my father handed down.’
Suho recalled his father’s usual personality then looked at the message again.
[Do you want to accept?]
( Y / N )
His father was asking if he was willing.
It was a suggestion, not a compulsion. The sourc𝗲 of this content nov(𝒆l)bi((n))
He could feel his father’s concern in it.
If he accepted the challenge, he would continue to suffer like today.
But, if he found it hard, he may opt not to accept it instead.
‘My mother always said that I looked like my father.’
If he were his father…
What choice would he have made at that moment?
The answer was, of course, fixed.
“Ammut.”
Suho happily accepted the offer.
“Good luck in the future.”
Ammut’s stern eyes narrowed like the crescent moon.
“Come, disciple.”
Grumble!
A huge earthquake occurred in the desert.
* * *
“W-What was that?!”
The Asura Guild members who were still in the labyrinth looked at Rio Xing.
“Rio! There’s something weird!”
“I think the pyramid is about to collapse!”
“The Scavenger Guild members must have dug through the walls so much that the foundation weakened!”
Rio Xing gritted his teeth.
He decided right there and then.
“Let’s get out of here right now! This pyramid can’t be our tombs!”
“What about the prophecy?”
“The prophecy… This is just my guess, but maybe ‘life born from death’ just refers to the mummies here?”
“Ah, that could be true…!”
The guild members nodded.
Actually, it didn’t really make sense, but for now, they decided to convince themselves because their priority was to escape from the dangerous pyramid as quickly as possible.
There were still other concerns.
“Rio, will you really be okay? Just thinking about the kind of punishment you will get if you go back empty-handed like this…”
“It’s better than dying. Besides, it’s not like I don’t have a lot of income.”
Rio Xing hurriedly helped the injured and smiled meaningfully.
“Today, we made a bad relationship and a good connection.”
The former was, of course, the Scavenger Guild.
“As soon as we return, I will formally protest today’s incident involving the Scavenger Guild. After that, it will move on to political battles between guilds, so it’s not a matter of our concern.”
Their guild didn’t have a legal representative even when they paid expensive money, but since all the hunters in that village witnessed the atrocities of the Scavenger Guild, they would all take the side of the Asura Guild.
It wouldn’t be easy for even a single Scavenger Guild member to ignore all the public opinion.
“If we survive here, there would be countless ways to push the Scavenger Guild for a trial under the International Hunter Act. Even the guild leader won’t reprimand us for that much.”
That wasn’t the only thing Rio Xing was after.
They made another connection today.
Sung Suho.
“Also, I did not give that precious item to that Korean hunter for no reason.”
Korean hunter Sung Suho.
‘Looking at his extraordinary skills, he must be a member of a very famous guild in Korea.’
Egypt was a distant country that took 20 hours by plane from Korea.
Such a great hunter has been on a business trip that far, but if he goes back empty-handed like them, it must be a very difficult situation for him.
“I was considerate of that part.”
“… Ah!”
The members of the Asura Guild opened their eyes wide after realizing what Rio Xing meant.
Rio Xing smiled and nodded.
“Yeah, that’s right. Every favor comes with a price. Now he owes a debt to our Asura Guild. Besides, we are colleagues with a common enemy, the Scavenger Guild.”
There was a word that neatly defined that connection.
“Let’s just say, he’s a ‘friend’. Hehe.”
Rio Xing’s eyes sparkle intensely with a meaningful smile.
There was one fact that popped into the minds of the guild members.
“Ah! Come to think of it, our guild leader showed interest in Korea before!”
“Right. I put that into consideration as well. Now, when our guild goes to Korea, we can get Sung Suho’s help because we became friends.”
No one knew why the guild leader of the Asura Guild was interested in Korea, a small country in the East.
Even if he was interested, it was difficult for a guild from another country to cross the border of another country without any justification under Hunter International Law.
It was because the Hunter Guilds were a tremendous military organization.
In particular, Korea and India have no relation to each other. It would be more convenient to make connections in some other ways.
“Wow. Rio, just how big of a picture are you painting?”
“Pft. Not a big deal.”
Rio Xing shrugged as if it was nothing and helped the wounded man.
“Let’s throw away our bummed out feelings and escape quickly.”
That was how they managed to escape from the pyramid.
“… Goodness.”
Looking back, their faces turned white.
A terrible sight was unfolding right in front of them.
Crack!
“T-This is crazy.”
“The pyramid…!”
“It’s sinking!”
A huge quicksand.
The red sand of the desert swirled like a whirlpool, sucking in everything nearby.
Pyramid of Kandiaru, which was built in the center, was sinking into the depths of the underground.
“Run!”
“We’ll get buried alive if we get caught up in it!”
They became contemplative and started running away with all their might.
Finally, they reached the nearby village of Kamura.
“Damn.”
There was nothing left behind them.
The huge pyramid had sunk beneath the red sand without a trace.
In front of a phenomenon that they couldn’t handle, all the hunters in Kamura were terrified.
‘Will he be okay?’
Suddenly, Rio Xing was worried about Sung Suho.
‘I’m sure he got out well. Hopefully?’
By all means, he should have.
No, of course, he would.
Fortunately, the speed at which the pyramid sank was not that fast. Even with their injured selves, they were safe. There was no way that a hunter with that level of power could not have escaped.
However, Suho was nowhere to be seen in that vast desert.
‘… I guess I have a reason to go to Korea.’
Even if he didn’t see Suho now, if he got out safely, he would definitely return to his home country.
‘If I go to Korea later on, I would be able to check on Suho’s safety.’
Thinking so, Rio Xing nodded with a stern look on his face and looked back at his subordinates.
“Let’s return to our country.”
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