Chapter 6
Thump! Thump!
His heart was racing.
‘I can start over again. This time, for real… properly…!’
This meant that all the past efforts wouldn’t go to waste.
He could start over.
Lee Hyun was about to turn around to thank Son Goku, but then…
‘… Huh?’
Suddenly, he felt the world spinning.
“The Ruyi staff is getting in your way. You should sleep for a while. Your pathetic body is going to take ages to become even remotely human. How the hell have you been living in this body?”
It seemed like Son Goku was making him sleep in a trance so he could focus on healing and recovery, but there was a problem.
‘Wait, the dungeon is about to collapse. What’s going to happen to me…?’
Lee Hyun had a terrifying thought, but his mind was already shutting down.
In that moment, the dungeon shook violently, as if it was about to collapse.
Boom! Boom! Boom…!
At the same time, messages kept popping up.
[You have successfully completed all dungeon quests. You have obtained the ‘■■■■’ spirit as a reward.]
[You have taken 89% of the contribution share. By achieving an overwhelming 1st place, you received the ‘■■■■’ Ruyi Staff as an additional reward.]
[You have gained significant achievements in the ‘■■■■’ realm.]
[You have gained significant achievements in the ‘■■■■’ realm.]
…
[Based on the ‘■■■■’ realm, the healing speed of the Ruyi staff is greatly increased.]
…
[The curse ‘Ring of the Frost Queen’ left by ‘The Queen of Eyes’ has been completely removed.]
[The magic circuit has been restored. However, the aftereffects remain severe.]
[There are traces of curses left in the magic circuit and various parts of your body. Divine energy will melt them.]
…
[You have gained Cold Resistance (S).]
[You have gained Curse Resistance (S).]
…
[The dungeon is starting to close. All participants should retreat to a safe zone.]
[10]
[9]
…
[0]
[Countdown completed.]
[The dungeon is closing.]
BEEP! BEEP! BEEEEP-
The regular mechanical sounds echoed in his ears.
It was a sound he often heard when hospitalized.
Lee Hyun finally opened his eyes.
‘Where is this…?’
He saw a white ceiling and blankets.
It was a place that felt as familiar as home. A hospital.
However, it was much larger than the usual place he stayed at. It looked like a single room.
At that moment, the door opened.
“Hey, you’re awake? If you’re awake, why aren’t you pressing the call button right away? Why are you just lying there?”
A doctor in a white coat looked at Lee Hyun with a grumpy expression.
“Hyung.”
“Yeah?”
It was Go Jinwoo, one of the few people Lee Hyun contacted after his discharge, and also a close friend of Moon Su-chan.
Go Jinwoo, originally from the military academy and a doctor who served in the Cheongroe Unit, was a crucial person to him.
“How did I end up here? I was sure…”
“Weren’t you in a dungeon?”
Lee Hyun nodded silently.
“Remember sending the emergency signal?”
“Yeah.”
Lee Hyun knew that despite his best preparations, he could end up in danger anytime when his body was vulnerable, especially in the dungeon.
So, whenever he entered a dungeon, he always carried a call item.
So that if something happened to him, Go Jinwoo could be alerted immediately.
[Branch of the ‘Couple Tree’]
A twin-shaped communicator made by cutting the branches of the ‘Couple Tree,’ where two trees intertwine and grow as one.
When one side is touched or whispered to, the other side detects it by making the leaves tremble or vibrate. Trust or bond between the two is necessary for it to function.
-
Origin: Folktale “The Couple Tree”
The [Couple Tree Branch] was expensive, but its effects were undeniable.
Even while the dungeon was collapsing, it immediately alerted Go Jinwoo.
“The leaves were shaking so much that I knew something was up, so I reported it to the police. But before they could arrive, Whiteburn showed up and brought you back?”
Lee Hyun’s eyes widened slightly.
“Whiteburn?”
“Yeah, man. Even Im Walpa came personally. Do you know how surprised I was? What’s your relationship with Im Walpa?”
“Im Walpa? Who’s that?”
“Ah, you don’t know the nickname? Im Won-Young. She was a legend in our year. She used to crush the heads of guys confessing to her.”
Lee Hyun could almost imagine the kind of reaction that would have been caused when a beauty like Im Won-Young entered a male-dominated military academy.
‘Im Team Leader probably didn’t just sit back, though.’
“Don’t give me that look with your rotten fish eyes. I never confessed.”
“I didn’t say anything.”
“You should clean the impurities in your eyes before speaking.”
Lee Hyun grinned without saying anything.
Go Jinwoo gave him a look as if he couldn’t believe it.
“You were almost dead, right on the brink of the afterlife, and this is what you’re saying? Tsk.”
Go Jinwoo clicked his tongue, continuing.
“Anyway, Im Walpa was so insistent on saving you that she kept nagging, and even the director and chief came down. Our interns were terrified. It was a mess.”
Only then did Lee Hyun understand what had happened.
‘She came with a rescue team and personally found me outside the dungeon gate.’
Im Won-Young had apparently returned with Whiteburn’s backup, only to find Lee Hyun abandoned outside the dungeon gate.
“By the way, what’s your relationship with Im Walpa?”
“Nothing.”
“Are you asking me to believe that?”
“Don’t believe me then.”
“Ugh, the attitude.”
“It’s true. Today was only the second time we’ve met.”
“Then she cared for you like that?”
Lee Hyun shrugged his shoulders.
“I have some charm, you know?”
“You’re really something else.”
“When we were in the unit, wasn’t I the most popular when they voted for the best-looking female unit members?”
“That’s because you were the leader, so they were all swooning over you!”
“People who didn’t get a single vote shouldn’t be saying such things.”
“Damn!”
“And I wasn’t even the leader back then. I was a new recruit.”
“Shut up!”
Go Jinwoo got into a pointless argument with Lee Hyun and ended up just shouting in frustration.
“Anyway, after you entered the stabilization phase, Im Walpa left. She said you should return the items you borrowed. What’s that about? Did you borrow something?”
“Yeah, something like that.”
Lee Hyun chuckled as he fiddled with his left hand’s finger. The hot sensation of the [Guardian’s Protector] was soothing.
At the same time…
Woosh!
‘Magic… it’s moving.’
Lee Hyun felt the magic flowing toward the [Guardian’s Protector] and his eyes lit up.
Although the magic was still far too weak to be called magic, and his frozen magic circuits remained cold, it was exhilarating to feel the magic coursing through his body.
“Also, when you’re feeling better, share something good with me, jerk. You can stay in this room until you’re fully recovered. Get plenty of rest. I’m leaving.”
Go Jinwoo seemed to notice the change in Lee Hyun. His voice carried a sense of relief as he left the room.
Once Lee Hyun was alone, he quickly checked his body.
[The status screen has been opened through the ‘Sacred Relic: Hwaan Geumjeong’.]
[Lee Hyun]
-
Age: 27
-
Traits: Leader, Indomitable, Frozen Human, [Locked], [Locked]
-
Abilities
-
Strength: 17
-
Agility: 15
-
Endurance: 14
-
Magic: 4
-
Intelligence: 19
-
Dexterity: 18
-
-
Powers: Hwaan Geumjeong, [Locked]
-
Skills: [Locked], [Locked], [Locked], [Locked], [Locked]
-
Resistances: Cold (S), Curse (S)
-
Current Status: All curses have been lifted, but due to prolonged aftereffects, average stats have greatly decreased.
-
Special Notes: Magic coefficient has partially recovered, allowing for gradual use of magic.
Lee Hyun clenched his fist after seeing the “Magic: 4” listed in his status window.
While he had obtained Cold Resistance and Curse Resistance both at S rank, it was this meager change that resonated with him the most.
‘This is the power of… a Sacred Relic, and a Mythical-grade one at that.’
Even though most of the Ruyi staff’s functions were still sealed, it was this much already.
How powerful would it be once all functions are unlocked?
Just as Lee Hyun was contemplating this, he heard a voice.
