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chapter 174
From the moment Lee Hyun set foot in the Deep Sea Dungeon, he couldn’t shake off a strange sense of unease.
The endless golden waves filling the White Sea…
Until now, the Golden Eye and Golden Well had never given him such a wide-reaching hint.
It claimed that the only trace left behind was the Cloud Somersault—but how could he possibly take that at face value?
And yet—
The instant the idea of “White Sea = Cloud Somersault” clicked into place, every lingering doubt dissolved like mist.
And then—
Ding! Ding!
[The Sacred Relic: Golden Eye and Golden Well has activated and uncovered the hidden myth of ■■ Great ■■ Duke within this dungeon.]
[Through the clues you’ve gathered, you have uncovered the secret of Jack and the Beanstalk.]
[1. The Clouds of the White Sea]
In this world, the clouds that support the giants’ castle form the boundary between earth and sky. Naturally, the clouds the giants call the “White Sea” possess a mysterious power.
The Cloud Somersault—from the myth of Journey to the West—is said to stretch infinitely, able to travel tens of thousands of kilometers in a single day. Such a cloud could easily bear the weight of a castle of giants.
[2. The Choice of the Abyssal Great Star—King Gyo Ma]
Gyo Ma, one of the Seven Great Stars, ruled over storms and thunder. Born from the merged spirits of countless sea creatures dwelling in the abyss, he required one item to achieve resurrection: the Cloud Somersault.
Because by possessing the divine power and mythic residue of its original owner, he would gain control over storms and thunder themselves.
[3. The Secret of the Black Sea]
The worlds of giants and humans were once separate, unaware of each other’s existence. Only Jack’s Beanstalk ever bridged the two.
But when the imprisoned Gyo Ma released his sea into the world, the land turned black, and humanity perished—leaving the giants facing extinction.
[4. Ymir’s Heart]
……
[All clues have been gathered. The hidden truth behind Jack and the Beanstalk is revealed!]
[A new section of the White Sea—shrouded in mist beyond the giants’ castle—has been unveiled.]
[A path has opened toward the Black Sea, where King Gyo Ma is sealed.]
A brilliant light flared.
In that instant, the entire structure of the White Sea was engraved into Lee Hyun’s mind.
It was so vast his head spun—but at last, he understood the true shape of this world.
“So… the White Sea lies above the Cloud Somersault, and the Black Sea below. No wonder the surface world is called the Black Sea—it’s crawling with deep-sea monsters. Horrifying.”
And on that surface, humanity had already been wiped out.
It made him question whether the title Jack and the Beanstalk even still applied.
But thanks to that revelation, Lee Hyun also realized the queen’s true goal.
“The treasure the dungeon mission asked me to steal… it’s not gold or jewels.”
His eyes deepened.
“It’s the survivors themselves—the dungeon giants.”
[You have uncovered the true identity of the “treasure.”]
[According to the altered narrative, the structure of the story has been partially rewritten. The dungeon mission has changed.]
[From now on, evacuate the endangered giants safely to the refuge zone.]
[Success: The Giants’ Treasure.]
[Failure: Abyssal Sealing.]
Originally, the treasure of this dungeon had likely been Ymir’s Heart—the very thing once sealed inside that chest.
But when Gyo Ma stole it and the story shifted dramatically, the dungeon’s entire narrative diverged.
The moment Lee Hyun saw the term “refuge zone,” he realized the queen had her own plan in mind.
So he asked her:
If I become your savior, what will you give me in return?
“There’s a way to save them. Just one.”
As he organized his thoughts, the queen stayed silent, lips pressed tightly.
She seemed to be reading him.
But Lee Hyun only smiled faintly.
“You don’t have to answer. We only just met today. It’d be strange if you trusted me already.”
“……”
“But remember this— I can take the Cloud Somersault anytime I want. Honestly… whether you survive or not isn’t my concern.”
The queen’s expression stiffened.
“Still, there’s no point in making enemies. So let’s make a deal instead. I’d rather not carry unnecessary grudges.”
“…That sounds like a threat.”
“Call it a wise negotiation, then. I’m a man who acts only under reason.”
The truth was, if Gyo Ma broke free, it wouldn’t just be this dungeon in danger. Even Guam—on Earth—would suffer catastrophic losses if a third Dungeon Break occurred.
So Hyun needed the giants on his side.
But—
“No, not yet. They still have secrets—maybe even ones the queen herself doesn’t know.”
He hadn’t forgotten that the treasure they’d guarded was Ymir’s Heart.
Anything tied to myth carried immense value by itself.
He had no intention of letting it slip away.
Eventually—
“Haa… what a troublesome savior I’ve ended up with,” the queen muttered, lowering her war hammer and scratching her temple.
It was practically a surrender.
“When the Abyssal Great Star took the [Heart], he said something strange. That someday, someone would come seeking him and the Cloud Somersault—that person would become our savior. So… we were told to endure until then.”
The story wasn’t related to their deal, but Hyun listened quietly.
“Then you appeared—an outsider—just when the sea beasts began to overwhelm us. I thought, perhaps, our savior had come. Hah… never expected such a mercenary one.”
Yet the queen’s smirk didn’t seem bitter.
“You actually believed that?”
“Of course not. Who’d believe the words of the one who betrayed us? Still… maybe it lingered because I needed something to hold on to.”
It seemed the giants’ crisis was even graver than he’d thought.
“But in a way, it’s better this way. A savior who deals in fair trades—give and take—now that I can understand.”
Hyun nodded.
That kind of relationship suited him fine.
After all, these were beings he would never meet again.
But lying or exploiting them? That went against everything he’d lived by as a soldier.
“We’ll…”
The queen offered him her terms—and Hyun’s eyes gleamed as he nodded.
“Good. Then the deal is struck.”
A short while later—
The queen pushed open the vault door and strode out.
“Your Majesty!”
“Are you all right? Were you hurt?”
“What happened to the intruder!?”
Dozens of dungeon giants rushed toward her, grasping her arms and legs anxiously.
She was a head or two taller than any of them—but to them, she was their last remaining beacon of hope.
It took a long time before she could calm them.
“I’m fine. Don’t worry.”
“But—”
“I said I’m fine.”
Their eyes still darted nervously.
The queen laughed heartily.
“At least it’s nice to know there are still people who worry about me.”
“Don’t say such things, Your Majesty…”
“More importantly, there’s someone I want to introduce to you.”
“Introduce…?”
They blinked, confused.
She had vanished suddenly while preparing to march against the Sea Kings. The fortress they guarded—Útgarðr, the last bastion of the White Sea—was already nearing its end.
And now she was introducing a stranger?
“Greet him properly,” the queen declared. “From today, he will serve as our new court magician. What was your name again?”
“……?”
“Court magician!?”
The giants’ eyes widened.
Magic belonged to the Black Sea, not here in the White.
“Your Majesty?”
“What is it? Doesn’t he look dependable?”
“Um… where exactly is this court magician?”
“We don’t see anyone…”
They looked around, puzzled.
Then the queen smacked her forehead.
“Not behind me—look down!”
“Down…?”
“Huh?”
“W-wait… a human!?”
Only then did the giants spot him—standing far below them, looking distinctly unimpressed.
On Earth, Lee Hyun was tall. Here, he looked like a dwarf among titans.
“My name is Pater,” he said coolly. “From now on, you may call me Your Excellency or Court Magician.”
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
“Damn it! More vines—!”
“Cut them off! If they breach the walls, we’re finished!”
“Above! They’re coming from the sky too!”
The battlefield outside was chaos.
This was the White Sea’s last fortress—Útgarðr.
For months now, brutal battles had raged without pause.
The valor of the giant warriors was legendary, but even their faces now showed exhaustion.
“Aaagh!”
“Niel! Damn it, let go of him, you monster!!”
Day after day, casualties piled up.
A wolf-shaped Sea King, massive as four dungeon giants combined, clamped its jaws around one of their comrades.
Four warriors charged to rescue him—but were kicked aside like pebbles.
The creature growled low, mocking them, before leaping back beyond the wall.
“No—!”
Just as despair clouded their faces—
“Who dares lay a hand on my people!?”
A shadow loomed over the Sea King’s head.
CRACK!
A colossal war hammer slammed down, caving in its skull.
SKRAAA!!
The beast screamed, dropping the giant from its jaws.
“The Queen! The Queen is here!”
“Her Majesty has come!”
“Waaaah!!”
“Follow the Queen!”
Clad in blood-red armor and helm, war hammer in one hand and halberd strapped across her back, eyes blazing like wildfire—
The sight of Queen Hella alone was enough to rekindle the fortress’s morale.
BOOM!
She handed the wounded warrior to her attendants and vaulted over the battlements, charging headlong after the retreating Sea King.
Even surrounded by thousands of sea monsters, none could halt her rampage.
“Die!”
Hammer in one hand, halberd in the other—each swing tore through the horde, scattering blood and limbs alike.
And soon, the Sea King’s massive head soared skyward, severed clean from its neck.
SPLAAASH!
“The Queen has slain the Sea King!”
“Protect Her Majesty! The sea beasts are swarming toward her scent!”
“Flying ones—take them down!”
The warriors leapt from the walls to cover her.
But the sky was already dark with wings.
Dozens of flying sea beasts dove toward the queen—some with snapping beaks, others with talons like blades.
“Your Majesty!!”
Too late—!
They swooped in faster than the rescuers could reach.
But the queen only smiled fiercely, lifting her head toward the heavens.
“There’s no need to worry. Nothing can harm me now.”
And then—
[Judgment Magic prepared.]
A blinding flash.
From the blood-soaked surface of the White Sea, streaks of white lightning erupted upward—
—and far above, the bolts converged into a radiant orb the size of a sun.
A floating sphere of pure light—ball lightning.
The evolution of thunder itself.
Beneath it, Lee Hyun stood, rune staff raised high.
ᛏ.
[Klasma activates—fragment of Astrapē embedded.]
[The narrative of <Saheon> breathes the dragon’s flame, raising thermal output.]
……
All the power from his skills and relics intertwined—
And then—
[You have discovered the Sacred Relic: Cloud Somersault! It is now linked with the three previous relics (Golden Eye and Well, Ruyi Jingu Bang, and Tight-Binding Circlet).]
[You may now partially use the Cloud Somersault’s functions.]
[The Cloud Somersault assumes the properties of cumulonimbus clouds. Thunder energy supplied.]
Drawing every ounce of storm power from the depths of the White Sea—
[Judgment descends.]
And from the heavens, fire and lightning rained down—
obliterating the skyborne monsters in a storm of divine fury.
