WE TRIED TRANSLATIONS

Translator/Editor: Ryuu
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

DAMNED 13TH REGRESSION

Chapter 17: Devouring the Cerberus

In the midst of the inferno, Ting wrapped his melted fingers around his face.

"I can't breathe, I can't breathe even though I'm trying to."

The magical heat of the boss room's "Hell Lava" terrain assaulted his respiratory system. Ting's tongue, esophagus, and lungs had long been cooked to a medium doneness.

Initially, the boss room seemed bearable. However, as the Hellhound unleashed flames from its maw, the floor's lava erupted, heating the room several times over. Fire Resistance (E) was insufficient against such intensity.

"Where's the crystal? Where is it?"

Dane, Ting's comrade, murmured through his melted lips.

The crystals X mentioned were nowhere in the boss room. Despite frantic searching in all directions, they found nothing but lava and black basalt.

With a thunderous roar, the Hellhound, now a single-headed beast after losing one of its heads, crushed Dane's waist under its paw.

Blackened armor melted away, revealing yellowed fat and slightly cooked entrails squelching out.

"Moo...ie"

As Ting gazed upon the Hellhound, its visage overlapped with that of a black Chow Chow he had owned twenty years ago.

"Mooie, don't..."

As a golden star fell from the ceiling, Ting witnessed it.

[Strike of Decisiveness (D-) activated]

A golden flash sliced through the Hellhound's neck in an instant. The golden halberd, embedded in the ground, caused lava droplets to scatter, and the beast's remaining head detached.

"Mooie has... died."

Memories of Mooie flooded back as Ting clamped down on his tongue. The day he first defied his father, twenty years ago when he vowed never to be deceived again, was the day Mooie's face looked like that.

A surge of vitality returned to Ting's eyes, filled with retrospective anger.

"Where did you put the crystal?"

Ting pointed at the man with his fused fingers.

"Ah, sorry, that was a lie. Actually, the damage from the boss room's terrain is divided among those who enter. Alone, I'd take 100 damage, but with you guys, it's about 15 each. I also needed to extend my skill authority after killing this beast, and I was a bit short on Blue coins."

[You have defeated the Hellgate Labyrinth's boss, 'Hellhound'.]

[Raid Contribution: 1st Place 100% Joo Gong-hyeok, 2nd Place 0% Ting]

[100% Damage Dealt! Partial condition (1/10) for the title ‘Perfect Slayer’ has been met.]

[You have received 800 Violet coins and 2 Blue coins as rewards!]

[You have earned the title ‘Butcher of the Hellgate’.]

[Please select your reward for clearing the dungeon.]

[‘Black Fang Iron Maiden’, ‘Lava Droplet Pierce’, ‘Hellhound's Mask’]

[Achievement 'Complete Clearance of Hellgate Labyrinth'...]

[As a reward...]

Blue coins also fell in front of Ting.

"Ugh, kuh."

Blood spurted from Ting's mouth. He wanted to kill, but his limbs were numb. One eye was blurred from corneal burns, and the other struggled to focus.

"Feeling wronged? Don't be too upset, Mr. Ting. You coldly betrayed me 270 and 44 years ago. I still feel my cut ear throbbing. I've only done this about four times to you, so let's call it even."

Muttering to himself, Gong-hyeok picked up the ‘Hellhound's Mask’ as a reward.

Donning the Hellhound's Mask, his body was enveloped in black shadows. Even the golden halberd lost its original hue, morphing into a dark, sharp form.

Resembling a grim reaper, Gong-hyeok lifted the halberd.

"See you next time, if I'm in my right mind."

Chop!

Ting's twisted head flew through the air. Blood and coins cascaded down from the severed neck.

Gong-hyeok flicked the halberd, collecting the Blue coins that fell from Ting's neck.

"With the Hellhound's Mask and the Shadow Hood, I should be fine up to the 10th floor."

The Hellhound's Mask offered stealth and resistance against all information probing. While he could resist with GM, using other avatars exposed his stats and skills, necessitating a stealth item.

"Congratulations, Gong-hyeok."

In the boss room, now devoid of anyone but Gong-hyeok, a mysterious voice echoed.

Turning, he saw a succubus floating near him, legs crossed in the air.

"Hehe, we haven't met, right? I'm Lirianne, a subordinate of the Four Heavenly Kings' Cluesty. Lately, Cluesty has been appearing in all 1,000 sections of the first floor, so he's quite busy..."

“He’s busy appearing in 1,000 sections simultaneously? Get to the point."

"Wow, you're sharp. Even knowing 2 million were summoned at once, few would guess. Actually..."

As Lirianne recrossed her legs, teasing with the ambiguous length of her skirt, Gong-hyeok merely sighed and pressed her forehead.

"You really don't get it, do you? Hurry up. Yes? Hurry."

Gong-hyeok's finger pressed down on Lirianne's forehead.

Dumbfounded, Lirianne stared at Gong-hyeok, then tilted her head slightly. Suddenly, with a whoosh, dark magic surged from behind her wings like a storm.

[You have completed the demonic quest 'Slay 5 on the 1st Floor'. The next quest is 'Slay 10 on the 1st Floor'.]

[You receive 3 Blue coins and 'Laplace's Poison' as a reward.]

The magic whirlwind eroded everything around. Merely revealing her power caused such destruction. She was truly a knight-level demon.

"Annoyed? Are you? If you are, come at me."

"Now, you...!"

"Now what? If you've got nothing to say, scram. I'm busy."

"You...!"

"Code 011a01wc1k10, to the operating angel Sandalphon[1]. Change settings. Refuse demon quests for 48 hours. Deny their approach too."

A giant hand emerged from the void, gripping Lirianne.

"You'll regret this later..."

As Lirianne vanished in the grasp, Gong-hyeok plugged his ears.

“She can't kill but talks a lot. GM, achievements and coins count."

[You have achieved 38 achievements on the 1st floor, earned 6 titles, and collected 15,238 Violet coins and 51 Blue coins. Achievements include...]

"Enough."

Gong-hyeok tossed the remaining Blue coins up, and GM's mouth gulped them down.

[Would you like to expand the ‘Skill Devouring' authority with 20 Blue coins?]

"Expand."

['Game Master (GM)' has gained a new skill, 'Skill Devouring (?)'.]

[Looking forward to the first meal.]

"Right, right. There's some dog meat over there."

Gong-hyeok pointed to a corner where a three-headed hound staggered, bound in chains.

-Ugh, what's this? It hurts.

[Executing 'Skill Devouring'.]

GM's mouth grotesquely elongated, revealing sharp, bizarre teeth.

Chomp

-Chk! Wait, what are you? Chk! Chk!

Chomp chomp chomp

With each bite, the avatar's shadow splattered like blood. Cerberus, despite its three heads' loud protests, quieted after a few more bites.

[The quantity is ample, but the texture is somewhat rough. Despite being fire-based, it feels raw. The necromantic attribute also makes it heavy.]

"S+ grade should taste that good. You're too picky for a first meal."

[The Fire-based skill 'Ignite (E)' has been added. Remaining devouring space 1/1.]

Gong-hyeok sat atop Cerberus's skull, pulling out his pipe. Yawning, he filled it with tobacco.

‘I hope it doesn't get noisy later. If demons find out I'm devouring dungeon avatars like Cerberus, I'll be in for a Hollywood blockbuster-level adventure in Babel.'

If demons learn Gong-hyeok is consuming avatars, they'll try to eliminate him, circumventing the rules that prevent them from harming neutrals or hunters.

"Ignite."

[Activating 'Ignite (E)'.]

Though it should have caused an explosion, Gong-hyeok's delicate adjustment merely lit the tobacco.

"Finally, no more matches. Perfect."

Despite relying on Yeon-si to light his tobacco, Gong-hyeok shamelessly commented.

Holding the pipe in one hand, Gong-hyeok lifted the golden halberd, ready to test the new skill.

"Ignite modification, rear emission only, convert to physical force in the front."

[Modifying 'Ignite (E)' as instructed. Please designate the activation point.]

"0.9cm behind the halberd."

[Activating in 2 seconds.]

Boom!

A flash and explosion occurred.

A fierce flame erupted behind the lifted halberd, propelling it with immense force.

Crack!

A Hellhound's head, as large as a person, was cleanly bisected.

The previous ceiling strike appeared effortless due to skill effects, gravity, and martial skills. In reality, Gong-hyeok had used every trick and skill for that result. Moreover, a skull is harder than the neck.

This strike was a mere 'normal attack,' devoid of any martial arts or transcendent techniques, just a one-handed swing.

[Left wrist ligament damaged, elbow ligament spasms]

'It's been a while; I nearly dislocated my shoulder.'

The explosion's propulsion was so strong that Gong-hyeok was lifted off the ground even as he swung. Actual use would make balance maintenance difficult, and misuse could injure the body.

['Ignite (E)' has derived a new skill.]

[Discovering 'Ignition Booster (D)'.]

[Increases speed and destructive power when used on the body or weapon.]

"Good, good. Let's go with this."

Gong-hyeok stored the halberd in his inventory and leisurely enjoyed his smoke. After about 20 minutes, a thought struck him.

"Ah, right. I need to level up Ra Djehuty with the coins from the dead."

Looking around, he found no coin fragments, only basalt dust scattered by the magic storm.

= = =

Join our discord at https://dsc.gg/wetried

[1]: In Kabbalah, Sandalphon is the angel who represents the sefirah Malkuth and overlaps (or is confused with) the angel Metatron. He is said to appear before the feminine presence of the Shekhinah and to receive human prayers and send them to God.