WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Mordor
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ Escaping the Tower at Hell Difficulty ◈
Episode 106
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In fact, I didn't need to approach Modus.
He came to us.
Boom!
The hunters forming the encirclement were blown away in an instant.
It was a charge like a falling meteor. He threw his entire body forward as he pursued his target.
There was only one target in his ghostly burning gaze: Reallos.
"You'll die too!"
"Ugh, you ugly bastard..."
The two Hunter Lords crashed together, shattering a stone wall.
Reallos barely managed to kick Modus away, but a deep wound opened in Reallos's side. The arm injured earlier still hadn't fully healed. Reallos had probably used a Heavenly Elixir, but the wound was too severe. It would take time.
Modus, on the other hand, had absorbed Mortis's soul and become much stronger.
From the looks of it, he had no intention of finding a new Necromancer. He intended to die here.
I spotted Bellion nearby.
"Senior, please gather the equipment around here."
"Equipment? Ah, are you going to use that skill from last time?"
Bellion used Magnetization to easily pull together the hunters' equipment scattered across the battlefield.
It was a useful skill, though it struggled to overcome an opponent's mana resistance.
I immediately activated Reversion.
Ssssh...
Maybe because the loot was so valuable, an alarming amount of power surged through me.
Of course, one skill alone wasn't enough to defeat Modus. My approach had always been to use whatever I needed.
"Hey, the loot..."
"How can you use it without permission?!"
The other hunters complained, but I ignored them. This wasn't the time to argue over dividing loot.
"I'll put this to good use. Whew..."
I raised my physical abilities in an instant, then activated my next skills one by one, including basic buffs such as Undying Blood and Inhuman Strength. I also drank a bottle of Heavenly Elixir.
Swish.
In the meantime, Reallos had been driven into a corner.
I didn't particularly like Reallos, but Reallos was still keeping Modus occupied. If Reallos died now, the fight would become harder.
'Should I go?'
As I leaned forward, Kaellis offered advice for once.
Did he think I might really die this time?
[Once the fight starts, don't even blink. I know your instincts are decent, but you might miss him if you can't see him.]
'Thanks for the advice.'
I activated Firmament Veil, drew my dagger, and charged out.
I could handle activating multiple Transcendence skills now.
Clang!
I thought it was a perfect ambush, but Modus blocked it with just one arm.
When his leg moved, Kaellis shouted.
[Left!]
Vwooom!
I barely slipped out of the range of his kick.
It sounded as though it had crushed the air instead of merely tearing through it. If it had hit me, my body would've been split in two.
"You looked like you had no motivation. Now you want to interfere?"
"Yeah."
The moment his eyes fixed on me, I activated the Pain Seal, Desperate Strength, and Acceleration.
My stats no longer fell behind Modus's.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Five or six exchanges passed in a single breath. Without Kaellis's advice, I might've missed one or two.
[Don't keep your blades locked for long! With skill like yours, there are dozens of techniques that could carve you apart while your weapon is bound!]
'Are you encouraging me right now?'
My weapon was at a disadvantage.
The moment that thought crossed my mind, the dagger extended a little farther. Like a weapon bound by Soul Binding should, it changed itself in response to its owner's need.
Clang!
The blade shook violently.
My swordsmanship was crude, so I couldn't properly absorb the impact of the clash. I let go of it and landed a kick with the Boots of Gale.
Boom!
It struck Modus's leg cleanly, and his blade passed over my head.
My heart felt like it would burst. It probably wasn't just a side effect of the skills.
"Ghk!"
Reallos, who had barely regained their footing, made a desperate escape. Reallos's injuries were severe enough that there was no intention of fighting anymore.
It would be better if Reallos ran. Modus was obsessively targeting Reallos.
Then I saw Kwatum along Reallos's escape route.
Kwatum stood out easily in white.
Kwatum saw Reallos fleeing, covered in wounds, and hesitated.
Could Kwatum kill Reallos right now? The area was in chaos too.
Still, Kwatum ultimately couldn't swing his sword and let Reallos pass.
"Come this way!"
"Khk..."
Modus wasn't about to stand by and watch.
"What are you doing?! Undead, unleash your rage!"
Undead couldn't last long after losing their Necromancer. Knowing that, they willingly began spreading rage and death.
Amid the chaos, Modus barely caught up to Reallos.
"Ugh!"
Kwatum, who had drunk the potion I gave him, stepped in front of Modus.
Clang!
Gillius even leaped out from the shadows, creating a three-on-one situation.
Naturally, Modus tried to break through. His body accelerated until it blurred for an instant.
Boom!
Kwatum took the charge head-on and was sent flying.
Kwatum didn't die thanks to the shield. Kwatum was probably grateful to have been knocked out of the confrontation instead. Kwatum had made an impression on Reallos and gotten out at the right time.
[He's coming this way!]
Clang!
I assessed the terrain behind me.
Somehow, I had ended up near the city wall, making Railgun sniping impossible. Modus must've been aiming for this too.
'I need to settle this soon.'
Reversion and Desperate Strength would wear off in another minute or two. After that, I'd naturally be a corpse still standing.
I had optimized myself with Effortless Motion, but the recoil was still too severe.
Slash!
I activated the Pain Seal again.
I forced myself onward, telling myself I wasn't dead yet.
"It looks like you're running out of strength."
Modus noticed my condition and smiled.
Just like a top-tier hunter, his awareness was disgustingly sharp.
I subtly tried to draw Modus beyond the city wall, but it didn't work.
Swish! Swish! Swish!
I leaped forward over the wave of vicious Sword Energy flying at me.
At that moment, the Eye of Foresight artifact activated. Along with an intense sense of danger, it showed me an illusion of my body being carved apart by Sword Energy.
Looking closer, one strand of Sword Energy was flying about half a beat slower than the rest.
He could even control the tempo like that?
Just as I tried desperately to dodge, Kaellis moved my arm.
[I'll show you just once.]
Slash!
I swung the extended dagger and cut through the Sword Energy.
There was no Sword Energy on my blade, yet the incoming Sword Energy was severed cleanly. I instinctively understood the secret.
'You used the dagger's power?'
He had killed the Sword Energy itself with the Death Priest Dagger.
'Can't you show me one more time?'
[I don't have the strength. I need to conserve it.]
Even Modus seemed surprised by the unexpected move.
Seeing my chance, I shouted into the radio.
"Hajun, now!"
"Huh?!"
Modus blocked Gillius's ambush and reflexively checked his position.
But Modus was still within the shadow of the city wall. No Railgun shot came flying.
'You were so perceptive that you fell for it, huh?'
Even someone like him knew little about Earth-made radios. He hadn't realized I shouted without pressing the button.
I quickly drew the Hand Cannon, activated Firmament Veil, and fired.
Whoosh... Bang!
A bullet he had erased with Sword Energy several times before.
This time would be different.
Modus reflexively unleashed Sword Energy.
Crack!
The .50-caliber Enhanced Ammunition vaporized in an instant...
But the Penetrator inside pierced through the Sword Energy and flew on.
"What?!"
Crack!
A small hole opened in his armor, and cracks spread from it in an instant.
The Penetrator completely pierced the thick armor and lodged in the stone wall behind him.
Modus recognized it too late.
"... A Wish Tree Fragment? How did you get something like that..."
It was the reward from the 11th-floor Mini Dungeon, the Collapsing Spiral Tower.
It possessed top-tier durability and mana conductivity.
People normally made it into bows or staffs. I used Reconstruction to process it into a Penetrator.
It was a material that was nearly impossible to process in the first place.
Top-tier durability and mana conductivity.
I had to give it credit.
"You hit the core."
Modus dropped his sword and looked at me.
Gillius didn't attack either. He knew it was already too late.
More than anything, I had landed the decisive blow. It was unquestionably my prey. The right to deal with it belonged to me.
Hunters were surprisingly strict about things like that.
I reloaded the Hand Cannon and raised my dagger.
Since I hadn't dealt the finishing blow with the dagger yet, I could collect Modus's and Mortis's souls.
Still, I wondered if I should let this couple remain unable to rest forever.
Just as I had done for the victims who became Reapers before, I decided to grant them peace.
"I hope you two can rest together."
Crack!
As the dagger came down, the knight's armor collapsed.
I felt the power of souls flowing into me through the blade. That must've been thanks to Soul Binding too. I vaguely remembered feeling something similar with the Reapers.
"Ugh..."
Crack!
Once the power Modus had absorbed from Mortis vanished completely, the nearby undead began collapsing in waves.
"... Is it over?"
"Yeah, it's over. We won."
Gillius nodded and raised my hand.
I looked around at the city, now reduced to a mess, and laughed hollowly to myself.
It hadn't been a particularly beautiful city to begin with. Now it was almost a ruin.
This was what our victory looked like. I was really glad we hadn't lost.
[Transcendence skill level has increased to 10.]
[The efficiency of all Transcendence skills has increased.]
[All Currents skill level has increased to 1.]
"..."
So it existed.
An upper skill of the EX-rank basic skill.
The situation still wasn't over, though.
The aftereffects of Desperate Strength began hitting me.
Kim Yuna and Yuki, freed from the undead encirclement, hurried over and supported me.
"Priests, assemble."
As though he was used to it, Gillius gathered the Death Priests.
Then the Hunter Lords who had arrived late and their armies naturally surrounded us.
"Now that the Reapers and undead have fallen, aren't they no longer necessary?"
It was an astonishingly shameless and quick change of attitude.
The aftereffects of Desperate Strength drained all strength from my body, making me grin despite myself.
Still, it didn't feel like I was about to die like last time. It was an incredible waste, but if I used Reversion on Modus's equipment, I might somehow be able to fight.
"Senior, what should we do?"
"Stay still for now."
Bellion seemed rather accustomed to this too.
It seemed living as a public enemy wasn't easy.
Gillius spoke on behalf of the group.
"If you're going to attack us, you'd better commit to it. If anyone gets out of here, the rest of us will kill every one of you."
"You think we'd be that afraid?"
"Then who will step forward first?"
As soon as Gillius spoke, the chaotic battlefield fell silent as if it had become a library.
He spoke bitterly.
"I thought so. Everyone, retreat toward the Tower. Take good care of the rookie. Though you're not really a rookie anymore, are you?"
"Juwon, Hajun. Come to the Tower quickly."
[Got it.]
I gathered the Wish Tree Penetrator and headed toward the Tower with the other Death Priests.
Kwatum, supporting Reallos, secretly grinned at me.
Would Kwatum be a marquis by next time?
"What should we do? There should be loot underground..."
"It collapsed, so we can't take it out for now. We'll come back when construction starts. Finding the secret passage would probably be faster, though."
"Team Leader, lean on me more."
Yuki said that while half-carrying me.
Once Sang Hajun and Han Juwon arrived, we passed through the Tower without looking back.
Flash!
The moment she passed through the Tower, Yuki spoke with deep emotion.
"Such pure love... It was a truly beautiful story."
As always, Kim Yuna couldn't hold back a comment.
"They both died, and their country completely collapsed."
"But it was beautiful."
"W-Well..."
We just laughed, finished bathing, and ate.
I was about to head home when I felt something constantly wriggling inside me.
'Hm? What is this? It feels strangely familiar...'
It was a sensation I had definitely felt somewhere before, like the feeling right after giving a skill an attribute with a Soul Crystal.
I quickly spoke to the driver.
"Could we go to the workshop now?"
"T-The workshop? Understood."
Despite it being the middle of the night, the driver turned the car around without complaint.
Yuki looked at me in surprise.
"What's wrong? Did you suddenly get inspired?"
"Well... Something like that."
I hadn't even offered a Soul Crystal to the altar, so why was this happening?
I realized the reason too late.
'Did my body become the altar?'
The ritual had already been completed the moment I struck with the ritual dagger.
After all, the enormous power contained in Modus's and Mortis's souls hadn't completely disappeared.
I entered the workshop anxiously.
Beside me, Yuki looked at me with anticipation, as if she thought I was going to make her a new souvenir.
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