WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: DereKimchi
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◈ The Abandoned Tank is a Disaster-class Awakener ◈
Chapter 16
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The Association was in complete upheaval.
A solo clear of the 26th floor.
A new record of 3 minutes, 53 seconds.
Consecutive Guardian defeats.
And the fact that I had claimed the throne of the 26th floor after taking the 25th.
With all of that happening at once, there was no way things could stay quiet.
Inquiries poured in from Awakeners Associations around the world, while media outlets flooded the Association with interview requests.
They said other countries had even contacted them about sending people directly.
But none of it reached me.
“I’ll handle all of it.”
Because Chairman Miller stood in front of me.
More precisely, it was less that Chairman Miller stood in the way and more that everything was being blocked off.
Thanks to that, I was sitting alone in a private training room in the basement of the American Awakeners Association.
‘This is nice.’
Back in South Korea, whenever I returned after accomplishing something major, the debriefing always came first.
What skills I had used.
What rewards I had obtained.
How the clear had gone.
By the time I explained all of that, checking my body and equipment had always been pushed back.
But this time was different.
Miller handled the bothersome matters outside.
That meant I only had to do what I needed to do.
“Then…”
I opened the inventory that every Awakener received automatically.
The first things I took out were two sheets of paper covered in golden patterns.
【Relic Enhancement Ticket】
One of the rewards for solo-clearing the 26th floor.
Before my regression, it had been a treasure that only began appearing in earnest after the 50th floor.
Rustle.
As I flipped one of the tickets between my fingertips, I took the Black-Iron Greatsword from my inventory.
Naturally, this greatsword had been my first choice for enhancement.
My defense was already high enough to be excessive.
I had the high Health of a former tank.
The Black-Iron Armament, relic gear with high defensive stats.
And Shell, an Arcane-grade skill.
If I intended to keep climbing the Tower alone, the speed at which I killed enemies would directly determine the speed of my clears.
That was especially true in battles against Guardians.
Enduring was important, but if I could kill an enemy quickly, the time I had to endure in the first place would be reduced.
Attack was defense.
Clack.
I placed my hand on the Black-Iron Greatsword’s hilt.
Using a Relic Enhancement Ticket would raise its base attack power.
Depending on the result, it might even alter an additional effect related to the Black-Iron set.
It was not a bad choice.
By the book, this was the right decision.
But the hand about to tear the ticket stopped.
“…Wait a second?”
Something flashed through my mind.
Relic Enhancement Ticket.
The description had clearly said this.
‘Select one relic you possess and enhance it.’
It did not say weapon.
It did not say armor.
Relic.
Then what about this?
I reached into my inventory.
What I took out was much smaller than the greatsword.
A dark green circular medal that fit in my palm.
A massive ancient tree was engraved on its surface, while the Guardian’s name was carved into the back.
Verderaum’s Medal.
A very special relic whose effect activated simply by possessing it, granting +20 to all stats.
‘This is a relic too, isn’t it?’
Then there was a chance it could be enhanced.
And if it could, this came before the greatsword.
It would increase every stat, not just attack power.
I was a Super Novice.
Whenever others gained one point of a stat, the efficiency applied to my body was doubled.
If I could raise the medal’s effect itself, it would not be enhancing a single relic. It would be enhancing my entire body.
“I’ll find out if I try it.”
I placed the enhancement ticket over the medal.
Then.
Riiip.
The moment I tore it.
Flash!
The golden patterns came alive.
The lines engraved on the paper lit up one by one and flowed toward the medal.
[Checking the relic to be enhanced.]
[Target: Verderaum’s Medal]
Hummmmmm!
The medal vibrated.
“…It works.”
The corners of my lips rose.
Then.
Fwoosh!
The enhancement ticket became golden flames.
Though it burned, the paper did not turn to ash.
Instead, the patterns began to melt away.
The golden lines unraveled like thin threads and began wrapping around the edge of the medal.
One thread, two threads, then dozens.
As the threads of light spun, the ancient tree pattern on the medal lit up in sequence.
Hummmmmm!
The air trembled heavily.
A small vibration passed through my palm.
When the golden light fully circled the medal’s edge.
Click.
A brief sound rang out, like metal locking into place.
Then.
Flash!
The light contracted inward.
Every golden pattern was sucked into the medal.
[Enhancement successful.]
[Verderaum’s Medal → +1 Verderaum’s Medal]
Its information immediately updated.
【+1 Verderaum’s Medal】
Grade:
Classification: Possession Relic
Bound To: Kang Seong-un
Carry Effect: All stats +25
“…Oh.”
From 20 to 25 through a +1 enhancement.
The stats had increased by a full 5.
After passing through the Super Novice’s Transcendent Body, the actual effect was doubled.
With a single enhancement, it was like adding 10 points to every stat.
‘Just as I expected.’
The medal could be enhanced.
And enhancing it increased the possession effect itself.
This was extremely important.
Enhance the greatsword, and my attack power increased.
Enhance armor, and my defense increased.
But Verderaum’s Medal was different.
Enhancing this medal increased my overall combat power.
‘And that includes Shell, which is affected by Health.’
Its efficiency was worthy of the phrase killing four birds with one stone.
So I did not hesitate.
I used the remaining Relic Enhancement Ticket on Verderaum’s Medal as well.
[Enhancement successful.]
[+1 Verderaum’s Medal → +2 Verderaum’s Medal]
And the stat increase became +30.
The relic enhancements were finished.
This time, I took out a silver sheet of paper.
【Skill Enhancement Ticket】
Honestly, I had thought I already knew where to use this one.
‘Shell.’
The Arcane-grade skill I had obtained by defeating the Guardian of the 26th floor.
It constantly maintained a shield equal to my Health.
There were no activation requirements and no cooldown.
The thin shield currently surrounding my body was proof of that.
What if skill enhancement increased the shield’s multiplier?
One hundred percent of my Health might become 120 percent.
Its regeneration time might decrease.
If I enhanced it further later, new effects might even be added.
Either way, I did not think I had anything to lose.
But.
【Transcendent Body】
Transcendent Body, the Super Novice-exclusive skill.
The foundation of my class.
It had only one effect: all stats were doubled.
Flaaash!
The blue patterns engraved on the silver paper lit up all at once.
[Skill selected for enhancement.]
[Target: Transcendent Body]
Fortunately, it seemed to be a skill that could be enhanced.
Shhhhk.
The blue letters engraved on the enhancement ticket peeled off the paper one by one.
They swam through the air like living characters.
Then the letters rushed into my body.
Slip, slip.
Whenever a character entered, I felt something opening deep inside me.
Then…the information window for Transcendent Body floating before me shattered.
Crack!
Blue fragments stopped in midair.
They immediately pulled one another in and locked together in a new form.
A moment later, the fully reconstructed information window appeared before me.
[Skill enhancement successful.]
[Transcendent Body’s level increases.]
【+1 Transcendent Body】
Category: Super Novice Exclusive
Effect: 220% of all acquired stats
Just as expected, it had risen to 220 percent.
I immediately opened my status window.
【Kang Seong-un (Super Novice)】
Level: 42
Strength: 324
Agility: 320
Health: 407
Available Stat Points: 40
Skills: Transcendent Body, Giantification, Shell
I had not even distributed the stats earned from leveling up yet, and they were already this high.
“Right. There’s no need to enhance weapons or skills.”
For a Super Novice, strengthening the body itself had to be the right answer.
* * *
South Korea had aimed for the throne of the 26th floor.
And during that time, other countries had not remained idle either.
From the moment the hidden Guardian on the 25th floor was defeated, Tower-clearing methods around the world changed completely.
And one of the quickest countries to act was Japan.
A special Raid Party under the Tokyo Awakeners Association.
Using Retry Tickets, they were already racing through the Black Swamp of the 25th floor for the fourth time.
“Twelve ahead!”
A shout rang out from the front.
Splash, splash.
Beyond the fog, a group of Lizardmen burst through the mud.
Spears.
Axes.
Chains.
All sorts of weapons were directed at the Japanese Raid Party at once.
The first to step forward was Inugami Genji.
A God-Invoker.
An Awakener who channels a guardian deity into their body to amplify their physical abilities.
Jingle.
The moment a bell rang.
Hummmmm!
The form of a massive black bear overlapped Genji’s body.
Clang, clang!
The weapons wielded by three Lizardmen at once were blocked by Genji’s arms and body.
Into that opening.
Shing!
Sakamoto Renji, a samurai Awakener, cut through them.
“Quick Draw.”
A melee damage dealer who condensed power until the instant before drawing their sword, then released it in the first slash.
Slice, slice!
In an instant, the Lizardmen who had attacked were beheaded in succession.
But Quick Draw had a fatal weakness.
After its explosive slash came a decisive opening.
Just as the Lizardmen roared and prepared to attack.
Flutter.
From the rear, Tsuchimikado Aya scattered talismans.
A yinyang master, the key support of the Japanese Raid Party responsible for barriers, restraints, buffs, and healing.
Flash!
Chains of light soon bound the Lizardmen’s feet.
Then.
Shhhhhh.
A black shadow passed between the restrained enemies.
The shinobi, Hattori Shun.
A damage dealer specialized in rapid movement and attacks on vital points.
Pshhk!
Black marks appeared on the napes of their necks, beneath their armpits, and between their scales.
Finally.
Whoosh!
An arrow from the archer Nasuno Mikoto flew out.
The arrow pierced Shun’s marks in sequence.
Thud, thud!
The charging Lizardmen collapsed in an instant.
“Run!”
But they did not stop.
They moved along the shortest route they had discovered after three failures.
Flash, flash!
They burned through almost all the consumables they had brought.
As a result.
Thud!
A large hole opened in the stomach of the last remaining Lizardman shaman.
[All Lizardmen in the Black Swamp have been eliminated.]
[Clear Time: 4 minutes, 58 seconds]
“…We did it!”
A difference of six seconds.
Sakamoto smiled as they caught their breath.
They had not matched Kang Seong-un’s 4 minutes, 52 seconds, but that did not matter.
They were not aiming for the record.
Hummmmm.
The Black Swamp immediately shook.
[The Guardian of the 25th Floor, Kang Seong-un, has approved the challenge.]
[The Sakamoto Party has been granted the right to challenge the hidden Guardian.]
The price Japan had paid America to obtain that approval was seven bottles of Elixir.
Then.
“It’s coming.”
Black stairs rose from beneath the mud.
At the end sat a massive throne.
『25』
And before the throne, a black figure appeared.
A massive axe.
Black armor.
Scales covering its entire body.
「I am the first Lizardman. The progenitor of the Black Scale Clan. The king of all swamps and the one who guards the twenty-fifth throne.」
Red eyes looked down at the five people.
「I am the Lizard King, Karganon.」
A massive body that looked twice the size of a Lizardman.
Its mere presence gave off an ominous pressure.
Gulp.
Someone swallowed dryly.
“It looks strong.”
At Mikoto’s mutter, Sakamoto replied.
“There’s nothing to fear.”
“Even if it’s a Guardian, it’s just a boss. How many bosses have we faced until now?”
Bosses normally appeared every ten floors.
They thought of Guardians as being on the same level as bosses.
“Besides, Kang Seong-un killed it too.”
Renji adjusted their grip on their sword.
“First Awakener or not, Kang Seong-un is still just a Novice. A hero from the past.”
Looking up at the throne, Sakamoto smiled.
“There’s no reason Japan’s five finest can’t kill it.”
Sakamoto instilled confidence in the others.
[The hidden trial begins.]
Sakamoto tightened their grip on their sword.
“Maintain formation.”
The party’s faces were still full of confidence.
They had broken through hundreds of Lizardmen in 4 minutes, 58 seconds.
No matter how strong that monster was, they believed that with five people, they would manage somehow.
But that confidence.
[The Guardian’s Authority activates.]
[Throne Law: Disarmament]
“…What?”
Sakamoto’s sword disappeared.
Inugami’s defensive relic as well.
Aya’s ritual implement.
Hattori’s dagger.
Mikoto’s bow.
“W-Wait!”
All five faces froze at once.
Of course, Karganon lost its armor and axe too.
But that offered no comfort.
It still had its black scales.
Claws.
Fangs.
Tail.
And a body that could not be compared to a human’s.
“Genji!”
“I’ll block it!”
Inugami drew upon their god-invocation.
A tank less affected by the loss of relics.
Inugami crossed their arms.
Whoooom!
Karganon’s fist came down.
Booom!
“…Ghk!”
One blow.
Inugami’s knee slammed into the ground.
Then came the second attack.
Whoosh!
Its tail lashed into Inugami's side.
Boom!
Inugami’s huge body was sent flying.
“Genji!”
Aya sent out a healing talisman.
But the technique cast barehanded could not produce even half its usual output.
Shhk.
Using that opening, Hattori moved through the shadows and took Karganon’s back.
But there was no dagger in hand.
“…!”
A moment of hesitation.
Thud!
A single elbow strike folded Hattori’s body in half.
Mikoto was in even worse shape.
An archer without a bow could do almost nothing.
“This is…”
Sakamoto’s expression twisted as their turn came next.
Whoosh!
Karganon’s fist was already approaching.
“Ghk!”
Sakamoto blocked it with both arms.
Crunch!
Their bones broke, and the fist that smashed through their guard struck Sakamoto in the face.
Only then did they realize.
Completing the trial within five minutes was not the issue.
The true trial began after the Guardian appeared.
‘How are we supposed to defeat this?’
With their equipment gone, the party’s roles themselves had collapsed.
Meanwhile, Karganon was perfectly fine.
Its body itself was armor and a weapon, and it rampaged freely.
“Argh!”
“Gahk!”
Had they even faced it for ten seconds?
There was no way to control this violent monster.
Therefore.
“R-Return!”
Sakamoto shouted as they made their decision.
Riiip!
There was no hesitation.
Overwhelmed by that tremendous power, every party member tore their Return Scroll.
[Attempting return.]
[5 seconds until return.]
Returning took five seconds.
But Karganon did not wait for them to leave.
“Aaah!”
Inugami charged forward again.
Boom!
This time, both knees buckled at once.
Thud!
Hattori rushed in from the side, only to be struck by the tail and sent flying.
Mikoto blocked in front of Aya as well, but took a blow to the shoulder and rolled across the ground.
[2 seconds until return.]
Sakamoto gritted their teeth and clung to Karganon.
“Damn it…”
Karganon’s arm rose.
[1 second.]
And the moment that fist struck Sakamoto’s face.
Flash!
[Return successful.]
* * *
Tokyo Awakeners Association Return Room.
Thud!
The group wrapped in light tumbled miserably across the floor.
“W-What happened?!”
The Association staff, who had been expecting good news, cried out in shock.
“Medical team!”
“They’re seriously injured!”
“Bring stretchers!”
The Return Room instantly became chaos.
Both of Inugami’s arms were fractured, and Hattori was unconscious.
Mikoto’s shoulder was twisted, while half of Sakamoto’s face was caved in as they babbled nonsense.
Aya was the only one relatively unharmed, taking out talismans and administering first aid.
Japan’s five finest were carried into the treatment room, not with news of victory but in the miserable state of utter defeat.
* * *
Not long after, key officials, including the chairman of the Japanese Awakeners Association, crowded into the medical room.
“Did the Guardian appear?”
“…Yes.”
Aya, who remained conscious, answered.
“What were the conditions?”
“…Five minutes was correct.”
The chairman’s expression brightened briefly.
“Then did you fail to clear the Guardian?”
Aya could not answer for a while.
Then, with difficulty, Aya opened their mouth.
“…It could not even be called an attempt.”
“What?”
“The moment the battle began, all our equipment was forcibly removed.”
The officials’ faces stiffened.
They knew how important relics were to Awakeners.
“The samurai lost their sword, and the archer lost their bow. The yinyang master’s talismans and ritual implements disappeared as well.”
Then Aya looked at Inugami, lying down.
“Inugami maintained the god-invocation, but…”
Even Japan’s greatest tank.
“Inugami could not withstand it head-on.”
“…”
Inugami could not endure even with the outstanding ability of god-invocation?
Chairman Yamashita Seiji slowly asked.
“…Is Karganon that strong?”
“Yes.”
The answer came immediately.
“We need to rebuild our strategy from the beginning. We will need classes less dependent on relics, as well as more consumables.”
The chairman and everyone else were left speechless.
The consumables required for this attempt alone had easily cost tens of billions.
At that moment, someone spoke in a low voice.
“Then Kang Seong-un…”
Everyone turned to look at the speaker.
“…How in the world did Kang Seong-un defeat that Guardian?”
At those words, Yamashita spoke.
“There must be…a method of clearing it that we do not know.”
Though Kang Seong-un was a Novice, he was a frontline Awakener who had led South Korea to become the strongest Awakener nation.
Then naturally, he had to know a clearing method that others did not.
“From now on, whoever obtains that information will determine how the balance of power changes.”
And Japan would stop at nothing to obtain it.
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