WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: DereKimchi
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ The Abandoned Tank is a Disaster-class Awakener ◈
Chapter 32
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Ssssss.
The darkness receded.
The first thing I felt was the wind.
Whoooosh!
Dryness and dampness, sensations that did not belong together, swept across my skin at once.
“...”
I slowly opened my eyes.
Then I looked at the scene spread before me.
Inside the Abyss, it was a place difficult to describe in a single word.
Long purple cracks tore through the gray clouds, revealing a night sky beyond them.
But when I turned my gaze a little farther right, a bright red sunset hung there.
Day and night, dawn and evening, different times forcibly stitched together in one sky.
The ground was the same.
Beyond collapsed stone pillars stood a building resembling an ancient temple, tilted to one side. Directly behind it, a high-rise building made of glass and metal was embedded upside down in the earth.
Half the building was buried underground, while the other half stretched toward the sky as if defying gravity.
Farther away stood a structure like a thatched house.
Beside it were rusted steel frames, and beyond those, even a translucent tower made from a material I did not recognize.
Traces of the past, present, and a future that had yet to come.
It was like someone had shattered dozens of worlds and carelessly dumped all the pieces in one place.
‘It hasn't changed.’
It was a sight I had seen before my regression.
It was not exactly the same, though.
The Abyss always took a different form.
That was no different this time.
“Where exactly is this...?”
I turned at the voice behind me.
The Abyss had an entry limit of ten people, and this Raid Party had filled all ten slots.
The first person I saw was Hye-won.
Behind her stood eight others.
They were all Awakeners America had secured who specialized in support abilities.
In terms of direct combat power, they could hardly be called front-line fighters.
That was inevitable, since their roles had already been decided.
“Let's begin.”
At my words, they nodded and began using their skills.
Flaaash!
Golden light enveloped my body.
【Strength Amplification】
Soon afterward, another Awakener planted their staff against the ground.
A blue wave passed beneath my feet.
【Agility Enhancement】
【Mana Circulation Acceleration】
【Increased Stamina Recovery】
【Increased Cold-Attribute Power】
【Increased Status Effect Resistance】
One by one, enhancement effects that did not overlap accumulated over my body.
“Thank you for your work.”
And that was the end of their role.
Of the ten slots available, eight had been filled with supporters.
It could not be helped. At the current level of America's Awakeners, they could not properly fight inside the Abyss.
And that was not only America's problem.
Other than a few Awakener powers, most countries had not yet reached the level needed to properly clear the Abyss.
Moreover...
‘It was difficult even before my regression, but now...’
The Abyss had appeared earlier because of me.
That was why, rather than stake anyone else's life on this, I had chosen to bring supporters who could boost Hye-won's and my combat power.
We could have received buffs at the entrance before moving, but the Abyss's unique energy reset all buffs and abilities upon entry.
That was why we had no choice but to receive the buffs inside the Abyss.
I looked back at the supporters.
“Do not move from here.”
“...”
Everyone's expressions stiffened.
The place where we stood was the entry point.
It was the only safe area in the Abyss.
And it was a place where we could escape at any time.
“I'll return if I need buffs.”
All eight people nodded at once.
Only then did I turn around.
Hye-won already had her staff in hand.
Hye-won was the only member of the Raid Party accompanying me on the Abyss exploration.
Her level was still a little low, but she had enhanced a miracle-grade staff to +5. On top of that, it possessed the absurdly overpowered effect of Freezing, so she would be a considerable help in battle.
Saaa...
As if proving that, faint cold energy flowed from the tip of the Snow Queen's Staff.
“Shall we go?”
“Yeah.”
Having grown used to each other in the meantime, I was speaking a little more casually now.
Step.
We passed through the safe area and began our full-fledged exploration of the Abyss.
* * *
The moment we left the safe area, messages about the Abyss appeared.
[Abyss exploration begins.]
[Defeat nearby Corrupted Monsters to obtain temporary enhancement effects depending on their type.]
[Occupy key strongholds to unlock rare resource gathering and functions unique to each stronghold.]
Hye-won read the messages.
“Defeating monsters gives us buffs. Should we get some too?”
“No. We have enough.”
The enhancement effects cast by the supporters were flowing through our bodies.
Besides.
“We're heading straight for the stronghold. If we get distracted by other things, we could be too late.”
Having experienced countless Abysses before my regression, I had already made all the plans.
We crossed a collapsed wall and stepped onto a road.
The asphalt beneath our feet changed into rough bedrock.
Metallic minerals glittered from the cracks.
Where low hills should have stood beyond it, black cliffs rose instead.
An entrance reinforced with thick timber and iron plates.
Rails stretched inward.
It was a mine.
[Key Stronghold: Corrupted Mine]
[Current Controlling Force: None]
[Occupation Condition: Eliminate the defensive entities and activate the Stronghold Core.]
The message appeared as soon as we entered the key stronghold.
As we checked it and stepped into the mine tunnel.
Clang, claaang!
The sound of metal being struck echoed out.
Shadows moved beneath orange ore lamps.
Dented helmets.
Rusty plate armor.
Black veins of ore bulged through the gaps.
Purple crystals were set where eyes should have been.
A Corrupted Mine Guard.
It turned its head.
Crack.
The sound of stone grinding came from inside its neck.
Having spotted the enemy, it raised its hammer.
Clank.
Behind it.
Clank.
And behind that.
Clack. Clack.
Purple eyes lit up in rows through the darkness.
Armor filled the mine tunnel, packed so tightly that shoulders touched.
Shiiing.
I drew the Black-Iron Greatsword.
“I'm going.”
“Yes!”
Hye-won extended her staff.
Whoooosh!
Blue cold energy swept through the mine tunnel.
Craaaack!
Frost raced along the rails and seized the guards' ankles.
Ice rose to their knees and waists, stopping the front line.
The ones behind them crashed into their backs.
The armor tangled together.
The formation became so densely packed that they did not even have room to swing their hammers.
I put up my shield.
Baaang!
I kicked off the ground.
The Black-Iron Shield struck the chest of the guard at the front.
Its armor caved in all the way to its back.
The body behind it took the impact.
Then the one behind that.
Craash!
The legs fixed in ice broke all at once.
The overlapping guards were flung backward as though torn away.
I stepped on the wreckage.
Iron plates crumpled beneath my feet.
Swish.
I twisted my waist and swung the greatsword.
Craaaash!
The armor caught in the sword's path split at the same height.
The hammers they had raised were cut apart as well.
Thud, thud!
Broken handles and black ore struck the walls on either side.
A path opened.
Step.
One more step.
A guard raised its pickaxe.
Craack!
Frost formed around its elbow.
Before that arm could even come down, I rammed it with my shield.
Baaang!
It crashed into the formation behind it.
I brought the greatsword down on the tangled bodies.
It did not matter how many layers of armor were piled together.
Crush!
The blade cut through all of them and struck the rails.
The bent metal track sprang up from the ground.
Saaa!
Another wave of cold energy surged forward.
The guards trying to break free from the ice froze again.
In the narrow mine tunnel, Hye-won's cold energy was powerful.
I pushed forward through it all.
Bang, baaang!
Whenever I drove forward with the shield, the formation collapsed.
Whenever I swung the greatsword, that spot was emptied.
Some tried to endure by bracing their weapons against mine.
Others lowered their bodies to block the way.
But there was no difference in the result.
Baaang!
The shield, hammer, and even the arm gripping it were crushed into one mass.
The Black-Iron Greatsword swept over it.
Boom!
Purple crystals burst one after another.
I increased my speed.
Ice and stone broke together beneath my feet.
Craaaash!
I tore straight through the last formation.
The guards' remains poured into a wide cavern.
Armor that struck the wall shattered, and a helmet that rolled across the floor stopped before a blue crystal.
Thud.
A massive foot came down over it.
I raised my head.
It was three times the size of the other guards. Layers of black ore veins rose across thick iron plates.
In both hands, it held a hammer as large as a mine cart.
The giant looked down at me.
Flash!
Purple eyes flared.
The hammer rose.
But I kept walking without concern.
Its shoulders pulled back.
Both arms covered in ore tensed.
Then.
Whoooong!
The hammer fell toward the top of my head.
I stepped forward with my left foot and raised the Black-Iron Shield.
Craaaang!
The entire cavern rang.
The stone floor beneath my feet sank inward.
Dust was driven back behind me.
But the impact was not that great to me.
Grrrk, grrrrk!
The hammer stopped against the shield.
The giant's arms trembled.
It put more force into pushing down.
I pulled my right foot in.
Then I extended my arm.
Crack!
The hammerhead rose.
The giant's hands gripping it, its arms, and even its shoulders were pushed up with it.
Its upper body bent backward.
I shoved with the shield once more.
Baaang!
The hammer was knocked completely away.
I drove the Black-Iron Shield into its open chest.
The iron plates crumpled.
The massive body fell backward.
Rumble!
Its back struck the floor.
Fragments of stone shot upward.
It tried to rise on its elbows, but.
Crack!
Hye-won's ice joined its arms to the ground.
I climbed onto its fallen chest.
The breastplate sank beneath my feet.
The giant, which had tried to raise its head, was slammed back into the ground.
The iron plates around its neck spread apart.
Purple light pulsed inside.
Shhk.
I raised the greatsword.
Its eyes followed the blade.
But I simply brought it down.
Slice!
The iron armor around its neck split apart.
The blade cleaved through black ore veins and the crystals within before biting into the floor.
Thud, rolllll...
The giant's head fell from its body and rolled to a stop before the crystal.
The body jerked once.
Then its movements soon ceased.
Hye-won walked over from the cavern entrance.
Behind her, the path had been cleared all the way to the end of the mine tunnel.
Not a single guard remained standing among the frozen wreckage.
“Wow, my level...!”
Hye-won's mouth hung open in surprise.
It was only natural.
The monsters inhabiting the Abyss gave considerable experience.
The experience they gave was greater than that of Tower monsters whose experience had been increased by solo clears.
Of course, my level, which had already risen dramatically through grinding experience, did not increase. But Hye-won, whose level was lower, must have gained an enormous number of levels.
And then.
[You have defeated all defensive entities at the stronghold.]
[Temporary Enhancement Effect: Increased Physical Defense.]
[You can activate the Stronghold Core.]
Swish.
I brushed the dust from my sword and stood before the crystal in the center.
Light pulsed within its blue surface like a heartbeat.
When I touched it with my fingertips, text appeared.
[Occupying the Abyss Mine.]
Wooooong!
A pillar of light rose from the crystal.
Blue light pierced the ceiling.
[Occupation of the Abyss Mine stronghold begins.]
[Time Until Occupation Complete: 05:00]
[Maintain the occupation area.]
Fwoosh!
A glowing circle was drawn across the floor.
The occupation timer would continue only if we remained within that circle.
If we left the area, the timer would reset, and we would have to hold out for another five minutes.
But against what?
“...!”
The back of my neck prickled.
[Time Until Stronghold Occupation: 04:59]
This time, my left temple.
Soon, a chill ran down my spine.
Wild Instinct, the effect contained in Karzan's Medal, was sending warnings without pause.
Front, back, left, right, above.
Whenever I checked one direction, killing intent came from another.
‘They're fast.’
And I knew exactly what that sensation meant.
Shhk.
I pulled up my shield.
“Hye-won.”
“Yes.”
“Next to the crystal.”
She immediately stepped back.
“Are they enemies?”
“Watch the mine tunnels from behind me.”
There was no time to explain.
I held the greatsword low.
At first, nothing was visible.
But the sensation grew clearer and clearer.
Someone was measuring the distance.
They were not rushing in. They were waiting for us to move.
Tap.
A small stone fell from the left mine tunnel.
“...!”
Hye-won's staff pointed in that direction.
At the same time, metal clicked together on the right.
Clack.
A crossbow emerged from the darkness.
Behind it, a small man stepped forward.
A short, thick neck.
Broad shoulders.
Log-like arms extending from beneath iron armor.
A beard bound by metal rings swayed over his chest.
His eyes were not purple crystals.
They swept over me, Hye-won, the fallen guards, and finally the crystal we were occupying.
‘...A Dwarf.’
A born warrior.
A shield appeared behind the Dwarf.
One, then two, armored figures filled the mine tunnel entrance.
But that was not all.
I shifted my gaze to the opposite side.
A long tail slid across the damp floor.
Legs covered in scales.
A split tongue.
A Lizardman, the kind I had faced on the 25th floor, held a bone spear low.
The shadows behind it took the same stance.
Wood creaked overhead.
Small bodies clung beneath the work platforms and moved about.
A Goblin hung near the ceiling and stared down at me.
The corners of its mouth spread, but it made no sound.
Instead, it moved a finger toward a companion beside it.
And in the farthest mine tunnel.
The first thing I saw was an arrowhead.
Grrrk.
A slender hand emerging from the darkness pulled back a bowstring.
Long ears.
Green armor that reflected almost no light.
The Elf's arrow had been aimed at Hye-won from the beginning.
I stepped to the side and blocked its line of fire.
The Elf's eyes narrowed.
Gazes from different species collided from every direction.
The Dwarf turned its shield toward the Lizardmen.
One Goblin checked the Elf's position, then hid behind a platform.
None of them trusted one another.
Even so, their weapons remained raised toward the two of us standing closest to the stronghold.
[Time Until Stronghold Occupation: 03:42]
Hye-won pressed close behind my back.
“They're the Raid Parties from other dimensions, right?”
Hye-won had already been told about the Abyss.
“Yeah.”
As I answered, I counted the numbers gathered at each mine tunnel.
Ten Dwarves.
Ten Lizardmen.
Ten Goblins scattered above us.
The Elves stood at intervals near their entrance.
They were Raid Parties from other dimensions and worlds.
When the guards died and the Stronghold Core began glowing, those who had been scouting nearby had gathered here.
They knew as well.
The first stronghold claimed would provide resources and give them an advantage in the next battle.
Saaa...
Cold energy flowed from Hye-won's tense staff.
I raised the tip of my sword slightly.
This was the Abyss.
A survival battlefield where Raid Parties from different dimensions and worlds risked their lives over strongholds and resources.
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