Chapter 121

[Congratulations.]

[Wave 9 has ended.]

[3 minutes remain until the next wave.]

"... Done."

As the last wisp exploded and vanished, Woojin leaned wearily against the wall. Kelduan's stomach wall rippled, letting his body sink into it like a sofa.

[Congratulations.]

[You have leveled up.]

▶ 57 → 58

'All those kills for one level... Leveling really does get harder the further you go.'

He wondered whether things would improve at the Labyrinth Tower, but there was so much to do before he could go.

'I'd love to get to Kaisha's tomb soon... But without any information, that's not happening yet. I have to stop by Fenrir's Den before I leave, though.'

"Nngh."

Checking that he had a little over a minute left, Woojin got to his feet.

"Whatever else happens... I have to get out of here first."

At last, it was the final wave.

[BUUURP.]

It happened then.

SPLAAASH!!

The stomach walls Woojin had been leaning against split open, spraying an unidentified green liquid.

[Kelduan begins digestion.]

As the liquid touched the water pooled on the floor, white smoke began rising like steam.

HISSS...!!

The remaining debris dissolved in an instant. Woojin hastily covered his nose and scanned his surroundings.

[Kelduan is in distress.]

[Kelduan is attempting to regurgitate undigested food.]

GURRRGL...!!

Something other than digestive fluid began pushing out of the split stomach walls.

"Those are..."

Woojin grimaced at the things tumbling from the openings onto the floor. They were probably the reason Kelduan had become contaminated.

[GRRKH.]

They were none other than the Human Golems he had seen in the alchemists' building.

[Failed Experiments appear.]

[The Monster Wave begins.]

[Please defeat all summoned monsters.]

▶ Time limit: 5 minutes

▶ Monster Waves remaining: 10/10

Three Human Golems in all, with dozens upon dozens of human heads attached to their bodies.

["Help me..."]

["Mom..."]

Coated in green digestive fluid, the heads on the golems' bodies opened and closed their mouths, giving voice to their pleas.

"Failed experiments... That's just cruel."

At the sight, anger welled up in Woojin despite himself, and he bit his lip. But the reality he faced was far from forgiving.

[Lv.79 Failed Experiment No.1]

▶ Mutated after feeding on Kelduan's flesh.

▶ Coated in gastric fluid, making it poisonous.

That was the level displayed above the lead Human Golem's head. The other two were level 80 and 83. Until now, the monsters had been around level 60 at most. No matter how he looked at it, the difficulty was wrong.

"Was this even designed to be beatable?"

Perhaps Kelduan's waves were supposed to end with the ninth. Kelduan wasn't in its normal state; it was contaminated, mutated by the corpses and monsters the alchemists had dumped into the lake. Perhaps that had added this extra wave.

"... Damn it."

The acrid smoke from the digestive fluid made his head swim. Woojin shook his head and gripped his sword.

Could he win?

[ROOOAAAR!!!]

The golems charged at Woojin. Shaking off his thoughts, he swung his sword at them.

* * *

"What do I do...! What do I do?! Give Ruen back!! Right now!!!"

Setsuna circled Naiad, shouting through a face drenched in tears.

["Little Phantasmal Spirit. There is no need to be so impatient. The elf who was with you has merely gone to undergo her trial."]

"How am I supposed to believe that?! You let a turtle eat Master without a word! And made Ruen disappear!! You liar!!"

Naiad smiled faintly at the shouting girl, as though watching a small child.

["Now I understand why the Fairy Queen gave you those clothes. She must have been worried."]

"Sniff... What?"

["Unlike those two, you are still such a very, very young child."]

"Wh-what are you talking about?!"

Naiad extended a finger and touched Setsuna's chest.

HUMMM...!!

A faint light began spilling from Setsuna's dress.

["These clothes contain the power to take you to the fairies' forest, don't they?"]

"H-how did you..."

["The queen must be very fond of you. She seems determined to look after you however she can."]

[A gate to the fairies' forest opens.]

"Huh...? But we're not even in a town..."

Startled by the portal that appeared before her, Setsuna looked at Naiad.

"There is no need to be surprised. Spirits and fairies came into being together. It is hardly strange that she can use the garment's power."

At that moment, the Fairy Queen appeared inside the portal. Setsuna hurriedly stepped back and bowed to greet her.

"Naiad. That was a mischievous trick. Ruen is an elf more than worthy of forming a contract with a spirit."

["I know. But if that elf arrived in the company of a human, her qualifications are not even worth discussing."]

"You haven't changed."

The Fairy Queen puffed her cheeks slightly, showing her displeasure.

["My queen, you know what humans have done to this lake. The human you sent may be different from them... But I must determine for myself whether he is a righteous person."]

Naiad paid no heed to her expression.

["And that is also why the elf who follows that human must undergo a trial."]

"Very well."

The Fairy Queen turned away as though there was nothing more to discuss.

"... You're not angry, are you?"

Having listened to their conversation, Setsuna asked the Fairy Queen anxiously.

"Of course not. And don't worry too much. Naiad may be brusque, but she is a kind spirit."

"She is...?"

"She used your dress's power to open the gate to the fairies' forest, didn't she? By calling me here, she was asking me to help you."

At the queen's words, Setsuna stole a glance at Naiad. She stood with her arms crossed and her head turned away, yet somehow seemed acutely interested in their conversation.

"You formed a contract with Master, and you were also born through Uldin blood."

Setsuna nodded at the queen's words.

"Do not forget that you are the only being connected to both of them. Surely you can give them strength."

"I-I can't! There's nothing I can do with my abilities!"

"What is your ability?"

"... Pardon?"

Setsuna looked at Naiad.

"You are young. You still have much to learn and master. Surely you possess an ability for learning."

The queen gently stroked Setsuna's cheek as she spoke.

"Ancient Wisdom..."

The power to absorb memories from old or high-grade objects.

"But there's... nothing here, is there?"

"Why would you think that, when the oldest being in this world is standing right there?"

"Oh..."

"Everything she wears was made at the dawn of time."

The queen spoke as she looked at Naiad. For some reason, Naiad seemed to be trembling slightly with her back to them.

* * *

THUD!!!

Woojin doubled over.

"... Gah!!!"

A cry burst from him as he slammed into the floor.

[ROOOAAAR!!!]

The golem threw its head back and roared like a gorilla, then brought its enormous, hammerlike fist down with all its strength.

BAM! BAM! BOOM!!!

Each time the two golems brought their fists down, Woojin's body jerked limply beneath them.

[Trait: Black Guardian activates.]

His body began to grow indistinct.

BOOOOM!!!

Just before he could disappear completely, a golem struck the spot where he lay.

"... Gah!!"

Woojin's body reappeared and bounced into the air.

["So... hungry..."]

["Waaah... Waaah...!!"]

["Looks... deli... cious..."]

Each head attached to the golems' bodies uttered something different, and the voices made Woojin feel as if his skull would split.

[Due to continuous mental attacks, Valor no longer activates.]

▶ You become vulnerable to mental attacks.

"Urgh... Bleurgh...!!"

The moment he staggered to his feet, he retched, bringing up blood-streaked vomit.

["I want to go home..."]

["Please... let me go..."]

["Where... Where am I... They've locked me up..."]

["No...! No...!!! Mommy...!!!"]

"Ah..."

Woojin stared blankly at the golems, his eyes unfocused.

'... That's not fair.'

Home.

The word might mean little to an ordinary person, but the instant Woojin heard it, all his strength drained away.

The Black Dragon might have been better. At least it hadn't toyed with his mind. The golems were lower-level than the Black Dragon, but the incessant screams and sobs were driving Woojin mad. When even the Valor Trait that had barely kept him going disappeared, his mind crumbled.

[ROOOAAARRR!!!]

Two Human Golems remained. Seeing Woojin's condition, they began to cackle as though victory was theirs.

[Trait: Indomitable activates.]

▶ All stats increase dramatically.

On the threshold of death, his physical abilities rose, but with his mind shattered, his will to fight had hit rock bottom.

WHOOOSH!!!

A golem's fist came for Woojin again, sending his body flying with the impact.

HEH HEH...!

HEE HEE HEE...!!

"Just... shut up!!"

Dragon Heaven, Second Gate — Strike

TAP.

Woojin's sword stopped. Before the skill could activate, a golem had intercepted his arm.

CRUNCH!!!

The golem sank its teeth into Woojin's shoulder.

"Aaaaargh...!!!"

He screamed and pounded the golem's back, but the more he struggled, the harder they clung to him with their teeth.

CRRRUNCH...!!

Like a predator tearing into its prey, the golem ripped away Woojin's flesh, leaving his shoulder bone fully exposed.

[Your Health is critically low.]

[Trait: Tenacious Life is available for use.]

His vision turned red. His exhausted body and faltering mind could no longer lift his sword.

WHOOOOSH!!!

The golem's fist hurtled toward him.

"Damn it..."

He wanted to dodge, but his body wouldn't move. Woojin squeezed his eyes shut.

[Trait: Solitude has been canceled.]

It was then.

"...!!!"

SWOOOOSH!!!

At that instant, an arrow flew in and buried itself in the golem's head.

[ROOOAAAR!!!]

"Master...!!!"

Was he hallucinating? He thought he could see Ruen.

"Stay with me!!"

Only when he saw Ruen shaking him did Woojin realize it wasn't a hallucination.

"... How?"

Bewilderment filled his face. Behind her, he could see Setsuna.