Chapter 72: I’m the Prince of the Sea, Il-Ho!

On the 29th floor of the Tower of Warriors...

Il-Ho had been praying fervently for Yu Il-shin’s victory for quite some time, when he suddenly opened his eyes.

“

Muuuuscles!

”

Cheering, Il-Ho raised his muscular arms into the air. “He won!

Hehe!

As expected of God Yu Il-Shin!”

God Yu Il-Shin is so strong and cool!

Especially his ultimate attack, Demon Lord’s Descent, which slayed the monster crocodile and tore the sky asunder! Il-Ho tried to perform the same move.

“I hope I can unleash a similar attack someday!

Yapyap!

”

All of the sudden, something caught his eyes.

“Where am I?”

Il-Ho realized that he was standing in what seemed to be a damp cave. The reddish outer wall wriggled like living fresh, with fish bones strewn around him.

...Wasn't he in the midst of battling a monster? He recalled its enormous, squishy tentacles, almost as fluid as water.

Beep beep beep!

Just then, the sword on his back blared. Il-Ho dismissed the thoughts. It was no longer important.

“

Huh,

time to work out already?”

He couldn't skip his training. Il-Ho drew his weighted sword, which he’d obtained after clearing the 20th floor of the Tower of Warriors.

Besides its alarm function, crafted by the so-called greatest blacksmith of the gods, it had another impressive feature.

“This sword seems to be gradually getting lighter... Alright, Weight Increase!”

Flash!

With a blinding flash, the sword grew heavier.

“Weight Increase! Weight Increase!”

After repeating it ten times, Il-Ho's knees had bent halfway.

“

Keke

, this is it! This is the perfect weight to train my muscles! Muscles! Muscles!”

Il-Ho lifted the heavy sword, causing his pectoral muscles to tighten.

-Eternal Seeker watches Il-Ho proudly, complimenting that he knows how to use a sword properly.

“I wonder how Big Eye hyung is doing?”

On the Twenty-Eighth Floor of the Tower of Warriors: Trial of Pond, Il-Ho met and became sworn brothers with a frog named Big Eye. Together, they fought the evil ruler of the pond, a variant of the giant catfish monster.

Big Eye was a striking man with excellent hind leg muscles. He taught Il-Ho the spirit of perseverance. Unfortunately, Il-Ho was transported to the next floor right after defeating the catfish monster. He couldn’t even say goodbye.

“Come to think of it, it's the Trial of Sea on the 29th floor, but what's a sea?”

Il-Ho had never seen the sea in his entire life. Although during that trial, he was on a boat in the middle of the sea, a monster attacked him soon after. He didn't get the chance to admire the view.

Growl!

“

Oof

, I'm hungry.”

After working out for a while, Il-Ho felt a pang of hunger. But when he was about to drink his usual Blessing of the Growth God...

“

Ah,

right!”

He no longer had them.

The pouch containing all the series given by Yu Il-Shin was left on the boat. Il-Ho became pale. If he didn’t drink Ver. 2, dubbed by Yu Il-Shin as a “protein drink,” he’d lose some muscles!

“Oh, no!”

He’d worked so hard to build his muscles! He couldn’t allow this to happen.

Il-Ho scanned his surroundings. He deeply pondered about gnawing on the scattered fish bones.

Wriggle, wriggle! Swaaaaa!

Then, the cave wriggled even more, raining blue liquid on him.

Tsss!

The liquid melted the fish bones on contact. Il-Ho screamed in horror at the sight.

“

Nooo!”

The stomach acid covered Il-Ho as well. But thanks to the Blessing of Rock and the Blessing of Steel, Il-Ho was immune to it. More importantly, he needed protein from meat for his muscles.

“Wait...”

Il-Ho squeezed the reddish walls of the cave. It clearly felt like meat. Why didn’t he see it like this? It was meat galore!

“This is going to be a hearty meal!”

The walls shuddered at the salivating Il-Ho.

Bounce bounce!

A short while later, the carcass of a giant squid floated on the blue sea's surface.

Pop!

Il-Ho punctured the squid’s intestines, coming out of it while being covered in ink.

“

Kekeke!

I'm finally free!” Il-Ho laughed in victory as he took in the sea fragrance.

“

Ooh!

So this is the sea!”

Il-Ho exclaimed at the sight of the vast, endless sea. Feeling thirsty, he dunked his head into the water.

“

Tweh tweh!

The sea is salty!”

Despite appearing to be an infinite source of water, the sea tasted terrible!

Bounce bounce.

Just then, Il-Ho spotted something on the horizon. It was the same boat he first used when entering the floor!

“

Hmm...

How do I get there?”

Il-Ho didn’t know how to swim. Had he known he’d be put in this situation earlier, he’d have asked Big Eye to teach him how to swim instead!

Swaaaa!

“

Hmm?

”

Il-Ho turned around at the approaching sound.

Kwaaa!

A mouth with sharp, triangular fangs swam against the current, coming for him.

“

Hoho!

What a huge fish!” Il-Ho let out a boisterous laugh.

Pounce! Swallow!

The great white shark swallowed both Il-Ho and the dead squid whole.

***

Out of the frying pan into the fire.

That’d perfectly describe my situation right now.

...And here I thought I’d narrowly escaped the whipping of the muscle freak god. If I’d known what would happen, I’d have obediently worked out.

Currently, I was in the Hall of Dreams. It was the territory of one of my stalkers, Silently Crawling Nightmare. Calling her obsessed would be an understatement of the century.

On the outside, it looked beautiful. A celestial flower garden adorned with blossoms in every color of the rainbow. It was perfect... except they were carnivorous flowers. I sure hoped they wouldn’t appear in my dreams.

Chew chew— Suck suck suck. Rolling—

A black tongue sucked me like candy, slathering me with saliva.Right now, I was inside the mouth of the carnivorous flower, aka the most terrifying flower in the Silently Crawling Nightmare’s territory.

I recalled when Silently Crawling Nightmare said she’d eat, nibble, and suck on me. Yes, she said that.

By the way, a guest had been here before me.

-P-please...kill...me...

A half-melted black skeleton cried out, pleading to me. In the next moment, a vine entangled the skeleton’s body, dragging him into the hellish mouth.

-

Arghhhh!

The skeleton’s pitiful screams faded away. I felt a deep sense of sympathy and kinship as I listened to him. But wait, why did he seem familiar?

“Ms. Nightmare, when will you stop? It’s been half a month, so please let me go...” I pleaded, desperately resisting the black tongue that tried to crawl into my mouth.

-Silently Crawling Nightmare says this is all for your own good. Once her saliva completely permeates your body, no poison or curses in this world can harm you. She smirks and tells you to stop resisting and just open your mouth.

For my own good? Bullshit!

I strongly suspected she was just acting on her own selfishness.

-Silently Crawling Nightmare flinches and vehemently shakes her head.

Sure, whatever you say.

I’d just endure until it was time to visit Abundance noona. That place was my only hope.

Suddenly, the tongue that had been molesting me froze.

-Silently Crawling Nightmare chokes, wailing in hysteria. She asks what’s so great about that stupid cow!

“Well, she’s thick and big-hearted. Unlike you, you perverted stalker!” I cried out from the stress.

I can’t believe she criticized Abundance noonim!

-Silently Crawling Nightmare laments tearfully, saying that you’ve been seduced by that bitch.

Then you shouldn’t have gone this far, you perverted stalker! Spit me out and have a normal conversation!

-Silently Crawling Nightmare rages, saying that besides Abundance bitch, there are too many females lingering around you. She says that if she couldn’t have you, she’ll eat you!

“

Huh?

”

Grrr!

Suddenly, a low growl crept out from the carnivorous mouth I was inside. Briefly, I recalled how the skeleton was dragged into the abyss.

Ms. Nightmare, I was mistaken. Wow, your petals are so beautiful. I actually prefer thin over thick, hehe.

-Silently Crawling Nightmare screams at you to stop being a jerk!

Swoosh! Flick!

I was caught by the vines and got pulled into the abyss!

“

Arrrgh!

Save me!”

***

“

Aargh!

Flowers! No!” I screamed as my eyes darted open.

“

Huh?

”

But instead of the carnivorous flower’s stomach, I found myself in the bed of the Hunter Academy’s infirmary. As if to prove I’d woken up from the horrifying nightmare, I saw Sung Mi-Ri dozing by the bed across from me, with Sung Mi-Na fast asleep on it.

Trickle—

Tears of joy trickled down my face.

Finally, I’m back in reality!

But I soon got angry.

“

Grrr!

”

Recalling the hellish torments I suffered in my dreams made me gnash my teeth.

Fuck that muscle freak god and shitty carnivorous flower! I’ll kill them all!

My thirst for power rose like never before.

I want to be strong so I can sleep peacefully at night!

“

Ah!

Mister, you’re awake! W-wait a moment! I’ll call Ms. Choi Eun-Bi!”

Seeing that I had woken up, Sung Mi-Ri ran to fetch the school nurse.

I didn’t feel much pain, so I didn’t think there was a need to make a fuss. But when I saw the date on the wall clock, I realized I’d been out for a week.

Even though it felt like I’d spent over a month in my dream, only seven days had passed in reality. I wasn’t sure if I should be happy about this or not. I went to fetch my phone from the locker, and saw that I had over fifty missed calls and a hundred messages from my editor.

“

Ah

, I’m done for...”

In other words, I’d been M.I.A. for a week since my deadline. My stomach churned at the thought of all the hateful comments I might receive from readers.

“...You’re awake?” Sung Mi-Na rubbed her eyes. “Are you okay?”

Sung Mi-Na crawled over to where I was. She stared at me like a worried puppy. I couldn’t help but stroke her head.

“I’m alright. Thank you for your concern.”

I felt like a parent to Sung Mi-Na, who’d mentally regressed.

Sung Mi-Na flushed, and at the same time, my appraisal skill kicked in.

-----

[Sung Mi-Na]

Classification: Follower

Special note: A new follower with potential for transcendence. Has a strong favorability toward Yu Il-Shin. Try asking her to kiss you, she might happily oblige.

-----

Huh? Since when did Sung Mi-Na become my follower?

The special note made me even more speechless.

A kiss?

It was similar to Sword Demon’s special note, but replace the word “kiss” with “die.”

This was strange.

Very strange

.

Ding!

Just then, a message from God-Maker appeared.

[Your devout believer and temporary apostle Il-Ho sends his tribute.]

[O’ Almighty God Yu Il-Shin, I offer you this fish I hunted. Please eat this and get stronger! God Yu Il-Shin,

puck puck!

]

Fish?

Tsss! Baaaam!

Just as I was pondering about it, something huge came out of God-Maker, smashing against the wall!

“

Huh?!

The heck!?”

“Mr. Sword God! Are you okay!?”

“

Eeeek!

Unni! Mister!”

Sword Demon, Kang-San hyungnim, Sung Mi-Ri, and the school nurse rushed into the infirmary. They were shocked. Understandable. Anyone would when a 20 m great white shark, like in the movie

Jaws,

appeared out of nowhere.

Now, how do I explain this situation?

Haa... Il-Ho, that punk!

I needed to have a serious talk with him about what he’d been up to lately. But now, since the timing was right...

“So, who wants to have shark fin for lunch?”

***

Meanwhile, in the world God-Maker, Antrinia...

“At last, the time has come! Let’s show the might of the emperor and the gods we worship to that evil god and barbarians!” The Imperial Goddess, leader of the Ten Swords, Arachne commanded. She was clad in gleaming golden armor.

“All troops, march!”

“Understood!”

“

Raaaaaaah!

Fight for the emperor and the great gods!”

Accompanied by the loud cries, the imperial army moved in unison.

Boom! Boom!

Their marches resounded like thunder. No wonder, as their numbers amounted to a whopping 100 billion.

The overwhelming force flooded in like an all-swallowing red tsunami. This was the empire’s full strength. Their destination was the newly established nation, Gayami, where Anty was crowned the empress.