Chapter 94. Iro (4)

Eun-Ho exhaled the breath he had been holding. “

Pwoosh!

”

A torrent unlike anything he’d ever seen or heard surged around him. He barely managed to keep his head above water, bobbing violently, threatening to be swallowed whole.

“

Huff...

Activation!” he gasped.

However, the moment he opened his mouth, the river poured in like water bursting through a shattered dam.

[Warning!]

[You have developed a status effect, Breathing Difficulty.]

[You will enter Respiratory Arrest in thirty seconds.]

[Cease inhalation immediately!]

He broke through the surface, gulping in air before spitting it out again. The current was overwhelming, but the panic lasted only for a heartbeat.

[The Dactylanthus has been activated.]

A translucent message window floated before his eyes.

What a relief...

By the time he came to his senses, he was already drowning in the river. However, perhaps things were proceeding just as planned.

[A bridge is being constructed.]

[Ascend the Three Crossings River.]

Dragged along by the current, Eun-Ho endured what felt like a hundred years, waiting for this mysterious bridge to appear.

Suddenly, a soft pink glow bloomed before his eyes.

Puff—!

He clutched at the floating object with both hands. “Got it!”

Though the torrent threatened to tear him away, it held firm, as if rooted deep in the riverbed.

“

Haaah!

”

Panting with relief, he realized what he was holding.

“A flower petal?” Eun-Ho muttered.

To be more precise, it was a flower bud. As though offering itself in sacrifice, it spread its delicate petals wide. The bud unfurled all at once, revealing rounded petals like those of a lotus.

[Dactylanthus]

- A flower born from the hopes of those who returned from the Three Crossings River.

- Once only, when the owner’s death is detected, it transforms into new bone, flesh, and tendons to bring them back to life.

- Owner: Lee Eun-Ho

It was the reward he’d claimed after the Golem battle: a miraculous item that granted an extra life. He had kept it secret, saving it for the one moment he’d need it most.

Had I not prepared a Plan B, that would’ve been the end.

The strategy itself was simple. He was to maximize his damage, then return every blow as a counterattack. Even if it left him gravely injured in the process, he trusted his Revive skill to restore him to ten percent Stamina.

Still, he had never expected to actually use the Dactylanthus.

Still, I didn’t know he was hiding a trump card all this time,

Eun-Ho thought.

“I’ll put it to good use.”

“W-what do you mean by that?”

“Store.”

At the brink of death, Eun-Ho had taken advantage of his enemy’s surprise to snatch away his weapon.

[Restored Brahmastra]

- A legendary arrow said to have been wielded by an ancient god.

- Pursues and strikes its designated target without fail.

- Once worn down by bombardment and the passage of time, it was carefully restored by a genius researcher.

- Originally, the weapon chose its own master, but modified to forcibly bind to an owner in the restoration process.

If it hadn’t been for the Dactylanthus, Eun-Ho’s body would have been cooling lifelessly atop the ruined terrain. Even imagining it sent chills down his spine. He clutched the petals tightly, holding on for dear life.

One, two, three...

Eun-Ho counted inside his head.

One flower became dozens, then hundreds, stretching out in a continuous line.

Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop...

Like bubbles bursting, a pale pink path began to form. A flower bridge stretched across the river, as if a stone walkway had blossomed over the water.

“

Haa...

”

Step by step, he walked over the petals, legs shaking from the unstable footing. He finally reached solid ground and collapsed onto it.

Thud!

The rough earth ground against his cheek as he fell. Only then did the desolate landscape come fully into view.

Eun-Ho could see dark red soil, a shadowed heavy sky, and a massive tree with nothing but bare branches, looming high enough to obscure the heavens. Beneath it stood a large man, staring at him intently.

“... Human?” Eun-Ho muttered.

However, it seemed unlikely that the path to the afterlife would be guarded by a living person.

Still, the thought escaped as a mutter, and the man flinched slightly before responding, “Wait. Can he see me?”

Clad in dark red armor, the broad-shouldered man gripped a massive spear. He looked like a general straight out of ancient texts or old paintings.

“Seems that way,” Eun-Ho replied.

The man let out a dry laugh. “Not only did you just bloom the Dactylanthus, but you even possess the Demon Eye?”

“The Demon Eye? Be more clear!” Eun-Ho demanded.

He didn’t want to argue over the man’s muttering, but he had no choice because it had to do with him. Eun-Ho spat the remaining water from his lungs, preparing to hear what came next, but the man offered only more cryptic words.

“There’s much I would love to ask, but it seems like the time has come,” the man muttered.

Fwoosh—!

Then, a blinding light erupted, filling his vision. For a moment, he panicked, imagining the sun falling from the sky. However, there was no sun here, only the dim glow of a red moon.

Yet, something shone brighter than the moon or even the sun itself.

Fwoosh—!

It was Eun-Ho himself.

“We’ll leave proper introductions for later,” said the man.

The light was so intense it made Eun-Ho blink helplessly. The man watched, lips curling into a faint smile.

“

Hmm...

I don’t suppose we’ll meet again,” Eun-Ho muttered.

Encountering a being from the afterlife was hardly a pleasant thought.

“The Dactylanthus does not reveal its inner petals to just anyone. Only those blessed by death may bloom it.”

“What does that mean?” Eun-Ho asked.

However, the man offered no clear answer. Instead, he simply stared at the light pouring from Eun-Ho, murmuring words that made no sense, “... It’s been a hundred years.”

Then, the red world was drowned in light.

[Congratulations!]

[New achievement unlocked: Resurrection!]

[You have acquired the title, Three Crossings River’s Returnee!]

***

“... Eun-Ho!”

Through the oppressive darkness, familiar voices reached him faintly.

[All status effects have been cleared thanks to the new achievement, Resurrection.]

[Your synchronization rate has significantly increased.]

[Unknown deities have recognized the existence of the resurrector of Sector 13.]

The translucent message windows floated up once more.

[All bodily injuries have been healed.]

[Your Stamina has fully restored.]

[Your internal energy has been purified.]

[Your blood has been clarified and your circulation has been normalized.]

Just bringing him back from the afterlife was enough to be grateful for, but now he was also brimming with vitality. All around him were narrow, soft walls.

This better not be a coffin...

Eun-Ho thought, pushing against them.

Then, the walls unfolded like the flaps of a box, revealing open space in every direction.

Fwoosh—!

A sudden burst of light made him squint repeatedly. What filled the space before him were pale pink petals, and the sobbing faces of his companions rushing forward.

“Hyungnim!”

“Eun-Ho!!”

Jae-Hyuk dropped the mace he had been holding.

Clang!

The metal collided with the debris of the spire with a sharp clang, and finally, Eun-Ho’s senses cleared. Besides, the noisy alerts pinged into his ears as well.

[You have defeated the Multi-Attack Type Chimera!]

[You have earned 5,000 Welfare Points.]

Five thousand points for a single monster?

It had cost ten thousand points to upgrade a lower-tier shop to mid-tier, and thirty thousand for the Shatter Blade. Truly, this was a staggering amount. The chimera likely wasn’t an ordinary monster.

[Congratulations!]

[You have defeated the Corrupt Ruler.]

[Additional trait-exclusive rewards have been awarded due to your trait, Rebel.]

Well, I didn’t intentionally defeat the Corrupt Ruler, but still... Anyways, what exactly did this guy do to be considered corrupt in the first place?

[Congratulations!]

[The hidden conditions, eradication of corrupt leadership, collapse of ruling systems, and revolt against systemic oppression, are resonating with your title Paver of Paths.]

[The Traitor’s Road has been unlocked.]

Had he committed some sort of wrongdoing? That’s interesting, considering how he had treated Iro, he didn’t seem capable of that. Perhaps he was strong against the weak and weak against the strong,

Eun-Ho thought.

[Resistance stat has been increased (+100).]

[You have obtained Cho Bok’s effects.]

Whether he had skimmed coins from the world above or tormented others wasn’t Eun-Ho’s concern. There was no reason, nor right, to interfere. Exposing corruption and rooting out decay was the responsibility of those within this world. He thought this and prepared to move on and finish the matter.

Clink!

Then, a small piece of metal fell at his feet, dropped by the chimera.

𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

A key?

What had fallen like a fruit from a tree was a key, about the length of a single finger. It was an old-fashioned key, the kind rarely seen in a world dominated by digital locks. Its strange form compelled him to take it instinctively.

Thud!

Just as he was about to move, the final effect dropped from the sky.

“

Huh?

”

It was a massive cylindrical capsule, large enough to fit a grown adult. The same kind that had crushed Jang Han-Il’s ankle.

[You have acquired the Sample Transport Capsule!]

[Sample Transport Capsule (Medium)]

- A capsule that transports a designated subject to a designated location.

- Maximum carrying capacity: 100 kg.

That meant all that talk about rewards and enhancement had been a lie. The real purpose was to transport a specific sample to a specific destination.

Let’s see what the name of the sample is...

- Sample Name: Lee Eun-Ho

- Destination: Iro’s private laboratory (Future Research Center, Building E, Room 9812)

Ah, so he was really serious about this.

“H-Hyungnim! This is—”

“Store.”

“What? What do you even need this thing for?!”

That could be decided later. For now, there was something more urgent.

I can’t let him escape.

Swoosh—! Swoosh!

Then, with a single slash, Eun-Ho severed Iro’s arms. With another slash, he severed Iro’s legs.

Eun-Ho made sure no commands could be given, and left Iro no chance of escaping. Now, there was no possibility of ever targeting him again.

“

Aaaaaah!

S-stop!”

Whoosh!

Blood spurted from the severed arteries, spraying across Eun-Ho’s face. The Sky-Shattering Blade breaker, roused by the taste of blood, throbbed with excitement.

Just as he was about to drive it into Iro’s neck, a strange woman’s voice echoed inside his mind.

“Stop.”

Sssss!

Something heavy dragged itself across the ground toward him. The moment he recognized it, he turned his head. Or at least, tried to. He found himself unable to stab, lower his arm, nor lift his head.

[You have developed a status effect, Demon Poisoning!]

“

Ugh!

”

Below, Iro was glaring wildly at him, exuding pain and rage. Dangerous! If Iro tried some trick like firing another arrow, there’d be no way to evade it.

I have to move...!

Eun-Ho pushed with all his strength, as if forcing blood to the tips of his limbs.

Ding!

[Your new perks of Resurrection have been activated.]

[Purified energy pushes back the demon power!]

His fingertips twitched, followed by his hand. Then, the entire arm holding the sword started to twitch.

Sss—!

At that moment, something the size of a thigh dragged itself across the floor at the edge of his vision.

Sssssss!

It raised its head and flicked out its tongue.

A snake?! What is that? Whether serpent or python, it’s clearly not on my side.

Eun-Ho gripped the sword’s hilt with the hand he had just managed to move.

“Did you just move?”

A clear, ethereal voice rang inside his head, like a flawless instrument untouched by any impurity in the world.

“Even resisting the demon power of a Basilisk... You’re truly impressive. You’re indeed worthy of the Great Hero’s attention.”

Eun-Ho asked, “Who are you?”