Chapter 115: Star, The Biwi (5)

“The Hongsal King… How could you become a tool of humans?!” A Hongsal relatively smaller than Jin panted while sitting on a throne.

「Well, I also don’t know how I ended up like this, but I do know one thing for sure.」 Jin grinned.

[The Named Monster ‘Cheongsal King’ has run out of stamina!]

The Cheongsal King was one of the four rulers on the third floor, but he was the weakest of them all. Hence, he naturally ended up in the early sector of the third floor. When Jin was still the Hongsal King, he drove the Cheongsal King into a corner, and now, he had captured and was about to kill the Cheongsal King again.

Jin’s subordinates had already slaughtered all of the Cheongsal King’s soldiers, so the Cheongsal King no longer had any means to escape. He always weaseled out of fights, so Jin was happy to finally be able to kill him.

Tap!

Tap!

Jin’s every step crushed the ice underneath him, which was the result of his skill [Frozen Realm].

「You don’t have any good reason now to stop me,」 Jin said.

“W-wait, let’s talk this through!” The Cheongsal King desperately offered.

Slash―!

[Eliminated the Named Monster ‘Cheongsal King’!]

「Why would I bother talking to you? You’re just going to make me an obvious offer, like joining forces to conquer the third floor.」 Jin lightly snorted, looking at the dead Cheongsal King.

Even as the Hongsal King, Jin had heard enough of the Cheongsal King’s ‘talk.’ He backstabbed others after making them put their guards down with his smooth tongue. He became the Cheongsal King through schemes and conspirations in the first place, so the outcome of this fight had already been somewhat decided beforehand.

[Successfully conquered the Tenth Sector!]

[Eliminated one of the four rulers of the Third Floor. The name of the Player ‘Lee Chang-Sun’ has spread rapidly throughout the Changgwi Cave rather than the dead ruler’s.]

[Your Fame has increased by 15.]

[1,000 Karma has been accumulated.]

…

[Many of the Changgwi Cave’s rulers have begun paying attention to you!]

「Haha! I beat the bush and you catch the bird, huh?」 Jin chuckled.

Although Jin got the achievement, which he had wished to get as the Hongsal King, in Chang-Sun’s name, he looked as if he didn’t care despite what he said. His goal was to conquer and escape the Changgwi Cave, so he didn’t care about honor or glory. In the end, Jin succeeded in instantly taking out the Cheongsal King.

[Your Subordinate ‘Jin Prezia’ has absorbed the ashes of the Named Monster ‘Cheongsal King’!]

Jin continued to play an active role in conquering the third floor.

[Eliminated the Named Monster ‘Baeksal King’!]

[Your Subordinate ‘Jin Prezia’ absorbed the ashes of the Named Monster ‘Baeksal King’!]

…

[Successfully conquered half of the Third Floor.]

…

[The Player ‘Lee Chang-Sun’ is dominating!]

[Acquired 218 experience points.]

…

[The Celestial ‘A Good Season to Hunt’ envies you for recruiting such a talented subordinate.]

[The Celestial ‘World-Encircling Serpent’ observes the new subject of study, which was fighting on the battlefield, with sparkling eyes.]

[The Celestial ‘Calamity Tiger’ is pleased to see an additional combat force joining you. ]

…

* * *

[The given time limit has been reached.]

[Day 7 Assessment: EX.]

[A pre-selected reward will be given out based on the assessment.]

[Returning to reality!]

After 24 hours, the Changgwi Cave curse came to a pause. Chang-Sun opened his eyes again.

Beep―!

Chang-Sun’s ears rang as his body clock matched the time of reality. He always tried to make his vicinity safe before the curse activated since he inevitably felt a sense of incongruity during moments like this, but he couldn’t do that this time. Hence, he had to be careful.

Nevertheless, Chang-Sun couldn’t help but smile upon seeing the message.

‘I got an EX on my assessment, huh.’

It looked like his plan of giving Jin not only an [Everlasting Ice Crystal] but also the ashes of the two rulers worked out well. Although Jin didn’t say it out loud, Chang-Sun noticed Jin somewhat had an inferiority complex against the third-floor rulers, so he gave them to Jin.

Thanks to the crystal and the ashes, Jin grew stronger at a much faster rate than Chang-Sun expected. In fact, he could now be compared to the fourth-floor ruler. Chang-Sun thought they could probably conquer the third floor’s remaining sectors once the curse activated again.

Even though Chang-Sun invested a lot in leveling Jin up, he wasn’t suffering a loss. After all, Jin brought Chang-Sun a significant amount of experience points and helped him get better post-curse assessment grades after he leveled up. Chang-Sun only ever got an SSS grade in the post-curse assessment when he fought alone in the Changgwi Cave. With Jin, he finally got an EX. Chang-Sun would naturally get better rewards as a result, so he was getting a lot of profit right now.

[As a reward, you have received the Maengyong factor…]

A new message popped up before Chang-Sun. It seemed the Maengyong factor was a new kind of factor that was similar to the ‘Biwi’ factor. Wondering if it was a chance to make another subordinate like Jin, Chang-Sun was about to check the message, but he faintly heard Baek Gyeo-Ul yelling, 『Hyung! Wake up, hyung!』

Paah!

Chang-Sun’s eyes opened just in time for him to see a Player flying at him.

“What have you done with the Clan leader!” the Player angrily shouted. From his perspective, Jeong Yoo-Jin disappeared as soon as Chang-Sun showed up, so he was bound to panic.

‘I’ll have to check them later.’

Chang-Sun minimized the message window and quickly pulled out [Tiamat’s Snaggletooth].

Chang-Sun left everything that had to be taken care of to Jin in the last three hours in the Changgwi Cave, allowing him to get rest and replenish his stamina. Hence, his senses right now were sharper than ever.

Clash, clang, clash!

Slash―!

After easily deflecting the Player’s attacks, Chang-Sun swiftly cut his head off. Looking at the Yetis and demonic beings watching Chang-Sun in confusion about what was going on, Chang-Sun quietly mumbled, “Jin.”

Behind Chang-Sun, the air distorted, and Jin showed up.「What are your orders?」

After being released from the Changgwi Cave’s curse, Jin left the Changgwi Cave with Chang-Sun since he belonged to Chang-Sun now. Jin somehow looked incomparably more comfortable than when he was in the Changgwi Cave. Having escaped the gloomy and damp Changgwi Cave and finally tasting the air of the outside world again, he had to be feeling good.

“Get rid of everyone,” Chang-Sun ordered.

「Gladly.」 Jin smiled.

This place was technically a Dungeon similar to the Changgwi Cave, but all that mattered to Jin right now was the fact that he was now on an entirely new plane. Besides, he had absorbed the Cheongsal King and Baeksal King’s ashes and became stronger than he was as the Hongsal King, so he was very excited to use his uncontrollably strong power.

Paah―!

However, it was time to work now. Following Chang-Sun’s order, Jin held the Nameless Spear in one hand and sprang forward. When he took out the nearest demonic being, his three subordinates jumped out one by one and quickly eliminated the rest.

[Your Subordinate ‘Jin Prezia’ has activated the Skill ‘Snowstorm’!]

Woosh, woosh, woosh!

Crack―!

The moment Jin took another step, he released a substantial amount of achingly cold mana wind. Nevertheless, even in the midst of that cold wind, his three subordinates freely ran around, looking more dangerous than most Yetis. Maybe because they had already fought hand in hand while conquering the third floor of the Changgwi Cave, their joint attacks were neat and nice.

[The Celestial ‘World-Encircling Serpent’ praises your subordinate’s tactics.]

[The Celestial ‘Twilight-Piercing Owl’ requests you to quickly exterminate the demonic beings.]

Clang, clash, clang!

Boom, boom, boom―!

Rumble, rumble―!

“Wh-where in the world did they come from?!”

“Urgh!”

“Ru-argh!”

Everyone quickly got eliminated, regardless of whether they were Yetis or demonic beings. The sight momentarily dumbfounded Gyeo-Ul and made him wonder where these creatures came from. Upon realizing they were Chang-Sun’s subordinates, he quickly moved to not fall behind them.

Swish, woosh, swoosh!

[The snowstorm fiercely rages!]

* * *

[Successfully conquered the Winter Palace!]

It wasn’t difficult to take complete control of the Winter Palace since the Winter King, Grand General, and Yoo-Jin were no longer in it. Chang-Sun didn’t have any more information to dig up, so he just scoured the underground and the remainder of the Winter Palace to sort everything out.

「I’ll be on my way if you’re done.」 Jin quietly disappeared with his subordinates in the same way he appeared.

Gyeo-Ul was a little amazed by Jin. His energy definitely seemed to be that of a monster, but he diligently carried out Chang-Sun’s order like a loyal servant. A tamer could tame monsters and turn them into subordinates, and a necromancer could control Undeads. There were also other classes that could make subordinates, like summoners and spirit summoners. However, Gyeo-Ul had never seen a subordinate who spoke like an actual human being.

Gyeo-Ul didn’t bother to ask what Jin was, though, because he just assumed Jin was the result of Chang-Sun’s weird training that he did at this time of the day. Chang-Sun had many pieces of knowledge anyway, although Gyeo-Ul didn’t know how he kept acquiring them. Hence, Gyeo-Ul just assumed Chang-Sun had pulled it off using some form of information.

‘But where is he going?’

Gyeo-Ul tilted his head as he looked at Chang-Sun, who seemed to be moving with a specific place in mind even though they had already taken over the Winter Palace.

Chang-Sun was heading to the innermost annex place, which was far away from the main palace and looked the least important in the Winter Palace.

[You have entered ‘Winter Palace’s Annex Palace.’]

‘An annex palace? Was there such a place?’

Gyeo-Ul wondered, but he soon unwittingly gaped in astonishment.

Many admirably good paintings and sculptures stood in the Winter Palace hallways that Gyeo-Ul had passed through, but this place was full of decorations that were incomparably more brilliant and beautiful than the ones he had seen. It looked shabby from the outside, but the air inside was extraordinary.

Gyeo-Ul wanted to stay still and admire its fancy interior and numerous great paintings, but Chang-Sun nonchalantly walked past them without so much as a glance.

Creak―!

Creak―!

As if by magic, the numerous doors within the annex palace automatically opened themselves whenever Chang-Sun came close. It was as if invisible servants were opening the doors to not hinder their king in the slightest.

‘It suits him so well…’?

Gyeo-Ul thought.

What that made Gyeo-Ul marvel the most was the fact that the brilliant sunshine reaching in from the big windows shone on Chang-Sun as he walked down the white marble hallway, reminding Gyeo-Ul of a mythical hero walking down the divine path after going through all kinds of tribulations. For some reason, the image suited Chang-Sun too well. He looked so holy that Gyeo-Ul almost went down on one knee without realizing it.

[The Celestial ‘A Good Season to Hunt’ anxiously walks back and forth, wanting you even more now.]

[The Celestial ‘World-Encircling Serpent’ grumbles, saying this is why being handsome is cheating.]

[The Celestial ‘Twilight-Piercing Owl’ pleasantly watches you because you look like a hero.]

[The Celestial ‘Calamity Tiger’ grins and says it will be easier to live as one pleases than living as a hero.]

After crossing the long hallway, Chang-Sun arrived at the innermost room of the annex palace. The door to this room was unusually large, but it stayed closed, unlike the doors they had passed through so far. When Chang-Sun pushed it open, Gyeo-Ul marveled upon seeing the huge hall inside. 『Ah…!』

Chang-Sun remained calm because, unlike Gyeo-Ul, he was familiar with the place. It was the Winter King’s chamber, and the Winter King, who had fallen into eternal sleep, was lying in the center.

1. A tiger’s natural enemy that appears on Hojil.