Chapter 70

 

“...!”

 

Within a short moment that didn’t even last 0.1 seconds in real time, my brain is being overworked to the point of burning out.

 

My eyes, moving desperately, quickly take in the surrounding situation.

 

Chan Hyung is just now turning his body, Dok Su-Hee is reaching into her pocket, and An Kyung-Joon’s already pale face has turned completely ashen.

 

It’s a perfect ambush. I had no idea that the metal lumps scattered around could combine and transform into an enemy.

 

“...”

 

The situation is very, very bad.

 

We were caught off guard, focusing solely on the front, causing our formation to be disrupted. Moreover, the speed at which the golems assembled themselves was unbelievably fast. It might be too overwhelming even to turn and avoid an attack.

 

The material of the golem is also a problem.

 

This unknown metal repels physical force. My weapon of choice is a sword. Against such a hard enemy, the compatibility is extremely poor. Considering the properties of the metal, my grip might be torn to shreds before I could even strike the golem.

 

From what I’ve seen so far, I stand no chance, absolutely no chance, against this golem.

 

But…

 

But what about Chan Hyung?

 

His fists emit something beyond mere physical force.

 

Whoosh.

 

The golem raises a bulky part upwards, acting as an arm, preparing to strike down.

 

As I predicted, the golem’s movements were abnormally fast, comparable to the giant wolf that attacked from the ceiling.

 

Boom!

 

The golem’s arm comes crashing down. It’s too late to dodge.

 

It seemed that Chan Hyung had also intuitively grasped the situation, as his face twisted to a degree that it could not be further contorted.

 

That moment.

 

“…!”

 

Goooo!

 

An enormous surge of murderous intent erupted from Chan Hyung’s body.

 

Just before the golem’s fist could reach Chan Hyung, a dense and intense murderous aura, incomparable to anything before, burst forth from him.

 

Boom!

 

With a thunderous noise, dust billowed around.

 

**

 

“Ugh…!”

 

The ground shook wildly, and the dust filling the air obscured my vision.

 

I couldn’t see exactly what happened, but judging from the sound... it must have been the sound of the golem being shattered to pieces by Chan Hyung’s punch.

 

“…”

 

But Dok Su-Hee, strangely, had a hardened expression.

 

“…‘Wind’!”

 

“…Is that kind of enchantment possible?”

 

As she threw her dagger with trembling hands, a fierce wind burst forth from it, sweeping away the dust.

 

“Hyung…!”

 

I hastened my steps to support Chan Hyung, who was staggering from exhaustion.

 

“…Huh?”

 

But in the cleared space, both Chan Hyung and the golem had vanished.

 

Why? Where to?

 

Something that shouldn’t have happened, happened. I stood frozen, unable to grasp the situation.

 

“Snap out of it! Come to your senses!”

 

Dok Su-Hee said, gripping and shaking my shoulder.

 

An Kyung-Joon also stood up, not wielding his usual worn-out spear, but a somewhat more ornate one, on high alert in his heightened state.

 

“No, no...”

 

I knew I had to move, but I couldn’t figure out what to do or how to do it.

 

Where had Chan Hyung disappeared to? And the golem? Where could such a massive creature have gone?

 

But Dok Su-Hee, seemingly sensing something, quickly reached into her pocket with a face turned deathly pale.

 

“Damn it!”

 

Dok Su-Hee frantically pulled out the wolf core.

 

“Get out of the way!”

 

That’s when I also realized it. The ground was shaking differently than usual.

 

Whoosh!

 

A metal golem burst out right beneath my feet.

 

“Ah!”

 

Vroom!

 

In my panic, I stepped back and reflexively swung my sword, striking at the golem’s head.

 

Clang!

 

The centrifugal force starting from my waist, traveling up my shoulder, the strength of my own arm, and the gravity from the weight of the sword – all this combined physical force was reflected back, tearing my grip to shreds.

 

“…!”

 

Even as droplets of blood flew, my eyes were fixed entirely on the golem.

 

The metal golem, having sprung from the ground, was swinging its arm towards me.

 

And on the fist of that golem, I saw a large amount of bloodstains.

 

“…”

 

Could it be that Chan Hyung hadn’t run away but...

 

The realization was cut short.

 

My mind gradually became hazy.

 

 

 

***

 

“...”

 

“Get up, greenhorn.”

 

“Hey.”

 

“…?”

 

“Let’s talk for a bit.”

 

Chan Hyung.

 

The doubt began when this man suddenly left to hunt another wolf.

 

Previously, he had obediently followed when I hadn’t mentioned the wolf’s presence, but once I alerted him to the monster lurking nearby, he vanished. Even a three-year-old could find his actions suspicious.

 

However, after witnessing Chan Hyung’s overwhelming force, I trusted him. I believed he had fought a real second wolf and came back from that battle.

 

Even though the wound on his forehead after the fight seemed too precise, I still believed him. Someone that powerful, I thought, had no need to lie.

 

But let’s reconsider the last scene I witnessed.

 

Chan Hyung disappeared somewhere immediately after encountering the golem. And the golem’s fist was smeared with blood.

 

There was no brilliant streak of light that typically preceded Chan Hyung’s punches, nor were there any massive holes in the ceiling or walls.

 

He just vanished.

 

Based on what I saw, it’s highly likely that Chan Hyung was killed by the golem.

 

This naturally leads to a question. Why? How?

 

This is the man who could throw punches so fast I couldn’t even react.

 

He was the one who killed a wolf, even destroying the cave ceiling in the process.

 

How could someone with the power to clear a trap-laden corridor with a single punch fail to resist and get overwhelmed by the golem? It wasn’t like he lacked time to react.

 

A hypothesis struck me.

 

“Chan Hyung.”

 

“...Do you recognize me?”

 

“Your ability, it has a time constraint, right? And a pretty severe one at that.”

 

It would make sense if Chan Hyung didn’t ‘refuse’ to fight, but rather ‘couldn’t’.

 

If his combat power dramatically drops after unleashing that unbelievably powerful punch, it would explain things.

 

If this hypothesis is true, several questions will be answered.

 

Why is someone who can deliver such a devastating punch so slow in dodging…

 

Why, despite his strength, he tries to avoid fights as much as possible…

 

Why Chan Hyung, who could break through the trapped corridor, was effortlessly defeated by the golem…

 

Why did Chan Hyung, who threw the punch at me, seem so deeply troubled and indecisive…

 

“…”

 

Chan Hyung turned his head away as if I wasn’t worth his attention. Outwardly so confident, but inwardly, he must have been quite flustered.

 

“Where are you going?”

 

Chan Hyung started to walk away, but I wasn’t planning to let him off so easily and stubbornly kept questioning him.

 

“You. Your punch ability has a freaking long cooldown, right? That’s why you can’t use it recklessly, correct? Huh?”

 

“…You’re insane.”

 

Whoo.

 

Chan Hyung, seemingly getting hit on a nerve, directed an intense murderous intent at me.

 

But having experienced it a few times already, I didn’t back down.

 

“Show me then.”

 

“…”

 

“If you think my words are pure lies and not worth listening to, then prove it by showing me your power.”

 

“...The structure of the third floor seems to require the cooperation of four people to progress. I have no intention of causing unnecessary strife.”

 

“Really?”

 

I slumped down right where I stood.

 

“I won’t cooperate. Not until you show me your power.”

 

“…”

 

“Threaten me, torture me if you like. But I won’t budge until I see your strength.”

 

Even as the murderous intent from Chan Hyung grew stronger, I didn’t flinch.

 

Chan Hyung, increasing the intensity of his murderous aura, eventually opened his mouth with a look of boredom when he saw I wasn’t moving.

 

“...What do you want?”

 

“I want to know about your ability.”

 

“What will you do with that knowledge?”

 

Here, I had to provide a motive for cooperation.

 

“...I’m a regressor.”

 

“…”

 

“And I just regressed to the third floor after dying to the golem we’ll encounter. If things keep going like this, we might never be able to clear the third floor. The golem’s specs are abnormal.”

 

I briefly explained to Chan Hyung what had happened since I entered the third floor.

 

“...You expect me to believe that now?”

 

“You have some weird red bead-like item, right? You brought it to use when monsters appear, planning to deceive them, right? And to say more... your abilities seem to be emitting murderous intent and a punch with an incredibly long cooldown. What do you think?”

 

“…”

 

Chan Hyung’s expression hardened alarmingly. He too must have instinctively felt it. That I was speaking only the truth.

 

“Kill me if you want. I can just regress.”

 

“...Why are you saying this? No, that was a stupid question. You’re planning to regress anyway? After getting as much information as you can.”

 

“...Right.”

 

“...Is it because it’s the highest difficulty? Absurd situations arise as soon as one enters.”

 

Chan Hyung, closing his eyes, pondered slowly.

 

“...Hah.”

 

He let out a light, hollow laugh.

 

At the same time, the murderous intent radiating from Chan Hyung ceased. The ferocious aura that felt like it could kill dozens in their seats vanished in an instant.

 

“...Yes. You’re right.”

 

His expression, previously emotionless and rigid, slowly softened.

 

“I am not the monster people think I am.”

 

Leaning against the wall, the man sitting down showed a face heavy with fatigue.

 

Viewed like this, his face, though harsh, no longer seemed unapproachable.

 

Chan Hyung slowly lowered his head. I felt like this was his true self.

 

“I intentionally acted like an overwhelming force.”

 

Chan Hyung, head bowed, spoke calmly.

 

“To survive.”

 

The story he told me next was quite shocking.

– – – End of Chapter – – -

 

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