Chapter 89

00089 Ruined Laboratory

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Instead of directly making a path to the second floor, we clear the first floor completely before moving up. Although speeding up the strategy is good, after listening to Shin Sang-yong read the ancient records, I changed my mind. If we can find a Qi Gong Sorcerer, it wouldn’t be a waste to invest two or three months, not just two or three days.

To be honest, I also had some doubts. We just found a Chimera Alchemist not long ago; would another one appear? Am I being too greedy? Would these so-called Secret, Rare Classes come out so easily as I wish?

Nevertheless, the reason I still had a strange sense of anticipation was because I was currently on an upward trend. That’s how life usually goes. When you fall, you fall endlessly. I’ve even experienced falling to the very bottom of hell.

However, when you fall, you might fall to the depths of hell, but when you rise, you rise to the very top, endlessly. I was currently on an upward trend, and that’s how I felt. I didn’t know how long this trend would last, but I wanted to make the most of it while it did.

In the center of the hall, I reactivated the Third Eye. It’s really quite useful.

“Leader, which direction should we go first?”

It seems they’re asking me to decide which direction to go first. I mix detection with the Third Eye to explore each direction. According to Shin Sang-yong, the hall is responsible for the central structure of the first floor. Therefore, excluding the corridor we entered from, there are three directions we can go.

Since it’s a laboratory, there are countless obstacles in the middle. However, there aren’t many rooms or spaces worth entering. There are six rooms and one staircase to the west, four rooms to the north, and one room and one staircase to the east. The staircases likely lead to the second floor.

“I’ll go this way first.”

I turned my steps toward the corridor to the west. It’s better to tackle the direction with the most places to visit first. If we were in a physically exhausted state, we might have gone east first, but our stamina has been replenished by rest.

Naturally, I’m leading the group. The leader and the ranger are supposed to be at the front of the caravan, but since we don’t have a ranger, I’m standing alone. I hope the next recruit will be one of the archers. I led the group, taking on the important role of the leader.

The leader has a crucial role. They must be prepared for sudden ambushes and guide the group in the right direction, which can either lead to the caravan’s success or failure. Since we don’t have a ranger, Shin Sang-yong or Jung Hyeon should be at the front, but we can’t put a mage in the lead. After following my superior leadership, they have no complaints about me leading.

Without a moment’s hesitation, I walked down the corridor at a normal pace. The laboratory looks complex at first glance, but if you can distinguish between the rooms to enter and those to avoid, it’s actually quite simple. When we first entered, I only sensed one presence in the corridor, and there were no other signs of life in the other corridors. This means we only need to be careful in the rooms or spaces.

Of course, there’s no guarantee that the second and third floors will be the same as the first, so these thoughts only apply to the first floor.

After a while, we discovered the first space. It was the outermost space on the western corridor according to my detection. The room we saw while coming from the south had a feel similar to a hospital room, but this space gave off a completely different vibe.

The iron door was tightly shut, and faint, dark red bloodstains were still visible on the walls. And inside... there was a living presence. What could it be? What could have survived and been breathing for so long? I stopped in front of the iron door and turned to the group.

“Before we reached the center of the hall, when we opened a door, the monsters suddenly poured out, and everyone was taken by surprise.”

I paused and looked at Yoo Jung. After saying, “What is this?” she opened the door abruptly and bowed her head. I inwardly sighed and continued.

“There isn’t as much presence in this room now. However, instead of retreating blindly, it might be better to fight at the door. The monster seems to be aware of our presence, so don’t let your guard down when opening the door.”

The group’s faces tensed up. After watching them prepare, I approached the door.

“I’ll open the door. As soon as it opens, an attack might come. Sol, cast a Binding spell immediately. The two mages, cast spells to limit the monster’s movements. Hyun and Yoo Jung, move forward a bit from your current formation. Don’t neglect the sides, just in case.”

There was no response, but everyone quietly nodded at my orders. I added one more word.

“No matter what, fighting at the door gives us the advantage. So...”

I reached for the handle of the iron door. The door was so heavy that it couldn’t be opened by one person, but my strength stat was far beyond that.

Creak.

The door, which had been closed for a long time, made a sound as the mechanisms, which had become stiff, were forced to move. I applied a bit more force, and as the door opened, a cracking sound was heard, followed by a foul smell that enveloped my body. And at the same time,

“Roar!”

A massive fist aimed for my body. But we weren’t just standing there.

“Binding (Shackle)!”

Sol’s spell went off, and a white light flashed past me. I inwardly cheered for the perfect timing, but the following scene was far from perfect.

“Grr... Ah!”

The arm, which had momentarily paused, began to twitch and, ignoring Sol’s Binding spell, threw another punch at me. Huh. Resisted a spell with over 80 magic power? I was surprised, but I raised my sword to defend against the attack.

“Suhyun, danger...!”

Thud! Bang! Crash.

“Clank! Clank! Clank!”

It’s strong? I didn’t use my full strength, but I was pushed back a half-step by the monster’s attack. However, I used a technique I had demonstrated against a boss monster during a rite of passage. A technique based on the principle of using a small force to control a great one.

I combined the impact from the monster’s attack with my own strength and returned it to the monster. The monster’s right hand exploded from the impact, and it was thrown backward, letting out a pained scream as it hit the ground.

“...It’s a giant.”

“I, I’ve never seen a giant in real life.”

The creature in the room, clutching its hand, was indeed a giant. Standing over five meters tall, it was a spectacular sight, but it was hard to call it a complete giant. Various mechanical devices and artifacts were attached to its body. Or, more accurately, implanted.

I now understood why Sol’s spell didn’t work properly. The blood of the giants from the Plane of Giants naturally has strong magic resistance. Normally, it should have reflected the spell, but it seemed to be weakened to the point where it didn’t fully resist. The attached mechanisms and artifacts might have extended its life, but over time, the giant’s characteristics had weakened.

“Grr... Grr... Huh, huh.”

“Everyone, stay focused. The giant is weakened, but it still has magic resistance. Mages and Sol, please step back for a moment.”

“Hmm... I can’t help directly, but I can assist indirectly.”

“I won’t stop you. Yoo Jung, Keeper. Ahn Hyun, Bibiange, stay behind me.”

“Brother, support?”

“Yeah.”

Ahn Hyun ran over, chosen instead of Yoo Jung. Bibiange, an alchemist, understood why I called her and moved to my side. As the group quickly reformed, I turned my head forward again. The giant was just getting up, using its remaining arm to push itself off the ground.

The giant’s eyes met mine. This giant must be one of the victims of the residents’ experiments. Its eyes burned with unhidden hostility. However, I didn’t feel any guilt or remorse, as I didn’t experiment on it.

Giants have powerful racial traits. During the first run, the leader of the giants was almost a demigod. However, they have a straightforward and simple nature, making them quite reliable allies. That said, I had no intention of making this giant an ally.

I heard Bibiange muttering a spell from behind. The giant’s face darkened even more.

Whoosh. The giant’s remaining left arm flew toward me. Where did its innate strength go? The punch was far weaker than what I knew giants could deliver. However, the punch still carried a formidable force.

I pulled my head back slightly, and the giant’s fist cut through the air. But it would be a waste to let it go. I raised my sword with my left hand and adjusted it to lightly touch the giant’s fist. As intended, the moment my sword blade touched the giant’s fist, I channeled my magic power. Taste this.

The following scene was enough to elicit gasps from everyone. During the first run, I developed a sword technique to compensate for my lack of strength and magic power compared to top users. The essence of the technique is based on Taiji, focusing on softness and flow rather than brute force.

While my sword blade was touching the giant’s hand, its arm was being guided by the movement of my sword. Naturally, the giant couldn’t maintain its balance and swayed. I pulled it to the left and then bent it to the right. It was like showing a cat a string and moving it around. A giant over five meters tall was reduced to a mere pet. And Ahn Hyun didn’t miss this opportunity.

“Hah!”

With a powerful yell, Ahn Hyun thrust his long spear. Seeing the giant swaying, he aimed for the body to deal a blow. However, the giant, with its instincts still intact, wasn’t easily defeated. Even while swaying, it accurately aimed the free right wrist at the spear’s tip and struck the shaft.

“Oof...!”

Ahn Hyun’s body tilted downward from the force. Despite the loud noise from the collision, his attack was too direct. It would have been better to aim for an angle.

At the same time, the giant, using its strength, broke the connection of magic power between its hand and my sword. I raised an eyebrow. I wasn’t disappointed, as I had only intended to play around. And the time I spent playing with Ahn Hyun was enough for Bibiange to cast her spell.

In response to my expectations, Bibiange’s clear voice echoed in the room.

“Come forth! Imprison! Steel Binder of the 49th Legion!”

A familiar magic circle appeared, and a hazy smoke filled the room. The magic circle began to glow brightly, as if responding to Bibiange’s summoning. Sensing something ominous, the giant instinctively tried to put some distance between us.

While watching this, I heard Bibiange’s calm voice from behind.

“Suhyun, the Imprison I’m summoning this time will mainly provide support. You and Hyun, deal the fatal blows.”

“Planning to restrain it? The giant’s blood isn’t easy to handle.”

“Hmph. My familiars are enhanced Chimera familiars. Watch and see whose power is stronger.”

“I’m looking forward to it.”

Suhyun and Bibiange exchanged words casually. She even showed a confident smile in response to my words. I was looking forward to seeing what abilities the Imprison would display this time. Feeling frustrated that the first attack failed, I saw Hyun gripping his spear tightly and adjusted my stance.

============================ Author's Note ============================

Hello, I’m Ro Yujin.

It’s already mid-February, and time really flies. I’ve been enjoying the works recommended by readers. There are many great novels, and I feel like I’ve discovered many gems.

Today, I’d like to recommend a work. There are some novels I check every day on Noblesse. (One of them is Northwood’s Beautiful World.) Recently, Northwood started a new series.

The title is I Am a Superhuman. I read it from the first chapter and couldn’t stop. By the end, I was even reading it line by line, savoring every word. If any readers are looking for a hidden gem among many works, I recommend Northwood’s I Am a Superhuman. :)

Also... today, I received a lot of pre-orders, recommendations, comments, and coupons. I want to sincerely thank the readers who always support my work. Thank you. (___)

『 Reader Comments 』

1. lDl: Oh, nice to meet you. You’re number one on your first appearance. (Is this called a True Royal Loader? Haha.) Congratulations on being number one. :)

2. AniJani: Thank you. I hope you enjoyed this chapter as well. I hope you have a good night, AniJani.

3. Tangryong: Haha, thank you. You’ll see the protagonist’s relentless actions in the future.

4. RainBows: I’ve already replied to this comment in Chapter 88. Please check it, and if you still have questions, feel free to send me a message.

5. Lamude: Haha, will they be able to save it? Look forward to the upcoming developments!

6. Fallen Pigeon: Haha, thank you. Since I quit my job, I have a lot of free time. If time allows, I’d like to continue writing regularly. :)

7. Devil Temple: Thank you. I noticed that you’ve been commenting on my novels since the early days. Thank you for being with me all this time. I hope you continue to show interest and support.

8. Kkoya: Haha, Jung Hyeon’s words do have some truth. Suhyun was quite bold, and Jung Hyeon is also at a level where he can be called a genius. However, Suhyun, who suffered a lot in the first run, might have had a hidden feeling of frustration.

9. Hwiul: Hmm, if that happens, the extremely high stats might be hard to control. I don’t know what will happen with training, but the reason Suhyun hasn’t increased his stats is that he’s still considering it. Hehe.

10. Madongpo: Yes, I plan to include some spicy content. (I think some content has already been included, like Won Hyeon, Lee Ji-young, Jung Ji-yeon, etc.) Currently, the protagonist is not in a relaxed enough state to engage in such activities. Our protagonist is not a pervert. Sob.

Your recommendations and comments are the driving force behind my writing. (This is the truth.)

I always read all the comments.

Please don’t be too disappointed if your comment isn’t in the reply.

If you have any specific questions, feel free to send me a message, and I’ll respond.

I’ll end here for today.

I hope you always read the story with a relaxed mind.

Pre-orders, recommendations, comments, reviews, and questions