Chapter 96

00096 Can you follow? =========================================================================

When I opened the door, I saw strange smoke flowing out from inside. At the same time, a low wailing sound reached my ears.

“Hrrrr…”

The voice was pouring out undeniable malice.

After taking a step inside, my companions and I were left speechless at the sight of the vast square before us. No, it wasn’t the size of the square that left us speechless. The room we were standing in might be larger than the combined size of several rooms we had passed through on the first floor. The problem was the presence of a single creature that filled the room, standing tall and straight.

Its massive body almost touched the high ceiling. The upper body resembled a human. At first glance, it seemed to be covered in solid muscles, but its skin revealed a hardness more like steel than human flesh. When I lowered my gaze to its lower body, I saw not human legs but a long, fused trunk.

A human upper body and a snake’s lower body.

“Gigas…? No, that’s impossible. Why would a mythological creature be in the Hollow Plane….”

I quickly activated my Third Eye. After reading the information about the creature in front of me, I was shocked. What on earth did the former residents of the Hollow Plane do? Moreover, if this creature was still around, it meant it wasn’t good enough to be a sacrifice. If a monster of this caliber wasn’t suitable as a sacrifice, what kind of demon could be on the third floor?

“Crazy.”

“Giant….”

My companions also gasped in shock and stared up at the Gigas with blank faces. For a while, we stood there in a standoff, and then I noticed the Gigas’s lips curling slightly. It was mocking us. At that moment, I felt a spark of anger in my eyes. How dare a mere fake monster mock me?

With a burning rage, I sent a heavy killing intent, causing the Gigas to take a step back. I bit my lip and quickly turned to my companions.

“Bibian. Keeper.”

“What, what?”

Bibian’s eyes widened in surprise. The others were also taken aback. It didn’t seem reasonable to assign Bibian, who had been the most active among us, to the role of Keeper.

A Keeper, as the name suggests, is someone who detaches from the main battle to protect the party’s priests and mages. While Bibian had often taken on the Keeper role during our time together and even participated in battles when necessary, in a large-scale expedition, the Keeper’s role was typically this. Of course, as a mage, she could provide long-range support, but it was still unusual to assign a mage as a Keeper.

“The creature in front of us may look like a Gigas, but it’s ultimately just an experimental creation. A hybrid of a giant and a basilisk. We don’t know the extent of its power, but since it was created by humans, it can be handled by humans. Don’t forget that this creature is less formidable than 100 other sacrifices.”

“B-but….”

Despite their hesitation, I firmly conveyed my opinion. Honestly, a fully grown giant or a basilisk is incredibly powerful. I couldn’t judge the full extent of its power, even though I had faced them separately before. This was the first time I was facing a hybrid. Therefore, the best choice I could make right now was this.

“Since it has the blood of a giant, it’s better for the mages and priests to step back from direct combat. Just provide support with occasional auxiliary spells. Ahn Hyun, Yoo Jeong. This is a free-for-all. I’ll charge forward first, and you two will support me from behind. Prioritize evasion and focus on distracting it. Show me what you’ve got with the rest.”

I cut off their hesitation and continued. The mention of autonomous combat made the kids’ faces pale. As I turned to move forward, I heard Jung Hae Yeon’s urgent voice from behind.

“Soo Hyun! It might be better to form a defensive formation….”

“A defensive formation is better in this situation.”

“Huh?”

“There’s no time to explain. What I said is better.”

“Hrrrr…”

As soon as I finished speaking, the Gigas finally moved. Its massive snake-like body wriggled and then slid towards us. Time was running out. Even so, Jung Hae Yeon was still pondering what I had said.

She would understand what I meant. A defensive formation is most effective when the party is fully equipped and the numbers are at least double. Given our current state and composition, a defensive formation would be a clumsy response.

Of course, what I said wasn’t without its problems. But the key was simple: if I could perfectly block the Gigas alone at the front, all problems would be solved. Jung Hae Yeon’s eyes sparkled, as if she had finally understood. With a worried look on her face, I started to charge forward.

The hesitant kids followed me, running as fast as they could. I had planned to be disappointed if they didn’t run, but as my older brother and sister, they couldn’t just stand by. I smiled slightly and increased my speed.

The distance between the Gigas and me was closing, and I could see it raising its right arm with all its might. It was about to strike me down. In response, I raised my sword high. I intended to crush its spirit in the first clash.

At that moment, a message appeared in the air.

『Latent Ability: Melee Combat (Rank: A Plus) has been activated. Melee Combat is an ability that surpasses the limits of those who wield melee weapons. Rank: A+. It represents the pinnacle of human achievement in close combat. In melee combat, you will never be outmatched.』

*

Jung Hae Yeon stared ahead with a stern face. Her mind kept replaying the conversation she had just had with Kim Soo Hyun.

‘Soo Hyun! It might be better to form a defensive formation….’

‘A defensive formation is better in this situation.’

‘Huh?’

‘There’s no time to explain. What I said is better.’

Hae Yeon bit her lip. He wasn’t a reckless person. Although they hadn’t been together for long, his command skills were unparalleled. He wasn’t particularly flashy but always responded calmly and logically. Even veterans who had spent years in the Hollow Plane couldn’t match his level of maturity.

This was the first time he had done something she couldn’t understand. But she did understand, and she could guess what he was aiming for. She remembered what Kim Soo Hyun had said. It was better to step back from the battle. When he said that, his eyes were telling her something else.

‘If you’re confident you won’t interfere with the battle, show me what you’ve got.’

“Don’t interfere if you can’t help….”

As Hae Yeon muttered bitterly, a sharp scream erupted from beside her.

“Kyaa! Oppa! Oppa! Nooo!”

Startled by the scream, she instinctively looked up and saw the creature called Gigas and user Kim Soo Hyun about to clash head-on. Hae Yeon instinctively raised her hand to cover her mouth. She had thought there might be another way, but she hadn’t expected this…

BOOM!!!!!!!!!!

Before her thoughts could even finish, the distance between them had closed, and the moment they collided, a deafening sound shook the room.

“Quick, healing spell!”

“I’m doing it! Don’t just stand there, go and help…?”

An Sol, who usually had a calm demeanor, shouted shrilly but then trailed off. Her mouth slowly opened wider, and her eyes turned blank. Following her gaze, everyone turned their heads. When they saw the scene of the clash, they all let out the same gasp.

“No way.”

What they saw was truly unbelievable. The clash between user Kim Soo Hyun and the Gigas was clearly in Kim Soo Hyun’s favor. In a single clash, the Gigas was forced to retreat significantly.

Everyone looked at the scene in disbelief, while only Bibian quietly chanted a spell. Having seen a glimpse of Soo Hyun’s true form before, she wasn’t as surprised as the others. Of course, she hadn’t expected this level of power. Since they were already working together, she decided to support Soo Hyun. After completing her spell, Bibian spoke in a clear voice.

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

Hearing Bibian’s voice, Shin Sang Yong, An Sol, and Jung Hae Yeon snapped out of their daze and looked up. Bibian, now in the Keeper role, was also supporting Soo Hyun. As they watched a single demon rise above a magic circle and then shoot out chains at Bibian’s command, Hae Yeon decided to join the battle. She couldn’t just sit back and watch.

‘The question is which spell to use….’

Numerous spells came to Hae Yeon’s mind, but only one remained. She glanced at Shin Sang Yong and An Sol, and her eyes gradually turned cold.

“An Sol.”

“Y-yes?”

“Prepare a binding spell. And Shin Sang Yong.”

Hae Yeon’s voice was low but carried an unrefusable force. Shin Sang Yong immediately nodded.

“Yes.”

“I’ll prepare it. Please help.”

“That….”

Shin Sang Yong looked at Hae Yeon with a blank face. When she said “that,” he knew exactly what she meant. While it was uncertain if magic would work on a giant, given Hae Yeon’s higher level of magical application, there must be a reason for her suggestion. He answered with a determined face.

“…Understood. What type of elemental magic should I use?”

“Fire-based. I’ll handle the water-based overlap.”

Their conversation was rapid. An Sol, unable to follow, just nodded her head. Feeling frustrated, Hae Yeon suppressed her emotions and spoke.

“I’ll designate the target. Sol, just complete the binding spell and fire it on my signal.”

“Three magic applications? Even if you can, that’s too much.”

“I can do it. But just in case, do your best.”

Hae Yeon paused, then turned her gaze forward. The chains Bibian had shot out were wrapping around the Gigas’s right arm. Although the giant resisted, it was enough to buy some time. Taking advantage of this, user Kim Soo Hyun rolled on the ground, leaped into the air, and swung his sword.

The brilliant sword energy, visible even from a distance, curved like a whip and struck the Gigas’s tough body hard. The Gigas let out a painful scream and kept retreating. The monster was continuously being pushed back in close combat with user Kim Soo Hyun. Hae Yeon’s throat tightened at the sight.

“Target the left arm. Create a momentary opening. I’ll bind both arms.”

“Y-yes….”

“Good.”

Shin Sang Yong closed his eyes and began chanting a spell. An Sol, sensing something unusual, quietly raised her staff and mumbled. After confirming their actions, Hae Yeon also started casting, but with a slight delay. She was the last to start but the first to finish.

“───. Teeth of Crystal!”

“───. Burn Flare!”

Hae Yeon completed her spell quickly. She waited a moment, then saw Shin Sang Yong and An Sol finish theirs in sequence. In Hae Yeon’s hand, a chilling ice shard formed, and in Shin Sang Yong’s hand, a scorching fireball floated. They looked at each other and nodded simultaneously.

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

Hello, I’m Ro Yu Jin.

Ah, I finished chapter 96 a bit earlier today, but I felt a bit unwell and ended up lying down, which became a problem. When I woke up, four hours had already passed. As I sat back at the computer to make revisions, I felt so frustrated. Sleep is truly my nemesis, my nemesis. Hahaha. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. :)

『 Reader Comments 』

1. Miwol: Haha. I remember seeing you a few times. Congratulations on being number one.

2. Human Life: I hope you get better soon. Don’t overdo it and take good care of yourself. Fighting!

3. MT Bear: Wow. How cute are bears! One of my wishes is to sleep on a soft bear’s fur or hug a baby bear. Bears are so cute. ^0^

4. Toranoanal: Wow. That’s great. I’m still enjoying it. ;ㅇ; I was shocked when I first saw the mercenary. It made me read every line carefully. I’m currently waiting for the next update. :)

5. Purple: Ah, if you mean settings, are you referring to the kids’ information? I’ll do a major update after the research facility exploration ends! (That’s when their abilities will increase.)

6. zjekfksqlc: Sure. It’s a bit disappointing that Hanbyeol is second, but… hmm. Sol is really tormenting her… hmm. No, not really.

7. Cute Bear: Yes! Why not bears! Bear bear bear!

8. Peres: Yes. For Kim Soo Hyun, duplicate classes are allowed. However, at the time, there were no users who had chosen the Sword Specialist class, and Kim Soo Hyun chose it. The possibility of a Sword Specialist appearing in the Hollow Plane was zero. The activation of the list using special privileges shows all existing classes, but after selection, duplicates are not allowed. However, there are very rare cases like Bibian’s. Hahaha.

9. Refill: Yes, that’s right. But I’m a bit worried. After the research facility ends, Sol will take some action. I hope the readers who like Sol won’t be too upset. -_-a

10. Opitworp19: No. Ah, heaven. I burst out laughing. :) It’s called the Summoning Room, which appears in the early part.

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 you’re not mentioned in the reader comments.

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 comfortable mind.

I welcome pre-reads, recommendations, comments, critiques, and questions.