novelraw Chapter 38 : Louvre Museum (2)
Chapter 38 : Louvre Museum (2)
Chapter 38: Louvre Museum (2)
Boom!
With a massive thud, what appeared was none other than the Louvre Museum’s famed attraction—the ‘Sphinx.’
However, its appearance differed from the one everyone knew.
Its wide-open mouth was filled with sharp fangs, and its claws extended nearly a meter long.
It resembled an Eastern Haetae far more than the original Sphinx.
“Grrrr….”
The pressure emanating from its enormous frame was overwhelming.
In its mouth, it was chewing on what seemed to be a freshly hunted sacrifice.
“Hmph. Humans are still coming through this passage?”
“Surprising. Even after being slaughtered that much, they still dare to challenge us.”
“They’ve got no learning ability at all. Kuhaha! Well, thanks to that, hunting them has been easy every single time.”
The Orcs each muttered a word.
Between their shoulders, a thick iron chain, as wide as a baby’s arm, was tightly fastened.
Clank.
It was a type of restraint that extended up to the Sphinx’s neck.
The reason no Hunters were seen at the entrance of the underground passage—the shortest route.
It was because every single one who entered had been slaughtered by this Sphinx and the Orcs.
“You’re going to fight, right?”
Scarlett opened her parasol.
Now that she was relieved it wasn’t a ghost, her face brimmed with confidence.
“I could… but that wouldn’t be ideal.”
He didn’t want to waste mana here.
The Louvre Museum was such a perfect stage—it’d be a waste to just leave it unused.
‘There’s no one who knows this place better than me.’
Yohan’s lips curved into a faint smile.
The optimal usage of the countless relics was already clearly imprinted in his mind.
The locations and acquisition conditions were the same.
“Sambok, can you brighten your flames as much as possible and lure that Sphinx?”
“Heheh. Such a trivial task for one as great as me.”
“Hehe! Jungbok will lure it. Jungbok will lure it! Wait… what does ‘lure’ mean?”
“You’ll get… more delicious things. Again.”
“You’ll get to eat until your belly bursts.”
“In that case, good. Yes.”
Sambok took a light step forward.
Whoosh.
Black flames, shaped like fluffy clouds, erupted, and his white fur gleamed brilliantly.
“Grrr!”
The Sphinx reacted immediately.
It was in its nature to grow more ferocious in response to intense light.
Clang-clang-clang….
The iron chains rapidly extended.
“Guh!”
“Hold it! Forget the mutt—take down those humans first!”
“Damn it, it’s out of control!”
The Orcs desperately pulled on the chains, but they couldn’t stop the accelerating Sphinx.
Crash! Boom!
The marble tiles lining the corridor’s walls and floor were torn apart.
The area swept through by the colossal Sphinx was left in ruins.
Glass shattered.
Artifacts within tumbled and rolled across the floor.
Quickly.
He needed to move faster.
Rounding the corner, Yohan sprinted toward the opposite room, following after Sambok.
Tap.
“Ahhh!”
Scarlett barely managed to close her overturned parasol and chased after him.
“Groooar!”
The Sphinx’s forepaw burst through the wall.
The blue claws were stained with crimson blood.
Yohan swiftly absorbed part of that blood.
‘Good.’
Now he was ready.
＊
Rumble… Boom!
The wall collapsed, and the Sphinx entered the room.
“Is this the end of the chase?”
“You’re fast. Much more agile than those so-called Rangers.”
The Orcs, panting heavily, arrived a little late.
Just then—
“The aggrieved calls for judgment under ancient law. May the divine trial of the god Shamash be held here and now.”
Yohan recited a phrase.
“Kahaha! Judgment, you say?”
“Out of places to run, so now you’re babbling nonsense!”
Just as the Orcs burst into laughter—
Vwoooom!
A mystical energy spread throughout the room.
The 2.25-meter stone pillar at the center of the room began to tremble.
[An eye for an eye. A tooth for a tooth. And blood for blood.]
From the cuneiform letters on its surface surged an indescribable power.
The Code of Hammurabi.
A relic that upheld the principle of lex talionis—reciprocal justice—one of the relics that had awakened this time.
Tap.
Yohan took out the Commander’s Emblem.
It was the trophy he had obtained after killing Kaimaju, the commander of the Black Fortress Tribe.
Then—
Swish.
He smeared the blood absorbed from the Sphinx onto it.
[The law of Talion shall be applied to the Sphinx, who has taken 43 lives.]
Clang-clang….
Chains of bronze wrapped tightly around the Sphinx’s limbs.
“Grrr?”
The Sphinx thrashed violently, but the sturdy chains would not budge.
And almost at the same instant—
Crunch! Crack!
Something invisible bit down on the Sphinx’s entire head.
Splat!
Blood spurted like a fountain.
The Sphinx staggered, swaying left and right.
Then, its massive body collapsed.
Boom!
Amid the rising cloud of dust—
“W-what… what was that?”
“You bastard! What the hell did you just do!”
The Orcs shouted in disbelief.
“Why so shocked? You’re fine with the Sphinx roaming around, but can’t accept that a stone pillar might eat a cat?”
Yohan shrugged.
Then added casually,
“In your next life, don’t go chasing strangers so carelessly. Especially when they look calm and confident.”
If they’d watched a few public safety ads, they might have avoided this stupidity.
But expecting that from Orcs was too much.
[The law of Talion shall be applied to the Orcs, who have taken 1,059 lives!]
The law of Talion—as you sow, so shall you reap.
That iron judgment now descended upon the Orcs.
Their limbs vanished in an instant.
Crunch!
Crack!
“Gaaaah!”
“Uaaaah!”
The Orcs screamed in agony.
Something invisible mercilessly devoured their torsos.
Crushed. Shattered. Erased.
In the midst of the gruesome massacre, the green-skinned warriors completely lost their fighting spirit.
“It’s already over for us! At the very least, I’ll drag that bastard down with me!”
“Don’t run like a coward! Even in death, show your pride!”
Even while choosing to attack in that situation—indeed, that made them different. But in the end, it was meaningless struggle.
Once they had stepped into this room, there was no escaping the judgment of the Code of Hammurabi.
Even the red-hued warriors who boasted of their valor were no exception.
And shortly after—
Thud.
The last remaining Orc collapsed.
All thirty-some warriors had been annihilated.
Ding!
[Condition fulfilled!]
[You have obtained the title ‘Orc Slayer!’]
Description: You are granted the trait [Heart of the Slayer]. When fighting against members of the Orc Tribe, physical defense increases by +20, while physical attack and magical attack each increase by +10.
Yeah. I was wondering when it would appear. Finally.
A crescent smile appeared on Yohan’s lips.
It couldn’t even be compared to the Knight’s Token, which allowed him to select traits up to Episode (5)—
—but at least for the first episode, it offered impressive efficiency.
Though [Sacred Flame] was a powerful trait, there weren’t many dark-attribute monsters in this place.
Here, [Heart of the Slayer] was the better choice.
[Title changed from ‘Knight’s Token’ to ‘Orc Slayer.’]
Now that the title was switched—
—it was time to start “shopping” for all the opportunities scattered inside the museum.
＊＊＊
At that same moment—
“Hooh… hmm….”
Inside the invisible barrier, White Spirit rested her chin on her hand, repeatedly sighing in admiration.
Kang Yohan.
He was quite an interesting human.
At first, she had wondered how he could possibly survive against the 3,000 warriors of the Black Fortress Tribe. But instead of fleeing, he turned the situation completely around by using another tribe.
Had she not witnessed it herself, she would never have believed it.
Who could have imagined such a thing was even possible?
‘Without knowing the history, habits, and current internal affairs of each tribe, such a feat would be impossible.’
The way he schemed and calculated as if reading from the palm of his hand—was nothing short of artistry.
Moreover, his conduct after entering the museum was astonishing.
He used each relic perfectly in the right place, luring enemies smoothly as if following a natural flow.
What kind of scene would he show next?
How strong would he become once he grew further?
The thought made her heart race.
Of course, Kim Geunsik was also doing his best in his own way.
He had crossed into the museum using a Cube and made contact with the Broken Axe Tribe.
If he managed to gain the Orcs’ support, it wouldn’t be impossible for him to prepare another major strike.
“You were the one in charge of the Withered Garden, weren’t you, Priscilla?”
“Y-yes, ma’am!”
Priscilla immediately bowed her head.
“Nothing unusual happened there? With someone this talented, I’d expect something out of the ordinary.”
If something special had occurred—
—of course there had.
Vivian Astraia.
The incident where she met the Witch of the Maple Tree was one that would catch not only White Spirit’s attention but that of the entire Administration Bureau.
However—
‘If I say that, my contractor’s advantage could disappear.’
Information must be hidden.
She had already promised Yohan she would keep it that way.
The problem was—
—that the fear ingrained in her bones for countless years was forcing her to speak the truth.
Tremble.
Priscilla barely managed to steady her trembling hands.
She had to overcome it.
If she wanted to escape this hell.
‘I won’t live as a disposable pawn or a background character anymore.’
If she wanted to grasp the golden rope that had finally descended and climb upward, she too had to surpass her limits.
After steadying her breathing, she began to recite her prepared story.
“I cleared the dungeon splendidly, just like now. I defeated a lesser vampire and emerged outside. I was far ahead of the other Hunters. That’s why I was given the Knight’s Token.”
“…I see.”
White Spirit gazed deeply into Priscilla’s eyes.
As though she were weighing the truth within.
But only for a moment.
Suddenly, a new figure entered White Spirit’s space.
Sizzle—
A crack formed in the barrier, and a plump, one-meter-tall yokai emerged.
Reygas.
One of the mid-level administrators in charge of the European Episodes.
“Kekekek! I thought I’d drop by just in case—and look who’s here. Such an esteemed guest in such a humble place. What brings the great White Spirit, who should be overseeing the Far East, all the way here?”
His words sounded friendly, yet carried thorns.
After all, fierce power struggles existed between the Eastern and Western branches that sustained the Administration Bureau.
Who completed their Episodes better. Who recruited more exceptional talents.
And who earned the favor of greater gods more frequently….
The outcome of such contests would decide which branch held superiority in the future.
“Our promising candidates have entered the museum. I’m merely observing them.”
“So, that takes priority over supervising your own jurisdiction? For you to say that, they must be quite skilled.”
“They’re not bad.”
“Hmph. Coincidentally, we have a candidate here backed by our side’s administrators. How about a wager? Let’s see who clears their Episode first. Of course, you can back out if you’re scared. We all know the Far East has always suffered a shortage of talent, so I’ll understand.”
Reygas blatantly provoked her.
Then—
“That sounds… entertaining. Once you see the talent our side has chosen, you’ll regret that remark.”
A spark flared in White Spirit’s eyes.
＊＊＊
After leaving the room with the Code of Hammurabi, Yohan and Scarlett explored every corner of the museum.
The interior, which had been fortified thanks to the Sacred Relic, was now a sort of Treasure Vault.
There were countless opportunities to obtain.
Of course, assuming one knew the proper way to acquire them.
[The Mona Lisa desperately wishes to have her lost eyebrows restored.]
One of the greatest paintings in human history.
Before it stood Yohan and Scarlett, diligently moving their brushes.
“If you fill this part in like this…”
“Goodness! What kind of lady’s eyebrows are you drawing like that?”
“I’m telling you, this is the right way.”
“You’ve never even done makeup, yet you’re so confident. Hold on. The ends of the brows should taper more naturally here.”
Bickering yet working in perfect sync.
As their swift brushstrokes continued, the compassionate Mona Lisa’s expression gradually changed.
How long had they been at it?
Yohan and Scarlett finally stopped.
At last, the masterpiece was complete.
Ta-da!
Yohan and Scarlett held up a large mirror, reflecting the Mona Lisa so that she could see herself.
And the result was—
[The Mona Lisa is enraged.]
It seemed… they had failed.