novelraw Chapter 54 : Chungnam National University Hospital (2)
Chapter 54 : Chungnam National University Hospital (2)
Chapter 54: Chungnam National University Hospital (2)
“Even while watching, I still can’t believe it. You actually came out?”
Arabella spoke first.
Then—
“I just thought it was time to stop hiding.”
Vivian replied in a hazy tone.
“I’m sorry, but that’s not something you get to decide on your own. You haven’t forgotten, have you? The shackle placed upon you when you were exiled from the Grand Witches’ Assembly.”
“Of course, I remember. How could I possibly forget that dreadful day?”
It had been agonizing and painful.
To abandon the wish she had longed for her entire life—it felt as though her soul had been carved apart.
So she hid deep below.
She nested beneath the dungeon, devouring low-ranked prey greedily, throwing herself into the vast current of time.
She had wanted to escape.
From that dream that she could never again reach.
Pachichichik.
“Kiiiii.”
“Kyeeeeh.”
The surrounding shadows went wild.
Countless sets of fangs appeared within the darkness.
Greed (貪).
As Vivian Astraia’s authority—feared even by the Grand Witches—was released, Arabella subtly backed away, discomfort flickering across her face.
At the same time, she gripped the object hidden within her robe.
“I’m the envoy sent by the Great Witch. To lay a hand on me is the same as defying the entire Grand Witches’ Assembly. Or do you really intend to end it all here? You’ll regret it.”
“I have no intention of harming you.”
Vivian smiled faintly.
“At least you know your place. Then, step away from the Episode. The higher-ups are already quite displeased with you for killing those Orcs. They’re worried… that you might have forgotten the Exile’s Oath and are chasing empty dreams again.”
“I’ve long since abandoned those dreams. I have no desire to achieve anything through the Episode.”
Everyone had used her—and discarded her once she’d served her purpose.
It was something she had grown used to, something that had become natural.
However—
There is none.
That person desired nothing from her.
Some might call it bitter, yet within that taste lies an unfathomable depth. Surely, there is affection and pain intertwined within it.
A great being who could know and understand the wounds carved into her heart.
A being who could appreciate and empathize with the aroma and taste of tea steeped in life itself.
The time she shared with that person now was more precious than anything else.
Therefore—
Only one thing mattered.
“If anyone dares to interfere with that, I won’t stay still.”
Whether it was the Administrators.
Or the Grand Witches’ Assembly.
No one else mattered.
She would tear them to shreds—
Until not even a trace of their existence remained in the world.
Kukukuku!
Uncontainable madness and ecstasy surged forth.
In one of the hospital’s corridors, maple leaves began to bloom in full.
“Well, I never thought a mad cat could be tamed so easily in the first place.”
Arabella’s expression, too, turned cold.
＊＊＊
“Kuhaha! How bright! Like the sun itself!”
Ragnar Lodbrok strode ahead, carrying Go Hanil in one hand.
Just what was he doing with a person, exactly?
As everyone’s attention was drawn to the human lantern, Yohan quietly summoned Sambok.
“Fufu. A place that reeks of darkness, just like me. The abyss, terror—and I, who rule over them! I am the abyss!”
“Heh, heh! None. Smells tasty.”
“Don’t like it here. Can I not go in? Hmm.”
Sambok, walking with haughty steps, frowned.
It seemed he didn’t like this place.
“Well, if my cute Sambok doesn’t like it, there’s nothing I can do. But instead…”
Yohan spoke gently, his tone carrying a faint smile.
“Money’s been tight lately, so the quality of your meals might drop a bit. I’ll grill you some Goblin meat or maybe roast some corpses we find here. Oh, and Scarlett’s been really into cooking these days, so I’ll have her do the prep.”
Sambok had tasted Scarlett’s cooking before.
His conclusion then had been that starvation would be a far kinder fate.
“Fufu. Then how about we let only our dear Malbok eat that terrifying vampire’s cooking? I like this place and am quite willing to grant my master’s request.”
“Heh, heh. I—I’ll listen too. Talk!”
“If I’d known you’d resort to that kind of threat, I’d have kept my mouth shut!”
Seeing everyone’s horrified reactions, Yohan figured they’d behave for the time being.
“First, light up the area a bit. Let me know if you smell anything unusual along the way.”
“Sigh. Seriously… met the wrong master. Yeah.”
Chobok, Jungbok, and Malbok all sighed deeply.
Whoosh!
Then, black flame in the shape of swirling clouds ignited.
In an instant, the surroundings brightened—enough that Go Hanil was no longer needed as a light source.
“What the—? Did that dog just do that?”
“A white dog with three heads? Fascinating. Doesn’t look like a monster native to this area….”
Ragnar Lodbrok and Lagertha finally noticed Sambok.
“What a cute summoned beast. Are you… a Tamer?”
Park Juhee crouched beside Sambok, glancing up at Yohan.
A summoned beast…?
Yohan’s eyes narrowed slightly.
But only for a moment.
“I’m not a Tamer.”
He had simply taken in a creature freshly hatched from an egg.
Proud, requiring both carrot and stick—but still, a precious companion… no, a useful slave.
Right then—
“Kruoooo!”
A sharp roar echoed nearby.
Kwoooaaang!
The wall shattered completely as a massive monster burst through.
Its skin shimmered with a dull gray hue.
From the enormous, jagged blade gripped in both hands, blood dripped steadily to the floor.
But the most peculiar feature was the giant eye glaring out from between its torn belly flesh.
‘Flesh Butcher.’
A Named Monster corresponding to the 2-Star of January—renowned for its overwhelming destructive power.
Finally, a suitable opponent for the first real hunt had appeared.
“Lagertha!”
“Yes, brother!”
[Lagertha activates Lv1 ‘Primal Blessing’!]
[Party members receive healing proportional to their maximum HP!]
A multi-target area spell.
Woooong!
As a soft aurora spread through the air, Ragnar Lodbrok stomped the ground beneath him.
“Let me get a taste of that, you rotten piece of fermented tofu!”
[Ragnar Lodbrok activates Lv1 ‘Taunt’!]
Kwaaaang!
The axe and blade collided.
As Ragnar swung his twin axes madly, the Flesh Butcher’s massive cleaver—easily over 200 kilograms—crashed against them, sending deafening tremors through the air.
Kwakakakakang!
Neither side gave an inch.
‘He’s certainly dependable.’
Yohan calmly began to reconfigure his mana.
For a long-range dealer who needed time to cast, the most essential resource was time.
To analyze an enemy’s affinity and weaknesses in order to maximize damage, one needed the right opening.
And providing that opening—that was the tank’s job on the front line.
Tiiing!
Park Juhee’s arrow struck the monster’s skin, only to bounce off.
“Ugh! What the—how tough is this thing?! These arrows cost a fortune!”
Not that Yohan had expected much from her in the first place—she was mostly there to fill party numbers.
Layering ‘Blood Reinforcement’ over ‘Fireball,’ he summoned a massive sphere of flame, as large as a human head.
[Lv1 ‘Blood Fireball’ activated!]
The crimson flame shot forward, exploding directly against the Flesh Butcher’s abdomen—right where the massive eye was embedded.
Puuuh-boom!
“Groooaaaah!”
The creature roared in agony from the searing pain.
It immediately turned its blade toward the one who had caused its suffering.
Of course—
“Kuhaha! Not a chance. So, you’re the mage, huh?”
Ragnar swung his axe, intercepting the monster’s charge.
Kwoooang!
Thud! Thud! Thud!
It wasn’t a clash of blades—it was the sound of solid steel slamming together with the intent to destroy.
With him holding the line like this, Yohan could freely time and release his spells.
The strategy’s difficulty had dropped dramatically.
But just then—
[Field Spell ‘Shadow of the Gray Tomb’ is cast.]
[All monsters within the area ‘Chungnam National University Hospital’ gain +8% to base stats!]
[Named or quasi-Named monsters of January or higher unlock additional ‘Traits’!]
A sinister aura began to spread across the entire hospital.
Yohan’s eyes narrowed.
‘Already?’
Normally, this Phase 2 transition only triggered after the Doll was destroyed—this was far too soon.
Even Vivian couldn’t have progressed that quickly.
Had the Saintess done something?
Either way, he’d have to pick up the pace.
“Ragnar Lodbrok!”
“What is it?!”
“Can you hold your ground for three seconds—don’t dodge!”
Yohan shouted while watching the Flesh Butcher exude a crimson aura of killing intent.
[The Flesh Butcher activates Trait ‘Shatter’.]
A trait obtainable from Episode 2—it dealt bonus damage on weapon or shield collisions during melee combat.
Naturally, the correct move was to evade and counter.
However—
“You dare make such a request! No matter what ability that creature holds, I—Ragnar Lodbrok—have no intention of dodging!”
With a roar, Ragnar crossed his twin axes.
Ka-ga-gak!
The blades grated against each other.
Through the shower of sparks, the warrior’s face came into view—filled with unyielding fury.
What followed was a clash devoid of hesitation.
His shoulder armor crumpled.
Deep gashes split across his body.
And yet, the fearless Viking devoted himself wholly to pulverizing his foe.
‘Three seconds—more than enough.’
Well, having one berserker like him around wasn’t a bad thing.
And Lagertha’s timely buffs were proving invaluable.
With a faint smirk, Yohan activated another skill.
This time, a version of ‘Wind Cutter’ enhanced with ‘Blood Reinforcement.’
[Lv1 ‘Crimson Gale Blade’ activated!]
Swoosh!
Pupupupuk!
Once again, he tore into the monster’s abdomen where the eye was located.
The Flesh Butcher flinched—but its reaction was clearly duller than before.
Thanks to the Field Spell’s buff, its defense had increased and the damage was reduced.
But that didn’t matter.
This was merely a distraction.
A feint meant to draw all attention.
Tap.
In a flash, Yohan repositioned to the opposite side and steadied his stance.
—The first hunt always drops the best item.
If that was true—
Then he needed to make sure his contribution was worth remembering.
Wooooong!
Pure mana of the True Ancestor flowed through his blood.
Tap.
His palm touched the Flesh Butcher’s spine.
‘Crimson Blood Asura.’
The embodiment of yin energy based on crimson blood.
However—feeble.
Compared to the time after the 101st regression when the martial art had reached perfection through countless iterations…
It was an incredibly weak energy.
His mana and internal energy were still far too lacking in this early stage.
Indeed, the saying went, “A martial art without internal energy is no different from a dance.”
Even so—
The profound truth contained within the immense roots forged through endless years of training did not vanish.
First Form.
The sparring with masters.
The enlightenment attained through meditation.
The domain reached by traversing the boundary between life and death.
His body remembered them all.
‘Nine Yin Penetrating Force.’
The completed technique was unleashed.
Red vibrations coursed through his body, creating a storm.
Kwa-jijijik!
Bones shattered and organs ruptured within.
Though the part where his palm had touched showed not even a speck of injury—
A massive hole had opened on the opposite side where the giant eye resided.
“Ku…o…uh.”
Thud!
The Flesh Butcher collapsed to the ground.
＊＊＊
[First Hunt Complete!]
[You have obtained the best possible item from the Flesh Butcher.]
The battle had ended, yet for several seconds, silence reigned.
Because no one could find the words to speak.
No one could easily comprehend the sight before them.
“A magician who fights in close combat… what in the world.”
Lagertha muttered in disbelief.
“My goodness….”
“A-Am I really seeing this right? My eyes didn’t just pop out and ruin my optic nerves or something, did they?”
Park Juhee and Go Hanil stammered.
“……”
Even Ragnar Lodbrok, who had been laughing boisterously, wore an unreadable expression.
A mixture of awe, chills, and fighting spirit—the urge to battle him personally.
A face filled with tangled emotions.
That was how overwhelming the strike had been.
Just then—
Woooong!
An item dropped.
Amid a bright glow, what appeared were none other than a Skill Book and a Skill Stone.
Though they were of the lowest grade, they were still skill items nonetheless.
It was a gratifying reward for the heavy expenditure of mana.
Alongside them were ten low-grade Magic Stones and several valuable miscellaneous items.
However—
“Tch.”
Yohan’s expression twisted as he checked the Skill Book.
The one he’d most anticipated turned out to be a Warrior-type skill.
“Ahem!”
Ragnar Lodbrok, who had come closer without notice, cleared his throat.
Even a Viking obsessed with battle would know—
Just how valuable a Skill Book truly was.
“It’s clearly a warrior’s skill! You’re a mage, and I’m a warrior. Mages can’t use warrior skills!”
“Well, that’s true. ‘Double Strike’ suits heavy weapons like maces or axes.”
“Then I’ll take it!”
…Huh?
What nonsense was this brute spouting now?
After all the mana and effort he’d poured into this hunt, he wasn’t about to just hand it over.
Even if Ragnar’s brain was made of muscle, there was a limit to stupidity.
“I could consider a trade.”
“A trade? With a magic Skill Book, you mean?”
“Exactly. If you happen to have one.”
Given his intelligence—barely enough to smash open a Fortune Cookie—the chances were near zero…
“Hmph! I actually have three of them. I’ll even give you the privilege of choosing one!”
Ragnar retrieved three Skill Books from his subspace.
Oh? Now that was interesting.
Three of them, huh.
A grin tugged at Yohan’s lips.
Then, in a calm but serious tone, he addressed the Viking.
“Ragnar Lodbrok.”
“What is it?”
“Between warriors and mages—which do you think is the greater class?”
An abrupt question.
But the message behind it couldn’t be ignored.
“Of course it’s the warrior! Those frail spell-flingers could never compare to true warriors!”
Flames burned in Ragnar’s eyes.
Muscles flexed, breath snorted through his nose.
If Yohan disagreed, his skull would likely be split open right there.
“Honestly, I agree.”
“Disappoi—huh?”
“A warrior is both the blade that opens the battlefield and the immortal shield that protects his comrades’ lives. Naturally, it’s the nobler, more valuable class.”
“Kuhaha! You do understand, my friend! I must have misjudged you!”
Ragnar burst into laughter—completely unaware that he’d walked right into the trap.
As the atmosphere ripened perfectly, Yohan delivered the hook.
“Then, between a mage’s Skill Book and a warrior’s Skill Book— which do you think holds greater value?”
“Why, of course the warrior’s Skill Bo—”
Ragnar froze mid-sentence, realizing something was off.
But it was too late.
“In truth, compared to the great and noble warrior’s Skill Book, a puny mage’s Skill Book isn’t even worth a fingernail’s dirt. Three of them wouldn’t even be enough, but… fine. I’ll be generous.”
A miraculous 3:1 exchange ratio.
“If you’re a true warrior—a true man—you know you can’t go back on your word, right?”
Changing his answer now would make him the lowest of men.
“Of course, I wouldn’t expect that from the proud guardian of the Warhammer Guild.”
Yohan made sure to add that last jab.
“Ku… Kuhaha! Of course! Th-three! Yes, for the value of a warrior’s honor, that’s a bargain! Practically a gift!”
To preserve his fragile Viking pride, Ragnar handed over all three Skill Books.
“Hahaha. I’m glad our raid’s tank is satisfied.”
Yohan smiled warmly in return.
And so, laughter blossomed in the middle of the hospital once more.