Chapter 7 Part4 (1/2)

<chapter 7.=”” three=”” way=”” -=”” 4=””>

- Kwaaaaang!

This was the greatest impact he'd experienced since being dropped into the Empire. The sound of the explosion, the shock, and above all, the pressure that struck his entire body; he wasn't able to resist and Lee s.h.i.+n Woo rolled raggedly onto the ground.

It just hurt, and hurt some more. The moment his arm had been severed, as well as the moment a huge explosion occurred, he felt pain that transcended the limits of his perception. Despite only aiming for the Ghoul and activating the skill, it felt as though there were several dozens of holes perforating his body.

[The Low Rank Self-Destruct skill has become Lv2. Magic has increased by 1. The force of the explosion increases.]

However, he was sure of its effectiveness. The fact that everything above the Ghoul's neck had cleanly disappeared from the Ghoul's body was proof of that.

[Gu... aaah...]

No, to be exact, it wasn't a corpse yet. Despite it losing its head, it was still alive. It was filled with wounds, and flailed its arm about; seeing it fumbling around the floor to find Lee s.h.i.+n Woo, the culprit that made it this way, made him feel gooseb.u.mps. From its throat, of which around half was remaining, a truly grotesque voice trickled out.

”Hoo...”

”Heup!”

However, Lee s.h.i.+n Woo resolved himself, and when he was about to grip his weapon, the Skeleton Horse appeared like lightning and struck the Ghoul, dropping its front legs onto it. It was so powerful that he thought that this was what Thor's lightning hammer might be like!

[Gu...]

The Ghoul wasn't even able to spread its Acid Poison and was stuck in that area, wriggling around a couple of times. In the end, it stopped moving, and the battle was over.

[You have commanded different individual species and successfully hunted a monster a higher level than you. All stats have increased by 2. Beginner Command has become Lv7.]

[This is a term that only those who have been saved, not the one who saves, can speak. You have acquired the Savior's karma token with great success. Strength and magic have increased by 4. You have acquired the active skill, Sacrifice Lv1.]

[You have superbly succeeded in executing your revenge. The Beginner Avenger skill has become Lv4. When you meet the one who defeated you again, all abilities increase by 30%.]

Was it because the Ghoul persistently hung on until the very end? Despite the message that the party had successfully hunted the Ghoul, Lee s.h.i.+n Woo couldn't believe it and just blankly stood there.

However, he did so only briefly. When the Ghoul turned into mana and disappeared, leaving behind the dropped items in its place, reality hit him. None of them had died, and had amazingly defeated the monster.

”...We won.”

”It's all because of you.”

”It was all because you appeared at the right moment that we were able to win so easily.”

The Undead Hero and the Skeleton Horse Hero exchanged compliments. Truthfully, they both didn't even have the energy to stand, but while fighting against the Ghoul, the ground had become completely covered by the Acid Poison, so they barely endured, and stood.

”T-Thank you very much!”

”Oh...”

And the last remaining hero cut in. It was none other than Ye Jin Jin, who was dressed in tattered clothing. Of course, Lee s.h.i.+n Woo had indeed saved her, but he hadn't expected her to bow her head in front of an undead and even thank him... It was honestly something he hadn't expected. It was only really possible if one was extremely pure.

”This was the first time I've realized that there are also good Undead in the Empire! I-I was really about to die... Thank you very much for helping me!”

”Hm?”

However, at that time, the Skeleton Horse tilted its head, and then, turned its head towards Lee s.h.i.+n Woo, and asked.

”You weren't the one who was in danger? The quest or whatever definitely said that there was a hero who was in trouble, and when I got here, you were fighting with that Ghoul...”

”No, I also received the quest and came to save her.”

”Huh? You came to save... me? Wait, just a second. A hero...?”

The misunderstandings that the party had were all meshed together in the same place. Lee s.h.i.+n Woo had roughly grasped the situation, but the Skeleton Horse, and Ye Jin Jin looked as though they couldn't understand what was going on at all.

Would they be able to understand each other just by talking? Lee s.h.i.+n Woo sighed and spoke briefly.

”Let's talk in a calm and orderly way. Ah, before that, wear some clothes.”

”Clothes...? Ggyaahk!”

[Quest complete!]

[You have acquired 50,000 Perium.]

[Strength has increased by 5, Agility by 10, Health by 3, and Magic by 7.]

[You have acquired 3 permits to G.o.d's secret shop, the Intermediate Ice Resistance skill book, and 5 Lv3 equipment reinforcement permits.]

Now this was definitely a quest reward. He had acquired 50,000 Perium, and secondly, he had gained a total of 25 stats! He had inwardly been looking forward to the skill book, and was disappointed that it was an Ice Resistance skill book, but even when he considered that, it was truly a shocking reward.

”To think that both of you were heroes... G.o.d just granted your wish, yet you became an undead.”

Lee s.h.i.+n Woo checked his rewards and when he sported a satisfied expression, Ye Jin Jin (she had safely changed) looked on disbelievingly, alternating between the two. The Skeleton Horse noticed her disbelief and spoke somewhat bitterly.

”You probably won't understand what I say, but I don't know what she did to me. I don't know what happened to my brain...”

Rather than something like supernatural powers or a miracle, he spoke as if he had experienced a taste of something far worse, and Lee s.h.i.+n Woo nodded his head in agreement.

Of course, he realized that he was too greedy, but still, he hadn't thought that she would just abruptly turn him into a skeleton. It if weren't for the sense of composure that was forced upon him by becoming a skeleton, it would've also been difficult for him to bear.

”It might be difficult to believe me, but... just trust me when I say that I, as well as this guy, are your allies.”

”I trust you. If you think about it, it would've been difficult for you to save me at that precise timing had you not been heroes. It's just...”

Ye Jin Jin wavered, and then, quietly added.

”It seems like it was really difficult for you.”

There was no doubt about that, but the meaning differs depending on how it's said. Lee s.h.i.+n Woo was momentarily speechless when he heard Ye Jin Jin's simple, honest, and careful words.

He felt slightly, extremely slightly guilty that he had acted in order to receive the reward, rather than save this girl. Rather, he felt happy about those emotions.

”You're a good kid.”

”Not really. ...But what good does it do me? Strength is everything in the Empire.”

”You're the same level as me.”

”I just feel more shameless hearing that.”

They had already finished their introductions. Lee s.h.i.+n Woo's lie that he was level 4 had been exposed, but since it'd been revealed that he was an undead already, it didn't really matter anymore. Honestly, it didn't really matter if they figured it out, but if they weren't in a special situation like Ye Jin Jin, his seniors wouldn't easily accept that he was an undead hero, so he had been pus.h.i.+ng it back.

”I'm level 4, but I'm weaker than you. So it's alright.”

”Jin, that's...”

”You said you were level 4 ever since you became a Skeleton Horse, right?”