Chapter 123 : Torch of Radiance (1)
Chapter 123: Torch of Radiance (1)
“No more!”
Yuki shouted.
“…….”
Lee Siwoo didn’t object this time either.
Because there was no other viable option.
[Hoshino Yuki activates the Trait ‘Beginner Safe Zone’!]
A symbol representing Taiji(太極) was engraved into the ground, creating a Safe Zone.
It wasn’t quite on the level of a Defensive Stronghold, but it was still a considerably impressive barrier.
Immediately afterward, the Scavengers charged in.
“Kieeeeee!”
“Keeee!”
Kwakakakaka… Kwakakakwang!
The barrier shook violently.
Crack!
Fissures gradually began to form.
“Damn it! A hole’s about to open in this thing!”
“Cracks are forming over here too!”
Urgent voices erupted from all around.
They were right.
The Safe Zone had merely bought them some time.
And only a handful of it at that.
“Khup.”
Yuki’s face grew increasingly pale.
She was pushing herself and pouring in her Magic, but she couldn’t continue enduring the relentless assault of countless Scavengers.
“I-It’s over.”
“If I’d known this would happen, I never would’ve come to a place like this.”
Regret and self-reproach mixed together.
The more the shackles of their own choices bound their fate.
And the more the number of Scavengers visible beyond the barrier increased.
The greater their fear and despair became.
‘It’s about time to bring it out.’
Yohan took out the Torch of Radiance he had carefully stored in one corner of his Subspace.
Fwoosh!
When [Sacred Flame] activated, an indescribable flame blazed to life.
It was merely a teaser version, without its full firepower properly infused yet.
Even so….
Talk about drawing aggro.
The perfect environment for selling snake oil had been created.
“Ahem! Ahem! As for this torch, it is a mobile Safe Zone that allows us to move without being attacked by those hyenas,”
An effect that could only be called absurdly powerful.
This was the hidden card he had been saving and saving.
“To think such an item existed.”
“Just like before. There really was a reason he was praised as a hero.”
“Take me, take me with you too!”
Once hope of survival appeared. Hope returned to everyone’s faces.
Right, right.
Young people shouldn’t be giving up on life already, should they?
There had to be some desperate struggling to survive.
Now. The atmosphere had been set appropriately enough, and it was time to make a solid profit using the image he had built up until now.
“Then, before we begin, I will collect offerings for the God of Light.”
Yohan invoked the name of God in a reverent voice.
“What?”
“O-Offerings?”
“Are you saying you intend to make money off people’s lives right now?”
Cold water was thrown over the heated atmosphere.
Like he cared?
This torch wasn’t public property. Naturally, he had no intention of letting them use it for free.
“10%. I’ll take exactly 10% of what each of you owns. Ah, bank transfers and Naver Pay are also accepted, as are coins, but no shitcoins.”
The God of Light he believed in was the god of capitalism, after all.
He had even prepared trendy payment methods suitable for the MZ Generation.
Though the Knights and soldiers belonging to the Hestia Empire would have no choice but to pay in physical goods.
“10%? You’re nothing but a highway robber. I can’t tell who the real Scavenger is.”
One Hunter alternated his gaze between the Scavengers outside the barrier and Yohan.
“Hahaha. I’d profit more by taking every item off your corpses, but I’m graciously giving you this opportunity. Please, do not dishonor God’s mercy.”
Once again, if they didn’t like it, they were free to leave.
“I-I’ll pay…. You said you accept Magic Stones too, right?”
Yuki was the first to step forward.
She was already at her limit, so she wasn’t in any position to be picky.
Starting with her, everyone emptied their pockets.
“Hoehh. Thank you ever so much.”
“We accept shellfish too. Pen shells receive preferential treatment.”
“If you’re caught skimming off the top, you’ll be sent to the brig.”
The Sea Otters wandered around carrying bundles as they collected items and Magic Stones.
They didn’t forget to meticulously calculate the value of the items each person was wearing either.
‘Very nice.’
A satisfied smile appeared on Yohan’s lips.
Seeing the offerings pile up made his faith well up naturally.
He could carefully check who had contributed what later.
Now it was time to test just how well the torch burned.
[The Safe Zone disappears!]
Yuki’s Trait vanished.
Instead.
Fwoosh!
[The ‘Torch of Radiance’ drives away the darkness!]
Light spread outward, wide enough to easily encompass fifty people.
＊＊＊
“Kieeeeee!”
“Keeee!”
The Scavengers burrowed through the gaps between the flickering light.
Stab!
Slash!
Each time, the Hunters mercilessly swung their weapons.
It was a close call.
They had already nearly been snatched away by the Scavengers several times.
“Th-This is damn dangerous, isn’t it?”
“Didn’t you clearly say this was a Safe Zone?
If the Defensive Stronghold and Safe Zone were business class, the Torch of Radiance was economy.
And economy on an ultra-low-cost airline operating out of a developing country at that.
“Why are all of you complaining so much? You should be grateful that we can even move like this thanks to Mr. Yohan!”
“Everyone, shut up and follow!”
Yuki and Lee Siwoo immediately cut down the various complaints.
“He possesses such tremendous skill, yet he is protecting everyone while taking only 10% as the price of your lives. At least show some basic gratitude.”
A Knight from the Empire’s side also added a word.
Still, it wasn’t too bad having people who appreciated his efforts.
However. It was also true that the situation wasn’t as easy as expected.
‘Frozen Orb’, ‘Curtain of Fire’, and even ‘Area Freeze’.
He repeatedly used wide-area spells, but the number of endlessly surging Scavengers remained enormous.
The one fortunate thing was that the Tankers had done their part, allowing them to cover a considerable distance.
A valley could be seen far ahead.
The second rendezvous point wasn’t far away.
It had the largest Defensive Stronghold, and it should also be close to the Nephilim’s Domain.
Even the Scavengers wouldn’t persist in pursuing them that far.
Just then.
Tukwaaaang!
A terrifying sound of something tearing through the air rang out.
A hook plunged through the edge of the flickering flames.
“Guaaaaah!”
A Supporter on the flank was hit.
The hook had buried itself deep into his shoulder.
“S-Save me!”
He screamed and reached out, but it was already too late.
In the blink of an eye, he had been dragged into the area swarming with Scavengers.
Papapapak!
Crunch!
A spray of blood erupted.
Damn it. This wasn’t the work of Scavengers that could do nothing but gnaw at things.
The higher species that had slobbered all over them earlier. The Devourer had arrived.
“Kikikiki….”
The gigantic monster swung its hook around and around.
Was it fishing or something? Did it plan to pluck them out and eat them one by one like that?
If Rodbrock had been here at a time like this, he would have firmly protected the flank.
If Scarlet had been here, she would have densely spread her Blood Threads to block the throws.
There was no need to even mention Seo Changhee or Vivian.
He once again keenly felt the absence of his companions.
Bwoooong!
The hook flew in once more.
It was a throw aimed precisely at the boundary of the flames.
Not this time.
He summoned ‘Ice Explosion Spear’ and intercepted it head-on.
Kwaaaang!
The ice fragments shattered apart, and the hook was knocked off course.
However.
Stop!
The hook defied the laws of physics and stopped in midair.
[The Devourer activates the Unique Ability ‘Prey Tracking’!]
Then, as though it were alive, it surged downward again.
An ability that pursued a target it had marked with its saliva to the very end.
This was exactly why Devourers were so damn persistent.
Kagagagang!
Fortunately, Lee Siwoo intervened this time.
“Tch. Straightforward close combat isn’t exactly my specialty.”
Assassination-types shone brightest when launching surprise attacks.
Blocking a lump of iron that clearly weighed dozens of kilograms wasn’t his role.
‘Yuki probably can’t use Night Parade of One Hundred Demons here either.’
Her ability to command ghosts was undeniably overpowered, but only when she could properly control them.
Using Night Parade of One Hundred Demons at her current level of proficiency could endanger even her allies.
And to make matters worse….
[The Torch of Radiance is dying out.]
Crackle! Crackle….
Maintaining enough firepower to protect fifty people wasn’t easy.
Especially while the Devourer and Scavengers continued their relentless assault.
“The sun is rising!”
At someone’s shout, Yohan raised his head and saw the darkness slowly receding.
The morning they had been waiting for was finally beginning to dawn.
The Scavengers’ movements noticeably slowed.
Just a little longer.
They only had to hold out a little longer.
Papapapow!
Kwaaaang!
“Guaaaaah!”
“Keeee!”
Predators trying to devour them. And those struggling to survive.
The balance between the two remained precariously even.
The raiding party that had started with fifty-one people had already been reduced to forty-four.
“Keep going! The summit is right before us!”
The Imperial Knight activated the Trait [Commander’s Flag].
[Morale +2 and Charisma +1 increase!]
[Endurance temporarily increases by 3%!]
“May the Dawn of Light be with you!”
When the Paladin’s Holy Blessing descended upon them, a warm energy welled up from within their bodies.
Step after step accumulated.
As the rising sun poured out an indescribable light, the Scavengers covered their bodies as though in pain.
The Devourer’s hook had also lost its initial ferocity.
As expected of creatures whose activity rapidly declined during the day.
“This way!”
Yohan led the raiding party toward the hill.
They had to reach the place where sunlight would fall first if they wanted to increase their chances of survival even slightly.
[The Low-tier Skill ‘Earth Spikes’ activates!]
Kwakakakakaka!
Spikes surged through the ground and pierced the Scavengers.
And at the same time.
Pajijit!
The crimson droplets of blood gathered on the tips of the spikes all lit up at once.
[The Bloodline Power ‘Blood Burst’ activates!]
Papapapapapow!
Brilliant explosions dyed his vision crimson.
Since he had even mixed in Blood Scorpion Venom through ‘Natural Poison Imbuement’, the effect could only be even greater.
And so.
Whoooosh….
The sunlight spilling across the hill announced the arrival of a new time in Purgatory.
“Kieee.”
“Keeeek!”
The Scavengers retreated like an ebbing tide.
The endlessly overflowing white wave disappeared as though it had never existed in only a few dozen seconds.
“We did it!”
“W-We survived! We survived!”
Cheers erupted from the raiding party that had crossed the Deathtrap.
After being screwed over again and again. At least they had some luck at the very end.
They had found one of the few hills in Purgatory where sunlight could reach properly, since most of it was blocked by tree branches.
‘As expected, there’s always a way to survive.’
From now on, he should probably cut back a little on whining or cursing about the Forbidden Book….
Ttring!
[The highest-tier reward drops due to ‘Qualification of Perseverance’.]
[1 Trait has been dropped.]
[1 Rune has been dropped.]
Damn it.
This was bad.
He took back everything he had just said.
＊＊＊
A Trait and a Rune.
Traits allowed one to obtain various abilities regardless of Class. And Runes, which granted additional options to items, possessed value beyond imagination.
Even a B-rank item could possess the power of an AA-rank item. Or even higher, if it was properly enhanced with Runes.
It was also possible to drastically raise one’s Divinity by creating combinations of synergistic Traits.
‘Unless they’re idiots, everyone here knows that.’
That these rewards absolutely couldn’t be given up.
“That’s a Trait, isn’t it?”
“Look at that. It’s a Rune. I heard our Guild only just managed to obtain two of those.”
The atmosphere of embracing one another and cheering had disappeared long ago.
Everyone swallowed dryly, their eyes gleaming with greed.
“If that happens to be an Attack Speed Rune….”
Lee Siwoo twitched his fingers.
“What kind of Trait could it be?”
Even Yuki showed her desire.
Of all places, these had to drop right in the middle of the raiding party.
There were far too many eyes watching for Yohan to openly take them.
“As I understand it, when spoils drop in a normal Dungeon, they are distributed according to contribution. It seems the greatest contributor has already been decided. What do you all think?”
The Knight praised Yohan, who was holding the torch.
This was unexpected.
‘I didn’t think he’d actually take my side.’
This was probably thanks to his accomplishments at the Temple too.
He had heard that the story of Robert giving him the ring had been widely circulated among countless Knights.
Just then.
“Is the reason he’s the greatest contributor because of that torch?”
Cordelia, the Paladin, stepped forward.
“That is precisely why.”
“How strange. If that’s the case, I seem to remember that all of us paid 10% and fairly compensated him for its use.”
“Th-That’s right. The Paladin is right.”
“We paid a fair price!”
Voices of agreement rose from all around.
This was why a raiding party made up of a jumbled mixture of people was dangerous.
Everyone ended up pursuing their individual interests to the extreme instead of the group’s interests.
As the atmosphere grew even more heated, Cordelia added another remark.
“I believe the proper thing to do would be to sell these and recognize everyone’s share according to the number of people. Ah, of course. I don’t need my share. I’m already fully satisfied simply by serving God’s will and saving so many lives.”
She put forward a justification while sacrificing her own interests.
Naturally, she won over the entire raiding party in an instant.
“Well. Let’s do that.”
Yohan readily backed down.
“Are you sure?”
“It’s only right.”
There was nothing he could do about this part, since it was a custom that had existed for a very long time.
Besides. Something had caught his interest more than the Trait or Rune right in front of him.
‘Cordelia….’
The greed everyone should naturally possess.
The fact that he couldn’t see it meant she was hiding an even greater scheme.
‘Found the Mafia.’
The Defensive Stronghold had the characteristic that it could only be destroyed by Divine Power.
And if she had deliberately used a blessing during the first battle to lure in the Scavengers….
The probability increased dramatically.