I Tamed the First Rank Chapter 20

“Why are you scared? What is it? I told you I would definitely get you out of the dungeon.”

Hyeon Gyu-ha, whose indifference from just a moment ago had disappeared like an illusion, fidgeted, and grabbed In Yoo-shin’s shoulder.

“Yes, I do believe that you’ll send me off safely.”

“Then it’s fine.”

“Gyu-ha-ssi will be left alone in the dungeon. I’m no help in the fight……”

“I’m sure there’s a way.”

“What way?”

“……”

Hyeon Gyu-ha did not answer. From his expression, I realized that even if he died like this, he wouldn’t care at all. Even death was meaningless in the face of his boredom.

“I don’t want to go out alone. If I apply a buff to you, wouldn’t your mana consumption be a little less? Let’s figure out a way together. There are a lot of things I picked up while working at the Department of Supernatural Affairs and Public Safety.”

Hyeon Gyu-ha groaned heavily and pressed his forehead.

“…… Don’t look at me like that.”

“What, look…?”

“I keep thinking about that kid from 19 years ago.”

Hyeon Gyu-ha muttered something meaningless in response, rubbed his face and turned his head.

“There’s only one way. I didn’t want to use it because it was a cruel method, but…… It’s better for you than being anxious.”

With that, he touched In Yoo-shin’s neck again. Thump, thump, thump.

“So please, don’t be anxious.”

“I won’t.”

“Please hold my hand just once.”

In Yoo-shin silently held Hyeon Gyu-ha’s hand. His fingers, slightly soaked in cold sweat, became entangled with his. It seemed like Hyeon Gyu-ha was more anxious than me. If it weren’t for that taming skill, Hyeon Gyu-ha would still have an indifferent gaze instead of feeling uneasy.

“…… I’m really sorry about the taming skill.”

“It’s okay. After all, the performance of the free buff is quite excellent.”

Hyeon Gyu-ha smiled quietly and squeezed In Yoo-shin’s hand once before releasing it. He then took off the half-glove on his left hand and handed it to In Yoo-shin. The first thing Yoo-shin saw was a broken cross tattooed on the back of Gyu-ha’s left hand.

“I’m going to use some attribution artifacts later, but since I’m not expanding the field, I think you’ll probably feel a little dizzy—because we have a strong connection through our souls.”

Normally, I would have been a little embarrassed by his jokes, but this time, I was actually happy about them. Hyeon Gyu-ha’s gaze was now directed downward. On the ground, Atabeyra was still aggrieved.

“The dungeon is a world of taxidermized illusions, and the god who appears here is not the body of the original, but a mere fragment of the shadow cast. It doesn’t mean humans can’t touch it at all.”

“But weapons didn’t work against her.”

“To defeat a god, you need a suitable weapon or divine power. Moreover, Atabeyra is a god who has already been defeated.”

With his words, Hyeon Gyu-ha stretched both arms forward. At the same time, Atabeyra’s body, which had been running wild on the ground, suddenly stopped.

【———!】

The woman’s face was distorted, and her frog body was twisted. Intangible pressures were squeezing Atabeyra from all directions. Even the wind stopped, and the concentrated air grabbed and entangled her limbs.

The beetle slithered in and out of Atabeyra’s body as she struggled to escape the enormous pressure that rivalled her force.

Atabeyra’s body seemed to be making a screeching and twisting sound as she struggled to escape from the enormous gravity-like pressure. Her twisted flesh was torn apart, and blood flowed forth. The earth was stained by the blood dripping from the maddened god.

Blocking a massive entity that obscures the sun would certainly not be an easy task. Cold sweat formed on Hyeon Gyu-ha’s temples as he slowly moved his fingers as if he were lumping invisible clay into a ball.

“Shit. It’d be easier to split the 63 Building.” (a landmark in Seoul)

Hyeon Gyu-ha muttered a low curse and raised his arms.

【———!】

As Atabeyra’s massive body floated in the air, it felt as if the entire mountain was moving. Atabeyra’s struggles became more intense. Her flesh was torn deeply, and her fresh blood flowed out.

As Hyeon Gyu-ha spoke, Atabeyra was thrown into the sea.

Kuaaang!

The water level rose by tens of meters. In Yoo-shin was startled and stooped down in surprise. The stream of water rising backward hit the force field and scattered beneath his feet. It was as if he were looking down from directly above a fountain. The droplets of water, reflecting and scattering sunlight in countless ways like prisms, were paradoxically beautiful.

A huge cavity was dug in the sea surface for a short while, and the seawater pushed out by the impact rushed into the deep cavity like a violent whirlpool. Atabeyra, buried into the sea floor below, must be receiving enormous water pressure.

Hyeon Gyu-ha sighed and rubbed his temples.

“It’s buried so deep that it’ll take time for it to come up.”

“Uh, are you just trying to buy time?”

“Just for the time being. I hope Yoo-shin-ssi will feel safe and not be anxious.”

While Hyeon Gyu-ha was still talking, he jumped out of the force field. In Yoo-shin quickly followed him with his eyes.

【———!】

Emitting boiling, gurgling sounds, the sea was turbulent due to Atabeyra’s struggling to crawl up from below the surface. The tattoo on Hyeon Gyu-ha’s left hand shone.

[The artifact ‘Broken Cross of the Last Emperor’ belonging to Henry Raymond Charles Francois VII has been partially liberated.]

After partially liberating the attribution artifact, a vision in his head flowed through the bridge of the soul-link to In Yoo-shin.

It was of a cathedral, with majestic rays of light coming in through a high, round skylight, illuminating the symbol of the cross.

The final Eucharist that would last until the end of the empire was being held under the Son of God, who was crucified to atone for the sins of mankind. People wearing old, shabby clothes desperately prayed and sang hymns in despair.

「May the Lord God remember us all in his kingdom, now and always and forever.」

「Amen, to the King of all creation, surrounded by angelic hosts, receiving unseen protection. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.」

Thick tears flowed down the rough, wrinkled cheeks of the emperor who held the most ancient position.

When he woke up at the end of the dizzying fantasy, a brilliant light appeared on Hyeon Gyu-ha’s left arm. Atabeyra, bathed in the soaring, holy light, convulsed and screamed.

‘Ah…… That’s why Gyu-ha-ssi said he didn’t want to use it—because it was cruel.’

As he said, it was a truly cruel method. Weren’t parents and children killed by the same means?

At the same time, I thought it was ironic. Unlike those who massacred the children of Atabeyra with distorted beliefs, the memories of the artifacts released by Hyeon Gyu-ha were of faithful believers who sacredly upheld their faith until the end of their destruction.

The brilliant light that came from a decision of pure faith fell upon Supreme Deity Atabeyra.

***

[The hidden boss of the dungeon, ‘Supreme Deity Atabeyra,’ has died.]

[The dungeon has been completely cleared.]

Supreme Deity Atabeyra did not leave her body behind like other demon beasts. The only trace of her existence was the crystal stone left behind her as she disappeared into thin air.

“Gyu-ha-ssi!”

As soon as Hyeon Gyu-ha stepped down from the air, In Yoo-shin ran to him.

“Are you hurt anywhere?”

“I’m fine. Please hold out your hand for me quickly.”

“You’ve suddenly become more energetic.”

“Ah, shi—! Stop ignoring what I say!”

In the end, when a harsh sound came out of In Yoo-shin’s mouth, Hyeon Gyu-ha flinched and obediently held out his left arm. The damage to his left arm was terrible. If his arm got run over by a 5-ton truck, got oil poured on it, and threw it into the fire, this was what it would look like.

‘What if my healing doesn’t work?’

Wasn’t this a horrific injury that couldn’t even be compared to a stab wound? Despite only sweating a little, Hyeon Gyu-ha remained calm, not even uttering a single groan, while the one whose face had turned pale was rather In Yoo-shin.

He desperately gathered up mana and poured effort into healing. Milky healing power enveloped Hyeon Gyu-ha’s arms. And for a tamed entity, the Master’s skills were more effective than anything else in the world.

“Oh.”

Hyeon Gyu-ha briefly admired his cleanly healed left arm.

“The way it was supposed to go was, I had to go to a church, sprinkle some holy water, and get a blessing for it to be cured. I got better quickly that way too.”

“I’m really glad my healing worked……”

For some reason, In Yoo-shin was more exhausted than when he was watching the fight in full swing. After pouring in most of his available mana, he felt severely depleted. He was lucky he didn’t faint. Hyeon Gyu-ha gently supported In Yoo-shin’s waist using psychokinesis as he tried to sit down on the floor.

“I borrowed divine power without a holy relic, but it worked very easily with just one arm. Thanks to you, I also obtained the hidden boss crystal stone.”

The crystal stone that was floating on the sea flew through the air and landed in Hyeon Gyu-ha’s palm. Unlike the opaque crystal stones of ordinary monsters, it had a mysterious light that seemed to radiate five colors brilliantly from within.

Hyeon Gyu-ha, who was about to store the crystal stone into his inventory, pondered for a moment and held out his hand.

“Would you like me to show you something fun?”

“What is it?”

“Do you want to touch it?”

“May I?”

The brilliance of the five colors was amazing. In Yoo-shin gently placed his hand on the hidden boss crystal stone. It even felt warm, as if it had been soaked in hot water for a long time and then taken out.

‘When it’s cold, it would be nice to hug to keep warm.’

What an extravagant delusion it was to use hidden boss crystals, whose monetary value was difficult to pinpoint, as a substitute for a hot pack. While he was thinking nonsense, Hyeon Gyu-ha infused mana into the crystal stone.

It was that moment—

『Help me.』

The world changed completely.

P.A : I’ve been thinking… that maybe~~ both of them are connected 19 years ago. No! I’m convinced, I’ve been feeling this since Gyu-ha cut himself to test Yoo-shin’s healing abilities.

Editor M: Ah, I don’t like writing styles that don’t put dialogue in the same paragraph as the respective speaker, but what can we do? … Okay, complaining aside, where did the guy who tossed IYS off a cliff go.

------

Credits:

Translator: Hoshi Miya

Editor/Proofreader: Editor M

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