I Awakened as a Dark History - Chapter 10

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 10
It was as if someone had spliced CGI and special effects directly into reality.
“Wow…….”
The Mage gasped, momentarily lost for words.
Had circumstances been different, I might have marveled at the sight myself.
Flowers bloomed in every direction around me.
The floor and even the ceiling were awash with luminous blossoms of every hue imaginable.
It was as though we stood in a garden hidden within the cavern itself.
“The wounds…….”
Of course, the flowers were not the skill’s only effect.
The deep gashes covering the Melee DPS had vanished entirely, and every large and small wound on the Tanker and Leader had faded without a trace.
And unexpectedly, there was one more ally who had benefited from this skill’s reach.
“The plants have completely bound the Skeleton and the Durahan. Leader, we strike now!”
Each time the plants were torn or severed, they regenerated instantly, coiling tighter around the creatures’ bodies.
My party members, far quicker to read the situation than I was, sprang into action without hesitation.
“Flame, ignite!”
The Mage, barely gathering enough mana, conjured fire, while the Leader swung a shattered shield at the Durahan’s knee, throwing off its balance.
The Tanker, fist clad in gauntlet, hammered the creature’s upper body, finally bringing the Durahan crashing down.
The final blow fell to the Melee DPS.
He tore his hand from mine and hurled himself toward the Durahan.
Drawing the Auxiliary Sword from his belt, he plunged it into the creature’s hollow armor, straight through its core.
Ding—
And in that instant, a notification chimed in all our ears.
[The sudden boss of ‘Shadow Dungeon’ has been eliminated.]
[Dungeon Normalization is commencing.]
[Normalization Progress: 2%]
[Dungeon Reward settlement in progress.]
[Your Contribution Rate ranks first.]
Messages cascaded across my vision, obscuring everything.
Fortunately, sight mattered little to me now, so I sank to the ground, exhausted.
“It’s over……?”
“Yes. We simply need to head for the exit now.”
The Leader approached and offered his hand.
I smiled awkwardly and took it.
“That said, your hair is quite striking. Silver?”
God, I almost pulled away.
* * *
The Leader laid out the items retrieved from the dungeon, his expression clouded with disappointment.
“For all our effort, the reward is surprisingly meager.”
The rest of the party nodded, as though they had already grasped this fact.
I understood the reason well enough myself.
‘The Skeleton and the Wraith must have killed far more monsters than we did.’
While we had defeated only a handful of beasts we’d encountered, the Skeleton, Wraith, and Durahan had systematically slaughtered Shadow Cats and Dark Robes like an invading army.
Little wonder our share of the reward was small.
I swallowed a sigh and resolved to be grateful simply to have survived.
The others likely felt the same.
“Let’s take stock of what we’ve gained.”
First came the Magic Stones.
“Magic Stones from Shadow Cats and Dark Robes—D and C grade respectively, ten and seven of them.”
“There are also Skeleton Bones, Leader. Given they’re used for Curse Magic, they seem to be crafting materials. We have thirteen.”
And the final reward was a single sword.
The blade the Durahan had wielded.
“Its name is remarkably simple—Knight’s Dropped Sword. B grade, and it increases attack power by one hundred percent against undead.”
I dragged the sword forward from where I’d set it aside.
The party members’ eyes widened as they heard the weapon’s effect.
Though limited to undead targets, an effect that doubled attack power was extraordinary indeed.
“We’ll need to decide who takes this…….”
The Leader paused in thought for a moment, then handed the sword directly to me.
“I believe the Healer should take this one. Without you, we would have been wiped out entirely.”
A sword, to me—the Healer?
When I glanced around nervously, the others nodded without objection, as if to say they had no issue with it.
“Really? Me? But there are people whose weapons broke.”
“You saved our lives—what’s a sword compared to that? We’ll just buy new ones.”
Melee DPS laughed and waved his hand dismissively.
Mage and Tanker turned their eyes away, as though they had no interest in the sword at all.
“I think we should each take two D-grade Magic Stones, and one C-grade Magic Stone each, with the remaining two going to…”
Would I have to take them again?
I raised my hand quickly.
“Wouldn’t it be better if the people whose weapons broke took them?”
“Then you and Melee DPS should take them.”
Leader handed over the Magic Stones, and the two of them accepted without protest.
I was worried that even though Leader was doing all this giving, he wasn’t taking anything himself, but since no one spoke up, neither did I.
“I think it’s right for Mage to take the three remaining Skeleton Bones—the rest of us can just sell ours, but you might actually use them as materials, right?”
“Oh, thank you.”
Mage gathered up all five bones that were designated for him.
Though they were only D-grade materials, he seemed quite pleased with them, carefully cradling the bones in his arms.
“This dungeon expedition is complete. The Saturation Level has dropped as well.”
We looked up to check the Saturation Level displayed above the dungeon entrance.
[Dungeon Saturation Level]
12%
It seemed less that we’d resolved the crisis and more that the undead had killed the monsters for us, but with the Saturation Level lowered, it was still a good outcome.
Leader ran his hands through his disheveled hair and muttered in a weary voice.
“Let’s disband now.”
I clutched the reward that had been given to me and scratched my head.
I still had something I wanted to ask, so I carefully raised my hand.
Leader spotted me immediately and readily gave me the chance to speak.
“Healer? Is there something you’d like to say?”
“I think everyone probably knows this is my first time, but I wanted to ask anyway.”
I lowered my hand awkwardly as I spoke.
“Um… about this item—what should I do with it? I don’t think I’ll be using it, so I was wondering if there’s a way to dispose of it.”
And in that moment, silence fell over the party.
At the right edge of my vision, the Synchronization Rate flickered erratically.
[Current Synchronization Rate]
20%
It was clear that my question had been foolish.
I slapped on a poker face—one of the professional skills I’d learned—and smiled.
People don’t spit at a smiling face, after all.
‘Even if they do think I’m an idiot.’
* * *
On a beach flooded with bright sunlight, someone was looking at a Mobile Phone.
There was no internet connection, but it was still possible to check the previous messages they’d exchanged.
In the eyes that gazed at the chat window, a gold light shaped like lightning flickered.
Crack.
Someone grabbed his ankle.
He pulled his gaze from the chat window with an expressionless look and glanced down at his feet.
A figure pinned through by an iron stake stammered out a question to him.
“Sup… Support, please…”
He brushed the creature’s hand away carelessly.
“Lying isn’t something only you lot do.”
He stomped and twisted the Covenant Contract item that lay on the ground beneath his foot.
The “Covenant Contract” item began to tear bit by bit under his heel.
The text written upon it—nothing short of a slave contract—scattered with it.
“The content is always the same.”
Human trafficking of those with special skills had always thrived.
No matter how many times he stomped on it, it refused to disappear.
“This time, last time…”
He muttered to himself, then startled suddenly, touching his lips with his own hand.
The flickering eyes briefly took on a sharp, obsidian hue.
“What did I just say?”
Soon after, he picked up the Mobile Phone again and checked the chat room.

Ah, yes. I didn’t realize it was for experienced members only. My apologies. Goodbye.
The reply dripped with irritation.
Yet somehow I couldn’t stop staring at it.
Why had I entered this chat room at all?
Why had I pulled this person out of there?
Realizing I’d shown unwarranted kindness to someone I’d never even spoken to, a dull ache bloomed behind my eyes.
He retraced his memories slowly.
Recognizing his Awakening, checking his skills…….
‘Why did I download the application? Why didn’t I go to the Association first…… why?’
The memories existed, but they weren’t clear.
Separated from memory, his thoughts and feelings from that moment refused to surface with any clarity.
He cradled his forehead in one hand and groaned softly.
One of the fallen Hunters seized that moment of confusion.
The Hunter carefully pushed himself up and bolted across the beach, scrambling to escape.
The man’s hand shot out reflexively.
His eyes flickered yellow once more, now rippling with malice.
“This time too…… all of you had better hope you never meet that person.”
He flicked his hand.
The sand along the beach rose in unison, dragging the man into its depths.
“Aaahhh……!”
The scream was brief.
The others who remained all sank smoothly beneath the sand.
His eyes, once flickering yellow, faded to black.
And an error message flashed across his skill window.
[Skills]
―■■Manipulation―
A crack spreads across the skill that had clearly existed before.
[Skills]
■■Manipulation
This skill cannot currently be used.
―Metal Manipulation―
You can manipulate metal.
Proficiency is determined by your understanding and familiarity with the material in question.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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