I Awakened as a Dark History - Chapter 20

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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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Chapter 20
It’s sweltering.
Everything around me burns as though I’m trapped inside flame.
Is it because I’m inside the Sea Serpent’s mouth? Or perhaps……
“Nakhwa.”
……the fire blazes all around me.
Crack-crack-crack—
Something was moving through the space around me.
Soon the area above my head grows bright.
Like someone who has spotted the mouth of a tunnel, I beat my wings toward the light and soar upward.
“Hunter!”
I hear the team leader’s voice from below, a mixture of shock and joy.
But he knows what matters more than that.
“Support him! Cast your support skill and attack together!”
A hunter standing on a rooftop raises his hand at the team leader’s shout.
“Sound Seven Trumpets!”
Only then do I notice something fluttering down above my head.
“What?”
The Thorn Thicket that began at my feet stretches over my back and drapes down past my head.
And the Thorn Thicket scatters petals like rain—deep violet, luminous petals.
The lily-like flowers blooming downward toward the ground don’t appear to be my skill.
When I look around, I see a hunter pouring magical power toward me.
It must be a support skill.
‘The magical power contained in Nakhwa is growing stronger.’
Each time the lily-like flowers sway, the falling petals ripple in deeper hues.
The poison has intensified.
But the Sea Serpent did not die in a single blow.
Screeeech! Screech!
The Sea Serpent thrashes its head and roars savagely.
Inside its gaping maw, I see wounds and a tongue turned black.
Nakhwa’s fundamental effect is poisoning.
The moment I cast the skill, that Sea Serpent had me in its mouth.
‘So it swallowed the poison?’
This poison comes courtesy of a dark elf. The price of passage is one’s life.
Yet even now, those slit-pupiled eyes gleam with awareness and fix upon me.
The Sea Serpent, certain that I am the source of its agony, crouches low before hurling itself toward me.
Whoosh—
I’m not fool enough to stay in the path of an unrestrained, head-on assault.
At the same time, I check my Synchronization Rate.
‘……15, 21, 27%……’
My constant, bristling behavior has paid off—my synchronization climbs steadily.
And the skill cooldown as well.
[Cooldown]
00:00:01
[Cooldown has completed.]
[The skill ‘Thorn Thicket’ is now available.]
“Thorn Thicket.”
The Sea Serpent, which had been crouching again, suddenly cries out in agony.
Screeeeeech—!!
Black thorns coil around the long body of the Sea Serpent, binding it fast.
The Sea Serpent writhes, trying to slip free from the thorns, but the deeper it struggles, the deeper they bite.
Gag, hack!
Scratches multiply across its hard scales, and blood runs freely from the Sea Serpent’s mouth.
But I have another problem: I have no magical power left to attack with.
‘I can’t finish it. I have to end this completely……’
Just then, a voice reaches my ear as I grit my teeth.
“Keep it restrained just as it is! I’ll strike!”
Seo Yeon-hu, who had plunged into the water earlier, now stands on a nearby building’s railing.
He grips a new Long Sword in hand, and in one fluid motion leaps toward the Sea Serpent’s head.
Squelch—!
Shriek! Screech!
Unlike before, the creature aimed not at its head but at its eyes.
As the Sea Serpent thrashed and collided with nearby buildings, the team leader released the thread.
And then.
“I’m late—huff, huff. My apologies!”
“Hunter Lee Gwan-hae!”
“I’ll cast Curse first! Attack now!”
Behemoth Team had arrived.
Bound in Curse, the Sea Serpent’s writhing grew considerably weaker.
Behind the Curse hunter stood a hunter wielding Weight Manipulation, and it was clear he too was expending considerable effort.
With both Curse and Weight Manipulation stacked together, we gained a bit more breathing room.
And there was one more person adding their attack to the fray.
Whistle—!
A thin spear tore through the air and lodged itself in the creature’s mouth.
That was only the beginning. One struck the throat, another the belly, another the head.
With each successive spear, they drove deeper.
As I stood transfixed watching the spectacle, a sharp voice pierced my ears.
“Hunter!”
Seo Yeon-hu reached toward me from above, stretching out his hand.
He said nothing more, but his meaning came through immediately.
I flew quickly and seized his hand firmly.
“Thank you!”
Seo Yeon-hu was pulled lightly by my grip and flew gently skyward.
“Above its head!”
Again, no lengthy explanation was needed. I hurled him above the Sea Serpent’s head.
The Weight Manipulation hunter’s hand moved toward Seo Yeon-hu. The man who had been light suddenly became.
Crunch—!
Heavy, plummeting onto the creature’s head.
The Sea Serpent could not even manage a final cry.
The enormous serpent’s body split in two—one half crashed onto the road, the other onto a building.
In place of its death scream came a notification panel before my eyes.
[Dungeon ‘Forest and Sea’ has been cleared.]
[Your Contribution Score ranks third.]
At last the notification appeared, and the Association hunters slumped to the ground where they stood.
Like a dragonfly drained of energy, I descended slowly toward the nearest rooftop.
Contribution scores, rankings—I just wanted to go home.
“Just send me home……”
I’d walked out of the bank, and now look at me.
Whoosh—
The water that had flooded the streets was sucked back into the dungeon, vanishing in an instant.
But the corpses of the Sea Serpent and the harpies remained where they lay, proof of what had transpired here.
I leaned my head against the railing and breathed a sigh of relief.
Now my body began to ache all over.
Since I’d taken no direct hits, there were no serious wounds.
Yet my clothes were spattered with blood, and bruises were scattered visibly across my skin.
Though I possessed healing ability as a healer, I could not wield it on myself alone.
It was like that old saying—a monk cannot cut his own hair.
These wounds would have to heal naturally.
‘I should grab a first-aid kit on the way home.’
While I was surveying my injuries, the Association Response Team had already descended to the now-drained ground.
They waved at me from the empty road below.
“Hunter! You’ll want to collect your dungeon clear reward!”
Could I just go home instead?
Did I really have to collect it?
I wanted to just vanish.
But.
“Right, coming! Coming!”
This reward would be more than fifty-eight hundred, surely!
After all this grueling work!
My feet were already carrying me toward them.
Nothing beats financial healing!
* * *
A warm, cozy home.
“Hehehehe. Hehehehehehe.”
The house filled with mindless, foolish laughter.
Sea Serpent Poison (S-Rank)
Behemoth Horn (A-Rank)
Harpy Wing Feather (B-Rank)
Nol’s Tooth (F-Rank)
There were eleven Harpy Wing Feathers and a whopping twenty-three Nol’s Teeth.
Looking at the items spread across the floor, laughter bubbled up unbidden.
An S-Rank item, no less.
S-Rank!
“Kahahahahaha!”
A villainous cackle burst out on its own.
I’d always wondered why villains laughed so wickedly. Now I had my answer.
People, when your mood is this good, you laugh like this!
“Ah, I’d do all that again in a heartbeat. Really.”
The Association Response Team clearly handled situations like this often—their response was nothing short of exemplary.
At the time, I’d nodded along without much thought when they suggested taking all the items while they handled the Mana Stones, since extracting those from the corpse took time. But looking back, it was the right call.
I’d made a good decision without even realizing it.
The bandages and wraps covering various parts of my body couldn’t dampen this joy.
When I was applying disinfectant and ointment—it stung, it ached—I’d sworn never to fight again. But human hearts are fickle things.
‘Even a B-Rank sword went for over two thousand dollars. An S-Rank item… how much could that possibly be worth?’
Financial healing really is the best kind of healing.
A river of wealth flowing into me.
I resented having to go back to the Hunter Center, but the thought of all that money waiting made the inconvenience bearable.
I gathered the items on the table carefully.
I lined up the Nol’s Teeth—which had to be sold through the app—neatly and snapped photos first.
Nol’s Teeth typically fetched between eighty and a hundred thousand won apiece.
Next came the problem of the Harpy Wing Feathers.
‘Nol’s Teeth and Harpy Wing Feathers look like material-type items… should I just sell them through the app too?’
The Harpy Wing Feathers were B-Rank, but they had no immediate practical effect as usable items.
Nol’s Teeth and skeleton bones were the same way, so these were probably material-type items.
If so, they probably wouldn’t fetch prices comparable to a sword.
If they were under two thousand won, I could sell them through the app, but…
“Since I have to go to the Hunter Center anyway for the Sea Serpent Poison and Behemoth Horn, I might as well get those appraised too.”
If they went to auction, I might make even more—and wasn’t that a good thing?
I photographed the Nol’s Teeth and uploaded them, then carefully packed the other items into an eco-bag.
“I’ll sell you beauties this weekend.”
My right hand held the bankbook, my left the items.
I felt full without eating.
But that was just feeling; food was still food.
I decided to indulge without hesitation.
Tonight’s menu: beef tartare bibimbap! Extra beef tartare!
[We are not currently open for business.]
Damn.
* * *
Chicken, in the end.
Chicken, though I’d added a drink and side dishes for the sake of luxury.
I turned on the TV while eating the leftover sides.
The eight o’clock news was just starting.
The background was the very street I’d been on today.
[…The situation has been brought under control thanks to the Association’s Wave Response Team. Property damage is still being assessed, but civilian casualties are expected to be minimal.]
The screen showed broken water pipes, flooded lower levels, and roads and buildings cracked and shattered in places.
Even amid all that destruction, hearing that civilian losses were light filled me with quiet pride.
My influence was there, just a little.
The thought made me feel a twinge of regret.
‘I should’ve grabbed a celebratory beer too, while I was at it.’
But for the sake of tomorrow’s work, I held off on drinking tonight.
If alcohol went into a tired body, I’d have trouble getting up in the morning.
While I was muttering this nonsense, the anchor reappeared on screen.
My satisfaction vanished as the anchor proceeded to the next story with an indifferent face and tone.
[Next story. An Upper-Grade Raid Team dispatched to clear an Upper-Grade Dungeon in Gangneung, Gangwon Province today was completely annihilated, with only one survivor. The dungeon’s sole survivor, B, has been moved to the Hunter Association.]
It was news I hadn’t heard in quite a long time.
“What……?”
Reports of an Upper-Grade Raid Team’s total annihilation had been remarkably rare since the gates first appeared.
These were teams worthy of the “Upper-Grade” designation—experienced and thoroughly prepared.
Their annihilation meant a catastrophe beyond what could be handled inside the dungeon, or that a high-tier monster had appeared.
Such news bred anxiety and fear not just among hunters, but among civilians too.
Upper-Grade Raid Teams that failed clearance always triggered Waves, and those Waves always brought catastrophic damage.
In the entire country, there had been exactly four such dungeon Waves so far.
Despite evacuation each time, the casualty count alone had easily exceeded a thousand.
Among them, hunters hadn’t escaped light casualties either.
I straightened up and focused on the news.
[During this operation, it was revealed that B is a high-tier hunter approaching S-Rank. The Hunter Association has made clear that under personal information protection law, B’s exact grade cannot be disclosed in advance.]
Approaching S-Rank meant there was a high probability the assessment would come back S-Rank.
Were we about to add one more official S-Rank hunter to the country?
“Man, scout offers are gonna pour in like crazy.”
I mumbled and shoved the last remaining side dish into my mouth.
[The Gate has currently been closed by B, and the Hunter Association has begun follow-up measures to allow evacuated residents to return home.]
“Ah, so the Gate’s been closed.”
That was a relief, at least.
With the news shifting to sports coverage as background noise, I closed my eyes.
Exhaustion I’d been suppressing beneath the weight of work came crashing down like a breaking dam.
I didn’t even think to turn off the TV before sleep dragged me under.
‘Weekend Hunter Center. Weekend, Hunter Center…….’
* * *
That’s what should have happened…….
“It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Seo Il-hak, President of the Hunter Association.”
Why was I sitting here?
This situation traced back a full thirty minutes.

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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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