Level 4 Human in a Ruined World - Chapter 53

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

Chapter 53 14. The Judge Who Holds a Longsword (6)

Hoping there would be useful items left… Young-woo mulled over Shin Young-ju’s words as he walked toward the light pillar ahead.

The total amount of Karma he currently possessed was 871,000.

‘With this money, I should be able to buy at least Unique-grade Equipment.’

Of course, nine times out of ten, Shin Young-ju would have already claimed the good deals, but Young-woo still had an advantage. His main intermediary, Kubu.

‘There is a variable though. The merchant here has already conducted one transaction.’

The benefit that Young-woo’s intermediary Kubu provided was showing him the merchants who had bid on transactions and allowing him to directly choose the desired target from among them.

But what if Young-woo contacted a merchant who had already finished bidding and even completed the final transaction?

Would Kubu still show him a new merchant list and let him choose the desired trader in this case too?

‘I’ll find out this time. As long as no particular incident breaks out.’

Quietly looking back, he could see Shin Young-ju maintaining an appropriate distance while slowly following him.

Her expression was also extremely gentle, and Golden Flash didn’t detect any killing intent from her either, but Young-woo couldn’t relax his guard.

Because he kept thinking that if he were Shin Young-ju, he wouldn’t let this outsider live and leave.

‘There’s no one around watching… It’s the optimal place to commit murder secretly from the citizens. If she strikes from behind during the transaction, my reaction would inevitably be slow.’

Having run here together, she would have noticed that his ability stats were low, so if she just set aside her moral conscience a bit, this current situation would be an unparalleled growth opportunity for Shin Young-ju.

And using the power gained that way, she could protect Chungju City even more firmly.

But even so, if she didn’t aim for his back until the very end…

‘Then I’ll have no choice but to acknowledge it. That I’m viewing the world too maliciously.’

Even while thinking this, Young-woo drew the Black Sword and Early Bird from his belt and thrust them into the ground.

Kwak!

This was in case Shin Young-ju launched a rear assault, so he could call these swords back to counterattack.

Then Shin Young-ju, who had been watching this, asked with a puzzled expression.

“What’s that all of a sudden?”

“It’s my way of showing courtesy. It would be a bit awkward for someone who came to trade to be carrying weapons.”

“…?”

Young-woo left behind his opponent who looked dumbfounded and walked toward the light pillar again.

‘About twenty meters, I’d say.’

The distance from where he had planted the swords to the light pillar was approximately 20 meters.

Swish.

When he touched around his chest area, he could feel the dagger he had tucked inside his clothes.

If Shin Young-ju’s movements were faster than expected, he would end up facing her before the swords stuck in the ground could return.

And if the situation really came to that, he planned to draw even the dagger to buy time.

‘If the blade grazes her even slightly… there’s enough chance of victory.’

「Golden Punishment」 – Legendary Bracelet

【Inflicts pain on enemies.】

【Accumulated Golden Rain: 4】

What Young-woo, who would certainly be at a disadvantage in ability stats, was counting on was the tremendous pain that Golden Punishment would deliver.

Wasn’t it the effect that made even extremely enraged Mutants unable to properly control their bodies?

“Whew.”

When Young-woo had finished all his mental preparations, the distance between him and the black light pillar had shrunk to about ten meters, and finally the merchant’s form began to be revealed.

-Kirruk.

Perhaps sensing Young-woo’s presence from over there, it made an alien sound, and soon after.

“Ugh…”

A grotesque being that made even Young-woo, who had been through all sorts of trials, hesitate for a moment, extended part of its body outside the light pillar.

Swoosh.

It was precisely.

‘That… that thing is also called a merchant?’

A very giant cockroach.

That very cockroach commonly seen on Earth.

The difference was that its body length appeared to be easily 5 meters.

Unable to come out completely beyond the light pillar, its long antennae that would normally be straight were noticeably curved upward along the pillar’s wall.

“Good heavens.”

When Young-woo muttered in a horrified tone, Shin Young-ju from behind spoke in a low voice.

“I still can’t get used to seeing it again. I get scared every time I see that thing. What on earth will happen in the future… things like this are unpredictable.”

In Shin Young-ju’s voice, Young-woo caught a glimpse of fear for the first time.

“Still, you managed to trade with it well. What did you buy from that guy, Judge?”

At Young-woo’s question, Shin Young-ju looked dazed for a moment, then burst into laughter.

“That guy? I’ve been feeling this since earlier, but Young-woo, you’re really a unique person. I guess it’s because you’re young.”

Then she pointed at the cockroach-shaped merchant with her finger.

“Check it out yourself. I didn’t buy much.”

-Kirruk.

The merchant cockroach let out a cry right on cue.

At this, Young-woo took a deep breath and stepped toward the light pillar.

Then, not long after, the space between him and the light pillar split open and intermediary Kubu appeared.

Swish.

―It is an honor to meet again with Jung Young-woo07, the human of Earth and strongest of Gyeongbuk!

―I am Kubu, master of the Tenta Tribe and guardian of Daro, who will be intermediating this transaction.

Kubu’s usual greeting.

Next, the creature blinked its eyes a couple of times and began looking around.

This was the first time Kubu had examined the transaction site while even rolling its eyeballs.

In other words, it sensed something strange.

That made sense, since in both previous transactions, Young-woo had been the first trader.

But this time.

―Someone came first. Transaction records exist.

Since a troubled tone leaked from Kubu’s voice, Young-woo asked.

“But trading is still possible, right? Or don’t tell me the commission fee has changed.”

―Trading is possible. The commission fee also remains unchanged, but changing the transaction target is…

Kubu, who had been continuing its answer while keeping its gaze fixed on Young-woo, suddenly rolled its eyeball to look somewhere.

Then.

―Be careful.

It uttered a line Young-woo hadn’t expected.

But he thought he knew the reason.

“…!”

It was also at this moment that Golden Flash, which had been silent until now, output a warning message.

“Your Sensory Stats have temporarily increased from the existing 100 to 866.”

‘Crazy.’

His Sensory Stats increased by a whopping 766.

This meant that the opponent who had ambushed him had Sensory Stats of 1532.

And in this vicinity, the only being who could possess such ability stats was…

Whoosh!

When he turned his head back, he saw Chungju First Sword Shin Young-ju22 charging at him with golden light emanating from her eyes.

According to the Hologram Guide of Gyeongbuk Sword Technique, the opponent’s sword tip had already reached his neck.

“…!”

Since the hologram wasn’t even attempting a counterattack and only recommended evasive maneuvers, Young-woo also followed suit and twisted his body.

Swish.

Then Shin Young-ju’s thrust pierced through where Young-woo’s neck had been by the narrowest of margins.

“Judge…!”

Young-woo rolled backward to create distance, but it was useless. Shin Young-ju’s movements were much faster.

“I’m sorry.”

Shin Young-ju’s figure, who had closed the distance in the blink of an eye, appeared pitch black as she had her back to the sun.

And then immediately.

Slash!

Before Young-woo could even draw his dagger, Shin Young-ju’s sword cut through the air.

“Guhk!”

Intense pain felt in his abdomen.

Young-woo immediately realized that something had gone terribly wrong.

Even aside from the pain, his upper body was collapsing forward against his will.

‘No way.’

He didn’t even need to look down.

The pain that had become much clearer than before and the floating sensation explained everything.

His body had been cut in half by that single strike.

If there was any silver lining in this misfortune, it was that the senses he had stolen from his opponent hadn’t left him yet, he could probably still move his arms though he wasn’t certain, and his mind was intact enough to think this far.

“Ahhhhh!”

Young-woo let out a sound that could have been either a battle cry or a scream as he called back the two swords he had planted 20 meters away.

At the same time, he drew the dagger he had kept in his chest and swung it.

Whoosh!

Since his head was already crashing into the ground, he could only slash around the opponent’s ankle area, but Young-woo’s final struggle had a significant effect.

“Wh-what is this…?”

Because he succeeded in diverting Shin Young-ju’s attention, if only briefly.

Enough for her to notice a bit late that two swords were flying toward her from behind like arrows.

Whiiiish!

“Huk.”

Shin Young-ju belatedly realized what the holograms that had been cluttering her vision meant.

Chungju Swordsmanship was demanding unconditional evasive maneuvers, but she was already in the middle of swinging her sword to deflect Early Bird.

This was purely a reflexive action.

Early Bird had caught the sunlight and flashed, capturing her attention.

So inevitably.

Crash!

She failed to see the black sword that had just pierced through her chest.

“Haak…!”

Having suffered major physical damage for the first time in her life, Shin Young-ju didn’t know what to do as she watched blood streaming from her chest.

“Y-Young-woo!”

She was so flustered that she even called for help from Young-woo, whom she had cut in half just seconds ago.

However, Young-woo himself was preoccupied watching the strange scene of the black sword returning to its original position after completing its mission.

To his lower half that was lying over there, bleeding out.

“…It was almost complete.”

For some reason his consciousness remained clear, so Young-woo felt both excruciating pain and burning frustration simultaneously.

Only after Shin Young-ju, who could no longer support her body, collapsed to the floor did he turn his attention back to this chaos.

“Judge… Judge, you’re not dead yet, right?”

He asked because Shin Young-ju’s legs were trembling, but no answer came back.

Perhaps she didn’t even have the strength to open her mouth as she was experiencing the pain inflicted by Golden Punishment.

When his thoughts reached this point, Young-woo felt genuinely sorry.

“I’m sorry. If I had the strength, I would have at least killed you quickly. I’m probably dying soon too, so my arms aren’t moving well.”

Looking closely, Shin Young-ju’s trembling had lessened compared to before. She too was truly dying.

“Whoever passes by here next will hit the jackpot.”

Just as he was about to make his final joke before death and open his inventory window, a small silhouette entered his field of vision in the distance.

-Kiiit…

It was none other than the artifact-grade slave Golden Goblin.

When the battle started, it had quickly left the battlefield and was watching the situation unfold.

“Hey! Over here, over here!”

-Kiit?

Even after confirming that Young-woo was conscious, the creature just lingered around the area without coming to help.

“…Well, you’d be free if I died. Anyway, I’m screwed.”

So this was it.

Perhaps a First Sword from a Grade 4 human background was destined not to live long.

“I couldn’t even live two days. If it wasn’t for the reset, I would have lived 3 years.”

|Name: Jung Young-woo

|Role: Grade 4 Extra

|Function: Background, Consumable

|Creation: April 8, 1992, 11:41 PM, fertilization by willful negligence.

|Destruction: November 7, 2028, 8:36 PM, death from beating by drunk on way home.

Young-woo let out a hollow laugh as he recalled his Fate Record, which had once felt disgusting to him.

Then, as he was about to slowly close his eyes.

Beep!

Suddenly, a car horn sounded from somewhere, waking him up again.

“…?”

It wasn’t far away.

He could even feel the characteristic vibrations of a car through the ground.

Though he no longer had the strength to turn his head, he could quickly tell who it was without having to see with his eyes.

“Boss? Where are you?”

Jong-su, who had abandoned the Jung Family, was coming this way.

Grade 4 Human in the Ruined World (Serial)

Author │ Oetu

Publisher │ Kim Ju-hyeong

Published by │ J Plus Media Co., Ltd.

Marketing │ Han Jae-hyeok

Address │ Seoul Guro-gu Digital-ro 288, Room 204 (Guro-dong, Daeryung Post Tower 1)

Email │ [email protected]

Website │ www.jayplemedia.com

ⓒOetu2023

※This work is published by J Plus Media Co., Ltd. under contract with the copyright holder, and no part of the content may be used in any form or by any means without permission from the company and the author.

Violation of this may result in criminal and civil legal liability.

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