Murim Login - Chapter 271

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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 271
Screech!
The Iron Golem’s torso, hard as steel, was sliced apart like silken tofu.
Even magically-infused steel could not withstand the Crimson Flame Spear.
Wherever the spear blade cut and pierced, trails of fire bloomed, and molten metal dripped steadily to the ground.
Ding. Ding.
–
[Lv.95 Iron Golem]
has been defeated!
– You have gained a substantial amount of experience!
–
[Lv.95 Iron Golem]
has been defeated!
– You have gained a substantial amount of experience….
“What? Why is it so weak?”
Even I was taken aback by how easily I dispatched it.
Iron Golems are notoriously difficult monsters—exceptionally so. They cannot be killed without destroying their core, and their destructive power and durability are absolutely staggering.
‘Recovery that surpasses trolls, destructive power that rivals ogres.’
Beyond that, they possess inexhaustible stamina and magical resistance as well.
Their only weakness is slightly reduced speed, but when I consider all their advantages one by one, I question whether that even qualifies as a flaw.
It’s no wonder Golems are ranked among the upper echelon of A-rank monsters. And yet….
‘Why is this so easy?’
Whoooosh!
The wind pressure sent my hair scattering. The Iron Golem’s fist came crashing down toward my crown.
Screams erupted from among the Rookie guild members.
“Danger!”
That one needs some training. If a teammate is in danger, you should at least pick up a rock nearby to distract the enemy. What are they doing?
‘Well, they’re rookies after all.’
I clicked my tongue and clenched my fist.
In a fraction of a second split infinitely fine, decades of cultivation surged through my arm.
The Crimson Flame Spear transformed into blue fire, coating my fist.
And then….
Crash!
I threw my full force into it. Fist against fist—Iron Fist against Annihilating Flame Divine Fist.
With a metallic shriek, the ground caved inward and compressed air exploded outward. Through the swirling winds, I saw the Iron Golem staggering backward.
One of its arms, which had gleamed solidly just seconds before, was now melting into molten metal and dripping away, as if devoured by a fire dragon.
– Guh?
The Iron Golem is a magical construct devoid of emotion.
Yet in this moment, I sensed something like bewilderment emanating from it.
“Yeah. Of course it should burn.”
I pushed off the ground and launched upward.
The shimmering steel chest of the Iron Golem came into view. And I felt it.
Deep within the massive body of this creature that possessed no qi, pulsing from the depths of its chest—the golem’s core, hemorrhaging mana.
“This hunter will roast you for free.”
I struck its chest with my palm spread wide open. The cool metal was consumed by the scorching heat of the Flame God’s Palm.
A sharp hiss rang out as molten metal sprayed, tearing a gaping hole through its chest. The core that had been supplying mana shattered and crumbled to dust.
– Guuuuuh….
Crash!
The massive body, robbed of its core, lost all cohesion and collapsed into fragments. Just as a person cannot breathe with a shattered heart, neither could the Iron Golem.
I landed gracefully atop the heap of metal scraps piled like a small hill.
“Next.”
– Roooaaarrr!
With a mechanical roar, a glittering wave of steel surged at me from all directions.
‘If I clear all of these, I should level up at least once.’
With anticipation, I swung my spear. The Flame Dragon God’s Spear, having reached the seventh realm, carved a path of fire through the air and sound itself.
Boom!
* * *
Crash!
With a deafening roar, the final Iron Golem crumbled.
It took only a few minutes to dispatch over a dozen A-rank monsters.
Looking around, everyone stared at me with expressions of shock.
“This is insane….”
“Did you see that? Did you just see that?”
“Yes. I saw it.”
“Wow, he was toying with A-rank monsters. I couldn’t even follow it with my eyes.”
“I’m telling you, I saw it.”
A voice called out over the murmuring Rookie guild members.
“Is the raid already finished? After combat, collect the remains and maintain perimeter security. I trust the Guild Master and Song-i will coordinate.”
The words were polite, but the tone cut like a whip.
At the arrival of Choi Team Leader, who descended with effortless grace, the startled Rookies scattered to find their tasks.
‘Sometimes you see it—some people just have charisma.’
That distinctive aura, I suppose. Some are simply born with it.
As I was thinking this, Choi Team Leader, who had drawn close without my noticing, opened his mouth with a stern expression.
“Jin Tae-kyung. I’ve been thinking about this for a while now, and I simply cannot hold back any longer.”
“Yes.”
“Where did you purchase that spear?”
“….”
Right, this is the kind of person he’s always been. I’d momentarily forgotten.
Whether he knew my thoughts or not, Choi Team Leader’s gaze remained fixed on the spear in my hand—White Flame.
“It’s like viewing a work of art. Classical yet beautiful Chinese design—surely this wasn’t crafted from mana stones?”
No, it’s made from eternal cold iron.
Of course, telling the truth would only invite headaches, so I brushed it off vaguely.
“Well, I’m not entirely sure myself.”
Choi Team Leader’s eyes gleamed with covetous intent as he scanned the spear from top to bottom.
“If I may be so bold, would you consider selling it to me?”
“No. I’m not selling.”
Even if I wanted to, I couldn’t. It’s a bound item that only I can use. That’s what the Item Information says.
Because of that, it’s the only item in my inventory that can traverse both the Murim and the modern world, which are otherwise kept separate.
“Ah, I see.”
Choi Team Leader clicked his tongue regretfully and changed the subject.
“Still, I was truly amazed. You keep growing stronger.”
I answered with a mix of jest and sincerity.
“A year of relentless training under a senile supreme master is all you need.”
“Senile? What do you mean?”
“A supreme master.”
“Isn’t that terminology from martial arts novels? Supreme master, transcendent supreme master.”
“Exactly. When I retire, I’m thinking of writing something as a hobby. Maybe a title like ‘Login to Murim’ or something.”
“The title doesn’t sound very promising. It won’t be a bestseller.”
“Honestly, I have no intention of writing it anyway.”
Choi Team Leader chuckled and opened his mouth.
“It’s awkward to keep saying this, but every time I see you, Jin Tae-kyung, I find myself thinking something.”
“What’s that?”
“Whether you’re really the same kind of person as me.”
His light brown eyes seemed to glow with a reddish hue.
“An F-rank hunter for ten years suddenly becomes this powerful in just a few months? If I hadn’t seen Jin Tae-kyung with my own eyes, I never would have believed it.”
A reasonable suspicion.
Second awakeners aren’t common, but they’re not so rare as to be unheard of either.
However, I’ve reached a realm that far surpasses a typical second awakening.
Moreover, Choi Team Leader is the person who has watched my transformation most closely.
‘Others might be fooled, but not Choi Team Leader.’
In his eyes, I’m no different from a second, third, or fourth awakener.
I licked my dry lips.
This is a secret I must keep until the day I die.
If it ever leaked, I might end up being dragged away by the National Intelligence Service—or even NASA—to live as a test subject for the rest of my life.
“Team Leader, I’m sorry, but that’s…”
Choi Team Leader shook his head slightly and cut me off.
“I understand that you have secrets you can’t share, Jin Tae-kyung. In a way, I’m in a similar position, so I have no intention of pressing you.”
A similar position?
Before the question could fully settle in my mind, he continued.
“An unprecedented second awakener the likes of which history has never seen. That should be enough. Kim Butler shares my thoughts on this.”
Song Song-i and Lim Hyuk-jun joined later, but Driver Kim was the one who witnessed my growth from beside Choi Team Leader.
With internet news articles already flooding in with titles like “F-Rank Hunter Rebellion” and “Miracle,” if these two kept their mouths shut, I could wrap this up here.
I bowed my head respectfully.
“Thank you. I owe you a debt.”
“Don’t mention it.”
“But may I ask one thing?”
“Anything.”
“What’s your reason for going this far for me?”
“Ah, that.”
Choi Team Leader laughed with a deflating sound.
“You just said it yourself. That you owe me a debt.”
“I did.”
“I plan to collect that debt with interest included.”
“…?”
“Just remember it that way. Then.”
Choi Team Leader turned to leave, then paused.
“That novel you mentioned earlier—if you write it later, show it to me sometime. I happen to enjoy reading novels more than you’d think.”
“Then you won’t be able to read mine.”
“Why not?”
If I ever write something, it won’t be a novel you’d enjoy—it would be an essay transcribing my own experiences.
At my silent smile, Choi Team Leader tilted his head in confusion.
* * *
The workshop—or rather, the Raid—scheduled for six nights and seven days ended after just four days.
I wandered around alone, crushing every monster that caught my eye, until there were none left to hunt.
“The original purpose was team unity through the Raid, but it turned out like this.”
I deliberately avoided Song Song-i’s bewildered gaze.
Not only had I swept away all the golems inside the Gate, but I’d also solo-killed the boss monster.
The experience points were absolutely delicious.
“Ahem.”
“The rookies need to build Raid experience too. Why do you jump at every monster like you’re desperate?”
“Good is good. Let it go.”
“Listen here, Jin Tae-kyung.”
“Ah, let’s move on. Song Song-i.”
“What if I can’t just move on?”
“Then I’ll confess and punish you.”
“….”
Song Song-i clamped her mouth shut and slowly backed away with a terrified expression.
I’d achieved my goal, so why did I feel like crying?
‘Ah, I loved her….’
Like a tragic male protagonist, I trudged forward with heavy steps.
As we exited the dungeon, reporters stationed outside the Gate unleashed a barrage of camera flashes in unison.
I had spent a year in the Murim, but only days had passed in the modern world.
It would take more time for the fervor and attention surrounding me to cool.
“Please wait. Reporters, step back!”
“Only authorized personnel are permitted beyond this point!”
Only after security personnel intervened and held back the press could I escape the relentless barrage of flashes.
Once the shutter sounds ceased, the rookie Guild members, their faces flushed with excitement, called out loudly.
“Thank you for your hard work!”
Their eyes gleamed with brilliance. Admiration and reverence filled every gaze directed at us.
Of course, the most concentrated attention was on me.
Feeling oddly uncomfortable, I turned my gaze toward the veteran members, when I suddenly realized someone was missing.
“Where’s Lim Hyuk-jun?”
“Huh? Now that you mention it, he’s not here.”
Choi Team Leader answered.
“On the way here, he mentioned it only to me before slipping away. From what I heard, something urgent came up.”
“What could be so urgent that he left without even changing out of his gear?”
“It must have been quite pressing.”
What was that about? Had something happened with his family?
An uneasy feeling settled in a corner of my heart.
‘Come to think of it, we barely talked since I returned.’
I had handled most of the Raid solo, so I hadn’t had much conversation with the others.
Looking back now, Lim Hyuk-jun’s expression seemed a bit dark. At the time, I thought it was just nervousness, but…
‘Did something serious really happen?’
Even after changing out of my gear and dismissing the team, the thought lingered in my mind.
I deliberated for a while about calling him, then finally sent a simple message to his saved contact—a casual suggestion to grab a drink soon.
He likely had his own concerns, and meddling unnecessarily could be rude.
‘That should be enough.’
It was then that I stared blankly at the persistent unread notification.
Buzz.
My smartphone vibrated against my body. A phone icon appeared on the screen along with a saved name.
A name I had saved months ago and completely forgotten about.
[Garam Middle School Classmate Park Ji-hoon]
The guy I had run into by chance on the day I went to look at a house, and hadn’t contacted since.
What could he want?
With mild curiosity, I answered the call.

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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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