Something Keeps Appearing in My Subspace - Chapter 171
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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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171. Temple of Slaughter (6)
“Wow, I’m actually using this.”
The first thing I did upon entering the Subspace was to utilize the healing apparatus that had been in the Fourth Subspace.
It was a healing facility that the Previous Previous Master had painstakingly constructed.
Unlike temporary healing incantations, within the Subspace where time doesn’t flow, I could fully recover from injuries before leaving.
I’d discovered it quite some time ago, but this was my first time actually using it. I hadn’t sustained any serious injuries until now.
-Considering when you discovered it, your usage is extraordinarily overdue.
“Since the Previous Previous Master made it, only the Previous Princess could have used it, right? Or not? Well, I suppose the Previous Previous Master used it too.”
-Affirmative. They used it frequently. And the Previous Princess…
Chun-bae’s words trailed off momentarily.
-Used it so excessively that I had to stop them.
“Ah…”
Right. Didn’t you mention the healing liquid’s reserves weren’t abundant, so we needed to use it sparingly?
Besides, I heard this was meant for treating severe injuries…
If Chun-bae had to stop them, how much did they use? I felt a pang of sympathy.
The Previous Princess must have suffered not just physically, but emotionally as well. Chun-bae had scolded them, and that god had disregarded them—or so I’d heard.
‘They’re someone I owe a debt to.’
They’d established the Spirit Medicine Farm for me and, after recognizing their own limits, made various arrangements for my benefit. They were my benefactor.
Of course, the Previous Previous Master, who first perceived and designed this space, deserves the highest credit.
In any case, the healing facility that the Previous Previous Master had devoted such care to creating was remarkably effective.
When I was brought in with my abdomen pierced, my mind had been in a daze…
But I’d already recovered considerably.
There was something fascinating about it. I’d heard that underwater breathing was possible, but experiencing it firsthand was another matter entirely.
‘Is this what fish feel like?’
Though it was a special liquid, there was no problem opening my eyes or breathing.
The wound site did have a tingling sensation, though.
-Getting some rest will aid your recovery.
As I was moving my hands about, Chun-bae offered advice. Given the circumstances… I set aside my curiosity and closed my eyes.
And when I opened them again, the wounds had completely healed.
“How long was I asleep?”
-Approximately nine hours. The wound was severe.
“It was. My abdomen was completely pierced.”
If the protective amulet hadn’t activated, things could have gone badly. I might have been paralyzed with my spine skewered. It was quite dangerous.
In any case, once the combat adrenaline faded and my muddled mind cleared, I could assess the situation calmly.
“This is damaged too.”
The most unfortunate part was that Arachne’s undergarment had been slashed by the greatsword.
The description showed no significant difference, and the stat increases were identical. However, in such cases, the basic function of temperature regulation would likely suffer minor defects.
‘Since I have cold resistance and fire resistance, it shouldn’t matter much, right?’
The scale armor I’d received from Liu Zhen remained intact. The fabric didn’t cover my entire upper body anyway.
When entering the Gate, I typically wrapped it only around my chest. The heart is more vital, after all.
If the great sword had pierced my heart, I might have lasted longer. It’s regrettable.
Or perhaps I wouldn’t have survived that either.
‘The Butcher’s abilities are formidable, but….’
That great sword he wielded was no ordinary weapon. The moment he recovered with his own blood, its appearance transformed.
More importantly, if it could shatter the Piercing Blade—a B-rank weapon—it was certainly an A-rank sword.
“Tsk.”
I’d obtained the Vault of Calamity, an A-rank shield, but Arachne’s inner garment had been damaged, and I’d lost the Piercing Blade, a B-rank weapon.
If someone offered to trade, I’d give everything and choose the Vault of Calamity, but the loss was still disappointing.
“There’s no helping it now.”
The only way forward was to defeat The Butcher and claim that A-rank great sword. Wasn’t this what they called turning misfortune into fortune?
The equipment of the one I’d met in Arachne’s Labyrinth had disappeared, but….
At this difficulty level, an A-rank sword should certainly appear as a reward.
“Sigh. How am I going to manage this?”
Before worrying, there was something I needed to do first.
What I called the “Subspace Full Mobilization.”
.
.
.
After using the healing facility, my next task was to visit the Spirit Medicine Farm.
[Blade Sprout (C-rank)]
A spirit medicine recently harvested from the farm that I hadn’t eaten due to timing. It had been further delayed because of the A-rank spirit medicine.
Now wasn’t the time to be picky. The Butcher was overwhelming me in every stat.
Even if it was only C-rank, this was a moment when I needed every bit of help. I shoved it straight into my mouth.
Soon I felt the mana mixed within the Blade Sprout dissolving into my body.
[Lv46 Void Lord, Han Hye]
Strength: 55(+2)
Agility: 53(+1)
Stamina: 63(+1)
Spirit: 56
Mana: 84(+1)
Bonus Points: 11
My Strength stat had increased by 2. Now it was time to spend the remaining bonus points.
[Lv46 Void Lord, Han Hye]
Strength: 60(+5)
Agility: 59(+6)(+1)
Stamina: 63(+1)
Spirit: 56
Mana: 84(+1)
Bonus Points: 0
Since I was falling behind most in Strength and Speed, I spent all 11 remaining bonus points on those two stats.
The previous battle had erupted too hastily, and the situation had been so dire that I hadn’t had time to allocate my stats. I’d been too busy defending.
With this breathing room, things should proceed more smoothly.
My spare points had dropped to zero, but I wasn’t concerned. Wasn’t that precisely why I kept spare points in reserve—for situations like this?
“So what else is there now?”
-There’s nothing immediate, but…
“…I see.”
For all the grand talk of mobilizing the entire Subspace, once I used the healing facility and the Spirit Medicine Farm, what remained were merely the items stored within.
The first things that came to mind were the smoke grenades I’d obtained from this Gate and Godmon’s Compass.
‘If I use those, I might be able to find an exit.’
But there was something wasteful about it. Hadn’t I already witnessed the effects of Godmon’s Compass? It was an item that could easily prove its worth beyond that at any moment.
More importantly, my current objective wasn’t clearing the Gate—it was subjugating The Butcher.
Thinking of the precious Heavenly Sword and Arachne’s damaged undergarment, I absolutely had to obtain the greatsword estimated to be A-rank.
From a combat experience perspective as well.
‘The strategy…’
I had to exclude Yong-yong and Mister. Considering that monster’s strength, Yong-yong might end up as pulp.
That couldn’t happen under any circumstances. Han Chul was barely managing to defend. Ultimately, I had to seize the opening myself.
The problem was that the monster seemed to react even to Leap. Shin Chang was now reacting to it after his training.
Of course, he hadn’t managed it at first, but even then it hadn’t been enough to inflict a fatal wound.
Thinking back on past encounters, the same held true. While I’d grown more skilled at attacking after Leaping, in this situation I needed to eliminate The Butcher in one strike.
As I pondered this briefly, an ingenious method occurred to me.
‘The Atrocity Vault.’
No matter how I looked at it, that was the core of this Gate. We’d understood that the moment we saw its specs, hadn’t we?
Of course, most Hunters would probably have been overwhelmed even with that Atrocity Vault.
There was no guarantee The Butcher would accept its Atrocity Release gracefully. But I was different, wasn’t I?
My body had already recovered. Instead of the Heavenly Sword, I drew the Elegant Blade and opened the Subspace.
* * *
Naturally, when I emerged from the Subspace, the situation was identical to before I’d entered.
Clang!
Since Han Chul had been about to take a hit just before I left, the enormous greatsword came crashing down onto the Atrocity Vault.
Han Chul was driven backward, stumbling right in front of me. I caught his back lightly to steady him.
“…?”
The Butcher tilted his head, looking at me. He couldn’t comprehend how I’d emerged unscathed when there was a hole through my abdomen.
“Welcome back.”
“That was quick?”
“I only took one hit.”
Han Chul grinned with a twisted expression. I smiled back at him.
Because I’d found my answer inside the Subspace.
“Rest for a moment. Hand over the shield.”
“I’m fine.”
“No. I think this is the way.”
Han Chul pondered for about 0.3 seconds before nodding at my words.
“If you say so, Guild Master.”
As I received the Vault of Carnage, a peculiar sensation washed over me. My strength and stamina increased, or so I’d heard….
I felt it immediately in my stats. And more importantly, I could sense the power contained within the shield.
Whether I should call it Carnage Release or impact force, I wasn’t entirely sure….
Thanks to Han Chul’s desperate defense, I could feel it was about half full.
‘If it’s half full after such a brief fight, that monster must be quite formidable.’
Just then, I heard the voices of Guild members from behind.
“Hye! Are you okay?”
“Are you alright?”
I smiled lightly.
“I’m perfectly fine. 100% condition.”
Before entering, everyone seemed filled with worry, but now their expressions looked relieved.
In any case, I had no concerns.
Whether it was confidence or something else—this Butcher, unlike those clever ones, wouldn’t target the rear guard.
-Whoosh!
As Han Chul retreated, the Butcher’s greatsword came rushing forward.
The difference was unmistakable.
I’d allocated 6 additional points to agility, and my strength was now 10 points higher than before thanks to the Spirit Medicine and shield effects.
-Clang!
I felt the impact in my hands and arms, but it was nothing like before.
One thing became certain: I’d mangled that creature’s arm with my Severance, yet it hadn’t grown any stronger.
It seemed the limit of its growth was when it first repaired its blade and licked the blood. Honestly, anything beyond that wouldn’t make sense.
Regardless, the situation was far more manageable than before.
-Clang!
-Scrape!
With my enhanced stats and the Vault of Carnage, defense became significantly easier.
Blocking with a shield was far superior to parrying a greatsword with a blade.
Moreover, having a shield made counterattacks much more feasible. I couldn’t inflict deep wounds, but I was gradually cutting away at it.
Lee Shin-hee’s buffs and healing continued without pause, and Min-jae harassed the creature with magic to irritate it.
“Hah!”
There were dangerous moments, but this was different from before. First, Han Chul had completely withdrawn to the rear.
Lee Shin-hee’s healing focused solely on me, and Han Chul had found breathing room.
-Boom!
Protective Barrier and First Guard shielded me at critical moments. I should have fought like this from the start.
It was a simple strategy, but earlier everything unfolded too rapidly to think.
Besides, I’d always fought based on the Guild’s teamwork, and we’d practiced coordinating beforehand.
The Butcher seemed to be experiencing frustration.
“Hmmm….”
The creature exhaled a perverted sigh before launching a more aggressive assault. It had apparently been holding back some strength, and now it became far more formidable.
It wasn’t swordplay—I brought my full strength down as if I were trying to shatter the shield with my own power.
My hand tingled slightly, but the increased strength made it bearable.
I no longer blocked attacks using the Subspace. Not when I had the Vault of Carnage.
-Boom!
-Crash!
How many more times did I block like this?
It wasn’t easy. Even with my stats rising, The Butcher was stronger still. But strength alone didn’t guarantee victory in combat.
He was making a critical mistake. I too had become formidable after my awakening, yet I’d always carried caution with me.
In any case, I endured by receiving protection from both First Guard and Lee Shin-hee’s barriers, just as I’d planned.
And then….
I realized the impact stored within the Vault of Carnage had reached capacity. The moment I’d been waiting for had arrived.
-Whoosh!
The greatsword descended as if it would tear the very air asunder.
As before, I thrust the Vault of Carnage forward. But this time was different.
-Pop!
Before the blade could touch the shield, I activated Leap. The Butcher’s back appeared directly before me.
Now was the time to use Carnage Release.
I’d activated the skill just before Leap.
Not swinging the blade, but directly behind him. I’d observed him throughout this exchange, and there was no possibility he could evade.
‘Carnage Release.’
I invoked the skill mentally in that instant.
-Boom!
Brilliant light erupted from the shield.
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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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