Something Keeps Appearing in My Subspace - Chapter 220

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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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220. Hall of Winners (5)
Time flowed slowly.
It wasn’t because I was using Swift Movement. This was slower than Swift Movement—a unit of time my consciousness couldn’t normally perceive.
Could it be a near-death experience?
An ominous sensation crawled up my spine. I wasn’t sure if near-death experience was the right term for this, but I focused more intently than ever before, observing the situation.
First, fragmentation extended outward from Esirel, which pierced through Previous Previous Master’s chest.
Yes. This was it. Given how much I’d prepared for this moment, it had to be fast.
-Craaack!
Previous Previous Master’s chest split into multiple sections. As if in slow motion, flesh tore apart and blood rose into the air with agonizing slowness.
It was then that the violently trembling mana flashed brilliantly.
Light erupted from the hand aimed at my chest. Even in this world that appeared like slow motion, rays of light poured down like threads of brilliance.
The destructive power was so sinister that I thought I would die if I took a direct hit.
-Boom!
The beam of light flew toward me. Aimed at my left chest.
Is this why time slowed? Am I about to die?
Please. I twisted my left side desperately. Normally it would have twisted instantly, but….
In this slowed world, it wasn’t easy. My body felt so sluggish. Move faster! I screamed internally, yet I moved with agonizing slowness.
One fortunate thing was that Previous Previous Master’s chest was splitting apart. His hand twisted with it, and the beam’s angle shifted slightly.
‘Please…!’
Previous Previous Master’s body dividing into multiple sections, and the extending beam of light. I concentrated all my awareness on it.
But unfortunately, the beam didn’t completely miss my body. Even in this slowed world, the light was quite fast.
-Ahhh!
What I accepted—ten years, or perhaps a lifetime of suffering—was that the beam grazed my left flank instead of my left chest. Was it because the world had slowed?
The sensation of flesh being pierced came through vividly. Light erased my left flank as it passed through.
Time returned to normal then.
Previous Previous Master’s upper body scattered in all directions. And the beam exploded at that very spot.
-Boom!
Everything accelerated so suddenly that I couldn’t adapt for a moment. When I came to my senses, I was flying through the air.
My flank felt like it was burning. Not only that, but pain radiated across my entire body.
“Haha.”
Still, I laughed. Because that slowed time sensation just now wasn’t because I had died. In any case, one thing was certain.
I had defeated Previous Previous Master. No matter how much Subspace or magic existed, resurrection was impossible with an upper body blown away.
“Are you alright?”
As Lee Shin-hee’s healing rushed in, the Mister riding Yong-yong flew toward me.
“I’m not dead.”
“I thought you were done for when you exploded.”
His face was full of worry. That’s why he came flying so quickly. I surveyed the rear with my eyes.
“Let me go finish off those remaining ones first.”
“Yes. I’m counting on you.”
The remaining battle didn’t take long. The Rogue and Martial Artist fought valiantly, but it was Previous Previous Master who had maintained the balance of the battlefield from the start.
With numerical disadvantage compounded by Previous Previous Master’s departure, holding the line was impossible.
.
.
.
[Skill ‘Blaze (S-rank)’ level increases.]
[Skill ‘Severance (A-rank)’ level increases.]
[Skill ‘Cockfighting (B-rank)’ level increases.]
[Skill ‘Swiftness (C-rank)’ level increases.]
[You acquire experience points.]
[Level increased.]
[Level increased.]
These were the messages I confirmed after the battle concluded. Nearly every skill I’d utilized leveled up, except for my Subspace ability.
It had been an intense engagement. Numerous exchanges, constant application of techniques.
I was pleased with the S-rank skill advancement, but the Cockfighting level-up particularly satisfied me.
After all, I’d developed it through combat with someone wielding an S-rank Cockfighting skill.
‘If I’d fought the Sword Guardian, perhaps my swordsmanship would have improved.’
I felt some regret midway, but if I’m being honest, Cockfighting was the better choice. Swordsmanship could be honed against others, but the original source of Cockfighting—I could only experience that now.
It was precisely why I’d deliberately chosen to face the Martial Artist.
The guild members were scattered everywhere. Especially Min-jae, Han Chul, and myself—we couldn’t move at all and lay motionless.
Min-jae had exhausted himself countering magic, Han Chul holding back the Sword Guardian and the Martial Artist, and I had faced Previous Previous Master.
“I want to sleep like this.”
Just hearing Min-jae’s words told me how grueling the battle had been. Even Lee Shin-hee, who usually suffered less, sat collapsed on the ground.
No matter how many items we possessed, it was the result of using healing skills almost without pause.
Han Chul and I both bore injuries as well. The one in relatively good condition was Mister. In this battle, he’d primarily used Dragon Piercing Spear from a distance.
Of course, Mister had also depleted nearly all his mana, so his face showed considerable exhaustion.
‘Chun-bae. You worked hard.’
Silent Chun-bae had suffered equally. Hadn’t he used every remaining point of his divine power to hold back Previous Previous Master?
One could say the dead Previous Previous Master had restrained the living one. Though, after The God arrived, it didn’t seem like he was truly alive anymore.
“Still, we managed it. When that bastard came out of the Subspace, I thought we’d have no choice but to use the Secretary.”
I surveyed my surroundings. Now that the battle had ended, I finally remembered The God. That madman who’d rewound the situation, saying it would be interesting?
He’d said there would be additional rewards, so it was time to receive them. However, even after waiting and searching, he never appeared.
‘The others don’t remember.’
When time reverted to the moment we entered the Gate, the others hadn’t witnessed that God.
I was curious how things would conclude, but instead of The God, what appeared was a Gate conquest notification.
[Gate ‘Hall of Winners’ conquest complete.]
[A new victor is registered in the Hall of Winners.]
And on the opposite side, figures identical to us appeared. Unlike the Previous Previous Master’s group when we first entered, they didn’t move.
The guild members furrowed their brows.
“This feels strange.”
“Like seeing a doppelgänger?”
“Yes. I want to get out of here quickly.”
An unsettling valley, I suppose. Seeing beings identical to us frozen in place gave me a distinctly eerie feeling.
The message updated.
[You have gained experience points.]
[Your level has increased.]
But the real reward came next. Not the experience or level-up, but the compensation from the Hall of Winners.
[The new victors receive the Hall’s reward.]
[Dignity of the Victor: All stats increase by 5.]
To start with, it was jackpot. A flat +5 to all stats—that’s 25 ability points total. It was essentially equivalent to getting 8 free levels for everyone.
Of course, I already knew this through Chun-bae. The real prize came after.
[The Hall of Winners Roulette spins. The victors receive one item ranging from B-rank to S-rank.]
A random reward system, so to speak. It had quite a bit of luck involved, but I didn’t think it was bad.
B-rank to S-rank items. Even one S-rank item would be a win, and two A-rank items would be respectable.
With the flat stat boost plus this random reward on top, it was definitely something to look forward to.
The guild members who understood the situation’s eyes gleamed. Each person received their own individual reward.
-Whirrrrrr!
A virtual roulette materialized before me and began spinning. Gradually, its speed started to slow.
And what appeared for me was….
[Victor ‘Han Hye’ receives a ‘Skill Rank Promotion Ticket’.]
Huh?
This is insane.
A Skill Rank Promotion Ticket was treated far more preciously than a Skill Level-Up Ticket. Of course it was—it actually raised the rank of the skill itself.
Hadn’t Shin Chang used one to elevate an A-rank spear technique to S-rank?
It was superior to most S-rank items. Certainly, S-rank items made your eyes pop out, but ultimately, what mattered was the hunter wielding them.
An S-rank item in the hands of a B-rank hunter was meaningless.
‘But an item that can transform an A-rank skill into S-rank?’
The price would be astronomical. The only downside was that it couldn’t be used on S-rank skills.
In any case, I’d drawn first prize from the random roulette. Even if the other guild members pulled B-rank items, they’d still come out ahead. I turned my gaze to them.
“Ah….”
Min-jae looked deflated first. His expression was easy to read, so I immediately knew he’d drawn B-rank.
“It’s a B-rank necklace.”
“Sigh….”
Lee Shin-hee also let out a small sigh. B-rank confirmed.
“I got a B-rank ring.”
Then our eyes met, and seeing my expression, she widened her eyes. When I gave her a small nod, Lee Shin-hee broke into a bright smile.
“…I received a B-rank elixir.”
Han Chul also drew B-rank. Well, elixirs and accessories were decent rewards regardless. It was just that the expectation of a maximum S-rank made them seem less impressive.
That’s when the Mister let out a roar.
“Uoooooh!”
Seeing him clench both fists and break into a beaming grin, anyone could tell he’d hit the jackpot.
“Brother! What is it!”
“A Skill Rank Advancement Voucher!”
“What?”
For a moment, I was taken aback. Mister also got a Skill Rank Advancement Voucher? A smile spread across my face before I could help it.
“Mister, me too!”
“Huh?”
“I also got a Skill Rank Advancement Voucher.”
“Insane!”
Two first-place prizes. In other words, we’d hit the jackpot properly.
[Additional rewards are being granted for Gate subjugation.]
At that moment, a message updated.
“Additional rewards? What could it be?”
I could tell it was something left by that God, but the guild members, unaware of the truth, tilted their heads in confusion.
“Is it because we fought well?”
“Maybe? Well, our victory time was faster than the previous winners, perhaps.”
Explanations and all that aside, I focused on what the additional reward actually was.
[10 sheets of ‘Coordinate-Designated Return Secretary’ are being granted.]
Coordinate-Designated Return Secretary? For a moment, I was bewildered by these unfamiliar words. I’d never even heard of them.
“What is this now?”
“Right? I’ve never seen this item before either?”
Ten sheets of Secretary, resembling the Escape Secretary, fell into my hands.
[Coordinate-Designated Return Secretary (Grade A)]
-Upon use, you move to the designated coordinates regardless of distance.
-Cannot be used to move between the interior and exterior of a Gate.
The explanation was remarkably simple. Use it inside a Gate, or use it on Earth…
But why I was given this was simply bewildering.
“It’s nice to get additional rewards, but what is this?”
Seeing that it was a Grade A item, its effectiveness was certain. Moving to designated coordinates regardless of distance.
“Wouldn’t it be useful inside a Gate?”
To be honest, it had its uses, but that God was ridiculous. Giving something like this as an additional reward?
This was a Gate that should have been subjugated immediately with the help of the Previous Previous Master.
I’d risked my life and fought after being promised additional rewards, and all I got was a Return Secretary? I couldn’t help but feel disappointed.
Last time, I received the Heavenly Sword and made good use of it.
‘Where did this bastard go.’
I wanted to grab him by the collar and demand answers, but since he wasn’t visible, I couldn’t.
* * *
[Dragon Guild ‘Hall of Winners’ subjugation complete! Level 57 reached!]
[Dragon Guild emerges looking haggard—what kind of Gate was the Hall of Winners?]
[Another world exists? Other hunters emerged from the Hall of Winners!]
Regarding the Hall of Winners Gate, I disclosed the facts as they were. Other nations could have the Hall of Winners Gate appear as well, and there was no need to hide it.
Earth needed to be aware of and vigilant about this issue of mana erosion.
The existence of other worlds was something Earth had already suspected to some degree. However, it needed to be brought back into focus.
We were the subject of attention, and we would become even more so. The conclusion had to emerge that a problem arose from the question, “What if other worlds existed?”
I needed to prepare gradually.
Since the problem that emerged in Australia was receiving attention, I needed to keep reminding people of problems in this direction as well.
It wasn’t simply about subjugating Gates—people needed to understand they had to resist mana erosion.
In any case, I had subjugated the Hall of Winners, and now what remained was dealing with the Übermenschen’s schemes.
Wait.
That was when a thought struck me like lightning.
‘Could it be that this bastard…’
Come to think of it, whether it was Saebyeokbit or Fist King, as long as I had this Secretary, I could reach my side anytime.
There was a concern I’d harbored while thinking about what trap to set against the Übermenschen.
These guys were quite skilled too. Information could leak from the Russian side, or they could notice and give up.
But if I had this, things would be different.
I could openly show them my weaknesses. And I could turn that against them in reverse.
I’d wondered why that damned God gave such an absurd reward, but now I suspected this was the intention.
‘…He’s trying to help me?’
I was beginning to understand that he was trying to help me.
While it was somewhat unpleasant in some ways, the results were always good.
-Perhaps our intentions might align.
The words left by the God whose tone had changed lingered deeply in my mind. Perhaps that was truly his real intention.
I didn’t know what circumstances he had, but looking back, he had been conscious of the erosion’s gaze from the moment I first saw him.
The fact that he observed the occupation of a princess who could continue the world starting from Previous Previous Master was evidence of that.
-What are you?
-Me? I thought I gave you a clue.
Now that I thought about it, he said he had already given me a clue. Yet no matter how much I recalled our conversations, there was nothing like that.
However, there was one thing I hadn’t verified yet. It suddenly occurred to me.
‘Could it be.’
I opened the Subspace.

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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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