Tearing the Gate Apart - Chapter 23

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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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Episode 23.
A gukbap restaurant near the Abyss Gate.
Ha Gyeong was eating with Ma Do Hyuk.
Ding!
He glanced at his Mobile Phone when it rang without warning.
It was a message from Choi Hyun Ki.
‘What? Already settled?’
Moon Jung Hoon’s false article had quietly vanished.
And small retractions followed in its wake.
Everything had been handled cleanly, exactly as Ha Gyeong wanted.
Ma Do Hyuk asked with a puzzled expression.
“What on earth did you do to make that uncontrollable hack retract the story?”
“I simply made one phone call.”
“To whom?”
“To Choi Hyun Ki, the Master of the Raiders.”
“Huh? Why him…?”
“Evil is most easily judged by evil. That’s the simplest way.”
“Ah!”
At Ha Gyeong’s answer, Ma Do Hyuk snapped his fingers.
He’d grasped what Ha Gyeong had done immediately.
Ring-ring-ring!
Soon Ha Gyeong’s Mobile Phone rang.
Since they were eating, he first asked Ma Do Hyuk for permission.
“I’ll excuse myself for a moment.”
“It’s Choi Hyun Ki anyway, isn’t it? You can take it here. I’m curious what that guy will say.”
“Very well.”
Ha Gyeong answered the call immediately.
Then came a distinctive throat-clearing sound.
―Ahem! This is Choi Hyun Ki. The job is handled cleanly.
“Yes, I saw the retraction go up just now.”
―Our guild always handles things perfectly. He won’t be bold enough to act up again. If you’d like, I can share the process with you.
“That won’t be necessary.”
―When will you fulfill your promise?
“The sooner the better. I have no dungeon raids scheduled for now, so you can contact me anytime.”
―Good. Let’s do it this coming weekend.
Ha Gyeong had entrusted Moon Jung Hoon’s punishment to the Raiders.
Since he couldn’t deal with it directly, he’d left it to professionals.
If he’d pursued legal action, it would have taken far too long.
Ha Gyeong could foresee all that would follow.
‘This is the fastest and most effective way.’
The price was participating in the Raiders guild’s dungeon raid as a guest member.
This time, he couldn’t claim purchase rights.
After all, he was the one asking for a favor.
Still, Ha Gyeong thought he’d gained something greater.
‘He did something I couldn’t do myself.’
Besides, Ha Gyeong’s real goal was the Ultimate Abyss Fragment anyway.
Not the dungeon’s final reward.
He posed a question to Choi Hyun Ki.
“What sort of dungeon is it? First, I’d like to know the grade.”
―Heh-heh-heh! Don’t be shocked. It’s an Incomprehensible Grade dungeon.
“I see.”
―….
Choi Hyun Ki fell silent for a while after Ha Gyeong’s reply.
He seemed slightly disappointed.
Ha Gyeong could only find it odd.
“You told me not to be shocked, so I simply reacted accordingly.”
―Ahem! That’s a stock phrase, isn’t it? You’re really a buttoned-up sort.
“How many people enter the dungeon?”
―Standard capacity. It’s a thirty-person dungeon.
“May I bring one additional guest member?”
―Who?”
“One moment, please.”
Ha Gyeong muted his Mobile Phone for a moment.
He was about to ask Ma Do Hyuk a question.
But the answer came before he could speak.
“An Incomprehensible Grade dungeon? I’m definitely going.”
“Thank you.”
“No, I should be the grateful one. It’s my chance.”
“I’ll confirm your participation, then.”
“Yes.”
Ha Gyeong resumed his conversation with Choi Hyun Ki.
“It’s Ma Do Hyuk.”
―….
Choi Hyun Ki fell silent again for a moment.
Clearly there was still some lingering ill feeling.
It was likely because Ma Do Hyuk had interfered before.
But he couldn’t refuse.
A skilled Awakener like Ma Do Hyuk wasn’t easy to find.
Soon Choi Hyun Ki’s voice came through.
―Fine. I’ll reserve two spots on the raid team just for you two.
“Thank you. I’ll see you at the Gate at the appointed time.”
―If you need anything else, let me know. I’ll handle anyone for you. Actually, why don’t you just join our guild….
“We’re in the middle of eating, so I’ll have to cut this short. Goodbye.”
Click.
When another recruitment offer came, Ha Gyeong hung up hurriedly.
All the important matters had been settled anyway.
And all that remained would be pointless talk.
At Ha Gyeong’s bold attitude, Ma Do Hyuk shook his head in disbelief.
“Sometimes I think you fit the nickname ‘Beast of the Abyss’ better than I do.”
“That nickname is already yours, so I’ll just be the savage beast, I guess.”
“Ooh! Sounds strong! But honestly, ‘Immortal Demon King’ suits you better.”
Ma Do Hyuk chuckled for a moment, then ate his gukbap with relish.
Going on about how it’s the kind of food a real man should eat.
Marveling at it all the while.
Ha Gyeong let out a soft laugh and took a spoonful.
‘He’s quite unpretentious, unlike his first impression.’
* * *
A few days later.
Ha Gyeong and Ma Do Hyuk rendezvoused with the Raiders guild.
When Choi Hyun Ki spotted the two, he opened his arms in welcome.
“Ahem! Welcome, Ha Gyeong.”
Of course, he merely glanced at Ma Do Hyuk without smiling.
He was indeed a man who held grudges for a long time.
Ha Gyeong exchanged greetings not only with Choi Hyun Ki but with the team members as well.
The total numbered sixty people.
The other team’s role was to escort the raid to the dungeon.
Looking at it this way, the advantages of a guild really stood out.
Ma Do Hyuk, who’d drifted over beside him, spoke up.
“What are you thinking so deeply about?”
“I think having a guild would be nice during dungeon raids.”
“With more people, the odds of getting keys increase, and you can form an escort team.”
“But you’d be tied down just as much.”
“Even if you founded your own guild and became a Master, it’d be the same. The burden of leadership is heavy.”
Ha Gyeong nodded.
He hadn’t even completed the key yet.
What was he talking about building a force?
Now was the time to become stronger, absolutely.
The Raiders raid team soon passed through the Gate.
Their destination was the depths of the Abyss.
An Incomprehensible Grade dungeon that lay at the very bottom.
[You have entered the dungeon “Stratified Abyss”]
[New layers form as time passes]
[Climb to the top as quickly as possible and defeat the Shroud Race]
[Grade: Incomprehensible]
[Reward: Unknown Artifact]
As they entered the Stratified Abyss, breath plumed from their mouths.
An unpleasant chill ran through his body, as if insects were crawling over his skin.
Abandoned houses and countless graves lay before their eyes.
It was the sort of place where undead would emerge.
Ha Gyeong gazed quietly at the gravestones.
‘Might zombies show up?’
Since the Boss was a spectral monster, it wasn’t an unreasonable guess.
As he surveyed the surroundings for a moment, Choi Hyun Ki’s voice suddenly rang out.
―Ahem! We’ll now begin the raid on the Stratified Abyss. I’ll direct us personally, so guest members, please follow my lead closely.
The moment Choi Hyun Ki’s speech ended, Ma Do Hyuk vented his frustration.
“Why’s he so annoyed that he only mentions the guest members?”
“The Raiders members are confident they won’t make mistakes.”
“He’s ridiculous. Tsk!”
The Raiders guild’s skill level was certainly quite good.
In terms of raw damage from ranged dealers alone, they were among the best in the nation.
But that didn’t mean they were infallible.
When facing the Gear Crusher in the Fusion Abyss.
Hadn’t they shown a somewhat helpless performance?
It was the sort of remark that made one feel vaguely uneasy.
Of course, Ha Gyeong didn’t pay it much mind.
‘A bit of attitude is better than outright incompetence.’
Sure enough, Choi Hyun Ki’s direction proved steady.
The monsters appearing in the Stratified Abyss took spectral form.
Banshees and specters made up the bulk.
If you accidentally touched a banshee as you passed, a scream erupted.
―Kiiieeeee!
―Kuh-whooooo….
Then the nearby specters rushed in en masse.
And then the fighting began in earnest.
Meanwhile, Ma Do Hyuk frowned and fell back.
“Spirits are always such a pain. Your attacks don’t land properly, and it’s just exhausting.”
As he said this, he glanced back.
But Ha Gyeong was fighting the spirits just fine.
Ma Do Hyuk could only be puzzled.
“How are you beating creatures with no physical form so well?”
“Huh? They just… get hit?”
There was really no other way to explain it.
Ha Gyeong gave a light shrug.
‘I can’t exactly tell him I’m using Abyss Energy directly.’
Fortunately, Ma Do Hyuk didn’t press further.
He simply shook his head.
By now, he didn’t even bother suspecting what Ha Gyeong was doing.
After all, Ha Gyeong had shown such impossible feats far too often.
Ha Gyeong pushed through the mass of specters.
Then he severed the neck of the banshee that kept wailing.
―Kiiee…. Ack!
Squelch!
Once the banshee fell, the specters scattered in all directions.
The creature was clearly the focal point that called the ghost swarms together.
Ha Gyeong glanced around briefly.
‘This is an Incomprehensible Grade dungeon, yet I sense no resonance at all?’
It seemed there was no Ultimate Abyss Fragment here.
He’d essentially given up on the final reward to join this raid.
A somewhat disappointing result.
Still, Ha Gyeong let it go quickly.
‘Not every reward can be good. Let my mind be clear.’
The raid progressed smoothly.
For an Incomprehensible Grade dungeon.
The monsters were very challenging.
The one saving grace was the lack of traps.
Thanks to that, the Raiders guild could unleash their full potential.
The overwhelming firepower of the ranged dealers.
Combined with support from the holy-type healers.
The back line was incredibly solid.
By contrast, the melee dealers were Ha Gyeong and Ma Do Hyuk.
Only two of them.
Ma Do Hyuk wore a bitter expression as he spoke.
“Normally, having only two melee dealers should lower stability, but they actually have good matchups against these creatures.”
“Really. And they seem to be having fun.”
“It’s a bit strange that they’re clearing all the monsters, but it’s actually a decent strategy. The Boss might summon adds to answer its call.”
“No, that’s not it. I’m worried because of the text that appeared when we entered.”
“Huh? What did it say?”
“Something about climbing up as fast as possible?”
“Hm?”
Ma Do Hyuk didn’t remember either.
Which made sense.
Dungeon descriptions were all pretty much the same.
Few people bothered to read them carefully.
But Ha Gyeong was meticulous, so he hadn’t glossed over it.
And sure enough, a ominous system message suddenly flashed through his mind.
[The Stratified Abyss creates new terrain]
Crunch! Crunch-crunch-crunch!
Boulders began pouring down from the sky.
Ha Gyeong and Ma Do Hyuk took shelter beneath a partially collapsed building.
Even as a ruin, it would hold for a few impacts.
After the chaos subsided.
The dungeon was swallowed by darkness.
Fallen stones formed pillars.
And broad stone slabs lay across them as support.
True to its name, the Stratified Abyss had generated a new layer.
A moment later, Choi Hyun Ki’s voice came through the Whisperer.
―Is everyone alright?
―The ranged dealers are fine.
―One tank is down.
―Two healers are down.
As reports poured in, Ha Gyeong grabbed his Whisperer and spoke.
“Both melee dealers are unharmed.”
The quick response meant only three casualties.
But trouble was just beginning.
―KYAAAAAAAH!
[You have encountered the Boss of the Abyss Dungeon: Shroud Race]
[Wraith’s Scream weakens mental fortitude]
[Wraith’s Scream enhances the dungeon’s monsters]
[Skill activation time increased by 25%]
[Skill failure chance generated at 10%]
A bone-splitting shriek tore through the air.
System messages scrolled down in succession.
Then countless monsters began pouring out from all sides.
―Kiiieeeee!
―Kuh-whooooooo!
Banshees and specters that had grown more than twice their size.
Matchups and advantages meant nothing now—the situation had become genuinely dangerous.
But that was precisely when it happened.
Ma Do Hyuk suddenly shouted.
“What the hell are those guys doing?!”
At the urgent cry, Ha Gyeong’s head snapped around.
Then he saw the Raiders guild members retreating, abandoning the front line.
Ha Gyeong let out a hollow laugh.
“Ha! To think I’d see this so soon. They really live up to that nickname, don’t they.”
Gate Tearer
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Moraetop
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(주) Samyang C&C
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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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