Tearing the Gate Apart - Chapter 29

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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 29.
Ha Gyeong paid it little mind, but The Great Sage’s reputation was extraordinarily high.
To the point that Kang Woo-jin, Master of the Four Major Guilds, was visibly flustered.
Now that he thought about it, Ha Gyeong did sense something.
‘When The Great Sage looked after me, I felt more at ease than ever before.’
That’s likely because he possessed such outstanding ability.
As Ha Gyeong was looking at him with faint bewilderment, The Great Sage let out a soft cough.
“Ahem! I may have shown myself poorly last time, but I’m not someone who falls short wherever I go.”
“I haven’t said anything, though.”
“…That was just something I said out of self-consciousness.”
Despite his enigmatic image, The Great Sage was refreshingly candid.
Of course, his demeanor toward others was somewhat different.
One might say he kept his distance.
Today, too, The Great Sage’s face was unfamiliar.
It seemed he must have a skill that altered his appearance.
If anything, it only deepened his sense of mystery.
Soon, Kang Woo-jin called his team together.
“Right, I’ll brief you as we go. Everyone, enter the Gate!”
“Yes!”
The Death Hound guild members stepped forward first.
More than thirty Tankers and Close-Range Dealers.
It was a distinctly unusual sight.
Ha Gyeong turned to The Great Sage and spoke.
“That many might be difficult for you to support?”
“It should be fine. I can manage that much without issue.”
This assault team was markedly short on Ranged Dealers.
That must be why they were trying to cooperate with the Raiders.
That guild had an abundance of Ranged Dealers, after all.
In any case, the personnel composition here was highly irregular as well.
Ha Gyeong recalled the Layered Abyss.
‘It’s the exact opposite from back then.’
Even so, they had achieved some semblance of balance.
Death Hound wasn’t without Ranged Dealers.
Though with only five of them, their utility was questionable.
But Kang Woo-jin seemed confident.
“Even with so many Tankers and Close-Range Dealers, there shouldn’t be problems with stability. We’ve fought this way all along, and we’ll keep doing so.”
Though there was no logical basis for it, Ha Gyeong found himself trusting the man’s words.
It seemed to be the impression Kang Woo-jin gave off.
While leading an mega-guild like Death Hound.
He’d never once been embroiled in scandal.
The vanguard leading, the assault team descended into the chasm of the Abyss.
Soon, a stone gate emerged from within the murky, corrupting matter.
Kang Woo-jin withdrew a Gate Key and suddenly snapped his fingers.
“Ah! There’s one explanation I forgot. The dungeon we’re about to clear is Extreme Grade.”
Ha Gyeong, of all people.
Everyone in the assault team couldn’t help but be stunned.
Why on earth would he mention something so important only now?
Yet Kang Woo-jin pressed on without apparent concern.
“You don’t need to be afraid just because the difficulty is high. We’ve already factored in all the variables, and we’re attempting it because it’s doable.”
Ha Gyeong couldn’t hide his incredulous expression.
But he had no intention of withdrawing.
A rare opportunity, wasn’t it?
As expected.
Everyone seemed to share Ha Gyeong’s sentiments.
They simply nodded silently in agreement.
Kang Woo-jin glanced back at his team.
He was waiting for objections.
But no one stepped forward to quit.
Then Kang Woo-jin inserted the Gate Key into the stone gate.
“Then I’ll open it.”
Whirrrr!
[You have entered the dungeon ‘Proliferation Abyss’]
[You are in the very heart of the habitat of Schism Letch]
[Defeat the guardian Crack Swarm and find the path toward the final boss, Dual Legion]
[Grade: Extreme]
[Capacity: 60 people]
[Reward: Unknown Artifact]
Ha Gyeong felt admiration pour forth inwardly.
‘Even from the start, something feels off. The quality of Abyss Energy flowing through this dungeon is different.’
It felt as though a tingling, prickling sensation was scraping across his skin.
The Great Sage’s expression was equally grim.
“An Extreme Grade mid-sized dungeon, is it… This should be similar to, or perhaps a bit harder than, the Consumption Abyss we experienced.”
No one yet knew how vast the gap was between the upper tiers and the Bottomless Pit.
The sample size was far too small.
But Ha Gyeong was able to assess the difficulty with relative precision.
It was thanks to the keen perception granted by the Soul Stigma.
Ha Gyeong opened his mouth with a hardened expression.
“I suspect this place will be more dangerous.”
“How can you tell?”
“I’m sensing a stronger sense of crisis than I did back then.”
“It’s mere speculation, but somehow I find myself trusting it. I’ll make sure not to let my guard down.”
The Great Sage nodded his head.
Though the logic was thin, he seemed to have no intention of objecting.
It was likely because of the overwhelming display Ha Gyeong had shown in the Consumption Abyss.
Perhaps that’s why an unexpected trust had been born.
Ha Gyeong’s expression grew awkward.
‘This feels strange somehow.’
Was it because he’d spent so long wandering alone?
Or was it from having experienced the worst with the Raiders?
Doubt crept in first.
When you thought about it, Ha Gyeong and The Great Sage had only met three times.
Though admittedly, they’d shared life-and-death moments in a short span.
But then, suddenly, someone approached and spoke to him.
“Well, should I say I’m glad to see you? Either way, I’m counting on you.”
A large man around the same age as Kang Woo-jin.
His face bore a long, jagged scar.
The Hand Axes held in both his hands glinted ominously.
Ha Gyeong recognized him immediately.
How could he not?
Just a few days ago.
They’d exchanged blows until bloodied.
Kim Tae-gwang, the Butcher of Iron Walls.
That man was taking part in the assault team.
Ha Gyeong quickly lowered his head respectfully.
“Hello. Are you feeling all right?”
“Heh heh! All my joints are sore. You’ve got quite a punch, don’t you?”
“My apologies. You were simply too strong, so I had no choice.”
“You have both skill and character. Truly, you’re worthy of being the son of The Pathfinder.”
“You knew my father?”
“In the early days after Abyss Gates appeared, we often worked together. I received offers to join a guild, but I declined. I preferred being alone.”
Kim Tae-gwang had deeper ties with Axis Prime than Ha Gyeong had expected.
Perhaps that’s why the title “senior” came naturally to him.
Unlike Choi Hyun-gi, he was an adult in the truest sense.
Ha Gyeong, struck by sudden curiosity, posed a question to Kim Tae-gwang.
“But why did you take the position of Great Warrior for the Raiders?”
“I have considerable history with that man as well. He’s grown narrow-minded now, but he was sound once upon a time.”
“Yet why…?”
“After getting stabbed in the back a few times, it seems his thinking changed. The mindset became ‘strike first before it happens to you.'”
“Ah, I see.”
He understood well enough.
The Abyss is a space where betrayal, ambushes, and plunder reign.
Choi Hyun-gi seemed to be a case of someone corrupted by finally breaking under the weight of such cruelties.
But Ha Gyeong had no intention of sympathizing with him.
‘There are plenty of people who don’t turn out that way.’
Kang Woo-jin and Kim Tae-gwang alike had surely experienced countless betrayals.
Yet they hadn’t acted as Choi Hyun-gi had.
Soon, Kim Tae-gwang took his leave.
“Well then, I’m off.”
“Ah, yes. I wish you luck.”
“Same to you.”
As Kim Tae-gwang departed, The Great Sage tilted his head.
It seemed odd to him that Ha Gyeong remained in the rear ranks.
“Won’t you be joining them, Ha Gyeong?”
“There are already so many people over there.”
“The personnel ratio is a bit abnormal, certainly.”
“I expect separate orders will come down. I’ll move then.”
A veteran Awakener of Kang Woo-jin’s caliber would command things naturally on his own.
The assault team set out in earnest to explore the dungeon.
Proliferation Abyss was a labyrinth of jagged stone formations woven together.
Like asteroids drifting through cosmic space.
Black particles drifted throughout the dungeon, swirling restlessly.
Soon, grotesque masses of flesh burst forth abruptly.
“Screeeee!”
Bizarre life forms that convulsed as they swallowed the black particles.
These must be Schism Letch.
The monsters native to Proliferation Abyss, it seemed.
The moment enemies appeared, Ha Gyeong’s eyes gleamed.
He was curious to see how Kang Woo-jin would command the assault team.
But then, right at that moment.
A bizarre command spread through the Whisperer network.
—Monsters sighted. I command you to set your warrior’s heart ablaze.
“Raaaagh!”
The guild members roared in unison with Kang Woo-jin’s voice.
Soon, nearly forty people began charging forward.
“Man against monster—a true contest! Come on, you grotesque freaks!”
“Bring it on! Come at me!”
The Death Hound guild members each grabbed a monster.
Then they began fighting one-on-one duels.
Still, it wasn’t entirely mindless charging.
From a distance, the formation seemed roughly intact.
Yet it was undeniably an inefficient form of combat.
While Ha Gyeong’s jaw hung open in disbelief.
The Great Sage hurriedly deployed his skills.
“Wait, won’t this just get the back line killed off?”
There were only fourteen Healers.
Supporting a front line of forty with this many was nearly impossible.
But right then.
Kang Woo-jin’s voice came through again.
—Healers, cease your support. I did not raise my disciples to be so weak.
It was a truly outlandish request.
He was telling them to only heal those about to actually die.
Ha Gyeong found himself thinking: what kind of insane strategy was this?
Yet even so, Ha Gyeong had no choice but to acknowledge Kang Woo-jin.
‘Forty charging rhinos are overwhelming the swarm of monsters.’
The fierce monsters were actually retreating in terror.
It was a sight that completely overturned common sense.
But standing idle was not an option.
Ha Gyeong drew his Karambite.
‘I need to earn my keep.’
He skirted around the front line.
Schism Letches pushing forward relentlessly.
Masses of flesh as though two people had been merged, with four legs.
A gruesome creature festooned with eight sharp, spiny arms.
The beast had a round mouth gaping open at the center of its body, continuously shrieking.
“Crreeeak? Screeeee!”
The Schism Letch’s attack pattern was as bizarre as its appearance.
It extended its arms into countless stabbing motions.
Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh! Slice, slice!
Its legs flailed rapidly, propelling its body.
Ha Gyeong furrowed his brow and retreated.
‘One careless moment and I’m dead.’
Even approaching was difficult.
It was the moment when the worth of Death Hound’s guild members became apparent.
How on earth could anyone engage in close combat with such creatures?
It was a feat only Tankers with exceptional defensive capability could attempt.
Of course, Ha Gyeong had no intention of simply evading either.
‘I’ll fight my own way.’
He extended the Abyss Cordage to its maximum length.
[The ‘Compression’ authority of the Abyss Challenger heightens the density of Abyss Energy]
Crackle!
With this, the Abyss Cordage could stretch to seven meters.
In exchange, it narrowed, but the force remained unchanged.
Or rather, one could say it had increased.
Ha Gyeong instantly swept aside the Schism Letch’s spiny arms.
Then he split the main body straight down the middle.
Crunch! Sploort!
The Schism Letch cleaved apart in a single stroke.
Roughly fifteen seconds to dispatch one.
Ha Gyeong tilted his head.
‘For an Extreme Grade monster, this is easier than expected.’
The Incomprehensible Grade dungeon in the Bottomless Pit alongside The Great Sage.
It was roughly equivalent to the Brood Eater he’d faced in the Consumption Abyss.
Of course, Ha Gyeong had grown somewhat stronger since then.
Even accounting for that, they weren’t particularly challenging opponents.
Ha Gyeong quickly analyzed the reason.
‘The matchup favors me. These creatures’ defenses are far inferior to the Brood Eater’s.’
In fact, they didn’t seem to even attempt defending.
That’s why Ha Gyeong could exploit their weak points so easily.
He was like a wolf that had leapt into a flock of sheep.
As he carved through the monsters madly, he soon reached the front line.
Whoosh!
“Huh?”
“What?”
Coincidentally, Ha Gyeong had just collided with Kang Woo-jin.
His bewildered gaze turned toward the rear.
The Schism Letches he’d dealt with numbered in the dozens.
Kang Woo-jin couldn’t hide his shock and cried out.
“When did you dispatch all of those?”
“I was fortunate. They panicked when I came from behind.”
“They wouldn’t die quietly for anyone, though.”
Instead of answering, Ha Gyeong simply smiled.
Winning was enough, wasn’t it?
But then, right then.
A spectacle that made everyone doubt their eyes unfolded.
Crack! Snap?!
The sound of bone separating from flesh.
And a shocking system message appeared.
[The Schism Letch divides due to damage exceeding its limit]
The dungeon’s spacious corridor suddenly filled with monsters.
So many that several were even pushed out into the void of outer space.
Suddenly, Kang Woo-jin muttered in a dazed voice.
“This is rough.”
Gate Tearers
Author |
Morae Tob
Publisher |
Samyang C&C Co., Ltd.
Editorial Director |
Editorial Team
Published By |
Samyang C&C Co., Ltd. – Dream Books
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7th Floor, Kwang Sung Building, 28 Bongeunsaro 114-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
UCI |
G720:N+A063-20260306112
Blog |
blog.naver.com/dreambookss
Twitter(X) |
@dreambookss
Contact |
[email protected]
No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any form or by any means without the written permission of Samyang C&C Co., Ltd. – Dream Books.

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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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