Tearing the Gate Apart - Chapter 85

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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 85.
Ha Gyeong’s eyes snapped open.
Murky vision.
At first, he couldn’t see anything.
Then the hazy red glow of the Upper Abyss filled his sight.
A place he’d traversed countless times before.
This was it.
Ha Gyeong could only feel bewildered.
‘I was just clearing the Bottomless Abyss, wasn’t I?’
Aurella’s poison had made it hard to breathe.
He could still feel the memory of driving in that final blow.
So why had he been thrown into the Upper Abyss?
Ha Gyeong checked his body first.
‘No wounds? And the artifacts are gone too.’
He wore only a simple t-shirt and pants.
Durable, breathable material made from monster hide.
The kind worn under armor as an undergarment.
Questions spiraled through his mind.
‘What on earth is happening… huh?’
He opened his mouth absently.
No sound came out.
That instant.
Ha Gyeong understood.
‘This isn’t reality.’
Running desperately but never leaving the same spot.
Screaming as loud as he could, but nobody turning around…
A world inside a dream.
Of course, it wasn’t typical.
It felt far too vivid to be called a dream.
Ha Gyeong stood still and surveyed his surroundings.
Then a figure appeared suddenly before him.
A sturdy frame and a chiseled face.
Manly eyes and a prominent nose.
A middle-aged man who resembled Ha Gyeong quite closely.
Lee Tae Heon, the Pathfinder.
His father.
“…….”
Lee Tae Heon only gazed at Ha Gyeong.
He said nothing.
Then he suddenly pointed at the ground.
A faint smile bloomed on his face.
Though they didn’t speak, Ha Gyeong understood.
‘He’s proud of me.’
Communication seemed possible through nothing but a look.
A brief moment passed.
Ha Gyeong’s vision began to blur.
As Lee Tae Heon’s form faded, Ha Gyeong cried out reflexively.
‘Father!’
But Ha Gyeong’s voice never escaped.
What followed looked like something crimson melting away.
The dizziness was intense.
Even so, Ha Gyeong kept thinking.
‘What did it mean?’
His father pointing at the ground.
Was it a message from his departed father’s spirit?
Or just a phantom conjured by Ha Gyeong’s own subconscious?
All manner of thoughts tangled together.
Then, at some point.
Ha Gyeong’s eyes snapped open for real this time.
“Ugh…….”
This time, it seemed like he’d truly awakened, not just in the dream.
John and Dae Hyeonja, Park Jung Jin, Yu Se Ha.
Four teammates looked down at him.
“Hey. Bro. You with us?”
John’s slightly stilted accent felt warmer than ever.
Ha Gyeong forced himself up.
“Doesn’t look like I’m dead. What happened?”
“The moment the Boss fell, we pulled you out. Then we hit you with Detoxification and Healing Skill right away.”
Crude phrasing, but Dae Hyeonja’s explanation was clean.
There wasn’t a trace of the Paralysis Poison left.
And his body was in perfect condition.
His Mana and Abyss Energy were completely drained, though.
Ha Gyeong couldn’t help but marvel.
‘How absurdly strong was Axis Prime if they cleared Extreme Grades like it was nothing?’
The pressure then versus now was a world apart.
Now that he was at the center of a raid, even Extreme Grade felt like hell.
Eventually he managed to rise.
“Let’s wrap up and head out. We need to meet the escort team first.”
“Ha! I knew you wouldn’t go down that easy, bro. Decisions sharp as ever right when you wake up.”
John slipped over to Ha Gyeong’s side.
He said it casually, but he’d clearly been worried.
Ha Gyeong chuckled and waved him off.
“Seriously, I’m fine. Don’t try to help me stand while secretly making sure I’m not carrying anything.”
“Ah, caught red-handed. Damn, you’re sharp.”
John shrugged like a thief caught in the act.
He’d smoothly returned Ha Gyeong’s joke.
Then he tapped Ha Gyeong’s shoulder and spoke.
“The Extreme Grade from the Bottomless Abyss—man, it’s got a real thrill to it.”
“We almost got wiped out, but that’s what makes it worthwhile. The rewards are insane too.”
“You going for the same difficulty next time?”
“Hmm. Not sure yet.”
Ha Gyeong fell into thought.
Honestly, the Abyss of Jineun hadn’t felt easy.
Even with only the best people selected.
Ha Gyeong attributed it to type matchup.
‘If not for that compatibility wall, I’d have beaten it much easier.’
While his time was being stolen away.
John had been left mangled.
The party composition itself wasn’t flawed.
So challenging Extreme Grade again seemed feasible.
Just then.
A scene flashed across Ha Gyeong’s mind.
‘Did Father pointing at the ground mean that?’
Don’t hesitate. Keep pushing forward.
To the deepest part of the Bottomless Abyss.
To that chasm where the Abyss Tyrant lay hidden.
Ha Gyeong smiled with an expression identical to Lee Tae Heon’s and spoke.
“Let’s do it.”
“Ha! Knew you wouldn’t back down, bro. But here’s one thing you overlooked.”
“What?”
“We need a key.”
“……Do you have to kill the mood like that? John?”
“Hehehehe!”
John skipped around, giggling.
A man is just a boy who got old, they say.
His antics weren’t much different from a child’s.
Quietly observing, Ha Gyeong followed John’s bouncing step.
* * *
Ha Gyeong’s Raid Party set out from the Abyss of Jineun immediately.
Even though the Bottomless Abyss had undergone upheaval, finding their way was no problem.
After all, they just had to climb upward—the flooded lake would appear.
As they approached the Wormhole connected to the Upper Abyss, familiar faces appeared.
“Captain, you made it!”
“Everyone’s safe, good.”
After regrouping with the escort team, Ha Gyeong did a headcount first.
Fortunately, there were no casualties.
Soon Ha Gyeong’s Raid Party passed through the Upper Abyss and headed straight for the Gate.
Whether their routes had diverged or luck was on their side.
There was no attack from DRC.
After completing the Gate exit procedure, Ha Gyeong moved to the Association Headquarters.
Just five of them, but there was still work to be done.
Yet the Internal Auction Hall was packed with thirty people.
Ha Gyeong asked Dae Hyeonja with a puzzled expression.
“Why so many?”
“It’s the first Extreme Grade clear from the Bottomless Abyss, isn’t it? The interest is bound to be huge.”
“Surely this isn’t the world first, though?”
“Ah, right. In Korea, this is the fifth time.”
“Still, that’s a pretty high ranking.”
Awakened Ones appear at roughly two per thousand people.
About a 0.2% probability.
Usually, children became Awakened Ones if their parents were, so that happened often.
Ultimately, a larger population meant a proportional advantage.
And yet Korea was fifth?
For a country with a smaller population, that was an impressive showing.
Ha Gyeong waited quietly.
Soon the auctioneer entered and the procedure began.
―Now commencing the internal auction for the Extreme Grade Dungeon Clear from the Bottomless Abyss, the Abyss of Jineun. The Boss reward is the ‘Core Belt,’ an Artifact that allows you to command a summon called Liquid Core. Starting bid is 50 billion, with increments of 5 billion.
For something from the Bottomless Abyss and Extreme Grade, the price was quite low.
The reason was simple.
The dungeon size was small.
And the Artifact’s utility was limited.
The Tyrant’s Bracelet would be worth the price to anyone.
But the Core Belt was only useful for Summoning-type Awakened Ones.
So even an Extreme Grade item had to be priced low.
Ha Gyeong fell into thought.
‘It’s cheap. Buy or pass?’
Of course, Ha Gyeong had no confidence he could use the Core Belt properly.
But right now he didn’t have a belt either.
He could always stockpile it and sell or gift it to a Summoning-type teammate later.
Everyone seemed to be thinking the same thing.
The bidding started naturally.
“55 billion.”
“60 billion.”
“65 billion.”
“70 billion.”
John and Yu Se Ha stayed quiet.
Only Dae Hyeonja and Park Jung Jin traded heated bids.
Ha Gyeong didn’t participate, just watched.
When the price climbed to 90 billion.
The bidding finally stopped.
―Do I have 95 billion?
The auctioneer called out with a nudging tone.
But everyone was staring at Ha Gyeong.
As if the final hammer fell on his decision alone.
Ha Gyeong smiled and raised his hand.
“120 billion.”
“…….”
Dae Hyeonja and Park Jung Jin’s movements froze.
They seemed startled by the unexpected bid.
It wasn’t just because the price was high.
Ha Gyeong had read his teammates’ minds perfectly.
‘They probably figured around 110 billion was their limit. Anything higher and the return on investment isn’t worth it.’
It was an Extreme Grade, so the name alone had value.
An Artifact they couldn’t use right away.
Besides, you need spare capital to stockpile anything.
So he’d added exactly 10 billion more on top of what he figured was their ceiling.
Ha Gyeong’s psychological play worked perfectly.
―Do I have 125 billion? No? Going once—120 billion, going twice—120 billion, going three times—sold!
Ha Gyeong claimed the Core Belt cleanly and went through the remaining procedures.
Soon his teammates came over with congratulations.
Park Jung Jin in particular looked regretful.
“If my legs hadn’t been about to rip trying to keep up with you, I’d have gotten it.”
“If you really needed it, I’d have let you have it at a reasonable price.”
“What’s the item actually worth……?”
“Around 150 billion, wouldn’t you say?”
“Phew! Truth is, none of us are Summoning-types anyway.”
150 billion really was too high a price for something to just stockpile.
Ha Gyeong turned to his teammates and made his closing remarks.
“You all worked hard. I hope we can do this again. Get some rest.”
“Yes, take care on your way out.”
Then he dropped by the Office for a moment.
He was here this far, so leaving right away felt awkward.
He’d stamp his presence.
And try out the Core Belt too.
It was a convenient detour.
Jung Tae Won hadn’t arrived yet.
Ha Gyeong went straight to try fastening the belt’s buckle.
Click!
[You must have learned Summoning-related skills to use this.]
[Abyss Energy meets the Artifact’s requirements.]
[Core Belt activated.]
[Summoning Liquid Core.]
Splooooosh!
Silvery liquid metal poured out from Ha Gyeong’s right hip.
Soon it formed the shape of a person, roughly his own size.
Remarkably, it moved in perfect synchronization with Ha Gyeong.
“What? This actually works?”
“Hey, bro! What the hell did you do?”
“I have no idea. I don’t even have a Summoning Skill.”
“Then why’s it working?”
“Beats me.”
“Wait, so I can too?”
John waved his right hand frantically.
If just anyone could use it, that changed everything.
The price would probably jump by hundreds of billions.
But Ha Gyeong knew better.
‘It’s because of the Abyss Energy.’
Sure enough.
When John put on the Core Belt, his face fell.
“Why doesn’t it work for me?”
“Looks like the Artifact discriminates after all.”
“Discriminating against a foreigner! This damn liquid monster!”
Whack! Whack! Whack!
John irritably beat the Core Belt.
Of course, that wouldn’t activate the Artifact.
Ha Gyeong took the Core Belt back and fastened it again.
Click! Splooooosh!
The Liquid Core spawned instantly.
But it still only mimicked Ha Gyeong’s movements.
“How do you control this thing?”
“No clue. I’ve only ever seen Summoning-type Awakened Ones from a distance.”
“Same here.”
“What do we do then?”
“Can’t be helped. That’s what authority’s for, right?”
“Oh!”
With the power of the Awakened Ones Association, recruitment would be quick.
But suddenly someone knocked on the office door.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
Ha Gyeong naturally assumed it was Jung Tae Won and answered casually.
“Come in.”
“Excuse me for a moment—gugh!”
Bang!
But some unfamiliar older man came tumbling in.
He’d clearly been startled by the sight of the Liquid Core.
Ha Gyeong helped the man up and asked.
“Who are you?”
“I’m the Association President.”
“…….”
Tearing Open the Gate
Author |
Moraetop
Publisher |
Samyang C&C
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Editorial Department
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Samyang C&C – Dream Books
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G720:N+A063-20260306112
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@dreambookss
Submission |
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No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without written permission from Samyang C&C – 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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