The Automatic Rooting Range Is Too Wide - Chapter 114

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Auto Looting Range Too Wide Episode 114

 

Episode 114: Trap (3)

 

After throwing all the enemies into the pit, Mincheol turned around.

 

And covered his ears with both palms.

 

It was to avoid hearing the screams of his enemies.

 

‘I didn’t kill them. I just left them to die.’

 

He tried repeating that to himself, but it was useless.

 

He was already acknowledging it in a corner of his heart.

 

That his actions were no different from murder—no, that it was murder.

 

-You might end up killing people while climbing the Tower.

 

He had heard such words in the Hunter Community, but had never seriously thought about it.

 

It would be much later. He would never kill anyone in the first place.

 

But Mincheol’s first murder had come this quickly.

 

‘Damn it.’

 

His chest grew heavier and heavier. The world seemed to be closing in. He felt trapped in an invisible prison.

 

In that state, Mincheol recalled a video he had seen once.

 

-What do I think about murder?

 

Michael Alzen.

 

One of the world’s top-class Awakened.

 

It was a video he had made.

 

-Murder is just murder. What meaning could there be in it? Ah, don’t misunderstand. I’m not trying to justify murder.

 

-I just want to say that it depends on the situation.

 

-If you killed someone on purpose just to gain some benefit, then you’re a bastard.

 

-But what if the other person tried to kill you first? Or if it was the result of a fair duel?

 

-Then you just did what you had to do. To be precise, you did what you had no choice but to do.

 

Unlike usual, Michael Alzen’s tone was very serious.

 

-Ask yourself. Was it justified? Or was it not?

 

-If it was justified, forget it. Consider it like being bitten by a dog. Don’t whine about it like a loser.

 

Mincheol questioned himself.

 

Was it justified? Was it a necessary act? Was there no shame in his actions?

 

‘The opponents were from Hope Society. They had already killed countless people.’

 

‘If I had shown them mercy, I would definitely face retaliation. Hope Society was that kind of group.’

 

‘To survive, I had to kill them.’

 

Mincheol looked up at the sky. After taking a long breath of fresh air, he said.

 

“It was something I had to do.”

 

The moment he thought that, his heart suddenly felt at ease. The narrowing world expanded again.

 

Mincheol was bewildered by the sudden change in his mindset.

 

“Was I always this simple?”

 

Until recently, he would kick off his blankets whenever he recalled embarrassing mistakes from his childhood.

 

Suddenly, he remembered a TV program he had seen at the sushi restaurant.

 

The Professor’s theory that awakening could change a person’s personality or grant them new talents.

 

The Owner of the sushi restaurant had dismissed it as an unverified hypothesis.

 

“…Well, I guess good is good.”

 

Mincheol was thinking this and about to move on when.

 

【’??’ has consumed sufficient offerings.】

 

【’??’ is greatly satisfied with your tribute.】

 

【’??’ bestows a fitting reward.】

 

A tentacle rose from the pit.

 

Mincheol reflexively grabbed his weapon.

 

But the tentacle didn’t attack Mincheol. Instead, it bore fruit, dropped it in front of Mincheol, and disappeared.

 

“What is this now?”

 

Mincheol looked down at the fruit and frowned.

 

It wasn’t exactly a fruit, but a fist-sized lump of flesh.

 

Thump- Thump-

 

It was even pulsating as if alive.

 

It was disgusting just to look at, but he needed to check what it was.

 

【Fruit of Blessing】

 

-Grade: Unique.

 

-Description: Worship. Praise. And thus serve. The grace bestowed by Him.

 

-Effect 1. Strength +131, Agility +117, Stamina +148, Mana +101 increase.

 

-Effect 2. Health and mana recovery rate +100% increase.

 

-Effect 3. Generates ‘Abyssal Scorch’.

 

Instantly, Mincheol’s eyes widened.

 

The Extreme Pure Blue-Green Pill that Nasalga had made was also an incredible elixir that increased mana stats by 120.

 

But that only increased mana stats.

 

In contrast, this fruit increased all stats by over 100.

 

If released to the world, it would be an item that anyone would drool over wanting.

 

But Mincheol had no intention of consuming this fruit.

 

‘How could I eat something that looks so disgusting?’

 

First of all, its appearance was revolting.

 

It looked more like freshly torn flesh than a fruit.

 

‘The irregular stat increases are also suspicious.’

 

Choi Cheol-min had said something.

 

That the effects of elixirs varied depending on the offerings.

 

Then wasn’t this elixir made using the victims?

 

That would explain the irregular stat increase amounts.

 

‘This thing called Abyssal Scorch is also suspicious.’

 

Mincheol threw the fruit into the pit without hesitation.

 

That’s when it happened.

 

Bang- Rumble-

 

The ground shook with a tremendous roar.

 

Soon after, black energy shot up.

 

“What?”

 

Mincheol looked up at the energy with a panicked expression.

 

That’s when it happened.

 

Tentacles came bursting out from inside the pit!

 

Soon, dozens of tentacles pierced into the ground and pulled the statue up from the pit.

 

【’??’ is satisfied with the sufficient sacrifice.】

 

【’??’ regains its original power.】

 

【The ‘Idol of the Abyss’ recognizes you.】

 

Even though the statue had no head, he could feel its gaze.

 

Mincheol felt goosebumps rising all over his body.

 

【Hidden Quest ‘Choice of the Abyss’ has occurred!】

 

【The ‘Idol of the Abyss’ yearns to absorb you.】

 

【The ‘Idol of the Abyss’ selects the sacrifice with the deepest grudge against you.】

 

Grrrrr-

 

Flesh began to boil at the neck area of the statue.

 

Bones sprouted, and blood vessels and flesh covered them.

 

The moment he saw the newly created head.

 

Mincheol couldn’t help but be shocked.

 

“…Choi Cheol-min?”

 

There was Choi Cheol-min’s head, rolling his eyeballs around.

 

-Bu, Bu, Bu, Butcher…

 

As soon as he spotted Mincheol, Choi Cheol-min’s eyes became bloodshot.

 

It was a gaze solidly clumped with hatred and rage.

 

-You, you… ki, killed me… I, I can’t forgive you…

 

The bottom part of the statue began to bubble.

 

And chunks of flesh explosively multiplied.

 

Bones sprouted and muscles grew. Skin that looked as hard as stone covered them.

 

A shape similar to a human.

 

But the limbs were excessively long compared to the torso. It was a bizarre appearance that felt unpleasant.

 

-I’ll kill you!

 

Over dozens of tentacles extended from the statue’s back.

 

All the tentacles flew toward Mincheol.

 

It was different from whips. It was like snakes lunging forward.

 

Mincheol’s mind blazed.

 

His two eyeballs moved frantically, scanning the tentacles.

 

【Skill ‘Black Horn Bullet Form’ is activated.】

 

【Mana ‘140’ is consumed.】

 

Mincheol kicked off the ground and trees to dodge the tentacles.

 

Thud- Bang-

 

The tentacles that missed their mark pierced into the ground. Each time, pits were dug with explosive sounds.

 

In the blink of an eye, the entire forest became a mess.

 

‘Even a graze would tear off my limbs.’

 

Mincheol clicked his tongue at the sight.

 

-Uh, uhahahaha! Power… power overflows!

 

From far away, the statue, no, Choi Cheol-min laughed loudly.

 

-Did you see? This is my power! Now no one can ignore me! Even the executives will bow their heads to me!

 

Choi Cheol-min let out a maniacal laugh. No matter how you looked at it, he wasn’t in his right mind.

 

‘Why is he happy?’

 

He didn’t know what the statue’s identity was, but it was definitely something like a monster.

 

Since he had fused with a monster, Choi Cheol-min could no longer leave this Hidden Stage.

 

Just like how humans were absorbed by the Tower.

 

-Before that, Butcher! I’ll kill you first right here!

 

Dozens of tentacles soared high into the sky again.

 

And they fell toward Mincheol.

 

【Skill ‘Black Horn Bullet Form’ is activated.】

 

【Mana ‘140’ is consumed.】

 

Mincheol activated his skill and dodged the attack.

 

The tentacles came from every direction.

 

Not only from the front, but also from behind, the sides, and even bursting out from underground.

 

‘The movements are becoming more and more cunning. He’s also getting used to me.’

 

‘There are too many. If this continues, I’ll be in danger.’

 

‘I need to end this quickly. First, I’ll clear away the obstacles.’

 

Mincheol tried to cut down the tentacles with his twin swords.

 

But the tentacles were too hard and only bounced off.

 

‘What’s so hard…’

 

Without time to be surprised, he bent his waist.

 

A tentacle grazed past where Mincheol’s head had been.

 

‘Approach? But how do I break through all these tentacles?’

 

‘Even approaching is a problem. What if the statue is as hard as the tentacles?’

 

‘Far from dealing a fatal blow, I’d be the one getting hurt instead.’

 

Close combat showed no solution in this situation.

 

That’s when it happened.

 

Suddenly, one thought came to mind.

 

‘Wait, why do I have to fight up close?’

 

If close combat was dangerous, he could just fight from a distance.

 

Originally, Mincheol’s specialty was long-range combat using throwing techniques.

 

It’s just that the recent strong enemies he faced didn’t give him distance, so he couldn’t deploy long-range combat.

 

‘But here, it’s wide open in all directions.’

 

He could create as much distance as he wanted.

 

In other words, it was the perfect place to use throwing techniques.

 

“Kkwak, buff!”

 

A storm descended from the sky and enveloped Mincheol.

 

【’Kkwaekkwi’ uses ‘Warm Wind Wing Beat’!】

 

【All physical abilities increase by 10% for 10 minutes!】

 

【Movement speed increases by 20%!】

 

Vitality surged throughout his body.

 

Mincheol ran away without looking back.

 

-Hahahat! It’s quite a sight to see you running away with your tail between your legs!

 

Choi Cheol-min mocked Mincheol while chasing after him.

 

He was moving by using tentacles as legs, piercing them into the ground.

 

Mincheol looked back to gauge Choi Cheol-min’s movement speed.

 

It was quite fast, but not enough to catch up to him.

 

【Skill ‘Black Horn Bullet Form’ is activated.】

 

【Consumes ‘140’ mana.】

 

After all, he was using both Kkwaekkwi’s buff and Black Horn Bullet Form.

 

Even at this moment, the distance between them continued to widen.

 

-Running away is useless! You can never escape this place until you kill me!

 

Those words were correct.

 

Since the Hidden Quest had already been triggered, he couldn’t leave this place until he cleared it.

 

However, Mincheol had no intention of running away either.

 

Mincheol stopped walking. He turned to look at Choi Cheol-min and pulled out a spear from his inventory.

 

“First, let me try landing one big hit.”

 

【Activating Holy Light Soaring Heaven.】

 

【’210′ mana is consumed.】

 

The dark elongated object that left Mincheol’s hand became light and flew away.

 

Bang-

 

A sound like a truck crashing erupted.

 

The result wasn’t much different either.

 

Choi Cheol-min couldn’t withstand the impact and was knocked backward.

 

-Kuh, kuhheut, it’s useless. Useless, I tell you. Whatever you do won’t work on me!

 

Choi Cheol-min immediately got back up.

 

But he hadn’t taken no damage at all, contrary to his words.

 

The area that took a direct hit from Holy Light Soaring Heaven was shattered like a plate.

 

Inside the broken skin, flesh was writhing. Unlike the skin that had been hard enough to block Holy Light Soaring Heaven, it looked extremely fragile.

 

-This body will never break! I am invincible!

 

Choi Cheol-min let out a maniacal laugh.

 

Along with that, the broken skin began to restore itself in an instant.

 

-Isn’t it despairing? It’s too early to give up now! When I catch you, you’ll suffer something even more terrible!

 

Choi Cheol-min shouted while laughing loudly.

 

-Imagine it! What you’re going to experience from now on! What kind of pain you’ll feel!

 

However, Mincheol was thinking something different from what Choi Cheol-min expected.

 

‘It’s hard enough to block Holy Light Soaring Heaven.’

 

‘But it’s not that it doesn’t work at all. The outer shell definitely peeled off.’

 

‘The inside is made of flesh. I can assume it’s weaker compared to the outer shell.’

 

Then all he had to do was unleash attacks faster than it could regenerate.

 

‘I have more than enough mana. I have plenty of weapons too.’

 

Mincheol took out pills from his inventory and put them in his mouth.

 

【You have consumed a ‘Vitality Pill’. Your stamina recovery speed will slightly increase for 30 minutes.】

 

【You have consumed a ‘Mana Pill’. Your mana recovery speed will slightly increase for 30 minutes.】

 

Then he took out weapons from his inventory and poured them onto the ground.

 

Sharbahan, Volcano’s Fury, Cutting Halberd, and various hand axes.

 

“Then shall I throw them until you die?”

 

Mincheol said while stretching out his interlocked fingers.

 

It was time to show why he was called the Butcher.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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