The Automatic Rooting Range Is Too Wide - Chapter 176

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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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Auto Looting Range Too Wide Episode 176

Episode 176: Corrected Guardian (2)

It was while Mincheol was inadvertently causing a major commotion.
“Brave warriors, hear me!”
A thunderous voice echoed from somewhere.
In the center of the Open Area where the Awakened were being summoned.
An armored man stood upon the platform placed there.
“I shall now explain the operation! I ask that you all pay close attention!”
From his attire to his manner of speech, he was unmistakably a resident of the Tower.
The Awakened stopped their chatter and focused on the man’s words.
“First, please observe this footage!”
The Knight withdrew a crystal orb from his pocket.
The crystal orb then gleamed, projecting an image into the air.
The image showed a vast grassland.
In the center of the grassland lay a massive pit, as though a meteor had struck there.
And at the center of that pit rested an elliptical sphere that seemed to be darkness itself compressed into form.
“This is the Gate of Apocalypse that appeared on the Smiol Plain! It is the wretched hole from which demons crawl forth!”
Before the words even finished, monsters began bursting from the black sphere.
Their appearance was far too grotesque to be called living creatures.
Some had three arms, others had four heads. Some specimens had snouts protruding from their torsos.
No matter how one looked at it, these were not life forms born through any natural process.
Fortunately, the monsters were eliminated by Soldiers who had been waiting in advance at the pit.
“Until now, we have been able to hold back the demons with our own strength! However, according to the mages’ investigations, a massive eruption will begin soon!”
A massive eruption.
No explanation was given, but I could roughly guess what it meant.
Probably an enormous number of demons would burst forth from that hole.
“If we cannot stop the demons pouring out from this eruption, this region will be consumed by Hell and cease to exist! We have recruited you to prevent this!”
The image changed.
This time, it was a view of the Gate of Apocalypse looking down from above.
‘Looking at it this way, that pit is incredibly massive.’
The Gate of Apocalypse, which casually expelled monsters the size of oxen, appeared as small as a bean from this perspective.
“I shall explain the plan! You will enter the pit and surround the Gate of Apocalypse! Then you need only hold back the demons that pour forth!”
“You want us to hold back demons with our bare hands?”
One of the Awakened spoke with displeasure.
The Knight immediately responded.
“Fear not! Countermeasures have already been prepared!”
The Knight pointed below the platform.
Soldiers grunted as they dragged a cart forward.
Atop the cart sat an enormous diamond-shaped crystal.
“Activate it.”
The Soldiers manipulated the crystal. A blue protective barrier unfolded.
All the Awakened stared at the barrier with expressions of wonder.
“It is a crystal crafted by one hundred priests who infused their holy power into it. It generates a hemispherical protective barrier.”
The barrier was not particularly wide.
Yet it was more than spacious enough to accommodate five people.
“We have already installed crystals around the Gate of Apocalypse. Each of you will be responsible for one crystal and must hold back the Demons!”
The image shifted back to the Gate of Apocalypse. Now it was clear that crystals were arranged in a circle around it.
Thanks to this, the Awakened’s discontent quickly subsided.
“Isn’t the number of people here too few to completely surround the Gate of Apocalypse? It seems like more Demons will slip through.”
Another Awakened asked. The Knight shook his head.
“Demons are unintelligent beasts. They cannot resist the presence of living creatures. They will absolutely not bypass you.”
“How long do we have to hold out? Until the massive outbreak ends or whatever and no more Demons come out?”
“While you hold back the Demons, the mages will prepare to close the Gate of Apocalypse. You need only endure until then.”
“If you can close it, why not just close it right now?”
“The Gate of Apocalypse can only be closed during the massive outbreak. According to the mages, that is when its structure is most unstable.”
The Knight looked around at the Awakened and asked.
“Are there any other questions?”
“What about compensation?”
Everyone’s ears perked up.
It was naturally the topic they were most interested in.
“After all this hardship, the compensation must be properly prepared, right?”
“Of course. While you eliminate Demons, the mages will record your merit points. When the Gate of Apocalypse is closed, the artifacts that pour out will be distributed according to your merit.”
“Artifacts pour out when the Gate of Apocalypse closes?”
“You mean to say you don’t even know that?”
The Knight’s expression turned incredulous.
The Awakened couldn’t help it either. Being from a different dimension, they had no way of knowing.
“Or perhaps you’re feigning ignorance to secure a firm promise of compensation? Have no fear. I stake my honor upon this promise.”
Yet the Knight quickly understood.
It was only natural. As a resident of the Tower, the Knight could not feel any dissonance in the Awakened’s behavior.
“Hell has consumed the kingdoms of mankind since ancient times. Because of this, it is filled with ancient artifacts. When the Gate of Apocalypse is forcibly closed, the artifacts sealed within Hell will flow backward.”
The Knight added with a slight smile.
“You may look forward to it. Ancient artifacts are all of considerable value. You may sell them or use them directly. If you intend to sell, I would be grateful if you would use our Clan.”
For the Knight to speak this way, these must truly be remarkable items.
The eyes of the Awakened sparkled with anticipation.
Among them was Mincheol.
‘So they record merit points every time I eliminate a Demon?’
In other words, the more enemies he defeated, the greater the rewards he would receive.
I had some experience with large-scale battles like this.
Simply raining down hand axes could annihilate entire battalions.
Add weapon skills to the mix, and it would be perfect.
The problem was that I couldn’t use Auto Looting.
I couldn’t use Auto Looting in front of others.
If Auto Looting were exposed, the fact that the Butcher was the Zero-second Swordsman could be revealed.
It was frustrating. If I could just use Auto Looting, I’d be in first place.
I’d heard that Mega Hidden Stages always dropped at least one Legendary-grade item, which made me regret it even more.
It was while I was swallowing my frustration.
Tap, tap.
Someone poked my back with their finger.
The boy looked like he’d just graduated high school.
A youthful-faced boy was staring at me.
“Who are you?”
“Sir, you’re the Butcher, right?”
I blinked repeatedly.
Answering a question with a question? What was this kid’s problem?
“Baek-ryul said he takes special interest in you, so I was curious how great you’d be… but you’re like this?”
At the mention of Baek-ryul’s name, I figured out the boy’s identity.
“Are you an Awakened from Seol-aeng?”
“Yes, that’s right. My name is Lee Tae-ryong.”
I stared at him in surprise.
An Awakened from Seol-aeng at such a young age?
Moreover, the fact that he was here meant he was among the most talented prospects of Seol-aeng.
“Honestly, I don’t understand why Baek-ryul takes interest in you. The fact that you’re here means you haven’t even cleared Floor 41 yet, right? But Baek-ryul is already on Floor 50.”
At the mention of Floor 50, I was surprised once more.
The place where I met Baek-ryul was an Event Layer.
In other words, our floor difference wasn’t that significant.
But now there was a gap of over ten floors.
He truly lived up to being the strongest promising talent.
Of course, I didn’t feel any inferiority.
My slow climb was because I had many other things to handle.
“If I beat you here… will Baek-ryul take interest in me?”
Lee Tae-ryong’s expression changed.
The playfulness vanished, replaced by a subtle killing intent.
Then he grinned and spoke.
“Just kidding. Let’s both do our best.”
Lee Tae-ryong left his spot.
I stared after him with a bewildered expression.
‘What an insufferable attitude….’
This was the first time I’d encountered someone who said their piece and vanished without a care.
“Don’t mind him. That bastard’s notorious for having no manners.”
Then, another voice reached my ears.
I turned my head to find a young man with neatly groomed hair standing before me.
“Forget about that fool. The person you should be paying attention to is me.”
The young man pointed at himself with his thumb as he spoke.
His demeanor radiated not just confidence, but outright arrogance.
However, there was a problem.
‘Who the hell are you?’
I had no idea who this young man was.
Fortunately, the young man resolved my confusion himself.
“You must know me. I’m Ko A-sung.”
I stared at him with an expression of disbelief.
Apparently pleased by my gaze, Ko A-sung swept his bangs back.
“Hmph, you’re no different from the rest. Well, there’s hardly anyone who wouldn’t be surprised to meet a member of the Goseong clan.”
Awakened ones bearing the Ko surname were exceedingly rare.
Most of them were known to be members of the Goseong Group, South Korea’s number-one conglomerate.
The Ko family were not only exceptional entrepreneurs but also formidable Awakened ones.
However, I was surprised for a different reason.
‘How is someone’s name actually Ko A-sung.’
No matter how I thought about it, it wasn’t a name you’d give to your child.
“Butcher, I’ve heard much of your reputation. They say you’re a powerhouse who surpasses promising prospects from major Guilds despite being unaffiliated? I’ve dreamed of the day I could face you.”
Ko A-sung’s eyes grew sharp.
“And I have a personal grudge as well.”
“A grudge?”
“You rejected the business card that Go Seon-ho offered when he proposed your entry into our organization, right to his face?”
I blinked.
That did happen, but what did that have to do with me?
“Yet you properly accepted the business cards from Seol-aeng and Gakdeungjeong?”
Ko A-sung’s face twisted with fury.
“As a member of the Goseong clan, I cannot tolerate such an insult. I will strike you down and elevate the name of Goseong.”
With those words, Ko A-sung also took his leave.
I stared after him with an expression of bewilderment.
‘But I didn’t reject it because I wanted to.’
I’d been too severely injured from my battle with Kang Ung-hyeok to have the strength to accept the business card—it was a tragic misunderstanding.
I felt wronged enough to go mad.
‘I don’t have time to worry about these fools right now.’
I shook my head vigorously.
The Quest would begin very soon.
Before that, I needed to consult with my team members about our strategy.
But my team members were in no state to listen to what I had to say.
“…So Lee Tae-ryong from Seol-aeng wasn’t enough, and now Ko A-sung from Goseong has declared war on us?”
“We should have refused when we heard the Butcher was participating….”
“Mom… I’m scared….”
All three of them were in a state of panic.
I exhaled deeply.
“How dare they challenge my older brother! Let’s show those bastards what we’re made of!”
Only Park Du-nam remained composed.
‘Is he just carefree, or does he have nerves of steel?’
I let out a short chuckle. Park Du-nam tilted his head in confusion.
“Why is that, sir?”
“No, I’m just relieved to have you here.”
“I’m not sure what you mean, but if you’re happy, then I’m happy too!”
Park Du-nam grinned widely as he spoke.

* * *

After that, I barely managed to calm my team members down.
“Everyone, get yourselves together. The Quest is about to start.”
Once the Quest began, we would have to descend into the pit and hold back the demons.
“I’d like us to coordinate, but we don’t have time for that. At least tell me your specialties.”
Suddenly, I realized I had become the leader of this group.
I wondered if it was right to overlook Kim Gyeong-ho, but since no one voiced any objections, I decided to let it be.
“As you all know, my specialty is throwing weapons. I can also handle close combat reasonably well.”
I said, pulling a hand axe from my Inventory.
Everyone except Park Du-nam, who had seen my actions before, flinched slightly.
“My weapon is my fists. And there’s nothing special about it, but my feet are pretty fast. I have a decent movement skill.”
Kim Gyeong-ho said, clenching his fists.
“I’m similar to Seonbae. However, I can cover mid-range distances using chains.”
Park Du-nam boasted, pulling at the chains wrapped around his forearms.
“I’m confident in healing. I can restore not just mana, but stamina as well. With me here, you won’t have to worry about collapsing from exhaustion.”
I looked at Lee Su-jin with an expression of intrigue.
Awakened ones with healing abilities were rare.
‘If she can restore stamina too… I could use Tooshin’s axe without worry?’
Tooshin’s axe was powerful, but it had the major drawback of consuming stamina.
That’s why I couldn’t use it recklessly either.
“I, I… my specialty is telekinesis.”
“Telekinesis?”
Park Ye-jun opened his palm toward the ground.
The gravel on the ground lifted into the air.
Mincheol watched with fascination, his eyes alight with curiosity.
“I can use telekinesis to throw objects or block attacks. I wouldn’t expect too much power, though. I originally worked as a support member.”
Park Ye-jun scratched the back of his head as he spoke.
Mincheol pondered for a moment before asking.
“What’s the weight limit?”
“I can lift up to 30 kilograms maximum. I can distribute the weight and lift multiple objects simultaneously as well.”
“And the range?”
“Um… I can manage up to 60 meters. If I concentrate, I can retrieve objects from even farther away.”
Sixty meters was quite a considerable distance.
Mincheol glanced around and spotted boxes stacked in the corner.
“Could you bring all of those here at once?”
“Yes, of course.”
As Park Ye-jun unleashed his telekinesis, the boxes came flying over. The speed was far faster than expected.
Sixty meters of range.
Thirty kilograms of lifting capacity.
Applicable to multiple objects.
And a speed faster than anticipated.
‘Wait… if this is done right…?’
Mincheol’s eyes gleamed with sudden realization.

* * *

“Then let us all move!”
As the time came, the Awakened followed the Soldiers’ guidance and relocated to the crystal.
The blue crystals were arranged in a circle centered around the Gate of Apocalypse.
Thanks to this arrangement, I could observe the faces of other Awakened right beside me.
“The great eruption does not end in a single occurrence! It will happen multiple times!”
The Knights moved between the Awakened, shouting until their voices grew hoarse.
“Remember this! Once the crystal’s protective barrier is destroyed, it will not regenerate until it recharges!”
The crystal gleamed, generating a hemispherical protective barrier.
The Awakened gazed at the crystal with expressions of wonder.
Uuuuoong—
Suddenly, the Gate of Apocalypse began to tremble.
A Knight who witnessed this cried out in alarm.
“It’s a sign that the great eruption is beginning! Everyone, prepare yourselves!”
Before the words even finished, the Gate of Apocalypse began expanding rapidly.
Soon, Demons began pouring out.
Like an anthill that had been stirred up.
“Damn it, there are this many of them?”
“Everyone, stay sharp! This isn’t an Event Layer!”
True to their status as carefully selected Awakened, they immediately entered combat stance.
They prepared to face the Demons with grim determination.
That was when it happened.
Thunk—
A hand axe embedded itself in the face of a charging Demon.
The Demon collapsed without even uttering a death cry.
“Huh?”
“What?”
The Awakened wore confused expressions. What was that just now?
Thunk— Thunk-thunk— Thunk—
Hand axes flew in succession. The charging Demons all became corpses at once.
The Awakened looked in shock toward the direction the hand axes had come from.
There, the Butcher was relentlessly throwing hand axes.
“Park Ye-jun!”
“Yes!”
An Awakened beside him opened his palm, and the hand axes embedded in the Demons returned to him.
The Butcher caught the hand axes and began throwing them again.
Thunk-thunk-thunk—
Hand axes poured out like machine gun fire.
The hand axes continued without pause, pouring forth relentlessly.
The Demons could not even close the distance properly and were slaughtered one-sidedly.
That was when it happened.
The Gate of Apocalypse expanded, and a demon as massive as a building came bursting through.
“Roooaaarrr!”
The bull-headed demon charged straight toward the Butcher in a direct line.
Boom, boom—
The ground trembled with each thunderous footfall, the creature’s sheer size making the earth quake.
The Awakened ones watching felt their spines chill with dread.
“Lee Su-jin!”
“Yes! I’ll prepare the healing skill!”
The Butcher hurled his axe once more.
Those who witnessed it were bewildered.
The axe seemed far too small….

【Activating skill ‘Weight Adjustment’.】

The axe suddenly expanded, defying the laws of physics itself.
The bull-headed demon was cleaved in two in an instant by that colossal blade.

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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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