The Automatic Rooting Range Is Too Wide - Chapter 179

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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 179

Episode 179: Intrusion (1)

An abrupt situation.
Yet the Awakened gathered here were no ordinary fighters.
They were the promising talents of their respective guilds—the finest among them.
“I don’t know what’s happening, but we need to fight, right?”
“We outnumber them! Don’t be afraid—attack!”
“Respond as usual! Front line, pin them down!”
Having quickly assessed the situation, they drew their weapons and charged forward.
The intruders who witnessed this broke into a bloodthirsty smile.
“Oh, they’re quick on their feet?”
“This is why I love guild Awakened. There’s a thrill to their resistance.”
The next moment, the two groups collided.
And the guild Awakened began to suffer a one-sided massacre.
“Gaaaahhh!”
“Damn, damn it—I can’t block… ugh!”
With each swing of the intruders’ weapons, blood erupted. Severed limbs rolled across the ground.
“Why… why are we losing…?”
One of the guild’s Awakened muttered while clutching at his severed forearm.
All the Awakened here had once been called promising talents.
They had never known defeat; victory was their only companion.
Yet now they were being overwhelmed entirely.
Physical prowess, skill potency, item performance.
They were outmatched in every conceivable way.
“This can’t be… this is impossible…”
A shadow fell across the face of the armless Awakened.
An enemy Awakened stood there, axe in hand.
“Damn… damn it…”
The blood-stained axe descended toward the Awakened’s head.

* * *

The situation was equally dire for Seol-aeng and Goseong.
“Huff, gasp….”
Lee Tae-ryong breathed heavily.
He bore no wounds, but exhaustion was plainly written across his face.
“As expected of Seol-aeng. You’re quite skilled.”
The intruder spoke with a relaxed smile. Unlike Lee Tae-ryong, he appeared utterly at ease.
Compared to the Awakened from other guilds being slaughtered, his situation was far superior.
Despite fighting one-on-one, he hadn’t sustained a single wound.
Yet the disadvantageous nature of the battle remained unchanged.
“Could you possibly be an Awakened from the Middle Layer?”
“Yeah, that’s right.”
At the hostile Awakened’s answer, Lee Tae-ryong recalled a conversation he’d once had with his Seonbae.

[You won’t encounter them in the Lower Layer, but be careful of Middle Layer Awakened. Even unaffiliated ones.]
[Why? Even if they’re unaffiliated, aren’t they just ordinary? They don’t get guild support like we do.]
Every unaffiliated Awakened he’d met so far had been nothing but pathetic trash.
He’d believed that even if they reached the Middle Layer, nothing would change.
[I thought exactly like you at first. And honestly, that’s mostly true. Most Middle Layer Awakened are weaker than you.]
[Then why tell me to be careful?]
[It’s not easy to reach the Middle Layer even with guild support. But if someone reaches it unaffiliated, that means they have something special, doesn’t it?]
Either exceptional talent, or they’re the stubborn type.
[And there’s another reason to be cautious. You can find old monsters fairly often among Middle Layer Awakened.]
[What’s an old monster?]
[Don’t you read martial arts novels? It means an aged monster… Only a select few can ascend to the Upper Layer, right? So most Awakened end up staying in the Middle Layer.]
[That’s true. Even Seol-aeng is like that.]
[But do they just loaf around while stuck in the Middle Layer? Of course not. They participate in events, explore other layers, and hunt down hidden rewards.]
They couldn’t grow explosively like when climbing the Tower, but there were plenty of ways to become stronger.
[After 10, 20 years of accumulation like that, what do you think happens? They become stronger than most guild Awakened. That’s why Awakened from the Middle Layer are called true superhumans.]
Not all Middle Layer Awakened are powerful.
But it’s also true that terrifying monsters lurk among them.
[Yeah, I get it.]
[This bastard isn’t listening to a word I say. You’re going to regret this later, aren’t you?]

In truth, Lee Tae-ryong hadn’t listened to his Seonbae’s words all the way through.
But experiencing it firsthand, he could finally understand.
Just as his Seonbae had said, the Awakened of the Middle Layer were formidable adversaries.
“Caught off guard, aren’t you?”
The Middle Layer Awakened spoke as if he could see right through Lee Tae-ryong’s inner thoughts.
“That’s the problem with you Large Guilds. You think you’re the best.”
The Middle Layer Awakened adjusted his sinister-looking scythe.
A killing intent so palpable it sent shivers down his spine.
I can’t win this.
That thought came first, but surrendering wouldn’t save him either.
“Think we’re the best? We ARE the best.”
“Your mouth’s running, so you still have some—”
Lee Tae-ryong unleashed a light grenade in a surprise attack.
The area where the intruder stood was engulfed in an explosion.
A blast powerful enough that few could survive.
But Lee Tae-ryong didn’t let his guard down. This wasn’t enough to kill—
“That won’t work on me.”
The moment he turned around, the scythe pierced his chest.
As searing pain clouded his mind, his final conversation with his Seonbae flashed before his eyes like a lantern show.

[And be especially careful of criminal bastards. If they’ve reached the Middle Layer, they’re the worst of humanity.]
[They’ll do anything to grow stronger, and they’re seasoned in dealing with people.]
[If you encounter them, run unconditionally. Don’t even think about fighting.]

Cough.
Blood sprayed from his mouth.
He saw the intruder drawing a dagger to finish him off.
‘Seonbae, I’m sorry for ignoring your words.’
As Lee Tae-ryong sensed death approaching and squeezed his eyes shut—
Whoosh, whoosh—
A sound of something cutting through the air reached him.
Then came a dull, heavy impact.
Thud—
“Gack!”
Lee Tae-ryong’s eyes snapped open in shock.
There lay the intruder, collapsed with a hand axe embedded in his back.
“What?”
Lee Tae-ryong looked around in bewilderment.
Then he saw the Butcher, hurling a throwing weapon.

* * *

While the Guild’s Awakened were clashing in chaos.
I was facing my own enemies.
“See that mask? It’s the Butcher!”
“They said Hope Society would pay a fortune if we catch this bastard!”
“He’s mine! Don’t anyone touch him!”
And there were three of them, no less.
Watching the intruders rush toward me, I felt my blood run cold.
‘Why are so many coming at me?!’
Other teams had at most one or two attackers, but here I faced three.
“Kihaha! Butcher! I’ll kill you!”
“What delicious prey!”
“I said he’s mine!”
Of course, the reason was me.
More precisely, it was the bounty placed on the name Butcher.
‘Hope Society, it’s you again!’
As I cursed Hope Society inwardly.
“Butcher! You need to run!”
Kim Gyeong-ho shouted urgently.
“All three aren’t ordinary Awakened! They’re notorious criminals from the Middle Layer! Trash who kill people without hesitation!”
At the mention of Middle Layer Awakened, my spine tingled with dread.
I’d nearly died to a Middle Layer Awakened before.
Jo U-hwan.
An Awakened affiliated with Hope Society.
Thanks to winning over Kang Ung-hyeok, I hadn’t fought him directly.
But that terrifying pressure remained vivid in my mind.
‘Face three of those monsters at once?’
I was freshly reminded of how irrational and dangerous the Tower truly was.
“Kihaha!”
“Uhhaha!”
“Kraha!”
Even as they laughed, the three were closing in rapidly.
‘I can’t face all three simultaneously.’
‘Even with the other four helping, I can’t hold them off.’
‘I have to block at least one.’
But I couldn’t simply surrender to death.
The moment I formulated a plan, I activated my skill.

【Activating ‘Arcane Marksman’.】
【Consuming 700 mana.】
【5 magical bullets are loaded.】

I pulled a hand axe from my Inventory.
The intruder rushing from the Central Area let out a mocking laugh.
“Throwing? You think such crude techniques will work in the Middle Layer? Let me show you how it’s done!”
I hesitated for a moment.
With such overconfidence, they were truly a Middle Layer Awakened.
‘Even if it doesn’t work, it’s still worth it if I can pin down their feet!’
With that thought, I hurled the hand axe.

【Activating skill ‘Helmet Splitter’.】
【Consuming 35 mana.】
【Additional skill activated by ‘Kaela Marbenia’!】
【Consuming 105 mana an additional 2 times!】
【Consuming 3 magical bullets!】

Three hand axes flew toward the intruder in the Central Area.
The intruder shouted confidently.
“I’ll block them all—wait, why are there three?”
Thwack—
“Ugh!”
The intruder managed to block only one axe.
The remaining two embedded themselves squarely in his body. The impact sent him flying backward.
“What, what is this?”
The two companions rushing alongside him stopped in shock.
“…?”
“…??”
My teammates were equally stunned.
A Middle Layer Awakened? And seasoned killers at that?
“Huh?”
I shared the same bewilderment.
My expression showed I couldn’t comprehend what I’d just done.
I turned to Kim Gyeong-ho and asked.
“You said they were Middle Layer Awakened?”
“Well, yes, but….”
Kim Gyeong-ho trailed off, his eyes betraying doubt in his own judgment.
“Shouldn’t a Middle Layer Awakened easily block something like this?”
“M-maybe they just let their guard down… wait, why am I defending those bastards?”
Kim Gyeong-ho trailed off before suddenly coming to his senses.
‘Ah, I see now.’
Mincheol realized the fact he had overlooked.
Jo U-hwan, whom he had encountered before, was strong enough to be called an established master among the Awakened of the Middle Layer.
But these three were not at that level.
‘Then there’s no reason to be afraid, is there?’
Mincheol turned to look at the other two.
The two intruders flinched in surprise.
“You crazy bastard!”
“Do we look easy to you?”
The two rushed toward Mincheol.

【Skill ‘Helm Splitter’ activates.】
【Consumes 35 mana.】
【Additional skill activated by ‘Kaela Marbenia’!】
【Consumes ‘105’ mana an additional 2 times!】

Mincheol hurled his hand axe at one of them.
“Did you think you could dodge a technique you’ve only seen once?”
The targeted intruder activated a skill.
Light gathered on the armor he wore, forming a thin barrier.
Likely a skill that reinforced armor.
“I’ll deflect it all!”
The hand axe struck the intruder, who wore a confident expression.
The hand axe bounced back as he had boasted….
Crash—
…or rather, it shattered through the armor and embedded itself in his torso.
The intruder tumbled backward, hand axes lodged throughout his body.
“Shit, shit… what kind of weapon are you using….”
Mincheol drew another hand axe.
The remaining intruder flinched and spoke.
“W, why don’t we settle this with words?”
As if you would.
As Mincheol prepared to throw his hand axe, the intruder fled in panic.

【Skill ‘Helm Splitter’ activates.】
【Consumes 35 mana.】
【Additional skill activated by ‘Kaela Marbenia’!】
【Consumes ‘105’ mana an additional 2 times!】

But he couldn’t flee far—a hand axe struck his back, and he crashed to the ground.
A Middle Layer Awakened.
Notorious criminals at that, yet they lost their lives in an instant.
“Hack.”
“Cough.”
Correction.
He wasn’t dead.
But blood gushed from his mouth so violently it looked critical.
“Sir, shall I finish him off?”
Park Du-nam spoke in a chilling tone.
Mincheol shook his head.
“No need. I didn’t intend to kill him.”
I still hesitated when it came to taking a life.
I’d left people to die before, but doing it directly was another matter entirely.
But my teammates interpreted it differently.
‘He didn’t kill him on purpose? Then why throw the hand axe?’
‘W-wait, does he mean to kill him slowly and painfully instead of all at once?’
‘Mom, I’m scared….’
‘Such cruelty. Truly befitting our leader.’
But my teammates were reading my actions in an entirely different light.
“This isn’t the time for that.”
I surveyed the surroundings.
The guild’s Awakened were being overwhelmed helplessly.
Once all the guild members fell, it would be my turn.
Even I couldn’t face this many Middle Layer Awakened simultaneously.
‘I need to help them.’
I turned to my teammates and spoke.
“We help them right now.”
“Yes, sir!”
“Understood. We move immediately.”
My teammates drew their weapons and spoke.
Then I opened my eyes wide and asked.
“What are you doing?”
“You said we need to help?”
“We do need to help. But five of us fighting directly won’t change anything.”
“Then how do you plan to help….”
I pulled a hand axe from my Inventory and spoke.
“Like before.”

* * *

Thunk—whoosh—thunk—
Each time I hurled my hand axe, another intruder crumpled to the ground.
“Gack!”
“Argh!”
The intruders had been so fixated on slaughtering the Guild’s Awakened that they’d failed to react in time.
“Lee Su-jin!”
“Yes, my healing skill is ready!”
“Park Ye-jun!”
“Bringing it right away!”
I threw, and the two of them worked tirelessly to support me.
“Aaaagh!”
“Take down that bastard first!”
The intruders weren’t simply accepting their fate.
They prioritized me and attempted a coordinated assault.
But closing the distance proved difficult.
“Don’t let the Butcher get close!”
“Bind his feet!”
Of course, the Guild’s Awakened wouldn’t stand idle.
They desperately grappled with the intruders.
They’d already understood—protect me, and victory was theirs.
Not all intruders were stopped, though. A few managed to close the gap.
“You won’t reach my Older Brother!”
“Come then! I’ll face you in the name of Bongkwon!”
That’s when Park Du-nam and Kim Gyeong-ho stepped in to block them.
While the two held back the intruders, I finished them with my throwing weapons.
“Someone stop that guy!”
“How are we supposed to stop that… gack!”
“Damn it, this is insane. I’m getting out of here!”
The tide of battle reversed in an instant.
Prey and hunter had switched places.
The intruders ceased their assault and began fleeing toward the Gate of Apocalypse.
The Guild’s Awakened stared after them in stunned silence.
“W-wait, did we actually win?”
“We won? Against Middle Layer Awakened?”
The Guild’s Awakened turned their gazes one by one.
Standing in their line of sight was me.
A single person had reversed the entire battle.
The Guild’s Awakened fell into an emotion too complex to describe.

* * *

“Phew, my shoulders are killing me.”
Mincheol rolled his shoulders as he spoke.
His shoulders ached from throwing hand axes far too many times.
“Older Brother! We’ve won! They’re retreating!”
Park Du-nam let out a triumphant shout from beside him.
It was the moment when the promising prospects from the Lower Layer were sweeping away the Middle Layer Awakened.

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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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