The Second Coming of Gluttony - Chapter 118

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

Episode 118. The Results of Stage 1

The conquest of Stage 1 resumed.
One thing had changed: six of the seven members had begun to formally divide labor among themselves.
The process was a simple repetition of tasks. The moment Shaleh opened a door, she would step aside; if no enemies appeared, they moved on.
If they spotted enemies, Seol Jihoo would land a Mana Spear Throw, then dash inside to engage in combat. Once it was clear, they moved to the next room.
Though Seol Jihoo held the vanguard, it was undeniable that Lara and Shaleh’s strength paled compared to the Expressionless Woman and Snake Eyes.
Yet once they began in earnest, the pace of conquest showed little difference. The reason lay in Maria taking the initiative wholeheartedly.
The golden-haired girl now unleashed spells she had stingily hoarded before, offering Seol Jihoo her full support without restraint.
Just as Kim Hanna had said, Maria was as devoted to her craft as a priest could be—precisely because she loved money. What Seol Jihoo had done sat poorly with her, but she hadn’t forgotten that he was her employer.
Above all, he’d been forthcoming with eighty silver coins. Unless Seol Jihoo struck her down first, there was no reason whatsoever to withhold her aid simply because she didn’t like him.
So Maria threw herself into supporting the rear, quietly harboring the hope that if she helped without complaint and did everything in her power, might he give her one more coin purse as a gesture of approval? And thanks to her efforts, Seol Jihoo was able to push through doors with unstoppable momentum.
It was a sight that deserved to be called an easy victory, given that Seol Jihoo was the driving force—yet he didn’t see it that way at all.
‘Thank goodness.’
His ability to breach doors so readily owed everything to the grueling training at Big Stone Rock Mountain. Now that he’d experienced it firsthand, he understood what Jang Maldong had meant.
Had he participated in the Banquet at the level he’d been two months prior, he likely wouldn’t have opened even twenty doors before faltering. He might have been treated as small fry, like Lara Bolpf and Shaleh.
But after that infernal training, everything had shifted.
His agility had originally been middling; once his strength and stamina rose to match it, the three elements began to align.
The same applied to mana control. Before, whether an opponent was strong or weak, he’d simply throw uppercuts at full power; now that he focused on fine adjustments, he’d learned to throw jabs as well.
Of course, by his standards they were jabs—but from the opponent’s perspective, it felt like straights and light lefts hammering down in succession. Either way, it was one reason why his combat speed had accelerated.
Add to that his ranged option, the Mana Spear Throw, the freezing effect imbued in the Ice Spear, and the various artifact effects stacked on top, and his manifest power easily exceeded that of a Level 3 combatant.
Indeed, when he effortlessly breached forty doors in quick succession, even Snake Eyes—who had written him off as “barely serviceable”—and the Expressionless Woman, who’d viewed him as a “new toy,” had no choice but to revise their assessment.
He reached the promised quota quickly, yet Seol Jihoo pressed on, concentrating on conquest. Partly because he still had energy to spare, but also to send a message through his actions: to show the Expressionless Woman and Snake Eyes that this wasn’t about establishing dominance—he genuinely wanted to clear Stage 1 swiftly.
He couldn’t say how they’d taken it, but at least they’d stopped griping, which Seol Jihoo took as a good sign.
How much time had passed?
Seol Jihoo halted only after breaching over a hundred rooms. Precisely one hundred and twenty doors—three times the number the Expressionless Woman had demanded—before the young man finally ceased his advance.
‘This room…’
The number of doors had dropped from three to two. Looking from his entry point, the doors on the front wall and right wall had vanished.
“Why don’t we rest here? We could grab something to eat while we’re at it.”
At Maria’s suggestion, Seol Jihoo shook his head.
“It’s fine. Let’s continue a bit longer.”
“What do you mean, it’s fine. I’m not fine.”
……
Seol Jihoo glanced sheepishly over his shoulder, and Maria continued in a flat tone.
“Don’t go looking for permission. Look how many doors you’ve opened. If someone complains, they’re a worthless bastard.”
The Expressionless Woman, who’d been silent, let slip a scoff.
“You talk like you’re performing for someone. Kid.”
“You call me a kid one more time and I’ll smash that pot over your head.”
Maria fired back without backing down. At first she’d stayed quiet, not wanting to provoke the Expressionless Woman who kept inserting herself; but now that Seol Jihoo had drawn a line, there was no reason to hold her tongue.
“My, such harsh language. Don’t you hear remarks about watching your mouth often?”
“That’s your business. What’s it to me?”
“You know, I’m starting to feel a curious urge—to fix that anger management problem of yours with my own two hands. Doesn’t that sound nice?”
“Maybe. Not really? You don’t look three times as capable as Agnes, anyway.”
“…What?”
The Expressionless Woman’s eye twitched.
“Agnes?”
“We’ll take a rest.”
Sensing the conversation was about to escalate, Seol Jihoo quickly stepped between them. Maria, with hair bristling like an angry cat, huffed and turned away as he patted her down gently.
While Maria sat in a corner gnawing on dried meat and drinking water, Seol Jihoo observed the room calmly from where he stood, lost in thought.
The important thing was that for the first time since entering Stage 1, directional choices had narrowed. With the front and right passages blocked, it felt like he was seeing a corner of something.
‘Wait. A corner?’
As an idea flickered through his mind, a small commotion arose.
“What’s wrong with you? Did you get shot in the head?”
“Just show me.”
“You can just look at yours. Didn’t you draw one too?”
“I started from the middle, so I missed the beginning. Just for a moment. Please?”
Lara pleading and Snake Eyes indifferent—whatever was happening, it appeared that Lara Bolpf was the one pushing herself on the other.
A moment ago she’d been shaking with distaste. What wind had changed to bring this about?
“Thirty seconds, even. A minute’s more than enough.”
“Now she’s being obstinate. Lost her mind? What, did His Highness pat her ego a little, and now she thinks she can walk on water?”
“That’s not what I meant. I just thought it would help, so I asked if you’d show us. It’s not even that difficult to demonstrate.”
Snake Eyes let out a hollow laugh, as if unimpressed. She shrugged, then let both arms dangle limply at her sides.
“Fine. Not difficult at all.”
“Then—”
“Go ahead. Take it.”
“…I’m sorry?”
Lara blinked in confusion, and Snake Eyes bared her teeth with a smirk.
“I hate doing tedious jobs anyway. Just take it yourself.”
“Where is it?”
“Right here~.”
Snake Eyes tilted her chin toward the half-open front of her jacket—or more precisely, toward the deep cleft between her breasts, which curved quite generously.
Lara went rigid.
“W-what? Are you serious? You’re messing with me?”
“So you want to see someone else’s map, but you won’t reach in yourself? Is that really too much trouble for you?”
“Do you enjoy making fun of people?”
“Absolutely. I’m having the time of my life.”
As Snake Eyes giggled, Lara let out a sharp breath and crossed her arms. Snake Eyes tilted her chin up slightly, entirely unbothered.
“Not going to take it? Suit yourself~.”
Fuming, Lara finally relented. She trembled visibly as she forced her arm upward, reaching out with visible reluctance.
Watching for any sign of trouble, Seol Jihoo suddenly caught the weight of another gaze upon him.
He turned, unsure when she’d drawn so close.
There stood the Expressionless Woman, her dead fish eyes locked on him as always.
“Mind if we talk for a moment?”
“Talk?”
“Somewhere else.”
The Expressionless Woman flicked her eyes toward the unopened left door.
Before Seol Jihoo could respond, she strode away on long legs. The moment she pulled the door open, a lurking creature shrieked—but after a flash of light flickered twice, its wail became a pathetic whimper.
Thud. She kicked the headless corpse aside and glanced back at Seol Jihoo, who stood frozen, before disappearing through the doorway. Her swordsmanship was terrifying no matter how many times he saw it.
It was a devastating technique.
As he stepped inside, following one or two lingering stares, he found the Expressionless Woman sitting against the wall, waiting. She’d already disposed of the creatures that had been roaming within.
“What are you doing? Come sit.”
Seol Jihoo nodded and collapsed onto the ground beside her.
…….
The Expressionless Woman sat with her eyes gently closed, then opened her mouth softly.
“Don’t people tell you often that you lack tact?”
“But you asked me to sit.”
At his aggrieved protest, the woman looked slowly up at the ceiling. Another long sigh escaped her.
After a brief silence, she spoke.
“Watching you play around, I suppose you’re reckless enough for it.”
“Is that a compliment?”
“Yes.”
“Thank you. Though it’d be nice to have someone’s help.”
At his subtle suggestion, a curve drew itself across her lips. She turned her head and continued, her face bearing the faintest smile.
“Come to think of it, you might be right.”
“?”
“It’s only Stage 1, after all. Getting through it quickly is easier on the mind. So, here’s what I’m thinking.”
When she agreed so readily, Seol Jihoo grew uneasy instead. He’d spoken in jest, begging for help, but now he worried he’d opened his mouth at the wrong moment.
“What if the three of us go? You, me, and that snake woman.”
“…What did you just say?”
“Oh, that kid can come too if you like. Annoying, but useful enough.”
“That sounds an awful lot like you’re saying to abandon the other three.”
At his counter, the woman let out a smirk.
“Sure—if it bothers you that much, we can throw in that Invidia priestess too. Even if she seems useless right now, better safe than sorry.”
“By that logic, Lara and Shaleh should be included as well.”
“You joking?”
The Expressionless Woman cut him off coldly.
“I don’t strike you as an idiot who’d put a priest and a warrior on equal footing with an archer.”
Seol Jihoo had been about to call it sophistry, but—
“And you know better than anyone that those two won’t be of much help anyway, don’t you?”
His words caught in his throat.
“Don’t overthink it. I know your abilities well enough—just support me like you did before. I’ll give it my all too, so we can make much faster progress.”
When the young man fell silent, she continued with obvious relish.
“Think about it. If there really is a time limit like you said, or if we’re considering Stage 2, wouldn’t it be better in every way to do as I suggest?”
It wasn’t entirely wrong. If Expressionless Woman and Snake Eyes committed their full strength to the strategy, there was room for acceleration. Conveniently, Maria could also conserve her spells.
But the nagging sense that this was groundless needling wouldn’t go away.
Seol Jihoo stared at the woman intently.
“Isn’t it?”
He’d half-expected it, but there it was.
Looking at those eyes brimming with anticipation, it felt almost like he was undergoing some kind of test.
Whether it was his imagination or not, he got a strong sense that the woman before him wanted to see him abandon both women one way or another—or perhaps hoped he’d take back his claim.
‘Quite the character.’
Seol Jihoo cleared his throat while grumbling to himself.
It was what he’d anticipated. He’d never harbored any expectation of passing through Stage 1 without incident. He’d suspected that, given he hadn’t sealed things completely, at least one crisis would inevitably arise.
“No. I don’t think so.”
Seol Jihoo opened his mouth.
“I believe we should take everyone with us.”
“Hmm. Now I’m intrigued.”
Expressionless Woman let out a soft hum as if she’d known he’d say that.
“What else are you going to use to win me over?”
“Persuasion.”
“Well then, let’s hear it.”
“First, you do realize that this Banquet differs from all previous ones, don’t you?”
Since he had no desire for prolonged conversation, Seol Jihoo got straight to the point.
“You mean how we were separated from our team?”
“Exactly.”
Seol Jihoo pressed on.
“But why? This has never happened before.”
Expressionless Woman made no immediate response. Since she seemed to be listening, Seol Jihoo spoke plainly.
“Haven’t you noticed anything strange during the progression?”
“Strange?”
“Doesn’t Stage 1 seem too easy for what it is?”
Expressionless Woman’s eyes narrowed.
“We passed through 160 doors and never encountered a single opponent that could be called truly challenging. They were all equally unremarkable.”
……
“The problem is there’s no historical record of Stage 1 or 2 ever being rated as easy in previous Banquets.”
“I’m not sure what you’re getting at.”
Seol Jihoo said he’d clarify, then continued.
In the previous four Banquets, Team Status was possible, and Stage 1 was a bottleneck from the start—so difficult that everyone barely managed to pass only by pooling their strength.
“It was almost as if forced cooperation was the intended design. If we were in the same situation, we wouldn’t have dared abandon anyone. Unless you’re a serious troll, having even one more person is better.”
But this Banquet reversed that condition. The team was scattered, and Stage 1’s difficulty plummeted.
“You could chalk it up to the difficulty adjusting now that Team Status is impossible, couldn’t you?”
“You could, but that’s wishful thinking.”
Expressionless Woman paused, and Seol Jihoo shook his head.
“Cooperation was a condition that held without exception across every Stage 1 and Stage 2 so far. But only this time has that necessity vanished. I believe there’s a hidden mechanism here.”
Expressionless Woman hadn’t consciously registered it, but her eyes had sharpened with intense focus. She’d meant to casually provoke him into conversation, but hearing an argument that exceeded her expectations brought confusion in its wake.
“So what you’re saying is…”
Expressionless Woman murmured as though speaking to herself.
“The moment we abandon even one person, we fall into the trap.”
“Exactly.”
“…I see.”
Expressionless Woman tilted her head slightly but continued to mull over his words. She was far from foolish—in fact, quite sharp—so she didn’t dismiss Seol Jihoo’s reasoning lightly.
“I understand what you’re saying, but… to be honest, it does feel a bit forced to me.”
She tilted her head this way and that, then asked keenly.
“What made you think of this?”
Seol Jihoo wetted his lips. He couldn’t very well admit, ‘Because I can see this entire space through the Golden Law.’ He’d have to find another way to convince her.
The silence didn’t last long. After all, he’d learned his hint from the white-haired girl’s words, so he could simply speak of how people with opposing natures had gathered.
Of course, he couldn’t bluntly tell Expressionless Woman, ‘If you’re someone stubborn and set in your ways…’ so he took care to reframe it appropriately.
“Symmetry Theory, then…”
Fortunately, the girl’s account seemed to have succeeded in capturing the Expressionless Woman’s interest. She was stroking her chin with a gravity that belied her usual demeanor.
After deliberating for a long moment, the woman cast a sidelong glance at the youth, whose expression had grown somewhat tense as he waited for her reply.
“Our prince….”
She swept her ebony hair back behind her ear with an unhurried motion, and her deep crimson lips twisted wryly.
“You certainly have a way with words, don’t you?”
‘I wish she’d stop calling me that.’
Seol Jihoo let out a bitter smile.
“This is quite the dilemma.”
“You don’t need to carry it with you. If we could just make it through to Stage 1…”
“That’s true, but given my nature, I can’t stand the thought of a free ride—”
That was when it happened.
Whooaaaa!
Before the Expressionless Woman could finish speaking, a massive cheer erupted from the adjoining room.
Both their gazes snapped toward the sound simultaneously.

(To be continued)

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