The Tone-Deaf Healer Kills with a Song - Chapter 138

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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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Tone-Deaf Healer Kills with Song – Episode 138
[Young-young: This quality is subpar.]
“Yes.”
Sweat dripped down my face.
Despite my body’s natural resistance to perspiration, here I was drenched.
It was likely a sign that my body had been pushed to its limits. After steadying my breathing, I resumed my steps.
A C-rank Dungeon found only in the United States.
The clearing difficulty itself was remarkably low.
It was known as a place where even those with average stats equivalent to C-rank could clear without much difficulty if they formed a party.
There was only one reason they cleared this Dungeon: the violet ice that emerged here.
What was commonly called “Violet Ice Crystal” was said to temporarily boost stats and purify mana.
In reality, it couldn’t heal mana that had become corrupted through heinous acts, but it was specialized in dispelling debuffs.
‘Since it only appears in this Dungeon and nowhere else, the price has skyrocketed beyond measure.’
This Dungeon wasn’t affiliated with any specific Guild; entry was by reservation.
The procedure was more complicated for foreigners, but Nike graciously extended their assistance.
It was likely a privilege I could enjoy because I carried the affiliation of Hanttae.
As a result of Nike’s people eagerly coordinating an immediate reservation opening, I found myself running through Dungeons consecutively like never before.
[Young-young: There’s nothing else that can substitute for the Violet Ice Crystal, so what will you do?]
“You clearly stated that the Violet Ice Crystal wasn’t necessary.”
[Young-young: Don’t talk back.]
I exhaled deeply.
When I first mentioned creating the Jade Pill, my master had objected more vehemently than ever before.
He had jokingly suggested I try making or giving it, but his true feelings were otherwise.
I knew better than anyone that the path ahead was far from easy.
But when my resolve appeared unwavering, it was my master who first relented.
[Young-young: Is it difficult?]
“Where can one find training that isn’t difficult? I’m rather delighted to have something I can accomplish.”
Though no message arrived, I could almost hear a voice from somewhere muttering, “Stubborn fool.”
I let out a quiet laugh and placed the supposedly low-quality Violet Ice Crystal into my inventory.
Regardless of its inferior quality, a Violet Ice Crystal was still a Violet Ice Crystal.
There would be those who needed even this, and there would be those who couldn’t obtain even this quality despite a lifetime of effort.
‘There are those suffering from debuffs who can’t even afford to reserve this Dungeon.’
I couldn’t hand over this precious Jade Pill to just anyone. But if there were those who truly needed it, I would gladly share.
It wasn’t as though I expected compensation in return.
Until now, I had rarely even conceived of the notion of demanding payment or exchange for the work I did.
[Young-young: You’ll end up destitute at this rate. In a world where no one will take you in even if you’re ruined, what are you doing?]
“Master, I believe you’ve misunderstood. I’ve entered into an employment contract with Hanttae.”
Regardless of how I might appear as a generous hunter, my situation was different from before.
My Assigned Staff Member, Young-young, knew better than anyone about the money deposited into my account every month.
I understood his nagging came from genuine concern for a disciple who seemed to give away everything like a fool.
But if I could have changed my nature, I would have done so long ago.
“I was hoping something good would come out this time.”
[Young-young: That’s what I’m saying. There’s nothing left now.]
No matter how many guild members rushed to reserve dungeons for me, there were limits to what could be obtained.
I had diligently cleared dungeons and even brought along borrowed probability-boosting equipment before entering this place.
Thanks to that, I was able to accumulate an overwhelmingly larger amount of Jabing Stones than others.
‘But if they drop probabilistically, it’s somewhat unreasonable that the quality is so inconsistent.’
[Young-young: There are people who might only get one in a lifetime, if at all, but it could feel unfair that even they might receive low-quality Jabing Stones.]
[Young-young: Life has a way of teaching you that there’s luck that effort alone cannot overcome.]
“Is it acceptable to call such things luck?”
[Young-young: I didn’t say anything wrong, so what’s the issue?]
Hwa-jon laughed at Young-young’s jest.
Theoretically, a single dungeon could drop a maximum of two Jabing Stones.
Generally, they didn’t appear at all.
Even though Hwa-jon had cleared dungeons far more times than others, the fact that his inventory contained only five Jabing Stones spoke volumes about the probability.
With only two attempts remaining, he frowned slightly.
“Are you alright?”
It was Young-young’s voice that stopped Hwa-jon just as he was about to take another step.
The familiar form of his mentor gazed at him intently.
Hwa-jon smiled softly in acknowledgment.
“What do you mean?”
“I mean repeatedly harming those in this place. I know your exhaustion isn’t simply from the difficulty of clearing the dungeon.”
“….”
Hwa-jon blinked quietly.
It was true.
His struggle wasn’t merely because dungeon clearing was difficult.
To obtain Jabing Stones, I had to clear dungeons, and since these were ordinary places, I had to slay monsters.
“It is difficult. My heart grows heavy.”
The more times I repeated what I had long been avoiding, the more my composure gradually crumbled.
I couldn’t even console myself with the notion of a lamb’s sacrifice for the greater good.
Because his nature was, at times, stubbornly upright to the point of foolishness.
Fortunately, this space was guarded by only a single boss monster, so there weren’t many occasions for him to wield his blade.
“But each time, I try to remind myself of what you first told me—that this place represents ruin.”
A dungeon is ultimately a harbinger of the ‘calamity’ that Baldur speaks of.
If there exists a force in this world that maintains balance, then there also exists a destructive force that seeks to lead this universe toward annihilation.
The Staff Members call that destructive force ‘Ragnarok’.
Because this universe cannot be completely destroyed as long as it exists, we must continually oppose it. Awakeners must continue to fight against the force that seeks to destroy the universe as they clear dungeons.
“I was merely standing by and allowing the universe to march toward destruction because I dislike killing or harming others.”
In the end, it was neither good nor evil, neither intention nor indifference.
To pity destruction while allowing it to happen leads to losing something greater, and to sympathize with ruin is to obstruct the peace of those yet to be born.
“This afternoon, I witnessed a child being born anew.”
I saw Yeom Ye-ah’s stat awakening.
He rambled on about when healers typically awaken, as though fortune favored him. Yet throughout, I couldn’t help but think perhaps he had no right to such fortune.
If the desire to advance further was the source of magical power, then he too was suppressing his own growth.
“Have you come to understand?”
“Yes, I have learned.”
“Did it hurt?”
“It ached so deeply it pierced my very bones.”
Acknowledging and accepting the things one had been turning away from was an agonizingly painful ordeal.
Throughout helping Yeom Ye-ah wield the sword, he questioned himself.
He claimed to excel at protection, yet hadn’t he neglected to safeguard the foundation upon which he had survived in this realm of ruin until now?
Could I hold my head high?
He could not say yes.
He had never been able to hold his head high.
“So I will fulfill my duty while bearing this pain.”
Even if that duty was not what he desired, he would move forward simply because that path lay before him.
The starting point had merely been the Jade Elixir Pill. Hwa-jon no longer had the right to turn away.
He summoned his sword once more and launched himself toward the boss monster he had faced countless times before.
With a clean blade strike, the monster before him vanished without a trace, leaving behind violet ice in its place.
Young-young, who had been watching with his hands clasped behind his back, opened his mouth.
“A fine ice crystal.”
“Yes.”
“At most, you’ll be able to craft no more than ten Jade Elixir Pills from this.”
“That’s acceptable. There was learning in it.”
Hwa-jon quietly picked up the violet ice crystal.
At that same moment, a window materialized before his eyes.
Magical power restriction released.
Latent potential unlocked.

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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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