Resurrection Chapter 108 - Hyung, Get a Grip

Just the thought sent a chill down Kim Piljoong’s spine, and he shivered. As if it wasn’t just his imagination, someone came running from over there, out of breath. He was a member of the Hosta team, and after a rough salute, he spoke hurriedly.

“Yaksha has appeared! He just entered Dungeon 77!”

Kim Piljoong had withdrawn all personnel from the front of Dungeon 77. Before, they couldn’t set up headquarters inside the S-rank dungeon, so they had established a camp outside, but now it didn’t matter since the Scorching Archdemon’s flames had cleaned out all the monsters.

Rather, if they were to wait outside the dungeon and encounter Yaksha, there was a high probability of causing damage to the vicinity. The last time they clashed with Yaksha, they had to issue a flurry of apology letters for not only destroying the buildings of the Iicheong Training Center but also bringing down a mountain.

Because Yaksha’s abilities were so powerful, the inside of the dungeon was the best place to fight him without holding back. Yaksha probably knew that fact and had come straight into the dungeon.

It was a stone’s throw from the dungeon entrance to here. Kim Piljoong shot up from his seat and threw a question.

“Yaksha and who else?”

“Yaksha is alone.”

At the words that it was only Yaksha, Kim Piljoong’s expression clouded over. He guessed where Yaksha’s servants, including Hwang Chi-hong, had gone and gave an order to the Hosta team member who had come to report.

“Get out of here right now and tell Baek Seo-rin. The information was leaked. The rest of them must have gone after Kim Yitae. Warn the Rose of Sharon team that there will be an attack.”

Forgetting even to salute, the Hosta team member rushed away. Soon, a pitch-black current began to writhe from the direction of the dungeon entrance.

Kim Piljoong headed to the place where layers of barriers, so-called “mats,” had been laid. In the very middle of it, Yaksha’s divine weapons, including Trishula, were placed as if for show.

The team members who had hastily finished their preparations scattered to their respective positions. Kim Piljoong announced the start of the operation to capture Yaksha. As soon as he did, a chilling energy washed over them like a wave. Whoo-ooh-ooh, a wail grew like thunder, and the barrier, which had spiritual resistance, began to flash as if sparks were flying.

“He’s coming!”

Along with someone’s shout, countless resentful spirits surged in like a tide. Normally, the spirits handled by necromancers are said to be invisible, but Yaksha was different. Their forms were so distinct they were reminiscent of the monsters one would encounter inside a dungeon. The tension heightened as urgent shouts were transmitted through the comms.

“Yaksha has approached to the 300-meter point! He will reach the operation zone soon!”

Amidst the resentful spirits clamoring and surrounding the area in blackness, Yaksha appeared from the other side, walking with heavy steps. Seeing his form with his own eyes, Kim Piljoong realized something anew.

He knew from hearing that Yaksha had seized Shin Lion’s body, so he had been mentally prepared. He had only seen him in his sleep, but he had expected Yaksha to appear with Shin Lion’s neat and proper face. But surprisingly, Yaksha looked exactly the same as before.

A beauty so perfectly symmetrical it was frightening, so unrealistic it seemed to have been created with 3D modeling rather than carved by hand. That face, which he had thoughtlessly assumed was Yaksha’s own, must have been created. That’s why he could appear with the same face even after changing bodies.

Kim Piljoong muttered with a sense of strange comfort.

“Right. The world is surprisingly fair. A guy with cheat-level abilities can’t be handsome too.”

Hearing his monologue, the God of Light Speed, who was observing the situation, even sent a message and sighed.

—The God of Light Speed points out that this is not the time to be happy about such things.

“I’m not being happy, I’m expressing my disappointment. I thought the person I fell for was a beauty, but it seems that’s not the case. Seeing as he’s hiding his own face, he must have a severe appearance complex, don’t you think?”

—The God of Light Speed admonishes you to get a grip.

He was right, this certainly wasn’t the time to be spouting nonsense. As Yaksha entered range, all sorts of wide-area skills that had been laid in advance exploded. It was an attack typically used when dealing with large-scale monsters classified as colossal, but Yaksha seemed perfectly fine even without Shinjanggak. As he began to extend his Demise Zone, all attacks were greatly weakened, and what little power remained couldn’t penetrate Shin Lion’s body, which was close to indestructible.

Yaksha nonchalantly walked on his own two feet through the middle of the chaotic storm of attacks. Then, seeing the barriers spread thickly on the floor, he held out a hand and lightly recited an activation word.

“Disassemble.”

As the barriers shattered from his fingertips, the expressions of the defensive personnel who had set up the barriers began to waver severely. They were casting tirelessly, trying to prevent the barriers from collapsing, but they couldn’t stop Yaksha from punching a hole in it and walking inside.

But the Demise Zone had certainly been greatly weakened. A sudden onslaught of attacks from the ranged dealers pinned Yaksha in place. As soon as that attack ceased, the melee dealers rushed toward Yaksha.

Since the Special Operations Unit’s role was to capture Awakeneds, they were stronger in fights against people than against monsters. Many of the Special Operations Unit members had outstanding combat skills, either physically or technically, before awakening, having been special forces soldiers, marines, or national taekwondo athletes. They executed a meticulously planned combination, striking at Yaksha’s vital points.

No matter how powerful Yaksha was, if he had been in his old body, he wouldn’t have been able to withstand such a determined attack. But Yaksha was no longer the man he used to be. Shin Lion’s main ability, which Yaksha had taken over, was explosion. He was no different from a living bomb.

All sorts of weapons that stabbed Yaksha’s flesh exploded. Even the fingers holding the weapons exploded.

“Argh!”

As the melee dealers with damaged body parts were thrown back, the ranged dealers again rained down attacks like a gatling gun. In the meantime, the healers restored the melee dealers, and they went in for a second attack.

Various holy relics with powerful spiritual resistance were driven into the ground around Yaksha, completely neutralizing the Demise Zone. The melee dealers, having received enhancement buffs, once again charged at Yaksha, but there wasn’t a trace of tension on Yaksha’s face.

He muttered, annoyed.

“Get lost.”

Light flickered around him. Kim Piljoong was startled. Seeing the abilities of the man who had been the most powerful Awakened on Earth in his lifetime with his own two eyes sent a thrill through his entire body.

It wasn’t a metaphor, it was real. An immense impact accompanied the flash of light, making it impossible to stand in place. Kim Piljoong hurriedly ducked, and even that wasn’t enough, so he used a skill several times to move just to hold his ground.

When the aftershock finally subsided and he lifted his head, a dumbfounding sight met his eyes.

There was nothing around him. The Special Operations Unit members who were supposed to surround Yaksha and carry out the operation in sequence had all vanished. It was the moment that proved that the trap he had painstakingly planned for days and nights was useless.

Since Shin Lion was in a vegetative state, Kim Piljoong had analyzed his power in life and planned the operation. Of course, knowing that he had obtained the Dragon Slayer title and his level was higher, he had calculated based on the maximum of that power.

But whether it was because the soul of the S-rank necromancer Yaksha had entered him, or because Shin Lion, who had defeated a lesser dragon, had reached a level beyond human calculation, Yaksha was stronger than he had thought.

He was unspeakably strong.

Kim Piljoong hastily came to his senses when he saw him grasp Trishula. Having recovered his divine weapon and completely returned to his former self, he leisurely turned his body. Knowing that Yaksha was about to leave the dungeon immediately to find Kim Yitae, Kim Piljoong didn’t stand still.

He knew he probably didn’t have a chance of winning, but he had no choice. With the intention of at least trying to court him even if it meant getting kicked, Kim Piljoong shot to his feet and shouted.

“Yaksha, it’s too early to leave yet!”

Yaksha looked at Kim Piljoong with an indifferent expression. It seemed he had been aware of his presence from the beginning but hadn’t paid him the slightest bit of attention. Feeling secretly hurt, Kim Piljoong drew Lævateinn from behind his back.

“We have a history between us. You should at least see my face once before you go.”

Lævateinn was bound by ice chains and frozen solid. Yaksha frowned, as if its appearance was unfamiliar. But he soon recognized what it was and relaxed his expression.

“Kim Yitae’s lost property.”

“That’s right, it’s Lævateinn. I picked it up along with Trishula.”

“Are you telling me to try and take it?”

“Isn’t it the perfect item to lure Kim Yitae?”

“You’re dying to die.”

After his brief assessment, Yaksha aimed Trishula, which he had held upright, at Kim Piljoong. Kim Piljoong lowered his stance, holding Lævateinn. It wouldn’t perform particularly well since it was sealed and he wasn’t its owner, but since it was a divine weapon, he hoped it could at least poke Yaksha in the gut.

In any case, Kim Piljoong’s ability didn’t depend on a weapon’s performance. Durability was more important than performance. Durability to withstand the speed of light.

Kim Piljoong lightly tapped his foot on the ground. Then, he replayed the simulation he had repeated countless times in his head since being broken by Yaksha last time.

He had been beaten by Yaksha back then, but it wasn’t as if he hadn’t gained anything. If only Yaksha hadn’t shown up so excessively upgraded, he might have had a chance.

Swallowing his regret, Kim Piljoong muttered.

“Oh my god, Angelos, who dashes through the sky at the speed of light, I beseech you to lend me your strength so that I may reach my enemy’s heart.”

Seeing this, Yaksha said to himself.

“The real concept-obsessed one is right here, and he’s calling someone else concept-obsessed.”

It was something Kim Piljoong wouldn’t be able to hear. And in reality, he couldn’t hear it. Because he had charged at him at a speed faster than Yaksha’s words.