Part 13
Its texture was entirely different from that of an ordinary rubber gas mask.
The surface was rough and tough, while something resembling a pouch of medicinal herbs hung where the filter should’ve been.
“What is this? It doesn’t look like an ordinary gas mask.”
“It’s a special gas mask I made.”
Yugeon tapped the leather section of the mask with his finger.
“An ordinary filter can’t block the poisonous energy here, so I made this myself using materials obtained from the Tower.”
“May I ask what materials you used?”
“The outer layer is made from the hide of the Goblin King, the Boss of Floor 10. Its hide possesses magical resistance, preventing poisonous energy from seeping through.”
“Ah! The Boss that carried the golden mace. I remember him.”
Mincheol nodded.
He had defeated that Boss Monster once before.
“That’s right. For the inner filter, I mixed activated carbon made by burning the Moss Monsters from Floor 3 with Purification Herbs gathered from Floor 11.”
Mincheol examined the mask in admiration.
The Moss Monsters on Floor 3 were famous for their exceptional absorption properties, while the Purification Herb from Floor 11 could neutralize poison.
Yugeon had combined them to create a filter, then sealed it inside the hide of a Boss Monster.
It was an ideal survival item.
“Thank you!”
Mincheol quickly put on the mask.
The acrid odor assaulting his nose disappeared immediately.
Instead, a faint grassy fragrance lingered at the tip of his nose.
The tightness in his chest also vanished, making it considerably easier to breathe.
As expected, there’s nothing the Boss can’t do.
Relieved, Mincheol raised his head.
His eyes widened in surprise.
“But why aren’t you wearing one, Boss?”
Yugeon’s face remained uncovered.
No matter how powerful he was, poisonous gas was still a respiratory threat.
Even if his skin was tough, surely his lungs couldn’t also be made of steel.
“Boss! This is dangerous! Didn’t you say the poisonous energy here can penetrate protective suits?”
Mincheol shouted urgently.
Instead of answering, Yugeon raised his head toward the air filled with violet mist.
Then, he inhaled deeply.
“Hooooo.”
His chest expanded greatly.
He filled the deepest reaches of his lungs with violet poisonous energy.
An ordinary person’s lungs would’ve melted, killing them instantly.
Mincheol watched nervously, afraid that Yugeon might collapse while coughing up blood.
“Haa…”
However, Yugeon slowly exhaled and smiled.
He showed no signs of pain.
Instead, he looked refreshed, like someone breathing pure, phytoncide-rich air in the middle of a forest.
DING—!
[Your accumulated growth has been reflected in your attributes.]
Inner Arts +1
Inner Arts +1
Inner Arts +1
….
“Don’t worry. This isn’t poison to me—it’s an elixir.”
“Pardon…?”
“The air is nice. Refreshing.”
“……”
Mincheol’s mouth fell open in astonishment.
Yugeon had inhaled poisonous gas and called the air refreshing.
His skin was actually glowing faintly, and every time he absorbed the poisonous energy in the air, he seemed to grow more vigorous.
Impervious to All Poisons.
Yugeon now possessed the body of a monster that used poison as an energy source, allowing him to enter the ruined city without concern.
“Let’s go.”
STEP. STEP.
Yugeon took the lead, walking across the snow.
Wherever his feet landed, the poisonous energy hidden beneath the snow rose like heat haze and flowed into his body.
It looked as though a living air purifier were walking through the city.
Remaining alert, Mincheol readjusted his grip on the Bastion Shield and followed behind him.
***
Thirty minutes after entering the city.
The ruined streets of Sapporo were utterly silent.
Traffic lights had bent like pieces of taffy, and every shop window had shattered.
Rows of half-destroyed cars lay buried in the snow like white tombstones.
Only the occasional clatter of a can rolling in the wind and the creaking of rusted signs disturbed the silence.
“Ugh… It’s cold.”
Mincheol shivered.
The gas mask protected him from the poison, but it couldn’t stop the murderous cold that penetrated his bones.
Even though he wore several layers of clothing, the chill still seeped through.
Yugeon, in contrast, felt no cold despite wearing thin clothing.
As he consumed the poison and circulated his Inner Arts, heat rose from his qi center, leaving him no opportunity to feel cold.
“Endure it a little longer. You’ll warm up once you start moving.”
“Pardon? What do you—”
Yugeon stopped walking.
His gaze turned toward a dark alley across the intersection.
The sun was beginning to set, covering the entire city in deeper darkness.
GLINT.
GLINT.
Pairs of blue eyes began appearing within the shadows.
At first, there were only two lights, but their number gradually increased.
Before long, several dozen were visible.
Low growls emerged from every direction.
Mincheol instinctively raised his shield and lowered his stance.
“Boss, something’s there.”
RUSTLE.
The creatures emerged from the darkness.
Their fur was as white as the snow, enormous fangs protruded from their mouths, and violet saliva dripped from their jaws.
“Grrrr…”
Snow Wolves.
They were twice the size of ordinary wolves and had been corrupted by the poisonous energy, making it impossible to regard them as normal animals.
They were monsters that had survived amid the deadly poison.
There appeared to be around a hundred of them.
“GRRAAAAR!”
When the leading pack wolf roared, dozens of Snow Wolves charged simultaneously.
They looked like black shadows sweeping across the white snowfield.
Mincheol tightened his grip on his hammer.
“You worthless monsters won’t get past me.”
WHOOSH—!
BOOM!
Mincheol swung his hammer and crushed the head of the leading wolf.
At the same moment—
Steel Skin
CRACK.
CRACK-CRACK.
Mincheol activated the Steel Skin skill he had learned from the Skill Book Yugeon gave him.
His skin began hardening like steel.
CHOMP!
CRUNCH!
“Not a chance, you damned mutt!”
When the wolf’s teeth failed to penetrate his skin, Mincheol moved his hammer even faster and continued slaughtering the monsters.
Meanwhile, Yugeon supported him by eliminating the wolves that slipped away from Mincheol one or two at a time.
***
A short while later—
“Whew… Boss, that was the last of them.”
Breathing heavily, Mincheol lowered his shield.
Both his body and shield were drenched in wolf blood, but he hadn’t suffered any injuries.
The corpses of approximately a hundred wolves littered the surrounding area.
“Well done. Your movements have improved considerably.”
Yugeon nodded as he observed Mincheol.
His growth was clearly visible.
Even against a large swarm, Mincheol no longer panicked and could respond calmly.
He had already reached Level 54.
“The warm-up is over. Let’s get to the main objective.”
“The main objective…? What exactly did we come here to find? Something valuable?”
“Not money. Our true objective is something else.”
Yugeon pointed toward a tall steel tower in the distance.
The Sapporo TV Tower.
It was a landmark overlooking the entire city.
Now covered in grotesque vines and blue ice, it resembled a gigantic pillar of ice.
Something enormous and crimson glowed faintly at its peak.
“There’s an item I need at the top of that tower.”
“An item?”
“That’s right.”
The item was essential for his future battle against the gods.
“Defeating the creature up there will give us something called the Abyss Watcher’s Single Eye.”
“The Abyss Watcher…?”
“It’s an eye that reveals an opponent’s weaknesses and shows you the future one second ahead.”
One second.
For superhumans who had transcended ordinary humanity, knowing what would happen one second in advance provided an overwhelming advantage in battle.
Originally, this item would be claimed by a Japanese Awakened known as a Great Star.
This time, however, Yugeon would take it.
“You aren’t planning to give this one to someone else too, are you?”
“It’s an item I’ll use myself.”
“Whew. That’s a relief.”
Mincheol sighed in relief.
When one thought about it, Yugeon was far too willing to give valuable items to others.
Just how many things had he already given Mincheol?
He seems to be misunderstanding something…
Yugeon let out a hollow laugh while looking at him.
“Will we be finished once we obtain that item?”
“No. There’s something else we need to collect. There’s a forge near the tower.”
Yugeon’s plan was thorough.
First, he would obtain the Abyss Watcher’s Single Eye from the tower.
Then, he would retrieve a hammer from the nearby forge.
In truth, the hammer was even more important than the eye.
It was the main reason he had come here.
“What ability does the hammer possess? Don’t tell me it can summon thunder or something…”
“I’ll tell you after we retrieve it.”
Yugeon and Mincheol moved through the blizzard toward the TV tower.
The poisonous energy grew denser as they approached the heart of the city.
To Yugeon, however, it was merely a filling elixir.
***
“Keeeeeh…”
The vines wrapped around the TV tower writhed while emitting grotesque noises.
Up close, they were clearly more than ordinary plants.
They resembled mutated blood vessels infused with violet poisonous energy.
Sharp spikes of ice protruded from the tip of every vine.
“Boss, are those really plants? The way they move makes them look exactly like mutated snakes.”
Mincheol grimaced and held his shield before him.
The tower stood 147 meters tall.
To reach the observation deck at the top, they would have to break through the forest of vines.
The sight of the monsters alone sent a chill down his spine.
Even more disturbingly, the moment they noticed living creatures, they turned toward them as though eyeing prey.
“They’re plant-type monsters called Ice Vines. Their movements are slow, but once they catch you, they’ll constrict your body until every bone breaks.”
“They really are just like snakes.”
“Don’t worry. They’re weak against fire.”
Yugeon infused the Godslaying Sword with Inner Arts.
HMMMM—!
Crimson fiery energy began blazing across the entire blade.
“Gasp! B-Boss, is that a skill?”
“It’s a martial art.”
“Ah… A martial art…”
“Hold out your hammer.”
SWOOSH.
At Yugeon’s instruction, Mincheol silently extended his hammer.
SPLASH.
“What’s that?”
“Oil obtained from the Elite Goblin Soldiers on Floor 8.”
【Item: Goblin Oil】
Grade: Uncommon
Category: Consumable Item
Oil carried by Elite Goblin Soldiers.
Once ignited, the flames are difficult to extinguish. It can be used for various purposes.