Chapter 2
I dragged a long line down my arm with the tip of a dagger. The seeping blood clumped together to form a dark red spear. The blazing flames that flowed from the end of the spear and wrapped around the shaft were blindingly black.
-Keurrr
The three heads of the Lauchtas that looked down on and ignored me lifted at the same time. As if on alert from the spear that s.n.a.t.c.hed its eyes, its hunched back rose up. In its widely opened mouth, there were tons of sawtooth-like teeth.
If it was the usual me, I would’ve collapsed, overwhelmed, before I even met its eyes. But right now, I didn’t feel even the slightest bit nervous. I was confident. That guy was weaker than me.
"d.a.m.ned lizard b.a.s.t.a.r.d, bring it on."
-Keuahhh!
As if answering, that guy howled. The roar filled with bloodthirst shook the entire s.p.a.ce. The 3-headed dragon[1] raised its huge red body all the way up. It didn’t have wings. Instead, its leopard-like sleek body was surrounded with strong curses. Its long spotted tail whipped back and forth and raised its thorns[2].
Bam![3]
This guy’s four feet slammed on the ground. Its claws that were like a death G.o.d’s scythe left long gouges on the ground. Its speed seemed unbelievable due to its large body. The movement of crossing half of the wide s.p.a.ce in just one leap, if it was the usual me, I wouldn’t have been able to perceive it.
But it was the current me.
"Why don’t you crawl around[4]?"
It felt like a little puppy was bouncing over. Of the world’s strongest, the third place in speed among the top 10 rankers was my dongsaeng. Compared to my dongsaeng, who wouldn’t have allowed this 3-headed lizard b.a.s.t.a.r.d to attack if he were alone, in this moment, I was even faster.
Tap!
I gave a twisted sneer as I leaped into the air.
Kadeudeudeuk!
That guy’s claws smashed into where I used to be. Looking down leisurely at that sight, I used the overflowing skills.
"Azure[5] Willow Leaf."
Leaves that were only visible to the user fluttered around. I shot back up by tiptoeing on those leaves.
The Lauchtas rose up and followed me up into the air but I lightly evaded its claws. I blocked the curses that flew out like poison darts with the s.h.i.+eld.
Boom![3]
The lizard b.a.s.t.a.r.d that fell to the ground growled. If you’re upset, grow some wings and come up!
My dongsaeng didn’t have a flight skill. But that guy stepped on these azure willow leaves as if dancing in the air. Flawless[6] a.s.shole.
"No, he couldn’t cut off his useless hyung."
As I muttered, I lifted the spear to the side. As wavering black smoke[7] wrapped around it, I drew it back as if drawing a bow.
Swehck!
-Keuahhh!
The thrown spear pierced through the Lauchtas’ left-side head. The black flames surged out and the pierced head melted in a moment. Crazed with pain, the lizard thrashed around and swung its claws and teeth but it was too late.
Bam! Bam!
Jumping around while constantly hitting the ground made it look like a eel that was dragged out onto land. It was a funny scene. That b.a.s.t.a.r.d was funny but so was I.
Drawing blood, making a new spear.
Kwadeuk!
-Keuouk! Keuouhh!
I also crushed the right-side head. The eyeless middle head couldn’t grasp the situation and moved limply. This scale-covered guy stopped jumping around and curled up. It seemed like it was overcome with fear.
"……This is too easy."
It was so easy I felt like crying. This quickly frightened[8] b.a.s.t.a.r.d.
If I burn up the remaining head, however strong the vitality of this polyp[9] was, it wouldn’t be able to endure, but I aimed at the legs instead of the head. One by one, I cut off the limbs of this guy who was powerless like a fish drying out on hot sand.
Slowly, throroughly.
The shriek became a scream, became a groan, and then dwindled into a dying gasp. The ground was wet like a b.l.o.o.d.y swamp, but the Lauchtas was still alive. I crouched down on the dying[10] giant.
The time was almost up. When the skill’s effect was over, the noxious gas flowing from the Lauchtas’ corpse could kill me.
I’m really a useless guy.
"But what would I do if I survive
If it comes out that Yoohyun died because of me, wouldn’t I face a public execution? For example, I would be tied to a public plaza and the whole world would crowd around to stone me.
"Like, I would do down in history, come up in a textbook. Even before, I’ve been cursed at a lot, but for generations now I’d be rich in shame. Haha."
So why did you die in my place, stupid dongsaeng. It was so pointless. Ah, f.u.c.k. I should’ve just died instead of being rescued that time when I broke my leg. Then I wouldn’t have to see such a nasty thing and Yoohyun wouldn’t have died. Just what kind of guy uselessly rescued me?
I smacked the scales of the Lauchtas that was gasping its last breath.
"I’m probably going to suffer too so don’t feel depressed. Anyways why did you come out of a D-Rank dungeon? Unless those administration guys measured it wrong."
Either way, it wasn’t my problem anymore. I didn’t even have the energy to leave before the skill’s effect wore off, so I just lied down and sprawled out[11].
"Should I have just meekly lived waving a cheering stick behind Yoohyun?"
I should’ve just relaxed[12], protected by my amazing dongsaeng; ‘inferiority complex’ or whatever.
Just then, the Lauchtas must have died, because a Reward Window popped up.
[Impossible Acheivement! You’ve hunted a dragon by yourself!]
Yoohyun gave one blow so why 'by myself’? Is it because of the time difference?
[Legendary Grade[13] t.i.tle 'Dragon Slayer’ granted!]
'Dragon Slayer’. It sounded like a t.i.tle with an impressive ability but I didn’t check. So what. A potato is a potato[14]. The level went up and items steadily appeared.
[Gate Stone x 10]
[1st Rank Giving Potion[15] x 5]
[Red Dragon Supreme Sword]
[Wish Stone]
Hm? Wish Stone?
I was skimming over the Item Window but the Wish Stone caught my eye. It was an item I haven’t seen before.
"Just looking at the name, it seems like something that grants wishes."
No way. What kind of fraud item.
I thought that it’s probably nothing big but I still bolted upright. When I opened the Inventory, I saw a red marble smaller than a fist.
With a dry mouth, I took out the marble and checked the information.
[Wish Stone - Myth Grade
Grants one wish for the user.]
For real?!
"Then, my dongsaeng-!"
[※Exception: a dead person can’t be revived]
"……Oh s.h.i.+t?!"
A last warning arrived too late. Can’t even save one person, myth grade, what myth grade! If you’re a G.o.d you should be able to control life and death as you please!
"s.h.i.+t, so then what! Besides saving someone, everything else is ok? I, I just…!"
I tightened my fist to crush the Wish Stone.
Things I could use it for popped up in my head. If it could grant anything, then it’s possible to make me stronger than Yoohyun. It could probably keep this state for me too.
Then, I wouldn’t have to endure being cursed at by everyone. People quickly forget past heroes and praise new ones.
From now on, I could have that position that I’ve always envied. From an even more glorious position, I can go higher than anybody else. I was in the grip of these delusions, but then I sighed.
"……Yoohyun, you. You really are taking advantage of me all the way to the end."
I might regret it. No, I’m definitely going to regret it. Then, might as well regret. I already have so many regrets, adding one more layer isn’t going to change much.
"Hey, Wish Stone. Can you rewind time?"
As if in answer to my question, the red marble started to glow. So it can’t revive a dead person but it can do this. It’s funny; rewinding time sounds more impressive.
"Then, the time before I entered here, no. Just take me back to 5 years ago. With my memories intact. This time I’ll live quietly."
If I don’t put myself forward, I wouldn’t be in a position to be shamed, my leg will be fine, and Yoohyun won’t have to worry his brains out over me. It’s all good.
I just have to live off of[12] my amazing dongsaeng like extra baggage.
[Will you rewind time?]
"Yeah."
The marble’s light became even stronger. Red flooded my eyes, and then flickered into white.
Then.
In my recovered sight, a scene in a strange room was set before me.
[1] 삼두룡: 삼=3, 두=head, 룡/용=dragon
[2] it is also an expression that means "to be aggressive or about to attack"
[3] it says "koong" but the Eng equiv is "bam/boom" so I used that instead
[4] with the connotation of "if you’re going to leap/prance around like that"
[5] this color is used for both blue and green, so I just picked a cool-sounding shade
[6] lit. "there isn’t anything he can’t do" which is why the next sentence is talking about the one thing he couldn’t do
[7] 흑염: 흑 = black; given that the context makes it highly likely that 염 = smoke, all past instances of 염 probably = smoke, and especially since this is Yoohyun’s skill, his nickname (footnote 17 in ch. 1) probably really is Black Blood Smoke Emperor
[8] lit. "curl up its tail" because apparently dogs curl up their tails when they are scared
[9] again, like with ch 1, idk bruh. It’s what the dictionary says.
[10] lit. "with its tongue out and bitten (off)" which can mean literally or "dying" because historically, some people used to bite off their tongues to bleed to death as suicide
[11] lit. "lie down like the (chinese) character 大"
[12] lit. "suck honey"
[13] the word for rank/grade is the same (급 or 등급)
[14] lit. "even if you draw lines on a squash, it’s still a squash". From the expression "Even if you draw a line on a squash, does it turn into a watermelon?" which means, no matter how much you try to change something’s/someone’s appearance, they’re still ugly. In English, I thought it made more sense to use "potato".
[15] 부여액: idk anything about games so I can’t tell what this is. 부여=granting/giving/endowment/investment, -액=amount or liquid