Chapter 61: The Secret Room
Thud!
Mu-yeong, who had used Heavenly Frenzy Gale in consecutive strikes, stepped back for a moment.
He looked at the Stone Golem as it regenerated, catching his breath.
He had carved through its arms, legs, and lower abdomen, but the Core was nowhere to be found.
"Every angle I aimed for missed completely."
He had heard that the Core's location was random.
Honestly, weren't places like the head or the heart far too obvious?
So he had tried thinking in reverse and targeted areas that weren't important—but every attempt had failed.
Still, the silver lining was that the Golem's defenses could be penetrated.
If it had stayed intact even after he used the Heavenly Demon Blood Slash with Sword Force behind it, his pride would have taken a real hit—so at least that much was a relief.
Mu-yeong took a long, deep breath and checked the time.
Three minutes, huh…….
That couldn't exactly be called sufficient.
The vital areas might have even higher defense, and it could go on the offensive to protect the Core.
—Threat detected. Defense system activated.
At that moment, the surrounding stone dust began flying toward the Golem's body.
The moment it clung like a magnet, the creature's already massive frame grew even more bloated.
And it didn't stop there—it slowly began to flush a deep crimson.
—It finally came out lololol
—Wall of Despair is ON lololol
—There's a reason it's a Special Boss lolol
—Phase 3 is on a whole different level fr lolol
—If he doesn't take it down fast he's actually done for lolol
"Mu-yeong! Watch out!"
The moment Yu Ye-rin cried out, the Stone Golem slammed down on the ground.
Its movements were at minimum 1.5 times faster than before.
Bang!
A stone fist drove into the exact spot Mu-yeong had been standing in just a moment ago.
He evaded it easily, but that wasn't the end of it.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
A ferocious barrage of punches chasing at Mu-yeong's heels.
The momentum was so overwhelming that Yu Ye-rin, who had been watching for an opening nearby, was left utterly horrified.
—2 minutes 30 seconds lolol
—All you contrarian betters who were so confident are starting to sweat now, huh? lolol
—The real match starts now lolol
—Keep running your mouths like before lololol
—It stays in Berserk Mode until the Core is destroyed lmao lolol
Ziiiiing!
The laser joined in.
Whoooosh!
It even began hurling boulders.
The inside of the temple, which had barely been intact until now, was reduced to rubble in an instant.
"This doesn't seem like a defense system—it looks more like an offense system."
—Fr lol
—Originally you need one tanker to run around while the other party members attack lolol
—This is why you need a mage lolol
—Regretting it already?
—You always learn by getting hit lolol
—Honestly, getting this far on the first try is still pretty impressive lolol
Mu-yeong kept evading the relentless assault, continuously looking for an opening.
Striking sloppily might only agitate it further—so he needed to be absolutely certain.
Just then, he caught sight of the Golem bending at the waist to pick up a boulder.
Flash!
Mu-yeong activated the Heavenly Demon Sovereign Step, pouring his maximum Energy Output into it.
His silhouette stretched out in a long, fluid blur.
It was a sight that looked as though it had been captured by an ultra-high-speed camera.
—Eliminating.
The Golem immediately fired its eye-beam laser, but it didn't even come close to Mu-yeong.
When that failed, it hurled a boulder the size of its own body.
Whoooosh!
"I'll finish this with this attack."
Mu-yeong leapt on top of the incoming boulder.
He used it as a foothold to gain momentum.
—Huh??
—Are you insane lolol
—He's climbing on top of it??? lololol
—This is way too much lolol
—Even so, it's Phase 3—is this really gonna work?
The creature's face drew rapidly closer.
Mu-yeong, now perched atop its head, aimed the tip of his blade at the very center of its crown.
He drew his internal energy from the Energy Center to the absolute limit.
Claaaang!!
The blade storm swept past the Golem's head and covered all the way down to its upper torso.
However, the rate at which it was being carved away was noticeably less than when he had attacked the limbs.
—Tougher than I expected
—Is this really gonna work?
—Pretty rough ngl lol
—If this doesn't break through either, just gg lolol
Even with maximum force—and it's still not enough?
Then hitting it multiple times would have to do.
Whoooosh!
The Heavenly Frenzy Gale grew even fiercer.
As it whipped around with more force than a blender, the stone shell began to peel away.
Crack! Thud!
How much time had passed like that.
Something glimmering from inside peeked into view, just the tiniest bit.
It was the Core.
"It's over."
Mu-yeong grinned and brought his fist crashing down.
Flash!—the glowing gem shattered.
Simultaneously, the Golem staggered and clutched at its own head.
But its HP did not recover.
—Whoa
—This actually worked??
—No way lolol
—I knew this would happen lolol
—Anyone who doubted Mu-yeong can go cry in a corner lolol
—All you non-believers, get ready to jump in the river lolol
The work was done.
Mu-yeong layered the Heavenly Frenzy Gale multiple times in succession.
A blood-red hurricane swallowed the Stone Golem whole.
—?
—???
—What the lololol
—It gets even bigger from here??
—What the hell am I even watching lolol
—Is this guy actually human?
—This just makes no sense lolol
—How is this even possible?
—What is True Awakening even lolol
The chat window shot upward in a frenzy.
Not long after, an unwelcome notification appeared.
[The Sharp Steel Sword has run out of durability and will be destroyed.]
Oh no.
It couldn't break here of all places.
With the weapon gone, the Heavenly Frenzy Gale began to slowly fade away.
He hastily raised his fist as a stopgap measure—and right at that moment.
Thud!
The Stone Golem collapsed to the ground.
It let out a sound like steam escaping, and its crimson Eye Glint slowly went dark.
—You have passed. O thou who seeks to break the Seal……
Crumble……
The stone masses that had been bound together lost their strength and scattered apart.
At the same time, a large message appeared, putting a final period on everything.
[The Guardian of the Ancient Temple, the Stone Golem, has entered its eternal rest.]
It had been 9 minutes and 43 seconds since the battle began.
.
.
.
.
[10 minutes or more—426,000 POINTS vs Under 10 minutes—79,000 POINTS]
[Victory goes to: Under 10 minutes!]
—The contrarian bet actually hit lololololol
—It's not contrarian, you idiot, it was the safe bet all along lolol
—Just how much money is this in total lololol
—So sweeeeet lolol
—Just one click and the money rolls in????
—Ah, making money is easy lololol
['Dan Jung-seon' has donated 1,000,000 Won.]
—Settle the winnings first, would you!!!
—Lolololol
—The Alliance Leader must have been quite in a rush lolololol
—At this rate he must have fully recovered what he lost last time?
—Life really does come down to one moment lolol
—If someone hits the wrong button here it'd be legendary lolol
—The Alliance Leader would literally pull out a sword and come after them lolol
['LandlordLife' has donated 3,000,000 Won.]
—We are living in the age of Mu-yeong. The Great Mu-yeong.
—Yeaaaaaaah
—The chairman's gone absolutely wild lolol
—3,000,000 Won, what even lololol
—Holy lolololol
—Money duplication season is officially open lolol
—Insane, just how much is all of that lolol
['Mu-yeong's One True God' has donated 100,000 Won.]
—Mu-yeong
—Ahhh, you again?
—I worship you, GOAT
—Damn it, Mu-yeong again? Getting tired of it lol
—A god in the flesh
—Don't just throw that sacred name around like that lolol
—Is Mu-yeong your friend or something??? At least add some respect lolol
Even as time passed, the donations showed no intention of stopping.
He thanked each one until his mouth was nearly worn out.
He wanted to keep going, but there was something more important left to do.
Hummmm!
The Talisman, which had been vibrating more intensely since he'd taken down the Golem.
Mu-yeong walked toward the door at the deepest part of the temple.
At its center was a single groove, sized perfectly to fit the Talisman.
—Wow, would this make it a world first?
—Is it actually going to open???
—Came here after hearing the rumor.
—So freaking excited lolol
—It's a first-time reward, so surely it'll be something great?
With everyone's expectations on him, Mu-yeong filled the groove.
Rumble rumble rumble!
The door suddenly began to vibrate.
Strange sounds of clanking came from within, as though the mechanisms inside were disengaging.
—Heart's pounding
—Genuinely shaking lolol
—Fr what even is this
—What if after all this it just gives us a plain rock?
—Mu-yeong might actually storm the company headquarters
—That'd be a bit of a problem lol
Creeeeak.
As though the process was complete, the door slowly rose upward.
The secret space was a cave of considerable size.
At the back was a mural that appeared to depict a person, and atop a stone table installed in the very center lay a single sword.
—Huh?
—A weapon?
—Ohhh, it looks incredibly good.
—Could it be legendary tier?
—Pick it up already
—So curious what its effects are lolol
Everyone urged him on, but Mu-yeong stood still as though struck by lightning.
Why is this here…….
A sword five cheok in length with a blade darker than pitch-black.
Even if others wouldn't know it—this was a weapon Mu-yeong could never forget.
It was the Sacred Treasure of the Demonic Heaven Sect, the Black Heavenly Demon Sword.
Mu-yeong, his body trembling without even realizing it, turned his gaze to the mural behind it.
A single figure was depicted executing a sequence of movements.
Then could that be……?
As though entranced, Mu-yeong walked deeper inside.
Yu Ye-rin, who had been following behind, was suddenly flung backward.
"Ugh! Mu-yeong, it says I'm unworthy—I can't go any further."
"……A shame, but from here I'll go on alone."
"I'll wait for you here."
"Thank you, but you don't have to do that. I'm going to end the stream now."
—?
—???
—Why?
—What?
—All of a sudden, here?
—Show us too
That one thing above all else—he couldn't allow.
"I'll make sure to tell you all about it next time. Sorry."
With those words, Mu-yeong's stream ended.
.
.
.
.
"Whaaat? He's cutting it off right here!?"
Lee Da-hye, who had been completely absorbed in watching, leapt to her feet.
She'd forgotten she was in the office and was about to shout when she noticed Park Seong-jun at the team leader's desk—and quietly sat back down.
"Team Leader, isn't this a problem? If he just ends the stream out of nowhere, there's no telling what's inside……"
"He still took down the Golem, so isn't that enough? To think he actually pulled off something everyone thought was impossible. Truly impressive."
"Aren't you curious what the reward is, Team Leader? And on top of that, suddenly ending the stream—this makes no sense!"
"If he doesn't want to show it, there's nothing we can do. It's his choice."
"Even so……"
The raid itself was a success, but Park Seong-jun's demeanor was oddly composed.
Lee Da-hye puffed out her cheeks and grumbled.
Park Seong-jun watched her, then slowly took a long sip of his coffee.
"Are you genuinely curious?"
"……Do you know something?"
"Well, it's late and I stayed overtime, and that Mu-yeong you recommended turned out to be a massive success, so…… you know? Off the record. What I'm about to say stays an absolute secret."
"Yes, yes! Of course!"
Park Seong-jun pulled out the chair next to Lee Da-hye and plopped down into it.
He swiveled around lazily for a moment, then slowly began to speak.
"Do you know a guy named Park Min-geun—the head of the development team upstairs? He's a close colleague of mine."
"I know him well. He's famous for being incredibly capable."
"After the Stone Golem was taken down the last time, I quietly asked him. Whether the area behind that door had actually been implemented or not."
"……"
"You know what he said? It's already done. He just said no one had discovered the key to enter yet—but you know what the more shocking part was?"
"What?"
Park Seong-jun swallowed hard before speaking.
"Before the game launched, they recruited early testers to check for things like balance issues and bugs."
"Right."
"They brought in everyone from ordinary people to Martial Artists—and do you know who was among the applicants?"
Instead of saying it outright, he exaggerated the shape of his lips.
Two syllables.
Lee Da-hye, who had been mimicking Park Seong-jun's lip movements, was struck with shock.
"Hea— Heavenly Demon? Are you seriously saying the Heavenly Demon?"
"Yes. Said in his own words that he came just to do a bit of part-time work…… but honestly, who would believe that? The Five Pinnacle Masters aren't exactly people with nothing better to do."
"And what happened after?"
"They approved it. How could they refuse it in the first place? When one of the world's strongest wants to do something, of course you bow your head first."
Lee Da-hye felt dizzy at the story suddenly escalating to an entirely different scale.
"Anyway, it went smoothly enough overall, but at the very end he made one request. He said he wanted to decorate this secret room himself."
"Then could it be—?"
"He didn't tell me what exactly was requested, but this much is certain."
"……"
"That room is connected to the Heavenly Demon."