Chapter 43 ….
EX-Rank Reincarnation Draw
Had it been about two hours since we entered the labyrinth?
After that, Yejiram and I had been clearing the labyrinth fairly smoothly.
Just having a map made moving forward not difficult at all.
It showed all the paths and warned us about every trap—what was there to be afraid of?015
Thinking that, we kept moving.
“…Why does this feel so easy?”
Yejiram spoke with a puzzled expression.
“Can an A-rank gate really be this easy? It’s even a maze-type.”
Her gaze turned toward me.
“And how are you finding the paths so well? What is this—are you carrying a map or something?”
She hit the nail right on the head. This woman had frighteningly sharp instincts.
“What map? I’m just good at seeing things.”
“You’re finding paths that aren’t even visible with light. Just how well can you see?”
I kept discovering hidden paths concealed in the darkness. My speed was fast and I never hesitated, so it was only natural that Yejiram found it strange.
“But if you shine a light, you can see everything.”
“…Hmmm.”
It was true that shining a light revealed the path. I was getting by with that explanation somehow.
‘It’s not like I need to hide it…’
But it was still better to conceal things for now.
Anyway, we continued deeper into the labyrinth.
‘Where’s the end?’
I checked the map. It showed the paths, but not the destination.
‘Do I only find out once I reach the end?’
That was probably it. As long as it showed the way, that was enough.
Thinking that, we kept going—until—
“What’s this? It’s a dead end.”
“…Hmm.”
A dead end appeared, even though I’d followed the map.
What the hell? Was the map broken?
[■ There are levers on the far left and far right.]
[■ Pull the levers to open the door.]
Nope. Not broken.
It was working perfectly.
“There seem to be levers on both sides.”
I said while pretending to inspect the wall.
“Both sides?”
“Yes. Don’t we need to pull them at the same time?”
“…Where exactly?”
“There. A little lower.”
“Ah, this?”
“Yes. On three—one, two, three.”
We pulled the levers in sync.
Kirik.
The levers moved.
Kugugugung—!
The wall began to open. Correct answer.
“…So that was it.”
“That’s interesting.”
“You know you don’t look interested at all, right?”
“Let’s go.”
“You’re not even answering now. This is ridiculous.”
We stepped into the opened passage.
And at that moment—
[■ You have entered the Lion’s Domain.]
[■ The curse of Labyrinth Floor 10 has activated.]
[■ Achievement: ‘Vanguard of the Labyrinth’ has been completed.]
“…An achievement…!?”
Yejiram gasped at the word achievement.
“Why are you reacting like that…?”
“What do you mean ‘why’? It’s an achievement!”
I saw it too, but… so what?
“Do you even know how incredible achievements are?”
“Are they really that big a deal?”
“Didn’t you say you were from the Choin Academy…? They don’t teach you about achievements there?”
“No. I don’t remember learning about that.”
“Schools are a mess these days. Then again, that bald old principal only knows how to squeeze money out of people—he’s absolutely useless.”
“……”
Yejiram naturally trashed the Choin Academy and shook her head.
“When you earn achievements, your Synchronization Rate naturally increases. You know how hard it is to raise that rate. People say collecting achievements is like grabbing stars from the sky. You’re unbelievable.”
“…?”
Achievements raise Synchronization Rate? That was news to me.
And yet—
‘If they’re that hard to get…’
Hadn’t I gotten way too many of them?
Even stranger, my Synchronization Rate hadn’t increased at all.
Was this another effect of the Martial God’s trait?
“You hit the jackpot.”
“More like you hit the jackpot thanks to me.”
“…You’re really cheeky.”
Yejiram chuckled.
She seemed genuinely pleased by the achievement—the atmosphere lightened a little.
“I came because it looked fun, but this is a decent haul. And even more so…”
She looked at the name of the achievement.
“‘Vanguard’ means we’re the fastest, right?”
“Oh.”
I guess so.
‘Of course—we used a map.’
With a strategy guide, being the fastest wasn’t surprising.
“Let’s finish this quickly.”
Yejiram said confidently.
As if responding to her words, my guide displayed another message.
[■ A curse has activated.]
[■ Proceed with caution.]
[■ From this point onward, the Dead will appear.]
‘The Dead?’
Curse and the Dead.
As I frowned, trying to understand, something appeared on the map.
‘Red circles.’
Something was approaching from ahead.
The map warned me.
Geeeeeeeh—
Grrrrrrrr—!!!
An extremely unpleasant sound.
“What the hell is that now?”
Yejiram waved her hand, and a black whip formed in her grasp.
“Right. An A-rank gate shouldn’t be this easy. I was wondering what would come out. Draw your sword—wait, you already did?”
I was already gripping the Cheonma Divine Sword.
Geeeeeeeh—!!!!
The sound grew louder.
[Killing Intent Detected.]
[Hero’s Super Senses.]
Two skills activated simultaneously.
“Dirty Fire.”
Yejiram tossed a flame she conjured at her fingertips into the air.
It transformed into a small sphere, illuminating the surroundings like a lamp.
As visibility improved, we saw what was ahead.
Geeeeeeeh—!!!!
Humanoid figures were rushing toward us.
Zombies?
[■ Evil Eye activated.]
[■ Ghoul.]
The Evil Eye corrected my assumption.
Ghouls—creatures similar to zombies from fantasy novels.
The problem was—
[■ Ghoul (??) Seo Yuyeong]
[■ Ghoul (??) Ten Chaio]
[■ Ghoul (??) Ben Damon]
There were names attached to the ghouls.
Human names.
I turned to the guide.
There, the explanation appeared.
[■ Curse of the Dead.]
[■ Superhumans who die inside the labyrinth become the Dead and hunt other superhumans.]
“…Ha.”
Those who died while exploring became ghouls.
So that’s what the curse meant.
What a disgusting place.
And even worse—
Chwaaak—!!
“…They’re tough?”
Even after Yejiram’s whip struck them, it only left shallow wounds.
And even those regenerated instantly.
“Black Moon Thorn Path.”
Yejiram slammed her whip into the ground.
Black spikes erupted upward, skewering the ghouls and briefly restraining them.
But—
Kwagagag—!
They tore through effortlessly.
“Wow. This is ridiculous.”
Yejiram laughed in disbelief.
[■ Ghouls can only be defeated by destroying their core.]
I checked the strategy guide.
A core? What core?
I focused.
Hero’s Super Senses detected an unnatural presence inside their bodies.
At the same time, Evil Eye pierced through them and found something.
‘I see it.’
A red orb.
That must be it.
Clench.
I tightened my grip on the sword.
It was still heavy.
Kyaaaaaah—!
Geeeeeeeh—!!!!
There were easily dozens of ghouls.
Yet I charged forward without hesitation.
I should’ve been scared—but I wasn’t.
It felt… natural.
“Hey! That’s dangerous—!”
Yejiram shouted, but my sword moved faster.
Crunch.
Rather than slicing, I smashed through the ghoul’s torso.
The orb inside shattered.
Kyaaaaaah—!!!
The ghoul turned to dust and vanished.
After killing several more, I spoke to Yejiram.
“If you break the orb, they die.”
“…Orb?”
“Yes. There’s something like that in their torso.”
“Hmmm?”
Yejiram coiled her whip.
“Black Moon Spike.”
The whip condensed into a spike and shot forward.
Crunch—!!
It pierced the ghoul’s chest and crushed the core.
“Oh. That.”
“Yes. That.”
“Okay. Confirmed.”
The area containing the orb was clearly less durable.
Once we realized that, Yejiram and I slaughtered the ghouls like mad.
‘Thankfully, it doesn’t seem like their abilities transfer when superhumans turn into ghouls.’
They retained some physical ability, but nothing else.
Which made hunting easy.
But—
‘…Is this really okay?’
[■ Hunt the Dead.]
Another line appeared.
[■ Thus, the King of the Dead will be summoned. (33/150)]
It felt like something that shouldn’t be written there.
* * *
—What the hell? Why are they so fast?
—Everyone else is struggling, but why is that party blazing through?
—Do they see all the paths? They just walk and it’s always correct.
Kim Hyeokcheol’s broadcast was heating up.
Channel 328.
They were overtaking even Channel 122, ranked second—Hale Irene’s channel.
Irene was just smashing through the labyrinth without caring about paths.
Other channels were filled with people dying to traps or getting lost.
These were A-rank superhumans—bodies tough enough to tank artillery—yet they were being crushed effortlessly by traps.
This was not an easy difficulty.
And yet—
‘…They’re just bulldozing through?’
Yejiram’s party was clearing the labyrinth effortlessly.
Without a shred of hesitation.
The reason why—
—Who is that guy?
The young man beside Yejiram.
[The lever is right there.]
[This one?]
The young man was practically controlling Yejiram while clearing the labyrinth.
He seemed to know every path.
How was that possible?
—Is he a Seeker?
—Even Seekers aren’t like that. That’s straight-up map hack.
—Map hack my ass, this isn’t a game lol.
Honestly, it might as well have been a map hack.
But then—
Geeeeeeeh—!
Something burst out of the room they entered.
—Zombies?
—Now it’s an apocalypse?
—That’s disgusting.
Dozens of ghouls rushed toward them.
Yejiram restrained them with her whip—
Chwaaak—!
But barely any damage was dealt.
Just as it seemed a different strategy was needed, the young man charged in.
Chwaaak—!
He swung his heavy sword.
Unlike the Black Night Witch incident, the ghoul shattered immediately.
[If you break the orb, they die.]
He said it casually.
—Oh……
The chat reacted instantly.
—Who is that guy?
—Never seen him before, but he’s A-rank? Korean too.
Interest in the young man surged.
—
—Ah. I know who he is.
—
Someone identified him.
—
—That’s Lee Jinwoo. The Hero of Yeouido. The guy who joined Irene’s knight order.
—Oh.
—
Kim Hyeokcheol’s eyes widened.
‘Lee Jinwoo?’
The same young man from the recent headlines.
The one who stopped terrorists and saved civilians in Yeouido.
He’d only awakened days ago, hadn’t he?
He received a commendation and joined a newly formed knight order.
His rank had been measured as A-rank.
‘Lee Jinwoo…’
Kim Hyeokcheol studied him with interest.
The two synchronized perfectly, mowing down ghouls nonstop.
The breakthrough rate skyrocketed.
From 50% to 80% in moments—then 90%.
—
—Is this it?
—Just a maze and some ghouls?
—Why is this even A-rank? This is boring.
—
Viewers expressed disappointment.
Kim Hyeokcheol sighed inwardly.
‘Easy is good, you lunatics.’
Gates had to be cleared.
If contamination rose and disaster struck, the consequences were obvious.
‘But it’s always like this.’
Dopamine ruled everything.
Momentary entertainment mattered more than global danger.
That was the result of a relatively safer world.
Call it complacency.
‘Though I don’t really have the right to judge, living off this.’
Who’s mocking whom?
Kim Hyeokcheol chuckled.
“Don’t be too disappointed, everyone. Clearing it is still a good thing—”
Then—
—
—What is that…?
—Holy shit…!!!
—
The chat exploded.
Sensing something wrong, Kim Hyeokcheol quickly checked the screen.
“……What?”
Gugugugugugugugugu—!!!!!
Something was happening where Yejiram and Lee Jinwoo stood.
A sinister fog gathered at the center.
[■ Souls of the Dead are being filled.]
[■ Master of Labyrinth Floor 10.]
[■ ‘King of the Dead: Necromancer Emperor’ is born.]
[■ Labyrinth difficulty increases.]
[■ A → S]
Despair revealed itself.
