Episode 41
041. The Curtain Falls on the Play
The players of the Asura Guild died in an instant.
Of course, they would not have suffered pain beyond the limit.
It was merely a logout.
Only various penalties existed—loss of experience from the death penalty, item drops, temporary or permanent stat declines, and so on.
But golden hand could not tolerate even those penalties.
No, he didn’t even want to experience that common death in Lepione.
Because repeating death becomes a habit.
It wasn’t about being wary of the habit of accepting death.
The habit of giving up in extreme situations.
That filthy habit takes root.
‘Kang Moo-jin should know that too…’
A bitter thought crossed his mind, but now was not the time for that.
He had to focus on the target before him. However, he had a little breathing room for now.
Because instead of golden hand, the Asura Guild had captured the Earthworm’s attention.
“You, you damn bastard…!”
Nachaul spat out a curse and quickly flung his body aside to dodge the acidic slime.
As the squad leader, he was more composed than the other guild members.
But clear fear was also evident in his eyes.
‘I have to lure that thing. Golden hands! Yes, its original target was that bastard!’
Instinctively, Nachaul realized that the cause of all this chaos was Golden hands mining.
The pickaxe strikes, almost like detonations.
Drawn by that sound, the creature had appeared without a doubt.
Dodging the Earthworm’s attacks pouring down on him by a hair’s breadth, he shouted in the direction where Golden hands was.
“Hey, you son of a bitch! You caused this, so you take responsibility! Stop that monster!”
He planned to use Golden hands as bait to save himself.
But Golden hands wasn’t listening to his words.
No, he didn’t need to listen.
‘How convenient that the Asura guys are even volunteering as bait.’
Golden hands eyes were fixed solely on the Corrupted Earthworm.
In his eyes swirled not fear, but the cold light of a hunter facing his prey.
He needed to discern its patterns.
And the moment that was somewhat complete, he spoke to Iron Walker.
“Walker, you ready?”
“Wal, ker!”
Iron Walker, eager to leap in immediately.
Showing Iron Walker the bottle containing the neutralizing agent, Geumsun said:
“If you buy me time, I’ll pour this into that thing’s maw. Can you do it?”
“Woooooorker!”
Golden hands plan was simple.
The Earthworm’s greatest weapon was its acidic slime.
And the core organ secreting that slime was located deep within its mouth.
If he could just pour the neutralizing agent directly there, neutralizing the creature would be instantaneous.
Ksssssssssshit-!
Finally, having dealt with most of the Asura guild members, the Earthworm opened its enormous maw wide and charged toward Golden hands.
The terrifying vortex created by hundreds of teeth tried to swallow Golden hands.
“Walker! Now!”
At golden hand shout, Iron Walker flung its heavy body.
Iron Walker did not dodge the Earthworm’s attack but instead collided with it head-on.
Kwaaaaaaang-!
A tremendous impact sound of steel meeting monstrosity.
Iron Walker’s armor screeched against the Earthworm’s teeth, scattering sparks.
But Iron Walker did not retreat.
Instead, it forced the Earthworm’s maw open with both arms and held on.
Ksa-sak- Ksshi!
Ksssssshit-!
The Earthworm, caught by Iron Walker, made strange noises.
Seizing that opening without hesitation, golden hand moved.
Pushing off Iron Walker’s back, he leaped into the air and flung his body into the Earthworm’s gaping maw.
A foul stench and searing heat enveloped him, but Geumsun did not hesitate.
He threw the neutralizing agent bottle in his hand deep into the Earthworm’s mouth.
Jjaeng-gurang-!
Krrr… Kheeeeeeek!?
The Earthworm’s body began to convulse violently.
Inside its body, the acid neutralizer had begun to cause a fierce chemical reaction.
“Walker, close it!”
“Workeeeeeeer!”
Kwa-deu-deuk-
Iron Walker forcibly clamped shut the creature’s thrashing maw.
Pssssssssssshit-!
White steam erupted from its mouth and all over its body, and the green slime began to rapidly harden.
Like cement.
Kheu! Keuooo…
The Earthworm’s movements noticeably slowed.
The flexible slime that had coated its body had now become heavy shackles that hindered its movement instead.
“Good, now from here on…”
golden hand landed steadily on the creature’s back and smiled a satisfied smile.
Now, it was time to begin the hunt in earnest.
golden hand raised the hammer in his hand high.
In golden hand eyes, vivid red dots were appearing all over the Corrupted Earthworm’s hardening exterior.
‘Solar Strike!’
golden hand hammer struck the Earthworm’s tough exterior.
With a normal weapon used by players, it would have been impossible.
They used weapons with ‘blades,’ which would have slid off or failed to even leave a scratch.
But golden hand hammer was different.
An impact that crushes the area itself.
Moreover, combined with the Solar Strike skill that amplified attack power.
That strike was enough to precisely destroy only the weakest points to pressure within the chitinous structure of the Earthworm’s shell—the fine seams.
“Walker, press its head down!”
“Woooorker!”
Iron Walker pressed down on the Earthworm’s thrashing head section with its massive steel arms.
Under that pressure, its body contorted, and the weak points golden hand was targeting became clearly visible.
Kssssssssss-!
The Earthworm let out a painful shriek and desperately writhed, squeezing and spewing acidic slime from its body.
Iron Walker’s armor melted slightly with a ‘chiiiiik-‘ sound.
But that was the end of it.
Iron Walker did not feel pain, and the creature’s acid, already neutralized, was no longer a great threat.
So, Iron Walker merely silently carried out its master’s command.
“Good, hold it!”
golden hand did not miss that moment.
Hammer in hand, he moved like a miner shattering the hardest ore vein in the mine.
This was no longer a battle.
It was closer to dismantling a giant biological mineral.
Kwaang-!
Kwa-deuk-!
Kwa-jik-!
With each strike of his hammer, the Earthworm’s shell shattered piece by piece.
It wasn’t simply striking with force.
It was precisely striking and destroying the weak points discerned through Intuition of Resolution, with the divine dexterity of Godly Handiwork and the finesse of his precision stat.
Every skill golden hand possessed synergized perfectly, literally ‘whittling away’ the Earthworm.
[Skill Intuition of Resolution has reached Lv.7.]
[Skill Godly Handiwork has reached Lv.6.]
[Skill Solar Strike has reached Lv.3.]
.
.
.
Kssit, Kssissitssi…
The faster the skill levels rose, the faster the shell was stripped away.
The vulnerable flesh revealed beneath.
The Earthworm twisted its body in a final struggle, trying to throw off Iron Walker.
But golden hand was already preparing the final blow.
“Solar Strike!”
The power of the sun dwelling in golden hand right hand condensed at the tip of his hammer.
The hammer, blazing like the scorching sun, was driven down toward the Earthworm’s heart—the most vividly shining red dot.
Kwaaaaaaaang-!
[Weak point strike successful!]
[Critical hit confirmed!]
[The effect of ‘Solar Strike’ has inflicted the ‘Burn’ status ailment on the target.]
With an enormous explosion, the Earthworm’s massive body burst apart, scattering green fragments in all directions.
The shock was enough to shake the entire cave.
And at its center stood golden hand, hammer resting on his shoulder, not moving a muscle.
[You have defeated the Lord of the Polluted Mine, Corrupted Earthworm.]
[Level has increased! Lv.29]
[Level has increased! Lv.30]
[Level has increased! Lv.31]
[Achievement: Overcoming Level Difference]
[For the first time, you have solo-hunted a boss monster over 30 levels higher than yourself!]
[The system pays homage to your overwhelming skill and valor.]
[Effect 1: Final damage dealt to enemies higher level than you is permanently increased by 10%.]
[Effect 2: Final damage received from enemies higher level than you is permanently reduced by 10%.]
[City Quest: Purify the Polluted Mine! – Completed]
[Receive your reward from Dussar.]
[Alchemist Class Quest: The Master’s First Task – In Progress]
A satisfied smile played on golden hand lips as he checked the pouring messages.
Especially the Overcoming Level Difference achievement.
The effect became clearer the more he fought stronger opponents.
It was the optimal effect for golden hand, who would have many battles against the strong ahead.
‘One down, for now.’
A quest still remained, but it didn’t seem too difficult.
Because he had taken down the Corrupted Earthworm, the biggest obstacle.
So, Geumsun lightly brushed off his hands and commanded Iron Walker.
“Walker, collect the loot.”
“Worker! Worker!”
Iron Walker began moving its heavy body to pick up the items that had fallen from the Earthworm’s corpse.
[Acquired a large quantity of ‘Earth-Crushing Teeth’.]
[Acquired ‘Corrosive Poison Sac’.]
[Acquired ‘Heartstone of Polluted Earth’.]
[Acquired ‘Vibration-Sensing Scale’.]
.
.
.
As Iron Walker collected usable material items, Geumsun’s gaze turned toward one man.
A man hiding in a dark corner of the cave, watching this entire spectacle dazedly.
Nachal.
The Asura Guild’s squad leader.
He couldn’t believe his eyes.
‘Th-that… is that even possible?’
