HG Ch 40

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[SYSTEM] Baekho uses the skill “Baekho Chain Fist”.

How is it that fast?

Eunho couldn’t aim, let alone follow the movement with his eyes. Baekho’s movements were so uncanny that he kept missing. On top of that, Baekho seemed to have already grasped the weaknesses of Yoon Iseo, who used a spear, and kept diving straight into his guard^[1]. The two of them half-tangled as they exchanged blows.

This won’t do.

Yoon Iseo was not a sturdy shield-bearer^[2]. Although he was dodging most of Baekho’s countless attacks with quick footwork, every time he was hit, the HP loss was enormous. Even now, Yoon Iseo’s movements were steadily growing slower.

What should I do? How can we deal a critical blow to Baekho?

As he struggled with the thought, Eunho suddenly pulled out the gun Yoon Iseo had given him.

What if he took a high vantage point and fired downward?

Looking around, he spotted a bamboo forest packed with thick, towering stalks. If he climbed up there, wouldn’t he be able to provide cover for Yoon Iseo

First, Eunho needed to check whether those bamboo stalks could hold the weight of a large man. Each stem was so thick that an adult man would struggle to wrap both arms around it, so it seemed possible. Eunho quietly shifted toward the bamboo forest.

He was crawling low, moving as cautiously as he could so as not to be noticed, when it happened.

Baekho, who had been facing off against Yoon Iseo, slid his gaze toward Joo Eunho. His originally pure-white long hair rippled behind him like a jet-black waterfall as he turned.

Baekho closed his eyes and let out a low, chuckling laugh. The deeply sunken laughter, as if it would never rise again, seemed to etch itself into Eunho’s mind like soot.  

[Oh? So you are a dreamer? If I hunt you, will I be catching the butterfly, or will I be catching Zhuangzi^[3] himself?]

Without hesitation, Baekho turned away from Yoon Iseo. Then he charged straight at Eunho.

Eunho was startled.

Me? Why?

Based on the damage coefficients, Yoon Iseo should have been first in the aggro ranking.

As Eunho stared blankly at Baekho, Baekho smiled, splitting its mouth wide.

[You are surprised, child. Yet who could ever hope to bind the wind?]

“Damn it, what kind of concept is this? Hyung! Save me!”

The moment Baekho abandoned him and rushed toward Eunho, Yoon Iseo also started running toward them with a hardened expression.

But Baekho was far faster than Yoon Iseo. It leapt lightly, then descended from above, striking down at Eunho.

It was at that exact moment that Eunho remembered the evasion technique Yoon Iseo had taught him. He hurriedly fired the gun toward a bamboo stalk, using the rebound of the rope snapping taut to dodge Baekho’s attack. Baekho glanced up at Eunho, who had shot up onto a tall bamboo stalk in an instant, and it’s mouth stretched into a wide grin.

Then Baekho began mercilessly pounding the empty ground.

Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!

Each time Baekho’s fists slammed into the earth, the ground cracked and the land howled. The bamboo stalk Eunho was hanging from shook violently.

[SYSTEM] Due to the aftereffects of Baekho’s skill “Monstrous Strength”, accuracy decreases by 30% when hit. [SYSTEM] The King of Beasts is enraged! A fierce killing intent can be felt.

When Eunho failed to avoid the aftershock of “Monstrous Strength” and fell, Yoon Iseo caught his falling body. Then he shouted at Eunho, who had frozen up from the shock of the fall and the suffocating killing intent filling the air. 

“Joo Eunho, tear the protection talisman!”

Eunho snapped back to his senses at those words and hastily tore the protection talisman.

There was no time to waste. He aimed his firearm at Baekho again. When he focused his mind, despite his accuracy having dropped by 30%, a bright yellow target appeared over Baekho’s face.

At that moment, Baekho, who had kept his eyes closed all this time, opened them.

Their eyes met across the target.

Baekho smiled.

[Are you enjoying your dream?]

“……”

[Trapped in a dream, dying, being born, dying, being born, dying, being born. How many times must one repeat it for life to end…?]

Only then did Joo Eunho understand.

Baekho is a meta character.

That explained everything. Why it ignored the aggro ranking and charged at Eunho, and why it had spoken ambiguously to both Eunho and Yoon Iseo.

Come to think of it, each of the Four Symbols had its own unique ability, and he vaguely remembered hearing somewhere that Baekho’s ability was prophecy.

Eunho frowned as he watched Baekho, who slowly moved his hand as if dancing.

And then—

Swoooosh.

A powerful wind surged forth as if responding to the command of the Absolute.

[Life, it is suffering. Death, it is tranquility. Therefore, what I bestow upon you can be called a blessing.]

At that moment, Yoon Iseo gripped his spear tightly.

[SYSTEM] Baekho attempts to use the skill “Baekho Prophecy.” He prophesies your death. This prophecy will inevitably come true.

[May you fall into peaceful silence.]

Baekho was engulfed in pitch-black energy.

* * *

Whoosshhh.

As the cold wind swept over them, Eunho’s hair whipped in all directions. Eunho furrowed his brows and spoke.

“Is this a party wipe skill?”

After tearing several buff talismans and putting a bodhi fruit into his mouth, Yoon Iseo answered, “Yeah.”

It was ridiculous that he was getting goosebumps over a mere virtual reality game party wipe mechanic. Eunho curled his trembling hands into fists and, half trying to joke, muttered, “Every game has this kind of gimmick, so why is it this scary? Virtual reality really isn’t playing around.”

But Yoon Iseo did not take his words as a joke. He furrowed his brows, lowered his head, and carefully examined Joo Eunho’s expression. His pitch-black sunken gaze enveloped Joo Eunho like a thick cradle.

Soon, a quiet voice reached him.

“Are you very scared?”

He had just said it offhand, so having it taken seriously was embarrassing. Eunho awkwardly ruffled the back of his head.

“I was just whining a bit. Worst case, it’s just a reset.”

Eunho deliberately spoke lightly.

“But even if I get reset, you can’t cut me off. Carry… no, never mind, I won’t take a carry this time.”

“If you get reset, I’ll get reset too. How am I supposed to carry you? We’ll grind together.”

Responding in a flat tone, Yoon Iseo spoke again.

“Don’t be afraid.”

All of this was “nothing.” When Yoon Iseo whispered that, the bristling tension inside Eunho began to subside. Such crude comfort stirred his heart far too easily.

Suddenly, a conversation he had once had with Yoon Iseo came to mind.

“What if I do well during the Baekho raid?”

“Huh?”

“Even if I make two mistakes… If I do well twice, you should let it slide, right?”

And then he realized.

He had been doing unnecessary calculations.

Kugugugung.

At that moment, Baekho, which had returned to its tiger form from its humanoid shape, had the whites of its eyes turn pitch black. Soon, a bright red effect began to rise around Baekho.

Feeling as if something enormous was pressing down on his entire body, Eunho clenched his fist. Still, it was more bearable than he expected.

“Yeah, it’s fine…”

Breathe. That is just a mental attack inside a game. Yoon Iseo’s words embraced Eunho like a thick protective shield.

Eunho took a deep breath.

[SYSTEM] The King of Beasts is enraged! [SYSTEM] A fierce killing intent can be felt.

Baekho, shrouded by inky-black energy, took a step forward. A tremendous gale surged forth. The wind carried killing intent, as if it meant to tear apart anything approaching.

At the same time, Baekho roared.

Grrrrrrng!

The deep, reverberating growl of the tiger sent chills tearing down Eunho’s spine.

The moment Eunho jolted and tried to stumble backward, someone steadied him from behind. He didn’t need to look to know who it was. At that moment, there was only one person for Eunho.  

As the warmth of another person’s body touched his back, the panic bristling inside him eased just a little. He looked once more at Baekho approaching him, and then something odd caught Eunho’s eye.

Something glinted beneath Baekho’s chin…

Yoon Iseo spoke quietly.

“Right. That’s what you shoot.”

Eunho, as if entranced, aimed at the target. But his hands weren’t cooperating. The barrel of the gun trembled uncontrollably. He tried to steady himself and raise the gun again, but his malfunctioning hands refused to stop shaking.

A gentle weight settled on Eunho’s shoulder.

“Now.”

Following his words, Eunho moved.

Bang!

But the first shot missed. At the same time, Baekho roared again and stepped closer. The gusts that followed were far stronger than before, so strong that Eunho could hardly stand still. He bit his lip and aimed again.

But meeting Baekho’s cold, gleaming eyes made his knees weaken. His tongue felt dry as he thought, Can I really do this?

Then a low voice brushed Eunho’s ear, “You can.”

For an instant, he even forgot how to breathe. As if in a trance, Eunho ignited the fuse.

Bang!

Eunho clearly saw the fired bullet hit the shining spot on Baekho’s body.