HPDBC Chapter 60: Fifteenth Floor, Waiting Room (1)
Chapter 60: Fifteenth Floor, Waiting Room (1)
“I’m Kwon Su-Hyeok.”
“Kwon Su-Hyeok... I see. It was an honor to fight beside you.”
Smiling softly, the legion commander lowered her head slightly.
Her gleaming silver armor and long, intricately braided golden hair were stained with the blood and gore of lizardmen. Dark pieces of flesh clung to the spear she had plunged deep into the earth. These were clear signs of the ferocious combat we had endured.
The battle’s intensity was unmistakable, and it was evident she had fought relentlessly at the frontlines.
“No, the honor was all mine. Fighting alongside the Deiorne Empire’s forces was truly a privilege.”
Weariness laced her voice as she turned to observe the soldiers tending to the aftermath of the battle. “Haha, a privilege, you say? You flatter me. In truth, we came to this battlefield half-expecting it to be our final stand. We were merely buying time for the continent's armies to regroup at the fortress. If you hadn’t intervened and helped us, we surely would have perished.”
Her eyes glistened with unspoken emotion as she contemplated the reality of the situation.
The enemy army was over seven times larger and bolstered by an ancient dragon. The defense line was always intended to fall, and the battle was designed to end in defeat.
As she had said, they hadn’t defended the river with victory in mind. They were merely sacrificial pawns for the empire’s regrouping efforts.
“The saintess had a prophecy that the Shadow of the End would send reinforcements, yet I doubted her. I now feel a deep sense of guilt for my disbelief toward both the Shadow of the End, and you, the divine reinforcements sent by the gods.”
The legion commander closed her eyes briefly. In that fleeting moment, I thought I saw her shadow flicker.
The Shadow of the End...
The flicker must have been caused by the power her god had over shadows. I had never witnessed such a profound spiritual bond between a deity and a follower. It was strangely captivating.
Her shadow quivered. If a god connected to shadows can make them sway, does that mean a deity associated with fire would make flames dance?
Wait a moment. Shadows?
Suddenly, a thought flashed through my mind. I had gained the skill Shadow Veil from Lung Shark’s Daggers back on the eleventh floor. The connection was hard to dismiss, especially since both floors involved black dragons.
“Does the Shadow of the End go by any other name by chance?”
“Before he ascended to godhood, he was known as Lung Shark... but that name is seldom used anymore.”
“Ah, I see.”
So, my suspicions were correct after all. While part of me had hoped it wasn’t true, the fact that it was left me somewhat unnerved.
Now that I thought about it, even though the dagger was merely a replica, its capabilities were extraordinary. Of course, it made sense from what I had found out. The dagger was practically a holy relic since it bore the name of a god. Even as a duplicate, it was still a unique-grade weapon, which now made perfect sense.
“I saw you wielding the power of shadows. Have you received the Shadow of the End’s blessing?”
“Ah, no. The Shadow of the End hasn’t granted me anything directly.”
“I understand. The saintess mentioned that the divine reinforcements are warriors from another dimension. I suppose you do not share the same faith as us.” R̃aNօ????ËŠ
“Haha... not really. By the way, the 588th Bombing Squadron has already left the battlefield. What do you plan to do next?”
I deliberately shifted the topic, sensing that the conversation had drifted too deeply into religious matters. Kartrey hesitated for a moment, seemingly contemplating my sudden question.
“Our orders were simply to hold the defensive line. Even the emperor didn’t expect us to return victorious, which is why those were the only instructions we received.”
“Ah, right.”
“Still, thanks to you, we’ve secured victory. Now, the legion will return to the fortress and face the next wave of enemies.”
Receiving such direct praise caught me off guard, so I simply smiled awkwardly and nodded.
“I’ve heard that the divine reinforcements cannot remain in this world indefinitely. Will you be returning to your original realm?”
“Yes, it seems we will.”
“Then, according to the prophecy, we shall meet again at the fortress. Until then, I will pray for your safety.”
“And may you travel safely to the fortress.”
“Once again, I offer you my sincerest thanks.”
Smiling warmly, the legion commander extended her hand which I grasped firmly. She then swiftly organized the battlefield and led her forces upstream, disappearing into the distance.
After a brief farewell, only the climbers remained on the blood-soaked battlefield. We collected the bodies of fallen comrades, gathered the equipment left behind by the enemy, and regrouped with surviving party members.
To my great relief, all of my party members had survived. Although some were wounded, none of the injuries were life-threatening.
Tears streamed down the faces of some climbers, while others erupted into laughter. More were laughing than crying. Several cast glances of admiration and gratitude toward me. That brought me a small measure of comfort.
The overwhelming praise made my face flush with embarrassment. A similar thing had happened back on the sixth floor, though it hadn’t been this extreme since the groups had been more divided. There weren’t as many people singing my praises back then.
Is this what it feels like to be truly embarrassed?
Yet, I couldn’t say I disliked it.
“Gratitude, admiration, awe. Is Kwon Su-Hyeok even a human? He is a god!”
The endless stream of thanks and reverence was addicting. I tried to stifle the grin that kept creeping across my face as I continued browsing the Community.
Of course, there were a few odd posts mixed in.
Some people think I am in cahoots with the tower? What nonsense is this?
One post suggested that I had a secret alliance with the tower, which was why it kept showering me with items and skills. The notion was so absurd that I dismissed it outright. There wasn’t enough time to bother with such ridiculous claims when there was still so much praise I could read.
About twenty minutes passed before Doppy finally stepped out of the bathroom.
“Kriee! Su-Yeok! You creepy face!”
“Huh? Me? No, I’m not.”
“Kriee! Yes! Go shower! Now!”
“Hold on, just a little longer.”
Plenty of favorable comments were still pouring in, and I wanted to savor them for a bit longer. I gave a half-hearted reply, and Doppy pouted in frustration.
“Kriee! Su-Yeok! Stink blood!”
“I’ll shower in a bit. Go to bed first.”
“Kriee! Gross! Always tell Goblin wash up! Su-Yeok! Go clean! Yucky!”
“Haaa... Fine.”
I let out a deep sigh as I rose from my seat. Doppy was right. It would be hypocritical of me to nag it about showering quickly if I refused to do the same. Besides, Doppy was still a growing goblin, and it was my responsibility to set a good example.
Once I stood up, Doppy nodded in satisfaction before throwing itself onto the bed.
Hmm, it is probably hungry with how tired it is.
“Are you sure you’re going to sleep without eating? How about I get you a steak?”
“Kriee! Goblin exhausted! Eat after Goblin wakes up!”
“Alright then, we’ll eat together later.”
“Kriee! Got it!”
After finishing the brief exchange, I made my way to the bathroom. I thoroughly scraped away any dried blood that clung to me, before turning on the hot water and closing my eyes. Typically, I didn’t linger in the shower, but today I felt the urge to stay longer.
As the hot water cascaded over me, memories of the battlefield on the fourteenth floor surged into my mind.
That was a close call.
We had taken a huge risk during the hour before the Bombing Squadron’s arrival. One particularly dangerous moment came when I fought the lizardmen while obscured by Shadow Veil. A random, wild thrust had nearly impaled my heart.
The strike had come from behind, and amidst the confusion of the bombardments, my instincts hadn’t sensed it. If it hadn’t been for Lung Shark’s dagger’s ability to block one strike unconditionally, the attack would have landed.
Poised, deliberate attacks aren’t the only threats on a battlefield, but also wild swings from blinded enemies. I need to be more mindful of such things in future battles.
In that instant, a small realization dawned on me. Memories from battles within Shadow Veil flashed through my mind, and I had an epiphany. When facing an opponent whose vision was obstructed, exploiting their emotions was key.
Fear, confusion, anxiety...
To fight within the shadows, I must capitalize on their psychological vulnerabilities.
Even without checking my status window, I was certain Axemanship had leveled up.
Hmm, is this why I wanted to shower for longer today? Who knows.
I stepped out of the bathroom in high spirits, when I suddenly received a message from Ha Hee-Jeong.
- Ha Hee-Jeong (Fifteenth Floor): Are you done showering? We need to discuss the upcoming floors.
***
「 Invisible message: Momentary Insight! Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok’s skills have leveled up. Axemanship is now lvl 4.」