Thud.
The woman was thrown onto the hard deck. Blood gushed from her severed and broken limbs, but instead of screams, “I will kill you! I’ll definitely kill you!”
She glared with vengeful eyes at the chair made of bones and flesh in front of her. To be precise, she glared at the man seated there.
“Still as stubborn as ever despite that state.”
“Kuhaha! She commands the filthy serpent’s minions, doesn’t she? Proof of her vile nature.”
A hearty voice responded to Kim Shimun’s murmur. It was one of Naglfar’s crew, a warrior from Helheim summoned with achievement points.
Seemingly their leader, the warrior who had personally captured Marlina was twice as large as the other Helheim warriors.
“Esteemed guest, just give the order. I’ll carve her up while she’s still alive!”
The leader warrior pounded his chest and answered.
To which, ‘She’s already been carved up…’
Kim Shimun smiled wryly and shook his head.
“There’s no need. She’s already been neutralized.”
“Esteemed guest, you cannot afford to relax even if she’s dead. Necromancers are treacherous.”
“Exactly.”
Not just necromancers, many who wielded power related to death could sometimes exert their abilities even after death. It was like having an extra life.
Although they usually faced severe penalties, having a second chance even in a place like this could be a huge advantage.
And Kim Shimun knew exactly how to ensure she couldn’t use that advantage.
‘If it comes to it, burning or electrocuting the body will do the trick.’
A method often used against undead monsters, utilizing severe elemental attributes, excluding holy attributes, to completely eliminate the corpse itself.
If not a necromancer with quite advanced skills in necromancy, there’s no way a revived body could rise again. And Kim Shimun wielded the ultimate forces of fire and lightning.
Of course, with Naglfar and its crew already summoned, there was no need to waste additional energy.
“I planned to throw her into the River of Styx from the start, so there’s no need to worry.”
“Huh? Kuhahahaha!”
At Kim Shimun’s words, the warrior burst into hearty laughter.
“Of course! This place is the Styx. The esteemed guest knows the realm of death very well. Excellent. Call me anytime you need something.”
Nodding to himself, the warrior stomped away with heavy steps. Kim Shimun kept a small smile on his face.
‘Underworld maps are usually a paradise for necromancers, but the River of Styx is different.’
The water of the underworld river is lethal on contact. Necromancers, much like water elementals, could manipulate this deadly water for attacks and had significant resistance to it.
But that’s the limit.
‘Ultimately, as living beings, submersion in the River of Styx means death all the same.’
Without special measures or magical intervention, even the most skilled necromancer would meet their end in the underworld river.
Marlina knew this well, “You bastard! Just kill me already!” she shouted angrily.
Detecting the faint unease in her voice, Shimun asked,
“Marlina. By your reaction, it seems you’ve experienced falling into the River of Styx before?”
“…”
Marlina bit her lips tightly. Silence equaled affirmation. Feigning ignorance, Shimun tilted his head.
“What was it again? Some interdimensional phenomenon of chaos? It was said to be a very disorienting and painful way to die. Especially for necromancers.”
Comparatively, if a regular player thrown into a blazing furnace were a piece of paper, a necromancer thrown into the fire would be akin to a block of ice.
Necromancers, resistant to death, would struggle against the river’s waters until they succumbed. The pain felt during the process is indescribable.
The advantage necromancers have on this map turns into a curse. In a subtle voice, Shimun asked, “Marlina, if I kill you how you want, will you not come after me in reality?”
“Of course, I’d come after you! But this time, I’ll cut off your limbs and kill you the same way.”
Marlina’s vehement rejection was clear. Kim Shimun nodded and grabbed the back of her neck as she lay on the ground. His decisive action caused Marlina to thrash violently.
“You bastard! Are you insane?! I’m part of Desperado! I’m the Death Lord’s sister!!”
“I know.”
“And knowing that, you’re still pulling this crap?! If you throw me into the River of Styx, I’ll call Mogadam and have him tear you apart! Got it?!”
“That would be even better.”
Kim Shimun remained utterly unfazed, even at the mention of Bomberman Mogadam. This left Marlina momentarily stunned.
“What the hell are you…! Hey, if you’re just bluffing…”
“It’s not a bluff.”
Kim Shimun looked directly into the bewildered Marlina’s eyes.
“Bring your so-called amazing brother Malik, bring Mogadam. I don’t care.”
It was not arrogance. Despite Malik and Mogadam being rankers, Shimun had no reason to fear them. Beyond the gap in their powers, ‘I have three rankers on my side.’
He had three formidable rankers backing him. Rankers who were among the best. Though his uncle Kim Muyeol wasn’t a definite ally like his brothers, ‘Regardless of the situation, uncle wouldn’t risk exposure by commissioning my assassination through Desperado.’
Additionally, with his connections to Desperado, if those members entered Korea, his uncle Kim Muyeol would inevitably find out.
‘In the end, I’ll still be informed of their movements.’
One way or another, ‘Marlina, you’re not the only one with connections.’
Kim Shimun had nothing to lose. Perhaps it was his unshakable confidence, or maybe Marlina sensed his sincerity through his unwavering eyes.
“…Have you completely lost your fear…?”
Marlina stared at Kim Shimun with a dazed expression. Step by step, for the first time since their encounter, Shimun rose from Naglfar’s throne.
When he reached the edge of the deck, “Kim Shimun… what exactly are you?”
Marlina’s lips moved.
“Do you think you’ve become something just because you’re a rising star? Huh? Or do you have something you’re relying on?”
Dangling by her neck in Kim Shimun’s grip, it was almost a comical sight, but,
“My brother and Mogadam are different from a Platinum ranker like me. They’re rankers who can crush you with one hand! Rankers!”
The venomous threat seeped from Marlina, however, “I know.”
Kim Shimun simply let go of his grip.
Having received only a cursory reply, “Knowing that… Aaaaaah!!”
Splash.
Marlina fell into the River of Death.
***
Whoosh.
The sound of a heavy object slicing through the air was followed by a sharp scream.
“Kyaaa!”
This scene had repeated dozens of times.
“Kuhaha! Another hit!”
“To think they’re so easy to hit with an axe, not even a spear.”
“Hehehe! It’s been so long since I’ve killed a living person!”
“Tsk. Seems like there’s no one left now.”
The raucous laughter and shouts gradually died down. Choi Jinsu stared in disbelief at the fragments of boats floating on the River of Styx.
“This is Platinum rank…?”
And these were the real Platinums, having crossed the initial part of the River of Styx.
Given Marlina’s presence, this was definitely a high-tier match.
Yet, everyone had fallen to these ecological disruptors.
Hummm.
A clear ringing in his ears. Was there an outstanding supporter among them?
The last remaining boat, enveloped in the distinctive bright light of divine power, sped away. But there seemed to be a limit to how much these gray monsters could be toyed with.
Thump.
“Got it! Another hit!”
The divine energy forming the protective barrier wavered as projectiles struck it. Unfortunately.
“Looks like that’s the last one.”
“Kuhaha! Maybe that’s why it’s holding out so well.”
“It’s because weaklings like you are throwing things. Watch as I break that shield in one blow and prove my strength!”
“Bullshit! That one’s mine! I haven’t killed a single one yet!”
These gray monstrosities, who had slaughtered the Platinum players, showed no hint of mercy.
“It’s not my fault you’re too incompetent to kill them!”
“What? You filthy bastard! I’ll split your head so you can’t say that again!”
“Fine! Bring it on, you jerk!”
“Hah! Fight, you idiots!”
The gray monsters started bickering and even fighting among themselves in their eagerness to kill the unfortunate survivors.
At that moment, “You fools.”
An aged voice quelled the excited gray monsters.
Surprisingly, “The esteemed guest is watching. What a disgrace!”
At the old man’s stern rebuke, the gray monsters fell silent.
“Tsk. Foolish brutes.”
The old man clicked his tongue in disapproval and tapped his staff. Then,
Splash.
With the sound of water erupting,
“Aaaaah!”
“Damn it! Is this even a game?!”
the last boat, shielded by divine energy, was engulfed by the waters of the underworld.
Not long after, “Esteemed guest, we’ve reached our destination.”
The old man bowed towards the throne made of bones and flesh.
“Is that so? Good work, everyone.”
A handsome man leisurely seated on the throne, Kim Shimun, stood up with a bright smile.
Choi Jinsu, who had been filled with despondency throughout the journey, snapped back to attention and followed behind Kim Shimun.
A terrain outlined like a captured territory. Arriving at the destination of this arena, Choi Jinsu murmured helplessly,
“To think we’d arrive so comfortably…”
It wasn’t an exaggeration. Without lifting a finger, the terrifying ship and its crew had toyed with every player that had passed through the initial area, starting with the Desperado operative Marlina.
Choi Jinsu glanced at the waters behind the docked ship.
‘If I hadn’t teamed up with Kim Shimun, I would’ve…’
likely been submerged and eliminated, or had my head smashed by those gray monstrosities’ weapons.
‘This is why Guildmaster Go Changjin always says you need to have the skill to overcome team luck.’
Choi Jinsu had always thought he possessed the necessary skill to overcome team luck. But this was a level where such things couldn’t even be discussed.
‘At least in this section, there’s only one person who can overcome team luck like this.’
Silently, he watched that one person. Then,
“Jinsu, aren’t you coming?”
the person called out to him with an innocent expression.
“I-I’m coming.”
Choi Jinsu quickly followed Kim Shimun’s side.
Trickling.
Like a fountain?
In front of Kim Shimun was a small skull-shaped statue with tiny streams of water flowing from it.
“It looks like we have to place the transport item into the statue’s mouth.”
Kim Shimun retrieved the small orb, the arena’s transport item, and brought it to the mouth of the water-flowing statue.
Then, “Oh, almost forgot.”
Kim Shimun quickly withdrew the transport item.
“Hm? What’s the matter?”
Choi Jinsu asked, tilting his head in curiosity.
“Just a moment. I need to check something.”
Kim Shimun opened his inventory and reached inside.
Surprisingly, “Isn’t that the transport item?”
an orb identical to the transport item emerged.
Kim Shimun nodded.
“It’s similar, but its condition is a bit different.”
“Condition?”
Choi Jinsu tilted his head again.
Without further explanation, Shimun placed the Soul Core he had pulled from his inventory into the statue’s mouth first.
And then,
Screeech.
The ghostly scream seeped out faintly like a wisp of mist. The strange aura surrounding the orb dissipated completely.
Kim Shimun checked the information window immediately.
『Soul Core』
Grade: SSS
A core that contains a soul.
His eyes sparkled.
‘Yes!’
The grade, previously SS, was now SSS.
The description regarding the remnants of the soul had completely vanished from the Soul Core.
‘I thought I’d experiment since it’s similar to the transport item, but to think it’d purify it so perfectly…’
And it even upgraded the grade!
Kim Shimun, having purified the Soul Core for free, smiled contentedly.
“Let’s put in the transport item now.”
He placed the provided Soul Core into the statue’s mouth.
Then,
『The last remaining team has reached the destination.』
『Ending the arena.』
A message announcing the end of the arena appeared.
“Kim Shimun, thanks a lot.”
Choi Jinsu greeted with a handshake.
“Thanks for the easy ride.”
“It’s nothing.”
“Next time, I… No, someday, I’ll return the favor.”
“Haha! I’ll look forward to it.”
With smiles exchanged, Choi Jinsu’s body began to fade. Kim Shimun, too, awaited the reverse summon when,
Humm.
“Hmm?”
A slight vibration emanated from his inventory.
『Special conditions have been satisfied.』
A sudden message blocked Kim Shimun’s view.
『For player Kim Shimun, the dimension ‘Tartarus’ is now accessible.』
『Do you wish to enter?』
To the continuing message,
“…What?”
Kim Shimun’s jaw dropped.