Chapter 238: Juliana’s Awakening (1)
Everyone looked at me as if I had gone crazy, and I could understand why.
What would happen was obvious if we were to break the chains. However, this was the only option we could take in order to survive.
The manager, Max, did not have the power to destroy the large system in the Crack Museum. The same was true for us.
If anyone could interfere with the system, it would be the Ancient God’s Fragment.
It would be possible for it to smash the exhibition hall where the mythical weapons protected by the system were stored or to open an escape from this dungeon, which would be impossible to escape from without completing the quest.
If things were to go wrong, we would have released a great threat to the continent with our own hands, but there was no guarantee that this monster was necessarily bad.
“What…”
“I will not listen to objections. I just thought this was the most probable way to survive.”
“Are you serious?”
“I am serious.”
If the Ancient God’s Fragment was crazy, it was only right to make a violent sacrifice here for the continent.
This had a good probability. The entire continent could get swept away by this single monster and get completely destroyed. Nevertheless…
‘First, I have to survive.’
It was a typical small, civic mindset, but I had no choice but to think of it in this manner. I was not a saint with an aptitude for sacrificing, just like Kim Hyunsung was.
My life was of the utmost importance. I had no intention of dying here, nor did I intend for my comrades to die in this place.
‘To hell with sacrifice.’
The lives of the people around me were also more valuable than all other humans on the continent. It was a trashy mindset, but I couldn’t help it.
“Is there any other…”
“There is no other way. I’ll think about it after releasing the seal.”
Kim Hyunsung bit his lips a bit but nodded vigorously upon seeing how serious I was.
There was no other way for us to do this except to improvise. One single mistake could make everything collapse.
However, I naturally did not explain any further than this. If Kim Hyunsung’s self-sacrificial personality came out, I would not have a logical counter. All I knew was that we needed to survive this hellhole.
Of course, it wasn’t just the expedition team that felt disconcerted by my words. Max looked utterly perplexed as we approached the Ancient God’s Fragment.
There had obviously been no madmen for centuries who had attempted to unseal the mythic-grade monsters completely. I was confident that we would be the first.
-What are you… trying to do?
“Obviously, we’re trying to survive. What can we do about it? The dungeon guide is an idiot. What else can the explorers do?”
-This is a dangerous idea. Don’t do this…
“Puhaha. Your tone has become quite polite, manager. If you don’t like that, why don’t you stop this mess?”
-I said I don’t have that authority. A-Again, there was no odds manipulation. And… Er…
“What?”
-If you thought I had given you a rude reaction, then I’ll apologize.
“Where can I get the apology? Can I die and get it in heaven? Shut up, manager. If I die, I won’t die alone.”
-D-Do you have any idea what you’re trying to do?
“Shut up, you bastard. We’re not doing this because we want to.”
-Selfish humans. These rotten humans! Do you think you can break the seals the Guardians have hung?
“The way I see it, we have a better chance of breaking them than defeating the Ancient God’s Fragment. What do you think, museum manager Max?”
-Dialugia! You know, right? Do you really think that creature should come out to the world?
“…”
Changing tactics, Max appealed to Dialugia, who had been harboring a dark expression.
I didn’t know much about dragons but seeing as they were balance-correcting beings, I thought she might want it not to come out to the world.
As expected, she spoke up, but…
“Er…”
“If you don’t want to see our Tol To-ri being teased for not having a mother and father, do whatever you want, woman.”
Her mother’s intuition stayed strong. Dialugia began to bite her lips tightly.
Upon seeing this, Max began to shout once more. I felt amused upon seeing his embarrassed expression. The more crumpled he looked, the better this idea sounded to me.
This meant that there was indeed a possibility. The seals hung by the Crack Guardians were fragile against external shocks, although I didn’t know about the internal shocks.
‘This is possible… There must be a hole.’
Even if they had managed to seal mythical beings like Ancient God’s Fragment, there was no way that there will be no errors in constructing such a system.
Of course, it was just a guess, and even if I were to assume that I was right, it would not be easy to break it. However, it was a much more plausible plan than dealing with a mythic-grade monster for an hour.
“Ignore all of Max’s bullsh*t. Dialugia, prepare your Breath and pour out your biggest firepower magic at the same time. If possible, Hyunsung-ssi and Yeon-joo-ssi, after the explosion…”
“Okay.”
“Understood.”
It sounded no different than an order to commit suicide, but for now, the two nodded.
[3. 2. 1.]
[The battle has begun.]
It must be destroyed before the monster could attack us.
As expected, the Ancient God’s Fragment began to go insane as soon as we tried to rip off the seal. Just looking at it was enough to make my entire body tremble in fear.
However, this fear soon dissipated as Dialugia herself transformed.
Her sheer size and majestic appearance could make everyone exclaim. As soon as she finished transforming, Dialugia had begun to gather ridiculous amounts of magic power.
If the aftermath of her Breath hit me, I would get severely damaged. However, as much as protection magic would be ideal, we had to focus all magic power on offense.
‘I have to stop the shock wave.’
It was up to me to block the aftermath of the shock by summoning the dragon’s tail.
That alone may not be enough, but I had no time to think of a better counter.
Leaving some of the dragon Breath potions in my pocket, I instilled magical power. Jung Hayan had also begun casting spells.
It was the first time she had looked so serious. The amount of magic power she was gathering was comparable to even that of Dialugia’s. Everyone had begun to look at her in amazement.
Meanwhile, other wizards also began chanting spells, and even the priests, like Sun Hee-young, also chanted prayers in order to aid their firepower.
Breaking that seal was definitely possible.
At this, Dialugia released her Breath.
Craaaaaacckkk!
The sheer intensity pushed her body back.
The light she fired out instantly gnawed the ground and flooded into the chains that held the Ancient God’s Fragment.
Meanwhile, in front of Jung Hayan, an indescribable sphere had appeared. The sphere approached the seal slowly before heading right into it as if being sucked in.
had also begun to tap the chains of the seal. As we got to work, the monster continued to roar.
The sound was enough to tear through everyone’s eardrums, but Kim Hyunsung and Park Yeon-joo still managed to break through the aftermath of the explosion.
Their job was to hit the seal’s weakest link, therefore destroying it in the process.
Though they moved with high agility, I was still able to view them with my eyes.
Even though Hyunsung’s shield had worn off and he had gotten wounded, he continued to concentrate his magic on the hand that held his sword.
It would be hard enough to handle the shock wave of an explosion. Hyunsung seemed to be in bad condition, but he continued swinging his sword while forcibly swallowing the blood that was about to come out.
‘You can’t die, Hyunsung!’
“Deokgu, prepare to collect Hyunsung and Park Yeon-joo.”
“Ah… Yes! O-Okay.”
“Hee-young-ssi, Ki-mo-ssi! Please intensively push the divine power to the position I pointed to. Wizards must always prepare their defense magic, and the front line, including Park Deokgu, should begin to enter. When Dialugia is ready for her next Breath, shoot immediately.”
“Hyung-nim, are you going to go, too?”
“Yes.”
We no longer had enough time to talk. If Hyunsung died, I would die, too.
It was then that something huge hit us. It looked to be a huge tentacle.
‘Ah…’
Though the Ancient God’s Fragment’s attack didn’t recognize us as targets yet, getting hit would kill us. I could do nothing else but stare up at it blankly.
‘Are we going to die?’
Fortunately, Dialugia prevented the attack.
‘Damn.’
Though she had saved us, this was also a terrible occurrence. She had ended up using her second round of Breath at it.
If something like that hit us, it would have killed us all. She had no choice but to save us.
Once again, the shock wave struck, and my body was almost pushed back, but I avoided falling over by holding onto Park Deokgu.
were poured out, and Kim Hyunsung and Park Yeon-joo continue to try and break the seal’s chains.
Nevertheless…
‘It’s not enough.’
We needed just a little more… A little more power just to break the seals.
‘Damn.’
As I tried to think of another way, my sword began vibrating in my hand.
“Juliana?”
“…”
“Juliana! Oh, my Juliana!”
“…”
“Wake up, Juliana. Ahh, my Juliana! I need you! Juliana! I need you!”
Though this, too, was a suicide attempt, I could see no other choice but to appeal to my sword in a tone that was dramatic enough to appear in a Shakespeare play.
“Aaah, Juliana! My love! Wake up, Juliana. Please! Please save my colleagues and me in this situation! My love, Juliana!”
‘Sh*t.’
“Juliana! Sh*t!”
Was it a mistake trying to rely on something like this?
As I began to succumb to my turmoil of thoughts, I heard a voice that I had not heard in a long time.
-Ahhhhhhhhhhhh! Gedric! My Gedric!
“What?”
-Aaaaaah! My love Gedric! My everything! My all! The light and hope of my life! Savior of my life. My eternal flower! Gedric! Finally! Finally, I can hear your voice! My Gedric!