Chapter 90 - Memorize | Novel Seeker

The Ruined Laboratory

Soon, Imprison began to emerge from the magic circle. Its appearance was far from impressive. In the past, the spirits summoned by spirit summoners were often majestic, but the beasts Vivian summoned were, to be honest, quite grotesque. Sure, they were effective, but as the saying goes, if you’re paying the same price, you might as well get something beautiful.

Imprison had a gaunt body wrapped in what looked like chains, and a single eye rolled around on its forehead. Its triangular head was oddly unsettling. Still, since it was on our side, I decided to look at it calmly.

Vivian gazed at her summoned creature with pride and immediately issued a command.

“Imprison? Restrain the arms of that creature in front of us. Show everyone here the might of the 49th Legion’s ruler.”

”━━━━.”

Imprison’s mouth opened slightly, and it uttered words that were incomprehensible. We could only assume it was acknowledging Vivian’s command. Although Imprison, ruler of the 49th Legion, was slightly less powerful than the previously summoned 14th Legion’s Queritatus, it still demonstrated its abilities without reservation.

Clang! Clang!

The chains wrapped around Imprison’s body unraveled. They emitted an unknown energy as they fiercely lunged toward the giant. The giant tried to dodge the chains, but in the confined space, it was impossible to avoid them with its massive size.

Taking advantage of the moment, I turned to Ahn Hyun.

“Ahn Hyun.”

“Yes!”

His response was sharp and disciplined, and I smiled slightly. His face showed anxiety, perhaps worried that I was disappointed by his earlier failed attack. Seeing Yoo Jung’s smug expression from afar only confirmed my thoughts. I continued in a calm voice.

“Once Vivian’s Imprison has restrained it, I’ll move in to completely immobilize it. Use that opportunity to thrust your spear deeply from the side or back. You only need to strike once. Do you understand?”

“I’ll make sure to meet your expectations this time.”

After confirming Ahn Hyun was gathering mana at the tip of his spear, I turned back. Imprison’s chains were already wrapping around the giant’s arms.

“Rrrgh! Rrrrgh!”

The giant struggled to resist, but with one hand already injured, it couldn’t remove the chains with its remaining hand. As the chains wrapped tightly around its arms, it let out a pitiful wail. The moment Vivian gave the signal, I leaped forward with all my might.

Approaching from below could get me kicked, and a wounded beast could act unpredictably, so caution was necessary. As I soared through the air, I drew my sword back as far as possible. As I descended and the giant’s body came closer, its arms were forcibly pulled back, exposing its chest to me. This was Vivian’s doing, and I intended to repay her support fully.

Thrust.

I extended my arm and drove my sword into the center of its chest. The giant’s skin was tough, but it was no match for my expertise in swordsmanship. Feeling the blade sink in, I used the remaining downward force to slash deeply. It felt like chopping through a rotten log with an axe.

“Graaaah!”

“Ahn Hyun! Finish it!”

“Haaap!”

Somehow, Ahn Hyun had maneuvered behind the giant, poised for a decisive strike with his spear. At my shout, he thrust the spear toward the giant’s neck with such force that the sound of it tearing through the air echoed in the room.

“Rrrgh! Rrrgh! Rrrgh!”

The giant, perhaps lamenting its futile end after being trapped for so long, shed tears of blood. It seemed deeply resentful, but that was none of my concern, and Ahn Hyun’s spear showed no mercy. The spearhead struck the back of the giant’s neck with a satisfying impact.

Thunk! Crack!

The sound of breaking. The giant’s neck wasn’t just pierced; it was shattered. As it spewed blood from its mouth, the giant scanned its surroundings with a look of regret before slowly collapsing. It was the end of the giant, in every sense of the word.

“Well done, Imprison. You can return now.”

Vivian, her face alight with excitement, dismissed Imprison and gave me a mysterious smile. I gently patted her head. No matter what anyone said, Vivian was the MVP of this battle. Without her restraining the giant’s arms, Ahn Hyun wouldn’t have been able to approach from behind. Vivian squirmed with pride under my touch.

Still, the final blow was impressive, so I didn’t forget to praise Ahn Hyun.

“Ahn Hyun, that last strike was excellent. Well done.”

“Phew… My heart’s still racing. Thank you.”

Ahn Hyun let out a deep breath and finally smiled at my compliment. Shin Sang-yong and Jung Ha-yeon, who hadn’t been much help in the battle, looked apologetic. Sol was relieved that no one was hurt, and Yoo Jung was grumbling at Ahn Hyun, but I ignored her. She’d get her chance next time.

We needed to move quickly since we planned to explore the entire first floor today. Despite thoroughly searching the room, we found nothing of value. Leaving the giant’s cooling corpse behind, we exited the room.

“Ugh. It’s all size and no substance. What kind of lab is this?”

Yoo Jung’s grumbling reached my ears, and Ahn Sol frowned slightly, but I was secretly pleased. Her complaints indicated she was beginning to understand the nature of this place. If she were still spouting nonsense about the sanctity of life, I might have considered leaving them behind. But they were slowly changing, becoming unfazed by death.

“Well… After all the effort we’ve put in, it would be a shame if we didn’t get anything out of it.”

I muttered to myself and took the lead. The aftermath of the recent intense battle lingered, and Ahn Hyun’s breathing was still heavy.

“Alright. Let’s proceed.”

I spoke softly to everyone and stepped into the shadowy corridor where the flickering light guided us. We still had five rooms left to explore.

“Five duds in a row. This is depressing.”

“Cheer up. We did find something, even if it’s less than 10 gold…”

Jung Ha-yeon’s voice tried to console Yoo Jung’s complaints from behind. But her tone was just as weary, indicating she was also feeling drained. I understood their feelings, so I continued walking silently.

Some explorations are fun. Finding lots of gold coins, discovering magical weapons—those are the exciting adventures. They make you eager to see what comes next.

But our current situation was the opposite. The more we fought, the more exhausted we became, and we had nothing to show for it. Sure, we found some rewards. The rooms we cleared yielded a small amount of gold. But compared to the battles we fought, it was a pitiful reward.

To elaborate, we opened five rooms, including the one with the giant, but the results were disappointing. Four out of the five rooms contained formidable monsters.

The first room had a giant, the second had undead, the third had a mud golem, the fourth was empty, and the fifth had more undead. We fought hard, and all we got was less than 10 gold coins. With Vivian and me, the battles weren’t life-threatening, but they were still exhausting.

Now, we stood before the sixth and final room in the west wing. Unlike the previous rooms, this one had a wooden door instead of an iron one. It was different in other ways too. The previous rooms had an eerie chill or presence emanating from them, but this last room felt completely ordinary.

“This looks like a storage room for cleaning supplies…”

Ahn Hyun tilted his head, his voice tinged with dissatisfaction. Vivian chimed in with a sharp tone.

“Tch. It looks like a storage room. Su-hyun, let’s just open it and move on.”

I glanced at the group. Their faces showed signs of fatigue. The repeated battles were taking their toll. I looked at Sol, who was quietly watching me, and steeled my expression. I planned to rest after this room, but there were things that needed addressing.

“Everyone, stay focused. We’re at the door. Get into position… What are you all doing?”

At my sharp command, Ahn Hyun and Vivian, who had been grumbling, stepped back with sheepish expressions. Seriously. Even if the results have been disappointing, we’re still at the door. What if something rushes out when we open it?

The group seemed to pick up on my unease, each of them gripping their weapons and scanning the area ahead. I let out a sigh and kicked the wooden door open. Unlike the heavy iron doors, this one swung open easily.

Thankfully, there was no immediate attack like the one from the giant in the first room. After sensing no immediate threats, I spoke quietly.

“Hmm. No one’s coming out. But it’s really dark in here.”

”─. Light!”

Jung Ha-yeon quickly cast a light spell. Soon, a bright orb appeared and floated into the room. I leaned in to get a better look inside.

“Whoa…?”

As the light orb illuminated the room, I couldn’t help but gasp. I sheathed the sword I had half-drawn and stepped inside, stopping a few paces in. I could sense the others hurrying to catch up behind me. And then—

“Wow…!”

“Whoa~.”

“Oh! This is amazing!”

The exclamations of awe from my companions echoed around me. They had joined me, captivated by the sight before us.

The room was indeed a storage space. It was about 20 pyeong with no furniture at all. What was astonishing, though, were the weapons scattered haphazardly across the floor. Not to mention the occasional glint of gold coins and jewels. Seeing the excitement light up their faces, I spoke in a calm tone.

“It seems this place was a storage for weapons in case of emergencies.”

“You’re right. But aren’t these weapons from ancient times? If they really are ancient, then…”

Jung Ha-yeon couldn’t hide her excitement, a thrilled smile spreading across her face. Ancient weapons from a prosperous era might not just enhance mana efficiency but could also directly boost abilities. Such items were rare but not unheard of.

“Uh… Oppa.”

Yoo-jung called out to me in a pleading tone. When I turned to look, she was fidgeting with her hands, clearly eager. I nodded in response to her unspoken request.

“Let’s gather anything useful. Just in case, someone should keep watch outside.”

“Uh…”

As soon as I finished speaking, they exchanged glances, each reluctant to miss out on the treasure hunt. Realizing their thoughts, I chuckled wryly. I was about to volunteer myself when—

“Ah. I’ll do it. Leader, please stay here.”

Shin Sang-yong raised his hand with a bright smile, catching my attention.

“It’s fine. I see some magical items in there.”

“No, no. I can’t receive any of the benefits from this expedition anyway. So it’s really okay. I’ll keep watch.”

Before I could protest, Shin Sang-yong moved towards the door. But I understood his intentions. He seemed to like the camaraderie of our group and wanted to prevent any unnecessary conflict by taking on the less desirable task himself.

Of course, he probably wanted to join in too. Yet, he volunteered with a cheerful face. Watching him diligently stand guard, I found myself thinking that if he continued to show such dedication, I’d want to reward him somehow.

After a moment of watching him, I turned my attention back to the floor. By now, everyone except Shin Sang-yong was fully engrossed in the treasure hunt.

---------------------------= Author’s Note ---------------------------=

Hello, this is Ro Yujin.

Ah, I recommended “I Am a Supernatural Being” yesterday, and it seems many of you found it enjoyable. I was surprised to see it climb the novel rankings this morning. I’m glad so many of you enjoyed it. Haha. I’m also enjoying the works you’ve recommended to me. :)

『 Reader Comments 』

Saramin: Wow. Seeing the ”…” in the middle made me want to watch The Walking Dead again. Haha. Anyway, congratulations on being first. I never hit anyone. I don’t bite. ^^*
zjekfksqlc: Puhaha. I laughed at the mention of Ansol possession. I thought of the Deadmen, but I guess you could see it as Ansol. Ah, to be a perfect Ansol, you must drag out the end of your sentences like this: “~heyo.” Kekeke.
GradeRown: Oh, that’s a great idea… hmm. Ah, the weather is really nice today. Hem hem.
Eun Seol-ran: Ah, I see. We shouldn’t carelessly include explicit content. But there will be necessary content for the plot. It won’t be excessive. Hahaha.
Shine Nare: Hmm. You might see them a few more times after leaving Mule. The monsters and kids around here are honestly too weak. (Of course, compared to the protagonist.)
Good Figure: Hmm. Mercenaries, Greek and Roman mythology, Norse mythology, Beautiful World, I Am a Supernatural Being, etc. There are so many fun works these days just by looking at the bestsellers. Hahaha.
Hwi Eul: Yes! These are works I’ve really enjoyed. Enjoy reading! :)
hohokoya1: Haha, to show my appreciation for your support, I’m posting an extra chapter early today. Ah, I have plans tonight, so to post by midnight without a hitch, I should write another chapter in advance. ㅜ.ㅠ
Northwood: Gasp. No, I only recommended it. The readers are the ones who judge, select, and comment. I’m sure the readers found your work entertaining. Hahaha.
Black Templar: Haha. I’m always considering a remake of the early parts. But for now, I’m focusing on progressing the story. I’ll strive to provide more stable content in the future.

Your recommendations and comments are the driving force behind continuous updates. (This is the truth.)