## Chapter 936 – How Long Has It Been?

ㅡCrack!

I heard something snapping, and the moment I realized it, I was already launching myself towards him, kicking off the ground with explosive force.

“One-Eye!!! One-Eye!!!!!! One-Eyeeeeeeee!!!!!!”

What I spat out was a roar of hatred.

To push back the fear, I unleashed a more savage cry than ever before. From the very depths of their genes, modern humans were destined to fear the one-eyed Cyclops race!!!

I hated that fate and those rules so much!!! Why must humanity succumb to the Cyclops! I couldn’t accept it!!

“Cyclopsssss!!!!!!!! Aaaaaaaaaaaack!!!!”

Even so, this fear was real.

Even if I couldn’t accept it, even if I couldn’t tolerate it, this cruel reality wouldn’t change. Cyclops have no human rights! That was obvious!

“Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack!!!!!!”

That’s right…!

Fake!!

It’s fake!!!

Cyclops are fake!!! There’s no way something so terrifyingly unreal could be real!!! I vehemently insisted within my heart! So this is fake fear! There’s no need for me to be afraid!!!

The idea that one-eyed creatures massacred and devoured the ancestors of modern humans is a baseless belief!! It’s utterly illogical!! Cyclops are just what ancient Romans mistook mammoth or mastodon skulls for!!!

ㅡNo!!!

As the maddening fear reached my very brain, I was denying the truth even as I looked at the Cyclops with my own two eyes. This was a genuine fear, without a single lie, and a clear reality.

Had I ever been so afraid in my life!!

I can say with certainty that I had never been more terrified than at this moment!!! Perhaps that was why an endless scream poured out from my mind, which had literally flown away.

The overwhelming number and scale of that despair was comparable to the transcendent stars that burn eternally beyond the sky.

“Kieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek!!! Dejaaaaaaaaaaaat!!!!!”

Even so.

Even while so terrified, I yearned for victory, charging forward with the tip of my life-giving sword, burning with sword-flame, leading the way. Only to kill that Cyclops. Because only by killing it would this nightmarish fear end!!!!

“Gu, guwooooork!!!!!!”

ㅡThud!

As I charged forward, repeatedly spewing out screams and roars, the Cyclops turned its back to me and began to sprint away as if fleeing. Its dynamic back muscles looked as if the god of muscles himself had descended.

Why!!!!

“Why are you running away!!!!”
“Guwooooooooooo!!!!!!”

Ignoring my call, the Cyclops ran like a track athlete in a well-honed stance. What? What on earth? What terrifying thought was making it run away!!!

“Please!!!! I can’t take it anymore!!!!!!!!”

I gripped Byugal’s blade tightly as if I were holding a javelin, and threw it at the monster with all my might.

ㅡWham!!

I threw it so hard that my clenched fist shattered the ground.

ㅡWhoooooooosh!!!

Byugal, now released from my hand, flew with transcendent speed, seeming to strike the Cyclops’ back.

But at that moment!

ㅡWhoosh!!!

The Cyclops displayed a dynamic movement, dodging my Byugal completely! It was a motion like a high jumper arching their body to avoid the bar!!

“It dodged that!!!!”

Insane movement!!!!
Is it really impossible for modern humans to defeat a Cyclops!!!

ㅡCrackle crackle crackle!!!

Just then, black lightning struck the Cyclops’ body, which was vulnerable from the jump.

“Risha!”

That’s right!
With Risha’s power!!!

ㅡTzzzzzz!

But.

“…!”

As if it had simply reflected the attack, it had no effect whatsoever. The monster literally chewed up Risha’s black magic, which had easily blown away even minotaurs, and continued to flee!!!

“Black magic does not work on that being!”

It doesn’t work!!!

“Claudie! Find an opening for me!!!”

I entrusted the backup to Claudie and chased after the monster. She would already be preparing without me having to say anything!

Trusting her, I sprinted.

ㅡThump thump thump thump!!

…But something was strange.

The Cyclops wasn’t running straight away somewhere, but circling around this circular space. Circling? Why? What reason could there be for such a bizarre rotation?

At that moment, I realized.

“No, more importantly!!!”

I threw the sword away!!

I have to retrieve it! Without the sword, things won’t be good! It’s common sense that you absolutely need a weapon to fight a one-eyed monster!!!

ㅡThwaaaaaang!!!

It was at that moment that the Cyclops slammed on the brakes and stopped.

ㅡWhee!

The stopped Cyclops turned to look at me with intense speed, and ㅡthud! It kicked off the ground once and flew towards me like a cannonball.

“You bastard!!!!!”

Was it aiming for a counterattack!!!

“Guwooooooooo!!!”

ㅡWhoosh!!

The monster that flew towards me landed very accurately, and then unleashed a clean and devastating roundhouse kick towards the side of my head without any wasted motion!!!

ㅡWhoom!

A speed that far exceeded common sense. It was clear that its instep contained inhuman power that could shatter not only rocks but even steel mountain ranges.

But.
I can block this much.

I immediately raised my right forearm to defend as if to block the kick flying towards the side of my head.

ㅡThwaaaaaang!!!

An incredible impact.

“Shit…!”

The moment my forearm and the monster’s instep collided, a pain that made my entire body vibrate assaulted me. It felt like my forearm was about to break. If I didn’t have Aura, my body would have exploded from the force.

But I endured!

Rather, getting hit with something so strong momentarily made me forget the fear that was blooming infinitely without any logical basis. At the same time, my judgment, which had become more cold-blooded than ever, directed me to counterattack.

“You son of a bitch!!!!”

I then shot out my left fist and slammed it into the monster’s thigh.

ㅡThwaaaaaang!!

“Guoooork!!”

The attack landed properly, and the monster screamed and tried to regain its balance as it bounced away on one leg. Of course, the monster didn’t break from a single punch. Naturally, I had to follow up with a series of attacks!!!

Immediately using the strength of my waist, I shot out my right arm, which I had used for defense, and slammed a second punch into the monster’s solar plexus as if to lift it up!!!

ㅡWhoosh!

But the moment I shot out my fist, the monster reacted nimbly, arching its back and using the recoil to escape my attack range.

That was the beginning.

ㅡThwaang!

Of the battle between the monster and me.

I launched myself again towards the monster, which had barely managed to regain its balance, and poured out punches and kicks to pressure it. Even so, the monster defended or deflected all of my attacks, just as I had done, and protected itself. In addition, it constantly aimed for my life, launching murderous counterattacks and destructive retaliations.

Attacking, blocking, dodging. There were no effective hits on either side, but the exchanges, each of which was extremely deadly, continued for several seconds. Having exerted my maximum concentration, I unleashed the Heavenly Demon Shattering Palm towards the monster’s momentary gap.

“Shit!!!”

At the same moment I realized that it was a deliberately created gap, a powerful punch flew into my jaw.

I can’t… avoid it!!!

ㅡThwaaaaaang!!!

A roar.

A pain so immense and terrible that it couldn’t even be compared to that roar followed, but it wasn’t as agonizing as the fear I had just felt. Still, my vision wavered. If I fall here, I’m screwed.

Endure and counterattack.

“You, shitㅡ”

Then, a second fist flew into my abdomen.

ㅡThwaang!

A sensation as if I was about to vomit my internal organs. Damn it, I allowed a second hit after taking the first!!! ㅡFlash! I instantly realized from the flow of air that the monster had raised its fist high to launch a third attack.

If that lands on my head, I’m not kidding, it’s “Quiet Down, Kim Kat” version!!!

“Save me!!!!!”

Defense is impossible!

Forced to give up on defense, I formed a powerful Aura and unleashed an uppercut towards the monster’s chin.

ㅡThwaaaaaang!!

“…!”

This time, I was a little faster, and the attack landed perfectly!

This is my chance!!!

“Gugh!!!”

The monster, which had floated low from the impact of the uppercut, quickly landed and lowered its posture while grabbing its chin, and retreated backwards. Finally, having seized the opportunity, I kicked off the ground and flew straight forward, swinging my arm bent in a right angle very widely, sweeping away the space itself, and slamming a full-power Asura Blood Rending Fist into the monster’s face.

ㅡThwack!!!!!!!!!

“Kieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek!!!”

I could clearly feel the sensation of my fist piercing through the monster’s squishy flesh!

“Guwoooooooooooooo!!!”

A scream erupted.

Of course.
Because my forearm had pierced through the monster’s giant eye!!

ㅡIt’s over.

“Wilderness Blood Jade Hand.”

Having shoved my fist into the monster’s eye socket, I immediately activated the Wilderness Blood Jade Hand and grabbed the root of the eyeball.

ㅡCrackle crackle crackle!!

I pulled it out as it was.

“…!”

As I pulled out the eye, something like an optic nerve trailed out, and the Cyclops’ upper body was pulled towards me. ㅡThud. With that, the monster took a step forward as if advancing. Very naturally, I kicked its exposed knee with a low kick.

ㅡThwaang!!!

“Guoork…!”

With that, the Cyclops fell, and that was the end.

If you seize the victory, you must immediately kill the enemy.

“Die!!!”

Without giving it a chance, I aimed at the monster’s ugly head and unleashed the Heavenly Demon Overlord Step with all my power.

ㅡBoom boom boom boom!!!!

The infinite power of the Heavenly Demon.

Under the pressure that could never be overcome, the Cyclops’ head, which had lost its eye, exploded and was crushed mercilessly.

I won.
ㅡI killed it.

“Haa… Haa…! Whew, damn it!!!”

The moment I realized that.

“I!! I won!!!!”

The thrill of victory seized my entire body.

“I have defeated the great abyss monster, Cyclops!!!!!!”

The unlimited fear that had seized my mind and struck my brain like lightning disappeared like smoke, and fanatical joy took its place…! The belatedly surging pain stabbed at my face and abdomen, but this was nothing!!!

“Dejaaaaaaaaaaaat!!!!!!!!”

I calmed myself down by letting out a shout.

ㅡShiver…!

The burning blood and pulsating spirit seemed to gradually restore my reason, and when that task was over, I sat down on the spot.

“Haa… Damn.”

I thought I was going to die.

“Kat!!!”
“Ah, Claudie… It’s okay, it’s okay.”

Claudie, who was hugging me, explained that she was just about to slash at the monster right before I took the third hit. Our timing overlapped. But it doesn’t matter because I won.

“Kat…! Is your body okay? Huh?”

Claudie grabbed my face with an almost tearful expression and shouted.

“I’m not in much pain. What’s so painful about getting hit twice? More importantly, what about my face?”
“It’s fine. There are no injuries.”
“Then that’s a relief.”

Since I can protect my body with Aura, getting hit itself isn’t a big problem. I was a little worried about internal injuries, but after checking, there was nothing wrong with my body.

“…!”

Risha also approached with a serious face and touched my shoulder, asking if I was okay, but I reassured her that I was fine.

ㅡHaa…

I rested and calmed my body a little.
And then I got up.

“What… what are these monsters protecting…”

Risha said, looking down at the Cyclops’ corpse. Yeah, seeing as there’s such a ridiculously strong guy here, it’s clear that they created the dungeon with the purpose of protecting something.

“More importantly… Kat. What about your head? Is your head okay?”
“Hmm? What?”

Head?

“You seemed to explode a little too much today.”
“Ah, that…”

I was definitely gripped by serious fear.

“…Do not worry.”

Then, Risha said, touching my head.

“The Cyclops’ red eye light… has the effect of putting humans in an extreme state of fear.”

What?

Was that it?

It was definitely an abnormal fear… I was definitely trapped in an infinite fear that I couldn’t trace the source of.

But Risha seems to know it very well.

I was about to ask Risha.

“I have simply read such a document before. Seeing it rampage, I realized that it was true.”

Risha explained first, as if preempting me.

“I feel something over there.”

And then, as if to divert my attention, she pointed to the other side of the hall.

“But… I am worried about your body. You should go back and get treatment today…”
“No. I’m fine.”

I got up from my seat.

“I’m perfectly fine at this point.”
“Still…”
“Let’s just check that one thing and go up.”

Then Claudie said.

“Kat… are you really okay? You know you can’t lie to Mama, right?”
“I’m really fine. I’m the kind of person who makes it obvious when I’m in pain.”

If I was really in pain, I would have sat down, shoved my fist in my mouth, and cried and whined.

No problem.
My body’s durability has really gotten stronger.

“Then let’s go.”

With that, I took the lead and headed to the other side of the hall.
There was a passage beyond the chamber.

Risha and Claudie followed behind me.

ㅡThud thud.

We walked down the long corridor, guarding our surroundings in silence.

ㅡSwoosh.

Soon we entered a certain space.

“That is…”

What lay before us was… a structure that looked like some kind of altar.

Was it that Risha felt some kind of energy from that?

ㅡWhoosh.

It was the moment we entered.

“What the hell!”

ㅡWoooooooom.

Suddenly, the altar moved, making a sound as if something was being activated…! No, what the hell did we do?! We just came in, the three of us, and suddenly it’s activating! What’s more, as if some kind of energy was at work, small pillars engraved with geometric patterns suddenly floated up and circled around the circular stone structure!

And at that very moment!!!

“No way!!!”

ㅡFwoooooooosh!!

From the edge of the altar, an indescribably brilliant silver radiance was emitted like a laser cannon, spreading out to the depths of the high ceiling.

“…”

The silver pillar of radiance… illuminated the space and was emitted for several seconds.

I stared at the radiance as if possessed, then turned my head to look at Risha’s face.

“This is…”

Risha was also taking in the radiance with her own eyes.

“…It is the light of the Demon Realm.”