Chapter 34: Triple Buff… Still Immortal?!

Given the situation, Ju-an knew he should just agree immediately, but the words would not come easily.

There was no guarantee that the next dungeon’s boss skill would be compatible with Gong Se-yoon.

The Kiss skill could only be used on one person.

He couldn’t afford to waste such a crucial opportunity.

But he couldn’t keep indulging Se-yoon’s stubbornness either, so Ju-an answered honestly.

“Gong Se-yoon, I can’t promise that. We didn’t even plan to enter this dungeon, it appeared out of nowhere. How can I recklessly promise something when we don’t even know what the next dungeon will be?”

The moment he looked into Se-yoon’s eyes, Ju-an pressed a hand to his forehead.

‘Don’t tell me he’s spiraling into depression right now…? Of all times.’

Se-yoon’s eyes brimmed with tears.

There wasn’t time for this.

Ju-an decided he would kiss Joo Ji-chan first and console Se-yoon afterward.

Taking advantage of the moment Se-yoon was crying, Ju-an reached toward Ji-chan.

Ji-chan immediately stepped in and lowered his head toward Ju-an.

“Haah…”

His hot breath brushed Ju-an’s nose.

It wasn’t even his first kiss, yet he felt more tense now than the first time their lips had met.

Was it because he was still wrapped in Se-yoon’s arms?

Before he could dwell on it, Ji-chan’s lips touched his.

They brushed lightly at first, then slowly deepened.

“Hngh…”

His heart began pounding strangely fast.

As their lips parted slightly for air, something soft slipped between them.

At the same time, he felt hands kneading his backside.

He glanced down.

Gong Se-yoon was shamelessly groping him.

Ji-chan in front.

Se-yoon behind.

Sandwiched between them like this, what on earth was he even doing?

A wave of existential clarity washed over him.

And yet, under the influence of the skill, Ju-an couldn’t stop responding to Ji-chan’s lips.

After what felt like an eternity, Ji-chan pulled back, eyes blazing.

Overwhelming power radiated from him.

He lifted the flamethrower and pulled the trigger.

Click- FWOOOOSH!

Ju-an’s eyes widened as he followed the rising flames.

‘Please. Please. Let it hit.’

Crimson fire surged straight into the center of the wolf pack.

Awoooo! Awoooo!

The wolves screamed.

“I-It hit!”

Ju-an shouted without realizing it.

BOOM! KWA-BOOOOM!

With a massive explosion, wolf corpses were torn apart and flung into the air before crashing down.

Grrrrrk! KRAAAAH!

A different scream echoed, harsher, more human.

The boss.

That had to be the boss.

With a hit like that, it should be dead.

But the rain of arrows did not stop.

Why were they still attacking?

“Shit, it’s still alive!”

Ji-chan’s shout made Ju-an look again.

In the center of the pack stood the Werewolf, its legs severed, yet still howling orders.

“Fine! If once isn’t enough, we do it again!”

Before Ju-an could even process it, Ji-chan pulled the trigger again.

Boom! Boom!

Flames erupted once more.

Still, it didn’t die.

What the hell was going on?

Even with a triple attack buff, it wasn’t dying?

There were healer-type monsters that could revive allies, but there were none here. Only soldiers. Once dead, they stayed dead.

And an A-rank boss surviving a direct hit from an S-rank with a triple-attack buff?

Impossible.

Yet the Werewolf continued issuing commands.

Which meant…

The Constellations.

They were interfering.

That was the only explanation.

Ju-an immediately opened his status window, searching for anything he might have missed.

Then…

A message window appeared.

<The Constellation, Robe-Removed Magician, wishes to connect.>

‘A Constellation? Now?’

<The Constellation, Robe-Removed Magician, says you will regret it if you do not listen.>

They had no other way to attack.

They couldn’t retreat.

Ju-an pressed accept.

<The Constellation, Robe-Removed Magician, says the Werewolf is currently under the protection of the Constellations.>

“I figured. So tell me the strategy.”

<The Constellation, Robe-Removed Magician, says he will tell you, if you contract with him.>

Ju-an barked out a bitter laugh.

“Of course. You bastards never disappoint. Why would I contract with you?”

The moment he snapped, regret flickered.

If the Werewolf was under Constellation protection, then no matter how much force they used, it wouldn’t die.

Despair tightened around his throat.

Should he agree to a contract in exchange for the strategy?

It was tempting.

But remembering everything the Constellations had done, there was no guarantee they wouldn’t betray him again.

<The Constellation, Robe-Removed Magician, urges you to contract before you regret it.>

Ju-an hesitated, then spoke firmly.

“No. You’re the ones who put me in this situation. How am I supposed to trust that what you tell me is even real?”

<The Constellation, Robe-Removed Magician, stomps his feet in frustration.>

<The Constellation, Robe-Removed Magician, says you’ll only come to your senses after truly regretting it.>

Ju-an ignored him.

Boom! BOOOOM!

Ji-chan kept firing.

The continuous explosions suggested he was burning through power beyond cooldown limits.

And still, the Werewolf kept reviving.

Even with a triple buff, he’d exhaust his stamina eventually.

What then?

Ju-an raked his fingers through his hair.

‘How do you defeat a monster protected by Constellations?’

He’d never considered that when designing the game.

Constellations were only meant to empower their incarnations with coins.

If the Werewolf was an incarnation…

When would Constellation protection fail?

When the incarnation died.

Ju-an let out a hollow breath.

But if it couldn’t die…

‘Is this really how we all end?’

No.

The Constellations needed S-rank incarnations.

If he alone died, the others would likely be spared.

“If only I die… they’ll live…”

He hadn’t meant to say it aloud.

Se-yoon’s crying stopped instantly.

“Hyung. What did you just say?”

“Why do you think the Constellations keep reviving it? They want to obstruct me. They hate that you contracted with me. If I die, they’ll let you live.”

“…Are you insane? Or hallucinating? Say the code.”

“Diamond Body. I’m completely sane.”

Se-yoon set him down and glared at him.

His expression was more terrifying than the Werewolf’s.

Ju-an didn’t want to die.

Even if reality had been harsh, he’d still dreamed of earning money doing something he loved.

The only way back to his world was to clear all dungeons and obtain the Wish Ticket reward.

Of course, that required surviving this.

But maybe it was better to give up early.

“Seong Ju-an!”

Se-yoon shouted his name.

But the darkness settling in Ju-an’s chest made everything feel pointless.

“I’m just… tired. Even if we survive and prepare for the next dungeon, the Constellations will interfere again.”

It had been like that in his old world too.

He worked himself to death creating results, only for someone else to take credit.

He’d believed that once he climbed higher, things would change.

But without credentials, Seong Ju-an had only ever been an idea bank.

Those positions always went to people with better resumes.

Then Se-yoon suddenly spoke.

“Did you live your whole life not knowing the world is hell?”

“…What?”

“What kind of obvious crap are you saying in the middle of this? We don’t have time.”

It felt like being struck in the head.

From Se-yoon of all people?

Had the swings between depression and brightness deepened his insight?

“Hyung. The world has always been shit. People envy the power we have, but those with power are lonely and miserable too. You think we fight all the time because we’re stupid?”

Ju-an had created this world.

He knew better than anyone the pain these incarnations carried.

“But that doesn’t mean you get to die. When I was depressed, I said I wanted to die all the time. But the truth? I wanted to live more than anyone.”

“…Why?”

“Because I know that after a depressive phase, a better one comes. The world doesn’t change, but if my state changes, the world looks different. And right now, even if I’m depressed, I don’t want to die. I’m glad I’m alive.”

“Even when you’re depressed?”

“…Yes.”

Se-yoon’s face flushed red.

“Because I met you.”

“…Good grief.”

Shame flooded Ju-an.

A twenty-year-old kid understood this, and he’d been talking about dying.

Had he been the one under hallucination?

“Hey, you two. If you’re done flirting, mind helping me? Hngh-!”

Se-yoon’s warm brown eyes darkened.

A cold sheen replaced their softness.

He raised both hands high.

And two blades of ice formed in his grip.