Chapter 33: Lovebug

To be perfectly honest, I wasn’t overflowing with confidence that I could take down the “Fortress Golem.”

Of course the Blue Bones had been far stronger than expected, but even so, I couldn’t imagine bringing down a golem that was literally the size and strength of a fortress.

Yet the reason I told Cha Jihye and the Nova team that I would take it on was simple.

I had one more thing to rely on besides the Blue Bones.

[Blood Goblin’s Blade]  

―A dagger imbued with the grudge of the blood-drinking goblin, the Blood Goblin.  

―Poison damage +30%  

―Bleeding damage +30%  

―Burn damage +30%

That item was none other than the Blood Goblin’s Blade.

The dagger I had been awarded after receiving the Brave Citizen Award.

A dagger steeped in the grudge of the Blood Goblin.

A weapon that added poison, bleeding, and burn damage to the skeletons’ attacks—and even stacked them.

I was counting on this item.

Let’s see…

I stared at the skeleton army charging like madmen, filled with anticipation.

I wondered how the attacks of Blue Bones equipped with the Blood Goblin’s Blade would turn out.

When they hunted Silver Golems, everything had been one-hit kills, so I never got to see the item’s effects properly.

While I was thinking this, the Nova team members were still running around, drawing the fire of the automated turrets.

KABOOM! BANG! KABOOOOOM! BOOM!

They leaped between buildings and sprinted across the ground like lunatics to pull aggro.

Their faces, sweeping through the battlefield, were drenched in sweat.

Unfortunately, some were already screaming after being hit by shells or bleeding profusely.

Faster, just a little faster!

I looked at the charging Blue Bones and mentally ordered them to run even faster.

As if my thoughts reached them,

The Blue Bones began pounding the ground rumble-rumble-rumble and accelerated even more.

KIIIIING!

KIIIIING!

KIIIIING!

Blue Bones with blue aura wrapped around their bone swords.

They finally reached the vicinity of the Fortress Golem.

Fortunately, the automated turrets were still focused on the team members.

Confirming this “no-mark chance,” I gave the skeleton army another command.

“Bring it down in one go.”

At my words, the Blue Bones began pouring attacks onto the gigantic body of the Fortress Golem.

Thanks to the level-ups, the number of skeleton soldiers had risen to fifty.

Even excluding the skeleton mages, that massive number of soldiers swung their bone swords like madmen.

SLASH! STAB! SHHK! SLASH!

Yet unfortunately, the Blue Bones’ attacks did not instantly fell the Fortress Golem.

As expected, it was on a different level from the Silver Golems.

I gritted my teeth.

It was a shame that even the seemingly invincible slashes of the Blue Bones weren’t fully effective.

That was when it happened.

[Bleeding damage is added.]

The moment bright red blood spurted from the Fortress Golem’s body, a message about bleeding damage appeared.

And that wasn’t all.

Because there were so many skeletons, the same message kept popping up.

[Bleeding damage is added.]  

[Bleeding damage is added.]  

[Bleeding damage is added.]  

[Bleeding damage is added.]  

[Bleeding damage is added.]

System messages continuously appeared with every slash the skeletons made.

Perhaps because of that,

The Fortress Golem, which until moments ago had stood as immovable as a true fortress, began to waver.

“UWOOOOOH…!”

Cracks appeared on the face at the very top of the massive fortress.

Its deeply furrowed expression meant the Fortress Golem was feeling considerable pain.

“Now.”

Confirming that damage was going through, I ordered the skeleton mages to attack as well.

There were now ten skeleton mages thanks to level-ups.

Skeletons wielding the four elements—fire, ice, lightning, and deadly poison—began unleashing spells.

WHOOOOSH!

CRACK-CRACK-CRACK!

BZZT! BZZZZT!

WHOOOOO!

Red, blue, yellow, and green magic hammered into the Fortress Golem’s body.

BOOM! BANG! BOOM! KABOOOOOM!

Explosions erupted all over the gigantic frame.

Like artillery bombarding a mountain, wounds began appearing across the Fortress Golem’s body.

But the real attack was just beginning.

[Poison damage is added.]  

[Burn damage is added.]

The additional effects of the Blood Goblin’s Blade.

Poison and burn damage were now added.

And because the attacks continued nonstop, the stacking damage kicked in.

[Bleeding damage is added.]  

[Poison damage is added.]  

[Poison damage is added.]  

[Burn damage is added.]  

[Bleeding damage is added.]  

[Poison damage is added.]  

[Bleeding damage is added.]  

[Bleeding damage is added.]

Holographic messages flooded my vision like crazy.

Beyond those frantic messages, I saw it.

Blood gushing madly from every part of the Fortress Golem’s body.

KIIIIIIIING!

KIIIIIIIING!

KIIIIIIIING!

Perhaps because of that,

The bleeding Fortress Golem turned every single one of its dozens of turret barrels toward the skeletons.

All of them.

Just as the clack-clack-clack of loading echoed and it prepared to fire,

“U-UWOOOOOH…!”

With a dying scream, the Fortress Golem began to CRUMBLE.

Like a collapsing building, the Fortress Golem came crashing down.

I stared straight ahead, forgetting even to blink at the overwhelming sight.

Flash! Flash! Flash!

The stunned Nova team members returned to my side.

And just like me, they stared blankly forward.

At the Fortress Golem that, until moments ago, had stood like an iron fortress—now reduced to ruins.

After the building-sized Fortress Golem collapsed like a sandcastle,

Only silence filled the surroundings.

Because the Fortress Golem that had been roaring so loudly just moments ago was now nothing but rubble.

“S-Seo Juwon Hunter…”

Cha Jihye looked at me and blinked her big eyes.

The rest of the team wore the same expression.

They seemed to be asking how on earth I had taken down the Fortress Golem so quickly.

They said the Fortress Golem has an insane amount of HP.

Fortress Golem.

Its strengths were attack power and defense.

But the scariest thing was its absurdly massive health pool.

In simple terms, its HP was monstrously high.

That’s why people said you had to beat on a Fortress Golem for half a day or more to clear it.

Considering its size, that wasn’t surprising.

Did the fight even last five minutes?

Yet the battle I had just fought ended in the blink of an eye.

How long had it taken?

Five minutes?

Three?

Or even less?

I wasn’t sure, but compared to the average clear time of half a day, it was absurdly short.

The Blood Goblin’s Blade really shines against boss monsters.

I looked down at the golden dagger in my hand.

An epic-grade item that adds poison, bleeding, and burn damage.

It was incredibly useful against bosses with massive health pools.

The three types of additional damage stacked repeatedly, pouring in continuous damage and draining that gigantic HP bar in an instant.

If an epic item is this strong, what would legendary or sacred-grade items be like?

Staring at the cheat-like Blood Goblin’s Blade, I wondered.

How strong I would become if I ever obtained legendary or sacred-grade items.

Even after exiting the gate, the team’s endless praise continued.

They showered me with compliments until I didn’t know where to put myself.

From their perspective, it was only natural.

This wasn’t a special dungeon like the Harpy gate; it was a pure defense-focused gate, and I had still dominated overwhelmingly.

Thus, in an instant, I leaped from the team’s rookie to its ace.

An ace who even surpassed the team leader, Cha Jihye.

After several days of being recognized by the team like that,

I headed to Daphne Entertainment once more.

Today was the day we would turn the melody Eunbyeol composed into a real song.

“Hello, Hyeji-ssi.”

“Hyeji unniiie! I missed youuu!”

I bowed to composer Ahn Hyeji, and as usual, Eunbyeol ran over and hugged her.

The two hugged like long-lost family, expressing how much they’d missed each other.

Ahn Hyeji doted on our Eunbyeol as if she were her own niece, then greeted me.

She also introduced the person beside her.

“Sir, this is the guide vocalist who will sing our song.”

“Ah, I see. Hello, I’m Seo Juwon.”

I bowed to the woman standing beside us.

The round-faced, cute-looking guide vocalist greeted me back.

Then Ahn Hyeji said,

“Well, the lyrics for the song Eunbyeol made are ready.”

“Oh, really?”

“Yes. Would you like to see?”

I took the paper Ahn Hyeji handed me.

It was filled with lyrics, and Eunbyeol and I slowly read through them.

“Wow, they’re good.”

After reading them all, I smiled.

The sweet and lovely lyrics were beautiful and suited both Eunbyeol and the girl group Daisy who would sing them.

Ahn Hyeji said,

“Right? The lyricist said they put extra effort into it.”

“That’s great to hear.”

“By the way, we still haven’t decided on a title. So, what do you think would be good? Eunbyeol-ah, do you have any ideas?”

Ahn Hyeji looked at Eunbyeol.

The guide vocalist and I also turned to her.

“Ummm…”

Receiving everyone’s attention, Eunbyeol thought for a moment before opening her mouth.

“Lovebug!”

“Lovebug? What’s that?”

Ahn Hyeji tilted her head at Eunbyeol’s words.

The guide vocalist also looked puzzled.

It seemed like an expression they’d never heard before.

Meanwhile, Eunbyeol shouted brightly.

“Yesss! Daddy always calls me his little lovebug every day!”

“Really…?”

“Yep! He says Eunbyeol is so, so lovable, that’s why he calls me that!”

At Eunbyeol’s words, Ahn Hyeji and the guide vocalist looked at me.

I scratched my cheek awkwardly and said,

“Ah, it’s true. I often call Eunbyeol my little lovebug.”

“You do?”

“It basically means ‘adorable little cutie.’”

It’s not some deep word; I just made it up as a playful nickname.

Feeling my face grow hot, I continued,

“It’s a bit cheesy, isn’t it? So we can just treat it as a candidate and pick something else.”

“No way.”

“Hm?”

“Lovebug. Hmm, lovebug.”

Ahn Hyeji hummed while looking at the lyrics on the paper.

After thinking for a moment, she said with a bright expression,

“Lovebug—this would make a great title, don’t you think?”

“R-really?”

“Yes. The sound is round and cute, and it feels fresh. It would work perfectly as the hook too.”

“But didn’t we already have a hook?”

“We can just change it. And I actually like the phrase ‘lovebug’ more than the original lyrics, so let’s switch to that.”

“It rolls off the tongue well too, so let’s go with Lovebug. Thank you for the idea, Eunbyeol-ah. Then the title of this song is set!”

“Huh, really…?”

“The title is Lovebug!”

“Yaaay! I like it, hehe!”

Eunbyeol and Ahn Hyeji high-fived with huge smiles.

And just like that, the song Eunbyeol made was officially titled <Lovebug>, and Ahn Hyeji revised the chorus lyrics.

“Alright, let’s start the guide recording!”

Ahn Hyeji said in front of the computer, and the guide vocalist stepped into the recording booth.

The moment the vocalist put on the thick headphones inside the booth,

↓ A♪♪.

The sweet accompaniment of the track began to flow.

Eunbyeol’s <Lovebug>.

The melody that had only been a hummed tune was finally being born as a real song.