That settled the weapon problem.
But the reward items were limited to two.
I had picked the axe, so I could choose one more.
"[Hurry up!! Why the hell are you taking so long just to pick one weapon?!]"
"[I'm not you... I need to look carefully.]"
"[Anyway, are you done?]"
"[I picked the weapon, and I've still got one slot left. What, do you need something?]"
"[No. Just grab it and get over here.]"
Looks like I spent more time pulling out the axe than I thought.
I already had candidates in mind for the last item.
"I think one of these two would be good... what do you all think?"
[ITEM]
[Megingjord - Replica]
A-grade belt
A replica of the belt used by Thor, the thunder god.
Though a fake, it contains the power to enhance physical strength.
Along with Mjolnir, it is one of Thor's three treasures.
[ITEM]
[Járngreipr - Replica]
A-grade gloves
A replica of the iron gloves used by Thor, the thunder god.
Though a fake, they let the user swing weapons with greater force.
Along with Mjolnir, it is one of Thor's three treasures.
To think all three of Thor's treasures were in this treasure room.
[Many Constellations say they suit you and your weapon well.]
Of course they did.
Most of what I'd shown so far was just crushing things with raw power.
And an axe, together with a hammer, was the kind of weapon that simply overpowered things through force.
Either of these strength-related items would suit me.
"I'd like to hear the opinion of the person involved."
[The Constellation 'Thunder of Thursday' is considering your words.]
Behind the title [Thunder of Thursday] was one of Thor's other names, overshadowed by his image as the god of thunder: the god of strength.
The tale of him lifting Jormungandr, the tale of him smashing Mjolnir down with such force that three valleys were formed—all of them were stories tied to strength.
Especially when he wrestled with old age; all he did was drop to one knee.
If that doesn't sound impressive...
In Norse mythology, the gods can resist aging, but they can't resist death.
So the fact that he only knelt before time was already absurd enough.
And the giants in the original myths weren't the huge, dull, stupid creatures people imagine.
They were a different race, yes, but beings portrayed as equal to the gods.
The one who tricked Thor into wrestling with time, the one who made him strike the wrong target with Mjolnir and carve out a ravine—that was all the giants' magic.
If even those giants called Thor a monster... then how overwhelming do you think his status and raw strength were?
[The Constellation 'Thunder of Thursday' has finished deliberating.]
"Looks like you've decided?"
[The Constellation 'Thunder of Thursday' says he cannot choose.]
"They're your things. If you can't choose, then who can?"
Well, I could understand if he meant they were all precious treasures and he couldn't pick just one...
[The Constellation 'Thunder of Thursday' explains that it isn't for him to choose, but for the weapon.]
So the weapon, meaning the axe, had to make the choice.
Considering it had come out when I screamed like it had a will of its own...
Fine. Let's see what you pick.
"You heard that, right? I'll place you exactly in the middle and let go. Just break the display case of the item you want."
[Many Constellations whisper that you are strange.]
[Constellations with deep ties to weapons nod at your actions.]
Sliiide
I lifted the axe with my eyes closed,
Whoosh!
and let go.
Crash!!
When I opened my eyes at the sound of shattering glass...
Inside the broken case was [Járngreipr].
But I understood.
The axe had picked this just to mock me.
"You little bastard."
Ever had this thought before?
Why is Mjolnir's handle so short?
There's a whole story behind it, but if you cut everything else away, it comes down to this.
Mjolnir was originally meant to be forged as a long-handled war hammer.
But Loki, unwilling to lose a wager, interfered during its creation, and the handle ended up short.
So [Járngreipr] was made so Thor could properly wield Mjolnir. That was how the myth went.
In other words, the axe was roasting me properly, saying I needed gear like this just to handle it right.
[The Constellation 'Thunder of Thursday' notices the axe's intent and laughs heartily.]
There was no way Thor, the owner of that myth—no, that Fable—would miss the point.
"Fine. I'll play along your way. Let's see who wins."
.
.
.
"He's taking forever."
"He's always been bad at making choices."
"Now I really want to see what kind of amazing thing that mister picked if it took him this long."
...Eek!
"Didn't you hear something?"
"Did I? I didn't hear anything."
Creeeak!!
"...I heard that one too."
"..."
A suffocating silence.
"Was I too late? Sorry, sorry!"
I had arrived.
"You sure picked something that stands out."
"This was the one I liked best."
Nothing else satisfied me.
After seeing this, everyone else's weapons looked so tiny it was almost funny.
Weapons should be big and strong, shouldn't they?
"I wondered what incredible thing you chose, and wow, you really did pick something incredible."
"Of course. Whose weapon do you think it is? What are you going to cut with a tiny toothpick like yours?"
"...You old man, seriously!!!"
Ah, that reaction.
This was why I couldn't stop teasing her.
"That's enough teasing Jihye. You've already wasted enough time."
"Ahem...!"
"It's a good weapon. [Járngreipr] is a good item too."
As expected, Dokja knew quality when she saw it.
"All right, then. Shall we go?"
"Yeah, let's go. We need to catch a glimpse of our gorilla's backside."
.
.
.
Unfortunately, Yoo Joonghyuk wasn't on the sixth floor either.
I wanted to properly test this weapon's performance already.
Wooooong!
See? Even the axe was crying because it wanted to fight.
"So he really was the culprit?"
"That's why they let us through!"
"Don't say it, it's a spoiler. There might be people here who haven't seen it."
"People? More like Constellations!"
[The Constellation 'Secretive Plotter' dislikes spoilers.]
"Then pay up. Otherwise I'll spoil it."
[Many Constellations are dumbfounded by your remark.]
[The Constellation 'Thunder of Thursday' likes your bold personality.]
Maybe that was because Thor, even in the original myths, was broad-minded enough to forgive outright blasphemy. He seemed to find it amusing instead.
If this were Greek mythology, an entire family line would've been wiped out. If it were the Middle Ages, I might've been burned at the stake. Yet he let it slide.
Looking at it that way, he was more generous than I expected.
[500 Coins have been sponsored.]
[Constellations who dislike spoilers have sponsored 3,000 Coins.]
Ah, making Coins is so damn easy.
The truth was, I didn't know either.
I literally said earlier I'd never properly watched the movie, and they still sponsored me. The Constellations really were on another level. Heh.
"Do we really have to run like this?!"
"Because someone spent way too much time in the reward room!"
"...Sorry!!!"
This movie was a twist thriller, so the reward item was unusual.
[You have received the skill book: 'Cool-Headed Observation'.]
"You use this."
"Hm? No, you use it."
"I already have a similar skill."
"...Thanks."
She didn't say it out loud, but she must've been uneasy about how I charged first and thought later whenever I saw an enemy.
Use skill book: 'Cool-Headed Observation'.
[You have acquired the skill, 'Cool-Headed Observation'.]
After trying it, it seemed to be an ability that let me roughly estimate a person's overall stats.
My fighting style was simple: crush the enemy through a difference in raw stats.
That also meant the situation could flip just as easily, so if I could at least gauge stats, it would be pretty useful for me.
"We're on the seventh floor now."
After running and running, we reached the seventh floor.
"The posters here are all torn up too."
Every poster in sight on the seventh floor had been ripped apart.
But there wasn't so much as a single strand of Yoo Joonghyuk's hair to be seen.
If she wasn't here either... did that mean she was in the boss room?
"[That'd be the worst possibility we considered, right?]"
"[Obviously.]"
"[I'd rather they were all torn up....]"
We'd heard the boss room came after this, so if all of them were destroyed, we could enter it right away.
One of Dokja's goals was the reward room, sure, but her real goal was rescuing Yoo Joonghyuk.
Of course she'd want to save her quickly.
I hated Yoo Joonghyuk too, but I couldn't deny that we needed that bitch...
And I loathed myself for having to keep reminding myself of that.
Flash!
[The screening for this floor is beginning.]
"[Looks like there was one last one left.]"
"[...Damn it.]"
"[Dokja, watch your language.]"
"[...Right.]"
Sshaaaaa—
When I came to my senses, what I saw was a vast... sea?
I wasn't sure if it was a sea.
Things that might've been islands or landmasses were scattered across my field of vision.
The salty smell made it seem like the sea, but...
"Everyone, get down——!"
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
A booming shout to get down, followed by gunfire.
Then the smell of gunpowder swallowed the salt scent of the sea.
Bang
Bang
Bang
Bullets like iron pellets came flying at us from all directions.
Ting!
Ti-ting!!
Tiiiiing!!!
Dokja used the shield she'd picked up for Hyunsung, and I used the broad blade of my axe to protect the group from the hail of bullets.
"Is anyone hurt?!"
"I'm fine!"
"I'm okay too!"
"I'm okay too, hyung!"
"..."
Thankfully, it seemed we'd blocked them all.
"[Dokja, this is that movie, right?]"
"[Yeah. A movie no Korean could fail to recognize.]"
Naval battles weren't exactly my specialty...
"[That bitch Yoo Joonghyuk, and she just had to leave us with a hard movie like this....]"
"[Without Jihye, she probably wanted to avoid a naval battle.]"
Wait. Jihye?
"Is anyone hurt?!"
"I'm fine!"
"I'm okay too!"
"I'm okay too, hyung!"
"..."
Shit, I knew something felt off. Jihye wasn't here.
"That... how are we supposed to win?"
What Jung Heewon pointed at with her trembling hand was dozens of Japanese warships.
Dozens were visible, but in reality there were probably hundreds.
Even Jung Heewon, who was always bold, had shrunk back at the sight.
"Gilyoung."
"Yes, hyung."
"...Mjolnir."
Thump
At my words, Lee Gilyoung obediently handed over Mjolnir.
'Once we get out of here, I need to tell him not to entrust his things to just anyone so easily.'
Thud!
The moment I took Mjolnir, the axe in my other hand grew heavier.
What, was it saying that you were the only weapon I should use, now and forever?
You looked down on me, but your obsession with your owner is worse than I thought.
Then again, your creator had left you stuck in a theater, alone until I showed up. Maybe that was only natural.
"Watch closely."
Whiik!
The Mjolnir I threw flew fiercely toward one of the Japanese warships.
Boom!
"Aaaaargh!"
"W-what is this?!"
Kaboom!!
The ship struck head-on by Mjolnir exploded and sank on the spot.
The Japanese soldiers' screams were swallowed by the blast.
Whooom
Thump
As if it had finished its task, Mjolnir returned to my hand.
At the same time, the axe grew even heavier.
"There, you saw that, right? Mjolnir's power. And that's just a replica."
As if protesting my words, the axe began to tremble.
"But you're not a replica, are you? You can do better than this. Right?"
As if flustered by what I said, the trembling stopped, and the weight lightened.
"Let's show those arrogant Constellations. Let's show them that a weapon made by humans like us is better than the weapons of gods."
Sliiide
"Go!!!"
Fwiiiiish!
Following my words, it flew even more fiercely than Mjolnir toward the Japanese warships.
Boom!
Crunch!!
Craaack!!!
The axe pierced straight through three Japanese ships in one go.
Kuwaaaaaang!!!
Thump!
"Explosions are art. Don't you think?"
[The Constellation 'Sea-Commander' cheers at the exploits of a descendant of the nation!]
[The Constellations of the Korean Peninsula cheer for you as you slaughter the invaders.]
Clunk
I casually let Mjolnir drop and looked at the axe that had returned to my hand.
There was only one thing I needed to worry about now.
Where was Lee Jihye?
"Kim Dokja."
"Uh, y-yeah? What is it?"
"Go find that deserter brat."
"You mean Jihye, right...? Got it."
"Call me when you find her. Don't try to persuade her halfway. There's probably another reason she isn't here."
Dokja nodded silently at my words.
If it was Dokja, she might know why Lee Jihye wasn't here.
I only knew bits and pieces. I couldn't be sure the situation would improve if I stepped in myself.
But I couldn't be sure it would get worse, either.
So I would move forward in my own way.
"This should be enough of a warm-up before I fight our dear Regressor, right?"
The axe looked more excited than ever.
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