How to Survive Restructuring

Chapter 94

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]

Chapter 94: Iro (4)

— Splat!

I exhaled the breath I’d been holding.

A tremendous torrent—unlike anything I’d ever seen or heard of—engulfed me.

My barely exposed head bobbed violently, as if about to be overturned.

"Activate... the Vital Bloom!"

Gulp!

As soon as I opened my mouth, the raging current surged in like water through a breached dam.

[Warning!]@@@@

[Status effect: 'Difficulty Breathing' initiated!]

[You will enter a 'Respiratory Arrest' state in 30 seconds.]

[Immediately stop inhaling!]

I broke the surface and gasped for air, inhaling and exhaling desperately.

Although I was initially thrown into confusion by the unprecedented torrent, it lasted only for a moment.

[Activating 'Vital Bloom'!]

A translucent message window popped up in front of me.

What a relief.

I had been worried since I found myself in the water with no memory of how I got there, but it seemed things were going according to plan.

[Constructing 'Bridge.']

[Ascend against the flow of the Sanzu river!]

As I continued to be swept away, I waited for this mysterious 'bridge,' enduring what felt like an eternity compressed into a single fleeting moment.

Pop!

Something soft and pink appeared before me.

Thud!

Grasping for anything to hold on to, I wrapped my arms around the floating object.

Despite my weight hanging on it, it held firm, as though rooted to the riverbed.

Huff!

Catching my breath in relief, I examined the object I clung to.

"A real... petal?"

It was a flower blossom.

Its bud had unfurled delicately, as if inviting me to step on it.

Soon after, the bud bloomed fully, its petals unfurling like a lotus flower.

▣ Vital Bloom

=A flower imbued with the fervent wishes of those who returned from the Sanzu river.

Grants one opportunity to evade death by recreating the owner's bones, flesh, and tendons.

Bound to: Lee Eunho

This was an item I had received in exchange for welfare points after the battle with the golem.

Its incredible effect—granting a second chance at life—had led me to keep it a closely guarded secret for emergencies.

‘If I hadn’t prepared a Plan B, I would’ve been doomed.’

The plan was simple:

Maximize damage output and reflect the attack back.

Even if I sustained severe internal injuries, I trusted in my resurrection skill to restore my health to 10%.

However, I had not anticipated needing the Vital Bloom.

‘I didn’t expect the enemy to have a trump card of their own.’

"I'll... make good use of this."

[W-What do you mean, 'make good use' of...?]

"...Store."

I had grabbed the enemy’s weapon in the moment of confusion before my death.

▣ Restored Brahmastra

-An arrow said to have been used by an ancient deity.

Relentlessly pursues its designated target.

-Damaged by bombardment and the passage of time, it was restored through the meticulous efforts of a genius researcher.

Originally chose its wielder, but modifications during restoration allow it to forcibly designate a user.

A divine arrow that relentlessly pursues its target.

Without the Vital Bloom, my body would have been riddled with holes from the arrow, left to grow cold amidst the ruins.

The mere thought sent chills down my spine.

Clinging to the flower petals, I held on.

One, two, three...

What started as a single blossom soon multiplied into dozens, then hundreds, forming a continuous path.

Pop! Pop! Pop!

Like the sound of soap bubbles bursting, a pink bridge bloomed before me.

A stone bridge—no, a flower bridge—spanned the vast river like a miracle.

"Phew..."

I stepped cautiously onto the petals, walking along the path they created.

With trembling legs, I finally reached the shore.

Thud!

I collapsed onto the ground, letting my body sink into the rough, gritty earth.

The coarse texture of the soil brushed against my cheek as I finally took in my surroundings.

A desolate landscape stretched out before me.

The earth was dark red, the sky overcast and ominous.

A towering, skeletal tree loomed overhead, its barren branches stretching wide.

And beneath it stood a hulking man, staring at me intently.

"...A person?"

Probably not.

It seemed unlikely that someone standing at the gateway to the afterlife would be alive.

But, to my surprise, the man flinched at my muttered question and responded in a shocked voice.

[You... can see me?]

A burly figure clad in crimson armor, clutching a massive spear, stood before me.

He resembled an ancient general straight out of historical records or illustrations.

"It seems so,"

I replied calmly.

Clang!

A small piece of metal fell from the Chimera’s body and landed near my feet.

'A key?'

It looked like a small key, about the length of a finger, that had fallen, reminiscent of a fruit seed.

It was an oddly old-fashioned key, rare to find in a world with door locks.

Instinctively, I picked it up, but just as I was about to move...

— Thud!

A final relic fell from the sky.

"......?!"

A cylinder large enough to fit a person.

The "capsule" that had crushed Hanil Jang’s ankle.

[You have obtained a 'Sample Transport Capsule'!]

▣ Sample Transport Capsule (Medium)

-A capsule used to transport a designated object to a designated location.

Can carry up to 100kg.

As expected, the talk about rewards was a lie.

Its real purpose seemed to be transporting a designated sample to a specific destination.

‘Let's see. The sample name is...’

-Sample Name: Lee Eunho

-Destination: Iro's Private Laboratory (Future Research Center, E Building, Room 9812)

‘Well, isn’t this interesting?’

They’ve clearly been plotting something serious.

"Uh, hyung! This is that thing from earlier..."

"Store it."

"What? What are you planning to do with this?!"

I’ll think about that later.

For now, the most urgent task is...

'Don’t let him escape.'

Slash!

I severed Iro’s arms.

Slash!

And his legs.

So he couldn’t cast any spells.

So he couldn’t run anywhere.

So he wouldn’t dare think of coming after me again.

[Aaaaargh! Stop, stop it!!]

Squelch!

Blood spurted from the severed artery.

Droplets of blood splattered onto my face.

Just as the Skybreaker Sword, excited by the taste of blood, was about to pierce his carotid artery...

[Stop.]

A strange woman’s voice echoed in my head.

Rustle!

There was something.

Something heavy dragging along the ground as it approached.

As soon as I sensed it, I tried to turn my head... no, I tried to.

“......?!”

My body froze.

Just as I was about to plunge into Iro’s neck.

[You have fallen into the 'Status Ailment: Demonic Energy Intoxication'.]

I couldn’t stab him.

I couldn’t lower my arm.

I couldn’t even lift my head.

[Ugh......!]

At my feet, Iro, whose limbs had been severed, glared at me with eyes filled with pain and rage.

It was dangerous.

If he used some sort of spell or curse again, I would be completely defenseless.

'I have to move...!'

I concentrated, channeling strength into my body as if forcing blood to the tips of my limbs.

— Ding!

[Target Lee Eunho has activated the 'Resurrection' perk!]

[Purified energy repels the demonic energy!]

Twitch!

My fingertips moved slightly.

Next, my hands.

Then, my entire arm holding the sword.

Rustle!

And at that moment, something the size of a thigh dragged itself into the edge of my vision.

Rustle-rustle!

It raised its head high and stuck out its tongue.

‘A snake?!’

What was that?

I wasn’t sure if it was a python or a snake, but it was clear it wasn’t a friendly presence.

Shing!

As soon as my hand moved again, I gripped the sword hilt tightly.

[......You moved?]

A woman’s unfamiliar voice echoed.

A voice as clear as a musical instrument, one that seemed untouched by anything harmful in life.

[To think you resisted the basilisk’s demonic energy... You really are someone worthy of the their attention.]

So.

"Who are you?"

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]