Chapter 167: Artist (3)

A moment later.

The sudden crisis had entered a lull. The golems that had been prattling on about qualifications had turned into rubble and were cooling coldly.

They were foes that would have given even the Seven Dignitaries trouble if all nine had charged at once. But their opponent was one of the Three Calamities.

Art Master clearly demonstrated the class difference between the Seven Dignitaries and the Three Calamities. It felt as if she were telling Lee Taebaek that he still had a long way to go.

“Aigoo, shit…”

Art Master brushed off the stones clattering against her shoe tips.

“Haven’t even worn them a few times, and now they’re ruined. What’re you waiting for? Let’s go.”

Art Master grumbled just a spoonful before taking the first step. Lee Taebaek followed with an awkward expression, weaving through the debris.

Passing the crushed golems, another door appeared. It resembled the massive iron gate they’d seen at the entrance in shape and size.

Crunch!

Art Master turned the door into rags just like before. They naturally entered the next checkpoint, where another group of golems predictably revealed themselves.

They looked identical to the previous batch, but their weapons differed. While the last ones had wielded blunt instruments, these brandished sharp blades—lances and spears threatening Art Master.

Lee Taebaek, following behind, prepared to enter combat stance. He sensed the optics.

He could let her handle the first wave, but doing so for the second might earn him a glare.

However, no opportunity arose for Lee Taebaek. Before he could even draw his Para Blade, the golems swung their curved blades at Art Master in unison. Her reflection distorted in the wavy patterns covering half the sword faces.

Only her lips moved on that serpentine, warped visage. Amid the eerie whoosh of air, Art Master was lost in deep thought.

“So they’re sharing combat experience like this, huh.”

The blades slashed from all directions. At this rate, Art Master would be diced to pieces.

“…Just like Master’s style…”

Finally, Art Master raised both hands.

But something was off. Wasn’t that a clapping posture? Was she suddenly about to applaud the golems’ progress?

Claaap—crack—!

No sooner had a flurry of thoughts crossed his mind than the clap assaulted his eardrums. Lee Taebaek nearly blacked out. He barely clung to consciousness by grasping the frayed edge of his spirit.

With his shaking vision, Lee Taebaek peered at ground zero.

A shockwave erupted from Art Master at the epicenter. It took on a physical form, like a spherical barrier.

The golems’ bodies toppled backward. Their unstable centers of gravity. Their lances had been repelled by the shockwave.

Undeterred, Art Master clapped again. Fortunately, Lee Taebaek activated [Bullet Time] in time to cover his ears, but…

‘Even muffled, it’s this loud.’

The deafening boom pierced through the gaps between his fingers. The golems’ blades shattered, unable to withstand the air’s vibration.

The cracks that gnawed away at the edges spread like thistles up to the golems’ hands. Soon, their wielders met the same fate. Fragments scattered. Even the pillars supporting the ceiling split like felled trees.

Indeed. Art Master had annihilated these mysterious guardians with mere ‘claps.’ Lee Taebaek was floored. How could human strength reach such heights? She desperately needed a nerf.

“Don’t worry. I won’t hold something this trivial against you.”

“…”

“Assuming Master’s here, that is.”

Those last words carried a bite.

Must be his imagination. It had to be. As Lee Taebaek was now, he had no desire to make an enemy of that hooded Godzilla.

‘Gotta watch my step here.’

Lee Taebaek resolved firmly as he approached Art Master.

Afterward, more checkpoints appeared repeatedly. Each time, the process varied slightly, but…

Boooom!

…the outcome was the same.

As Art Master had said, the golems seemed to be learning. Their progress was impressive, with noticeably refined movements.

They covered each other’s weaknesses, sealed formation gaps with repositioning, and more golems wielded weapons that had nearly landed effective hits.

Even Lee Taebaek, the spectator, felt a pang of pity at their earnest assault on Art Master.

But her off-the-charts strength rendered all their efforts futile.

‘If those things had emotions…’

They’d be cursing this frustrating reality.

Unfortunately, the golems were mere clay dolls. Mechanical parts aside. Anyway.

Those high-end, expensive golems scattered like fallen leaves in the wind.

By the eighth repetition or so, Lee Taebaek was even getting bored.

He leaned against a doorframe, yawning widely.

‘When does this crap end?’

It really had dragged on nearly ten times like this. Wouldn’t the owner be getting anxious? Money aside, if it kept up…

‘Art Master’s patience is at its limit.’

Art Master was visibly irritated. Not tired, of course—pure anger.

‘Considering her temperament.’

She’d rarely needed patience in recent years combined. No restraints, after all.

A top-tier celebrity and one of the Three Calamities. Who could tell her to hold back?

Enduring ten rounds was her best effort. Knowing that, sweat beaded on Lee Taebaek’s forehead.

‘Probably two or three more to go.’

Better to gamble than get caught in a ticking bomb. Resolved, Lee Taebaek struck up a needless conversation with Art Master.

“By the way, you’re really serious about finding your master. Thought you’d bail after five or so.”

Art Master turned her gaze. She had a strand of hair between her lips. For a moment, he envisioned a hail of icicles.

“Someone I really want to find.”

Art Master spat it out, whipping her head away. Lee Taebaek was surprised. It was an answer he hadn’t expected from her.

Curiosity piqued.

Besides, she was frustrated with the situation, not him. At least by his judgment.

No harm in pushing bolder.

“Hearing you say that makes me curious about this master of yours.”

“Suddenly hitting on me? Thought this wasn’t that vibe. Guess your face value pays off, huh?”

“…”

Retort rose to his throat. Lee Taebaek composed himself and deflected mildly.

“Not that.”

“Sure, whatever.”

“…”

Art Master snorted derisively.

Mission accomplished regardless. The hostile air softened a bit.

Lee Taebaek deliberately slowed his pace toward the next checkpoint to chat more.

“Your master must’ve been insanely strong.”

Genuine. And it made him even more curious.

Lee Taebaek was peering into Art Master’s growth story, fragments of her legend. He’d been a developer, after all.

But details were scarce. He only knew she hailed from the Mongolian steppes. The rest went unset.

After learning Staff Master and Heavenly Demon’s backstories, he’d grown intrigued by Reycons’ top powerhouses.

The closer he got, the more clues he’d uncover about why he’d fallen into this world.

Reflecting on experiences, it felt like inching toward truth. Their tales weren’t lighthouses but compasses—and for a castaway like him in the vast sea, that was gratitude enough.

Plus, personally, seeing a Three Calamity search for an old master was refreshingly novel.

Lee Taebaek said,

“Must’ve had a killer reputation.”

“Not at all.”

“Hm?”

Art Master eyed him appraisingly before continuing.

“Lee Taebaek, you’re exactly 1,291 times stronger than my master.”

“…!”

Eyeballing his power was surprising enough.

But that her master was such a weakling shocked him more.

A joke?

‘No way.’

Steppe folk didn’t joke around. The green desert was nonstop survival struggle. No time for idle banter.

Art Master embodied steppe customs deeply.

She appeared on any show, but variety PDs avoided her. Always dead serious and brutally strong.

Anyway.

As Lee Taebaek’s expression shifted oddly, Art Master continued abruptly.

“My master’s not strong. But he’s great.”

“Heh…”

Only a hollow laugh escaped.

“Honestly shocked. ‘Great’ from a Three Calamity’s mouth…”

“What about me? What’d you think?”

“Arrogant, disrespectful. You know.”

“Wanna argue, but spot on.”

As said, steppe folk were blunt and rarely took offense unless lines were crossed hard.

Art Master said,

“You’ll see when you meet him. My assessment’s dead accurate.”

“Mind if I share my thoughts after hearing you?”

“I know. What you’re gonna say…”

Art Master’s face soured.

“Why’s someone like that holed up in this mysterious temple—or dungeon?”

The nuance matched.

“Anyway, why hide here? I wonder too. Ten years ago, Master despised stuff like this.”

“Ten years in the city changes mountains twice over. People evolve.”

“Some things don’t change with time.”

Lee Taebaek glanced back momentarily.

Art Master stood rock-solid.

“My master, at least, won’t.”

“Right…”

Her resolute stance left nothing more to say. Lee Taebaek moved on. Art Master ruffled her hair, visibly conflicted.

Still, the talk helped. She dropped the anger from then on.

Two more checkpoints followed, which she smashed without complaint. Almost like cooling her head with moderate exertion.

They passed a total of twelve.

Short time, but no progress. Even Lee Taebaek, who’d brought her, was doubting.

‘This is going nowhere.’

But breakthroughs shine in crises. Finally, the thirteenth door opened, greeting them with the one she’d longed for.

A slightly narrower space than before. In the center stood a man with his back turned. Gauntly thin.

“Master—!”

Art Master’s face lit up. Her eyes sparkled more brilliantly than under screen filters.

“…You’ve come…”

The spark in her pupils faded quickly.

“What in the…”

The man turned with a raspy, aged voice. Art Master’s eyes dimmed simultaneously. Lee Taebaek’s reaction was no different.

The man’s cheeks were sunken. Not a drop of color; pallid all over.

To compare, well.

Like a vat-grown human.

“…Why have you come.”

Art Master’s lashes quivered.