[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-level-4-human-in-a-ruined-world":3,"chapter-level-4-human-in-a-ruined-world-level-4-human-in-a-ruined-world-chapter-552":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Level 4 Human in a Ruined World",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1848566,2454,"Chapter 552","level-4-human-in-a-ruined-world-chapter-552",552,"\u003Cp>[Translator - Night]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Proofreader - Gun]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chapter 552: The Aesthetics of the Circle (3)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One Hundred Forty-Five Swords Mountain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Compared to the Chairman’s One Hundred Thousand Sword Mountain, this was hardly a “mountain”—more of a “pile.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, with over a hundred blades suspended in the air, the sheer spectacle was enough to make both the mechanical being and the Lizardman halt their chase.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>KWA-KWA-KWAAAT!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A hundred forty-five blades rained down from the sky, glittering like shards of steel sunlight. The Lizardman stopped first, instinctively retreating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—What the…?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>KWAAT!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The machine, fleeing from the Lizardman, felt a strange disturbance and turned around.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—Huh? Wh–what’s that?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its metallic pupils widened as countless weapons fell from the heavens.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Startled, it stumbled sideways and hit the ground with a thud.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>THUD!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—What’s going on… is this where it really starts?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mistaking the Sword Mountain for part of the dungeon’s system, the machine looked up—and froze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A bizarre silhouette emerged before its eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—…?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A hunched back like a hunchback’s hump, limbs bent at impossible angles—arms and legs seemingly attached in all the wrong places.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—Wait… why are the legs up there?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The machine gawked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It thought the creature’s arms and legs were all attached to its upper torso—until the figure lunged forward at terrifying speed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>KWHAAAAA—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was charging straight toward them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t shoot!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The distorted figure—Jeong Yeongwoo 07—shouted as he dashed forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was yelling at the Lizardman not to shoot the machine, but the Lizardman misunderstood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shk—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—Who do you think you are to tell me not to shoot?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a villainous grin, the Lizardman raised his weapon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—At least you’ve got more limbs now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>BANG!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The laser gun fired without hesitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yeongwoo dropped the severed limbs he was carrying and drew his sword—Bastard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>SHWEEEENG!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The beam reached him almost instantly—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—but he parried it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>PAZIK!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>White sparks erupted as Bastard’s blade met the laser.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The light vanished on contact.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Lizardman’s expression froze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—…!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t just that Yeongwoo blocked the laser—it was how fast he’d reacted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—You bastard… who the hell are you?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And those limbs he’d dropped?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anyone could see they were collected parts—the ones required to activate the dungeon’s escape portal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Someone else had already been gathering them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Lizardman holstered his gun and raised both hands slowly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—H-hey… let’s talk this out. I won’t shoot anymore, alright?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yeongwoo lowered his sword slightly and began walking forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Step. Step.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The machine and the Lizardman could now see him clearly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—Huh?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—What the hell…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On his back hung Lady Kanaph, and attached to him were prosthetic arms and legs—one each.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the ground lay another arm and another leg.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—Ah!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The machine suddenly pointed at Yeongwoo’s left shoulder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—That arm on the ground—it’s his own!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They realized: he wasn’t a monster with limbs in the wrong places—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was a different kind of monster altogether.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Lizardman glanced between the limbs on the ground and Yeongwoo, horrified.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—Th-those are your arms…?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yeah. You need two arms and two legs to escape this place, right? So I cut mine off.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yeongwoo looked at his shoulder—fresh flesh and bone already regenerating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He picked up the severed limbs and stood between the two.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So, what’s the deal here? Why were you two trying to kill each other? Meeting the first team in a dungeon is sort of fate, isn’t it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The machine, cowering, quickly pointed at the Lizardman.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—N-no, sir! I wasn’t attacking him—he was trying to rip my limbs off!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“‘Sir,’ huh? Polite for a machine.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yeongwoo nodded approvingly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Lizardman, seeing that, quickly clasped his hands together and grinned awkwardly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—Heh… what can I say? Those are the rules. You need limbs to leave this dungeon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And that justifies stealing your only partner’s?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—Look, he’s a machine! Cutting off a few parts won’t kill him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Technically, he wasn’t wrong—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>someone had to lose limbs to open the portal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If you didn’t want to sacrifice your own, you’d use someone else’s.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—If he were a living being, sure, I’d hesitate. But he’s not—he’s a machine. He can just find spare parts later.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The machine snapped, offended.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—Spare parts? You think replacement arms just fall from the sky? Do you know how long I have to work to afford one? If I lose a limb here, I can’t even do that job!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In other words—losing a limb here meant death for him too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—Still better off than me! If I lose an arm, I’ll bleed out and die!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—That’s your lack of skill! This gentleman cut off his arm and he’s fine!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The machine jabbed an accusing finger at Yeongwoo.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sighing, Yeongwoo decided to shut them up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>KWHAAAAAA—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another hundred swords rained from the air at his gesture.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Both the Lizardman and the machine instantly fell silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You two talk too much. It’s all meaningless now anyway.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He pointed the sword at them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re my hostages.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—W-what?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—Excuse me?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Both blinked in disbelief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yeongwoo hugged his severed limbs and twirled Bastard lazily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Now, shake hands. Actually—you apologize first.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He gestured toward the Lizardman.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—You want… me to apologize?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“From where I’m standing, you’re the bad guy. So apologize—unless you’d rather lose a limb.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Lizardman could tell—he meant it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A man who willingly cut off his own limbs wouldn’t hesitate to cut off someone else’s.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yeongwoo turned his sword toward the machine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You—accept his apology.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—Uh… how should I do that?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He’ll offer his right hand. You offer yours. That’s called a handshake.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Translator - Night]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Proofreader - Gun]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He forced the alien pair into Earth-style reconciliation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Lizardman, ever the survivor, extended his right hand first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The machine hesitated, then followed suit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their hands met.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s a handshake,”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Said Yeongwoo.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It means you’re not holding a weapon.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he smiled faintly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So now—hand over your weapons.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—…?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—Huh?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Did I stutter? All of them.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He waved his sword impatiently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The machine blinked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—C-can I at least let go of his hand?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Of course.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With permission, the machine quickly released the handshake.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clack!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He opened a compartment in his right arm and dropped a massive blade to the floor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>THUD!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d been hiding it inside his forearm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—Y-yes, sir. That’s all I’ve got. Just my fists now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He raised his hands defensively.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yeongwoo sighed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why do broke people even come to dungeons?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Lizardman grumbled as he set his gun down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—Because we’re broke. Who else risks their life for fun?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What? You came here for money?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—It’s insane, yeah. But if you find a Bestiary Catalog or a legendary item, you’re rich. Even a rare epic gear could feed you for months.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And if you die?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—That’s why you pick dungeons you’re confident in. You know the theme of this one was ‘Concession,’ right?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And you got stabbed in the back instead.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yeongwoo stroked his chin thoughtfully, but the Lizardman shook his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—No. I knew exactly what this would be.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—That’s why I came in first—to stab him in the back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It had worked, too—he’d chased down the naive machine until Yeongwoo showed up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Heartless.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—We all live like this. Don’t act pure—you reek of villainy yourself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Lizardman sniffed the air with his slit nostrils, tongue flicking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yeongwoo didn’t deny it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well, I’m good at betrayal, sure. Just not against small fries.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>First, he didn’t want to rack up unnecessary evil karma.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the Burning Ice achievement still active and the Planetary Tribunal already watching him, he had to keep his good–evil balance in check.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’ve got more, don’t you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He glanced at the laser gun on the ground, then at the Lizardman.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a sigh, the creature pried open a chest scale and pulled out a hidden dagger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—Can’t believe I’m being mugged inside a dungeon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Think of it as paying for your life. Cheap, right?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The machine stammered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—Y-you’ll… spare us?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you behave, I don’t need to kill you. Maybe I’ll just take an arm or a leg.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He eyed them both carefully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Lizardman already had a prosthetic arm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The machine had none—since for him, every limb was a replaceable part.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Alright. I’ve got enough parts to open the exit.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But it wasn’t enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That only fulfilled the bare minimum.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To earn the hidden reward, he needed something more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘No explicit mission this time… so what counts as over-completion?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He stared at the timer floating midair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On his back, Lady Kanaph finally spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—So, even you can worry about things.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m not here for pocket change.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—Then what?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Every dungeon has a hidden reward. Usually, you get it by going above and beyond the mission… but here, there’s no clear goal.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—You mean, you don’t know what to do?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Exactly. You’re new to this, but I’ve done a lot of dungeons—and I’ve got no clue this time.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She tilted her broad head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—Really? There’s no mission here?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not unless you count ‘escape before time runs out.’”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kanaph suddenly clapped his shoulder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—Maybe you’re not seeing it because you’re too greedy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s that supposed to mean?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—When those bastards threw me in here, I saw what was written on the wall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What did you see?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—‘Concession.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The word hit him like a spark to the brain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That line in the dungeon briefing—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘If everyone concedes just a little, everyone can survive.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“‘If everyone concedes a little… everyone can live.’”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—Exactly. Isn’t that the real goal? For everyone to leave alive?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But the hidden reward only goes to one person. If everyone lives, who gets it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kanaph pointed at the timer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—The one who concedes the most, obviously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—The one who lets everyone else leave first—and walks out last.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But… you need two arms and two legs to escape.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he said it, Yeongwoo realized he’d already answered himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…That’s not ‘a little’ concession, that’s insane.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—Not just your turn—you’ll have to concede your limbs too. Just like you said. That’s your over-completion, isn’t it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Translator - Night]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Proofreader - Gun]\u003C\u002Fp>",1664,"2026-06-09T07:04:15.797Z",1,"novelbin.me","38e9daa4ee3a60b5c2bbaa8119abd8195f50845a62d7f01aff4a57e98389c23a","level-4-human-in-a-ruined-world-chapter-553","level-4-human-in-a-ruined-world-chapter-551",688,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Flevel-4-human-in-a-ruined-world-cover.jpg"]