“Kkeu….”

A gurgling grunt escaped Seol Jihu’s clenched teeth.

His two hands trembled noticeably as they pushed the boulder up.

Seol Jihu scraped up every ounce of energy from his body and concentrated it in his hands.

However, the boulder remained immovable.

No matter how much strength he used, the boulder remained fixed in place like it was glued to the ground.

Seol Jihu’s bloodshot pupils waned.

His eyes stung, and his vision blurred.

He wanted to take one hand off the boulder and wipe his eyes, but he couldn’t do even that.

Never mind climbing the mountain, even standing still was hardly bearable.

If he took his hand off for even a second, the boulder would roll down and crush him without a doubt.

He had already died several times in the exact same way.

However, human strength was not limitless. Simply standing became more and more unbearable as time went on.

“Euuuuu, heuuuuuu…!”

Realizing what would happen soon, a beast-like cry escaped Seol Jihu’s mouth.

He pushed forward with arms that felt as if they were exploding from all the blood rushing up.

Of course, the boulder remained fixed, and it was his body that was pushed back.

“Keuk!”

Seol Jihu dropped his head.

Ddddk. Droplets of sweat poured down from his drenched hair. Likewise, sweat flowed down his exposed upper body like rain.

He had thrown his shirt off long ago, exposing his bare skin and muscles. Not only was it getting in the way, but the extra layer was also stifling him.

This unchanging situation was so frustratingly stifling that he wanted his heart to explode. Perhaps that way, things would feel a little more refreshing.

“!”

Suddenly, Seol Jihu’s eyes widened.

He had lost his balance while he momentarily lost focus.

His sweat-drenched left hand slid off the surface of the boulder.

Though he quickly came to his senses, his left arm was already advancing...