Ssshling!
Jeong Yusin abruptly rose from his seat and drew the Aming Sword.
“Who’s there!”
He deliberately shouted loudly.
The party members who were half-asleep immediately rose, gripping their weapons first.
Tingling. Ting. Ting.
There was a sound of strings being plucked from outside.
“… Is this the sound of a lute?”
Galerheim, who was hastily loading the crossbow, opened his eyes wide and mumbled.
“Calm down. Calm down. Calm down. ‘We’ are humans, not demons.”
The tone was that of someone humming a song.
Jeong Yusin’s eyebrows twitched.
Another party had found the rest spot, had they not?
But the method was awfully malicious. Startling someone without a sound — though their skill level was high, wasn’t that overdoing it?
The elf priest Fiyaron also seemed to think so, as he frowned and spoke.
“At the very least, they should have made some footsteps.”
“Ah, sorry! It’s just that my companions are rather quiet. By the way, can we come in?”
Jeong Yusin looked around at the party members.
The party members quietly nodded in agreement with Jeong Yusin’s eye signal.
“Come in.”
Sharaak.
The moment Jeong Yusin finished speaking, the cloth covering the entrance fell.
A young man with white makeup drawn on his face entered with a smile.
The makeup was akin to a jester’s face painting.
From the glitter in his eyes, Jeong Yusin immediately sensed that this was not an ordinary man.
In one hand, he held a dagger, and in the other, a lute.
Behind him came four men.
All of them were humans and had a quiet appearance.
The weapons they carried varied, but they were mostly short-range weapons: daggers, short swords, maces, etc.
Another common point was that they all had crossbows slung on their backs.
The jester-painted male smirked at Jeong Yusin.
“Are you the leader of the party?”
“Yes.”
“Calm down. We’re really here just to rest. We’ll stay quietly in the corner.”
“What if I say no?”
“… Huh? Hehehehehe!!!”
The jester-like male burst into laughter, raising his head as if he had heard a funny joke.
Jeong Yusin quietly watched the one who abruptly started laughing.
‘Is he crazy?’
From behind the jesters, a man with a tranquil expression stepped forward.
This man was wearing a blindfold on one eye and had scruffy facial hair.
The man spoke.
“This shelter looks too big to be used by one party. Does this place belong entirely to you?”
“That’s not the case. But we were using it first. Isn’t it common etiquette to ask for permission?”
“Are we asking for permission right now?”
“With such an attitude?”
Jeong Yusin’s response made the one-eyed man chuckle before his expression hardened.
“Young man, showing off your strength isn’t good,” the man said.
Jeong Yusin was about to say something in anger when someone pulled on his pants.
It was the nose-less Nuum, Galerheim.
“What?” asked Jeong Yusin.
“Just let it go. Do we really need to fight here for a place?”
Galerheim whispered.
Jeong Yusin looked around the party again. Most of them looked as if they wanted to avoid conflict.
“Hmph. Fine. That corner over there is for you.”
“Tsk! What a temper!”
The blindfolded man clicked his tongue and led his party to sit in the corner.
The opposing party efficiently laid their things and prepared to camp. It looked like they had done it numerous times before.
Jeong Yusin peeked at the opposing party numerous times.
As the blindfolded man had said, they really seemed to have come to rest.
Had his reaction been excessive?
Since becoming the leader, Jeong Yusin felt he was wavering between his own character and the safety of the party.
Was it that confusion that led to his oversensitive reactions?
Suddenly, Karin seemed like an impressive figure.
Despite her somewhat aggressive and reckless character, she was adept at leading a party.
Someone placed a hand on Jeong Yusin’s shoulder.
It was Holy Knight Soline.
“Do not blame yourself. It was a reasonable reaction for a leader. It was a situation where even a fight wouldn’t have been surprising considering the approach without any sound.”
That’s true.
Jeong Yusin nodded inwardly and spoke.
“Let’s take a break and then set off. Is Fiyaron responsible for the watch? You will keep watch together as well.”
“Alright.”
Jeong Yusin and the party returned to their original spots.
Soline and Galerheim laid down, while Jeong Yusin and Fiyaron leaned against the wall.
When looking at the corner, the opposite party’s members were eating quietly.
Though overall quiet, he occasionally noticed strange glances.
Mostly from the man with clown-like makeup on his face.
Even though they avoided direct eye contact with Jeong Yusin, the quick smirk from that man gave a strange sense of unease.
After the meal, the members of that party settled down to sleep.
Jeong Yusin turned his head back to look at the torch light instead.
In the tense silence, he counted numbers in his head quietly to pass the time.
After four hours passed, the party members stood up from their spots. Their eyes, red due to lack of sleep, signified they hadn’t rested well.
It was only natural. With suspicious people in the same area, how could they easily fall asleep?
After a simple meal, they packed their belongings and left the rest spot.
While silently walking, Galerheim, who had been leading the way, suddenly spoke.
“No matter how I think about it, that face-painted human is ‘that guy’ from the Eastern Sector for sure.”
That guy?
“Exactly who is that guy?”
“Oswald. A high-ranking officer of the Shadow Clowns clan in the Eastern Sector’s underworld.”
A new dark guild’s name.
“Why would a guy like that be here?”
“Don’t know. It seems like there’s some plan, so it’s best not to get involved.”
“Is Oswald that strong?”
“He could easily kill a lower-level explorer like squashing a child’s wrist.”
As Galerheim stared into the darkness, he finished his sentence.
“……”
Shouldn’t a guy with such distinctive features be easily recognizable?
A question arose but he swallowed it. Galerheim was the guide, and he didn’t want to continually distract him. Besides, it didn’t seem like they would be getting entangled with that blindfolded party.
After walking for quite a while, they reached the location where the transfer stone on the first floor was placed.
Jeong Yusin touched the Transference Stone.
Wooom.
A red portal and a blue portal materialized.
Jeong Yusin entered the red portal first with the torch in hand.
Tap!
The floor was hard and the air remained damp.
We’ve reached the second floor.
Galerheim emerged first from the blue portal, followed by Fiyaron, and finally Soline.
After Galerheim glanced at the map, he spoke.
“Another peripheral area.”
“Since our goal isn’t to challenge the floors, let’s go with a relaxed mindset.”
Thus, Jeong Yusin consoled Galerheim and led the party into the darkness.
After walking for a few hours, when the time perception started to become hazy…
Galerheim stopped and perked up his ears.
“Ten hobgoblins ahead.”
Galerheim’s voice was low.
It was finally about to be a proper battle.
The moment had come to see the party members’ abilities.
Jeong Yusin stepped forward with his shield.
“Keeearrrk!!!”
“Ka ke ke!!!”
From the darkness, the laughing sounds of hobgoblins reached them.
Tatatata!!!
Sounds akin to the running of small children grew closer.
Galerheim aimed his crossbow into the darkness.
As the hazy shapes began to flicker in the torchlight,
Thooong!!!
The bolt Galerheim shot pierced through a hobgoblin’s forehead.
“Keeek!”
With a final scream, the hobgoblin fell.
They had started the battle with a preemptive strike.
“Kreearrrk!!!”
The other hobgoblins leaped over the fallen one and charged.
One, two, three.
“Coming.”
Soline swung his claymore.
From top to bottom.
Aaaaahhhh!!!
The upper body of the hobgoblin tore apart as brain fluid and intestines spilled onto the ground.
Some hobgoblins bypassed Soline and dashed toward the rear.
“Kreearrrk!!!”
They were waiting for it.
Jeong Yusin swung his shield.
Kwwaang!!!
The shield smashed into the hobgoblin’s face.
“Keehh!!!”
A broken tooth flew into the air.
The hobgoblin screamed and clutched its face.
The opening.
Jeong Yusin’s Aming Sword pierced deep into the hobgoblin’s throat before he withdrew it.
Phuuuuuush!!,
The carotid artery was severed; blood gushed out and painted the cave walls beautifully red.
The hobgoblin, with its face smashed and its artery severed, collapsed to the floor.
It didn’t stop there.
Paaaah!!!
The hobgoblin’s jawbone was kicked clean off.
The hobgoblin, with its neck broken, crashed into the charging group of hobgoblins.
Cldang!!!
The cluster of hobgoblins toppled over.
[Heiast]
The Elf priest in the back completed his chant.
Just as the gentle breeze was felt, Jeong Yusin’s body grew significantly lighter.
Indeed, it seemed the priest worshipping the wind spirits had a similar feel in his divine magic.
As the hobgoblins struggled to get up and charge again,
“Kreearrrk!!!”
A hobgoblin screamed wildly as it leaped high and swung its mace.
Clang!
Raising his shield to block, Jeong Yusin thrust his sword.
Pook!
The sharp Aming Sword shattered the hobgoblin’s ribs, pierced through the heart, and delved deeply into its body.
“Keehh!!!”
The hobgoblin thrashed a couple of times before it stopped moving.
Stepping back while withdrawing the sword, Jeong Yusin swung it at another target.
Diagonal slash.
The blood from the eyes of the hobgoblin creeping up from the side gushed instantly.
“Keeaaah!!!”
The hobgoblin covering its eyes with its hands.
Too noisy.
Jeong Yusin smacked the hobgoblin’s head with the pommel of his sword.
Paaaah!!!
Kdrdth.
The skull was shattered instantly upon one strike.
There was no time to rest.
Immediately, another hobgoblin lunged with a spear.
Ting!
The spear tip aimed for Jeong Yusin’s chest, but it was deflected by the solid steel plate armor.
Jeong Yusin, unemotionally swinging the shield, crushed the spear.
The shocked hobgoblin took a step back, but there was no escape.
Jeong Yusin swung his sword horizontally.
The sharp edge of the Aming Sword, catching the flickering torchlight, shone.
Phwaahhack!!!
The hobgoblin’s head flew through the air.
The neck was cleanly severed, and the cross-section was fully exposed.
Tsuuwwuut!!!!
The blood gushed in streams from the severed neck.
The headless hobgoblin’s body collapsed to its knees.
He had dealt with all the enemies that had rushed towards the back.
Looking ahead, four hobgoblins surrounded Soline.
Pooong!
A bolt shot by Galerheim pierced the head of the hobgoblin next to Soline.
Thud.
The brain-pierced hobgoblin fell like a wooden stump.
Jeong Yusin rushed over.
Soline swung his greatsword.
The hobgoblin hopped to the side, dodging.
Kaawng!
The greatsword struck the ground unnecessarily.
The hobgoblin noticed the opening and charged immediately.
A full-bodied charge.
Doom!
Soline’s body wavered for just a moment.
Jeong Yusin darted forward quickly, kicking the hobgoblin in the stomach.
Prududuk.
Soline’s waster was deeply embedded in the hobgoblin’s chest.
“Koohh!!!”
The hobgoblin vomited out blood.
Jeong Yusin didn’t hesitate and drove his sword into the hobgoblin’s eye.
Kaaak!!!
The sharp tip of the Aming Sword pierced through the eyeball and deeply penetrated the brain.
“Keehh!”
After the hobgoblin twitched and collapsed,
Hoom!!!
The barely recovered Soline swung his greatsword, cleanly cutting down the two hobgoblins in one stroke.
Phwaahhack!!!
Blood splattered the cave walls. There was no scream. It was an instant death.
With Soline’s last strike, the fight ended.
Ten hobgoblins eliminated.
Jeong Yusin turned back to look at the party members.
Though breathing heavily, they didn’t seem to be injured.
Jeong Yusin raised the mask covering his face.
“Are you all okay?”
“Everyone seems unharmed.”
The elf priest Fiyaron replied.
“Incredible. Do you barbarians always fight like that?”
Galerheim, hoisting the crossbow on his back, asked.
‘This time, it seems cleaner than last.’
“Isn’t that how it should be? Anyway, let’s cut off some ears.”
Jeong Yusin drew a dagger as he said.
“Phewk. Phewk. Thank you. I nearly got into serious trouble.”
Soline, panting heavily, suddenly expressed gratitude.
“That’s what friends are for.”
Though they were wearing plate armor, how could anything serious happen just against some hobgoblins? But upon considering the situation where they were surrounded and knocked down, it made a bit of sense.
In the worst-case scenario, the helmet could have been torn off and a dagger might have pierced the neck.
After collecting the ears of the hobgoblin corpses and stuffing them into a pouch, they advanced once more into the dark cave.
Hooorrr.
The light illuminated the dark depths of the cave.
*
One day. Two. Three. Four. Five.
For five days, they advanced through the level as slowly as possible.
Jeong Yusin’s party reached the Transference Stone located at the end of the third floor.
Jeong Yusin grinned slightly as he looked at the transference stone.
They had collected plenty of hobgoblin ears by wiping out several hobgoblin groups. The number far exceeded what was required to complete the hunting commission.
They also had captured enough Black Slimes to accumulate a sufficient amount of Magic Stones.
With the salty reward secured,
The gleaming silver coins were already making his stomach feel full.
‘Is the universe really helping me out?’
Though his party was weaker than Karin’s, the current level of his party members was not bad. He would prefer to keep adventuring with them.
“This kind of income is great, isn’t it? Good luck! You, Barbarian, are truly a bundle of fortune!” Galerheim laughed and said.
“The leader is solidly standing guard up front, it’s really reassuring.”
Fiyaron also chimed in.
With the party’s compliment, Jeong Yusin’s shoulders began to rise.
“… In that sense, how about we go to the next floor?”
Galerheim, rubbing his hands together, suggested. The tension and anxiety from when they just entered were now completely gone.
All the party members were ranked as Lower Class Explorers. They were not Intermediate Class yet, but factually their capabilities far exceeded those of novice explorers.
Since they could go up to the fifth floor at a maximum, wouldn’t the fourth floor be fine?
Moreover, they had plenty of torches and things were going their way.
“What do you all think?”
Jeong Yusin turned back and asked the party members.
“Good.”
“Alright.”
Soline and Fiyaron agreed.
Jeong Yusin smiled broadly and nodded.
“Alright. Let’s go! Since the heavens are helping us! Huh!”
Shouting strongly, Jeong Yusin placed his hand on the Transference Stone.
Wooom.
A blue portal and a red portal were created.
Jeong Yusin entered the red portal with the torch in hand.
Tap!
After exiting the red portal and landing on the ground,
“Hmm?”
The air felt heavy. It was as if it was saturated with something, not unlike water.
Additionally, it wasn’t dark around.
He quickly looked up.
Not too far away,
A man with white face paint and his party members stood holding torches.
Jeong Yusin’s eyes widened.
It was that man he saw several days ago.
The section boss of the Eastern District’s underworld group.
Oswald.
Next to Oswald was the man with the blindfold.
In the man with the blindfold’s hand was a frail old woman who was being dragged by her hair.
Blood was spilling from the woman’s mouth.
Jeong Yusin also recognized this old woman. He wasn’t sure what she did, though.
The old woman’s companions all lay sprawled on the ground, whether dead or alive unknown.
‘Shit.’
There was no clue at all about what was happening.
Oswald smirked and opened his mouth.
“We meet again. And by the way, big guy—”
The blindfolded man stepped forward and interrupted Oswald’s words.
“Young man, you’re out of luck. Send him to better place.”
Shhhchhhh!
The moment the blindfolded man finished speaking, the men in his party who stood behind him aimed their crossbows at Jeong Yusin.
Even though there was no clear understanding of what was happening,
One thing was certain.
‘This is absolutely screwed.’
