“Goodness, what the hell is this?!”
“Why are we suddenly blocked?!”
The D-ranked male members of the Wings Guild, startled out of their wits, pounded on the transparent wall with their fists, thud thud thud.
Some were swiping their weapons with all their might, even trying to use skills.
But all they got in return was a weak pop.
No one could turn back toward Si-hyun and Han-gyeol.
Realizing the situation was getting serious, they felt cold sweat dripping down their backs.
On the opposite side, Si-hyun and Han-gyeol were having a conversation.
Yet, the content of that discussion was completely inaudible.
The men fully understood they were isolated among themselves.
Then, it happened.
Heeheehee—
A bizarre sound that sent chills down their spines.
Startled, the men turned around at the sound of the monster’s laugh, which sounded like claws scratching against a throat.
Before they realized it, a monster had walked halfway across the open space, slowly approaching them.
It wasn’t big, just slightly larger than an adult male.
But all the members of the Wings Guild held their breath.
It had a clownish appearance straight out of a horror movie.
On its pale face were long, sharp teeth that looked nothing like a human’s.
With fangs extending like needles.
The mouth was grotesquely split open with a twisted smile.
Heeheeheek—!
Layered with that monstrous laughter, it sent shivers down their spines.
“I… I’ve never seen a monster like that…?”
“Isn’t it some kind of magical creature…?”
“Oh, crap, this is bad…”
The earlier joy of going on a picnic with Si-hyun had vanished.
Now only trembling people remained, shaken by the imminent death.
The beautiful woman who ensured their safety was gone.
There were no C-ranked hunters, just four measly D-ranked hunters.
Instinctively, the men realized—they were in their own grave today.
“F*…. I’m sorry, babe… I think this is it for me…”
“Hey, don’t give up already! Don’t think about finding a girlfriend!”
“How are we supposed to take that thing down?!”
“…Ugh.”
A man, lost in despair, shouted out.
The guy who had been shouting not to give up suddenly fell silent.
One of the characteristics of the currently revealed conditional dungeons: bosses are often stronger than in dungeons of the same rank.
In extreme cases, they could be as strong as those in B-ranked dungeons.
Heeheehee—
The bizarre clown continued its weird laughter as it approached.
Though the speed at which it moved was slow, to the guild members, it seemed almost like it was taunting them.
“Hey, guys!”
Then it happened.
A male archer shouted loudly.
Everyone turned their attention to him.
“Look at the shape of its mouth! The shape of its mouth!”
The archer pointed toward Han-gyeol, who was on the opposite side.
Everyone turned their heads that way.
The same shape of mouth was being repeated.
Simultaneously, they pointed at Han-gyeol and then at Si-hyun with their fingers.
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?!”
“Huh? Bur? Umm… Ah, isn’t it ‘hold on’?”
“……”
As someone suggested an idea, everyone looked at Si-hyun.
She had her palm pressed against the wall, deep in thought.
Suddenly, Si-hyun’s gaze shifted to the men.
Nod nod.
It was as though she was saying, “Just believe in me.”
After nodding a few times, she returned her focus to the air, looking serious.
One man shouted with renewed hope.
“Si-hyun can probably do something about this?!”
Then another chimed in.
“Yeah, right! She’s our professor!”
But not everyone was on board.
“What the hell! Can’t you see we can’t get in?! The boss room has restrictions set!”
“Damn it, we’re totally screwed!”
Voices filled with despair echoed across the open area.
But they had no time to just chat.
No matter what they felt inside, the boss kept coming closer.
With sweat and tears rolling down their faces, the men turned around.
The clown watched them from a distance, wearing a bizarre smile.
Heeheehee—!
Every time they heard that sound, it was more disturbing.
The frozen monster began moving again.
Its body moved unnaturally, like a puppet dangling on strings, joints twisting at odd angles.
“Why the hell does something like that exist…?”
“Seriously, it’s pure evil.”
Unable to hold back, the men cursed.
At that moment.
Hee—?
“AAAH!”
The clown’s body suddenly lost its head, distorting space as it poked its head out from in front of the spear-user.
Slurp—
The clown’s mouth unreasonably widened.
The stench of rotten meat permeated the air, and the spear-user grimaced.
“Get lost!”
He quickly pulled back and swung his spear.
In that moment, the clown’s head twisted grotesquely and bit down on the spear.
Crunch, crunch.
“Now’s the time! Attack!”
“AAAH!”
The remaining guild members, paralyzed by fear, rushed in frantically.
But the clown’s head immediately returned to its original position.
“The spear my master made….”
The spear-user looked at his weapon with a hollow expression.
The blade was all crumpled, like scrap metal.
Heeheehee—
The monster’s laughter filled the area once more.
At the same moment—
Gack!
“AAAH!”
The clown’s arms vanished.
Two hunters were lifted off the ground, clutching their necks.
“Sa-save me…!”
Gack!
The two men struggled to pry the choking hands off their throats.
But there was a clear difference in strength.
Not even a finger budged.
As their breaths were cut short, their faces began to turn blue.
The archer, who wasn’t the target of the attack, hastily grabbed a new arrow.
He quickly readied himself.
‘W-What now?!’
Where should he aim to stop that thing?
Could he hit its weak point accurately?
What if he shot and then became the target himself?
Thoughts raced through the man’s mind.
Huff, cough!
“Ugh…!”
Now was not the time to hesitate.
The archer directed his arrow towards the clown’s head.
In a brief moment, the events of the day flashed through his mind.
[Well done!]
[Oh, haha!]
The impressive archery skills that Si-hyun had praised him for.
If not now, when would he ever get to show them?!
‘I can do this!’
Determination filled the man’s eyes.
His arm’s muscles tensed as the bowstring pulled taut.
Aiming for the clown’s eye!
Twang—!
The arrow, fueled by every bit of remaining mana, sliced through the air.
The clown, meanwhile, was busy mocking the two men it held in its grasp.
Its head suddenly turned towards the archer, alerted by the sound of the release.
At the same moment—
“KYAAAAAH—!”
The arrow struck squarely into the clown’s eye!
The clown let out a painful scream.
A hand that had traversed space returned and pulled the arrow out of its eyeball.
“I did it! I really did it!”
Cough, cough!
“Ugh….”
The two men fell to the ground, gasping for air as the hands released their grips.
Fortunately, it was not too late.
But they couldn’t relax.
The enraged clown glared at them with its one remaining eye, filled with fury.
Moreover—
“Hey, guys… the buffs ran out?”
“Ugh….”
Si-hyun’s buff magic wasn’t super powerful.
And besides, this was a separate space where Si-hyun’s mana couldn’t reach.
All the mana she had provided for them vanished.
Now, they had returned to being mere D-ranked hunters.
Heh heh….
The clown tilted its head, scanning for a target.
After a strange movement, it locked onto its selected prey.
It was none other than the archer.
“Damn….”
As soon as the clown moved, the archer bolted, dashing away.
Sharp teeth grazed the spot where he had just been standing.
Having just lost his buff, the archer detested his sluggish body.
He longed for the condition he had been in throughout the day.
“AAAH!”
In the end, he couldn’t escape.
Once again, space warped and a hand shot out to grab his ankles.
The crushing force made blood burst from his ankles.
Then, space warped once more.
With a wicked grin, the clown leaned in.
Spitting saliva, it stared at the collapsed archer.
Slurp—
The mouth opened slowly.
In the blink of an eye, it could devour him, yet its movements were slow.
This was because the monster relished the terror its prey felt.
The stench was unbearable, and the man squeezed his eyes shut.
No matter how much he wriggled his arms, he could not break free.
‘Is this it…? Damn…’
The man gave up resisting.
Just then!
CLANG!
The sharp, strong sound of metal clashing against bone rang out.
The archer felt the change and slowly opened his eyes.
“Hyung! Are you okay?!”
“It’s you, Han-gyeol! Thank you!”
Suddenly appearing, Han-gyeol grappled with the clown’s head in a test of strength.
The other men stared wide-eyed at the space where Han-gyeol had come from.
And they all had the same round-eyed expression.
Thud, thud—
Booming!
The space trembled, and the entire area shook.
From Si-hyun’s outstretched palm, a distorted line spread through the air.
Light burst forth from the cracked spots as if glass had shattered.
Si-hyun’s mana rippled like water, invading the space.
The crack kept expanding in tandem.
The ever-growing fissure finally engulfed the entire barrier that surrounded the open area.
Finally—
CRACKLE, CRACKLE!
BOOM——!
The space tore apart, and a tremendous roar shook the heavens and the earth.
Thud, thud.
Frozen Si-hyun began to take steps forward.
Now, nothing stood in her way.
“My word!”
“W-Wait, you broke the entrance restrictions?!”
The men shouted in astonished disbelief.
Si-hyun, with her white hair flowing, stepped into the open area.
Their expressions began to change gradually at her arrival.
“W-What?! You really came to save us?!”
“W-Will we be able to live? Really?!”
Hope, joy.
The despairing men began to regain new emotions.
Like a blocked path opening up, the fire began to ignite in their hearts again.
At that moment, they were witnessing ‘salvation.’
Si-hyun stepped confidently forward and said.
“Dimension Pierrot… it’s been a while.”
“KYAAC!”
The Pierrot, suddenly confronted in its territory, glared at Si-hyun with burning eyes.
But Si-hyun scoffed and ignored it.
‘Your magic is nothing special.’
That was the thought that crossed Si-hyun’s mind at this moment.
