Jeong Yusin gripped his sword.
‘Neck and heart. Just guard these two spots.’
He was well aware of his lack of skill.
There was only one method.
Sacrifice the flesh to strike the bone.
As he repeated this in his mind, he glanced at Karin.
At that moment, Karin’s ears twitched.
“We’re lucky. Barbaroy.”
Karin mockingly stepped back a few paces and released her dagger.
Her gaze went past Jeong Yusin.
Jeong Yusin also released his sword and stepped back a few paces.
He turned his head and looked at the cave’s exit.
In the distance, a torch flickered.
Someone was approaching.
Since Karin hadn’t moved, he assumed they were at least not an enemy.
After a while, three people emerged from outside.
Their faces were familiar.
They were Karin’s party members.
Gilsian ran up to Karin upon seeing her.
“Karin!!”
“Only our party came? What about the other parties?”
“New demons have appeared on the fourth floor. High-rank Explorer parties are holding them off, but it’ll take some time. So only our party and Commander Hans’s party came first.”
“Is that so? What do these new demons look like?”
“They look like centipedes.”
“Is that all?”
“We couldn’t see them closely in the rush.”
“Hmph.”
Karin clicked her tongue and looked at Jeong Yusin.
Jeong Yusin met Karin’s gaze.
‘Karin, what are you going to do?’
Would she rally her party members to thrash him?
Or would she put the conflict aside for now and walk away quietly?
Karin exhaled sharply and turned her body.
She had chosen to suspend the fight for a while.
“Judging by the looks of it, Hans’s team seems to have transferred to another area. Let’s head to the city. We’ll meet up there.”
“Understood.”
Gilsian replied and took the lead.
Jeong Yusin picked up the supplies on the ground, slung them over his shoulder, and stood at the back of the party.
Loenel subtly approached and whispered,
“Is everything alright?”
“Yes.”
Karin had decided to temporarily set the conflict aside.
Since the party had reconvened, Jeong Yusin felt that his main objective had been achieved.
That was enough. At least for now.
Jeong Yusin suppressed his emotions.
With the arrival of the other party members, the sharp and obsessive aura around Karin dimmed.
It was different from when they were alone and separate from the party. Perhaps she had found a bit of ease, small as it may be.
Perhaps Karin, too, had been anxious.
‘Let’s just focus on what needs to be done.’
With a heavy burden adjusted on his back, Jeong Yusin followed behind the party.
The party left the clearing and descended along the slope.
As they descended, the panoramic view of the city gradually disappeared, leaving only the towering castle walls in sight.
After reaching the ground from the clearing, an imposing silhouette of the city wall could be seen in the distance.
Beside Jeong Yusin, Ahiman muttered something. It was in an incomprehensible language.
Ahiman’s eyes were fixed on the city, and a flush colored his face.
Jeong Yusin asked Ahiman,
“Did something pleasant happen?”
Ahiman turned his head and looked at Jeong Yusin.
His entire eyes were dyed black.
“Umtahusy Soryudtta.”
‘What’s he saying?’
“Is it pleasant? Yes. Understood.”
Loenel, who was nearby, turned her head and glanced at Ahiman before saying,
“Don’t worry about it. Mystics sometimes act this way.”
“Why is he like this?”
“People say it happens when their communication with a god deepens. They claim divine energy can settle into the body, which twists their tongue. I don’t know much. Ask Ahiman later.”
“Understood.”
Ahiman continued to look at Jeong Yusin.
There wasn’t much Jeong Yusin could do, so he raised his thumb to give Ahiman a thumbs-up.
Karin’s party walked across the barren land.
The city was farther away than it appeared, so it took quite a long time to arrive.
The city wall loomed closer, and the city gate came into view.
Karin’s party stopped in front of the massive city gate.
‘Wow. It’s enormous.’
Jeong Yusin was overwhelmed by the size of the city gate and his mouth slightly opened.
The gate, made of metal, was so high that you had to tilt your head completely back to see its top.
It was slightly ajar.
Gilsian hesitated as he was about to enter the city gate.
Karin, standing behind him, asked,
“Why?”
“…Never mind.”
Gilsian waved it off and walked inside the gate.
The moment they opened the gate and entered, Gothic-style buildings filled their view.
Pointed and angular stone structures stood around.
Amidst them, countless alleys spread out like a spider’s web.
The city was silent, and the main street in the center was completely deserted, not even a mouse stirring.
“That’s strange.”
Loenel muttered.
“What’s strange?”
“Hobgoblins.”
Loenel’s face was a little tense under the torchlight.
“Let’s find a place to rest first. We’ve been walking for too long.”
Karin said.
Karin’s party entered a small alley and found a modest house to step into.
The inside of the house was quiet.
Tables and chairs were piled with dust, but it seemed someone had recently used the fireplace as burnt firewood was scattered around.
The party members tidied up the area and sat around the fireplace.
Jeong Yusin unpacked his belongings and pulled out a blanket to block the window.
“We’re not lighting a fire this time.”
Karin said.
Jeong Yusin nodded slightly and fixed the torch he had received from Gilsian inside the fireplace.
“Will we use alarm magic?”
Ahiman asked. His voice was clear, but he was clearly agitated.
“We will use it, but we should also take turns keeping watch. You never know.”
“Understood.”
In front of the dimly glowing fireplace,
The party members started eating in silence.
Perhaps they were tired, tense, or lost in thought; no one spoke.
Jeong Yusin also rummaged through his supplies and pulled out food.
The menu consisted of dried meat and biscuits, courtesy of Darmong.
Jeong Yusin picked up a biscuit.
The shape of the biscuit was a bit different.
‘A bear?’
Ha!
Suddenly, Loenel spewed out her food.
Everyone in the party turned to stare at her.
Apparently startled herself, she coughed a few times.
“Pfft. It’s nothing.”
With that, the party members turned their heads and resumed eating.
Loenel began giggling quietly.
Had she gone crazy? Laughing in such a situation.
Jeong Yusin asked calmly,
“The shape is unusual, but is it that funny?”
Loenel abruptly stopped laughing.
“Upon reflection, it probably isn’t that comical.”
A moment later, Loenel began to stifle laughter again.
Jeong Yusin asked,
“What’s so funny? Let me laugh along with you.”
“You wouldn’t understand.”
‘Is she some kind of joker?’
The spine-chilling feeling made Jeong Yusin uneasy.
Looking around, the atmosphere seemed off.
Gilsian was staring intently at the bear-shaped biscuit in Jeong Yusin’s hand.
“Would you like one?”
Jeong Yusin pulled out a biscuit and waved it towards Gilsian.
“…Just one, then.”
Gilsian cautiously approached and quickly snatched the bear-shaped biscuit.
Ahiman interjected upon seeing this,
“Ingkaritu Ahuyam.”
“Yes. Here you go.”
Ahiman was also handed a bear-shaped biscuit.
Even in this situation, their nerve must have been quite thick, given how enthusiastically they sought the bear-shaped biscuit.
Could it be because they are mid-rank explorers?
Or perhaps they trusted that the higher-rank exploration party, led by Hans, would arrive soon.
Did they come to this fifth floor assuming naturally Hans’ team would be here as well?
Jeong Yusin stopped thinking and popped the biscuit into his mouth, chewing it.
Darmong must have added a lot of honey, it was sweet.
Jeong Yusin sneakily glanced at Karin.
Karin was looking down, seemingly deep in thought.
“Would you like one, Lady Karin?”
Jeong Yusin offered the biscuit.
“That’s fine.”
Karin coldly refused, raising her head.
‘She’s really upset.’
Jeong Yusin thought he hadn’t said anything wrong, but it seemed his remark had dealt a considerable blow to her pride.
Feeling that his heart was as wide as the sea, he decided to make the first move.
As Jeong Yusin licked the bear-shaped biscuit,
“Hey… it’s sweet, right? Are you sure you don’t want some?”
Karin glanced sideways at Jeong Yusin’s tongue licking the biscuit.
Karin’s face flushed red.
Why was she stepping back to this man?
Just a few hours ago, they were glaring at each other, ready to kill.
But as she watched that tongue flickering, the rising anger inside her subsided.
There was something different about this man’s scent too.
It was comforting and familiar.
And it was seductive.
Surely, there must be some kind of trickery involved.
Perhaps it was an enchantment?
Karin’s expression stiffened.
‘Whether it’s an enchantment or something else, I won’t lose. I am the daughter of the Union of Seals representative. I will definitely overcome and show him.’
Karin steadied her resolve.
“Give me the biscuit.”
Karin snatched the biscuit from Jeong Yusin’s hand and put it in her mouth.
‘That biscuit I licked.’
Jeong Yusin turned his head.
Loenel was staring at him intently.
“Would you like one?”
“No, I don’t like sweets.”
After the meal, the group decided on a watch schedule by drawing straws.
Finally, the alarm magic was left.
Ahiman closed his eyes and began his magic incantation.
A grotesque language flowed from his lips.
Gilsian continued to frown and shiver.
Jeong Yusin closed his eyes.
A scratching sound could still be heard somewhere in the corner of his mind, but it was tolerable compared to before.
After the incantation ended, Ahiman opened his eyes.
“It’s done.”
Jeong Yusin wrapped himself in a robe and lay down on the wooden floor. The musty smell was present, but it didn’t feel damp or cold.
‘This isn’t too bad.’
He consoled himself and closed his eyes.
Jeong Yusin opened his eyes to the sound of rustling.
Looking around, the party members were already packing up their belongings.
The party members’ faces were haggard.
Though there had been some laughter the other night, when they lay down and closed their eyes, a creeping tension and fear gripped their hearts.
They had crossed through an unprecedented black portal.
Fortunately, they had reached the fifth floor, but things were different from usual.
The heavy air and silent atmosphere in the underground city kept ringing warning bells in their minds.
Jeong Yusin and the party members repeatedly tossed and turned in shallow slumber.
The party members, with bloodshot eyes, packed their supplies and gathered around the fireplace to eat.
Loenel spoke up.
“Shouldn’t we consider other routes as well?”
Her voice was hoarse, having inhaled too much dust.
“The Transfer Stone in the central district is the shortest route.”
Karin replied.
“We need other plans too. There aren’t just one Transfer Stone in the fifth floor.”
There were 3 Transfer Stones on the fifth floor.
The Transfer Stone in the central district would lead to the ‘Hallway’ area.
If you crossed all the way through the city, there was another Transfer Stone that would take you to the ‘Forest’ area.
Lastly, if you descended underground in the city, there was a Transfer Stone leading to the ‘Sewer’ area.
Each of the 3 districts were governed by different ‘rules.’
Currently, the closest Transfer Stone was in the central district. However, Loenel was suggesting an alternative plan.
“Where are you suggesting we go?”
“The ‘Forest’ area isn’t too bad. If we quietly move through the city outskirts, we can safely reach the next level.”
Gilsian interjected,
“Loenel, have you forgotten? We are an investigation team dispatched by the Guild and the Council. We have the responsibility to at least find out what’s going on in this unpleasant city.”
Ahiman also nodded in agreement with Gilsian.
“Gilsian is correct. Karin and Loenel, don’t forget your purpose. Moving quickly isn’t the solution.”
Karin frowned and alternated her eyes between Gilsian and Ahiman.
“Do you feel something? Speak up.”
Gilsian played with his helmet.
“If I must say, I sensed a force akin to the Mystics’ magic.”
Ahiman chimed in,
“It differs slightly, but it’s undoubtedly a force from another dimension.”
Karin sighed.
“Understood. Let us carefully explore the city. Is everyone prepared?”
The party members nodded.
Karin’s group departed their campsite and walked out to the streets.
Dark and desolate streets were silent without even a hint of sound.
They scoured the streets for hours but encountered nothing significant.
They spent an entire day mapping out the southern district of the city.
They discovered nothing.
Neither did they find Hans’ party.
Karin’s party returned to their previous rest spot.
They tossed and turned sleeplessly for a few hours before heading out again.
As time passed, the party members, except Ahiman, grew increasingly tense.
It was uncommon for Hobgoblins not to appear in the main avenue of the city where many explorers passed through. But to see absolutely none was first-ever.
“This is too quiet.”
No one responded to Karin’s statement, but everyone felt the same.
The eerie silence persisted even as they reached the central district through the main avenue, only growing heavier.
‘Maybe things are about to go very wrong.’
A cold sweat trickled down Jeong Yusin’s neck.
Something about this felt off.
‘Could it be a major event? Oh please, no.’
He knew something dangerous might occur. Regardless, Jeong Yusin chose to join the expedition as a porter.
Why?
‘How could I pass up gold?’
He was also genuinely curious about what was happening within the Labyrinth.
He trusted the strength of mid-rank explorers.
He also trusted the skills of those who ventured into the unknown.
He calculated and deliberated on the conditions before deciding.
With the inclusion of a high-rank explorer party, he had computed that he wouldn’t die at least, but the current circumstances were anything but ordinary.
Careful calculation began to distort from the moment he was swallowed by the black portal.
A while later, the group arrived at a spacious square.
The Central Square.
A sculpture of a torso missing its upper body stood tall at the center of the square.
Surrounding the sculpture, hundreds of humans and hobgoblins had gathered, looking up at the underground ceiling.
All the explorers who had disappeared until now.
All the hobgoblins that were previously unseen.
They were all gathered here.
‘Ah.’
Though he didn’t know the specifics, one thing was certain.
‘This is bad.’
