Chapter 66

When she opened her eyes, she was inside the Red Mansion. A sticky wind blew. When Cho-i took a deep breath, an unpleasant smell rushed into her nostrils. She looked around and saw that the people around her were also frowning, feeling the same sensation. Cho-i asked,

“What are you going to do?”

“What else? We walk forward.”

Taehyeok Sa said. Giant spider webs covered the corners of the mansion walls and various parts of the floor. No monsters were visible nearby yet. Cho-i approached a spider web and stepped on one. The spider web immediately stuck to her foot and wouldn’t come off easily until Cho-i cut it with her sword.

“This is going to be too annoying.”

Cho-i looked back. Specifically, she looked at Gihyeon Park, and Gihyeon Park stepped forward triumphantly.

“I guess I’ll have to take care of it.”

He generated fire from his hands. But the entity was only there for a moment; suddenly, a gust of wind swept in from behind. And the spider webs scattered everywhere were instantly rolled into a ball and thrown far away.

“Let’s go.”

Taehyeok Sa, he had the cobweb clearing ability. Gihyeon Park looked back at him with a frown.

“Since when was getting involved your hobby?”

“Starting now.”

Gihyeon Park snarled and laughed fiercely at him, but Taehyeok Sa just looked at him indifferently without even snorting. The Shire Guild Master stepped in to mediate between the two.

“It’s good to see both of you so enthusiastic. However, I don’t think it’s good for trouble to arise inside an SS-Rank dungeon.”

“I have no intention of causing trouble.”

“I’m not entirely without that intention either.”

Taehyeok Sa and Gihyeon Park answered one after another. Cho-i Hyeon shrugged at Dongju Kim and Yeonhan Kim, who were observing the situation, and then stepped forward to start walking. No, she was about to. If the Shire’s Guild Master hadn’t stepped forward first.

“I’ll walk first.”

‘Oh, now that I think about it.’

Cho-i Hyeon belatedly remembered the role of the Shire Guild Master. An S-Rank tank just like herself. As it was an SS-Rank dungeon, it was wise to bring in more than one tank, as they didn’t know how many monsters would appear. Of course, the problem was that this theory had absolutely nothing to do with Cho-i Hyeon.

‘Well.’

Cho-i grinned. If he really wanted to take on the main tank role, she had no choice but to let him. Her smile deepened. Suui Kim, who was watching her smile from beside her, made a strangely displeased expression.

“What are you thinking?”

“I’m not thinking anything?”

Cho-i ignored Suui Kim and began to follow behind the Shire Guild Master, Kevin, who was advancing first. As the two tanks were about to go ahead, Dongju Kim grabbed Cho-i by the scruff of her neck.

“I’m really going to bite you.”

“You’re at the very back.”

“Why?!”

“Because you have to catch the monsters that pop out from the rear.”

“I’m a damage dealer starting today?”

“?”

Dongju Kim frowned as if asking what she meant. Cho-i immediately raised her sword.

“Who said I’m more like a Scythe than most damage dealers?”

“Well, it wasn’t me.”

“I’ll leave the tanking to that sturdy-looking old man and I’ll go as a damage dealer!”

Cho-i’s eyes widened. But Taehyeok Sa, who approached her side, stopped her.

“You go to the back.”

“Who are you to order me around?”

Then, Taehyeok Sa, who had been staring down at her, spoke again.

“I’m asking you to protect the rear for the safety of our party members.”

“…Argh. You son of a bitch, you’re saying that to make it my fault if the rear is breached, aren’t you? Fine, I’ll keep a thorough watch from behind.”

Cho-i stomped her feet and stood at the very back. Suui Kim was also in the rear with her, likely because she wasn’t much help in combat. Indeed, the mansion’s structure was a straight path forward, so there was little chance of something popping out from behind the path they had already traversed. Wait a minute, that means… Cho-i looked around her. All the A+ Ranks were in the rear. You bastards.

“Hey, you fucking bastards. You’re dumping all of this on me?”

As Cho-i shouted, Taehyeok Sa, with his back turned, gently waved his hand. Just as she was itching to sever his wrist, Suui Kim placed a hand on Cho-i’s shoulder.

“First, let’s just try to survive.”

“Survive?”

“All the S-Ranks are people who can handle attacks without any trouble. But for the A-pluses, it’s a bit much. If it’s this King, they should be able to take care of it from the tank position.”

“So I work while you guys play?”

At her sarcastic remark, Suui Kim calmly soothed her.

“Of course, we won’t just stand by. We’ll do our best, you can trust us on that.”

Cho-i frowned. She had a soft spot for Suui Kim, who was asking her to trust her. Cho-i sighed.

“Oh dear, my fate. What’s the point of being an S-Rank if my job is to protect these chicks?”

“I was teaching you until recently, you know?”

“Really? Then why don’t you stand at the very back?”

“That’s not what I mean.”

“Why don’t you be the teacher? It doesn’t matter to me.”

“I told you not to do that.”

“Why are you gritting your teeth?”

Cho-i laughed heartily and headed to the back. She then doted on the A+ Rank chicks who were all looking at her, and sent them forward.

“Alright, the Shire Guild Master and the S-Ranks will go ahead and defeat the monsters, so the rear team will link up to deal damage or handle monsters that appear from behind. It’s very easy, right?”

Cho-i clapped her hands together like a kindergarten teacher, then her expression quickly turned blank as if she was bored, and she pointed forward.

“Advance!”

“Yes, yes…”

“Quickly!”

“Yes!”

And so, the three, including Suui Kim, began to walk, sandwiched between the S-Ranks and Cho-i. The atmosphere of the mansion was eerie. Not a single breeze blew, yet it felt as if cold air was seeping from the floor and walls.

‘It’s like an air conditioner.’

Cho-i was casually walking at the very back without a care in the world. But at that moment, a loud commotion erupted in front. Clang! A huge metallic sound split her ears. Cho-i frowned and looked ahead, seeing five giant spiders in front of the S-Ranks. In an SS-Rank dungeon, even normal monsters would naturally be at least A-rank to S-Rank. The A+ Ranks immediately focused their attention on them and rushed forward, while Cho-i stood indifferently on the floor. But she stepped on something. Was it a spider web that Taehyeok Sa had rolled up? As Cho-i thought this, she calmly watched as the Entity tightly gripped her ankle.

“Ah, isn’t it too soon for this to appear again?”

***

A giant spider web blocked their path. It was so dense that it seemed impossible to tear through with just one or two slashes. Kevin, who was at the very front, slammed his foot down with a crash! All the monsters’ aggro turned towards him. As the monsters came scurrying towards him, using their long legs, Gihyeon Park immediately stepped forward.

“Just come out!”

He conjured flames from his hands and instantly incinerated two of them. No, to be precise, he inflicted significant damage, but they didn’t seem to be incapacitated. They began to approach Gihyeon Park, who had attacked them, dripping an unknown liquid from their charred bodies.

“How annoying.”

Meanwhile, Taehyeok Sa used Telekinesis to smash two of them against the wall. The Telekinesis didn’t stop there; it broke and twisted the spiders’ limbs, turning them into hard, clay-like cubes. At this action, Sihyeon Park made a retching gesture. Dongju Kim and Yeonhan Kim split up and immediately climbed onto the backs of two spiders. The two skillfully maintained their balance and plunged their swords into the back of the spiders’ necks. Without stopping, they swung their hands to the right and left, severing their heads. Thud, the spider’s head fell to the floor and stopped moving. Finally, Shire’s Guild Master, Kevin, with support from S-Rank healer Jane, literally mercilessly butchered the spider he was blocking, bringing it to an end. When they counted afterward, he had literally separated it into a head, torso, legs, and about three joints. It was enough to be used as a specimen. After the situation ended, Shire’s Guild Master, Kevin, turned around with a young man’s smile that looked like he lived in California.

“No casualties, right?”

“Are your eyes like knotholes? Who would get hurt here?”

“Haha, yes, everyone here is elite…”

Suui Kim, relieved that everyone was unharmed, turned around, realizing that the surroundings were strangely quiet.

“Ah.”

Suui Kim’s face turned pale. He unconsciously raised his hand and used the ‘teacher’ gesture he hadn’t used since high school. It was as if he was saying, ‘I have a question.’

“What is it?”

Taehyeok Sa asked him. He turned around, scanned the rear, and immediately noticed something strange.

“Cho-i Hyeon is gone…”

At those words, Taehyeok Sa reacted sharply.

“What were you doing while she disappeared?” “I was on standby to assist in the battle ahead. My full attention was on the battle….” “Damn it!”

Taehyeok Sa approached the spot where Cho-i had been standing. He then examined the walls, floor, and ceiling in order, and discovered something.

“Was there originally a hole like that in the ceiling?”

There was a square black hole in the ceiling. Near the hole, a few strands of tough-looking spider webs hung like thin threads.

“It looks like she was… dragged through there.” “Without a sound?” “…She’s capable of that.”

Suui Kim said, frowning deeply.

“She definitely went to handle it alone again.”

A strange anger was mixed in Suui Kim’s expression. Taehyeok Sa silently watched him, then opened his mouth.

“We’re going up as fast as possible. Since she went upstairs anyway, she’ll be there.” “Yes, I…” “Your ability isn’t needed there.” “Huh?” “I’m telling you not to interfere, just follow safely.” “…”

At those words, Suui Kim bowed his head deeply, and Taehyeok Sa silently moved forward again. With the A+ Rankers who had been in the rear now in the middle, they went to defeat the next monster.