Chapter 36 – Butterfly Dungeon (2)

The only sound in the dungeon seemed to be the crackling of flames devouring their prey.

‘Six of them?’

I sensed a suspicious movement.

Closing my eyes and focusing, I could hear the footsteps of others besides Kim Tae-yang, Kim In-ho, and Seo Hyun-ji.

The sound was so faint that it would have been missed without concentration.

If their intentions were good, they wouldn’t be hiding their presence like this.

I drew a longsword from my inventory. Its sharp edge glinted for a moment.

As I stood blocking the entrance to the hatchery, the hidden enemies also froze.

-Olivier.

-Synchronizing with the search system. Synchronization complete. Now targeting stealthed enemies.

Along with Olivier’s message, the figures of assassins clinging to the walls became visible. I immediately drew a dagger and threw it.

The assassin, startled, reflexively blocked the dagger. But he failed to notice me charging right after it.

*Slice!*

I slashed the assassin’s thigh.

“We’re playing hide-and-seek, right?”

I asked, but all I got was a scream instead of an answer. When someone asks you a question, you should reply.

Perhaps unable to stand by and watch their comrade’s lack of manners, the other hidden assassins charged all at once.

-Melee Combat has been activated.

The more enemies there are, the greater the increase in my attack power, defense, and agility.

I shoved the assassin I’d caught, sending him tumbling forward.

Unable to bring themselves to cut down their suddenly flying comrade, they dodged to the side.

I picked off the ones who dodged, one by one, slashing their arms and legs.

The assassins screamed in succession.

Soprano, alto, tenor, bass.

They should each have their own unique part, but unfortunately, they’re all sopranos.

I wondered if any of them could produce a different sound.

They just grimaced, offering no reply.

-They’re from the Mercenary Guild.

Mercenaries.

Literally, a place where people without a guild can have a minimal affiliation to work in dungeons.

The only thing required of its affiliated Hunters was the payment of guild dues.

-Weren’t they banned from entering dungeons?

-Only the Winners Guild received a six-month suspension. The Mercenary Guild did not.

The assassins hadn’t given up the fight. The injured ones downed potions and got back on their feet.

Ha, they’re using those expensive potions?

A single bottle costs an average of 100 million.

Five of them just used one, so that’s 500 million down the drain.

The reason mercenaries, who live and die by the creed of money, would throw it away just to target me.

‘It must be a grudge.’

The corners of my mouth twisted into a smirk.

Did this happen because of my usual bad behavior?

I doubt it. I’d reaped Kim Gi-mun and the other filth connected to him like a harvest.

The ones before me now were likely a message from those at the very end of that thread.

‘I knew it wouldn’t end so easily.’

Did I stir up something I shouldn’t have?

No, I don’t think so. The sight of those filthy bastards gathering to lick each other’s wounds is disgusting.

They cautiously surrounded me, gripping their weapons tightly.

This time, they didn’t dare rush in recklessly. I waited leisurely for the balance to break.

“Uh, what are you doing?”

Just then, a woman’s voice shattered the equilibrium.

‘Of all people, why did she have to come out?’

If it had been Kim Tae-yang or Kim In-ho, it might have been fine. But Seo Hyun-ji is different.

Her offensive power using spirit arts is overwhelming, but she’d have a hard time dealing with a swift surprise attack from an assassin.

One of them lunged toward Seo Hyun-ji.

“Dodge!”

“Uh, how?”

Seriously, why are you asking that in a situation like this?

Seo Hyun-ji froze in panic, even with a man charging at her with a knife.

I had no choice but to throw a newly generated belt knife. Fortunately, my dagger struck the assassin’s shoulder.

The man’s body faltered for a moment.

In that instant, I broke through the encirclement and headed for Seo Hyun-ji. Naturally, blades aiming for me flew from all directions.

-Phantom Step has been activated.

In an instant, everything slowed down. The future paths of the footsteps and attacks coming toward me were displayed in advance.

-Melee Combat has been activated.

A blade thrust slowly toward my neck. I dodged and slashed at the same time.

I spun, slashing the abdomen of an assassin rushing from my side, then pivoted again to cut down the nearest foe.

Seeing three of their own fall in an instant, the remaining assassins’ eyes filled with rage.

*Fwoosh!*

Seo Hyun-ji shot an Igni at the assassin who had lunged at her.

Thank goodness. There was still some distance. If she had remained frozen, the assassin’s blade would have reached her neck.

“Gyaaaargh!”

But upon seeing the assassin’s flesh melt and drip away in the flames of Igni, Seo Hyun-ji’s face hardened.

Her face turned pale.

A suffocating sensation spread through her, as if all her nerves had been paralyzed.

To have inflicted such overwhelming violence on someone with her own power.

Anyone who would find joy in that would have to be mentally disturbed.

Seo Hyun-ji was having a normal reaction. And as for me…

“Duck!”

I cut down one assassin who was closing in and charged at another aiming for Seo Hyun-ji’s back.

*Pshk!*

A spray of blood splattered.

Seo Hyun-ji’s trembling eyes looked up at me.

I swung my sword while shielding Seo Hyun-ji.

The assassin, stunned by how quickly I had closed the distance, couldn’t even react properly and coughed up blood from the single blow.

“Uh, uh. Ah?”

Seo Hyun-ji fumbled at the drops of blood on her cheek and hair, then looked at me.

A moment’s hesitation and my shoulder would have been carved out. But I had coated myself with mana while shielding Seo Hyun-ji.

Thanks to that, my body wasn’t seriously damaged. Instead, the assassin’s attack caused a sharp drop in my HP and tore through my power suit.

“Ah….”

Seo Hyun-ji finally realized I’d been injured while protecting her, and her lips trembled.

Not knowing what to say.

The attack happened because of me anyway. Is she feeling guilty, thinking I got hurt because of her?

I can use this to mess with her a bit. Make her a little more obedient.

Inwardly, I felt a sense of satisfaction, but I deliberately played it up, acting as if I were in pain.

“A-Are, are you okay? Oh, what do we do… A hospital. Shouldn’t we get to a hospital right away?”

I could see Seo Hyun-ji’s pupils shaking.

I furrowed my brow and bit my lip. To keep from laughing.

“Tae-yang! In-ho! H-Hurry, come over here!”

“It’s fine.”

“What?”

“Don’t tell them.”

I said, pulling disinfectant from my inventory to apply to the wound before wrapping it with a bandage. Seo Hyun-ji’s fingers twitched, wanting to help, but I just told her I’d do it myself.

“We haven’t faced the boss yet. If they find out I’ve sustained a ‘major’ injury, it might shake their morale.”

“Ah….”

If Kim Tae-yang or Kim In-ho saw it, they’d realize it was just a lot of bleeding, not a serious wound.

But there was no way Seo Hyun-ji would know that.

Do not announce my death.

That’s probably how it sounded to Seo Hyun-ji.

It seems to be working. Seeing that look of immense apology and bewilderment blooming on her face is quite amusing.

“Hey, what happened?”

Just then, Kim Tae-yang emerged, having noticed the fight near the entrance. Kim In-ho was right with him.

“We were ambushed. They seem to be from the Mercenary Guild.”

“Are they crazy? I mean, there are tons of guilds in this dungeon, and they pull a sneak attack! Huh, Team Leader, are you hurt?”

In response to Kim Tae-yang’s words, I smiled, the corners of my mouth lifting.

“A little?”

“Our Team Leader’s getting rusty. You always joke ‘That’s just my afterimage’ whenever I ask you to take just one hit.”

“W-Well, that’s…”

*Ssk.*

Seo Hyun-ji started to say I got hurt because of her, but I cut her off.

“What was I supposed to do when they all ganged up on me using stealth? If you think you can do better, try fighting six of them at once.”

“Oh, can I really?”

“As long as we’re both using real swords, I guess?”

“Ah….”

* * *

I stuffed all the assassins into my inventory. Honestly, the inventory ability is a huge help at times like this.

For them, it’s literally a prison without bars.

But until now, I’ve only put unconscious opponents in there. I wonder what the inside of the inventory feels like to someone who’s awake? I’m curious.

I went from level 16 to 18. Kim In-ho and Kim Tae-yang each gained 4 levels, and Seo Hyun-ji shot up by a whopping 8 levels.

Wiping out the caterpillars in a few more spots yielded a decent amount of experience. It was even better since our side took no damage.

“By the way, Team Leader. Are there usually this many eggs in a dungeon…?”

“I know, right? I feel like we’ve already burned thousands. No, hasn’t it been tens of thousands?”

“I guess so.”

Usually, the number of monsters in a dungeon ranges from 100 to 300.

It wasn’t like fighting an army, but if the Hunters had started the dungeon clear just a little later, they might have had to face tens of thousands of insects.

“It’s great that we’re getting a lot of experience, but aren’t we going to fight the boss?”

“Nope, we’re not. Because the boss will come to us.”

Three hatcheries have already been destroyed. I don’t know how many more there are, but there’s no way the queen doesn’t know about this.

*Dududu.*

Just then, a faint sound reached my ears. Something was approaching, all at once.

“They’re finally here. Heh, even insects have maternal instincts. Doesn’t it make your heart swell?”

I said cheerfully as I doused the area with oil.

Having plenty of space in my inventory means I can carry lots of oil. It’s great.

Spreading oil everywhere, we retreated toward the entrance we came from. The plan was to burn them all and deal with only those that escaped the inferno.

However, the situation took an unexpected turn.

“T-Team Leader….”

I was prepared to greet the insects, but there was something troublesome mixed in with them.

“Well, I didn’t see this coming.”

Mixed in with the insects were Hunters. Among them, I could see some familiar faces from the Tushin Guild.

“Since when did you all get so chummy with the bugs?”

At first glance, they looked fine. They weren’t shambling like zombies. But seeing them moving as a team with the insects was going to be a headache.

-They seem to be conscious, but in a state of enchantment.

In light of Olivier’s helpful analysis, I needed to change the plan I had prepared.

“The ‘Turn the Dungeon into a Sea of Fire’ plan is on hold for now.”

After all, I can’t just burn people who are still conscious.

“You remember that orc hunt we did before?”

“Huh?”

There was a time we lured and caught an Orc Champion.

“Let’s do that again.”

Behind the swarming insects was the giant butterfly queen, boasting an elegant form.

To break the enchantment, taking the boss’s head is the best way. And the three people I’ve trained myself should be more than capable of holding their ground in this narrow space.

“Orc hunt? What’s that?”

Only Seo Hyun-ji didn’t understand and asked again. I chuckled and answered.

“Oh, it’s a crazy little thing we do.”

“What is it? Why won’t you tell me? If it’s crazy, don’t do it! Hey? What are you doing?”

I took a deep breath, and as I exhaled, I charged forward.

I drew my number 2 sword, a two-handed sword, and coated it with Aether.

A mere graze would shatter the insects’ hard exoskeletons.

A path packed tight with monsters.

I plunged into it alone.

With every wide swing of the two-handed sword, the path around me widened. I walked upon a carpet made of insects.

*Crack! Crunch!*

The insects’ limbs shattered, their bodies sliding down the cave ceiling and walls.

“You bastard…!”

I struck the side of a Hunter who cluelessly swung his sword at me with the flat of my blade.

*Crack.*

I heard something break, but he won’t die, right? The power suit has a basic wound-healing function, so he should be fine.

The monsters’ attention turned to me. I could hear Seo Hyun-ji shouting something from behind, probably calling me a madman.

Kim Tae-yang and Kim In-ho had acquired new abilities. Both were much stronger than before. Not only that, but like me, they had been supplied with personal equipment fully developed by Hanul.

They wouldn’t be easily overwhelmed by insects like these.

*Thwack! Crack!*

The sound of insect bones and carapaces shattering was refreshing. Any clumsy thrusts to my side were simply deflected by the power suit’s defense.

I felt the butterfly queen’s eyes on me.

She was probably surprised.

From her perspective, they were all the same, yet one was exceptionally strong. The bewilderment she must be feeling. And there was only one thing she would do.

The elite insects guarding the butterfly queen began to move. To stop my advance.

Because she had confirmed multiple times that ordinary insects couldn’t stop me.

The elite insects charged at me, while the ordinary ones formed a barrier. It was a desperate resistance to protect their queen.

-Using Stealth.

The insects froze for a moment.

Their target had vanished from sight.

I had stolen the stealth skill from the assassins I’d put in my inventory. I immediately ran along the wall.

The moment the stealth skill wore off, the butterfly queen spotted me, now close by.