episode_0322

The back side.

I don’t know why the disaster was given the name ‘Imyeon’.

In the original, the system was labeled as ‘if’. I felt curious, but I didn’t delve deeply into it.

Since it’s common for the system to give names to special dungeons, I thought it was the same branch.

‘Because of this…’

When I went inside, I could vaguely see the naming precedent.

I tapped the wall next to me to calm my dizzy head. It wasn’t a rock or a tree.

As I open the window slightly, a dull gray wall comes into view.

This is a multi-family house that can be commonly found in urban residential areas.

‘hmm.’

The surroundings are all in similar situations.

Worn-out roads that are completely unusable, broken and broken utility poles lying around, abandoned buildings covered in dust…

It is a cityscape that looks like it has been neglected for decades.

I entered a nearby building.

A convenience store on the first floor. The space where the glass windows should be is empty, and the shelves are covered in dust and trash.

I observed a piece of trash.

‘1999.’

The expiration date, faintly written on the verge of disappearing, is November 13, 1999.

It doesn’t fit with the present, which is the 200th year since the founding of the new world.

Also, the cityscape from earlier. Considering that it is a ruined city, there are many very old-fashioned facilities.

Especially the remains of a utility pole rolling on the ground.

In modern times, most facilities are powered by horsepower. You can’t find things like utility poles and wires in modern cities.

‘The cataclysm occurred in the year 2000 AD.’

That is, this is a city that was built before the cataclysm. Then, the expiration date of the packaging and the strangeness of the city can be understood.

‘Did it suck up the entire city?’

The first guess that came to mind. But it was soon disproved by the analyzed data.

When I touched the packaging on the shelf, it instantly lost its shape and poured out like dust.

‘It’s just a copy that looks good on the outside. The inside is completely different.’

The building I just entered is like that too.

It looks like concrete on the outside, and you can see the rebar pattern inside. However, if you analyze the ingredients, they are completely different.

It may seem plausible on the surface, but it’s completely different when you look inside.

This side.

The back, unseen part of an object.

‘Is this a space that was implemented by copying a part of the world?’

This is the most plausible guess I can come up with right now.

Rather than speculating that a city-like environment was created by chance, it is more credible to assume that the city’s structure was copied from the beginning.

He nodded and reached out his hand. Crunch! His hand shook like a splash as he grabbed the air.

The air was stripped away as if it was crumbling, and something black, struggling in my grasp, was revealed outside.

-Bugurururugura─!

A monster whose body sways like water or a shadow.

The guy who was struggling suddenly melted like ice cream and stuck to me again.

A pair of arms and legs. Eye sockets, ear holes, and nostrils. A piercing mouth and a fairly neatly arranged set of blunt teeth. Hair growing from the scalp…

Glasses resting on the bridge of the nose.

‘person?’

He is a man you can commonly see on the street, and if I had to be specific, he would probably be in his 30s.

The costumes are realistically executed, but they are still black or gray.

The interior is not properly implemented. Like the environment of this space, it looks good on the outside but the inside is a mess of random things.

-Agraargarh, where are you going?

The first thing that comes to mind is the discomfort of the ups and downs that sway like waves.

-Ugragaaa!

The monster that bit my neck swung its arm. The wind was torn apart by the strong force. My eyebrows furrowed at the force that was stronger than I expected.

Crunch! The monster’s neck snapped as if it was being squeezed. The body of the monster, its limbs shaking, fell limp.

‘… … ‘

He dangled the thing in his hand.

Then, the body that was rippling like trash melted into black again and wrapped itself around my arm like a snake.

It was a transformation.

-Ting!

The long thorns bounced off the blood cloud that had wrapped around his body as if compressing him. The blood cloud wrapped around him in return.

Kkudududuk! The compressed blood swirled inside, releasing the monster more efficiently and as safely as possible.

The life signs that were only then detected were cut off.

The hunt was simple and short. But the furrowed brows did not widen.

‘It’s a dangerous place.’

The body level observed at first glance is 5th level. It has the ability to freely transform its body and change its appearance to be quite similar to that of the copied opponent.

This alone would be dangerous enough, but there are several of these wandering around within the observation range.

In addition, there are all kinds of monsters swarming around. If I hadn’t made a sound, monsters would have swarmed from all directions right away.

The risks don’t end there.

‘It’s functioning like a dungeon, as expected.’

The back side functions similarly to a dungeon.

The space is divided, has its own unique providence, creates monsters, and gives corrections to those monsters.

‘It is difficult to observe and express space.’

I have a strong counter-balance.

My head starts to hurt as I try to expand my perspective but it keeps getting crooked.

‘First, find the core.’

The priority is, of course, nuclear.

If you find the nuke, you have to intentionally cause a runaway, and then reduce the aftermath from the inside.

‘The problem is…’

There is also a high possibility that we will clash with the group that has the guy named Saispada looking for the nuke.

As soon as you enter the back, you should also keep in mind the possibility of being caught in a trap and subjected to concentrated fire.

Fortunately, I didn’t fall into that trap, but you never know when we might come face to face.

I shook off my dizzy head and scrubbed the floor.

Very faint footprints caught in observation.

‘female?’

The standard was analyzed as being for women.

You’re wearing something. It’s not shoes, it’s monster skin. The weight is on one side.

‘Let’s trace it first.’

The footprints are pointing towards the center of the back.

I decided to follow the traces to figure out the direction of the nuke.

‘No matter what, if we come across it, we just have to destroy it.’

You can think of all the creatures that come here as human beings.

It’s because most people can’t stand in front of something unknown and send it to them.

Because it’s a space full of monsters that already have the ability to transform.

He hid his presence by stretching his body.

Avoiding pointless encounters with monsters, I followed their trail.

***

-Chiiik…!

“Off… !”

A top-grade recovery potion that can be poured directly onto a wound. Espada clenched his teeth at the pain that arose as the wound began to boil.

“Hey… You’re not trying to trick me into eating shit on purpose, are you? ”

“If you’re afraid of the future, you wouldn’t do that.”

The man who was pouring the healing potion, Est responded indifferently and put his hand on the wound.

Woohoo! A halo of light spread from the palm and landed on the injured area. This is Est’s unique ability for recovery.

-Bam!

“This kind of thing.”

Red smoke rose from the wound and devoured the halo of light like a wolf.

Est let out a sigh as he saw the halo of light being eaten away.

“You were bitten by a poisonous creature. The unique ability itself is full of malice, preventing the wound from getting worse. ”

“That’s right, damn it. That bitch who always acted so nice, but when we actually started fighting, she ran in like a crazy bitch.”

I looked up at Spada Est, who was checking my wounds while frowning.

“So, how long does it take to fully recover?”

“It will take some time to fully recover. However, it will be shortened to a level where you can perform combat. ”

“Hahaha! I went out with so much confidence, but the results weren’t that great!”

A man of solid build, who had been leaning against a rock and watching the situation, laughed and hugged the spear.

“I heard that you got beaten up by a woman. You look terrible.”

“Changbak-ah, what would have been different about you?”

“Then. If it were me, I would have defeated him and still have more left.”

“You son of a bitch, you would have been beaten up like a dog and run away, howling.”

Est tilted his head in confusion at Spada’s assertion that his tongue was stuck in his throat.

“Is that all? Honestly, I can’t believe you came here unilaterally.”

“Hmm. That’s right. Not as good as me, but you’re saying that a guy like you got beaten up?”

Espada looked at the ground at the incredulous reactions flying around him.

“That’s not all. That girl was a real…monster.”

World’s best? Spada is not without a conscience. He knows full well that there are many stronger people than him.

But his sword reaches them too.

Or, I am confident that I can reach it. I am confident that no matter how bad I am, I can easily leave a trace.

… I couldn’t. I was hit so hard that I couldn’t leave even a single trace.

The quality and quantity of physical ability, magical power, and unique abilities.

Before even considering it, Spada was completely overwhelmed by his skills.

There is no excuse.

The level of perspective used to perceive and lead the fight was different.

From beginning to end, they played around in the palm of their hands, and barely managed to escape after cowardly using civilians as hostages.

“Fuck… ”

I clenched my fist without realizing it. My fingernails dug into the wounds on my palm, but the sense of self-loathing was even worse.

I want to handle a sword.

Just dealing with it won’t work.

More than those who believe in their talent and push themselves.

More than those who don’t care about anything but their swords.

Even worse than those guys who divide ranks based on just swordsmanship.

I want to handle it better. I want to handle it with more than just average qualities.

So I worked hard and shed blood, sweat, and tears. I worked hard to the point where my widely known unique ability was distorted.

And yet, it is still being dealt with in such an overwhelming manner.

-You can’t leave out a weapon in a fight. You know how many stab wounds are intertwined in the history of slaughter?

“… … ”

The evil spirit Spada raised his head.

A red-haired man sitting on a rock, who had heard the entire conversation, but had his eyes closed and remained silent.

Hong Yeonjun.

To be exact, the ‘god’ that dwells within him can teach Spada a superior sword…

-thud!

“… You came in, right?”

“Yes?”

In that moment, a heavy heartbeat rang out in the surroundings, and Hong Yeonjun’s mouth, which had been tightly shut, opened.

Estgard tilted his head.

“What’s this? Oh, are you talking about the owner of the traces I found last time? ”

“No, someone else. Probably the executioner who knocked down Sparda.”

“What the fuck, how.”

“There’s nothing strange. It seems there were passengers who arrived before us.”

“Let’s put off finding that passenger.”

Hong Yeonjun asked Ispada, who nodded.

“Spada, that executor was strong?”

“I explained earlier that it’s really strong, right?”

“Really? What if we all run together?”

“… I don’t know about that. I think it’ll probably work… ”

“Isn’t it too ugly for four people to attack one and then say they’re not sure?”

“Shut up.”

Hong Yeon-jun nodded at Spada’s uncertain appearance.

“If we meet, we’ll attack together. I don’t know why you came here, but I’m sure you don’t have good intentions… ”

Boom! The heartbeat rang heavily for everyone to feel.

Hong Yeonjun blinked for a moment at the news coming from his heart, then let out a chuckle as if he found it ridiculous.

“Ha, what a coincidence… Change of strategy. First, go to the ship and wait. ”

“That much? Why can’t you just go and attack them one by one?”

“No, prepare properly. And Est, prepare the artifact.”

“Yes?”

Est, who was trying to follow the instructions quietly, asked back in embarrassment.

There are countless artifacts in the world, but the artifact they are talking about now is only one.

A strong body. An artifact that was barely found in this vast backwater.

***

The chain of dungeon rampages that occurred in the Changhae clan’s territory are slowly being suppressed.

That would be the case, because it is the power of the Changhae family.

Since they are at full strength and are personally active in the military without sending troops abroad, there is no way they will not be suppressed.

By the time Baek A-rin started helping, the crisis had already been overcome and simple suppression had begun.

“Hmm… ”

After clearing out a few monsters, Baek A-rin climbed up a hill and grabbed the reins.

Purrung! The black horse carrying Baek A-rin roared, and the black fur cloak draped over its shoulders like a mane fluttered.

“So, this is all that’s left?”

Dadokin Baek Arin looked down the hill while stroking the black horse’s mane with her skilled hands.

It is no exaggeration to say that it snows all year round in the territory of the Changhae family.

Even though the snowstorm is still pouring down, there is a space at the bottom of the hill that the snowstorm has not invaded.

It was a special dungeon that appeared in the Changhae family.

I happened to come to the neighborhood and came to inspect the special dungeon with my own eyes.

“Situation report.”

“Yes, Miss.”

Likewise, the adjutant riding on the black horse explained the situation.

“The special dungeon appeared 23 days ago. As of now, there are about 500 prisoners and 3,200 commanders.”

It is a natural procedure to send out an advance party before conquering a dungeon.

At this time, there are cases where a skilled exploration team is formed and sent out first, but if there are resources left, there are also cases where death row inmates and commanders are sent in together.

“How many survivors are there?”

“None. The signal was cut off within 10 minutes after everyone entered.”

“Oh my… ”

“It’s brutal.” Baek A-rin muttered to herself and pushed her hair behind her ear.

Even though they have the grand name of Special, Special dungeons are not always dangerous.

Rather, it is because the risk is extremely low and an internal environment that brings benefits is created.

“But this time it seems to be a dud… ”

The special dungeon that appears in the Changhae family is probably a dud.

“But there are no warning signs of reckless driving, right?”

“Yes, the results of cross-verification with the association show that the wavelength is extremely safe.”

“But if it explodes without warning, it’s a big problem.”

“Big… ”

“Ah, just kidding. ”

Baek A-rin shrugged her shoulders and straightened her hair that was blowing in the snow.

Baek A-rin’s hometown is like this. It snows most of the time, is cold, and windy.

It’s a new environment. I was born and raised here.

It’s enough time for an ordinary person to adapt, and for Baek A-rin, whose body is full of water and cold air, it’s actually a comfortable place.

“It’s cold.”

But for some reason it feels cold.

They wear fur cloaks and clothes made with the highest quality materials and processing, and they also have magical tools imbued with thermal magic.

It wasn’t like this last time…

Baek A-rin, who had thought about that, smiled.

It’s been so warm lately that’s why I said that.

He was always cold, but when he warmed his body with a warm fire, he couldn’t come to his senses and returned to his original state.

“… Ah.”

Baek A-rin, who was caressing her cold face, suddenly had an idea and caressed the pendant hanging around her neck.

A gift given by Lee Ha-yool on the last day of school.

When you touch the large red jewel, it sparkles and slowly spits out fire energy.

My shoulders trembled at the sensation of it gently melting from my fingertips.

“Ugh… ”

“Miss?”

“… It’s nothing.”

Baek A-rin coughed loudly and caressed the warm pendant.

“Ah, I found it.”

“Huh?”

What should I do about that special dungeon? As I was thinking about various things, I heard a familiar voice.

When I turned my head back, I saw Hong Yeon-hwa and Lee Ji-yeon approaching through the snowstorm.

“Are you done with work?”

“Yeah. Five villages? I wiped them all out.”

“Oh… You didn’t burn the village down, did you?”

“What are you doing burning down a place that’s already a mess, you bitch?”

“Ahahaha… They didn’t even approach the village. They destroyed it and built a settlement on a nearby mountainside.”

Hong Yeon-hwa raised her middle finger at Baek A-rin’s playful question, and Lee Ji-yeon smiled awkwardly and defended Hong Yeon-hwa.

The two people came to support the Changhae family a few days ago.

“Ah, this isn’t it. Arin, is the repression of the rampage coming to an end soon?”

“Uh… You can’t just write letters except for the special class, right?”

“Do I have to clean that up urgently?”

“No? There are no warning signs of a runaway, so you have to take your time and attack slowly. You have time to spare, so if you rush it, it will be a disaster.”

“Right?”

Why are you suddenly asking that? As Baek A-rin tilted her head at the sudden question and answer, Lee Ji-yeon looked at the distant mountains with an awkward face.

Hong Yeon-hwa asked as if it was nothing.

“Do you have command authority?”

“Huh?”

A look of embarrassment rose over Baek A-rin’s mask.