Chapter 79

Chapter 79

Otherworld Cheat Harem.

Episode 79: Betrayal (3)

The delivery man arrived outside and entered the shop with loud footsteps. Upon seeing him, Rustina stood up with a light smile.

“Well, it’s not like there was any conflict.”

“…Then?”

“You know, right? That pointy-eared woman is a ranger.”

“Uh, yeah. I know.”

“Then this will be quick. She destroyed our workshop during a mission. That’s all there is to it.”

Despite Orion destroying Rustina’s workshop, the relationship between the two was not bad for a reason.

The destruction of the artisan workshop, which had stood for hundreds and thousands of years, was regrettable, but Rustina’s father was able to settle in Dungeon City with the compensation he received.

It was a very wise decision, and it was said that Rustina’s father even received a title from the lord of Dungeon City.

“So what I’m trying to say is, even if she seems courteous now… she can be quite reckless.”

“Orion…”

It didn’t seem that way. She always appeared serious, spoke politely, and had the leisure to consider others…

Dojin was busy memorizing this new, peculiar secret about Orion in his mind.

“Uh, I’m not sure if the size will fit.”

“It’s okay. Thank you.”

Then, Rustina handed over the clothes brought by the delivery man. The size was a bit small, but Dojin was in no position to complain. It was better than being naked…

While he was changing clothes, Rustina lifted the armor and its stand with one hand. Dojin, who was dressing, was shocked to see the small girl, who didn’t even reach his waist, lifting that heavy metal mass with one hand.

‘…She really is a dwarf.’

For someone that small to be working as a blacksmith… it meant her muscle density had to be incredibly high. So much so that it was beyond what Dojin could comprehend with his usual sense of logic…

And time passed. The sun rose high and shone down on the ground. The intense heat made people feel uncomfortable.

It was summer.

‘Already…’

When Dojin first fell into this other world, it wasn’t that cold even though it was winter. For him, who was born and raised in Korea, where the four seasons were so distinct they run wild, it was quite warm.

The same was true for summer. People pretended to be dying from the heat, but Dojin and his party did not.

“Your skin will burn.”

“Huh?”

“So, come here.”

Seoyoon said that and used her ability. Ice particles formed in the air dispersed the ultraviolet rays, reducing the amount of sunlight reaching them.

Dojin admired her increasing skill and clung to her side to avoid the sun. Since there was no sunscreen in this world, preventing sunburn was impossible.

Avoiding the sun, the two arrived at the dungeon entrance, disabled the ability, and went inside.

Taking the elevator straight to the 10th floor, the two skillfully broke through the 11th, 20th, and 29th floors.

‘It would be convenient if there was an elevator here too.’

Even with Seoyoon’s ability keeping the monsters at bay and the guild’s map guiding them along the optimal route…

Climbing the stairs to the 20th floor consumed a significant amount of time. Of course, even if they captured the ruler this time, they had no intention of installing an elevator.

‘From the 30th floor… it’s a different dimension than the lower floors.’

If Dojin were to create a direct passage from the 1st to the 30th floor, it would become a matter of national significance. It might even lead to the mass production of the few level 3 powerhouses.

Regardless of possibility, there was a chance that entering the dungeon itself would become impossible. That couldn’t happen. Dojin had not yet gathered the strength to fight against the nation.

“When do you plan to go up to the 30th floor?”

“Hmm?”

“You’re not planning to go after the ruler? Your goal is to go up, right, Dojin?”

While eating after finishing the hunt, Seoyoon asked. As she said, Dojin’s goal was to ascend.

The ruler was a formidable foe that hindered that goal, a powerful being that couldn’t be overcome alone.

He needed the strength of his companions. Seoyoon was an incredibly reliable ally if she chose to help.

“Will you help me?”

“…You plan to go back to Earth, right?”

“That’s right.”

“And to do that, you have to reach the 100th floor.”

“Probably.”

It wasn’t certain. But since he couldn’t live without any purpose, Dojin merely set a reasonable goal before him.

“I’ll help.”

“Thank you.”

“There’s a condition.”

“What is it?”

“Take me with you when you go back.”

“You said you could live well here?”

Dojin recalled what Seoyoon had said before, saying that this world wasn’t so bad.

Seoyoon, perhaps embarrassed by her previous words, turned her head and pretended not to know.

“Or did you plan to go back alone?”

“…No, well. It’s not like that.”

“Then it doesn’t matter, does it?”

She couldn’t express it. How much more terrifying it was to be alone in a world without Dojin. How could a tenderhearted girl voice such feelings?

“Anyway, I’ll help too. Let me know when the time comes.”

“Thank you. That’s a really good idea.”

Dojin reevaluated the plans he had made for raiding the boss monster. If Seoyoon joined the party, the difficulty would drop significantly — because she was stronger than he was.

‘I could kill her if I wanted to…’

But how could he possibly kill a woman who loved him with his own hands? Dojin couldn’t do it. It was nothing more than a theoretical possibility.

‘Maybe I should contact Hanyoung too.’

Since she said she would participate, wouldn’t it be possible to ask for Hanyoung’s help as well? After all, he was also a cheat ability user. And one that was quite helpful in battles.

By now, he might have reached level 3 as well, Dojin vaguely thought.

Boom!

A deafening roar that seemed to tear the ears rang out. Hanyoung frowned, feeling his arm go numb. Again, it happened again.

“Damn it! Just hit! Hit it already!”

Hanyoung raised his hammer. It was not much different from the one he had when he met Dojin before.

Like the hammer, his abilities hadn’t improved much. His super strength was still thoroughly damaging his body, and the only parts free from that restraint were his two scale-covered arms.

“Damn it!”

Thud!

The swung hammer was deflected by the opponent’s blade and slammed into the dungeon floor. The floor, as sturdy as a wall, reflected the impact it received.

Based on the principle of action-reaction, his arms, absorbing a shock twice as powerful as his full strength, were trembling and signaling their limit.

Kang Hanyoung frowned and shouted.

“Damn! What are you guys doing? Hurry up and catch it!”

“It’s really tough here too!”

“Damn it, why don’t you try it?!”

His comrades were also having a hard time with the other monsters. Seeing this, Hanyoung focused again on the monster in front of him.

‘Why did it turn out like this?’

In the lower floors, he never experienced any difficulty. No monster could withstand his strike, so he had been doing work closer to a task than a hunt or battle.

The situation changed from the 25th floor. The moment he faced the monsters on this floor, Hanyoung felt something was different.

‘Did the hammer slip?’

The monsters had become intelligent. If the previous monsters were reckless moths relying only on their physical abilities, the monsters on this floor were meticulous, strategic, and wielded their weapons perfectly like hunters.

“Huuup!”

Hanyoung raised the hammer high above his head. On the lower floors, monsters would charge at him, relying on their physical prowess even after seeing this action.

The monsters on this floor? The orc with a sword calmly watched Hanyoung’s actions and then exploited his opening.

In the end, Hanyoung had to stop swinging the hammer and hurriedly defend his vital points. It felt like facing a master of the sword.

Without any technique, Hanyoung’s hammer, relying solely on strength, didn’t hit the enemy even once.

“Please just get hit and die!”

Unable to bear it any longer, Hanyoung swung the hammer with all his might, disregarding his body breaking, and smashed the orc along with its weapon.

Even with skills, there was no way to overcome the overwhelming physical difference. And that overwhelming physicality began to destroy even the one wielding it.

Crunch, crack!

“Grrrrrrr!”

Biting his lip hard, he pressed down until it bled. Barely enduring the pain, Kang Hanyoung led his shattered body to help the others.

The others who were barely holding their ground in one-on-one battles began to massacre the monsters as soon as it became two-on-one. There was no need to mention when it was three-on-one.

The three of them barely collected the mana stones from the hunted monsters and dashed towards the stairs.

Sitting on the stairs, gulping down potions, they murmured as if they couldn’t believe what they had seen and experienced.

“…Damn, what the hell was that? Why were they so strong?”

“Exactly… Argh! Damn it, what is this?! When did I get stabbed?!”

His delinquent companion, complaining of pain from a cut, began to pour an expensive potion down his throat. They were already in deficit because of this. Kang Hanyoung realized that it couldn’t go on like this.

‘Why were they so strong…?’

On this floor, they were not hunters. They were challengers. They had to fight for their lives against opponents of similar level…

And those who only knew how to bully others, having never experienced fighting against someone their level, were under considerable stress from having to risk their own lives in battle.

The weak modern person couldn’t withstand that stress.

“I-I can’t do it…”

Delinquent A was the first to declare surrender. B nodded along. Watching them, Kang Hanyoung sighed and quietly smirked.

“…Alright, let’s go back.”

The three of them cautiously exited the dungeon. The battle on the 25th floor had gradually worn down their mental strength. Even fighting the monsters on the lower floors, which they could easily catch, felt daunting.

“Oh my, there aren’t many catches today.”

“…That’s how it turned out.”

“Hmph, I see. Can I expect more from tomorrow?”

Kang Hanyoung felt a slight irritation at the curt attitude of the guild staff. His pride, exposed due to his depleted mental strength, felt scratched.

“You bitch.”

“…Pardon, what?”

“How dare you talk back…?!”

Hanyoung lashed out at the guild staff, restoring his wounded pride. But it wasn’t enough. He wanted to vent the intense heat rising inside him somehow.

He headed straight to the brothel afterward. He embraced the prostitutes again and again. He accidentally used his abilities and broke the bodies of a few prostitutes, but he didn’t kill them. As long as they didn’t die, it was fine. There was a priest.

After resolving the prostitutes’ injuries with money and returning home, Hanyoung frowned as he saw someone sitting in the kitchen.

“And who the hell are you– Dojin?”

“Long time no see, Hanyoung.”

The man he least wanted to see appeared before him. However, Hanyoung calmed himself and sat down on a chair, asking him.

“What brings you here?”

“I need your help.”

“Help?”

At those words, a smile appeared on Hanyoung’s face. Yes, this guy was nothing special too. A piece of trash who was even lower than him…

“I need a partner to catch the boss monster on the 30th floor.”

And with that one sentence, Hanyoung’s pride shattered.