episode_0063

Screech!

Jeong Yu Shin suddenly stood up from his seat and drew his Arming Sword.

“Who is it!”

He deliberately made the sound loud.

The party members who were half asleep immediately got up and first gripped their weapons.

Ding-a-ling. Ding. Ding.

There was a sound of strings being plucked outside.

“…Is this a lute sound?”

Gallahaim, who was hastily loading his crossbow, opened his eyes wide and muttered.

“Calm down. Calm down. Calm down. ‘We’ are not monsters, but people.”

A tone hummed as if singing a song.

Jeong Yu Shin’s eyebrows twitched.

Had another party come looking for a shelter?

But the method was really malicious. To surprise people without any sign of presence, he knew their level was high, but wasn’t it too much?

The Elf Priest Phirion seemed to have the same thought, opening his mouth with a displeased expression.

“Shouldn’t you at least make footsteps?”

“Oh dear! I’m sorry. It’s because my friends are a bit quiet. Anyway. Coming in?”

Jeong Yu Shin looked around at his party members.

The party members responded to Jeong Yu Shin’s gaze and quietly nodded their heads.

“Come in.”

Shhh.

As soon as Jeong Yu Shin finished speaking, the blanket covering the entrance fell over.

A young man with white makeup on his face came in, smiling.

Makeup like that of a clown.

Jeong Yu Shin instinctively felt that he was no ordinary man by the way his eyes glittered.

In one hand, he held a dagger, and in the other, a lute.

Behind the man with makeup, 4 men followed in.

All were human in race. They had a quiet impression.

The weapons they held were diverse, but mostly short weapons like daggers, short swords, and maces were predominant.

Another common point was that they all carried a crossbow on their backs, perhaps?

The man with clown makeup smiled broadly as he looked at Jeong Yu Shin.

“You’re the party leader?”

“That’s right.”

“Calm down. We really just came to rest. We’ll be quiet in the corner.”

“What if I refuse?”

“…What? Keu-keut. Keu-a-ha-ha-ha-ha!!!”

The clown-like man laughed loudly. He tilted his head back as if he had heard a funny joke.

Jeong Yu Shin quietly watched the guy who suddenly burst into laughter.

‘Is he crazy?’

From behind the clown, a man with a quiet impression stepped forward.

The man was wearing an eye patch over one eye and had a thick beard on his chin.

The man opened his mouth.

“It looks too wide for one party to use. Is this shelter entirely yours?”

“That’s not right. But we were using it first. Isn’t it common sense to ask for understanding?”

“Aren’t we asking for understanding now?”

“With that kind of tone?”

At Jeong Yu Shin’s reply, the one-eyed man chuckled “Huh huh” then his expression hardened.

“Young friend, recklessness is not good.”

Just as heat rose and he was about to say something, someone pulled his pants.

It was the big-nosed Gnome Gallahaim.

“What is it?”

Jeong Yu Shin asked.

“Just give way. Is there a need to fight over space here?”

Gallahaim said in a low voice.

Jeong Yu Shin looked back at his party. Most had expressions that showed they wanted to avoid a fight.

“Tsk. Alright. Go over there to the corner.”

“Hmph! What a temper.”

The eye-patched man clicked his tongue and led his party to the corner to sit down.

The man’s party quickly spread out their gear and prepared to camp. They looked accustomed to it, as if they had done it many times.

Jeong Yu Shin glanced at the man’s party several times.

As the eye-patched man said, it seemed they really had come to rest.

Was his reaction excessive?

As he led the party as a leader, he felt like he was wandering, unable to find his bearings between his own personality and the safety of the party.

Perhaps that confusion had manifested as an oversensitive reaction?

Karin seemed great all of a sudden.

It was because although her personality was a bit fierce and aggressive, she had shown that she could lead the party skillfully.

Someone placed a hand on his shoulder.

It was the Paladin Soline.

“Don’t blame yourself. It was a reaction fully expected of a leader. Since they approached without even a sign of presence, it wouldn’t have been strange if a fight had broken out.”

Is that so.

Jeong Yu Shin nodded inwardly and opened his mouth.

“Let’s rest a bit and then depart. Phirion, you’re on the last watch, right? I’ll stand with you.”

“Alright.”

Jeong Yu Shin and the party members returned to their original spots.

Soline and Gallahaim lay down in their places.

Jeong Yu Shin and Phirion leaned against the wall.

Looking towards the corner, the eye-patched man’s party members were eating.

It was generally quiet, but he occasionally felt a strange gaze.

Especially from the man with makeup like a clown on his face.

Glancing over and making eye contact, he only smiled broadly, but Jeong Yu Shin felt an inexplicable sense of unease.

After finishing their meal, the man’s party members settled down and lay down.

Jeong Yu Shin turned his head and looked at the torch again.

In the silence accompanied by strange tension, he quietly counted numbers inwardly, passing the time.

After 4 hours passed, Jeong Yu Shin’s party members got up from their spots.

Their eyes were red and bloodshot, as if they hadn’t slept.

In a way, it was a natural thing.

How could one easily fall asleep when in the same place with suspicious people?

The party finished a simple meal, packed their bags, and left the shelter.

While moving through the silence, Gallahaim, who was walking ahead, opened his mouth.

“No matter how I think about it, the human with makeup on his face is definitely ‘that guy’ from the Eastern District.”

That guy, you say?

“Who on earth is that guy?”

“Oswald. An executive of the Shadow Clowns Clan in the Eastern District underworld.”

The name of an underworld clan he heard for the first time.

“Why is a guy like that here?”

“I don’t know. It seems he has some ulterior motive, but it would be best not to get involved.”

“Is that guy Oswald strong?”

“He’d probably kill lower-ranked explorers as easily as twisting a child’s wrist.”

Gallahaim said, looking into the darkness.

“…”

With such a noticeable feature, shouldn’t he have recognized him at a glance?

The question arose, but he swallowed it.

Gallahaim was the guide. He didn’t want to keep talking to him and interfere with his concentration. Anyway, it seemed there would be no reason to get involved with that eye-patched man’s party.

After walking for a long time, they reached the place where the transfer stone on the 1st floor was located.

Jeong Yu Shin touched the transfer stone.

Woosh.

A red portal and a blue portal were generated.

Jeong Yu Shin picked up the torch and stepped into the red portal first.

Thud!

Hard floor.

Still humid air.

They reached the 2nd floor.

From the blue portal, Gallahaim came out first, then Phirion, and finally Soline.

Gallahaim opened and looked at the map, then opened his mouth.

“It’s the outer area again.”

“Well, breaking through floors isn’t the objective, so let’s go at ease.”

Jeong Yu Shin patted Gallahaim reassuringly and led the party forward into the darkness.

How many hours had they walked?

As his sense of time grew faint.

Gallahaim stopped walking and pricked up his ears.

“10 Hobgoblins ahead.”

Gallahaim’s voice echoed quietly.

Finally, a proper battle.

It was time to see the party members’ capabilities,

Jeong Yu Shin held out his shield and stepped forward.

“Kkieeeek!!!”

“Kekeke!!!”

Beyond the darkness, the laughter of the Hobgoblins was heard.

Tatadatadatatack!!!

A sound similar to a child’s running grew closer and closer.

Gallahaim aimed his crossbow towards the darkness.

Just as the faint shapes began to flicker, reflected by the torchlight.

Twoong!!!

The bolt Gallahaim shot flew and pierced the Hobgoblin’s forehead.

“Keok!”

The Hobgoblin collapsed with a dying cry.

The battle had begun with a preemptive strike.

“Kkieeeek!!!”

Other guys charged over the fallen Hobgoblin.

One. Two. Three.

‘They’re coming.’

Soline swung his Claymore.

From top to bottom.

Jwaaaak!!!

The Hobgoblin’s upper body split open, and its brains and guts spilled onto the floor.

Several Hobgoblins charged past Soline towards the rear.

“Kkieeeek!!!”

He waited.

Jeong Yu Shin swung his shield.

Kwaaaang!!!

The shield smashed the Hobgoblin’s face.

“Kkeuek!!!”

Broken teeth flew into the air.

The Hobgoblin screamed and clutched its face.

A gap.

The Arming Sword plunged deep into the Hobgoblin’s Adam’s apple. As he pulled the sword out.

Pushoooooot!!!

He cut the main artery. Blood spurted from the Hobgoblin’s neck, painting the cave wall prettily.

The Hobgoblin, with its face smashed and main artery cut, slumped to the floor.

He didn’t stop there.

Paa-a-a-ack!!!

He kicked its jawbone with his walker.

The Hobgoblin, whose neck bone was broken, flew wildly and collided with the charging group of Hobgoblins.

Kudangtang!!!

The group of Hobgoblins tumbled down.

[Haste]

Behind him, the Elf Priest finished his incantation.

He felt the gentle breeze for a moment.

Jeong Yu Shin’s body suddenly felt light.

As expected, perhaps because he served the Wind Spirit God, his divine magic also had a similar feeling.

The Hobgoblins, struggling and barely getting up, charged again.

“Kkieeeek!!!”

One Hobgoblin shrieked, jumped high, and swung its club.

Tang!

He lifted his shield to block and thrust his sword.

Pook!

The sharp Arming Sword broke the Hobgoblin’s ribs, tore its heart, and plunged deep into its body.

“Kkeuek!!!”

The Hobgoblin, whose heart was pierced, struggled a few times and then stopped moving.

He took a backstep, pulled out his sword, and swung it towards another guy.

Diagonal slash.

Blood spurted from the two eyes of the guy who had been stealthily approaching from the side.

“Kkieeeek!!!”

The guy shrieked, covering his two eyes.

Too noisy.

He struck the guy’s head with the pommel.

Paa-a-a-ack!!!

Kwadeudeuk.

With one blow, the skull shattered into pieces and caved in.

There was no time to rest.

Immediately, the next guy thrust a spear in.

Ting!

The spear tip was aimed at Jeong Yu Shin’s chest. But it was blocked by the sturdy full plate and bounced off.

Jeong Yu Shin casually swung his shield and broke the spear shaft.

The Hobgoblin recoiled in surprise. He didn’t miss the chance.

He swung his sword horizontally.

The sharp blade of the Arming Sword caught the flickering torchlight and shone for an instant.

Puhahahak!!!

The Hobgoblin’s neck flew into the air.

The cross-section was clearly revealed, cleanly cut down to the neck bone.

Chuuuuut!!!!

A stream of blood gushed from the neck cross-section.

The headless Hobgoblin body plopped down onto the floor, kneeling.

All the guys who had rushed to the rear were dealt with.

Looking ahead, 4 Hobgoblins were surrounding Soline.

Toong!

The bolt Gallahaim shot lodged itself in the head of the Hobgoblin next to Soline.

Plop.

The Hobgoblin, whose brain was pierced, fell to the floor like a block of wood.

Jeong Yu Shin ran towards them.

Soline swung his greatsword.

The Hobgoblin leaped sideways and dodged.

Kkaaaang!!!

The greatsword hit the ground in vain.

The Hobgoblin noticed the opening and immediately charged.

A body slam with the weight of its entire body.

Kung!

Soline’s body staggered for a moment.

Jeong Yu Shin quickly darted out and kicked the Hobgoblin in the belly.

Ppeudeudeuk.

The walker was lodged deep in the Hobgoblin’s solar plexus.

“Kuuek!!!”

The Hobgoblin coughed up blood.

Jeong Yu Shin didn’t stop and thrust his sword into the guy’s eye.

Kwaaaak!!!

The tip of the sharp Arming Sword ripped through the eyeball and went deep inside the brain.

“Keok!”

The Hobgoblin trembled and then went limp.

Whoooong!!!

Soline, who had barely regained his balance, swung his greatsword and cut down 2 Hobgoblins at once.

Puhahaaak!!!

Blood splattered on the cave wall. There was no scream. Because it was an instant death.

With Soline’s sword strike, the fight ended.

10 Hobgoblins subjugated.

Jeong Yu Shin turned around and looked at his party members.

They were breathing heavily, but didn’t seem injured.

Jeong Yu Shin lifted the visor covering his face.

“Are you alright?”

“No one seems injured.”

The Elf Priest Phirion replied.

“Terrifying. Is that how Barbaroi usually fight?”

Gallahaim asked as he slung the crossbow onto his back.

‘I think I fought more cleanly than last time.’

“Well, I suppose so? Anyway, let’s cut off some ears first.”

Jeong Yu Shin said, taking out a dagger.

“Hoook. Hook. Thank you. I almost got into big trouble.”

Soline breathed heavily and suddenly expressed his gratitude.

“Don’t mention it.”

He thought, what big trouble could there be against mere Hobgoblins when wearing plate armor, but when he considered the situation of being surrounded and knocked down, he somewhat agreed.

In the worst case, his helmet could be knocked off and a dagger could be plunged into his neck.

He cut off the ears from the Hobgoblin corpses, put them in his pouch, and proceeded back into the dark cave.

Flicker.

The light of the torch illuminated the dark cave.

* * *

One day. Two days. Three days. Four days. Five days.

For 5 days, they proceeded through the floors as slowly as possible.

Jeong Yu Shin’s party reached the transfer stone at the end of the 3rd floor.

Jeong Yu Shin looked at the transfer stone and smiled faintly.

He had collected ears by dealing with many groups of Hobgoblins. The number was more than enough to fully complete the subjugation request.

He had also gathered enough magic stones by catching Black Slimes.

A decent reward was confirmed.

Just thinking about the glittering silver coins made him feel full already.

‘Is the sky really pushing me?’

Compared to Karin’s party, they were lacking, but his party members’ level wasn’t bad either. If possible, he wanted to keep traveling with them.

“To earn this much is great. Lucky! Barbaroi, you’re really a good luck charm!”

Gallahaim said, laughing.

“It’s really reassuring to have the leader stand firm like a rock in front.”

Phirion agreed.

Jeong Yu Shin’s shoulders gradually rose from the shower of compliments from his party members.

“…In that sense, how about going to the next floor?”

Gallahaim said, rubbing his hands together. The tension and anxiety from when he first entered were gone.

All party members were Lower Explorers. While not Middle-ranked, it was true that their capabilities were much better than beginner explorers.

Since they had reached up to the 5th floor maximum, wouldn’t the 4th floor be alright?

Moreover, they had plenty of torches left. Luck was also following them.

“What does everyone think?”

Jeong Yu Shin asked back, looking at his party members.

“Good.”

“Good.”

Soline and Phirion agreed.

Jeong Yu Shin smiled broadly and nodded his head.

“Alright. Let’s go! The sky is pushing me! Uh!”

He shouted powerfully and touched the transfer stone.

Woosh.

A blue portal and a red portal were generated.

Jeong Yu Shin picked up the torch and entered the red portal.

Thud!

He came out of the red portal and landed on the ground.

“Hmm?”

The air was heavy. Should he say it felt like it was saturated with something other than water?

Moreover, the surroundings weren’t dark.

He quickly raised his head.

Not far away.

A man with white makeup on his face and his party members with quiet impressions were standing there holding torches.

Jeong Yu Shin’s eyes widened.

It was the man he had seen a few days ago.

An executive of the Eastern District underworld clan.

Oswald.

Next to Oswald stood the eye-patched man.

In the eye-patched man’s hand, an elderly woman was held by the hair.

The woman was vomiting blood from her mouth.

He had seen that elderly woman before as well. He didn’t know what kind of person she was, though.

All of the elderly woman’s party members were lying on the floor. He couldn’t tell if they were dead or alive.

‘Shit.’

He couldn’t even guess what on earth was going on.

Oswald smiled broadly and opened his mouth.

“We meet again? Anyway, buddy.”

The eye-patched man stepped forward and cut off Oswald’s words.

“Young friend, you have no luck. Send him to a good place.”

Chwachachachak!!!

As soon as the eye-patched man finished speaking, the party members standing behind him aimed their crossbows at Jeong Yu Shin.

He had no idea what was going on.

But one thing was certain.

‘I’m totally fucked.’