episode_0150

‘Calm down.’

I swallowed the curse that was about to burst out of my mouth and soothed my raging heart.

Losing my reason and acting here would not be beneficial.

Jeong Yu-shin took a deep breath and removed his helmet.

Thanks to his experience going in and out of labyrinths and seeing various things, he was able to act calmly.

He felt ticklishness when he touched his eyes.

“Here, take this water bottle.”

He took the water pouch Karin handed him, opened the cap, and sprinkled some on his eyes.

Unidentifiable bug-like creatures were washed away by the water and fell to the floor.

He blinked his eyes once. No abnormalities.

He lowered his head.

Small larvae were wriggling in a puddle of water on the floor.

“Hoo. God damn it.”

Even so, this was too much.

He didn’t know what that red bead was, but just looking at it made bugs appear in his eyes.

It was definitely an unusual object.

Barion approached and raised his hand, waving it in front of Jeong Yu-shin’s eyes.

“Is there a problem?”

When Jeong Yu-shin asked, Barion replied in sign language.

‘Mind Protection is broken.’

“Is this common? What exactly is going on?”

He asked Barion, but he only shrugged.

Meaning he didn’t know either.

Judging from Delia’s voice a little while ago, it seemed like the appearance of the red bead had never happened before.

It was right to see it as a phenomenon that appeared for the first time.

Or it was a recent event that had not yet been made public.

‘I will reapply Mind Protection.’

When light flashed from Barion’s hand, his eyes grew hot. He felt like a layer covering his eyes had been peeled off once. His vision became much brighter.

Jeong Yu-shin blinked again and then shook his head.

“Delia, are you okay?”

“I’m fine.”

Barion approached, looked into Delia’s eyes, and then shook his head.

‘No abnormalities.’

Jeong Yu-shin frowned.

‘Why only me?’

The moment he saw that red bead, he felt something similar to when the former Mystic Ahiman chanted an alarm spell to prevent night raids.

Should he say it was a transcendent gaze felt from a distant place?

To be exact.

When he was with Ahiman, he felt a hint of interest amidst indifferent emotions.

This time it was different. Clearly.

He felt strange malice and temptation.

Karin put her hand on her chin and pondered.

“…When I stopped by the Guide Association, I heard my seniors talking.”

“…”

The party members closed their mouths and listened to Karin’s words.

Karin opened her mouth again.

“One of the seniors said. That red bead is a new thing that appeared this time. There’s nothing particularly known about it. Just be careful. The only thing they said was not to get close.”

Is that so.

“Hoo.”

Jeong Yu-shin sighed deeply.

He didn’t know what the labyrinth was. Just when he thought he had adapted, a new kind of fuckery popped out every time.

“So, we just shouldn’t get close to that red bead, right?”

“That’s right. Won’t other explorers experience it directly and find out more?”

“Are there any other shelters besides here?”

At Jeong Yu-shin’s question, Karin took out a map from her backpack and examined it.

“There’s one a few more hours from here.”

“Let’s go. We should rest there.”

The other party members nodded as if they agreed.

The party members left the shelter and walked down the dark and dreary hallway again.

How long had they been going?

Karin stopped walking again.

“10 monsters ahead.”

“Prepare for battle.”

Would they be pushovers this time too?

He shook his head to shake off his complacency.

Clatter.

In the dark hallway ahead.

Skeleton soldiers were approaching, shining with red eyes.

Delia grabbed her shield and stood in front.

Karin narrowed her eyes while loading her crossbow.

“It’s a Skeleton Mage!”

“It won’t be easy.”

Delia muttered in a sighing voice.

[Sacred Barrier]

Barion chanted a spell in an instant.

A skeleton wearing a tattered robe raised its staff high.

Thwack!

Karin aimed her crossbow and immediately shot a bolt.

Whoosh!!!

The bolt flew quickly, aiming for the Skeleton Mage’s head.

Thud!!!

But a skeleton soldier holding a shield threw himself and blocked the bolt.

The Skeleton Mage tilted its head and clattered. It seemed like it was laughing. Did it have reason?

The skeleton soldiers charged. They were equipped with sturdy armor. They were definitely different from the ones they had met at first.

The Skeleton Mage struck the floor with its staff.

Boom!!!

Black energy swirled through the hallway and spread across the floor, enveloping the skeleton soldiers.

The white bones turned black.

The movements of the skeleton soldiers became faster than before. Vitality seemed to overflow from within the clattering bones.

“Heave-ho!!!”

Delia pushed back the charging monsters with Shield Bash.

The skeleton soldiers staggered and were pushed back, but they didn’t fly away like when they first fought.

Jeong Yu-shin stood next to Delia and swung his sword vertically.

He chopped down on the sword as if splitting wood.

Clang!!!

The longsword failed to cut through the skeleton soldier’s breastbone and bounced off.

His hand was numb.

‘Damn it.’

I see.

That black magic.

‘It was a buff that increased the skeleton’s strength and defense.’

The light of the skeleton soldiers dimmed.

‘These bastards.’

They’re laughing.

He thought they didn’t have any emotions.

So what.

It’s black magic anyway. He could use a counter skill.

[Sacred Weapon]

He created a dagger of light with one hand and pierced the skeleton soldier’s temple bone.

Crack.

The light of the skeleton soldier grew for a moment and then soon faded.

Bang!!!

He kicked the collapsing skeleton bastard. Shattered bones scattered and spread across the hallway floor.

At that moment.

All the skeleton soldiers began to target Jeong Yu-shin.

They charged towards Jeong Yu-shin, even ignoring Delia wielding her mace.

“Scar!!!”

Delia shouted urgently.

“Hold your position!!!”

Jeong Yu-shin shouted while swinging his longsword.

‘Are these bastards crazy?!’

The swordsmanship of offense and defense as one, moving from stance to stance, began to shine.

Place the sword where it should be.

He stepped forward, trying to remember the sword the master had taught him.

Clang!!!

Clang!!!

Fierce sparks flew every time Jeong Yu-shin’s sword and the dead man’s sword collided.

He abandoned the option of saving magic power.

He deflected the incoming mace and struck the neck with Sacred Weapon.

He deflected the incoming dagger with his plate armor.

He brought his body close to the military pickaxe, which looked like a pickaxe, and received only the handle with his shoulder.

When he barely managed to deflect the axe swung by the skeleton soldier.

A mass of black magic flew and struck Jeong Yu-shin.

It was faster than most bolts.

Bang!!!

Jeong Yu-shin’s figure staggered for a moment.

“Keuk!!!”

His vision darkened for a moment and nausea rose up. He felt like his mind was being torn apart.

The brink of death flickered in his mind.

The skeleton soldier did not miss the opportunity and swung its axe.

Bang!!!

The helmet Jeong Yu-shin was wearing was slightly dented.

His legs suddenly lost strength and he knelt on one knee.

Beeeeeeep.

His head was dizzy. He heard ringing in his ears.

His head was throbbing as if he had a concussion.

“Scar!!!”

Karin’s voice, mixed with astonishment, burst out.

“Mage!!!”

Jeong Yu-shin shouted reflexively. Karin bit her lip tightly, took out a dagger, and rushed out.

[Revenger]

Blue flames overflowed from Jeong Yu-shin’s eyes.

[Sacred Weapon]

What he wanted.

A single-edged axe.

He would repay them as they had hit him.

These pathetic skeleton bastards.

‘Looking down on me like I’m a dog.’

He jumped up and swung his axe.

Crack!!!

Jeong Yu-shin’s single-edged axe split the skeleton soldier’s head in half.

He kicked the collapsing bastard and swung his sword like crazy.

When the leader regained his senses, the party members regained stability and began to fight fiercely.

Bang!!!

Barion filled Karin’s place and swung his warhammer.

Jeong Yu-shin gritted his teeth and blamed himself.

‘Incompetent bastard.’

He was truly an incompetent bastard.

What was he going to do by saving magic power?

How much longer would he live by preserving his stamina?

He wanted to kill the himself who was acting cocky and bustling about in the labyrinth city.

He sharpened his relaxed mind once again.

Whoosh!!!

The sound of wind tearing began to emanate from the blue longsword.

The blade, sharpened by self-reproach, sharply sliced through the skeleton soldiers one by one.

“Scar…?”

Delia glanced sideways at Jeong Yu-shin with wide eyes.

His movements were clearly different from before. Was it as expected of Barbaroi?

Before he knew it, Karin had beheaded the Skeleton Mage.

The buff magic was dispelled as the Skeleton Mage’s light disappeared. As the bones that had turned black returned to their original state, the battle became much easier.

As he swung his sword like crazy, the end of the battle approached.

Bang!!!

Barion crushed the last bastard with his warhammer.

Shattered bones scattered on the floor.

Subjugation complete.

“Hoo.”

Jeong Yu-shin sat down on the spot.

“Scar!!! Are you okay?!”

Karin, Delia, and Barion approached.

Jeong Yu-shin took off his helmet and opened his mouth.

“You guys worry too much. I’m fine.”

Thanks to the Revenger engraving’s recovery effect, the wound on his head had already healed.

“That skeleton wizard also used some nasty magic.”

Delia approached.

“Didn’t I tell you not to be careless? That aside, you really fight well. How long have you been learning swordsmanship?”

‘It hasn’t even been half a year.’

“I learned a little at the Swordsmanship Association.”

“Is that so? It doesn’t seem like a little?”

Delia replied, taking out a pouch from her backpack.

Barion tapped Jeong Yu-shin’s shoulder.

“Why?”

He took out a pen and paper from his pocket, scribbled on it, and handed it to Jeong Yu-shin.

‘The black orb you were hit by is a mental contamination magic. My divine magic blocks most of it, but like most contamination magic, it accumulates in the mind and body. If you don’t want to rest for a long time, it’s best to avoid it if possible.’

“Ah.”

He definitely remembered reading about it in a book while studying with Priest Mion. Seeing it in person was different again.

“I understand.”

Jeong Yu-shin nodded and replied.

The party members sat down and took out leather pouches, picking up the piles of bones piece by piece.

Delia’s eyes gleamed as she split open the skeleton heads.

“There are a lot of magic stones!”

“Right. With this amount, we’ll be able to complete the magic stone request sufficiently, right?”

Karin and Delia chatted and rummaged through the skeleton piles.

As expected, with party members who had experience in the corridor area, there were many parts that were much easier.

There was no need to give separate instructions.

They each knew clearly what they had to do.

‘I’m blessed.’

He rubbed his throbbing head and picked up the bones of the skeleton soldier, putting them in his backpack.

The party members all packed up their bones and stood up.

Led by Karin, they went straight down the hallway.

They could barely reach the shelter after walking for about 4 more hours.

The shelter was the same as before. A room with a wooden door.

There was no one in the shelter.

They took their places and took out camping firewood from their backpacks, piling it up in the center of the room and starting a bonfire.

He had heard that the temperature in the corridor area was generally low, so they had to light a bonfire when they slept.

Crackle. Crackle.

The party members warmed themselves by the bonfire and took out food from their backpacks.

They chewed on jerky, which they were now sick of just looking at. They had bear biscuits, but they didn’t feel like eating them now, so they didn’t take them out.

After swallowing the jerky, they put dried apple slices in their mouths and rolled them around.

Delia was munching on a special nutrition bar. She didn’t seem like someone who had been fighting to the death just a few hours ago. Was her nerve incredibly tough?

Barion was sitting still, staring at the bonfire.

What should he say?

He felt reassured.

Thinking about it again, he thought he had chosen his party members well.

As the labyrinth’s law was ‘fear,’ it was because party members with mild personalities and strong minds had gathered.

“Scar, can you turn around?”

Karin said casually after finishing her meal.

“Sure.”

Jeong Yu-shin turned around and sat down.

As labyrinth exploration was approaching a week, there was a need to maintain hygiene.

But it was only to the extent of wetting a dry towel and wiping their bodies.

There were two women, so it couldn’t be helped.

Clatter. Clatter.

He heard the sound of Delia taking off her armor.

“Hoo. It’s hot.”

“Delia, I’ll wipe your back.”

“Karin, you take it off too.”

“Okay.”

The two whispered quietly, but he could hear them well.

“Hmm? Karin, your chest is quite big?”

“Ah! Delia, don’t squeeze!”

“It’s soft and squishy, like chewy slime bread. Mmm-hmm.”

“De, Delia!”

“But isn’t your bra a bit racy? Leopard print. Hmm…”

“Delia!”

“Ah, I understand. Don’t get angry.”

Jeong Yu-shin and Barion turned their backs and stared at the wall.

‘Karin.’

Leopard print.

Was it even possible to wear such shameless underwear in the labyrinth?

‘There are naked dwarves too?’

‘Yeah. A crazy bastard is attaching shameless words to everything. Do you want to see the armpit sweat of the naked dwarf priest again? Huh?’

Jeong Yu-shin shook his head. It seemed like mental contamination had accumulated due to the long battle.

Barion was staring at the wall like a dead mouse.

‘Come to think of it, where are this guy Barion’s eyes?’

He didn’t particularly feel like he was securing his vision with his helmet.

Was he secretly peeking right now?

Just as Jeong Yu-shin’s suspicion deepened.

Thump, thump!!!

The wooden door of the shelter rattled.

“…”

All the party members stopped breathing.

“Jus…just wait a moment.”

Karin said falteringly.

He heard the sound of armor rattling and clothes rustling.

Thump, thump!!!

“Are you…are you here?”

A man’s voice was heard from outside the door.

“It’s okay. You can turn around.”

Jeong Yu-shin turned his head and glanced at Karin. Even though there wasn’t much time, it seemed like she had quickly put her clothes back on.

‘As expected of Karin.’

But Delia was hurriedly stuffing something into her backpack with a flushed face.

‘Eek.’

A large gray bra, with its nipple area damp and emitting heat, was being crammed into the backpack, twisted back and forth.

Karin glared at Jeong Yu-shin sharply.

“Ahem!”

Jeong Yu-shin coughed dryly and quickly turned his head away.

“Are you here?”

The voice came again.

He was annoyed because it seemed like he was asking even though he knew the answer.

“We are not here!”

“…”

The man’s voice outside the door stopped abruptly.

A quiet shelter.

The party members’ sharp gazes pierced Jeong Yu-shin.