episode_0424

The embrace of Yeonhwa, which I hadn’t felt in a long time, was incredibly warm. As the warm body temperature was shared, my body and mind became tired.

It felt like all the fatigue that had built up over the past week was melting away in an instant.

[happiness]

‘good night…’

“Yeah, you worked hard.”

Yeonhwa stroked my head while giggling. As I was laughing at that, Yeonhwa grabbed the water bottle and tilted it to her lips.

Gulp, gulp, the water going into my mouth. A little of it dripped down my neckline and mixed with the beads of sweat that had gathered on my collarbone.

“… I hope I’m not interrupting your training… ?“

“At best, I’m just doing warm-up exercises, so I’m okay. I was thinking of finishing up and going in soon.”

“That’s fortunate.”

[Relief]

“You’re worrying about nothing.”

A smiling lotus brushed my cheek.

“Did you say you entered the tower as a subject of observation?”

“Yeah. If you go alone, observation is the best.”

Of course, sufficient growth can take off at other levels as well.

But my situation is a little different. As I can meet different rounds, the efficiency is overwhelmingly good.

‘It was the same this time too.’

What I learned from the 8th class, I am still chewing on it, internalizing it, and revising it in my own way. It is an overwhelmingly faster growth than if I had just rolled around on my own.

“… I see. But what came out of the observation?”

[yes?]

“Huh?“

I raised my head and saw Nature looking down at me. I tilted my head at the strange eyes.

“Because it was a topic of observation. I came out.“

“Are you saying the rate is below?”

“Yes.”

“What is the rate?”

A question that keeps coming up. I blinked. Why do I keep asking the same question?

‘… What rate?’

Doesn’t the net sound a bit strange? Normally, it wouldn’t be expressed that way.

I rolled my eyes at the strange ominous feeling.

“… I came out, right… ?”

“Hmm… ”

Yeonhwa let out a strange noise. Her slightly squinted eyes stared at me intently.

… He kept rolling his eyes and avoiding eye contact, then buried his face in Doroyeonhwa’s chest.

Her breasts were already voluptuous, but they had grown even bigger since we first met, swallowing up her face.

“If this is disadvantageous, bury your face in your chest and watch.”

-slap

“Hic.”

Yeonhwa, with her eyes slightly open, lowered her hand. She flinched at the hand patting her lower back and hid deeper into her arms.

Yeonhwa swallowed a deep sigh and patted my back as if to say, “There’s nothing I can do.”

“I’m going home soon… Before that. Should I go out and eat something for the first time in a while?”

“Yes, yes, what would you like to eat?”

I quickly nodded my head in case something else came out.

“What is the rate?”

“Me? I am… ”

My eyes, which had been peeking out as the question was released, rolled around. Yeonhwa, who was snickering, patted my head.

“Let’s eat together outside first, and then I’ll feed Ha-ryul separately when you go in.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah.”

[Expectations, expectations]

.

.

.

A few days passed and the graduation ceremony arrived.

The procedure was the same as last year.

Each grade took its place in the large auditorium, and the vice president came up to the podium to conduct the graduation ceremony.

A typical training and process. The final stage of the procedure was also the one that attracted the most attention.

[Ta-da!]

After the graduation ceremony, everyone gathered in the waiting room for a moment. When he smiled brightly and held up the paper, everyone’s eyes were drawn to him.

[122nd class, 2nd year, 1st semester, top student Lee Ha-yul]

I took the top spot in the first semester of the second year.

“I’m surprised I wasn’t the top until now.”

Ha Sol-i, who happened to be in the same waiting room, tilted her head.

By the way, the award held in Lee Ha-sol’s hand also has the words “Senior” engraved on it.

[Congratulations to the top prize winner, Lee Ha-sol. Last year… my skills were a bit lacking]

“I think I would have won if I had fought the priest last year?”

[I absolutely can’t do it in the first semester…]

“It’s true that it’s going to be in the second semester.”

Daerasajega replied with a pout.

It has a sharp expression like a puffer fish. I glanced at the portrait of the deceased.

[Daera Sajeo’s grades improved even more than mine. She rose to the top ranks in one go.]

The price of Daerasajeo went up to 10 yuan in one go.

Although his writing skills were a bit lacking, he got first place in the practical test and won the tournament, which gave him a lot of credits.

It was thanks to the evaluation criteria that gave high marks to practical skills.

“Chi, do you think grades are important? Actual skills are important.”

“Ahaha, if you do that, I’m the top player, but I lost to Daera in the actual sparring. ”

“That’s different from this.”

But, as if he wasn’t satisfied with the second seat, he was grumbling to Ha-sol with a pouty expression.

“Congratulations on your position. I thought it was just a matter of time, but you finally took over? ”

The smiling Baek A-rin’s upper garment fluttered. The word “second place” was highlighted at the end of the long sentence.

As I took the top position, Baek A-rin naturally took the second place.

“On the other hand, Yeonhwa… ”

Baek A-rin’s gaze turned back. Hong Yeon-hwa, who was standing with her arms crossed, raised her eyebrows.

“What, why. What are you looking at.”

“Hmm… 3rd place.”

“Come out.”

Baek A-rin, who was the head of the class, was pushed to second place, and Yeon-hwa, who was second place, was also naturally pushed back one place.

Although he felt a little strange about it, the smile on his face did not disappear.

[Hehehehe]

“Oh my. Do you like it that much that I took your place?”

I smiled bashfully at Baek A-rin, who was pressing my cheek. Of course I liked it. How could I dislike it when my worth has been proven?

You might even get praised by your teacher for this.

“Don’t be like that. It’s cute to see him so happy from the side.”

“So you want to harass me more? Didn’t you agree last time? ”

“… I’ve never done that before.”

Jiyeon Lee turned her head with a strange expression. In her hand was a certificate with the word “Senior” written on it.

Naturally, Lee Ji-yeon maintained the top spot in the third year.

All the top students from the first, second, and third years are gathered in this room.

“Ahem. Junior, have you packed all your bags?”

Lee Ji-yeon asked me with a small cough.

[Yes, yes, I prepared it in advance before boarding. I can leave like this.]

“Thank goodness.”

Smiling, Eun Ji-yeon nodded.

The vacation has started.

That is, I had to take the gate terminal and go outside… to the place where the meeting between the three families was to take place.

Due to circumstances, the meeting will not be held right away, but we will arrive early and prepare…

‘I should take Seoyul and go sightseeing a little.’

I nodded inwardly. Since I’m taking Seoyul with me, I should definitely let him go sightseeing too.

“By the way, junior. Have you finished making the commander?”

[Ticklish]

That was when.

Lee Ji-yeon, who had folded the stock neatly and withdrawn it, whispered in my ear.

I shook my body from the tickling sound in my ears and nodded my head slightly.

[Yes, I made it]

Recently, with the help of Lee Ji-yeon, I created a bunch of special commands.

Although the functionality is slightly lower than the commander set shown in the tournament… the method was to increase quantity by mass producing them instead.

“Is that something you made to use in meetings?”

[Hmm… Yes. There will be verification on the spot, so it would be good to make something good and show it.]

Lee Ji-yeon nodded at his question.

It’s not that there was no such intention.

‘But the reason it was mass-produced right away was for another reason.’

He fidgeted with his hands with a strange expression.

A clone, not the real body, moved.

***

“You’re more intelligent than I thought.”

Spada, who was looking around the room on the farm street of Est, frowned.

“Thank you for taking good care of my food at the cafeteria.”

“Definitely. It was much better than the days when we used to eat grilled monsters on the street.”

The headquarters of the Association. They were just released after being held in the infamous underground prison for some time.

Contrary to my fears, the food provided by the association was tastier than the monster’s flesh.

There is a bed, and sleep time is guaranteed. A hunter who aims for monsters and bounties. It is much better treatment than when he was running away from the pursuit of the association.

‘Well, the position of being a tool is the same…’

Est put his hand on his neck. He felt a thick metal that seemed like a necklace. It was a safety device that had been put on for safety reasons.

It’s a tool for the one handling it, not the one receiving it. It’s a terrifying necklace that will burst the moment you try to resist.

The same thing applies to Spada and Yang Ihwa.

Of course, the restrictions of a new owner that are firmly attached to the soul are more dangerous than a necklace like this.

“SpadaYou should be careful. If you draw your sword without thinking and touch the necklace… Haha.”

“Are you just going to burn and explode? You can’t even do hedgehog things in an emergency.”

“Tsk.”

Spada, who had been glancing at the necklace at Yang Yi-hwa’s mockery, wrinkled his face.

“But, may I ask why you brought us out?”

Est said, turning his head.

Inside the empty room where they were gathered. Lee Ha-yul, who was caressing a mysterious staff in the center, answered.

– I want to use it for dungeon raiding.

“Indeed.”

The main job of a superhuman is to conquer dungeons and defeat monsters.

In particular, when the dungeon goes berserk, it unleashes a large number of monsters into the world.

Dungeons are being created, expanded, and run wild all over the world at this very moment, but the number of superhumans is not sufficient compared to that.

This is a fact that Est, who was born and raised in the gray zone, knows well.

‘It’s okay for me and you to do this.’

Although his personality is not that great, his skills are top-tier even among all superhumans. If he can handle it, it would be a tool that would be a shame to let it rot.

“I will do my best.”

However, no matter how good a tool is, it can be thrown away at any time depending on the owner’s change of heart.

Est, who smiled faintly, bowed her head politely. Yang Yihwa, who saw that, stuck out her tongue and let out a sound.

-Are you already flirting with your new owner?

-Wouldn’t it be better for you to rattle too? It would be better than being hung on the guillotine for showing off your courage for no reason.

It was the moment when Est gave sincere advice. Lee Ha-yool tapped the floor with his cane.

-Two of you. I can hear you even if you swear at me. Don’t think about making a fuss and get ready.

“… … .”

“… … .”

At the sudden sound of the phone ringing, Est and Yang Ihwa’s movements froze. Their eyes twitched slightly.

‘Did you overhear the sound?’

Transmission of thoughts through magical power.

It may not be able to convey as much information as quickly as the original chloride series, but its security is assured.

That is common sense, but Lee Ha-yool boldly ignored it and eavesdropped on the conversation.

How? That question occurred to me, but I was too scared to ask.

‘It’s a good thing you didn’t try to talk back.’

There’s a reason why they say in this business to keep your mouth shut. How many people in this world have ended their lives miserably with their mouths and tongues?

Est nodded quietly and kept his mouth shut.

-Move. Control your magic and get ready.

Lee Ha-yool, who had been examining the purification crystal ball for a while, raised his arm.

-Thump, thump, thump…

When Junghwa knocked on the floor three times, the inside of the room rippled like waves. The waves in the space engulfed the three people.

It was a bit of a long time.

“Ugh… ”

As soon as my feet touched the ground, I felt a whirlwind of nausea. It was a side effect of the space jump. I bit my lips and scrunched my face.

The other two people’s complexions weren’t good either. Only the caster, Lee Ha-yul, had a calm expression.

Est, shaking his head to shake off the unpleasant feeling, looked around.

The area was a wasteland. There were hardly any people even beyond the horizon. At best, there were only footprints on the ground.

‘One walked… the other one… ‘

It didn’t come on foot. It appeared out of thin air and touched the ground. It either flew from the sky, or, like now, leaped through space…

‘I see. Did several people visit for a preliminary inspection?’

It seems that after finishing the investigation, they brought in tools to be used in the attack. Est turned his head after finishing getting a general idea of the situation.

A whirlpool was visible quite a distance away.

“… Is that the dungeon we’re going into?”

– yes

Lee Ha-yool nodded.

Svata and Yang Ihwa’s gaze was also fixed on the whirlpool. A drop of cold sweat ran down Est’s forehead.

That whirlpool is the entrance to the dungeon.

The whirlpool was huge. The magical currents touching the skin were incredibly strong. It was proof that the dungeon was of a high level.

“Can I hear some information about the dungeon?”

– The temporary name is Myungkyung. It is a level 1 dungeon that was created a few years ago.

Lee Ha-yool, who had been caressing the purification crystal ball, shrugged his shoulders.

Considering that special dungeons appear only once or twice every ten years, the first-class dungeons in your sight are generally the most dangerous dungeons.

Est has conquered many dungeons.

I’ve been through pretty much every dungeon out there. I’ve even crawled into the back of one, so what more can I say?

‘1st class?’

That’s how I found out.

The dungeon in front of you is a dungeon of such a scale that it can compete with the highest level dungeons. It means that if it explodes once, it will be so large that it can easily destroy an entire country…

– The objective of the strategy is to explore the artifacts inside the dungeon. The internal environment is summarized, but please note that it changes in real time. As a reference, once you enter, you cannot exit until you complete the strategy.

“… By any chance, what is the progress… ”

– This is the first attack.

It means that the traps in the dungeon are intact.

It means that there are monsters inside.

– I’ll take care of the detection, so don’t worry too much about traps. I’ll also share the information I’ve gathered in advance.

It is impossible to detect the inside of the dungeon from the outside… but I didn’t dare ask.

Lee Ha-yul tapped the smartwatch.

[Contact: Maxwell]

[▷Me: I will enter]

[▷Maxwell: Okay]

[▷Maxwell: Upon entering, a fantasy will unfold at the entrance and constant observation will be conducted]

Finally, Lee Ha-yool nodded after finishing his confirmation.

The raised purifying glass pointed to the vortex.

– Okay, position.

Level 1 dungeon.

Even if it is not usually possible, detailed measurements and analyses are conducted every few months, and advance forces are deployed several times to conduct preemptive strikes.

After that, the main force will be accompanied by dozens of assistants and a large number of top-level superhumans, and you will have to divide up your schedule to conquer it… It is a dangerous dungeon.

“… Are you sure you can get in?”

– The price of life

He asked once and received a fierce reply. Est silently took the staff and bow he had been given.

Svata and Yangihwa, who had been keeping their mouths shut, pulled out their swords and spears with expressions of resignation.

‘My life was saved for now, but I’m being treated harshly this week…’

A gloom appeared on Est’s face.

* * *

[The “Beauty’s Curse of Darkness” consumes life… consumes life…]

[The Tower of Tuning suppresses the “Beauty’s Curse of Darkness”]

…

[The Tower of Tuning grabs his head]

[Ugh… The curse also applies to some clones and Teddo…!]

***