episode_0008

“…Is this really happening?”

Mun Bora muttered in disbelief, seeming most perplexed since we met today.

Well, even so, isn’t that reaction a bit disheartening?

“…You didn’t believe me?”

I gazed tearfully, as if pouring all my acting skills into it.

Huh―!

At that moment, Mun Bora visibly flustered.

Perhaps realizing her behavior was out of line even by her standards, she blushed and lowered her head.

Fidgeting with her fingers, stealing glances here and there… Oh man.

It was undeniably adorable.

“Wow, this is really fascinating.”

Even though he’s the squishy, puffy SD version of the second-rate fool, Wang Dae-du, his expression, gestures… It was truly mysterious how clearly they were conveyed.

“…I-I’m sorry. I think I underestimated you, Yuseha.”

Mun Bora bowed her head deeply, admitting her mistake.

No, now I feel bad instead.

“Just kidding! Just trying it out.”

“Cough! Well, let’s go check it out.”

*

“Miss Bora. Without a doubt, these seem to be… those guys.”

Maha, breaking the silence.

In response to her words, Mun Bora nodded slightly with a somewhat stiff expression.

“…They are undoubtedly monsters from the Beast category.”

Before us lay the frozen pillar, containing the corpses of four monkeys torn apart or frozen.

These ordinarily mundane creatures had a peculiar feature—the tips of their tails were perfectly transparent.

“I never expected them to show up so soon.”

“Invisible-tail Monkeys.”

“Yes, that’s correct without a doubt.”

Although their combat power falls within the E~F range in the ‘Beast’ category, they possess the ‘Concealment’ skill, earning them a classification of D-grade monsters.

“These are tricky ones. Typically, a monster’s grade is based on combat power… but these fellows are a rare exception.”

Mun Bora murmured gravely.

Hmm… Is that so?

Aren’t they just D-grade monsters, after all?

“…Oh, is that really surprising?”

To my question downplaying the situation, Mun Bora shook her head firmly, indicating otherwise.

“They’re not as easygoing as Yuseha might think.”

She continued examining the monkey carcasses, explaining further.

“Usually, ‘skills’ involve using magic. This applies to monsters as well. Especially for the ‘Concealment’ skill, which diminishes sight and presence, a significant amount of magical energy is required. Even without specialized detection abilities, one sensitive to magic can quickly catch on. Their unique vibrations give them away.”

Indeed. To properly utilize the ‘Concealment’ skill, it required either distance or preliminary work to address weaknesses.

“But these fellows are different. The fur and skin enveloping the Invisible-tail Monkeys create a very unique structure that renders them transparent without using magic. So, strictly speaking, it’s not a ‘skill’ but rather a ‘trait.’”

“Uh, what does that mean…”

“Yes, practically, they immediately engage in concealment without any noticeable signs. That’s why they’re challenging.”

Mun Bora explained, foreseeing the consequences of a surprise attack.

She glanced at me as I remembered a similar encounter where I had been duped by Mun Bora’s recent description.

Here, the tactics seemed eerily familiar.

As I pondered, Mun Bora looked at me, offering a faint smile as if to say, “Well done.”

“Thanks to you, Yuseha, we were able to overcome a big hurdle. I never expected you to have not just the [Detection] ability, but also the [Concealment Detection] trait. It’s quite a rare trait, isn’t it?”

Next to her, Mahana nodded as if it was only natural.

“…Indeed, Gyeomseong.”

No, Hana.

Gyeomseong and Concealment Detection are completely unrelated.

I felt a bit embarrassed by the sudden praise. Still, it didn’t feel bad. Might as well take it positively.

“…By the way, it’s strange. As far as I know, Transparent-Tailed Monkeys are considered rare even among Grade D creatures.”

That’s right. Even with low stats, these guys have a tricky combination of stealth and surprise.

One thing’s for sure, creatures like this don’t easily show up in beginner dungeons where newbies practice their baby steps.

“…Perhaps.”

There seemed to be something anticipated in Moonbora’s trailing words.

Her expression stiffening noticeably didn’t seem like a good sign.

“…Moonbora? Is there something you suspect…?”

“…No. It’s not confirmed yet, so… I’ll tell you later. Raising unnecessary anxiety is unbecoming of a leader.”

As she finished speaking, Mahana who had been waiting, slowly bowed her body.

“Then, I’ll start with the byproducts.”

She skillfully drew a dagger, claiming that anything left inside the dungeon would decay quickly.

Without hesitation, she plunged the blade into the carcass and split it in half.

“Mahana activates the trait.”

“Loss mitigation for byproducts reduced.”

Squelch—

The offal oozed out with a dull color.

A small gasp escaped my lips at the more intense scene than I had expected.

‘Ah, that’s all guts… Oddly, there’s no large intestine? Come to think of it, monsters seem to have a setting where they don’t do basic bodily functions… Is their digestion different from regular organisms?’

“Gonys Archive Life” is a game for 15-year-olds.

Once on the brink of being forcibly adjusted to a 19-year-old game due to a wicked group’s conspiracy, it managed to settle as a 15-year-old game.

There are slightly cute and pitiful scenes, but naturally, there’s no excessive bloodshed.

I realized once again.

This is reality now.

Not a game.

It’s a battlefield where lives are at stake, not just a leisurely stroll.

The winner takes the spoils, while the loser silently becomes a corpse. That’s just how it goes.

Thud—

Thud—

Quietly observing, Moonbora next to me tapped my ankle.

She was freezing the byproducts that Mahana had dismembered to maintain their freshness.

As per the message from earlier, the butchering process would be damaged without possessing specialized [skills], so it was wise to divide the work accordingly.

“…In principle, if there isn’t a specialized [Laborer] class in the party, distributing the byproducts equally is proper etiquette.”

“…Oh, yes! If you ask me-”

“-But I will oversee it, Yuseha.”

Huh?

“It’s your first time after all. Even if you’re relatively tough, it’s not easy for a man to handle this. So, you don’t have to stay here. Just keep watch from a little distance away.”

Mahana seemed slightly taken aback by Moonbora’s words.

From her expression, it seemed like a regretful glance.

As if feeling sorry for not considering the newbie, her cat-like ears folded down on top of her head.

“No, it’s fine. I’m used to this kind of thing.”

“…Used to it…?”

“Yes, well, I’ve seen a lot of flesh and blood since I was young.”

“…”

Leaving the bewildered Moonbora behind, I examined Mahana.

She was meticulously skinning the monkey, even removing the dorsal skin.

“…Does that part fetch a good price too?”

She nodded.

“Yes, as Borami mentioned, fur hides have a unique structure that makes them the most valuable. Tails are also used as alchemical materials, fetching high prices.”

As expected of Mahana.

The role of a tank and a porter is not just for show.

“A porter…”

In “Gonys Archive Life,” porters do more than just store items and provide transportation. They play a crucial role in professional butchery and collecting byproducts, enhancing the quantity and quality of the final product.

“Even the 3★ or higher items from gacha offer various utility functions like increasing experience transfer amounts.”

Given Mahana’s background in butchery, following his father’s footsteps, it was advantageous to have a similar porter role available from the start. While there were clear limitations, effortlessly providing additional adjustments to byproducts was a significant advantage.

“If only I could learn provocation from the beginning.”

I probably wouldn’t have received such lukewarm treatment.

Shortly after finishing all tasks, we resumed our journey. However, Moonbora’s expression while perched on my shoulder seemed uneasy.

She seemed slightly tense, nervously chewing her lower lip. The appearance of a rare beast instead of a goblin caught her attention.

And just as she was about to speak, “that.”

I had a vague idea of what it might be, given my familiarity with various upcoming events. And indeed, the perfect event for the current situation unfolded.

Yet, like her, I was somewhat skeptical. Ignoring the possibility of encountering these creatures first due to sheer bad luck wasn’t wise.

But soon enough, I realized urgently that my initial thoughts about “that” were correct.

—

“Hana! They’re coming from behind! More precisely, they’re trying to attack by jumping!”

In response to my shout, Mahana immediately reacted, exerting force on her hind legs to swiftly dodge.

It felt like watching a spring bounce back with agility.

“Truly a feline race.”

Her cat-like nimbleness showcased impressive speed, leaving viewers in awe.

Thud!

Skillfully, she blocked the club with a large shield.

Soon, a transparent tail monkey appeared out of nowhere, wielding a club.

“Ukiiik—!”

Frustrated by the failed surprise attack, the creature expressed anger.

Glancing around briefly, it was evident that it knew its failure was due to me.

“So what?”

What can you do besides [Concealment]?

“[Ice Pillar!]”

A sharp ice pillar erupted immediately. The accurately targeted creature froze to death without a chance to retaliate.

“…How many ambushes does this make?”

“It’s the fifth one.”

Indeed, the ongoing assaults were unsettling. Surprisingly, every attacker so far had been a transparent tail monkey. Not a single goblin had appeared.

…

As the unmistakable signs became apparent, Moonbora’s expression grew more serious.

As the anticipated possibility turned into reality, she appeared troubled in various ways.

With things escalating, Mahana, too, seemed to have sensed something, intensifying her vigilance with twitching cat ears.

Perhaps all three of us understood the situation we were in.

However, none of us spoke up first.

Because, truth be told, this was no ordinary occurrence.

But five minutes later, undeniable evidence emerged.

“That…”

At the center of a massive old tree, there were clear signs of being crushed by an immense force, resembling the palm-shaped imprint seen in “Gosla.”

“Seha.”

“Yes.”

Mahana and I exchanged glances, nodding in understanding, our keen instincts guiding us to the conclusion.

“…Is it here now?”

“…Likely.”

Yooil, the only one who didn’t catch on, tilted her head.

“……What on earth are you talking about?”

Instead of answering, I picked up a fallen branch from the ground and hurled it towards the front, which had been turning red since earlier.

Swish―!

As the twisted leaves moved mechanically, the crudely woven net inside rose up and activated.

[Thorn Trap].

It was a derivative skill learned when the [Trap] skill reached a certain level in the Uncommon grade.

Although extremely crude, it was the optimal trap for ambushing as it could impose the ‘restrained’ state for a certain period upon activation.

‘…And the one using this is…’

As far as I knew, there was no one else here but ‘that guy.’

“W-What in the world…”

“Just saw traces of that guy on the tree.”

“…That guy?”

[ has been activated.]

Without much hesitation, I shouted loudly.

“Hana! Incoming!”

“……!!!”

Machana swiftly raised her shield.

Thud―!

Immediately, a massive iron fist came crashing down.

Crack―!

Rumble―!

The tree crumpled, and thick clouds of dust billowed out.

A huge roar ripped through the air like a lion’s roar, scattering the dust.

“Kroooooar―!!!”

Revealed before us was a gorilla the size of a small house.

Its bloodshot eyes glared menacingly at us.

‘…Mid-boss.’

Finally, the moment of disaster I had imagined became a reality.