episode_0041

The next day.

Affiliated with the Gyeonggi-do Anyang region association, [3rd Guild Branch].

Me and Mewnyangi, fully prepared with equipment and consumables, headed to the place early in the morning.

“Your registration has been processed.”

The female employee, um… I mean, the original woman who used to watch over us for recent exams, not the one who temporarily replaced her glasses.

‘…Ah, her name was Arirang, right?’

Anyway, she welcomed us.

I could feel the tender emotions she was trying to suppress towards Mahana from her expression.

“You were the first to register. I’ll open the gate for you right now. Have you understood the precautions?”

“Yes!”

“Yep!”

The female employee smiled brightly and handed us something.

It was a metal medal, the ‘Exam Participant’ qualification badge provided by the guild.

With this medal, the activation of the special object at the location where today’s exam would be held was possible.

‘…The Shrine of Muhee.’

The formal name of the second exam is ‘Muhee’s Dance’.

From the inclusion of the word ‘Muhee’, it is clear that it is a kind of ritualistic dance, and to pass it, one must receive approval at the ‘Shrine’.

The Shrine was located within the dungeon.

It was such an important place that it was usually blocked off to prevent anyone from entering.

Therefore, only those taking the exam could apply to enter this place.

“I… I never thought the day would come when I receive this medal…”

Mahana looked at the medal with sparkling eyes.

A sound whispered into her ear.

“…”

“…Mi… Miss?”

The female employee showed tears as if she couldn’t hold back anymore.

“…I’m sorry. You’re just… so impressive.”

And then, she hugged me and Mewnyangi tightly.

Mewnyangi’s eyes widened at the sudden hug, then started to tear up slowly.

“Hana… you’re such a hindrance. Yes, your father would be proud to see you.”

“…Thank you. Unni…”

I smiled warmly as I watched the two of them.

* * *

Sizzle-!

A blue light flashed in all directions.

With the sensation of the body moving to a completely different world, an information window popped up in my mind, making it dizzy.

[Entering the dungeon.]

[Entry condition: None]

[The sinister mist of death is targeting the warmth of the living.]

[Those without sacred values will receive an additional 10% damage.]

The dense magic unique to the dungeon could be felt throughout my body.

Me and Mewnyangi stretched and nodded at each other.

Carefully, we started to move forward, cautious of our surroundings.

The environment here was a dense forest, unlike the lush and dense forests of the Goblin Settlement or Stronghold.

But it was the complete opposite of the place where the vitality could be felt.

‘…It’s eerie.’

The sounds of birds and insects that didn’t spread at all.

Instead of the usual grass, there were rugged weeds and grotesque trees that survived forcibly in the barren environment.

A stream could be seen nearby, but the color of the water was purple, giving a sense that it would be fatal to touch.

The smell that brushed against my nose decisively.

“…Ugh.”

Mewnyangi, with a keen sense of smell, covered her mouth with a mask.

“…Are you okay?”

“Yeah. I can bear it.”

Both Mewnyangi and I knew the identity of this smell well.

The smell that wafted from the decaying bodies returning to nature.

In other words, it was the stench of death.

The dungeon we had entered was a terrifying place with the name ‘Forest of Screaming Corpses’.

It was a D-grade dungeon, not much different from the Goblin Stronghold.

The main monsters that appeared were undead creatures like zombies and ghouls.

The boss was also a regular D-grade boss, the ‘Mad Ghoul’.

‘Undead creatures are annoying.’

In ‘Gosla’, the undead are classified as quite notorious monsters.

Although they are weak and easy to defeat physically, they have no fear of death as they are essentially corpses.

This is due to their reckless nature of charging forward regardless of how much damage their bodies sustain.

Combined with a strong hatred towards the living, some undead characters have low ‘sanity’ stats or have traumas related to [fear of corpses], making them a hard counter against them.

“Still, no problem.”

is a special place for leveling up.

The difficulty level is significantly higher than the average undead dungeon.

However, there was one thing to be cautious about.

“Are you talking about the unexplored route?”

“Yes. Our Meonyangi is as smart as ever.”

Don’t tease me about my age.

“…Meeah. Sehaya. Even though I look like this, I’m a year senior. I know more!”

This place is one of the riskier mutation zones where the difficulty level rises significantly in the limited .

Normally, unexplored routes have a one-step difference in difficulty, but this place becomes much more challenging.

‘Wasn’t there a Dura Han?’

I haven’t personally been inside, so I don’t know for sure.

But I’ve heard that at least C-grade Skeleton Knights and B-grade Dura Hans appear.

And even in the final area, there is a formidable A-grade undead, the Death Knight, according to the community.

Perhaps that’s why.

This place is where various speculations arise among the map guides.

Clearly, there are speculations that there must be a reason for something.

And thanks to Meonyangi, I was able to find out about it.

“Oh, so originally only B-grade hunters could enter here?”

“Yes, originally it was a place for B-grade, meaning intermediate-level hunters to challenge… But we happened to find out there is a shrine here.”

The group whose attention was caught by the information about the ‘shrine’ is none other than the sect.

With the pretext of exterminating evil, they made this place a test site by sending a large number of people and even charging an entrance fee.

“And do you see this on the floor?”

Meonyangi pointed to the yellow stone that had been bothering me since earlier.

Although faint, there was a flow of spiritual energy densely connected like a path.

“This is a kind of lower-grade relic, and because of the power it exerts, B-grade undead cannot appear. It seems that clerics are periodically sent here to supplement this.”

“…I see.”

Indeed, it’s the sect.

They’re serious about their bread and butter.

Well, it was good for us that B-grade was downgraded to D-grade.

Anyway, I wanted to chat more, but I couldn’t.

Just then, a sinister feeling crept in.

[ is activated.]

[Combined with the original talent, it exerts even more powerful effects.]

The faint red aura I felt suddenly intensified.

The sound of wind blowing.

The source of the sound was none other than a rugged hand axe.

“Sehaya!”

Before I could step forward, Meonyangi swiftly moved.

She confidently drew out her shield and shattered the flying hand axe.

“Enemies!”

Kweeee―!

A strange scream echoed from the bushes.

What emerged were about five corpses.

They were zombies with greenish skin commonly seen in movies.

[Less Rotten Zombie (E) appears.]

[Harbors intense resentment towards the living.]

“Kweoooh”

“Kweeee!”

The creatures rushed towards me as if they had targeted me from the beginning.

For zombies, they were surprisingly fast.

‘…Is it because they are less rotten?’

As I wondered, Meonyangi, who had been on guard, furrowed her delicate brows and bravely stepped forward.

“…Dare to challenge Seha!”

As she raised her shield high, a bead inside it emitted light.

In all directions, intangible energy spread out.

It was the [Provocation Shout] skill using [Disguise].

[Mahana uses .]

[Status Abnormality: Provocation is applied to enemies.]

“Kweee!?”

“Kwooo!”

The zombies turned their attention forcefully towards Meonyangi.

“Meow. Sehaya, now!”

“Uh!”

Upon Meonyangi’s shout, I immediately unfolded my [Dragon Slash] towards the front without hesitation.

* * *

Meanwhile, at the moment when Yuseha and Mahana were fighting against the zombies.

There were those who were watching the two from afar.

“Do you see?”

“…Yeah, I see it clearly.”

The two women having a conversation had eye-catching hair colors, one green and one orange, and they were the duo of thieves who had been defeated by Mahana a few days ago.

The green-haired woman with a telescope in her hand sent a fierce gaze towards Mahana visible in the distance.

“…Damn furball.”

Her fist trembled involuntarily.

“…I won’t forgive. I won’t forgive. I won’t forgive!”

Considering all of this, the most unbearable thing for the two was the fact that Mahana, who was clearly inferior, had surpassed them.

Therefore, they were determined to seek revenge.

Of course, strictly speaking, the current situation was absurd.

The special designated dungeon for the promotion test could only be entered by the team that had made a reservation.

However, the two seemed to be lurking as if they were waiting.

The reason for this was that a “member” of the guild, who had maintained a relationship by regularly bribing, had secretly opened the way for them, which was the first reason.

“…The second reason is”

The silver-haired woman standing silently next to them was the second reason.

Despite not looking like a 180cm tall woman, her body was filled with muscles like Royder, indicating that she was a close combat class.

And above all, the violet aura emanating from her mouth.

The power that instinctively evoked disgust and repulsion.

“…Magic.”

The silver-haired woman was a mage, the enemy of humanity.

Although the magic she spat out was not sophisticated, a mage was still a mage.

She was undoubtedly a stronger opponent than the duo.

Lastly, the green-haired woman’s origin could be identified from the bat tattoo spewing flames on her shoulder.

“A Class Hunter.”

An organization that hunts and sells rare and powerful classes.

In other words, she was a hunter from the underworld.

“…That guy next to her.”

The green-haired woman handed over the telescope she was holding.

The silver-haired woman slowly examined Yuseha.

“…Unbelievable. That handsome man over there has that kind of profession.”

The green-haired woman also agreed with her.

Could it be, could it be.

That damn parasite bastard…

Who would have known he was a 【Sword Saint】.