60
* * *
The hunters who entered the dungeon late were bewildered. As soon as they entered, they saw a complete chaos. Enormous craters, corpses of dead monsters, and trees burning brightly.
‘Judging by the size, it looks like it could be a mid-boss, but it’s already dead? How long has it been since the dungeon was created…?’
He had luckily checked the dungeon creation text while eating with guild members and rushed over immediately, but it seemed like conquest had already progressed significantly, which was disappointing.
“Damn, the screen is broken. It breaks from just a little shake. Fuck. The viewer count was at an all-time high and I couldn’t capitalize on it… Argh!”
Maybe, the guild master of ‘Buddy’ Guild, frowned at the man holding a blackened phone and screaming.
Internet broadcast streamers obsessed with view counts were always the top target to be wary of. He sent warning glances to his party members to be careful as well.
“…But doesn’t that group over there look like Yeoun?”
“Why would Yeoun come to a mountain dungeon?”
Yeoun was called the epitome of tower conquest specialist guilds. They were so obsessed with towers that they even recruited Magnetic, who had been lying low after failing the 55th floor conquest, so there was no way they’d enter such a remote mountain dungeon.
Maybe snorted while looking at where his guild member pointed. Then he narrowed his eyes.
“…What? It really looks like them?”
“Didn’t word go around that they were having a team building event, playing around on practice floors and low floors yesterday and today? Maybe they came because their lodging is near here?”
“Ah. So much for getting honey…”
Even if they followed now, they were already behind in power. They were also outnumbered. While scratching his head in disappointment, one guild member subtly encouraged him.
“Can’t we just go ask them to let us join their alliance?”
“Would Slope do that? It’s blatantly asking to mooch off them – we’d be lucky if he doesn’t curse at us.”
Dungeon rewards are given per alliance. Asking to be included in an alliance when conquest had already progressed considerably was the same as saying they only wanted to share the rewards.
“I’ll go ask if they can at least divide up some areas for us.”
Still feeling responsibility as a guild master, Maybe eventually decided to take charge. Having brought guild members up into the mountains after interrupting their meal, he couldn’t go back empty-handed.
‘Ah, I’m not going to get punched by Slope, am I?’
Although he had boldly stepped forward saying he’d try talking to Slope, worry came first. Even though they were both guild masters, the weight class of the guilds they operated was clearly different.
His guild members were strong enough to be called top rankers, but in Yeoun, all guild members were within the top 100 rankings. Even the gathering specialist hunters who inevitably suffered losses in contribution rankings.
‘Well, nothing ventured, nothing gained.’
Because of the considerable distance, even while running, he didn’t have high expectations internally. However…
“We’re just going to find and kill the dungeon boss then leave immediately, so do whatever you want with the rest. If there are people joining later, work it out among yourselves.”
He thought he’d get at most a small concession of some area. But Slope generously gave up the small fry magical beasts. Considering the magic stone sales revenue from the conceded magical beasts, it was tremendous goodwill. Even if Yeoun monopolized the entire dungeon and swept up magic stones, latecomers would have nothing to complain about.
‘What a windfall?’
When Maybe was delighted by the unexpected harvest, Slope glanced toward the entrance and asked in a subtle voice.
“The hunter who was livestreaming with his phone, was he there when you guys came in too?”
“Ah. That person… He was cursing about his screen not working. From his way of speaking, it seemed like that kind of broadcast, so we didn’t talk to him either.”
Maybe answered with an awkward smile and discovered a gaze watching him from afar. The moment his eyes met with the owner of a favorite topic that HunTube wreckers loved, he realized why Slope was conscious of such a minor hunter.
“From what I saw, his camera was also broken so he probably can’t film videos. He couldn’t turn on his broadcast either and was cursing about it.”
“Aha, thank you.”
Slope smiled as if relieved and expressed his gratitude. It was a bit surprising how his impression completely changed when he smiled. He thought a famous guild master would be stiff-necked, but that wasn’t the case. After talking briefly, his manners were much better than expected.
‘Should I try bringing it up just in case?’
Maybe they’d let him join the alliance. They coolly said to handle the magical beasts outside the movement route themselves.
“If you’re grateful, maybe our group could join the alliance…”
“At this timing, it’s a bit… There’s someone you might know. Haha.”
It was a clean rejection. It would be a loss on his end to be persistent with someone smiling with such an affable face. In that time, it would be more profitable to catch one more magical beast and mine magic stones.
Instead of adding more words pathetically, Maybe offered a greeting.
“Yes. Then have a safe conquest.”
“Yes.”
Slope gave a short answer and quickly rejoined the group that had been waiting for him. Magnetic holding a staff seemed to ask something, and Slope whispered in his ear but eventually got hit.
‘Those two seem to get along well?’
Leaving behind brief impressions, Maybe quickly dispersed his guild members. Right now, catching magical beasts was the priority.
* * *
Whoosh!
A solid fist extending in a straight line pierced right through the abdomen of the magical beast that had been charging at Samin’s body. The pitch-black sword he had briefly taken out had long been shoved back into his inventory. The disgusting mid-boss was also dead, and swordplay really didn’t suit him.
When Samin joined after talking with Maybe, who had introduced himself as the guild master of Buddy Guild, Doun, who had been very anxious, carefully asked.
‘…What did he say?’
He was worried that the additional group might also be people doing strange broadcasts.
‘Ah. He asked for a small area. He also asked to join the alliance, so I refused that.’
‘…Ah. Really?’
‘I want to get out of here quickly, should I just use an artifact? For searching the dungeon boss location.’
Samin also wanted to return to the pension quickly. When he brought up a useful artifact that came to mind, Doun brightened up. He seemed quite eager to escape this place.
‘That would be good. But how much does something like that cost?’
‘…About 2 million won?’
‘What? Don’t use it. Use it somewhere else. Why would you use such an artifact on a B-rank dungeon like this?’
Even though he had deliberately quoted a somewhat lower price, it seemed expensive. He got hit on the back for whispering ‘spending on hyung isn’t wasteful at all,’ but it was a secret that because he had controlled his strength, it only stung slightly and felt more like a reward.
When they started killing magical beasts appearing from various places, a notification window like a surrender declaration soon appeared.
[Notification: Dungeon boss ‘Orchard Guardian Hekgilton’ of dungeon ‘Orchard of Despair (B)’ has appeared.]
Doun’s eyes sparkled as he had been waiting for this moment. He quickly calculated the magical beast’s appearance and the mana required for skill usage.
‘Enough. Let’s kill it quickly and get out.’
Just looking at the hundreds of bright red eyeballs embedded in the bumpy rocks made him nauseous. After confirming the hook-like sharp claws and vines firmly rooted in the ground, Doun bit his lips and struck down with his staff.
When the black sphere rushed toward him, the magical beast tried to take a defensive stance, spewing vines from its body to wrap around itself. Doun didn’t care and created a beam of light at the tip of his staff.
Since Stigma could mark a target just by touching any part of the designated creature, wrapping vines around the body for protection was completely useless.
Kuguuuuung!
At exactly the moment Doun expected, light strands rushed over the corpse of the dungeon boss that had lost its center and collapsed. Between the burst flesh, a bright red magic stone revealed itself.
“Minhyeok. Let’s quickly gather the rest too.”
It was when Samin, who had been looking at Doun’s back with an enchanted expression, muttered.
[Notification: Your alliance has successfully conquered dungeon ‘Orchard of Despair (B)’.]
[Time taken after entry: 33 minutes 9 seconds.]
[Exact rewards will be given after dungeon dissolution. 2 hours 59 minutes 59 seconds remain until safe dungeon dissolution.]
[You can exit by destroying the core or moving to the entrance.]
Notification windows announcing successful dungeon conquest appeared all at once. Guild members checking the text chattered in excited voices.
“Wow. Dungeons are more fun than I thought?”
“The rewards aren’t immediately confirmed either. Interesting.”
“If we tell Siwon hyung and Sangyeon hyung later, will they be jealous?”
“Ppomi. If you say that now, they might enter a foreign dungeon.”
“Then Samin will get contacted right away. What would he do since his English doesn’t work?”
“Hyeonseong hyung. I may look like this, but I got grade 2 in English on the college entrance exam.”
“Oh my. Right, right. Our country’s college entrance exam English is the problem. Isn’t that right?”
Even while guild members were chattering noisily, Doun couldn’t easily join the conversation. The hunter who might still be near the entrance kept bothering him.
‘I shouldn’t show such a timid appearance as a hyung… But I don’t like it because that person will probably still be there. What should I do? I can’t ask others to solve my problems. This is driving me crazy. Really…’
The dungeon conquest ended well without a single injured person, but leaving was the problem. He might face someone thrusting a phone at him asking strange questions in incomprehensible language. It was too horrible.
Samin, who cleverly noticed Doun’s inner thoughts, muttered as if remembering belatedly.
“Ah, right. That guy who was making noise with his phone earlier. I heard from the guild master who joined later that his phone was smashed.”
“…Huh? Really?”
“Yes. I recognized him from when he was fumbling around with his phone. What kind of hunter broadcast would a guy who can’t even prepare for shockwaves do?”
Every word he spat out was scathing.
“If that bastard bothers hyung, just say exactly what I tell you.”
“What should I say?”
Samin looked around unnecessarily, then slightly bent his upper body and whispered to Doun. Since Doun and Samin whispering wasn’t a one or two-day thing, guild members didn’t even glance over.
“What? Tell him to say that?”
Doun was shocked hearing what Samin told him to say.
“Yes. If anyone bothers you, try what I taught you. The effect is pretty good.”
“No, this doesn’t seem right…”
“Don’t you trust me? Just put strength in your eyes! Lower your voice and say one line!”
“No. No. This doesn’t seem right.”
No matter how much he thought about it, Doun shook his head thinking it was strange. When Doun showed distaste, interested guild members asked what was going on. When Samin roughly explained the situation, guild members also urged him to try it just once.
Until they reached near the entrance where they had cut down many trees, passing Buddy Guild members still in the midst of battle, Doun refused to practice while shaking his head.
‘That person might not even talk to me, so there’s no need to practice. I’m not confident I can do it well…’
It was when Doun was walking while avoiding the deeply dug ground here and there.
“Damn, I thought I’d die waiting. Hello, hyung-nim and noona-nims. You might not have heard of me, but I’m an internet broadcaster called Mulmiyeok. Could we talk for a moment? Since we met like this, it’s also fate.”
The man requesting a handshake in a very subservient posture had his gaze directed at Samin and Doun.
As an internet broadcaster with about 400 average viewers, he looked at Magnetic with an expectant face. Since he was a fool who lived for nearly 2 years without knowing he was being played by Timer, it seemed like he’d easily fall for it with a little coaxing.
Although Slope was a bit scary, since he was a guy who groveled to Magnetic, he thought the game would be over if Magnetic accepted.
Even now, while he was talking, weren’t all the Yeoun Guild members staring intently only at Magnetic? With expectant eyes. Slope even poked Doun with his finger and gestured with his chin.
“Especially Magnetic hyung-nim! If we could have a brief interview while drinking something outside the dungeon…”
It was when the man subtly moved one step closer to Magnetic with the belief that a jackpot would hit. The pretty-looking Magnetic glared with fierce eyes. The moment he hesitated because the look was quite menacing.
“Get lost while I’m asking nicely?”
Suddenly, Magnetic picked a fight with pronunciation as clear as reading from a textbook.
‘What?’
Mulmiyeok was bewildered.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
