Chapter 11. The Mace (1)

For a while, the D-rank field echoed only with the dull thud of impacts and Jeonghyeon's grunts.

After half a day of smashing nothing but rocks and goblin skulls, even the occasional passing hunters glanced at him curiously, wondering what was up—he was that absorbed.

"Whew... This should be good enough, right...?"

"Whoa... You're quick."

Only after pulverizing the rocks into sand-like powder did Jeonghyeon finally feel the mace settling into his hands.

Around 80% proficiency meant it was usable, if not quite on the level of a sword.

Of course, the attribute liberation gauge was a measly 11%. It was as if the Demon King was saying he'd only grant a pittance for grinding low-level trash like goblins.

"Hmph."

'Fucking Demon King bastard.'

"As expected of Jeonghyeon! You're awesome!"

Blissfully unaware of Jeonghyeon's dark thoughts, Philip kept showering him with praise. Jeonghyeon brushed it off lightly and struck a practice stance.

Then, a low growl rumbled between the two.

"Grrr...!"

"Ghoul...!"

Jeonghyeon's intense training vibrations had drawn a starving ghoul right to him.

"Nice. No need to hunt down the results of my practice—they came to me."

"With your current skills, Sir Jeonghyeon, you could smash it flat and still have energy left."

"Damn right!"

As Philip fawned, Jeonghyeon dragged the mace's tip leisurely across the ground, waiting for the ghoul to strike first. The beast, failing to spot an opening, charged with a roar.

"Graaah!"

The starving ghoul leaped like a house-sized projectile, jaws gaping greedily, massive forepaw leading.

"You're showing your weak spot too obviously, kitty cat."

Jeonghyeon nailed the neck perfectly and spun his body with full force.

The mace whipped around in a blazing arc toward the ghoul's throat.

Crunch-crack!!

It didn't pierce skin or sever the neck, but the blow landed true.

"Grk...!"

The ghoul took a direct hit under the throat. Its neck vertebrae, jawbone, collarbone, and surrounding muscles didn't just shatter—they exploded outward.

"Oh...!"

Jeonghyeon's eyes sparkled with childlike glee as the ghoul's severed head hung in the air.

The porter trait capping mace proficiency at under 100% was annoying... but a real fight—learning a new weapon technique after so long?

For over a decade, Jeonghyeon had wielded only swords. He'd delved into nothing else, researching ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠relentlessly until he became the pinnacle. Yet even at the moment of his death to the Demon King, combat had never felt joyful.

"Haha...!"

But now? Learning something new and crushing foes with it—it felt exhilarating all over again, thrumming through his veins.

The lingering vibration in the mace wasn't just a buzz; it was electric.

"This is the feeling! God, the hand feedback on this thing is killer!"

"Y-Yeah!"

Philip's reply lagged, his face hinting at concern over Jeonghyeon's slightly unhinged grin, but Jeonghyeon didn't notice.

"Alright! Straight to the dungeon now!"

"Y-Yes, sir!"

Unlike before, Philip followed with an awkward smile and a sheepish expression.

Luckily, the dungeon wasn't far.

In the middle of the rocky desert stood a sinister pile of ghoul bones that screamed "do not enter."

Mana seeped out ominously—even an F-rank hunter who'd never seen one would instantly recognize it ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠as a dungeon.

"Let's go in."

"You sure you're okay? You've burned a lot of energy training..."

"This? Feels like I finished early."

"Ah..."

What kind of life had this man lived? Philip felt a mix of budding trust in ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠that bottomless confidence and a twinge of bitterness.

"After you, then."

Philip and Jeonghyeon entered the dungeon.

The entrance mimicked a dark cave, but inside unfolded an entirely new space.

A blood-red sky loomed, with a dubious sun blazing like high noon.

Oppressive heat beaded sweat on their foreheads instantly; a vast rocky desert stretched ahead, akin to the D-rank field but longer.

"So this is... a dungeon. The core of a field, teeming with variants and mutants."

"You know your stuff."

For someone of this era, Philip was well-informed.

"Heh, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I studied up a bit."

Philip scratched his head bashfully; Jeonghyeon chuckled and pressed deeper.

The heart of the field... but dungeons play a crucial role.

Crack...

A mana stone fragment crunched under Jeonghyeon's boot.

His face hardened as he crouched, scooping up the shards.

"What's up?"

Philip asked curiously, but Jeonghyeon stayed silent.

Confirmed. Unless you fully destroy the dungeon, erosion takes over.

Dungeons channel massive mana flows from Afraksas. Slaying the boss and shattering the mana conduit cuts the supply.

Otherwise... Afraksas erodes the entire continent.

That was the "Great Transference Incident" ten years from now—also called the "Afraksas Mega-Erosion."

Jeonghyeon had to stop it.

"We need to clear dungeons. More than anyone."

"Why? Rewards suck... and it's dangerous."

"Exactly. That's why we have to."

Jeonghyeon gave a wry smile and led the way.

Hunters shunned dungeons—overflowing with variants, meager rewards—favoring safe raids. That neglect nearly doomed humanity.

Once transference hit from Afraksas erosion, the human dimension would vanish, overwritten by the Demon King's realm. His minions would plunder wildly, accelerating the collapse.

Hunters chased pleasure, fame, and riches beyond, ignoring Earth-side dungeons. The dimension teetered on the brink, forcing Jeonghyeon's last hero squad—himself included—into a desperate, unprepared strike on the Demon King.

If they'd just steadily cleared these dungeons...

The dungeon felt eerily empty and endless.

"When do you think monsters show up?"

"Who knows. Not every dungeon's crawling with them."

Philip asked timidly.

"You're a porter, but you know dungeons inside out. Mind sharing how?"

But no answer came—not yet.

"Later. First, these guys."

Massive monsters emerged slowly before them.

Leading was a 3-meter behemoth with four arms—one extra pair on its side.

Not a cyclops. Orcs, maybe.

At least ten by rough count; just two humans.

"Humans...! Humans!"

"They talk...? No way...!"

Jeonghyeon infused mana into his eyes.

His right eye—Demon King's power—glowed red, revealing the monsters' info.

"Oh ho..."

His elevated goblin comprehension yielded valuable intel.

"Careful. D-rank, like you."

"Y-Yes, sir!"

"You focus on defense—block incoming. I'll lead."

"Got it."

Jeonghyeon gripped the mace tighter and switched to an aggressive style Philip hadn't taught.

Dungeons were monster home bases. Invading meant offense—no turtling, or the mana erosion would kill you anyway.

"A goblin's still a goblin!"

Jeonghyeon leaped, swinging wide.

"Where you goin', human scum?!"

The goblin met him with swords in all four hands.

"Idiot!"

As hoped, Jeonghyeon grinned at the flow and smashed a sword-wielding hand.

Splat-crunch! One hand burst open.

"Next!"

Spinning for centrifugal force, he whipped the mace; the goblin reflexively raised arms.

"That'll cost you an arm, dummy?"

BOOM!!!

Vibrations rocked as the goblin's upper body caved—arm, shoulder, torso all crushed. It spewed blood, tumbling.

Whoosh—whoosh!

Jeonghyeon spun the mace to shake off gore.

Blood-smeared smile, stained face, glowing red right eye—he looked just like the Demon King.

To the goblins, he might as well have been.

"Next!"

The demon-like Jeonghyeon lunged at the next variant.

It stacked all four arms defensively, trusting its hide—or maybe goblins just learned slow.

Splat. One goblin turned to mush, thudding down.

"Mace is great. Solid weapon."

Jeonghyeon grinned bloodily at the hesitating goblins aiming weapons.

"Right, goblins?"

His eyes flashed red.