Chapter 294
Chapter: 294
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>Translator: penny
>Chapter: 294
>Chapter Title: Justitia (6)
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The raid on the Silent Villains' theme dungeons continued.
[The next one up is the C-Rank dungeon, 'Orc King's Labyrinth.' From here on out, the higher the rank, the more insane the difficulty jumps get. There are way more rules to follow, and the mob patterns keep getting more complex.]
And Dexter, while he was at it, suggested they just clear all the theme dungeons to the end.
[To get the job change items, we'll have to tackle an S-Rank theme dungeon anyway.]
Once you clear theme dungeons up to A-Rank without failing, you get a shot at S-Rank based on your time challenge scores.
These S-Ranks are notoriously tough, but they're famous for dropping rare items like crazy. That's why they're one of the hotspots right now for players desperate for job change gear.
[The top time challenge records are all pretty neck-and-neck. So we gotta go for it while we have the chance. If other parties push up the rankings, we'll have to start from scratch just to qualify again.]
It was a solid point.
The only issue was that most of our party members were Guest ID users.
[Like I said before, Dexter. Guest ID users always have to put safety first.]
On the first day they'd logged in, Owen had told Seong-jin this scary story to drive the point home.
-There was this Guest ID user who got hit by a desert dragon's flames and logged right out. Turns out, they were found burned to a crisp in their own world, according to the status window guy.
Dexter shook his head at Seong-jin's concern.
[You guys don't play with other users, and your stats don't show up right, so you probably don't get it. But objectively speaking, our party's power level is seriously impressive right now.]
Dexter said he'd stuck around playing solo even after Seong-jin and the Silent Villains logged off. Naturally, he'd had plenty of chances to compare them to other players.
It was the conclusion he'd reached after meticulously analyzing the raid records of top rankers posted on the community forums. With high-level weapon enhancements and a proper set of gear, the Silent Villains could jump straight into the ranker ranks.
[Still, anything with even a hint of risk is a no from me.]
Seong-jin was adamant, but the Silent Villains—already hooked on the thrill of solid clears—felt differently.
[Can't we at least hear him out before deciding?]
Red Fox Owen chimed in casually from the side.
Seong-jin shot a glare at the immature fox, but Deer and Octopus snuck glances at him before quietly backing Owen up.
[He's suggesting it because the odds are so high, right? If there's risk, there must be proper countermeasures too.]
[Dexter, you're so smart! I call your name super long this time!]
[Of course! I've got all the major theme dungeon strategies memorized! Even if it's just theory without practice!]
These guys had some nerve!
Seong-jin scowled in frustration—
[Just hear him out, okay? Newbie.]
[We'll follow the leader's decision, of course. So could you at least review it?]
[Seong-jin, pretty please!]
It was hard to completely ignore the pleading stares from those cute animal eyes sparkling with hope.
[…Fine. We'll just listen.]
And so the group heard Dexter lay out his strategy in detail.
[The C-Rank 'Orc King's Labyrinth' has this unique backstory. Goddess Justitia gave a prophecy to the orc king about a hero who would one day appear. So the king started building this massive labyrinth to stop the hero...]
Surprisingly, even the initially skeptical Seong-jin found himself listening intently to Dexter before long.
'This guy's pretty good...'
When a genius engineer got serious about the game, it was no joke. He wasn't just regurgitating guides—he'd properly analyzed the Silent Villains' abilities and crafted strategies that accounted for multiple variables.
There were even flashes of that sharp insight only someone involved in homunculus engine development could have.
'If I'd met Dexter back on Earth, I'd have recruited him for the strategy team on the spot.'
If even picky Seong-jin thought that, imagine the ragtag Silent Villains. Any lingering scraps of anxiety in their heads had long since evaporated!
[If we follow his plan, we can quickly gain the upper hand in the political strife with the Barum trees!]
[Groop! Fellow sufferers under the Demon King! Liberation is near!]
Even Owen spoke up brightly.
[This'll shorten the main stream the status window guy's pushing! Then getting back to the imperial capital won't just be a pipe dream!]
[…]
Seong-jin's rigid stance softened a bit thanks to that.
Was that so? Maybe taking a calculated risk for faster progress was the quickest way to get this runaway teen back home.
[Haha, leave all strategy to me from now on!]
Dexter patted his belly confidently and handed out the enhanced weapons he'd prepped for all the Silent Villains.
[I tinkered with these during the days you guys were offline. You should feel a real power boost now.]
[Dexter...]
They all gazed at him with moved eyes.
[You're such a good guy!]
[Dexter! How can we ever repay you?]
[So moving! The warrior's guts weep hot tears...!]
The Silent Villains made a huge fuss for a while, then rushed off to the fields to test their weapons.
"Heh, worth dedicating the day to the game."
Dexter said in a satisfied tone.
He'd been playing solo during the day too, and he'd already hit his first job change. He was decked out in a proper mage robe and an enhanced staff.
"You hated it at first, but you're way more into the game than I thought."
"Why wouldn't I be? When everyone needs my skills, I feel the ultimate sense of accomplishment and joy. Like I truly belong."
The mole replied, then gazed wistfully at the door where the Silent Villains had vanished.
"Yeah. That's when you really feel like life in this world is worth it, right?"
"..."
"...Wait, that's weird. Why do I keep spilling this pointless stuff to you lately?"
Seong-jin watched the shy little mole fiddling with his goggles.
"Dexter."
"Yeah?"
"You ever gonna head back to Earth for good? Or wanna swing by Delcross sometime when you've got time?"
Hey, I'm the son of someone pretty high up in Delcross. I'd treat you right.
The mole's eyes went wide, like he'd heard something unexpected, and stared at Seong-jin.
"I wouldn't mind sightseeing. But the old man strictly forbade it. Said if I, who inherited Ionia's tech, set foot in Delcross, it could seriously mess with dimensional causality or something?"
"Oh yeah?"
Seong-jin thought for a moment and shook his head.
"I've got a good feeling it'd be fine. Don't worry."
"But the old man..."
"Nah, it'll be okay."
That dragon geezer? My dad would handle him no problem.
The guy who'd swiped a species key from the old man himself in just a few hours—that was my old man!
"Well, if you say so."
Dexter replied reluctantly, then asked Seong-jin.
"Anyway, why don't you job change too? You've leveled up, right? You've cleared the first hurdle for summoner. Might as well go for it. Better to have all job types covered in the party."
Hm. As a Guest ID user with heavy restrictions on job choices, this was a rare opportunity.
But Seong-jin just didn't feel like it.
"Or go warrior if it fits your talents better. You handled that sword pretty well yesterday."
"Eh. Do I really have to job change?"
Dexter gave him a look like he'd lost his mind.
"Why not? Job changes unlock real special skills! The damage difference is huge. What's the point of skipping it?"
"Well, yeah, but..."
As Seong-jin pondered, the Silent Villains came racing back, totally hyped.
[This is insane!]
[Preparations are perfect! Let's hit the Orc King's Labyrinth!]
[We killed them all!]
Ah, yeah.
How was he supposed to rein in these hyper idiots? Seong-jin sighed and got ready for the dungeon.
〚Object - Skin 'Gather, Friends'〛
>〚On/*Off*〛
But right then—
Static!
Noise flooded his vision, and a strange sigh echoed from somewhere.
[Ahh, □□□ □□. So it comes to this. You were never supposed to come here from the start!]
It wasn't the telepathy of anyone Seong-jin had heard before—completely unfamiliar.
'...?'
But he didn't have time to wonder.
Kikikikikiki.
A creepy whisper-like laugh tickled his ear, and suddenly his vision went black as darkness swallowed everything.
* * *
'What the hell is this?'
Seong-jin stood alone in pitch blackness.
The Silent Villains who'd been right beside him moments ago were gone, and he couldn't see even an inch ahead in the total dark.
'Am I definitely awake?'
He could feel his body fine. Raising his hand, he saw ten faintly glowing fingers.
Not the goat's tiny hooves, but his own proper hands, callused like a swordsman's.
'...Not a goat?'
Chiiik.
Rough noise crackled across his vision again. He'd thought the graphics issues were fixed after applying the 'Gather, Friends' skin, but apparently not.
'...!'
When his sight cleared, Seong-jin was face-to-face with a woman he'd never seen before.
A tall woman holding a golden spear in one hand, red cloth blindfolding her eyes. Her thin dress draped down to her toes, fluttering like wings.
'...Justitia?'
She looked just like the illustration Dexter had shown him from the site.
Above all, that intense presence glowing alone in the dark was no ordinary human's. This woman was truly the goddess of Pangea Chronicles.
[Be careful.]
A low, somber telepathy sank into his mind.
[You have already disrupted this world's order many times, □□□ □□.]
What was she saying?
[It is too dangerous now. Do not invite more chaos and provoke it further.]
...It?
That's when Seong-jin realized she wasn't looking at him.
Her eyes were fully covered, yet he could clearly sense the direction of her gaze.
'Behind me?'
A chill raced down his spine.
And then an unprecedentedly vivid presence hit him.
Long black hair like seaweed brushing his ear, pale arms wrapping around his shoulder and neck.
'This...!'
At some point, something had clung to his back like a spider, sticky and tight.
Kkadududuk.
It was even gnawing away at his back.
No intense pain, but Seong-jin could feel something—blood or life force—draining slowly from the wound.
Was that why he'd been so exhausted lately?!
'What is this thing?!'
Seong-jin whipped around in panic, flailing his arm, but the leech-like thing wouldn't detach.
Kigukgiguk.
A gross laugh bubbled up with thick blood.
'Why haven't I noticed this thing until now?'
At least he knew now why his vision had been faulty.
Gigigigik.
It was clawing over his eyes with its nails. Warm blood trickled from his torn eyelids too.
[!...]
Seong-jin grimaced and grabbed its hand.
'Get off me, you creepy bastard!'
Right then, the goddess before him warned.
[You cannot shake it off. □□□ □□.]
Ttududuk.
As she spoke, red blood flowed from the goddess's eyes too.
In that instant, Seong-jin realized: the red cloth over her eyes wasn't originally red...
[Justitia has already melted into this place's atmosphere. It is beyond saving now.]
...Justitia?
Seong-jin turned at the words—
And another goddess, eye sockets gaping empty, grinned wide with a blood-smeared mouth, delighted he'd finally noticed her.
Kyakyakyakyakya!