Chapter 297
Chapter: 297
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>Translator: penny
>Chapter: 297
>Chapter Title: Code Zero (2)
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>‘Orc King’s Labyrinth’ was a three-pronged maze dungeon built on a massive square plot.
>It started at one corner of the square, with a huge boss room positioned at the opposite corner.
[As soon as we enter, the time challenge kicks off, so let’s save time and decide on a rough direction first before running.]
Dexter sketched a simple diagram on the ground with his staff. It was for the guest ID users who couldn’t access the minimap.
[I’ll give the overall directions. The maze dungeon doesn’t show paths on the minimap due to its nature, but we can still track our approximate position.]
[Group! Dexter is reliable!]
[Alright. Once we enter, everyone head right. Owen or Hatta-su Titi take the lead. Orc squad placements are random, but the first wave is over half close-range warriors, from what I hear. And…]
[Why not the center?]
Seongjin cut into his explanation with a question.
Heading to the boss room at the far corner? Wouldn’t cutting straight diagonally be the shortest path? Common sense, right?
[The center’s sneaky easy to get lost in. Lots of side paths and backtracking routes. Sticking to one edge cuts the risk of losing direction way down.]
[Hmm.]
[Plus, the central maze has this thing where one wrong alarm triggers a passage merging all three mazes. Could mean hundreds of mobs pouring in without a breather.]
Is that so? Fair enough.
Seongjin nodded nonchalantly.
[Then isn’t left the same? Why right specifically?]
Dexter answered Hatta-su Titi’s question clearly.
[Right has a higher chance of ranged squads. Tough to face them in a big group, so better to pick them off one by one when we can.]
[Aha!]
With the rough briefing done, they entered the dungeon one by one, tension buzzing just enough to feel good.
But as Seongjin stepped in last.
—Zzzt—
For a split second, faint noise flickered in his vision, then vanished.
‘……?’
Startled, Seongjin blinked, but thankfully his sight was fine.
‘What was that?’
Frowning at the creepy feeling, Owen turned back with a cheerful grin.
“What’s up, newbie? Suddenly tense? Anyway, you’re close-range team this time, so stick behind me or Titi. No running off solo. Dangerous. Got it?”
Seongjin shot him a sullen glare.
No, this sly fox still treating me like a total noob?
“Leave the real newbie Dexter alone, why you still babying me like the party’s maknae?”
“Hm? But that guy’s higher level than you now, right? Just job-changed yesterday and scored full-reinforced gear somewhere.”
“……”
Nothing to say to that.
Dexter. Said he wouldn’t, backed off, then a day later drops serious cash on gacha. Prime gaming shut-in sprout right there.
And soon, the three passages appeared.
The group bolted right as Dexter directed.
Or tried to.
If Seongjin hadn’t frozen mid-step in shock.
“…Newbie?”
“What’s wrong, Yi Seongjin?”
Everyone stopped and called to him, but Seongjin stared silently into the dark central passage.
—Zzt.
A faint pain stung his eye, and—
Flash! Something like a silver thread shimmered in the central passage, vanishing instantly.
‘That’s…….’
Not Seongjin’s first time.
When was it? Borrowing the Demon King’s demonic eye against the demon tree, didn’t it feel just like this?
[Center.]
[What?]
[Center! Let’s go!]
With an inexplicable certainty, Seongjin barked the order and bolted central.
Pat-pat-pat-pat-pat!
No time for the group to stop him. The little goat was already gone into the central passage’s gloom, leaving only petal-shaped footprints.
[Hey! Don’t charge ahead, newbie! Dangerous!]
Owen yelped and scrambled after him—
[Hurry! Or get left behind!]
Gurlup slithered after, wriggling along.
[Plan change! Let’s go, Dexter!]
Hatta-su Titi followed calmly, leaving flustered Dexter to stumble into the central maze too.
Hey, what the hell? What about our briefing?
Anyone gonna explain this mess?
* * *
The first squad they met was, as Dexter predicted, close-range orc warriors.
Fearsome musclebound monsters armed with sharp war clubs glared with glowing red eyes.
Grrrrowl……
Orc warriors had narrow detection ranges, but not enough to miss the approaching group.
But before they could form up.
—Puk!
A beginner’s sword flew from afar, piercing the lead orc’s forehead dead-on. Damage wasn’t huge, but enough for a vital hit!
—Kuaaaagh!
A massive scream, and half the orc’s HP vanished in a blink.
[Agh! Hold up! Give me time to prep follow-ups at least! Close-range needs magic follow-ups for synergy… Wait, you threw a sword? Is this close or ranged judgment?]
Dexter fumbled for a disposable magic scroll in panic—
Puff-puff.
Suddenly, ominous black smoke billowed around the goat.
[Have you summoned this kin! My soul’s masteriiiiing!]
—Fwoosh!
The dark smoke ballooned, filling the passage and enveloping the orcs.
Gurgle.
Gulk……
Total wipe. The orc warrior squad melted away pathetically, leaving just a few items.
[…….]
Dexter gaped in shock as Seongjin picked up the fallen beginner sword casually.
[Close-range judgment after all. They melted easier than low-level ice banshees, so they must be properly nerfed against magic.]
[No, you… Yi Seongjin! You’re insane!]
Dexter was about to vent when—
—Groooar—
A heavy rumble shook the entire dungeon. Signal of reconfiguration after a time limit—maze sections shifting.
—Rumble-rumble-grind!
The straight path ahead sprouted pillars, walls crumbled, splitting into two forks.
Flash!
A strange silver gleam flickered in the baby goat’s eyes, then faded.
[Right path this time.]
Seongjin turned simply.
[Hey, you right now……!]
[Time’s ticking. No dawdling—next spot. Hey! Leave the floor items! Better not touch ’em!]
[Gurlup? Really?]
The beauty ranger prodding a war club with her foot snapped straight and looked up.
[Anyway, hurry! Gurlup-bear-gurlup-bee. Feels like you start the next attack.]
The baby goat dashed off again after the rough order.
Pat-pat-pat-pat!
Fearless without even a minimap.
[…That guy even know what he’s doing?]
Dexter stared blankly—
[Then I’ll lead next! Warrior’s guts are burning!]
Wriggle-wriggle.
Gurlup followed Seongjin swiftly with her oddly slow-looking moves.
[You’re really stirring shit today, newbie.]
Owen sighed and trailed, asking.
[Anyway, Gurlup, what’re you trusting so blindly to follow newbie’s every word?]
[Yi Seongjin never gets names wrong! He’s wise! His judgment’s trustworthy!]
Utterly absurd reason.
[What’s that? You follow anyone who nails your name? Too blind!]
Gurlup kept pace, twisting her neck over 120 degrees back to eye Owen. Flexibility bordering on horror.
[If you doubt my judgment, say my name once, Owen?]
[Gurble…….]
[Exactly! That’s why I never trust yours!]
[What? Hey, you!]
Behind the bickering duo, shield-bearing Hatta-su Titi ran chill.
[Both, focus on combat please! Yi Seongjin named Gurlup lead, so follow-ups on us close-range warriors—Owen and me!]
[Oh, right!]
[Gurlup! Sorry!]
Dexter listening was floored.
Wait, isn’t Hatta-su Titi the blindest one there? How’s she buying baseless orders like gospel?
But amazingly, the next squad was truly orc longbow unit!
‘…For real?’
While Dexter reeled, hyped Gurlup aimed from lead, wriggling.
[Yes! Waited for this! Full power!]
Her skinny arm weakly drawing the string looked unreliable.
—Screeeee!
But released, the arrow screamed forward terrifyingly.
—Thuk!
Piercing two orc archers at once, pinning them to the maze wall.
[……!]
Veteran high-level ranger’s battle-honed skill. No need to calc HP loss.
Slink.
Orcs perished, dissolving into wisps of light.
—Kwaaagh!
—Kerrgh!
Survivors nocked arrows with red eyes, but the needed ‘condition’ was met.
[Breakthrough, Owen!]
[Leave it to me!]
The two warriors charging in deflected the arrow volley easily, sweeping the squad. Group kept speed, fully clearing the ranged unit.
‘At this rate, central maze’ll have barely any mobs left?’
Dexter trotted behind, thinking.
Confident in their power, but this was unfolding even more anticlimactically than expected.
[Hey, Titi. Don’t lean on walls.]
[Got it, Yi Seongjin.]
This time Seongjin hung back. Didn’t stop silent villains grabbing items either. Just watched them shine, tossing pointless nagging.
Around then, Dexter had a rational suspicion.
‘Wait, Yi Seongjin. Dodging alarms on purpose?’
This time challenge hinged on triggering alarms strategically to herd mobs. One accidental press could doom the party fast.
Problem: random trap alarms were near impossible to avoid fully.
They popped from floors, hid in walls, even lurked on mob-dropped items.
‘Memorized all known ones, but…….’
Dexter had braced for stepping on a couple.
That’s why he’d avoided central—short total length meant tons of side paths and traps.
Reason no party picked central, orthodox or challenge.
[Everyone, just follow me this time. Don’t step random spots. Left path.]
Pat-pat-pat-pat!
Seongjin dashed off after the crisp order, Dexter’s doubt hardening to certainty.
‘He really knows alarm spots? Yi Seongjin, what the hell are you?’