Chapter 189
Chapter 189
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 189
Chapter Title: New Exploration (5)
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“But how did your team let you go off alone like that?”
Suhyun asked, looking puzzled. She wasn’t just any team leader. She was the daughter of the Blue Bear Company president, and judging by his reaction when she went missing, it was surprising that her team members had allowed this.
Someone like Scott should’ve stopped her right away.
Jennifer stared at Suhyun as if he’d said something ridiculous.
“They didn’t make a peep once I said I was going with you.”
“…….”
While the two were talking, Samuel was carefully scouting the path ahead. Suhyun grabbed Shaina’s shoulder and pulled her back.
“?!”
“Duck your head. Don’t hit that.”
Wondering what was going on since Suhyun had yanked her so suddenly, Shaina looked at him with a flustered expression. What was right in front of her was just… a tree branch.
“You meant for me to dodge that? Well, thanks, but… was there really any reason to?”
Suhyun lifted a stone with telekinesis and hurled it at the branch. The moment the stone touched the branch, it whipped around like a lash, wrapping around the stone and yanking it inward with force.
“!!!”
It was laughably weak compared to a monster, but more than enough to snap the neck of someone caught off guard. Shaina stared at the tree in shock. Plants like that were extremely rare even on Cameron Planet.
“The best thing here is to not touch anything. Anyway, Samuel, given those guys live underground, aren’t Earth Dragons a huge threat to them? Smashing through tunnels would be nothing for one.”
“That’s why they hunt Earth Dragons systematically. I saw they even have dedicated Earth Dragon hunting teams. I was ordered not to let any Earth Dragons into the ground around here.”
“Is that a rabbit?”
“Best not to touch anything, I said?”
“Not even that one?”
“Yeah, that rabbit’s one you don’t want to mess with either.”
No one would think a rabbit gazing up with innocent black eyes was dangerous. But that rabbit had inflicted casualties on fresh mercenaries who’d just arrived here—enough to earn it a nickname.
Suhyun lifted another stone and tossed it at the rabbit. When the rabbit dodged, he maneuvered the stone to circle around it. In that instant, the rabbit leaped with explosive power, baring hidden fangs in a ferocious snarl—the complete opposite of its prior innocent demeanor.
Crunch!
The rabbit’s bite on the stone. Given its explosive leap, it could easily tear into a standing person’s throat or face.
“See? This place is seriously weird. Best to suspect everything just sitting there.”
“Found the path!”
“So we go in?”
“No. We wait.”
“?”
“They come out for patrols pretty often. A few days at most. We wait, meet them, and explain ourselves.”
“Why wait? Don’t they know the way?”
“No, they know the way. But from here on, we’d have to leave the Earth Dragon behind. Then we’d have nothing protecting us, right?”
“Ah, that’s why.”
Suhyun patted Samuel’s back.
“Lead on.”
“What?! I just explained why!”
“Yeah, I heard you. That’s why—lead on.”
* * *
Most people hated walking through underground tunnels. It wasn’t because they were hard to navigate. With tech advancements auto-generating maps, they weren’t much of a maze anymore.
People hated underground tunnels because they were dangerous. Fighting monsters that popped up inside was tough enough, and one strong superpower mishap could collapse the passage and bury you alive.
“So, where’re you planning to head first?”
“What do you mean?”
When Jennifer looked puzzled, Suhyun explained.
“This place has Dark Elves and Dwarves living together. Not side-by-side, though—they use separate areas. The Dark Elf territory and Dwarf territory are completely divided.”
Samuel stared at Suhyun in astonishment. What was this guy’s deal? How did he know so much?
“We’ll go to the Dwarves first. They’re more likely to be friendly.”
Hearing that, Shaina pouted. But even she couldn’t deny the Dark Elves wouldn’t be welcoming.
After passing long tunnels and a path lined with strangely shaped statues, they entered passages that felt increasingly artificial. They were massive. For a moment, Suhyun thought of underground ruins—the ones in the Dragonia Basin he’d explored with the Eclipse team.
‘No idea why that came to mind.’
“Why Dark Elves again… Wait, not Dark Elves? Humans?”
From the distance, short warriors came yawning and charging out, then flinched upon realizing these weren’t their usual visitors.
“What’re humans doing here!”
“Um…….”
“Oh, it’s Samuel.”
“Who’s Samuel again?”
“You know, that guy who calls himself king of the humans.”
“King of the humans? I heard their ‘kingdom’ out there is barely a village. And from what I heard, the real human king is beyond the Dimensional Gate over there.”
“Why’re you so rude? We owe him one, so let him say whatever. It’s not hurting anyone just calling himself king.”
The Dwarves seemed to be talking among themselves, but Samuel’s face grew redder by the second as he listened. If he had an Earth Dragon, he’d have it dig straight in.
“Samuel. Friends of yours?”
“Y-Yes…….”
“Then it should be fine. This many people.”
The Dwarves were surprisingly bold. They didn’t seem to shun humans or anything. They didn’t even bat an eye at Shaina being a Dark Elf.
“Come on in… Huh?”
The Dwarves’ expressions changed abruptly. They pointed at the statues lined up behind and whispered.
“What’s… wrong with that? Since when?”
“Since those humans showed up, I think?”
“Call someone! Call everyone! Battle stations!!!”
“?!?!”
Samuel gaped, unable to comprehend the Dwarves’ sudden hostility. But Suhyun stayed calm.
“Something’s gone wrong.”
He could’ve subdued them and pushed in, but he was in handcuffs here. Suhyun tried to pull Jennifer and Shaina back and retreat.
The Dwarves didn’t pursue. They just stared at Suhyun with fear in their eyes.
* * *
“You didn’t think you were the only one they liked, did you?”
Jennifer’s casual remark stabbed deep into Samuel’s gut. He flinched and said,
“Th-they’re not usually like that… Let’s go to the Dark Elves! They won’t act like this.”
Suhyun figured he needed to know why first, but didn’t stop Samuel. Pondering here wouldn’t change anything.
The Dark Elves’ territory was similar to the Dwarves’ yet distinctly different. The Dwarves’ area favored straight lines and rugged functionalism, while the Dark Elves’ curved lines pursued artistic beauty. Even Shaina, a Dark Elf herself, marveled at it. These underground tribes had built something truly splendid.
And something similar happened in the Dark Elves’ territory.
“Humans? And a Dark Elf to boot.”
“Some backwater Dark Elf. Heh heh.”
Suhyun held Shaina’s hand as she trembled with rage at hearing that.
“With Samuel as a friend and this group size, they should just let us in…… Huh?”
“Guards! Call the guards!”
“Damn it.”
* * *
Back at the midpoint, Suhyun sat on a rock. He needed to think this through. Why were these other races acting like this?
It didn’t seem to be about Samuel. If so, it would’ve happened much earlier.
A sound caught his ear.
“?”
Looking over, he saw heads peeking from a distant tunnel. Dwarves spying on him. When their eyes met Suhyun’s, they yelped and hid.
Opportunity. Suhyun shouted at them.
“Hey! Did we do something wrong? We’re not trying to go in, so just tell us what we did! We got chased out without knowing why!”
“A-aren’t you a dragon?”
“????”
Jennifer, Shaina, and Samuel’s gazes locked on Suhyun. Samuel nodded as if he’d known all along.
“No wonder he’s so damn strong…….”
Thwack!
Jennifer and Shaina yelled in disbelief.
“Suhyun’s not a dragon! If he were, why’d we have suffered so much in the Dragonia Basin!”
“Really not a dragon?”
“Hey, Dwarf. I won’t attack, so come out and see. How does this look like a dragon anywhere? Plus, if I were, why bother here? I could just take what I want.”
Even the Dwarf had to admit that made sense. They crept out cautiously and peered at Suhyun.
“Can we… pat you down?”
“…Go ahead.”
“Transform or…….”
“Breathe fire or…….”
“Keep yapping, and I might just eat you.”
“See? He is a dragon!”
“Idiot. It was a joke!”
After about an hour of commotion, the Dwarves half-dropped their suspicions. That Suhyun was a dragon.
“Ugh… we’re not in trouble, right?”
“His Highness said to bring them.”
“He does love weird stuff…….”
“That really wasn’t a dragon? The statues reacted.”
“Hmm, can’t be sure, but probably not. Dragons aren’t that nice.”
* * *
Among other races’ cities, this one was exceptional. Historians, artists, merchants—they’d weep and beg to enter.
Sorry to Haiken’s orcs, but this place’s urban sophistication was leagues ahead.
But the group had no time to sightsee; they headed straight to the central building. The Dwarf king wanted to see them.
“Do we kneel and bow when we go in or something?”
The Dwarves tilted their heads at Suhyun’s question.
“What’s that?”
“No old customs like that?”
“We don’t do that stuff.”
The translator had rendered their leader’s title as “king,” but it wasn’t literal.
Pushing open the door, the interior felt less like a palace hall and more like a mayor’s office. A Dwarf with an even finer beard than Samuel’s rose abruptly upon seeing them.
“You’re here! So these are the ones…… who made the statues react?”
“Yes!”
“Yeah!”
“You sure you didn’t just drink too much ale?”
“…We did drink a lot the night before, but we definitely didn’t imagine it!”
“That’s right!”
“Dragons can polymorphed into humans, sure…… but why bother coming here like that? Polymorphing into a Dwarf would be easier.”
“Well…….”
“I’ve never understood those statues anyway. They’re supposed to warn of dragons, but what good’s that? A dragon reaching the front door means we’re all dead.”
“B-but underground, even dragons can’t act recklessly, right?”
“Who knows. Ah, I’ve talked your ears off with guests here. Samuel. Doing well? Your people too?”
“Uh…….”
“Samuel here decided to abdicate his crown himself. Said there’s someone better out there.”
‘When did I say that?!’
The Dwarf who heard that exclaimed in admiration.
“Stepping down voluntarily! Brilliant idea!”
“Lord Murno, sorry, but that won’t work here.”
“I haven’t said anything yet. You lot, out.”
The Dwarf eyed Suhyun, Jennifer, and Shaina wisely.
“Samuel’s no schemer, so I let him stay. We owed him, and he’s harmless.”
Samuel bristled to stand, but Suhyun held him back.
“But other humans are different. Why’re you here?”
“We came to get friendly.”
“Figured as much…… Sorry, no can do.”
The Dwarf answered flatly. He didn’t seem like he’d budge.