Dungeon & Commander (261)
Kwon Joo-chan furrowed his brow and scanned the surroundings. Nothing had changed. His team members, focused on the items inside the chest, seemed completely oblivious to the earthquake.
Park Jeong-hyo looked up at the team leader. He'd given him the chance to open the lid and check the dungeon item.
Kwon Joo-chan shook his head with a smile.
Park Jeong-hyo's eyes sparkled as he slowly lifted the lid.
The inside was empty.
At that moment, the ground collapsed.
The entire floor within a radius of about 20 meters gave way and sank below.
Boom!
Their usual training kicked in instantly. No one panicked; they simply regained their balance and swiftly formed a diamond formation.
The buffer launched a few light orbs in all directions.
As the light pushed back the darkness, the outline of a vast space came into view.
Kwon Joo-chan was speechless.
This was a space never mentioned in the reconnaissance reports from the Association's scouts. To think there was such a massive area beneath the Second Zone.
Ahead, he sensed an enormous clump of mana. It was several times more intense than expected. If he sprinkled identity powder on it, it would likely turn blue—maybe even purple. The odds were high it was a top-grade item.
The mana clump moved.
Kwon Joo-chan realized what that meant right away.
"Mars, defense formation!"
The tankers immediately took position and erected barriers. As three layers of shields enveloped Mars, the dealers began channeling spells for attack timing, while the buffers kept watch on the front.
Moments later, something resembling a massive eyeball approached. It was hopping along bouncily.
"Captain, it's kinda cute, huh?"
It was Song Deok-hwan.
The other team members had similar reactions. Only the main buffer, Choi Su-ji, looked confused as she glanced at Kwon Joo-chan.
"Snap out of it, everyone! That's... a Moderasaurus!"
Kwon Joo-chan infused his voice with the mana he'd gathered.
The Moderasaurus was an extremely rare monster, as dangerous as a Nuclasaurus. In some ways, it was even more lethal than the Nuclasaurus, which killed raiders with nuclear explosions and radiation.
Kwon Joo-chan looked up and activated his Icarus Machine. As the wings extended, the machine greedily absorbed mana.
"Formation escape."
At the command, the tanker grabbed the team leader's hand, the dealer clutched the tanker's arm, and the buffer gripped the dealer's hand.
The Icarus wings spread wide.
Kwon Joo-chan kicked off the ground and soared upward. Thanks to countless simulator drills for escape maneuvers, his team maintained stable postures as they shot into the air.
That's when the second dealer, Gu Yeon-jae, let go of his hand.
The second buffer, Jang Hee-yeon, who had been holding onto Gu Yeon-jae, plummeted to the ground with him.
"Captain!"
Second tanker Song Deok-hwan shouted.
Kwon Joo-chan alternated glances between above and below. To safely protect the team members ascending into the air, he needed to go up. But thinking of the fallen ones, he had to descend immediately.
I can't abandon them.
He reduced the mana flow into the Icarus.
From below, spike-like thorns shot up. One pierced the side of Choi Su-ji, the main buffer holding Song Deok-hwan's arm.
Choi Su-ji, unable to endure the pain, began to fall.
She barely landed on the ground and tilted her head at Gu Yeon-jae's face, which was rapidly approaching. It wasn't the expression she knew from him.
Thud.
A massive thorn emerging from Gu Yeon-jae's palm plunged deep into Choi Su-ji's chest, the blood-soaked tip bursting out through her back.
"...Wh-what... why?"
Choi Su-ji died without hearing the answer. In her final moments, she only saw Gu Yeon-jae unleashing attack magic at the fleeing Jang Hee-yeon.
Kwon Joo-chan hurled the Icarus wings.
Spinning wildly, the blade at the wingtips sliced through Gu Yeon-jae's ankle and returned.
Gu Yeon-jae collapsed forward, drooling and screaming incoherently.
He was possessed.
The Moderasaurus... was a monster with mind-control abilities. It burrowed deep into the psyche, sowing discord or amplifying hidden desires to incite conflict.
Gu Yeon-jae had been the first to fall under its influence, costing Choi Su-ji her life.
Kwon Joo-chan punched Gu Yeon-jae in the gut to knock him out. He planned to drag him out.
Gu Yeon-jae was selfish, sure, but not someone who deserved to die in this relic. When he came to, he'd torment himself with guilt—probably for life.
Song Deok-hwan hoisted the dead Choi Su-ji onto his back.
Kwon Joo-chan glared at the Moderasaurus lurking beyond the darkness. Getting closer would heighten the risk of mental takeover.
If he had Association President Sa Gyeong-baek's 'Mind Helmet' right now, he'd charge in alone.
It was a real shame.
Third tanker An Myeong-gyu suddenly convulsed.
"Get... out! Get out of my head right now!"
Song Deok-hwan struck An Myeong-gyu's jaw, chest, and gut in rapid succession. As An Myeong-gyu went limp, main dealer Park Jeong-hyo supported him.
They needed to escape this place fast.
Any more delay, and the entire Mars team would... turn on each other and end up as bones here.
Kwon Joo-chan led his team upward into the air.
The monsters began charging.
Dozens of zombies far stronger than those in the First Zone rushed ferociously, but Jeong Myeong-ho swept them away with Water Creation, conjuring an actual wave.
Kang Hyeon-woo fired arrows at the zombies jammed at a corridor bend, cleanly finishing them off.
A monster resembling a Komodo dragon appeared. It wasn't mentioned in the scout reports.
Jeong Myeong-ho didn't flinch in the slightest, methodically shattering its legs before smashing its head.
A giant spider nearly two meters tall at the torso emerged.
Despite the mana vortices and increasingly frequent monster spawns, Lincoln Team pressed on without faltering... but their pace was gradually slowing.
Everyone except Kim Jun was growing exhausted.
With the main dealer gone and Kim Jun—who'd replaced him—just standing idle, the others had to exert themselves even more.
Injuries accumulated one by one, and blood loss mounted.
"Over there."
Kim Jun pointed at a recessed section of the wall.
Jeong Myeong-ho, leaving monster cleanup to the second tanker and second dealer, approached the wall.
It was right next to a lightning vortex, so even the captain had to tread carefully. Getting caught in a sudden bolt wouldn't kill him, but an injury hindering movement could halt the search.
Greed burning in his eyes, Jeong Myeong-ho began chipping at the wall with his dagger. Soon, a ring embedded 30 centimeters deep revealed itself.
He pulled a pouch from his belt and sprinkled green powder on the ring.
The powder on the ring... turned yellow.
Jeong Myeong-ho's disappointment was obvious.
The powder was identity powder; its color changed based on the item's value.
Items not worth taking out of the dungeon were usually black or white.
Red shades meant useful to low-grade raiders but worthless to mid-level or higher.
What Jeong Myeong-ho sought now were items that turned at least green with identity powder. Blue or purple, and he'd end the raid immediately to exit the relic.
Jeong Myeong-ho tossed the ring to second buffer Na Ji-won.
Even Na Ji-won didn't seem thrilled; her reaction was far from joyful. Considering the life-risking plunge into this death trap relic, her response was understandable.
Kim Jun spotted another intense mana clump worthy of a dungeon item but pretended not to notice, just as before.
Instead, he pointed out ordinary items scattered around as he sensed them.
This visibly wore Jeong Myeong-ho down and frayed his temper.
Lincoln Team paid the price. Na Ji-won got slapped for being too slow, and Kang Hyeon-woo nearly had his bow shattered after missing one monster.
Finally, the captain called for a break.
The two buffers sprinkled powder to block monster approaches and set up a magic circle to dampen the vortex's influence, creating a spot where they could drink water and rest.
"Damn it, where the hell is it?"
The stone Jeong Myeong-ho hurled embedded itself in the wall with a thud.
He glared at Kim Jun but held back from lashing out—after all, items had been found where Kim Jun pointed.
Kim Jun surveyed the surroundings.
Untouched by combat, he could memorize the Second Zone's layout, vortex positions, and specific monster spawn points.
He could break away from Lincoln Team right now if he wanted.
He even had a mental map of the fastest route back to the relic entrance.
Jeong Myeong-ho stood.
"Break's over. Move out."
The team members rose with bowed heads. Kim Jun could guess their thoughts.
There are no dungeon items in this relic.
Not every relic has them, Captain.
Should we aim for the next one?
Of course, none dared voice it.
Speak up, and they might end up pulverized like zombie heads in an enraged Jeong Myeong-ho's Water Creation.
Kim Jun diligently pointed out item locations, and Lincoln Team dutifully collected them.
Sometimes traps guarded hidden items, injuring unwary raiders. Main buffer Yoo Sang-sik limped after getting pricked by thorny vines.
Deeper in, hidden items increased, and their value rose slightly.
Still, true dungeon items... they'd encountered just two so far.
Kim Jun frequently checked behind them.
Why aren't they here yet?
They should have arrived by now.
"Rear, 12 meters, Mars Team!"
The main buffer announced.
Like the others, Kim Jun turned to watch Mars Team piercing the darkness.
Team leader Kwon Joo-chan had a torn cheek patched with ointment and a bandage—a wound from battling a tough foe.
Upon closer look, they were short members. No buffers. Neither main nor second.
"What happened?"
Jeong Myeong-ho asked.
"We had some trouble. More importantly, found any items?"
"Just a few trinkets. Looks like we need to push deeper."
"Won't help."
The captain's eyes gleamed at that.
"What do you mean?"
"That guy's angle is a fake."
Kwon Joo-chan pointed straight at Kim Jun.
"Why think that?"
"Dungeon item spotted. Right where he passed by."
"R-really? What'd you find?"
"Unfortunately, we failed to secure it. A fearsome guardian was protecting it. Lost Mars's buffers in the process."
Kim Jun now understood Mars's delay and missing buffers. Kwon Joo-chan had gone after the dungeon item Kim Jun had deliberately ignored... and clashed with a powerful monster.
Unlike Kim Jun, Jeong Myeong-ho tilted his head and crossed his arms—a gesture of distrust.
"So?"
"Hand over Kim Jun as agreed."
Kwon Joo-chan spoke confidently, right in front of the man himself.
By now, Lincoln Team had surrounded Kim Jun. They knew of Jeong Myeong-ho and Kwon Joo-chan's secret deal.
A single Cheonroebyeok plus Ponoestrike would let him escape easily, but Kim Jun decided to observe a bit longer.
"After finding the dungeon item, you said."
Jeong Myeong-ho's tone sharpened.
"Didn't you hear? I said Kim Jun's angle is useless."
"How do I trust that? You think I'll hand over a valuable asset based on your word alone? That's awfully naive, don't you think?"
Jeong Myeong-ho was needling Kwon Joo-chan, already irritated from the fruitless item hunt. The brazen demand only fueled his anger.
"I won't stop you from searching. Just give me Kim Jun, and we'll leave peacefully."
"And if not?"
Jeong Myeong-ho sneered openly.
"Guess it has to come to this."
As Kwon Joo-chan nodded, Kang Hyeon-woo—who'd been aiming an arrow at Mars Team from beside Kim Jun—subtly shifted his angle and released the string.
Twang!
The sharp arrow plunged into the unsuspecting Jeong Myeong-ho's right forearm.
The bloodied arrow exploded, shredding his arm to tatters, flesh scattering as blood poured out.