Chapter 40
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Wjin
Chapter: 40
Chapter Title: Delivery into the Dungeon
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Chae-ryeon slapped both her cheeks hard to drive away her weak thoughts.
Smack-!
'Ouch, that hurts.'
Delivery was the real deal. There was no time to undermine herself with talk of not being good enough.
The dungeon's time flowed differently from the real world, and the people inside were pushing forward with battles without even eating properly.
This dungeon, [Harpy-Eye's Tropical Rainforest], was a sudden-appearance type, making it even more dangerous.
[Dungeon: [Harpy-Eye's Tropical Rainforest]]
[Rank: Unmeasured]
[Description: The most recently appeared dungeon within Seoul. An unknown dungeon that has never been cleared even once.
According to the first guild to attempt exploration, it's named after monsters resembling the harpies from myth—half-human, half-bird creatures. They devour anything in sight, so stay very cautious.]
'Harpies are monsters with human heads and bird bodies... so they'd have the advantage in aerial combat.'
Monsters that dominated the skies were even more unfavorable to humans. The environment already made it hard to eat properly, and dodging approaching harpies while attempting clears and meals would wear anyone down.
"This won't be easy."
The same applied to Chae-ryeon, who was about to enter the dungeon. With her [Invincible Delivery Knight] skill, she wouldn't get hurt herself... but she absolutely didn't want to see her delivery customers get injured or die.
"If it's you, Mistress, you can do it! We shall walk that glorious path alongside you."
Mimi pounded her chest confidently and shouted.
"...Right now, I think I look more reliable to the Mistress than you, Senior Mimi."
"What?"
As Mimi's bright red bunny eyes narrowed in annoyance, Sol-chan hurriedly ran to Chae-ryeon.
"I-I'm just stating facts! Senior Mimi! To confuse people about the Mistress's identity, I'm more helpful since I can transform into a human."
"... ."
'That's unfortunate, but Sol-chan's right.'
Sol-chan had transformed into a neat young man with brown hair and green eyes. It was a decision made to protect Chae-ryeon.
Group deliveries would inevitably expose her existence as the delivery hunter to multiple hunters. Her desire to do more deliveries naturally clashed with her wish to hide her identity.
'I'll be careful not to activate the skill [Become My Ingredient!] where hunters might see... but if I'm caught by bad luck, my quiet life ends that day.'
So their countermeasure was to make it look like there were two delivery hunters to sow confusion.
It would have been better if Mimi could transform too, but since she hadn't learned the skill, she couldn't join.
Mimi knew that better than anyone, so her white bunny ears drooped sadly.
"...I'm sorry, Mistress. I can't be of help in situations like this... ."
"What are you talking about, Mimi? Even without transforming, you'll be handling the cooking with me on this delivery."
"But I'm just an incompetent summon who can't even transform... ."
"Incompetent? Don't say that about yourself. Do you know how reassuring it was when you first came to me?"
Chae-ryeon kept stroking Mimi's dejected head. Mimi's ears slowly perked up.
"Really...?"
"Of course. You're both important to me—Mimi and Sol-chan. Let's take orders quick and head out on this delivery together with some fun. For dinner tonight, I'll make whatever you like!"
"Th-then... I'd like a hammock steak from you, Mistress."
"Got it. So no more moping around, okay?"
"Understood!"
"Alright, here we go. [Taking Your Order, Customer!]."
[Skill activated.]
[Taking Your Order, Customer!]
[A hunter who delivers hearty, flavorful meals swiftly into dungeons.]
[Approve the chat link if you'd like to order!]
Ding. Ding-ding. Ding-ding-ding.
[Chat links approved from 15 hunters.]
[Press YES if you'd like to order food delivery in the dungeon.]
[YES/NO]
Not a single one of the 15 hungry hunters detected by the skill rejected Chae-ryeon's delivery offer.
Because the hunters currently inside [Harpy-Eye's Tropical Rainforest] were...
"Those damn bird freaks dodge attacks like pros. Pisses me off."
"Still, we can't tarnish the guild's name, so we gotta win the air battles."
"Obviously."
...the [Wing Guild] members and hunters from [Mir Guild], who were in a collaborative relationship with [Wing Guild].
[S-Rank Hunter, Shin Ha-rang detected!]
Shin Ha-rang was in this dungeon.
Sudden-appearance dungeons had no prior clear information, so they weren't easy places to enter.
But when one appeared, major guilds competed to volunteer their assault teams first.
There was much to gain from the first clear. Dungeons that had been raided countless times no longer dropped new items, but first clears were special. They offered chances for high-grade artifacts or mana stones never seen before.
Thus, Shin Ha-rang's [Wing Guild] joined this sudden dungeon assault. Fortunately, they got permission for first entry.
They could bring one allied guild, so Ha-rang chose the long-time partner [Mir Guild].
At that time, Ha-rang hadn't imagined encountering the delivery hunter here. She hadn't emerged from the dungeon in days. He had just come out as guild master, dual-wielding his sword and bow for duty.
"Ah, Guild Master!"
"...Min Hae-yul? You signed up for this dungeon assault?"
Ha-rang's question carried the implication of "Can you survive until the clear?"
"Ahem. A-Rank fire mages have an edge in tropical rainforests... so I got drafted unwillingly."
"Figures."
"But with you here, Guild Master, I expect we'll wrap it up in a day. The vice guild master was bragging about how you've been on fire lately."
"Oh, that... ."
Ha-rang quietly swallowed the fact that he'd been grinding hard hoping to meet the delivery hunter again and eat good food.
"So, you're planning to starve for the day?"
"...A day should be fine. Or whatever."
"Good luck enduring. [Mir Guild] is joining this assault too."
The advantage of allied guilds was halving the assault burden; the downside was experience and drops going more to the guild with higher contributions.
'I heard <Mir> recently got a skilled mercenary hunter on short-term contract.'
To not let that hunter snag the undisclosed boss loot, he'd have to step up.
[Entering Dungeon: [Harpy-Eye's Tropical Rainforest].]
[This uncleared dungeon has an extended time limit.]
[Max stay time in dungeon: 1 week]
[Good luck, hunters.]
"I'll keep attacking until you birdbrains eat your own plates. Kee-yeek."
The harpies swarmed in a group.
"What're they yapping about? Can't bring food or plates into dungeons."
"Guess they're faithful to the myths."
"Flying types—target the wings first! Once their wings are broken, they're weak on the ground."
Exploiting weaknesses via detection skills, an intense battle of offense and defense unfolded.
[Skill: [Trails of Flying Rain] used.]
"Rain falls grazing like a brush, its sharpness pools and ripples arise."
⟨ Trails of Flying Rain ⟩
"Kee-yaaak!"
-My, my wing!
-No! I'm falling...!
As Ha-rang unleashed a shower of sword qi, several harpies crashed with damaged wings. Then Min Hae-yul activated [Lord of Hellfire!] to roast the fallen ones whole.
Their combo was excellent, but the new <Mir> mercenary was no slouch either.
[Skill: [Qilin's Meteor Shower] activated!]
'A tamer...?'
A golden dragon snatched harpies by the neck, killing them instantly. It was a rare summon only tamers could handle.
Ha-rang sent a group message to his guildmates, thinking the red-haired mercenary looked quite promising.
[Shin Ha-rang: Taking a break!]
12 hours into the battle, both humans and harpies retreated, hunger gnawing at them. A temporary truce.
"Ah... I'm starving."
They could no longer ignore their growling stomachs' pleas. The hunters moved to a small stream they'd scouted, set up a temporary base camp, and gathered barely edible stuff.
"Well... this dungeon... ."
"As expected of a bird freak habitat... tons of edible bugs... ."
The hunter using detection grimaced. Unfortunately, this uncleared dungeon had fruit only near harpy nests, while the gate entry area swarmed with bugs.