Life-or-Death Stepping Stones
Just ten minutes ago, the dungeon warriors were enjoying themselves on Basement Floor 22. Killing monsters and disarming every trap to find the stairs to the next level had been a breeze. Clearing the quest had rewarded them with sweet respite. Dungeons were supposed to get tougher with each floor, but thanks to Han Ji-woo, the difficulty had plummeted.
Not only that, but all sorts of things were shared within the dungeon. Fields bursting with colorful vegetables, trees heavy with sweet, delicious fruits. Cool streams and waterfalls, a vast lake perfect for washing off sweat anytime. Honey brimming with nature's pure flavor, and now even a sandy beach! The ocean filling the beach was disappointingly small, but they could gather a decent amount of shellfish. On top of that, state-of-the-art restrooms that respected their dignity and a sprawling mansion! As the dungeon's inherent difficulty ramped up, everything shared through Han Ji-woo relatively lowered it. This was something that had never happened once since the Creator built the dungeon.
Having sucked the honey out of Basement Floor 22, the warriors filled their bellies with tasty vegetables, fruits, and meats. They washed in the lake or took deep naps to recover their fatigue. Judging they'd rested enough, they descended to the next floor ten minutes ago.
Basement Floor 23 had a structure none of them had ever seen before. A perfect cube space made entirely of marble. The walls and ceiling were solid gray, but the floor was a chaotic jumble of black and white square tiles. At a glance, the 50 by 50 grid resembled a chessboard, but a real chessboard had black and white tiles alternating in a strict pattern. Here, black tiles clumped together in some spots, alternated in others, and stretched in straight lines elsewhere. These irregular black and white tiles were framed by thick golden lines forming perfect squares.
The dungeon warriors tilted their heads at the sight.
"What the heck is this?"
"Yeah, it's super weird."
They didn't dare step inside the golden frames. After all the bullshit they'd endured in the dungeon so far, caution came naturally.
Step on one of the black and white tiles inside the golden frame to designate your color, 27th Heroes.
"...How do we do this?"
Lisa scanned the group with a troubled look. But as everyone was lost in thought and silent, Yui grumbled.
"Figures. Just when we're getting comfy, it pulls this crap every time. What a shitty dungeon."
Monster hordes were easier to stomach than this unpredictable anxiety.
Meanwhile, Jonathan, who'd reread the message several times, turned to Pierre.
"Wise one. Give us the answer."
Jonathan still thought the situation wasn't dire yet, his voice relaxed. But Pierre was the opposite. After a long silence with a grave expression, he finally spoke.
"We might become pieces on a chessboard in this dungeon."
All eyes turned to Pierre, and Mitchell picked up his words.
"You mean there's someone else playing chess?"
In other words, someone would control the dungeon warriors.
Pierre's head shook slightly side to side.
"Who knows. But what we can tell is that choosing one color—black or white—means we can only step on tiles of that color."
Choose carefully, in short. Just then, another glass orb floated up from the inner tile touching the golden frame at the opposite end. A countdown began in midair.
[05:00]
[04:59]
[04:58]
If no color is chosen within 5 minutes, it will be assigned randomly.
"Of course. No way this damn dungeon lets us take our sweet time pondering."
Josh scowled and grumbled. Either way, the warriors faced a choice, with five minutes to decide.
As always, Pierre was the one they relied on in these situations. He scrutinized the 50x50 game board. No pattern in the black and white tiles whatsoever. But they were evenly distributed.
[04:01]
The simplest assumption: choosing black or white meant stepping on the other color killed you. This dungeon likely worked that way.
'Then we need to make it so we can move somehow on this board.'
[02:38]
Darts flying from all sides, or monster swarms. They'd have to endure such trials within the time limit. But it felt too straightforward. This dungeon threw simple quests when simple, but twisted into unfathomable complexity when complex. So Pierre's deliberation dragged on.
[00:36]
He pondered endlessly right up to the last moments, unable to conclude easily. What would happen on the board per color choice? What outcomes? Endless possibilities.
Finally, Pierre.
[00:02]
Click. With two seconds left, he stepped onto a black tile.
The heroes have chosen black.
The orb displayed the message, and black light welled up. The opposite orb glowed white.
Within the time limit, please freely step onto the black tiles in the first row. However, no more than one person per tile.
This time, the limit was one minute. Eyes turned to Pierre.
"I think it's better to spread out with some distance rather than clump together."
Following his advice, they spaced out on the black tiles. Only then did the Basement Floor 23 quest appear.
Life-or-Death Stepping Stones
🎯 Objective: Touch the opponent's glass orb within the time limit.
🎁 Reward: Stairs to the next floor.
The heroes must move only on black tiles to touch the white glass orb. If touched using weapons or magic instead of directly, all tiles you're standing on will turn white.
Stepping on a white tile kills you instantly.
"...!"
"Hah, as expected."
Good luck.
Gazes shifted to the floating glass orb at the far end.
"So, move only on black tiles and touch that orb, right?"
"That's the gist."
"No way it's that easy."
"Please... let us all get through without anyone getting hurt...."
"My blood's running dry~ But let's all stay sharp and survive together again, yeah~?"
Those were Kim Jung-min, Hoakin Onelli, Vivien Onelli, Diya, and Kayla in turn. Meanwhile, Brody and Ariel clasped hands tightly on adjacent black tiles. In the eerily quiet tension, a 20-minute countdown began. Yet no one dared move, letting time slip away.
"Shouldn't something pop out by now?"
Jonathan scanned around with a shaky voice. Still only silence. Then Mitchell stepped forward.
"I'll move first."
They couldn't just stand like statues forever. He advanced to a diagonal black tile.
Then.
Enemies appear. They will try to lure you onto white tiles. Also, if an enemy touches your black glass orb, you lose the game and get wiped out.
Thud thud thud thud thud!
With the message, things dropped onto the white tiles at the opposite end. The warriors gasped at their identity.
"Long time no see, everyone."
Twenty identical humans spoke in unison. They were all Andra Marshall.
"Kill them!"
Pierre shouted urgently, commanding everyone. Monsterized Andra used hypnosis to control foes. If these guys marked them one-on-one and hypnotized even one onto a white tile, it was game over—total annihilation. That's why Pierre bellowed.
But someone activated a skill first.
Flame!
It was Mitchell. His 4-circle fire magic conjured ten massive fireballs that rocketed toward ten Andras.
Boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom!
The struck Andras crumbled to black ash. Now only half remained!
But.
Halt!
Mitchell's eyes glazed over as he tried to cast again.
"......"
His hand, aimed at Andra, turned toward his comrades. Not just him—Yui, Jonathan, Pierre, the Onelli siblings, Red, Diya, Brody, and Ariel all lost focus in their eyes.
The ten Andras had hypnotized the combat specialists.
"Looks like we've got ten companions for the road first?"
With Andra's words, the hypnotized stepped toward white tiles.
* * *
Dungeon Prison.
After hearing Grororo's full story, Han Ji-woo summed it up.
"So the Ogre King could pass on his enhanced power from bio-experiments to someone else? He tried giving it to another ogre, but you got greedy watching from the sidelines and snatched it."
"Y-yeah."
How he stole it wasn't important, so no need to ask.
"What is that power?"
"Amplifies the best ability of any individual. Ogre King spits out a purple orb-like thing, and eating it transfers it."
That's how Ogre King grew huge and strong. Grororo, inheriting it, could transform bigger or create copies.
"Haaah."
Han Ji-woo sighed heavily.
"Hey. Spit out that orb first."
"Can't."
"Why not?"
"H-have to die. Ogre King spat it out dying."
Having confessed everything, Grororo asked cautiously.
"N-now... you'll let me live?"
"No."
"Wha? Why, why! I-I told the truth!"
"When did I say I'd spare you for that?"
At the end, the Ultimate Monster Sword left a cold afterimage, slicing Grororo's neck.
Crack!
Thud.
"Be grateful I killed you painlessly."
Han Ji-woo murmured low at the severed head on the ground. Monsters watching from afar cheered in unison.
Woooaaah!
The diverse monster roars blended like human cheers. Han Ji-woo had ended the unprecedented war in Dungeon Prison in one go. He was now the hero of all monsters here.
But Han Ji-woo wasn't purely happy. Thinking of monsters who'd died pointlessly left a bitter taste.
Then.
Pop.
Plop.
Roll roll.
Something burst from Grororo's severed neck. The purple orb he'd mentioned.
* * *
Hidden Space.
In the 2-pyeong space, long lying still, Osgeelro Haiban's finger.
Twitch.
Moved slightly.