Just Before the Monster Wave Begins, Underground Floor 6
The dungeon warriors had gathered at the entrance to Underground Floor 7. In other words, they had cleared Underground Floor 6. However, exhaustion was plain on their faces. The vibrant, hopeful energy from Underground Floor 5 had faded considerably. The reason was the casualties they'd suffered while clearing this floor.
Underground Floor 6 was a dungeon where monsters, traps, and mazes coexisted. Compared to the floors they'd passed before, the difficulty was significantly higher—a place where previous groups always lost 20 to 30 people or more. If they were unlucky or the heroes lacked skill, wipeouts happened all too often.
But the 27th heroes had cleared it with just 12 humans and 22 goblins lost. That was an outstanding record. Their success came from steady combat upgrading their skills and building experience, but above all, it was the dwarf-forged armor they wore. Add in the goblin troops, and they'd cleared with the fewest sacrifices in history.
Of course, the 27th group, unaware of that history, was devastated by their drastically reduced numbers. Still, they couldn't just mope around.
"Let's all mourn the fallen," Mitchell said, planting a cross made of woven twigs atop a small mound. There were no bodies beneath it. The dead had fallen into deep chasms from traps, been crushed under collapsing rocks, or riddled with spears from all sides until their formations collapsed—bodies too mangled to recover. Some had even been pulped by monsters, making retrieval impossible.
Even so, this ritual eased the survivors' guilt and grief. It boosted morale. That, too, was a leader's vital role.
"If you would, Dennis."
Mitchell's gaze turned to the elderly man with white hair and a neatly groomed beard. At 70 years old, with a remarkably well-maintained body, he was American Dennis Cobitt. His awakened skill was Holy Recovery. Unlike healing skills that used mana to mend wounds, this required holy power. Dennis's holy power was still low, limiting him to three uses a day. Unlike mana, it didn't regenerate gradually—it refilled fully at midnight.
"I shall pray."
Dennis stepped forward, offering a brief prayer before the cross. Everyone mourned in their own way. It lightened hearts a bit, at least. Those with close bonds to the dead still struggled, of course.
What mattered now was rest for body and mind.
"Everyone, I have something to show you... Would you come with me?"
Seol Ara spoke up. She had an ace up her sleeve to flip the gloomy mood.
* * *
"Hup!"
Someone gasped. The sight awaiting them at Seol Ara's lead was unbelievable.
"Th-that's a waterfall, right? A waterfall?"
"Next to the waterfall! Vines! Grapevines!"
"Right, the terrain change got shared earlier!"
"Ha, been too busy surviving to notice..."
"The lake looks bigger now, connected to the waterfall, doesn't it?"
"Let's dive in first!"
The unexpected waterfall and grapevines instantly turned moods around. People dove into the lake with glee; some braved the roaring falls, others munched grapes in bliss. Who'd expect such sights in a barren dungeon? Sure, later stages might bring canyons, seas, ruins—but rarely with such beautiful nature and food.
"Look! The lake's full of new fish!"
"Oh my god. Crabs? Is that a crab I just caught?"
"Han Ji-woo-nim, thank you! Truly, thank you!"
"Everyone~ Try these grapes. Not sour at all—super sweet!"
As people reveled, Seol Ara approached Yui and Mitchell.
"Could you two come with me? I want to check the chicken coop area."
Since the chicken coop appeared, they'd feasted on meat endlessly. But this floor, they hadn't checked the marked spot—too many traps, so they focused on the next-floor entrance. Clearing the quest deactivated all traps here, though—a message had confirmed it. That's why Seol Ara could lead them to the waterfall and vines.
"Does Mitchell need to go? I can carry both. Leader's gotta be beat—rest up."
Yui showed rare consideration. Their growing bond was softening her.
"Appreciate it. But it's not strength—horned chickens are huge. Better together."
"Then take that guy instead. Hey! Jonathan!"
Congo native Jonathan Yombi turned at Yui's call, but...
"Fine weather today. No sky in a dungeon, sure, but is seeing believing? Heart's eye and all that."
He ignored her.
"Before I gouge those peepers, get over here."
"Huh? Me?"
He jolted over.
"Chicken hunt. Follow."
"Eek! N-no way!"
Jonathan boasted a sturdy, muscular black physique but was cowardly and weak-stomached. He often shut his eyes in danger, surviving only thanks to others.
"You little shit. Guts like peas—could die any second. Man up! Strong skill means shit if you choke."
"How many monsters have I killed?"
"Closed eyes 'cause you're gonna puke, almost got yourself killed."
"Just three times!"
"Five."
"...Four. Compromise."
"Shut it. You catch and prep the chicken."
"Who says that builds guts?"
"Me. No backtalk."
"Ehehe~ Bullying. Leave it to pros anyway. I'd waste more meat th—urk!"
Yui grabbed his nape, dragging him off without another word. Seol Ara waved to Mitchell and followed.
"We'll be back~"
"Thanks."
As Seol Ara's group left, Mitchell surveyed the scene, murmuring unconsciously.
"Han Ji-woo... Wherever he is, without him, we'd have wiped long ago."
His terrain sharing gave abundant food and shelter. Taming the King Goblin added dozens of troops. He unlocked the pet system, letting them tame the dungeon mole and find the hidden dwarf armor chest. Endless help—and yet, one deepening mystery.
Why'd he spawn separately?
And how did he share these miracles? Questions piled up, answers none—as always.
* * *
"Cockroach ain't got nothin' on ya. Shamelessly sharin' every damn thing while hangin' on!"
Ferrofero grumbled at the shared waterfall and vines. But no real rage this time—almost smug.
He'd just seen a message: dungeon system's safeguard activating. Meaning a monster wave to purge the error!
"No matter how stubborn ya are, ya can't solo a mid-grade monster horde!"
This time, Han Ji-woo was done for—or so he thought. He didn't know Hidden Space even downgraded the wave's level.
* * *
"Mad Cow?"
Han Ji-woo muttered at the monsters surging from a collapsed stone wall cave. Mad Cows were half the size of normal cattle, but their horns were enormous and sharp. Red eyes gleamed mad; furrowed brows snorted fury.
Pao whispered urgently.
"Master, low-grade monsters. Fearless. Charge even to die. Won't flee from dragons."
Pao's calm explanation fell on deaf ears.
"Beef..."
"Huh, master?"
"Today's beef!"
Han Ji-woo's eyes lit as he gripped his sword. Chicken, now beef!
Mooo! Mad Cows charged madly from the breach.
"Survive and it's steak! Let's go!"
He hurled piled stone debris at them.
Whiiish! Thunk! Thud!
One dropped dead.
"Dead?"
Debris smashed its skull, crumpling face, snapping neck. No surprise—in Black Hatchling shell armor from the dwarf, wielding Iron Horn Sword, his inflated stats dwarfed low-grades. One-shot.
Fear eased; confidence swelled.
"Master, I help!"
Pao flung debris too. Nyaaang! Lucy pawed chunks at them.
Han Ji-woo kept throwing. Bam-bam-bam!
Mooo?! Mad Cows toppled. His hits were instant kills; pets' left them crippled.
Now, Mad Cows weren't monsters—just stat-shredded beef!
"Come on!"
Confidence beamed. He charged, swinging.
Slash! Two lead cows' heads flew. Blood sprayed; headless bodies fell silent.
Weak!
Not full power—half-playing. Yet...
Slash! Stab! Crunch! Gouge!
They dropped like harvested rice. Ji-woo danced the blade like an executioner, grinning.
"Beef! Steak! BBQ! Yukhoe! Patties!"
Corpses piled; no more emerged.
"That's it? Then!"
Scan: three left, trampling kin. Two females, one male. He one-shot a female; pets got the rest.
"Pao! Lucy! Subdue, don't kill."
"Got it!"
Nyang!
Pao headbutted the male. Crack!
"...!"
Skull rang like steel. It collapsed, out cold. Lucy paw-slapped the female's jaw.
Smack!
"...Moo!"
Jaw whipped; it fainted.
"S-scary!"
Pao shuddered, reliving his own smackdown.
While pets worked, Ji-woo inventoried corpses, built a 2-pyeong structure.
"Hmm... Fine for chickens, but these are big..."
One fit; two no.
"Need both for breeding, grandkids, stock-up."
Might work—like horned chickens. He built another 2-pyeong beside it.
Would you like to upgrade by adding a 2-pyeong space to the 2-pyeong space?
"Yeah."
They merged into 4-pyeong.
"Oh ho."
Repeating, he made 12-pyeong, locked the stunned cows inside, added a door. Like the chicken coop, it glowed, becoming a barn. Brick walls, long feed trough, head-holes.
"Beautiful. Gorgeous."
Ji-woo admired. Chicken, now beef. Just pigs for meat grand slam.
"Handle what I got first?"
Hungry since skipping breakfast. He reached for a corpse—
Quest: Dungeon Tree Sapling's Request
🎁 Reward: 3 crops of your choice, Dungeon Tree growth