Time Attack on the Jungle Floor
The 27th Heroes, having easily hunted down the lizardmen on Dungeon Basement Floor 11, had been enjoying a barbecue party for quite some time now. Skewering beef, pork, chicken, and more over the campfire and grilling them with salt brought out flavors that were simply out of this world. Everyone savored the feast together, chatting amiably away.
"If every day was like this, I'd have no regrets left, right?"
"What the hell happened at the Dungeon Shop anyway?"
"Something good, that's what. A fancy mansion in the ranch."
"The Dungeon Shop didn't send any shared messages, so I never imagined stuff like this would get added."
"The mansion's missing a roof, though~"
"A roof'll come soon enough. Han Ji-woo won't leave it like that."
"What makes me happiest is all the extra veggies and fruits. It's been hell for a vegetarian like me."
"Puhaha! Swallow that beef in your mouth before you say that!"
"It's Dungeon-only carnivory. Back home, it's veggies all the way."
The group reveled in the shares from Han Ji-woo, fully indulging. But they didn't linger like before. Packing plenty of food, they descended the stairs to Floor 12. Mitchell judged it best to clear the next floor quickly while morale was sky-high. Most agreed, though a few grumbled, as expected.
"Wanted to suck a bit more honey before heading down."
Jonathan kicked off the complaints. He figured others felt the same.
"……."
"……."
"……."
No further gripes followed. The twins smirked at the flustered Jonathan.
"Don't mock me, you rotten twins!"
The Onelli siblings brushed off his outburst lightly.
"Ha, seriously."
He didn't like how these younger kids had been acting that way for a while now. But that was it. No deeper thoughts crossed his mind—until a sweet devil's whisper slipped into his ear.
"Those two have been getting on my nerves lately."
It was Andra, muttering to himself. Jonathan's gaze locked onto the man's back as he passed by.
'...What the hell.'For a moment, Jonathan felt confused by his own contradictory emotions. He'd never thought well of that troll even once, yet Andra's words offered a fleeting comfort. Like the one person who understood him when no one else did. Of course, Andra had just blurted out his own feelings without intent.
"Argh."
Sudden disgust washed over him, and Jonathan shook his head wildly.
'No matter how lonely I get, not him of all people? Snap out of it, Jonathan!'Smack! Smack!
A few jumped at Jonathan suddenly slapping his own cheeks; others snickered. Amid it all, a faint smile tugged at Andra's lips as he glanced back.
* * *
Basement Floor 12 was a dense jungle thicket. As Mitchell tallied headcounts, Pierre quickly scanned the surroundings and briefed like a pro.
"No clear paths in sight. Plenty of cover for monsters to hide and ambush. Swamps and riverbanks make it perfect for aquatic types to lurk and strike. Mid-grade monsters, most likely."
The others nodded. Then the quest popped up.
10 Mutants
📍 Objective: Hunt down the 10 mutant monsters lurking somewhere in the jungle.
🎁 Rewards: Food Box, Mid-grade Random Potion Box, Mid-grade Random Item Box.
"Mutant monsters, huh."
"Just 10? That all? Seems too easy."
As they traded comments on the quest, a voice chimed in.
"Ta-da, desuyo!"
Ferrofero popped up before the group out of nowhere.
"I truly didn't expect you to reach here safely, sirs!"
The heroes were torn—curse the guy or not? He was surely why they'd been trapped in the dungeon, yet lately he seemed to help while pretending otherwise. As they pondered silently, Seol Ara went straight for the kill.
"What help are you offering this time, kitty?"
"What do you mean, miss! I've never done such a thing, desuyo! If anything, the 27th Heroes are clearing too easily, so I've come to crank up the difficulty, desuyo!"
"How?"
"As you guessed, Basement Floor 12 is terrifying with mid-grade monsters lurking everywhere for ambushes, desuyo! But even scarier are the mutants! They're quasi-boss level, five times stronger than regular mid-grades, desuyo!"
"Uh-huh. Got it. So kind of you. Sharing good intel and all."
"I knew you'd misunderstand like that, desuyo!"
Snap!
Ferrofero snapped his fingers at the end. A new quest appeared.
Time Attack, Desuyo!
📍 Objective: Clear Basement Floor 12's quest within 30 minutes.
🎁 Reward: Survival.
The group groaned at Ferrofero's tossed quest. Some ground their teeth; others cursed. Jonathan, already sour from the Onellis, raged hardest.
"What kinda reward is survival every damn time?! Give a proper reward with your quests!"
Ferrofero ignored him completely.
"I'll be off now, desuyo!"
Poof.
With the quest dumped one-sidedly, Ferrofero vanished. Jonathan flailed at empty air, screaming.
"You damn cat! How're we supposed to find and kill 10 quasi-bosses in this huge place?! 30 minutes? Thiiiirty? You think that's possible?!"
* * *
[10 Mutants] Cleared!
Rewards: Food Box, Mid-grade Random Potion Box, Mid-grade Random Item Box.
[Time Attack, Desuyo!] Cleared!
Reward: Survival.
It was possible. The 27th Heroes hunted all 10 mutants in 28 minutes flat.
"Haha! Knew we could do it!"
Jonathan struck a smug pose, hands on hips. The twins shook their heads at the reed-like man swaying in the breeze.
Then it happened.
The achievement reward came with a hidden piece message, and a worn bag materialized before them. It floated up and vanished, followed by another message.
The Dungeon Guard's affinity toward you has increased.
* * *
Back in his room, Ferrofero watched via the crystal orb and jolted in surprise.
'The Dungeon Guard's affinity rose?! That's the hidden piece?!'
Even as manager, Ferrofero didn't know every hidden piece and condition. After siding with Han Ji-woo, he'd bought one item religiously for each new floor the dungeon folk hit: the Hidden Piece Tracking Radar. Shaped like a large pocket watch, it was a one-use disposable that revealed existence, conditions, and locations if a hidden piece lurked on the floor.
Its price? 15 years of lifespan. Ferrofero had been chipping away at his own life to aid the 27th Heroes. Three radars from Floor 10 to 12 cost him 45 years. But with two hidden pieces found, it wasn't a loss.
'Can't afford more lifespan cuts from here.'
He had one must-buy item left that required saving his remaining years. Hidden piece guidance ended here.
'But a reward of Dungeon Guard affinity? Never saw that coming, desuyo.'
What did rising affinity do? Why hide something like that as a hidden piece from the Creator? Questions piled up for Ferrofero.
* * *
The second Monster Wave was a total rout for Han Ji-woo's crew. Endless monsters from the Salt Mine became corpses without exception.
[Dungeon Tree Sapling's Request 2] Cleared!
Rewards: 3 crops of your choice, Dungeon Tree growth.
With rewards granted, the Dungeon Tree's growth hit 50%. A welcome message followed.
State the three crops you wish to receive as rewards.
"Hmm... what to pick."
Han Ji-woo's brow furrowed in thought. The Hidden Space was a corpse-choked mess, no room to step without blood. The thick metallic stench killed his appetite. Yet the Dungeon Tree sapling's 100-meter radius was spotless—it had absorbed every body piled there.
He checked the gauges hovering over the Dungeon Tree.
'Nice progress?'
Corpses cleared, quest gauge up—one stone, two birds.
"Guys. Clear the bodies first. See? Only around the Dungeon Tree is clean. Haul 'em there and toss."
At their master's command, the pets moved in perfect sync. The corpse-filled space cleared fast; the gorged sapling's gauge hit 98.2%.
"Whoa. Next quest by tonight?"
The Salt Mine horde had spiked the gauge wildly.
"Anyway, this blood stench won't fade—it's nasty."
Best to mask foul with better! Han Ji-woo had the pets smash all stone walls around the flowerbed. He set the plump, chubby Seibier and Sasuri to vigorous wing-flapping. Thick floral scents blanketed the blood reek everywhere.
"Now I can breathe."
Releasing his pinched nose, Han Ji-woo sniffed deeply as Turkan approached.
"Master. Is that the Salt Mine entrance? Quiik!"
The orc pointed at it.
"Yeah. You know it?"
"......Can I go in? Quiiik."
"Sure, but why?"
"On Bryunak continent where I lived, many salt mines. Quiik. But some... different from normal. Quiiik!"
Turkan's gaze lingered on chubby Seibier.
"Was the hatchling egg in a salt mine? Quiiik!"
"Yeah, it was."
With a knowing 'as expected' look, he headed toward the mine.
"Something to check. Quiiiiiik!"