Instant Dungeon Victory and Harsh Lessons
Namgung Seojun charged at the goblin shaman with his sword drawn. It was the best course of action. Sensing the danger, the shaman prepared its next spell and fired it straight at him the moment it was ready.
Boom! The energy ball hurtled toward him at blinding speed, but Seojun leaped aside, guided by his Super Sense and Sylph's buff. Boom! Quack! He barely dodged the magic, and instead, it struck other goblins, thinning their numbers.
Seizing that brief opening, Namgung Seojun hurled daggers from his belt toward the entrance one after another. Whoosh! Quack! Whish! Kek! Five daggers dealt fatal blows to four goblins. Jo Jaehun didn't miss the momentary gap.
"Kim Hoon! Move! Push with everything you've got using your shields!!"
"Got it!"
With fewer goblins now, Jo Jaehun and Kim Hoon shoved forward with all their strength, driving back the surrounding foes with their shields. Gisohee's defense eased up as a result, and Lee Guho unleashed his prepared spell in the gap.
Firebolt!
Lee Guho's flame attack targeted the goblin shaman. The goblins guarding it threw themselves in the way and died in its place. But another spell flew out immediately after.
Energy Ball!
Surviving goblins sacrificed themselves again, sparing the shaman any damage. Lee Guho's two consecutive spells turned the area around the goblin shaman into chaos.
Namgung Seojun couldn't let the opportunity slip. Ignoring attacks from nearby goblins, he closed in on the shaman at high speed thanks to Sylph's buff.
"Die!"
He swung his sword, severing the shaman's head. With the goblin shaman dead, the remaining goblins posed no real threat. The party systematically slaughtered all fifty-plus of them, one by one.
"Whew..."
As the battle ended, Namgung Seojun let out a sigh of relief and checked on his comrades' conditions. Gisohee was in the worst shape. She'd taken most of the goblin attacks on her body. Fortunately, no major wounds, but her leather armor was soaked in blood, turned a deep red.
Jo Jaehun and Kim Hoon were covered in minor scratches. They'd pushed too hard to protect Gisohee and Lee Guho, getting nicked by goblin daggers. Lee Guho wasn't great either— the dire situation had forced him to spam spells, leaving him mildly exhausted.
Yuki, who hadn't contributed at all, had no serious injuries but stood there in a daze.
Namgung Seojun rushed to Gisohee first.
"Sohee, you okay?"
"Haa..."
Covered in wounds, she slumped down but managed a relieved expression.
"At least... I managed to protect Guho somehow."
"Ha. Drink and apply this potion. Don't skimp."
Seojun personally fed her the potion.
"Hmup."
It was a low-grade potion, sending waves of intense pain through her body. She endured it as best she could, and the agony subsided after a while.
"Apply it to your wounds too."
"Okay."
Gisohee smeared potion on her injuries. Next, he hurried to Jo Jaehun. Luckily, no life-threatening damage there either.
"Leader, my arm bone's broken. Can't do maintenance."
Blocking the shaman's energy ball with his shield had cracked his arm bone. Despite that, he'd held out.
"Who cares about maintenance right now?"
Kim Hoon was already helping treat Jo Jaehun, splashing potion and splinting the break with bandages.
"Kim Hoon, use as much potion as needed."
"Yes, sir."
Now to Lee Guho, lying on the ground.
"How you holding up? Okay?"
"Haa... Yeah, hyungnim... Pushed... too hard..."
Still low-level, he'd overexerted with back-to-back spells. It created Seojun's opening, but left Guho drained.
"No internal issues, right?"
"Ha... ha... Yeah, rest should fix it."
"Rest up. Better yet, take a nap."
Namgung Seojun draped his cloak over the exhausted mage for comfort. Checking the party's injuries, he stood and approached Yuki, who stood blankly nearby. Without a word, he slapped her cheek.
Smack!
He shouted at her clutching her face.
"You with us or not?! I told you to protect Guho! Guarding the party's main firepower is your job! Don't leave his side no matter what!"
Yuki had no excuses, and Seojun's anger wasn't spent.
"Your carelessness nearly wiped us out! Get it together! Lives are on the line. Do your damn job!"
A single tear rolled down Yuki's cheek.
Namgung Seojun handled cleanup alone, harvesting goblin noses and checking loot. Jackpot from the shaman.
"Oh. A gold nugget?"
A baby-fist-sized lump of gold from the shaman's pouch. Solid reward already.
With cleanup done, the wounded were recovering somewhat. Yuki still hung her head. Seojun struck the red stone— the dungeon heart— with his sword where the shaman had been.
You have cleared the instant dungeon.
The party cleared the dungeon.
Information Guild
"Impressive! Here's your instant dungeon clear reward."
The guild clerk handed over the promised 20 gold and a clearance certificate. Namgung Seojun pocketed the gold pouch and paper.
Temple
"Cleared an instant dungeon, and these are monster proofs. We'll pay generously."
The priest quickly tallied merits, paying 150 each to the six party members.
Temple Certified Shop
"Selling loot? Gold this size?!"
The other spoils weren't worth much, but the gold fetched 68 gold plus minor merit coupons.
Back at the inn, it was already evening. But before dinner, the party gathered in Seojun's room for business.
"Everyone okay?"
"Yes."
Answers were fine, but Gisohee still had minor wounds, Jo Jaehun's arm throbbed, Lee Guho looked drained, and Yuki brooded.
Thud! Namgung Seojun set the 88-gold pouch and Low-Grade Trait Selection Ticket on the table.
"From this mission: total 88 gold and a trait ticket. Check merits in your status windows."
He took 20 gold right away.
"20 gold goes to party funds first."
Standard procedure. Now personal shares. Seojun's gaze sharpened.
"Normally, we'd split the rest by ratios. But Yuki's excluded this time."
"..."
The others, including Yuki, fell silent. Seojun stayed cold.
"Minimum punishment for a near-fatal screw-up. Be grateful you're not kicked out."
"..."
"You first. Out."
Yuki left in tears. To lighten the mood with the rest:
"Dungeon was risky, but we hit the jackpot. Smile, everyone! We pulled it off."
"Thought we were goners."
"Ah... yeah. Hyungnim, big score, right?"
"Currency jumped from silver to gold scale. Massive boost."
"Hahaha! What an adventure."
Kim Hoon aside, responses were stiff, but Seojun proceeded with distribution.
"68 gold by ratios: about 13 each."
Over 10 gold apiece— huge for the 3rd floor.
"But with the Low-Grade Trait Selection Ticket... let's think different."
He proposed:
"Give the ticket to Guho; others take the gold."
Seojun judged it best for Lee Guho, whose Super Magic trait, Advanced Mana, Mid Luck, and low Stamina/Alchemy would benefit from upgrading Stamina to mid-grade. His Super Sense confirmed it. Stamina mattered for mages— low vitality hurt focus and casting. Long-term essential.
Jo Jaehun agreed, as expected.
"Fine by me."
Short-term gold loss, but grateful to the party and Seojun that accepted his weaknesses, he always followed.
"Ha! Jealous, but for the party, I agree."
Gisohee too, considering her co-leader role with Seojun— strengthening Guho faster was key.
"Me? Guho? You'll buy booze often? Okay then."
Kim Hoon coolly consented. With agreement, focus shifted to Guho.
"What about you?"
Lee Guho hesitated, then:
"Feels like I'm getting way too much."
"True. Sells for at least 100 gold."
"You're profiting, but better we use it than sell. Makes the party stronger."
"Ya. Buy lotsa booze. Tons."
Laughter from the others.
"Our core DPS needs it. Take it."
Grateful for the consideration, Guho thanked them repeatedly and accepted the Low-Grade Trait Selection Ticket.
After settling up and a quick dinner, Guho returned to his room and stared at the paper in his hand. The Low-Grade Trait Selection Ticket— pick a new low-grade trait or upgrade an existing one to mid-grade. Incredible item.
"Hyungnim said stamina, right?"
Recalling Seojun's advice, he tore the coupon.
You have used the Low-Grade Trait Selection Ticket. Please select a trait.
You have selected Low-Grade Stamina.
You already possess Low-Grade Stamina trait. It has been upgraded to Mid-Grade Stamina.
In high spirits, Lee Guho left the inn to stroll Tswan Castle's lively night streets. Soon, he spotted Yuki drinking alone at a nearby tavern.
"Yuki, you okay?"
Unable to pass by, he approached. Already drunk, she apologized immediately.
"Sorry."
He sat at her table.
"It's fine. Just a mistake."
"I was careless. Nearly got everyone killed. Sorry."
Self-loathing in her drunken state worried him. He spent a long time comforting her.
Namgung Seojun stepped out for a digestive walk and saw the pair: drunk Yuki and consoling Guho.
That soft idiot! Wasting time.
It was punishment for a grave error. In life-or-death combat, mistakes like hers were unforgivable. Even Jo Jaehun and Kim Hoon had been chewed out similarly in group tutorial as guards. They'd only fought weak foes till the sudden strong enemy appeared; Yuki's first big slip-up left her frozen.
But meddling now would be weird.
Seojun left them and vanished into Tswan Castle's streets.