Chapter 28
Chapter 28
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 28
Chapter Title: How the Rank 1 Hero Saves the World
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At those words, Kim Sook-ja's gaze sharpened even further as she looked at me.
Her eyes scanned my sword and armor in turn.
“What the hell is your class?”
Of course, I had no intention of revealing that my class was Hero. She already suspected me plenty as it was.
I had a suitable excuse prepared.
I drew the Apex Light Sword from its sheath. The light sword in my hand vibrated faintly.
“It’s not my class. It’s the item I have that will be effective.”
Even though it hadn’t evolved into a holy sword yet, its white, transparent blade emitted a light that anyone could see was sacred.
“What the hell is that? Is it a holy sword or something?”
“It doesn’t have specs good enough to call it a holy sword, but this blade has an absolute effect against demonic attributes.”
The light sword trembled as if protesting, but I ignored it.
Sorry for lying, but your owner’s a pathetic tin can right now, so bear with it for a while.
“Lee Woo-yeon Hunter saw its effects firsthand, so he can vouch for it. Right?”
Lee Woo-yeon looked back and forth between me and the sword after hearing my words, then let out a sigh.
He seemed extremely displeased about something, but he still said what I wanted.
“That’s correct. I saw it work even on an S-Rank Monster, the Lich. I’ll vouch for it.”
Of course, Kim Sook-ja didn’t let it slide that easily.
“Where did you get such an item? What’s your name?”
Now that I’d stepped forward, there was no helping attracting her attention, but as long as she didn’t find out I was Rank 1, it’d be fine. It was enough if she just thought of me as a decently strong rookie hunter.
I took a breath and answered.
“……My name is Kang Ye-na. I got this sword recently when I got caught in a sudden dungeon and luckily obtained it. The dungeon disappeared after clearing.”
“That’s an obvious, made-up answer. Not very trustworthy.”
Kim Sook-ja cut off my response like a knife. Then she turned to Lee Woo-yeon.
“I can’t just let an unknown hunter enter based on Lee Woo-yeon Hunter’s word alone in a situation like this. Who’s going to take responsibility if a Dungeon Break happens?”
“I will.”
Lee Woo-yeon still looked extremely displeased, but there was no hesitation in his answer.
Kim Sook-ja turned to him upon hearing that. Her gaze was sharp enough to kill.
“Anyone hearing that would think you handle every Dungeon Break in the world.”
Her aura was shockingly vicious, but Lee Woo-yeon didn’t even flinch. However, the smile was now gone from his face as well.
His expressionless face somehow looked even more inhuman than usual.
Lee Woo-yeon gripped the hilt of the sword at his waist.
“Normally I wouldn’t, but Professor, you’re short on mana from consecutive dungeon raids right now, so I have to step up, right? Don’t worry. I’ll handle everything~.”
At the blatant sarcasm, Kim Sook-ja raised the wand-type staff she’d been holding.
The atmosphere between them turned hostile in an instant, and the soldiers guarding the area shot uneasy glances.
“I don’t think I’m so weak that I’d let myself be looked down on like this. Want to test it right now?”
“Why would I bother with someone like you?”
“Guys, this doesn’t seem like the time for this.”
I was still watching the saturation level hovering in midair. The number was still steadily rising, even if just a little.
I didn’t know what was happening inside, but we really didn’t have much time.
“And Kim Sook-ja…… Professor. Think about it. If Lee Woo-yeon Hunter goes in and clears it, great. But what if even he challenges it and fails? If Lee Woo-yeon’s outside, suppressing a Dungeon Break early would be impossible.”
“……Hm.”
“So either way, you have to send someone else in there. And to raise the clear chance, send a position other than a mage class.”
And that person was me, an unknown with an item Lee Woo-yeon guaranteed would work.
Kim Sook-ja fell silent after hearing me. Anguish appeared on her face.
“Wait. Come here.”
While Kim Sook-ja was silent, Lee Woo-yeon beckoned me over. When I looked at him like, what?, he waved his hand with a dissatisfied expression.
Crackle.
Sparks flew as mana collided.
Kim Sook-ja looked at me and Lee Woo-yeon beyond the space where sound had instantly been blocked, with a baffled expression.
And I was baffled too.
This guy, Lee Woo-yeon, just cast a sound-blocking spell in front of Kim Sook-ja? He was openly advertising that we were about to have a secret talk.
“What are you doing right now?”
“Are you confident?”
But Lee Woo-yeon ignored my bafflement and asked.
“Confident about what?”
“That you can clear it.”
“……Where would I get confidence like that?”
I’d never once been confident of success before entering a dungeon. No one knew how the System would act up. Like this time.
So the only thing I could say was one thing.
“Still, among the hunters we can mobilize right now, I’m definitely the one with the highest chance of clearing.”
As Kim Sook-ja said, there weren’t many classes specialized in countering magic. Priests, holy knights, or heroes. And they were all rare classes.
And one of those rare class holders was right here.
Truth be told, I hadn’t wanted to become a hero.
If I’d had talent for magic, I would’ve learned it, but when I first fell into Tartarus, I had no leeway to learn anything. And by the time I came to my senses after struggling to survive, I’d somehow become a hero.
I’d thought about learning magic late since it was so useful, but Lucas said I had no talent for it, and plus the gear I got was the Apex Light Sword, Angelus’s Blessing…… Years had passed with my class fixed like that.
I grinned at Lee Woo-yeon.
“And messing with other people’s magic is my specialty. You saw, right? How I cut off the Lich’s head before it could cast.”
“That’s…… music to my ears, or should I say an unpleasant remark as a magic swordsman?”
“You’re the one backing me up so aggressively—aren’t you worried? If I fail, a Dungeon Break happens.”
“You gave me those looks begging me to take your side, and now what? And…… if you fail, anyone who goes in will fail.”
His serious words almost made my heart skip a beat. I pressed my hand firmly against my chest once more.
Those damn eyelashes.
Get it together, Kang Ye-na. That’s a fox whose inner thoughts you can’t read.
I cleared my throat once to steady my voice before speaking.
“……I didn’t know I’d given you that much confidence.”
“It’s a rational conclusion. I considered up to Rank 30, but no one has anti-magic abilities. Otherwise, you’d have to overpower a monster using the same magic with firepower…… That’s me or Professor Kim Sook-ja over there. Jo Han-yul specializes in healing magic, or Yang Tae-won, but…… he’s on Jeju Island right now, so it’ll take time to get here.”
“Yang Tae-won? Who’s that?”
“There is one. Such a guy. Doesn’t matter if you don’t know. Point is, like you said, right now, Kang Ye-na-ssi, you’re the most likely to succeed.”
“Should I say thanks for believing in me?”
“I’ll accept your gratitude.”
“Anyway, dispel this. Professor Kim Sook-ja seems to have decided.”
Lee Woo-yeon glanced at Kim Sook-ja, then obediently dispelled the spell. Kim Sook-ja scanned him up and down with an incredulous look.
“Have you lost your mind?”
“I’m pretty sane today. So, have you reached a conclusion?”
“……Yes.”
Kim Sook-ja looked at me. From that gaze, I could instinctively tell what her conclusion was.
“I’m not looking down on you. It’s just that relying on you alone carries too much risk.”
“I understand.”
“I’m the site commander right now. With that authority, I permit your entry into the dungeon. I’ll provide as many potions as possible, and anything else you need, tell me. I’ll get it while there’s time.”
Finally.
I gripped my sword.
“Understood.”
“And separately from sending you in, starting now, I’ll proceed assuming a Dungeon Break will occur.”
She was sending me in, but acting on the premise that I’d fail.
Reasonable.
That’s what I thought, but Lee Woo-yeon standing beside me let out a deflating laugh, clearly displeased.
“Are you telling the person about to enter the dungeon that they’re basically going to die anyway, Professor?”
“No, that’s not it.”
I elbowed Lee Woo-yeon’s side to calm the fox’s flames.
Lee Woo-yeon turned to me.
Our eyes met Kim Sook-ja’s, and I grinned.
“It means she’ll take responsibility for my failure.”
No greater encouragement than that. Kim Sook-ja neither affirmed nor denied my words and turned away.
“Then, go.”
Kim Sook-ja, who seemed about to leave right away, hesitated and added one more thing.
“……Good luck.”
* * *
- This dungeon is currently being cleared. Entering midway may affect achievement settlement. Will you enter?
- Available entries (19/20)
“Then, I’m going.”
After finishing preparations, I left Lee Woo-yeon with a curt farewell. Lee Woo-yeon was staring intently at my face.
The moment I agreed to enter the dungeon, ignoring him.
As I was gradually engulfed by the light, Lee Woo-yeon said this to me.
“If the available entries increase more, I can enter too.”
“What?”
“Please…… think rationally…….”
Lee Woo-yeon’s words cut off midway.
Before I could ask what that meant, my vision went dark.
The first sense to return was my sense of smell, assaulted by the thick fragrance of blooming grass and flowers.
- You have entered the dungeon!
- This dungeon is being cleared. You can check the clear conditions.
And as soon as I opened my eyes, system messages flooded my vision. Beyond those translucent messages, a strange sight unfolded.
I blinked.
“That’s…… a castle?”
I’d braced myself to possibly drop into the middle of an intense battle since a clear was in progress, but the scenery was completely different from what I’d expected.
The first thing in my view was a vast blue field.
A peaceful landscape utterly at odds with the brutal name of dungeon. Wildflowers and grass grew randomly, and a rabbit grazing there fled in surprise at my sudden appearance.
Was the weather in the dungeon spring? Warm sunlight rained down on the field like actual rain.
And in the middle of that meadow stood massive castle walls.
The gray walls, once presumably majestic, were now crumbling, overrun by vines and plants as if abandoned, looking utterly forlorn.
Rumble!
Chunks of stone were still breaking off and falling to the ground.
Beyond the walls, the tall castle visible at a glance also seemed long neglected, with parts of its spires pathetically shattered.
What is this? Where are the people?
“No way I have to go inside that castle?”
It was just a casual remark.
Unexpectedly, the System reacted to my words.
- Field ‘Ghost Castle’ recognized.
- Will you enter ‘Ghost Castle’?
- The ‘Fifth Night’ is currently in progress.
……What? Ghosts?