EP4. The Cursed Dungeon
Shrrk.
The voice echoed from the darkness beyond the reach of light.
As Jae-jun watched warily, a sharp, grating voice rang out again.
"I asked who you are!"
"And who the hell are you?"
"What?"
The darkness rippled, revealing the creature's form.
Two eyeballs the size of heads dominated its face, with a long, tentacle-like mouth dangling beneath. Small pincer teeth clacked threateningly against each other.
Kiririk, kiririk.
Aside from its thick limbs instead of wings, it was unmistakably a gigantic fly.
"I am Bairu, the faithful servant of the great Throne of Pride, Lord Baal!
Who are you?"
Jae-jun flinched.
The grotesque sight startled him, and his hand instinctively reached for the Frost Blade in his subspace. But the creature's massive eyes were still just scanning him.
"I am..."
Jae-jun's mind raced.
"...a faithful servant of Lord Mammon, Throne of Avarice."
"Lies!
Lord Mammon would never take a puny human as a servant!"
Bairu whipped its enormous eyes around in agitation.
Pajit! Pajijit!
The hairs on its body bristled, sparks of electricity crackling forth.
It looked ready to lunge at any moment.
"You're the one presuming to judge Lord Mammon!
How dare a mere servant evaluate a Demon King?
Who are you to know his thoughts?"
Bairu halted abruptly as it approached.
"...J-Judge?
I'd never dare judge him!
If you're truly his servant, show me proof!"
"Proof?"
Jae-jun smirked.
He already had all the proof he needed from Mammon.
Extending his hand, he displayed Mammon's ring.
"This is the ring Lord Mammon bestowed upon me.
Satisfied? Is this enough?"
Thud, thud.
Bairu lumbered right up to him, shoving its face close to inspect the ring intently.
"No way..."
Its glassy eyes darted back and forth, scrutinizing for a long moment before it backed away.
"...It's genuine. Lord Mammon's ring.
To think the one who despises humans would take one as a servant."
"Again!
Daring to judge him on your own?"
Bairu panicked, rubbing its front limbs together frantically.
"No!
A mistake. Just a mistake!"
Jae-jun glared at it disapprovingly, but inwardly, he was grinning wickedly.
"So why are you here?
This is Lord Baal's assigned watchpost!"
Jae-jun pretended to scan the gate while devising an excuse.
'If I say I just wanted to check it out, it'll definitely say no...'
"...Looks like Lucifer has another great warrior left.
That warrior seems to be targeting this place."
"What?"
Jae-jun eyed Bairu tensely.
"Most of Lucifer's servants and retainers are dead!
A great warrior survives?
You mean those dying bugs from the arena?"
"No.
Some other one. That's why I came to watch this place, just in case."
"I see."
Bairu wiggled its long mouth as it replied.
Jae-jun sidled toward the gate entrance and asked casually,
"Have you ever gone inside?"
"What?"
Bairu whipped around in disbelief.
"You don't know what's in there?"
"Lucifer's soul fragment, right?"
Kiririk, kiririk.
Bairu laughed mockingly with its teeth.
"Lord Mammon must not have told you.
It's not just the soul fragment—his retainers sleep inside too.
Even I, Bairu, faithful demon servant of the Throne of Pride, Lord Baal, couldn't beat it."
It rolled its eyes distastefully toward the gate.
'So that's how it is.'
Jae-jun observed Bairu sidelong.
He considered a surprise attack, but like a fly, its eyes covered every angle without blind spots.
"Bairu.
Let me help you take out that servant."
"What?
You mean enter the gate now?"
"With the two of us, we might manage."
Kiririk!
"You've been talking nonsense!
It's Lucifer's servant!
Even hundreds more human bugs like you couldn't do it!"
It sneered openly at Jae-jun.
"Now leave!
This place is safe with me, Bairu, here!"
With that, it trudged back into the darkness.
Jae-jun watched its back and subtly shifted toward the rear.
'One more step, and it's the gate.'
Bairu showed no reaction.
Jae-jun pressed into the gate.
Thud.
What?
It wasn't the gate's ripple—it felt like solid rock.
Turning in shock, Jae-jun saw the gate had vanished like an illusion.
'What the—?'
Then Bairu whipped its head around and glared.
"So you aren't Lord Mammon's servant after all!
You filthy bug!"
Its hairs bristled again, electricity surging.
Pajijijik!
"Daring to deceive me?"
Something long protruded from its back.
Transparent, thin wings.
Flap!
Bairu shot into the air.
Whiiing—
"Die!"
Pajijijik!
A merciless rain of lightning poured toward Jae-jun.
Acceleration
Time slowed for Jae-jun.
He saw Bairu arrogantly laughing amid the lightning storm.
Jae-jun's body weaved through the bolts, charging straight at it.
Pababat!
"Fool!"
Kiririk.
Bairu clacked its teeth in delight.
All the lightning surged toward Jae-jun like living creatures.
Shield: Reflect
Ziiing!
"Urk!"
Blink
Jae-jun's body teleported to the opposite side of the cave in an instant.
The shield had auto-activated, buying just enough time to Blink amid the lightning.
Ragnal Blast
Casting Ragnal Blast.
Cast time and size vary by mana cost.
Jae-jun envisioned the entire cave.
A pentagram slowly etched itself on the ceiling, illuminating the cavern brightly.
Its massive scale made the cast time feel eternal.
"Not a chance!"
Pajijik!
Lightning erupted wildly from Bairu toward Jae-jun.
Sensing danger from the pentagram above, it tried to flee the area.
'No escape!
Shadow Hand!'
Shadow Hand
Jae-jun's shadow stretched long, seizing Bairu and shredding its wings.
It crashed to the ground, tumbling repeatedly.
But Ragnal Blast still wasn't complete.
Lightning hurtled straight at Jae-jun's face.
He tried blocking with Shadow Hand, but it faded on contact with the electricity, powerless.
'Damn it.
Blood Shield!'
The first time using the ability from Mammon's ring.
A draining sensation trickled from his spine as red blood enveloped his body.
The same blood membrane he'd seen against the vampire.
Pajijik!
The lightning failed to pierce the shield, scorching only harmless blood before dissipating.
'Whew.'
The moment the lightning vanished, Ragnal Blast finished casting.
Kwaaaaang!
Flames poured from the pentagram, filling the cave and engulfing Bairu.
Kiiiiiiik!
Bairu screamed wretchedly amid the inferno.
Wings and limbs burned away, leaving only its massive eyeball and torso.
Jae-jun drew the Frost Blade and approached.
Kiririk!
"You filthy human scum!
One day, I'll turn all you humans into maggot breeding grounds!"
Its already raspy voice was now a metallic scrape, waterlogged.
"Got it.
Now die and drop your item."
Slash!
Jae-jun cleaved precisely between its eyes.
Lesser demon Bairu defeated.
Checking the corpse just in case, an item had indeed dropped.
A ring again.
◈ Endurance +77
◈ Special: Chain Lightning
◈ A ring crafted by Pride Demon King Baal from one of his finger bones.
'Chain Lightning!'
Chain Lightning
Generates tracking lightning around the caster.
Lightning that strikes once spreads to other targets at 60% damage.
Size varies by mana cost.
A magic skill!
An instant-cast one at that.
He'd been despairing over Ragnal Blast's absurd cast time, and here was a perfect alternative.
Jae-jun slipped it on and tested it immediately.
'Chain Lightning!'
Pajijik!
Lightning flashed everywhere, streaking to the far wall.
"Hm?"
Woooong—
Then the cursed key in his inventory emerged, humming loudly.
It flew through the air and stabbed into the floor's center.
Clank.
The cursed key turned on its own, unlocking with a click.
Kuuuung.
The cave rumbled as the floor sank slowly.
Below lay another space.
Far off, stone statues lined up before a roaring bonfire.
And simultaneously, a quest generated, a window popping up before Jae-jun's eyes.
"...What?"
The quest's contents were utterly absurd.
Thank you.