The Shadowed Depths Await
There was a moment of pure joy over the massive jackpot.
But right now, there were several issues that needed addressing before diving into that nodus.
For starters, combat had already left him utterly exhausted.
‘I’ve got plenty of potions to refill, though.’
Summoning elite skeletons to serve as reinforcements was still impossible.
‘I could still fight without them, of course.’
But the biggest problem of all was this.
‘I still have no idea what lies beneath me.’
Fafnir’s analysis was only valid once he had actually seen the target.
Without any information, venturing into the unknown was simply asking for disaster.
‘I could hunt with body-bonded control, sure.’
Fafnir fell into deep thought.
The remaining time was one week.
It looked like plenty, but in real-world terms that was barely two days.
‘Should I just trust myself and take the challenge?’
In the single moment all those worries had passed, Fafnir’s eyes fixed on the entrance.
‘Even so, I have to stop here.’
Any further and this would truly become a gamble.
If Flush had “heavenly luck” like him, maybe it would work.
But all he knew from the novel was the basic plot.
With no other advantages, stepping inside now would only guarantee loss.
‘First, I should prepare properly.’
He pulled out the key and the door snapped shut as if it had never been open.
That was enough to put his mind at ease that no one else would discover the second floor anytime soon.
‘Still, I can’t leave it untouched for too long.’
The first-discovery buff would vanish after one week.
To really cash in, I have to clear it at least once before then.
‘So now….’
Lunchtime ended here.
Time to digest what I’ve eaten and build my muscles.
***
In this game-world where luck decides everything, cash-for-item trading is completely legal.
Pay a small fee and you can convert in-game content into real money without any restrictions.
Naturally, trading sites sprang up like mushrooms after rain.
Kim Ganghan chose Horizon Market among them.
The very site the original protagonist always used in the novel.
“Hmm.”
Kim Ganghan opened his personal page on Horizon Market.
─Helion’s Robe: 300,000 won (sold)
─Imp Ring: 600,000 won (sold)
─Bloodthirsty Assassin’s Blade: 350,000 won (listing)
─Silver Ring: 130,000 won (sold)
─Byron Knights’ Steel Shield: 20,000 won (listing)
‘As expected, jewelry and clothing sell the best.’
The Silver Ring and Steel Shield were both dropped by the trio.
Weapons and armor, on the other hand, had so many kinds that unless they had standout options, they rarely sold.
‘No choice, I’ll have to sell these two separately.’
After all that, the total came to 1,030,000 won.
After taxes and fees, 900,000 won remained.
Kim Ganghan withdrew half of it in cash.
‘Even for living expenses, that’s enough.’
It wasn’t a huge amount by any stretch.
But he had to keep in mind it was earnings from a low-level account.
‘Compared to back then, this is nothing at all.’
The mid-to-late stages when many 400-level users were around.
Nameds at the time, the top rankers, were pulling in hundreds of millions to billions a month.
‘Even if the point is just to do the author’s quest, I still have to hit the peak, but….’
After submitting the refund request, Kim Ganghan opened another window.
It was an overseas site selling all kinds of nutritional supplements and health foods.
He ordered two sets of magnesium and vitamin supplements from there.
‘Taking care of Oh Jinhwan’s health is important too.’
Back in his active days, Kim Ganghan hadn’t paid much attention to his body.
As a result, his physical condition lagged and the aging curve hit hard.
Once health was gone, it never came back.
‘I finally got a decent body, and I’m not letting this one go to waste.’
Even without the author’s quest, to reach the peak in this game I had to look after my health!
‘My health checkup results will be out soon. After that, I’ll keep up with the maintenance.’
‘And when I have some extra money, I’ll start personal training too!’
‘I can think about that after I get the results….’
Kim Ganghan opened the Horizon Net site.
─Giant Mantis Strategy Info and Tips (300,000 won)
─70–75 Level Hidden Dungeon Locations and Info (2,500,000 won)
*This post cannot be viewed with your current rating.
‘Is my rating an outsider level?’
Horizon Net divided members into several ranks.
People like Kim Ganghan, who had just joined, were at the lowest “outsider” tier.
To use the content, you had to buy the Basic Service (89,000 won monthly) and upgrade your rank.
‘It’s pricey for a package, but… it’s worth every bit if you actually use it.’
Eighty percent of members who used the net stayed at this Basic level for information.
Kim Ganghan, who had purchased the service, began searching for dungeon-related info.
The result was shocking.
─Byron, Catacombs search: 0 results
‘This….’
Members on Horizon Net numbered in the millions, over ten million at least.
Yet in the search bar used by eighty percent of them, this information didn’t exist.
That meant this dungeon was…
‘A high-grade hidden dungeon that slipped through eighty percent of the information network…!’
He had expected something huge since the first-discovery buff, but this dungeon was even bigger than he thought.
There was just one problem.
‘In the original novel, the protagonist got another quest and moved on.’
Future Flush had completely looted the mountain orc fortress and raked in huge profits.
That happened eight months later, though.
So why hadn’t Flush discovered this place?
‘Probably because luck decided it wasn’t worth the risk.’
Either the dungeon didn’t have enough merit, or the enemies here were too powerful for him to handle.
‘No matter how big the gain, if you don’t get it, it’s just smoke.’
A hidden dungeon of such difficulty that luck itself was reluctant to tackle.
The corner of Fafnir’s mouth lifted.
‘This should be fun.’
Fafnir immediately changed his search term.
─Full Strategy for Armand’s Columbaria Floors 1–5 (50,000 won)
─Second Floor of Korbo Cavern Strategy (30,000 won)
He bought information on dungeon types similar to the Catacombs—common graves.
Most of them were low-level dungeons, so the prices were reasonable.
‘Next skeletons, then elite skeletons. Or maybe enhanced zombies, bats, or skeleton orcs.’
He wanted to check similar cases and prepare for them.
It was the same principle as studying past exam questions when you’re testing.
Then one explanation caught his eye.
‘Usually, the more advanced ones appear in the same series, but if the dungeon is tied to a specific NPC, monsters related to that NPC will spawn….’
Thinking about it, Hilde had said something similar before.
‘The priestess was about to say something, right?’
Should I explain the situation to Hilde?
‘After all, we’ll hunt together, so sharing information isn’t a problem. I’ll contact her after tomorrow’s login.’
Kim Ganghan switched windows again.
‘Then I’ll buy info about Byron City for myself.’
Searching for Byron City in the information category brought up several items.
For a moment he looked at one of them and his eyebrows furrowed.
‘16,000 won.’
It wasn’t expensive.
But the thought of hitting purchase made him feel like he was losing money.
‘…Instead of spending that, I’ll order a chicken and eat it.’
Kim Ganghan opened another window and placed his order for the supplies he needed.
Materials to revive the elite skeleton, and various ingredients to prepare for the second-floor strategy.
─Payment completed.
Kim Ganghan thought after seeing the message.
‘From tomorrow it’ll be busy again.’
The huge experience-point explosion was just a bonus!
The corner of Fafnir’s mouth lifted.
***
The next day.
As soon as Fafnir logged in, he checked the new message.
[Title: Purchased items are waiting for pickup.]
─Sender: Hermes’ Wing – Baran Kingdom staff, Kroni
─Recipient: Fafnir
─Content: 8 black phoenix candles, 30 troll bloods, 12 red poison worm toxin glands, 100 Shagar’s claws, 3 living dead hearts, 5 mandrake roots, 1 soul restoration crystal, 10 bottles of human blood, 10 containers of mixed pepper and chili powder, 200 holy waters, 5 bamboo sticks, 10 trap neutralization scrolls, 10 detect field scrolls, 30 dungeon exploration torches, 5 dungeon exploration ropes.
‘As expected from Hermes’ Wing, they really deliver.’
Hermes’ Wing.
The best delivery guild in Horizon.
Thousands of users, including rankers, belonged to it, and hundreds of times that number used its service.
With that kind of power, they offered both the best safety and speed.
The fee was a bit steep, but it was worth it.
‘Since trading keeps raising my rank, it’s better to open it early.’
He thought it would be even better once the guild grew stronger later.
‘I still have a little time left, so I should finish this before that.’
He sent a message to Hilde and got a reply shortly after.
─Hilde: Dungeon hunting?
─Fafnir: Yes, I found a good dungeon. What do you think about hunting together?
Hilde replied after a moment.
─Hilde: It’s a really good idea… but sorry.
─Hilde: I suddenly got a project and… I can’t hunt dungeons like that. Even if it’s for a short time, I don’t think I can.
Hilde’s refusal due to real-life busyness!
‘Tsk.’
Fafnir clicked his tongue.
‘There’s no one better than Hilde for the Catacombs…’
Hilde’s control was top-tier, the highest he himself would admit.
If she had been there, the second floor would have been cleared easily.
‘No choice. I need to find another party member.’
In this case, being a necromancer class wasn’t much of a problem.
Once he revealed the hidden dungeon discovery, party applications would flood in like clouds.
But there was still one issue.
‘If I release this information, someone is bound to think it’s theirs.’
The reward split was one thing.
If he sold the dungeon info to a big guild, from that moment on Fafnir would be the dog chasing the chicken.
Huge loss compared to finding party members.
‘A trustworthy party member… I should contact that archer Vane from last time?’
He wouldn’t get the same help as Hilde, but Vane was still solidly skilled.
‘Then I’ll be the bait….’
As Fafnir was pondering, a thought crossed his mind.
‘Wait a second, why can’t I just go alone?’
After all, I became a necromancer to cover every aspect by myself.
‘But now I’m trying to get a party?’
‘Thinking about it, this isn’t a crisis, it’s an opportunity.’
If Hilde was there, it would be highly efficient, but even without her there were many ways.
‘Good.’
Once he decided, it was time to act.
First, Fafnir visited the necromancer guild once more.
“Hello, senior.”
“Hey, junior. How’s everything?”
“Thanks to you. By the way, I wanted to ask something.”
If Guld, the necromancer living in Byron City, knew legends about the Catacombs.
“Hmm, Catacombs old stories?”
“Yes, actually, I heard the priests in the temple say something similar….”
“There is one legend, actually.”
Guld glanced at Fafnir and continued.
“Normally I wouldn’t tell just anyone, but since you asked, I’ll tell you specially.”
─Favorability 30 or higher.
─Quest ‘Information Fee’ skipped.
Thanks to the high favorability, he could hear the legend without any conditions.
“From what I heard, long ago there was a battle between the angels of Thor and some forgotten god in this land.”
“Angels of the god?”
“Yes. The battle between Thor’s angels and the forgotten god ended in Thor’s victory because of betrayal by those who were once his disciples.”
A short video flashed before Fafnir’s eyes.
A fight between one god and his many angels.
Just the impact of that battle flipped the land and collapsed the sky.
Seven days and nights of nonstop divine combat!
It ended in the defeat of the forgotten god thanks to the betrayal of a certain dark mage who had once been his disciple.
Several gods fell, swords buried in their bodies.
Angels tore their flesh apart and buried them in the ground!
“The gods’ messengers sealed the forgotten god underground and built a temple on top. That temple is the current Thor Temple.”
“I see.”
If the Catacombs’ second floor was related to this legend, Flush’s luck had clearly dodged it.
“One day, if some ridiculously strong person destroys this Tor Temple, he might obtain a fragment of the forgotten god or something similar.”
─Acquired clue for Quest ‘Tor Temple Strategy’.
“How’s that? Any curiosity satisfied?”
“Yes, I’ll work even harder from now on.”
“Good. If you have any questions or problems, feel free to ask anytime. You’re my favorite disciple, so it’s only fair.”
“Thank you.”
After hearing the hidden story, Fafnir learned the summon skeleton skill on the spot.
Since he couldn’t disarm every trap in the dungeon, he recruited people to take the hits for him.
“Then I’ll take my leave to follow the dark teachings.”
It was time to head straight to the next appointment.
In the plaza, a man with a backpack was waiting.
“Fafnir-nim?”
“Yes, I’m Fafnir.”
“You already paid on the site… Here are the items.”
He received the revival materials for the elite skeleton and all the various supplies!
‘Arrived exactly on time, just as I sent.’
As expected from Hermes’ Wing.
He could now understand why the protagonist in the original novel had paid high wages to use them.
“Then I’ll take my leave….”
The delivery guy turned around.
At that moment, Fafnir’s eyes scanned the delivery guy’s retreating back.
“What happened to your appearance?”
“This?”
The delivery guy sighed and explained.
“Don’t mention it. I was coming over the mountain ahead when suddenly hundreds of orcs appeared and chased me.”
Hundreds of orcs relentlessly chasing!
The delivery guy’s movement skill was good, that was why he was still alive, but he had been in mortal danger of having his goods stolen and dying.
“There should only be one orc scouting post near here….”
“Really? The orcs I met were already setting up a whole camp. Something’s definitely wrong.”
The delivery guy, backpack slung over his shoulder, said with a laugh.
“Then I’ll head back. There are still deliveries left.”
“Are you okay?”
“This is nothing. One potion and I’ll be fine.”
The delivery guy walked away with light steps.
‘The orcs are increasing….’
Every single thing that happens in Horizon has consequences.
This city must have been honey land for more than just the Catacombs.
‘I’ll check that later.’
Right now, I have to climb that huge mountain in front of me.
Fafnir opened his inventory.
‘Should I prepare now?’