Monolith -8-
Imparts a physical attribute weakness to the target.
"Hup!"
Rohan shoved both hands into the gap between the iron plates he'd sliced with his dagger.
Then he tore them apart. Ignoring the writhing vines, he bulged his forearms and pried the metal open.
Baaaang───!!!Vroooom───!!!
The car, crawling on all fours with its vines, spun its wheels as if they might burst.
Its horn blared like a scream. The dagger embedded in its bumper spat out and fell to the ground.
Was this parasitic monster instinctively sensing danger, or writhing in pain?
Unfortunately, neither mattered—its strength was draining from Rohan's grip either way.
──Crunch!!! As Rohan roughly dismantled the door with his hands, the vines supporting the body lost power and staggered.
A final kick sent the car toppling sideways.
A sure sign the monster was dead.
Then, crashing noises echoed from beyond the wall, points pouring in.
Sion and Clara's handiwork.
Rohan confirmed the two girls had handled the monster pack unscathed, then wiped the sweat dripping down his face.
'Whoa, this insane heat.'
The monsters' levels were clearly rising as they neared their goal.
The real problem? The temperature was climbing to absurd heights too.
If they didn't have mana-infused bodies, this murderous heat would've turned them into corpses for sure.
No idea if it was from heading toward the center or just time passing in here.
Didn't care to know, either.
Whatever the answer, there was only one path: forward.
"Oppa! Path's clear now!"
"Fighting motorcycles and utility poles... this battle felt like a particularly ridiculous nightmare."
Hot and humid enough to make one doubt if this wasn't hell itself, yet the girls showed no irritation or friction.
Rohan found that especially admirable.
[Purchased bottled water.]
"Good work, both of you."
He handed each girl a cool bottle of water, then moved out, sticking to the shade as much as possible.
Checking his smartphone timer mid-stride at the front, Rohan noted:
'...28 hours, 6 minutes.'
Over a full day in this dungeon.
He only used it to track time, so the battery was just under half. Plenty left.
Right now, avoiding heatstroke mattered more than the battery dying.
Step. Step. Step.
He hurried under precariously leaning buildings propping each other up.
Beyond them loomed the overpass—two X-shaped pedestrian bridges, shattered and collapsed.
Rohan approached casually, jogging his memory at the familiar structure.
'The protagonist's party took three days to reach this point.'
Recalling the rest event in Abyss City.
Comparing it:
'Nice. Way faster than expected.'
He'd figured at least two days to get here, but Sion and Clara's synergy shattered that pleasantly.
After fighting side-by-side all day, the trio had synced up perfectly, grasping each other's styles.
Even their rapport felt tighter now. Sion seemed to have picked up how to chat with Clara, too.
Rohan drew close to the wrecked overpass, meticulously checking for vines.
Clear. He turned to the girls following him.
"Wanna rest here a bit? Plenty of shade from this."
"Yeah!"
"Sure."
As they settled in, Rohan shrugged off his jacket, tossed it aside, and stripped off his shirt.
No minding the wrinkles—he twisted it like a towel and wrung it out. Sweat poured onto the ground.
Sion ducked behind debris out of his sight, stripping to her underwear to wring out her sleeveless top.
Clara just took off her thick, long boots—that was it.
She sweated the least of the three, but still some. Her outfit just wasn't easy to deal with.
"Clara, need more water?"
"I still have some left...!"
Rohan, slinging his crumpled shirt back on, sat beside her.
No trace of the anxiety she'd shown when they first dropped into the dungeon.
"Not hungry? Want something sweet?"
"We ate not long ago. I'm good."
Clara answered Rohan's question with a shy smile.
She could feel his gentle concern checking on her and Sion's states.
'Seriously, thank god for Oppa...'
Moments like this really drove home that he was the oldest.
Not provable fact, just gut feeling—but skills were only part of what he could do.
Following that broad back, she'd definitely escape this dungeon. Her mind eased.
"Rohan. Better to eat at the next rest, no?"
Sion emerged, dressed again, and sat beside the resting pair.
"Maybe. That cool with you, Clara?"
"Yeah! I think unnie's right."
Their dynamic had evolved to this—sisters now.
A huge leap.
"... ."
"... ."
The three enjoyed a leisurely rest in the overpass shade.
No real talk. Just comfortable silence.
"Time to move."
Rohan's word after draining his water. Sion and Clara prepped without protest.
Clara laced her boots back on; Sion readjusted her goggles and stood.
Sion glanced around to ensure nothing dropped; Rohan, dressing, took her in.
And spotted something odd.
'Huh?'
Not his imagination. Sion's lips curved faintly upward.
Rather than heartwarming, it made his heart sink.
'What's that about...?'
Nothing obvious to make her that happy.
Endless draining fights in this swelter—yet she looked pleased? Naturally worrying.
Rohan paused dressing, shooting her a look.
Reading it, Sion—rarely—covered her mouth shyly, gazing upward.
"...I must look foolish."
"You okay?"
"Don't worry. Not losing it from the heat."
"Good... but..."
Rohan resumed dressing, face uneasy.
Sion turned her faint smile into a wry chuckle.
Then opened up honestly.
"Just... spending time unbound like this feels rather enjoyable."
Clara, unaware of Sion's circumstances, gave an ambiguous reaction.
But Rohan got it instantly—why she was smiling.
"Sion."
"Hm?"
"Once we're out, I'll fix it as fast as I can."
"... ."
His actions in the dungeon had raised her expectations higher.
Sion was at a loss. What to say?
"Let's go."
Rohan, uninterested in a reply, gripped his dagger and took point.
Clara trailed him with a puzzled look at their exchange.
..
..
36 hours since dungeon entry.
Rohan's group had felled countless monsters to reach here.
Fortunate—no injuries among them.
But Rohan knew:
'The real trouble starts here.'
They'd eaten, taken rotating naps—peak condition.
He looked up.
Their target building entered view.
"Right place?"
"Indeed. Clearly different."
"Haaa..."
Glass windows showed it: packed with vines inside.
Unlike before, these sprouted vicious thorns.
"Rohan. Entering now?"
"Yeah."
"Then Clara and I should alternate leading from here?"
Clara nodded, biting her lip—wanting to say the same.
But Rohan shook his head firmly.
"No. I'm the one trained professionally on monster countermeasures."
"Mm..."
"Plus, even if my skills lag, I'm the tankiest. Taking point and reacting fits me."
He meant it from his knowledge, but the girls looked ready to argue the "tankiest" part.
Still, they knew by now: Rohan wouldn't budge.
"Also, attacks from behind—not just frontal. Cover that, yeah?"
"...Got it."
Sion and Clara nodded.
Rohan wrapped up talk and opened the Shop.
[Purchased Lowest-grade Stamina Potion.]
[Purchased Lowest-grade Mana Potion.]
Lowest-grade potions cost 100 points each. Three stamina, three mana.
Thumb-sized vials—perfect for carrying.
Red liquid sloshed in the stamina ones; blue in the mana.
"One each. Drink when needed—no holding back."
"This... a potion?"
Sion examined it, eyes wide.
"Yep. Can get more, so don't skimp. Got it, Clara?"
"Y-Yeah...!"
Rohan didn't regret the 600-point spend.
Full recovery on clear or not—preparation was key now.
Unlike Abyss City, only one life here.
"Going in?"
At his voice, the girls pocketed their potions.
They readied stances for instant monsters.
"One... two!"
──Thud! Rohan's kick blew the door off.
The interior lay exposed.