Sewer Dungeon (2)
After the commotion during practical training ended, I returned home and thoroughly washed off my soaked body.
My reflection in the mirror was a complete mess, covered in slime mucus.
But my eyes burned brighter than ever.
"With this level of power, I should be ready to tackle a dungeon soon."
I'd slaughtered the dozens of slimes that Park Dusik had deliberately scattered in just one minute.
The original game was a turn-based tzukuru-style RPG, so direct comparisons were tricky.
Still, it was clear my specs were overpowered compared to my stats.
Virtual dungeon monsters or real ones, their specs are identical. Trash mobs like slimes aren't even a challenge for me.
I pulled out the strategy guide I'd stashed deep in my desk drawer.
The first dungeon in Hypnosis Academy.
It was hidden underground in the sewers near the academy.
Separate from Student Council President Kang Jinhyuk, a villain had built his own secret lab there.
Self-proclaimed genius magus-scholar, Doctor Slime, right?
He'd set up his lab deep in the sewers, tinkering with monsters.
Breeding slimes with tentacle beasts to create horrors that ambushed women on the streets, turning them into breeding pods. Gruesome stuff.
The slimes and ropers used in the breeding were low-grade monsters, so they weren't that strong.
But to non-awakeners, they were a disaster.
I can't just let that happen.
Besides, those bastards were precious bundles of experience points for me right now.
Skills: Body Transcendence (S) / Mana Sensitivity (S) / Insight (SS) / Combat Swordsmanship (A) / Mana Armament (A)
Hypnosis (SSS) (Hidden): A powerful spell created using ley lines. Activates only on those affected by ley lines. Induces slight cognitive bias in the target, excluding the possibility that they themselves are hypnotized.
Hypnosis Depth (3): A state of defiant over-challenge toward sexual acts, stemming from denial of one's own arousal.
Ero Status: Pure virgin. Occasionally has erotic fantasies. Has thought about masturbation.
Masochistic Tendency (Low): Desensitized to pain while simultaneously feeling pleasure.
It had been four days since I possessed Seo Eunha's body.
Combining practicals and training had bumped my stats a bit, but my level was still stuck at 1.
Stats were growing slower than skills. Leveling up wasn't optional—it was essential.
I need to hit at least level 10 in the first dungeon to make the next scenarios easier.
Hypnosis Academy had five dungeons total.
The first, the sewers, was levels 1-10; the second, 11-20, increasing by 10 each time.
In the original game, you could grind levels sky-high. Whether that worked in this reality remained to be seen.
"No, the whole level-up system might not even function... Better check first."
I didn't have a proper weapon, so full clears were out, but scouting should be fine.
Academy wooden swords had to be returned after class, and real blades meant the black market.
For now, I grabbed a kitchen knife.
I wrapped it tightly in tissue, then layered plastic bags around it, and shoved it in the corner of my bag.
If I could shred slimes with a wooden sword, a kitchen knife would sashimi them fine—as long as I minded the short reach.
I reached for light workout clothes but paused.
This damn city's "common sense" came to mind.
Bundling up and wandering at night screamed "perv up to no good."
With a sigh, I picked up my uniform again.
One button undone, as usual.
The excuse of "for mana circulation" was starting to feel natural.
"Time to head out."
The night streets were far more dangerous than daytime—and way lewder.
Under flashing neon signs, skimpy-clad men and women slinked along, bodies pressed close.
Sticking to shadows, I inspected manhole covers one by one.
It was definitely around this alley...
Matching the game's dot-graphics map to real terrain was harder than expected.
Hundreds of manholes near the academy alone.
I rubbed my forehead, glaring at identical iron lids.
Guess I can only rely on Insight.
The Insight skill visualized information. It would alert me to mana reactions below manholes.
Concentrated mana reaction detected.
Bingo. Found it.
I glanced around casually.
Even at night, passersby might spot me.
Prying open a manhole now would scream "crazy bitch."
...Just go for it? Nah, no need for attention. Come back around midnight.
As I turned to leave—
Beep!
A shrill whistle pierced the air, followed by a blinding flashlight in my face.
I flinched, shielding my eyes.
"Student! What are you doing here so late?"
Beyond the light stood a man in a police uniform.
Cops...! Why now of all times...?
In this world, police weren't public servants.
They were perverts hiding behind authority, "correcting" women legally.
And my bag held a deadly weapon: the kitchen knife. Caught with that, I'd be "re-educated" for sure.
I forced a natural smile. "Oh, just... taking a walk. Heading home now."
I tried slipping past him out of the alley.
But he blocked me, tapping his baton.
"A walk? This late? And this is a dead end."
His gaze lingered on my undone shirt buttons and the thighs peeking from my short skirt.
"Outfit's perfect, though. Academy student? Wandering alone at night is dangerous."
"Haha... I'm fine. I'm an awakener, after all. No worries."
"Hey now! The world's full of dangers these days! Girls like you need protection!"
He approached with feigned concern; I backed up until cornered.
"There, there. Come quietly. We'll keep you safe at the station nearby."
His hand reached for my shoulder.
His head was probably swimming with filthy fantasies of the interrogation room.
Dragged to the station, and I'm done for!
A station full of cops—if they swarmed, even I couldn't handle it.
Decision made.
"Sorry, officer! I've got urgent business!"
I spun, yanking the manhole cover.
Channeling mana, the dozens-of-kilos iron lid lifted like nothing.
"Wh-what?! Hey! What the hell are you doing?!"
Ignoring his panicked shout, I dove into the dark sewer hole.
Splash!
"Ugh, the stench...!"
Nose-stinging foulness hit as my feet touched cold water.
Not deep, but sewage lapped at my knees, mixed with filth.
I scrambled onto the flat ledge beside the channel.
No time to mind my soaked shoes—yells echoed from above.
"Student! Are you insane?! Get up here now! Come out, and I won't do anything!"
"If you won't do anything now, that means you planned to earlier!"
"Th-that's just a figure of speech... Anyway, it's dangerous down there!"
The cop started down the ladder, huffing.
"You're the dangerous one! Don't follow me!"
He might genuinely worry—in his own twisted, hypnosis-screwed way.
I focused Mana Armament on my legs.
A faint blue glow shimmered around them in the dark.
Whoosh!
I bolted deeper into the sewer.
First, shake this cop fast.
If he followed this far, he might end up monster chow.
"St-stop! Huff, huff... Why are you so fast...?"
A few leaps, and his presence faded.
I zigzagged at every fork, just in case.
How long did I run?
When no sounds trailed me, I finally stopped, catching my breath.
"Haa... haa... Guess he gave up."
Eerie silence enveloped everything.
Only rhythmic drips and flowing sewage echoed like in a cave.
"Time to head back."
I sighed in relief and turned to retrace my steps—but...
Round the first corner, and I froze.
"...Huh?"
Identical sewer tunnels everywhere—like a decalcomania mirror maze.
Left, right, forward, back. No clue which way I'd come.
Too focused on ditching the cop, I'd gotten lost.
Panicking, I tried mapping with Insight.
What appeared was a pathetic scribble, not a map.
"What the hell is this?!"
The reason was obvious.
Insight visualized what I'd seen.
I'd bolted without looking around. No data, no map.
Mana traces... Yeah, follow mana like footprints...!
Useless.
Mana reactions saturated everything.
This was smack in Doctor Slime's lab territory.
Phone check: no signal flashing.
Lab's jammer at work, no doubt.
Squelch, slurp...
Wet dragging sounds from somewhere.
Not one. Dozens, hundreds of creepy frictions closing in.
"......"
I swallowed hard.
Those "drips" and "flows"...
Monsters crawling toward me.
Instinct drove me back—
Then, from empty space behind, cold slime touched me.
Sticky, writhing... a massive tentacle slithering up my spine.
"Eek?!"
With my scream, the real battle began.