Chapter 78
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 78
Chapter Title: Ameris's Night
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"Ebony Team. Their position looks off. Seems like they've strayed from the training zone.... Coordinates pinpoint the swamp's center."
The subordinate in the control room reported, but the woman who appeared to be in charge dismissed it casually.
"That glitches out sometimes. Just smack the machine a few times."
"I-it doesn't seem like a glitch."
Hunter Kim Do-hoon disliked the supervisor's lax attitude but masked his expression with a smile.
"This could be directly tied to the students' safety. How about taking a proper look?"
"What's an outsider barging in for?"
The supervisor snapped irritably, as if annoyed.
Kim Do-hoon narrowed his eyes and pointed out sharply in a cold voice.
"I'm not an outsider. I'm the external safety officer and advisor for this training."
At his words, the supervisor flinched but soon raised her voice even louder.
"Professor or instructor, whatever—I'm the top dog in this control room!"
Kim Do-hoon let out a weary sigh in response.
"Part of an advisor's role includes audits that could affect your performance review going forward."
"Tch...!"
She scowled and muttered under her breath before approaching her subordinate.
"What does he know anyway? Hey, scoot over!"
She shoved the subordinate aside irritably and plopped down, peering closely at the screen.
"What, it's just an error, then..."
As her words trailed off, the subordinate checked the screen again and spoke up.
"It's not an error. This is the swamp area, sure—but they're barely still inside the training boundaries!"
Kim Do-hoon smiled and asked.
"So you're saying the Ebony Club is crossing straight through the swamp right now?"
"Yes. No idea why they'd choose that, but it's definite."
Professor Kang Geom-seon chuckled in disbelief.
"That's... pretty innovative."
"Yeah. Definitely didn't see that coming."
Kim Do-hoon nodded along with Professor Kang Geom-seon, then eyed the coordinates in the corner of the screen as he thought.
'It might look like they're turning back right now, but if they cut straight across this swamp...'
Once his thoughts reached a conclusion, Kim Do-hoon smiled and murmured.
"Student Kim Si-woo. Looks like you won't need those cigarettes after all."
It didn't take long to reach the swamp.
'The real trouble starts here.'
A vast swamp stretched out before them.
And as expected, it was a gruesome hellscape filled with the corpses of ghouls.
Some were still alive, twitching grotesquely.
It was hell on earth.
"Ughhh! I feel like I'm going to pass out!"
"Where'd you even pick up vocabulary like that?"
Erina couldn't handle the sight.
Baek A-rin scanned the terrain, then spotted a massive tree in the swamp's center and pointed it out.
"That tree's abnormally huge."
"Oh, it really is! Ridiculously big."
"Yeah. Probably grew fat on all those zombies down below."
"Kyaaaa! I told you not to say stuff like that!"
Erina lost it at my joke.
"Anyway, we've got business with that tree."
Baek A-rin gave me a puzzled look.
"With that tree?"
"Crossing this swamp straight would take at least a full day. Your skill has limits—you can't keep it up indefinitely, right?"
"True. Halfway at best, maybe."
"Exactly."
Baek A-rin nodded as realization dawned.
"So that's our hotel?"
"Bingo."
She grinned at my answer.
"Compared to last night's dump, that deserves an extra star."
Snow Mountain Clan's Baek A-rin had given our hotel her seal of approval.
This was bound to be a success.
Of course, it wasn't just for that reason.
I had business at the base of that tree.
A setting book sold as an "epilogue collection" that never appeared in the main story.
There was info in there you could only learn by reading it.
The hidden backstory of the ghoul field.
The ghouls were rampaging chaotically now, but it hadn't always been that way.
The original lord of the ghoul field was a "vampire."
They'd nested here since ancient times—impossibly old.
Whether it started with a dungeon break or something else, no one knew.
Nowadays, they were said to be extinct, wiped out by the flood of ghouls from the dungeon break and forgotten.
'Even if any survived to modern times, they'd probably end up as circus freaks.'
A more honorable death, maybe.
In any case, the first "Ameris's Night"—unknown to all—severed the heads of the upper ghouls who ruled the lesser ones.
That's why the current ghouls were so brainless: all the upper ghouls died that night, leaving only the dumb underlings.
The necklace worn by the vampire sacrificed to those upper ghouls.
It was right under that tree.
And now that upper ghouls and vampires were gone...
'Meaning no one in this world knows but me.'
In this godforsaken world, clean grabs like this were rare.
And it wasn't even hard to obtain.
Just slip your hand into the roots under the tree's highest branch.
The necklace was in an empty nook there.
'First things first: reach that tree.'
I extended my arm toward the swamp, index finger pointed, and called out to Baek A-rin.
"Charge, Elf-X! Freeze 'em all!"
"Ugh... that's creepy."
In sync with my words, she created an ice path wide enough for three abreast.
"Nice one, Elf-X!"
"Don't call me that!"
...
By sunset, as dusk settled, we reached the tree right on schedule.
"I'm gonna die."
Baek A-rin looked utterly spent.
She deserved full credit for getting us here.
No wonder, after maintaining her skill for nearly half a day.
"Get some solid rest tonight."
Erina glanced at Baek A-rin.
"Yes. I'll even share my food."
"Don't say it with a straight face. It's hilarious..."
As Baek A-rin and Erina bantered idly, I looked up and headed for the tree's highest branch.
"This the spot."
I plunged my hand into the swamp. A nasty, slimy sensation hit me.
"Wh-what are you doing, Si-woo?"
"No idea. What's that weird stunt, Kim Si-woo?"
I ignored their shock and focused on the feel in my hand...
"No way someone's already grabbed it, right?"
I anxiously fumbled around until—blessedly—something brushed my fingers.
'Got it!'
I pulled my hand out, a hard texture in my grip. A stunning necklace embedded with a glowing blue gem emerged from the muck.
Guess I was the only pervert who'd brave this deadly swamp just to grope around in the filthy roots.
"Wh-what is that, Si-woo? Gives me a bad vibe."
"Looks pretty to me?"
Erina's sharp instincts were making me uneasy now.
Baek A-rin eyed the gem closely.
"Anyone can tell that's no cheap trinket left lying around."
Baek A-rin knew quality when she saw it.
'If she approves, it's no junk.'
I gazed at the necklace.
Necklace of Selus
[Contains the earnest wish for the death of the most beloved one.]
Thanks to the tutorial effect, the description appeared alongside its mesmerizing blue glow.
Just as the setting book described—no special powers or anything.
Only the owner's name and that creepy line from the book.
Unsettling description, sure, but it was just a necklace.
Correction: an insanely valuable one.
The gap between a regular necklace and a priceless one was worth at least ten Erinas.
Honestly, I'd half-doubted it'd come this easy.
'Tensed up thinking some monster might spawn when I pulled it.'
Good things were good.
As I grinned, Baek A-rin sidled up and asked casually.
"How'd you even know about this?"
I chuckled at her question.
"Let's crash first. You're beat. I'll yield the best spot to you."
Baek A-rin shook her head with a deflating sigh, then stretched with a yawn.
"Couldn't agree more. I can barely stand anyway."
"We've got plenty of food—stuff yourself. Holler if you need anything."
"In that case."
She clasped one hand behind her back and the other in front, mimicking a butler I'd seen somewhere.
"Our hotel offers a splendid view and a variety of fine cuisine."
Baek A-rin laughed at the act.
"Hands are backwards, but not bad."
Baek A-rin seemed pleased with the service.
I glanced at the time sidelong.
'Plenty of time to rest tonight.'
Nothing had deviated much from plan so far.
If we pushed through the swamp like this, top four was guaranteed.
Condition was solid too.
'We have to nail this.'
Failing this "Ameris's Night" meant no second shot.
Succeed, though, and we'd skyrocket beyond compare.
'And Lee Seong-hyeon? His head'll throb like hell.'