Greed's Uroboros Nest
I have been staying at Prisia Lily's mansion for a week now. During this time, I wandered around the city while staying at the mansion or received training from Kyle and Ivan.
Although training didn't raise my stats, I had to receive training to handle weapons skillfully. Getting a class would allow training without it, but since classes could only be obtained at level 5, it was a pipe dream.
Since Hwaryongwang controlled the dungeon in Indigo, I couldn't level up or complete daily quests. I was still 1-star level 2.
'Divine Selection... It really suits the name.'
People here called the game system "Divine Selection." It meant that only those chosen by the gods could transcend human limits and obtain transcendent power.
"Alan Han."
"Ah, Kyle. What is it?"
"Tomorrow, I will explore the dungeon. I will depart at dawn, so remember that."
"Tomorrow?"
"Finally, we will explore the dungeon!"
Heart pounding at Kyle's words.
But...
"... But are you telling me this now?"
I looked out the window. The streetlights installed around the mansion illuminated the darkness. Telling me about exploring the dungeon at dawn now?
I stared at Kyle with incredulous eyes. But Kyle was more brazen than I thought, or rather, a fairy.
"Anyway, we've prepared everything needed for the dungeon exploration. You just need to bring your weapon and body, what's the problem?"
"No, no problem. I have no complaints whatsoever."
"... Complaints?"
'Oh no!'
Did I sound too sarcastic? Kyle's expression darkened, fists clenched.
The sight of me charging through goblin hordes and the training I received from him over the past week showed that Kyle was one of the strongest in Indigo.
Ah, of course, in my current standards, strong. In my previous life standards, Kyle was a player character that was disadvantageous to raise, but just a greenhorn that I could catch.
'Now I'm the greenhorn.'
"Then, for condition adjustment, I'll go to bed early. Good night, Kyle."
"....."
I greeted Kyle with a shit-eating grin, and he tried to grab me, so I quickly entered the room. Standing at the door, listening, soon the sound of Kyle's footsteps faded away.
"Wait until I grow up, you cheeky fairy brat."
I hadn't forgotten the day Kyle hit my solar plexus and knocked me out. I would definitely avenge that day later.
*****
The next day, or rather 4 hours later, we left Indigo avoiding the eyes of others to explore the dungeon that only Prisia Lily knew.
The participants in the dungeon exploration were Alan, Prisia Lily, Ivan, and the 3 soldiers of the princess. All in all. The cheeky Kyle brat stayed behind to guard the main mansion of Prisia Lily.
Because if Hwaryongwang's pursuers came, we had to move in small numbers.
In this world, the king's word was law. Hwaryongwang controlled the dungeons around Indigo and ordered to report if a new dungeon was found. If you found a new dungeon but didn't report and explored it illegally, you would be executed.
So, if we were caught exploring the dungeon now, even if Prisia Lily was not, the soldiers and I had a 99.9% chance of death.
Anyway, leaving Indigo, walking 1 hour without a fire, crossing three hills, finally we arrived at the destination.
'Cave, a cave-type dungeon.'
Cave-type dungeons were the most common dungeon in Fairy Masters. The dungeon was shaped like a cave, with a boss monster waiting at the end. The characteristic was that the inside was dark even in broad daylight, so you had to bring a tool like a flashlight to illuminate.
"May I trouble you? And I know? If a problem occurs, one of you enter the dungeon."
"Yes, understood, Princess."
"You must safely explore the dungeon."
"Hah. Don't worry about me. We have Ivan with us? You will protect me, Ivan?"
"Of course, Master! I will protect Master!"
According to Prisia Lily's words, Ivan swung his double-headed axe.
"Alan Han."
"Yes, Princess."
Prisia Lily, who was talking to the soldiers, approached me this time.
"This is your first dungeon exploration, aren't you nervous?"
"I have no fear. Please don't worry."
This body was for the first dungeon exploration. But in my head, I had experience exploring many dungeons.
Moreover, when fighting monsters like goblins, I wasn't tense or scared in an oddly way. Rather, thinking about killing the monsters in the dungeon made my body excited.
"Hah. I look forward to it."
"I will do my best to live up to the Princess's expectations."
"Then, let's go in."
Prisia Lily smiled because she liked my answer.
The ones entering the dungeon were Alan, Prisia Lily, and fairy Ivan. Total 3. The 3 soldiers stayed to guard the entrance.
'Dungeon exploration!'
Following behind Prisia Lily walking with her princess-like butt swaying, I entered the dungeon.
F-Rank Dungeon - Greed's Uroboros Nest
Maximum entrants: 3
Appropriate level for dungeon exploration: Lv.5
Immediately upon entering, a guide window appeared. Like in my previous life, I checked the guide window to acquire necessary information.
'F-rank difficulty, snake's nest, 3 entrants, appropriate level 5.
Dungeon difficulties range from easy F-rank to S-rank which is so high it makes you doubt if it's made to clear this one.
Each difficulty had different entrant limits and levels, from which we could estimate the dungeon's detailed difficulty.
And from the dungeon name, we could guess what kind of monsters would appear. Since the exploration method changes depending on the monster type, if you don't study the information and explore the dungeon blindly, you may face the worst situation of total fairy extinction.
Even if fairies die, as long as the master doesn't die, you can summon again. But due to the death penalty, levels, stats, and skill levels drop, and if you experience many deaths, you get a trait with negative effects.
Many users tried to explore dungeons with 'deal tank' and faced this worst situation.
I also died many fairies because I didn't understand the dungeon and tried to deal tank. At that time, since I spent over 10 million won on gacha, I couldn't quit.
'But F-rank allows deal tanking. Even if I'm level 1, no, level 2.'
From C-rank, deal tanking is impossible. From then on, you had to literally 'explore' the dungeon.
"Show me your skill. Alan? Take the lead."
"Yes."
According to Prisia Lily's words, I took the front. In my right hand, I held the sword I used to kill goblins, and in my left, the shield given by the princess. Since Ivan was shining the flashlight from behind, visibility was not difficult.
I advanced forward while guarding the surroundings.
Sshhh-!
"....."
Soon, a strange sound reached my ear. The sound was not from behind but from ahead. I stopped, held the shield forward, and watched the front.
The light shining in front of me moved further forward, illuminating a wider range. Without me calling, Ivan, who had the flashlight, moved forward.
'Cheeky little brat has sense.'
I called Kyle cheeky brat, Ivan cheeky little brat. Of course, I didn't say it to their faces, but behind their backs. If I said cheeky little brat in front of Ivan, the double-headed axe would split my head.
Thanks to Ivan's help, I could see the snake that was coiled and staring at me.
As seen from the name "Greed's Snake's Nest", the monsters appearing in this dungeon were snake types.
'When hunting snake-type monsters...'
Recalling my previous life memories, I picked up a stone and threw it at the snake staring at me. Then the snake extended its head forward as if excited.
I circled the snake, throwing stones or hitting the shield with the sword to provoke it. When the snake completely uncoiled and moved, and I got close, it rushed at me.
Boom-!
The snake's head was blocked by the shield, taking no damage from me.
'It's quite strong?'
A heavy impact transmitted through the shield. But this was enough to withstand. I twisted my body sideways and swung the sword at the snake.
'Tsk! Lacking in strength.'
The sword stabbed the snake's body but was blocked by bones and stopped in the middle. Still, this was enough damage to the snake. The snake writhed its body like a worm stepped on by a person and groaned in pain.
'Damn it!'
Before the snake grabbed the sword with its body, I hurriedly tried to pull out the sword. But the snake wrapped around the sword before I could pull it out.
'Chet.'
In the end, I had to drop the sword and back away. It was quite heavy, with 10 strength stats, and even with one hand holding the sword, it was hard to withstand.
I had to abandon the sword, but that didn't mean I had no means to attack. I placed the shield on the ground and picked up a stone the size of my fist.
The stone was a very good weapon.
Thud-!
I aimed at the snake's head and threw the stone I had in my hand. Since it was twisting its body, it was hard to hit, but luckily I hit the head straight on.
When the snake hit the head with the stone, it seemed to be in a daze and didn't move. I picked up the shield again, approached the snake carefully, pulled out the sword, and slashed the snake's neck.
With a successful hunt, I smiled satisfied and looked at the two behind me.
"Hmm..."
"Did you use a stone? Uwe! Primitive smell!"
Prisia Lily looking at me ambiguously, and Ivan mocking me with laughter.
"....."
It seemed like only my hunt was successful.
Clink-!
"Eh?"
At that time, a sound of something rolling was heard. Thinking a new monster appeared, I looked around, but no monster was visible.
'What? I was sure I heard something just now... Eh?'
Tilting my head, I saw a small pebble coming out of the dead snake's body. A faint light was emanating from the pebble.
'Could it be?'
I pulled the pebble that was emitting faint light with the sword towards me and threw it. Then a guide window appeared in front of me.
'Growth Stone!'
Checking the guide window, my eyes sparkled. I couldn't hold back the smile forming at the corner of my mouth. A lower growth stone, a growth stone that increases stats, dropped.
It wasn't 100% chance to get a growth stone by killing dungeon monsters. Growth stones dropped with 30% probability, so there were many cases where even after exploring the dungeon, you didn't get the most important growth stone due to bad luck.
The growth stone that dropped with 30% probability in the first monster hunt.
'Nice.'
The hunt was not satisfying to Prisia Lily and Ivan's eyes, but for me, it was truly a successful hunt.
"Gulp!"
I immediately put the growth stone dropped by the snake in my mouth. The hard pebble became liquid as soon as it entered my mouth.
'The taste isn't great.'
Growth stones weren't very tasty. Like... eating a potion?
Since this dungeon exploration was for my growth, all the growth stones dropped today were mine. Before entering the dungeon, Prisia Lily had told me.
'Status window.'
"Let's continue moving."
Still at the front, I moved into the dungeon interior with the two behind me. I wanted to catch up with them as soon as possible.