Chapter 9
Chapter 9
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 9
Chapter Title: The Femme Fatale
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After leveling up, the Goblin Gates felt even easier. To rank up, I cleared them at a breakneck pace.
For the goblins, it must have been nothing short of a catastrophe.
After clearing one gate, I changed into the spare clothes I'd prepared in advance and headed to the next.
This time, it was another F-Rank Goblin Gate, but a much larger one inside. Large gates had more monsters due to their vast interiors, so they gave more points toward ranking up.
Gates could be entered by multiple parties simultaneously or at staggered intervals, as long as the capacity limit wasn't reached. However, no one inside could exit until it was cleared.
Naturally, large gates had higher entry limits.
"A Goblin Gate with a 20-person cap? The inside must be pretty spacious."
I was reading the gate info on my phone in the taxi when we arrived.
Approaching the gate, I spotted a party of two men and one woman waiting to enter.
'Huh? That woman?'
The men were strangers, but I recognized the cat-like beauty with short brown hair holding a wand.
I remembered a news story from my past life: she'd lured a man out of a gate, paralyzed him with poison, stolen his items and magic stones, then killed him. Her face had been more stunning than the announcer, making headlines.
She was one of the villains I'd seen in the future news. The good news was she wasn't a big shot like Bae Nayoung from the other day.
"Hi there~ No party? Want to join us?"
Lost in thought, she approached me with a sweet, nasal voice. Dressed in a tight dress, smiling with her eyes—if I didn't know better, I might've fallen for it.
Part of me wanted to take her down right then, but with no evidence, I couldn't report her, and attacking first might get me arrested.
Plus, there was the slim chance the news story wasn't accurate or that future events might differ from what I'd experienced. This wasn't something I could kill her for and shrug off with "Oops, my mistake."
To be sure, I needed to catch her in the act. Joining their party and tagging along seemed like a solid plan. And using her paralysis poison could level up my Poison Resistance skill—a two-for-one deal.
The news said victims lingered paralyzed for a while before dying. That level of toxin shouldn't faze me now that I had the skill.
"Miran, that guy's got no gear. He won't be any help."
As Choi Miran propositioned me, the man with sword and shield cut in. He scowled openly, eyeing me up and down.
I had no weapon and wore cheap, thin protective gear, so he wasn't thrilled. But wasn't her outfit even worse? Zero defense, even for a rear-line mage.
He also seemed annoyed at another guy joining, cramping his shot with Choi Miran.
"Aw~ He's going in solo, so he'll pull his weight."
Her voice dripped with that nasal tone.
"I'm a brawler, so I don't need special gear. Let's go together."
As I agreed, Shield Guy's face twisted, but I ignored him. He couldn't imagine I'd save his life today.
"Great~"
The past-life robber-murderer smiled, her eyes crinkling like crescent moons. She brushed my arm as she spoke, which creeped me out, but I played it cool.
"Big gate and all~ Three of us would've taken forever~"
Gates could trap you inside for days until cleared. The upside was way more magic stones than small or medium gates, but the stamina drain was brutal.
"I'm Choi Miran. Mage, as you can see."
She lifted her wand slightly.
"I'm Lee Jiseok. Brawler."
I greeted the three.
"I'm Yang Sangheon. Swordsman."
The sword guy bowed politely. He had a friendly face that put me at ease.
"Park Sangjun."
Shield Guy muttered grudgingly. He clearly hated me butting in.
"Alright, let's head in."
Park Sangjun led into the gate, and we followed. Unlike previous Goblin Gate caves, this one opened into a serene forest.
From entry, Park Sangjun stuck to Choi Miran like glue, flirting nonstop.
"Drinks after we clear? Got a wine bar nearby I'm a regular at."
He sidled up close as they walked.
"Sure? But I can't hold my liquor~"
How did she nasal that hard?
We walked a bit until thirty-odd goblins appeared ahead. Park Sangjun and Choi Miran quit flirting and readied for battle.
"I'll hold the center. You two take the flanks, Miran supports."
Park Sangjun took charge naturally. We nodded and positioned. Everyone had goblin experience, so no real tension.
Park Sangjun was decent—blocking with his shield, striking necks and sides fluidly without breaking rhythm.
Yang Sangheon wrapped his sword in light with a skill. To the untrained eye, it looked like aura, but it just boosted light damage. Not much stronger than a plain slash, but the flash intimidated goblins plenty.
I charged in to earn my keep, smashing goblin skulls.
I'd leveled to 5 soloing gates beforehand, grabbing extra stat bonuses along the way—Strength 19, Vitality 20, Agility 17. E-Rank hunter level now. Goblins were pushovers.
But with so many, some bypassed us vanguards toward Choi Miran.
I debated blocking or letting them—then a white mana bolt from her wand nailed a goblin's head.
No surprise; she couldn't pull off murdering allies and looting without skill.
We three vanguards cut them down while she supported with mana bolts, wiping out thirty in a flash.
"Better than I thought... huh. Should've said so earlier."
Park Sangjun grumbled after I matched or beat his kills. Like he'd given me a chance to speak?
"Yeah~ Jiseok's strong even without a weapon~~ Really F-Rank~?"
Choi Miran sauntered over, nasal as ever.
"You're too kind. You all are solid too."
Her closeness sent chills; I backed up replying.
"Brawlers are rare, and I've never seen one without gauntlets or knuckles. Fists okay?"
Yang Sangheon asked, intrigued by my style.
"Trained 'em tough. No problem."
I showed my fist. So hardened now, bare goblin punches left no scratches.
"You too, Sangheon~ Amazing. Thought it was aura~ Hahaha."
"Just light damage add-on."
She stroked his arm praising him; his face flushed. Probably how she disarmed them before poisoning.
"Ahem! Let's move. Time's short."
Irked by her near us, Park Sangjun clapped to refocus.
"Yeah~ Let's go~"
Choi Miran scurried to his side.
Hunting in a party was easier than solo, but less profit and XP irked me. Still, today's goal wasn't money or regular gains, so I stuck with them.
Splitting to hunt, we divided: Choi Miran and Park Sangjun ahead, me and Yang Sangheon trailing.
"Were you and Park Sangjun a regular party?"
I asked Yang Sangheon once we lagged.
"Nah, first time for all of us. Wanted a large gate but solo's too slow and risky. Found a party. Didn't expect so few."
Our levels outclassed goblins, so we progressed fast. Park Sangjun pushed ahead to impress her—or compete with me—hunting aggressively.
He even mined her magic stones too.
"Thanks, oppa~ My grip's weak for that stuff."
Somewhere "oppa" had slipped in. Hunters weak enough to not mine stones? Please.
"No worries, I got you."
He grinned at the obvious lie, mining away.
Eight grueling hours of fighting and resting in the huge gate, and we finally glimpsed the clear light.
I'd wondered why Choi Miran barely attacked. Off day? Future different? Then she pulled a bead from her waist pouch.
I stared; our eyes met. She smirked unpleasantly and smashed it on the ground.
It burst, green smoke billowing everywhere.
I leaped back reflexively, but the smoke spread unnaturally fast.
Held my breath before it hit, but poison absorbed through skin, body tingling. Collapsed before a second passed.
Shocked by the potency, I saw Choi Miran stomping Park Sangjun's head, face twisted in disgust.
"God, so clingy. As if you'd ever get me."
No nasal whine now—pure venom. She'd morphed into another person.
Poison Resistance kicked in; I felt the toxin fading. While she looted Park Sangjun and Yang Sangheon, I lay still, waiting to recover.
Once mobile, I sprang up and charged her.
"Huh?! How?!"
She hurled another poison bead between us. It shattered with pops, flooding the area in toxic fumes.
One was bad; multiples concentrated it brutally. Adapted somewhat, but this dose numbed me fast.
More exposure meant paralysis, so I escaped the smoke first.