85. I told you to trust me, didn't I?
85. I told you to trust me, didn't I?
Seeing the question marks pop up on my comrades' faces made me feel a bit sorry.
Some people might have accepted for fame, but operating in secret like this.
But I was confident there was more merit than that.
"Everyone understands. However, we have to operate in secret until we build up our strength for a while."
Gongnyeo-nim nodded as if anything was fine.
"It's okay! Because of that pink-hair, right?"
"Ah."
"Mm..."
At Gongnyeo-nim's words, everyone nodded as if in agreement.
It wasn't just me who got marked.
Everyone here was at that spot.
As I groaned thinking about the pink-hair, there was a knock and the Master entered.
-tok tok kkiik...
"Ex, excuse me. Ahem. Since it's a private schedule, we'll start informally."
The Master looked at me and fidgeted with his lips, then began the briefing.
"Dungeon Raid Team 214th, Jang Ryu-o, Selana Ain Velatus, Jenin Hardin, Magna. The above personnel all pass. Congratulations."
It was something everyone already knew, but hearing it again made everyone smile happily.
"The entire Dungeon Raid Team will proceed with all schedules privately for the time being. Operation records will be managed by the Duchy, and announced later."
Still, hearing it would be announced someday made Jenin Hardin's expression brighten up instantly.
On top of that, certified by the Duchy!
"This raid's content is the subjugation of the 20th floor Lizard Great Chieftain. However, if the Basilisk appears, the mission changes to survival and return. For a rookie raid team on their first mission, the best record is 6 days, 13 hours, 14 minutes. A new record comes with a bonus reward."
Basilisk. A special boss that appears every 2 months, at the end of the month. Poison gas from its eyes poisons enemies, and sound from its special vocal organ paralyzes foes.
It would take a while to appear anyway, so we probably wouldn't run into it.
Even so, to prepare for any possible situation, the Master pulled out four boxes from his Subspace.
-cheok cheok cheok...
"These are the support items for this raid. Two boxes are all high-grade antidotes, the rest are basic exploration supplies."
Damn... high-grade antidotes, that expensive stuff, for free.
Everyone except Gongnyeo-nim grinned ear to ear as they grabbed the antidotes.
As we packed up neatly, the Master said.
"Since it's a private mission, go quietly and come back quietly. I've contacted the guards, so they'll handle it."
The Second Duke's Daughter flipped her robe over her head and jumped up.
"Alright! Shall we go?"
"Yes~ Gongnyeo-nim!"
And so, we headed off to the Labyrinth.
[Status Window]
Name: Jang Ryu-o
Job: None
Title: Transmigrator
Level: 24
HP: 970/970 MP: 840/840, 660/660 110/110 Strength:36 Agility:34 Stamina:30 Intelligence:29 Luck:¿? 9
Remaining Points: 7
Traits: BUG
Skills: LV.MAX Slime Body, LV.2 Intermediate Swordsmanship, LV.5 Circulation of Qi, LV.3 Uncheon-yeohyeong, LV.1 Water Resistance, LV.6 Poison Resistance, LV.2 Night Vision, LV.2 Heavenly Demon Divine Art, LV.2 Hardening, LV.2 Uitae, LV.4 Warrior's Charge, LV.1 Ki Sense, LV.1 Circle,
The entry procedure went as smoothly as slipping a snake over a fence.
As soon as we showed our Adventurer's Badges, they clamped their mouths shut and did the minimum checks.
Immediate entry.
Thanks to the guards blocking us with their backs, we even snagged a bit of the Labyrinth entrance portal.
'What is power...'
This is why they go on about honor and fame.
I held up my Adventurer's Badge and said to my comrades searching for the portal.
"Come on, everyone grab my hand."
"Yeah!♥"
""??""
Unlike Gongnyeo-nim clinging to my arm, the two just stared blankly at my hand.
"...Are you seducing us?"
As if...
"Is this about igniting fighting spirit before departure?"
Sigh...
This is 100 times better to show than explain.
"Cut the nonsense, grab hands and get into combat ready, everyone."
Magna nodded and gripped my hand hard.
Jenin Hardin grabbed my wrist lightly with a reluctant face.
"Then let's start."
"?? Yeah♥"
"Is this advanced conversation technique?"
"What...?"
I gripped the portal in my hand and moved to the 13th floor.
But...
"Hey, Jang Ryu-o! What is this? Where are we???"
"Huh...?"
Only the Second Duke's Daughter and I, stuck to my body, had moved.
"This isn't good."
"Jang Ryyyoo! Where is thisss~"
Good thing I grabbed a 1st floor portal before coming in.
Returning to the 1st floor, I quickly linked up with my comrades.
The two were spacing out like they'd been possessed by ghosts.
Magna blinked his eyes and said.
"Magic? But a sword?"
Jenin Hardin's eyes were slightly bloodshot, hands trembling.
"Te... te te... tel... telepo... rt? H-how??"
"Hey, Jang Ryu-o. Where did we just go...? Huh?"
I really had nothing to say.
I'd built up all their expectations, and this is the result...
"Ahem... Could you put your hands on once more?"
Magna grabbed my hand again with a face like drool was about to flow.
Jenin Hardin was shaking so much it felt like vibrations were ringing through her body.
"I, I'll try again."
"Magic... oh..."
"Te... tele... tra..."
I had a rough idea of the problem.
The teleport location shifted by the size of the portal fragment I cut.
This time, I gripped a bigger piece and rode the portal.
-woong...
The sensation of my body being sucked in...
"Ag, again! Same place!!"
"A mage after all?"
"Huh? This doesn't seem like the 1st floor..."
This time, everyone teleported successfully.
'I need to carry more portal pieces from now on.'
I said to my comrades, whose intelligence seemed to have dropped from shock.
"I can carry portals. Think of it as being able to move to floors I've been to once."
"""............?????"""
Everyone looked around with dazed expressions, heads ringing.
"F, frog!! This is really... 10th floor... gasp!!"
Even Magna, with his low emotional swings, was super excited.
"Amazing, male! ... Anyway, incredible!"
The Second Duke's Daughter straight-up clung to me, rubbing her face all over.
"Insaneee!! For real? This isn't a dream? This ability could flip the Labyrinth City upside down!!"
Jenin Hardin covered her mouth, starting to tear up.
"Sniff... I... I've made it... Ry, Ryu-o-nim!! How did you... if I may ask..."
-geok!
Thanks to everyone's fuss, we pulled the aggro of the monsters.
-ke shaak!
-geok! geok! geok!
"Hmm..."
I gripped my sword looking at the charging monsters.
"First, let's deal with the monsters?"
"""Yep!!!"""
And so, everyone grinning slyly as they took down the monsters.
"Labyrinth City! No, the whole continent wants this ability!"
Jenin Hardin pacing around the scattered monster corpses like a dog desperate to poop.
"W-with this ability... we can even get the Spring of Life..."
"Hey!! You too, come collect monsters!"
"G, Gongnyeo-nim... this much blood..."
"Fuck this shit! Wanna see if my hands are precious or yours? Huh!?"
"Gongnyeo-nim. Monsters incoming."
"Mmm~♥"
"Grrraaah... why only me..."
"Bullshit."
After sweeping up all the monsters like that...
"Ryu-o-nim. Just off the top of my head, we could be the continent's richest right now!"
I awkwardly smiled it off, not planning to reveal it to the world yet.
"Haha..."
"Yeah yeah! Amazing!! I had no idea the Labyrinth could be this easy!!"
Then Magna tilted his head and said.
"How do we get rich?"
"Ha... this is why dumb mountain... ahem! Northerners... of course!!"
"If I'm desperate, I'll kidnap Jang Ryu-o."
Jenin Hardin furrowed her brows, then swallowed hard with an oh-shit face.
"Wh, why did I think that..."
An ability this huge comes with huge risks.
If word gets out, would everyone pay the proper price?
They might even kidnap me to use the ability or monopolize the profits.
The difference between someone who's weathered the world's storms and someone who hasn't...
Jenin Hardin clamped her mouth shut, realizing her head didn't turn as fast as Magna's.
"Jang Ryu-o. Don't worry~ Our family will protect you, right?"
"Thank you, Gongnyeo-nim. Still, I don't plan to reveal it yet."
Even the mightiest breakwater can't block every wave.
I said to everyone.
"In the end, we have no choice but to get stronger."
"""..."""
Finally. Finally, zeal lit up in everyone's eyes.
A blaze incomparable to before.
The hopeful gazes of those whose path was now clear. It was a great sight.
"I'll be coming to the Labyrinth a lot from now on."
"""..."""
"You can all enjoy this benefit fully. How about it?"
Killing it, right?
"Haa...♥"
"The best..."
"Grrrrr... don't laugh, male..."
"?? What're you talking about..."
The Second Duke's Daughter glanced between me and Magna, then approached me.
"Jang Ryu-o..."
With a somehow depressed air, she gently grabbed my wrist.
Why is this?
"Why, what's wrong?"
"Me too... treat me casually..."
"Me too! You can speak informally to me as well..."
"Hey! Shut up!"
"Grah..."
I stroked the cute Selana's head and said.
"Yeah, Selana. Looking forward to working with you."
In an instant, Selana smiled brightly like a flower blooming.
"Yeah, oppa!♥"
Oppa... been a while since I heard that.
Miss those orphanage kids.
Lost in thoughts of the whole world, I ruffled Selana's hair wildly.
-bok bok bok bok
"Ehehe♥"
So cute.
"Jenin Hardin. You speak casually too. Everyone! Let's communicate quickly from now on."
"Great!"
"Easier on the ears."
"You speak formally, Northerner!"
"I'll throw you naked into the North."
"You crazy barbarian!!"
"Hey! Shut up! Can't hear Jang Ryu-o!!"
Mm mm. My little sis is the best. Doing great.
"It was 6 days for the record, right?"
"Yeah! About that!"
I'll shatter every record there is.
"Gotta break it and grab that performance bonus."
"""!!!"""
"Let's go!"
Everyone's lips twitched up as they shouted energetically.
"""Let's gooooo!!!!"""