89. 20th Floor
89. 20th Floor
We're currently on floor 19.5.
The strategy wasn't anything special.
Selana and I ambush, and Magna blocks the trash mobs.
"Jenin, you block the Lizard Great Chieftain's magic spells. You can do it, right?"
"Of course! Trash magic like that... is a piece of cake!"
Her over-the-top confidence nearly lit Selana's fuse...
"Urgh... She's definitely got the skills..."
"G-Gongnyeo-nim! Finally acknowledging me..."
"Tch! Where do you get off climbing up like that!"
"Keuhuhuhu... A chance to be recognized by everyone... Keuhuhu..."
Jenin was now shrugging off Selana's threats like water off a duck's back.
In the midst of the commotion, Magna raised his hand.
"What if another party's already in there?"
"In that case, we wait near the entrance. It respawns in 6 hours anyway, so it won't affect the record."
No rush, no reason to barge in.
By Labyrinth law, jumping in without a distress call is a crime.
We exchanged glances and nodded.
"Alright, everyone get a good rest? Let's head out."
"""Yes!!"""
Grinning from ear to ear, we headed to floor 20.
Thinking everything would go smoothly...
Finding the boss wasn't hard.
Bosses at 10-floor intervals are near the portal anyway.
We checked our Adventurer's Badges, pinpointed the location, and soon stood before the chieftain's settlement.
The massive wooden gate stood wide open, as if welcoming intruders.
No other party around.
"Selana, as soon as we enter, chuck the Iron Ball. I'll charge right in."
"Yeah, got it perfectly."
"Magna. Pray for us."
"Main God..."
We felt a warm light envelop us.
Jenin was mid-incantation, ready to unleash magic at any moment.
"Let's go."
-Nod
With a quick signal, we stepped into the settlement...
-Flash! Rrrrrumble!!
A red light bathed us, and the ground shook.
"Huh...? Wha? That red light just now?"
"Qu... quake?"
Our momentarily staggered comrades eyed each other uneasily.
Something was off.
First, no Lizard Great Chieftain. Not even the lizard warriors who should be guarding.
Second, a Dungeon Break quake lasts way longer than this.
Third, it's too...
"Quiet."
Magna's words had us all nodding.
No insect chirps, no small animal footsteps, no monster presences.
Not even the rustle of grass in the wind... no, no wind at all.
So damn unnatural. Like this space was cut off from the world...
Jenin, rolling her eyes nervously, spoke up.
"For now... let's head forwa—"
-Sususususu
Mocking the silence, a spine-chilling sound of joints creaking echoed in our heads.
Everyone froze on the spot.
"Hk... Ugh... Grk..."
"......Ahh."
"Ugh..."
Everyone but me was trembling jaws agape, eyes bulging.
Thanks to my Slime Body, I just had creaky joints.
Somewhat mobile, I yanked out the floor 19.5 portal and tossed it to my comrades.
-Splat!
"O... qui..."
"Quiet. I'm coming too."
I could guess what was up.
'Basilisk...'
No clue why it showed, but definitely a Basilisk.
[Upon Basilisk appearance, mission changes to survival.]
Plans went sideways, but mission complete either way.
Staying vigilant, we waited to evac...
"""......???"""
No evac.
-Sususususususu!
Worse, the rustling from the forest grew louder.
I crammed potions and antidotes into my comrades' mouths.
"Pfft... Mmph!"
"Everyone, battle ready."
"!! Gulp! Gulp!"
Comrades barely swallowing, drew weapons.
I sheathed my iron sword, pulled Malion—just then...
-Crash!
A Black Basilisk smashed through trees like twigs, charging us.
"Sheeeek!!"
"Selana!!"
"Grraaah!!!"
Selana whipped out her shield; Magna grabbed her shoulder, praying urgently.
"Goddess!"
-Hummm!!!
Divine Power coated the shield, growing it Basilisk-head-sized.
Shield met Basilisk head...
-Craaaack! Kwashatter!
"Hyaah!!!"
-Clattercrash
Shield shattered, sending them tumbling back. But charge veered off.
Glancing blow sent the Basilisk whipping its massive tail at us.
-Whiiip!
Like a whip cracking at the tip.
I maxed sword aura, forcibly triggered Bug Sword.
-Shriiiing!!
-Splaaash!!!!
Tail met sword—ear-shattering boom, massive gust.
-Craaaack!
"Grk!"
Gust blasted me like cannonfire into the forest.
-Clattercrash! Thud!
Rolled forever, slammed tree, refocused.
"Ugh... Crazy..."
Recovered blurry vision, chugged potion.
Far off comrades...
-Wind Storm!!!! Whoooosh!!!
-Shiiik!!!
Jenin magicked away poison gas from the Basilisk's red eyes.
Annoyed by pesky Jenin, Basilisk gaped wide.
Selana hurled a huge shield into its maw.
-Clang! Crunch!
-I've got shields to spare!!! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Basilisk pulverized them like biscuits.
Pissed, whip-tail lashed at Selana.
"God!!!"
Magna back-to-back with Selana and Jenin, layered barriers...
-Shatter!!! Boom!!!
Barriers shredded like paper.
Tail speed slowed, at least.
But swept comrades floated up—problem.
Basilisk paralyzed airborne comrades.
-Sususususu
Stiffened, they plummeted limply.
-Thudthudthud!
-Grrooo...
Body somewhat recovered.
Wedged in tree, I thrashed free.
Target: Basilisk eyeing my comrades, licking chops.
Loaded up...
'Warrior's Charge.'
Fired.
-Shiiiing!!
Basilisk noticed me hurtling at insane speed, whipped around.
Its panic was obvious.
I dashed midair.
Warrior's Charge after Charge after Charge at it.
Reverse-grip Malion, overclocked sword aura—weird noise.
-Grrrind!
No time to care.
Malion sucked aura, gleaming radiant.
Jammed into its gaping jaw...
-Squiiiish!!!
"Sheeeee...!!!"
Bug Sword—ripped underside clean.
-Sploooosh!!
"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Jawless, it writhed in agony.
'Gotcha!!'
No screaming now.
Rushing for kill...
-Whiiip!!
Careless—tail slammed me.
Time slowed, mind cleared.
Life flashing...?
Too early to quit.
Circulated Heavenly Demon energy left hand, aimed tail.
Cheon Hwa-ryeong's voice flashed.
[Can't smash what's in your hand, wanna smash the sky? Done with cute talk? Smack!]
Thrust arm.
Tangled Heavenly Demon energy tore air, surged forward.
Like kneading razor shards.
Torn, snagged, bursting... painful, but extended hand.
-Craaackle...
Grimaced, full extension...
-Clang!!!! Craaackle!!!
"............!!!!"
Tail exploded in chunks, blood fountain.
Aimed writhing head, channeled both energies to hands.
Merging...
-Sususususususu!!!
'Jaw's gone, though...?'
Head-rustle froze me solid.
Creaking, trembling joints.
-Sususususu!!
Worse, spewing poison gas from eyes.
Forced eyes till blood tears.
All-MP output...
-Hummmhummmhummm!!! Zzzzt! Zzt!
'????'
Two energies melted together inside.
Radio static in ears.
Arms jittering wild...
Frame-dropping glitch.
Rotated Circle, spun merging energies.
Circle spun Dantian...
-Beeeeeep
Whole body razor-sharp sensation.
Applied usual force—arm jerked wrong.
Overpowered joints, uncontrollable.
Bit by bit... force...
Hands touched.
-Hummmhummmhummm!
-Ding!
[Transmigrator title activated! Intelligence +3]
...You're fucked now.
Extended hand at frozen Basilisk.
Then...
-Keeeen...
Its head vanished like erased from existence.
'......'
No time for victory joy—vision red-tinted.
Head burned hot, chills crept...
"Ah..."
That was my last memory that day.
Arin was going insane.
When doing it, near-death bliss; now, nerves so raw she wanted to die.
-Squelchsquelchsquelch
"Darling♥ Come ooon... Hngh...♥"
That spot tamed by Ryu-o's monster cock couldn't handle Arin's slender fingers.
Body hooked on Ryu-o. Life mortgaged to him.
Irritation mixed with lust, sticky and gooey.
-Squelchslurpslurp! Chiiik! Squelchsquelchsquelch!
"Haaang♥ Darling! Punish me! Hurry and... punish meeee!!!"
Arin fantasized wildly, pleasuring herself furiously.
Though she'd wilt after a few pumps in reality...
Clueless to Ryu-o's situation, she wailed for her hubby.
"Haaaang! Darling!!!♥♥"
Ryu-o, for the time being...