Chapter 16
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 16
Chapter Title: Omen (1)
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The early part of the dungeon wasn't all that difficult.
Poison Outer Wolves sprouting toxic mushrooms from their bodies or packs of Steel Bugs blocking the path ahead would pop out, but every battle wrapped up in seconds.
The Poison Outer Wolf was a variant of the standard Outer Wolf that spewed venom, but unlike its kin, it didn't run in packs.
And while Steel Bugs boasted tough defenses, they were only a challenge for level 1 users—for level 2 mana wielders like them, that armor was worthless.
"Whoa. True to dungeon form, these magic stones have some real purity."
Luke, who had just finished off the last Steel Bug with his slender twin swords, pointed at the sparkling blue magic stone.
"Gotta have drops like this to make the grind worthwhile. Of course, what we're really after is something much bigger."
Lucy nodded at the mercenary's words.
"Exactly. So, as we agreed upfront, let's keep the distribution fair."
The distribution Lucy was referring to was how they'd split the loot ahead.
Raid dungeons, unlike standard ones, had much higher drop rates for magic stones, artifacts, or skill books.
And every scrap of loot got divvied up based on each group's contributions.
"No worries there. We don't skimp on that stuff."
Team fractures always started over shares like these, so Colton made sure to commit.
They pushed forward smoothly at first, but soon enough, the dungeon began revealing its savage true face.
"Variant Outer Wolves ahead!"
"Multiple Steel Bug packs at 4 o'clock!"
"More Steel Bug packs incoming at 6 o'clock!"
The fight kicked off out of nowhere.
But the team stayed cool under the monster ambush, splitting off and moving like clockwork.
Aiden, with Jun's backup, handled the Poison Outer Wolves up front, while Colton's mercenaries and the two adventurers took 4 and 6 o'clock.
The battle ended without a hitch.
As the other mercenaries scooped up the loot, Colton turned to Jun with a faintly flustered look.
"Never knew detection magic could be this handy."
It was all thanks to Jun's big assist in that last scrap.
'Worth all that studying.'
The detection spell he'd picked up over the past two weeks, [Scan].
Thanks to it, Jun had spotted the monster ambushes early and tipped off the team.
They'd snapped into formation right away, ready for the fight.
But no spell was perfect.
"Hey, you holding up on mana?"
"Appreciate the help and all, but don't go turning into baggage later when you're tapped out!"
For a 3-circle spell, it guzzled more mana than most attacks—and its narrow range meant casting it nonstop.
Of course, none of that applied to Jun, with his [Demon God Body].
"Don't sweat it. I've got my ways."
But he couldn't just spill the truth, so he'd prepped an alibi for times like this.
"Like what?"
All eyes locked on the ring Jun held out.
A gem-encrusted band that shimmered purple.
Its refined craftsmanship screamed anything but ordinary.
Especially on a mage's finger.
"An artifact?"
Jun nodded at Colton's question.
"Stores mana. Solid absorption rate too—won't drop me after a few scans."
Pure fib. It was just some random ring swiped from a goblin stash.
A smokescreen to hide his [Demon God Body].
"In that case..."
"Ahem. Here's to more good work."
"Alright, let's grab the loot already."
His ploy landed better than expected—the mercenaries quickly gathered the ashen monster remnants.
Jun trailed them from the rear when Aiden sidled up quietly.
"Sunbae."
"Yeah?"
"Why hold out on that trick before?"
"These guys? One-and-done."
"Ah...?"
Artifacts weren't cheap.
Jun had geared Aiden up but skimped on himself purely for cash reasons.
For 1st-floor mercs, they were eye-wateringly pricey.
Easy pickings for a no-backup junior mage.
"S-Still, fellow mercs..."
"Happened to me."
"Pardon?"
"I've been there."
No wonder he'd grown distrustful of people after just a year here.
This was a page from his playbook—he'd once passed off a necklace as an artifact and nearly woken up throat-slit.
All over a cheap street-trinket fake.
"..."
"Better play the passable, useful mage than stir drama. Least till I'm established."
Why dust it off now? Simple.
Everyone here was a 2nd-floor vet. Artifacts pricey, sure—but not lifetime pipe dreams.
"...Life here's brutal."
"Get your nose slit just walking the road. Adapt or die."
The gloom hung briefly, shattered by fresh combat shouts.
"Fairies!"
"Wood Ents with 'em!"
"Watch it! Tank the front with shields and they'll shatter!"
Not built from golem-grade rock like the forest ones, but Fairy-infused Wood Ents were no joke.
'Base stats below golems... but...'
The dungeon's quirks powered them up.
Forest nymph Fairies reinforcing the Ents' wooden frames.
Plus, Fairies' bullshit physical immunity.
"Yo, mage! Earn your keep!"
Jun's cue—magic over blades.
'Been earning it.'
Muttering to Colton's yell, he began chanting.
[Bestowal: Elemental Armory]
[Attribute: Electricity]
Jun's mana bloomed outward, weaving the attribute enchantment onto his teammates' weapons as they clashed up front.
Crackle-crackle!
"Wha—what the hell!"
"Sparks on my weapon...!"
The mercs, expecting him to blast the Fairies, panicked—until Aiden's shout rang out.
"Stay calm and fight! It's an enchant spell!"
"Damn it, warn a guy!"
Frontline shield-bearers held the Wood Ents at bay while flankers circled for the rear Fairies.
Lightning-laced blades carved through the Fairies, and the mercs went feral—like fish in water.
Strip their physical immunity, and Fairies were just moths.
――!!
As Fairies dropped one by one, the buffed Wood Ents lost steam, crumbling under the relentless barrage.
"Phew. Close call there, mage. You pull that too?"
Post-fight cleanup underway, Colton eyed Jun afresh.
Detection spells? Junior stuff.
Handy, but mana hogs kept 'em niche.
That bestowal? Different beast.
Blanketing the whole squad at once? No everyday feat.
"That spell's straight 3-circle. Just a tricky breed—most skip it. Why buff allies when you could DPS yourself? Plus, solos jack up their value."
Lucy fielded Colton's query, twirling her glossy hair.
'She knows her stuff.'
Like she said, it was a beast of a spell—book snagged from Cloi pre-Goblin Lord hunt, only now battle-ready.
"Hmm..."
Lucy met Jun's gaze coolly.
"Mana left in the artifact?"
"Post-cast, down to 30%. Full recharge? Roughly 10 hours."
"By the numbers, that's over a week."
"If I'm not frontline too often."
"Prime artifact. But..."
She trailed off thoughtfully, Colton clearing his throat beside her.
"Ahem! Point is, you're pulling triple duty. Keep it up, mage."
Shoulder pat—awkward makeup for their rocky start. As he turned to leave, Lucy reeled him back.
"Captain. Progress check?"
"Eh. Pace like this... mage's help? Three days tops."
Normal runs? Ambushes bred casualties, delays.
Jun's scans nixed that.
No hiccups.
"I'd slow the clear to spare the mage's mana. Faster rewards nice, but... raid means surprises?"
Save the mage for curveballs.
Colton bought it quick.
"Fair. Who knows when we need you next. Settled, mage."
"...Appreciate it."
That wrapped it—till Aiden piped up.
"Sunbae, looks like smooth sailing."
He could say that, peeking Jun's secrets.
"Sunbae?"
"..."
Jun's face stayed grim.
Gut screaming otherwise.
'Why's no one mentioning that hidden piece?'
Jun, self-proclaimed <Blackout> vet, knew its secrets cold.
Locals had centuries of intel too.
This one? Imperial Family's official word.
'They verified it proper. So why the silence?'
Anxiety spiking—worse than White Whale's Goblin Lord wipe.
Heart hammering. Mage-logic it out.
Source in his memories.
Pinpointed it.
Game-reality rift.
"Shit."
"Sunbae?"
Ssssss...
Odd hiss of crushed weeds.
Bugging him since entry—that sound fueling the dread.
"Aiden."
"...Yeah."
Jun's tone hit serious.
Aiden leaned in sharp.
"This raid... ain't gonna be easy."
Day 1 exploration passed incident-free.
Mid-camp setup, Jun approached Colton mid-chatter with the crew.
"Kuku, so back then... Hm? Oh, our mage. What's up?"
Jun's exploits clearly impressed—no more barbs.
Friendly grin even. Deadweight mages? Trash. Skilled ones? Goldmine allies.
"You chatting me up means I'm earning my spot."
"Eh? Ah, haha! Damn straight. Never clocked a junior like you. Spill—what's the ask?"
"Group shares. Got words."
"Hoo..."
Colton's warmth iced over. Classic merc captain wheeling deals.
"Think we've proven White Whale ain't baggage. Your take?"
"Well, your cute sidekick's still TBD... but you, mage? Triple shares minimum. Won't deny it."
"Then profits recalibrate?"
"Hmm..."
Chin rub, wheels turning.
White Whale started as half-dead weight—no skill book dibs.
Jun pushing for those now.
"Sure, you're triple-ish. But matching my mercs or those adventurers? Gotta think."
Jun tsked inwardly. Got the angle.
Mercs tanked most kills frontline, fine. But adventurers outscoring too?
'Damn adventurer buffs.'
Combat-wise, adventurers neck-and-neck with Colton's crew.
But their edge: goddess Hermete's boon.
[Pilgrim's Dawn].
Gods were real here—invisible, but blessing faithful.
Hermete's gift? Dead simple.
Point the path.
Sniff danger.
Cheat city.
'Game locked minimaps sans map items. Adventurers flipped that.'
In <Blackout>, party adventurers spawned shortest-path minimaps to clears.
Not OP though.
One shot daily.
Path or peril—pick one.
Adventure-themed only.
'Still, dungeon clears cut to fraction time.'
Jun's all-around utility? Shaded by that.
Colton, sharp captain and profit hawk, weighed fair.
Jun shelved the grab. Not the real play anyway.
"Scratch that. Requesting solo scouting rights."