Chapter 61
Chapter 61
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ace
Chapter: 61
Chapter Title: Mansion of the Undead
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Kuuuung———.
"W-We survived...!!"
As soon as they entered the city, the gate slammed shut on its own.
The massive wave that had been poised to swallow them whole crashed against the walls with a thunderous roar, as if it would shatter the gate at any moment.
"Don't let your guard down yet. We've only bought ourselves five minutes."
"Still, it's a relief. At least we didn't get swept away."
Luen had a point.
If they'd lingered even a moment longer amid that collapsed pile of earth, the waves would've carried them off in an instant.
"Yeah, we nearly got game over before the real start. Everyone okay?"
"Yes. Don't worry."
-Me too!
"Chason, you?"
Chason nodded at Woojin's question, but his pale face betrayed the terror he'd felt from that wave moments ago.
'Can't blame him.'
The sea had probably been like his own backyard since childhood.
'Of course he'd never feared waves before.'
But this was the first time he'd felt real dread from them.
Dread at the thought of death.
'Shattered trust hits harder than you think.'
It was a heavy burden for a kid not even twenty.
"...Let's take a short break."
"Is that okay?"
Luen asked, concern lacing her voice.
There was a time limit, but he couldn't drag a panicked party member along like this.
"Just three minutes."
Woojin pulled preserved rations from his inventory.
"Phew..."
They were nothing fancy, but shoving something into his mouth steadied his racing heart a little.
"Don't be scared. The blood in your veins is pure Bolton lineage."
It sounded absurd even to him, but it was the only comfort he could offer.
"Know anything about this city?"
"No. Honestly, I didn't even know a place like this existed."
As if voicing Chason's fear aloud, his speech had turned polite.
"Think hard. Your father must've mentioned something."
His father, Harterwin, had left for the sea like a man possessed.
Why had he returned to the black mist?
Just the curse?
'No way. There's still one final piece we haven't uncovered.'
Woojin gazed at Chason.
'You're the key to clearing this dungeon, no doubt.'
Not just the key to entering the black mist.
Chason joining the party, the family weapon at the lighthouse—it all meant he was part of the team meant to conquer this place.
'Hah, "kill whatever"... If we'd killed him, the black mist would've been impossible forever.'
Woojin let out a dry chuckle, recalling Keruga's note.
'No way he foresaw this and wrote it on purpose.'
If he had, it would've been the pettiest sabotage imaginable.
"Luen. Scout the path."
"Yes."
While Chason caught his breath, Luen summoned her spirits.
Low-grade water spirits burst from puddles scattered everywhere.
Three in total.
Thanks to hunting Taikan and leveling up, her spirit count had grown a bit.
She was currently level 40.
'About time to snag a spirit tome.'
She'd said that after 40, she could contract a second spirit.
Low-grade tomes were easy to find at the auction house.
But as an elf with low spirit affinity, she had to choose the next attribute's properties carefully.
'She's an archer, and wind isn't weak to water... seems ideal, but...'
For some reason, Luen hadn't decided on the next one yet.
Swaaaak———!!
The water spirits zipped off to scout the dungeon interior.
"Master, this city... something's off."
"Why?"
"The alleys look open, but we can't enter them."
Luen reported as she directed the spirits.
'Fixed route design, huh.'
All the better.
No need to wander a sprawling city blindly.
"Luen, mark only the paths the spirits can enter and guide us."
"Got it."
The party followed Luen through the city.
"No one's here. Think it's like the ice cavern—just a boss?"
"That'd be nice, but... one boss in a place this huge? Kinda suspicious."
"True."
Luen gripped her bow tighter, staying alert at Woojin's words.
"Master, this way. Right here."
They passed an alley, and a massive bridge connected to a mansion came into view.
A moat encircled it like a boundary line.
Gargoyle statues lined both sides of the bridge.
'This feels ominous...'
Woojin eyed the gargoyle statues littering the area warily.
"Luen. Smash one of those statues."
"Yes."
Kwadddduk—.
Luen drew her bow.
Shuuuuk———!!
The sharp arrow whistled through the air, striking the statue's head dead-on.
[Headshot]
[Kieeeek———!]
The statue awakened in that instant, the gargoyle with the arrow in its head unleashing a roar.
"As expected! Everyone, battle positions!!"
As the gargoyle bellowed, the other statues on the bridge stirred to life one after another.
Paat—!!!
Woojin plunged into the awakening gargoyle pack and slammed his hand to the ground.
Jejeok...! Jejjejjeok...!!
Several of the stirring gargoyles froze solid once more.
"Luen!!"
Pajik—! Pabapak—!!!!
The frozen gargoyles shattered into pieces under Luen's arrows in seconds.
"Setsuna!!"
-Yep!!!
Woojin's form blurred as he shot forward again.
The remaining gargoyles lunged at Woojin.
Kagang—! Kagagang——!!
As their claws raked him,
[Kieeeek!!!]
Flames erupted from him, devouring the beasts instead.
"Hup—."
Woojin took stance before the thrashing gargoyle.
He gripped his sword tight and swung it down with all his might.
Kwaang—!!
A single blow cleaved the gargoyle from head to toe.
The power was staggering.
It wasn't a clean sword slice—more like it'd been pulverized by a blunt weapon, the corpse mangled beyond recognition.
"Whiu—."
First real test since upgrading the skill; Woojin whistled in satisfaction at the wreckage.
[Keek———!]
Peng...! Pengpengpeng!!!
One straggler must've remained; it hurled itself at Woojin only to get pelted by orbs of white light and plummet off the bridge.
Setsuna's illusion barrage.
-Ehem!
"Good job."
Woojin ruffled the hair of Setsuna, who struck a proud pose with arms crossed.
Kugugugugu...
With all the bridge gargoyles down, the door on the far side creaked open on its own.
Gulp—.
Tense faces all around.
Even Woojin up front.
'After gargoyles... what monster next?'
That was when it happened.
"...Huh?"
The sight beyond the door was nothing like they'd imagined.
"Welcome. The Bolton family extends its warmest regards."
Glamorous lights spilled through the open door.
Warmth, not dank air.
The mansion buzzed with life, defying any notion of a dead city.
And...
"People?"
What startled them most were the people inside the mansion, greeting them cheerfully.
"The journey here must've been perilous. You've worked hard. Please, come in."
A man who looked like a butler extended a hand to Woojin.
Women behind him nudged Luen and Chason along.
"...Huh?"
"W-Wait a sec!"
Before they knew it, the two had been ushered inside.
"Here, have some of this."
"Tough trek through the black mist, right?"
"The city's air is so humid from the fog. Warm yourselves up."
The people vied to offer the party treats and comforts.
"Ah... th-thank you."
Overwhelmed by the onslaught, Luen soon found herself seated, clutching a teacup they'd handed her, draped in a blanket, nodding dazedly.
"Come now, set your weapons aside. You're safe here."
"Eh? Oh, sure..."
"Are you insane?"
As the butler reached for Luen's bow, Woojin snapped at her.
"This is a dungeon. You gonna hand your lifeline of a weapon to some stranger?"
"Sorry!!"
The people murmured as Luen flinched at his shout.
"...Figures. Not a welcoming dungeon after all."
Woojin scanned the mansion's inhabitants.
"Explains the holy power on my sword."
With that, he dumped the teacup they'd given him onto the floor.
"Wh-what...?!"
Luen gaped at Woojin's sudden action.
"Don't drink it. Might not be poison, but it's made with rotten water at best."
"...Huh?"
Swaaaaak———!!!
Light poured from Woojin, flooding the area.
"...Kyaaak!"
"What do you think you're doing!!"
The mansion's denizens screamed amid the radiance.
"...!!!
But their cries paled against the horror revealed as the light faded—the party's jaws dropped.
[Kruk... Krurruk...]
[Bii... l... eat... .]
[Go... k... i... .]
The friendly welcomers were gone, replaced by undead horrors with rotting flesh and a foul stench.
"Hiek?!"
Luen hurled her teacup away with a shriek.
Jjangrang—!!
Centipedes writhed from the shattered cup, no fragrant tea in sight.
"The Bolton family fell ages ago... no way anyone's still alive."
[Krurrr...!!]
[M... ster... die...!!!]
The undead Bolton remnants charged as one.
Kwaang—!!!
Woojin booted the chair in front of him with all his strength.
Peok—!!
The butler-turned-undead took it full to the head, skull exploding as it flopped lifelessly.
"Should've packed holy water."
"What now?"
"What else."
Hwaruru———!!
"Burn 'em to ash."
```