Chapter 20
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 20
Chapter Title: Black City Shadows
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I looked around at the others, putting on my most bewildered expression, and everyone except Ryu Cheon-hwa had their patterns fully activated. I turned to him with puzzled eyes.
"Pattern activation isn't the most efficient setup."
With no eyes on him now, he'd slipped back into his natural speech. Ryu Cheon-hwa raised one hand. A white glove covered it—something that hadn't been there before. He'd gone for partial activation instead of full.
"The dungeon layout... it feels way too vast to cover alone."
Everyone fell silent in agreement at Yoo A-han's words. Countless buildings glittered around us, each the size of the rooftop we stood on.
"Wild concept."
There were clear similarities to our world. But just as obviously, differences. The vehicles looked like cars shrouded in thick, rising fog. And the residents...
"Maybe because they're dungeon natives, but they're all pitch black. Good thing they don't look like us."
"No arms, either. Or legs."
If anything, they resembled chess pawns. Or bean sprouts.
"Let's split into teams first."
The quietest one, Seung-hyeon, spoke up.
"Before that, what about those residents down there?"
But before teams could form, Ryu Cheon-hwa offered a counterpoint. Yoo A-han jumped in first at his question.
"Wouldn't it be cleaner to wipe them all out?"
"I'm with Yoo A-han on that."
Ryu Cheon-hwa agreed with her, then looked at me, Seung-hyeon, and my brother. Seung-hyeon spoke first.
"No telling what could happen, so better not to touch them."
"I agree with Seung-hyeon."
Once my brother and I had spoken, everyone turned to Ji-un. A few seconds passed before he said,
"...I'm with Seung-hyeon and Ji-eon."
"So not touching them has the majority. Should we form teams accordingly?"
"No clue what they might do, so mixing it up half and half seems best."
Ryu Cheon-hwa's face soured faintly at Seung-hyeon's suggestion.
"Then... Seung-hyeon and I together, the other three—"
"I'll go solo."
My brother dug in his heels again before Yoo A-han could finish.
"...Han Ji-un, you hiding treasure in here or something?"
Ryu Cheon-hwa said it with a sly smile, but Ji-un shot back an instant explanation.
"Nah, it's just—as long as we don't touch them, odds of trouble are low. Plus, solo's faster."
"...No plans to overrule you, so do what you want... but maybe soothe your pissed-off little brother first."
"I'm not pissed."
I sighed and looked at Ji-un. He stared back with a blank expression. I made a complicated face and said,
"...Do whatever. Just don't get hurt."
"Thanks."
No sooner had he spoken than Ji-un dropped swiftly to the street below.
"Wait—!"
"Let him go. Not his first rodeo."
"Not his first?"
"Yeah, whatever. Shall we split and move out?"
Yoo A-han's beaming smile only made my disbelief deepen. Before I could shake it off, Seung-hyeon proposed,
"Then me and Yoo A-han, Ryu Cheon-hwa and Han Ji-eon. Any objections?"
None came. A brief silence confirmed our tacit agreement, and Ryu Cheon-hwa said,
"Let's move."
We split off in directions away from where Ji-un had gone.
Thud. Touching down lightly in the alley below, the black residents passing along the street came into sharp focus. Their bodies rippled like rising smoke from various spots. How they moved without legs clicked when I saw them inching forward, wriggling.
"If you're worried about Han Ji-un, we could head that way."
"Nah... he'll handle it."
"Touchy?"
"Nope."
Truth be told, nothing really registered. His unilateral decision without discussion threw me, sure, but the rest... I'd half-expected it. Back in the previous regression, he'd been the strongest, so solo runs made sense.
'Though the conversation went a bit different then. Probably nothing to sweat.'
Always the same thought—Ji-un seemed to know the novel's details more granularly than I'd guessed. Stat-boost items, boss patterns, even solo scouting. All spelled out in depth.
'But if he knows the novel so well, he should realize there's zilch to gain from soloing around here.'
Future city. Just like Yoo A-han said. Towering buildings packed tight—no room to breathe. Solo looting buildings? No items worth squat.
'Wait... no way.'
Nah. Just soloing, that's all.
'Crazy as that'd be, no chance.'
Dungeon was huge, so scouting for next-floor keys or door locations? Solo was ideal. That's why he'd done it multiple times before. Yeah. Partly to leverage novel info, but this was a factor too.
"Han Ji-eon?"
"Yeah?"
Ryu Cheon-hwa was about to step onto the street. I jolted back in alarm.
"Something wrong?"
He reached out toward the street and grabbed a black resident. Moments later, it thrashed wildly in resistance before bursting with a pop! scattering into the air.
"What the—"
"Unfortunately, no interest in being overruled."
"No, check behind you!"
I'd figured he'd touch one, but too far to stop him. My bad—lost focus thinking about Ji-un.
Boom! The already dim alley darkened further under a massive shadow. Ryu Cheon-hwa looked up at the one looming overhead.
"This is..."
A hulking black resident in iron armor glared down at him.
"Dodge—"
Thwack! Ryu Cheon-hwa's kick sent the armored one flying backward into the air.
"...Doesn't pop. And that armor's an item, looks like."
"Can't just burst it like before?"
"Would if it were just the black form, but the armor..."
"That's why I said don't touch them."
Crash! The armored resident charged, eyes flashing, swinging a massive fist through the narrow alley. Cracks spiderwebbed the walls—whole building looked ready to collapse.
"...Not just one."
"Huh?"
Boom! Boom! More heavy footsteps echoed from the other side as one moved.
"..."
I turned. Another armored resident blocked the rear.
"Should've stayed up top."
"We can go back."
"Not what I meant."
If we hadn't come down, he wouldn't have touched it, no standoff needed.
"Han Ji-eon."
"Yeah?"
"It's coming in."
Exactly. The massive armored resident squeezed its bulk forcibly into the alley.
"Urk!"
I unleashed my power right away. Pop! Boom! White Stars rocketed out, detonating on impact with the armor—but it stayed pristine. Rare sight, an S-rank looking this fragile.
"Do something!"
"No brilliant ideas coming to mind."
"You started this! Own the consequences!"
"Why eliminate it?"
"Huh?"
"We can just run."
Whoosh. With backs together, I sensed Ryu Cheon-hwa spin, then—
Boom!
"What now—"
"Run."
Thud. He'd lowered his raised leg and bolted toward the alley mouth where the first armored one had flown. I followed right after.
I dashed out, weaving through the gap Ryu Cheon-hwa carved amid the black residents. Behind, booming footsteps from who-knew-how-many armored ones pursued.
"..."
Glancing around while running, something felt off.
The black residents should've ignored us, kept shambling along. But cutting through them, they seemed to stare—some even tumbled over in shock.
'...Nah, imagination.'
I fixed my gaze forward and kept sprinting. Into another alley.
"Now what?"
"What?"
"Can't use the streets anymore."
"Regrettable, that."
Clank clank. Ryu Cheon-hwa had climbed a metal stairwell and now twisted a locked doorknob. Touching whatever caught his eye, no holds barred.
"It won't open, just leave it—"
Crack. A breaking sound made me look up—Ryu Cheon-hwa tossing the knob down the stairs.
"...You planning to loot like it's a game?"
"Isn't it?"
The suave Ryu Cheon-hwa from before the dungeon was gone, replaced by this reckless version. His true face. Ruthlessly dividing work and play. That was Ryu Cheon-hwa.
Creak. He effortlessly opened the rusty, stubborn door and stepped inside. No choice—I followed the bull-in-a-china-shop act. Right place anyway.
Creak groan. Climbing the stairs, an eerie noise echoed. Mindlessly ascending the hollow-ringing steps, I reached the door Ryu Cheon-hwa had entered.
"Ryu Cheon-hwa, slow down."
"Outside's a mess—can't dawdle."
Clang. Clang. As I entered, he descended further, the rusty stairs broadcasting every step loudly.
"Seems like the spot."
"Yeah, feels right."
Suspiciously long stairs, anyone could tell. Rusty walls grew cleaner, soon spotless white in the dim light.
That vague premonition from outside intensified downward, clarifying into something definite.
"Spot on."
"Nice work."
"Getting snippy, are we?"
"Less than On-yeon Guildmaster."
"Is that so."
No need for courtesy. Not with him.
Thud. Both reached the bottom.
Flick. Flick flick. Countless lights ignited, flooding the dark room with brightness.
♧♣♧
Boom! Boom!
Faint vibrations pinpointed Han Ji-eon and Ryu Cheon-hwa as the source, Yoo A-han could tell.
She said,
"Guildmaster, sounds like they're already stirring something over there."
"...Don't do anything."
"No need to say it—I'm not. Gotta keep promises. Though Ryu Cheon-hwa already broke his."
"They're moving along the street."
"Shall we head inward?"
Seung-hyeon nodded slightly at her words.
"No idea what the other team's doing, but probably touched a black resident and got that reaction—so yeah, don't touch them."
"Seems so."
"Man, this place is huge. When do we finish checking?"
Step. They walked deeper into the dark interior, pace unchanged. Flickering lights showed the way, preventing wrong turns.
But that was it. Alleys repeated identically, like copies. Windows glimpsed midway were pitch black beyond.
Figuring endless walking led nowhere, Yoo A-han said,
"Won't change much just pacing. So, windows keep showing up—how about checking one out?"
"...It's looping the same scenery for sure, but over windows, maybe hit the street—"
"Just to check, Guildmaster."
Yoo A-han turned, eyeing Seung-hyeon—water snakes coiled from neck to waist, surrounded by watery fish.
"Not holding back because it feels too much like our world, right?"