Chapter 98
Chapter 98
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 98
Chapter Title: Brianeuk Habitat
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The Ardam Continent was densely packed with kingdoms and empires.
Among the many nations on the continent, the one wielding the greatest influence was, naturally, the Licht Empire.
It was only fitting, since they had claimed the pond where Bachinums emerged—Ilithea's Pond.
Even though Prim, a Bachinum, had vanished, the Licht Empire still reigned as the continent's top power.
That was thanks to the emperor's terrifying swordmaster legion and mage legion.
They kept the empire safe from threats by neighboring countries.
"Do you really trust Vice Captain Noah's 'gangster operation' while she's off on her trip, Your Highness? It's way too vague. Just barge in and lie down? I'm worried we'll get caught by the emperor's side. How exactly does she plan to weaken the emperor's strongest card, the mage legion...?"
Hayle, the vice captain of the Second Legion and a grand mage, stroked his chin as he stared intently at Noah's cryptic explanation and doodle.
At the top of the paper, it read "Gangster Operation."
"Noah's explanations are pretty curt. That's part of her charm."
"..."
Too much fawning was just annoying.
Ignoring Prim, Hayle wondered if there might be some hidden message on the paper and held it up to the light.
There wasn't anything like that—it was just a crude scribble.
Vice Captain Noah had burst into the morning briefing room, shouting, "Do it like this, and it'll turn out that way! I'm off on my trip! Oh, and First Legion Captain, cover for me while I'm gone!" before kicking the door open and storming off.
She was utterly selfish, but so overwhelmingly strong that no one dared utter a word.
"Vice Captain Noah is just... so infuriating in the best way."
"How could you hate that adorable little thing?"
"Well... it looks like we'll fail the rebellion and all get our heads chopped off."
"Instead of worrying, focus on perfecting that bombardment spell. Oh, and remember those adventurer-exclusive items we made? Like the Sharing Eye. Pull them all from the market for now."
"Huh? Stop selling them?"
After opening the portal that summoned adventurers from around the world, Prim had been making bank off those "adventurer-exclusive items."
And now, in their dire need for cash, she wanted to halt sales? What was this about?
Hayle frowned and shot back.
"Yes. Suspend sales and stockpile the inventory."
"Why on earth?"
"Tsk. Imperial command."
"Understood."
Hayle fell silent, his worried gaze drifting to the dungeon plan sheet sitting alone on the desk.
* * *
Finally, Han Su-hwan and Dun arrived at the Brianeuk habitat.
The entrance to the Brianeuk habitat was shrouded by dense black willows, their thin, long branches draping down low, making it hard to spot or enter.
A bit spooked by the Brianeuk habitat, Han Su-hwan glanced at Dun nervously before speaking up.
"...The leaves block the way completely. What do we do?"
Sure, the group chat had a ton of rankers, but not everyone there was one.
Han Su-hwan was a prime example. He was a huge scaredy-cat, so he'd chosen a job hyper-specialized in defense.
He figured they'd have to hack through the leaves, but what if a Brianeuk lunged out? That thought terrified him.
Dun, perched at the sales stall, stared blankly at the quivering Han Su-hwan.
[F-Grade Quest] Yeah, what should we do?
Description: Let's think about it.
Reward: Realization of what to do.
On refusal/failure: Dun's dislike.
Tears welling up inside at the absurd sudden quest, Han Su-hwan pulled his longsword from his inventory.
He recalled the one sport he knew—golf—and started wildly swinging the sword to clear the thick branches and leaves.
[Kyaaao-!]
[Kyaaaaooo!]
"Gyaaah! Kid!"
As soon as they entered the habitat, several Brianeuks—lion-headed with snake tails—bared their fangs and appeared.
Dun reached out to use Dominate. That's when it happened.
Han Su-hwan yanked his sword back, grabbed the sales stall, and bolted out of the habitat.
"Kid, it's dangerous!! This place is too dangerous!!"
Dun froze mid-cast, hand outstretched. She just turned her head to look at Han Su-hwan.
"Dun, maybe we should move the auction house? It's too risky even for you to hang around here. I can respawn since I'm a player, but you can't."
"I'm strong."
Han Su-hwan tilted his head at Dun's claim of strength.
She skipped meals daily, getting scolded by Rihaowel for it; she wheezed after a short walk with her pathetic stamina.
Every image of Dun that came to mind was weak, so "strong Dun" didn't quite fit.
Sure, her tough personality gave a strong impression, but the Dun he knew was fragile.
Brushing off Dun's words, Han Su-hwan hesitated to enter, fearing he couldn't protect her in the Brianeuk habitat.
"Does it have to be here?"
"It has to be here. Trust me and turn around. I told you, I'm strong."
"...Okay."
Han Su-hwan turned the sales stall around and carefully approached Dun's side before activating his skill.
[[Triple Dome Shield] activated.]
Too busy goofing off in villages, Han Su-hwan had momentarily forgotten he even had a shield skill.
$It blocked all damage below a certain threshold indefinitely, and up to three hits above that.
Even with the shield up, he was still shaking. $After blocking about three enemy ultimates and shattering, he couldn't recast until cooldown.
He'd have to fall back on Double Square Shield then, but that left his back exposed.
To protect Dun, Han Su-hwan used the dome-shaped skill and prayed it held until cooldown reset.
Pulling out a large shield, Han Su-hwan guarded Dun's side and crept forward cautiously.
"Hey, come on. Mister. Move that shield so I can use my skills. I can't see."
When Dun tapped the shield with her hand, the Brianeuks charged all at once. Ignoring them, Dun cast her skill.
[[Monster Domination] activated!]
[[Monster Domination] activated!]
[[Monster Domination] activated!]
The fear-dominated Brianeuks bowed their heads before Dun.
[Our dominator...]
[Dominator... give orders...]
Dun reached out, stroked a Brianeuk's fur, and spoke.
"Clear a path ahead. Too many leaves."
The Brianeuk wagged its tail in understanding, infused its howl with mana, and let out a mighty roar.
The leaves and branches around the howling Brianeuk began shortening, carving out a path.
"You can dominate monsters? Even high-level ones?"
"Yeah."
Han Su-hwan's eyes widened at Dun effortlessly dominating monsters.
He'd thought it'd be limited to slimes, leeches, earthworms at best.
[[Monster Domination] activated!]
[[Monster Domination] activated!]
[[Monster Domination] activated!]
Dun kept dominating the charging Brianeuks one by one.
The skill was great in every way, except having to cast it on each one individually was a hassle.
Muttering the skill name under her breath, Dun pressed forward with Han Su-hwan.
"Wow... monster escorts."
[Protect... protect...]
[Protect...]
Han Su-hwan's eyes sparkled as he watched allied Brianeuks rip into the charging ones around the shield.
"Dun, can you dominate the Brianeuk boss too?"
"Yeah."
But she wouldn't.
Her plan was to stir trouble between Count Altoid and the emperor using the adventurer village. Dominating up to the boss might make the monster boss suspicious and investigate the village.
Monster bosses were likely in cahoots with the emperor anyway, so caution was key.
Dun planned to hide among countless adventurers.
She didn't like hiding, but she'd endure for the plan.
Han Su-hwan and Dun pushed deeper, reaching the Brianeuk boss's chamber.
It was a space woven from tangled branches and leaves, thick with damp, musty air.
Crunch... crunch...
Somewhere, bones were being gnawed.
[Boss Monster] Brianaak
Level: 67
Species: Brianeuk
The boss monster Brianaak was piling up and chomping on human corpses. All locals from Lud.io territory.
It wasn't hunger. Brianaak chewed them like toys, then spat them out.
[Kruk... krr...]
Han Su-hwan grimaced at the system-auto-mosaiced corpses.
The sound of flesh tearing sent chills down his spine.
"Man, I always think this, but thank god for the mosaic filter... Seeing that for real would traumatize me, even in a game. Ugh..."
Han Su-hwan hunched his shoulders, staring at the bodies.
Even as AI, they lived with personal emotions and thoughts.
Chatting and clinking drinks with NPCs, he often forgot they were data chunks.
They'd tear up sharing family stories after hard labor, crack dumb jokes with wild laughter, or geek out over first-love tales.
They felt no different from real people, so seeing their corpses hit hard for no reason.
Good thing Dun dominating the boss would cut NPC casualties.
"Stay sharp—no ambushes. Dominate carefully, Dun."
"Not dominating."
"Hm?"
Han Su-hwan, swallowing tears, furrowed his brow.
"Dispel the shield."
"No way! You'll get hurt! If not dominating, what then?"
Ignoring Han Su-hwan's protests, Dun strode forward.
She clicked her tongue once, placed her hand on the shield, and tapped it lightly three times: tap tap tap.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The mighty triple shield shattered effortlessly.
"Eh... eeeeh????"
Han Su-hwan rubbed his eyes. No way it broke that easily...
The shield's inner defense was several times stronger than outer.
Startled by the shattering noise, Brianaak jerked its head up.
Focused on its meal, it had spotted Dun and Han Su-hwan late. It bared its teeth.
[Kyaooo!]
"Gyaaah! It's charging us! Sh-shield! Dun, hide behind the square shield first!"
"You hide, mister."
Spotting fresh prey, Brianaak grinned, coiled its hind legs, and lunged at Dun.
Dun crouched slightly, kicked off the ground, and soared up, slamming her heel into Brianaak's head.
Bwoooom!
The monster burst like a balloon with a satisfying pop.
"Wha...????"
A level 67 monster popped like a balloon from a village kid NPC's kick.
Han Su-hwan rubbed his eyes again, unable to believe the scene.
"Told you. I'm strong."
Dun landed lightly, caught her breath, and picked up Brianaak's drops.
[Rare] Brianaak's Heart
[Rare] Mid-grade Mana Stone
[Rare] Brianaak Fur
....
Items rained down everywhere. A respawn alert popped up simultaneously.
[Brianaak respawn in 9 days 23:59:00]
Dun grabbed just the good stuff like the heart and mana stone, tossed the junk to Han Su-hwan, and spoke.
"Cast a dome shield here at the respawn spot."
"..."
Han Su-hwan froze, staring blankly at Dun.
Now it all made sense.
Dun's hoard of epic and unique items. Her fearless prowling of high-level zones. That fearless confidence.
'Whoa... what kind of ridiculous munchkin character is this... flying heel kick like a king...'
His action manga fan blood boiled.
"Earth to mister? Hurry up and cast the circular shield?"
Dun stamped Tiaryn's portable magic circle seal on the floor near the respawn spot, then stepped back.
"Huh? Oh! Right, got it!"
He didn't get why a circular shield on an empty spot, but he'd follow Dun's lead unconditionally.
Han Su-hwan erected a circular shield over the slightly sunken black patch.
"Now what are we... er, what're you gonna do?"
"I stamped a teleport magic circle on the floor earlier."
Dun pulled out '[Normal] Lux's Eyeball' from her inventory. It exploded on contact.
She stamped a linked circle outside the shield and dumped Lux's Eyeballs on it.
They teleported inside the shield. The boss would step on them and take massive damage right on respawn.
Just keep rolling explosive items through until Brianaak died.
"Ta-da, infinite mana item farm spot~"
If Tiaryn or Prim refined and automated it before cumulative eye damage broke the dome shield, it'd be perfect.
Han Su-hwan watched dazedly, then clamped a hand over his mouth.
No clue how this tied to the auction house, but it was jackpot.