Shattered Illusions
Examining the walls was important, but he couldn't afford to neglect keeping watch on his surroundings.
He said we die here.
That meant monsters existed.
Are they hiding?
Maybe even now, at this very moment, something was watching them from somewhere.
If it suddenly appeared and unleashed a powerful attack, they'd end up just like Pascal—miserably and pointlessly slaughtered.
Then they wouldn't be able to re-enter this dungeon, making quest completion impossible.
It could all just be a waste of time.
That absolutely couldn't happen.
So Mu-hyuk focused more on vigilance than on searching for items. But even after a long while, there was no sign of any monsters appearing.
Do I have to trigger some kind of device for them to show up?
Already 30 minutes in.
His guard began to slacken bit by bit.
Another 30 minutes passed.
Is there really nothing here?
He relaxed a little more.
Before he knew it, he was concentrating solely on searching the walls.
That was the moment.
Whirrrick.
Something appeared, looking down at Mu-hyuk and Sung Min-woo.
Pure white powder drifted down.
You fall into an illusion.
With the message, Mu-hyuk's pupils went vacant.
Space warped.
Sensations overlapped, his mind growing hazy, making it impossible to tell if this was reality or a dream.
Even feeling the unnaturalness, his thoughts ground to a halt. Slowly, he rolled his eyes.
This place...
It was definitely a hospital.
The distinctive smell.
And his own condition.
Ah, the car accident.
Full-body paralysis from the accident. He was bedridden, unable to move a muscle.
Right, that's how it was.
Then the hospital door opened, and someone entered.
Mom...?
Her tearful eyes—clearly Mu-hyuk's mother.
"Son... my son..."
A single tear drop.
Pity for Mu-hyuk, who would have to live like this forever.
But then.
"My son..."
Her expression twisted strangely.
Like a demon.
"Better if... yeah, better if..."
She reached out with both hands and grabbed Mu-hyuk's throat.
"Just die."
He was shocked beyond words, but his body wouldn't move.
He couldn't take any action.
W-what, Mom...!
In that instant, her form shattered like glass, and the space shifted.
Next, his father appeared. He'd already spent most of his fortune on Mu-hyuk's hospital bills.
All he could do was work himself to the bone.
Perhaps because of that—sunken eyes, cheeks hollowed so much his cheekbones protruded.
"Aigoo, I'm sorry."
"Sorry doesn't cut it!"
The father, always so big and sturdy, was bowing his head.
To a very young man, no less.
"I'm truly sorry."
After apologizing profusely, his father turned.
"It's your fault."
Mu-hyuk was there.
"Because of you...!"
He lunged and strangled Mu-hyuk.
Ah...
Then his sister appeared.
Her situation was just as wretched. She'd done anything and everything to earn money.
Endured mentally and physically grueling work, bearing it all steadfastly.
All for one person: Mu-hyuk.
Ah, aaaah...!
And like a devil, his sister tried to kill him too.
Only then did he realize.
The pain they had to endure.
That utter misery.
I'm sorry.
Regret welled up.
But...
Mu-hyuk's eyes snapped open.
"It's fake."
If it were real, they never would have tried to kill him.
The false world shattered like glass.
Mu-hyuk's vision cleared.
"Hoo..."
The world came back into focus.
Right, this is the dungeon.
Clutching his aching heart, he looked up.
A creature floated in the air.
The 75-level monster, Illusion Demon, which showed illusions to strangle its prey.
He glared at it.
Just a game, and it pulls something like this.
Manipulating memories?
No, setting that aside—the illusion left Mu-hyuk in a foul mood.
His family's wretched appearances. The sensations felt so real.
If he hadn't believed in his family, he'd have drowned in that fake illusion and died flailing.
Illusion Demon.
He couldn't forgive it.
I'll kill you.
He pulled a sword from his inventory.
Grip.
Clenching it tight, he kicked off the ground.
Wind Step.
He became a streak of wind. He caught up to the retreating Illusion Demon in an instant, mounting its back. A massive butterfly-like monster flapping its wings. He stabbed its wing joint with his sword.
Kieeeaaak!
As it screamed in agony.
"Wha—what...?"
Sung Min-woo snapped out of his illusion too.
Quickly grasping the situation, he summoned spirits to help Mu-hyuk.
"Fuck, that was disgusting!"
"Same!"
"Let's crush it!"
He summoned Armor Archers and Mages, inflicting endless damage. Even as it thrashed in pain, they didn't stop.
They beat it down even more cruelly, more viciously.
Kii, kiiik...
Unable to endure, the Illusion Demon turned gray and vanished.
Your experience increases.
Pain's Source
You acquire a large amount of experience.
Deliver the Belongings
He smiled at the floating messages and the vanishing space.
Finally, out of the dungeon.
Fwaaak.
The light faded, and he opened his eyes.
Pascal's Field, torn up in their search for the tomb.
"Hoo, it's over."
"Yeah, we hunted for a damn long time."
"But the rewards make it worth it."
There was still the delivery quest left, but that was just a handoff—no big deal. The quest was essentially done.
"Let's rest here a bit before heading out."
"Okay."
He had to open the box and allocate stats anyway.
Status window.
Titles and basic info omitted for brevity in display, but he felt the growth.
He smiled in satisfaction and closed the status window, having invested the level-up bonus points into Vitality.
Alright, next...
He took out the random box from his inventory.
And opened it.
But an unexpected message appeared.
Equipment/Material Selection Available
He could choose between two options.
Materials?
Equipment meant armor or weapons.
But materials...
Why was he drawn to that?
He wanted a more detailed explanation.
He touched the equipment option.
If Equipment selected: Random 1 armor or weapon.
If Materials selected: Random quantity of 2 special materials.
What caught Mu-hyuk's eye wasn't anything else.
Two special materials.
And random quantity.
"Hmm."
Time to deliberate.
Yeah, materials it is.
He wasn't greedy for gold from items anyway.
He had plenty of money now.
But special materials were incredibly hard to obtain.
Without luck, you could grind for years and still not get some.
If even one appeared, it'd be a jackpot.
Of course, a skull would be perfect, but even if not, he was confident he could use whatever came up effectively.
You selected Materials.
Soon, two special materials appeared.
Mu-hyuk rubbed his eyes.
What?
He checked the message again.
A glitch?
This time, he looked at the items with his own eyes.
"H-heh...?!"
The shock-induced gasp was brief.
Extreme excitement surged.
Followed by a roar that could tear eardrums.
*
After the roaring subsided.
"You calm now?"
"Yeah."
"What the hell got you like that?"
Mu-hyuk grinned and handed over the two materials.
"This."
"Lemme see."
Sung Min-woo touched the materials.
Special Material
Not comparable to the true Dragon Heart, but contains a considerable amount of mana.
First, the Dragon Core.
True Dragon Heart was a dragon's actual heart, but this wasn't. Still, not something to dismiss. Why else would it be called Dragon Core?
Of course, Sung Min-woo didn't grasp the rarity of special materials, so he just thought, Is it that good?
Next, the skull.
Special Material
Trait: Strength
The description was just that.
"Is this that good?"
"For me, yeah."
"For you?"
"Yep."
"Hmm, I see."
Sung Min-woo let go.
"I'll take this one."
"Armor, huh?"
"Yeah, pretty good."
Mu-hyuk touched the armor.
"Oh ho."
A natural exclamation escaped.
"Good, right?"
"Damn good. At least 300 gold."
"Kekeke. Made a killing this month too. Dungeons are truly the flower of Illusion."
They chatted idly as they strolled the field.
"Let's deliver the belongings first."
"Right, that."
Just a delivery—no issue.
Skeleton evolution after.
Mu-hyuk stored the Dragon Core and skulls in his inventory, heart pounding.
Quest info.
Deliver the Belongings
📍 Deliver Pascal's belongings to Aran, owner of the Starlight Inn in the Weibra Empire, who awaits Pascal.
🎁 Success: Large experience. Pascal's equipment.
❌ Failure: No re-challenge.
Destination: Starlight Inn.
They asked around and arrived.
Business was booming.
"Welcome!"
The owner, who looked in her 30s, greeted Mu-hyuk and Sung Min-woo.
"What's your name, by chance?"
"Pardon?"
She tilted her head.
"Aran, right?"
"Huh? How do you know my name?"
It was her.
Mu-hyuk pulled Pascal's belongings from his inventory.
A worn necklace.
As he offered it, Aran's eyes shook upon recognizing it.
"Th-this..."
"Pascal's belongings."
Relics of the deceased—proof Pascal had gone somewhere he couldn't return from.
"Ah, aaaah...!"
Tears flowed as she clutched the necklace.
She collapsed weakly.
Silent sobs continued for a long time.
*
Aran closed the inn and invited them home.
After finishing the meal she served, she fetched a box from the corner, bringing out a helmet and sword.
"Things his friend used."
"Ah, I see."
"Only these two left. Now with the necklace, they mean nothing to me. Please use them well, you two who delivered the belongings."
"Really okay?"
"Of course."
Knowing it was a quest, he still felt guilty.
"We'll gratefully accept."
Helmet and sword.
Mu-hyuk and Sung Min-woo took them, leaving Aran lost in thought with the necklace.
"Hoo, feels kinda iffy."
"Yeah..."
"Well, items are items."
"Use 'em?"
"Don't match our styles..."
"Sell then."
"That okay...?"
"Sure. Someone'll use 'em better than us. Split the gold fifty-fifty."
"If you say so."
Mu-hyuk eyed the items.
"You selling?"
"Feels iffy. You do it."
"Tch, fine."
Mu-hyuk listed them on the auction system right there.
Pascal's Helmet.
Pascal's Sword.
72 hours.
Starting bid: 100 gold.
"Getting late. Let's call it here."
"Yeah."
"See ya tomorrow."
Sung Min-woo logged out, but Mu-hyuk stayed in Illusion.
Work to do.
He headed to a nearby inn and rented a room.
There, he summoned a Bone Bow.
"Skeleton Archer Summon."
Taking in the appeared Bone Bow, he pulled out one Extreme Archer's Skull.
Enhanced Bone Assembly.
He extracted Bone Bow 1's skull.
Kirrik?
And slotted in the Extreme Archer's Skull.