Hidden Chambers of Trial
Mu-hyuk wanted to dive in right away, but he held back.
Sung Min-woo and Yerin.
He couldn't leave those two out.
"Let's head back for now."
"Yes, my lord."
He returned to their original spot and waited for the pair to log in.
Time dragged on agonizingly slow.
Should he log out and give them a call?
"Wait here a sec."
"Yes."
Unable to bear it any longer, Mu-hyuk logged out of Illusion and called them, explaining the situation.
Their deflated voices perked up with energy, and they promised to log in immediately.
Logging back in, Mu-hyuk spotted the two already waiting and let out a hollow chuckle.
"Hah, you're already here?"
"Of course! You found a secret spot!"
"Oppa, where is it?"
Their excitement was amusing.
"You were whining like you were about to die from exhaustion earlier."
"That's life for ya. So where is it?"
"Sigh, just follow me."
The group moved together to the hidden location.
There, far off against the wall below—a dark space emitting a faint glow was visible even from a distance.
"Whoa, that's it, right?!"
"Yeah."
"Damn, how'd you find it?"
"Doran here's got some real talent for scouting."
"Wow, impressive!"
"This is basic for me. Ahem."
Doran let out a hearty laugh for the first time in ages. He'd felt like dead weight until now, but pulling off a real win had his shoulders puffed up with pride.
The irrepressible joy shone on his face, plain as day, and Mu-hyuk, Sung Min-woo, and Yerin could all see it clearly.
Simpler than he looks.
Still, seeing the somewhat downcast Doran laugh like that eased everyone's minds.
With spirits lifted, they entered the space within the wall.
"Oh ho, bigger than I thought."
"And not as dark."
Light emanated from stones embedded throughout.
"Those worth anything?"
"Nah, just glow rocks."
"Oh, yeah?"
Sung Min-woo checked one anyway, looking disappointed.
"Tch, for real."
He tossed the glowing stone to the ground and strolled down the corridor.
How far did they go?
They arrived at a fairly spacious hall.
Swoosh.
Mu-hyuk raised a hand, halting the group.
"Feels like monsters'll pop if we go in."
"Agreed."
"Yeah, but we gotta anyway."
"That too."
He sent summons in first.
No reaction.
Only when the four entered did things change.
Identifying occupation.
A single pillar rose a meter high.
Atop it sat four boxes.
Clearly linked to the message.
That meant the boxes held some seriously good loot.
"'Identifying occupation,' huh..."
"Class-related items, probably."
"Jackpot!"
But it wouldn't hand them over easily.
Grrr.
Not berserkers, but five Red Orc Great Warriors appeared.
"Gonna have to fight for real here."
Mu-hyuk quickly coated arrowheads with Slow Poison.
Storm, Rapid Fire.
Aiming at the five great warriors, he loosed the bowstring. Arrows struck their torsos dead-on, slowing their movements ever so slightly.
Weakness.
The debuff skill further sapped their strength.
Dark Spirit Summon.
Strength Increase.
Stamina Increase.
Ally buffs followed.
Meanwhile, Sung Min-woo had charged ahead, already clashing with them.
"Shit, these guys hit hard!"
Mu-hyuk used Wind Step to close in.
Five of them.
Mid-boss tier, no less.
This wouldn't be easy.
"Don't overdo it!"
"Yes, my lord!"
"Got it, oppa!"
He split the skeletons as best he could, but they could handle three at most simultaneously.
One for Mu-hyuk and Yerin; the last for Sung Min-woo and Doran.
Take them down fast!
Mu-hyuk's sword plunged into the great warrior's side.
Boom!
The Storm explosion made it flinch.
Storm, Cross Slash.
He pressed the assault relentlessly, sparing no items to end it quicker.
Bleeding Tear.
Weakness Paralysis.
Hallucination Poison.
All deployed to corner one.
Yerin's spells burst intermittently, and the squirrels inflicted minor damage across its body.
From behind, Armor Archers and Bone Bows fired bone arrows steadily.
"Ugh, damn it...!"
Sung Min-woo's voice from the side.
"Gah!"
Critical situation.
Mu-hyuk switched sword to bow, coated an arrow with Confusion Potion.
Storm, Powerful Arrow Shot.
It flew at the great warrior Sung Min-woo and Doran were facing.
Confusion took hold; it lost bodily control for 3 seconds. Sung Min-woo escaped peril and hammered its head.
"Thanks, man! Hoo-rah!"
"Hang in there a bit longer!"
"You got it!"
Meanwhile, Mu-hyuk ordered mages and archers to attack.
Boom, kaboom!
His target staggered.
Storm, Power Dash.
His shoulder slammed its thigh.
Thud.
It toppled, balance shattered.
Mu-hyuk leaped, stabbing its eyeball.
CRITICAL STRIKE!
Again.
Stab, stab!
Storm amplified the explosion.
Consecutive criticals!
Rawr!
The enraged Red Orc Great Warrior twisted, swinging its arm. Mu-hyuk couldn't dodge and flew back, crashing into the wall.
He sprang up, Wind Step closing the gap as he slashed.
It swung back, striking him.
Thud, thwack.
An unexpectedly brutal brawl unfolded.
"Come on, let's see who wins!"
The great warrior's destructive power was no joke.
-791 HP
-1,255 HP...
Trusting his overflowing HP and high defense, he'd decided to tank a hit and counterattack.
Storm, Cross Slash!
Storm, Storm...!
A fist whistled down from above.
Thud.
It smashed his head, sending him tumbling, but Mu-hyuk thrust his sword even then.
Rawr!
HP was all that mattered—no real shock. He rose instantly.
Circling to the side, he slashed for damage.
Then switched sword to bow, coated an arrow with Curtain Potion, targeting Sung Min-woo's foe.
Sung Min-woo escaped danger once more.
Confirming that, Mu-hyuk turned to his great warrior.
Its fist loomed huge. Startled, Mu-hyuk leaped aside, switching arrow to staff simultaneously.
Blessing of the Dead.
Staff to sword, closing in.
Thud, thwack.
Fierce melee raged.
Just a bit more!
Armor Mages' cooldowns reset.
All units, attack!
He focused their magic on his target.
Kaboom!
Finally, one down.
The power of Red Orc Great Warrior 4 transfers to the box.
The great warrior's energy absorbed into the box.
What the...?
No time for questions—he rushed to aid Sung Min-woo and Doran.
Just one down, but the difference was huge.
"Die, you bastard!"
Sung Min-woo regained footing, landing proper hits.
Grr.
Another fell.
The power of Red Orc Great Warrior 2 transfers to the box.
Its energy flew into the box again.
"What the hell?"
"Dunno."
"Hmm, maybe killing one amps up the rewards each time?"
Sung Min-woo's guess rang true.
"Could be."
"Damn, then we gotta wipe 'em all."
Sung Min-woo dove back in.
"Hah!"
To help the skeletons with the remaining three.
Mu-hyuk kept firing arrows steadily.
The skeletons held firm, so no need for close quarters.
Even leisurely, clearing the last three was straightforward.
The difference is huge.
With versus without skeletons.
"Whew, all down anyway."
"Time to claim those boxes."
"Sounds good."
All four headed to the boxes. With all five great warriors' energies absorbed, expectations soared.
"One each?"
"Yeah!"
"Open and divvy fairly."
"I'm fine with anything, my lord."
Mu-hyuk opened the first lid after hearing them out.
Whoosh.
Red energy surged into him.
◈ Red Orc Great Warrior's Lower Body
◈ Red Orc...
Mu-hyuk's eyes gleamed.
"This..."
All the body parts needed for summon crafting. Add a magic stone and spirit core, and he'd command a Red Orc Great Warrior.
Like the Giant Cyclops.
Mu-hyuk's lips curved up.
"Ooh, what? Good stuff?"
"Oppa, is it good?"
"Yeah, great. But let's each open one? Mine gave me what I need."
The three picked boxes.
"This one."
"I'll take this."
"Then mine."
They opened simultaneously.
"Ooh...!"
All looked pleased.
"Immense power, my lord."
"Damn, this rocks!"
"Worth the grind."
They rested briefly, satisfied.
With summon slots free, Mu-hyuk Revived the five Red Orc Great Warriors and sent them to the Demon Realm.
Summon EXP acquired.
Netting 100,000 EXP.
*
Leaving the hidden spot, the swamp war resumed.
"This is nothing."
Maybe the jackpot loot?
No one griped this time.
Sung Min-woo even joked around.
"Yeah, come on. Stickier, huh? Get even stickier! Whoa, pull me in more! You think this blocks my path?!"
They watched his one-man show to kill the boredom.
"Can't stop him."
"He's always like that."
"But my friend likes that type, oppa."
"Oh? Match made in heaven."
"Hehe. Planning to introduce you when we hit Seoul."
Sung Min-woo, leading, turned.
"Yerin, thanks!"
"Be good to my oppa from now on!"
"Of course, milady!"
"Milady, what..."
Amid the cheerful vibe.
Doran halted abruptly.
"My lord."
"Hm? What?"
"Something off that way."
"No way...!"
They watched Doran eagerly.
And spotted it.
"Jaaackpot!"
Another hidden space.
Inside, the hall triggered the same message.
Identifying occupation.
A pillar rose.
Around it, five second-floor mid-bosses: Yetis.
"Same method!"
"Roger!"
They fought like with the orcs, but Sung Min-woo couldn't hold.
"Aaaah, I'm dead!"
He retreated, forcing Mu-hyuk, Yerin, and Doran back too.
Whoosh.
The yetis and pillar vanished like magic.
"What? They ain't chasing?"
"Repeat and farm easy?"
They rushed in.
Rawr!
Fresh yetis, no debuffs.
Mu-hyuk wounded one heavily, then retreated. Advancing again—no wounded yeti.
"Won't work."
Mu-hyuk pondered briefly, then held out a hand to Sung Min-woo.
"Gimme your armor."
"Why?"
"Gonna enhance it."
Sung Min-woo was key here.
"You gotta tank."
"Huh?"
"To take down the yetis."
"Ooooh...!"
If Sung Min-woo held, they could wipe all five.
Meaning boxes with full energy absorption as reward.
"No letting even one slip, right?"
"Obviously."
Might as well aim for the max reward.