Chapter 113
Chapter 113
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 113
Chapter Title: Moths Gathering
-----------------------------------------------------------------
After the Dragon Hunter returned, I gathered up the items he'd left behind.
First was the massive dragon head he'd dropped in the corridor upon being summoned.
⚙ ITEM ACQUIRED ⚙
Black-Horned Dragon's Severed Head Eyes, horns, tongue—every part is top-quality material with no waste. Can be crafted into various items depending on usage.
"Ooh..!"
The moment I heard it was top-quality material, my mind went straight to the alchemist grandpa slaving away at the mart. The old man I'd bought from on the black market.
Hand that over to him and he'd be brewing potions with Hwang Su-min as his assistant—what he'd whip up had me buzzing with anticipation already.
"Hey, Hotaru. You said you have an inventory, right?"
"Yes..!"
"Put this in there."
"Understood."
I handed the Black-Horned Dragon's head to Hotaru.
"Ugh..!!"
She grunted and strained to lift what I'd passed over with one hand, finally stuffing it into her inventory.
"Hey, your sister's still out cold?"
"Still unconscious.. Eun-ha.."
"Carry her. Can't wait around."
"O-okay.."
Lee Eun-ha wouldn't wake no matter how much we shook her. In the end, Lee Ju-ha hoisted her still-breathing but unresponsive sister onto her back.
She's got a decent look to her... but man, way too skinny..
Once back at the mart, I'd fatten these sisters up proper. Lee Ju-ha and Lee Eun-ha were both rail-thin, lacking any real curves that sparked interest. Their chests were on the small side, nothing like Eun-ji or A-reum who made my mouth water—they just looked gaunt and worn down. Total stunted growth situation.
Yeah, it stirred more pity than lust. Plus, bodies like that wouldn't hold up to my stamina anyway.
I mulled that over as I stepped into the side room, smoke thick and flames flickering everywhere. Back when the Dragon Hunter hadn't torn Kotori Bako apart yet, the whole place had been dyed black. Now, for some reason, it was all red.
Zeke's parting words echoed: no matter how you attacked, that black aura was useless. Maybe the black walls earlier were just Kotori Bako plastered across the entire room.
No wonder... the creepy energy was oozing from everywhere..
Stepping in wrong could've gotten me insta-killed.
"That must be the exit over there!"
"Oh.."
Ha-rin spotted the door. On one wall stood a red door unlike the one we'd entered through. Definitely hadn't been there before. That had to be our way out of this creepy building.
"Grab the rewards and let's bounce."
I scooped up every item on the floor. Spoils from Kotori Bako that the Dragon Hunter had left behind.
⚙ ITEM ACQUIRED ⚙
Cursed Blade When swung at an enemy, consumes mana to carve a wound somewhere on the target's body. The wound heals poorly and causes ongoing pain. Cursed item.
It was a longsword that felt like a giant kitchen knife. Rusty, but the edge was weirdly razor-sharp—handle it wrong and you'd slice a finger off.
Best part: a melee specialist class could land ranged hits without issue. And the random wound spot? Wild. Hit the face including eyes or the junk, and it'd be a game-changer mid-fight.
⚙ ITEM ACQUIRED ⚙
Polluted Demon-Warding Talisman A curse-infused talisman. Holding it wards off ghost attacks. In exchange, suffer insomnia. Cursed item.
A talisman covered in stains. Inside was someone's hair, all slimy and gross—kinda turned my stomach. Insomnia from carrying it? Probably nightmares from whatever this hair belonged to.
⚙ ITEM ACQUIRED ⚙
Shrunken Head A shrunken child's head. Constant baby cries while held. In exchange, mana recovery speed increases dramatically. Cursed item.
A mummified kid's head, just fist-sized with string to wear like a necklace. Tougher than it looked.
True to the description, the second I picked it up, baby wails started buzzing in my ears—annoying as hell. But my depleted mana was refilling fast. Effect was legit.
⚙ ITEM ACQUIRED ⚙
Dried Twisted Hand A withered child's hand. Feels like someone's gripping you while held. In exchange, skill power increases. Cursed item.
Small hand with gnarled, tree-bark texture. Monkey's paw parody, maybe. Picked it up and bam—felt like someone grabbed my shoulder from behind. Whipped around, nothing there. Scares like that, huh.
Gripped the Dried Twisted Hand and tested a skill.
BAM!!!
Tentacle Ejection hit harder, Abyssal Maw formed faster and bigger. Solid upgrade—I couldn't help but be impressed.
At this point, the shoulder or ankle grabs felt less creepy, more like encouragement.
All four are cursed items, kinda creepy, but definitely useful.
The curses were there, but nothing life-threatening. Just lingering kid grudges messing with the user a bit. Penalties this mild? Totally worth it.
Jackpot..
Curses? Whatever. Suck it up. Baby cries'll drown in zombie screams, grabs are harmless—no yanking or real interference. That's nothing.
And the insomnia from Demon-Warding Talisman? No issue—ghost attacks kill sleep anyway. Better insomnia than getting hit.
Shrunken Head to Ju-ha for her mana issues. I'll take the Hand and Demon-Warding Talisman.
The blade sounded fun too— I'd test it out. Mana's overflowing, so wild swings to shred enemies.
Bet they'd scream bloody murder. Indicron'd love it.
Checked everything, headed to the door. Party shot me expectant looks.
"Alright, let's head out."
"Yes!"
"finally!!"
Cheers all around. After spinning through that weird space, they were itching to escape.
I reached for the exit.
⚠️ WARNING! ⚠️
Once the exit opens and closes, everyone left inside the simple dungeon can never leave again!
"Hahaha!!"
Music to my ears.
Thinking of the Joseonjok and other visitors trapped here forever, wandering endless mazes till they starve or eat each other—couldn't help laughing.
Only six hours in here so far..
Maybe the rest waiting outside got worried and came looking? Nah.
Eun-ji won't budge before ten hours...
Eun-ji follows orders blindly. She'd hold position trusting me till the deadline. That's our bond—faith the other won't flake.
Creeeak..
I blew past the warning and opened the door. Sent the party out first, then slipped out last.
"Die, you worthless spammers."
Bang!
Door shut.
Everyone trapped in the simple dungeon 'Soul-Stealing Box' was doomed.
Too bad I couldn't offer them up personally.
"Oppa!! We waited!"
Eun-ji flung herself at me the second we emerged. Hee-sun Noona followed with a smile. Both looked fine. I stroked Eun-ji's hair as she clung, then asked Noona,
"No trouble?"
"Nope. All good. A few beasts showed, but we handled 'em."
"Good work."
We took a breather outside. Ha-rin and I were fine without, but Hotaru, her girlfriend Nana-sa, and Rei were wiped from constant tension and long march. Ju-ha said she couldn't walk more either, so rest it was. She needed mana recovery anyway. Her sister Eun-ha still out.
We gathered twigs, lit a fire with Salamander, and settled in.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙
The shrine's sacred relic has been seized by an unidentified player. The shrine's barrier weakens further. The awakened giant evil awaits visitors. 1 relic remains. Collect all relics and enter the shrine.
"Oppa.. Looks like someone beat us to a relic elsewhere."
"Damn it.. Guess others are getting serious too."
Figured as much deep down. This forest was stupidly vast, impossible to gauge. No reason we'd snag every hidden relic in such a massive place.
In the end, relic-holders flock to the shrine... To escape, anyone with one heads there inevitably..
Wanted all three relics for ourselves before entering, but no choice now. Might as well hit the shrine early, wait for suckers bringing the rest.
Ambush and kill 'em on arrival.
Plenty like me camped there, eyes peeled for easy pickings.
Issue's relic-finders who wander lost or die before arriving.
That's the real headache. If sealed in a building, Shadow Moth spots it for us. But if some idiot snags it and gets lost or croaks mid-forest? Needle in haystack.
Shadow Moth can't peer deep through trees. Ebony Cockroach? Forest too big to hunt dedicated runners.
Head to shrine, enslave the campers, then torch the forest or whatever...
We packed up and headed for the shrine. Yang Ji-sang knew the way. Too many lone wolves out here splintering possibilities—headache city.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
"Bronze sword, huh.. So this is a relic."
The hooded man muttered, twirling the weathered bronze sword from its wooden box. Gripping it, he felt the mystical power within—like it could cleave any colossal evil.
Lost in the blade's aura, a woman approached and snapped him out of it.
"Hey, leader. Hunt the last relic too?"
"Huh? Nah, straight to the shrine. No guarantee we snag the final one. Gotta hope someone delivers it. Plus, if we can't find the shrine in time with ours..."
"Everyone gets trapped in the forest."
"Exactly. Worst case. Our goal's saving max people."
She frowned slightly.
"That's not the only goal, right?"
"Hahaha. Course not. Gotta slaughter those Korean heretics too. Got it on the list."
The group mobilized.
They were minions of the good gods.
From event start, they'd burned karma on nonstop divinations. Scattered entries, but rendezvoused easy. Twenty total. Mission: purge evil god servants, steal the idols.
"Light, guide us..!"
Priest-class players raised staves and swords; light converged, pointing to the giant evil they had to smite. But it marked Jang Jojun, not the shrine-sealed behemoth.
The Japanese group marched toward Jang Jojun's shrine.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
"Heh heh heh... Hurts?"
"Guhhh.."
"Told ya to scram."
"Gaaahhh!!!"
Another one down. Corpses everywhere, all mangled Chinese rags.
Hours ago, they'd outnumbered the lone guy wandering solo. Thought it'd be easy.
One vs. thirty-plus? Piece of cake. Except he wiped 'em.
"Wonder if there's a relic in there.."
He ignored the dead and stood before the rundown wooden house.
Inside pulsed a nauseating aura. Holy. Pious.
Antithetical to a demon like him.
"Haa.."
Sighed, then stepped in.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙
The final remaining relic has fallen into someone's hands.
"The shrine.. that way."
The Chinese demon clutching the bronze mirror headed toward the sinister aura.
Not the shrine's sealed giant evil—Jang Jojun's presence.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇