Chapter 176
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 176
Inside the tree hollow, after they had finished their meal.
“So you weren’t kidding when you said you had no intention of eating a tasteless meal.”
“Why should we have to?”
Having finished packing up the ingredients, Seo Gio’s expression was serious.
“As long as I’m in charge of cooking for this team, there will be no such thing as a terrible meal.”
“I never realized how intimidating you look when you’re not smiling, Hunter Seo Gio. I had no idea.”
“That’s why I try to smile all the time, isn’t it?”
“I also didn’t know you were such a big eater. No wonder you pulled out a pot the size of a man’s torso.”
“And who was it that scraped that giant pot clean, I wonder?”
“I just wanted to say it was incredibly delicious. Thank you for the meal.”
“I’m glad you enjoyed it.”
Gio peered past the entrance, which was obscured by vines.
“By the way, morning has come again.”
“It was evening just a moment ago when we were eating…”
As Hunter Sa Na-rae grumbled about the fickle environment, Healer Jeong Young-won, who was helping tidy up the hollow, chimed in.
“They said fake suns and moons rise constantly. It really is true.”
“You were observing them even while we were eating,” Gio said. “Did you find anything?”
“Only that the sun seems to stay up much longer than the moon.”
“And didn’t the temperature drop drastically when the moon came up?”
“It’s hard to call it a normal daily temperature range, but the significant difference between day and night is definitely a characteristic of this dungeon.”
“Weak people would easily catch a cold,” Sa Na-rae remarked.
“Indeed.”
Of course, weak people couldn’t enter dungeons in the first place.
‘…That’s definitely not how a normal person thinks,’ Jeong Young-won thought, a chill running down her spine. ‘It’s so bizarre it’s almost frightening.’
It was just a casual remark from someone who didn’t know how terrifying dungeons could be, but she, a Gardener, couldn’t see it that way. Having finished tidying up, Jeong Young-won gathered everyone.
“I’ve compiled some information based on our brief look around before the meal, as well as the help of Honey, who scouted for us while we ate. Most of it matches the data from the Sun Cult’s previous raid.”
A prime example was the behavior of the dungeon’s monsters.
“The monsters are active based on whether the sun or the moon is up. The monsters active during the day fall into a stunned state when evening comes, while the monsters active in the evening are relatively docile during the day but become ferocious at night.”
“I believe we confirmed that in the materials the order distributed,” Garasani said.
“Yes, and this is where the new information we discovered begins. The daytime monsters never group up; instead, they busily search for something individually. Conversely, once it gets dark, the nighttime monsters gather together and head somewhere…”
Jeong Young-won pointed to Honey, who was proudly puffing out his chest.
“Honey found this out for us. And Mr. Seo Gio interpreted it.”
“Krr-r-r-r-r-r.”
“I think he’s asking for praise. Everyone, please give him a round of applause.”
“Kuruk.”
Clap, clap, clap, clap…
A moment of hesitant, half-hearted applause followed.
“Then, Hunter Seo Gio, can you understand the language of monsters?” a hunter from Daecheong asked. “I’ve heard that some experienced Tamers have that ability. If you interpreted the information that bird brought back…”
“It’s a connection of the heart,” Gio said. “Like how a long-married couple can request a napkin with just a glance.”
“Ah, so it’s a bond. I’ve only heard stories about Tamers, but seeing it in person is truly amazing. I didn’t even know such a cute monster existed.”
“Our Honey is indeed cute.”
After a bit of small talk, Jeong Young-won continued her explanation.
“Honey is incredibly competent. I was worried about how far a small monster like him could go, but that was a completely useless worry. He somehow figured out where the nighttime monsters are moving. I think it would be best for us to check that area first.”
“Ah, so they were moving toward a specific point?”
“For now, that seems to be the case. This would have been difficult for anyone other than a bird that can fly freely through the dense, tangled vegetation. It’s a relief we have Mr. Seo Gio, who has tamed a small flying monster. Since their movements aren’t entirely clear… it would have been hard for humans alone to figure this out.”
Jeong Young-won looked at Hunter Garasani, the oldest among them.
“Should we share this news with the other teams?”
“It would be best to just share the information, but have only our team take action,” Garasani replied calmly.
“True. If there’s something sensitive to the number of people present, having a crowd swarm in would only lead to disaster.”
“In the same vein,” Garasani added, “how about we don’t tell Haeryeong?”
At that, Sa Na-rae, who belonged to the Haeryeong Guild, smirked.
“That hurts my feelings. Isn’t this discrimination? Are you tyrannizing me because you’re from a major guild?”
“The members of the Haeryeong Guild lose their minds and rush to fight the moment a decent stage is set. A guild member who assumes there’s a dangerous monster ahead might act recklessly.”
“Our guild doesn’t behave like such ruffians. That’s a very prejudiced view.”
“To call it prejudice, the Haeryeong Guild has shown far too much of that behavior in the past. Of course, I admit it’s unfair treatment, so I will leave the decision of whether to share this news up to you, as a member of Haeryeong.”
“How are we supposed to clear a dungeon when you’re this intimidating?”
Sa Na-rae turned to look at Seo Gio.
“What do you think we should do?”
“It might be fun to tell them,” Gio said with a slight smile.
“…Fun?”
“Go ahead.”
“……”
“I said, go ahead.”
Hesitating, Sa Na-rae slightly averted his gaze.
“I won’t.”
“That is also up to you, Hunter Sa Na-rae,” Jeong Young-won said.
Gio smiled. “I plan to follow Mr. Garasani’s advice completely.”
“Well, those are welcome words indeed. I’m honored.”
Smiling gently like an old man who had just heard his grandson say, “Grandpa is my favorite person in the world,” Curator Garasani continued.
“We don’t know when the sun will set again. Once it gets dark, avoiding poisonous plants becomes difficult, and while the number of monsters decreases slightly, they become much more ferocious. It would be best to move to the point Honey identified while we still have visibility.”
With that, the exploration began in earnest.
* * *
Surprisingly, they found traces of civilization in the A-Rank Dungeon, ‘Subterranean Quadruped Rainforest’.
“Is that a villa?”
“Doesn’t ‘mansion’ suit it better…?”
“This place must also be a ruined dimension,” Jeong Young-won muttered. “Well, not that a ruined dimension necessarily had to be inhabited by humans…”
“I don’t think there was any mention of this in the data.”
“It’s in a location that’s hard to find unless you’re actively searching for it.”
“With the trees and vines so overgrown, it feels like it’s been deliberately hidden.”
“It probably also has to do with it being so damaged that it’s hard to recognize its original shape.”
A team member asked, “Should we go take a look?”
“I think it would be better to move faster while it’s still light…”
“If it was a dimension where humans lived, there might be useful items inside.”
“That’s true, too.”
Hunters had to meticulously gather dungeon spoils to keep their wallets full. While they could sell the byproducts of the monsters they killed, they could also make a fortune by pocketing equipment or items from unfamiliar dimensions like this.
“Just be careful of traps or curses.” Jeong Young-won, the team’s main healer, spoke with her characteristic expressionless, porcelain-doll-like face. “Poison can simply be purged from the body, but curses are often cast on the soul, which requires much more care. We don’t know when it will get dark, so I advise you to investigate carefully.”
“Don’t worry, you know our guild. Daecheong likes to take the safe route.”
“If anyone has been affected by poison on the way here, please let me know. Everyone said they were fine when I asked earlier, but it could be a poison that inflicts delayed damage.”
“I think we’re fine so far. Though I am a bit thirsty…”
“Then let’s enter carefully. Since it’s heavily worn and collapsed, we should go in cautiously. And because some dangerous element might be guarding it…”
As Jeong Young-won trailed off, Gio sent Honey flying.
“Honey.”
“Krrk!”
The small-bodied Honey slipped into the ruins and, before long, popped back out at high speed. He fluttered his tail feathers, conveying to Gio that there was no problem.
“It seems there are no dangerous traps.”
“What about poisonous plants?”
“There are grasses and trees growing through the collapsed gaps, so I suppose those can’t be helped.”
“That much is fine. Everyone, let’s go in.”
The ruins, estimated to have been about five stories high, must have once belonged to a wealthy owner, as gold ornaments and jewels were hidden among the encroaching plants. The team members gathered them one by one as they looked around.
“Since almost everything has collapsed, the only places we can actually check are the first and third floors. The second floor has completely caved in. The third floor especially looks so precarious, like it’ll crumble the moment we step on it… Will it be okay?”
At the Daecheong hunter’s question, Sa Na-rae, holding his nose, frowned.
“Why does it smell so terrible in here?”
“Pardon? Hunter Sa Na-rae, are you alright?”
“My nose feels all tingly.”
“Oh, could it be poison?”
“Doesn’t seem like poison… must be a lot of dust.”
“It doesn’t seem like a bad idea to get out of here quickly,” a team member said. “Let’s just have a few light-bodied people go up.”
“Light-bodied…” Hunter Sa Na-rae looked at Jeong Young-won. “Are you on the lighter side?”
“My actual weight is probably less than yours,” she replied. As the only woman on the team, she was quite petite. “But if you’re asking if I can move nimbly, that’s a different story. I can protect myself, but climbing a hallway that looks like it’ll collapse at the slightest touch is a bit much for me.”
“Hmm, is that so?”
“In that regard, I believe you would be better suited, Hunter Sa Na-rae. I know you’re exceptionally agile. Couldn’t you easily go up and come back down?”
“If I go up, it’ll probably crash down completely,” Sa Na-rae said with a tearful expression.
Gio smiled brightly. “You have a great talent for talking nonsense.”
“Oh, are you picking a fight?”
“It was pure admiration.”
“People don’t usually express admiration like that.”
“And normal people don’t lie as easily as they breathe, either.”
“Why do you assume it’s a lie?”
“Of course, it might not be. My apologies.”
“No, wait…”
“Then, I’ll go.” Gio placed his foot on the ruined stairs. “I’m quite confident in this sort of thing.”
And yet, the stairs didn’t make even the faintest creak.
“See?”
“…How did you do that? How can you make absolutely no sound?”
At the Daecheong hunter’s admiration, another team member snapped, “He must have a skill.”
“Ah, like a weight reduction skill.”
“Sorry about him, he hasn’t been in the industry for very long.”
“Um… sorry if I offended you.”
Gio waved his hand. “It’s fine. I’ll just take a quick look and come back.”
“Yes, please.”
Soon, Hunter Seo Gio’s figure vanished from their sight.
“……”
“……”
A strange feeling settled over them.
“…He really makes absolutely no sound.”
“I can’t feel his presence at all.”
This wasn’t a feeling unique to the Daecheong hunters.
“……?”
Hunter Sa Na-rae wrinkled the bridge of his nose.
‘…I can’t smell him.’
Although he hadn’t been actively paying attention, the sweet, refreshing scent he had noticed in the hotel’s event room was gone. While one’s presence could be hidden with a stealth skill, it was strange for a person’s scent to disappear completely.
‘And so suddenly?’
Or had his nose finally gone numb?
“……”
“...Hmm…”
Looking toward Garasani and Jeong Young-won, who were the only ones showing no reaction, Sa Na-rae smirked.
“Then, maybe I should go take a look too.”
“Didn’t you say earlier that you wouldn’t go?” Garasani noted.
“Since you said not to, it makes me want to go even more.”
“What a remarkable attitude.”
“I’m just so worried about sending our comrade up alone.”
Without waiting for a reply, Sa Na-rae started up the stairs.
Creak.
“Oops.”
As expected, they were severely decayed.
“Sorry, the stairs are breaking.”
“Ack, cough cough…!”
“Watch out for the dust.”
“You’ve already brought down all the dust there is…!”
“Poor things. You should have been more careful.”
Waving his hand lightly, Sa Na-rae soon reached the third floor.
‘The state of things here is better than the stairs.’
Although the floor still looked like it would collapse if he stamped his foot, it seemed sturdier than the stairs, which crumbled at the slightest touch. He looked around.
‘Where is Hunter Seo Gio?’
And then, something caught his eye.
“……”
A waterfall of what looked like blood.
“…Uh…”
“……”
“……?”
No, it was platinum-blonde hair.
And the frame of a person beyond it.
“…Hunter Seo Gio?”
“You’ve come.”
The figure did not turn around.
“There is an interesting painting here. I was admiring it.”
“An interesting painting?”
“Yes.”
Turning to look at him, it smiled.
“There is a peaceful landscape painting here.”