Chapter 66
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 66
It was perhaps only natural that the Cha family had ended up in this predicament.
'Of all things, why did it have to be a virtual dungeon with mandatory entry?'
Shielding his two younger siblings as they hid beneath a desk, Cha Eun-hyeok’s face twisted with despair.
'Out of everyone left, I’m the only adult, but I’m not even a hunter. This "flower pig," Cha Ah-ra, is bound to be useless. And it’s not like we can beg the remaining novice priests to save us in this situation…'
He didn’t know what the entry conditions were this time, but virtual dungeons forcibly dragged in everyone who met them. In situations like this, with no proper hunters present, it was all too common for entire groups to be wiped out.
"..."
"..."
Dripping with cold sweat, Cha Eun-hyeok and Cha Ah-ra silently exchanged looks. Eun-hyeok gave a solemn nod.
'You’re the only hunter here.'
'Ah, we’re so fucked.'
'Pretty much.'
But it couldn’t be helped. There was a reason they were called "novice" priests, after all. The young priests here were no different from ordinary civilians. In essence, Cha Ah-ra was the only hunter in the cavern.
After confirming there were no monsters nearby, Cha Eun-hyeok whispered, his voice too faint to carry.
"Hey, F-Rank Porter."
"Fuck’s sake, what is it?"
"Isn’t there some kind of protocol for this? Something hunters learn…"
"I think what we’re doing right now is our best bet."
The Association recommended not huddling in one place when things got really bad. That way, even if the worst happened, they wouldn’t all be wiped out at once; scattering increased the overall survival rate.
"…Isn’t that just using people as bait?"
"Regardless, objectively speaking, it’s the method with the highest survival rate."
"I mean, yeah, but…"
It felt dirty as hell.
'It’s basically telling us to scatter and pray that someone else gets caught instead of us.'
For the Cha family, who were too soft-hearted for their own good, this was a highly disagreeable coping mechanism. Still, they didn’t move rashly. Without any abilities, the only way to save someone else was to become the bait themselves.
"..."
Realizing once again how absolutely fucked the situation was, Cha Ah-ra pushed the youngest, who was hiding behind her, even further under the desk.
"Hey, Cha Yi-sol. Get further in. Further."
"There’s nowhere left to go…"
"You’re tiny. Stop whining and squeeze yourself in."
"Ugh…"
"Keep it down."
The place they were hiding was under a series of stainless steel desks installed at regular intervals throughout the cavern. Thanks to the decent number of desks, the other surviving novice priests also seemed to be hiding under them.
Even so, there was no telling how long they could avoid detection by the monsters roaming freely in all directions…
'Still, while my brother and I make a scene, at least Cha Yi-sol will be safe.'
The youngest was so scrawny he’d die from a single bite. It was a selfish thought, but it was only natural to wish for her own brother to survive longer than the other children.
"Noona…"
"Ugh, stop trying to be cute, seriously."
"Wow, I’m not trying to be cute. That’s so unfair."
"Shh."
Positioned at the very edge of the desk, Cha Eun-hyeok glared at his bickering siblings in disbelief.
'Look at these two, not a shred of tension.'
In truth, he knew they weren’t actually relaxed; they were just so terrified that they were pretending to be fine. With a tense expression, Cha Eun-hyeok wiped away his cold sweat and scanned their surroundings.
A monster was approaching, making a wet, squelching sound.
"..."
"I-I’m… hu-hu-hun… hungry… so… hungry…"
"..."
Was it possessed by the ghost of someone who had starved to death?
'This is why they say you should always prepare offerings for your ancestors. If we die here, it’s all because the world has become too harsh to even set up a single memorial table…'
It was nonsense, but keeping the wisdom of his ancestors in mind, Cha Eun-hyeok pushed his siblings further back. The youngest, already crumpled at the very back, had no room left, but Cha Ah-ra apparently did, as a muffled rustling sound could be heard. It was admirable that she managed not to make a sound, likely having heard the monster approaching as well.
"Hungry? Hungry. Hun… hun… hungry. I’m hungry. Hungry…"
"..."
The monster, whose full form they hadn’t even seen yet, was now right next to them. Thanks to that, Cha Eun-hyeok got an unwanted, up-close look at the creature’s damp legs.
'Is this it? Is it my time to die?'
I’ll make sure to save our flower pig and the youngest, at least. I hope they remember me as the guy who baked the cheapest and most delicious bungeoppang in South Korea.
It was just as he steeled his resolve.
"—You vermin!!!"
Fwooooosh!
The monsters ignited, turning to ash.
"U-Uh…?"
It happened so quickly that it felt surreal.
The squelching sound was replaced by the dry patter of falling ash, and the cavern’s chill was consumed by a wave of heat.
"..."
"..."
Bewildered, the Cha family looked toward the cavern entrance, which they hadn’t even realized was there.
"Vermin…?"
"Vermin…"
"Ah, wait a minute."
Cha Eun-hyeok belatedly realized who owned the voice that had just echoed through the cavern.
"...Priest Kang Seo-dam?"
Priest Kang Seo-dam, his long, wavy blonde hair and pale green eyes particularly striking, was panting heavily, looking completely disheveled. His face was so flushed with anger that his veins were bulging as he locked eyes with the silently sweating Cha Eun-hyeok. For a moment, it felt like he had stumbled upon a taboo he shouldn’t have seen.
"..."
"..."
His demonic expression melted away, replaced by the calm face of a priest. Kang Seo-dam asked in a polite tone, "Are you alright?"
"No, I mean, you just said vermin…"
"What else would I call vermin, if not vermin?"
"Wow."
"You must have been frightened. I apologize for letting you hear my swearing so suddenly."
If not for that venomously spat "vermin," they would have been purely touched by his kind response. Priest Kang Seo-dam calmly continued, "I was also dragged into this virtual dungeon unexpectedly and have been rather disoriented, but I am glad to see that many survivors seem to remain."
Having apparently gone through quite an ordeal, Kang Seo-dam, whose once-clean priestly robes were now tattered, looked around. Cha Eun-hyeok also scanned the cavern; thanks to whatever Kang Seo-dam had just done, not a single monster remained.
"Hmm."
Kang Seo-dam silently drew the sign of the cross with his characteristic cold, expressionless face.
"The Goddess has watched over you."
"..."
You were the one who saved us, though.
'As expected, are there really no sane people among hunters, except for our flower pig?'
A priest high-ranking enough to host the initiation ceremony had to be at least a B-Rank hunter. Judging by his ability to incinerate all the monsters in the cavern in an instant, he was likely A-Rank or even quasi-S-Rank. Thanks to this, Cha Eun-hyeok felt a bit relieved. Since he had no strengths other than a sturdy body, his relief came from finding someone strong enough to protect his siblings, even if he were to die.
'…Thank goodness.'
Cha Eun-hyeok let out a long breath and wiped his face. He could finally breathe.
"P-Priest…"
"Waaah…"
"Priest Kang Seo-dam…!"
Only then did the novice priests who had been hiding crawl out from their spots.
"Yes, Priest Kang Seo-dam is here. If there are any surviving brothers, please gather by my side."
As if accustomed to the tearful clinging of survivors, Priest Kang Seo-dam skillfully managed the situation. He turned to Cha Eun-hyeok and Cha Ah-ra and added, "The same goes for the guardians of Novice Priest Cha Yi-sol over there."
"Ah, yes…"
Drawn by his stable voice—a rare sound in a dungeon—all the survivors in the cavern gathered before Priest Kang Seo-dam, but their numbers were tragically small. Most had been bitten to death by monsters, or had turned on each other afterward.
"..."
Frowning as if suppressing a heavy sigh, Priest Kang Seo-dam spoke. "I apologize for causing you to experience such an event at a ceremony I hosted."
"N-No, it’s fine. It was an accident…"
"It is my duty to prevent such accidents in the first place. Official damage compensation will be arranged as soon as the situation is resolved."
Bowing his head in apology, the priest continued, "I will cast a protective barrier, so please step inside and rest. I will recover the remains of the others."
"…I’ll help you too," Cha Eun-hyeok offered.
Cha Ah-ra raised her hand. "Ah, then me too…"
"If you insist, I will only accept Hunter Cha Ah-ra’s help." Priest Kang Seo-dam turned to Cha Eun-hyeok. After a moment of thought, he spoke. "I appreciate your sentiment, Guardian Cha Eun-hyeok, but this is not a task for a civilian. Above all, you are the only remaining adult."
"Ah…"
"I ask that you comfort our young brothers so they do not feel any more fear. In the name of the Sun, I will repay you for offering your help in this difficult time."
As Cha Ah-ra approached the corpses that had been reduced to ash by the light of the Sun, she asked, "B-By the way, you know all of our names…? Is that normal?"
"Since I am the host of this event, I must not neglect my responsibilities. I remember the names of everyone who officially registered."
"Wow…"
After dealing with so many shitty hunters, meeting someone this responsible felt bizarre.
'If I had only met hunters like this, I wouldn’t have been abandoned in that shitty cave, fuck.'
Feeling strangely relieved, Cha Ah-ra kept talking while recovering the light corpses, which looked as if they had just come out of a crematorium.
"It feels like it’s been a while since we were dragged in. Where have you been until now?"
"I apologize."
"Ah, no, I’m not blaming you for not coming sooner…"
Fuck, my mouth.
'Think before you speak,' she cursed herself, stammering as she continued. "This cavern is huge, and a lot of people were dragged in, so we thought this was everyone."
"...I was dropped alone in a different cavern," Priest Kang Seo-dam replied, drawing the sign of the cross over an ash-covered corpse and granting a blessing of rest. "There were a lot of monsters, their abilities were formidable, and the escape mechanic was complex. It took some time."
"In a place like that, all alone…?"
"Thinking about it, it seems the people from the initiation ceremony have been scattered randomly."
"…Huh? Ah, if that’s the case…"
"It didn’t seem to be completely without criteria, however." Wiping away the blood trickling down his forehead—proof he had indeed faced a horde of monsters—Priest Kang Seo-dam continued. "In my case, as the most threatening force to the dungeon, I was dropped alone in a place teeming with monsters. On the other hand, all the novice priests are gathered in this cavern."
"All of them? You already checked that?"
"They are the brothers entrusted to my care. Of course I remember their faces."
"…Huh? No, but from what I remember, surely…"
"Yes, I understand what you find puzzling." Kang Seo-dam waved a wand as tall as himself, casting a blessing over the entire cavern. The corpses that had been mere piles of ash soon took on the appearance of intact human bodies.
"..."
Having performed a small miracle with the power of the Sun, Priest Kang Seo-dam spoke.
"…Brother Eun-ha is nowhere to be seen."
In this place where all the novice priests were gathered, that boy was the only one missing.
"Since I did not find the corpse of a novice priest here, I believe he is likely elsewhere."
"..."
"We can find out why he alone was dropped elsewhere later. Hunter Cha Ah-ra, do you still have stamina left? You don’t seem to have any visible injuries, but is anything wrong?"
"Ah, no, I’m fine."
"Then let us move. I came here because this was the closest cavern to my drop point, but there are likely survivors elsewhere. Since there were only a few hunters attending this event, things will become dangerous if we don’t respond in time."
"What about the other kids and my brother…"
At Cha Ah-ra’s words, Kang Seo-dam checked the survivors near the barrier and nodded. "We cannot leave them here, so it seems they must come with us. The barrier is difficult to maintain over long distances, and it has a time limit. It would have been better if a more skilled priest were here, but I am not a barrier specialist."
"You certainly didn’t seem like a protection specialist…"
The look on Priest Kang Seo-dam’s face as he reduced all the monsters to ash with a single wave of his wand was truly that of a demon crawling out of hell. With that image burned into her mind, it would have been stranger if his specialty had been protection or healing.
Without adding any further words, Kang Seo-dam nodded. "As for the corpses, since they have been recovered and blessed, they will not be desecrated or rot."
"Then what do we do now…"
"Fortunately, I have a subspace skill. I will store them here, so there should be no major issues with recovering them later."
"Yes, yes."
"We don’t know what will happen if we delay any longer. Hunter Cha Ah-ra, please help the novice priests move."
"Ah, understood."
"Phew…" Wiping his blood-stained face, Kang Seo-dam looked around.
'…Could this be the whim of that black god I saw at the initiation ceremony?'
That man who wore a black cloak pulled low over his face. He definitely felt divine, and a being of a god’s caliber could open a dungeon at will. If so, it meant his authority was quite strong, even for an Evil God. The energy he gave off felt close to death, which raised suspicion.
'…No, but he is an existence to whom the Goddess directed such a favorable gaze. A god who seemed to have a high understanding of humans and was gentle in building relationships would not suddenly commit such a massacre.'
Rather, the suspicious one was Eun-ha, that blue-haired novice priest.
"..."
Even though he had felt a cold energy from the boy, he had simply thought, 'Is he a child trying to serve a god of cold?' But now that things had come to this, he had no choice but to be suspicious.
'The cold I felt from Eun-ha and the cold of the deep sea filling this place are quite similar. If I can recognize it at a glance, it means Eun-ha had no intention of hiding his identity after causing this incident.'
Either he planned to kill everyone here, or he planned to leave after a single visit to Earth.
'In this case, it seems to be both. Since this is a highly dangerous dungeon…'
It was as he was looking around, worrying about the situation, that the air changed.
"…?"
'…In a positive way.'
Unlike the previous atmosphere, which seemed eager to kill anyone, a strangely warm energy subtly enveloped the entire dungeon.
"One moment."
Leaving the survivors with Cha Ah-ra, Kang Seo-dam stepped out into the hallway. Not long after he began to scan the surroundings, something appeared beyond the corridor, which resembled a temple submerged in the deep sea.
"..."
"..."
A man draped in a pitch-black cloak pulled back his hood.
'…Ah.'
From within the deep shadow that felt as if it held nothing, platinum blonde hair resembling sunlight was revealed.
"..."
"Brother Kang Seo-dam."
It was 'Seo Gio', the god presumed to be favorable to humans.
"The temple is larger than I imagined. I was wandering around, but I am glad to meet a child of the Sun like this."
"..."
"Do you happen to know where the other survivors are? You seem to be injured, so I can help you."
"..."
"Brother Kang Seo-dam?"
"Pardon me."
He had wondered what kind of god Seo Gio was, but to find out like this…
'Indeed, there was a reason the Goddess cast her gaze upon him. Were they of the same attribute…?'
Judging by the strangely quiet atmosphere, they didn’t seem to be of the exact same attribute, but relieved by the familiar light of the Sun, Kang Seo-dam thought to himself.
'It would have been awkward to ask for help, but it seems he performed some kind of miracle without me even needing to ask.'
'Seo Gio' had certainly played a major role in the dungeon becoming gentle. Perhaps 'miracle' was too strong a word, but his guess wasn’t entirely wrong.