Chapter 80 "What Are You Thinking? Tackling a Dungeon Without Potions."

On the way out of ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Spider Lord's Tomb and toward Pharhum's Tomb, Rerto kept firing off skeptical questions one after another.

"What are you thinking? Trying to clear a dungeon without potions."

"You'll see when we get there." I silenced him with a finger to my lips and a nod, telling him to shut up.

"……."

Exhausted by the scorching desert heat, we finally spotted an oasis under Red Sickle's guidance.

"Hoo……."

Rerto unfastened the clasps of his heavy plate armor and gulped down water from the spring. Unlike us, clad in medium armor, he was burning through stamina far faster in this heat.

"Don't do that……." He shook the sweat from his face, as if he'd made up his mind ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠about something.

I turned to look at Rerto Karen.

"Come under me."

I snorted at his ridiculous offer.

"Why the hell would I?" I filled my canteen with water and shot back.

"What am I supposed to trust about you? Just because you snagged a legendary class from the Kartinin family? No way. Sure, they're the sword nobility revered by the people of the Eltia Iron Kingdom, but they're not a legitimate claimant to the throne."

Rerto's face hardened at my biting words.

"No matter how great the eight great clans are, this isn't Dimension World 1 anymore. Of course, you lot rely on your fancy funding and connections……."

I shook my head.

"Not me."

"Why not?"

"King Kal Hendrick of the Iron Kingdom has no heir, but the current head of the Kartinin family, Rakan Kartinin, isn't the vessel to claim the throne."

"Kim Do-hyun, I didn't peg you for one of those community chatterboxes obsessed with lore."

But even as Rerto said that, he seemed to pay close attention to my words. And why not? The weight of anonymous forum posts and my insight were worlds apart.

"You're overlooking something. Game lore can change anytime with player intervention. If the Kartinin head is a loyal knight, then ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the family headship could change hands just as easily."

My lips twitched slightly at his retort.

"Not a bad point. But can you really sideline Rakan and swallow the Kartinin family whole? I'm curious how much power the Iron Kingdom's people would give a new head."

"We'll see when we get there."

"By all means."

Rerto replied confidently, as if daring me to try.

"Don't underestimate the Hammal family that the UAE clan has staked as their base. He's the Royal Knight Commander, rated a step below Rakan Kartinin, but there's a reason the Iron Kingdom's Knight Commander is Hammal, not Rakan."

I smirked at him as he lifted his chin arrogantly.

"Politics isn't just about brute force."

Before the oracle came down, Lorend Man—the Iron Kingdom's prime minister and grand archmage—had been backing the Hammal family.

Lorend believed the kingdom would advance only if the Kartinins and Hammals competed in balance, without tipping to one side.

As long as that archmage was ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠around, it wouldn't be easy for the Kartinins to crush the Hammals and seize control of the Iron Kingdom.

It'd take at least until the second job change era.

For Rerto Karen, it was no wonder he was already anxious this early in the game. With his sky-high affinity to Rakan Kartinin, he'd have a precise read on the man's character.

"So you have a scheme in mind?"

"Who knows."

Finally, the expression I wanted appeared on his face. Every dungeon clear had turned into this tense tug-of-war between him and me.

"Curious?"

It was time to draw a clear line here. That way, there'd be no more distractions during the Pharhum's Tomb raid.

"If you're that curious, focus on tanking the monsters properly from now on instead of scheming how to use me. Survive this, and maybe I'll share the plan."

"……?"

With that, I scattered the oasis water from my canteen.

Kugugugugugu……!!

The sun-baked desert sand hissed and steamed as a massive temple slowly emerged beneath it.

"This place is……."

I spoke to Rerto Karen, who stared at the revealed Pharhum's Tomb in a daze.

The moment we stepped into the dungeon, cheerful alert chimes rang out alongside the sharp shrieks of undead swarming from all directions.

"One slip, and you're dead."

"Guh……?!"

Rerto Karen choked back a gasp at the sight of the endless undead horde.

"M-monster wave?!"

"Now you get why no potions are needed? Focus. No more chit-chat. Survive on your own. Got it? Don't die."

Cha-ang-!!

With that, I drew Tesaro's sword.

While he panicked, the other two were already geared up.

"Do your best."

Phlia smirked at Rerto, curling one lip as she crouched and tapped her boots.

Hwaaaaak……!!

A brief whirlwind swirled around her, and the instant she kicked off the ground, her body shot forward like a bullet.

Pa-at!

With a burst of air, she dashed in teleport-like bursts, appearing and vanishing.

"Damn…… these bastards……."

Rerto Karen ground his teeth, pride wounded that Dimension World's top dungeon raider was being dismissed.

"Hup……!"

Instead of panicking, he shoved open his armor clasps with a tak! and charged the monsters.

Ridiculously, we moved like a well-oiled team without a word, each knowing our roles.

As monsters lunged after Phlia ignoring the flank, Rerto dove into the horde and taunted them.

The monsters chasing Phlia whipped around to Rerto, shrieking as they charged.

"Now!!!"

At Rerto's shout, Red Sickle drew his chakrams as if he'd been waiting.

Cold frost bloomed on one chakram's edge, fierce wind on the other. Overlapping them unleashed a hail of razor-sharp ice crystals.

"W-wait……?!"

Rerto stammered at the massive ice blades, but Red Sickle hurled the chakrams at the undead soldiers with all his might regardless.

Kwadududuk……!

Kwaang!! Kagagagang--!!

Amid deafening explosions, monsters in the chakrams' path froze solid in an instant.

Pa-at!!

I charged the frozen foes, smashing them one by one with my sword.

"Regular undead are weakest to holy, and without a priest for holy magic, fire among the elements. But Pharhum's different."

Rerto stared blankly at the shattered undead.

"The immortal Pharhum. He's undead but rare—fire-attuned. His heart, the Death Flame, gains vigor from fire, amplifying his power."

Rerto couldn't hide his shock at my words.

"These monsters share Pharhum's blessing. Fire attacks would've let them absorb the flames and grow stronger."

I pointed at him.

"Be grateful. Even if you'd researched right, you'd have died before clearing the 1st Gate."

"……."

He just swallowed dryly, unable to refute.

"Hey! If you've got time to yap, help back here!"

Phlia yelled from the rear, battling the remaining undead.

"Wrap it up. Red Sickle, keep freezing them like that."

Red Sickle nodded at my order and raised his chakrams again. As he headed toward Phlia, Rerto asked me,

"Kim Do-hyun. How do you know Pharhum's strategy? This is the first time anyone's entered on the server."

With first discoverer perks confirmed, his suspicion was fair.

"Guess I'm a lore-obsessed guy like you said. Know what your type's problem is? Charging in blind on strength and gut. Don't think you're still Dimension World 1's hotshot."

I pointed at Red Sickle and Phlia.

"You're weak. And there are plenty of stronger NPCs right now. Don't forget your place."

"……."

Rerto bit his lip, pride stung.

"Red Sickle."

At my call, he turned after grabbing the undead around Phlia, crushing the last one underfoot.

Seeing the wriggling last undead, I noted he'd perfectly followed my pre-dungeon orders.

"Pharhum's Tomb has three gates. 1st: undead soldiers. 2nd: tomb bugs. 3rd: undead drake. No recovery during combat, but a timer starts after the last monster dies."

"That's why you left one alive."

I eyed Rerto Karen.

"No recovery spells or items, but natural regen works. Unless it's lethal, HP recovers over time. Pointless mid-fight anyway, so no potions needed."

"……I see."

Rerto conceded reluctantly.

"Research strategies before charging blindly. Gathering intel from NPCs is game basics."

Krang-!!!

As my HP ticked up, I raised my sword and mercilessly crushed the last undead soldier's head.

"Not like NPCs can't fool you too."

"Shut up."

I chuckled at Rerto's retort.

"You two oddly suit each other."

Drururuk---

A massive stone wall behind us ground open, revealing stairs descending underground.