Chapter 123
Chapter 123
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 123
Chapter Title: Nayeo-ju Saves the World
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Even for a D-rank monster, with its entire body wreathed in flames like that.
Its bulk was about the size of a small car.
'But it's this easy?'
Jang Su-ho stared blankly down at his new shield.
The shield made of eternal cold iron that Nayeo-ju had gifted him was emitting its chill even more fiercely now that they'd entered the scorching dungeon, as if it had been waiting for this moment.
'It's thanks to this shield... right?'
The heat that always plagued his mind whenever he entered a dungeon had quieted down, and his thoughts were clearer than ever.
It felt so effortless that he wondered if this whole dungeon was just a massive simulation training ground.
"Hey, Jang Su-ho! You hurt?!"
When he froze without moving for a moment, Nayeo-ju shouted from the rear where she'd fallen back.
"Ah, no! I'm fine!"
"Then fight! Hurry up and take it down!"
"Y-yeah!"
Jang Su-ho quickly gripped his shield properly and charged at the red wolf in front of him.
'Right, that's it. I'm in the middle of competing with Tae-san right now.'
The past that had tormented him for so long—especially Kwak Ho-young, who never missed a chance to sneer at Nayeo-ju whenever they met.
'No forgiveness.'
Jang Su-ho swung his massive shield with all the pent-up rage he'd held back.
Whoosh-!
"Kyaaak!"
The wolf, struck squarely in the head by the shield's edge, let out no scream as it stiffened, then slowly oxidized into black ash and vanished.
"What? It's... over?"
It ended in a single blow.
Before the other guild members waiting behind could even rush in.
"Fast and good, Jang Su-ho! Nice job!"
At Nayeo-ju's praise, shouted with her hands cupped around her mouth from afar, Jang Su-ho felt power surging through his entire body.
A goofy grin slipped out at the same time.
"Hoo, come at me all at once."
He couldn't lose to Tae-san, not to these guys.
Soon, Jang Su-ho's massive frame shot toward the next wolf like an arrow.
"Whew, good call giving him that new shield."
I narrowed my eyes and nodded as I watched Jang Su-ho rampage from a distance.
"Su-ho oppa's totally flying out there."
"Right? His feet aren't even touching the ground."
Lee Yu-eul, who had scooped me up and retreated when three red wolves appeared, let out a small whistle.
Jang Su-ho was performing better than ever.
The constant anxiety of when he might snap into berserker mode was gone; his attacks with the new shield were clean and powerful.
"Yu-eul."
"Yes, unnie."
"Dungeons really come down to gear."
Even though it was just a C-rank dungeon, the floor was so scorching it could fry an egg in seconds if you cracked one open.
Yet the guild members advancing for battle now—and even me, the squishiest one—weren't hindered much by the heat.
It was all thanks to the Justice Guild uniforms made by artisan Jeong Hee-ok.
And Jang Su-ho, benefiting fully from the eternal cold iron's effects—what about him.
"We gotta make bank."
Most worldly troubles really do get solved with money.
It was when they encountered the third pack of wolves.
This time, seven appeared at once.
As Jang Su-ho raised his shield to charge in again.
"Ah, Su-ho hyung! Let me shoot my bow too!"
Lee Yu-chan, who had been benched for hours since entering the dungeon, finally burst out in a pouty voice.
"Got it, got it."
Under the guild members' sharp glares, Jang Su-ho fell back.
Then attacks flew at the wolf pack from all directions.
The first was Lee Yu-chan's long-awaited arrow.
But he'd rushed it a bit; the mana arrow missed the forehead and lodged in the nape.
"Ah! So close!"
Before Lee Yu-chan could draw his bowstring again, something streaked through the air, fast as an arrow.
Thwack!
"Kyaang!"
What hit the lead wolf's forehead dead-on was Kang Han's yellow lightning.
"Hoo."
Kang Han smoothed back his hair like a pitcher after a strikeout and steadied his breath.
"Aim properly, Lee Yu-chan."
"Next time, one-shot!"
The Justice Guild—minus Jang Su-ho—had great synergy with this dungeon.
They were all S- and A-ranks, so compatibility barely mattered.
In a dungeon where Tae-san was no doubt rolling in agony, the Justice Guild felt like they were out for a light training session.
But the most devastating in this flame dungeon was someone else.
"Guys, come on out a bit."
It was Han Ji-seong, floating about ten small Ice Spears around him.
As Kang Han and Lee Yu-chan retreated, arm-thick ice spears shot forward.
But not at the wolves.
Bam-bam-bam-!
The Ice Spears aimed at their feet shattered, rising as thick steam.
Han Ji-seong didn't miss that moment.
As silver gleamed in his blue eyes, he murmured softly.
"Kyaaang! Kyaang!"
"Kyung!"
The steam instantly turned into razor-sharp ice shards, swirling around and trapping six wolves.
"Whoa."
"Insane, for real."
"Hey, don't mess with Ji-seong hyung from now on."
"Wasn't planning to."
The dazzling white blizzard soon turned black with the monsters' blood.
A ferocious AoE skill.
"He turned that into something like this back then?"
I clearly remembered it as pretty snowflakes.
Who knew it'd evolve into such a devastating attack.
Classic Han Ji-seong.
I rubbed my arms, chilled despite the flame dungeon's heat.
And realized something.
'This game's already won.'
If the hare doesn't nap in a race against the tortoise?
No chance for the tortoise.
"Alright, on to the next!"
At my shout, the Justice Guild briskly pressed forward.
That said, conquering the dungeon wasn't a walk in the park.
The long travel time was an issue first off.
I pulled out the gate-issue watch and checked the time.
"Already 10 hours in."
No wonder I'm beat.
I didn't even need to call up my status window to know.
My feet hurt, my limbs felt limp—stamina hitting its limit.
"Guild leader, let's rest here a bit..."
As I shook out my throbbing feet.
"Danger!"
Kang Han—who'd been right ahead—suddenly flew toward me and scooped me up like pulling a radish from a field, leaping high.
"W-what is that?!"
Where I'd stood moments ago was now crawling with vine-like plants spewing flames with every twitch.
How can plants move while burning?
Hard to believe even watching it.
But this was beyond the gate.
Where impossible things happen routinely.
"Why does this dungeon keep spawning stuff outta nowhere!"
I reflexively hugged Kang Han's neck tight.
The constant surprise ambushes.
That was the second problem.
Usually, monsters were spotted from afar.
They mostly patrolled their territories.
But this dungeon's monsters kept hiding and popping out.
The first red wolves, the second flame-spewing bats.
And now these whip-like vines.
"Wait here a sec."
Rather than leaving me alone, Kang Han stayed by my side, watching the guild members.
"Everyone looks fine."
Dangerous for a non-combat healer like me, but just an annoyance for the others.
Just in case, I checked its info—yep, D-rank.
"Argh, so persistent!"
Lee Yu-eul, slashing vine tendrils with her sword at the front, vented her frustration.
"Ji-seong hyung! My shoes are melting!"
"Ready. Move aside."
Finally, another blizzard from Han Ji-seong swept through, and the flame vines stopped their whip-like thrashing.
"...Ji-seong oppa's pushing too hard."
I'm not just sitting back as the protected healer.
Checking the guild members' conditions constantly, I spotted Han Ji-seong's pale face.
"Unnie, you hurt anywhere?"
As Lee Yu-eul came over post-battle to check me, I nodded.
Then extended a hand to Han Ji-seong.
"Heal up."
"...Thanks."
He didn't say it, but he was worn out—Han Ji-seong obediently offered his hand.
See? See?
I let out a small sigh and pulled Im Cheong-su's stamina tonic from my subspace, downing it.
Strength flooded back in an instant.
Plus, it'd hold for 20 minutes.
Plenty of time to heal the guild and purge their dark corruption.
As if reading my mind, a red alert filled my vision.
Ugh, system's nagging again.
I swiped the annoying warning away with one hand.
Grabbed Han Ji-seong's hand and activated the skill.
This is the power of an S-rank potion master who toys with the system.
"Next, Jang Su-ho up!"
"Oh, me too?"
No major worries thanks to the eternal cold iron shield, but just in case, I used the skill on Jang Su-ho.
Sure enough, his addiction had climbed 20% in the meantime.
Good thing I caught it quick.
He almost lost it again.
Then topped up the rest of the guild's stamina.
Finally offered my hand to Kang Han, but he shook his head.
"I'm fine. More importantly, your legs don't hurt?"
"They did, but the tonic fixed it."
My way of advertising Im Cheong-su's top-notch effects.
Not sure how he took it, but Kang Han's face darkened.
Then he suddenly turned, showing his broad back, and dropped to one knee.
"Hop on."
"Ah, no? I'm good now."
"I'm good too. And this is faster."
Couldn't argue there.
The whole guild was slowing for me.
"Can't deny that. Then, excuse me."
I flopped right onto Kang Han's back.
If you think I'd refuse to the end, you'd be wrong.
Honestly thought I might be heavy.
But Kang Han stood effortlessly, like carrying nothing.
Ooh, premium ride.
Effortless travel in a dungeon?
Feeling great, I chuckled, and Kang Han replied in an amused tone.
"I'll serve you with utmost care, Healer."