Chapter 3. Labyrinth Team (4)
Another hour or so passed. The trio arrived at Area 3, where puddles dotted the ground. Having heard the water snake earlier, Hye-mi avoided the puddles entirely. The drip-drip of falling water echoed eerily through the empty space.
Kang-jun examined the swords and spears embedded in the stalactites hanging like icicles. Hye-mi followed his gaze and let out a small gasp.
"They're like tombstones. When people die, they get stuck like that."
Hye-mi's expression turned somber. Kang-jun chuckled and joked,
"In a way, this place is a graveyard."
She swallowed hard. Kang-jun took a sip of water and stood up. His butt had gone numb from sitting on the cold ground.
The trio pressed onward. From Area 3, the space expanded so much that the lamp's light couldn't reach either end. Only the ceiling and the long stalagmites reflected the faint glow. The floor was slippery from the water, making each step require extra effort.
Kang-jun spotted discarded cigarette butts on the ground, confirming they were on the right path. Such trash served as signposts.
The distance between Areas 3 and 4 was considerable—nowhere near reachable in an hour or two. Kang-jun checked the time. Only a few minutes remained until 4 PM. The map indicated an average of three and a half hours, assuming no monster encounters and continuous walking.
Hye-mi rubbed her hands together and blew warm breath into them, her breath fogging in the air. The air had grown bitterly cold, suggesting they'd descended deep underground. Kang-jun wiggled his toes frequently to keep them loose. His soles sweated, but the tops of his feet went numb—just like during military night marches.
With a stamina stat above 20, one gains some resistance to heat and cold, but Hye-mi's was only half that, so she still felt the chill acutely. Naturally, Kang-jun and Ogeunam were unaffected.
"Cold?"
"Huh? Ah, no. I'm fine. I can handle it. For now."
Hye-mi waved off his concern with a forced smile, but her red nose betrayed her. Suspecting as much, Kang-jun handed her a hand warmer he'd brought. Her eyes shifted strangely at his kindness.
"This should help you hold out."
"Thank you, hyung-nim..."
Kang-jun turned away coolly and glanced back at the chat window.
As expected, the chat was ablaze with lewd jokes. Kang-jun, long immune to such nonsense, glanced briefly before closing the window. Preparing them this way would make things smoother later.
Kang-jun refocused on exploration, periodically spreading mana to scan the area. Aside from the water snakes in the puddles, there was nothing else.
Only now did Kang-jun realize his mistake. Since tomorrow was another rest day, many teams likely entered today to grind hard over the weekend before exiting. Unable to venture far, they probably cleared each area completely. Low-rank dungeons had this problem... It was his oversight, but he hadn't expected it to be this empty.
'Might have to push past Area 7.'
At least, just walking through had the advantage of clearing the labyrinth quickly.
"Hyung-nim, is the labyrinth usually this empty of monsters?"
"Not normally. Probably a team that entered earlier cleared it out."
"Ah."
After periodic rest stops, they arrived at Area 4 at exactly 7:28 PM. No more puddles in sight.
Kang-jun decided to eat dinner here. The trash left by the previous team was still fresh, suggesting they'd only recently departed.
After eating, using the facilities, and resting for thirty minutes, they set off again. Hye-mi no longer seemed tense.
Area 4 had a fork leading to Areas 5 and 6, which rejoined at Area 7. Kang-jun pondered their route. The two areas had different average levels: Area 5 was level 140, Area 6 level 160. Compared to surrounding zones, Area 6's level was disproportionately high.
He chose Area 5. Both teammates were beginners, so avoiding dangerous zones initially made sense.
However, the distance differed. Area 5 was twice as far as Area 6, with an estimated four hours to Area 7. They'd likely need to spend the night midway through Area 5.
Area 4 wasn't as vast as Area 3, but still sizable. The lamp's light still couldn't reach the walls. Fortunately, the dry floor was far less slippery.
As they walked, Kang-jun habitually spread mana. Suddenly, his senses caught something. His eyes snapped open. A monster. By mana volume, roughly level 130. It was one to two times larger than Ogeunam and walked on four legs.
He continued spreading mana, monitoring the creature. As they drew closer, its movements grew cautious. The distance between them was roughly 100 meters.
Kang-jun halted and raised a hand. Hye-mi, who had been walking without thought, froze in alarm. Silence fell. All three held their breath, the sudden quiet making their heartbeats seem audible.
"Monster."
At his words, Hye-mi's heart pounded harder. Moments ago, there'd been no tension—now she felt pushed to the edge of a cliff.
"Kumba, get ready. Hye-mi, you too."
Kang-jun gave crisp orders. The trio quickly shed their bags, tossing them aside, and assumed combat stances. Hye-mi panted heavily. Ogeunam, sensing the danger, licked his lips nervously.
"It's behind that pillar."
Hye-mi stared unblinkingly at the pillar.
The monster loitered behind the pillar. Kang-jun's head tracked its movements. Not charging right away—more cautious than expected.
Suddenly, the monster turned toward them. Its lowered body launched forward in a single leap. The attack was so abrupt Hye-mi couldn't scream. Terror gripped her, as if her heart would stop. Her body went rigid.
Ogeunam raised his shield with a thud, but the monster ignored him. It targeted the weakest of the three. Hye-mi met its gaze, her mouth agape.
Of course, Kang-jun wouldn't stand by while the monster took its prey.
Thunderbolt Flash
A lightning-fast strike. Mana surged outward, severing the monster's front leg and part of its neck. Though not powerful enough to kill instantly, it left the creature nearly combat-incapacitated.
The monster's trajectory toward Hye-mi veered, sending it tumbling across the stone floor. A harsh crash echoed in her right ear. Her shoulder jerked in delayed reaction.
Losing a front leg, the monster's movements grew awkward. Blood gushed from its partially severed neck.
Before Ogeunam could reposition, Kang-jun moved faster. Appearing before the monster in an instant, he swung his sword again. The creature couldn't react, its neck severed cleanly. Its massive body crashed sideways.
Though the fight ended swiftly, Hye-mi was visibly shaken. Her barely-held composure collapsed. Her mind went blank, as if she'd fallen from a cliff and hit the ground.
Kang-jun wiped the blood off his sword with a cloth and sheathed it. Hye-mi's state was understandable, but Ogeunam's flustered demeanor annoyed him. His stats weren't that low, after all.
"Hey, where'd you sell your brain, huh?!"
Ogeunam shrank back at Kang-jun's shout.
"Shouldn't you've drawn its attention from the front?! That's your role! The healer almost died just now! Got it?!"
"...Sorry, leader."
"I got lucky with one monster, but what if two showed up?! If the healer dies, we all die, you idiot!"
Ogeunam's eyes darted around, at a loss. He'd never seen Kang-jun scold him so harshly.
"This time, I'll let it slide. ...But next time, I'll beat you to death. Understood? I don't make empty threats."
"Understood, leader."
Kang-jun punched Ogeunam's chest and glared. Ogeunam quickly looked away.
Hye-mi, realizing her disgrace, tried to stand but struggled as her legs gave way.
"You okay?"
"Y-yes, I'm fine."
"The labyrinth is like this. Not a place to take lightly, right?"
"Y-yes..."
"You're still weak, so there's no choice. The front lines have to protect you. ...But keep training hard, and you'll be able to take down monsters like that alone."
Hye-mi nodded, still dazed.
"Kim Hye-mi... Kim Hye-mi!"
"Y-yes, yes, hyung-nim..."
"Snap out of it. This isn't a training ground. It's the labyrinth. Lose focus, and you die. Got it?"
"Y-yes."
Kang-jun grabbed her cheeks with both hands, forcing her to meet his gaze. He held her until her panic subsided.
"Snap out of it, Kim Hye-mi. Just remember where you are. I won't let you die, so don't worry. Everyone goes through this. Don't lose focus. Understood?"
"Y-yes. ...Y-yes."
After a few more shouts, she gradually regained her senses.
While Hye-mi rested, Kang-jun and Ogeunam began dismembering the monster. Its mild toxicity was easily withstood by their stamina. If needed, Hye-mi's healing skill could help.
Only the monster's bones were useful; the rest was discarded. The head was too cumbersome to fully dismember, so they trimmed it and wrapped it in cloth. In moments, a bulky pack formed. ...This was why labyrinth explorers needed porters.
Kang-jun carried it this time, as Ogeunam held the shield and lamp. With strength and stamina stats well over 20, the extra weight wasn't burdensome—just annoyingly clunky.
'Need a porter next time.'
Kang-jun wondered who might suit the role, and a face came to mind—the troll woman from the 41st Branch Academy! He'd watched her and Ogeunam wrestle naked more than once.
Though not as strong as an ogre, trolls had natural strength and stamina—far better suited for porters than ordinary humans.
Kang-jun mentally added her as a porter and considered recruiting more members. A fire mage like Zsishi would definitely help.
'A guard and another healer would be nice too.'
He'd find someone eventually, but no one came to mind immediately. Truthfully, he had more memories of playing with heroes here than players. Back then, magic girls would've been honored to lick his toes.
Kang-jun lingered briefly in past glory before returning to reality. Now, he was the one who might have to suck a magic girl's toes.
Stuck with an ogre who couldn't guard and a healer who froze at monsters, lugging monster bones—what a mess.
Kang-jun's sigh of frustration dissipated into the cold air.