Chapter 11
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 11
Chapter Title: Let's Be Friends
-----------------------------------------------------------------
"...You're a little excited, huh? In a dungeon-type gate, discovering a new route is a huge deal. Usually, you map out most of the structure on the first raid."
"I get it. I know the feeling."
I'd probably feel the same—a thrill running through me if a new path appeared on the map where there wasn't one before.
There might even be hidden treasure in the dungeon, right?
"We should probably head back and report this to the bureau. New routes like this often mean the gate's danger level spikes suddenly."
"So it's dangerous, which means we need more people to come in?"
"Exactly. Headquarters has agents specialized in dungeon searches, so..."
—Grind! Thud!
Before Officer Seonhwa could finish, a loud noise echoed.
It was the door at the entrance we'd come through slamming shut.
"Huh...? Officer, that door just closed!"
"Hold on... Why is this happening?"
Officer Seonhwa rushed to the closed door and tried everything, but it wouldn't budge.
Eek? Don't tell me it's what I'm thinking...?
Officer Seonhwa's face looked grim.
"I'll contact headquarters first... Wait, why can't I even get a signal...?"
"Is it broken? Want to borrow my phone?"
"It's not that, Miss Chorok. This dungeon-type gate has completely left the coverage area."
"Eeeek... So we're trapped?"
My worst fear was right...
Did saying 'open sesame' cause this or something?
"We have two options right now. Wait for someone outside to notice something's wrong and come get us, or raid the new route that just opened."
"And if we go with raiding it...?"
"I don't recommend it. For your safety..."
—Grrrrr...
"Huh...? Chomper, what's wrong?"
Once again, Officer Seonhwa couldn't finish her sentence.
This time, Chomper was growling unusually.
I looked over and saw it staring at the 'open sesame' entrance I'd revealed, growling low.
"Something in there? Ah... You want to head inside?"
Chomper's thoughts had been filtering into my head for a bit now, so I knew what it wanted.
It was itching to charge into the open passage right away.
"Officer Seonhwa, let's try it. Doing something is better than nothing."
"If that's your decision, Miss Chorok... Sigh... Alright. But if it gets dangerous, we retreat back here together, no matter what. Promise me."
"Yup! Promise! And you too, Officer—don't push yourself protecting me."
I thought back to yesterday's emergency gate.
I still remembered Officer Seonhwa throwing herself in front of me to shield me.
I didn't want her doing that again.
I had super strong Chomper, after all.
"Hehe... Got it. You're so kind, Miss Chorok."
She gave a soft smile at my words.
Huh? It was just the obvious thing to say. That's how I want to be.
"Alright, let's raid together! Ouch!"
"Pfft...! Ahahaha! Yes. Let's do that. Together!"
I was psyching us up to head in when Officer Seonhwa burst out laughing this time.
Was that a bit childish? Still, starting with some spirit is the best!
.
.
.
"Eeeek... This is kinda tough."
"You've walked a lot today. You're bound to be tired. And this path stretches on forever."
We'd been trekking through the passage for ages, and the end was nowhere in sight.
My legs were starting to tingle.
"I'll keep watch. Rest here a bit."
"Yeees... Chomper, you tell me if anything's nearby too, okay?"
Nod nod.
Chomper scanned the surroundings, glancing around vigilantly.
"Hoo... Sitting down helps a little."
The little kiddos seemed to run on infinite energy like they had million-power batteries, but apparently I wasn't built like that.
Even back when I was dealing with those kiddos, it felt like all my energy was getting sucked away.
I knew they just wanted to get close because they liked me.
Flinch.
As I was thinking that, Chomper whipped its head toward the opposite direction from where we'd come.
"Something far off...?"
Nod nod.
That's what Chomper's thoughts said.
It could only hear sounds for now, I guess. I perked up my ears to listen too.
—Sizzle!
—Why won't it connect...!
—Damn...!
First, the sound of something burning.
Then faint murmurs of someone mumbling.
"Officer Seonhwa, I hear something nearby."
"Yes. I just caught it too."
"Monster maybe?"
"Some mimic human voices. Best to proceed cautiously."
"Yup. Sneaky sneaky. Shhh, Chomper."
Tippy-toe.
Officer and I crept forward slowly, with Chomper following quietly like it was crawling.
—Whoosh!
"Please...! Just disappear! Don't come! I said don't come!"
As we rounded a corner, the sounds sharpened.
A gas flame whooshing to life, paired with a shrill girl's voice.
"Go away! I said go away!"
—Sizzle!
Turning the corner revealed the girl, flames bursting around her.
Eek? That's...
The same uniform as those little kiddos from before?
She looked about their age... Being chased by something?
—█████!
Eek! What the heck is that!
A gross black slimey thing making creepy noises, swirling around her!
And that stench! Like sewage backed up—total stink bomb!
"That girl... Don't tell me she's from Yuseong Group..."
Officer Seonhwa tensed for battle as she eyed the girl.
She knew her?
"Officer Seonhwa, let's help her!"
"Good. I'm with you!"
Couldn't just stand by while some freaky black slime chased her.
Definitely helping.
"Chomper, attack that gross black slime!"
Plant Empathy Lv.02
Proficiency increased.
Thud!
Chomper slammed the ground and shot out like a bullet.
Then unleashed a flurry of plant punches—pow pow!—right into the slime.
—████!
The black slime took the pounding and spun-shot straight into the passage wall!
Bam!
It stuck there, about to shatter like ramen bits...
—█!
But it shook off the dust with some fight left and charged at Chomper this time.
"Not on my watch!"
Right then, Officer Seonhwa jumped in with a kick!
She booted the charging slime—wham!—sending it flying. So cool!
What do you say in moments like this? Nice assist? Earnest? Something like that!
Perfect opening.
That thing reeked anyway...
"You too! My turn! Body slam!"
Chomper, give it a good thrashing.
—Kieeeeeek!
Chomper wrapped its vines tight around the slime, then popped open its second mouth inside and chomp chomp nom nom.
—███! ██!
The slime couldn't resist anymore and became Chomper's meal for the day.
Whew. Shouldn't have bullied people and stunk up the place.
"Eek... What was that...?"
The girl had paled at the sight, probably spooked by Chomper's second mouth.
She plopped right down there.
"You okay? Chomper doesn't bite. Promise."
"You're... the pink-haired girl from before...? You saved me...?"
I stepped closer to check on her, and suddenly she hugged me tight.
"Eeeee?!"
"Th-thank you...! I was so scared. It kept chasing me. Sniff..."
Her eyes welled up, face about to burst into tears.
But she held it back bravely.
Guess I should reassure her?
"It's okay. It's okay. That gross slime's gone now. Me and Chomper turned it into star dust, pow pow!"
"Sniff... Pfft... Ahahaha! You talk funny."
Huh? I was trying to pat her comfortingly.
Was it that silly? They say laughing through tears brings bad luck or something.
"...This is Officer Bong Seonhwa of the Hunter Management Bureau. Could you tell us how you ended up here?"
"Oh, right, the bureau. So what happened was..."
The girl let go and explained her story.
Before coming here, I'd glimpsed that area where I got briefly kidnapped.
She'd entered some experiential gate for the kiddos there.
"It was boring, so I wandered off looking elsewhere... Then puzzle pieces popped up from the floor out of nowhere, and curiosity got me..."
She'd solved it.
Then the floor caved in, dropping her into this passage.
"No reports of anything like that in Samhwa Mine Gate 2... Maybe you and Miss Seo Ah triggered something simultaneously, opening this new route..."
Officer Seonhwa muttered, hand on her chin.
Hmm... Maybe?
She solved the puzzle, I touched the magic circle.
Open sesame achieved?
Oh, and her name's Seo Ah. Note to self.
"I really thought I was done for... Dropped right into that freak chasing me..."
Seo Ah was still shaking a little from the fear.
Still, she held up better than the other kiddos.
She'd blended into the background back there.
"Don't worry! If another gross thing shows, me and Chomper'll smash it to powder!"
Thump thump.
Chomper scooted close, patting its belly like trust me.
"You're a summoner? Wait, no... Weird class name? All blacked out."
"Huh? How'd you know...?"
Eek? What's she got?
How'd she see my class?
"Not everything, just a bit. My eyes are special. So what class?"
"Ahem! Hidden class, mega cool guaranteed!"
I answered proudly.
She saw a little, so spilling's fine, right?
"Ahaha! You're cool. Kids my age are all selfish and childish..."
"I'm an adult! Of course I'm cool! Ahem!"
"Ahaha...! What are you? Talk like you're such a grown-up. Fun."
Eek... I am an adult.
I have ID and everything, but she doesn't believe me. Hing hing.
"Oh, right. While running, I saw another passage..."
"Miss Seo Ah, do you remember where?"
"Yeah. Backtrack where I ran, and it'll be there."
"Let's head there now. Might be the exit."
We found an exit too?
Treasure chest incoming maybe?
A moment later.
We reached a massive door via the passage Seo Ah mentioned.
"Huh? This is..."
"I've seen this before..."
Our words overlapped.
Puzzle on one wall, magic circle on the other.
"Probably solve it like before."
"Cool? I'll do this side."
I touched the magic circle; Seo Ah breezed through the puzzle.
"Seo Ah, right? You're smart. Looked super complex to me."
"You're amazing too. My eyes see skills—tons of mana pouring into the door."
"Huh? That's how it looks? No clue myself."
Come to think of it, Officer Seonhwa said something earlier...
Yuseong something.
"The chairman of Yuseong Group's third granddaughter has appraisal eyes, it seems that's true."
Oh yeah, Yuseong Group.
Wait, Yuseong Group? Isn't that the biggest company in the country?
"Common knowledge. But what's this girl's deal? Hidden class? Massive mana."
His granddaughter?
Super platinum diamond gold spoon?
"Keep it secret. No debt."
"Hiding something? Eh, fine. I like her. Wanna be friends? You too, right?"
"Y-yes!"
"Huh? Why so formal suddenly? Be casual."
Rich kid.
Super rich kid. Kinda intimidating now.
Thought she was just a normal kiddo.
"W-well..."
—Rumble!
As I stammered, the massive door creaked open.
"Ooh! Open! Let's go!"
Seo Ah grabbed my hand tight and pulled me along.
In the center floated a round orb thing.
"This... Gate core. Thought this gate didn't have one due to peculiarities..."
Officer Seonhwa called it the core and touched it.
"Looks like we can exit. Exit function active."
"All done then? I'm beat now."
Finally rest! Cuddle Chomper in the car and sleep.
...Where'd Chomper go though?
"Chomper, where are you?"
Looking around, there it was past the orb in a corner.
"There you are. Whatcha doing? Huh? What's that?"
Chomper stared at something in the corner.
A golden treasure chest.
"Whoa, treasure! Open sesame paid off."
—Click.
I opened it curiously.
And found a gem inside.
"Pretty."
Mostly black with red veins sparkling here and there.
Wonder what kind it is? About to tell the others...
"Eek! Chomper! That's not food! Why'd you eat it!"
Chomper snatched the sparkly gem and gulped it down.
Gulp.
It nommed it right up! This a disaster?
The devourer of the First Seed, ██, has acquired a fragment of ██.
"Whoaaa..."
My head's a total mess. What even is this...?