Chapter 17

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Translator: penny

Chapter: 17

Chapter Title: Blasting Through the Dungeon

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As instructed by Raid Leader Jihye, it was a real whopper!

The ones that Wiggler had poked and reeled in were...

—Boom!

The crocodile monsters blocking the raid party's path ahead.

"Chorok, nice one!"

"Eek!?"

I jumped in surprise for a second.

Raid Leader Jihye had snuck up and patted my head.

"This is huge. You reeled them in and snapped their necks at the same time, so we didn't even have to lift a finger!"

Huh? It wasn't just a simple splash and reel from above?

Sure enough, looking at the crocs slammed onto the ground, they were all limp and lifeless.

"Call the cleanup team for material harvesting later—just mark the spots for now and extract the mana stones ahead of time. Since we didn't do anything, all of it goes to Chorok."

"Yes, ma'am!"

"Mana stones...?"

"Huh? First time hearing about them? Mana stones are how hunters make their money. They fuel pretty much every industry. Of course, everything from dismantling monsters turns into cash too."

So every single monster is basically walking money?

That means...

"Chomper, have you been gobbling up the mana stones this whole time too?"

Nod nod.

Acting like it was no big deal, the nearby Chomper nodded affirmatively.

"Waaah! My dream of starting a guild...!"

I hadn't known before, but now I did.

Still, learning this harsh truth sucks!

"You, when we get home, you're getting a good spanking! And from now on, ask permission before you nom nom!"

Stoop.

Chomper gathered its vines like hands, bowed its head, and apologized.

Ughhh. Back in that emergency gate, we could've stockpiled a ton of mana stones... What a waste.

"Th-that... really sucks. But you didn't know, so no helping it."

Even Raid Leader Jihye, who'd been listening, looked at me with pity.

Don't look at me like that. It just makes me sadder. Sniff sniff.

"But Chorok, you're planning to start a guild? Then you'll really have to hustle. Guilds have more expenses than you'd think. You make bank, so it works out, but still."

"Officer Seonhwa said something similar. Does it really cost that much?"

"Yeah. But with you, Chorok, it should be fine. Just keep working hard like this. In the hunter world, strength equals a money bed."

She said it while ruffling my hair vigorously.

Ugh... My hair's all messed up now.

But as long as I'm with my fluffy friends, we'll be fine from here on out, right? Awesome!

"...All mana stones collected!"

"Hmm... Quality's average. Quantity's decent though. Chorok, can you carry this? We bagged it up."

"Can I...?"

This is Santa-level sack territory!

Looking at the gathered bag, even grunting and pulling with all my might, I don't think I could lift it?

"If it's too heavy, get someone else to..."

—Splash!

Right then, Wiggler sprang into action.

It sprayed out a bundle of stems, wrapping the mana stone sack on the ground tight as a drum.

"What? Wiggler, what're you doing?"

Wriggle wriggle.

The tightly wrapped stem bundle soon shrank down.

Then it reverted right back to its flower bracelet form?

The mana stone sack vanished completely from sight! Amazing!

What the—? Magic trick? Is Wiggler a magician?

"No need to bother the others. Looks like Wiggler stored it away."

"Stored it?"

"Yup. Like inventory in a game. Unless it's a storage skill, most folks use bags made from monster parts. Like those backpacks they're carrying."

Sure enough, lots of party members had bags.

They came loaded with tons of stuff during prep too...

"Wiggler, can you take it out again?"

Wriggle wriggle.

It drew an O with two stems.

Real deal storage function then?

What is this guy? It poked for fishing earlier, and now it magicked away this heavy sack.

Impressive in a whole different way from Chomper! So cool!

All my friends I've met are total fluffies.

That means the next fluffy sis will be too, right?

With the situation sorted, Officer Seonhwa's voice came through the communicator in my ear.

"They got ahead. We split at the fork earlier... We'd better hurry. All sorted? Let's move!"

At Raid Leader Jihye's words, Party 1 mobilized as one.

I strutted along with them too.

.

.

.

We trekked on like that for a while.

We crossed the swamp, weaving through twisty, corkscrew tree groves.

Buzzing bug monsters with gross faces flew at us now and then.

But with whoosh-boom-bang magic from party members or double-team thwack-thwack from Chomper and Raid Leader Jihye, we pushed through easy.

"Scouting magic pegged this at estimated threat B+? Seems way tamer than expected."

"Tell me about it. Easier than a standard B-rank clear even."

After bagging more mana stones and dismantling, Raid Leader Jihye chatted with the others.

"Chorok's summons are just too OP. Preemptive strikes and assists were seamless, like one of our own. Chomper, right?"

"Yup! Chomper, 'cause it chomps so good!"

"Wiggler earlier too—your summons are a godsend. First time progressing without a single injury. Usually there's at least some scrapes. Hunter life."

Huh? That big a deal?

Thanks to my fluffies?

"You're a lucky charm, Chorok. Wanna join Myeongrim?"

"Huh... I told you what I'm aiming for."

"Haha! Kidding. Kidding. Means you're carrying hard. Be proud."

"Yay! Ahem! I did great, right?"

"Hahaha! Yeah. You did great. Keep it up and..."

—Zzzt.

That's when it happened.

A burst of static crackled through the communicator.

"What? Where? Bong Seonhwa, give me your position!"

The festive mood tanked at Officer Seonhwa's grave tone.

"Everyone, link up now! Chorok, you and your summons too!"

"Yes, ma'am!"

"Yup!"

Sounds like the other party got hurt.

Ugh... Bummer. I was feeling good 'cause our party was unscratched.

"There they are! Stay alert just in case, healers—tend to the wounded first!"

Exiting the corkscrew woods, we spotted Party 2's group.

"Urk...!"

"Grraaagh..."

"Ugh..."

Up close, their faces were pale as ghosts.

Like those folks during field training last time.

"Party 2 Leader, what the hell happened? Why are they like this?"

"We spotted the dungeon core at the end, but as we approached, the scouts all suffered massive physical strain. And we glimpsed something grotesque too..."

Party 2 Leader looked pallid and shaken himself.

"What'd you see?"

"Meat lump. Sickening stench. Sticky goo. Horrifying voice. Green glow. Frothy blob. Countless eyeballs..."

—Thud.

"Eek!?"

Suddenly Party 2 Leader collapsed right in front of me.

Luckily Raid Leader Jihye blocked him—no injury.

"Hey! Snap out of it! Damn it!"

She shook him to rouse him, but no dice.

Healers hauled him off in the end.

"...Operator. Status report. Drones catch anything?"

Officer Seonhwa spoke like she could see everything—guess cams were nearby.

But the situation looked bad.

That leader just dropped, and others were hurt too.

"Structure? Where the core is, probably. Invisible boss on cam maybe?"

"I get why the kids crashed—probably that. But altar or boss? Either fits. Tsk..."

Raid Leader Jihye clicked her tongue.

Scratching her head hard—she looked stumped.

"Pull back? Or ID the thing that screwed our guys and smash it?"

"Your call, Raid Leader."

"You, Chorok? Scared? We bail then. We're good either way."

"Hmm... I wanna..."

Poke. Poke.

With so many hurt, I was pondering when Wiggler prodded my arm with two stems.

—Grrrrr!

At the same time, Chomper growled uncharacteristically, like it was pissed.

The voice from when I first met Wiggler echoed in my head.

Its stems pointed hazily through the mist ahead.

Huh? What's that mean?

Something there? Something Chomper and Wiggler hate?

"Chorok, you okay?"

"Raid Leader. Something's over there. They say it's gross."

"Summons grossed out? Boss mob for sure then...? Mages, emergency recall stones ready?"

"Yes! Can evac including wounded."

"Phew... Chorok."

Like she'd made up her mind,

Raid Leader Jihye clenched her fist and turned to me.

"We're going for the boss. Last chance: you're at risk, so bail if you want."

"No way. I'm in!"

I wanna meet that fluffy sis.

And spank whatever's bugging Chomper and Wiggler.

Plus my dream.

I wanna stamp 'I cleared this dungeon!' here loud and proud.

"Won't stop you then. Good. Let's go."

"Yup!"

"Alright! Boss monster ahead! Wounded aside, everyone grit teeth and prep to fight!"

"Yes, ma'am!"

I answered with the rest, marching into the mist.

The dungeon's end.

There, just like Officer Seonhwa said, stood a trippy Egyptian-Egyptian building.

And.

—T█K█L█-L█!

Guarding it was the grossest freak we'd ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠seen yet.

"Eww! Nasty!"

"Chorok nailed it. No wonder the injured were wrecked."

What to call that thing.

Like black clay slathered with gross eyeballs and bloated bulbs plastered everywhere.

And the stench! Sewer times sewer squared?

"Mages, unload every spell you got! Hesitate now and we lose the opener!"

—Thwoom!

Mage hunters unleashed at Raid Leader Jihye's command.

Dust clouds billowed from ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the blast.

Cough cough! Can't see a thing!

"Got it?"

No. Don't jinx it!

It regenerates!

—T█K█L█-L█!

Dust cleared, and the gross clay lump charged.

"Chomper!"

—Kieeeek!

Chomper rocketed in, tackling the clay freak.

"I'll back you up!"

Raid Leader Jihye synced with Chomper and dove in.

—Boom!

Chomper and Raid Leader Jihye's double thwack-thwack!

This should pulverize the clay jerk into dust...

—T█K█L█-L█!

—Kieeeek!

"Nngh...! What the hell. This thing's stupidly strong!"

...No?

Chomper-Jihye combo's getting pushed back?

What gives, gross clay freak!

Then the voice filled my head again.

Wiggler this time.

"Got it! Wiggler, let's go! We're fighting together!"

—Splash!

Text scrolled past my eyes as Wiggler's stems bound the clay freak's top tight.

Then the stems yanked hard and...

"I-I'm...! Plantman! With great power comes great responsibility!"

I soared into the sky!

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