Chapter 17
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 17
Chapter Title: What Do You Want?
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We'd passed four caverns on the way here, but the air already felt different.
The area was at least twice the size of the others. As soon as Cheon Sang-ho stepped inside, blue torches lining the walls ignited one after another, as if they'd been waiting.
Kurrr rumble—
"Here it comes."
The moment Sin Ju-yeon gripped her spear tightly and spoke, the piles of rocks stacked deeper inside began to stir. Probably golems.
"...Crazy."
Thud!
Three golems that looked even more menacing than any we'd seen before, plus one nearly twice their size. That big one must be the boss.
"I'll pull the boss aggro! Take out the small fries first! I'm going in!"
Cheon Sang-ho charged straight at the massive golem inside without a hint of fear. Jeong Se-hee had already drawn three magic circles around the area.
"Can we beat that thing?"
"Even just my brother and Ju-yeon could handle it. It'll take time, though."
Cheon Sang-su said it casually from beside me, but to me, it sounded utterly ridiculous.
Isn't this a C-rank dungeon? Those three golems don't look easy, and you're saying just the two of them can take down that even bigger one?
"Use your detection skill to pinpoint the cores while dodging appropriately. It won't be as easy as before."
Cheon Sang-su grabbed the small shield and mace he'd been carrying and joined Sin Ju-yeon right away. I wondered if weapons like that would even work.
'No matter what, I can't just stand around watching.'
The other party members besides Cheon Sang-su didn't expect much from me either. Finding that golem's core earlier had just been pure luck, plain and simple.
"Don't worry too much. You won't die here."
"I wasn't worried about that."
Jeong Se-hee didn't seem fazed at all chatting with me while casting her spells. Was her concentration just that good, or was that how the skill worked? I still had marking available, so sneaking a peek didn't sound like a bad idea.
[Jeong Se-hee is using Magic Mastery.]
[Jeong Se-hee is using Spell Mastery.]
Two mastery skills? Sin Ju-yeon only had one, Lance Mastery. This was insane.
"The golems won't come this far anyway. Watching the fight is experience too."
"You sound pretty sure. Got a reason?"
"It's complicated to explain in detail, so I'll keep it short."
Jeong Se-hee was creating vines, stone pillars, and pits around Sin Ju-yeon to effectively block the golems' movements.
More precisely, she was constantly splitting their aggro so all three couldn't rush Sin Ju-yeon at once. Individually, they were ordinary spells, but linking them seamlessly was masterful magic control.
"Golems have limited senses. If you move out of range at high speed, they won't pursue. They can't detect you."
"Ah."
I got the gist. Get close, and if it seems off, bolt.
I pulled a pre-prepared potion from my inventory. If scan had limits, marking was the way.
"Got any spells that boost movement speed?"
"I could, but why?"
Kwaaang!
One golem raising its foot to stomp Sin Ju-yeon finally toppled. As she deflected the attack with her spear tip, a stone pillar erupted near its opposite heel, sending it crashing down.
"Need to find weak points. To finish the adds and take the boss."
"Hmm, give it a shot. Lasts one minute."
Thanks to Jeong Se-hee's buff, my body felt much lighter. Bouncing in place once, it was like a rubber ball.
"Here I go!"
I charged straight at the three golems.
I had five potions prepared. For a test, I hurled one at the fallen golem.
Crash!
[Stone Golem has been marked.]
The moment the message appeared, I activated High-Speed Calculation and Scan simultaneously. Sure enough, unlike before, it wasn't just the material—it pinpointed the core's exact location.
"Ju-yeon! Fallen one's nape!"
"What?"
Of all places, right there—hard to check. Even if spotted, awkward to hit.
"Take that one first!"
I immediately chucked potion bottles at the other two rampaging golems.
"The one at 1 o'clock—right buttock! The other, dead center back! Core shifts in two minutes!"
"You little shit!"
Cheon Sang-su spat a rough curse after hearing me. At five meters tall, even the lower butt required fully extending his arm. Looked like Sin Ju-yeon had to handle them solo.
'Nothing worth copying from Jeong Se-hee?'
My plain spear wouldn't dent a golem. Hoping to copy some magic, I quickly checked her status window, but those spells seemed separate skills.
Groooar rumble!
In that brief moment, Sin Ju-yeon jammed an Assault Charge into the fallen golem's nape and joined us. Calmly finishing the butt-weak one, she swapped with Cheon Sang-su on the last.
"How do you hit the back of a standing one, damn it."
"Can't you draw its gaze from the front and circle behind?"
"If that worked, Ju-yeon would've cleared them already. Knocking it face-first would be ideal."
Even B-rank stats couldn't manage it. Manga and reality were worlds apart, huh.
Anyway, hearing Cheon Sang-su, I yelled to Jeong Se-hee. Worth trying something.
"Se-hee noona! Can you topple it forward?"
"Hard alone! Center of gravity's low—not easy!"
Damn, just like she said. Short thighs, thick calves. Earlier and now, pure luck on the backward fall.
'Force a big motion to collapse its balance.'
First time trying, but maybe it'd work. Better with the party than solo recklessness.
"Sang-su hyung. Mind launching me at its head for a running start?"
"What for?"
"Won't flailing to swat me mess its stance?"
"What's your stamina at?"
"Under 300 with gear."
"Frontal hit survivable then. Protect head and neck—no cripple risk."
Casual terrifying talk. Possible, though. I backed off, gauging the golem.
"Step on the shield and jump. Done this?"
"First time."
"Fearless bastard. Come on!"
I sprinted ten meters, stepped on Cheon Sang-su's shield, and leaped high. Of course, I had a trump card.
'Push with stats!'
Right before jumping, I drew my spear and copied Sin Ju-yeon's entire status window. Semen shortage twisted my groin, but bearable pain.
'Distance this time—no one's spotting it!'
Strength shot to 107, agility to 104. Stamina over 600—no dying to one hit!
"Ju-yeon! Get ready to circle back!"
Aiming below the neck. Spear snaps or not, full force would tilt its upper body back.
"You...!"
Her surprised voice rang out, but I was already airborne.
Whoosh—!
Perfect—the golem's front opened up. I used Assault Charge, slamming near bare-handed into its chest.
'Not pierce—shove!'
Kwa-gwang!
Ugh, fucking hurts!
Too reckless, even boosted. But it worked—golem's torso wobbled back over 40 degrees.
"Plant on its chest and jump again!"
"What?!"
Sin Ju-yeon gave no breather. Straight Assault Charge to its back sprung its torso forward like a spring.
"Waaah!"
No retrieving the spear lodged in its chest—I hurled sideways.
Ku-gugung!
"Huff, huff."
"Seong-han, you okay?"
"Seems no major issues."
Body ached all over, but solid landing. Rising with Cheon Sang-su's help, the golem lay face-down, back utterly shattered.
"You good?"
"Yeah."
"...What newbie's that fearless? Reckless as hell."
Lower voice, slight frown scarier than anger.
Sin Ju-yeon glared seconds, unsatisfied, then sighed softly and turned.
"Seong-han, you're rougher than you look?"
"Ahaha..."
"Wonder if you're like that in bed too?"
"...Hey."
This noona never tires. Jeong Se-hee poked me here and there, somehow satisfied. Bonus butt pats.
'Sexual harassment like meals.'
Too straightforward for harassment—more playful praise.
"By the way, what'd you throw at the golem? Item?"
"Part of my skill conditions. Tool for precise detection."
"Mana amp reagent, huh?"
"Something like that."
Luckily, Jeong Se-hee didn't pry about the potion. Cheon Sang-su looked intrigued but joined frontline silently.
Bang! Bang!
Cheon Sang-ho leisurely blocked the golem's attacks. That ten-meter fist deflected by one shield—impressive.
"More of those reagents left?"
"Two bottles. Let's go."
Boss surprisingly easier than the three. Potion and scan revealed core dropping to knee in five minutes.
Sin Ju-yeon, with Jeong Se-hee's support, double Assault Charges right as it shifted—core destroyed.
Collecting golem scraps, exiting dungeon, checking conditions—my first party practice ended.
"Great first clear, Seong-han. Could join a party now."
"Polish in low-rankers, and C-rank parties no problem."
"Thanks to your guidance."
Cheon brothers' praise made the clear sink in. Head home now?
"Oh, right. Ju-yeon, the gloves."
"Got 'em."
"Huh?"
"I'll pick 'em up soon. Practice spear till then."
What? Before I replied, Sin Ju-yeon bowed to others and left first.
"She's consistent."
"Always like that?"
"Who knows? Different in other parties. Shall we head out?"
"...We?"
Said like it's obvious. Staring blankly, Jeong Se-hee approached and hooked my arm.
"You agreed to one favor earlier? Clear your evening."
"Fine, but... what for?"
She grinned, whispering seductively in my ear.
"Gimme some semen. Thick and sticky—lots of it."
...No, what do you want all of a sudden? Did I hear that right?