I left the inn and followed the tracks of the two warriors from the Black Death clan.
Soon, I spotted the back of their black uniforms and the nape of the waiter’s neck.
They quickly became aware of our presence. This was likely because we made no effort to conceal our pursuit.
Instead of calling for reinforcements, they began to lure us somewhere.
This meant that they believed they could handle us on their own.
We willingly followed them and soon found ourselves in a confrontation in a deserted area.
One of the Black Death warriors recognized us and said,
“So it’s the folks from the inn. Have you come to play the hero?”
“Yes, I couldn’t stay still in the face of such injustice.”
I couldn’t stay still in the face of the hidden piece too.
When I sent a glance to the side, Go Hyeon-woo added.
“Indeed. How can we just stand by and watch an innocent young man being taken away?”
“Your courage is commendable but foolish. Your sense of justice will hasten your death.”
Warrior A immediately drew his sword from his waist.
Warrior B, however, seemed to have a slightly different idea.
After sizing us up, he spoke to A.
“These ones have strong builds. They might be useful.”
“Shall we take them too?”
“Yes, but try to subdue them without causing too much damage.”
“A limb or two can be spared, right?”
Their attitude meant that overpowering us would be as easy as flipping their hands.
I too signaled to Go Hyeon-woo and Shin Byeong-chul.
“Try not to damage the clothes.”
We needed to salvage their uniforms.
Without any warning, I cast [Wind Force] on Warrior A, signaling the start of the battle.
Caught off guard by the wind pulling him towards me, he momentarily panicked but quickly regained his composure and used the wind to launch himself at me, aiming to sever my arm.
I tilted my head slightly and grabbed him by the scruff of his neck before slamming him down to the ground with force.
Perhaps because he was a very resilient guy, he was not immediately incapacitated and swung his sword while lying on the ground.
Just before the blade could slice my ankle, I leaped a span’s height into the air, dodging the blade, then cast Wind Force again before lifting him up and slamming him back down.
Seeing that he was still conscious, I grabbed his head and drove my knee into his temple with a crunch.
Turning my attention to the others, I saw Go Hyeon-woo and the lower-ranked Warrior B exchanging blows rapidly.
Their fists and palms intertwined swiftly in mid-air.
Shin Byeong-chul hovered nearby, trying to trip him up or strike from behind, but often ended up taking hits himself.
The fight seemed somewhat messy.
It was unclear whether this was because Go Hyeon-woo wasn’t using his main weapon, the sword, or because Shin Byeong-chul naturally fought in a scrappy manner.
The ridiculous skit-like scene finally concluded when Shin Byeong-chul secured him in a headlock from behind, allowing Go Hyeon-woo to deliver a solid punch to his solar plexus.
We stripped the subdued warriors of their uniforms, tied them up tightly, and carelessly tossed them aside.
By the time they woke up or their absence was noticed, we would have long since departed from the dungeon.
Shin Byeong-chul seemed to ache all over from the brief battle, and he was frequently massaging his shoulders and limbs.
“Are these guys really just lower-ranked warriors? Not some kind of small leaders?”
“Yes, these are the weakest ones here.”
Though they were indeed lower-ranked, they belonged to the deeper B-rank dungeon.
They would be considered elite or mid-boss level in any ordinary low-level dungeon.
Me and Go Hyeon-woo were one thing, but Shin Byeong-chul would not stand a chance in a one-on-one fight with them.
Therefore, avoiding combat was essential.
Nonetheless, the first step had been accomplished.
I spoke to the inn waiter who was standing beside us awkwardly,
The father and son pair embraced each other as if they hadn’t seen each other for decades, sharing a moment of family reunion.
It might have been a touching scene to some, but I had seen it too many times to feel much emotion.
Reflecting on it, I don’t think I felt much the first time I saw it either.
So, I interrupted the two rudely.
“Sorry to intrude on this touching moment, but there are matters to settle.”
“Oh, yes! What can I do for you…?”
“Is it alright if I take this?”
In my hand was a small statue.
I picked up a Dharma statue that adorned a corner of the inn.
The middle-aged man’s expression seemed to wonder,
Why on earth would you want that?
However, perhaps thinking that a Dharma statue was not too much to ask for and that it was too late to change terms, he nodded in agreement.
“Thank you. How about some duck soup? The dumplings were a bit light.”
“Of course, it’s possible. I’ll prepare it right away.”
With that, the middle-aged man and inn waiter went back to the kitchen to finish the cooking.
I settled at a table and closely examined the Dharma statue.
It was worn and chipped in places and looked quite unremarkable.
Yet facing the smiling face of the Dharma, I felt a peculiar charm.
Go Hyeon-woo who was examining the statue with me seemed to feel something similar.
“This looks rather extraordinary.”
Shin Byeong-chul who had been loitering around also chimed in.
“Isn’t that used in formations or something?”
“Right. It’s used in formations.”
Specifically, it was used to dismantle certain formations.
So it was somewhat like a key.
When I handed over the Dharma statue with that question, Go Hyeon-woo took it somewhat bewilderedly and looked down at it.
At first, he was somewhat puzzled,
But as time passed, his expression turned grave.
Just like Go Hyeon-woo suspected, the person who carved this was no ordinary master.
A skilled individual who embedded their martial philosophy into the mere carving of a Dharma statue.
Each line composing the statue seemed like the trace of a sharp sword’s passage.
Despite significant weathering over many years, those traces remained distinctly visible.
Continuous observation and study might reveal aspects of the martial philosophy.
To a warrior like Go Hyeon-woo, this was a treasure worth more than gold.
On the other hand, what mattered to me was solely its ability to dismantle formations.
Therefore, I decided to lend it to Go Hyeon-woo until a need for it arose later.
“Keep it for a while. Do some research and see what you can find.”
“Are you sure it’s alright to lend something so valuable to me?”
“We risked our lives entering this dungeon; it only makes sense to take something worthwhile from it.”
Go Hyeon-woo who always trusted and followed me deserved such a reward.
Go Hyeon-woo was so moved that he showed his respect.
“I’m always in awe of your generosity, Kim-hyung. Thank you.”
“Get stronger quickly. We have other dungeons to explore together.”
With that, the Dharma statue was transferred to Go Hyeon-woo’s inventory.
Just then, the inn waiter emerged from the kitchen while carrying a tray with three servings of duck soup.
“Here’s the duck soup you ordered.”
He set one down in front of each of us…
The bowl was bubbling with a lava-colored liquid.
At first glance, it appeared extremely spicy.
Even when I played it as a game, this inn’s duck soup was famous for being spicy.
The name of the inn “Spicy Duck Soup” wasn’t just for show.
We lifted our spoons and took a mouthful at the same time before furrowing our eyebrows at the same time.
The expression on our faces universally screamed, “This is unbearably spicy!”
Just as I was about to comment on the spiciness, Shin Byeong-chul pretended to be unfazed.
“It’s not spicy at all. This is practically like drinking water.”
Go Hyeon-woo and I exchanged looks, then chimed in,
“As you eat, it actually gets quite pleasant.”
Thus began a battle of pride among the men.
At first, we had only intended to taste the duck soup out of curiosity due to its reputation for being extremely spicy.
However, an unexpected battle of pride, not between men but rather like that of half-grown boys, broke out, leading us to devour the duck soup as if in a battle.
The result was a draw, with everyone reluctantly finishing their servings.
In such cases, the inn selling the duck soup would be the only winner. However, since the owner refused to accept payment, this was not the case.
After finishing the duck soup, we set aside our playful attitudes and seriously reviewed our strategy.
The approach to tackling the Black Death dungeon was broadly similar to that of the Feathered Serpent Altar.
While I engaged the key forces, Go Hyeon-woo and Shin Byeong-chul were tasked with securing the target items.
A crucial difference from the Feathered Serpent Altar was the overwhelming strength of the Black Death Clan, making them impossible to defeat.
Thus, we needed a different method to conquer the dungeon.
Responding to my request, Go Hyeon-woo placed two items on the table.
They were expensive purchases from the student store.
One was a tiny communication device to be worn in the ear, allowing us to stay in touch during the operation.
The other was a piece of parchment engraved with a complex magic circle.
[Emergency Escape Scroll (B)].
It was a one-time-use item designed to create an exit, allowing for escape without having to clear the dungeon.
It boasted an incredibly powerful effect but came with significant limitations; so if used carelessly, it can lead to problems.
Because this part was important, I emphasized it again by pointing to the scroll.
“No matter what happens, you must make it to a safe area before using it.”
“What happens if it’s used in the wrong place?”
“If you’re extremely lucky, an escape portal might open…”
But if not, there’s no guarantee where the portal might lead.
There was a non-negligible chance of ending up in an unidentified dungeon.
To ensure a safe exit, the scroll should only be used after completing all tasks and within a safe zone, like the abandoned house we first entered.
Shin Byeong-chul nodded his head in understanding.
“Okay, so we just need to stick to the plan.”
“I’ve also memorized it.”
After reviewing several other key elements of the strategy,
We left the inn and went our separate ways.
“Then, Kim-hyung, I wish you good luck.”
“You guys too. Keep in touch along the way.”
While Go Hyeon-woo and Shin Byeong-chul moved towards the “secret passage”, the starting point of this attack, I found myself with some free time.
So, I took a stroll through the marketplace and picked up a few gifts.
I remembered Dang Gyu-young and Chae Da-bin telling me to bring some snacks when I came back, so I mostly focused on that.
By the time my inventory was brimming with snacks, Go Hyeon-woo’s voice came through the communication device I had plugged into my ear. Nᴇw novel chapters are publɪshed on 𝔫𝔬𝔳𝔢𝔩·𝔣𝔦𝔯𝔢·𝔫𝔢𝔱
“Alright, let’s get started.”
After giving a short answer, I went straight to the Black Death clan.
There were two gatekeepers leaning crookedly at the main gate, and one of them spotted me and asked a question.
I didn’t respond and kept advancing.
The gatekeepers seemed to sense something unusual in the confident and direct approach of my stride towards them.
The expression of the one who had questioned me turned fierce, and he immediately drew his sword to point it at me.
“I asked who you are!”
I continued to approach without giving an answer.
Then, the gatekeeper charged at me while swinging his sword.
What he hadn’t noticed was that my fist was glowing red-hot and was emitting faint wisps of smoke.
Dodging the sword aimed at my neck, I lunged forward and thrust my fist out,
A storm of flames erupted, sweeping everything in front of me, including the two gatekeepers.
Where the main gate once stood, there was now a gaping hole, leaving the space eerily empty, and the flames that had jumped to the buildings were growing larger.
I paused and watched the scene for a while.
They say the most entertaining spectacles in the world are watching a fight and a fire, and it seems that saying holds true.
I was the one who started the fight and also the one who lit the fire, but those were minor details.
Soon, the interior became as noisy as a disturbed beehive.
– What’s happening? What’s going on?
– It’s at the main gate!
– Fire! Put out the fire quickly!
They must have been wondering how such a bolt from the blue struck on a peaceful day.
I decided to help the Black Death members understand the situation.
Taking a deep breath, I raised my voice to its fullest and shouted.
“It’s an enemy attack—!”