Chapter 123: All Assemble Under Me

[…This is ZTBC’s ‘Incident Chief’ with the next news. Do you remember the dungeon break incident that occurred not long ago in Sokri Mountain National Park in Boeun-gun, Chungcheongbuk-do? Thanks to the Hunter Association’s swift response, there were no civilian casualties. However, the site of the dungeon break still hasn’t undergone damage recovery. Reporter Kim, why has the work been so delayed?]

[The reason for the delay in damage recovery is the massive boulders that appeared throughout Sokri Mountain during the dungeon break. According to official data released by the Hunter Association, these boulders, called ‘dungeon stones,’ are an otherworldly material that doesn’t exist on Earth, and they can’t be scratched even slightly with existing equipment.]

[There was information that only A+ rank hunters or higher could destroy them, right? But the key issue is that someone has destroyed all these boulders, isn’t it?]

[That’s correct. Just a few hours ago, these massive boulders were all destroyed at once. The Hunter Association has stated that they are investigating this incident.]

[Investigating… So, it could be the work of an Awakener of A+ rank or higher who isn’t affiliated with the association?]

[Yes, some are voicing concerns that it might be a situation like the villain alliance incident at the Ansan Industrial Complex, or that the Hunter Association might be covering it up…]

***

Beep!!

I turned off the TV and flopped down on the bed.

The fluorescent light filled with dead flies and the yellowish, faded ceiling wallpaper came into view.

It felt strangely comforting.

I’d been traveling around the country fulfilling Hunter Association requests and had just returned home.

“Those boulders were tougher than I thought.”

I’d heard roughly about it, but not to that extent.

The one who destroyed the dungeon stones at Sokri Mountain was none other than the general zom.

I recalled the situation at the time.

The sight of it slicing the dungeon stones like tofu with the blades on both arms.

The general zom’s combat power surpasses that of an A+ rank hunter.

Probably only a very few among the zoms possess such strength.

If the general’s combat power is this high, I can’t even imagine what the queen zom is like.

Anyway.

It wasn’t just the massive boulders that were dealt with at Sokri Mountain.

Ding-dong!

[Shadow Knights]

▶Yi Seonggye (A+): Experience 0.093%

▶Cheok Junkyeong  (A+): Experience 0.075%

▶Yi I (A+): Experience 0.041%

▶Sogi Pa  (A+): Experience 0.064%

▶Yi Uimin  (A+): Experience 0.059%

▶Jeong Giryong  (A+): Experience 0.062%

“They’ve all gone up quite evenly. Must have had a great hunt.”

While I was helping the refugees, the shadow knights were taking care of the remaining monsters at Sokri Mountain.

D-rank monsters, Parasite Scorpions.

The experience yield was much better than hunting thousands of E-rank and F-rank monsters over a week.

Even so, they hadn’t even reached 1% yet.

The experience gain rate was way too slow against low-rank monsters.

It’d be better to seek out higher-rank dungeons.

Just as I was about to launch the Hunter Association app.

Ding!

[Kim Yerim: Sunbae! Did you get home okay yesterday?? (◎”),]

A message came from Kim Yerim.

[Cha Hasang: Yeah, I got home fine. You? ]

[Kim Yerim: I got home perfectly fine too! 9(1)]

[Kim Yerim: Everything that happened at the volunteer activity today feels like a dream!!]

[Cha Hasang: It was nice seeing you too. You worked hard today.]

[Kim Yerim: What hard work from me. Sunbae was totally Superman!!]

[Kim Yerim: Fixing this and that in a snap! And you’re amazing at work too!]

[Kim Yerim: And you were so good at acupuncture? Totally like a Korean medicine doctor!!]

[Kim Yerim: “·· “?]

The chat was updating at an incredible speed.

I couldn’t keep up with her typing speed at all.

[Kim Yerim: Ah! My dad suddenly called me, so I have to go…….]

[Cha Hasang: Okay. See you at school.]

[Kim Yerim: Then sunbae! I’ll treat you to a meal soon.]

[Kim Yerim: But just the two of us!! (心・)9]

Kim Yerim, who came in like a tidal wave and disappeared like a storm.

Was she always this lively?

At that moment.

-ccl!

Another message notification sound rang out.

“What is this…”

It wasn’t Kim Yerim this time.

Greetings to Cha Hasang-ssi

Cha Hasang-ssi, whom I happened to meet at the Sokri Mountain dungeon break refugee volunteer activity. 

This is Yun Yeobaek, and I wanted to say that I was tremendously pleased today. 

Looking back, it was a short yet long day. 

I dare assert that the things Cha Hasang-ssi did today for the refugees must have been bothersome and annoying. 

Nevertheless, the way you diligently, sincerely, and thoroughly carried out your duties was worthy of not just respect but awe. 

Though it was a short time, why do the moments spent with Cha Hasang-ssi feel so valuable? 

Gratitude and regret intersect. 

I wonder if I can continue this precious connection with Cha Hasang-ssi in the future. 

I hope we can share meaningful times together while helping those in difficulty. 

Also, if any matter arises where you need assistance, please contact me anytime, and I, Yun Yeobaek, promise to help to the utmost.

The sender was White Mage Tower Lord Yun Yeobaek.

Anyway.

“Ah, agh… My eyes…”

An incredibly long message, and an incredible wall of text.

It made me wonder if the enter key was broken.

And what’s with the way of speaking?

A bizarre speech style that didn’t match her boyish, youthful appearance.

It was like the rhetoric of an enlightenment-era intellectual.

In any case, summarizing the message content.

…’Nice to meet you’ stretched out long.

I sent a reply to Yun Yeobaek.

[Cha Hasang: It was nice meeting you too. Let’s do volunteer work together again next time.]

To think I’d meet an A+ rank hunter during an F-rank request.

It was unexpected.

In the process, I got a promise from Yun Yeobaek to grant one wish.

She didn’t seem like someone who’d bluff about something trivial.

Above all, if Yun Yeobaek had attempted bluffing, the artifact ‘Eye of Truth’ that detects lies would have activated immediately.

For now, since I don’t have anything to ask right away, I’ll keep it on hold.

At that moment.

Throb—

Suddenly, an intense pain was felt at the nape of my neck.

Pain like hot iron skewers stirring the nerve bundles.

“This is…”

The binding brand engraved by the Death Lord, Peter Binsfeld, was throbbing.

At the same time, Binsfeld’s words flashed through my mind.

[If Jeanne meets death… You too will meet death…]

I immediately opened the magical warehouse.

Ding-dong!

<‘Open’ command received.>

<Opening Morgue’s Magical Warehouse.>

***

Ding-dong!

<You have entered the ‘Unrest’ zone of Morgue’s Magical Warehouse.>

I had finally entered the third zone of the magical warehouse.

A damp and musty wind blew fiercely.

The place I was standing was on top of a large mushroom.

A landscape densely packed with mushrooms that seemed to exceed tens of meters in height.

The mushroom caps were shaped like inverted umbrellas, with milky liquid pooled in the indented parts.

On the ceiling, a vast lake spread out as if mocking gravity.

-Plop! -Plop plop! -Plop plop plop!

Streams of water pouring down like a shower.

When they fell on the mushroom caps, the mushrooms shook slightly and emitted a yellow light.

Meanwhile, below, layers of hazy mist obscured the ground from view.

…Is this entire floor made up only of mushrooms?

The mushrooms sprouting here and there seemed to serve as both stairs and floors.

Soon, the system window popped up.

Ding-dong!

-Morgue’s Magical Warehouse Exploration Rate

Unrest : 5.37%

“The exploration rate has increased a ton.”

While I was handling association requests, Jeanne had been exploring the Unrest zone.

The traces of the Ravianglily Kingdom discovered in the Observation zone.

She was tirelessly searching for the people of the fallen kingdom who might exist somewhere in the warehouse.

At that moment.

-Zap!

The nape throbbed again.

I focused my mind on the brand.

Then, Jeanne’s location was vividly pictured in my head.

“She’s gone quite far already.”

I activated the skill window.

Ding-dong!

<Would you like to use the warehouse keeper exclusive skill ‘Management·Supervision’?>

·(Y/N)>

The skill obtained from the first promotion exam.

Using this, I could move to a stored item recorded in the log or to a place where exploration was completed.

…If I could use it outside the warehouse, it would be an incredibly convenient skill.

Soon, I touched the YES button on the status window.

Then.

…

A landscape like high-speed travel through a tunnel filled with colorful lights unfolded before my eyes.

The hollow feeling underfoot like a rollercoaster descending.

A dizziness from zero gravity was felt.

But that was only for a moment.

Ding-dong!

<The warehouse keeper has moved to the designated location!>

With the message, the sensations in my body returned to normal.

The scenery had changed strangely.

Thick and massive mushroom stems were visible, and much smaller mushrooms than before were sprouting all around.

It seems to be the lower part of the mushrooms I was standing on earlier.

Some mushrooms emitted a dull bluish light, illuminating the surroundings.

These mushrooms generally had a purplish hue, with holes riddled throughout the stems and caps.

At that moment, a sharp noise assaulted my eardrums.

[Kieeeek!]

[Kyaaat! Kya!]

[Kigik! Kigigit—!]

The zoms’ screams were coming from right below.

Worker zoms, soldier zoms, venom sac soldier zoms, elite soldier zoms, top elite soldier zoms.

Thousands of zoms were swarming under the mushroom caps.

Is this the zoms’ breeding pit?

…No, that couldn’t be.

Zoms keep their breeding pits deep underground, not on the surface.

Among the swarming zoms, a familiar silhouette was visible.

Whoosh—

It was Jeanne, enveloped in black flames.

Part of her upper body had melted away, exposing her ribs clearly, and her left arm was completely severed.

Not only that, her entire body was covered in tears and bite marks.

A horrific appearance that the word “battered” couldn’t fully describe.

She was barely supporting herself with the Gan Jiang Mo Ye sword thrust into the ground.

Soon, hundreds of zoms littered around Jeanne came into view.

“You… shall not pass…!”

A voice like scraping the lungs.

Jeanne’s eyes gleamed with intensity.

An aura reminiscent of a martial arts master.

At that moment.

[Kieeeek~!]

The zoms charged at Jeanne all at once.

At the same time.

-Ding-dong!

<Skill ‘Genetic Skin Oil’ activates!>

<Skill ‘Lingering Flames’ activates!>

Crimson pillars of fire erupted simultaneously.

Kwa-kwa-kwa-bang—!

The leading zoms were instantly reduced to ashes.

Soon, relief settled on Jeanne’s face.

“Master…!”

Shortly after, the zoms that spotted my position began climbing the mushroom stems.

[Kyaaak!]

[Kigit! Kigigit!]

[Kik! Kigigigik!]

Five flying-type zoms with wings rushed in instantly.

But only for a moment.

Swoosh~!

A pure white form flying up from behind me passed the flying-type zoms in the blink of an eye.

At the same time.

Slash— Slash— Slash— Slash— Slash—!

The flying-type zoms’ bodies were sliced into dozens of pieces and fell.

The zoms that saw that scene trembled all over and backed away.

Soon, ‘it’ landed in the midst of the thousands of zoms.

-Thud!

Straight lines, V-shapes, diamonds, bamboo leaves.

A brilliant star reigning over all of them.

“…Now, player entrance.”

It was the moment the general zom appeared.