Chapter 22: The Shaman’s Lure

The interior of the dungeon was reminiscent of an abandoned medieval basement.

Wooden barrels rolling on the ground.

Iron armor scattered in disorder.

Even torn clothes strewn about.

Rather than just being abandoned, it felt as if someone had intentionally made a mess.

‘It’s obvious.’

It was clear to the eyes of Kim Hyeon-jun, who had caught many goblins before his regression.

Those things were the work of goblins.

‘There should be a trap around here.’

After reporting to the platoon leader that there seemed to be a trap nearby, Kim Hyeon-jun lifted his spear and lightly tapped under the torn clothes.

Click!

The sound of something activating rang out, and something caught on the blade of the spear.

It was a crudely made trap.

‘Spearmen are great for times like this.’

A spearman was perfect for checking for snares or traps.

One could call it an advantage of the spear’s long reach.

That was why even before entering the dungeon, the platoon leader had ordered the spearmen to check for traps.

If nothing else, the types of traps goblins installed tended to be fixed.

"Stupid humans! Kill them all!"

How long had it been since they moved forward?

Several goblins suddenly popped out from the darkness.

A sudden ambush.

The creatures swung clubs studded with sharp thorns.

"There's one to the side, and two in the back!"

"Yes, sir!"

However, the platoon members’ response was faster.

They countered after defending against the creatures' attacks with practiced ease.

"Kieeeek!"

The goblins that failed their ambush died while spewing green blood.

"Ugh. Why does the blood of these guys smell so rotten?"

"Goblins do tend to smell particularly bad."

The reason the platoon members were not surprised by the ambush was that they had experienced this kind of situation many times.

There was a reason people said experience was important.

"Kiek!"

"Kieeeek!"

The dungeon raid continued.

The platoon members handled the goblins one by one without much effort.

While it was partly because the raid group was composed mainly of sergeants and corporals,

"Haste."

"Knight’s Blessing."

"Increased Stamina Recovery Speed."

It was also thanks to the support magic of Corporal Han Ji-han, who was located in the rear.

Since he provided a mix of basic support magic and buff spells, the swordsmen could run wild like fish in water.

‘Buff magic should have a high mana consumption since the effects are so good.’

Sure enough.

Every time he used a buff spell, Corporal Han Ji-han took out a mana recovery potion from his shirt and drank it.

As if it were natural.

He continued to drink those bitter potions without a single change in his expression.

"I can't drink any more for a while! I feel like I'm going to puke if I drink more."

"Okay!"

At Corporal Han Ji-han’s words, the soldiers adjusted their raid speed in sync with each other.

It was natural, as if they had practiced their coordination before.

‘The feeling is completely different from when I raided a dungeon with only privates or privates first class.’

That was how Kim Hyeon-jun felt.

The difference between a beginner and an expert, so to speak.

Seeing it like this, the difference of one or two rank stripes was truly significant.

"The mage's buffs are delicious."

"As expected, the mage is the best."

"Bullshit. You said the mage's buffs were crappy after you received a buff from the chaplain last time."

"That's because he was just a regular support mage. Jihan's buffs are decent."

Corporal Han Ji-han was among the more skilled even among support mages.

The seniors said it felt like he could pull out about 1.4 times their original prowess.

‘There aren't many support mages who can provide buffs to that extent.’

Even for Kim Hyeon-jun, the effect was quite noticeable.

Did it feel like the medicine was working well for basic support magic?

It made sense, as the effect of the same support magic varied depending on the caster.

"Treat us to some frozen food when we go back. It's especially tiring today."

"Of course we should, Mr. Mage."

"I'll even treat you to cup noodles and drinks."

By the time they had handled about ten goblins without anyone getting hurt,

"Keek!"

An opportunity came to Kim Hyeon-jun as well, allowing him to catch about two of them.

‘Only two so far? I want to catch more.’

It was good that a private first class joined the dungeon raid carried out by sergeants and corporals. It was good, but….

The problem was that those guys caught the goblins too quickly whenever they appeared.

It seemed the effect of Corporal Han Ji-han’s support magic in the back was better than expected.

"Halt for a moment."

"Halt!"

I thought the dungeon would be cleared just like this, but that wasn't the case.

The platoon leader stopped the soldiers in the middle of the dungeon.

"Something is strange."

Then he re-checked the details investigated by the dungeon survey team.

The structure of the dungeon was the same, but there were a few differences.

The location and number of traps installed by the goblins.

This was a common occurrence, so they could move past it.

Since they were creatures with intelligence, they sometimes changed the location of traps.

However, a red orb was glowing in the distance.

That was the problem.

It was something that was not in the report from the survey team.

"Platoon leader. Isn't that an item?"

"Wow. If that's a real gem, it would be worth hundreds of millions."

"You idiot. If it's a real gem of that size, it'll easily exceed a billion."

A few soldiers asked with excited expressions, but the platoon leader shook his head.

While it could be an item or an expensive gem, on the contrary, it could also be a trap.

As long as goblins appeared in this dungeon, it had to be considered a trap.

"Never touch that. It could be a trap."

"Understood."

Second Lieutenant Kim Dong-woo was also human.

He didn't show it outwardly, but he felt regretful inside.

‘I heard the salary for officers didn't even go up much this year, so how much would that be if I just took it.’

If that was a truly valuable item or gem, how much money could he get his hands on?

But he had to endure.

Because he was in the position of a leading officer in charge of the soldiers.

"Pass by without giving that orb any attention."

"Yes, sir!"

Since the orb was glowing faintly like a jewel, the platoon leader gave the soldiers special caution.

It was a situation where they had to pass that orb since it was placed on the path they were taking.

Since the platoon leader had given a warning, nothing special would happen.

"Hey! What are you doing, you brat!"

That's what I thought, but trouble broke out.

I thought he was passing by quietly, but a private first class, who was a shieldman, put his hand on the red orb.

"W-Why is this in my hand... it's not me! I'm innocent!"

"Stop bullshitting. You picked it up yourself and now you're innocent? What were you going to do if this was a trap?"

Corporal Kang Cheol-su poured out harsh words as if he had been waiting.

For once, his words were right.

One never knew what would happen in a dungeon.

There was a possibility that such flashy accessories or gems were traps.

It meant the platoon leader hadn't given the warning not to touch it for no reason.

"I tried not to even look at it! But I don't know why this is in my hand! I'm serious!"

The shieldman said he was innocent with a face on the verge of tears.

There were no soldiers who believed those words, but Kim Hyeon-jun noticed something strange.

‘He suddenly reached out for the orb as if possessed by something.’

Since it happened in an instant, even he had no time to stop it.

Still, if there was one thing he noticed clearly, it was that the shieldman’s pupils were momentarily unfocused.

As if he were possessed by something.

"I really…."

Crackle!

Just as the shieldman’s face was about to burst into tears, the orb shattered on its own.

Then, a red aura began to spread wildly from the orb.

Kieeeek!

Kieek!

Then, the voices of goblins heard from afar as if they had been waiting.

"…Everyone, prepare for battle!"

At the platoon leader’s command, the soldiers hurriedly formed a battle formation.

Goblins were swarming in.

The battle that began like that was not as easy as before.

"This is crazy! How did these bastards get so strong!"

"These guys keep moving even if I drive a sword into their bodies!"

The goblins, whose eyes were stained red, were faster, stronger, and did not feel much pain.

Because of that, the soldiers who had handled them easily until now had to struggle.

‘Goblins strengthened by the red orb. As expected, it’s that guy.’

Kim Hyeon-jun quickly grasped the current situation.

It wasn't that difficult thanks to his knowledge from before the regression.

"Platoon leader! I think there is a Goblin Shaman over there on the other side!"

Goblin Shaman.

A monster classified as a boss of a C-rank dungeon had appeared.

"Damn it. I was just thinking the same thing."

The platoon leader was also thinking the same as Kim Hyeon-jun.

‘If that's the case, then the story after this is easy.’

Kim Hyeon-jun asked to be allowed to neutralize the Goblin Shaman.

Adding that he was confident in doing so.

"You're going to break through those goblins? Are you insane? No!"

The platoon leader flatly refused.

Even if Kim Hyeon-jun had been doing well lately, he was ultimately a private first class.

And this was a C-rank dungeon.

While even the corporals were struggling right now, he wanted to face the boss monster alone.

There was no way he would allow it.

However, the platoon leader could only be surprised by the words that followed.

"My mana was imbued with an ability not long ago! It is suitable for dealing with the Goblin Shaman!"

"…What?"

It was because of the report that his mana was imbued with an ability.

"It is this!"

Kim Hyeon-jun showed his mana to the platoon leader as if he had been waiting.

Unlike ordinary mana, it was black, deep, and sticky.

"Are you sure? Can you do it without getting hurt?"

The platoon leader confirmed that Kim Hyeon-jun’s words were not a lie.

He couldn't help but be swayed once he saw that ability.

Since an innate ability, which would only be found in someone of the Mugunghwa rank, had appeared in a soldier.

He didn't ask what the ability was because there was no time to ask.

‘If we stall for time like this, I guarantee at least two people will be seriously injured.’

The strength of the goblins that were troubling the soldiers did not weaken.

On the other hand, the more time they stalled, the more the soldiers' stamina would drain and their strength would weaken.

Dealing with the boss monster was the top priority.

If he, the platoon leader, moved himself, the soldiers might actually be put in danger.

In this case, it might be better for Kim Hyeon-jun to move instead.

‘Fine. Since he has been doing well so far. Let's trust him once.’

The platoon leader’s permission was granted, and Kim Hyeon-jun quickly turned his body and passed by his seniors.

"Kim Hyeon-jun! Where are you going!"

"Are you dying to get killed? Why are you jumping forward alone!"

He heard the horrified voices of his seniors, but he had no room to care.

‘Where am I going? I’m going to monopolize the boss monster by myself, you punks!’

Even without this, he hadn't been able to catch many goblins so far.

Then, a boss monster suddenly appeared.

He somehow persuaded the platoon leader and got a chance to hog the boss monster.

He had to move even a little faster before the leader changed his mind.

"I've reported to the platoon leader!"

With a simple answer, Kim Hyeon-jun dodged the monsters here and there.

The priority was to handle the boss monster before the soldiers collapsed from exhaustion.

"Kim Hyeon-jun! Take my magic with you!"

In the meantime, Corporal Han Ji-han cast a buff on Kim Hyeon-jun.

He didn't receive a proper buff spell like the seniors, but basic support magic was sufficient.

"Thank you!"

The running speed accelerated even more.

Even if they were monsters strengthened by the Goblin Shaman, they could not catch Kim Hyeon-jun.

‘Goblin Shaman. Normally, it would be hiding in a safe place.’

However.

What if the opponent was a human who looked easy?

What if that human was alone?

I could bet that it would appear, thinking what a stroke of luck this was.

"Kekeke! Human! To come all the way here alone, how stupid!"

It was as expected.

As he went inside, the creature appeared as if it had been waiting.

The boss monster of the C-rank dungeon, the Goblin Shaman.

It was older than a regular goblin, but its size was several times larger.

Its long, white beard reached down to its chest.

If one rushed in just because it looked old, their head would be crushed by the half-rotten wooden staff it was holding.

‘I shouldn't let my guard down just because it's a shaman.’

A boss monster is much stronger than a regular monster.

It also has more health.

Usually, the strategy is for squad members to focus and slowly chip away at its health.

But there was no time for that now.

Because the longer time was dragged out, the more the soldiers in the raid group were in danger.

"I'm glad you're the boss here."

Kim Hyeon-jun took a stance with a grin.

If it were the scheduled boss, there was no way he could have moved alone like this.

In his eyes now, that boss monster looked like nothing but a lump of experience points.

Sssssss.

Black and sticky mana began to swirl around the spear blade.

The Goblin Shaman’s expression distorted upon seeing Kim Hyeon-jun’s mana.