Chapter 26: The Danchung Flame Appears

“I’m here to save a dueling opponent! I humbly ask to learn from you! Anyone, please teach me!”

The red-haired Kumgui shouted.

Save a dueling opponent?

Like the ‘friendly duel’ Diablo and I had?

‘Hmm.’

Leaning on the railing, I observed the Kumgui.

I didn’t have any particular business, but I was curious about who he was.

“What’s with that guy? He was in that spot yesterday too. Some kind of Tutu addict? Gambling addict?”

“Huh? Don’t you know? That guy’s famous. A famous attention seeker.”

“Attention seeker? What did he do?”

“He’s well-known among users. Every time he appears, he sets off sparks to pretend he’s a 5-star. You know, that thing… the Danchung Flame or whatever.”

“Oh, that? That guy’s the one? Seriously.”

At that moment, a few heroes showed interest.

One was a giant armed with a massive iron mace.

Another was a spear wielder. Both were strong fighters you could recognize at a glance.

Well.

This was Valhalla, the warriors’ paradise.

It wouldn’t be surprising for everyone around to be powerful.

“Hmm. Should we try fighting? He doesn’t look particularly strong. Wanna fight?”

The giant rubbed his chin, showing interest.

“What? Fight? He’s probably not that strong. Maybe 3-star? That’s all he is.”

“Oh, good. Then let’s have a match. Who do you want to bet on? I’ll bet on the opposite side of you.”

“What are you talking about? If you bet on your win, you’ll probably lose on purpose.”

“Pfft. That’s why I hate quick-witted spearmen. Alright, big guy! You said you’re here to save an opponent? Then fight me! Haha!”

The giant who was talking with the spearman stepped forward.

The spearman followed behind him.

Then the spearman’s eyes landed on me, but he turned his head as if it didn’t matter.

‘Did he figure out my position just from my gaze?’

Anyway, Valhalla was full of masters beyond imagination.

I listened carefully and focused on the three.

“I’m 4-star! The iron mace strongman! Let’s fight. How much do you want to bet? Don’t chicken out, go big! Ha ha!”

The giant approached the Kumgui and said.

The Kumgui’s expression brightened.

His red beard didn’t suit the childlike joy on his face.

“Oh! You, a strong warrior, will face me? What an honor! I am 3-star! The Danchung Flame’s Passionate Sword Demon! Pleased to meet you!”

“Alright, alright, I get it. But how much do you want to bet? Level 50? Or 100?”

“Ha ha ha! Unfortunately, I’m only level 16! If that’s okay, will you face me at this level?”

“What? Only level 16? Why?”

The giant’s eyes went wide.

The Kumgui laughed and continued.

“Ha ha ha! I don’t even know the last time I went to a dungeon! I only leveled up by dying fifteen times! Please understand! I beg you!”

“Died fifteen times? And you still want to bet? Geez…”

The spearman listening was shocked.

Right.

‘You gain 1 level each time you are summoned from a card, right?’

‘So maybe he was summoned, killed, summoned again, and repeated until he got to level 16?’

It was an incomprehensible behavior to me.

My favor toward the Kumgui diminished.

“Should we just leave? Sometimes there are guys who keep getting ignored and lose their minds. Seems like that kind of guy. Should we? Don’t waste time with him.”

The spearman frowned and asked.

“Tch. He brought this on himself. Fine! Let’s fight! Let’s go!”

“Oh! Please teach me well! I look forward to your guidance!”

“Alright, let’s go! Ha ha ha!”

The giant and Kumgui moved.

The spearman followed behind them with a displeased expression.

‘Should I follow too?’

No.

I wasn’t interested.

If I followed, I might end up meddling.

I preferred to avoid unnecessary trouble.

Then I should head back to the stage………….

I looked around and thought.

Without a Valkyrie, the only way for me to return was to

[War of God: Welcome to Valhalla!]

[Start]

I just had to do the opposite of how I got to the square.

I pressed ‘Start’ and checked the stage.

[Oh? You’re back again? I’m ready! Charge!]

‘Huh?’

But on the screen, there was a Dwarf.

The first message was from the Dwarf who was obviously Gobori, the Goblin Sentry.

[Haam…………. Don’t you ever sleep? What time is it to be calling? Your skin will get ruined, seriously!]

Rose’s dwarf added a comment.

Oh, right.

I had turned on the screen and returned.

They had been through a long day, so I didn’t want to trouble them again.

[Storage] [Collected Heroes]

[★★ Wandering Swordsman]

[★★ Goblin Sentry]

[★★ Dwarf Shock Trooper]

[★★★ Danchung Flame’s Passionate Sword Demon]

[★★★★ Rose Fairy]

[★★★★ Bunny Girl]

[★★★★★ Terrible Man-Eating Flower]

Huff! Huff! Huff!

I sent Gobori, Rose, and Dolv back.

Then I was about to put the Orc away too, but ‘Hmm.’

I just left him there.

They said ‘Special Heroes’ like Orcs are different from regular heroes, so I figured it was fine to leave him alone.

Thunk!

I returned ‘myself’ from storage to the stage.

If that had been impossible, I would have been truly stuck.

[Available Expedition Areas]

[Lv. 32: Gravel Desert]

I checked the next expedition area.

Gravel Desert.

After the Orc Forest was the desert, right?

‘But…….’

I decided to save this dungeon for later.

I didn’t mind going alone, but it felt like a matter of ‘loyalty’.

[Lv. 0: Prologue]

‘Instead, maybe I should revisit the dungeon I went to before?’

I might have missed something. It’d be like reviewing.

Clank, clank!

I unequipped my gear.

Not for any special reason.

I thought there might be an achievement for ‘clearing without gear’ like the giant Ratmen.

Also, it would save repair costs.

[Lv. 4: Smelly Sewers]

I manipulated the screen and headed to the dungeon.

Thunk!

The familiar entrance greeted me.

There was a cutscene from here, right?

I waited briefly.

“Kyaa! Help! Please…!”

[SKIP]

As soon as I heard the voice, I skipped it.

I already knew the situation and didn’t want to watch it twice.

“Screech!”

“Chiiiek!”

The scene changed, and Ratmen appeared.

I lightly slashed the first Ratman charging at me.

Swish, thud!

[Lv. 4 Ratman Warrior defeated.]

‘Huh?’

That was light.

The Ratman’s head flew off the blade’s tip easily.

[Lv. 4 Ratman Warrior defeated.]

[Lv. 4 Ratman Warrior defeated.]

I took down the other two as well.

But it wasn’t a satisfying fight.

The Ratmen’s heads fell off as soon as the blade touched them.

‘Was it because of the level difference?’

It was a hollow battle, really.

‘Well.’

But I had no choice.

Since I started, I’d finish.

Running quickly, I reached the place where the NPC was.

“Screech!”

“Keek!”

[Lv. 4 Ratman Warrior defeated.]

[Lv. 4 Ratman Warrior defeated.]

I defeated the charging Ratmen.

“Thank you! Is this my necklace? Thank you for finding it!”

Dolores, freed from the iron bars, thanked me.

‘Huh?’

But something was different.

This Dolores was not the Dolores I knew.

Well, they said NPCs were ‘actors’, right?

So they had been changed.

Just as wandering swordsmen like me were grouped under that name, it seemed several actors played one NPC role.

“Then please follow me! To the exit…………!”

Dolores 2, who came out of the bars, spoke.

[SKIP]

Thunk!

Of course, I skipped lightly and returned.

I looked at the rewards on the screen.

[Mission Clear!]

[+150 Gold]

[Pet Bonus!] [+40 Gold]

[Pet Bonus!] [+30 Steel Shards]

Eh?

But the reward was miserable.

‘Was that all?’

I didn’t even level up.

Well.

If you could farm quickly like this, everyone would easily collect cards.

It seemed that once you cleared a dungeon, it no longer gave cards.

As expected from the card-selling Valhalla, such restrictions were understandable.

[Storage] [Collected Heroes]

[★★ Goblin Sentry]

[★★ Dwarf Shock Trooper]

[★★★ Danchung Flame’s Passionate Sword Demon]

[★★★★ Rose Fairy]

[★★★★ Bunny Girl]

[★★★★★ Terrible Man-Eating Flower]

Then how about changing the goal?

Like getting closer to unfamiliar heroes this time.

My gaze went to the Kumgui and Bunny Girl.

[★★★★★ Terrible Man-Eating Flower]

Then my eyes fixed on a familiar name.

Terrible Man-Eating Flower.

It was said to have tremendous power but was a beast that attacked party members.

Curious, I checked its traits.

[★★★★★ Terrible Man-Eating Flower]

[Brutal Glutton]

[Madness Master]

[Glurg! (gulp)]

[Rooted Vines]

[Brutal Glutton]

High chance to attack allies.

[Madness Master]

Cannot use potions. Immune to all threat effects.

[Glurg!]

Uses defeated target’s traits.

[Rooted Vines]

Recovers 10% HP every 5 seconds. Takes 100% extra damage from fire attacks.

Quite interesting traits.

A sense of dramatic power mixed with risk?

I heard some users only use beasts, and I could see why.

I pulled the man-eating flower out of storage.

Huff!

“Gruehl?”

The man-eating flower appeared on the stage, tilting its head.

It looked around and spotted me.

“Gruearkark!!!”

Thump thump thump!

It charged straight at me.

I smirked and manipulated the screen.

[Select heroes to deploy!]

[Deployment capacity: 2/3]

It was time to team up with a powerful beast.

Thump!

“Grael?”

The beast suddenly stopped.

‘?’

I stopped my hand and flinched.

The flower hadn’t stopped by itself.

The Orc, who had been silent until now.

‘Had the Orc grabbed it?’

“Groop? Grark!”

The flower struggled against the Orc’s grasp.

But the Orc didn’t let go.

Holding the flower tightly, the Orc endured, then

“Guel?”

Boom!

He slammed the flower down onto the floor.

The heavy impact shook the stage.

“Grrr…! Grrak!!!”

The flower rose and roared.

At first, it paid no attention to the Orc, but then it drooled and charged at him.

I stopped moving and watched them.

The Orc lowered his stance and dodged the flower.

At the same time, the Orc’s counterattack exploded.

Thud thwack!

“Grak!”

The teeth clinging to the flower fell off in a clatter.

“Grr! Grrah!”

Then the Orc’s counterattack continued.

Three fast rising punches.

Thupk! Thuk! Paak!

“Gak! Grak!”

The flower was pushed back by the blows.

The once invincible beast staggered.

“Grr! Rosh, Murka!”

The hammer-wielding Orc threatened.

“Guel! Grark…”

The flower extended its arm and stepped back.

‘Was it signaling to stop hitting?’

I laughed at the hesitant retreat of the flower.

The fight between two 5-stars was decided in an instant.

“What’s this? You protected me? From that beast?”

I approached the Orc and asked.

But the Orc didn’t answer.

He just stared at the flower as if he never moved at all.

Well, this was probably some kind of ‘Easter egg’.

Otherwise, the statue-like Orc wouldn’t protect me.

I smirked and manipulated the screen.

Thanks to that, I enjoyed an interesting show.

[Available Expedition Areas]

[Lv. 5: Sewer B1]

‘Hmm.

I thought before entering the dungeon.

I only have three spots for the expedition anyway.

‘How about bringing the Orc along with the man-eating flower?’

‘If the Orc is there, the flower won’t dare rush in.’

[Select heroes to deploy!]

[Deployment capacity: 3/3]

I selected three and headed to the dungeon.

Thump!

“Grarr! Po! Malka!”

The hammer-wielding Orc shouted as he slammed down.

“Grrak? Gttkttklam!”

The man-eating flower also raised its arms and roared.

‘Do they both say their deployment lines?’

I snorted and gripped my sword.

It was time to fight alongside powerful 5-stars.

Thunk!!