Chapter 63: We Could Even Play Dice

The first place Park Ki-beom's group reached was the 50th floor.

Even though they entered a new Labyrinth, the conquered floors were shared. However, everything else was essentially starting from scratch.

There wasn't a single human-established safe zone.

Therefore, as soon as they entered, they had to fight the 50th-floor monsters that swarmed them.

---

Retreat wasn't an option, so immediately advancing to the upper floors was quite dangerous.

But Park Ki-beom was a 51st-floor conqueror, and Ji Yul-geon, though a later starter, had also conquered up to the 51st floor.

With the two leaders joining forces in the assault, the 50th-floor boss had to surrender its room in just one day.

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After securing the safe zone, Park Ki-beom immediately rushed to the rear.

In this expedition team composed of combatants of at least B-rank or higher, the weakest member was Park Seong-yeon.

Fortunately, Park Seong-yeon was fine.

No, actually, the atmosphere was flowing in a slightly strange way.

---

Park Seong-yeon was surrounded by team members, unsure of what to do.

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"Hey, because of Seong-yeon, I can't even take a break! I feel way too energetic!"

"Right? My arm was broken, but you can't even tell."

"I had internal injuries. I thought I'd need at least a mid-grade potion just to open my eyes, but look, I'm perfectly fine."

---

They were the ones who had been pushed to the rear due to injuries sustained during battle.

But the real story was different.

Someone tapped Park Seong-yeon's shoulder and greeted him.

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"Thanks. I'm alive because of you."

"Alive? What did Seong-yeon do this time?"

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He shrugged his shoulders at the team members while wiping his blood-stained armor.

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"Earlier, a Gerknom's claw was about to give my intestines a tour before it ran off."

"What?! Hey, how are you still alive?"

"Hey, I'm not dead yet! Seong-yeon saved me."

"No, that's not what I meant... Wow, seriously, Seong-yeon?"

---

A Gerknom is a monster whose claws are like greatswords themselves. The team member had almost had his guts spilled out.

Park Seong-yeon rushed over as soon as he saw and saved the member.

It wasn't just because of his outstanding healing ability.

Being able to jump into a place where spears, swords, and monster fangs and claws were flying like bullets was thanks to Yang Man-chun's thorough marking.

In that manner, Park Seong-yeon had jumped into the fray during combat nearly ten times.

---

And that wasn't all.

Yun Tae-seop, a healer from the Seonghwa Knights, praised his achievements.

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"Thanks to Healer Park Seong-yeon, our combat strength was well preserved. Most of the stabbing and tearing wounds were healed by Healer Park Seong-yeon."

"No, that was..."

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Park Seong-yeon merely moved his lips, unable to bring himself to deny it.

It must have been obvious to Yun Tae-seop, a fellow B-rank healer.

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"Huh?"

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Surprised team members turned to look at Park Seong-yeon and asked.

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"Seong-yeon, can you use remote healing too?"

"Ah, it wasn't just me, Healer Yun Tae-seop here also..."

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Yun Tae-seop waved his hands and shook his head.

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"I'm not very good at remote healing. All the minor injuries during combat were healed by Healer Park Seong-yeon."

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Hearing that, the team members cheered again.

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"All of them? So you're saying you can use area-of-effect healing too?"

"That's... not quite area-of-effect."

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The team members' eyes, fixed on the flustered Park Seong-yeon, shone like a hawk's eyes targeting prey.

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"Look at this guy. He used so much healing, yet he doesn't even look tired?"

"Huh? Really?"

"Seong-yeon, you said you were B-rank, but were you hiding your real strength?"

"Why would he hide it! It's time to proudly announce it as the official successor!"

"No, really, that's not it..."

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Park Seong-yeon waved his hands in denial, but Yun Tae-seop poured oil on the fire.

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"Earlier, I was almost in big trouble after being hit by a Dregas's claw. Healer Park neutralized the poison in an instant."

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The team members' eyes widened again.

A Dregas is a lizard-like monster that attacks by throwing its lethally poisonous claws like javelins.

Even for a hunter, without at least a mid-grade antidote potion, it could lead to paralysis or death at minimum.

If he recovered from that with just one heal...?

---

They could no longer call someone with abilities surpassing a mid-grade antidote potion a B-rank healer.

Then, one of the team members, who spotted Park Ki-beom listening to this, shouted.

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"Guild Master, why did you underreport our successor's abilities?"

"You should have announced this properly!"

"Did you tell us to hold back because of this?"

"Hey, really? You should have at least given us a heads-up!"

"If you had, we could have flattened Park Ha-na's nose."

"Haha, that's a bit of a shame."

"Right!"

"Hahahahaha!"

---

However, Park Ki-beom himself also had a surprised expression.

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"Seong-yeon?"

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Park Seong-yeon just repeated 'It's not like that' with his eyes, but no one was listening.

At that moment, Ji Yul-geon and Lucian, who had finished organizing the safe zone, joined the group.

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"Our nephew, I'm glad you're safe. You've already finished treating all the team members? You've worked hard."

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Then, Park Ki-beom poked Ji Yul-geon's side and shook his head.

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"Do you think he just healed from the rear? I hear he was the main combat support?"

"What?"

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Park Seong-yeon couldn't say anything to Ji Yul-geon and Lucian, who were looking at him with surprised eyes.

In truth, he was screaming inside.

'This was all because of the buff food!'

---

Park Seong-yeon truly hadn't expected this either.

Go Nam-tae had entrusted Park Seong-yeon with a coordinate-fixing item.

That was why Park Seong-yeon's luggage was heavy.

Of course, along with the request, Go Nam-tae had given Park Seong-yeon a 'small gift'.

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It was a bag of misutgaru (roasted grain powder) made from grinding various grains Go Nam-tae farmed.

And snacks, each one carefully wrapped in pumpkin leaves.

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-This has a pretty good buff. Eat it before entering the Labyrinth. I made it after accidentally getting the ingredients, so this is all I have. If I get more, I'll give you more later.

---

If Go Nam-tae openly said 'the buff is good,' its performance was anything but ordinary.

It was a chewy, soft, and pliable food that had received the unfair review from Danhong of being 'fake rice cakes.'

The taste and efficacy were excellent, but unfortunately, since it was made from ingredients thrown by Go Nam-tae's ill-tempered neighbor, the quantity was small.

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[Boss's Red Bean Yanggaeng: Grade - Blue]

[Upon consumption: Mana +45% (Duration 20 minutes)]

[Mana Fatigue Recovery 90% - 1 Hour]

[Mental Resistance +25%, Grants Anxiety/Fear Resistance]

[Strengthens Blocking Effect of Specter & Evil Spirit Auras]

[Long-term consumption: Mental Stability, Concentration & Mana Recovery Speed Increase]

[Luck +19, Calamity Avoidance Probability +10%]

[Shares Partial Same Effect with Allies Within 5m Radius]

※Caution: Effects do not stack, Reusable after 18 hours

---

It was an incredible buff food with a cooldown longer than most.

Since he had no time to feel emotions, Park Seong-yeon had no way of knowing what Go Nam-tae's 'pretty good' standard meant.

Park Seong-yeon and Yang Man-chun ate it up as if possessed.

But the buff effect was at a level that could transcend grades.

---

Park Seong-yeon looked at Yang Man-chun as if pleading for help, but he only subtly shook his head.

Only two pieces of yanggaeng remained.

There were still two more floors to go.

This could be Park Seong-yeon's extra life, or, as today showed, perfect combat support alone could become an immense combat force.

---

Also, he couldn't say he ate this alone.

Park Seong-yeon had begun walking the path of the successor.

He couldn't be seen hiding such strategic food when it wasn't even an extreme situation.

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"As soon as we get out, we need to re-evaluate Seong-yeon's grade first!"

'Brother, what do I do...?'

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Park Seong-yeon, plunged into a hell of praise, could only make a tearful face.

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*

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In the end, his conscience pricked, Park Seong-yeon brought out the Go Nam-tae brand misutgaru.

The expedition had prepared dried rations from things the Saeron Guild research lab had steadily purchased.

But seeing Park Seong-yeon take it out with a painfully reluctant expression, Park Ki-beom knew.

'That's the real deal!'

---

Sure enough, his guess was right.

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"No, what is this! Why is it so delicious!"

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It was misutgaru mixed with 100% grains and sugar from Go Nam-tae's garden, so of course it was delicious.

---

One sensitive team member quickly noticed the changes happening to his body.

The fatigue and labyrinth sickness that started upon entering were rapidly dissipating.

Especially as someone contracted with a water spirit in charge of the expedition's water, he perceived it more sensitively.

Because of that, unable to fully savor the taste, he carefully held out his cup.

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"Seong-yeon. Ha, just one more cup...?"

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But everyone had already lined up in front of Park Seong-yeon.

An amount Park Seong-yeon could have eaten alone for a month disappeared in one meal.

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Even after finishing, the team members, feeling regretful, kept glancing at Park Seong-yeon. Park Ki-beom scolded them.

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"You guys, our preserved rations aren't bad either. ...Though they probably can't beat this."

"Huh? Is that true?"

"No, where on earth did you get something like this...!"

"You don't need to know that, just don't get hurt. How do you get your stomachs opened as soon as you come in, Jo Tae-heon? Where are you looking, you, yes, you!"

"Wahahahahaha!"

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While the team members laughed, Park Seong-yeon carefully looked around the safe zone.

Since the boss was defeated, no monsters were rushing into the area again.

Yang Man-chun cautiously followed behind him.

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Tuk.

Something rolled clatteringly to Park Seong-yeon's feet, as if by accident.

It was an onggi (pottery) cube resembling a deep navy blue night sky.

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-If you get bored, you could even play dice with this.

---

Go Nam-tae had made delicate, gem-like markings on each cube.

Some with dots, some with numbers, others with drawn symbols.

Those meticulous markings were shining like gold.

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"Really, I don't know how this brother could give something like this as a disposable item..."

"It's not disposable if you can retrieve it once coordinates are set."

"Ah...!"

---

Park Seong-yeon looked around even more seriously.

He walked widely around, even outside the safe zone, scattering one cube in each direction.

Tuk, again tuk.

Coordinates were engraved on the 50th floor.

---

The 51st floor just took more time, but creating the safe zone was much easier.

Coordinates for the 51st floor were also engraved.

---

Now, facing the 52nd floor, the expedition realized something astonishing.

Even though this was the section where labyrinth sickness and fatigue should be at their peak, they were barely tired.

It was all thanks to the preserved rations.

---

Because of that, even before the decisive battle with the boss, they were relaxed enough to exchange jokes.

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"My condition is too good. It's hardly different from when we first entered."

"Me too. I'm fine except for being a little hungry."

"If you're still hungry after eating that much, it's because you're not human."

"Hey!"

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However, not everyone was happy about this fact.

'It really seems like the 52nd floor will be conquered like this! No, Park Ha-na must be first! I have to inform them immediately!'

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Placed so meticulously, but there was also Park Seong-beom's proxy within this expedition.

He was someone within the Seonghwa Knights, not the Saeron Guild.

---

He had tried to leave midway citing injury, but missed his chance because of Park Seong-yeon.

Moreover, Park Seong-yeon's performance was also critical information.

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At that moment, Barkan and Park Ha-na declared the conquest of the 52nd floor and entered the Labyrinth.

It was news reported by Jeong Sang-myeong.

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And on the 50th floor they had left.

The empty space near the cube began to shimmer.

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"Open, open, Cube Portal...!"

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Go Nam-tae was dripping with cold sweat, desperately chanting for the Cube Portal.