“How was the dungeon up there? I heard leveling up gets tough from B-rank onwards?”
“Do they have A-rank monsters and all?”
“Did you see a doppelganger? Maybe the one that ate Il-wol?”
“Nope…”
“Hehe, just kidding.”
I answered vaguely with gestures, trying to gauge the changed vibes of my companions.
As expected, Ah-rin was the slowest to grow, but considering the last dungeon was a tough environment for her, her condition wasn’t bad.
After all, our party’s growth was several times faster than that of other hunters, so as long as I, the odd one out, wasn’t around, they wouldn’t have any reason to feel impatient.
This dungeon had a boss monster called ‘Weasel’, which looked just like a weasel.
As we entered the dungeon that the monsters were sharing with orcs, we were greeted by a scene filled with trees as gigantic as the World Tree.
There were plenty of fluffy clouds hanging below the trees, and it was a unique world connected by wide branches between the trees.
“If we fall under those clouds, we won’t die, but we’ll be barred from entering the dungeon for three days, so be careful.”
The penalty was severe.
Not just this dungeon, but all dungeons would be blocked from entry for three days.
Of course, it was better than dying from falling, but for us, who should be growing strong, our first goal was to avoid falling.
“Well, the branches are wide, so it should be manageable.”
“It is wider than I expected, but isn’t it swaying too much?”
“Guhhh…”
Ham Eun-young, who had acrophobia, couldn’t move properly after glancing down at the infinitely empty space below.
“This one sure is a handful.”
Noh Ha-yoon clicked her tongue while supporting Ham Eun-young, then spoke to Yeon-hee.
“I think we should just carry her around. Can you help us out?”
“Ah, yes, yes!”
In the end, Ham Eun-young was carried on the shoulder of the Alpha Lizardman.
Once on the lizardman’s shoulder, Eun-young clung to him as if her life depended on it.
“Churrr?!”
Thanks to that, the lizardman found it hard to participate properly in the fight.
“1, make sure to protect Eun-young at all costs. After all, once the battle starts, I’m sure she’ll be calling for ‘Castle.'”
“Churrap!”
“Can you sing?”
“Yes… I can, but I lose effectiveness when I’m this nervous. Ah, I’m sorry… so sorry…”
‘She has really started to talk a lot.’
Eun-young kept expressing her regrets, thinking she was becoming a burden to the team.
However, considering her traits, having her in the party was a significant advantage.
She could alleviate most negative statuses and provide a positive boost to their combat.
It’s just that they had been traveling together for so long, they didn’t realize it; if Eun-young were to leave, they’d quickly feel the regret.
If she ever wanted to leave the party, I’d have to drag her back through threats if necessary.
(What are you staring at? Eun-young is having a hard time in many ways, so I’ll handle the fight.)
A mackerel-patterned cat lightly jumped on the lizardman’s head and confidently struck a pose on its hind legs.
(There are quite a few nimble ones moving around.)
Azraelon said with his round eyes slightly dilated.
‘The ones called Weasels. They share this dungeon with the orcs. They tend to stick together, so be careful. Their claws are as sharp as well-honed swords.’
(Hmph, they’re just pathetic little things.)
Though he spoke carelessly, Azraelon was sticking closely beside Eun-young, ready for defense.
“Hoo, then let’s go.”
It was an expedition with my companions after a long time.
Sasha-sasha—
Unlike other dungeons, this one was already swarming with monsters from the start.
“A Weasel mob. There are definitely over a hundred of them… just as I heard, their numbers are insane.”
“Don’t underestimate them. They’ll take advantage of any hunters who are weak.”
Weasels are naturally cautious and tend to scout their prey for over an hour.
It’s always nerve-wracking when entering a dungeon for the first time.
Yeon-hee abruptly brought up the topic of joining the White Knight Guild, perhaps to ease her nerves.
“The White Knight Guild’s induction ceremony is the day after tomorrow.”
“Oh, are you finally getting in?”
“Well… what about the party?”
“Just because we join the guild doesn’t mean we have to stick together with White Knight Guild members, at least that’s what Yeon-su said.”
“Phew-”
“Until recently, I thought it’d be great to join the guild together… but the representative doesn’t seem to be a very good person, so I can’t recommend it.”
Yeon-hee still recalled vividly the memory of being backstabbed by Jo Gi-man.
“My goal is… to escape the White Knight Guild in two years.”
“Oh… setting a timeline?”
“Sooner would be better.”
Since Yeon-hee had shared some unfavorable stories about Jo Gi-man, the other companions seemed to hope it would happen sooner rather than later.
‘Once we get out, we’ll form our own guild. What should we name it?’
Of course, I had a feeling something bad would happen in this world before that, but imagination is free.
“The White Knight Guild is tough to get into. Just come back to our guild.”
Noh Ha-yoon was subtly marketing while the conversation flowed.
‘It might not be bad to join Vision, but it’s got that ‘witch’ issue. I heard her personality is horrible.’
“Our guild leader isn’t a bad person. Sure, they went through some abusive training when young… but anyway, they’re not.”
“”……….””
‘As if…’
In any case, Vision Guild also had a well-known rigorous induction test, but the White Knight Guild was notoriously selective about its members.
The authority to recruit was split equally between Jo Gi-man and Kang Yeon-su, and as long as one of them approves, you can join.
But both of them had a keen eye for people, so the number of newcomers entering each year was a fraction of what other large guilds accept.
Still, from Ah-rin or Joo-ah’s perspective, the biggest question would be what Yeon-hee thinks. If she decides to leave the party for the guild members, there’s no way for them to follow.
“I like this party… Of course, if the guild has a special request, that’s different, but other than that, I want to keep going as we are.”
“R-Really?”
“I like it too!”
The faces of the other companions brightened with the answer they had been hoping to hear.
“But joining might take a day or two. They’re selecting representatives for the guild battle.”
“You’re planning on participating, right?”
“I’ve already been determined to attend.”
‘Well, Yeon-su must’ve registered in advance.’
“Ah, that’s the same for us in Vision.”
“Your guild selects representatives too? Ha-yoon, aren’t you the representative?”
“Right? What’s the point of doing something that’s already a waste of time?”
It seems that Vision, where Noh Ha-yoon belonged, was also going through representative selection.
Ha-yoon tried to act confident, but as she spoke, her heart was racing hard, saying otherwise.
‘Guess you’re a little worried after all.’
“Even if you’re the representative, Yeon-hee can summon just one Il-wol and wipe them out. Isn’t the guild battle kind of pointless?”
“Y-Yeah, but you won’t know until you try!”
Noh Ha-yoon glanced at me, reinforcing her will.
It seems she wants to properly face off against me at least once, but honestly, I consider her a yawning opponent.
‘The gap has widened too much this job change.’
How long had we been walking while chatting?
The ‘Weasel’ squad that had been following us soon hastily increased the distance, revealing a group of about fifty orcs ahead.
“They’re coming!”
“All those red tattoos… they’re advanced warriors.”
“And there are some orc low-rank warriors mixed in.”
It’s not easy to distinguish the appearance of orcs from the advanced warrior stage, but a few of them had an extraordinary aura.
“Think of the orc low-rank warriors like strong Ah-rin.”
“Wow… this won’t be easy.”
“Seems like the Weasels are going to rush in too?”
“Those guys really hate orcs, so they won’t coordinate with them. If we show them we can deal with orcs easily, they won’t recklessly attack us.”
We moved forward slowly while paying close attention to our surroundings.
– Uwaaaaargh!!
The orc mob had noticed us and began charging forward with a [Warrior’s Roar].
We encountered the orcs on the wooden bridge.
Battling orcs, who are physically augmented as hunters, wouldn’t create many variables.
The key was whether we could fend them off and push back.
“Can I call for Castle here?”
Yeon-hee asked me, and I nodded.
I worried if the heavy orc mob and Castle would both be stable on the bridge, but I’ve never heard of this dungeon’s bridge breaking, so we should be able to unleash our full strength.
Kuuuuuuuh──!!
Upon summoning Castle to the battlefield, the rushing orc mob halted abruptly and instinctively took a step back.
The ‘Weasel’ mob, which had created distance, continued to keep their eyes on us from a safe distance.
The combined ‘Alpha Lizard’ carried Yeon-hee and Eun-young to an open space in Castle, settled down in front of it, and nodded at me.
The orc mob, momentarily stunned by the massive fortress, quickly regrouped and charged at us again.
However, a Shadow Drake that flew between the trees unleashed its breath, blocking their charge, and the summoned creature army led by Baek Ah-rin, along with the bombardment from two sorcerers, left them dazed.
‘Wow— they’re incredibly strong.’
We had struggled in the last dungeon due to its complexity, but with our party’s combat power already well beyond a C-rank, we were miles ahead.
Pook-!
“Crack?!”
– You have defeated the orc warrior for the first time!
I dispatched the orc warriors selectively, making sure not to disrupt my companions’ fights.
– Trait [Thievery] is activated.
– Trait [Warrior’s Roar] has greatly increased!
– You have acquired the skill [Blood Frenzy]!
[Warrior’s Roar Lv.Max]
– The roar of the warrior invigorates allies!
– Strength +20
[Blood Frenzy]
– Inscribes a Berserker’s tattoo, temporarily greatly enhancing physical abilities.
– After use, enters a state of severe fatigue.
‘Not surprised by this since I already knew it.’
Orc warriors bite their fingers to draw blood and draw tattoos on their faces when they find the battle turning against them, after which their physical abilities skyrocket explosively.
It looks like that’s the ability called [Blood Frenzy].
‘Even though it has side effects, it can be a strong weapon in crisis.’
I activated [Warrior’s Roar] which had maxed out its level, buffing my companions, and tried using [Blood Frenzy].
Chiiiiiing—
As soon as the skill activated, my vision brightened slightly, and I heard something being inscribed onto my face.
The rough yet organized tattoos of the orcs were etched into my helmet, and as I lightly stepped forward and used [Lightning Step], steam exploded behind me in an instant.
‘Kreee—!’
With movements more than 20% faster than usual, it was challenging to keep my own control, and I quickly zipped past the orcs, reaching the center of the Weasel pack which had been lurking.
The long, sleek body of the weasel, with its long whiskers, didn’t even notice I was approaching, and I seized the opportunity to swing my great sword, targeting the weasel.
Huuuuu—!
“Snap-!”
With a single swing, the heads of three weasels soared into the air, and as I repeated the action, the weasels, belatedly reacting, scattered in all directions to escape my attack range.
‘They’re really fast.’
The weasels dodged through the tiny gaps in the branches with surprising agility.
Of course, if I really chased after them, I could probably catch a few more, but I was worried about the side effects from using [Blood Frenzy], so I decided to pick up the carcasses of the weasels first.
– You have defeated the Weasel for the first time!
– Trait [Thievery] is activated.
– You have acquired the trait [Tempest Claw]!
– You have acquired the skill [Weasel Step]!
– All attributes have increased by 2!
[Tempest Claw]
– A powerful claw attack inflicts ‘Bleeding’ that’s hard to heal.
– Ignores 30% of defense.
[Weasel Step]
– The weasel’s flexible body has the remarkable ability to pass through small gaps.
The trait with the grand name, Tempest Claw, had impressive effects, and it even fused with my existing Fierce Claws, but the description for Weasel Step caught my attention even more.
‘Sneaking through small holes… that’s how I moved between branches earlier.’
It was astonishing to think that I could now move through holes that a weasel’s body couldn’t normally pass.
Did I just gain that ability?
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