When most people hear the term “lush greenery,” they usually envision a green forest.
The trunks and branches of trees are typically brown, but the leaves that sprout above are green.
[Blue]
However, the forest I am facing is definitely a ‘blue’ forest.
Weeds and bushes are growing haphazardly on the ground.
The roots of the trees are buried deep, with their straight trunks towering above.
The sprawling branches and countless leaves are painted in rich and bright shades of blue, rather than the usual brown or green.
“No monsters came out right from the entrance.”
Choi Ji-yeon, who was on high alert, let out a sigh as she spoke.
It seemed she was cautious about being ambushed by monsters the moment we entered the dungeon.
“The last hunt was three months ago, so I was considering the possibility of an ambush, but thankfully, that’s not the case.”
I nodded at her words while holding my purification tool.
Unlike the Grade 4 dungeon that students frequently enter for hunts, Grade 2 dungeons don’t have regular hunts.
Moreover, this ‘Hanseong Hills’ dungeon is especially rare to visit.
It’s so far out that few students would bother searching for it, especially with so many other Grade 2 dungeons around.
“Junior.”
Thanks to that, the monster count in the dungeon is high.
The Shio-ram side doesn’t bother cleaning deep into the dungeon unless it’s a risky situation, so the monsters are left piled up at the entrance.
That’s the reason I chose this dungeon.
Due to its structure, spirits exist, and there are plenty of monsters to be used as summons.
Plus, with so few people around, it was the perfect spot.
[Yes]
As I was taking my steps forward, Choi Ji-yeon called out to me briefly.
She stopped at a distance where she could easily reach out her arm, scanning the area.
Although it was a simple call, I understood its meaning.
Kugung… A faint vibration ran through my soles.
Nodding at the slowly approaching presence, I subtly spread out my observation skills.
Under the circumstances, I didn’t want detailed information.
I just wanted to gather intel on the blatant presence of the group.
[Northeast 1.2km 37 entities approaching]
[Green Tiger]
[6th tier]
[South 5.5km 32 entities approaching]
[Wind Tiger]
[Leading entity presumed 5th tier, others 6th tier]
[West 11km 9 entities on alert]
[Monster Hawk Presumed]
[2 entities 5th tier, others presumed 6th tier]
“Thanks, huh?”
With a sharp gaze scanning the area, Choi Ji-yeon muttered absentmindedly at the incessant voices pouring out.
“Uh… Ah, yes, thank you for the info. Please share anything unusual from now on.”
Responding a bit dazedly, Choi Ji-yeon hardened her expression again.
She had called out, but maybe she didn’t expect such detailed information?
I thought it had performed decently in China.
– Kuguguung…!
Before the monsters arrived, Ji-yeon and I cleaned up the area.
I knocked over tree stumps, while Ji-yeon buried the tree underground.
We created a suitable open space.
The trees weren’t densely packed, but there was no need to leave obstacles just for the sake of it.
– Grroooar…
Before long, the presence drew near.
The first group to arrive was the monsters from the northeast.
Green Tiger.
Resembling a tiger.
They are characterized by their light green fur and swirling dark green patterns.
As they traversed through the trees, those with green fur began to gaze towards us and approach.
‘Is it because there are so many monsters piled up? Just walking a little and we’re encountering several groups. Let’s clear this area first…’
“I’ll take the lead.”
Just as I was about to move, Ji-yeon, her fists clenched, stepped forward first.
I tilted my head at her boldness.
But with that realization, I was overwhelmed by her determined gaze and quietly scattered my mana.
This mission would take at least two days.
There was enough time, so there was no need to rush.
I intended to observe Ji-yeon’s battle records and build them up.
– Thud!
It wasn’t a powerful step.
It didn’t contain the strength to be called a full attack.
She simply placed her foot down, yet Ji-yeon’s leg plunged into the ground.
Kugung! The earth split like a spider web around her buried leg.
A dark hue flickered from the cracks.
– Grrrr…
An eerie sound echoed from between the gaps.
Annoyingly unsettling… the kind of sound that living beings would surely find repulsive.
The Green Tigers that were approaching suddenly halted in unison.
“Summon.”
– Thud!
At that moment, Ji-yeon’s whispered incantation released.
From the dark gap, dozens of thick arms erupted.
As if desperately yearning for something, the waving arms propped themselves against the ground and hoisted their buried bodies up.
– Grrrrr…
Iron-clad giants.
Standard 6th-tier monsters, resembling gorillas, with a thick exoskeleton layered like armor.
Dozens of iron-clad giants crawled out from the ground, standing behind me and Ji-yeon to face the Green Tigers.
– Grroooar!
After a brief standoff, the first movement came from the Green Tigers.
With a short roar, the Green Tiger slammed its feet into the ground.
Boom! The Green Tiger, accelerated by the wind, charged headfirst into the lead iron-clad giant, marking the start of the battle.
‘Hmm…’
The chaotic battlefield of dozens of monsters could be clearly read in my mind.
The characteristic of the Green Tigers lies in their speed and wind attribute magic.
With their two pairs of legs alone, they can achieve great speed, but when combined with their wind manipulation, the Green Tigers become even faster.
They encircled us as if to surround, repeatedly striking and retreating with their newfound speed.
It’s a clever strategy.
The iron-clad giants summoned by Ji-yeon, as their sturdy armor suggests, boast exceptional durability, but they move relatively sluggishly. They can’t keep up with the speed of the Green Tigers.
As a result, the iron-clad giants found themselves continually beaten down by the striking and retreating Green Tigers.
– Grrooooar…!
But they didn’t crumble.
While the iron-clad giants were taking a beating, there was no apparent damage happening.
The fundamental flaw of summons is that their functionality is inferior to when they were alive.
Due to the loss of body and soul, summons inevitably lose their capabilities.
Summoners are fully aware of this.
Thus, to overcome this limitation, many methods have been researched and devised.
The iron-clad giants were monsters that originally wore armor-like exoskeletons.
But the ones fighting now, each had thicker and harder armor than in their living days.
This wasn’t due to all being variants, but simply because Ji-yeon had added different materials beforehand to modify them.
Knowing that functionality declines from when they were alive, adjustments were made to artificially boost their capabilities.
Ji-yeon’s adjustments didn’t stop there.
– Grroooar!
As one of the Green Tigers that had continued to hit and retreat let out a pained cry after an attack, it leaped back.
The front paw of the recoiling Green Tiger was noticeably wounded, dark poison dripping from the deep gash.
The poisoned Green Tiger foamed at the mouth, wailing in agony.
– Slurp…
An unpleasant sound resonated in my ears.
I struggled to maintain my composure and looked at the source of the noise.
Coiling around the now solitary iron-clad giant was a massive centipede.
Poisonous Centipede.
A 6th-tier monster, it has an appearance similar to a centipede whose size has been amplified several times.
It possesses numerous legs resembling scythes, each flowing with poison, and its body is spiked with toxic protrusions.
– Kreeeek…
The poisonous centipede’s sharp legs scratched the iron-clad giant’s thick exoskeleton.
But it couldn’t seem to cut through.
The relatively slow-moving poisonous centipede was ensnared by the iron-clad giant, which stomped forward.
– Grroooar…
Seemingly gearing up like a porcupine, it had begun to defend itself.
Despite being a monster driven by killing instincts, it still demonstrated some level of reasoning.
Once just a small handful, the summons had surged to hundreds at this point.
Moreover, even now they were rising one after another, with the Green Tigers once encircling Ji-yeon, now finding themselves surrounded in turn.
No longer able to charge in confidently as before, the Green Tigers hastily turned around before being completely trapped.
– Bam!
– Grroooar!
Simultaneously, menacing spikes shot up from the ground, piercing the Green Tigers all at once.
An attack precisely targeting vital areas.
Those struck at their vital points collapsed on the spot, while some who narrowly avoided it still gasped in pain, pinned by the spikes.
– Whoosh… Bam!
Even those fortunate enough to dodge were subsequently skewered by rising spikes again, or their heads exploded from a punch delivered by the iron-clad giant.
– Grroooar…!
Amidst it all, one particularly lucky Green Tiger managed to slam its paws into the ground.
It wasn’t an escape maneuver.
Having witnessed how its kin perished in real-time, did it assume its own demise was certain?
It charged at us, rearing its fangs in a threatening manner.
Naturally, I wouldn’t let that slide.
Gripping the purification tool I was holding absentmindedly, I calmly prepared to cast a spell…
“Eek!”
…Before I could, Ji-yeon interjected swiftly, pulling me back. She’d wrapped her arm around my waist and yanked me away.
As if she had been ready the whole time.
With no hint of confusion, she quickly delivered a powerful punch, aiming at the Green Tiger’s face.
– Bam!
An explosion echoed, ringing in my ears.
This wasn’t an illusion.
The Green Tiger’s head exploded as Ji-yeon’s fist connected hard.
The remains shattered and scattered on the ground.
“Are you alright, Junior?”
Retrieving her fist, Ji-yeon scanned the area once more, then looked down at me with concern.
[?]
Given I had just witnessed the head being blown off at close range, I should’ve been drenched in blood.
However, the flesh and bone fragments were swept far away by the force of the punch.
‘…What just happened?’
On the other hand.
Receiving Ji-yeon’s worried stare, I blinked wordlessly.
‘She’s… incredibly strong?’
I knew Ji-yeon was strong, but now she seemed far stronger than I had known.
Of course, the monsters we were facing were only 6th-tier at most.
While they could easily cause mass carnage if unleashed in an unprotected city, they posed no real threat to Ji-yeon.
Even considering that, she dealt with them far too easily.
The summons Ji-yeon cast were far more precise than the ones I had seen before, effectively showcasing their former abilities.
Her skills in handling unique abilities had also advanced significantly.
Aside from the sheer output.
Her manipulation over the land was executed quickly, without any signs of warning.
Drawing on the earth’s magic from her legs and spreading it throughout her body, she executed a precise maneuver.
That control was several steps ahead of the Ji-yeon I had previously known.
‘……’
Setting all that aside, a strange feeling fluttered within me.
The attacks of monsters at that level posed no threat to me whatsoever.
Just standing still, the defensive magic I had cast would effortlessly bounce them away.
They didn’t hold any threat.
“Are you hurt anywhere?”
Even so.
Regardless of whether I was flabbergasted or not, Ji-yeon was snooping around to find any wounds I might have.
Her green eyes, filled with concern, fixed on me.
Unaware of such circumstances, the fact that she worried for me brought in an odd wave of feelings.
[Grro… huh…]
[Dimjiererere]
“Yes?”
– Ahem
[Thank you]
In the sudden situation, I waved my hands in surprise and then lowered my head slightly.
After confirming that my body was unharmed, Ji-yeon let out a sigh of relief and shook her head.
“This is simply what I should do. For the next two days… If we extend it further, I can manage three to four days, so let’s take it slow and tackle it safely.”
[…Yes]
Ji-yeon, who spoke clearly as if advising a child, made me nod obediently.
…It was a newfound realization, yet being cared for and protected by someone felt genuinely warm.
*
[Player Performance System: Affection Level]
Lee Ha-yul → Choi Ji-yeon
●●●●●●○○○○(61/100)
‘Heir of Taesan’ ‘Good Person’ ‘Rock’ ‘Reliability?’
▽Change▽
●●●●●●○○○○(61▷66/100)
‘Affection’ ‘Rock’ ‘Reliability’ ‘Stability’
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