After hearing Yeo Juno's words, Choi Kyung-sik's arm, still holding back, tightened slightly.
On the other hand, Woo Ragi, who had been gazing at the splintered debris that was once his ornant, glanced at montarily. His blazing gaze soon cald down.
"[Sword Emperor]." In lieu of answering, Woo Ragi raised his sword.
Yeo Juno's eyebrows lifted up, as if he hadn't expected the other's tranquility, before quickly extending a chain-entwined arm. "If you think I'm bluffing you'll regret it." Yeo Juno continued to make threats until the very end.
Woo Ragi gave him a wry, chilling smile, "Whatever you've done, I'll just do the sa to you. That's that."
"Haha. You seem so relaxed."
""
"Well, I suppose it's no fun if you lose that fighting spirit." With that said, Yeo Juno slowly raised his extended arms.
The two faced each other without averting their gazes. Then, after a few seconds, Yeo Juno attacked with his chain first. "[Poison Technique]."
The chain crawled across the floor as if it were alive, rushing towards Woo Ragi. Woo Ragi avoided it with dexterous movents, launching counterattacks of his own.
At that mont, as Woo Ragi flung a dark-blue sword energy wave at Yeo Juno, he mouthed sothing. I tried to figure out what he was saying, but I clearly wasn't his intended recipient.
"It'd be better for us to rescue Garam-ie in the anti," Choi Kyung-sik said.
Woo Ragi must have instructed Choi Kyung-sik to do sothing. The Alchemist nodded towards Woo Ragi before suddenly jumping back. Before I could react, the Alchemist stomped his foot on the place we had been sitting just earlier.
Boo-Boom!
Then, with a loud noise, the ground beneath us began to sink, similar to when the Holy Statues were buried earlier. The speed at which the ground sank was quite dizzying, and even though I was securely held in Choi Kyung-sik's arms, I felt an eerie sensation of rapidly falling, as if I were free-falling down a well.
When my body beca stiff, Choi Kyung-sik tried to soothe , "Were you startled? To be honest, we're in a bit of a hurry. It'll be troubleso if Garam-ie stays in there." He gently pressed on my stiff back to calm down. My heart was tickled by that affectionate gesture, but I was more relieved when it felt as if my paralyzed arm muscles were loosening.
I began to exhale calmly; Choi Kyung-sik kindly and patiently asked, "Do you see the circuit?"
Only then did I look around and notice the large space underneath the perforated soil ceiling.
Below the ground, there was an empty spacea bit like a subway tunnel. Perhaps this foundation was constructed when creating the dungeon.
Moreover, beyond the light seeping through the perforated ceiling, a subtle glow emanated from the walls. That light was what Choi Kyung-sik was pointing to.
This I feel like I've seen it sowhere before.'
I frowned at the deja vu, but no mory surfaced. However, Choi Kyung-sik didnt seem to expect a response and imdiately touched the wall with his hand.
Then, a strange scene unfurled before my eyes. Complex letters and runic symbols appeared, carved intricately into the wall. Orange light flooded the gaps. "This is the circuit that supports the dungeon. It's connected to an energy source that powers and makes this dungeon operational."
" Energy?" My rigid tongue slowly relaxed, and I was able to sowhat respond.
He nodded, understanding what I ant, "Yes. Normally, you can't enter' this area like we just did."
"Then, how"
"If you follow this path, you'll probably reach below where Garam-ie is being buried."
At those words, I could guess what was happening, "DonDon't tell "
"That's right. When you're trapped in one of those cages, you beco an energy source for the dungeon."
"What?" As soon as I heard that, I recalled the withered body Woo Ragi had stuffed into his inventory. After becoming a werewolf, she was squeezed for energyher magic power
Choi Kyung-sik shook his head as if to calm down when my eyes widened in shock, "He's already deadit can't get any worse than that."
"H-How could you say sothing like that"
"No, I an At worst, Garam-ie just won't be able to move, so don't worry too much."
""
Though his words were ant to reassure , my tense expression didn't relax. Choi Kyung-sik looked at before muttering, half in disbelief, half in admiration, "It's amazing that you're worried about Garam-ie at your level."
"I know, but" I tried to retortI wanted to protest on an emotional level. However, Choi Kyung-sik paid no mind and was already scanning our surroundings.
I followed Choi Kyung-sk around the underground passage we infiltrated. The path made by the shining walls ended in darkness, and there were no other threatening or suspicious structures along the way.
Nevertheless, Choi Kyung-sik didn't move on. There was a sense of wonder in his expressions as he looked around. "You know, it's suspicious. There's usually security where the circuitry is, but"
""
"Maybe they don't have the resources? In anycase, that's good for us." Choi Kyung-sik carefully took what seed to be a round marble out and threw it.
The marble made a heavy thud as it fell to the groundit must be heavier than I expected. And, though we weren't on an incline, the marble began to slowly roll forward.
I looked in the direction of the marble as it rolled off into the distance. Though I didn't ask, Choi Kyung-sik explained what the item was to , "The bead will alert us to any traps that react to movent. It's rolling well and hasn't stopped yet."
""
"They even made the ground level and uniform. Hmm Why would they do sothing so foolish?"
That is to say, Choi Kyung-sik thought it was idiotic to make the direct road leading to an important device like an energy source easily traversable. Any complex dungeon could easily be damaged and rendered obsolete if intruders like us could easily access the energy cell.
So easy'
Could we really approach our goal this easily?
I also had the sa suspicions Choi Kyung-sik had. However, if we rethink this, perhaps they didn't expect us to reach this place. Perhaps they cleaned and organized this road for their own convenience. After all, this was the first ti soone made a dungeon.
"In anycase, we have no choice but to look around. And the marble just reached the end. It seems like there's so locked off area not too far from here."
""
"Shall we go?" Choi Kyung-sik intended to continue carrying . I wriggled my fingers and pushed at his shoulder.
He tilted his head for a mont but soon gently placed down. Then, with a shaless smile, he asked, "See? You recovered quickly, right?"
"You scamr."
"I think I'll be getting complints from Guild-master-nim."
I shot him a glare at his cheeky comnt but, to be honest, his actions allowed to overco our most recent crisis without any major injuries. So, I rely hurried to follow when his steps accelerated.
We walked towards the maw of deep darkness that stretched out before us; though Choi Kyung-sik walked half a step ahead of , his slender back looked sohow strong and reliable today.
* * *
We arrived quickly'
Less than ten minutes after we began to walk in the dim light created by the mana circuit, we were able to reach the device that we suspected was trapping Garam-ie.
Upon arrival, there were no other suspicious machinery or guards. Just a long, vertical passageway in this empty space, and above that transparent passage, I could see Garam-ie stuck in the ground, motionless, from below.
However, a large lock hung on the door connecting to the passageway and the cage.
Choi Kyung-sik, who left at a distance from the lock, looked carefully at it. Then, after his eyes glinted montarily, he spoke as if he couldn't comprehend sothing, "Is it really this easy?"
"What is it?"
"They've made this so sloppily. It only has seven locking chanisms Isn't this too conventional?"
"" I thought to myself whether or not seven locks was really such shabby security. Then, frowning, I called out to him, "Enoughhurry up and solve it."
"It feels weird" Choi Kyung-sik, looking incredibly dubious, agonized before eventually taking out a flask covered with skull stickers.
As he dropped a few drops of the liquid from the flask, the lock froze and turned transparent, as if made of glass. When white vapor rose from the lock, Choi Kyung-sik flicked his finger.
Cr-r-r-ack!
Then, soon, cracks appeared all over the lock.
Beco a mber!
TL: "He's already dead, it can't get much worse than that."
Honestly, Choi Kyung-sik would normally be so valid, but like I feel like this world can create so crapshoot "fates worse than death" situations for its characters.
Case in point: being an immortal werewolf battery for a dungeon.
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