Chapter 245 – The Road to the Heart (2)
The way to go with your nerves on edge.
At last, through the hazy darkness, the first enemies appeared.
“… What is it, Kraken Jr.?”
Kim Taeyang’s weak voice, who was the first to face the opponent.
It wasn’t your average Kraken Junior.
Unlike the guy who had fought many times outside, his skin was red and his magic power was thick.
If the guy out there was a B+, he feels like he’s now an A to A+.
A B-class, no, even an A-class hunter should have been quite nervous.
“It’s nothing… Ah!?”
Pew!
“Hmm… , Quite tough, it tastes like cutting.”
Squeak-
This party is an exception.
The guys who showed up with a lot of energy couldn’t catch Kim Taeyang and Namgunghyuk’s fists and swords even once, and they exploded and were cut off.
The S-class is such an existence.
Asymmetrical power that can cleanly push out a considerable amount of difficulty with simple force.
Recently, the frequency of appearances of S-class hunters has increased, and the gap within the same rank has deepened, so there are talks about the need for a new rank, but the value has never faded.
Starting with the first two and later up to twenty.
As you progress on the road, the number of monsters blocking your eyes increases.
However, the advance of this party did not stop even a single step.
“Oh really… , Weak things! In groups! Crowd! Go!”
“Hmm, it seems my hand taste is getting weaker.”
Kim Tae-yang’s punches, whose entire body is like a weapon, and Namgoong-hyeok’s knife, sometimes called a sword demon.
More than anything…
「Flame Hydra.」
When the heads of nine snakes made of bright red flames sway, at least ten Kraken Juniors turn black with a burnt smell.
“Scent…”
Bondi fire magic is a method that weighs on the destructive power.
Most of them focus on burning or exploding a certain radius, and there is probably only Han Joo-hee in this world who can delicately handle the flames.
Oh, except for me, of course.
“Sheesh, they said it was inside Kraken’s body, so I was very nervous, but there’s nothing special, right?”
“Hoo… , I heard that such words are usually flagged remarks, but sooner or later something dangerous will come out.”
“… How does Namgung hyung know that?”
“It was on an internet blog. The white and round character made various expressions and told me words that should not be spoken in a dungeon.”
“No, even if you use the Internet, you will find places like that…”
When it’s too leisurely, the two vanguards are having a chat with each other.
In the meantime, the road became deeper and wider, and finally new monsters appeared.
A gigantic crab with an area two to three times that of an adult male.
And a tentacle-like parasite twice the size of a man’s forearm wriggling out of the flesh.
From the beak to the body, the length alone is 70 to 80 cm.
All of them were high-risk monsters that could be from A to A+.
“You look filthy ugly, really.”
“I won’t be able to eat crab for a while…”
Even if the variation widened, it couldn’t stop the advance of the S-class hunters.
However, tentacles… Rather, there were times when the parasite directly aimed at Juyeon as it suddenly jumped out of the flesh wall.
Of course, I burned or cut all of those cheeky things.
Because I think that ugly thing touches Juyeon’s body, um… , I don’t know why, but I was angry.
A lot of it too.
Perhaps it is the hatred or prejudice against tentacle-like creatures that men cannot bear.
After removing quite a few monsters, an abnormality was detected in the six walls.
Again!
“Why is that coming out again?”
“It doesn’t seem to have been particularly impacted during the battle.”
While they frown, the protective film created by Han Joo-yeon covers us.
Chi profit… !
An acidic liquid dripping down with a loud sound.
Han Joo-hee, who saw this, slightly narrowed her eyebrows and raised a fairly plausible hypothesis.
“It could be because I killed a lot of monsters, which is another defense mechanism.”
“That’s why the Kraken sensed a crisis and started spitting acid again.”
“Right now, that seems most likely. And…”
Her gaze at the ceiling engulfs me with slight anxiety.
“As the new trigger is applied, it may not stop as easily as the last time.”
That makes sense.
Killing a lot of monsters means we’ve gone that deep.
To that extent, the pressure or sense of crisis felt by Kraken must have doubled.
In other words, should I say that I pressed the seizure button that was more powerful than a moment ago?
You may have to change your perception now.
It’s not about when the dripping acid will stop.
“It doesn’t matter if it stops, more acid may drip.”
The deeper you dig, the more acidic liquid comes down.
“That’s right. The deeper you kill monsters, the more dangerous the Kraken will feel.”
Joohee Han nodded lightly as if agreeing with my words and answered.
Putting these facts together, we are given a timer that has never existed before.
As more acid rains down, the damage done to the shield will increase exponentially.
As much as that, the burden on Jooyeon who maintains the protective film will also increase.
So what we have to do
“Then… , What do you mean, you have to clear this dungeon while the shield is up?”
After a long time, Kim Taeyang chose the correct answer.
Han Joo-hee gives new instructions to the party that has stopped.
“Let’s speed up the attack from now on.”
The energy, which was delicately controlled so as not to damage the wall, explodes in an instant and fills the surroundings.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
As you dig deeper, the number of monsters increases rapidly, and the amount of falling acid increases.
In the end, the number of monsters increased to almost 100, but it was not a big risk for S-class hunters who started to show their abilities to their fullest.
However, the problem was the acidic liquid that had started pouring down like rain.
“How about magic attribute?”
“Huh… If it falls like now, it will be an hour’s limit. “
Han Joo -yeon answers Han Joo -hee’s question.
I feel that her magic attribute is great.
It’s an hour in this acid rain.
It was great, but unfortunately it was a very tight time for us.
“What dungeon is so long? Damn it.”
“As the body is big, the road continues.”
It’s been three hours since I went on the road after entering the dungeon.
During that time, the monsters are constantly turned over, and approximately dozens of kilometers have passed, but the dungeon still doesn’t know the end.
At this point, I start to worry about it.
Can we finish the dungeon attack within an hour of Han Ju -yeon’s shield?
Of course, her shield is not maintained, so she does not die immediately.
She is not as much as she is, but Han Joo -hee can also use shields.
But… The problem is that the biggest power at our party will disappear because it will consume a huge magic attribute in maintaining the shield.
“We speed up.”
After all, the only thing you can do is to speed up the attack speed.
Now, as it is almost running, the monster that blocks the road goes forward.
10 minutes, 20 minutes…
The pressure of time slowly feels dark.
A huge hall appears over the dark.
“This is…”
A spacious space where the surrounding six walls are badly wriggled.
Monsters are invisible.
The acidic fluid falling from the ceiling… It seems to be much less lower than the road that has passed.
And finally.
“There’s a road again.”
“… There is a way there too? “
“This is the same.”
After the end of the road, the options appeared.
Three branches that appeared in front of you.
Where is the way to the heart?
Usually, when a crossroads come out in this way, there are three major types of behavior according to the party.
If you have a job group who is good at search, you can find the real through it.
Search for each road to find the real.
Or divide the number of people and explore three places at the same time.
We do not have a professional group who are good at search, so the first is naturally eliminated.
The only thing left is the second and the third, which is also the answer.
“… I need to share the number of people. “
Dividing the number of people and exploring three crossroads at the same time.
We don’t have much time left.
As I entered the hall, the amount of acidic fluid was reduced, and the time to continue the protective film was longer, but it was about an hour again.
It is not enough to explore all three roads.
“Kim Sun Hunter, Nam Gung -hyuk Hunter, and I will explore each one by one. Joo -yeon and Kim Do -jin Hunter will remain in this hole to maintain the shield. “
The S -class Hunter sets one by one, and we left.
In order to maintain a little longer the shields scattered in different directions, she had to be in the center.
Of course I’m Juyeon’s escort, so I have to stay with her.
Joohee Han took out a winged wand-patterned badge from a small package and handed it to us.
One of the Magic Tower’s inventions, ‘D-Messenger’.
It is an artifact that, when you infuse magic into a badge, records your voice for 10 seconds and delivers it to someone wearing the same badge within a certain radius.
This guy is one of the reasons why the Mage Tower can spend a huge budget every year.
Thanks to the advantage that it can be used even in dungeons, it is a filial son of the Mage Tower that sells like hot cakes.
When the badge is fastened to the chest.
“Hunter Kim Do-jin.”
Han Joo-hee calls me.
“If anything happens, call me right away. I know your abilities are greater than I thought, but… , Don’t forget that this is inside the Kraken’s body.”
As she said that, her eyes were on Jooyeon.
He’s probably less than 10% worried about me, and he’s probably saying it because he’s worried about my sister.
I smiled and reassured her.
“Hold on to your worries. If anything happens, I’ll call you right away.”
“Heh…”
My answer was fleeting, but a smile was drawn on her lips.
The kind of smile that exudes a faint feeling that I make unconsciously while recalling memories that have already passed.
But that’s for a while.
“Great. One last check, and we’re off to a quick start.”
Clearing her smile, she gives instructions again with a cold expression.
Various buffs are poured over the heads of the S-class hunters after the inspection.
The S-class hunters who had prepared so much went their separate ways.
The only ones left in the spacious hall are me and Han Joo-yeon.
“Dojin-ah, isn’t it hard?”
I calmly shake my head at her words.
“I didn’t do anything, nothing.”
Monsters were all sorted out on the S-class line, so I didn’t do much.
At best, he burned a few heads of parasites that pop out from time to time.
“Didn’t you do anything? With Dojini by her side, the teacher was very reassuring.”
“I’m glad you felt that way, but…”
She comes close to her creeping distance.
“Thank you. Will you ever repay this favor?”
“… It’s even worth it.”
“Are you going to pay me back?”
It seems that the answer has been decided.
“Okay, then.”
Do what you want, boy.
It was when she was chatting with her about her.
A feeble light leaked from the badge hung on her chest, and an urgent voice poured out.
『I met a named monster. It’s name is ‘Guardian of the First Heart’… , Eek!』
『Nam Goong-hyeok is fighting the named monster ‘Second Heart Guardian’.』
“I’m Han Joo-hee. You are encountering and fighting the named monster ‘Third Guardian of the Heart’.』
Even three of them.
At the same time, a change occurred in the hall where Juyeon and I were staying.
Kudos!
Long chunks of flesh rise from the center of the hall and begin to clump together.
Boom!
Boom!
Massive chunks of flesh clump together with grotesque sounds, shrinking in size.
Forms begin to appear before long.
Thick and long legs, four pairs of arms that squirmed all the time, and hideous red eyes that gleamed.
And.
Pounding! Pounding! Throbbing!
Enormous magic power surges from the three hearts beating each on the left, center, and right sides of the chest.
The moment he takes full form, a message window pops up in front of him.
[The extreme hostility materializes.]
[The boss ‘Kraken’s clone’ appears!]
“Ah…”
“…”
Violent momentum is scattered everywhere just by existing.
It feels as if the Kraken’s huge body has been compressed into a body that is only about 3m long.
The moment I met the guy’s red eyes.
Die.
A single word dominates your mind.
This is the second time.
The opponent who instills mortal fear in me, who did not think of death even in all kinds of adversity and hardship.
With my trembling hand, I pushed magic power into the badge.
“… The boss ‘Kraken’s clone’ appears in the hall. The estimated grade is… , S-class or higher. After the battle is over, I want to join quickly.”
After finishing the communication, he said to Juyeon, who was holding the wand tightly with his trembling hands.
“Sir, run away.”
Separating him and Joo-yeon by making them run away anywhere.
Other than that, nothing else came to mind.
