Chapter 45

               

The ripple effect of the single comment No Death threw out was so great that even Hyun-jung, who always picked a fight with him, looked on with curiosity.

“No, it just doesn’t make any sense.”

“….”

“Honestly, your actions within Black Label have been so ridiculously explosive that the rumors about the guild master protecting you are starting to fade. But now you’re the target. To be honest, I was curious enough to step in myself. But now, a Double Dungeon? You even know what kind of monsters will appear inside, and you know the exact location of a Double Dungeon you claim you’ve never entered before?”

No Death let out a scoff.

“Even you have to admit it doesn’t make sense, right?”

I stared at No Death without a word.

Since Hyuk-min, who usually answered right away, was just staring silently, the guy seemed already convinced.

“Tell me. You know the future, don’t you.”

Seeing the look on No Death’s face, as if demanding an answer, Hyuk-min smirked.

“Yeah, I know the future.”

“….!!”

Both No Death and Hyun-jung looked shocked.

But their expressions changed differently at Hyuk-min’s next words.

“Isn’t that what you want to hear?”

Was it because that wasn’t the answer he wanted?

No Death looked completely deflated.

“Are you serious or what?”

“Haven’t you seen my Status Window? Isn’t the answer there?”

We were a Party connected by a chain, sharing each other’s Status Windows.

No Death, who didn’t trust people easily, must have looked at Hyuk-min’s Status Window countless times.

‘Still, he couldn’t have found any definitive proof.’

For some reason I didn’t understand.

The Party System didn’t explain the Regression Mode Skill, the only evidence that I knew the future.

When I first formed a Party with Hyun-jung, I had been curious if she could see the description for the Regression Mode Skill.

As it turned out, the description for Regression Mode was only visible to Hyuk-min; it wasn’t shared with others.

“So, do you know or not?”

“I told you I do.”

The System was a godlike entity.

There was nothing it didn’t know, and everything it displayed became reality.

But in Hyuk-min’s Status Window, visible through that very System, there wasn’t a single skill related to the future.

“Ugh! Seriously, what is it?”

This was because everyone trusted the System completely.

That was the reason No Death couldn’t believe it, even when I told him the truth.

“Alright, let’s save the chit-chat for after we clear this. Focus. We’re standing at the entrance to the Double Dungeon right now.”

*Shing.*

No Death drew his sword.

Then, just like before, he walked to the front and shouted at Hyuk-min.

“Agh, so frustrating. We need to talk after this. And then, you’d better tell me only the truth.”

“Fine.”

“I’m serious.”

“I said I get it. Let’s just hurry up and clear this.”

“You’re one incomprehensible bastard.”

With a sigh, No Death trudged forward with a weary gait.

Watching him, Hyuk-min smirked, patted Hyun-jung’s shoulder once, and then started walking toward the Double Dungeon.

= = =

「The first time I entered the Double Dungeon in my past life, I thought this must be what hell is like.」

“Wh-what is this?”

“Don’t panic, and don’t touch anything.”

In a space that looked like a stable, blood burst forth here and there, and people dropped like flies.

Hyuk-min’s party, taking their first step into the Double Dungeon, was located in the center of the unfolding battle.

“Hyaaaah!”

Someone holding a hatchet charged at them.

As he came right up next to them, No Death reflexively tried to swing the sword he was holding.

*Clang!*

Hyuk-min blocked No Death’s sword with the Immortal Demon Sword.

“I told you not to touch anything!”

No sooner had he finished speaking than the man with the hatchet swung it at No Death.

Just as No Death was about to push Hyuk-min aside and counterattack.

“Gack!… Gurgle!”

The hatchet sank brutally into the man behind them, and he fell backward like a wooden log.

The man who had been smiling like a madman at No Death strode past him and approached the fallen man.

“What the hell is this….”

“It’s an illusion.”

“An illusion?”

The familiar memory illuminated a fragment of his past life.

The memory of my past life, when I first set foot in the Double Dungeon.

The mountain of countless corpses, reminiscent of a living hell, was more terrifying than any horror I had ever experienced.

Among the dead, I saw a few familiar faces I’d seen coming and going.

– “Wh-what happened?”

– “It’s an illusion.”

– “To be an illusion, I see people I just saw a moment ago.”

– “They touched the illusion. Consider yourself lucky. If you had gone in first, that would be you lying there.”

– “What?”

I couldn’t believe the words of the elderly adventurer Sunbae.

But after seeing those who, not realizing it was an illusion, touched it and went mad, I knew his words were true.

– “Get away! It’s mine! Kya-ha-ha-ha!”

– “Take care of him.”

And the ones in charge of the Double Dungeon killed the crazed men on the spot and tossed them onto the pile of corpses.

Like a disposable item, used and thrown away, never to be saved again.

Back in the present, I glared at No Death and said.

“The moment you touch the illusion, your reality becomes trapped inside it.”

No Death flinched and slowly lowered his sword.

It was impossible to tell if it was an illusion or real.

The hell, where blood splattered on their faces and the stench of blood and corpses filled the air, was still in full swing.

It was a gory and brutal scene, almost too much to watch with open eyes.

“This room is actually one of the easier ones. All you have to do is pointedly ignore it and walk.”

Fists, kicks, swords, and axes flew from all directions.

Despite this, as if to teach his team members, Hyuk-min walked calmly toward the next room.

Even when a blade swung at his neck, Hyuk-min didn’t flinch as he headed for the next room, making No Death click his tongue.

“It looks so real. That’s amazing.”

“Of course~ He’s my uncle, you know?”

At that, Hyun-jung beamed for no reason and started walking after Hyuk-min.

Perhaps because she trusted Hyuk-min 100 percent, she walked confidently, just like Hyuk-min who had led the way, not flinching at the attacks flying at her.

“That kid, if you look closely, she’s no pushover either.”

Seeing the extraordinary behavior of Hyuk-min and Hyun-jung, No Death clicked his tongue again.

But his silent observation was short-lived.

“The guy who can’t even die is the most scared one here. Hurry up and come on.”

Hearing Hyuk-min’s taunting voice from afar, No Death’s face crumpled into a scowl.

“Scared! I’m a man who hasn’t been scared once since becoming a Revenant. What are you talking about!”

Only then, watching No Death stride forward confidently, did Hyuk-min let out a snort.

= = =

*Creeeak.*

The door opened, and a dark interior greeted Hyuk-min’s party.

Wanting to make up for his performance in the first room, No Death tried to take the lead.

“No, I’ll take this one.”

I stopped No Death by grabbing his shoulder and walked into the dark, sealed room.

After taking about ten large strides, Hyuk-min quietly raised his right fist.

‘Pure Barrier.’

[The active skill of the Pure Barrier Ring is activated.]

[The ‘Pure’ and ‘Barrier’ skills activate simultaneously, using the skill ‘Purification Shield’.]

The reason he obtained the Pure Barrier Ring, as part of the plan he had laid out.

With a brilliant light, the ring’s first major role in his various plans unfolded.

===

– “Kill them! Kill them all!!”

– “Don’t stop! We can’t save the ones who got caught! Kill them too!”

The living hell wasn’t just the first room filled with illusions.

The real Dungeon began from the second room.

*Kieeeek!*

*Kyaaaaah~*

Bat-like monsters flying from all directions mercilessly swooped down on the adventurers sent to clear the Dungeon.

Of course, Hyuk-min, standing at the very back, could only watch the battle at the front, which had not yet ended, his body filled with tension.

– “It’s too dark to see properly…. What kind of monster is it?”

The elderly Sunbae, who had answered every time I asked a question, said.

– “Succubus.”

– “What…?”

– “A demonic monster that sucks the life force out of humans with its beautiful appearance.”

*Fwoosh!*

A light flashed from the front, and for a moment, the monsters’ forms came into view.

It was the wicked sight of monsters grabbing onto humans and sucking their life force until they became mummies.」

===

*Fwoooosh!*

Light burst from the Pure Barrier Ring, and the Purification Shield swept over the second room.

The forms of the Succubi, previously unseen in the darkness, began to appear one by one.

White skin, sharp fangs, and red lips.

The Succubi, shielding their eyes as if the bright light from the Purification Shield was painful, numbered in the dozens.

*Kieeeeeek!*

*Kyaaaaaak!*

*Kyaaaaaaaak!*

These were the Succubi that had caused immense casualties and terror in my past life.

But unlike the past, wherever the white-glowing Purification Shield swept past, the screams of Succubi echoed from all directions.

After that came a burning sound.

*Fwoosh!*

*Crackle. Crackle. Crackle.*

Wherever the Purification Shield had passed, not a single Succubus remained.

There were only the charred corpses of the Succubi, burned to a crisp.

No Death ran over.

“What was that just now?”

“It’s an item I have.”

“I’ve never heard of an item like that….”

“You’re going to have a lot of questions for me from now on. If you get curious about every single one, you won’t live to a ripe old age.”

“Seriously, what are you?”

“Now it’s the boss room. This is where the biggest problem is.”

Arriving in front of the boss room door, Hyuk-min wore a newly serious expression.

In No Death’s opinion, neither the first nor the second room had been simple.

Yet, Hyuk-min’s expression had always been overflowing with confidence.

But the Hyuk-min standing before the boss room was different.

“Is this a place where the luck we’ve had so far won’t apply? What kind of boss is it?”

Hyuk-min, who was organizing his Inventory and equipment, said.

“The Succubus Queen.”

No Death pointed at the charred corpses of the Succubi.

“….!? The queen of those things?”

I nodded.

Then, I pointed the tip of the Immortal Demon Sword at No Death and said.

“You’re in the most danger. Among the skills the Succubus Queen has, there’s one called Charm.”

“She tries to seduce you? With her beautiful looks? I’m not one to fall for a honey trap.”

“It’s not on the level of a honey trap. The moment you fall for it, you become the Succubus Queen’s slave. Anyway, be careful of her kiss. I don’t want to have you as an enemy.”

It was a threat-filled warning, but it didn’t seem to reach No Death.

“The Succubus Queen… I wonder how pretty she is.”

Suddenly, No Death licked his lips with his tongue.

“This is making me nervous….”

“Don’t worry. It’s a shame, but I’ll cut her lips off first.”

“Unlike you, we’re not Revenants. Remember that we’re a team now.”

Having finished all his preparations, Hyuk-min looked at Hyun-jung and said.

“If No Death or I get hit by the kiss, shoot us immediately.”

“What!? Shoot you…?”

“She means snipe us. Aim precisely for the head or heart so we die instantly.”

“No! I can shoot that ahjussi, but not you, Uncle.”

Hyun-jung looked like she was about to cry.

But No Death tilted his head at Hyun-jung’s words and asked.

“But why is he ‘Uncle’ and I’m ‘Ahjussi’?”

“You obviously look like an ahjussi. And Uncle is Uncle.”

“Well, my age is that of an ahjussi… but appearance-wise, there shouldn’t be much difference between him and me….”

“Is that what’s important right now!? I will absolutely not shoot you, Uncle.”

As if he expected this, Hyuk-min placed his hands on Hyun-jung’s shoulders and said in a serious voice.

“You trust your uncle, right?”

“But….”

“I’ll say it clearly. It’s going to be okay. If I get Charmed, shoot me right away. That’s the only way we can win. Got it?”

Hyun-jung ultimately didn’t answer.

The active skill of the Pure Barrier Ring was also on cooldown.

Knowing these things all too well, Hyun-jung couldn’t help but hesitate even more.

“I’ll trust you.”

But Hyuk-min didn’t press her.

He just gave her a bright smile and quietly placed both hands on the boss room door.

“No Death, you and I will end this in one go. She recovers fast, and as a queen, her skin is tough. So swing with all your might.”

“You don’t have to tell me the obvious.”

“Just because she’s pretty doesn’t mean she’s a woman or a child, so just swing.”

“I’m getting an earful of nagging I don’t even get from the guild master. A monster is a monster. I’ll kill it on sight.”

“Then that’s settled. Just don’t blame us later.”

*Creeeak.*

“Huh? What do you mean by that?”

“I’m apologizing in advance.”

“What do you mean by that?”

Instead of an answer, I threw the boss room doors wide open.

*Fwoosh.*

The bright, golden boss room hurt our eyes.

At the end of a red carpet over 20 meters long.

At the very end, on a golden chair that looked like a throne, a beautiful woman licked her lips with a bright red tongue and rose to her feet.

And then.

“A pleasure to meet you.”

She gave a curtsy, like a noblewoman from the medieval era, and said.

“My slaves.”

“Get back!!”

Out of nowhere, Hyuk-min shouted, pushing No Death and Hyun-jung to the side.

*Chiiiiik.*

A red beam of light swiftly swept through the spot where they had been standing, spewing out crimson heat.

“I guess you didn’t get here in one go by luck after all? You dodged that?”

The Succubus Queen’s eyes trembled as she looked at Hyuk-min.

“Why. Did you think I’d go easy at first? What’s this? That look in your eyes? Have we met before?”