Chapter 55
Thump!
Carefully landing amidst the shattered rocks, Eun-Ha quickly surveyed her surroundings. They had fallen about a hundred meters into the center of a dome-shaped cave that had a diameter of about five hundred meters. Looking around, the entire cave seemed artificial, as if it had been carved out.
There are signs that this cave was carved out by something sharp. And judging by the shape, it was likely done by claws.
Having made a rough assessment, she glanced down at Se-Hoon, who was in her embrace, and quietly said. “This seems like an artificially created dungeon by a beast-type monster. There’s no sign of erosion by demonic aura, and considering how Mount Silver Moon is a D-class Danger Zone, it’s likely a C-rank monster...”
Trailing off, she peered into the darkness of the cave and then continued softly, muttering, “Given that it wasn’t discovered during the preliminary investigation, there’s also a chance it could be A-rank or higher.”
Since Mount Silver Moon was one of the potential sites for the first-year extermination practical, professors from Babel had been continuously visiting and assessing it beforehand. Yet, the fact that a dungeon of this magnitude had never been discovered suggested that it couldn’t possibly be an ordinary dungeon.
I couldn’t even find it myself until he pointed it out directly. I can’t underestimate it.
Reaching that thought, she briefly wondered how Se-Hoon had identified the dungeon so quickly, but she soon realized that focusing on the current situation was more crucial.
She deliberated whether to continue the investigation or retreat, but then Se-Hoon, who was still in her embrace, gazed into the darkness of the cave and spoke up.
“They’re coming.”
Gurgle-
With those words, the surrounding darkness immediately stirred and giant beasts emerged from within. Around two meters in height, the beasts—black wolves—continuously oozed a sticky black substance from their bodies that seeped into the ground. The black wolves’ out-of-focus red eyes were quickly directed toward them.
Upon seeing the clearly abnormal wolves, Eun-Ha narrowed her eyes.
“Undead-type monsters, it seems. They appear to be at least B-rank.”
Just one would be able to drench all of Mount Silver Moon in blood. Yet, right now, they were looking at over two hundred such monsters encircling them.
Growl-
The wolves bared their teeth, their hostility on full display. But despite that the malice emitted by hundreds of B-rank monsters was a weapon in and of itself, the two in the middle showed no changes in expression.
“It seems they’re all here now.”
One of them was unconcerned despite the number of opponents.
“Just stick close to me; don’t worry about it.”
And the other had full trust in the strength of his companion.
Clang- Clang-
A deep sound of rattling resonated from within Eun-Ha.
Then, channeling the mana that was amplified several times over by the equipment she recently consumed all into her right leg, she slowly scraped the ground with her right foot.
Crunch-
The ground easily gave way.
Seeing that, she slightly lowered her stance, drew her right foot back in a semi-circle, and surveyed the wolves encircling her.
Swoosh-
With the stomp of her right foot, a red line made a full circle around the cave, and then Eun-Ha landed like nothing had happened.
A heavy silence fell over the cave.
“Ugh...”
Breaking the silence, Se-Hoon, still in her embrace, covered his mouth with a queasy expression.
Thud-
And immediately after, the hundreds of wolves surrounding them simultaneously split in half and began to burn.
Fwoosh-
Seeing the soft flames—which made the wolves’ undead characteristics seem irrelevant—made Se-Hoon smile, despite still trying to settle his uneasy stomach.
Now this is an S-rank hero.
For heroes who were active on Mount Silver Moon, even a single B-rank monster would be disastrous. However, for S-rank heroes like Eun-Ha, B-rank monsters were no different from D-rank monsters like Silver Wolves.
And that fact was only reaffirmed by how she had cleared out the dungeon with just a single kick.
“Dean, can you put me down now?”
“It’s still not safe until the investigation ends...”
“You can’t investigate properly with me in your arms. Plus, I feel a bit queasy.”
Hearing his comment, she scanned the area once more and nodded.
“Alright. But don’t stray too far away from me.”
Leaving her embrace, he steadied himself and began to closely inspect the cave.
From the interview I read before the regression, Wurgen Kruger’s artifact is supposed to suddenly appear after all the monsters are defeated.
Since he hadn’t seen other monsters other than those undead wolves, this should have been the end. However, as he looked around, he began to doubt that it was.
Could such a dungeon be created by just one artifact?
He only remembered the interview so clearly despite the countless incidents that occurred before the regression because of that doubt.
The artifact lost by Wurgen Kruger, a Perfect One, was found in a dungeon within a D-grade Danger Zone. If it was just one of these factors, it wouldn’t be that strange, but the two together made the doubt too significant to overlook.
There was nothing special mentioned before the regression... but that can’t be the case.
No matter how noteworthy a Perfect One’s artifact might be, it wouldn’t have the power to create such a secretive place on its own. And if the item was actually the one he knew, it was even more improbable.
So what could it be?
What purpose could be behind using Wurgen Kruger’s artifact to help create such a dungeon? Keeping that question in mind, he took another look around the cave.
Flicker-
Examining the structure of the cave, which had been illuminated by the flames burning the wolves, he observed that the walls appeared as if they were haphazardly dug out by a beast. While Eun-Ha hadn’t been able to discern more than that, he noticed something hidden within.
There’s a magic array that draws in mana; it can also camouflage itself by blending with the surrounding environment. And this shady structure that’s designed to be mistaken for a natural formation...
It seemed that this dungeon was created using a technique that was vastly different from publicly known techniques. However, precisely because of that, he was able to realize who the group behind this dungeon was.
Exuviation, those bastards...
Exuviation was a group of madmen that researched how to evolve monsters using all manners of bizarre methods. Similar to Dawn, who had approached Luize, they were a subgroup of Watcher.
Recalling the bad blood he had with them before the regression, he grimaced. Then, suddenly—
Gurgle-
A silver Lycanthrope emerged from the shadows before him.
Whoosh-
Meeting eyes, its giant claws immediately tore through the air toward him.
In just a fraction of a second, he had successfully identified the enemy and its attack thanks to the life-or-death situation accelerating his thinking, but that was all.
It’s too fast.
Judging by its speed, it had to be at least A-rank. It was only three ranks above him, but the gap was overwhelming, making it seem impossible for him to even escape with ordinary means.
Watching the claws draw closer in the slowed world, he contemplated his next move.
Flash-
But before he could do anything, a red afterimage whisked past his face.
Boom-!
And the Lycanthrope’s body slammed into the cave’s wall.
Eun-Ha, having already reached it in the blink of an eye, clenched her fists and mercilessly swung at the monster.
Wham, wham, wham, wham!!
With a barrage of punches that left a trail of red, the Lycanthrope’s body was utterly pulverized. But even though the torso of the Lycanthrope had already disintegrated, leaving nothing but bloodstains and its limbs, Eun-Ha didn’t stop.
Always eliminate the threat thoroughly.
The fact that it had managed to perfectly conceal itself until now suggested that it surely had a trick up its sleeve. But right as she was about to crush the remaining limbs—
Creak-!
The surge of energy within her body halted, stiffening her body. She had overused her mana due to the unexpected appearance of the monster.
Taking advantage of that moment, the Lycanthrope’s index finger, previously lifeless, pointed at Eun-Ha.
“B-bind...”
In the blink of an eye, a black shadow shot out from its finger. Unable to even guess the nature of that technique, she instinctively moved before she could think.
Slick-
However, the black shadow was too fast and it managed to reach her diaphragm. It then seamlessly gathered together and solidified into a black sphere. A moment later, a thin line down the center began to slowly widen, transforming into an eye.
Whoosh!
And with one blink, Eun-Ha disappeared from the cave.
With Eun-Ha gone, the cave that was previously filled with roaring noise instantly quieted down, leaving only the sticky sounds that were emerging from the blood-stained debris.
Squish, drip, clang, crack-
Slowly returning to its original form, its body and head began to regenerate along with its pulverized limbs.
Completing its regeneration soon after, the Lycanthrope murmured with a trembling voice, “To be able to destroy ninety percent of my body in less than a second... is this what fighting someone close to being a Perfect One feels like...?”
Though it was initially filled with resentment due to having its evolution interrupted, now that it knew who its opponent was, it felt lucky to have even survived.
It knew that it would have been obliterated if it didn’t have the artifact implanted in its body and Se-Hoon had joined in.
But I can’t let my guard down yet.
Though it had managed to seal Eun-Ha, it was only a matter of time before the seal broke.
I have to create a situation where she won’t follow me after breaking out.
With that thought in mind, the Lycanthrope looked at Se-Hoon, who was standing quietly, and immediately kicked off the ground.
Whoosh-!
Whipping its dying body, it swung at Se-Hoon’s abdomen with all its might.
Boom!!!
Seemingly unable to retaliate properly, Se-Hoon was slammed into the wall. At the sight of Se-Hoon’s slumped body, the Lycanthrope muttered in a low voice, “You should be thankful to that monster. It saved your life.”
Though the fight was brief, the Lycanthrope was able to tell that Eun-Ha had been trying to protect Se-Hoon. It knew that if he were hurt, she would heal him instead of pursuing it.
With no more business left here, the Lycanthrope turned to leave.
“I remember now.”
But suddenly, it heard Se-Hoon’s murmuring as he emerged from the wall.
“S-tier monster, Moon Coveter Vollmond... ah, yes. You’re that kind of monster.”
Though he had never seen it directly, he remembered that it was listed among the monsters created by Exuviation.
It was a monster that could regenerate its original form from even a single strand of hair if it had moonlight-imbued demonic aura. Although it wasn’t in its completed form and differed slightly from the records, its basic framework was similar.
“...You. How do you not have a single scratch on your body?”
Vollmond, the Lycanthrope, stared at Se-Hoon in disbelief, completely taken aback. Though it had held back its strength to avoid killing him, it was unbelievable that it was not able to inflict even a minor injury.
Rumble-
A low-frequency vibration echoed throughout the cave. Realizing that it wasn’t from the crumbling of the wall but the entire space itself shaking, Vollmond’s eyes widened in shock.
What is this monster...!
Eun-Ha was already trying to break out despite only just having been sealed.
Realizing there wasn’t much time, Vollmond charged at Se-Hoon again without hesitation.
Bang!
The moment Se-Hoon barely managed to stand up, Vollmond swung both fists with all of its might and slammed him back into the wall.
Boom!
Though its strength was significantly reduced due to having to regenerate its body, it was still strong enough to match at least B-rank monsters. It wasn’t something that Se-Hoon, who seemed like a C-rank at best, should be able to withstand.
“Ugh...!”
But no matter how hard it hit, Se-Hoon showed no sign of injury. He even managed to brace himself and withstand the attack. Was it due to the odd sensation that felt like it was hitting something else? Confused, Vollmond suddenly shifted its gaze to its surroundings.
Crumble!
And the abnormally devastated surrounding walls caught its eye.
Clang!
Making use of the moment Vollmond was distracted, an attack burst forth from Se-Hoon. The opportunity was perfect, but due to the difference in physical capabilities, it barely grazed past the chest.
“Tsk... so attacking directly doesn’t work,” Se-Hoon said, expressing his frustration.
Meanwhile, Vollmond looked down at its regenerating chest and gazed back with calm eyes.
“Your armor... so it can disperse the impact of attacks into the shadows.”
Seeing that the wall behind Se-Hoon was completely shattered like it had been struck directly by Vollmond’s attacks, it realized that it had been outmaneuvered all this time. Vollmond felt a surge of murderous intent.
It felt frustrated that it had been deceived by a mere piece of armor, not even a technique.
“You shot yourself in the foot.”
It bared its fangs and bristled, showing a completely different demeanor from its earlier restraint.
Seeing that, Se-Hoon chuckled.
“Stop bluffing. You were so scared that you were about to run away—”
Bang!
Before he could finish, he was slammed against the wall again.
Seeing that the attack had been diverted once more, its eyes shone as it spread both of its arms wide.
Whoosh!
Simmering eerily in silver, massive claws that were akin to longswords had emerged from its fingertips.
Slash!
And they mercilessly slashed at Se-Hoon’s Shadow Matter Armor.
It unleashed a barrage of attacks, this time with claws, each carrying a dimensionally different force than before.
Crack!
The floor and the surrounding walls were instantaneously shredded into tatters, sparks flying from everywhere around the armor. The previous punches had been easier to deflect due to the broad area of impact, but since the concentrated slashes from the thin claws had a much smaller area, they were much harder for the armor to handle.
Snap!
The Shadow Matter Armor, which had easily withstood Vollmond’s attacks until now, began to wear down under the relentless onslaught.
Hiss!
And the moment the thin armor finally cracked slightly, a single slash managed to graze by, drawing blood. Though it was only a light wound, the fact that the attacks could now affect him, compared to when they were previously deflected fully, made a significant difference.
“Did you really think you were on par with me with just that piece of junk?”
Crash!
Though the Shadow Matter Armor could transform its shape, it couldn’t restore its durability. And that was made clear by how the armor was gradually deteriorating overall; its attempts at trying to repair itself by spreading out to fill in the penetrated areas were visibly slowing down.
Crack!
Finally, the armor reached its limit. The shoulder area broke, unable to withstand any more slashes. It seemed like the area’s mana circuit was damaged, preventing it from rapidly repairing itself like before. Luckily, however, the cut wasn’t deep thanks to the shoulder guard inside.
“Time to cut off that slow arm of yours!”
With terrifying force, Vollmond’s claws swung toward the now exposed right shoulder.
Crunch-
But instead of the sound of flesh and bone being sliced, a metallic, scraping noise occurred instead—the Shadow Matter Armor’s breastplate had been crushed. Facing the completely unexpected situation in the midst of battle, Vollmond’s eyes widened in shock.
What the...
The attack, aimed precisely at the shoulder, had inexplicably grazed the breastplate instead. Pondering the reason, it quickly realized the answer.
Click-
The fool in front of it, Se-Hoon, had reacted to its attack and dodged.
Clang-!
At that moment, a strike of multicolored flames erupted from Se-Hoon’s waist, seemingly the same attack as before. Despite reflexively dodging it, Vollmond found itself in a dire situation.
Sizz-
“Ugh...!”
The attack, barely grazing the skin, managed to cleanly penetrate deep into its chest, burning its insides. Caught off guard by the unexpected pain, it clenched its chest and looked at Se-Hoon with a bewildered expression from afar.
“Whew...”
There, Se-Hoon was trying to catch his breath while holding the Five-Flame Sword.
It looked like the Shadow Matter Armor was no longer regenerating, which suggested that it was completely ruined. But while he wasn’t fatally injured, there wasn’t a single spot on Se-Hoon’s body unhurt, with blood flowing from wounds all over his body.
He looked like he could be easily killed at any moment, yet Vollmond’s body refused to move.
Am I really... nervous?
Under normal circumstances, it would have easily killed such a fool. The mere fact that it was nervous in such a situation was unbelievable, and yet...
Managing to catch his breath, Se-Hoon spoke up.
“Are you done now?”
Then, with a grin on his face, Se-Hoon lightened his stance.
“It’s my turn now.”
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