Chapter 128:
Ten years ago, when a Fixed dungeon emerged on this mountain, the nearby villagers had all relocated.
The dungeon had formed right in the middle of their village.
‘A simple Emergent Dungeon would be fine, but if a Dungeon Break Out occurs…’
Seo Jae-yi’s thought was cut short.
Rooooar!
A monstrous roar, loud enough to reach them even from several kilometers away, echoed through the air.
“No!”
There wouldn’t be any Espers or anything in that mountain village! There wasn’t even a Guild, let alone an Association branch, nearby. Everyone there could be killed.
“Park Hyung-woo! What are you standing around for! Follow me!”
Seo Jae-yi smacked the back of Park Hyung-woo’s head and started running.
Killing him wasn’t the priority right now. She was almost impressed by her own foresight in not killing him yet.
This wasn’t a dungeon she could handle alone.
【Emergent Dungeon Detected!】An Emergent Dungeon, estimated to be Rank 2, has appeared near Gapyeong County. Nearby Espers, please subjugate the dungeon immediately!
【Dungeon Break Out!】A Dungeon Break Out has occurred in the Gapyeong County Rank 2 dungeon! All Espers in the vicinity, please assemble immediately!
The urgent alerts blared from Seo Jae-yi’s receiver as she ran faster than a car. Fortunately, it wasn’t a Rank 1.
Seo Jae-yi tapped the receiver screen.
【Dungeon Subjugation Participation Confirmed — S-rank Esper Seo Jae-yi, Haeil Guild】This would also notify Guild Leader Kim Yoo-sung, so backup would arrive soon.
Glancing at the Taesan Guild members, who were following her towards the village instead of running away, Seo Jae-yi picked up the pace.
“Is this enough?”
Baek Joo-won, who had discarded his expensive robe and rolled up his sleeves, finally stopped moving after several hours of work.
He was decorating the cave for Seo Jae-yi.
Making it comfortable enough for her to consider selling her house and living here permanently.
Unaware that Seo Jae-yi was already contemplating that, Baek Joo-won was lost in pleasant fantasies.
“Even I find this ridiculous.”
He chuckled, imagining Seo Jae-yi’s delighted face when she saw the decorated cave.
Just a few months ago, he had been trying to get rid of her as she threatened to burn down his dungeon, and now he wanted her to stay, even if it meant her burning it all down.
He never imagined the human who tried to kill him on sight would become so precious. It was something he couldn’t have even conceived of a while ago.
He wondered if Airok, who had been with him for hundreds of years, found him strange.
“Come to think of it, that little guy has good judgment.”
Baek Joo-won poked Airok, who was still suffering from growing pains.
He had sensed Seo Jae-yi’s superior strength and immediately switched allegiance. As expected of a dragon, his instincts were sharp.
‘When will Seo Jae-yi come back?’
Poking the unconscious Airok as if to punish him, Baek Joo-won stood up and went outside.
But only the dungeon plants, waving and swaying towards their master, greeted him. He couldn’t sense Seo Jae-yi anywhere.
He didn’t like that.
Since this was his dungeon, it should be filled with Seo Jae-yi’s energy, his Seo Jae-yi. But he couldn’t sense even a trace of her, and it bothered him.
Just as she belonged to him, he belonged to her, and so did his dungeon.
This place should be filled with her presence.
‘It’ll naturally seep in if she stays here long enough.’
The thought brought a smile to his face.
Thump.
After a moment of contemplation, instead of returning to the cave, Baek Joo-won sat down at the entrance.
She hadn’t said she was staying overnight, so she would be back soon. Perhaps she was delayed, talking to her precious family.
But she had promised to return quickly, so he could wait.
“I hope she comes back soon.”
He missed her terribly today.
He would hold her close and kiss her the moment she arrived.
“……Damn it.”
Seo Jae-yi cursed under her breath as she reached the village entrance.
The gate had appeared right in the center of the village, and the heart of the village was on fire. Elderly villagers, drenched in blood and tears, were screaming and struggling to escape.
Even though it hadn’t taken her long to get here, the stench of blood already permeated the entire village.
Boom!
A utility pole exploded. The lights flickered throughout the village, then went out completely. But the fires burning everywhere made it brighter than usual.
It was a horrifyingly bright night.
Seo Jae-yi ran towards the center of the village. Monsters were continuously pouring out of the ominous red gate.
Crackle, sizzle!
Black electricity crackled around the gate and the monsters. Sparks flew as the currents collided, igniting the houses.
“Are you kidding me? Electric-types?”
The monsters emerging from the gate looked like a cross between ogres and oni.
Massive bodies almost three meters tall, sharp fangs protruding from their lower jaws, grotesque faces, and clubs crackling with electricity in their hands.
Electric-type monsters, even more troublesome and dangerous than fire-types.
‘A bad matchup for me.’
While she could neutralize their attacks to some extent, she would have to expend more energy to deal any significant damage.
The only fortunate thing was that Park Hyung-woo, an Earth Esper less susceptible to electricity, was here. He was an S-rank, so he would be of some help.
Park Hyung-woo, arriving after Seo Jae-yi, stood beside her at the gate. The guild members were helping the villagers evacuate.
Finally able to fight without restraint, Seo Jae-yi lunged at the nearest ogre. Dodging the electrified club, she punched the ogre in the side, her fist imbued with intense heat.
The moment her fist connected, a burst of fire erupted, piercing through the ogre’s body like a bullet. Burned innards spilled from the gaping hole.
“Tsk!”
But Seo Jae-yi wasn’t unscathed. Having touched the electrified body, her hand tingled.
If she had been wearing her combat suit, it wouldn’t have been a problem, but she had to endure it for now.
Rooooar!
The impaled ogre roared and swung its club. Seo Jae-yi, who had assumed it was dead, was startled and quickly dodged. The club grazed her cheek, drawing blood.
“Damn, that’s tough.”
To be able to attack like that even with a hole in its body. They said stimulating cells with electricity enhanced physical abilities; it seemed to be true.
Summoning a sword of fire, Seo Jae-yi swiftly decapitated the ogre. It finally collapsed with a thud.
A foul odor emanated from the charred stump of its neck.
‘Rank 2 monsters are tough.’
She had taken down one, but there was no time to rest. She had to buy the villagers as much time as possible to evacuate.
Summoning another fire sword, Seo Jae-yi, now wielding one in each hand, slashed at the ogres, severing their clubs, limbs, and finally their heads. Mutilated bodies piled up in her wake.
It was a gruesome scene, enough to make even the Taesan Guild members, who were helping with the evacuation, and the villagers turn pale.
But it wasn’t as one-sided as they thought.
“Ha…”
Seo Jae-yi’s movements finally stopped after she decapitated the tenth ogre. Her hand, as she wiped the sweat from her brow, was trembling and visibly swollen.
Even Seo Jae-yi couldn’t completely block burns from electricity, unlike heat.
If it had been anyone else, they would have been dead by now.
【Overload Progress — 30%】【Please keep it below 30%.】An alert sounded from her receiver.
She had been receiving regular Guiding from Baek Joo-won, but fighting the Taesan Guild members and then these monsters without a break, especially electric-types, had taken a toll.
‘My body feels heavy.’
Seo Jae-yi chuckled dryly at the thought.
Before Baek Joo-won, 30% overload was below average for her. She used to feel light at this level, and now it felt heavy?
It hadn’t even been a month since she paired with Baek Joo-won, yet she had changed this much in such a short time.
‘I’ve gotten soft.’
Seo Jae-yi clenched her fists, forcing the tremors to stop. The smile vanished from her face.
Her usual playfulness and composure were gone, replaced by a cold, intimidating ruthlessness.
She lunged at the monsters again.
Slash, burn, slash, burn, slash, burn, slash, burn, slash, burn, slash, burn, slash, burn.
Wielding her swords with frenzied abandon, she looked more demonic than the monsters themselves.