Chapter 40:
“Monsters sighted ahead.”
Everyone held their breath at Moon Soo-hyun’s words, who was leading the way.
They couldn’t know what monsters inhabited a dungeon until they encountered them, so it was crucial to identify them before engaging in combat.
“Confirmed to be Greenrolls.”
Giant monsters, resembling armadillos with a diameter of about three meters, were grazing on a patch of moss.
They were rare monsters found in Rank 4 dungeons, and as their appearance suggested, they had a characteristic rolling attack, curling up into a ball.
But Greenrolls had another notable feature…
“Greenrolls?”
Seo Jae-yi, who was at the rear, perked up, her black eyes sparkling with excitement.
“Won-yeong, did Soo-hyun say Greenrolls?”
“Yeah, I heard it too.”
The Guild members at the front, sensing the unusual excitement from the two S-ranks at the back, broke out in a cold sweat.
“…This doesn’t feel good.”
“You’re not the only one who’s feeling uneasy.”
Moon Soo-hyun also turned around and flinched, seeing Seo Jae-yi’s eyes glinting.
Three years of experience working under Seo Jae-yi wasn’t for nothing. Moon Soo-hyun immediately understood her intentions and facepalmed.
The most notable feature of Greenrolls was the thick patch of grass growing on their backs.
One might wonder why grass, parasitic and feeding on the host’s nutrients, was a notable feature…
Cordyceps, a fungus that parasitized insects, was already valuable. How much more valuable would grass be, grown by absorbing the magical energy of a monster?
It was a high-grade potion ingredient, so Seo Jae-yi, who sold dungeon plants, saw them as a treasure trove.
‘I thought she came because she was worried about Baek Joo-won, but she’s actually here to collect dungeon plants!’
Moon Soo-hyun sighed, finally realizing Seo Jae-yi’s true motives.
“Observe my Guiding order carefully. You memorized all the raid team members’ names and faces, right?”
Joo Seon-min reminded Baek Joo-won as the Espers finished their combat preparations. He nodded, holding the guns Seo Won-yeong had given him firmly in both hands.
“Yes.”
Just as he answered in a barely audible voice…
“The monsters have spotted us!”
The Greenrolls, who had been peacefully grazing, turned towards the raid team in unison.
But something was strange.
Their characteristic yellow eyes suddenly turned bloodshot, and they started shaking their heads. They pawed the ground and snorted, their behavior clearly abnormal.
“Aren’t they supposed to be docile? I’ve never seen them this agitated.”
“Damn it. This is troublesome. I was hoping for an easy raid.”
They were powerful, considering their size, but their docile nature usually made them easy to subjugate.
However, if they were determined to attack, the raid difficulty would increase significantly.
“They’re coming!”
Fifteen Greenrolls charged towards them, creating a ground-shaking rumble.
Moon Soo-hyun, a Telekinesis Esper, immediately created a two-meter deep pit in front of them. About five Greenrolls, unable to slow down in time, fell in. But the remaining ten trampled over their fallen comrades and continued their charge.
They were clearly acting abnormally, but there was no time to investigate the cause.
“I’ll block the ones in the pit! You guys handle the rest!”
“Yes!”
While Moon Soo-hyun used her telekinesis to contain the Greenrolls trapped in the pit, the Guild members started attacking the ones that had crossed.
Haeil’s elite raid team was still formidable, even without Kim Yoo-sung. With Joo Seon-min backing them up, they were more than capable of handling this.
They had to be…
“They’re stronger! Be careful!”
“Their defense is the same, but something’s off. They’re usually docile and back down when injured, but they’re relentless!”
The Guild members fighting at the front warned the rear.
“Shin Ji-woo! Stay at the back and protect the rear!”
“Yes!”
Shin Ji-woo, a Telekinesis Esper, quickly moved in front of the Guides and created a telekinetic shield.
One of the Greenrolls, dodging the five Guild members at the front, curled up into a ball and charged towards them.
It crashed into the shield with a loud bang. Shin Ji-woo’s face contorted slightly from the unexpectedly powerful impact, but his shield held firm.
“I can handle up to three!”
Even though he was a B-rank Telekinesis Esper, a rank lower than Moon Soo-hyun, he was still an elite Haeil Guild member. He could definitely block three.
“Kill them quickly before they reach the rear!”
“I’m trying, but they’re too tenacious!”
Jeong Yoon-ah, an A-rank Esper, cursed as she embedded ice shards into the monsters’ bodies and heads.
Despite being severely injured, they continued to struggle, their bloodshot eyes filled with a desperate will to survive.
“Why are they acting like this? Did the moss they were eating have some kind of drug in it?”
“Let’s collect some and analyze it. That’s the only explanation I can think of.”
Their initial panic subsided as they adapted to the situation and efficiently eliminated the monsters. Three were already dead.
“Baek Joo-won, watch closely. Espers expend more energy when they’re defending than when they’re attacking.”
Joo Seon-min, who was firing at the Greenrolls from behind Shin Ji-woo’s shield, checked the Espers’ conditions and instructed Baek Joo-won.
“So for now, just focus on Guiding Moon Soo-hyun and Shin Ji-woo. Provide support.”
She lowered her gun and provided radiative Guiding to Moon Soo-hyun, who was restraining five Greenrolls with her telekinesis. Despite the distance and the ongoing battle, her Guiding accurately reached Moon Soo-hyun’s back.
The telekinetic force holding down the Greenrolls in the pit intensified.
“Radiative Guiding isn’t as effective as contact Guiding, right? There are no civilians to worry about in the dungeon, so let’s experiment here after we finish eliminating the monsters.”
Joo Seon-min said casually after finishing Guiding. Baek Joo-won hesitated and asked,
“Is that okay?”
“Why not? We’re in a dungeon. And it’s better to practice…”
Joo Seon-min’s words were cut short.
“Ugh!”
“What the?!”
An earsplitting shriek echoed through the cave. Everyone covered their ears, overwhelmed by the shockwave-like sound.
The sound came from the pit where Moon Soo-hyun was holding down the Greenrolls with her telekinesis.
“They’re calling for help.”
Moon Soo-hyun muttered with a grave expression. The large cave shook violently, and dirt rained down from the ceiling.
“The boss monster has awakened.”
Dungeon masters usually resided in the deepest parts of dungeons. Therefore, the standard strategy was to eliminate the smaller monsters along the way and comfortably fight the boss monster…
“Those little guys called their mommy because they got beaten up.”
“It’ll be a relief if it’s just the boss monster. At this rate, the remaining monsters will also show up.”
As Jeong Yoon-ah predicted, the cave rumbled again. It wasn’t the sound of one or two monsters. They could handle it with their abilities, but they would likely sustain some injuries.
“Tsk, tsk. This is the level of Korea’s number one Guild’s elite raid team? Can’t even handle a Rank 4 dungeon properly?”
Seo Won-yeong, who had been observing the situation from the back with Seo Jae-yi, grumbled.
“They’re barely holding on to their number one spot with this kind of performance. Hand them over to me if they’re too heavy for you.”
“You don’t even have a Guild!”
“Unnie and I will form a two-person Guild.”
“Leader is part of Haeil!”
“That’s why I’m saying I’ll take Unnie away if you keep acting like this. You’re too small to contain her.”
Seo Won-yeong, displaying jealousy towards Haeil for stealing her sister, stepped forward, past Shin Ji-woo, who was protecting the Guides.
And she crushed the head of a Greenroll that was charging towards them, dodging the Espers.
Shin Ji-woo, who had a front-row seat to the gruesome scene of bodily fluids splattering everywhere, paled.
“Unnie, stay here.”
Seo Jae-yi, who had no intention of abandoning her Porter 1 role, nodded.
Instead, she threw a pouch she had brought in her backpack to Seo Won-yeong.
“Won-yeong, go over to Soo-hyun and use this.”
Seo Won-yeong’s eyes lit up, understanding that she was to free Moon Soo-hyun, who was still stuck.
She caught the pouch and kicked another Greenroll’s head, sending it flying, before running straight towards Moon Soo-hyun.
“She even shattered my ice with a single kick…”
Jeong Yoon-ah was speechless. She was truly the strongest Enhancement S-rank Esper. The problem was that her temper matched her rank…
“Moon Soo-hyun, stop using your ability and go deal with the monsters.”
“Okay.”
Moon Soo-hyun immediately retracted her telekinesis at Seo Won-yeong’s words. She could trust Seo Won-yeong; she wouldn’t do anything reckless in a dungeon where Seo Jae-yi was present.
Kyaaagh!
The monsters went berserk as the suppressing telekinetic force disappeared. They were even more agitated because they had been confined in a cramped space.
The topmost Greenroll clambered out first and lunged at Seo Won-yeong with its jaws wide open.
Thud!
Seo Won-yeong stomped on its head with her combat boot without even looking. Despite her light pressure, the Greenroll struggled in vain, unable to move.
“Let’s see. What should I do now?”
“Won-yeong, throw the pouch.”
“Ah, throw it? Okay.”
Seo Won-yeong tossed the pouch into the pit filled with monsters, as Seo Jae-yi instructed.
Giant plants, unbelievably large for something that had been contained in a small pouch, started pouring out.
Kyaaaaaaaaagh!
An earsplitting shriek, loud enough to deafen them, filled the air.