Kudangtang!
The two people who had fallen crashed onto the floor simultaneously. Or more precisely, Sa-yoon managed to right himself just before hitting the ground and landed stably, while Geon-joo, lacking such skill, rolled noisily across the floor.
“Ack, ugh! Keck!” Geon-joo let out various groans as he rolled until he hit a wall and stopped. Sa-yoon looked at Geon-joo somewhat pitifully, wondering how he hadn’t learned to land properly despite being thrown so many times.
It seemed he’d need to throw him a few more times before Geon-joo could handle such sudden situations appropriately.
While the system had thrown Sa-yoon thousands of times, Geon-joo had no one to do that for him, so who else but Sa-yoon could throw him?
“Urgh…”
Groaning, Geon-joo, who had curled up into a ball, staggered to his feet. He clutched his head, briefly complaining of pain, then looked at the blue window that appeared before him. His slightly trembling eyes turned to Sa-yoon.
“The Worm King… it’s not the kind of place I’m thinking of, is it…?”
“What kind of place are you thinking of?”
“…Like, a place with bugs.”
The answer came after a slight delay. Geon-joo spoke with a grimace, as if even imagining it was unpleasant. Sa-yoon calmly affirmed.
“That’s right.”
“What did you say?”
Unlike before, this time he reacted immediately. To Geon-joo, who was asking again in shock, Sa-yoon let out a light sigh.
It wasn’t welcome news for him either.
“I said it’s correct that there will be bugs.”
The Worm King’s Burrow.
It was a place densely populated with insect-type monsters, among those that had destroyed the field. The one reigning as their king was the Worm King, which, although in the form of a bee, was also a bloodsucker and quite a troublesome creature.
And above all.
It was filthy.
“Of all places, did we have to end up here…?”
Thinking their luck was rotten, Sa-yoon kicked away a stone that had fallen with them when the ceiling broke. The fluttering sound of something flying was disgustingly loud.
Since this was a dungeon that had already been discovered, it wouldn’t count towards the discovery count. They’d just have to defeat the boss monster and leave.
If he was going to defeat a boss mob, he would have chosen a dungeon where Geon-joo could fight alongside him.
This dungeon was of a high rank.
High, medium, and low rank.
That was the standard for classifying dungeons appearing in the ruined world, and this one was high rank. It meant that even among the monsters appearing in the field, a strong one was here as the boss.
Sa-yoon, frowning at how things had turned out, threw a potion to Geon-joo.
“Anyway, since we’ve entered the dungeon, be careful, pretty boy. Drink that before we start.”
“What is it?”
“Antidote.”
The reason the Worm King’s Burrow was tricky was that most of the monsters appearing here were coated in poison. It would be better to drink it in advance, as it might not be feasible to take it after being poisoned.
After explaining the situation, Geon-joo drank the potion without argument. Sa-yoon took out bandages from his inventory and wrapped them around Geon-joo’s body. The white cloth covered the skin exposed where clothes didn’t protect.
“Do we really need to go this far?”
“Wasn’t it you who was weak and trembling from poison last time?”
“…Then let me wrap it myself.”
“Do you think you wrapping it would be better than me doing it, pretty boy? Just accept it quietly when I’m taking care of you.”
He always had to have the last word. Saying to stay still, Sa-yoon tightly wrapped the bandages, restricting Geon-joo’s movements. He meticulously covered Geon-joo’s arms, legs, neck, and lower jaw with bandages. Geon-joo’s hair would protect well above that, and the only exposed part, his eyes, was something he’d have to manage himself – there was nothing Sa-yoon could do about that.
“If you feel poison entering your mucous membranes, call my name immediately and use the antidote first. I’ll buy you time for treatment.”
“Okay.”
“Don’t let your guard down just because they’re bugs. Stay alert.”
The bugs here are all ridiculously large, you know.
As if to prove his added words, a sound like motors running came from deep inside the cave, and then dozens of giant moths flew towards Sa-yoon and Geon-joo. Each one was so huge it was about the size of the upper body of a well-built adult male.
“Stay back!”
Though they weren’t strong creatures, it would be dangerous if they were surrounded. There were too many for Geon-joo to handle, so Sa-yoon shouted like a command and swung the daggers in both hands to prevent the moths from approaching. Then he used his frost skill.
The damp and humid underground froze. The energy that spread out swept through the moths and penetrated deep into the cave. The cold air enveloped Sa-yoon’s body. Watching the frozen moths fall to the ground like leaves in winter wind, Sa-yoon checked that Geon-joo was wearing the cold resistance items he had provided. Then he measured the maximum range of his skill and infused it with power.
<Your energy overwhelms the area! Skill ‘Domain Declaration’ is activated.>
<Your domain is declared in the Worm King’s Burrow.>
<Special effect ‘Survival of the Fittest’ is activated for 30 minutes. All abilities of life forms without resistance or immunity to your energy are reduced by 10%.>
Skills and special effects activated in succession. Once Survival of the Fittest was successfully activated, the aura felt inside the cave weakened considerably. Since most insects are weak to cold, there probably weren’t any monsters with cold resistance or immunity to chill. Sa-yoon extended his hand to Geon-joo, who had stepped back a couple of paces in the cave where breath was now visible.
“Let’s go, pretty boy.”
Geon-joo, who had been staring blankly at the outstretched hand, walked behind Sa-yoon. As if he had expected this, Sa-yoon withdrew his unclasped hand and entered the Worm King’s Burrow.
“The overall structure is made like an ant colony, so you’ll need a map to enter the boss’s room normally without wasting stamina.”
Sa-yoon explained about the Worm King’s Burrow as they entered.
“The moths we just met were like an initiation, and as we go deeper, there will be more outlandish creatures. So you won’t need to visit an insect museum after this. Once you’ve been here, those places will seem too boring.”
He chuckled at his own attempt to lighten the mood, but Geon-joo didn’t react. Sa-yoon turned slightly and clicked his tongue. Where had his pretty boy with that appealingly sharp aura gone, replaced by this pale-faced 22-year-old behind him?
“Do you hate it that much?”
“…Who likes bugs?”
“How can you say that when there are so many bug enthusiasts in the world? Just go online and you’d find dozens right away.”
There were many people in the world with unique interests. Sa-yoon pointed out Geon-joo’s narrow-minded thinking and continued to provide additional explanations about the dungeon. He explained that they might have a slim chance of getting a map drop by killing monsters, so until then, they’d have to cut through monsters without knowing the way. Geon-joo, who had been moving his lips, nodded.
Whether Geon-joo liked bugs or not, the dungeon wouldn’t cater to one specific person’s preferences.
Peudeudeuk!
Monsters endlessly flew around, attacking Sa-yoon and Geon-joo. Even if he cut down dozens with one strike, the presence felt from deep inside the cave was of hundreds or thousands. It wasn’t a dungeon for nothing.
Seogek!
He cut down another moth that appeared.
Seogeogek!
He slashed a strange monster flying in the form of a praying mantis.
Kwadeuduk!
He tore off all the wings of a poison butterfly.
Taking a step and swinging his sword with each move, they walked forward. When there were about 10 minutes left in the duration of Survival of the Fittest, an ominous vibration was felt, and a gigantic monster revealed itself from deeper inside the cave.
Deudeudeu.
The sound of wings flapping was quite fierce. Similar to the sound of an airplane propeller turning, Geon-joo felt momentarily pressured and moved behind Sa-yoon without being told. Standing three or four steps away, he furrowed his brow and asked about the identity of the two-headed monster that appeared before them.
“What’s that now? It looks different from the monsters we’ve faced so far. It’s too… bizarre to call it a bee.”
Geon-joo’s description was indeed not wrong. At a glance, it looked like a bee, but it walked on two legs and had two heads. Sa-yoon answered as he put his daggers back in his inventory and switched to a longsword.
“Twin-headed Bee.”
“Twin-headed Bee?”
“It’s like the guard of this dungeon. Every dungeon has something called a guard, which is like a mid-boss, and that’s this creature.”
Kwaaang!
As Sa-yoon replied, he and the Twin-headed Bee collided. Geon-joo flinched in surprise. It was a speed invisible to B-rank eyes.
Unlike Geon-joo, Sa-yoon had been carefully observing the Twin-headed Bee, which had been rapidly flapping its wings as a signal of attack. He didn’t miss its movement and blocked the creature’s charge.
“How rude, interrupting when someone’s talking…”
Sa-yoon clicked his tongue and twisted his wrist to strike the creature away. The appearance of a mid-boss meant they had entered the core of the dungeon. Since no monster had dropped a map on the way here, it was clear that the map Sa-yoon and Geon-joo were aiming for would be given by the Twin-headed Bee in front of them.
Unable to pass by without dealing with it, Sa-yoon swung his sword.
Hweeik!
The tip of Sa-yoon’s sword split the air.
“Even if you can’t see it, keep your eyes wide open and try to learn something.”
Not forgetting to advise Geon-joo behind him even while fighting, Sa-yoon elbowed the jaw of the Twin-headed Bee as it opened its mouth with a Kadeuduk sound, then swung his longsword at the exposed neck under its jaw. Deudeuduk! The Twin-headed Bee flapped its wings powerfully and immediately retreated. The sword tip barely grazed the creature.
It’s disgustingly fast.
Those wings vibrating tens of thousands of times per second weren’t there for nothing.
Tat!
Sa-yoon immediately kicked off the ground and swung his sword to not give the creature an opening. If it secured a certain distance, it would shoot poison stingers. It wouldn’t be a problem if he was the target, but if it aimed for Geon-joo, that would be an issue. So he had to end this in close combat before it could use its poison stingers.
―Kyaaak!
The Twin-headed Bee opened its mouth as if roaring and received Sa-yoon’s attack. It bit the incoming sword with its mouth and gnawed on it. If the longsword hadn’t been S-rank, it wouldn’t have been strange for it to break under such force.
―Kiiiik!
He kicked the monster’s abdomen as it clung to the sword, but the Twin-headed Bee, lifting its body with its wings, wasn’t easily subdued. The creature plunged down from the air. Sa-yoon extended his sword from below to above, confronting it.
Kang!
Kagagang!
A series of fierce attacks and defenses continued, accompanied by brutal sounds. Visible wounds were increasing on the Twin-headed Bee’s body.
Sa-yoon, who had been exchanging dozens of attacks per second, was keenly watching for a chance to grab the creature’s wings as it tried to retreat to secure distance. He seized the opportunity when it let its guard down.
He grabbed the wings in the moment of carelessness. Then, with veins standing out on the back of his hand from the exertion, he brutally tore them off.
―Kieeeeek!
The Twin-headed Bee screamed. Ppadeuduk, its wings were savagely separated from its body. Sa-yoon thrust his longsword into the gap and charged towards the wall with the sword still embedded. Given the narrow, cave-like dungeon, the Twin-headed Bee was immediately crushed between the wall and Sa-yoon.
―Kieek!
Puk!
The sword between the Twin-headed Bee and Sa-yoon went in deeper. The sword that had pierced through flesh eventually penetrated the Twin-headed Bee’s body.
Ttuduk ttuduk, the monster’s bodily fluids flowed down the blade. Frowning at the unpleasant sensation wetting his palm, Sa-yoon fixed the Twin-headed Bee’s body with his foot and pulled out the sword.
Chwaaak!
The trapped fluids scattered in all directions. Geon-joo quickly retreated to avoid them.
―Kigigi….
The Twin-headed Bee, pinned under Sa-yoon’s foot, twitched a few times and then went limp. The creature’s corpse disappeared, leaving only two giant heads and a white paper.
As he picked up the paper, a notification window appeared saying he had acquired a dungeon-specific event item: a map.
“Found it.”
He handed the map, which they had finally found after coming about halfway, to Geon-joo, and held one of the Twin-headed Bee’s heads in one hand and his sword in the other. Sa-yoon kicked Geon-joo’s feet, who was hesitating behind him, to move him forward.
“Guide us on the fastest route to the boss room, pretty boy.”
Deolong deolong, the Twin-headed Bee’s head dangled and swayed in Sa-yoon’s hand. Geon-joo, who had received the map and was showing an incredulous expression, quickly closed his mouth at the sight and obediently took the lead.