Chapter 26 (1/2)
[I’m in the process of replacing the Editor with a better one.]
Accompanying The Enemy (1)
As soon as I applied for reinstatement to the guild for dungeon exploration, the personnel team processed the notice of dismissal and approval simultaneously as if they were waiting for it.
“Congratulations on being released as the Team Leader.”
Secretary Kim approached with a cheerful voice.
With this announcement, I came down from the support 6 Team Leader position, which was rather superficial, and became a trainee in the headquarters.
Seo Gyu-cheol planned to let me build experiences for a few months this way and assign me to an appropriate exploration team. This was because an exploration team that ventured into the unexplored dungeons was genuinely the flower of the guild.
“Thank you. By the way, please don’t call me ‘young master.‘”
The [Successor’s Eyes] continued to assemble and collect Seo Jin-wook’s memories, and now I remembered many different scenes. Before taking the position of Team Leader with the connections, I remembered that Secretary Kim called me so, and I mentioned it before anything else.
“Then I will just call you the Team Leader, then.”
“When you just said congratulations on being relieved as the Team Leader?”
“Everything will pass in a blink of an eye, and you will be Team Leader or Part-Leader soon, anyways.”
It would have been the case with Seo Gyu-cheol in power.
Since he was in a hurry to put me, a newly Awakened, into an E-class dungeon, he would be willing to skip all the unnecessary formalities. He was the type of man who would defecate in his pants if he was in a hurry.
“By the way…”
Secretary Kim quietly approached and whispered.
“I dropped by the guild yesterday and heard something.”
It seemed that as we secretly went out together yesterday, he must have passed by the office before leaving work.
“It’s about the position of the Okcheon Dungeon Expedition Leader, and Park Chang-hee applied first. If the exploration Team Leader level had to go anyway, he wanted to be the one.”
Would you look at this?
“Well, knowing in advance that I am going?”
“In chronological order, the application by Park Chang-hee happened before the Team Leader was notified to go to the E-class dungeon.”
“It’s ambiguous.”
“And it’s suspicious.”
Did Seo Gyu-cheol first speak about me to the Team Leaders?
“And another one…”
Secretary Kim’s eyes sharpened. “So, the dungeon is limited to five people, right?”
“Yeah.”
“As soon as the Guild Master’s approval on letting the Team Leader participate as a trainee fell, the sub-Guild Master suddenly decided to go as well, saying that it’s too dangerous for a hunter who’s just Awakened.”
My expression stiffened without me noticing.
Han-seol was going with us?
*
“The members of Celestial Dragon Guild who will enter this time, please gather here.”
A few days later, in front of Okcheon’s gate…
Five guild members gathered to the call of a public official dispatched to manage the dungeon. I looked around as I prepared to enter.
The number of exploration personnel for this time was one from A-class, Park Chang-Hee, and one B-class, only Secretary Kim.
Besides, there were two D-class and me. Fortunately, it was concluded that Han-Seol wouldn’t join, contrary to the rumor previously heard.
‘Han-Seol isn’t here, but it’s more than enough just with Park Chang-hee and Secretary Kim. For the composition of an E-class dungeon expedition.’
The reason for this arrangement was to protect me. I looked at the two D-class hunters accompanying us.
All guild members’ details were already stored in my head.
‘Even for D-class, they’re numbnuts.’
Coincidentally, both of them had been newly promoted, and the time they were in the guild was short.
‘More coincidentally, neither of them belong to the Exploration Team 2.’
Park Chang-hee was the Team Leader of Exploration Team 2.
Even if Secretary Kim and I said it was force majeure, why did he not include his people for the rest of the slots?
”For sure, they’re not the line of Han-seol.’
Was he worried about making witnesses?
After understanding, his intentions were revealed clearly.
“Now, I’ll check your belongings.”
Government officials checked whether we had anything other than previously declared items. It was logical to check because humanity did not yet have a concept of subspace.
Park Chang-hee, who assumed the position of the expedition leader, checked with the official. He then asked while looking at the snake-shaped bracelet on my wrist.
“Mr. Seo Jin-wook… that…”
He suggested leaving the past behind at the preliminary briefing, but he still threatened to obey his orders as he was now in the expedition leader’s position, and I, the crew.
And, of course, how he addressed me also changed.
“Wouldn’t it be better to go without that Auto-Heal bracelet? I heard there were side effects.”
It was natural for the exploration leader to note the artifacts the crew possessed in advance, so I reported to the guild in advance about the [Five-Snake Bracelet].
Of course, the content of real abilities and side effects was shortened.
I couldn’t report it as a fine Auto-Heal artifact without any side effects because it was something that couldn’t be bought with the budget that Seo Gyu-cheol gave me.
“Wouldn’t it be difficult if you were suddenly bitten during battle? Even if there is no such thing, I can provide enough protection. It is only an E-class dungeon.”
I spoke, looking straight into Park Chang-hee’s eyes.
“No, thanks. If it seems like that would happen, I will take it out in advance.”
His intentions that he couldn’t even hide were visible in his eyes.
He would pretend to protect me thoroughly in front of others, so there would be no Auto-Healing.
However, at the crucial moment when he tried to send me, he was afraid that, if I was wearing something like this, it might be in the way.
“Well, do whatever you want. Instead, you should report any signs of side effects immediately.”
“Okay.”
I kept the bracelet whilst sighing in relief.
“Then, we will proceed.”
As the guild support team and officials watched, we followed Park Chang-hee’s lead and stepped into the oscillating gate.
*
“Squeal!”
An arrow flew into the goblin’s eye. In a faintly lit cave, we were confronting a group of goblins.
“Kim Byeong-ho! On the side!”
Secretary Kim jumped out in the direction of Park Chang-hee, who omitted the honorific title and position.
Swoosh!
As he swung his sword as if dancing, the goblins rushing from the right were swept away. Blood splattered along with the sparkling Mana, limbs fell, and the intestines scattered.
“Keeeeek!”
The goblins in this dungeon had no weapons, let alone clothes. They ran wildly with their naked body and with a bunch of things hanging from everywhere—a horde of creatures, literally close to beasts.
[Fireball!]
The runestone on the neck flashed, and the magic circle rose with the activation of the skill. A flame erupted from the hand of a D-class guild member.
Boom!
“Swoosh!”
A flame storm swept over the goblin. Instant death was relatively lucky. The surviving ones were lit on fire on the whole body and struggled with all their limbs. Secretary Kim swung his sword and cut off their breath one by one.
The goblins had no organization and no strategy. They followed their violent instincts and rushed in.
Their difference from wild beasts was that, unlike normal creatures that would have run away at this point, they were engulfed in unknown anger and continuously repeated to attack.
Shook! Swish!
“Gnar!”
Park Chang-hee, who blocked my front with his back towards me, struck the goblin’s head with a sword, looking around.
After confirming that the amount of monsters in the area had decreased, he looked at me.
“Are you okay?”
I was about to yawn inside, but I replied, pretending to be nervous.
“Yeah.”
“Then, try to take this guy out.”
He kicked a goblin running, which staggered with its whole body wounded.
“Khagh!”
If he were determined, the stomach would have burst, and its intestines would have been crushed at once, but the goblin stood up even as it staggered. It was as if Park Chang-hee controlled his force.
‘What is this, hunting practice for wolves? To bite it once and then toss it to the baby?’
As I complained inside, I faced the approaching goblins.
Park Chang-hee seemed to confront it and then quickly pulled out his body. Then, now, the goblin and I faced each other in a straight line.
“Kyauk… Kyaahak!”
The goblin hesitated for a moment and then ran to me.
Instead of Lorto’s dagger, an unreported item, I grabbed a long sword lent from the guild and aimed at it.
‘Moderately, very moderately. Mixing in unnecessary movements.’
I moved into a state of full consciousness.
Shh!