Guild Growth – 5
It was only a little while ago when I traveled around the world with those two artifacts to rescue the dwarves, so, strictly speaking, this was not my first time going abroad. At first, it was odd to imagine me in a place other than Korea, but when I finally left, it didn’t bother me at all. It was the same in Japan and China as it had been when we arrived in France after twenty days had passed. Countless crowds, facing a huge threat.
“Woah, I’m nervous. They all look so different than us.”
“They look kind of like me.”
“You’re not a human though.” Lee Chan-yu looked back at me after responding to Mireina.
“Are you okay, captain? I hadn’t flown on an airplane even before becoming a fallen…not that we came here by plane either.”
“What wouldn’t be okay?” Although I responded casually, I was clearly agitated. I faintly realized the reason as to why I was, but I pretended not to as I hid us with the power of Reaper.
“Go. If you don’t want to attract any attention, stick near me.”
“Hm!” Mireina shouted happily and clung to me. She expressed her affection toward me without any hesitation, which undeniably felt good. But my heart wasn’t looking at her, and she knew it.
“Don’t grab me too tightly.”
“I just stuck to you because you told me to!”
“Captain, we’re getting close. Can you feel it too?” I looked up at his words, feeling extraordinary mana even though I couldn’t confirm it with sight. In addition to the energy I felt, I could also sense many abilities surrounding the dungeon. It made sense now why so many people had been crowded together.
Bordeaux was famous for its wine in France. Since the monsters began to run wild, few farms and breweries had been able to maintain themselves in such an environment, and the price of wine had surged. However, without an accident, a huge dungeon had formed right near the farm that boasted the largest scale in the region. France had put in a lot of resources to protect this region right next to such a big dungeon.
I personally didn’t care much for wine myself. Rain usually served me whiskey or brandy, and before I died, I usually just drank soju or beer.
“Maybe L would like some?”
“Please refrain from speaking about her out loud, captain. Mireina looks like she’ll cry blood.” I patted Mireina on the shoulder to comfort her.
“Quickly find a good man. Oh, but don’t forget about our goal to annihilate the Elakatra.”
“Aren’t you going to comfort me?!”
“Fate is a big shot now, so I think two wives might be okay!”
“I don’t think it is.” I stopped moving, sensing a flow of mana surrounding a huge tree in the middle of the farm.
“They’re weak.” Lee Chan-yu, who was usually humble by nature, said something that didn’t fit him. I kept quiet to see what I could sense, but soon smiled and affirmed his words.
“For more than a month we didn’t sleep and smashed nearly one-hundred and fifty dungeons, but the humans aren’t strong enough by themselves.” Erkindra continued to monitor the dungeons in Korea while we worked abroad to conquer only strong dungeons that emitted a terrible energy, where many high-ranking monsters were concentrated. Since the difficulty had been so great, the growth of Lee Chan-yu and Mireina had gone by a lot quicker than it had in Korea.
“Let’s enter.”
“Yeah.” We entered while concealing our appearance. The people around us were unable to notice us right in front of them. The monsters inside the dungeon were strong enough to possess the title of the best. Entities that were stronger than the Slime Dungeon boss rushed around us to try and kill Mireina and Lee Chan-yu. The spirit of the giant tree, monsters of the earth, a bird that fired light like a laser, and a grapevine monster too large to eat all came to fight us.
“There are monsters like this.”
“Wow, that grape is so big. I’d be full with just one!” I wondered if the dungeon had a similar environment to the vineyard from the beginning, or if the monsters mutated to suit their environment. It was like the dungeon was turning into a vineyard itself.
[Groooah!]
“I hit it!”
“Eight left!” It would’ve been impossible for the two of them at the start. But now, Lee Chan-yu was confronting the top-class monsters head-on with Mireina supporting him with arrows.
‘Evolution’s not far off.’ Especially for Mireina. Lee Chan-yu would need a little more time, but it wouldn’t be strange for Mireina to evolve at any point. It would be possible if I shared the power of Jinma with her.
[Kuaaaahhh!]
“Fate, look! I did a good job!”
“Look ahead. That scream called other monsters.” They were still a bit immature mentally, which worried me. I let out a sigh and proceeded into the dungeon.
‘Well?’ I felt the flow of mana momentarily and looked back. I wondered if someone other than us had entered, but no one appeared to be around. Was it an illusion? No, it must be something happening outside.
‘It didn’t feel threatening. Did some check inside the dungeon?’ Belkena Spell had risen to the point that I could handle quite a bit of magic, so I couldn’t imagine anyone other than Elakatra would be able to evade my senses. It would be a pity to retreat without hunting the dungeon boss, which was obviously a higher-level entity, but we couldn’t risk it. But, the moment I opened a gate to the dungeon, an entity with an overwhelming presence entered the dungeon. By the time I had told Mireina and Lee Chan-yu to enter, they had already arrived in my sights. It was a woman, not all that dissimilar to Mireina, but with an overwhelming beauty and presence.
“Oh my goodness.” The long-pointed ears drooped slightly at the tip, unlike the other Elakatra, and she wore a white muffler around her neck. Her clothes did little to cover her sensual body, and in her hand was a dagger as pure white as the muffler. I could tell that this was an executive of the Elakatra, which I had vaguely imagined might show up.
“In a place like this.” All of the creatures were stricken by terror from the voice, collapsing. My party was no exception, and I was the only one left standing. Pervasive mana, peculiar to a parent entity, had invaded the entire space.
“You were really alive, Fate.” My mind hardened. That they knew the name Fate when they had met me before I fell, she had seen right through my disguise.
“I thought it was a ridiculous idea. But it was real. Well, really, the Great Fusion wouldn’t have happened without you. Yes, that’s right. If it’s a devil, then you fit the bill.”
“Both of you, go back.” I opened the gates wider and put Solas on my shoulder. The woman was talking slowly, but the tip of her dagger was pointing right at me. There was no way she would let the three of us walk out together. But I didn’t think she would mind the other two running away. I doubted she cared about much other than me.
“Yeah, tuck them to bed and let’s talk alone, Fate. We have much to discuss, don’t we?”
“Myu…” Solas let out a cry, which I couldn’t help but agree with.
“Fate, are you okay? She…has a very scary energy.”
“Captain, do you think we can help?”
“You’ll only be a burden, so get back quickly.”
“Okay.” As expected, I could rely on Lee Chan-yu’s ability to judge the situation. He grabbed Mireina by the nape and ran into the gate with her. I immediately closed it behind them, with my eyes focused on the Elakatra before me.
“You don’t seem to be interested in the gate.”
“Well, it doesn’t matter as long as you’re alive. But what about that hybrid? It’s strange how a connection was established between the fallen king and that elven hybrid…ah.” Her expression was full of spite.
Only
“So you’re the one who made a mess in the heavenly lab. But how? How the hell did you enter heaven?”
“Are you talking about the Rookie’s Battlefield?”
“Oh, yes. That name.” Her smile annoyed me to no end.
“It’s wicked that you call it that. I wonder if L knows…?”
“You’ll die here.” I took out my Twilight sword. My opponent’s magic power was higher than mine, to say the least. It felt even larger than the difference between Andras and me. It was like a beginner monster challenging an advanced one. But, for some reason, I wasn’t afraid. I could feel the spirit of a mighty being flowing through me, saturating me with mana. I couldn’t hesitate; I had to devour her.
“Ooh, that look…your eyes only see me as food. It’s been such a long time.”
“Myu!” She pushed her dagger forward. Solas, still sitting on my shoulder, concentrated his mana out so he could attack at any time. The dagger flew at my heart as he leaped into the air, wrapping the dagger in his web. Simultaneously, the Twilight sword whistled through the air to pierce the woman’s face. My abdomen was pierced. Without understanding what had happened, I kept moving.
My prey was in front of me. Nothing else mattered.
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