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chapter 42
“Why are you so late?”
When Hanbit arrived at the underground waterway, he came face to face with Ria standing at the entrance.
-Oh.
-Ria hi.
-Ria.
-She’s coming too?
Viewers reacted happily to her sudden appearance.
Hanbit, who had already expected it, pretended not to know and asked,
“You’re going in too?”
“How could I let you go after seeing all that? Ruby might run off again, and kids like Plona could get lost…….”
Ria added various reasons as she tried to accompany the investigation.
The way she struggled to persuade him looked exactly her age.
“It’ll be dangerous inside.”
“I know. Whether monsters or people, it felt like something could jump out.”
She answered while touching the dagger fixed at her waist.
Her stance showed she was ready to fight at any moment—not empty bravado.
Though she herself was probably more wary of people than monsters.
“Alright. But don’t suddenly rush ahead.”
“What am I, a cat?”
She made a flabbergasted expression, but there were plenty of precedents.
At least now, with some trust built, it would be a little better.
“I’ll wait here.”
As the conversation wrapped up, Kim Jaeha spoke.
Since he had already cleared Episode 1, spectator mode was his limit.
“You can log out. If something absolutely necessary comes up, I’ll contact you.”
“Ah, then I’ll finish up the work I was doing. I’ll keep watching the stream, so feel free to talk to me.”
Saying he had company work to handle, Kim Jaeha accepted the suggestion.
From the side profile of his character logging out, one could almost feel the fatigue.
It was a shame that today was Saturday.
“Let’s go.”
After Kim Jaeha left, Hanbit stepped into the waterway with the remaining two.
At that moment, a message appeared with an alert.
Ding—
[Entering quest field.]
“That’s a relief. I was worried other players might interfere.”
After checking the message, Yeonwoo spoke with relief.
Apparently, only members of the party progressing the quest could enter this area.
It would certainly be easier without troublemakers.
Drip— drip—
The sound of water dripping and the stench in the air.
The dim atmosphere naturally heightened their vigilance.
“Hyung, what’s inside this waterway? It’s not a dungeon, right?”
Following behind, Yeonwoo asked while scanning the surroundings.
“It’s not a dungeon. More like a secret area.”
“A secret area?”
-What is that?
-Monsters appear?
-Ria seemed to know something too.
-Yeah, I saw a summary post.
As viewers speculated, Ria was brought up.
It all started from a post uploaded to the community.
When he opened a new map in the waterway, Ria collapsed and dropped a ring from her bag.
I zoomed in and it kind of looks like the Northton family crest?
Image quality’s bad but check it out.
Uploaded a short clip too.
-Oh?
-Isn’t Northton the Brook mayor’s family?
-It looks similar, but kinda ambiguous.
-Is she Brook’s hidden daughter?
-Or maybe the former head’s daughter?
└No way.
└All relatives were executed.
└This Satan bastard probably knows that.
-The image quality’s trash;
-She probably just stole it.
└If that were the case, she’d have sold it on the black market.
Players analyzed the captured materials and debated all kinds of opinions.
Most concluded she had nothing to do with the Northton family.
Since Ria was a slum resident known as a pickpocket, assuming she stole it felt natural.
“It’s still the same.”
Walking a step ahead, Ria stopped in front of the collapsed wall.
It was the spot where they had found the cat Ruby.
Shhk—
Drawing his sword, Hanbit checked the finished product once more.
Even unfinished, it was clearly an outstanding weapon.
“I’ll lead. Follow behind me. If you suddenly rush out, we stop investigating.”
“…Okay.”
Ria nodded, gripping the bag with the ring tightly.
She remembered the sudden spark from when they first came here.
Watching her, Hanbit stepped beyond the collapsed wall.
“Let’s go.”
Passing through, Hanbit led the way forward.
The path looked no different from the waterway they’d walked so far.
“It’s less than I expected?”
Yeonwoo said, sounding puzzled.
He had expected the environment to grow more dangerous the deeper they went.
-Hmm.
-Might really be nothing.
-Yeah, plenty of quests just go to the end of the map and back.
Viewers guessed it might be one of those meaningless locations.
But the real thing started now.
Shhk—
When Hanbit extended his hand, Ria and Yeonwoo stopped.
Crack—
An unpleasant sound came from the dark path ahead.
Soon, black skeletal monsters emerged.
[Enhanced Black Skeleton (Lv.32)]
Three skeletons creaked forward, wielding swords and shields.
Seeing them, viewers were confused.
-Level 32?
-Is this really Episode 1?
-Black Skeletons are level 25 normally;
-Look at those weapons and shields.
-Enhanced (by a lot)
-You’ve taken a wrong turn.
The situation was far too abnormal.
The average Black Skeleton was level 25.
With the modifier “Enhanced,” they were now level 32.
Episode 1’s recommended level was known to be around 15 to 20, so these monsters shouldn’t have appeared at all.
Creak—
“Ah!”
While watching the front, a skeleton appeared from behind.
Startled, Yeonwoo raised his weapon.
The skeleton’s eyes flared red as it charged him.
Clang—!
Caught off guard by the sudden attack, Yeonwoo hastily raised his sword to block.
The impact was far stronger than expected.
Creeak—!
“No way……!”
Despite his Strength-focused stats, his feet were slowly pushed back.
It was hard to even turn the clash into an offensive exchange.
This was power far beyond an ordinary Black Skeleton.
“Damn it, seriously!”
Thud—!
Gritting his teeth, Yeonwoo kicked the skeleton’s shield.
Using the recoil to create distance, he aimed his sword again.
‘He’ll be fine there.’
As with the fight against the Nesto guild, Yeonwoo’s combat sense was decent.
Winning would be hard, but he could hold out.
Creak—
Then, the skeleton at the front began to move.
The first to respond wasn’t Hanbit.
Tap—!
Ria instantly slipped behind the skeleton.
The dagger in her hand stabbed straight toward its chest.
But the attack didn’t land properly.
Clang—!
The dagger bounced off with a sharp sound.
“Ugh!”
Grabbing her wrist from the shock, Ria stepped back.
Crack—
The skeleton’s red eyes flashed as it turned around.
Its movement was faster than expected.
Whoosh—!
The skeleton swung its sword at Ria.
Watching the attack closely, she ducked and avoided it.
Then she darted back in and stabbed again.
Clang—!
“Tch!”
Even after reducing the impact, the attack still failed.
Ria bit her lip in frustration.
Whoosh—!
Another skeleton rushed in.
Despite the near-chaotic fight, Ria dodged attacks with remarkable speed.
-Damn.
-Ria fights well.
-She’s really fast.
-If only she had more strength.
-If she had strength at that speed, it’d be broken.
Viewers praised her first on-screen combat.
Forged through survival, her movements were adaptable in any situation.
Shhk—
A gentle wind shimmered along the blue-white blade in Hanbit’s hand.
Perhaps thanks to the melted spirit stone, part of Sylph’s power remained constant.
‘Let’s try it.’
The weapon had been made with far better specs than expected.
Hanbit was confident he could draw out its full potential.
Tap—!
He kicked off the ground and approached one of the skeletons fighting Ria.
He swung his sword toward the skeleton’s shield.
Whoosh—!
A wide arc drawn from left to right.
Creak—
The skeleton turned its head to counterattack.
At that moment—
Slice—
A long horizontal line appeared across the shield, splitting it apart.
Crack—
Despite sensing something wrong, the skeleton tried to charge.
But it couldn’t continue.
Wobble—
Before it could even step forward, its upper body tilted.
Its torso separated and fell to the ground almost instantly.
-?
-Crazy. LOL
-He cut through the shield too?
-Is that even possible?
-The sword’s insane.
-Dewdrop Forge is the future.
The chat exploded at the unexpected result.
Hanbit walked over to the fallen skeleton’s upper body.
Thud—
He raised his sword and stabbed into its chest.
Crunch—
The blade pierced through the spine.
The red core inside split apart and shattered.
[Experience has increased by 1,000.]
‘…This is way too good.’
Hanbit exclaimed internally as he pulled the sword out.
If he had only used the spirit stone, it would have required much more growth and reinforcement to reach this level.
Using the Nesto guild member’s greatsword and dagger as materials had indeed been the right call.
Crack—
At that moment, the remaining two skeletons, having recognized their comrade’s death, moved.
They sensed more danger from Hanbit than from Ria.
Tap—!
Resetting his stance, he kicked off toward the charging enemies.
Whoosh—!
Slice—!
With just two movements, his blade cut through.
This time, the sword pierced their chests directly, and they lost power immediately.
“…So easily?”
Ria stared blankly at the fallen enemies.
The dagger in her hand had nowhere to go.
“Hyung, do something here too!”
At the urgent voice, Hanbit turned his gaze.
There, Yeonwoo was struggling against two skeletons.
“Hang in there.”
“I’ve already used all my strength! Help me, quickly!”
-LOL
-You can do it, Roper.
-Just a bit more and you’ll win (the skeletons).
-Hang in there! (Skeletons!)
Waving as encouragement, Hanbit drew laughter from the viewers.
He’d like to tease more, but Yeonwoo was nearing his limit.
Whoosh—!
At that moment, a skeleton approached from Yeonwoo’s blind spot.
As its sword came down toward his neck—
Tap—!
Hanbit kicked off and closed the distance.
“Gah!”
Grabbing the back of Yeonwoo’s armor collar, he pulled him down, knocking him off balance.
At the same time, Hanbit’s sword flashed.
Slice—!
Once again, the skeleton’s red core was split along with its shield.
Turning immediately, Hanbit thrust his sword at the last skeleton.
Crunch—!
The skeleton trying to strike was unable to react before its core was destroyed.
After confirming their deaths, Hanbit looked down at Yeonwoo lying on the ground.
“Get up. We still have to go further.”
