Episode 226
“Damn it!” Standing on flat ground
a short distance from the Investigation Team Headquarters fortress,
Player Punjao spat out a curse.
“Who was that guy earlier? He’s never shown up before!”
He recalled the dark figure that had severed his arm.
It had been such a bewildering attack that he couldn’t even react properly, let alone sense a presence.
“I heard the Commander’s escort was there, but I didn’t expect them to pop out like that. You should have watched your mouth.”
Onyx, a comrade who had been watching, tossed out a remark.
Punjao frowned deeply and gritted his teeth as if he were about to devour him.
“You can’t say that when you were too scared to move a single step? Just like the others earlier, have you forgotten why you came here?”
“Watching was the basic rule, wasn’t it? You were the one who suddenly stepped forward to block Ivela.”
“How long are you going to watch? Until the Black Dragon gets everything he wants and leisurely leaves? I can never do that.”
Immediately after the interview revealing that the Black Dragon was the main enemy of the Holy Body Faction was released,
Everett sent a brief message to the companies to which each faction belonged.
"Players who achieve significant results will be granted the opportunity to ascend to the Grand Temple."
There was no additional explanation or anything of the sort.
However, the reward containing the opportunity to ascend to the Grand Temple held immense significance.
The Grand Temple stood tall in the center of the Holy Kingdom's capital.
I had heard that the top-tier players resided there, serving a role similar to the royal palaces of ordinary nations.
Even now, having made it into the top 1,000 and joined the Investigation Team, it was an impossibly high wall that I could only hear about through rumors. After all
, I was told that information was not shared even among those affiliated with the same company.
"I’m going to crush the Black Dragon no matter what to get. If I extort information through blackmail and kill him to get items, that counts as an achievement."
"Do you think that’s possible? You’ve never died even once until now."
"You were just lucky. There’s no way you could beat me, who became an Investigation Team member through hard work."
"Well… sure."
Faced with such conviction, Onyx gave up on trying to persuade him.
They were acting together for the time being, but it wouldn't have been surprising if they parted ways at any moment.
While shaking their heads inwardly, Funjao asked a question.
“What do those guys plan to do?”
“They said they would wait and see how things went until the top ranks arrived, but it seems opinions are divided now.”
The two watched a group of people huddled together in the distance.
They were players from the Adult Faction who had recently joined the investigation team.
They had only been able to reach headquarters thanks to a skyway that happened to be open.
“Top ranks? What do you mean? Those guys are all in unconquered zones. The Captain and that witch-like woman have already left. The escort named Dusk didn't seem particularly proactive either, so now is the chance.”
“That’s why opinions are divided. They must want to earn credits, too.”
The players, who had almost no information about Ibella, witnessed her power through the Black Dragon’s broadcast.
A rain of meteors covering the sea in the Path of Waves.
It was a strength that ordinary magic couldn't even come close to matching.
If she had left headquarters with the Commander, there could have been no better opportunity.
“A day like today won’t come again. You’ll never be able to adapt to this land.”
The Black Dragon had obtained permission to enter Nephelis’s dungeon for a single day.
It was a decision that seemed to rely on the experience and knowledge of the other world.
However, it was an act of throwing oneself toward death. *
Swoosh* —even
as they conversed, the balance of the two swayed back and forth.
Gravity, which was out of alignment with every step unless it was a well-maintained path.
Adapting to even this peaceful land was not easy.
To begin with, opportunities to even come to headquarters were quite rare unless it was a coincidence like today.
“Well, that’s true. The dungeon is incomparably more serious.”
Onyx gazed at the fragment of the sky island floating in the sky.
The environment inside that open dungeon was enough to make one laugh hollowly.
Having experienced Nephelis’s dungeon just once, the memory was still vivid for the two of them.
It could be seen as an advanced version of the Hell Cube they had seen on the Black Dragon’s broadcast.
“It would be difficult no matter which dungeon you go to. There must be a lot of things that have just been regenerated.”
“There must be something in the Black Dragon’s knowledge. We just need to make sure we devour that guy who is in danger.”
Nephelis’s Dungeon respawns after a certain period following a raid.
Since both the contents and the rewards change, preparation time would typically range from a few weeks to several months.
And it was common knowledge that the danger level of a newly respawned dungeon is higher than the previous one.
“Look, it’s moving.”
Just then, the players of the Adult Faction, who had been huddled together, began to move.
It was the same moment the Black Dragon on the broadcast screen stepped out the door.
Watching this, Punjao stroked his dagger and averted his gaze.
“We’re going too. Follow us.”
***
“Where are you going? I can’t really tell the difference.”
As we stepped outside, Haneul looked upward and asked.
The fragmented lands of Nephelis were floating here and there.
It was difficult to tell from below that each one was a dungeon.
“It’s over there first.”
Hanbit pointed his finger toward the upper left.
It was a spot where the edge of a relatively ordinary-looking forest was faintly visible.
“Uh…!”
“Ugh!”
Pingpong and Noeul’s bodies swayed as they paused for a moment.
It was because the twisted gravity had confused their senses.
“Hold on as long as you can. It’ll be better once we go up.”
“Understood.”
“Yes!”
Since adaptation requires absolute time, this wasn’t a problem that could be solved immediately through individual effort.
The simplest option was to move to a different location.
Though, that would likely present another set of difficulties.
-The ground must be really weird;
-Maybe it looks a little fun?
-But why are Heukryong and Haneul fine?
-Aren’t they standing in different places?
Viewers expressed doubt as they watched the two of them appear unharmed.
Haneul felt the same way.
“Why are we okay?”
“It’s thanks to the Sylph. This was also a realm of spirits.”
The Sylph’s wind, which had naturally enveloped their entire bodies since they first set foot on Sky Island,
reacted instantly to changes in gravity, assisting Hanbit and the Sylph’s movements.
It was also because the wind they controlled had become more precise thanks to the abundant power of the spirits.
However, due to their overly strong bond, it was difficult to lend their strength to others.
“It would be better if we took them. Haneul, please hold onto Noeul.”
“Yes!”
Carrying Pingpong on his shoulder, Hanbit kicked off toward the forest diagonally to the left.
Whoosh—!
A small vortex came into view in the distance.
It was an updraft that could ascend the floating fragment of the island.
“Let’s hop on.”
Ta-ta—!
Hanbit lightly jumped toward the top of the vortex.
At that moment.
Whoosh—!
With a tremendous gust of wind, his body soared into the sky.
“Waaah!”
As they soared into the air, Pingpong let out a scream.
Looking around, the scenery was enough to instantly trigger a fear of heights.
“Lord Black Dragon! Where shall we go!”
Sky, following behind, barely managed to ask while enduring the wind.
Hanbit reached out and grabbed her arm.
Whoosh!
Adjusting his course, he headed toward the target point, a fragment of the island. It
was about the size of two soccer fields joined together.
The interior was invisible due to the dense trees and bushes.
Whoosh!
With a raging gust of wind, the four of them reached near the ground.
Then, a headwind that blew naturally slowed them down.
Ding-
[Entering Dungeon – Island of Reversal.]
“Huh?”
“My vision is…!”
“It’s flipped!”
The sky and land were turned upside down, just like the name of the dungeon.
The three who had just arrived could not bring themselves to adjust.
-Ugh, damn it;
-I’m fucking dizzy.
-Why isn’t the Hell Cube ending?
-Please.
-Save me.
“I’ll finish this quickly. Don’t move, just hide under the rock over there.”
Ta-ta!
Hanbit kicked off his leg and charged straight ahead.
There was absolutely no confusion of senses.
Whoosh!
Just then, dozens of giant insects appeared from the front.
The names that popped up were also upside down.
[Evil-tainted Ironclad Beetle (Lv. 861)]
[Evil-tainted Sky Wasp (Lv. 862)]
[Evil-tainted Storm Moth (Lv. 865)]
-?
-Huh?
-800?
-??
-This is seriously a bug;
Monsters displayed at ridiculously high levels.
They were terrifying opponents, deadly enough to kill with just a graze.
“I will help.”
Just then, Dusk, sensing danger, revealed his face in mid-air.
But Hanbit pushed it back in.
“Just watch.”
“What…!”
Hiss!
Hanbit, having charged straight ahead, quickly closed in on the monsters.
And just before they showed any sign of movement, I kicked my foot toward the upside-down sky.
Whoosh!
My body, which had been flying toward the void, was pulled back down as if caught by something.
At the same time, a sensation of transference enveloped his entire body, and his form vanished.
Whoosh!
As Hanbit suddenly disappeared, the monsters rose into a frenzy. Their
wings flapped even faster under the influence.
They were about to begin searching for the intruder.
At that moment.
Boom!
A ball of fire flew in from behind.
Zzzzzzzzz!
Beyond the line of sight of the creatures, who hadn't even a speck of dust hurt, came the figure of Hanbit.
He had reached out his hand and was smiling, waving it.
"-Crazy. Hahaha."
"-You're going to hit this?
" "-Black Dragon, are you insane?
" "-Please just run away!
" "-Shit;
" Whoosh!
The insects, provoked by the taunt, rushed toward Hanbit like lightning.
However, he dove once again toward the inverted sky.
Whoosh!
The intruder vanished, concealing his form once more.
A moment later, magic flew in from somewhere again.
Boom!
Hanbit, visible to the monsters who had turned around, wagged his hand once more.
Pfft!
Swish!
The monsters, provoked once again, unleashed their skills to launch an attack.
Whoosh!
A menacing projectile flew toward Hanbit.
Just as it was about to engulf him, Hanbit kicked off his leg once again and vanished.
"-??
-What is this… …
-Is enraging the monsters the clear condition?"
"-10… 10 points.
" "-Just looking at it makes me fucking pissed off. Hahaha."
"-I'm getting really dizzy, sir."
It was a situation the viewers found hard to understand, too.
Hanbit, having become the protagonist of this bizarre show, was moving strictly according to plan.
And when he repeated the cycle a few more times, a change appeared.
'They're slowly shrinking.'
His gaze turned to the name tags floating above the monsters.
The content written on them had changed from before.
[Evil-tainted Ironclad Beetle (Lv.771)]
[Evil-tainted Sky Hornet (Lv.780)]
[Evil-tainted Storm Moth (Lv.779)]
"-Huh?
" "-?"
"-The level dropped?"
"-??"
As the bizarre cycle repeated, the monsters' levels decreased.
Taking the time to deplete the enemy's strength and then 'reversing' it—
this was the hidden gimmick of this dungeon.
The degree to which the monsters weakened varied depending on the amount of strength consumed.
*Pow!*
*Whoosh !
* A taunt cycle repeated so fast that it made the onlooker's vision spin.
When this continued for about 20 more minutes, Hanbit stopped in his tracks.
[Evil-tainted Ironclad Beetle (Lv. 311)]
[Evil-tainted Sky Hornet (Lv. 310)]
[Evil-tainted Storm Moth (Lv. 317)]
Their levels had dropped to a position where they were easy to defeat.
Drawing his sword, Hanbit kicked off and charged toward the enemies.
*Whoosh!*
The speed of the significantly weakened monsters had slowed noticeably.
Digging deep inside, Hanbit swung his sword wrapped in wind.
*Whoosh!*
*Slash!*
Following the trajectory of the sword that swung like a dance, the bodies and heads of the insects were separated.
It took one minute for dozens of monsters to die.
Ding-
[Dungeon cleared successfully.]
[Rewards are maximized based on clear time.]
[Rewards are distributed differentially based on party members' contribution to the clear.]
[Received 50,000,000 Gold.]
[Received Rhinoceros Beetle Hard Carapace (Rank 7-Unique).]
[50 Stat Points awarded.]
[Experience increased by 100,000,000.]
[Level increased by 4.]
[4 Stat Points awarded.]
-Wow.
-30-minute clear;
-Crazy. Lol
-Breaking the gimmick was insane.
-You don't have to give me the guide… … .
-Seriously, I really can't do this.
“Ahem.”
Dusk’s slightly flustered cough was heard from somewhere.
He must have been surprised by the turn of events, which were completely different from what he expected.
"The guys outside must be similar."
A group of Adult Faction players had been chasing Hanbit from below.
They appeared to be preparing an ambush, but it was a regrettable choice in many ways.
No matter which dungeon they invaded from, there were plenty of ways to inflict pain on them in return.
Hanbit scanned the rewards and returned to where his party was.
"Lord Black Dragon!"
"That was really fascinating!"
“I’m getting seasick…”
the twins spoke in excited voices.
Although Pingpong had reached his limit, he was still holding onto the shield tightly.
Hanbit helped him up and looked inward, saying,
“Some places take a while, so let’s hurry. You’ll have to fight next time, too.”
