NOVEL NEXT Ch. 9
Chapter 9: D-Rank Dungeon, Withered Garden (3)
Park Yeri.
The only woman who hadn’t chosen an item.
That murderer was now staring at the remaining survivors— as if she were looking at a delicious piece of prey.
[A-Rank Item ‘Vintage Girl Doll’ desires a new sacrifice.]
[If no additional sacrifice is made, the item will be destroyed.]
It was a power that could feign death and greatly enhance its strength through offerings.
Park Yeri was not merely a psychopath who wanted hearts. She acted that way only because she had to offer a heart to the item in order to sustain its effect.
“Y–You were alive? Thank goodness. I was really worried….”
Yoo Youngho slowly approached Park Yeri.
How could he react like that after seeing her in such a state?
Even if love blinded him— males ruled by chromosomes had been hopeless across all ages.
“Ah… right. My Youngho was here, wasn’t he? I’m so sorry. Were you worried?”
“It’s fine now. Haha. It’s all over, so let’s just get out of this cursed place. We don’t need any treasure or whatever.”
“Yeah, you’re right. I think I’ve gotten everything I needed. Except for one thing.”
Park Yeri pulled Youngho tightly into her arms.
“What… thing?”
Youngho asked, his eyes slightly unfocused.
And in that instant—
Puhk!
A hole opened right in the center of his chest.
“Your heart.”
“Guh… uh…?”
In disbelief, Youngho glanced between Park Yeri and his own heart, then his body collapsed backward.
Lick.
Park Yeri licked the blood off her hand.
“The more I eat it, the more I get used to it. It’s… stimulating, addictive even.”
Her killing intent and mana radiated intensely.
There was no way she was of D-Rank level.
She must have been a fairly skilled Hunter even before obtaining that item.
Now, however, she had become a heart-devouring demon intoxicated by her own strength.
“Sorry to interrupt your meal, but can I ask you something?”
“Hmm. Sure. Since you figured out who I was, I’ll answer as a reward—even if it’s your last.”
“With that kind of power, you could’ve wiped everyone out on the first day. Why bother with all this effort?”
Unless she was a horror-movie fanatic,
there was no reason to push the victims into such extreme panic.
“Wow. Sharp question. Hmmm, fine. Normally I wouldn’t say, but since it’s a reward… and you’ll die anyway, it’s fine.”
Park Yeri held out a sheet of paper.
On it was written:
‘Prove your worth by rampaging in the most spectacular fashion. Then, you shall obtain the greatest glory this dungeon has to offer.’
“This came out of the chamber pot that girl picked back in the Mystery Room. It said the reward would be greater than killing the boss, so I thought I’d put on a show worthy of it.”
B-Rank Item ‘Chamber Pot of the Great Noble’.
He knew this item.
When filled with a liquid containing a certain amount of ammonia,
it revealed special opportunities hidden within the dungeon.
Well, considering how horrifying that Mystery Room had been— that much could be forgiven.
But that wasn’t what mattered now.
The key point was that, just like him, Park Yeri had also stepped into one of the most secret places within this dungeon.
Naturally, there could not be two protagonists on the same stage.
One of them had to leave here—forever.
“From this moment on, I’ll avenge the Prophet’s Kindergarten Fabre, the pro golfer, the South African vuvuzela couple, and the short-tempered extras abandoned by their lover.”
Yohan stepped forward solemnly.
On behalf of all the dead, he declared he would punish evil and restore justice.
＊＊＊
“Are you serious? You saw this and still think you can fight me?”
Park Yeri smirked incredulously.
She was confident— after all, she had ripped out countless hearts and greatly enhanced her stats.
And then—
[‘Man-eating Beetle’ fixes its eyes on a new prey!]
[5-Star ‘Corrupted Wraith Tree’ summons ‘Rotten Thorn Vines’!]
The once-ferocious Man-eating Beetle had now become surprisingly calm and obedient under its powerful master.
The 5-Star Wraith Tree was equally formidable.
Such a combination could easily annihilate a seven-member raid team— so one man like Yohan would be nothing but a light snack.
However, there was one thing Park Yeri was mistaken about.
[‘Isofoth’s Animal Encyclopedia’ is taken out.]
The true predator in this place was not her.
Kwaaang!
[‘Stag of the Blue-and-White Forest’ activates ‘Bone Shield’!]
[Bloodline Ability ‘Blood Reinforcement’ activates!]
[Physical Defense +4, Magic Defense +2 respectively increased!]
A faint red glow seeped into the thick stag antlers.
No matter how ferociously the Man-eating Beetle or Wraith Tree attacked, that shield could withstand at least three full strikes.
Behind it, Yohan braced himself.
‘Her close and mid-range attacks are impressive, but how’s her defense?’
Even with her power-ups from eating hearts, there was a limit to what an A-Rank item could grant.
Ka-ga-ga-gak!
Crack!
The vines of the tree struck the Bone Shield.
But aside from a few surface cracks— the shield stood firm, completely protecting Yohan.
The iron within his blood had proven especially effective against physical attacks.
[Bone Shield’s durability has decreased by 27%!]
Then—
“What…?”
The smile faded from Park Yeri’s face.
Her main attack, capable of piercing through armor, had been blocked.
“Kieeek!”
This time, the Man-eating Beetle screeched and charged.
Its sharp jaws could slice through solid bone with ease.
Just then—
Flap.
The pages turned.
[‘Polar Bear of the Frozen Land’ activates ‘Guardian of the Glacier’!]
Snow-white fur.
A colossal body towering five meters high.
The polar bear exuded overwhelming energy as its forepaw rose high into the air.
From above—
to below—
THU-DOOOOM!
“Keeeek!”
The Man-eating Beetle’s carapace caved in.
Its bodily fluids burst out like a waterfall—
and then—
KWAAANG!
The polar bear’s paw completely crushed its body.
Crunch!
The corpse was pulverized beyond recognition.
180-degree bent legs pointed toward the sky.
“Kuooooo!!!”
The roaring cry reverberated through the air, freezing the very atmosphere around it.
“N–No way. Don’t tell me… you picked an S-Rank item?”
Park Yeri’s eyes widened in disbelief.
Everything she had been so confident in was being crushed so easily.
For someone who had always led the hunt, becoming the prey was a foreign, bewildering experience.
“Wait! I—I get it. You’re really strong, right? What do you say? Why don’t we join hands? Together, we could take over this place with no problem.”
Park Yeri’s voice trembled in desperation.
“I’ll have to decline. Judging by how your ex-boyfriend ended up, that doesn’t sound like a smart choice.”
They said heartbreak felt like one’s heart being torn to shreds.
But this woman literally tore out hearts as her way of saying goodbye.
Unless someone carried a few spare hearts around, traveling in the same boat as her would be nothing short of foolish.
Besides—
“Even if I teamed up with you, I doubt it would help much.”
This place...
was not that easy.
Across all 999 runs, this dungeon had never once been cleared on the first attempt.
[‘Blackwood Eagle of the Arid Plateau’ uses ‘High-Speed Movement’!]
A pair of black wings sprouted from Yohan’s back.
Paaang!
In an instant, the eagle soared high into the air, then began diving straight toward the ground.
“Ahhh! D-Don’t come near me!”
Park Yeri screamed.
Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa!
Thorny vines and roots thrashed wildly.
Everything inside the Bug Collection Box came spilling out.
Whether she could control them or not didn’t matter now.
All that mattered was stopping the monster’s approach.
“Kieeek!”
“Chirrut!”
Mosquitoes over a meter long and butterflies that scattered flesh-melting dust.
Even centipedes and scorpions joined in—countless insects brandishing their own weapons as they charged toward a single target.
However—
[Bloodline Ability ‘Blood Fog’ activates!]
A faint mist of blood spread through the air.
It wasn’t dense or wide due to limited mana, but it was enough to obscure vision.
Pah-pah-pah-pang!
Riding the wind currents, the eagle smoothly weaved through the swarm of insects.
Now, only three meters separated the two of them.
“Damn it!”
A black aura seeped into Park Yeri’s hands.
It was the same power she had used when she ripped out Yoo Youngho’s heart.
Left and right—
Her sharpened nails aimed for Yohan’s throat and heart simultaneously.
A red flash cut through the air.
At that exact moment—
The Blood Spear in Yohan’s hand sliced horizontally.
Seuguk!
Swift and clean.
The spear traced a path too fast for the eye to follow, cutting smoothly through soft flesh.
Park Yeri’s head shot upward.
Thud-thud-thud…
The severed head rolled to a stop near Yohan’s feet.
Instant death.
Yes—
It should have been death, without a doubt.
“Ha! You really don’t hold back, do you? Don’t you think that was a bit harsh? You should treat a beauty a little more gently.”
A sharp voice rang out from Park Yeri’s severed head—
the head that should have been dead.
[‘Vintage Girl Doll’ devours the heart of the sacrifice ‘Yoo Youngho’.]
The ability to temporarily deceive death.
So she had already prepared a way to survive.
“I made a corpse doll beforehand, just in case. I didn’t think I’d actually meet a monster like you, but… ha, what a relief. Guess that insurance paid off.”
“Fascinating ability. You transferred your consciousness into a new body?”
“That’s right. I can talk for about five minutes more.”
Park Yeri answered with a sly smile.
“If you can still run your mouth like that, I guess your senses are still active too?”
“Well, yeah. And just so you know, the spot where my neck was cut still hurts like crazy. Ouch. Got any burn ointment, maybe?”
Hmm.
So that’s how it was.
Yohan whistled softly to the side.
Then—scurry, scurry.
The Stag of the Reed Hill in Winter approached.
It had the ability to collect mana from corpses—
and that was exactly what Yohan intended to use.
“Chik?”
The little creature looked at Park Yeri’s head with deep contemplation.
From the outside, round and full, it probably looked just like a nut.
Naturally, it decided to test whether it was ripe.
Kaang!
It tapped the head with the small pebble it held.
“Argh!”
Park Yeri shrieked.
“W–What the hell are you doing!?”
“Chik! Chizizik!”
“Answer me! What are you doing right now!?”
“Hm. Says it’s spoiled.”
“‘Spoiled’? Wait, are you talking about my head!?”
“Shh. I’m having a conversation with my squirrel here. Hmm… yeah, it might be a little rotten. Still, just to be sure—give it a closer inspection, would you?”
“Chiiik!”
The squirrel clenched its tiny paws, determined.
Kaang! Kang! Kaang!
When the sound didn’t please it, the squirrel struck harder and harder with the pebble.
Ka-ga-ga-gang! Kaaang!
“Kyahhh! Next time we meet, I’ll definitely—argh! T–Top of my head! You hit the crown! Wait! You hit bone!”
Yohan didn’t stop it.
Instead, he leisurely sat down in front of the scene and popped one of the fruits he had picked from this place into his mouth.
‘Shame there’s no popcorn or cola.’
That would’ve made the show even better.