NOVEL NEXT Chapter 10: // In front of a Domain Ruler
After finally experiencing her first ever dream ever since coming to the dungeon, Jae-Hwa kept her movements as calm as possible, although it was possible to see how disturbed she was.
"Are you alright, umm..."
"It's Cho Jae-Hwa... I never told you my name, didn't I? Even though you saw right through me."
Hyeong Hae extended her hand to the seemingly sleep-deprived looking young girl, knowing there was something more that she didn't want to be let known.
Her other hand stood close to her heart, creating a fist as it closed strongly with emotions.
"I am sorry if it bothers you, but I also had a son, so I end up noticing things like this very quickly... Especially now, more than ever."
"It's alright, just the thought is enough for me. Oh, that's right, I almost forgot, have you decided about that thing?"
Hyeong corrects her posture, gripping on her waist a sword that is already very used, followed by a shield with many scratches and bumps. From the white metallic-like appearance, it was most likely one of the guards' spare gear, but even then it seemed to give her some security, no matter how worn-out it was.
It had seemed like she finally decided on her fate.
"I will lead them. While you were sleeping, there was a short time where the wards suddenly stopped working and three slimes entered."
She grips the handle of her sword with a pained smile, uttering her words only to Jae-Hwa.
"Everyone was scared, no one seemed to want to kill them, not even those with experience, so I... tried to step forward and be a leader."
That must have been when Phantom created the connection with me.
"It must have been quite the experience."
"Yes, I only had my husband on my side at the time and none of us had any weapons, so I hurried to ask the guard Gabriel if he had something that he could lend. Turns out he had some spare weapons and this shield.
After a while more and more joined... Watching them work together without conflict filled my heart with content."
Hyeong Hae had a true smile, even a slight blush after mentioning her partner. Compared to the events of last night, it was as if becoming a leader changed her whole being positively. Her darkened gold hair seemed more healthy and refreshed, while her amber eyes were not short of life, they were radiating with it.
The only description Jae-Hwa could give her was beautiful, but her corageouness was not overlooked considering she was the first to move when no one wanted to protect themselves or the inhabitants of this world.
"Alright, I'm gonna prepare some things, what level are you right now?"
"I am level one, I leveled up after the battle."
Listening to her, Jae-Hwa quickly checks how much credits she currently, clicking her tongue at the fact that it might not be enough for what she needs.
CREDITS: 13
I wanted to get the Fractural Explosives, but then I will have nothing to heal me considering how little the medicine I have on me recovers.
"I am going to get some more money, until then get everyone ready... Leader."
Hyeong flinches at the mention of her new position, still not being used to it.
"U—Understood."
Jae-Hwa got up from the cold floor with her help just after feeling it's hard texture one last time before leaving it. Immediately after, she headed towards the exit materializing her spear, going after the few slimes that wandered closely.
Hyeong gathered everyone into groups distributed by levels, making sure everyone was prepared and at least somehow equipped.
By the time she had finished, the core player of the group Jae-Hwa had returned, going to Castelia's side to buy some of her wares.
In her inventory were now two Low Grade Meds that restored ten health each, one Medium Grade Med that restored thirty health, one revitalizer to restore ten energy and finally a single Fractural Explosive that she was able to obtain a discount from Castelia.
—INVENTORY————————————
Low Grade Med x2
Medium Grade Med x1
Revitalizer x2
Fractural Explosive x1
Slime Mucus x4
Chunk of Metal x2
———————————————————
When they reunited, the group started departing towards the ruler with Hyeong Hae's leadership and Jae-Hwa's help.
They moved with a steady pace, reaching the yellow zone where stronger monsters would appear without any worry. The strategy was simple, after all, but very effective.
Jae-Hwa would sneak past the enemies and round them up as best as possible, hit them with her spear and throw the slimes towards each group so they would be weakened and easier to kill.
Some more walking and they had reached a crossroads, to the sides were empty rooms but to the front was a door emanating an ominous aura. Unfortunately, although the surroundings seemed empty, they were neatly organized to surprise and ambush anyone that dared to approach the door.
Several slimes and armored slimes rounded up the group, leaving only Jae-Hwa and Hyeong to be unnoticed.
"Everyone calm down! Defenders prepare for combat, attackers stay behind them and poke the enemy as much as possible! Jae-Hwa, flank the enemy from behind, they don't know about you."
Hyeong's orders were very clear. Those who possesed a shield like her or some kind of defensive skill were at the front, meanwhile the others attacked as best as they could.
Following the orders perfectly, Cho Jae-Hwa took advantage of the noise and chaos to move clockwise behind the group without being noticed by the enemies.
As soon as she found the chance, her spear stabbed the defenseless back of an armored slime, reaching the core with ease.
Perhaps in a game there would need to be some more hits to defeat the monsters, but in a realistic world, all she needed to do was find what kept it moving and effortlessly destroy, turning it into dust, all without even blinking.
Along the enemies she encountered on the way, it was easier to examine the situation with so many people supporting her and so she easily found the defensive metal guarding an Armored Slime was more frail on the back, being easier to either slip through or pierce.
Removing her blade with a clockwise spin, it quickly revolved into it cutting the core of a regular slime cleanly into half.
Ever since obtaining a new weapon, the difference in her strength became obvious and once again that effort got responded by the system.
—CONGRATULATIONS————————
+ 15 EXP
CREDITS: + 5
—LEVEL UP—————————————
Feeling relieved that she became at least a little stronger before the great battle, she quickly dashed around the enemies towards Hyeong's side.
"I finished two of them, do you think you can take the three slimes left? It would be good for them to have some more experience."
"No problem, we will also finish soon."
Short after the conversation, Jae-Hwa finds a place to sit, holding her spear close to her heart, ready to attack at any time. To her surprise, another notification panel appears in front of her.
—NEW SKILL—————————————
SKILL NAME: Light Feet
ENERGY REQUIRED: 3 ENERGY
DESCRIPTION: Become hidden from enemies of equal or slightly higher level than you.
REQUIREMENT: Bypass 30 enemies without them noticing.
"Today it's been filled with system... Oh well." She mutters to herself as she reads the information of her new skill. "I never expected to get something like this but I guess running away from annoying fights was worth it."
She looked with worry to her status, knowing that the skill was just worth three energy points. For that, on her hand was one of the revitalizers with only exactly three pills left, but even then she didn't want to waste it needlessly.
However, as battle crazed as she was deep inside, she could not stop wondering how it worked and how fitting it would be in a battle.
Concentrating on her mind the skill being used, as soon as her eyes open, her vision becomes darkened, her skin and garb see-through, but not enoug to show too much. It was like her body became astral like a ghost, but even then it could touch and feel.
Jae-Hwa wandered around calmly, even having some fun as she waved her arms, jumped around and no one seemed to notice her, be it foe or ally. Eventually she returned to the same spot she started her invisible adventure and hit the unusual bladed bottom of her spear, the heel, on the ground.
As it echoed on the room, her vision progressively returned to normal much like her body that was opaque.
"So sound is what makes it lose effect... If someone more... deranged gets their hands on this, who knows what would happen."
"Is there a problem?" Hyeong Hae returned from the battle looking surprisingly healthy considering everyone else seemed to have run a marathon, her husband included.
"No, I was just checking something. Anyway, wanna continue? Something tells me that near that door no monster will try to come close."
"It might be hard to convince them, but if they hear that they will get to rest for as much as they want, then they might do it."
"Haha, you should also check on your husband... Looking at him makes me feel like his pride will drop at any minute." Both laugh away in their conversation like highschoolers, feeling genuine happiness in a hellish world.
"You're right, I will help them right away."
Getting the group together and off the ground, she explains the situation to the various fighters, where some of them pleaded for some rest.
Meanwhile, Jae-Hwa eats the three pills remaining on her revitalizer and recovers her energy to full.
While the others approached, she too got up with her spear in hand and started walking towards the door.
It had greater dimensions than what should be necessary, being somewhere around seven meters tall, made of a white stone-like material that resembled marble, adorned with both carved and real flowers and vines that fell from the top.
On the sides, two giant statues thrice her height blocked the entrance with swords of stone. They had knightly features, being powered by the same blue energy that flows in this whole domain's walls.
Both statues were on top of a pedestal with the same sign embedded to identify them, reading
"What are those?" The crowd wondered, now less afraid of the unknown and definitely more ready to fight it than initially.
"They seem to be guards—" Jae-Hwa responded, loud enough for everyone to hear, then directing her next words towards her battle companion. "Say, miss Hyeong, do you think we will need to fight them someday?"
"I sure hope not." The leader answered. "They look too strong for us to do anything."
"Right...?"
Both laughed awkwardly. While the group rested on the ground, one of the members decided to investigate the door, even if the supposed guards were to stop him.
To his surprise, the runic giants' eyes light up, a feeling of tension and fear runs down his spine and their heads gaze at him.
"Know your place!"
Mechanical voices come from both of the automatons in synchronization, reverberating the sound on the walls and making the floor tremble, alerting everyone in the vicinity.
"What did you do!?" Cho Jae-Hwa runs to his side, grabbing the man by the neck and pushing him behind her as she readied her spear, pointed at whatever place to strike she could find.
The statues move their heads to fix their ominous gaze directly at her, the one placed on the right side of the door raising it's hand as if to motion that they do not desire to fight.
Despite their intentions, she wasn't able to just simply become unarmed in front of something that could easily smash her into bits if it so wished to, or so it felt, at least.
"Reasonable." The one on the left side says, moving the disgustingly realistic mouth it has. "You who stands here, do you look to defeat the ruler of this domain?"
"What if I was? Will you stop me?"
"Not at the all." This time, the speech changes to the automaton on the right. "We are not the ones to decide who can enter or not, instead, if these flowers bloom at your presence, then you will be allowed."
Flowers? Why would such a thing determine?
"These must be so only us players can enter." Hyeong Hae adds to the conversation. "They would probably bloom even if we were level zero."
"I see... Then, runic knights, can we enter?"
As bold as her words were, both statues move their blades close to their chests, clearing the entrance that was, in fact, slightly open and closing some millimeters every second.
"These flowers have bloomed for you, which means you are worthy." The runic automatons change dialogue turns with each after every sentence. "However, you cannot enter yet as there is already someone challenging the ruler of this domain."
Upon hearing it, everyone gathers, attempting to look into the chamber that was filled with smoke. Several strikes happened around in the air, the sound of metal hitting something but failing to cut.
As the smoke dissiapated, the sillouete of a young man is charging against a ginormous mass of what could only be slime, attempting to cut into the enemy but instead being the one dragged around and thrown away from it.
The body comes flying with tremendous strength at the door, but even when it hits the rough carved texture like a dead corpse, the entrance did not budge.
"Why is it so fast?" Those were the words of the young swordsman that was now on the ground without being able to move.
Even when Jae-Hwa or Hyeong attempted to help, their hands were stopped by some kind of barrier that did not let them go any further.
"Why can't we reach him!? I thought we could enter, you damn automatons!" Jae-Hwa asks the statues in rage.
"When not even one body can go through, there is no point of any further help. The closing of the doors are also to remember that their time is nigh."
Soon after, the boy pleaded with his life for his body to move, but instead it chose to remain still, crackling sparks enveloping it.
The young man could only look behind at the public that was seeing him fail. His eyes crying like a newborn just before uttering his final words.
"Help me."
From afar, pillars of thunder formed one after another, becoming closer to the challenger until they eventually fell on him and the doors completely shut themselves.
No more sounds were made, only silence reigned and moans of despair mumbled. Even Cho Jae-Hwa, the battle-crazed spear user or the corageous leader Hyeong Hae had to take some time to process what happened.
"What in the actual hell just happened?" She held her hands to her face, moving to her forehead and applying pressure to it, removing her bangs away from her eyes.
This is reality. There will be more. I have to make it normal— I have to accept it.
She filled her mind with such thoughts in order to not lose track of what the current goal was and the obstacle in front of her. Even then, it was hard to accept.
In a corner, Hyeong was vomiting, tears in her eyes and trembling with fear. Her husband was on her side, patting her back and making the best to calm her down, despite being as upset.
As everyone dealt with the situation their own way, the entrance to the ruler's chamber was starting to slowly open. Some covered their eyes, others didn't even bother to look.
For both warriors, however, their immediate reaction was to wonder what had happened, where the monster had gone to.
"There is... nothing?"
The room was circular, completely different from the usual spread across the labyrinth. The tiles were clean and evenly organized to create a circle, there were multiple stone torches resembling the ones from colosseums that still had to be lit, along with some stone columns but not one speck of dust or smoke.
There was nothing, no monster, no body. The room was completely clean.
None of the present players could believe such a thing, but the truth was in front of their eyes. There was no other choice but to believe it.
"...Who is coming?" Cho Jae-Hwa stood in front of the doors, spear in hand, ready for battle. Her nausea was overwhelming, the young boy crying was still a lot for her to overtake, but even then she couldn't back out now when she came so close to leaving the labyrinth.
"How can you suggest that after what happened? Didn't you see it? It's impossible to beat that thing!"
Many of the members shared the same ideas and discourse, everyone had become discouraged. Even the leader of the group had lost some of her will, wondering what to do next in despair.
"Calm down Jae-Hwa, everyone was affected by that gruesome death, you can't expect us to immediately go in like that, do you? No matter how well you deal with it, it's impossible right now."
"You think I'm not upset!? My throat is so dry that I want to rip it out, I'm so out of air that I'd rather pierce my own lungs! I'm so upset with myself and disgusted by what just happened that my own brain, heart and stomach would rather be crushed than step inside that place. Even then, do you think doing nothing will solve anything!? Today was that boy, tomorrow might be one of us if we don't get out of here fast!"
"Even then, we don't have the courage or mental to do it..."
Jae-Hwa proceeded to make a fist with every drop of strength she had. That was just how much she would need to be cruel and say her next words.
"Then, give me that skill of yours! If you are so useless as to lose your fighting spirit when you have the means to lead this battle to a win, then give
Hyeong Hae looked at her eyes with despair. She had remembered of her skill that was what allowed her to grow stronger and protect everyone. She could not fake a mean face towards danger, it was impossible to someone as honest as her, but giving up her source of strength was too much, even if she didn't know it wasn't possible for such thing to happen.
"So what will it be me, miss Hyeong? Will you put your own self pitiness first or will you help everyone leave this place and reach a city where they can live peaceful lives?"
The married swordsman pondered heavily on the question, looking painfully at her own hands that were incapable of helping the one truly in need. She looks to the room the ruler is in, then towards the spear user in front of her. Closing her eyes and taking a breath, she finally reaches a veredict.
"Hit me. Wake me up from this weak shell and make me as strong as you."
"I am not strong and never was." Jae-Hwa taps the side of her cheek, being careful enough to not deplete her health. "This dungeon changed me... I am sure you can also change for the better."
"Thank you."
Cho Jae-Hwa walks toward the door, stopping right before crossing to the other side. As she exhales loudly, her head looks back at the leader of the group that made many good decisions until now.
"Miss Hyeong, what level are you right now?"
"I am level three, why?"
She could not believe that a level zero was able to catch up to her in just a day.That no matter the amount of battles they had, she should not be able to level up so fast when the experience gained was being shared.
Even then, it made Jae-Hwa at ease knowing that she was serious and that at least now there was someone else to protect them.
"No reason, I am just surprised, that's all."
She proceeds to take a step forward, the stone torches slowly lighting up with spheres of electricity one by one. Not waiting for someone to talk, her lips move first.
"From the start, I was not expecting anyone to help me with this battle, but until then, please protect them, miss Hae."
Her feet move on their own, walking towards the center of the chamber, readying her weapon for an attack in any direction.
As the torches light up, yellow liquid oozes from the ground and starts merging into a slime far taller than her.
With thunder falling around her, hitting the ground until it forms a circle, the enemy slowly gains a proper form. Standing at around five meters tall, with electricity rampaging around its body, two eyebrow-looking rays of electrical power form on top of its mucous body, perhaps its eyes.
Finally, a golden crow of energy hovers around the whole being, displayed its name.
—DOMAIN RULER——————————
ENEMY NAME: Terazus, the Electrifying Slime
ENEMY HEALTH: 150/150
SKILL:
"A hundred and fifty? This is bad, it is stronger than I thought..."
To be continued...
—CURRENT STATS——————————
PLAYER NAME: CHO JAE-HWA // LEVEL: 3 <0/100 EXP>
BLESSING: none
TITLE: none
HEALTH: 130/130
DAMAGE: 18 (+7) // DEFENSE: 22 (+6) // ENERGY: 35/35
WEAPON: Ceremonial Metal Spear
ARMOR: Hunter's Garb
SKILLS:
CREDITS: 5