LGHTNOVELBOOK Chapter 41
Chapter 41
By the time Seonghyeon and Kim Chaegun arrived, a considerable number of users had already gathered. They were entering the dungeon in numerical order according to their assigned groups.
At the entrance of the dungeon, a number indicating the next group to enter was displayed, making it impossible to be unaware of one's turn.
Currently, it was Group 57's turn.
Seonghyeon and Kim Chaegun were in Group 99, meaning they had quite a long wait ahead of them.
What would happen if someone missed their turn?
As Seonghyeon wondered about this—
"Ah! I'm in Group 44! H-have they already gone in?!"
"Yes, if you miss your turn, you get pushed to the back and have to enter last."
"N-no way?!"
Just then, a latecomer arrived, and their exchange answered Seonghyeon's curiosity.
Realizing they had come at the right time, Seonghyeon and Kim Chaegun calmly waited while others entered in an orderly fashion.
But at that moment, a commotion erupted at the cave entrance.
A rather large-built man and, in contrast, a significantly smaller woman.
"Waiting is so boring. If we kill everyone, we can go in first, right? Isn't that right, Kalak?"
"...Hmph."
"...?"
"???"
The rough remark made those nearby stare at the two with puzzled expressions.
Did they just hear that correctly?
It was far too aggressive to be a joke.
What was that small woman saying?
As people looked at her with such expressions—
"Hmm~ What should we do, Kalak?"
"...The guild told us to restrain ourselves."
Strangely, it was the burly man who spoke cautiously to the petite woman.
Normally, one would expect the man to be the one making such bold statements, but having them come from the small woman made the scene feel surreal.
"Are you crazy?!"
A user in the crowd shouted in response to the woman's words.
Without moving her head, the small woman simply rolled her eyes toward the speaker.
Then, with a smirk, she snapped her fingers.
Five flaming spears materialized in the air.
In an instant, magic filled the space, causing the users' faces to turn pale.
This quest was only available to users below level 50 who had not undergone their second job change.
Yet she could wield magic of that caliber?
Beyond shock, fear spread across the crowd.
Someone in the audience noticed the emblem on the shoulders of the woman and the large man and shouted,
"M-Madness! Look at their shoulders!!"
Following the outburst, everyone turned their gaze toward the two.
There, vividly imprinted, was a withered willow tree emblem, seemingly quivering.
Most of the people present recognized it instantly.
"E-Echo Willow?!"
"N-no way, Echo Willow?!"
"T-this is insane…"
Echo Willow.
It was one of the major guilds, yet few actually wanted to join it.
Its infamy was widespread.
Most of its members had accumulated infamy points and engaged in blatant misconduct without hesitation.
A guild of villains among villains.
Although Echo Willow wasn’t among the highest-ranked guilds, it couldn’t be ignored.
The fact that it had become a large guild despite consisting solely of infamy-bearing users was proof that it was a gathering place for highly skilled outlaws.
As the majority stood frozen in shock, the woman finally smiled in satisfaction and nodded.
"Yes, this is the reaction I wanted. Don’t you think so, Kalak?"
"...The guild told us to restrain ourselves, Uz."
"How boring. Fine."
The woman, called Uz, pouted as if displeased but snapped her fingers again, making the flaming spears disappear instantly.
Though the spears vanished, the oppressive aura remained, suffocating the atmosphere.
The only sound filling the silence was the nervous swallowing of the gathered users.
And amid all this tension—
Seonghyeon alone tilted his head in confusion.
‘What’s Echo Willow?’
As he debated whether to ask Kim Chaegun through the party chat, a message arrived.
Perhaps she had read his expression?
Her sense was quite sharp.
[Joseon’s Greatest Swordsman Kim Chaegun – My apologies, but do you know what Echo Willow is?]
…Seonghyeon paused.
So she didn’t know either.
Without replying, he simply shook his head and ignored it.
Kim Chaegun, realizing this, muttered, "I see," and didn’t seem particularly concerned.
Though many were shocked, neither of them considered five flaming spears enough to make a fuss over.
They simply acknowledged the existence of such individuals and moved on.
‘If they attack, I’ll just fight back.’
Both Seonghyeon and Kim Chaegun shared the same thought as they waited.
By the time Group 78 was called, the massive man, Kalak, and the woman, Uz, entered the dungeon.
Shortly after, it was finally Group 99’s turn.
As stated at the entrance, in Rox’s Tomb, each group member would start in a different location.
But that didn’t matter to Seonghyeon.
He already knew the way.
However, he wasn’t alone in this place.
‘Hmm, what should I do?’
Kim Chaegun was unlikely to die along the way.
Should he stick together with her until the end?
Hidden pieces weren’t typically shared.
But he already had an idea of what was inside.
It was something a dark mage would need.
Seonghyeon figured he would end up acquiring it anyway.
‘I’ll think about it after I find it.’
With that thought, Seonghyeon entered the dungeon with Kim Chaegun.
As in most dungeons, system messages appeared.
[You are with a party member.] [Entry is now possible.] [Entering 『Event Dungeon – Rox’s Tomb』.] [*Warning: Upon entry, each party member will start in a different location.]
Ignoring the messages, Seonghyeon took in his surroundings.
A pitch-black maze with zero visibility.
But to an Overlord like Seonghyeon, darkness was a friend.
His vision remained clear despite the darkness.
Rather than a tomb, the well-carved stone floors and smooth walls made it seem more like a labyrinth.
As he surveyed the area, he saw Kim Chaegun standing calmly with her eyes closed beside him.
It might seem odd, but Seonghyeon knew why.
‘She’s adjusting to the darkness.’
After moving from a bright place to sudden darkness, human vision doesn’t adjust instantly.
Closing one’s eyes for a while helps with adaptation.
Once she had fully adjusted, Kim Chaegun spoke.
"Hmm. I’m ready now. Thank you for waiting."
"Not a problem."
Noticing that Seonghyeon had already adapted to the darkness, she thanked him before allowing him to take the lead.
Even if she had adjusted, in a dim environment, it was still better for someone with no visibility restrictions to lead.
Perhaps thinking the same, Kim Chaegun followed without complaint.
After some time, Kim Chaegun stepped forward—
Click.
The moment the sound rang out, both of them reacted instantly.
As soon as they heard the clicking noise from the floor, the sound of movement from above followed.
Both dashed away like lightning.
Swish! Swish!
Kim Chaegun, as always, lightly skimmed the floor with her toes before explosively leaping away. Having seen this before, Seonghyeon followed suit.
Just as they escaped—
Boom!
The ceiling crashed down, crushing the spot where they had just stood.
The vibrations from the impact gave them a rough sense of the trap's strength.
Had they been caught under it, survival would have been impossible.
The sheer force was one thing, but the speed was just as terrifying.
Seonghyeon and Kim Chaegun had managed to react in time, but most other users would have been crushed the moment they realized what was happening.
It was a terrifying trap, no doubt.
Yet, Seonghyeon and Kim Chaegun observed it with calm expressions.
Kim Chaegun’s face showed curiosity—was this the extent of the challenge? Meanwhile, Seonghyeon thought it was manageable.
“Let’s go.”
“Hmph, indeed.”
The trap had given Seonghyeon a perfect sense of his location within the dungeon.
Knowing exactly where to go, he moved swiftly.
Even Kim Chaegun hesitated momentarily at the unexpected speed but quickly followed suit, deciding that moving fast was better than being cautious.
As they continued, dodging every trap they encountered—
A laugh echoed ahead.
"Kikik! Kik!"
“…?”
“Hm.”
Startled by the sudden sound, Seonghyeon halted, while Kim Chaegun stroked his smooth, beardless chin.
Before them stood a mysterious creature.
Black horns and dark skin—or was it covered in short fur?
Either way, its skin appeared pitch-black.
It covered its mouth with both hands, struggling to suppress its laughter while flicking its long, whip-like tail against the ground.
Swish! Swish!
Judging by the force behind each swing, it was a formidable weapon.
Now that they could see it clearly—
[Lv.40 Lesser Demon, Kaishak]
As expected from a tomb of an evil sorcerer.
Even demons appeared as monsters.
Kim Chaegun watched Kaishak with intrigue, while Seonghyeon studied it with curiosity.
Would a lesser demon become an undead?
‘Interesting.’
Unable to resist his curiosity, Seonghyeon charged first.
Kim Chaegun quickly followed suit, accelerating past Seonghyeon to reach Kaishak first.
Just as Kim Chaegun closed in—
The whip-like tail lashed out, its razor-sharp tip shooting straight toward him.
Whoosh!
The tail moved faster than an arrow, causing Kim Chaegun’s eyes to widen slightly.
Faster than expected, but it was just a tail.
With precise timing, Kim Chaegun swung his sword, intercepting the attack.
Despite making contact—
Clang!
A piercing metallic ring echoed through the chamber.
Kim Chaegun frowned slightly, his wrist throbbing from the impact, as he was pushed back ever so slightly.
If the force was this strong, Seonghyeon might struggle to block it alone.
Just as Kim Chaegun was about to warn him, Kaishak’s tail snapped back and whipped toward Seonghyeon.
It cut through the air like a blade, aiming straight for him—
Only to be stopped by a thin red barrier.
Boom!
The air shook as the barrier held firm against the attack.
Kaishak’s laughter abruptly halted.
“Kik?”
“?!?!”
“….”
Both Kaishak and Kim Chaegun were stunned.
Kaishak was shocked that such a thin barrier had stopped its attack, while Kim Chaegun was surprised for a different reason—
‘A dark mage?’
He had known Seonghyeon wasn’t a warrior or swordsman, but to think he was a dark mage.
‘A dark mage who wields a sword this well?’
Kim Chaegun couldn’t hide his amazement.
Even among his peers, few wielded the blade as skillfully as Seonghyeon.
Who was he really?
As Kim Chaegun and Kaishak reeled from their surprise, Seonghyeon calmly summoned a bone arrow and fired it at Kaishak.
Kaishak swiftly wrapped its tail around itself, deflecting the arrow.
Ting!
The arrow bounced off as Kaishak prepared to retaliate—
Only to notice a glowing teal spear hurtling toward it.
It had to block it.
Instinctively, Kaishak recoiled its tail, aiming to intercept the incoming attack.
Twisting its body violently, its tail made a sickening crack as it shifted positions.
Snap! Crack!
Ignoring the pain, Kaishak braced itself and swung its tail to block the spear.
Or so it thought.
The timing was perfect, and its tail was on course to deflect the spear.
But—
The tail passed through empty air.
As if slicing through a mirage.
And the spear flew straight into Kaishak’s chest.
Squelch!
"Kyaaaaargh!"
Kaishak shrieked in agony.
Its eyes turned completely black as system messages flooded Seonghyeon's vision.
[Critical Hit!] [『One Strike!』 effect activated!] [Dark damage applied.] [Lesser Demon, Kaishak, suffers 3 seconds of impaired vision and senses.]
Three seconds.
A short window—but for Seonghyeon and Kim Chaegun, it was more than enough.
Kim Chaegun swiftly closed the gap while Seonghyeon unleashed Wrathful Souls of the Dead.
Both reached Kaishak at nearly the same time.
Seonghyeon swung his sword, while Kim Chaegun did the same.
A yellow aura enveloped Kim Chaegun’s blade, enhancing its speed and power as it left a deep gash across Kaishak’s torso.
Seonghyeon’s strike, though not as powerful, was still strong enough to carve another wound into its body.
Two seconds remained.
Without hesitation, they pressed their advantage, slashing relentlessly.
Kaishak collapsed without another scream.
[You have gained experience.]
The familiar blue-green mist rose from its corpse as Seonghyeon smiled at the system notification.
[『Legion of the Dead』 is now available.] [Would you like to raise the 『Legion of the Dead』?]
An undead lesser demon.
Seonghyeon grinned, preparing to raise it—
But footsteps echoed from the opposite corridor.
Two figures emerged.
"Oh my, more users? That means rewards, right, Kalak?"
"…Inside a dungeon, it doesn’t matter."
They muttered to each other.
As they stepped into view, a system message appeared.
[Infamous users detected.] [Attacking them will not increase your infamy.] [Infamous users detected.] [Attacking them will not increase your infamy.] [Entering combat mode.]
Above their heads, their names were displayed:
『Infamous User - Lv.45 Kalak』 『Infamous User - Lv.49 Uz』
A towering brute and a small woman stood before them, exuding confidence.
As Seonghyeon studied them, a soft laugh echoed from Kaishak’s corpse.
—Kikikik!
Only Seonghyeon could hear it.
Smirking, he thought to himself.
‘Perfect. Time to test my undead lesser demon.’