Chapter 50

00050 Dungeon Of Alchemist

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"Did you hear? They say another dungeon was discovered in Mul."

"Black Forest. The dungeon of the ancient alchemist Vivian. I might go back to Mul once more. Who knows? There might still be something left."

"You already found the Cave of Screams. Don’t be greedy. But there’s something a bit strange. It seems there were users who discovered it first."

"They seem to have failed and all died. Well, it’s hard to say if they actually died. Hmm? A total of three. Or should I say one. What do you mean by that…."

*

My party and I tidied up our belongings and left the inn. It was early, so Gaolianju wasn’t around. Ahnhyun seemed reluctant to leave <Modest Lady>, constantly glancing back.

Mul’s north gate was quite shabby compared to Barbara’s. There were a couple of guards controlling the gate, but they looked rather worn out. No matter how much of a frontier town it was, it was hard to say that the lord of the representative clan currently governing Mul was doing a good job.

"Thank you for your hard work. I hope you all return safely. May the blessings of the angels be with the users."

"Thank you."

After returning the salute to the guards, we finally stepped out of the north gate. Hyun, who seemed to be seeing the residents for the first time, asked me with a curious look.

"Bro. What kind of people are the residents?"

"Residents? The people who originally lived in Hol Plain. You can also consider Hyun as a resident of Earth."

"Hmm. Is there any difference between us? I heard from other users that users are nobles and residents are commoners."

Nobles and commoners. The residents are weak. So weak that without users, they wouldn’t be able to survive the dangers scattered throughout Hol Plain. Of course, things are a bit different when moving from Atlanta to Terra, but at least up to Barbara, the current status of the residents is that they are protected by users.

At least, the residents of the cities that have been discovered and developed can be considered to have escaped from danger. However, no one knows what will happen to the cities that haven’t been developed yet. In fact, there have been cases where cities in the southern continent have been found in ruins, and there wasn’t a single resident left in those cities. It’s speculated that they were all massacred by invading groups.

Residents think of users, who protect them from such groups, as messengers of the gods. They believe in the existence of gods in Hol Plain, and some residents have even received orders from descended angels. Users, on the other hand, are seen as messengers of the gods who have received divine commands and the protection of angels to save them.

In reality, users are kidnapped by angels and use the power given by the settings, but residents believe that the users’ power comes from divine blessings. Therefore, the residents’ view of users is generally filled with goodwill and reverence.

The terms noble and commoner are from the users' perspective. The people called by these two terms can also be seen as masters and servants. The Western Continent, known for its infinite freedom, is especially severe, where residents are treated almost like slaves. Even in the Northern Continent, where it’s not as bad, there is a clear view of looking down on residents and seeing them as below users. At first, it felt a bit sad that even though they are the same people, humans, they are treated this way.

From the cities and dungeons that have been discovered, it’s clear that Hol Plain once flourished. The only thing I know is that for some reason, they lost all the prosperity they once enjoyed and lost all their power. As a result, the current residents are now living in fear of monster attacks every day.

I briefly summarized these points and explained them to Hyun. Not only Hyun, but the kids also seemed curious, nodding their heads. While it’s not necessary to pity the residents, I concluded by saying that treating them too harshly doesn’t look good.

Still, it was strange that not a single user was in sight. Usually, there should be a few around. This made me realize the influence of the Golden Lion Clan’s movements. With the northern cities empty, the southern, western, and central Barbara must be overflowing with users. I suddenly felt like I wanted to join them right away.

Although I felt a bit sentimental for a moment, that feeling gradually disappeared as we walked. As we moved north from Mul, the scenery around us began to change. The road became rougher, and the signs of human activity became fainter. However, it wasn’t a bad feeling.

It was because we could enjoy the natural scenery. Living in a place where nature was hard to find, seeing such a living nature was not a common occurrence on Earth. A gentle breeze blew, and the kids also looked more refreshed, occasionally glancing around. As the vegetation became denser, I stopped for a moment and took out the map I was carrying.

On the left was the forest, and on the right was the plain. The direction to the Black Forest was into the forest, not the plain. I checked just in case, but it was the same as my memory. I folded the map neatly and put it back in my pocket. Several faint paths lay ahead, but I turned without hesitation towards the northwest path.

Stepping into the vast forest, which was now tinged with green, we moved forward. The plain that followed after leaving Mul’s north gate was still fresh and vibrant. However, the closer we got to the Black Forest, the more the vibrant colors seemed to fade.

As we continued down the path, dark blue trees began to appear one by one. The sticky trees, which seemed to stretch endlessly into the sky, exuded a massive presence just by looking at them. We had entered the outskirts of the Black Forest. Looking at the kids who had been following me closely, I spoke in a low voice.

"This is the edge of the Black Forest. Everyone, stay alert and be mentally prepared."

The more we went in, the more the gloomy atmosphere intensified. Honestly, it was a bit embarrassing to call this place a forest. The highlands and lowlands were clearly distinguished, and the area was too vast to be called a forest. It was almost insulting to compare it to the forest we passed through during the initiation.

The weak sunlight that occasionally filtered through in the early morning would soon disappear as we went deeper. Thinking about how dark it would be at night, I decided we needed to secure a safe place today. For now, we could still distinguish our surroundings, so I planned to take a look around. Glancing at the kids, I noticed they were all gripping their weapons tightly, showing signs of tension. At that moment,

"Wait a moment."

While turning to look at the kids, I noticed an unusual trace. It was a lucky discovery. If I hadn’t turned my head, I might have missed it, but my heightened senses caught the trace in that fleeting moment.

The kids, who had been on guard, looked at me with surprised faces. I moved to where I found the trace and crouched down to examine it more closely. The kids, seeing my expressionless face, gathered around me cautiously.

This... is a trace of people passing by. And not just one or two. Clearly, no one was visible when we left the north gate. They could have come from another direction. Of course, it was strange that there were no users at all, but the traces didn’t seem old.

"Bro. Why are you suddenly looking at the ground?"

"......"

I scanned the ground for a moment, then activated my Third Eye to gather more detailed information. Yujung spoke cautiously, but I didn’t feel like responding at the moment.

"Bro? Bro!"

"Sis. Bro is tracking... just wait a moment..."

"Tracking...? Oh, isn’t that something archers and assassins do?"

"That’s true, but I’ve heard that it’s possible to some extent if you have a lot of experience or learn it. Still, users with specialized professions would know more details."

"That’s ridiculous. Are you saying Bro learned it?"

While filtering and analyzing the incoming information, I heard Yujung and Sol mumbling. Archers have the ability to read the ground, in addition to their pathfinding skills. However, the Third Eye, with its wide range of effects, made gathering information from traces a breeze. And, to be honest, my innate ability was probably far superior to theirs.

After analyzing all the information, I stood up again. What I did was just simple tracking, as Sol said. Looking at the kids who were staring blankly at me, I spoke in a heavy voice.

"It seems a caravan passed through this place about 2 to 3 days ago. There were about 5... or maybe 6 people. They didn’t come from the north gate. It seems they came from another place to explore... whether they got lost and ended up here or came intentionally, I’m not sure. But the tracks are all in one direction, so they weren’t completely inexperienced. Still, I don’t know what happened to them."

Of course, I don’t know what happened to them. To see what happened back then, I would need to actually see the past, like during the initiation. But there’s no reason to do that now. There’s no urgency like there was then. Analyzing the remaining traces is more than enough.

Hearing my words, Hyun and Yujung were amazed. Sol, who didn’t expect me to say this much, was wide-eyed. I shrugged in response to their looks. Yujung tilted her head, looking curious.

"So, are there other people in this forest besides us?"

"Maybe... or maybe not."

Yujung, who usually seems sharp, was showing a keen side. I didn’t want to say this, so I deliberately left it ambiguous, but I saw her eyes narrow. I sighed and added,

"Exactly. There are footprints leading into the forest, but no signs of them coming out. They could have gone in another direction, but they might still be wandering around. Or... they might all be dead."

The kids looked uneasy and glanced at each other. I watched them with a cold expression and turned around. In the city, I let them act up and cause trouble, but in the field, I wouldn’t be as lenient.

As my expression hardened and I remained silent, the kids’ footsteps behind me became quieter. They seemed to be suppressing their footsteps, indicating they were quite tense. The trees in the forest grew tall and straight, almost blocking the sky. The faint sunlight that filtered through at the entrance was now completely gone.

We walked for a while, and by the time we left the entrance, the darkness was thick around us. It wasn’t pitch black, but if it’s this dark in the morning, the kids could guess what it would be like at night. Indeed, it was a forest worthy of the name Black Forest.

Without me asking, the kids were already using their detection skills. Thanks to the activated Third Eye and the detection skills I taught them, we could maintain our pace without slowing down. No one spoke anymore. With each step, the sound of rustling grass and their breathing occasionally tickled my ears. Then,

Rumble. Rustle!

A sound caught my ears. At the same time, the rustling of the bushes broke the silence, indicating something was approaching at high speed. It seemed to have detected our presence and was coming to attack.

As I stopped, the kids also seemed to hold their breath. They looked around nervously but didn’t seem to realize the monsters were approaching yet. They would know once the monsters entered their detection range, but I warned them in advance.

"It’s an ambush. Monsters are coming from both sides. Get ready for battle. Sol, move to the center. Hyun and Yujung, form a defensive formation back-to-back."

"Y-Yes?"

"Don’t make me repeat myself. Stay alert and form the formation with Sol at the center."

The kids looked confused at the mention of an ambush. Yujung repeated the question, but I snapped at her coldly, making her shiver and grip her daggers in both hands. Hyun also took a diagonal stance with his spear, and Sol quickly began chanting a spell. Watching them form the formation, I moved to Sol’s side, intending to act as a priest keeper. Drawing my sword from my waist, a cold sound echoed through the forest.

『Special Ability. Divine Sword Fusion activated.』

『Potential Ability. Melee Combat activated.』

『Potential Ability. True Sight activated.』

Swish! Swoosh!

We each took our positions and guarded the front. Just as the rustling of the grass and the sharp sound of the air being split reached us, a sharp, glowing tail shot out from the darkness of the forest. The targets were Hyun and Yujung, who were guarding both sides.

"Don’t dodge! Block it!"

Seeing the kids take defensive stances, I immediately shouted, but Ahnhyun and Yujung had already moved. They seemed to have avoided the monster’s attack through detection. Ahnhyun, stepping to the side, looked puzzled for a moment. But seeing the extended tail, he quickly swung his spear with a startled expression, striking the middle part with a dull sound.

Yujung also showed agile movements by crouching, but she didn’t follow my order to block the tail. She successfully avoided the attack, but that didn’t mean it was over. The tail, passing through Yujung’s position, slightly changed direction and aimed at Sol, who was behind.

Sol, who was in the middle of chanting a spell, looked stunned as the tail aimed at her.

============================ Author's Note ============================

Hello, I’m Ro Yujin.

After letting Seohyun act up for a while, it’s time for the kids to get a scolding. Hahaha. Today, after seeing a comment about weight, I texted a close older sister and only got scolded. Hahaha. Let’s move on to the replies.

『 Replies 』

1. CrossDie: Congratulations on the first place. Is this the return of the king? Hahaha. I’ve fixed the typos. Thank you.

2. Famous: Haha. When I asked a close older sister if it’s possible to be 170cm tall and weigh 44kg with D~E cups, I was treated like a lunatic. I think it’s better to make some adjustments.

3. hohokoya1: That’s right. She’s a very useful woman. I’m still considering whether to have her join. I might just kill her off...

4. GradeRown: They are both Korean. There are similar powerful beings in other continents. The Northern Continent has the highest level. And a language conversion device will be introduced soon. :)

5. Kaihon: No. Except for stamina, all other stats have significantly increased. The first round stats will be shown in the first chapter.

6. Zami: It can be increased beyond 100. The 101 stat was thought to be impossible, so the setting was that the maximum point is 100.

7. Zombie: B → B+ → A → A+ → A++ → A+++ → S → S+ → EX. The A grade is the most subdivided.

8. 15420011: There’s no need to hide it like the initiation. Since they went through the User Academy, they’ve learned most things. The difference is whether they can execute it or not. Besides, there’s no need to hold back now that we’re in Mul. And the money was all bought with the weekly allowance from the User Academy.

9. rhkdel2: If you look around, you’ll see one promising kid. Hahaha.

10. Lancelot du Lac: I’ve completed the cafe registration today. I really wanted the cover, and you introduced a good place. I’ll take a look and consider applying in the future. Thank you!

11. Strongest Holy Maiden: Wow;;; It was just a reply, but you even commented on chapter 49... I did it because I thought of Sol. Please comment on chapter 50 too... :)

I always read all the comments. Don’t be too disappointed if you’re not mentioned in the replies. If you have any specific questions, feel free to send a message, and I’ll answer! (Please give more comments! And recommendations...☞☜)

That’s all for today.

I hope you always read the story with a comfortable mind.

I always welcome pre-reads, recommendations, comments, reviews, and questions.