Chapter 90

00090 Ruined Laboratory

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Soon, the Impriason began to rise above the magic circle. Its appearance was unimpressive. While many of the spirits summoned by spirit summoners in the past were magnificent, the demons summoned by Bibiane were often quite repulsive. Of course, their performance was acknowledged, but as the saying goes, "You get what you pay for."

It had a gaunt body wrapped tightly in what looked like chains, and a single eyeball that rolled around above its forehead. The triangular head shape gave off an inexplicable sense of disgust. However, since it was on our side, I decided to look at it calmly.

Bibiane looked at her summoned Impriason with pride and immediately issued an order.

"Impriason? Restrict the arms of the creature in front of you. Show the majesty of the 49th Legion's ruler to everyone here."

"──."

Impriason's mouth opened slightly, and incomprehensible words flowed out. It was only assumed that this was a response indicating its intention to obey Bibiane's command. Impriason, the ruler of the 49th Legion, showed its capabilities, which were slightly inferior to the 14th Legion's Queritatus summoned earlier.

Clank! Clank!

The chains wrapped around Impriason's body began to unravel. Soon, the chains, emitting an unknown energy, fiercely charged towards the giant. The giant crouched, trying to avoid the chains, but in the confined space, it was nearly impossible to evade the chains that were determined to ensnare it.

I took advantage of the moment and called out to Ahn Hyun.

"Ahn Hyun."

"Yes!"

Ahn Hyun's response was sharp and ready. I smiled slightly, noticing his anxious face, wondering if I was disappointed by the failed attack. Seeing the smug look on Yoo Jung's face, who was keeping watch from a distance, I was even more certain. I continued in a calm voice.

"Once Bibiane's Impriason has completed the restriction, I will move forward to completely immobilize the creature. You take advantage of the moment to stab it deeply, either from the side or the back. You don't need to stab it multiple times; just once will do. Do you understand?"

"I will definitely... meet your expectations this time."

I confirmed that Ahn Hyun was gritting his teeth and gathering mana at the tip of his spear before turning my head again. The chains were already tightly wrapping around the giant's arms.

"Grroo! Grroo!"

The giant tried to resist, but with its right hand injured and the remaining hand unable to remove the tightly wrapped chains, it could only wail pitifully. Seeing the chains perfectly wrapped around its arms, it seemed to realize its fate. At Bibiane's signal, I sprang forward.

If I went below, I could kick it with my feet. An injured beast could act unpredictably, so caution was necessary. Hovering in the air, I drew my sword back as far as possible. As I descended and the giant's body approached,

The giant's arms were forced backward, and it leaned its chest towards me even more. This was Bibiane's doing, and I intended to fully repay her support.

Thud.

I extended my arm and thrust the sword into the center of its chest. The giant's skin was tough, but it was no match for me, a master of swordsmanship. Feeling the sword penetrate, I used the remaining momentum of my descent to slash downward. The sensation was like chopping a rotten log, resonating through the blade and into my hand.

"Kraaaaaa!"

"Ahn Hyun! Finish it!"

"Haaap!"

Ahn Hyun, who had already taken a stance for a decisive blow, thrust his spear into the giant's neck as it roared. The spear, filled with mana, produced a piercing sound that echoed through the room.

"Kuuu! Kuuuu! Kuuuuu!"

The giant, having been trapped for a long time, shed tears of blood, perhaps regretting its futile end. However, this was not my concern, and Ahn Hyun's spear thrust contained no mercy. The spear's tip cleanly struck the giant's neck.

"Gurk… gurrr…."

Thud! Crack!

The sound of breaking. Simultaneously, the giant's neck was pierced. No, it was more accurate to say it was shattered. The giant, spewing blood from its mouth, cast a look of resentment around and then slowly collapsed. This was the giant's final moment.

"Hehe. Well done, Impriason. You can return now."

Bibiane, with a delighted face, recalled Impriason and gave me a mysterious smile. I gently stroked her head. No matter what anyone said, Bibiane was the top contributor in this battle. If she hadn't restrained the giant's arms, Ahn Hyun wouldn't have been able to approach from behind. Bibiane, pleased by my stroking, twisted her body and smiled smugly.

Still, I didn't forget to praise Ahn Hyun for his final blow.

"Ahn Hyun. Your final blow was excellent. Well done."

"Phew… My heart is still racing. Thank you."

Ahn Hyun, breathing heavily, sighed deeply and finally smiled. Shin Sang-yong and Jung Ha-yeon, who didn't contribute much to this battle, looked apologetic. Sol was relieved that no one was injured, and Yoo Jung, who was nagging at Ahn Hyun, was ignored. I would give Yoo Jung a chance next time.

We needed to move quickly to explore the entire first floor by the end of the day. Still, we thoroughly searched the room, but found nothing this time. We left the room, leaving behind the giant's cold, lifeless body.

"Ugh. The place is a mess, it's like a dog's den. What kind of laboratory is this!"

I heard Yoo Jung grumbling, and An Sol frowned slightly, but I felt satisfied inside. Her complaints were a sign that she was finally beginning to understand the nature of the Hol Plain. If she still believed that life was important and that killing was wrong, I might have abandoned the children. However, the children were gradually changing. They had become so desensitized that they no longer flinched at the sight of death.

"Indeed… After all the effort we've put in, it would be a problem if we couldn't even do this much."

I muttered to myself for a moment and then moved to the front of the formation. Ahn Hyun's breathing was still heavy, still affected by the intense battle.

"Alright. Let's re-enter."

After speaking in a low voice to everyone, I walked into the shadow of the corridor, where the light flickered. We still had five more rooms to explore.

*

"Phew. Five consecutive failures. It's really sad."

"Cheer up. At least you got something, right? Even if it's less than 10 gold…."

From behind, I heard Jung Ha-yeon trying to console Yoo Jung, who was complaining. Her slightly bitter tone suggested that she was also feeling a bit discouraged. I understood their feelings and continued walking silently.

Exploration can be fun. Discovering a lot of gold coins, finding magical weapons, and encountering rare items make exploration exciting. The more you explore, the more motivated you become, naturally wondering, "What will I find next?"

However, our current situation was the opposite. The more we explored, the more we exhausted ourselves in battles, and we gained nothing. Of course, we did receive some rewards. The small amount of gold coins we obtained by thoroughly searching the rooms we passed through was a meager reward compared to the intense battles we faced.

To be more specific, we opened five rooms, including the first one with the giant, but the results were disappointing. Out of the five rooms, four contained monsters, and they were not easy opponents.

1st room: Giant

2nd room: Undead

3rd room: Mud Golem

4th room: Empty

5th room: Undead again

We fought battles and, in the process, only obtained a small amount of gold, less than 10 gold coins. While the battles weren't extremely difficult with me and Bibiane around, the exhaustion was inevitable.

Now, we were facing the final room in the western direction, the 6th room. Unlike the previous rooms, this one had a wooden door instead of an iron one. The difference wasn't just the door; the previous rooms emitted a chilling aura or some presence, but this final room was completely ordinary.

"This place looks like a storage room for cleaning tools…."

Ahn Hyun tilted his head and spoke. He also seemed a bit dissatisfied, as his voice was slightly sharp. Bibiane, adding to Ahn Hyun's comment, said in a sharp tone,

"Tch. It looks like just a storage room. Suhyun, quickly open it and let's move on."

I glanced at the group. Their faces were visibly tired from the repeated battles. They seemed to be getting worn out again. I looked at Sol, who was quietly watching me, and then steeled my expression. I intended to take a break after this room, but there were things to address first.

"Everyone, focus. We're at the door. Get ready… What are you all doing?"

My stern words made Ahn Hyun and Bibiane, who were grumbling, step back with guilty faces. Seriously, even if the results weren't good, we were at the door. Opening it recklessly and getting ambushed would be disastrous.

The group, sensing my mood, each picked up their weapons and guarded the front. I sighed and kicked the wooden door open with my foot. Unlike the iron doors, this one opened without much effort.

Fortunately, there was no immediate attack like the giant in the first room. I scanned the room for a moment and, finding no immediate threats, spoke in a low voice.

"Hmm. No one's coming out. But it's too dark."

"─. Light (Light)!"

Jung Ha-yeon immediately cast the Light spell. A bright orb formed and floated into the room. I leaned in to examine the interior more closely.

"Hmm…?"

As the Light orb illuminated the room, I let out a gasp. I sheathed the sword I had half-drawn and stepped into the room, stopping after a few steps. I could feel the group hurrying to follow me. Then,

"Wow…!"

"Wow~."

"Oh! Incredible!"

The group's exclamations echoed simultaneously. They were now standing beside me, captivated by what they saw.

The room was indeed a storage room, with no furniture in the 200-square-foot space. However, what was surprising was the scattered weapons on the floor. Not only that, but there were also shiny objects, which seemed to be gold coins and jewels. Seeing the children's faces light up, I spoke in a calm tone.

"It seems this is a storage room for weapons, prepared for emergencies."

"That's right. But these weapons… Could they be from ancient times? If they are truly ancient weapons…."

Jung Ha-yeon also had an excited smile, unable to hide her enthusiasm. Indeed, if these were weapons from the prosperous ancient times, they might not just enhance mana efficiency but also directly boost stats. Such weapons, though rare, did exist.

"O… Big brother."

Yoo Jung called me in a pleading tone. Turning my head, I saw her fidgeting, clearly eager. I nodded in response to her expectations.

"Let's gather the useful items. One of you should keep watch outside the door, just in case."

"Uh…."

As I finished speaking, the group exchanged glances, trying to read each other's intentions. They didn't want to miss out on the process. Realizing their thoughts, I smiled wryly. Still, I needed to do it, so I was about to move towards the door when,

"Ah. I'll do it. The leader should stay here."

Shin Sang-yong, raising his hand, showed a bright smile.

"It's fine. I can see a few magical weapons here."

"No, no. I can't benefit from the rewards of the exploration anyway. So, it's fine for me. I'll keep watch."

Shin Sang-yong finished speaking and moved towards the door before I could stop him. I could guess his intentions. He seemed to like the group's atmosphere and didn't want to see any unnecessary conflicts. He was willing to take on the task himself.

Of course, he also wanted to participate. Despite this, he volunteered with a cheerful face. Watching him guard the door diligently, I thought for a moment. If he continued to show this attitude, I would want to give him something in return.

After a moment, I turned my gaze back to the floor. The group, except for Shin Sang-yong, was already engrossed in the treasure hunt.

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

Hello, I'm Ro Yujin.

Ah. I recommended "I Am a Superpower" yesterday, and many people found it interesting. I was surprised to see the novel's ranking this morning. It feels great to know that many people enjoyed it. Hahaha. I'm also enjoying the works you recommended. :)

『 Lirif 』

1. Person's Life: Wow. Seeing the "..." in the middle made me want to watch The Walking Dead again. Hahaha. Anyway, congratulations on being number one. I never hit. I don't kill. ^^*

2. zjekfksqlc: Hahaha. I laughed at the mention of An Sol's possession. I thought of the Deadmen, but you could also see it as An Sol. Ah. To be a perfect An Sol, you must extend the last word. "～해요오." Like this. Hahaha.

3. GradeRown: Oh, that's a great idea… Hmm. Ah. The weather is really nice today. Hmm.

4. Eun Seol Ran: Ah, I see. H content should not be viewed carelessly. Ah. However, it is necessary for the plot, so it will appear. It won't be random, though. Hahaha.

5. Shine Nar: Hmm. After leaving Muel, you will still see it a few times. The monsters and the children around here are honestly too weak (compared to the protagonist, of course).

6. Good Body: Hmm. Mercenaries, Greek and Roman mythology, Norse mythology, a beautiful world, "I Am a Superpower," and so on. Just looking at the bestsellers, there are many interesting works these days. Hahaha.

7. Hwiul: Yes! They are really interesting works. Enjoy reading them. :)

8. hohokoya1: Hahaha. To repay your support, I'll post one more chapter a bit earlier today. Ah. I have a date tonight, so I need to write one more chapter in advance to post it by midnight. ㅜ.ㅠ

9. Nothwood: Huh. No, I just recommended it. The readers are the ones who judge and categorize it. I'm sure the readers found your work interesting. Hahaha.

10. Black Templar: Haha. I always have a remake in mind for the early stages. However, I'm currently focusing on the progress. I'll strive to show more stable content in the future.

Your recommendations and comments are the driving force behind my daily updates. (This is a fact.)

I always read all the comments.

Please don't be too disappointed if your comment isn't in Lirif.

If you have any specific questions, feel free to send me a message, and I'll respond!

I'll end here for today.

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

I welcome all recommendations, comments, criticisms, and questions.