Chapter 32

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The Big Eater

“On sale! On sale!”

“Hey!”

“I took off my pants!”

“Oh, no!”

“Ugh...!”

“...”

“... What? No one’s coming?”

The boy slowly pulled up his pants and sighed.

At this, Isabella, who had been preparing to attack with her dagger, showed a change in her expression.

She seemed to be trying hard not to laugh.

However, this was Necrovalle.

The city of the dead.

It was inconceivable that a young boy and girl would be in the underground dungeon connected to such a place.

Moreover, the content of their conversation.

‘They mentioned a hidden camera.’

There couldn’t possibly be a hidden camera in Pangea.

So, were they summoned from Earth?

This was also puzzling.

‘I was the last summoner.’

Before becoming a player, Wilhelm had only one concurrent player.

This meant that all other gamers had already been summoned as players.

But suddenly, new summoners?

‘Is this related to the collapse of Pangea?’

Collapse. Erosion.

Could it be related to the ‘First Crack’ that opens when it reaches 10%?

“Hey! There’s a person!”

As I revealed myself, the boy shouted.

He looked to be around twelve years old.

He had a cute face that seemed to have never known hardship, wore glasses, and had on a blue short-sleeved shirt with an elephant embroidered on it.

“Look, they mentioned a hidden camera, right?”

“People in a place like this...? I don’t hear any crows cawing.”

The girl looked even younger.

She had long braided hair and freckles that made her stand out.

However, compared to the boy, she maintained a much calmer demeanor.

“Sir, is this a hidden camera?”

“We’re trapped too.”

“Eh...?”

At this, the boy’s eyes began to tremble intensely.

It wasn’t a lie.

We were in a situation where we had to find a way out; if we couldn’t, we would be no different from being lost.

The paths in Necrovalle’s underground dungeon changed constantly.

The boy spread his hands and shrugged.

“It’s over. You guys can’t help.”

“Still, you’re an adult. An adult is better to rely on than kids like us.”

“Is that so?”

“Sir, and pretty lady. I’m Jinha, and this fatty is Jinwoo. What are your names?”

“We are...”

Just as Isabella was about to speak, I raised my hand to stop her.

“How long have you been here?”

Jinha pouted and shook her head.

“I don’t know. Every time the crows caw, monsters jump out. I lost my phone, so I don’t know how much time has passed...”

“Were you summoned from Earth?”

“Of course, we’re from Earth. So, are you not from Earth? An alien?”

Earth. Judging by their names, they were Korean.

Was it a coincidence?

‘They have such an adorable look in their eyes.’

Isabella seemed to have already been won over by the two children.

But did Isabella like children this much?

“By any chance, were you also playing a game when you were summoned?”

“Something like that.”

“Pangea?”

“...”

“Sure enough, that game is the problem. I wasn’t supposed to take care of this fatty for just a moment.”

Jinha sighed.

From what I gathered, they had been raising a character together when they were summoned.

“Anyway, staying here won’t get us anywhere. We need to get out before the crows caw.”

“Crows?”

“Yes. Monsters appear every time the crows caw.”

Dungeons, like bears taking over a cave, had their own masters.

And the characteristics and features of a dungeon varied depending on its master.

To investigate the dungeon relatively freely, you had to kill the dungeon’s master.

“Follow me quietly.”

I took the lead and started walking.

*

Undead monsters.

Zombies were loitering in specific areas of the dungeon.

‘They don’t attack unless the crows caw, it seems.’

However, they were not aggressive.

They didn’t even look at us as we passed by, just banging their heads against the walls.

If you followed the rules, the dungeon wasn’t difficult to clear. That’s why the children were still alive.

“I’m hungry.”

“Did you finish the chocolate bars?”

“I finished them a long time ago.”

“Wait. You pig, did you leave me one?”

“Ah, right.”

The children were chatty, as children should be.

They seemed to have relaxed because of the presence of an adult.

Isabella was looking at the two children with a smile that was hard to tell if it was real or not.

Thinking about it, Isabella had been looking at the children every time they passed by.

In the Golden City of Arcana, in the Knight’s Garden.

The longer she looked at children who seemed innocent, the longer her gaze lingered.

Caw!

Caw!

“Crows! Crows!”

“Ah!”

Suddenly, the sound of crows cawing began.

The children shrank back in fear.

Swish!

But the zombies’ level was only 3.

Even if there were a thousand zombies, they were no match for Isabella.

In the blink of an eye, Isabella decapitated five zombies and shook off her dagger.

‘Her stats have increased.’

After giving the thousand-year-old mandrake to the forest spirit, Isabella’s movements became more fluid and efficient.

It seemed her talent had blossomed, and her stats had increased.

Grrr!

After dealing with the zombies, the next to appear were ghouls.

Level 4.

As expected, they were no match for Isabella. She was cutting them down even more quickly and cleanly than usual.

The progress was smooth, but I couldn’t help but frown.

‘The dungeon’s population is strange.’

Logically, dungeons were typically populated by monsters of similar levels.

It was unusual for a dungeon to have a mix of different types of monsters with a wide range of levels.

Zombies (Level 3), followed by ghouls (Level 4), and then ghoul knights (Level 6).

Swish!

The moment Isabella beheaded the ghoul knight.

“Hmm!”

Suddenly, Isabella’s body stiffened and then slumped.

Was she caught off guard by the Level 6 ghoul knight?

No, it wasn’t the undead.

Jinha and Jinwoo.

The two children, who had approached from behind, had their hands transformed like scorpion tails.

Isabella’s eyes trembled violently.

Caw!

Caw!

The two children, having completed their mission, began to mimic the cawing of crows simultaneously.

From the beginning, the two children were bait.

Bait set by the dungeon’s master to hunt humans who entered the dungeon.

I, too, felt my mind becoming hazy.

Before I knew it, a powerful paralyzing poison was coursing through my veins.

Before I could react, my body slumped.

*

The owner of the Crow Cemetery.

The giant corpse crow, facing a sumptuous feast, let out a triumphant cry.

“I eat. Humans of this world. I evolve. Knowledge and power overflow!”

Isabella gritted her teeth at the sight of the creature.

Ordinary corpse crows cannot speak.

They are also much smaller.

But the corpse crow before her was different.

‘My body... can’t move...’

Poisoned by the powerful paralyzing toxin, Isabella was unable to do anything.

I never imagined the children were undead.

It was baffling how I didn’t recognize them, even though they were right next to me.

But they looked so human.

Their hearts were beating, and they weren’t decaying.

‘This is not an ordinary corpse crow.’

Corpse crows are monsters that eat corpses and control the bodies they consume.

However, the corpse crow before her had disguised itself as a corpse and made it indistinguishable from a real human.

It was on a different level from an ordinary corpse crow.

Still, it was a mistake. I had let my guard down, which was unlike me.

Even in front of innocent-looking children, I should never have lowered my guard.

I had been caught off guard by the alien methods of the monster, different from those in the desert.

“I evolve! I eat! I evolve!”

The corpse crow’s eyes were pure madness.

A beak large enough to swallow a person whole.

I had never heard of a corpse crow as big as a building.

I felt suffocated. I couldn’t even twitch a finger.

The moment I saw the corpse crow’s eyes, the paralysis worsened. It wasn’t just paralysis; a powerful curse was added.

My will weakened, and my spirit was broken. The fear of death slowly began to consume my entire body.

There was nothing she could do but be eaten.

The corpse crow would peck out her eyes and tear into her entrails, enjoying the feast.

The corpse crow opened its beak, revealing teeth like saw blades. The screams of countless corpses begging for mercy echoed inside.

“Stupid humans!”

“Noisy, damn crow.”

...At that moment.

The Sungazer, who had been lying as if unconscious, suddenly sat up and began to stretch as if unaffected.

The poison that had paralyzed Isabella was so potent.

Combined with the curse, it was impossible to escape.

Yet, the Sungazer calmly drew two swords.

Swish!

The corpse crow spread its wings.

A gust of wind from the giant wings revealed numerous eyes.

All the eyes of those consumed by the corpse crow. Hundreds of eyes amplified the curse.

It was a confidence that no one could remain unscathed from its curse.

Even if the poison didn’t work, avoiding the curse was impossible.

The amplified and further amplified curse of illusion. It would make you sleep forever, unaware of being eaten.

Crunch!

A thick chunk of flesh was cut, and a massive piece fell to the ground.

It was the head of the corpse crow.

-What is this situation?

The corpse crow couldn’t understand.

A human who was immune to both the poison and the curse of illusion!

Most importantly, it didn’t know when its head was cut off. It couldn’t even perceive the human’s movements, as if it had been cursed.

-Just a human!

An impossible event occurred.

It was an absolute predator.

It couldn’t bear the humiliation of being killed by prey.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

The corpse crow focused all its curses, gathered from all the souls it had consumed, into a single point.

The curse that had spread throughout the dungeon gathered to kill a single human.

-...It doesn’t work?

But even that didn’t work.

As if immune to the curse itself.

This... this is not a human. It can’t be a human.

It was a life form completely different from its usual concept.

-...!

The corpse crow trembled when it met the human’s eyes.

For some reason.

An indescribable, incomprehensible curse that transcended its understanding was contained within.

It felt as if it would be devoured by that curse if it remained still.

The true apex predator of the pyramid. The corpse crow realized that the prey was itself from the beginning.

But the corpse crow could do nothing.

Rumble!

The corpse crow’s body fell, finally meeting its complete death.

*

It was strange from the beginning.

Why were the children in the dungeon?

And why were they wandering around in modern clothes?

‘They must have recreated and manifested based on the memories they consumed.’

The two children were likely summoned players.

But when players are summoned, they naturally gain a body in this world.

It was impossible for them to bring the clothes they were wearing.

This place was probably the main quest 1, the scene of survival, for the children.

However, those who failed to survive the quest cruelly became the food of the corpse crow.

‘A Level 4 monster grew to Level 8.’

Such a level increase. It was more like evolution than growth.

The corpse crow, having consumed players, became stronger. It grew larger and more intelligent, and continued to lure and kill players.

As the corpse crow grew stronger, the dungeon also deepened.

The reason for the presence of monsters with a wide range of levels is now explained.

But it was a difficult creature to find.

It hid its main body and disguised human children, especially those that players would inevitably react to, as living beings.

There were many who fell for it, despite its despicable nature.

It made players let their guard down, paralyzed them with poison, and then ate them alive.

‘If I didn’t have observational skills, I would have been deceived too.’

It was exquisitely crafted, but I had the talent for observation.

Even without a hidden characteristic, my maxed-out observation skill could detect the slightest irregularities in heartbeats.

With additional evidence, I was certain.

However, if I showed any signs of suspicion, the main body would hide, so I just played along.

‘If I had been paralyzed by that poison without any countermeasures, even Level 10 would be dangerous.’

The magic poison that paralyzed Isabella was condensed solely for paralysis.

As the corpse crow evolved, the poison became even stronger.

The reason the corpse crow confidently revealed itself when it thought both of us were paralyzed.

But the corpse crow couldn’t have imagined.

<‘Giant’s Antimagic’ completely decomposes ‘Magic Poison (Level 8).’>

<‘Ironblood Overlord’s Heart’ nullifies ‘Illusion Curse (Level 9).’>

<‘Moonlight Butterfly’ drives away the alien aura around it.>

That I was its natural enemy.

‘I don’t need to prepare any countermeasures, though.’

It’s impossible to kill me with ordinary curses or poisons.

Hidden characteristics are in an absolute position of superiority over ordinary characteristics.

I have as many as 13 of them.

It means that I can handle most situations automatically.

Moreover, the corpse crow was originally a boss monster that hid in the dungeon and controlled the undead.

The main body itself was extremely weak in both attack and defense.

In other words, the moment I found the hidden main body, the battle was already decided.

《You have cleared the ‘Crow Cemetery Underground Dungeon.’》

《With the death of the dungeon’s master, ‘Corpse Crow,’ the dungeon returns to its original form.》

The dungeon was cleared more easily than expected.

With the death of the dungeon’s master, all the undead disappeared, and the constantly changing geography of the dungeon stabilized.

Exploring the dungeon would now be much easier.

However, everything wasn’t over yet.

《The ‘Throne of Adventure’ praises your adventurous spirit, risking your life. The reward content is upgraded.》

《The ‘Throne of Fortune’ sighs in relief and wishes you luck. The reward content is upgraded.》

《You possess the ‘Lucky Dice.’》

《You obtain the reward list three levels higher.》

《You can choose two out of four reward items.》

The time for the deserved rewards!

‘Oh.’

I sighed in admiration.

... The thrones of the Hall of Citizens have returned.

The thrones of the Hall of Citizens, which had frowned and refused to upgrade the rewards even after clearing the main quest 4, seemed to have not completely turned their backs on me.

It was fortunate that at least two of them appeared.

I looked at the reward list that appeared.

<Fragment of the Broken Golden Rule 9h (6+3)>, <Evolved Corpse Crow’s Core>, <Feather of the Eye Collector>, <Amplification Codex>

Four items.

The best treasures that could be obtained from this dungeon!

One of them stood out.

‘Fragment of the Broken Golden Rule?’

Was it because the corpse crow had consumed players?

I never thought I could obtain a fragment of the Golden Rule as a dungeon reward.

There was no need to hesitate.

‘The Fragment of the Broken Golden Rule and the Amplification Codex. These two are the best.’

Explaining the importance of the Golden Rule would be exhausting.

Additionally, the Amplification Codex was a tool that amplified the effects of skills. It would be useful to have one.

Rumble!

Suddenly, one of the items floated and turned purple.

‘...What?’

The item that changed was the <Evolved Corpse Crow’s Core>.

But the shock was fleeting, thanks to the Ironblood Overlord’s Heart.

I quickly guessed what caused this phenomenon.

‘It’s related to the characteristics I possess.’

The only thing that could cause such a change was a hidden characteristic.

I changed my mind and modified the reward list.

《I have chosen the <Fragment of the Broken Golden Rule 9h (6+3)>.》

《I have chosen the <Evolved Corpse Crow’s Core>.》

Then, slowly, a black core floated out of the corpse crow’s body.

However...

Gulp!

“Hmm!”

...I was hungry.

The moment I saw the evolved corpse crow’s core, an intense hunger began to overwhelm me.

My stomach growled, and my salivary glands exploded with saliva.

A hunger that couldn’t be controlled even by the Iron