Chapter 12. Black Route (1)

[You have entered the Black Route.]

[Successfully cross the pond and reach the opposite point.]

Yeongwoo wiped the blood from his greatsword with a piece of clothing and roughly sheathed it at his waist.

Perhaps it was because he had tasted blood for the first time in a while.

His body felt intensely heated.

'Still, it seems to work to some extent.'

Although it was just a clash with minor players, he now felt confident that it was worth trying.

Certainly, in terms of skill and technique, he was still on par or even slightly lacking.

But Yeongwoo possessed something that could more than make up for it.

'Experience.'

Experience from crossing countless battlefields and death lines.

And the senses and instincts honed from those experiences, along with his fighting spirit.

These were not things that could be easily obtained.

Yeongwoo had a clear understanding of his strengths and weaknesses.

'Skill and technique can always be caught up with. No need to rush. Just like before, if I keep running, I'll get there. My way isn't wrong.'

As he organized his thoughts, Yeongwoo looked around.

'This is the Black Route, difficulty level 4, right?'

The Black Route had a very simple structure.

A large pond stretched along a wide cavern.

'Am I supposed to cross this?'

The cavern and the pond extended in a long, winding path.

It seemed the purpose was to swim across the pond.

[Pond of Thousand Layers of Water]

A pond said to have been created when the giant Mimir accidentally spilled water while carrying it. Ordinary life forms cannot survive here.

Yeongwoo bent down and lightly touched the water's edge.

It felt different from ordinary water.

It was not soft but rather somewhat tough.

Just in case, he threw a small stone that was rolling around at his feet. The stone crumbled and sank immediately.

'As expected.'

Yeongwoo frowned.

'It's not ordinary water. It's called Thousand Layers of Water, so it must be heavy.'

The density and water pressure were incomparably heavier than ordinary water.

An ordinary person would likely be crushed immediately upon entering. Even if the body could somehow withstand it, one would tire quickly and sink.

It seemed impossible to float.

'If I try to cross this place of unknown depth and width, I'll die soon. Who knows what's inside.'

Yeongwoo focused on the part of the description that said "ordinary life forms cannot survive."

This implied that strange life forms could potentially survive.

Even if there weren't, there were likely traps set up.

Yeongwoo did not rush into a challenge.

Instead,

'It should be somewhere around here, right?'

He carefully examined the walls leading to the pond.

'Eye of the Dragon Horse.'

Dozens of seams ran along the wall.

Yeongwoo found a spot where the seams converged and pushed it with his hand.

Creak.

Thinking the wall had moved inward,

Grinding!

The wall began to turn to the side, emitting a cloud of dust. It stopped with a thud.

A new staircase leading downward appeared.

'Got it.'

Yeongwoo smiled faintly.

This was the hidden piece in the Black Route, difficulty level 4, where the 'Vampiric Sword of Bathory' was hidden.

[You have entered the dungeon.]

[Hidden Piece, 'Room of Frost and Flame,' discovered.]

[300 points of merit earned.]

Yeongwoo descended the stairs, leaving the pleasant sound behind.

The stairs were spiral and led deep into the dungeon.

The light was cut off at a certain point, making it impossible to see ahead.

But Yeongwoo was not particularly worried.

[Enhanced Senses: 17.8%]

Thanks to the 3% increase in proficiency from clearing the boss room in Area A in one go, he could now perceive his surroundings using other senses without relying on his vision.

In fact, he could receive more information than he could with his eyes alone.

The sounds around him, the structure of the terrain, his own movements.

Everything was clearly perceived.

There were no blind spots.

Moreover,

Just a few days ago, he would have had to concentrate to maintain the skill, but now it was so familiar that it was always active subconsciously.

It had almost become a passive skill.

Thanks to this, Yeongwoo could move through the dungeon without much difficulty.

How long had he descended?

Soon, a cold wind that seemed to chill his skin blew.

Whoosh.

The stairs ended, and a new cave appeared.

'I found it.'

The cave was covered with white moss that had frost on the walls.

[White Moss]

Moss that contains the essence of the moon that flows into the cave. However, it can cause illness if consumed and has no taste.

A very simple description.

But Yeongwoo knew well the hidden effects of the white moss.

Later, he learned that the Black Route, though dangerous, had many ways to overcome it. One of them was the white moss.

The white moss was a potent medicinal herb that contained a lot of the moon's essence. Many animals fed on it as their main diet.

However, it was not suitable for human physiology, and consuming it often led to adverse reactions and illness.

Therefore, many players who discovered the dungeon avoided the white moss.

As a result, players who chose the Black Route often turned back after discovering this cave, unable to proceed.

It was dark, long, and filled with unnecessary things.

Who would waste time in such a place when they were busy moving forward?

But his younger brother only found out much later.

The secret this place held.

He learned from a close alchemist that the white moss could be used as a material with a unique method of consumption.

'The white moss is too soft. It dissolves when consumed directly due to its softness. But...'

Yeongwoo stopped organizing his thoughts and turned his gaze to a sound from somewhere.

Creak.

Squeak.

Suddenly, something poked its head out from between the white moss.

It was a centipede as long as a human arm.

It had a hard, reddish shell.

[Red Ong]

A centipede that feeds on white moss. It lives in karst caves, with its eyes degenerated but other senses highly developed. It occasionally enjoys carnivorous meals.

Kaaah!

The creature, thinking the intruder was after its food, approached quickly with its dozens of legs.

It slid down the wall from the ceiling.

A scene that would normally make a person feel disgusted and startled.

But Yeongwoo approached the creature instead.

'Insects and animals that feed on white moss have evolved to artificially emit heat to absorb the moon's essence. This heat starts from the heart and gives it a fire attribute.'

He could feel the touch of the greatsword in his hand.

'On the other hand, the white moss has a water attribute, similar to ice. Taking the heart and the moss together causes the two properties to enhance each other, turning them into a potent medicinal herb that strengthens the bones and muscles.'

The tower contains numerous potent medicinal herbs. Some enhance magic power, while others affect specific stats or attributes.

Among them, the first one Yeongwoo wanted to consume was a medicinal herb that helped complete the strengthening of his bones and muscles.

The human body is very fragile. It easily falls ill, breaks, and tears.

But the white moss and the heart of the creature could transform this body.

Into a strong skeleton. Into tough muscles.

Into a body better suited for combat.

Swish!

Yeongwoo threw the greatsword he was holding forward and leaped out.

The greatsword pierced the Red Ong's hard carapace, splattering blood and bodily fluids.

Keeek!

The creature, revealing its anger, twisted its body and opened its large pincers.

Crunch.

A deep mark was left where the creature had passed.

[A Flame Monster has appeared.]

[Hidden Quest / Frost and Flame]

Content: The Room of Frost and Flame is filled with unique monsters that feed on white moss. If these monsters were to leave the dungeon, the external ecosystem could be thrown into chaos. Hunt as many monsters as possible.

Reward: Rewards vary based on the number of monsters hunted.

-100 or more: 100 Points

-300 or more: 300 Points

-500 or more: 500 Points + Additional rewards based on achievements

-1,000 or more: ???

'Here we go.'

The Room of Frost and Flame had an additional advantage beyond strengthening the body and obtaining the Vampiric Sword of Bathory.

The more monsters hunted, the more additional merit points could be earned, and if 500 or more were hunted, additional rewards were given.

The more monsters hunted, the more the body was strengthened, and the more merit points and rewards could be obtained at once, making it a gold mine.

And,

'I have to get the reward for hunting 1,000 or more.'

Swish!

Yeongwoo avoided a direct confrontation and quickly turned his body to narrowly dodge the attack.

Boom!

The spot where the Red Ong's head had struck. The rock was being crushed by the pincers.

'But the creatures here are incredibly strong. Even with the body strengthened from running through Area A multiple times, they are hard to catch. A direct confrontation would be really dangerous.'

As soon as Yeongwoo made his decision, he aimed for the Red Ong's side.

But,

Clang!

'Sure enough. Too hard.'

The greatsword bounced off the creature's shell, barely scratching it.

The Red Ong, seemingly irritated by even this, twisted its body and tried to grab Yeongwoo with its pincers.

Yeongwoo narrowly avoided the attack again and quickly thought.

A deep hole was dug where he had been standing, and a cloud of dust rose.

'Ordinary attacks don't even budge it. The shell is too tough. The greatsword I threw just now managed to penetrate by luck... but it's too shallow. It's impossible to pull it out.'

He couldn't afford to engage in a prolonged battle.

He didn't know how much health the Red Ong had, and his current position was near the dungeon entrance.

Without knowing how deep the dungeon went, he needed to decide the battle as quickly as possible.

Boom!

The Red Ong struck the spot where Yeongwoo had been again.

Keeek!