Chapter 24

Dragon’s Nest.

In short, this is where dragons live.

Jin-woo checked his tablet.

“The Dragon’s Nest map provided by the Noblesse Guild…”

He focused on the map displayed on the tablet.

[The area is divided into four sections.]

“Yes, Noblesse Guild headed this way.” He pointed to a location on the map.

Green Dragon’s Forest.

There are many monsters in the dense jungle, but this section has lower numbers and could be considered the least dangerous.

“In the testimony of the Noblesse Guild support team, their members lost contact after clearing this place and going inside.”

[It looks dangerous. Did you say the ring will guide you?]

“Yes.”

Jin-woo stared at the ring’s description. It says it could guide him inside the Dragon’s Nest.

But how?

He tried the simplest method he could think of.

“Open the map!” he commanded it.

Woo-oh!

He got it correctly.

The ring shook a little, then burst out light all over, creating a hologram.

The hologram was similar to the map provided by the Noblesse Guild.

“I think this is more detailed and accurate, right?”

[Yes. But what are those?]

Dots were shining on the hologram.

“Maybe the green dot is my location?”

[Then the red dot seems to be the target point.]

A red dot is shining on top of the mountain range section.

“But this looks very complicated.”

The map displayed was very complex.

It was in 3D form and shown entangled terrains of the four sections.

[Yes, it looks like a plain terrain when viewed on the map given by the Noblesse Guild. It seems that they didn’t see the maze because they were looking at a flat surface.]

“Yes?”

[They were deceived by their eyes. If the terrain is higher than what is displayed, they could have changed their approach.]

“Amazing.”

[When you get to that place, show me the map before you continue. Otherwise, you can get into a maze and wander forever.]

“Then, the Noblesse Guild must also be in a maze…”

[Very likely.]

“If they entered the maze through the Green Dragon’s Forest…

Jin-woo rotated the hologram map, his expression turning serious.

“They are still there.”

* * *

Main camp.

Park Tae-sung is in a meeting with four other guild leaders.

Their facial expressions were not very good.

The reason is that Jin-woo was participating in their meeting.

Jin-woo knew that, but he didn’t mind.

He was familiar with that kind of reception since his days of being a guide.

Above all, he had no reason to feel scared because he was not saying anything wrong.

When his remarks were over, one of the men opened his mouth.

“In other words, Kang Jin-woo is saying that his ring activated a navigation effect when he entered the Dragon’s Nest area. That’s it.”

He was Raymond, the greatest wizard in the Taewang Guild.

Haojun, called ‘The Shield of the Taewang Guild’, snorted.

“Ha! That’s a great luck. So, you suddenly had a ring that could navigate through a level-400 dungeon?”

As if waiting, the other leaders nodded their agreement.

Jin-woo’s story was almost unbelievable.

“Even if it was true, the Noblesse Guild has already provided us the route that their members have passed through. We don’t need to explore other areas.”

“Yes. If this was a clearing operation, we could consider it, but since this is a search, we just need to follow their trail!” Haojun raised his voice as he gained the others’ agreement.

Jin-woo fell silent.

Their words certainly made sense.

Four of the five leaders were actively opposed.

[It’s a difficult fight.]

The swordsman told him.

It’s a level-400 dungeon.

If they made the wrong choice, lives would be lost.

Hundreds of lives.

[They won’t bend down unless they have a justification.]

It was as the swordsman said.

The leaders did not lose their will.

Eventually, they left.

Park Tae-sung approached Jin-woo, who was sighing.

“I think your story makes sense. However, as a leader, I must also listen to their opinions.”

It was not what Jin-woo expected.

Park Tae-sung was known in the world as a strong general.

It was known that he doesn’t bend when making decisions.

[The public appearance differs from what he had shown in this table.]

“But Jin-woo’s opinion is too hard to ignore. If your ring really acts as a navigation tool, and if it could really tell you where the Noblesse Guild is, you can save us a lot of time.”

Park Tae-sung looked troubled for a moment before he continued.

“Why don’t you have your own team?”

“W-what? Am I going to be a team leader?”

Park Tae-sung smiled at Jin-woo’s question.

* * *

It was an unexpected offer.

“Take within ten people. That’s the most we can afford. Please select any one you want,” Park Tae-sung told him.

Ten people.

That was 10% of the search team.

Their goal will not be to attack.

To search and to explore were the objectives, so more people in the team would make it uncomfortable.

Jin-woo thought about his current situation.

To many guild members, he was someone who made it too fast.

Most of the guild members have built up their strength and wealth slowly.

People could not help but be jealous.

When he came here, he felt a lot of antipathies.

Some were even openly hostile.

It’s impossible for me to lead such people, he thought.

[That’s right. When leading an organization for the first time, it’s best to get friendly people.]

Jin-woo nodded to the swordsman’s advice.

Those whom he has a friendly relationship with…

He didn’t have to think long, because there were only three.

Jin-woo went and visited them.

Fortunately, they were gathered in one tent, chatting with each other.

He was comfortable with these people in a level-400 dungeon.

They have a lot of experience.

“Get in!”

“How did the meeting go?”

Han Ji-joon and Kim Dae-sung welcomed him.

Han Yu-ra was checking the schedule on her tablet.

“I actually have to tell you what happened at the meeting.”

Jin-woo explained the situation.

The three people who were listening to him were thoughtful.

After a while, Han Ji-joon opened his mouth first.

“I will join you.”

“I will join you, too,” Kim Dae-sung agreed.

The last one was Han Yu-ra.

“I would follow what the master advised.”

* * *

The next day, four people left the base camp.

It was the all-star team with Jin-woo as the lead.

They walked to the opposite direction of the Green Dragon’s forest, where the main search team would head to.

It was the fourth section on the map that Noblesse Guild gave them.

The Poison Bog.

It was classified as the worst route.

Han Yu-ra asked Jin-woo, “Isn’t Poison Bog a poisonous swamp?”

Jin-woo nodded.

“As explained in the briefing, it is marked as the most dangerous of the four sections. But the ring navigation marks it as the safest place.”

“So, the most dangerous place on the Noblesse Guild map is actually the safest?”

“You can say that.”

“It must be risky to take the whole search team through here,” Han Yu-ra said as they watched the main search team gathering.

“Yes. If a large number of people come with us, it would be hard to retreat when needed, so I think it’s best to move with a small team.”

They quickened their pace.

Poison Bog.

According to the report by the Noblesse Guild, the risk was measured at 4.

It was the highest risk of the four sections.

However, the monsters that appear here are of the lowest levels within the dungeon.

They have only recorded monsters from level 300 to 330.

The Noblesse Guild’s raid team consisted of platers above mid-level 300.

Looking at their levels compared to the monsters’, you would have thought that they would decide to take the Poison Bog route.

However, there was one huge reason why they did not consider passing through here.

“Be careful,” Jin-woo warned them.

“Well…”

The color of the atmosphere changed in the area in front of them.

It was covered in green mist.

“Is this all poison gas?”

“Yes, according to a report by the Noblesse Guild, it was said that even protective clothing was not enough to endure this gas.”

“Huh… so that’s why it was tagged as the highest risk.”

“How are we going to pass through,” Han Yu-ra asked him.

“I’m going to pass through.”

“Yes?”

The three people looked surprised. Jin-woo activated the map and showed them.

“Open the map!”

Jii-ing!

The hologram appeared before their eyes.

He reached out and expanded the map of the Poison Bog.

“The green dot is where we are now. The black dots here are the locations of the monsters.”

“What? You have markers for them?”

“Yes.”

“So, what is this blue dot here?”

Kim Dae-sung pointed to a place on the map.

Jin-woo reached out and touched the point.

Then, a window appeared.

[Device to deactivate the poison fog.]

After seeing the explanation on the window, Han Ji-joon exclaimed.

“Wow! It also has the location of the trap and where to unlock it.”

“Yeah, this is a great item,” Kim Dae-sung said in admiration.

But Han Yu-ra was silent. After a moment, she asked Jin-woo.

“But how do you plan to get there?”

Jin-woo would have to walk for 30 minutes within the poison fog to reach the device.

“The Noblesse Guild reports show that protective clothing can’t stop the poison fog,” Han Yu-ra continued.

“The player’s defense skills and detoxification skills don’t help either. That’s why they chose a different route.”

There is no way through using modern science and technology, or a player’s skills.

That is why even a giant guild like the Noblesse rated it as the highest risk.

The three people turned their eyes to Jin-woo.

It seemed that there was really no way.

But Jin-woo chose this route, so he should have an answer.

“I’ll just pass through it,” he said.

“What?”

Jin-woo took a step to the mist, to the shock of Han Yu-ra and the men.

“Jin-woo!”

Jin-woo’s body will soon be eroded in the green mist.

According to the report, one Noblesse Guild member who entered the fog melted.

Jin-woo will be like that soon…

Soon…

Soon…

SOON…

“Why… are you okay?!” Han Yu-ra screamed at him.

Jin-woo looked unaffected by the mist. He had a golden aura around him.

“I have a special skill.”

[There is no way that poison could hurt you after you.]

The swordsman told him. He didn’t have to.

[Skill: Geumgang Fireball]

[Rating: Legendary]

[Effect: It becomes a body through which physical attack does not work. Immunity to all poisons. While using it, it constantly consumes inner air.]

It was one of the benefits Jin-woo gained with his legendary skill.

“I will go and clear the fog and return.”

“Alone? Isn’t it dangerous?”

“When I checked on the map, there are very few monsters in this area. It’s likely because of the mist.”

It wasn’t just for humans.

Even monsters cannot survive in this area.

In addition, the monsters he may encounter would be poison-type species, which are useless against Jin-woo’s Geumgang Fireball skill.

“I’ll go now.”

Jin-woo went through the fog of poison and moved inside.