Chapter 224

-Did you find anything, Leeha-nim?

-No! If we can’t even whisper, we’ll have to go down and look first. Let’s get close to the massive bone carcass!

Leeha tried to whisper to Fernand again while flying just in case, but the result was the same.

He tried again, but all he got was an empty ringing. He most likely stopped everyone from whispering to him.

‘If that’s the case, he should have limited himself to single-player games.’ Why was he participating in such a large online player-based game?’

He had his doubts, but now was not the time to be concerned. There were said to be as many ways to enjoy Middle Earth as there were users.

Jin Gonggong called it quits near the Dragon Bone. There were no monsters in the vicinity of the massive structure made of dragon bones.

The people in the distance only looked at Leeha and Jin Gonggong. They didn’t even bother to come over.

“Whoa, what do we do now? The monsters-”

“How come they’re not coming over?.”

“Oh...... that’s right.”

It could be because of the power of the dragon bone. The two men did not know the exact reasons, but they could make a rough guess.

“Should we try looking for him first?”

Leeha held Kaztor’s crystal ball. Jin Gonggong nodded.

Unlike before, the crystal ball was emitting a much stronger light.

‘The reaction is different depending on the distance. With this much light......”

Two people held a GPS detector-like crystal ball and walked around the dragon bone.

Although it looked similar, the light intensity was slightly different depending on the location. “I think this area gives the strongest light. What do you think?”

Leeha looked at Jin Gonggong with a frown and asked. However, Jin Gonggong did not reply. He was obsessed with looking at the dragon bone.

“How big is this thing? With how large the bones are... the skin and muscle should be similar, right? Are all normal dragons this big? What do you think Leeha-nim?”

“Hmmm, no, let’s focus on this for a moment. I need to finish this quest first”

“Yes, yes. Wow, but it really is big. Had it still been alive, wouldn’t it give a lot of experience and affinity?...... I have seen dragons a few times in the frontier-”

Leeha laughed as he looked at the druid who wasn’t even listening to his words. Well, it was considering the nature of his job.

‘The closer we get to the center, the brighter it gets. As if these huge bones are hiding something...’

It was probably the part where the hind legs and near its rib cage.

Although not all of the original form has been preserved, the area was estimated based on the approximate shape and size, and Leeha approached the center.

Kaztor’s crystal ball was clearly getting brighter and brighter.

“Hmm?”

And after a while, the light of the crystal ball faded again. As he turned back, wondering if he had walked past it, the crystal ball brightened.

‘I think it’s near here......’

Leeha looked around but he saw nothing. He was at the center surrounded by the remaining dragon bones. That was all. Leeha scratched his head at the open place that was nothing like a building.

‘I stayed here, moved over here, and the crystal ball reacted- no, it can’t be. It is here for sure. It’s here.’

Leeha suddenly raised his head. The shape of the dragon’s horn looked like a roof. He wondered if there was anything above him.

“Jin Gonggong-nim! Turn into a swallow and fly up there-”

“Huh? L-Leeha-nim!”

Jin Gonggong, fiddling with the bones as if touching a statue, cried out. Red light emanated from the dragon bone he just touched.

“What is it going- Oh-Ohhh!”

Ruumble......

The sudden vibration made Leeha step back in shock.

The ground where he was standing before started opening up. A stairway leading down was revealed.

“Haa, haa.”

Now, they could clearly see something at the end of the straight hallway!

“Raise your hand slowly, any sudden movements and I will shoot!”

Leeha knelt down on one knee and quickly aimed at the shadow. The light was dim, but the figure was visible. The person wore a long-brimmed hat and shabby clothes.

“Who are you? We can attack right now!”

Jin Gonggong suddenly released the polymorph and shouted. However, the stranger did not stop moving even after hearing Leeha and Jin Gonggong.

No, he even looked at Leeha and Jin Gonggong with blank eyes.

“Are you a user or NPC!? Tell me, who are you!”

“......Oh? Wow? So it wasn’t a hallucination?”

“Huh?”

“Yes?”

He raised his hat, revealing his firm olive-colored skin. He gave the impression of being a dog lover.

“How did you get here? There hasn’t been anyone in the last few days. Are you the owner of this dungeon? Can you open this door? Maybe there’s something after opening this door, even my master key can’t open it.”

The man was fiddling with something. With him leaping and making rattling sounds. He looked like a thief.

“Are you.. a user?”

“Huh? Yes. Ah, you are not the owner of this dungeon? Then who- ah! Do you know Lee Jiwon? Did you come to kill me?”

The man raised the brim of his hat and said without hesitation.

What did he mean when he said come to kill him? However, with the name Lee Jiwon, and his attitude, Leeha could guess his identity.

“...No way. Are you Fernand-ssi?”

“Oh my. How did you know?”

Leeha and Jin Gonggong looked at Middle Earth’s Pioneering King.

“So, how many days have you been wandering here?”

“That’s what pioneering is. I’ve seen this type of dungeon a few times. I was able to open it with my master key everywhere else, but it didn’t work here for some reason. There should be a good reward for something like this.”

“Oh, uhm......”

The man put his ear to the tightly closed door and stuck all kinds of items through the cracks. Was he the Pioneering King? Shouldn’t he be called the thief king instead?

‘No, calling him a great thief is a bit .... He’s more like a little thief.’

Leeha looked at the contents of the quest and took out a letter from his bag.

“Excuse me, Fernand-nim-”

“Ah, I see. Do I have to put something here? It must be a special item. But even without such a thing, I mean, I can do everything with the master key. But it’s a bit annoying.”

“-Actually, I came to meet Fernand-nim at the order of the Fibiel’s King-”

“Is it about the size of a marble? Ah- Huh? W-what is that?”

“-New world quest- Huh? What?”

“That! That shiny thing!”

Fernand, who didn’t even hear Leeha’s words, noticed the light peaking from Leeha’s bag.

“Ah, this is my quest...... ah?”

“That’s it!”

Only then did Leeha realize. The quest contents were tangled in his head while chatting with Fernand, who he had suddenly discovered.

Why did he come down here with Jin Gonggong?

‘Kaztor! The dark elf quest!’

Fernand pointed to the place where his master key was. Leeha put Kaztor’s crystal ball in its place.

Rumble—.......

After a slight vibration, the wall that had been firmly closed, opened.