Chapter 58: Dungeon Practice (2)

Chapter 58: Dungeon Practice (2)

Dungeon Practice (2)

I woke up to a strange ceiling.

"Ugh, it's freezing." I rose from the chilly cave floor. Beside me, Baek Ahyeong was also getting up with a groan, squirming around.

Seemed like she was coming to as well; she stood up and scanned her surroundings. "What What on earth Random teleportation? This is an insane level of chaos"

The dungeon's size had gotten bigger, and the mana density was off the charts. It stood to reason that the monsters appearing would be tougher.

"Ahyeong, just take a breather for now." I met her gaze as she shook nervously, like a drenched puppy.

"Ugh, yeah I'm here, so don't worry, Hoyeon."

"But combat isn't your forte."

"Well, that's true But I can heal you well!" Baek Ahyeong couldn't hide her trembling.

Honestly, even if I were in her shoes, being dropped into a dungeon with only a student would be quite overwhelming. And since she lacked combat abilities, her anxiety must have been even more heightened.

"For now, let's move. Even though I may not seem like it, I'm actually quite strong. You saw the news about me defeating a two-horned demon, right?"

"Of course. You were even rewarded for it. But, wouldn't it be safer to stay put rather than wandering around? It could be dangerous."

It's best to stay still and ride out this chaos quietly. More about the situation would become clear when the rescue team arrives in two days. But before that, I should get closer to her. Stirring up the situation by moving around might be more beneficial.

"We don't have time to wait for rescue. It might be better to join up with other survivors or the healing team."

"Um, alright. Let's do as you say." Her expression was full of worry, yet she went along with my suggestion. Since she lacked power, she respected my judgment. However, the unease on her face couldn't be hidden. It felt as though she didn't fully trust my power. Perhaps, she was just wary of trusting people in general. To be honest, I was familiar with Baek Ahyeong from the game, but the Baek Ahyeong standing in front of me hadn't interacted with me much. For the moment, my priority was building trust.

With me leading and her keeping watch, we began to cautiously explore the dungeon.

"Wait."

"Hmm?"

Before long, a deafening flapping sound reverberated through the corridor.

"This sound it's like a swarm of cave bats. Let's fall back for now."

"We can't really escape since it's a straight path. I'll handle them."

"We should retreat, Hoyeon. I heard there's more than 20 of them."

"I'll be fine. Just stay back and watch." I reassured her as she trembled with anxiety. I drew upon some mana, conjured a fireball, and cautiously sent it forward. The sound of the softly lit fireball was followed by an overwhelming fluttering as it collided with a massive swarm of bats, dispersing them.

More than 20? No, there are over 50!

"There are more than I expected, Hoyeon! Run!"

The swarm of bats began to appear in my field of vision. It was unexpectedly a large group. Dealing with them solely by burning them wouldn't be efficient.

"This won't cut it. I'll have to use my full power."

Since Baek Ahyeong was the only one here, I believed it would be safe to do so. Should I seize this opportunity to foster some trust? I thought to myself.

"Well, looks like I don't have any other choice."

"Hoyeon! Run while I hold them off!" Baek Ahyeong stood in front of me, arms outstretched, and closed her eyes tightly.

Why's she suddenly playing hero?

I had intended to be prepared by bringing some food for this situation, but I couldn't manage that due to a baggage inspection.

"It's okay. I'm the future Archmage, after all. We'll figure out a way to survive."

"Yeah Alright. I'll put my trust in you. Sorry for revealing such an immature side of me."

"No worries. If I were on my own, I'd likely be just as anxious. Thanks to you, Ahyeong, I don't feel lonely." She still appeared a bit fatigued, struggling with her breath.

I can't allow her to fully regain her strength here. She needs to heal me and then reach a point of exhaustion. To achieve that, I need to lower my health a bit.

"Shall we start moving again? I can't determine the time without a watch, but it's best to get going soon. It seems like the monsters are making their way towards us."

"Yeah, let's go." Baek Ahyeong got up without showing signs of weariness. We resumed our journey. As we proceeded, the recurring sight was the same cave walls. Though I couldn't pinpoint the exact time, it had probably been a few hours.

Hmm, is it even possible to not come across anyone? The dungeon seems to have expanded significantly, or maybe there's something I'm unaware of. Not sure.

Our once flowing conversations have vanished. The cave had bestowed upon us a tranquil atmosphere. During that interval, when the only audible sound was our breathing

"Aaaaargh!" Suddenly, a distant scream reverberated. I turned to Baek Ahyeong, locking eyes with her, then hastened towards the source of the sound.

"Aaaah! Aaaargh!" Accompanying the horrifying scream was a sound akin to something being crushed. After a moment, the dreadful screams ceased. However, a different sound reached our ears.

Thump. Thump. Thump. The heavy footfalls of a colossal creature grew nearer. The rhythmic beat hinted at a humanoid monster. The path was straight ahead, and the sound was rapidly approaching. Baek Ahyeong seemed to pick up on it too, right behind me.

"Rooaarr!"

"Oh, it's an ogre." An unsightly, massive figure filled my view. It wasn't winning any beauty contests, but it was definitely a high-level monster with muscles and a mean streak. In one hand, it had the shredded remains of a student I'd never seen before. The sight was gruesome, yet my mental strength held steady. The ogre's crude force surged my way. Shwoosh! It hurled the lifeless body toward me.

[Cotton Guard] I deflected the grim remains and checked on Baek Ahyeong.

"Ho-Hoyeon are you okay?!" Being an active hunter herself, she didn't flinch at the corpse. Instead, her concern seemed directed at my mental state. But trust me, I was more focused than ever.

Thump!

It's a familiar sensation.

Thump!

Battle Sense activated, coursing through my veins. "The ogre is packing a punch."

Thump! Thump! As intense as facing Felix, maybe even more. My body heated up. This ogre was definitely stronger than Felix, the two-horned demon. In the game, ogres are oddly tough cookies. Who'd think those dumbasses could be a threat? Encountering them in the flesh was terrifying. The pressure from their massive build and fierce appearance was no joke. If I got hit, I'd probably be squished flat.

Darn it. Why make them so damn strong and complicate things? They could've been pushovers!

"Ho-Hoyeon, this time we really need to flee. Seriously!"

"Will running even work?"

"I'll distract it. Just run for now. You're young, you have to live!"

"What are you saying?" This woman's really playing the mature card, despite not being that old. I gently pushed her back and stepped up in front of her.

"Ho-Hoyeon!"

Why in the world an ogre's here was beyond me. Maybe the dungeon's mana mix was churning out tougher monsters. Anyway, I couldn't just run off and ditch Baek Ahyeong. If a heroine bit the dust, it's game over for me. So, it's time to fight.

"Just hang tight. I'll wrap this up quick."

Vision Enhancement. Mana was surging through me, top to toe.

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