Chapter 172

[Translator – Peptobismol]

Chapter 172

The Rescue Team, led by Kelda, stayed behind while everyone else entered the unknown dungeon.

The Rescue Team guarded the dungeon’s entrance, prepared for any unforeseen emergencies.

Zeon and his companions were the last to enter the dungeon.

The moment they stepped inside, their senses were disoriented, and they felt an immense pressure.

“Ugh!”

“Gah!”

Levin and Brielle, who had little dungeon experience, grimaced.

They felt a ringing in their ears and were disoriented, unable to determine direction.

Their stomachs churned, and their bodies felt as if they were being crushed, leaving them unable to keep their composure.

In contrast, Zeon and Mandy, who were more experienced, remained calm.

After a short while, the oppressive pressure vanished as if it had never been there.

Levin and Brielle found themselves sprawled on the ground, while Zeon and Mandy managed to stay upright.

Levin and Brielle looked up, trying to steady their unsettled stomachs.

“Is this inside the dungeon?”

“What is this place?”

A foreboding landscape came into view.

They were in a forest full of trees stripped of their leaves, reduced to bare branches.

The ground was barren, not a single weed in sight, and the earth was dry and crumbly.

The sky above was a deep crimson, with constant lightning strikes.

Levin and Brielle gulped at the sight of this hostile environment.

Levin carefully touched one of the bare trees.

“Is this supposed to be a tree?”

“Yes, but it’s a dead tree. There’s no life in it.”

“It feels like all life has been drained from it.”

“You’re probably right.”

“But where is everyone else?”

“Yeah, where are they?”

Brielle realized they couldn’t see the others who had entered before them.

Only Zeon and his group were there, no other Awakeneds in sight.

Then Mandy spoke up.

“Some dungeons split groups up even if they enter through the same entrance. This seems to be one of those places.”

“Does that mean we won’t see the others again?”

“If we keep progressing, we’ll meet them eventually. Assuming they’re still alive, of course.”

“Ugh!”

“We need to find the dungeon’s core. Everyone will have headed there, so if we reach the core, we’ll naturally meet the others.”

“But how will we know what the core looks like?”

“You’ll just know when you see it.”

“Huh?”

“When you see it, you’ll understand.”

“What does that mean?”

Mandy didn’t elaborate further.

Her words implied they would have to see it for themselves to understand.

At that moment, Zeon spoke.

“Let’s go. We need to find the others quickly.”

“Yes!”

Zeon began walking, and Brielle followed him, asking.

“Do you know where you’re going?”

“No.”

“Then are we just walking blindly?”

“If we keep walking, we’ll eventually find a landmark. From there, we can start finding our way.”

“Really?”

Brielle tilted her head in confusion, not fully understanding.

Zeon, like Mandy, didn’t explain further.

He knew that constantly being taught would slow their growth.

There were things they needed to learn through direct experience.

Zeon looked at the lifeless forest and thought.

‘A forest so devoid of life. This dungeon is going to be challenging.’

Dungeons were fragments of Kurayan, drifting through dimensions.

A piece of Kurayan’s terrain or location would manifest as a dungeon. This place, too, was likely a recreation of some era or place from Kurayan.

‘I feel like I’ve seen a place like this somewhere before.’

Zeon furrowed his brow.

The ominous atmosphere felt familiar, but he couldn’t recall where he had encountered it.

‘I’ll remember eventually.’

‘You’re not very helpful.’

―I’m sorry.

Cha Jin-cheol looked at his subordinates.

Over seventy Awakeneds awaited his decision.

“We’ll split into two groups to search the dungeon. If you find anything that seems like the core, contact the other group.”

“Yes, sir!”

Cha Jin-cheol instructed the second-strongest Awakened in the West District to lead the other team.

Being a B-rank Awakened, he should be capable of handling any unexpected situations.

Cha Jin-cheol took a small group of subordinates and began searching the dungeon, confident in his own abilities.

As they exited the canyon, they found themselves in a forest filled with bare, leafless trees.

“First a canyon, now a forest?”

Just then, they heard shouts.

“Hiyah!”

“Hyah!”

With battle cries, a group emerged from the forest.

It was none other than Zeon and his group.

Brielle and Levin were panting heavily, while Zeon and Mandy wiped sweat from their brows.

Levin spoke first.

“They’re not following us anymore, right?”

“Ents don’t usually leave the forest.”

“Thank goodness. I thought we were done for.”

“This is all your fault, you idiot!”

“But I’m not an idiot.”

“Who told you to attack an Ent in the forest?”

“Well...”

“That’s why you’re an idiot.”

“Damn it!”

Levin pouted at Brielle’s scolding. However, he couldn’t argue back because he knew he was at fault.

Cha Jin-cheol approached them and spoke.

“You all seem to get along well.”

“I guess we ended up near each other.”

“It seems that way.”

Cha Jin-cheol responded coldly to Zeon’s observation.

Cha Jin-cheol’s gaze was fixed on Zeon’s face.

Zeon’s face was still pale, indicating he hadn’t fully recovered his mana.

“Having trouble recovering your mana?”

“This dungeon is making it difficult.”

“Indeed...”

Cha Jin-cheol nodded.

It was common knowledge that mana recovers quickly in mana-rich dungeons.

In dungeons like this one, where there was almost no life, mana recovery was slow.

Cha Jin-cheol’s eyes gleamed menacingly.

‘Hyeonmu! If I act now, I could kill him easily, right?’

―According to calculations, yes.

‘Should I do it?’

―I don’t recommend it.

‘Why?’

―Given the sparse mana here, it would take Zeon several days to fully recover. Until then, it would be more efficient to use him.

‘You’re right.’

The murderous intent in Cha Jin-cheol’s eyes faded.

The change was so brief that Levin and Brielle didn’t notice, but Zeon and Mandy did.

Zeon’s gaze suddenly shifted to the rope around Cha Jin-cheol’s waist.

“That rope... has it always glowed like that?”

“What? Oh! Why?”

Cha Jin-cheol looked puzzled.

As Zeon pointed out, the rope at his waist was emitting a black glow.

The rope was an item he had purchased at the White Bear Caravan auction.

Its official name was the Warden’s Rope.

Although he always carried it, he hadn’t had a chance to use it because of his mechanical body.

Zeon spoke.

“It seems like this dungeon is related to that item.”

Some dungeons resonate with items from other dungeons...

‘It seems the seal is loosening. Maybe this place holds the key to unlocking it.’

The black glow from the Warden’s Rope grew stronger, almost as if it had returned home.

[Translator – Peptobismol]