Chapter 67

Chapter 67

 

Most Awakened did not want curse gimmicks.

Because they made raids so difficult that it was almost like going up an entire grade.

Of course, that did not mean they could skip the dungeon.

The key itself was incredibly rare.

And there was a high chance an artifact would appear.

Wasn’t that level of difficulty something they could simply overcome?

Of course, even so, it was unavoidable that people found it reluctant.

[Entered Dungeon ‘Abyss of Silence’]

[An ancient church filled with holy(?) energy]

[Pierce through the desperate screams of the Twisted Choir and defeat the Silent Archbishop]

[Grade: Unknown]

[Reward: Unknown Artifact]

When they opened the stone gate and entered, the dungeon information appeared.

And yet, there was no mention of a curse anywhere.

It seemed Jeong Sang-hoon had detected fairly useful information.

Ha-kyung looked around.

‘It feels like an old church. But why is there a question mark after holy?’

There was definitely some hidden gimmick.

Then Yu Se-ha’s voice suddenly came through.

—From now on, I will take control. Starting with the front line, advance slowly and begin the search. Move out.

Since they had entered the dungeon, command had shifted to the shot-caller.

Thanks to that, Ha-kyung could tackle the raid somewhat more lightly.

‘The front line really is comfortable.’

Because it was difficult to fight frantically while commanding as well.

At the beginning of the dungeon, there was nothing particularly special.

But the moment they reached an endlessly stretching corridor.

The Raid Team had no choice but to stop.

“W-why are there so many?”

“There seem to be roughly five hundred of them.”

“Surely they won’t all come rushing in just because we touch one, right?”

Countless monsters wearing pointed cone hoods.

They looked like dried-up zombies.

It seemed those were the Twisted Choir.

At times like this, the standard approach was to pull one or two and check.

Sure enough.

John was already stepping forward before Yu Se-ha even gave the order.

—Are there any tanks capable of ranged pulling?

—John Nager, already heading out.

—Pardon? Ah, yes. I will leave it to you.

For an instant, Yu Se-ha hesitated.

His pronunciation was clumsy, but he was speaking seriously.

So it was practically a laugh button.

Ha-kyung bit down hard on his lips.

‘We’re in the middle of a raid right now. I can’t let something like that get me.’

The absurd part was that John knew that too.

Normally, his pronunciation was much better.

Right now, he was doing it on purpose.

Ha-kyung did not know why.

When was John ever normal for only a day or two?

Ha-kyung quietly waited for the pull.

Then he suddenly noticed something.

The corridor walls were not blocked off.

They were open like bars.

Ha-kyung moved close to the wall.

‘There’s space down below too. This structure is really complicated.’

The Abyss of Silence was like a giant three-dimensional maze.

Usually, when it was like this, it was often designed to make the boss difficult to find.

Ha-kyung was already beginning to worry.

‘If the raid drags on, the Escort Team outside will be in danger.’

Of course, they had made an agreement.

If the Raid Team did not come out even after two days, the Escort Team would return on their own.

While Ha-kyung was grasping the dungeon’s structure.

John’s pull began.

Perhaps because of his usual lightheartedness.

Ha-kyung was slightly worried.

But unexpectedly, John pulled cleanly.

Of course, there was nothing normal about the way he did it.

“Fishing Breathing, First Form. School Bully!”

Whip! Catch!

John’s Titan Flail wrapped around a Twisted Choir’s neck.

Then the monster was yanked out.

As if he really were fishing.

Ha-kyung asked with an absurd expression.

“Leaving aside the fact that you shouted a technique name, why is it School Bully?”

“Look at that thing, Bro. Doesn’t it look like someone shoved a hanger under its clothes?”

“What does that have to do with anything? Don’t tell me you went around bullying your friends like that.”

“Come on, I was the one who got bulli……. No, I didn’t do that. I saw it. I only saw it.”

“Ah! So you were the nerd type in school.”

“I said no! I was a real Florida alpha male!”

But no one believed John’s words.

After all, strong denial was strong affirmation.

The front-line team members smashed the Twisted Choir that had been pulled in an instant.

There was no need for the damage dealers to step in.

Thwack! Thud-thud!

“What? This thing is really weak.”

“I know. It may be Unknown Grade, but this is still The Void, isn’t it?”

While everyone was puzzled.

John spoke with a triumphant expression.

“At this level, I think we could win even if we fought all of them.”

“…….”

At that very moment.

An astonishingly icy silence fell.

It was not simply because John’s remark felt like a flag.

It was because the monsters that had been standing chaotically suddenly lined up.

Clack-clack-clack!

[The Twisted Choir deploys Schism Hymn]

“KIIIIII—! AAAAAAA—!”

The system message called it a hymn.

But it was truly a sound that was unbearably awful to hear.

Ha-kyung was frowning with his ears covered.

But a moment later.

The presences around him vanished completely.

[Curse changes target’s location]

[Curse Breaker activated]

[Curse effect removed]

“Huh?”

Ha-kyung could only make an absurd expression.

Because every single team member had disappeared.

It seemed to be the effect of Schism Hymn used by the Twisted Choir.

But it did not work on Ha-kyung, who had Curse Breaker.

The problem was the fact that he had been left alone in the corridor.

Along with five hundred monsters.

“Grrrk?”

“Kerrrrr…….”

Soon, the Twisted Choir began approaching one step at a time.

Ha-kyung muttered with an aggrieved expression.

“No, then what’s the point of curse immunity?”

Having no choice, he drew Crimson Edge.

Then he turned without the slightest hesitation.

Because there was no need to fight recklessly.

Ha-kyung suddenly remembered the line John had shouted.

‘Run……. Ah, so this is when you use it? ’

Of course, he had only realized it.

He had absolutely no intention of copying John.

***

Fortunately, the Twisted Choir’s movement speed was not that fast.

Thanks to that, Ha-kyung was able to shake off their pursuit quickly.

‘I survived for now, but what comes after this is the problem.’

Even though he had run quite far, Ha-kyung did not encounter any of his team members.

That was how enormous the Abyss of Silence was.

At this rate, it felt as if the two days he had promised the Escort Team would pass in a flash.

Of course, only a few hours had passed so far.

While wandering through various parts of the dungeon.

Ha-kyung suddenly stopped.

“That looks seriously suspicious.”

A fairly spacious area at the end of the corridor.

There stood a gigantic figure wearing a metal mask.

It wore a cone hood similar to the Twisted Choir.

A mystical being with both arms spread wide.

[Encountered Silent Archbishop, Boss of the Abyss Dungeon]

Ha-kyung exulted inwardly.

‘Okay! Then the boss is handled.’

It was fortunate that he had found it faster than expected.

However, he could not proceed with the raid alone.

For now, meeting up with the team members came first.

Ha-kyung turned away, leaving his regret behind.

But right then.

[‘Soul Brand’ detects Traces of a Fragment]

“Huh?”

A system message that appeared for the first time in a while.

This was a Fragment he had encountered not in the middle of The Void.

But deep inside an Abyss Dungeon.

There was a high chance it was not the Talent Predator’s lure operation.

Ha-kyung clicked his tongue with a bitter expression.

‘To think I now have to suspect whether even the Traces of a Fragment are fake first…….’

Once again, the Emperor of The Void’s group felt threatening.

In any case, there was no need to worry about that right now.

Ha-kyung tried to estimate the Fragment’s location.

He pulled the sensation of Soul Brand to its limit.

Then the approximate location was marked in his sight.

‘Of course, it’s inside the boss nest. Well, there’s no way it would be in an easy place.’

Until now, the Ultimate Abyss Fragments had always been in outrageous places, hadn’t they?

It was not especially surprising.

Ha-kyung slightly stuck his head out from the end of the corridor.

He was checking whether he could sneak in.

But as expected, it had been designed so he could not get it for free.

Ha-kyung smacked his lips and turned around.

‘Let’s find the team members first.’

He wandered around for quite a long time after that.

But he gained no results at all.

For an entire day, he did not find a single person.

Ha-kyung could only make a puzzled expression.

“What on earth is going on?”

Something must have gone terribly wrong.

Wasn’t this statistically impossible?

If he wandered around, it would be normal to meet at least one person.

The time for a choice was approaching.

Either give up and escape.

Or kill the boss even if he had to do it alone.

He had to do something while his body was still in good condition.

Because the more time passed, the more disadvantageous it would become for Ha-kyung.

‘Giving up won’t be easy either. I have to find the escape gimmick separately.’

On top of that, he could not leave the Ultimate Abyss Fragment behind.

In the end, Ha-kyung found himself standing in front of the boss nest again.

“Hah…….”

A deep sigh flowed out on its own.

Until now, he had played an active role in many dungeon raids.

To the point where it would not be an exaggeration to say he had practically killed some bosses by himself.

He had shown tremendous plays as well.

But there was a difference between that and a true solo run.

There was not a single comrade to split aggro for him.

And when someone challenged a dungeon of Top Grade or higher alone, the boss became even stronger.

In effect, this was no different from a “major decision.”

Ha-kyung tried to think as positively as possible.

‘At least I don’t get cursed. That means I’ve countered one of its skills.’

Step! RUMBLE—!

As soon as he stepped inside, the boss responded.

A giant fifteen meters tall wearing ornate priestly robes.

Because it wore a metal mask, he could not tell what its face looked like.

Perhaps because of that, it gave off an even more mystical atmosphere.

The bastard immediately struck the floor with its long staff.

BOOOOM! SWAAAAH—!

[Silent Archbishop deploys Proclamation of Forbidden Domain]

[Skill use suppressed for a set duration]

[Curse Breaker activated]

[Curse effect removed]

Soon, the Silent Archbishop began swinging its staff.

Then dozens of blue spears poured down.

WHOOSH—! THUD-THUD-THUD!

Ha-kyung immediately ran along the wall.

Because it was easier to dodge that way than moving along the floor.

The Silent Archbishop, which had been firing magical spears, tilted its head.

“Gruuk?”

It had no choice but to.

It had clearly placed a curse on him, yet he was using skills.

It must have been a situation it could not possibly understand.

The Silent Archbishop struck the floor again.

BOOM! SWAAAAH—!

Proclamation of Forbidden Domain unfolded once more.

The curse energy covered the boss nest.

But Ha-kyung charged in regardless.

[The Abyss Challenger’s ‘Compression’ Authority increases the density of Abyss Energy]

TSEK—! CRACK! THUD!

Ha-kyung repeatedly struck the opponent’s leg.

He had no choice but to use a rather crude style of attack.

Because Crimson Edge was shaped like a machete, this suited it better.

“Gruuuk?”

The Silent Archbishop seemed deeply flustered.

Of course, because of the smooth metal mask, its expression could not be seen.

The bastard adjusted its grip on its staff, then began emitting a blue energy.

Ha-kyung, who had been pouring on attacks, had no choice but to retreat hastily.

Because the opponent’s aura was ominous.

CRASH-CRASH-CRASH-CRASH!

Sure enough.

A ferocious offensive unfolded and devastated the floor.

Ha-kyung immediately tried to move into his next action.

‘Its attack power is strong, but its movements are sluggish.’

With his movement, it seemed he could raid it without taking a single hit.

But his opponent was a dungeon boss of The Void.

It was absolutely not an easy being.

Just as Ha-kyung tried to go in again to stab at an opening.

An unexpected voice came through.

“Save me, Bro!”

When he suddenly turned his head, the wall had become transparent.

There, his team members were trapped and crying out.

Ha-kyung had no choice but to stop moving without realizing it.

‘What kind of hostage situation suddenly appears in the middle of a dungeon raid?’