MTLNOVEL Ch. 119
Chapter 119: Ancient Dungeon (2)
“……”
“……”
“……”
Silence fell.
Perhaps because the dungeon’s entrance had opened with a deafening rumble, the stillness felt even heavier.
How?
Even the best rogues of the Nadan Kingdom couldn’t crack this entrance.
Dozens had tried for days, taking turns, and the door hadn’t budged. Yet this early-20s rookie had inserted a picking tool and opened it like it was nothing.
A situation so surreal it felt like a dream!
Those who’d struggled, those who’d cheered them on, those who’d cursed, and the merchants who’d sworn to focus on business stood with mouths agape, unable to snap out of their shock.
Of course, such a state couldn’t last forever.
“W-W-Woaaaah!”
Scramble!
A Bronze Plate Mercenary was the first to recover, letting out a yell and charging into the ancient dungeon.
That was the spark.
Mercenaries and adventurers, finally grasping the situation, began shouting and rushing inside.
“Woaaaah!”
“Move! I’m going first!”
“No way! The treasure’s mine!”
“First come, first served!”
It wasn’t just them.
Nobles, who’d expected the entrance to take longer and were resting, heard the commotion and looked stunned. They quickly prepared and issued stern warnings.
“You lot! This dungeon was found on kingdom soil! Stand down!”
“Don’t talk nonsense! What’s the kingdom ever done for us?”
“Technically, it’s not kingdom land! Claiming ownership of undeveloped land just because a dungeon appeared? Ridiculous!”
“You insolent—!”
Despite the threats, the mercenaries and adventurers didn’t flinch.
They wouldn’t have come here if they feared clashing with nobles. Plus, with the gap between nobles and commoners narrower than in the past, they were even bolder.
In the end, the nobles, fuming, had no choice but to enter the dungeon a step behind. Onlookers and merchants snickered at the sight.
“I’m gonna be rich!”
“This is my last adventure!”
“Get lost! The treasure’s mine!”
“Shut up, unless you want a knife in your back.”
“What? What’d you say?”
“You little—!”
Some roared with excitement.
Some slipped in quietly, avoiding attention.
Some fought, got stabbed, and bled out on the ground before even starting.
Amid this chaotic inferno, the one responsible for it all muttered softly,
“The reactions are hotter than I expected.”
My expression was a bit sullen.
And why wouldn’t it be?
If anyone was the dungeon’s owner, it was me. Yet unrelated people were claiming rights and rushing inside. How could I feel good about that?
Still, my steps weren’t hurried.
I knew.
Acting rashly wouldn’t yield anything good.
‘Unless you’re an extraordinary powerhouse, you’ll die to guardians or traps. Or get badly injured.’
It was better to enter late. If the reckless moths cleared traps and neutralized guardians with their lives, latecomers could reach the core more easily.
Of course, at some point, I’d have to face dangers myself, but I was confident.
‘I trained for this in the village.’
I’d even competed in a mock labyrinth during ranking battles, so I had far more edge than the average rabble.
“Hm.”
While thinking, most had already entered the dungeon.
Those left were onlookers and merchants unwilling to take risks, plus a few mercenaries.
But one party approached me.
“Care to join us?”
“Huh? Out of the blue?”
“Sudden or not, that’s not the point. I saw your skill. Opening an entrance that others struggled with for days in an instant… a true Rogue Master.”
“……”
“Ahem! But listen, the dungeon’s interior isn’t something a rogue can conquer alone. There’ll be magic barriers lock-picking can’t solve, guardians, natural beasts, monsters… maybe even puzzles requiring teamwork. So, how about…”
“No thanks.”
Cutting off the mustached mercenary sharply, I walked into the dungeon without lingering.
Watching my back, a magician behind the mercenary scowled.
“Captain, why grovel like that? That kid’s just lucky. Rogue Master, my foot—he looks like he just left his mom’s arms.”
“Yeah, let’s go alone.”
“I agree.”
The mustached mercenary, about to say something, nodded.
“Fine, fine. I didn’t say that out of genuine trust.”
“Then why?”
“I figured he’d make a good meat shield in a pinch. Flatter him a bit, and he’d probably take the lead, all puffed up.”
“Oh, that’s why.”
“That’s fair.”
“Not bad… though it didn’t work.”
“Not a failure yet. Let’s quietly follow him from now on.”
The mustached mercenary grinned slyly.
No need to form a party—just tailing him would do. Use the youth as a scout or lookout.
The other three party members nodded, their lips curling into similar smirks.
“Alright, shall we? Let’s pray. May that rookie survive long enough to guide us.”
“Great. As a priest, I’ll pray sincerely.”
“Nice.”
“Love it.”
A cruel prayer session.
After a half-hearted moment, they swiftly but stealthily began trailing the youth.
***
‘What the hell is that guy?’
‘What kind of freak is he?’
‘What’s his deal?’
‘This… doesn’t make sense.’
Two hours after entering the dungeon.
The party led by the mustached mercenary was still following Harang. Fortunately, their strategy worked well, and unlike other adventurers, they hadn’t faced a single risk while heading toward the dungeon’s core.
The problem was, it was working too well.
Swish, swish.
Spears and arrows rained down with chilling sounds.
Yet the black-haired young man was unscathed.
As if on a leisurely stroll, he dismantled traps with ease, humming as he moved deeper. The mustached party could only stare in a daze.
And this wasn’t a one-off.
Slash.
Boom!
He shattered what looked like a magic barrier with an ordinary sword, not even imbued with Aura.
Thud.
Crash!
He neutralized an Iron Golem, which their four-man party would’ve struggled against, with a single kick.
He effortlessly dismantled endless traps and monsters without breaking a sweat, making them question if he was even human.
“…Captain.”
“What.”
“Can we compete with that monster for the treasure?”
“…Damn it.”
It didn’t look promising.
Honestly, they’d half-given up on the best treasure. An hour ago, they’d decided to settle for whatever scraps he left behind, grateful for even that.
The problem was, even those ‘scraps’ didn’t seem easy to grab.
‘Now there are other parties…’
The mustached mercenary glanced around.
At least twenty competitors were visible, all seemingly with the same plan: follow the black-haired young man safely, then seize key treasures or scraps at the critical moment.
‘Damn. It’s great we got this far without expending energy, but these guys don’t look easy. What do we do?’
His mind grew cluttered.
Ironically, dealing with twenty seasoned veterans eyeing each other was more headache-inducing than facing hundreds of rabble.
The other parties felt the same, and a palpable tension hung behind Harang, exhausting everyone’s nerves.
Then.
“Hm.”
Harang stopped abruptly.
The twenty mercenaries and adventurers stopped too.
No longer hiding their tailing, they narrowed their eyes and looked ahead, their nostrils flaring with excitement.
A door adorned with ornate gold.
A place anyone would recognize as a ‘treasure room’ stood before them.
Of course, a treasure room didn’t mean the end.
A small keyhole in the center of the door likely required lock-picking skill far more intricate than the dungeon’s entrance.
But.
Click, click.
Clank!
“…!”
“…!”
“…!”
“…!”
As expected, the black-haired young man unlocked it in one go.
They couldn’t hold back anymore.
They couldn’t wait any longer.
“W-Woaaaah!”
Led by someone’s impatient charge, the twenty dungeon raiders rushed toward the slowly opening treasure room.
Creak…
Growl, grrr.
Bark, bark!
“Damn! Monsters!”
“That’s not the issue!”
“What?”
“Look behind them!”
“…That’s!”
Adventurers, blinded by greed, rushed past Harang into the room.
The first thing they saw were beasts. Dozens of Hell Hounds, black-bodied and spewing fire from their mouths, growled at them.
But what lay beyond was more important.
Gold and jewels.
Piles of gems and coins stacked beneath what looked like a throne sent the mercenaries into a frenzy, charging forward to claim them.
Woooom!
Woom!
Swish!
Crunch, crunch!
“Aaaagh!”
The room descended into chaos.
The sound of Aura Swords being drawn.
The sound of spells being cast.
The sound of swords swinging, of Hell Hounds biting, of adventurers cursing and screaming in pain as they clashed.
A hellish scene devoid of any trace of reason.
“……”
I watched for a moment before stepping forward.
Strange.
Oddly, the Hell Hounds didn’t attack me, as if I existed in another dimension.
An crazed adventurer swung a sword at me, but I was fine. Knocking him out with a quick punch, I approached the back of the throne.
There, I saw a bald man with an eye tattoo on his forehead, chanting with closed eyes.
Tap, tap.
I tapped his shoulder and said,
“You’re a demon worshiper, right? Heukdang(Black sugar)… was it?”
“…!”
The bald man’s eyes shot open in shock.
I asked him another question.
“Just curious… can you summon a demon?”