CHAPTER 19
✦ ✦ ✦
"I never realized you could advance in levels even in a C-class dungeon," I muttered under my breath.
If only Baek Taera weren't so relentlessly counting the seconds beside me, my joy would have been unmarred. I shot him a fleeting, dismissive glance, then refocused on the glowing information screen.
Though I'm loath to admit it, the thrill was overwhelming. My face betrayed my ecstasy, unable to mask the exhilaration that made my heart race like the true hero of this tale.
[Achievement Unlocked: 'Exhilarating Excitement'. 'Thrill' has been added to your status transition settings.]
Gaining a new skill and leveling up simultaneously! But how had the original Yeon Seon-Woo managed to live without achieving this until now? Perhaps his emotions had been somewhat stunted?
I endeavored to temper my expression, struggling to maintain composure. Am I truly morphing into the game's protagonist? A hero revered and admired, a magnet for women's affections…
"What skill have you just gained?"
My heart, previously alight with exhilaration, plummeted. The unexpected soft voice near my ear made me jerk my head up, only to find myself too close to an unsettlingly handsome face—a living example of what it means to be a protagonist in this world.
Sometimes, even a mere face can jolt you back to reality. A bitter taste lingered in my mouth.
"How did you know?" I asked, my voice losing its enthusiasm, as he subtly gestured towards the air with his eyes. It must have been this accursed ring that informed him through the status window, though he seemed unaware of the specifics.
"It's nothing significant, just a new setting value I've acquired."
"Did you get it by leveling up?"
"Sort of like that."
[Warning: Master's mood has deteriorated, resulting in a -1 to Favorability.]
The commotion seemed trivial. A frown creased my brow, puzzled at his annoyance, when suddenly my chin was seized, forcing my gaze upward.
Jehee's grip, more intimidating than the blade of a furious Taera, captured my chin, compelling me to meet his eyes. His black leather glove felt cool against my skin, rendering me momentarily speechless.
"Give me a proper answer," he demanded.
"..."
"Answer."
His authoritative tone, eclipsing all other thoughts, prompted me to look at him. Finally, in a faint voice, I mumbled, "It appears that directly experiencing certain emotions or states turns them into setting values."
"What's the new one you acquired?"
"…Thrill."
Only then did he release my chin. As I rubbed the spot where his grip had been, I shot him an annoyed glance, only to catch him making a thoughtful noise. Then, his eyes curved into a cunning smile.
That spelled trouble.
"Were you really that elated about leveling up?" he asked with a smirk.
"…No, I wasn't," I responded, trailing off.
"Sure, let's assume you weren't," he said, half-mocking.
"I genuinely wasn't!" I insisted.
His quick wit was undeniable.
Even as I verbally denied it, I subtly edged away. Around us, others who had been tending to their gear or sipping potions began to stir, preparing to move. Hana gestured towards a particular direction, addressing the group.
"Now, we should venture into that cave. Everyone, prepare yourselves."
A cave...
As we left the forest behind, a massive cave entrance loomed before us. While everyone busied themselves with final status checks before advancing, I inwardly prayed we wouldn’t have to enter that foreboding cave. Its dark, lightless entrance seemed particularly menacing.
Yet, it seemed our path was set. I couldn't help but let out a deep sigh.
Taera's interruption, as he prodded me from behind, caught me off guard. Turning around, I was met with his stoic expression, his arms crossed.
"Hey," he said simply.
Curious, I asked, "What is it?"
"Do that thing again," he requested.
"Which thing?"
"That thing you did before, the refreshing one."
Was he referring to the Refresh skill?
Taera's gaze shifted away, his face rigid, seemingly unaccustomed to asking for help. Despite his sullen demeanor, he still managed to look striking, prompting me to openly gaze at him in admiration.
Feigning indifference, he rolled his eyes and squinted, as if to mask his embarrassment.
Such a temper.
"If you dislike it, just say so. Why the stare?" he huffed.
"Why are you irritated?" I tilted my head, perplexed. "I was just admiring you for being handsome. Really."
"…What?"
Truth be told, Taera's features were more pretty than rugged, but I avoided using 'pretty' knowing he wouldn't appreciate it. Swiftly changing the topic, I readied the skill.
[Party member 'Yeon Seonwoo' has activated the support skill 'Refresh'.]
Releasing the mana, a cool, invigorating sensation coursed through me, dissipating fatigue and infusing a sense of vitality.
"It's quite pleasant. Not overly powerful, but it's like the relief of sinking into fresh sheets after a shower."
"Hmm. It's not the kind of sensation you'd expect in a dungeon," Taera remarked.
It was clear they appreciated the skill. Their reactions were a testament to it.
"If we could convert this into a one-time buff item for sale, it could be lucrative... You don't possess a crafting skill, do you?" he inquired.
Taera, ever the entrepreneur of the Yeolmu Guild, was always scheming to monetize abilities.
"No, I lack that skill."
"Well, figures. Your level is just 52," he said with a dismissive shrug.
His tactless commentary was grating. Even the word 'only' felt like a slight.
"It's 53 now," I corrected.
"52 or 53, it hardly matters without a crafting skill."
I bit back the urge to ask if he had the skill, just in case he did.
"Enough of this. Let's move on," Jehee interjected, slicing through the idle chatter.
Were we really about to venture into that bleak, daunting cave?
Casting a wary eye towards the cave's dark maw, I then sneaked a peek at Jehee. He was gazing into the distance, his expression a mix of boredom and irritation, but his eyes shifted, seemingly catching my glance.
"What's up?" Jehee inquired, catching my hesitant gaze.
I quickly shook my head. "…Nothing."
"Are you frightened?"
I swiftly denied it. "No, I'm not."
Jehee offered a reassuring smile. "If you're scared, I can hold your hand."
His hand, clad in the leather glove, reached out towards me. At this, I involuntarily recoiled, my face contorting in distaste. Unfazed, he simply shrugged and lowered his hand, as if saying, 'alright, suit yourself.'
Hana had already started to lead the way, with Taera vigilantly following. I trailed behind Jehee.
Taera, walking beside me, murmured under his breath, "Coward. If it were me, I'd have accepted his hand. You never know what's lurking in there."
His words made me second-guess my decision. Perhaps I should have accepted Jehee's offer.
With a surge of nerves, I followed the group into the cave, my gaze flitting around apprehensively. The last thing I wanted was to stumble upon any unsettling, skittering insects.
My scream echoed through the dungeon.
"Does he have to be so loud?" Taera grumbled, clearly annoyed by my reaction.
"Aah, aah!" My panic didn't subside.
Taera's earlier comments were lost on me. How could I remain composed when faced with person-sized moths flitting around, releasing a strange powder and shooting thread-like substances? It was a scene straight out of a nightmare.
[Party member 'Kim Hana' has activated the attack skill 'Bee Sting'.]
[The 'Bee Sting' effect has inflicted 'Fear' on the surrounding monsters.]
Hana, with her usual calm demeanor, observed, "It looks like that bug transformed into these."
Her S-rank composure was alien to me. While I had been frantically dodging the monsters and eventually cowering in a corner, she remained unfazed.
"The monster isn't particularly strong, but it's troublesome due to their numbers," Jehee noted, nonchalantly dusting off his hands before unleashing his skill.
[Party leader 'Lee Jehee' has activated the attack skill 'Phoenix'.]
A colossal firebird materialized, its beak wide open, and began to ravage the cave. The moth-like monsters were swiftly consumed by the flames, resulting in a thick plume of black smoke.
[Party leader ''Lee Jehee' has defeated 'Giant Cave Moth'.]
[Party leader ''Lee Jehee' has defeated 'Giant Cave Moth'.]
[Party leader 'Jehee' has defeated 'Giant Cave Moth'.]
[(......)]
As the moths fell one after another, Jehee's expression soured at the pungent smell of burning that filled the cave. He waved his hand, as if trying to dissipate the smoke.
[Party leader ''Lee Jehee' deactivates the attack skill 'Phoenix'.]
[Party leader ''Lee Jehee' activates the attack skill 'Ice Tree'.]
Jehee, evidently disturbed by the lingering stench of smoke, promptly shifted his strategy. The fiery phoenix, which had been tearing through the moth monsters with its incendiary claws and beak, vanished. In its stead, icy trees erupted from the ground at a breathtaking pace. Their branches, like sentient tendrils, skewered the immobilized moths, which had been rendered motionless by Hana's 'Fear' skill. The creatures quickly amassed into a grotesque mound of lifeless forms.
[Party member 'Han Chorok' activates the attack skill 'Gravity Slash'.]
[Party member 'Han Chorok' defeats a 'Giant Cave Moth'.]
[(......)]
Chorok, a short distance away, was in a frenzied battle of his own. His sword arced through the air with ferocity, leaving a trail of moth corpses in his wake. Yet, despite our combined efforts, the swarm of moths seemed inexhaustible, their numbers undiminished.