Chapter 199: Temporary Companion and Development 4
TL/Editor: Raei
Schedule: 5/Week Mon-Fri
Illustrations: Posted in discord.
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Bent over with a hunched back, Han Se-ah had to dig the tunnel at such a low height that the hefty Naga had to press his belly against the ground due to the low height of the tunnel.
Viewers commented on how uncomfortable it looked, with various chats such as 'This is hard on the eyes,' and 'Seeing his backside makes me uncomfortable.'
However, as the tunnel unexpectedly extended for a considerable length, one by one, they began praising Han Se-ah for conserving her mana.
Just when Han Se-ah's mana supply was nearly depleted, the tunnel abruptly widened.
-This stench, it's awful, I can smell it...
Hmm, this definitely seems like a tunnel leading to the source.
Whether it was intentionally designed or a coincidence, an artificial passage appeared at the end of the tunnel, just long enough for a intermediate-level mage like Han Se-ah to manage with her conserved mana.
The entrance she created with Earth Control resembled a beast's den, but the expanded pathway was smoothly walled and supported ingeniously by tree roots, much like support beams in a mine, clearly indicating it was not a natural formation.
If the 30th floor felt like a laboratory or a workshop, this place felt like an underground base created by earth spirits or dwarves.
Of course, the overpowering smell of poison coming from deep within the tunnel fiercely contradicted those fairy tale-like notions.
-I'll stand in front, okay?
"Sure, go ahead."
The black-scaled Naga, whose upper body was now covered in dirt, easily dusted it off, appearing neat again.
This alone demonstrated the spaciousness and artificial nature of the tunnel.
The party members, sensing the widened tunnel as the start of a real exploration, swallowed nervously, heightening the tension.
The large back of the black Naga, followed by me, instilled a sense of confidence in the group, sharpening their focus.
However, the sharpness gradually dulled as the long, winding tunnel continued without end.
It's surprisingly long, isn't it?
...It's not just long. There's a very slight downward slope that keeps going. The tunnel is also subtly curving to the left. We are slowly spiraling downwards, deeper into the ground.
-Archer, your senses are very sharp...
Grace's observation was proven right by the continuously extending tunnel.
With no monsters appearing, only the foul smell filling the air, viewers began to stir, chatting among themselves.
The topics varied from the party members' postures emphasized while entering the tunnel to conversations about the Black Naga warrior covered in dark scales.
Perhaps something big, black, and burly held a charm for Korean netizens*.
The black Naga warrior, deemed too lengthy a name, was soon affectionately nicknamed 'Heuknaga-gun*' (Black Naga) in the chat, almost making me laugh.
I'm not usually one to laugh easily, but this is entertaining.
-Human warrior... Are you having fun?
I didnt expect to find it so soon. Last time, it took almost a month just to find a passage like this.
-Looking forward to it?
Meanwhile, the Black Naga warrior, who eerily sensed my mood, threw a question at me while I was trying to suppress my giggles as we walked down the monotonous dirt path.
How could I possibly explain to him that the idle viewers had started poorly photoshopping his picture, creating a multitude of badly done 'Heuknaga-gun' images on the forum?
Thanks to that, even our player Han Se-ah, couldnt suppress her laughter and was forced into a grin-and-bear-it situation.
With the dark blue mana rising from his trident, he charged across the field like a cavalryman.
Crack, THUDDDD-
His serpentine lower body thrashed about violently, moving with such intensity that it seemed like heavy construction machinery on a work site, leaving a trail of destruction.
In a blink, he was already at the far end of the field, attacking a black figure.
He's incredibly fast.
I lost sight of him in an instant
Indeed, he was of a higher caliber, Manaashi startled our group of intermediate adventurers, leaving us staring blankly at the dark blue aura flaring up in the distance.
If he had been an enemy, he might have even broken through Irenes protective holy magic.
From the 40th floor onwards, it seemed like a proclamation that it was no longer the realm of intermediates.
After all, progressing to the 40th floor with just innate 3 and 4 abilities without effort was a bit too much.
As we roughly expected, if the 100th floor is indeed the top, we'll have to start risking our lives in battle from the 40th floor onwards.
It seems likely that we'll need to gain an additional star before reaching the 50th floor.
-Aaaah! The flow! The cycle! Return to the earth!
When we face the 40th-floor boss monster, I wonder if I should step back and let the party handle it, to emphasize the need to level up.
The title of being world number one wasn't really important to me.
My goal is to have Han Se-ah clear this world, not necessarily as the world's number one.
In the midst of such contemplation, Manaashi was frenziedly swinging his trident like a saw blade of a grinder.
The mass-produced Naga warriors seemed to be barely hanging between intermediate and senior levels.
They looked like they were just shy of emitting mana, so if they killed some people and got stronger, they might reach the senior level.
The clich of monsters evolving by killing humans also seemed fitting here.
But even if they were on the verge, intermediates are still intermediates, and they faced an opponent who had already reached the matured stage of a senior, wildly emitting aura and devastating the surroundings.
It was natural that, just like the doppelgangers couldn't penetrate my defenses, these Naga warriors couldn't break through his black scales and dark blue aura.
Do we even need to step in?
Well, I'm not sure. Look over there, this opening isnt the end.
While Manaashi was busy destroying the opening alone with his trident, Grace found a passage that continued downward.
Several more levels down... that seems like the way, doesn't it?
---
*bruh
*Heuknaga-gun -> more google... so -gun() is similiar to Mr. but more informal and is often used for someone younger or in a more affectionate, casual way. its is a way to create an informal and endearing nickname. kinda like me saying chappy instead of chapter? lolol
and according to a forum: heuk is (black). heuk hyung or heuk nuna is a slang that some korean use to call black people. I don't know what black people would think of it, but I think the expression is kind of racist.
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Author continuing to say some questionable things in his chapters... before his reading list went private I took a look and was very scared...
1/5 Enjoy the chappy!
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