Chapter 48

[Translator: Dawn ]

[Proofreader: Alissa ]

Chapter 48: [Free Exploration] Dual Knights (2)

To be frank, these low-level golems were too easy of opponents for a party of this level. 

“Even taking that into consideration, it’s still surprising that we took less than an hour to completely clear the level…” 

We were already at the final, fourth room of area 1. 

Kicking the shattered fragments of the golem, I was feeling a little hollow at heart. 

Each member took out the golems in their own way. 

Flash-! 

Every time Jupiter snapped her finger, the golems were melted by the lightning. 

Thwack! Thwack!The arrows shot by Demian accurately pierced through the magic cores of the golems. 

Slash-! 

Lucas sliced through the entire body of the golems along with the magic core. 

And lastly, Evangeline, 

Crush! 

Just smashed them. 

She rushed in, impaled the golems with her cavalry spear, and struck the immobilized golems with her shield. 

Not a single golem was able to withstand these two strikes, and the golems were shattered as they splashed the fragments all around. 

“Haa! Yaaah!” 

Hopping around with her tiny body, Evangeline alternately wielded her cavalry spear and her shield. 

Sorry for saying this, but she looked like a flying squirrel looking for food. 

Crush! 

“Urryaah-!” 

After striking the last golem with her shield and crushing it to powder, Evangeline let out a roar, with her face red and flushed. She seemed refreshed. 

“One more! Where’s another one?!”“That was the last one, Hubae.” 

[Area 1: A Dried Drainage] 

– Clear Progression: Normal Room 0/4 

A total of 20 stone golems were defeated in four rooms. No one was even injured. 

‘This place was much easier than I thought.’ 

The difficulty level was too low to be used as training for party teamwork. Because each person could break them all with their own skills. 

Since they were low-level golems, the materials that could be harvested were mediocre. 

We had to break the magic core to stop the golems, so the magic cores were all shattered. 

“It looks like everyone has warmed up, so let’s take a break and start on area 2 right away.” 

I said as I walked down the last corridor of the drainage. 

“The next area will be harder than here, so stay on guard.” 

To be honest, it will still be easy with this party right now. 

I hope it will be moderately difficult. They need the chance to learn something. 

Not long after walking, the drainage ended, and an open area appeared. 

[Area 2: Hidden Back Alley] 

In a back alley surrounded by darkness, a street lamp flickered, scattering light. 

It was from the safe zone that I activated last time. 

And beyond that, I could see the panoramic view of the city lined with skyscrapers. Beneath it, darkness shimmered like that of the deep sea. 

Examining the city shrouded in darkness, Evangeline opened her mouth. 

“Wh-what is this place…?”“It’s where we’ll be exploring today.” 

I also took a dry gulp and fixed the Lucky Strike in my hand. 

Finally, the moment to explore this place in earnest, the hell beneath the lake, has come. 

‘Imma be mining a lot of magic cores here.’ 

It’s time to start farming items for real! 

I decided to take a short break before leaving for the exploration of Area 2. 

Even though it was relatively easy, we had to fight monsters. Fatigue, of course, kicks in. 

Not only that, there were some other things to do, so I declared a break. The party members sat around comfortably in the safe zone and started to rest in their own ways. 

Rattle. Rattle. 

Evangeline and Lucas took out lunch boxes from their supply bags and were digging into them. These sturdy knights needed food to keep up. 

I already knew that Lucas had a good appetite, but Evangeline was also on the same level. 

She puffed up her little cheeks like a squirrel and shoved the contents of the lunch box into her mouth. 

“Thank you for the food~” 

After eating an entire lunch box in an instant, Evangeline shook the empty lunchbox 

“Do you have any more?” 

“You’re already done?”“This ain’t even enough. This won’t fill me up at all?” 

Evangeline began to search her supply bag to see if she had anything else to eat. I wonder if it’s because she is a teenager growing up that her appetite is above average. 

“Uuuuff!” 

Lucas also began to hurriedly stuff the rest of his lunch box into his mouth. No, don’t feel competitive against a child over something like this. 

“Fuu~.” 

Jupiter was smoking by herself in the corner. 

She was fuming smoke with a cigar in her mouth. 

The way she didn’t care whether or not there was a minor in the party was like a true veteran. 

I said a word as I passed her. 

“Try quitting cigs, Jupiter.” 

You gotta live as long as possible, granny. I’ve got more than just one or two stages to bring you around in. 

Jupiter only grinned and didn’t answer back. 

Well, if she was a person that’d listen to these nags, she wouldn’t be out here living her life as a mercenary. 

She might’ve even quit being a mercenary and lived a relaxing life. 

After passing by Jupiter, I approached Demian. 

“Ah, Your Highness.” 

Demian looked at me as he was drinking from his water bottle. I nodded my head. 

“Demian, how’s your condition?” 

“It’s great. I haven’t overworked myself yet today.” 

I handed over the luggage I was carrying on my back to Demian, who was smiling sluggishly. 

“Take it.” 

“Sorry? This is…?” 

“It’s called a magic gun.” 

It was the SR-ranked magic gun that I got from the reward boxes last time, ‘Hunter’s Retribution’. 

When Demian unpacked the luggage, a long gun with an antique design appeared. 

Purple-colored mana overflowed from the magic core embedded in the barrel. 

“Its firepower is incomparably stronger than a crossbow, but the weapon itself is very unstable, and has limited ammunition.” 

Demian took a dry gulp and lifted his gun to take a look. 

I wouldn’t even need to explain how to use it. The effect of the Thousand-Miles Eyes will allow him to learn how to use it the moment he holds it. 

“Try using it as a sub-weapon to start with.” 

“It’s heavy. Much heavier than a crossbow…” 

“It weighs quite a bit, doesn’t it?” 

However, you’re gonna have to be carrying around at least 5 or 6 weapons like this one. You’ll have to build some strength starting now. 

Demian looked at me and hesitated to take the weapon. 

“This looks very expensive, are you sure I can use something like this?” 

“Of course. It’s a gift from me, so use it as you please. You can even throw it around and break it if you want to.” 

“I-I wouldn’t do something like that!”Frightened, Demian grabbed the gun in his arms. After a while, the boy smiled bashfully. 

“Thank you, Your Highness. I’ll cherish it.” 

No, no. Thank you. You little cheat character, you. 

I smiled and turned to the rest of the party. 

Evangeline and Lucas were munching on the biscuits they brought for a snack (They ate like pigs, seriously.), and Jupiter was about to put out her cigar. 

I clapped my hands. 

“Did everyone get enough rest? Shall we go then?” 

Everyone stood up without saying anything and prepared for battle. 

After examining how each of them raised their torches and lanterns, I nodded. 

“Let’s go!” 

To the second area of this dungeon city. 

Stepping on the five-colored tiles laid out neatly on the floor, the moment I stepped into the back alley of the city, 

Ring!

[Translator: Dawn]

[Proofreader: Alissa]

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The system window appeared. It contained information about this area of the dungeon. 

[Area 2: Hidden Back Alley] 

– Clear Progression: Normal Room 0/4, Boss Room 0/1 

– Acquired Treasure Chest: 0/5 

There were at least 5 treasure chests that could be obtained here in Area 2. 

‘It’s time to strengthen the party’s equipment!’ 

Thinking about the items that could be obtained here, I nodded. 

I’ll devour them all up! 

On top of a straight road lined with old brick walls on the left and right without any buildings, 

Our party was advancing in caution. 

The alley in which the darkness had settled gave off an eerie air. 

Even in Korea, where every street was lined with street lights, back alleys at night were eerie. 

The back alleys of the Lake Kingdom are dark without even a ray of light, let alone streetlights. 

It’s not just at the level of being eerie. Having to rely only on the torch in my hand, every step I took made the hairs on my body stand sharp. 

‘It actually is the base of monsters too.’ 

Not only ghosts but all sorts of ferocious monsters abound in the city under the lake. 

The good news is that only one type is available at a time. In this exploration, that’s the golems. 

‘But even a golem can be scary when it suddenly jumps out of the darkness!’ 

If you think of a golem the size of a house suddenly popping out from the other side of the alley… Just imagining it is terrifying. 

However, 

Crash-! 

As soon as I thought about it, it happened. 

From the right flank of the alleyway we were advancing cautiously on, a huge golem popped out of the brick wall. 

“Aaaaagh, fuck!” 

Frightened, I leaped backward and involuntarily spat out profanity. 

It seems that we have already entered the first dungeon room. It’s all in a dark back alley, so I couldn’t tell at all! 

It was a steampunk-style golem with metal armor and pipes all over its body. 

It was so big that the golems in Area 1 looked cute. It was the size of a giant truck. 

Guooh! 

The huge golem stretched out its arms as it let out a fierce drive sound throughout its entire body and spewed misty steam like a train. 

“I will stop it!” 

Lucas, who shouted and ran to the right, swung his sword. 

Clank! 

The golem’s arm, touched by the sword strike, bounced back greatly. 

Ring! 

Then a system window popped up in front of my sight. 

[Hidden Back Alley – Room 1] 

– Eliminate all enemies! 

– Lv.15 Steam Golem : 2 

They were level 15 steam golems, elite monsters. This wasn’t the important part. 

‘There are two of them?’ 

Frightened, I shouted out loud. 

“There’s one mor—!” 

Crash-! 

This time, on the left side of the alley, 

Another golem appeared as it shattered through the wall. 

Guooh! 

As it also let out a fierce driving sound, the golem rushed toward us while spewing steam from its entire body. 

It actually looked like a train rushing toward us! 

Bam-!Evangeline was able to stop that rush with her shield. 

Evangeline’s thin two legs were pushed back. 

As she drove her feet into the floor, she was pushed back, crushing through all the floor tiles, and raising a cloud of dust. 

“Ugh! What are you, a bull…?!”Evangeline groaned as she clenched her teeth. 

“Ugh!”Lucas also groaned from the opposite side. 

When I hurriedly looked there, Lucas was also at a disadvantage. 

He was barely blocking the strikes from the golem’s two arms by swinging his swords. 

Thud! Crash! 

Lucas rolled his body to avoid the powerfully falling metal fist and looked at me. I nodded right away. 

There was one reason why I, who was not a combatant, came all the way here. 

“From now on, I dictate the tactics!” 

To make quick and accurate orders! 

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