Chapter 41. Dungeon Clear
〚Ancient-Rank [F]-LV 3: You have defeated the Spear-Shaped Parasite!〛
〚Contribution 100%〛
〚Rewards: Yellow Coin ×1, Ancient-Rank [F] Magic Stone ×1, Item: Amorphous Fragrance [Unique-EX], Item: Essence Orb [Ancient-SS+]〛
〚Astonishing Achievement!〛
〚You have eradicated the entity that led numerous species to extinction!〛
〚Title: Annihilation Terminator [Hero-SSS] acquired!〛
“Huh…?”
As I slowly opened my eyes, which I had reflexively shut in surprise at something flying toward me, I saw the powerful and overwhelming hand of a new queen reaching toward my head, as if it would crush it.
The shock of the situation made me fall backward in fear.
“Ugh!”
I couldn’t help but be terrified. If that hand caught me, I would undoubtedly die without a sound.
The sheer power the new queen displayed was nothing short of awe-inspiring.
When I opened my eyes, the queen observed my gaze for a long time, then, showing an expression of surprise, withdrew her outstretched hand.
— “How did… you manage that?”
Was she referring to defeating the Spear-Shaped Parasite?
I had my suspicions, but to be certain, I checked the full reward message.
〚Unique Ability: Misfortune looks down on the Spear-Shaped Parasite, mocking its attempt to dominate your mind!〛
〚Entity: The Spear-Shaped Parasite feels an indescribable murderous intent and is engulfed in abyssal fear!〛
〚Authority: Heavenly Fortune gazes dispassionately at the Spear-Shaped Parasite, attempting to claim dominance!〛
〚Entity: The Spear-Shaped Parasite screams in agony, crushed by a tremendous and overwhelming presence!〛
〚Authority: The Golden Tower shows no interest in such a trivial creature!〛
〚Entity: The Spear-Shaped Parasite witnesses something it should never have seen, shrieking as its soul is torn apart in unbearable pain!〛
〚Unique Ability: The Ultimate Soul rejects the foolish creature that dared provoke its majestic power!〛
〚Stat: Perseverance supports the Ultimate Soul!〛
〚Entity: The Spear-Shaped Parasite disintegrates!〛
The Spear-Shaped Parasite was a being that invaded the host’s body, took control of their brain and mind, and manipulated them at will, all while looking down on its victims and consuming their minds.
But this time, it was wrong. It had stepped where it shouldn’t have.
‘No, if it had simply been a mental attack, it might have affected me….’
Misfortune, Heavenly Fortune, and the Golden Tower were not abilities related to mental defense. They couldn’t be relied upon to fend off mental attacks. Ultimately, only the Ultimate Soul and the Perseverance stat were able to defend against such invasions.
But the Spear-Shaped Parasite had crossed a line.
It didn’t just attempt to dominate my mind but aimed to control every aspect of me, even reaching deeper into my essence—my inner world where my powers resided.
The arrogant and ferocious Misfortune, true to its nature, regarded the invading parasite as nothing more than a toy, glaring at it with cold amusement.
The benevolent yet far from gentle Heavenly Fortune, known for its laziness, looked down in silent disapproval at the creature that dared interrupt its rest.
The Golden Tower, the most powerful and silent of all my authorities, paid no attention to a being like the Spear-Shaped Parasite, infamous though it was for bringing ruin to countless species, as if it was unworthy of notice.
It was only after the Ultimate Soul sensed the disturbance and fulfilled its role that the parasite met its end.
“It’s because I have a unique ability that strengthens my mental barriers,” I said.
It wasn’t a lie. Though the parasite was crushed by the sheer power of my authorities, it was the Ultimate Soul that delivered the finishing blow.
—Is that so? It seems you possess more impressive abilities than I thought. Well, our kind never had strong mental defenses; we were just recklessly powerful and foolish. No wonder we couldn’t withstand such an attack.
The new queen muttered regretfully, as if disappointed, before taking a few steps back and bowing her head to me. It was a gesture of gratitude.
—Thank you for giving me life. I, Beatrice, solemnly swear to always be your ally, human Shin Juha.
As soon as she finished speaking, a new title appeared in my status window.
〚Incredible Achievement!〛
〚A new being with potential for legend has pledged eternal allegiance to you!〛
〚Title: Beatrice’s Ally [Unique-EX] acquired.〛
And with that, it was over. The new queen, who had named herself Beatrice, disappeared in search of her new home, and behind me, a portal opened. Only then was the tiresome dungeon finally cleared.
With my battered and weary body, I forced myself up, dragging two unconscious individuals with one hand and holding onto my sister with the other, before throwing myself into the shimmering portal. I let go of all the tension and surrendered to unconsciousness.
***
Meanwhile, at that very moment, the Miracle Guild was on the verge of a breakdown. It had already been five days.
The atmosphere, from the guild leader to the lowest-ranked members, was akin to a funeral, and it was only natural that flies drawn to their distress were beginning to circle around.
“Is there still no news?”
In the guild leader’s office on the top floor of Miracle Hospital, Gi So-young nervously tapped the table as she asked.
“…I’m sorry. Nothing yet…”
It was sheer torment. If only the hunters inside the dungeon had perished, they could abandon hope and face despair. But the dungeon still stood, and entry was forbidden.
This could only mean one thing. Inside that hellish place, they were still fighting a desperate and painful battle.
And so was her beloved and cherished niece.
However, Gi So-young knew. It was nothing but a desperate struggle. There was no way those three alone could protect even one patient while clearing an exclusively unique D+ dungeon.
Min Chorong, who had been called a candidate for the Saint and was almost certain to succeed the deceased first-generation British Saint, would fade away like this.
Gi So-young clenched her fists tightly. Min Chorong was the only blood relative left by her sister.
‘Sister…’
Her sister, who always bore an apologetic heart. From a young age, she sacrificed everything for her one and only younger sister, and just when she was about to find love and happiness, the darkness of the dungeon engulfed their family.
Through an unknown miracle during the Awakening, her niece managed to escape the dungeon and barely survived. But her brother-in-law and sister lost their lives.
And at that time, Gi So-young had not been by their side. She had gone to England to participate in what she thought was the most important event of her life—the Saint competition.
How she regretted it. What was so important about being a Saint? Because of that trivial ambition, she couldn’t protect her sister, who was everything to her.
In the end, all she could do was cast a mental stability buff on her niece as she cried out for her mother and father, calming her down.
Whether it was fortunate or unfortunate, her niece erased those painful and tragic memories on her own and grew up happily under Gi So-young’s care, rising to the position of the next candidate for Saint, thanks to her overwhelming talent.
But now, again! Again! Again!
“Damn dungeon. Damn monster. Damn fate.”
It was as if the world believed Min Chorong should not exist. Just like the dungeon that swallowed her parents and then disappeared without a trace, this time, too, the dungeon reached out its claw toward her small, delicate niece.
This time, it was a situation where even hoping for a miracle felt impossible.
At that very moment of uncertainty, the door to the guild leader’s office burst open, and a guild member rushed in.
“G-Guild Leader!”
At the man’s urgent words, Gi So-young stood up, speaking only in her mind, the words she dared not say aloud, her eyes trembling.
But there was no despair in the guild member’s eyes. Instead, they held urgency, desperation, and a glimmer—just a tiny speck—of hope.
“The dungeon… the dungeon is starting to change!”
Gi So-young was bewildered. What kind of nonsense was that? The dungeon was changing?
“It seems they found or touched something inside! It’s possible that a hidden stage has opened! Maybe… maybe the dungeon’s level will decrease?!”
Her mind snapped into focus. She understood why there was now a flicker of hope in the guild member’s eyes.
It wasn’t unheard of. Even in the Abyss and other dungeons, when a hidden stage began, the zone’s level or difficulty sometimes increased or decreased.
Gi So-young dashed out of the guild leader’s office. She didn’t even manage to put on her slippers properly, running barefoot until she reached the VIP room.
And then she saw it. The transformed dungeon.
The result was devastating. The dungeon had grown larger, darker, and held even greater malice.
Unique-C.
Although it had only risen by one level in danger, to Gi So-young, it was as if despair itself had come.
“Ah… Ahhhh!! Chorong!”
Tears began to flow from her eyes. The dungeon trembled ominously, as if to say that hope was not theirs to hold… as if it was offering only despair.
‘Please. Please. Please. Heavens. Gods. Anyone. Please, save my niece.’
There was nothing Gi So-young could do. She had given up her place as a Saint and returned to be by her niece’s side, forming this guild, building power, all to prevent such a situation.
But once again, she was too late. The power and influence she had amassed, the guild she had built, were late and had failed once again.
There was nowhere left to place her trust. All she could do was pray, as despair consumed her. The guild members, watching their leader, let out sighs of sorrow.
Those who knew her past felt it even more acutely, sympathizing with her. Experiencing the loss of one’s only blood relative twice was a pain no human could bear without breaking.
The dungeon continued to churn with foreboding, as if reflecting the fierce battle and desperation inside.
Time passed. Seconds felt like minutes, minutes like hours, in that long yet brief span.
Then the dungeon shook violently once more. Another change!
All eyes turned to it. And the dungeon grew even larger, even darker, even more intense.
But something was different. Despite the increase in magnitude and danger, the ominous feeling from the dungeon was gone.
“What… What is this?”
“What am I seeing?”
“It’s not just me, right? Can a dungeon even do this?”
“A non-ominous dungeon? Is it because of a hidden stage? What on earth is happening inside?!”
“Guild Leader! There’s still hope!”
The questions were brief. The dungeon, which had been shaking and growing ferociously, suddenly stopped and began to shrink rapidly, until it returned to its original state…!
Creak!
The unyielding lock finally broke open, revealing three people covered in wounds and a capsule, still functioning despite being damaged, emerging from within.
—
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