Dungeon of the Alchemist ------------------------------------------------------------------------
“Did you hear the news? Another dungeon was discovered in Mule.”
“The Forest of Darkness. The ancient alchemist Vivian’s dungeon. Maybe I should head back to Mule. Who knows? There might still be something left to find.”
“But you’ve already discovered the Cave of Wails. Don’t get greedy. There’s something odd, though. It seems some users found it before.”
“They stumbled upon it by chance and failed, ending up dead. Well, calling it death might not be quite right. You see, there were three of them. Or maybe just one, depending on how you look at it…”
My companions and I packed up quickly and left the inn. It was early, so Go Yeon-ju was nowhere to be seen. Ahn Hyun kept glancing back, reluctant to leave the
Compared to Barbara, Mule’s north gate was quite unimpressive. A couple of guards were stationed there, but they looked rather shabby. Despite being a frontier town, it was hard to say the ruling clan’s lord was doing a good job based on appearances alone.
“Take care. May the angels bless your journey, users.”
“Thank you.”
We returned the guards’ salute and finally stepped through the north gate. Hyun, seeing the residents for the first time, asked me with curiosity.
“Hyung, who exactly are the residents?”
“Residents? They’re the people who originally lived in Hall Plain. You could say you’re a resident of Earth.”
“Are they different from us? I heard other users say that users are like nobles and residents are like commoners.”
Nobles and commoners, indeed. Residents are weak, so weak that without users, they couldn’t survive the dangers scattered throughout Hall Plain. Things change a bit when you move to Atlanta and then to Terra, but at least up to Barbara, residents rely on users for protection.
In the cities that have been discovered and developed, residents are somewhat safe from danger. But in undeveloped cities, their fate is uncertain. On the southern continent, there have been cases of cities turning into ruins, with no residents left, presumably wiped out by invaders.
Residents see users as apostles of the gods, believing in the existence of gods in Hall Plain. Some residents even claim to have received orders from descended angels. Users, seen as apostles, are believed to have come to save them with divine orders and angelic blessings.
In reality, users are kidnapped by angels and use powers based on settings, but residents view their strength as divine blessings. Thus, residents generally regard users with goodwill and reverence.
Hyun’s mention of nobles and commoners reflects the users’ perspective. In the West Continent, known for its boundless freedom, residents are often treated like slaves. The North Continent isn’t as extreme, but residents are still looked down upon and seen as beneath users. Initially, it was sad to think that, despite being the same humans, there was such a divide.
The cities, dungeons, and research facilities discovered show traces of a once-thriving Hall Plain. All I know is that, for some reason, they lost their prosperity and power, leaving current residents to live in fear of monster attacks.
I summarized this for Hyun, and the others, curious as well, nodded along. While there’s no need to pity the residents, treating them poorly isn’t a good look, and I concluded the topic with that thought.
Despite expecting to see a few users, there wasn’t a single one in sight. The influence of the Golden Lion Clan was evident. With the northern city empty, users must be flocking to the southern, western, and central cities like Barbara. I felt a sudden urge to join them.
The sentimental feeling faded as we continued walking. The landscape changed as we headed north from Mule. The path became rougher, and signs of human passage grew faint. But it wasn’t unpleasant.
It allowed us to enjoy nature in its raw form. Coming from a place where nature was scarce, seeing such vibrant life was rare. The gentle breeze lifted the kids’ spirits, and they occasionally glanced around with refreshed faces. As the foliage thickened, I paused to check the map.
To the left was the forest, to the right, plains. The path to the Forest of Darkness led into the woods. I confirmed my memory with the map and tucked it back into my pocket. Several faint paths lay ahead, but I turned confidently toward the northwest.
We walked through the lush green forest. The fields beyond Mule’s north gate still glowed with fresh light, but as we neared the Forest of Darkness, that light seemed to dim.
Following the path, dark blue trees began to appear, towering and imposing. We had reached the edge of the Forest of Darkness. I turned to the kids trailing behind me and spoke in a low voice.
“This is the entrance to the Forest of Darkness. Stay alert and brace yourselves.”
The deeper we went, the more oppressive the atmosphere became. It felt wrong to call this place a forest. The high and low grounds were distinct, and the area was vast. It was incomparable to the forest we passed during the rite of passage.
It was still morning, and weak sunlight filtered through, but deeper in, even that would vanish. If it was this dark in the morning, it would be pitch black at night, so I resolved to secure a safe zone today. For now, we could see well enough, so I planned to scout the area. The kids clutched their weapons tightly, tension evident. Then, suddenly—
“Hold on.”
As I turned to check on the kids, I noticed something unusual. It was a chance discovery. If I hadn’t turned, I might have missed it, but my heightened senses caught the trace.
The kids, startled, looked at me with wide eyes. I moved to the spot where I found the trace and crouched for a closer look. The kids, seeing my serious expression, gathered around.
This was… a human trail. And not just one or two people. We hadn’t seen anyone at the north gate, so they must have come from another direction. It was strange not to see any users, but the traces seemed fresh.
“Oppa, why are you staring at the ground?”
”…….”
I scanned the ground, activating my third eye for more information. I heard Yu-jeong’s cautious voice but didn’t respond.
“Oppa? Oppa!”
“Unni, oppa is tracking. Just wait a moment….”
“Tracking? Isn’t that something only archers or assassins do?”
“That’s true, but with enough experience or training, anyone can do it to some extent. But they won’t be as detailed as those with specialized jobs.”
“No way. Does that mean oppa learned it?”
As I filtered and analyzed the incoming information, I heard Yu-jeong and Sol murmuring. Archers could guide and read tracks, but the third eye’s wide application made gathering trace information easy. And, sorry Sol, but my unique ability was likely superior to theirs.
After analyzing the data, I stood up. What I did was simple tracking, as Sol said. I addressed the kids, who were watching me expectantly, with a heavy voice.
“About two or three days ago, a group of five or six passed through here. They didn’t come from the north gate, probably exploring from elsewhere. I can’t tell if they got lost or came intentionally, but they didn’t seem to wander aimlessly, so they weren’t completely inexperienced. All the tracks lead in one direction.”
I had no idea what happened to them. To see past events, I’d need to use the ability I used during the rite of passage, but there was no need for that now. We weren’t in a rush like before. Analyzing the remaining traces was more than enough.
As soon as I finished speaking, Hyun and Yujeong were left speechless, their jaws practically on the floor. Even Sol, who clearly hadn’t expected me to say something like that, was staring at me with wide eyes. I just shrugged in response to their incredulous looks. Yujeong tilted her head, curiosity written all over her face, and asked me a question.
“So, are you saying there might be other people in this forest besides us?”
“Who knows? Maybe there are, maybe there aren’t.”
Yujeong had a knack for picking up on things others might miss. I didn’t want to reveal too much, so I kept my answer vague, but I could see her eyes narrowing in suspicion. With a sigh, I decided to elaborate.
“Exactly what I said. There are footprints leading into the forest, but none coming out. They might have left in another direction, or they could still be wandering around. Or… they might all be dead.”
My words left everyone looking uneasy, exchanging worried glances. I watched them with a detached expression before turning away. In the city, I might have let them get away with fooling around, but out here, in the real world, there was no room for such leniency.
As my expression hardened and I fell silent, I noticed the sound of their footsteps growing quieter. They were unconsciously trying to move more stealthily, clearly on edge. The deeper we ventured into the forest, the taller and denser the trees became, blocking out the sky. The sunlight that had faintly illuminated the entrance was now completely gone.
We walked for a while, and by the time we felt we had left the entrance behind, darkness had settled around us. It wasn’t pitch black, but considering it was still morning, the thought of how dark it would get after sunset was daunting. This forest truly lived up to its name, the Forest of Shadows.
Without needing any prompting, the kids had already started using their senses. Thanks to the third eye I had taught them to activate, we managed to maintain our pace. Conversation ceased entirely. With each step, the only sounds were the rustling of grass and the occasional sharp intake of breath. Then, it happened.
A low growl. A rustling in the bushes.
My ears caught the sound of a growl, followed by the rustling of underbrush being disturbed. Something was approaching fast, likely having detected our presence and coming to attack.
When I stopped, the kids seemed to hold their breath, their faces tense with anxiety as they scanned the surroundings. They hadn’t realized yet that monsters were closing in. With their senses active, they’d notice once the creatures got closer, but I decided to warn them in advance.
“We’re under attack. Monsters are coming from both sides. Get ready for battle. Sol, move to the center. Hyun and Yujeong, back-to-back, form a defensive line.”
“W-What?”
“Don’t make me repeat myself. Focus and form up around Sol.”
The word “attack” threw them into confusion. Yujeong asked again, but my cold tone snapped them into action. She shivered, gripping her daggers tightly. Hyun took a defensive stance with his spear, and Sol began chanting a spell. Watching them quickly form a formation, I moved to stand beside Sol, ready to act as a priest keeper. As I drew the sword from my waist, a chilling sound echoed through the forest.
“Special ability activated: Divine Sword Union.”
“Potential ability activated: Close Combat.”
“Potential ability activated: Mind’s Eye (Calm).”
The rustling grew louder, and we could hear the air being sliced as something approached. Just as our senses picked up the threat, a sharp, glinting tail shot out from the darkness of the forest, targeting Hyun and Yujeong, who were on guard.
“Don’t dodge! Deflect it!”
I shouted as they instinctively moved to evade. Hyun, having sidestepped, looked puzzled at my command but quickly realized the tail’s trajectory. He swung his spear, intercepting the tail with a dull thud.
Yujeong, agile as ever, ducked to avoid the attack but didn’t manage to deflect it as I had instructed. Though she dodged successfully, the attack wasn’t over. The tail adjusted its course, now aiming for Sol, who was in the middle of casting a spell.
Sol, caught off guard by the incoming attack, looked on in shock.
---------------------------= Author’s Note ---------------------------=
Hello, this is Royujin.
The kids have been relying on Suhyeon for too long, so it’s about time they faced some consequences. Haha. After reading comments about weight in the last chapter, I texted a friend about it and got an earful. Haha. Let’s dive into the replies.
『 Replies 』
CrossDie: Congrats on being first! Is this the return of the king? Haha. I’ve corrected the typos. Thank you.
Famous: Haha. I asked a friend if 170cm, 44kg, and a D~E cup was possible, and she called me crazy. I think I should revise that.
hohokoya1: Indeed. She’s quite a useful character. I’m still considering whether to add her to the group or just kill her off.
GradeRown: Both are Korean. There are similar powerful beings on other continents. The northern continent has the highest level. A language conversion device will be introduced soon. :)
Kaihon: No, except for stamina, all other stats have increased significantly. You can find the first-round stats in chapter one.
Zami: You can increase it beyond 100. The max score of 100 was set because it was thought that a score of 101 was impossible (according to the angels’ settings).
Juk^dol^i: B → B+ → A → A+ → A++ → A+++ → S → S+ → EX. Only the A rank is subdivided like this.
15420011: There’s no need to hide it like a rite of passage. After going through the User Academy, they’ve learned almost everything. It’s just a matter of whether they can execute it or not. And since they’re in Mule, there’s nothing holding them back. All purchases were made with the weekly allowance from the User Academy.
rhkdel2: If you look closely at the surrounding characters, you’ll see someone with potential. Haha.
Lancelot du Lac: I’ve joined the cafe today. I really wanted the cover, and you’ve introduced me to a great place. I’ll look around and apply later. Thank you!
Strongest Saintess: Whoa;;; I just replied casually, but you really commented on chapter 49…. I thought of Sol and did it for you. Please comment on chapter 50 too…. :)
I always read all the comments repeatedly. Please don’t feel too disappointed if you’re not mentioned in the replies. If you’re really curious, send me a message, and I’ll respond! (Please leave lots of comments! And recommendations…☞☜)
That’s all for today.
I hope you always read my work with a relaxed mind.
Favorites, recommendations, comments, critiques, and questions are always welcome.