Chapter 95 - Memorize | Novel Seeker

“Think you can keep up?”

I sat on the cold marble floor, waiting for the others to finish their preparations. I had tried to help dismantle the camp, but Yujeong and Sol insisted I stay out of it, leaving me to play the role of a bystander. Apparently, this was “women’s work,” though they had no problem ordering Ahn Hyun and Shin Sangyong around. Thanks to them, I had plenty of time to prepare myself.

I drew my sword and placed it across my knees, the cold steel ringing softly in the room. It was a standard iron sword I had bought at the blacksmith’s after arriving in Mulo. As a swordsman, I knew all too well how to care for and handle my weapon.

Instinctively, I reached into my pocket. I had a habit of smoking while polishing my sword, but I only had one cigarette left. I decided to save it for after our expedition, when we returned to the city.

Everyone else was busy packing up their sleeping bags and cleaning up after breakfast. Jeong Hayeon folded her sleeping bag with military precision, while Ahn Hyun was getting scolded by An Sol for shoving his into his magic backpack haphazardly.

Watching them, I carefully wiped down my sword with a cloth.

“Leader, are we heading straight to the second floor today?”

“You’re stuttering. Nervous, are we?”

“N-no, it’s just a habit. I’m not nervous at all.”

Shin Sangyong laughed awkwardly at my teasing. I nodded a couple of times and gave the sword one last firm wipe.

“Yes, we’re planning to head to the second floor.”

“Good decision.”

“But,” I paused, looking down at the gleaming blade. I sheathed it with a satisfying clink, smiling at the sound.

“We’ll need to fight the creatures that have reportedly made some progress there. If a hundred humans can summon a low-level demon with its original power, we should be able to estimate the demon’s rank based on the sacrifices.”

“Indeed. Just to add, the hundred sacrifices were supposedly the most successful ones.”

“Thanks, I’ll keep that in mind.”

This is what a conversation among caravan members should be like. I glanced at the others, hoping they’d learn something, but no one was paying attention. I sighed inwardly and looked at Vivian, who was rubbing her sleepy eyes. She’d been up late discussing records with Shin Sangyong, and though she seemed tired, I knew she’d be different in battle.

One by one, the group finished their preparations. An Sol was the last to tighten her backpack straps, and I stood up as she did. With everyone’s attention on me, I spoke calmly.

“Good work, everyone. We might have more challenges ahead, but we’ve cleared the first floor of the lab. Today’s goal is to clear the second floor and, if possible, reach the third.”

No one responded, but I noticed a hint of anxiety in An Sol’s eyes. I added a few more words, glancing at the bright sunlight streaming through the high windows.

“Starting early today gives us more time than yesterday. If we clear the third floor today, we can return to Mulo by tomorrow with all the goods we’ve gathered.”

Finally, I saw a spark of enthusiasm in their eyes. Boosting morale before an expedition was part of a caravan leader’s job. The sleepy eyes now looked more alert. I turned and continued.

“There are two staircases, one to the north and one to the east. We’ll take the east stairs to save time.”

We moved towards the stairs leading to the second floor. The old steps creaked ominously underfoot, and we ascended cautiously.

The staircase was longer than expected, spiraling upwards and making the first floor seem further and further away. We climbed in silence until we reached the door to the second floor. Just as I was about to open it, Jeong Hayeon stopped me.

“Su-hyeon, wait a moment.”

I looked at her questioningly, and she asked An Sol for a protection spell. Understanding her intent, I smiled. Her thoroughness was reassuring.

“Protect!”

An Sol’s staff pointed at me, and a translucent shield enveloped me. Jeong Hayeon quickly chanted another spell, forming a hand sign.

“Reflect Shield!”

Before her clear voice faded, she cast another spell.

“Targeted Protection Spell. Overlap!”

The Reflect Shield merged with the protective barrier around me, glowing faintly gold. The others gasped in awe, and I looked at her with admiration. I hadn’t expected her to enhance another’s spell. It was a high-level application of support magic.

“Impressive.”

“We’re on the stairs, so if a monster appears right at the door, it could be dangerous. I wasn’t doubting your skills, Su-hyeon.”

Jeong Hayeon smiled modestly. With the spell active, I felt a duty to enter quickly. The others seemed eager for monsters to appear beyond the door.

“We’re starting the second-floor exploration. Stay alert, everyone. Let’s go.”

I opened the door wide, but no monsters leaped out. Just an empty space. As I stepped inside, I heard disappointed clicks of tongues behind me.

“Tch.”

“Ugh.”

These guys. I wanted to scold them, but I held back and led the group inside. They followed, eyes widening at the sight before them. I quickly activated my senses and third eye.

“This place feels… unsettling.”

Sol, sensitive to the atmosphere, rubbed her arms and frowned. The malice here was twice as strong as on the first floor. It seemed the demon summoning had succeeded. I hummed a tune to myself, thinking about extracting the demon’s heart for the group, though they couldn’t hear me.

The second floor was similar in size to the first but had a different layout. Instead of corridors branching in four directions, it was divided into two large spaces with a central passage.

I surveyed the area we stood in. It was a large, square hall filled with crumbling, unidentifiable debris. Each wall, except the one with the passage, had a door—three in total.

“Hmm. The layout is different from the first floor. It might be simpler.”

“On the surface, yes. But remember, there are fewer successful experiments than failures. We can’t let our guard down.”

I overheard Shin Sangyong and Jeong Hayeon discussing.

“Hyung, what now?”

“Hmm?”

“Do we need to open all these doors? Can’t we just move to the next area?”

“The next area? How do you know there’s a staircase to the third floor there?”

Ahn Hyun fell silent at my question. I suspected there was no staircase here, but I had my reasons for wanting to explore every room. I was determined to make Ahn Hyun a skilled martial artist.

I couldn’t speak for others, but the person most loyal to me right now was undoubtedly Ahn Hyun. The feelings An Sol had for me were too complex to be simply called loyalty. Even after a decade of experience, I couldn’t quite decipher the intricate emotions Sol occasionally revealed. Her actions were too puzzling to be mere kindness.

Lost in thought, I must have looked a bit dazed. Ahn Hyun’s steady gaze brought me back to reality, and I quickly spoke up.

“We might be able to finish the second floor faster than expected. Let’s open all the doors in this space one by one and move on to the next area.”

“Ugh… Why are there so many crumbling pieces everywhere? It’s hard to walk.”

“Be careful. There might be bone fragments.”

“Oh my, that’s so scary. Eek.”

Yoo Jung’s playful tone made everyone uncomfortable. Ahn Hyun followed me without a word, but his face was filled with an unspoken apology to the group.

But my patience only went so far. When they kept disrupting the atmosphere, I shot them a sharp look. Ahn Hyun and Yoo Jung immediately fell silent. Maintaining the now quiet atmosphere, I headed towards the door on the left wall, using the direction we came from as a reference.

There were only three doors, but each one was imposing. Even from a distance, they were nothing like the ordinary doors on the first floor. These were massive iron doors with jagged spikes protruding ominously. We hurried towards our chosen door, gradually closing the distance.

We reached the first target door in about fifteen minutes, thanks to our brisk pace. The translucent golden sphere that An Sol and Jung Ha Yeon had cast around me had faded away. After a quick scan of our surroundings, I spoke in a low voice.

“I’m opening the door now. Everyone, get ready.”

“Hyung, this door looks too thick. You might need help.”

“No, I can handle it alone. Just maintain your positions.”

At my firm words, Ahn Hyun stepped back, though he looked a bit surprised.

Given the likelihood of encountering demons, it was time to reclaim my old instincts. I was a bit worried if the group could keep up, but I cleared my mind as I reached for the handle, which was larger than my hand. There was an ominous energy emanating from behind the door.

---------------------------= Author’s Note ---------------------------=

Hello, this is Ro Yujin.

Haha, some of you might feel the story is progressing slowly. While I have much to say, I understand that some have adapted to the current pace, while others find it slow. It’s hard to satisfy every reader. I won’t make excuses, but I’ll do my best to keep the narrative from dragging.

Please enjoy this chapter. :)

PS. A flood of coupons came in today. I sincerely thank all the readers. Bow. (__)

『 Reader Comments 』

CuteBear: Congratulations on being first! It seems like people with bear-related IDs often get first place. Haha.
YuUn[流雲]: Thank you for the great question. The questions you asked are ones that users would naturally wonder about. While Kim Soo Hyun knows everything due to his regression, other users had similar questions when they first met the angel. Seraph once said, “I know what you’re going to ask, but I recommend you don’t. Focus only on survival.” However, there’s no narrative from the perspective of other users. After going through initiation, they become aware of survival and enter the User Academy. Park Hyun Woo, who appears then, says, “We are users just like you. We are not the ones to send you home.” Users all harbor a desire to return home, but they don’t know how. The question of why they are here is valid, but no one currently has the answer. No user can provide an answer, so they adapt to living day by day. Those who adapt with that question in their hearts survive, while those who don’t are weeded out. Users are those who adapt while holding onto the hope of returning someday. (This hints at one of the reasons for the emergence of vagrants.) That’s all I’ve revealed to readers. You’ll naturally learn more as the story progresses. It was mentioned briefly at the beginning and has been subtly hinted at throughout.
RedMoonSky: Yes! That’s correct. However, not all ranks have the same progression.
KiwiMuru: Haha. There are differences among users, but generally, that’s how it is. Those like Sol, who have over 70 magic power from the start, are exceptional. Excluding specialized stats, their abilities aren’t that high.
HwiEul: Haha. I have many works to recommend. I enjoy Min Young Mo’s “Named” and other authors’ works like “Master of Time” and “Legacy of the Dragon.” Ah, are these too famous?
zjekfksqlc: Hehe. I like Han Byul too… (thud thud)
rhkdel2: Yes. Of course, it will appear. Please wait a little longer. :)
Jiak, Empire Assault Team, Bow Strength, deceive, STgomtinge, HwiEul: Thank you to those who mentioned giving coupons in the comments. And thank you to everyone else who sent numerous coupons. Bow. (__)
VegemilGoon: Haha. Thank you. I’ll also work on pacing myself. :)
北乾玄龍: Soo Hyun is still contemplating. He’s very cautious, so he’s thinking it over and over. Haha.

Your recommendations and comments are the driving force behind continuous updates. (This is the truth.)