Chapter 48
Tatadadak!
A pair of footsteps echoed through the 2nd rank faction, followed by several others. The faction members gasped for breath as they watched the rapidly retreating figure running on thin legs that looked ready to collapse at any moment.
‘She’s supposed to be C-rank!’
But why is she so fast?!
Surprised by the unexpected speed, a faction member looked around. The rest of the group was also running to catch Yoo Yi-joo, but they were still far behind.
While they thought she was fast enough to be believed as the 1st ranked faction leader, Yoo Yi-joo was currently feeling miserable.
[Successfully stolen the skill ‘Sprint (D)’ from target ‘Cha Si-hyeon (S)’!]
‘Why is it so fast?!’
She thought “Sprint” would just mean running quickly, but it was an incredible speed as if she had a motor attached. She had nearly fallen several times as her feet couldn’t keep up.
‘If I knew it would be this fast, I would have stolen a different skill!’
She briefly wondered if it would have been better to kill all those faction members, but that thought was fleeting.
‘Most of them are C-rank or higher, and there are several of them, so it would be difficult.’
Even using a stolen S-rank skill, it would be hard to guarantee victory.
Yoo Yi-joo checked the system window while listening to the multiple sets of footsteps following behind her.
[DUNGEON GUIDE] 00:03:09 until ‘Protecting the Faction from External Intruders (Stage 1)’ ends
‘There’s still time left.’
Although she could feel herself getting closer to Shin Shawol…
‘The timing is just terrible for what I planned.’
Of all times, the timing couldn’t be worse. Tsk, Yoo Yi-joo clicked her tongue and looked up.
‘The exit is up there.’
Feeling that she was gradually getting closer to the exit, instead of heading towards the stairs, she turned right.
“What? Why is she going that way?”
Behind her, she could hear the confused voices of faction members who were urgently following but hadn’t expected this direction.
“Hey! Why don’t you stop running? There’s no exit that way anyway!”
“When did I say I was looking for an exit?”
Yoo Yi-joo turned back to face the blocked wall and smiled at the panting faction members.
“I’m not done with my business yet.”
[Using skill ‘Trick of Trick (B)’!]
[Moving within a 30 meter radius!]
Whoosh! Her vision blurred, and when Yoo Yi-joo opened her eyes…
[DUNGEON GUIDE] The monster ‘Master of the Clones [BOSS]’ has been defeated!
[DUNGEON GUIDE] Participant: Kim Ha-neul, Lee Hyun-sik, Choi Woo-won, and others…
[DUNGEON GUIDE] ‘Protecting the Faction from External Intruders (Stage 1)’ has ended!
Along with the system window announcing the boss’s defeat, she saw the back of a man filled with a sense of superiority.
💎
“Haha! Finally!!”
Kim Ha-neul laughed loudly, spreading his arms to welcome the joy.
Directly across from him, the defeated boss lay collapsed, beginning to scatter into white powder. The system mercilessly announced the end as the boss disappeared.
[DUNGEON GUIDE] Calculating final scores.
The woman glanced at it and moved forward. With each silent step, Kim Ha-neul’s nape grew closer. The distance that could have fit a person between them soon became close enough to reach out and touch.
“…!”
Only then did Kim Ha-neul sense the mana and turn his head. And, thud!
“Guh!”
A sword pierced his left abdomen. By the time he turned his head, it was already too late. Kim Ha-neul’s vision slowly expanded.
“How…”
“How what?”
A cold voice pierced his ear. Kim Ha-neul blankly stared at the figure who had stabbed him.
Hair falling below the chest, red lips contrasting with pale skin, and dark eyes holding a chilling gaze.
Yoo Yi-joo slowly watched him cough up blood.
People sensitive to sensations, like Baek Doha, can sense mana well. But what about the opposite case, Kim Ha-neul?
“You’re incredibly dull to mana.”
Of course, being E-rank, her mana was weak, but from the start, it was obvious that Kim Ha-neul was dull to mana itself. Otherwise, how could he have no reaction when she stole the ‘hacking’ ability right in front of him to check the contract?
“Being dull to mana helped, but that’s not what you’re asking. What you’re curious about is something else, right?”
Yoo Yi-joo muttered, adding one more thing.
“For instance, how I knew there was a pattern on your side.”
As she added this, his expression gradually turned pale.
“H-how did you…!”
“When I hit you last time, you grabbed your left side.”
At that moment, Kim Ha-neul recalled the first time he fought with Yoo Yi-joo in his room.
When Yoo Yi-joo kicked him in the abdomen then, he covered his side. He admits it. But…
“Lies! Just from that…!”
“Just? You’re right-handed, aren’t you?”
He covered his left side with his right hand. Isn’t it suspicious that someone who always holds weapons or pens with his right hand would leave his unused left hand alone and use his sword hand to cover his abdomen?
“Well, you probably didn’t think that far.”
Yoo Yi-joo tapped her head and smiled.
“Because you’re simple-minded.”
His face crumpled.
“You…! Ukh!“
Before he could finish speaking, Yoo Yi-joo stomped on his blood-covered hand. Just like he had done to her.
“Don’t worry. I don’t intend to kill you anyway.”
Yoo Yi-joo pulled out the sword she had stabbed in.
[SYSTEM] You have destroyed the 2nd rank faction leader’s mark!
[SYSTEM] The mark of the 2nd-rank faction leader has been destroyed!
‘From the start, what I was interested in was your mark.’
[DUNGEON GUIDE] Rankings are being updated!
And at that moment, Yoo Yi-joo’s vision shifted.
[You will return to your original position in 30 seconds!]
The activation time of ‘Trick of Trick (B)’ had ended.
And the first thing she felt in the shifting space was the familiar mana of someone she knew.
💎
“I can sense Yoo Yi-joo’s mana from two places.”
Cha Si-hyeon suddenly muttered as he climbed the stairs of the 2nd rank faction. Shin Shawol, who was looking around while climbing the stairs, turned to look at him.
“Two places?”
“Yeah. One from over there.”
The place Cha Si-hyeon pointed to was the floor right below.
“And one from over there.”
The other place was the floor just one level above.
How could mana be sensed from two completely different locations? Although it seemed suspicious, it couldn’t be entirely disbelieved. After all, Cha Si-hyeon was S-rank, and if he spoke with such confidence, it was worth checking out.
“Then let’s split up.”
“I’ll go that way.”
Cha Si-hyeon pointed to the lower floor. He could sense Yoo Yi-joo’s mana and the uniquely unpleasant mana of the monster from there.
Having said that, Cha Si-hyeon immediately went down to the lower floor. Shin Shawol watched as Mungchi followed him, then scratched his head.
‘It’s risky to wander around the 2nd rank faction alone, but if I can just quickly extract Yoo Yi-joo and take her away, it should be fine.’
Shin Shawol climbed the stairs to the upper floor one step at a time, looking around. It was empty. After discovering another set of stairs and climbing one more floor, she finally saw people.
“W-what! Who are you?”
…It was a group of 2nd rank faction members, not Yoo Yi-joo.
‘Ah, there are too many for me to handle alone.’
Just as she was about to draw the dagger hidden in her clothes…
Thud.
A familiar yet strange mana appeared in the space. As everyone’s gaze suddenly turned to one spot, at the end of it was…
“Yoo Yi-joo?”
Shin Shawol’s eyes widened as she discovered Yoo Yi-joo suddenly appearing at the end of the wall.
“Why did you suddenly appear there—”
“What! She appeared!”
One of the faction members who noticed Yoo Yi-joo a beat later than Shin Shawol shouted. Yoo Yi-joo hesitated for a moment seeing this, but realizing there was no time, she charged straight towards Shin Shawol.
[Skill ‘What’s Yours is Mine (-)’ is currently active!]
“She’s running away! Catch her!”
“She’s too fast!”
“Damn it!!”
Yoo Yi-joo, grateful for stealing Cha Si-hyeon’s ‘Sprint’ skill this time, ran towards Shin Shawol before the faction members could catch her.
“Grab my hand!”
And when the distance was nearly closed, she reached out her hand.
[DUNGEON GUIDE] Calculating results for ‘Protecting the Faction from External Intruders -Stage 1’!
As the end of the situation approached, a shout filled the corridor.
“Don’t let her escape! Kill her!”
Clang! One faction member threw his sword at the ceiling. When Yoo Yi-joo turned around at the sound, the chandelier that had been on the ceiling was falling right towards her head.
Ah, that’s going to hit me directly.
Just as that thought crossed her mind, whoosh!
[DUNGEON GUIDE] Results calculation for ‘Protecting the Faction from External Intruders – Stage 1’ complete!
Along with the feeling of her body being pulled away, an enormous boom echoed from behind.
After hearing the sound of various things collapsing, the next thing she felt was someone holding her tightly.
“Are you okay?!”
Then, a familiar voice was heard from behind Yoo Yi-joo. It was the voice of the person whose hand she had grabbed just before flying away, namely Shin Shawol.
Only then did Yoo Yi-joo’s eyes snap open. The first thing she saw was,
[Successfully transferred the 2nd rank faction leader’s pattern to ‘Shin Shawol’!]
It was the message she had been waiting for.
[DUNGEON GUIDE] Announcing the comprehensive results of ‘Protecting the Faction from External Intruders (Stage 1)’!
[DUNGEON GUIDE] <3rd Place>, 4th rank faction, ‘S.Y.J’, 2870 points.
[DUNGEON GUIDE] <2nd Place>, 1st rank faction, ‘White Moon’. 3940 points.
[DUNGEON GUIDE] <1st Place>, 2nd rank faction, ‘Brace Yourselves, We’re Here’. 5240 points.
Yoo Yi-joo relaxed, overwhelmed by the sense of relief, not even minding that she was in Shin Shawol’s arms.
‘It’s over…’
💎
Thank you for reading! ♡
