Episode 269 Discipline (6)
Soon a second island came into view.
The area is narrow, similar to before.
Beyond that, dozens of large and small whirlpools were swirling around, and if you brought a boat near them, you would be sucked in straight away and turned into a water ghost.
So, after anchoring the ship on the island, we started turning on the detector.
– Beep—
“It’s not here either.”
“That’s right!”
Next, we established communication with Shin Byeong-cheol, because he had to solve the puzzle to open the path to our side.
“How far has it progressed?”
– Almost done. Just wait a moment.
“Are you almost done? If you’re stuck, tell me honestly.”
– No, I’m telling you the truth. Have you been living a life of deception?
“You lie every time you open your mouth.”
– That’s a lie, this time it’s really true.
Rarely did Shin Byeong-cheol’s voice crackle with confidence.
Well, I even sent you the walkthrough, so how could solving the puzzle be difficult?
Sure enough, after waiting a bit, there was a change.
The whirlpools that had been covering the front gradually shrank and eventually disappeared.
We stared at the still lake and contacted Song Cheon-hye.
“Is it open over there?”
– It just opened.
If things were as they were, we would have fought the boss battle on our side, and only after Gapdu Unit 2 was defeated would the path to Song Cheon-hye’s side be opened.
The fact that this process was skipped means that this one was also removed a long time ago.
I asked if Han So-mi had the same thoughts.
“Leaving right away?”
“Let’s go.”
We climbed back into the wooden boat and started to move forward.
While floating along the lake, Han So-mi raised her hand.
“Question! I have one!”
“Okay, what are you curious about?”
“Isn’t the boss gone?”
“I don’t think so.”
There are three bosses in Samjichang Lake.
It consists of two mid-bosses and one final boss.
The two intermediate bosses above can be eliminated for a variety of reasons, most notably when the party that entered previously leaves midway.
So you can skip it without it, but the final boss is the core of this dungeon.
The moment you completely fall, the dungeon is cleared and reset.
“So, I will definitely survive.”
“I see!”
That means, next time you will definitely have to fight a boss.
Whether the opponent is Gapdu 3 or Oobleck.
A wooden boat floated along in the silence.
But Han So-mi turned her head here and there as if trying to check something, then raised her hand again.
“Again! I have a question!”
“Okay, what else are you curious about?”
“Can’t you go there?”
Where Han So-mi pointed, there was a steep cliff.
This is a cliff that divides the lake into three parts. It is so high that it seems as if it would be sheer, and its walls are so glistening with water that it feels slippery if you just step on it.
“But if you make up your mind and go for it, it might be possible.”
“okay?”
“There is nothing impossible for humans.”
And if I could get up there, I could probably get across to the lake where the other party members were, or maybe even come over from the other side.
But I shook my head slowly.
“But there is always a reason for not doing it.”
“Why?”
“There’s a trap.”
On top of that cliff, there is a powerful spatial magic at work that is not befitting an F-class dungeon.
Even if you succeed in climbing after much effort, you will immediately be swept away by teleportation magic and fly far away.
Han So-mi’s eyes sparkled with curiosity.
“Where are you flying to?”
“To the starting point. And here’s what’s really important.”
I lightly tapped the wooden boat we were on.
“You’re saying you can fly without this?”
“Huh.”
That means, to get back to the original location, you have to swim without a boat.
In that case, it’s best not to even try.
‘If you can resist, then you never know.’
If you have the incredible skill to ignore spatial magic and do things you’re not supposed to do, you could probably roam around that cliff to your heart’s content.
Plus, you’ll be able to get some very special hidden pieces.
Of course, given my current level of skill, it’s still too early to tell.
I asked Han So-mi.
“Have your questions been answered?”
“solve!”
“Then let’s get ready.”
As we chatted, the third and final island was approaching.
Before I reached the island, I took out my detector and pressed the button.
– Beep—
A radar that circles around the screen.
Han So-mi and I are watching it closely,
– Beep!
Soon a bright red dot appeared on one side of the screen.
We looked at each other.
“It’s finally here. I thought it was broken.”
“at las!”
We also relayed this fact to Song Cheon-hye.
I sensed a flinch from beyond the communication line,
– I’ll join right away.
But now, it seemed very unrealistic for Song Cheon-hye to join.
Going over the cliff is obviously impossible, and we have to go back the way we came and take our own path, which is a long time in itself.
Moreover, Song Cheon-hye cannot leave her position because the catfish monsters’ offensive will continue.
For this reason I spoke into the communicator.
“Let’s try it together.”
“You can do it!”
– … … Okay, don’t overdo it. If it becomes unfavorable, retreat immediately.
“of course.”
– Somi, you too, be careful.
Song Cheon-hye’s voice was filled with worry.
Soon we anchored the boat on a small island, just like before.
And when I climbed up onto the island and checked the front,
“Isn’t that suspicious?”
“Yeah, really!”
There are no reefs or whirlpools, but one side of the lake is particularly dark.
As if contaminated with something.
It also matches exactly where the Oobleck detector points.
‘Then I should call him out.’
I planted the sapling in the ground and then cast a spiral blast towards it.
I thought a small whirlpool was forming,
– Boom!
A dull thud echoed from beneath the surface.
‘There is nothing more provocative than this.’
As if to prove its effectiveness, ripples began to form in the lake and bubbles began to bubble.
After a while, the water suddenly rose up,
– Shhhhhhh—
A monster that looked like a half human and half giant catfish appeared.
The creature’s appearance was quite different from what I remembered: it was larger, more deformed, and had six arms.
He also holds three tridents.
This is because several bosses in Oobleck were eaten and merged.
Crucially, the skin color has the characteristic black sheen of Oobleck.
If Dang Gyu-yeong had seen it, he would have said something like this.
– Look at that, Dark Gapduda?
“—!”
As soon as our eyes met, the bastard extended his tridents.
Then, the water in the lake began to ripple even more violently, and some of it rose up in clumps and flew towards us.
– Boom!
I detonated one with Windforce, and Han So-mi split the other two in midair with her sword energy.
Then I put the sapling on the ground and stretched one hand forward.
[Spiral explosion]
A whirlwind gathered around Dark Oobleck and then exploded.
– Boom!
“—!”
A huge hole was ripped through the bastard’s chest, but the hole healed up the next moment as if nothing had happened.
Since it has no defense to begin with, the defense ignoring effect of the spiral explosion is halved.
‘If it’s a fire fist, it’s one shot.’
However, it is impossible to use Inferno Fist in front of Han So-mi.
When you just look at their usual attitude, they seem sloppy in many ways, but they are actually quite strict about distinguishing between public and private matters.
There’s no reason to take it out yet, except when your life is in danger.
So I made a suggestion while dodging the flying water bombs here and there.
“Please have a refreshing drink.”
“Is that so?”
Han So-mi was about to raise her sword when something came to mind.
“But there’s a problem!”
“What is it?”
“It’s too far!”
Han So-mi pointed the tip of her sword at Dark Gapdu.
He is a wizard-type boss who sticks to his method of firing water-attribute magic in the middle of a lake.
If the distance is this far, even if Han So-mi fires her sword, it won’t reach her, and even if it does, its power will be greatly reduced.
Fortunately, this was a problem I could solve.
“Then I’ll give you a foothold.”
“how?”
“like this.”
As I cast Ice Wall, a small area away from me froze and a wall of ice suddenly rose up.
Han So-mi let out an exclamation.
“That way!”
“I’ll put them up one by one, so step on them and go. Just be careful not to slip.”
“Yeah, yeah!”
Han So-mi jumped up towards the ice wall.
And as soon as I build the next ice wall, I quickly climb up to it.
“—!”
Dark Oobleck seemed to understand her intentions and focused his water attribute magic on Han Somi.
The lake water gushes up and falls in droplets.
Han So-mi quickly moved between the ice walls and avoided them.
Then I slipped a little and lost my balance,
“Oh, oh~?”
He spreads out both arms and sways back and forth, then regains his balance.
Even in the midst of a fierce battle, there is not a single trace of crisis on their faces.
‘He really has the mind of someone who enjoys it.’
Still, it’s much better than being discouraged.
I built ice walls one after another, and Hansomi also stepped on them and gradually approached Dark Oobleck.
“—!”
Perhaps because the distance between them was getting closer, Dark Oobleck seemed to feel a sense of crisis.
The three tridents merge into one larger one and point at Han So-mi.
Then the water began to shake violently,
– Choaaaah-!
A wave taller than a person crashed into Hansomi.
I gave instructions as soon as I saw the waves, as it was a pattern I had already anticipated.
“Jump high. Jump.”
“Jump!”
As Han So-mi lightly kicked off the ice wall and jumped up, the compressed air exploded beneath her feet.
– Boom!
“Oh~”
Han So-mi floating in the air with a bright smile on her face.
Immediately after the wave passes, you land on the ice wall and move over to the newly summoned ice wall.
As a result, the distance between me and Dark Oobleck has narrowed considerably.
Han So-mi also said that she thought this was enough.
“I’m writing this!”
And then he started to really build up his momentum.
A chilling energy gathers around the blade.
I assisted Han So-mi in her quest.
[Use ‘octopus legs’.]
[Use ‘amplify’.]
[‘Wind Barrier’ grade increases. (C+→A+)]
[‘Spiral Explosion’ grade increases. (C+→A+)]
-Whew-!
In case Han So-mi is hit by water magic, a barrier is placed around her.
Casts a spiral explosion enhanced to A+ rank.
The whirlwind tore through him like a typhoon.
“—!”
Dark Oobleck seemed to instinctively know that this was the end.
The lake water gathered in Samjichang and took the shape of a thick whip.
And then, at the same time, the water whip was swinging powerfully.
Han So-mi’s sword was also drawn downwards.
– Paaaaat!!
It looks like it’s crumbling under tremendous pressure rather than being torn apart.
The spiral explosion then exploded, also compressing the wind to its limit.
– Kwaaang—!
After the explosion, Dark Oobleck had evaporated without a trace.
Only some parts of the lake were dyed black.
The problem is that Han So-mi is nowhere to be found.
‘I think it’s missing.’
Looks like he was pushed off the ice wall by the explosion.
Sure enough, one corner suddenly popped up,
“pooh-!”
Han So-mi’s head popped out.
I looked around to see what had happened to Dark Oobleck, as the seaweed was all done.
“Did you get hurt!”
“I got it. Stay there.”
I slowly steered the wooden boat toward it.
And after putting Han So-mi up, he took out a glass bottle from his inventory and filled it with the blackened lake water.
A notification message that is printed immediately.
[Main Quest 2-5] (Completed)
▷Objective: Collect additional samples.
▷Would you like to receive compensation?
[Yes/No]
Of course, this time too my choice was ‘no’.
And he hands the collected sample to Han So-mi.
“Okay, do you need this?”
“Yeah, yeah! Thank you!”
Han So-mi kept the glass bottle in her inventory.
Then the next linked quest came up and was completed immediately.
But this time, instead of asking whether or not you would receive compensation, everything that had been pending was settled all at once.
[Main Quest 2-6] (Completed)
▷Objective: Deliver samples to the lead team.
▷Reward: Fixed pin
‘You’re finally here.’
The supporters ate it all
