Episode 103 No.353 Feather Serpent Temple (1)
The damp heat is carried by the wind.
The first thing that catches your eye is a squalid road stretching out through the lush rainforest.
[Feather Serpent Altar] As with the time, it is blatant as if it tells you to only walk along this path.
If you follow the road straight ahead, you will see a huge pyramid-shaped structure at the end, and on top of it is a building that you can tell at a glance is a temple.
The temple was surrounded by a hemispherical, translucent golden shield, which, although shining with a brilliant golden color, made those who saw it feel an inexplicable sense of discomfort.
And the barbarians swarming in front of the building.
It is roughly twice the size of the Feathered Serpent Altar.
“Let’s go first. There’s no time.”
Although he might have been a little daunted by the huge crowd, Kim Ho glanced at the temple and then started running along the road.
Go Hyun-woo also ran at the same speed as Kim Ho.
“You didn’t show me the strategy guide this time. Why do you think that?”
“Honestly, I don’t know. But I believed that Hyung Kim would have thought of something.”
Even though it was a day trip, it was a life-threatening underground dungeon raid, and I made no prior preparations.
If we contrast this with the thoroughgoing attitude that Kim Ho has shown so far, it feels strangely complacent.
If so, it doesn’t mean you’re complacent, but that you have absolute confidence that you can be sure of success even if you go in without any preparation.
That was the conclusion that Go Hyun-woo reached.
Still, I was curious inside, so I waited for Go Hyun-woo to continue speaking.
Kim Ho answered with a grin.
“Just beat them all up. No need to attack.”
“I like it because it’s simple.”
Go Hyun-woo also smiled brightly.
Kim Ho pointed to the temple located above the roots.
“First, let’s drill straight up to the top.”
Then, we go a little faster and take the lead.
As the street ended and the two entered the altar, the eyes of the swarming barbarians turned to them.
The concentration of hostility in the hundreds is so intense that it makes my skin sting.
“What are these guys?”
“Is this a mountain offering?”
“Just kill him!”
Barbarians coming from all sides.
The one at the very front charged forward with a wooden spear, trying to pierce Kim Ho.
Kim Ho’s new model slid forward, dodging the blade as if brushing past it and then dodging it.
A fist emitting a crimson flame sank into the savage’s chest.
– Kwakwakwakwa—!
A firestorm sweeping across the front.
Kim Ho jumped into the road where the embers had not yet died down and started running.
Then, lightly stir the roots,
-Whew!
The wind blew around Kim Ho, spreading the flames in all directions.
It looked like he was casting a whirlwind of flames.
Go Hyun-woo followed closely behind and swung his magic sword, cutting down the approaching enemies like straw.
However, most of her gaze was fixed on Kim Ho, carefully observing his every move.
‘The more I look at Kim Hyung’s skills, the more amazed I become.’
The fact that the barbarians were defeated was not a big deal in itself, but the process of doing so was important.
The series of movements, from avoiding the stabbing spear to digging into the opponent’s chest and punching him, are connected with surprising smoothness.
Kim Ho is known to be a wizard, and a secondary wizard at that, but judging from the way he used his body in the last 2-on-2 match, he is no less than a skilled martial artist.
Also, a move that Kim Ho just showed.
With one punch, he created a firestorm in front of him.
The power was so great that it was questionable whether Go Hyun-woo could stop it even if he used all his might.
Although Go Hyun-woo thought that it couldn’t be true, he thought of the nickname of a former master, Yanpae (炎覇).
– Kwakwakwakwa—!
Once again a firestorm rages.
As Kim Ho stirred the roots, the barbarians rose from the ground and were pushed to one side by the wind that followed.
After making another big hole in the closing siege, he continued running without slowing down at all.
Soon the two reached the huge building and quickly climbed the stairs.
The barbarians also pursued them like crazy, but when they finally caught up, Go Hyun-woo would cut them down with a single sword, or they would roll down, unable to withstand the wind filled with physical force.
Kim Ho, who had stopped right in front of the translucent golden shield, suddenly turned around and went down a few steps.
“Die!”
He easily dodged the barbarian’s spear this time, grabbed the bastard by the nape of his neck, and threw him into the shield.
– Thud!
There was a strong repulsion and the savage’s body was thrown far away.
Go Hyun-woo also tried to lightly throw a sword as a test,
– Kagagak!
There were only a few faint scratches on the protective film.
Even that was soon restored and made clean.
‘High defense and regenerative ability… … It won’t be easy to break through.’
Below, barbarians are crawling up every moment.
However, Kim Ho lightly lifted the root and pointed to the shield with an attitude that showed no seriousness at all.
“This will be released soon, so block anyone from coming inside.”
“I will do so.”
Go Hyun-woo nodded without any hesitation.
I didn’t know what ‘it’ll be released soon’ meant, but I planned to do as I was told.
At that moment, the two people suddenly kicked the ground and retreated,
– Kookung!
A heavy stone pillar crashed down where they had been.
“I won’t let you in… … .”
A giant with a large body hugging a stone pillar.
I was acquainted with Go Hyun-woo.
‘Fat guy.’
He was one of the two sub-priests who were defeated during the conquest of the Feather Serpent Altar.
What was different from that time was that the tattoos on his body were shining golden, which made him look even more powerful.
– Wedge!
Kim Ho took a half step to the side to avoid the flying poisonous sting.
If you look at the direction the poisonous needles came from, you only see ordinary barbarians.
But if you strain your eyes and look closely, you will find skinny shadows secretly moving between them.
“Hehehe… … .”
He is a ‘slender man’ who hides among the barbarians and waits for an opportunity.
Fat and thin.
This is the mid-boss of this dungeon.
In the previous attack, we would take them down one by one by surprise to shorten the time, but now they have all gathered in one place before we could even do that.
Fully prepared for battle, he is further strengthened by an unknown force flowing from within.
Additionally, in order to carry out Kim Ho’s order to ‘prevent anyone from coming in’, he would have to deal with the two alone.
“Can you do it?”
“Just leave it to me.”
Go Hyun-woo found this situation rather pleasant.
At that time, I only fought them individually to stay true to the strategy, and I still had some regrets about not being able to properly fight the two middle bosses.
But how could I not be happy that this opportunity has come again?
So, leaving this position to Go Hyun-woo, Kim Ho approached the shield and greeted everyone.
“Well, see you later, everyone. That’s it for me.”
It was a light tone, like telling a friend to see him tomorrow.
A sly laugh escaped from the crowd.
“Hehehe… … .”
It was as if he was asking, “How can you enter a place that even we can’t enter?”
But the laughter didn’t last long.
Contrary to everyone’s expectations, Kim Ho’s body passed through the protective shield without any resistance.
Kim Ho winked one eye beyond the protective shield and disappeared into the temple.
“What the heck is going on!”
“The sacrifice passed through the shield!”
The savages are in chaos due to an unexpected situation.
Go Hyun-woo was also embarrassed.
I wondered if it would just pass by after knowing this, so I drew my sword.
– Kagagak!
The shield created a strong rebound and deflected the blade.
‘It’s not working.’
Neither the barbarians nor the subordinates can pass through, but only Kim Ho can, so it seems that there is some kind of arrangement prepared in advance.
– Boom!
The fat man focused attention by slamming the stone pillar he was holding onto the floor hard.
And he points out Ko Hyun-woo and says:
“First… … . take care of it.”
In an instant, everyone in the room was ready for battle again.
Go Hyun-woo also put numerous questions aside for a moment.
They said the shield would be released soon.
Even if you don’t know how you’ll accomplish it, your role is clearly defined.
‘Prevent anyone from passing through.’
So that no one dares to interfere with whatever Kim Ho does inside.
Go Hyun-woo turned to the fat guy and the thin guy.
The blowing wind wrapped around his blade.
* * *
Dungeon 353, Feather Serpent Temple.
As can be inferred from its similar name, this dungeon is connected to the 388th Feather Serpent Altar in terms of story.
The main goal is likewise [raid].
Clear the level by defeating the Feather Serpent Priest.
The difficulty level is also the same at D-rank, but the difference is that the number of participants has increased to 6.
They’re all similar, so why is it a 6-person dungeon?
This is because the ritual is already in progress from the moment you enter the dungeon.
The priest is granted several powerful buffs.
As consciousness progresses there, the number increases further.
Of course, it will also become more difficult to take them down.
In that case, the standard procedure would be to stop the ritual and then kill the priest.
‘The road to get there is not smooth.’
The number of barbarians is several times greater than that of the [Feather Serpent Altar].
After somehow breaking through the barrage of enemies, the next ones to block are the fat and thin guys who have been buffed and become stronger.
After defeating the mid-bosses and entering the temple, a protective shield surrounds the area.
If you break the shield and enter the temple, you will find savages camped out inside as well.
By the time I had killed those guys and entered the boss room, time had already been dragged on as long as it could.
Eventually, you will end up fighting a priest who has all sorts of buffs hanging from his body.
‘That’s true, in a literal sense.’
I roughly dealt with the barbarians and passed them by, and I left the two intermediate bosses to Go Hyun-woo, shortening the time it took to reach the temple as much as possible.
Next is the shield.
To destroy it, you have to focus your firepower on one point for a split second, and even the method of bypassing it requires a lot of effort.
The only being in this dungeon who can freely cross the barrier is the priest.
‘And I am a priest too.’
▷Copy-Characteristics[2/2]
1. Elemental Resistance (S)
2. Priest (D)
Because I already had the trait copied.
I stepped into the temple of Terleterle.
“intruder!”
The barbarians wandering inside reacted to me as if they had discovered a giant cockroach in the corner of the room.
It was surprising, since no one had ever imagined that someone could get through the shield.
This was even more so if it was a ‘living sacrifice’ that was usually thought of as livestock.
The next reaction was to stab the window like the others had done,
– Boom! Boom!
It was the same with being hit with compressed air one by one and being slammed into the temple wall.
“Please move away.”
“Catch him!”
Barbarians came rushing in from other places too, but I kept walking, avoiding and pushing them away.
Since I had the internal structure all figured out in my head, I headed straight to the central room without getting lost.
As you get closer, the flowing golden light becomes more splendid and the magic becomes more intense.
Upon entering the central room… … .
People dressed in neat clothes were lying on stone beds lined up in a circle.
Although a faint sense of life is still felt, the eyes are as empty as if the soul has left them, and they are no different from a corpse.
These are mountain offerings used in rituals.
And right in the center stood a priest holding a golden dagger.
As I was about to cut open the chest of one of the offerings and take out its heart, it slowly turned towards me as if it sensed someone’s presence.
“Come on in. I’ve been waiting for you.”
And then he looked at me and smiled kindly like a grandfather welcoming his grandchild for the first time in a long time.
