RE: Player again

383

[Chapter 113]

[Putting an End to This Ill-Fated Relationship]

It wasn't a lie that he was sick.

Although it was planned from the beginning.

My head feels like it's going to explode.

The night before.

Eunha took the drug that brings one to death's doorstep and the antidote before going to sleep.

And this morning when he woke up, he collapsed unable to keep his balance.

His head hurt so much it throbbed, and his body had a high fever.

Thanks to that, he had to contact the instructor in charge of the final evaluation.

I wonder if the kids have left the academy.

I feel sorry for making them worry unnecessarily.

The instructor checked Eunha's condition and was startled, jumping up.

His eyes had long lost strength, his clothes were soaked with sweat, and his body was hot like a fireball.

The symptoms were too severe to be called a simple cold.

At that time, the instructor was about to put him in an ambulance and send him to the hospital right away.

Only after he barely persuaded did they compromise on resting in the dorm.

Still, it's less difficult than earlier.

The drug's effects are wearing off.

Of course, there was also a reason Eunha showed some improvement as time passed.

To think the drug that brings one to death's doorstep doesn't work on me...

It's amazing.

The Lizard King's providence played a part in the poison that puts people in a temporary state of suspended animation not working on him.

Although he had expected it to some extent, it made his body that would have been difficult to even stand for half a day able to walk somewhat.

The providence melted into his body was growling and still fighting the drug's effects.

But the surprising thing was that the providence was becoming stronger as it mixed with the drug's effects.

It felt like muscles being destroyed and rebuilt anew.

When that sensation began to dominate his whole body, strength started entering his body.

My body feels lighter.

My senses feel clearer too.

I'm not sure if this is returning to normal or not.

Eunha tossed and turned inside the blanket.

His mind was becoming clearer and clearer.

When he got up from bed and moved his body, he had the strange illusion that his body had become lighter.

No, it wasn't an illusion.

His ki sense had developed further.

To the extent that even the minute amounts of mana floating in the room entered his eyes clearly.

"Whew..."

Eunha grasped the sword leaning against the wall.

It was a strange sensation.

The visible mana felt familiar as if it was his own.

Then he realized.

Violent Venom

Eunha flowed internal mana into the blade, controlling it to gather mana dissolved in the atmosphere.

When he moved his internal mana according to the sensation, mana that wasn't his showed signs of trying to join the flow.

Soon the flow became his.

Eunha deployed magic using the flow as a driving force.

"...Maybe I should have eaten one more..."

The mana consumed to deploy Violent Venom decreased significantly.

Eunha who was entranced by the dark mana condensed on the sword let out an exclamation involuntarily.

Although it was just Violent Venom for now.

It seemed like he could deploy other magic by mixing his internal mana and atmospheric mana with a little practice.

He who caressed the black blade with his hand raised the corners of his mouth.

He was satisfied.

It's still a bit much to go outside. I should act when the day darkens.

Eunha who put the sword in its sheath soon checked the time on his smartphone.

It was still a bit early for night to fall.

Eunha who stretched opened the wardrobe and found clothes he had prepared for this day.

They were completely black clothes from top to bottom.

To the extent of not knowing even if covered in blood.

This is enough potion.

For food... I can just bring calorie bars.

Then he packed his luggage as lightly as possible.

He could obtain whatever he needed inside the dungeon somehow anyway.

The important things were magazines and potions.

─Time to get up now.

When night deepened at last.

He put on the Avengers Cloak and slipped out of the dorm.

The academy during the final evaluation period was so quiet it was eerie.

Therefore, anomalies always come suddenly.

☆

From high school academy, the admission quota increases dramatically in proportion to middle school academy.

Even more so when adding the number of people transferring into 3rd year midway.

As a result, when starting the final evaluation, it reaches the scale of a large-scale march.

The Red Dungeon located in the academy basement was large enough to accommodate up to 1800 people.

There were 4 gatekeepers.

The entrance to enter the Red Dungeon.

Eunha who hid his appearance with a black cloak examined the instructors standing in front of the entrance.

They were people playing the role of recording those entering the dungeon.

Although usually managed by one person, it seemed three more were added this time due to the final evaluation.

Therefore, to enter the Red Dungeon, he had to open the door and go down to the basement while escaping their detection net.

Eunha wasn't too worried.

Stygian Eye

He boldly moved forward within range of not touching their detection net.

And he met their gazes and disturbed their minds.

"...What was that just now?"

The instructors quickly realized they had been hit by magic.

They composed themselves quickly raising mana resistance even though the opponent wasn't visible.

But the situation was already flowing in the direction Eunha intended.

While they raised mana resistance, fear was momentarily imprinted in their minds.

And they showed vigilance trying to counter an invisible enemy.

In their hearts─

Phantom Eye

─was enough for illusions to grow.

"Over there!"

One person shouted.

Discovering a non-existent enemy.

"What's that kid! Hey! Catch him quickly!"

"Hey! You go that way!"

Then other people were swallowed by that illusion.

The instructors ran out towards enemies somewhere.

Eunha threw a pebble lying on the ground far in the direction they ran out.

At the sound of the pebble falling in the darkness, they believed more firmly in the illusion they were thinking of.

The illusion arising from one person spread to others like that, and the illusion constructed like that took root as truth among them.

As long as they don't realize the fact that they were deceived by an illusion.

They won't be able to uproot the illusion firmly established in their minds.

Thousand Steps

Regardless, Eunha ran towards the door.

Stairs too narrow for two to go down.

Eunha who closed the door slowly went down the stairs.

He released the magic of the Avengers Cloak.

Now he would completely enter the Red Dungeon after going down a few more stairs.

And there would be a trap installed at the entrance that randomly summons people to somewhere on the 1st floor of the Red Dungeon.

He had to prepare to some extent.

Eunha sat straddling the boundary line and recovered internal mana consumed so far.

Avengers Cloak

There are many people inside the dungeon.

He couldn't rashly release the Avengers Cloak even if a lot of internal mana was consumed.

The break was over now.

Eunha who got up from his seat crossed the boundary line.

Although he just blinked once.

He was suddenly in the fog.

He moved his feet aimlessly in a world that lost directionality.

The fog gradually thinned along the way, and the dungeon landscape vaguely came into view beyond the fog.

Before he knew it, he had already arrived on the 1st floor of the Red Dungeon.

Mana is mixed everywhere.

It seems there are no people nearby.

Eunha looked around the dungeon interior.

Mana floating in the atmosphere entered his eyes even without putting strength in them.

That's how abundantly mana was spread inside the Red Dungeon.

As a result, mana anomalies were occurring here and there.

As if the dungeon that lost its boss monster was rejoicing.

There was no place where anomalies weren't visible.

Kieeeeek!

Monsters born from anomalies soon wandered searching for human presence according to instinct.

Among them was one with a good nose.

Mana Drain

Eunha turned his body towards the one rushing at him and quickly swung his sword.

So that mana flowing from it wouldn't dissolve back into the atmosphere.

Eunha recovered mana as much as possible.

Perhaps thanks to his senses becoming sharper, he could recover more mana.

Over 10 hours have passed since the final evaluation started.

By now, most parties should have already gone down to the 2nd basement floor.

Monsters appearing on the 1st basement floor weren't difficult existences for 2nd year high school academy students.

If they formed parties of two or more, they could easily kill them.

As far as Eunha remembered, the 1st semester final evaluation for 2nd year high school academy was reaching the deepest part of the Red Dungeon with parties of at least 5 people.

Normal parties wouldn't still be lingering here.

In fact, all that was visible while walking around were trash left behind by students, potions, and occasionally monster corpses.

Or living monsters.

Eunha killed those with good noses among them.

I have no business on the 1st floor.

I need to go down to the 2nd floor.

The stairs going down to the 2nd floor are located in the central plaza where all paths from the 1st floor converge.

Eunha walked a path that would eventually lead to the center as he walked.

He encountered monsters repeatedly.

Stygian Eye

Phantom Eye

Each time, he deluded the monsters and stimulated their instincts.

The more the better.

I need to stimulate more anomalies.

Eunha infused mana into magic stones when he obtained them and threw them on the ground.

Magic stones containing mana received stimulation and caused anomalies.

Not only that, Eunha reached his hand towards anomalies and accelerated them.

More monsters were born.

More monsters gathered.

Thus, a legion composed of weak monsters was born.

Kieeeeek!

Krrrruuuaaa!

The monsters howled.

Monsters that heard the sound rushed in and fell for Eunha's magic.

The legion grew in size as they advanced towards the central plaza.

However, the legion had no master.

They were just a disorderly mob.

They were merely following the mana Eunha intentionally deluded them with, entranced by his magic.

Nevertheless, their numbers couldn't be ignored.

"...Everyone get up! Pick up your weapons!"

"Battle preparations! A monster horde has appeared!"

"Where did those things come from!"

There were many students preparing to camp by pitching tents in the central plaza.

They shouted loudly seeing the monsters that suddenly entered the central plaza.

It was a scale that couldn't be handled by one party.

"─Go."

Eunha pointed Black Thorn towards them who were gathering weapons.

With that as a signal, the legion roared and rushed towards the students.

Newly born ones were hungry.

Monsters lured by Eunha's mana finally discovered visible prey and became excited.

"What on earth is going on! I should have just gone down to the lower floor if this was going to happen!"

"Hey! Block properly! If that collapses we're all done for!"

"Someone cast a buff... Kuhuk...!"

Shouts rang out from all over.

The sound of weapons clashing was heard, and monsters dropped their large bodies.

2nd year high school academy students fought quite well against the legion.

Nevertheless, the legion's numbers didn't decrease at all.

He's not here.

He must be below after all.

Because Eunha wearing the Avengers Cloak stimulated anomalies while striding across the battlefield.

He also scanned the faces of people desperately fighting monsters.

There was no one he needed to kill.

He soon lost interest and worked hard to increase the number of monsters according to plan.

The number of monsters he created by causing anomalies was greater than the number of monsters students took down.

Of course that would be the case.

It would be stranger if mana didn't cause anomalies in the dungeon.

Mana spilled by students and monsters was creating the cause of anomalies.

The Red Dungeon caused abundant mana anomalies as if it had been waiting.

"R-Retreat! Everyone quickly pack your things!"

"Hey! What are you guys doing now!"

"Can't you see that!? The numbers keep increasing! We have to give up on defending here!"

Finally, a leader among those commanding parties made the decision to leave the central plaza.

From then on, confusion was compounded.

Several parties gave up on the central plaza and attempted to retreat.

As the frontline collapsed, the legion's momentum grew even fiercer.

When one party retreated without lingering, other parties started watching for an opportunity too.

The number of retreating parties increased.

"We're falling back too!"

"Your party stick with us here too! Quickly! Dealers and hunters need to open a path, and guardians need to protect the party from the rear!"

"...Kuk...! Those who can move bring the injured inside!"

"Break through! We have to break through!"

In the end, all parties retreated.

Eunha flowed internal mana while watching the fleeing parties.

The legion that was about to chase the retreating students hesitated for a moment.

Hungry eyes that hadn't eaten anything groped the empty air.

"Where are you going. You need to guard this place."

There were ones with good noses.

There were also ones with keen senses.

Eunha swung Black Thorn at those rushing at him simultaneously.

The legion's momentum boiled again with their deaths.

Those who missed the retreating party members got angry and tried to find Eunha.

He was already gone by then though.

I don't know how long those guys will last, but it should be enough time.

The reason for luring the monsters was to block the entrance.

The intention succeeded.

Those staying on the 1st basement floor were chased away from the central plaza so they couldn't approach the 2nd basement floor.

Thus, the 1st and 2nd basement floors were completely separated.

It's a battle against time from now on.

I need to finish the job before the instructors notice the anomaly.

The top priority is Hong Jinwoo.

Since I need to lure him to the deepest part, I had to block students' approach.

Eunha who came down to the 2nd basement floor again struck nearby monsters to excite them.

Students camping at the 2nd basement floor entrance suddenly met with misfortune.

"Run away! Escape through there!"

"Abandon the luggage! Just grab weapons!"

"This won't do! There are too many!"

All the students flee.

It was truly the start of a drive hunt.