As we ventured deeper into the Cave Of Wailing, the dampness and unpleasant humidity felt at the entrance gradually faded. Of course, the eerie malevolence grew stronger in its place, but having encountered the undead several times already, everyone had likely grown somewhat accustomed to it.
By mutual agreement with Sol, we took the right path and had been walking for a solid 30 minutes. The moment we passed Point 5, most paths, no matter which way you went, would connect to 10. Of course, we had to pass through 7 as a mandatory checkpoint, but this did reduce the pressure of choosing the right fork in the road.
After another 10 minutes of walking, I sensed something at the edge of my detection range, indicating we were close to our target. I quietly raised my right hand to signal a stop. The soft patter of the group's footsteps following me ceased instantly. I heightened the density of my mana to scan more closely and spoke in a low, steady voice.
"200 meters. Roughly 180 meters ahead. I'm picking up something."
"How many?"
"Two. But they're not moving, and I can't sense any life signs. They're just standing there, rooted in place, which makes it a bit unclear. We'll probably need to get closer to figure it out."
"They could be like those wraiths from before, so we should stay cautious."
At Ha-Yeong's advice, I nodded and prepared for combat. My memory of this part was slightly hazy, so I couldn't be entirely certain. In that case, the best approach was to proceed fully prepared. After allocating a brief moment to regroup, we finished our preparations and I led the caravan forward.
The Light orb dimmed once again. In its place, I infused mana into my eyes to pierce through the darkness. Sustaining mana in my eyes for too long was never a good idea, but using it briefly like this when necessary didn't strain me much.
We stopped again, leaving a small distance between us and the target. Go Yeon-Joo stepped slightly forward, carefully observing the area ahead before speaking.
"They seem like sentinels. There's an iron gate with vertical bars, and one is standing on either side. As player Kim Su-Hyeon said, I'm not picking up any reactions from them."
Based on the insight from my Third Eye, Go Yeon-Joo's assessment was correct. If we had taken just a few more steps, they would have likely recognized us as intruders and attacked. I nodded once and called for Jung Ha-Yeong. Fighting was an option, but the area we were in was narrower than the passages we'd traversed so far, making it less than ideal for combat. My plan was to take them out from a distance before they could even react.
"Ha-Yeong, do you remember the magic you used against the LadolRofs back then?"
"If you mean Rapid Fire, yes, I remember it."
"Can you use it again now?"
"Of course. Perfect timing, actually. I memorized it into my necklace during our last break."
Seeing Jung Ha-Yeong's gentle smile gave me a sense of reassurance. I pulled her forward and pointed to one corner of the gate. Ha-Yeong's eyes briefly shimmered with a watery blue as she began to channel mana, then returned to their usual dark hue.
"Is that the spot I should aim for?"
"Yes. I don't sense any magical protections, but just in case, prepare at least three or four shots."
"Got it. I'll start chanting now."
Ha-Yeong closed her eyes and immediately began reciting her spell. I stepped back, standing beside Go Yeon-Joo, who was watching her intently. The others' faces lit up at the mention of a gate. It seemed their spirits were high, likely excited by the prospect of finally earning a worthwhile reward since leaving the small city of Mule.
I, too, felt a slight thrill at the thought of taking down a Chaos Mimic. I tried to stay composed, but those creatures were worth the excitement. If luck was on our side, we might even obtain an elixir that boosts Vitality. If that happened, I'd combine it with Belphegor's Heart and Vivienne's Elixir to request an alchemical refinement. Well, I might be getting ahead of myself.
"───. ───. ───."
A cool flow of mana coursed through the air. I caught sight of Ha-Yeong's short hair brushing just below her ears and neck. As I admired the elegant curve of her neckline, she finished her preparations and extended her staff forward. A faint glow flickered at her throat, and her clear voice softly echoed through the passage.
"Ice Spear! Rapid Fire!"
I saw the familiar elongated, icicle-shaped spears forming one after another. But Ha-Yeong's chant didn't stop there.
"Pierce!"
"Hm."
"Oh? Pierce as well? Looks like she's mastered most of the useful advanced spells."
Go Yeon-Joo, standing beside me, looked impressed by Ha-Yeong's additional incantation. I nodded in deep agreement. Other players might not see me as a Year 0 player, but strictly speaking, my achievements were bolstered by special privileges.
When I first met Ha-Yeong, I thought I might have encountered a player capable of reaching the Top 10. She didn't seem like a typical year 2 mage player, displaying a level of skill and refinement far beyond her experience.
With a slight wave of her staff, Ha-Yeong began firing the spears one by one, likely spacing them out intentionally.
As the first Ice Spear shot forward and entered their detection range, grinding noises echoed. The knight statues, previously motionless, twisted their heads toward us, their helmets flashing with red light. Then, hoarse voices began to emanate from the darkness.
[Intruders detected. Initiating alert protocol.]
[Executing the first input command. Complete extermination of intruders.]
The moment the two statue knights swiftly turned toward us, the first spear Ha-Yeong fired struck the exact corner of the iron gate I had designated.
Boom! Crash! Kaboom!
[Zzt, intruder attack confirmed, zzt.]
Boom! Crash! Kaboom!
[Zzzzzzt.]
The six spears Ha-Yeong unleashed hit the iron gate with pinpoint accuracy. Not only did they destroy the core embedded within, but they also obliterated one side of the gate entirely. The sheer power was terrifying.
The knights, who had just turned toward us with imposing grandeur, let out a mournful groan and collapsed into heaps. Without their mana supply, they were nothing more than lifeless statues.
"...."
"…Is it over?"
"I-I'm not sure."
Ha-Yeong, the one who cast the spell, was visibly flustered by how quickly it ended. After checking the knights' status with my Third Eye, I let out a chuckle. As I've said before, with the Third Eye, it's not impossible to clear this in the second life. Without it, we'd likely have had to fight. But by reading and destroying their power source—the core—in advance, I resolved it effortlessly.
Leading the bewildered group, I stepped through the iron gate. Since Ha-Yeong had already blasted one side open, there was no need to exert extra effort. The moment we passed through, a scene slightly different from the cave we'd traversed so far came into view.
Gone were the rugged, uneven passages. Instead, we saw neatly squared pathways and sharp, angular corners. The kids kept turning their heads, clearly intrigued by the sudden change in atmosphere. Traces of human craftsmanship were evident everywhere.
This was the midpoint that marked a divergence in the Cave Of Wailing. After briefly scanning the surroundings, I slowly led the caravan down the straight path ahead.
As we walked, I placed my hand calmly on the right wall and tapped lightly—tap, tap—while moving forward. I sensed Go Yeon-Joo, walking beside me, tilt her head in curiosity, but soon she seemed to catch on and began mimicking my actions on the opposite wall.
Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap.
The rhythmic sound of tapping echoed. I was certain that the caravan leader's enraged punch had landed somewhere around here in the past. When the kids asked what we were doing, it wasn't me but Vivienne who answered. Having lived in a dungeon for a while, she understood the significance of our actions. Her comment, "Shh, we're looking for a secret room," made me chuckle.
Tap, tap, thud, thud, tap.
Got it. The moment I heard a different sound from the wall, I stopped. Turning around, I saw everyone staring at me with expectant faces. Go Yeon-Joo approached, tapped the wall a few times, and nodded.
"This part definitely sounds different. We've found a secret room. But we need to be careful—secret rooms aren't always safe. How did you even pick up on this? I almost missed it myself."
Go Yeon-Joo was being clever now, subtly rephrasing her question. Instead of asking how I knew, she asked how I sensed it. But I wasn't falling for it. With my usual shrug, I replied.
"Just a hunch. Doesn't it feel odd? A place suddenly showing signs of human touch but no rooms? I just had a feeling."
"Are you joking with me right now? No one taught you to do that…"
"Player Academy did."
Cutting her off with my reply, Go Yeon-Joo shot me a glare with her pretty eyes. She let out a deep sigh and slunk back to the group, looking deflated. I felt a twinge of guilt, but I couldn't exactly share the secrets that were practically my lifeline.
After sending Go Yeon-Joo back, I calmly scanned the interior with my Third Eye and detection. Three presences registered—likely Chaos Mimics. Swallowing hard, I ran my hand along the wall, feeling for something different. Soon, I found a section that felt distinct and pressed it firmly without hesitation. A portion of the wall sank inward, and a small gap appeared. Applying more pressure, the gap widened further.
"Let's go in."
I tossed the words casually at the group, who were swallowing nervously. A strange fervor gleamed in their eyes. To be honest, it was almost a little unnerving.
Pushing the gap wider, we stepped inside, revealing the secret room. It had drawers, a bed, and a bookshelf. The cold, hard floor and walls made it hard to call it a proper room, but this confirmed that the Cave Of Wailing had once been inhabited. Not that I cared much about that—such details were for the investigation teams to ponder. Players like us were only interested in the loot.
As three Light orbs floated into the air, the dark room lit up brightly. With visibility restored, the group and I spotted treasure chests sitting conspicuously in a corner. What stood out was how they seemed to breathe, rising and falling as if alive.
"Mimics, huh? Jackpot."
Go Yeon-Joo whispered cautiously, but I only gave a faint smile. A jackpot? That might be an understatement. The kids, seeing the chests adorned with dazzling gems, were ready to rush forward in excitement. But I quickly signaled them to stay quiet and motioned for everyone to hold still. Then, I crept forward alone.
Chaos Mimics. They might look like ordinary Mimics at a glance, but their true nature was a complete 180. If you defeated and processed one properly, then inscribed it with a binding spell, it could become an excellent backpack—no need to lug around bulky bags. They also had absorption-based defensive magic tied to chaos energy and a flashy appearance, making them a coveted item, especially among female players like priests or mages. Beyond their utility, their interiors were packed with treasures, making them truly desirable monsters.
They seemed to have been in a deep slumber, breathing softly, oblivious to the world. As I bent down and picked one up, it jolted in surprise, wriggling its chest-like body. The slit in the middle, resembling a blinking eye, twitched a few times before it froze. For some reason, I got the sense it was staring at me.
A brief moment passed. As if realizing its situation, the Chaos Mimic suddenly flung its lid wide open, revealing a black hole-like interior.
"Bweeee!"
It let out a guttural screech.
"Eek!"
"What's that sound?"
The group behind me let out stifled screams, and even Go Yeon-Joo, sensing this wasn't an ordinary Mimic, raised her voice in alarm. Someone of her caliber would surely know the traits and differences of a Chaos Mimic. My guess was spot-on. She shouted, "No way?!" and, seeing the dark energy pouring from its open maw, screamed at me.
"Player Kim Su-Hyeon! Drop it and get back! That's not a Mimic—it's a Chaos Mimic! How is that…!"
"Got it."
I replied calmly, leaping back and stomping down hard. The other Mimics, awakened by the first one's scream, might try to flee. Pinning two of them underfoot, I ignored Go Yeon-Joo's exasperated shouts as she raised her voice even higher. (For the record, I didn't care in the slightest.)
With two secured, I raised my hand calmly. A clear flame wrapped around my right hand, and with a light flick, I dispersed the dark energy the Mimic was emitting.
Then, through the scattering, burning wisps, I swiftly thrust my hand into the open maw of the creature.
.
.
.
.
You can read advance chapters and view R-18 images of the characters on pat reon page.
pat reon.com/GreenBlue17
100 Power Stones for 1 extra chapter.
5 New reviews for 1 extra chapter.
Goal refresh every week.