HG Ch 19

<19>

The dungeon was a cave deep within Jirisan. To find that cave, Eunho had to walk for quite a while along a rugged path with Yoon Iseo.

At first, he was too exhausted to say anything.

But isn’t it said that humans are creatures of adaptation? He soon got used to the rough mountain path. And as soon as he did, another thought popped into his head, prompting him to speak.

“By the way, hyung-nim.”

“Damn, you never stop chattering.”

But since Yoon Iseo’s tone didn’t carry genuine irritation, Eunho paid no mind and continued.

“Can I ask you something?”

“Sure. Ask away.”

“Have you been stuck here for a long time? Even earlier, when you were teaching me how to curse in virtual reality, you seemed way too familiar with it.”

Just in case, he added, “You’re not actually living an immortal life here, are you?”

What if he wasn’t really thirty-one but a hundred years old in virtual reality, and thirty-one in real life, making a total of a hundred and thirty-one?

“That depends on how well Joo Eunho handles things.”

Right after saying that, Yoon Iseo tapped Eunho’s forearm with the hapjukseon^[1] he was holding. Due to the “Penalty Upon Contact” rule, Yoon Iseo always made sure to have something in hand when nudging Joo Eunho. Lately, he had been using his folding fan, which was much better than before. Back when he used the blunt end of the spear, it had been infuriating.

“We’re about to enter the dungeon, so do me a favor and make sure I don’t end up living an immortal life here.”

Yoon Iseo’s voice wavered around Eunho. The languid tone made him instinctively look up. Their eyes met.

Yoon Iseo smiled. But it was strangely… off.

“If you keep zoning out like that, you’re gonna get eaten up in no time.”

Was that concern?

Before Eunho could dwell on it, Yoon Iseo’s hapjukseon flicked through the air, scattering his thoughts in an instant.

“I don’t zone out in dungeons.”

Eunho brushed off the spot where the fan had poked him.

“Even my master always praised me for acting like a completely different person in dungeons…”

Then he froze.

Where was the butterfly? It was always flitting around him, but now it was nowhere to be seen. As Eunho absentmindedly patted his head and shoulders, searching for it—

“What’s wrong?”

A gentle breeze stirred, carrying with it the scent of musk, clouding Eunho’s mind. He turned to see Yoon Iseo fanning him. It seemed the fragrance was coming from the scented pouch hanging at the tip of his fan.

“The guide… It suddenly disappeared…”

“Ah.”

Yoon Iseo smiled. It was an odd sort of smile, almost expressionless. Eunho had no way of guessing what he was thinking.

“If you’ve completed the Swon Companion quest, that means you’re no longer a beginner. The guide must have automatically deactivated.”

Now that he thought about it, the butterfly had mentioned before that it would disappear once he no longer looked like a novice. Still, vanishing this suddenly seemed a bit much. Eunho turned to Yoon Iseo and asked, “Then how do I reactivate it?”

Yoon Iseo responded.

But, Joo Eunho—

“You zone out in dungeons too.”

Ding!

[SYSTEM] You have entered “Jirisan ■■ Lair.”

What? We’re already inside the dungeon?

[SYSTEM] Upon entering an instance dungeon, the entrance will be sealed off.

Rumble!

The moment the system window popped up, the cave entrance collapsed with a loud crash. However, the cave’s interior didn’t sink into complete darkness. The surrounding area was filled with will-o’-the-wisps. Pale flames flickered to life in every direction.

[SYSTEM] Upon clearing the dungeon, you will be able to use a teleportation spell. If you forcefully escape before clearing, dungeon access will be restricted for a week. [SYSTEM] Upon entering the instance dungeon, Sworn Companion combat effect has been activated. ※ When entering a dungeon with your Sworn Companion, HP, Attack, and Defense increase by 15%.

A notification about the Sworn Companion buff flashed before Eunho’s eyes, momentarily distracting him from the sudden change in environment.

“15% increase? That’s insane.”

Maybe it was just his imagination, but his body really did feel much lighter than usual.

“Did you see the buff just now? Even for a main quest partner bonus, this is ridiculously good. It’s basically like equipping an extra piece of gear…”

Just as Eunho turned his head, his face bright with excitement—

Yoon Iseo, who had been walking beside him, had vanished without a trace.

* * *

Action Plan When Separated from the Party.

“Hyung-nim!”

Stay exactly where you are.

This was the golden rule Joo Eunho had learned from a lifetime of being a directionally challenged wanderer. If he moved around aimlessly, he would only make it harder to reunite later. And then, as soon as they finally met up again, he’d just get scolded—

“Why the hell didn’t you just stay put instead of running around like an idiot? Are you crazy?”

The place where Eunho first realized he had lost Yoon Iseo, he planted himself there like a village guardian totem and raised his voice.

“Hyuuung!”

Hyuueeuuuung!

“Yoon Iseooooo!”

Yoon Iseooooooo!

“Dee-two-oh-five-two-four!”

Dee-two-oh-five-two-foooour!

His shouts echoed through the cave, reverberating off the walls. He had been yelling for quite some time when suddenly, a familiar voice drifted toward him.

It wasn’t the long-awaited voice of Yoon Iseo.

No, it was a voice a hundred times more dear to him.

[Eunho-ya^[2].]

His father’s voice rang through the cave.

Eunho stared blankly in that direction. As if sensing his turmoil, another gentle voice followed.

[My son, Joo Eunho.]

This time, it was his mother’s voice.

In an instant, the longing he had forcibly buried and suppressed surged to the surface. Eunho instinctively took a step forward, about to sprint toward the source of the voices.

But then—

Wait. Where exactly was he right now?

That thought cut through his mind, bringing him to an abrupt stop.

As if urging him forward, the voices rippled again from deep within the cave.

It was the voice of his mother, the person he loved most in the world.

[Eunho, Mom misses you.]

And Eunho—

Bang!

—immediately activated his [Shooting] skill.

A sharp impact echoed from within the abyss-like darkness ahead, the sound of something solid being struck by his bullet. Eunho clenched his jaw, his expression hardening. The tension in his face was stark; the muscles along his jawline bulged, and the tendons in his neck stood out sharply.

[SYSTEM] You have identified the presence of a “Chang-gwi[3].”

This is infuriating.

A damn game monster dared to summon his parents?

How was this any different from the lowest kind of insult?

It was bad enough being trapped here, unable to eat a warm, home-cooked meal.

[SYSTEM] Battle will commence in 10 seconds. [SYSTEM] 10 [SYSTEM] 9 [SYSTEM] 8 [SYSTEM] …

…Well, losing his temper and attacking first had felt good at the moment, but now—

“If the battle starts this suddenly, that’s… not good.”

As the countdown began, his heart shrank with anxiety.

Could he even clear this alone…?

Joo Eunho darted his eyes around frantically, looking just like a small dog that had been barking bravely, only to panic when its owner suddenly let go of the leash.

Where was Yoon Iseo?

Where the hell had he gone, leaving behind his one and only companion?

Frustrated beyond words, Eunho let out a furious yell.

“Yoon Iseo, and you call yourself my Sworn Companion?!”

Sworn Companionnnnnn!

[SYSTEM] 2

The battle was seconds away. His tongue felt dry as he tensed up.

Eunho hurriedly opened the “Sworn Companion” menu. If he didn’t check where the hell that bastard Yoon Iseo was and what he was doing right now, he was going to lose his mind.

[Sworn Companion: d20524] [SYSTEM] Current Location: Jirisan Chang-gwi Lair [SYSTEM] Current Status: I really want to ■■■■ quickly. [SYSTEM] Status Message: Unable to display due to insufficient affinity. [SYSTEM] Private Message (Disabled): Complete the relevant quest to enable private messaging.

Eunho’s eyes landed on the “Private Message” option.

Damn it.

I should’ve unlocked that quest earlier!

He had thought it was pointless, wondering why bother with private messaging when they were always together. But now, he regretted ignoring it.

So this was why people said no feature was ever truly useless.

As Eunho’s thoughts spun in turmoil, time continued to move forward without mercy.

[SYSTEM] 1 [SYSTEM] Battle with “Chang-gwi” has begun.

Of all the dungeon themes it could’ve been, why did it have to be Chang-gwi Lair?

Eunho gritted his teeth.

He knew what kind of dungeon this was.

This was the last dungeon that had appeared in the novel right before he quit reading.

According to the novel, the Chang-gwi would inflict a “Confusion” debuff on players, forcing them to turn against each other. But something about this place felt even worse… 

Then, as if responding to his thoughts, a shadow lurking deep in the cave finally emerged.

It had large, round eyes, far more delicate than his own, and a nose identical to his, with the same sharp, refined bridge.

And below a neatly styled updo, a long, elegant neckline.

Eunho clenched his teeth so hard his jaw ached.

Ah. I knew it.

A strikingly beautiful woman stood before him, staring directly at him.

I really hate this kind of thing.

The sight before him confirmed its nature as a Chang-gwi, with long, snow-white hair like a snowy mountain and eyes as red as blood.

Eunho trembled.

How the hell am I supposed to hit my own mother, you crazy game?