To be honest, for a team of our caliber, these low-tier golems were hardly a challenge.
"Who would've thought we'd clear the entire area in under an hour..."
In no time at all, we found ourselves in the final room of Zone 1.
I nudged the scattered remnants of the defeated golems with my boot, a hint of disappointment in my heart.
Each member of our quartet had dealt with the golems in their own distinctive style.
Flash!
Each time Jupiter snapped his fingers, a bolt of lightning reduced a golem to molten rubble.
Thwack! Thud!
Damien's arrows found their mark, piercing the magical cores of the golems with unerring precision.
Chop!
With a single, powerful stroke, Lucas cleaved a golem's magic core, splitting the creature in twain.
And then there was Evangeline...
Smash!
She simply laid waste to them.
With a spirited charge, she speared them with her lance and then crushed the immobilized golems with her shield.
None of the golems could withstand this brutal onslaught and crumbled into debris.
"Yip! Yippee!"
Evangeline hopped around, her petite form a blur as she alternated between her lance and shield.
Her expression might have been a bit eccentric, but she resembled a sprightly squirrel foraging for food.
Crash!
"Yahaaahaa-!"
With the final golem reduced to rubble under her shield, Evangeline roared triumphantly, her face flushed from the exertion. She seemed more invigorated than ever.
"Is there another one! Isn't there anyone else!"
"That was the last one, junior."
[Zone 1: The Parched Sewer]
- Clear Progress: Normal Room 4/4
Across the span of four rooms, we'd laid low about 20 stone golems, and not a scratch on any of us.
'This is too easy.'
The difficulty was so low, it hardly felt like we were engaging in coordinated team play. Each of them could just bulldoze through with their individual skills.
Since these were low-tier golems, the materials we could salvage from them were fairly average.
Given that we needed to destroy the Magic Power cores to neutralize them, all the cores ended up shattered beyond use.
"We all seem to be warmed up. Let's take a short breather and then head to Zone 2."
Strolling through the final corridor of the sewer, I raised my voice.
"Zone 2 will pose more of a challenge, so stay on your toes."
In all honesty, Zone 2 would likely be a breeze for our current team as well.
I wished for a slight uptick in difficulty. It's only a learning experience when there's a challenge involved.
Soon enough, the sewer gave way to an open expanse.
[Zone 2: Hidden Alley]
A lone lamppost flickered in the dim back alley, casting long, dancing shadows.
This was a safe point we'd secured during our last foray.
Beyond that, a cityscape filled with towering skyscrapers stretched out before us. Below, darkness swirled like the murky depths of an ocean.
As she took in the sight of the city cloaked in shadow, Evangeline's mouth hung open in awe.
"W-What is this...?"
"Our destination for today's exploration."
Swallowing nervously, I adjusted the Lucky Strike in my grasp.
It was finally time to undertake a proper exploration of this place, this subaqueous hell.
'I need to gather a plethora of Magic Power cores.'
The serious item farming was about to commence!
Before stepping foot into the second zone, we concluded a brief rest was in order.
While the combat hadn't been particularly challenging, we had, after all, been in battle with monsters. A certain level of fatigue was inevitable.
Moreover, there were tasks to attend to during our respite. With the declaration of a break, our party members settled down in the designated safe area, each finding their own way to relax.
Clank. Clank.
Evangeline and Lucas were heartily consuming their food rations, retrieved from their supply bags. Quite the typical behavior for those heavily physical knights.
Lucas was renowned for his sizable appetite, but Evangeline was not far behind him.
With his cheeks puffed out in the manner of a squirrel, Lucas voraciously devoured the contents of his food pack.
"Good meal~"
Evangeline, having made short work of a full lunch box, shook her now-empty food pack with an air akin to a gusty breeze.
"Is there no more?"
"You've already finished?!"
"With a face that discontent, does this stuff even fill you up?"
Evangeline promptly started rummaging through her supply bag for more sustenance. Indeed, her insatiable hunger might be a byproduct of her adolescence.
"Ummm!"
Lucas, not to be outdone, hastily began to stuff the remaining food pack into his mouth. No, Lucas, there was no need to compete in such a trivial thing with a child.
"Phew~"
In a distant corner, Jupiter was engrossed in her own world.
She held a cigar between her lips, exhaling plumes of smoke.
Her total disregard for the presence of a minor in our midst was fitting for a hardened veteran.
As I strode by, I found the urge to chide her too overwhelming to ignore.
"Quit smoking, Jupiter."
We need you around for the long haul, grandmother. You're a vital component in more battles than one.
In response, Jupiter simply flashed a grin, remaining silent.
Indeed, if she were the type to heed advice, she'd have quit drinking and smoking ages ago, leading a more wholesome life.
She might have even hung up her mercenary boots and settled into a tranquil retirement.
Continuing my stroll, I moved towards Damien.
"Ah, Your Highness."
As Damien sipped from his water bottle, he glanced up at me. I offered him a nod of acknowledgment.
"Damien. How are you holding up?"
"I'm fine. I didn't overexert myself."
Handing over the bag I'd been carrying to a somewhat bashful Damien, I addressed him.
"Take this."
"Huh? What's this...?"
"It's a magic gun."
Specifically, it was the SR grade magic gun, 'Hunter's Retribution', a prize from our most recent loot box.
As Damien unwrapped the package, a long, classically designed rifle was unveiled.
The magic core lodged in the heart of the gun barrel cast an eerie purple light.
"It's substantially more potent than the crossbow, though the weapon itself is quite unpredictable, and its ammo is limited."
Damien carefully lifted the rifle and scrutinized it, his anticipation barely veiled.
There was no need for an in-depth tutorial. Thanks to his Far-Sight, Damien would grasp the operation as soon as he held the weapon.
"For now, try incorporating it as a secondary weapon."
"It's hefty. A lot heavier than the crossbow..."
"It's a bit weighty, then?"
But soon enough, you'll be lugging around half a dozen of these guns. You'll have to work on boosting your endurance.
A hesitant Damien kept casting sidelong glances my way.
"Is it really okay for me to use this? It looks extraordinarily valuable."
"Absolutely. It's yours now, so use it as you please. Toss it around, break it, whatever you like."
"But, but I couldn't possibly do that!"
A flustered Damien cradled the magic gun tightly, a wide grin slowly spreading across his face.
"Thank you, Your Highness. I promise to handle it with care."
Well, the thanks should be mine, you lucky character.
Matching his grin, I turned to the rest of our companions.
Evangeline and Lucas were busy gnawing on biscuits they'd brought along as snacks (Were they some sort of bottomless pits?), while Jupiter was stubbing out her cigar.
I clapped my hands together.
"Did everyone manage to rest up? Should we head out?"
Without uttering a single word, the group got up and readied themselves for battle.
After ensuring everyone's torches and lanterns were in order, I gave an approving nod.
"Let's get moving!"
And so we ventured forth into the second district of this dungeon labyrinth.
The moment we set foot in the labyrinth's backstreets, traversing the neatly arranged multicolored tiles underfoot...
Ding!
A system window flickered into existence, displaying the specifics of the dungeon area.
[2nd District: Hidden Back Alleys]
- Clear progress: Normal Rooms 0/4, Boss Room 0/1
- Treasure chests acquired: 0/5
An impressive five treasure chests were up for grabs in this second district.
'It's high time we seriously upgraded our party gear!'
With thoughts of potential item upgrades dancing in my head, I nodded in resolution.
Let's wipe them all out!
***
Navigating a linear path hemmed in by decrepit brick walls on either side, devoid of any significant structures, our party progressed cautiously.
The dark alley oozed an unsettling aura.
Back alleys are eerie even in Korea, where every corner is illuminated by street lamps.
Yet, here in the Lake Kingdom's backstreets, the darkness was all-encompassing, devoid of any trace of light. It was as black as pitch.
More than just eerie, every step we took, guided by the glow of our torches, was fraught with tension.
'This is literally a monster's den.'
Not just ethereal specters or spirits, all manner of hostile creatures lurked in this submerged city.
Thankfully, only one type would emerge at any given time. In our case, it was golems.
'But even knowing that, it's still terrifying when a golem abruptly lunges out of the shadows!'
Imagine a house-sized golem unexpectedly leaping out at the end of the alleyway... The mere thought sent shivers down my spine.
And then.
Ka-boom!
Just as I contemplated the possibility, the thought became a reality!
From the right-hand side of the alley where we'd been carefully advancing, a colossal golem erupted through the brick wall.
"Ahhh, shit!"
Caught off guard, I cursed reflexively, recoiling in surprise.
It seemed we'd already entered the first dungeon room. It's nothing but pitch-black alleys, how are we to know!
The golem resembled something out of a steampunk fantasy, adorned with metallic gauntlets and joints.
The golem in the initial area was endearingly massive, roughly the size of a sizable truck.
GROOOO-!
A deafening growl echoed through its frame, puffing out wisps of white steam like a train, as the colossal golem spread its arms wide.
"I'll intercept it!"
Lucas hollered, dashing to the right and swinging his sword in a sweeping arc.
Clang!
The golem's arm, struck by Lucas's sword, was forcefully repelled.
Ding!
At that moment, a system window materialized before me.
[Hidden Back Alley - Room 1]
- Eradicate the enemy!
- Lv.15 Steam Golem : 2
Level 15. Steam Golem. Elite monster. However, that was not what struck me.
'Two of them?'
I exclaimed in disbelief.
"There's another one...!"
Kaboom!
This time, from the left side of the alleyway.
Smashing through the boundary wall, a second golem emerged.
GROOOO-!
With a fierce operational roar and steam billowing from its body, the golem hurtled straight towards us.
It was as if a freight train was barreling down on us!
Thud-!
Evangeline halted its charge with her sturdy shield.
Evangeline's delicate legs skidded backwards.
Her feet, firmly rooted as though anchoring into the ground, pulverized the tiles beneath her, raising a cloud of dust.
"Blast it! What the hell is this, a bull...!"
Evangeline grunted, her teeth clenched in determination.
"Ugh!"
From the opposite direction, Lucas also stifled a grunt.
My gaze darted towards him in concern, only to find Lucas under siege.
He was barely holding off the golem's continuous onslaught, warding off its relentless downward swings with his sword.
Thump! Kaboom!
My eyes locked with Lucas's as he rolled to dodge the menacing metal fists. He caught my signal and I nodded back immediately.
The reason I, a non-combatant, was here in the first place was clear.
"Time to start calling the shots!"
It was to issue quick and accurate directives!