[Eroded World - Dasmur]

A mysterious veil surrounds the center of Chuncheon City.

Instead of entering immediately, we decided to scout the surroundings.

“The water levels in the river and dam have noticeably dropped,” said Jung Soo-ah, her glowing blue eyes fixed on the empty air.

This was the result of a reconnaissance mission carried out via her elemental spirits.

“The water inside that veil... it wasn’t created from nothing, it seems.”

“Well, that’s something, at least.”

A dungeon is a space transformed by monsters to suit their needs. The dungeon we encountered in the subway had been a confined area, modified to fit their environment.

But this one...

“It’s enveloped an entire downtown area.”

A transparent wall containing an entire city within it. The world inside had completely transformed. This wasn’t just about remodeling an enclosed space; it was twisting an open area on a massive scale.

“It’s safe to say that whatever monster did this is inside that veil.”

“Are we really capable of defeating something like that?”

“Who knows?”

I shrugged at the soldiers, who looked increasingly unnerved.

“But considering the water is just being siphoned from somewhere else, it’s safe to say it’s not a godlike entity creating something from nothing.”

“Oh... you’re surprisingly optimistic?”

“What’s the point of chickening out now?”

I was feeling a bit overwhelmed myself, looking at that scene. The subway dungeon, buried in sand, was impressive, but that was different. At least in that case, I could entertain the thought that enough force could break through a stone floor.

This… was on an entirely different scale, in both scope and intimidation.

‘Still, we can’t let ourselves be intimidated.’

The key is to assess things calmly. Though, no matter how you look at it, it’s still risky.

‘I’m regretting leaving the tank back with the unit.’

The decision was based on fuel consumption over long distances, but now I wasn’t so sure we’d made the right choice.

‘Retreat might be the answer here.’

Advancing into a dungeon, or responding to distress calls from within, is crucial. But if I’m not confident, postponing is the best course.

I was about to order a retreat when…

“That’s strange,” said Corporal Seo Su-hyeok.

“What’s strange?”

“You know how my senses have been sharper since I ate your cooking?”

Ever since he ate dishes designed to heighten sensitivity for sniping assistance, Seo Su-hyeok’s perception had increased noticeably.

“I’m the only one who noticed, probably because of that. But this wall… it’s expanding.”

“…Expanding?”

“Ah. You might not believe it until you see it, so just wait a second.”

Carrying a rifle equipped with a bayonet, Corporal Seo Su-hyeok approached the dark wall and marked a line on the ground about two centimeters away from it.

Moments later…

“Look,” he said.

“…It’s true.”

The line he’d drawn had disappeared into the area inside the wall.

This wall was slowly expanding its territory.

Dungeons are spaces terraformed by monsters. In other words…

“It’s expanding its reach?”

“The area the wall occupies is already significant, enough to surround a city. But if it’s expanding by two centimeters in such a short time...”

Two centimeters may not sound like much, but considering the area it already covers, it’s impressive.

‘It’s spreading at an alarming rate.’

This territory would only keep growing over time.

And that expansion would never be a good thing.

“If we retreat now, at this rate, it’ll reach our base soon.”

“Most likely, yes.”

“Well then.”

It reminded me of our vampire subjugation mission. There was no luxury of building strength at a leisurely pace.

“We’ll need to go in before this zone expands any further.”

“Are you sure we can do this?”

“We’ll make it happen. And besides…”

Honestly, I don’t think it’s entirely hopeless.

‘Water and darkness.’

Taejun’s keywords were accurate.

“So, the water level around the dam and river dropped significantly?”

“Yes, that’s what we heard.”

“Go fish some up for me.”

“Pardon?”

---

[Entering Eroded World – Dasmur]

[A waterlogged world, illuminated solely by moonlight.]

[The residents of Dasmur once flourished under divine protection, but now, abandoned by the gods...]

[They seek to recreate their past glory in this land.]

[This is an act of blatant invasion.]

[Do not tolerate it.]

[This environment is not friendly to humans. (Environmental Adaptability: -74%)]

[Species Penalty - All stats slightly decreased.]

As we entered, water up to our chests soaked our uniforms, and the system message appeared.

One line, which I hadn’t given much thought to before, now stood out.

*Do not tolerate it.*

Is that the system’s intent? Or just a motivational line to spur us on?

*If it’s the former, does that mean the system is on humanity’s side?*

Who knows. For now, our job is to adapt to the environment before us.

“Move in! Move in!”

“Huff...!”

“It’ll be hard to breathe at first! Adjust slowly!”

One by one, guild members entered behind me, all struggling a bit with the drastic environmental change. But we had anticipated some discomfort, so they managed without too much shock.

“Combat vehicles have entered!”

“Put those with weaker conditions on board first.”

Vehicles we had waterproofed just in case of underwater combat were now in the dungeon.

With their height, the vehicles provided some respite from the water below. I approached the dungeon entrance.

‘From the outside, you could see inside.’

But from within, the boundary was a powerful wall of rushing water.

I experimentally held a military-grade combat knife against the water wall.

*Ssshhh...*

The knife tip ground away as if placed against a whetstone.

Simultaneously, a message flashed before my eyes.

[Once entered, a dungeon cannot be exited until cleared.]

We could come in freely, but exiting would be another matter.

Even our reinforced combat vehicles wouldn’t withstand the overwhelming pressure for long.

*Well... it’s not like we didn’t expect this.*

Other dungeons were similar. Once inside, there was no leaving until the mission was clear.

This dungeon, encompassing an entire city, would be a prolonged battle.

I climbed onto a nearby vehicle.

“Let’s get moving!”

An engineer inside the vehicle called out, and we began advancing. Our target was a nearby high-rise building; we needed a vantage point to assess the surroundings.

Peering down from the vehicle, I saw the water below. A soldier nearby murmured.

“The water is so clear.”

“Yeah.”

Flooded cities typically looked muddy on the news, with sewage and dust from the city making it look anything but clean.

‘This isn’t any ordinary flood.’

The water blanketing the city was strangely pure; even old flyers floated visibly below.

Then…

*Swoosh...*

‘Huh?’

In the distance.

Something moved under the water.

At first, I thought it was my imagination.

*But no. It’s real.*

Dark shapes, moving beneath the surface. And not just one or two.

They began to grow rapidly.

“They’re coming!”

“Prepare for combat!”

With Lieutenant Kim’s shout, buffs surged out.

And then...

*SPLASH!*

A creature burst from the water, lunging at us. It moved so fast, it was hard to make out any details, but from its rough silhouette...

*Merfolk?*

Humanoid monsters with scales and gills. They might not be from Earth’s aquatic lifeforms, but they seemed similar.

*Aquatic combat specialists, huh?*

The enemies attacked from within the water, while we stood on partially submerged ground. The vehicles weren’t exactly ideal for fluid movement.

Even the most skilled warriors would struggle in water.

Under normal circumstances, this would have been a disadvantageous environment…

*But not this time.*

“Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!!!”

With loud shouts, our warriors plunged into the water without hesitation.

The reason was clear.

[The effects of the meal are active.]

[Course Menu - Deep Sea]

Thanks to a hearty meal:

[Spicy Fish Stew]

[Pickled Seaweed]

[Sashimi Platter]

[Grilled Nighthawk with Fish Sauce]

The Nighthawk was a monster I’d used before to treat Jung Soo-ah’s eyes, which granted the *Night Vision* trait.

The ingredients created a simple yet effective theme.

Their combined effects were potent.

[Upon consumption, all stats increased.]

[Upon consumption, resistance to water attributes greatly enhanced.]

[Upon consumption, temporarily gained *Environmental Adaptation – Water* trait.]

[Upon consumption, temporarily gained *Night Vision* trait.]

Our warriors wielded their weapons underwater. Despite the water’s resistance, their strikes landed with force.

*Boom!*

“Aaaaagh!”

The monster screamed, recoiling from the blow.

We had used vehicles only for easy transport.

With [Five Loaves and Two Fish], I had shared the meal with every soldier.

“Come on, fish bastards!”

“I was nervous about fighting underwater, but…”

“This is easier than land!”

The waterlogged city was no disadvantage for us.

‘It’s a pity most ingredients were basic seafood.’

Magical creatures would have provided better performance.

But even with simple ingredients, our soldiers were more than prepared for this fight.

*Kreeeeee…!*

Despite only adapting to the environment, our victory was overwhelming.

I stepped down from the vehicle, unsheathing my blade, and gazed at the approaching merfolk.

[Skill - Chef’s Eye activated.]

[‘Intermediate Recipe Insight – Dasmurean Anatomy Handling Technique’ acquired.]

[Deep Sea Dasmurean]

[Dasmureans, protectors

 of the water world Dasmur, are revered as precious ingredients, with folk legends claiming immortality for those who consume their flesh.]

[While they possess high potential, they cannot fully utilize it here.]

[To handle them, start by targeting the gill area-.]

So, merfolk.

“The weak spot is the gills on their chest! Stab anything in there!”

I relayed the newfound knowledge to the soldiers, glancing at the blade in my hand.

[Dokkogu-sik].

The knife crafted by old man Park was my primary weapon—a long, razor-sharp sashimi blade.

‘It’s been serving well as an all-purpose knife, but its original purpose… is for handling fish.’

I grinned.

*This is going to feel good.*