Chapter 223 - The king trapped in the tower (1)

I pulled out my weapon instinctively. It was a short sword that wasn't high grade. Even if I had an S-class weapon in my hand, I couldn't use it properly with my stats.

Fortunately, the earrings had a shield ability, but the grade was only B. The range wasn't wide, so at most, it would be enough to protect one or two people.

What's the point if it just hides when I block it with my body?

Although I knew there was no way for the person who dragged us like this, I stood between Yoohyun and Yerim.

"Darling!"

A voice was heard again. If it's darling, there's a high chance it's an immoral person. Well, I'm glad.

"You're okay! I blocked the way for now!"

From the air appeared, a small human figure. The first thing I noticed was their curly beige hair. On the sides of their head, they had elongated ears. The ears hung on both sides of the head. Long and fluttering... It was like a puppy. That, cocker spaniel.

Their eyes were round and red, resembling those of a rabbit with droopy ears.

Their small stature could be around fourteen years old.

Their body was covered in layers of lily petals. Several rounded fins that looked like flower petals floated and moved slightly in the air.

Their legs weren't visible, but they seemed to have two normal arms. As expected, the long fin-shaped sleeves hung down and concealed their hands.

Anyway, they weren't an ordinary human.

While maintaining tension, I used an exploration ability on the opponent. Instead of appearing on a shield, the information was transmitted directly to my mind.

A king trapped in a tower.

That was all I could read. King. The Queen of Mermaids and the King of the Innocents came to mind.

Ignorant children and filial piety addicts seemed to be part of that group as expected. Although the description of being trapped in a tower was unusual.

"Darling!"

"First, tell me what's going on."

"Yes?"

The puppy tilted their head and opened their mouth. They're so unnecessarily cute that I feel like I'm going to relax.

"I'm a newbie. Wilson! A volleyball!"

"...What? Did you say newbie?"

"Yes! That's me!"

They responded enthusiastically while waving an arm. Their fins moved as if they were dancing. Really a newbie? I couldn't dismiss my doubts, so the puppy seemed sad as they spoke and said:

“I created a dungeon for darling. I’m the owner of the toy soldiers and was the first to find darling and cause the error.”

Toy soldiers. The contractor's name must have been Five. A king trapped in a tower. It's true that I found it the first time and made a mistake. In addition to that, they spoke enthusiastically about everything that had happened so far. Nothing bad happened.

"What happened to my brother and everyone else? Are you safe?"

"They're fine! I took care of them quickly!"

"Explain properly."

I responded coldly, and the newbie lowered their head. Seeing that appearance, I felt a little guilty. The newbie spoke with a calm voice after a while.

"The children of piety interfered. It's the dungeon that darling entered."

"Is it safe?"

"Well, the jellyfishes really don't have this ability! It seems another person from filial piety joined, but things like this don't usually happen."

"It looks fine."

"That's right," said the newbie dropping their arms. Still, I blocked them.

"What happens now?"

When I eased the tension and asked, the newbie responded hastily.

“The children of piety interfered to try to control the system. They seem to be people who know how to handle the system, but there are few people who can do it. Of those, there’s only one who’s close to Paeryun. So this kind of thing doesn’t usually happen. It would take a lot of strength, so they’ll have to take a break of about five years in darling’s world time.”

After five years, would they have overcome the crisis or faced destruction? Probably one of the two. An event like this shouldn't happen again, as the newbie said.

“Anyway, they seemed to want to interfere with the system of the Black Bull Forest dungeon and cause trouble for darling’s team, but I quickly pushed them away with the system I prepared. I completely changed the system of the Black Bull Forest dungeon for another.”

Had they completely removed the file infected by the virus and replaced it with a new one?

"You respond quickly."

"It's our job to prevent this kind of thing. Plus, it was easy because I had prepared the dungeon for Darling. It was a dungeon system where you could obtain items and abilities."

"Is it here? But why isn't anyone waking up?"

I asked, looking around. All I can see is an empty room.

"The system I prepared was a virtual reality system."

"Virtual reality?"

"Yes! It's like a virtual reality game. It's a system that's more common in the future than in the world of Darling, where you leave your body behind and only your mind enters the game or dungeon. Unlike the dungeons in the world of Darling, there are people and NPCs, and you can interact with them. You know computer games, right? You enter the game directly! From there, we've created a system where you can earn points through missions and exchange them for desired items and abilities. It's safe since you're only entering with your mind!"

When I heard it, it seemed quite good to me. The most attractive thing was that it was safe.

"Why didn't you provide us with a virtual reality system instead of a dungeon?"

"Ugh Well, the world of darling has a low level of civilization development and is less advanced. And the system we're applying is based on virtual reality games created by humans, so it's much less safe than what I've created. There are also more dangerous parts than the dungeon system. Anyway, darling's team is already in the virtual reality dungeon. They became people of that world. Their bodies are here, so it's like a possession."

However, the novice looked worried.

"I just couldn't put darling into the system."

"Why?... Maybe because my stats are too low?"

"No, it's the opposite. It's because of darling's magic stone."

The novice's flipper sleeve pointed to my chest.

"It's strong. Stronger than I expected. Even if it contains a lizard gem, as expected, it would be SS or SSS grade at most, but it seems to be at least L grade at the moment."

"L grade?"

"At least. I don't know. I think we'll be able to confirm it for sure once it's born, but it's completely unexpected, Darling. So I couldn't touch Darling properly. The magic of the magic stone prevented me from trying to separate Darling's mind."

At least L grade. Unconsciously, I put my hand over the wound on my chest. If it's that strong, is it okay? Can I control it? I worried that it would become uncontrollable if it went beyond the caregiver title level, but there was no way to do it now.

"So, darling, you have to enter that world yourself."

"Directly? Can't we just leave the dungeon right away?"

"I ended up losing control of the system because I was in a hurry to change a system that wasn't fully built yet! So, we have to devise a strategy!"

"...The promised time seems to have passed, but you still haven't finished everything?"

"Well, I said it would be delayed further. That's what darling wanted!"

Well, yeah. It was instead of examining the dungeon Yerim entered. I never expected things to turn out like this again.

"Originally, I was planning to set the stage in a moderately peaceful medieval era. But I don't know what kind of world it is now. Because it's a world inside a dungeon..."

"One of the worlds that has already been destroyed, huh?"

"Yes. It's a world based on old information about a lost world and the people who lived there."

My heart beat a little faster. This isn't a dungeon where only traces remain. It's a world where the people and circumstances of that time remain intact. A world that perished before us.

The novice withdrew his hand as he lowered the flippers. It was a common hand. However, there were dozens of thin tentacles protruding from its back and wrist.

Urgh.

"...What are those tentacles?"

"They're really useful. I also recommend them to darling's blacksmith. They're essential if you're a creator. You can do detailed work at the same time."

What kind of recommendation is this? As someone who has used tentacles once, I agree that they are comfortable, but they look a little weird.

The tentacles quickly stirred in the air. I couldn't see anything, but it seemed like something was being manipulated. The movement grew faster and faster, reaching a speed that the eyes couldn't follow. And after a while.

Tuck, tuck.

Round, flat discs appeared out of nowhere and fell. It was a small black metal disc about 5 to 6 centimeters in diameter. The tentacle picked them up and handed them to me.

"Install this in a specific area within the dungeon. Then, I can interfere. The installation area will be announced through the mission window. Just press firmly in the center."

"How to conquer the dungeon?"

"It depends on the dungeon. Once the installation is complete, we'll verify the dungeon information and send you a message. And Darling, I have five lives to give you."

"Life?"

"Yes. Darling's team may also be there, but you don't know when they'll be able to regroup. Depending on the situation, it may be difficult to reunite. I actually don't want to let Darling in because I think it could be dangerous, but..."

The novice turned his head and looked at the fallen.

"I can't transmit this to other people. Darling's system window has already connected several times, so it's easy to use. But not other people. All I could do was send a status message. It would have been nice if we could have brought Darling back safely."

The novice hesitated and looked back at me.

"If it's just Darling, it's possible to get him out without being hurt. But you won't come out alone."

"It's obvious. I'll never go."

I replied immediately without needing to think. Even if it's not me, I can't even deliver the strategy information, so how can I get out on my own?

"I guess I can join the others before dying five times. You don't come back to life immediately after you die, do you?"

"Yes? You come back to life immediately?"

"Hey, that doesn't work. With my skills, what else can I do but die? If I take the time to resurrect, I can avoid directly encountering the person who killed me."

"Ah, right! So...!"

The tentacles were busy moving again. The red eyes also turned white.

"One hour. You can wait up to an hour. You can also observe the situation while you're dead."

"Okay, thanks. Maybe it's worth a try. There's also the grace."

The novice seemed worried about my words. What's this again this time?

"Speaking of items, you can't use anything that's not in the other world."

"What?"

"If there's an item with similar abilities, we'll change it, but there definitely won't be grace. I also want the abilities to be slightly modified to fit the other world."

"Even if you have the abilities, if you can't use grace, you're in trouble!"

My stats are at level F. Even if I applied the equipment I have now, it would be around level 1 of class C, and in reality, it would be at the level of a skilled class E hunter. If there's a dungeon like our world, it's okay not to enter, but if there's no dungeon and monsters just roam around, it's perfect for a sudden death.

Seeing my eyes telling me to do something, the novice touched Hyunjae with the tip of his tentacle and then opened his mouth.

"Uh, well, the same ability is also impossible. Instead, I'll temporarily turn it into equipment with enhanced stats or other abilities."

"What's its grade?"

"The stats will probably reach level C. About level 30. The equipment is S class weapons and defense."

Stats and equipment. Even if it's an S class weapon and armor, the stats have to back it up to be useful.

"Give me the stats. And lend me the equipment."

"Yes?"

"I mean lend. You probably have the equipment, right? Can't you lend it? I'll return it to you without fail."

"But..."

"Sincerely, I came without a decent weapon because you didn't know what would happen, right? I can easily get an S-grade weapon. I know a good blacksmith. I don't need much, just lend me an S-grade weapon. If possible, also some armor. It's just a favor, since I didn't prepare beforehand."

The novice, hesitating, conjured a weapon and a long jacket out of thin air. The weapon is a sword for now.

"Mangoshune."

It's a short sword with an attached defensive guard. It's a bit awkward to use. Additionally, I couldn't verify any of the options.

"When you enter the dungeon, you'll be transformed to fit into that world. Then you'll be able to see the options. Both are S-rank."

"Thank you. Is there a time limit or something?"

"There's plenty of time! For virtual reality games, 5x speed is standard. You can also adjust it from the outside."

Well, that's a relief. With so much preparation, I should be able to hold out until I find someone. Just before asking to be let into the dungeon, I asked one more thing.

"I want to hear the exact reason why we gathered 50 people applying the keyword 'caretaker.'"

The novice pursed his lips and then shook his head.

"I can't tell you yet."

"You can't blindly follow something without knowing why or how. To be honest, I don't completely trust you guys."

His red eyes blinked widely. He seemed a bit surprised. Is it because I don't trust them? But how could I trust if they're hiding things and lying?

"It's to save the world of Darling. Really!"

"So how? What the hell are you doing with those 50 people? If even the slightest harm comes to those applying the keyword..."

"There's no harm to those applying the keyword! I'm sure of it! I swear on my name!"

The novice jumped up and declared. For keyword applicants, .

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure! Definitely!"

"Okay then."

"Darling."

Then, his droopy ears perked up a bit and then drooped back down.

"I'll also make sure Darling suffers as little as possible. We're preparing for that. In a year or two, everything will be ready. I'll let you know at that time, Darling."

Doing everything possible to minimize suffering, huh? As unsure as I am, I feel more at ease. Keyword applicants seem to be genuinely okay.

"What? In the end, they told us to gather 50 people without even making any preparations."

"That's why I said you can pick it up slowly. The reason I can't go into details is also for Darling's safety. Please believe me. It's real. And when the time comes, I'll follow Darling's decision. We're not forcing you to do it. That can't be possible."

I was still anxious to believe it, but the novice's expression and voice felt sincere. Still, this kid helped me out a lot in many ways. As I looked at the serious eyes, I unconsciously reached out and petted the novice's head.

...What can I say, even the look in his eyes makes him seem like a real puppy. The novice widened his eyes and took my hand.

"Uh, sorry if that bothered you."

"No, darling..."

The novice touched my hand. His body temperature is quite high. It's warm. The fur was soft too.

"Take care, darling."

My hand was released. Just like when I came here, my vision turned dark, and after a while, my vision became brighter. No, it was still dark. It was a dark alley. A gap where tall buildings are built.

'...Is it like the modern era?'

It was dark so I couldn't see it, but it was clearly a painted building. The long cardigan I received from the novice had already turned into a leather jacket.

As I tried to check the options...

Grrr-

A threatening growl was heard. I quickly turned my gaze to the sound. Above the head of a leopard-like monster that appeared at the end of the alley.

'...Huh?'

[Class C Gamoa

Vitality 1,370/1,370

Mana 155/155]

The creature's rank and name were displayed, as well as its vitality and mana. What's this? Is something like this emerging as a virtual reality game system? Or maybe.

'Green Blade skill.'

It was said that the skills would definitely be transformed to fit into this world. I quickly used the Green Blade skill. but nothing happened. So, is the automatically opening status window an effect of the modified Green Blade skill?

- Bang!

With no time to think much, the monster attacked. It said it would give me a C-level stat. If it's the same C-grade, it's worth a try. There are even S-class weapons here! I quickly pulled out the S-class mangosu weapon given to me by the novice from my inventory.

"Is it a gun?!"

It's not a bow, it's a gun! Wait a moment, it looks like a Glock pistol. Does it have a separate safety? Do you just have to pull the trigger? Are the bullets loaded?

What the hell is this!

While I was panicking, a bluish leopard quickly ran towards me. Its sharp fangs glinted menacingly at close range.

Thump

It kicked the ground and the monster jumped. It was aimed precisely at my head. I quickly bent my knees and leaned the upper body backwards as if I was half lying on the ground.

As soon as it passed over me, I aimed the tip of the gun at the exposed lower jaw of the leopard. Then, I squeezed the trigger with all my might. I felt my mana being absorbed.

Bang.

The bullet was fired silently, as if it had a silencer installed. However, contrary to the silence, the leopard's head immediately exploded, and its body was sent flying. I couldn't handle the recoil and fell to the ground.

"...Ah, my back!"

What kind of place is this? It seems close to the modern era, considering there are guns here.

At that moment, a message window appeared in front of me. It was a quest.