Dungeon precautions, and the weaknesses of the appearing monsters, etc.

Kang Jinho’s explanations were exceptional, even compared to other high-ranking adventurers.

As expected, those at the top are different.

He must be even more incredible in real combat.

While the rookie adventurers marveled, Kang Jinho’s gaze was fixed on Gyeoul.

“You won’t get hurt, so don’t be scared.”

“Yes. I won’t be scared.”

“Right, saying more would just be nagging. Do well.”

“Yes.”

Gyeoul’s tail wagged at Kang Jinho’s encouragement.

Holding the tail in his hand, Kang Jinho could tell that Gyeoul was in a positive state of mind.

That’s a relief.

He was worried that the kid might be terrified.

As Kang Jinho sighed in relief, Gyeoul unwrapped her tail and approached the adventurers.

The nearest female adventurer was her first target.

“Excuse me···”

“Uh, yes?!”

Gyeoul approached.

Shin Seo-yeon, who was just about to graduate from being a rookie adventurer, felt her heart start to race.

Gyeoul, looking up at her with her innocent eyes, was adorable.

Even though she hadn’t done anything, it felt like she was meowing like a little kitten.

“This is a gift···”

What Gyeoul handed over was a fortifier.

Shin Seo-yeon’s eyebrows eyebrows shot up at the sight of an item she had never used because it was so scarce.

“Why are you giving this to, to, to me···?”

Her nervousness made her stutter.

Shin Seo-yeon bit her lip.

“It’s my first time in a level 3 dungeon… Please don’t get mad at me if I don’t do well…”

Gyeoul’s ears drooped.

Her tail clung tight to her belly.

Her frightened kitten-like appearance stirred a protective instinct.

“O-Okay.”

Shin Seo-yeon knew a little about Gyeoul’s past.

The heartbreaking story of the child that had spread through internet broadcasts.

A child who had suffered so much at the hands of humans that she was scared of them.

Her request not to get mad must have come from those past experiences.

‘What should I do?’

I wouldn’t get mad even if I didn’t receive this.

Should I refuse and say it’s okay?

As Shin Seo-yeon was contemplating, she lifted her head only to find a piercing gaze.

Accept it.

Kang Jinho conveyed with his eyes.

Towards all the adventurers present.

Only Gyeoul, oblivious, fiddled with the fortifier in her hand.

“Th-thank you! Let’s not get angry with each other even if we make mistakes, okay?”

“Yes!”

Was he that happy to have the fortifier accepted?

Gyeoul’s ears and tail perked up energetically.

Only then did Kang Jinho look away, and Gyeoul distributed the fortifiers to the adventurers, asking them to take good care of her.

‘What kind of bad human…’

Who would treat such an angelic child so poorly?

Shin Seo-yeon cursed the adventurers inwardly.

She vowed never to use that fortifer in her lifetime.

With that thought, Shin Seo-yeon entered the dungeon.

—

—

I was the first to enter the dungeon with the master.

It was the most dangerous, but it was fine because the master was with me.

To borrow a phrase Levinas often uses, it was like being invincible.

“Wow···”

The dungeon was a forest covered in green grass.

It was similar to the goblin dungeon, so nothing new.

“Don’t stray further than the length of your tail.”

“Yes.”

I stuck close to the master and surveyed the surroundings.

As I heightened my senses to locate the monsters, adventurers began to enter one by one.

Once all the adventurers were inside, the master carefully continued explaining.

“As you know, this is an Ent Dungeon. It’s harder to tell the monsters apart because they blend in with the trees.”

Hmm.

The master let out a light breath and spoke again.

“Today, the adventurers will learn to scout. Learning to identify camouflaged monsters will be very useful. Does anyone know how to spot a hidden ent?”

The master looked around at the adventurers.

An adventurer wielding a greatsword raised his hand.

“Can’t we just poke each one?”

“···It’s not the wrong method, but there’s a better way.”

“Ah, so it does work?”

The adventurer, satisfied that their idea was not incorrect, fiddled with the handle of their greatsword.

He seemed determined to poke every tree he found.

“Anyone else?”

At the master’s question, a female adventurer raised her hand.

It was Shin Seo-yeon, the adventurer to who I had given my first fortifier.

“I heard you can use fire.”

“That’s right.”

Using fire?

Surprised, I looked up at the master and asked,

“Are you going to set the forest on fire?”

“No, we use the heat of the fire. Ents freak out even if even a match flame gets close.”

“Ah···”

Using what the monster dislikes to find it.

I was fascinated by this new method used by adventurers.

“Of course, a skilled scout wouldn’t need to go that far.”

The master looked at me intently.

I understood the intent behind his gaze.

The ability to sense presences.

It was arguably my most exceptional ability.

Wondering, I heightened my senses to the maximum and began to read the surrounding trees.

Thump-! Thump-!

Among the ordinary trees, one vibrated intensely.

It appeared like a normal tree on the outside, but inside, it was bustling with life.

It was louder than a normal person, making it easy to distinguish.

“There’s a tree with a heartbeat.”

“Which one?”

“That one.”

About ten meters away, a towering, massive tree stood.

The Master nodded toward the tree.

“Take a shot.”

Shoot?

Where should I aim?

After some thought, I aimed at the part that thumped like a heart and fired an arrow.

It was an arrow heavily coated with a fortifier.

Swoosh-!

Thunk-!

The arrow plunged deeply into the tree’s heart.

Since my strength wasn’t as strong as that of other adventurers, I thought it would be lucky if even the tip got stuck.

Surprisingly, everything except the feathered end of the arrow sank deep into the tree.

“Wow···”

Was this the power of the fortifier?

As I stared, amazed at the unexpected destructive power, green sap began to seep from the tree’s heart.

“······!”

The tree, which I had thought was firmly rooted, toppled over.

It had been standing on the ground, not rooted in it.

Thump-!

With the sound of the great tree falling, the master patted my head.

Knowing it meant well done, I felt pleased.

“It’s a good match.”

“A match?”

“Ents don’t move until their target gets close. They’re almost indistinguishable from real trees… but you find and shoot them from afar. They can’t do anything but stand still like targets.”

“Ah.”

So, it’s an overwhelming advantage, like fire and water.

Inexplicably pleased, my tail swayed gently.

“Since we’re here to develop the adventurers’ scouting skills today, Gyeoul, you shouldn’t scout.”

“Uh···”

Then what do I do?

With a bewildered look, I gazed up at the master.

“Practice being a support. Shoot an arrows to disrupt the enemy’s flow. Timing is crucial, so it’ll be tougher than taking down monsters.”

“Ah! Yes···!”

Is it a more challenging technique?

It’s worth practicing.

I detached the tail I had kept close to the master.

To shoot arrows freely, I needed to move around.

The Master seemed to know this too, as he didn’t tell me to keep my tail wrapped.

I had been given permission to move freely.

—

—

A giant ent swung its branches at an adventurer.

The long branch was like a whip.

The smaller branches, sharp as thorns, could have pierced through the body if struck directly.

That’s dangerous.

In a world that seemed to be moving slowly, I shot my arrows.

I fired two arrows in quick succession.

The first was an ice arrow I had received from Jung Yu-na.

The second was an ordinary arrow.

Thud-!

The arrow lodged in the branch froze the nearby ent’s branch.

Jung Yu-na could have made a magic arrow that would freeze the entire ent, but the ingredients for the magic arrow were goblin mana stones that I had collected.

It only managed to freeze about thirty centimeters around the branch.

That’s why I fired the second arrow.

Thud-!

The second arrow, arriving a moment later, shattered the frozen branch.

“Thanks!”

The adventurer who had almost been struck by the branch expressed their gratitude and plunged their sword into the ent’s heart.

Thump-!

The ent collapsed, spilling green blood.

For some reason, my heart pounded with joy.

‘Incredible.’

Hunting Ents felt different from hunting goblins; it was thrilling.

Is it because it’s a higher-level dungeon?

Phew.

I took a deep breath to calm my heart.

That’s when the adventurer who introduced herself as Shin Seo-yeon approached.

“Gyeoul, you contributed a lot to the hunt. You’re going to make a lot of money.”

“Yes···!”

“Doesn’t that mean Gyeoul should buy us a meal?”

Heh heh.

Covering her mouth, Shin Seo-yeon’s laughter made my pounding heart stop.

I have to pay off my debt with the money I earn.

Is it customary for the higher-earning adventurer to treat others?

Not knowing how to handle the situation, I just fidgeted with my fingers.

“Th-That’s…”

“I’m kidding. How could I ask you to do that?”

Maybe my expression didn’t look good because Shin Seo-yeon waved her hand.

“I’m sorry··· I have debts.”

“Debts? Gyeoul has debts?”

“Yes···”

From bottom to top.

Shin Seo-yeon looked me over.

She seemed about to reach for a torn part of my clothing but then withdrew her hand.

“Is it a lot of debt?”

“Yes… I’m really sorry… I’ll at least buy drinks for everyone…”

I can’t afford to buy a meal right now.

I pleaded with Shin Seo-yeon to let it slide just this once.

“No, no! It’s okay! You don’t have to buy drinks!”

“No, since I’m the one who earned the most.”

As Shin Seo-yeon said, it’s right to show at least some sincerity.

I wouldn’t have earned this much on my own.

Though times are tight, I decided not to skimp on money for things like this.

That’s how social life works.

—

1/5 Enjoy the chappy!

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