Chapter 143: What We Can Do (1)

There were two skill experience calculations in Beyond. The first was when I used skills while fighting Beyond's monsters. I didn't know whether it was because they were Floor Master class, because there were so many of them, or because it was Beyond's special characteristic, but skill experience undoubtedly increased more compared to when I used skills in other places. For example, Crossbow Marksmanship had soared in levels, and by the time I cleared Beyond's 2nd floor, it became mid-rank level 6.

The second was when I cleared Beyond's floors. The skills I mainly used to clear the floors increased exponentially. Because of it, Elemental Control, Spirit Aura, and Elemental Contract had all risen to mid-rank level 8.

Although I wanted to raise their levels more, I wanted to increase my Spear Technique levels more.

Peruta said I would have the qualification to learn his spearmanship when my Peruta Circuit became level 7 and I mastered high-rank Spear Technique. His spear techniques were able to deal irrecoverable wounds to the Demon Army Commander, endlessly attack by continuously recovering mana, and both attack and defend at the same time. To me, who had lived three quarters of my life without knowing mana, he seemed like a martial god. I wanted to learn his skills. This desire was as strong as my desire to climb to the dungeon.

If there was another skill I wanted to raise using this opportunity, it was Soul Guard. The Wraith Queen's Vengeful Spirit's Wail was an extremely strong mental status effect magic. Just by blocking it, Soul Guard's skill experience would go up by a lot. Beyond's 3rd floor was full of such wailing noonims. After I used skill points to raise SoulGuard to level 5, I was having trouble training it, so I couldn't let go of this opportunity to easily train Soul Guard.

[Kyaaaaaak!]

[Wraith Queen used Vengeful Spirit's Wail! With high magic, charm, and luck stats, you resist the confusion and fear status effects!]

"Eat... this!"

Putting great care to direct the flow of mana from Peruta Circuit to my spear, I struck the Wraith Queen's face with my spear. The basis of the attack was Tempest, which used up 300 mana. However, Tempest was actually a technique to shoot out the uncontrollable rotational force. In other words, it was an incomplete technique. The true Tempest was different. The rotational force had to be brought out more naturally while being controlled perfectly. To be honest, I didn't know what it meant.

[Kiaaaaaaa!]

"Stop using ectoplasm arrows!"

One of Wraith Queen's specialty was shooting out dozens of ectoplasm arrows at once. Although I could just dodge them, because they bounced around, I had to move around to dodge them even when the Wraith Queen died. It was extremely annoying. Can't they stop using suicide attacks!?

"Ruyue, freeze only the Wraith Queens' mouths! Peika, when you see a Wraith Queen, first electrocute her!"

[T-That sounds fun!]

[I don't like this place. Those women's breasts are too big.]

Since I couldn't slack off on my Elementalist skills, I had my elementals summoned and on guard against the Wraith Queens. Without the Orc Lords, I could leisurely raise my skills' experience! I doubt another chance like this would come, so I had to do my best now. Mmm, maybe the Giant Wolf and Wendigo floors might be easy too...

[Too many humans, humans are scary, the living are scary...!]

"Yeah, yeah, don't worry. I'll let you rest soon."

[Human, a handsome human! There wasn't a human like that when I was alive!]

"Yeah, I'll send you off too."

Time flew when you were focused on something.

After grasping the 3rd floor's structure completely, I always turned back a step before so that the final pathway wouldn't appear. Although the crafty traps would sometimes change their locations, I always detected them with my mana and destroyed them.

Ludia was fine for the first three weeks, but after that, she began to call me once a day, sobbing and calling my name. Other than that, everything was progressing smoothly.

Then, a month passed since I entered Beyond's 3rd floor. It was the end of June. Meanwhile, a huge trouble occurred in the outside world. Hundreds of Event Dungeons had appeared on Earth. It was what Ciara prophesied.

[There are 18 just in Korea! I don't understand why there are so many in this tiny country!]

[Although there's no guarantee that Event Raids would break out, if we were to leave them alone because we're afraid, they would only come back as bigger dangers. Maybe, Earth will come to have a similar human to monster ratio as other worlds.]

[We'll have to trust Guardian and Freedom Wing. Everyone is well aware of Event Dungeons' danger now.]

[Shin, shouldn't we clear as many Event Dungeons as we can?]

[R-Right! Once Japan's Event Dungeons are taken care of, I want to join everyone too!]

At this time, my Spear Technique was at high-rank level 8. Swinging my spear and killing three Wraith Queens at once, I murmured.

[Several countries probably want to let low-ranked Event Dungeons turn into Field Dungeons.]

[... You're exactly right. They most likely want a source of Mana Stones that they can regulate and control. As for the high-ranked Event Dungeons, or what they call Gates, most say that they should be destroyed first.]

[They aren't wrong, but they're probably using that as an excuse to buy time. That way, the low-ranked Event Dungeons would turn into Field Dungeons for them to control.]

The reason was simple. It was lucrative.

In truth, high-ranked dungeons had much more value. Just look at Britain's Windermere Lake and America's Antelope Canyon. After I subjugated the bosses, their monster reproduction rate greatly decreased, giving them a safe and steady source of income. Each melting tuna was 150 million won and each wyvern was 250 million won.

However, as valuable as these two dungeons were, they were the most troublesome to clear. A countless number of rankers stepped in to clear them, and in Wyvern's Nest, many rankers died. Countries should have realized that high-ranked dungeons will be more disastrous when they become Field Dungeons.

[Yeah. A lot of the high ranking ability users were sent to A or A+ ranked dungeons. For Event Dungeons ranked S or above, the Guardian plans on clearing them one by one in order. They're sending all of their rankers. Freedom Wing and rogues are also being called to prepare for Event Raids.]

[That sounds like it's going to take a long time... It's perfect for glancing over Event Dungeons ranked B or below.]

[A lot of people are saying that low-ranked dungeons should also be cleared. But... they're all being ignored.]

It seemed humans were still only thinking about how to benefit from the change brought by Two Moon. I couldn't blame them. A year and a half passed since the world transformed into fantasy. Civilization remained unhurt by what seemed like a calamity, and monster remains and Mana Stones even improved the advancement in science and technology. It made sense that some called emergence of monsters the 'blessing of God shifting the world's paradigm.' To them, ability users killed by monsters would only be 'pain necessary for change.'

It was only obvious. As long as they didn't know about the dungeon, as long as they didn't know about other worlds heading to ruin, it was only natural. As long as their lives weren't in danger, all humans, including me, would rather satisfy their hungry stomach than to worry about the future. The reason we were making a fuss over it was that we were dungeon explorers before we were Earth's ability users.

To make them understand, the number of dungeon explorers just had to increase over hundreds of years. During that time, countless Event Dungeons would appear and transform into Field Dungeons. Countless Event Raids would also break out and destroy Earth's civilization.

Humanity will then understand. That the emergence of monsters wasn't a blessing.

[Even if Field Dungeons don't appear, humanity already lost too much land to monsters.]

[Philippines, Madagascar, Republic of South Africa, Dominican Republic...]

There were already several ruined countries, and ten times as many countries relinquished entire regions to monsters. Even so, humans weren't considering taking back the lands claimed by monsters and were thinking about increasing monsters' territories just because they would be able to control them. This couldn't continue. Like this, Earth would only be coming closer to ruin.

[Hwaya, if you have something you want to say, say it.]

I thrust out my spear. A whirlpool instantly formed on its tip, which then shot toward the Wraith Queen's head.

[... But I'm not the guild master, Shin.]

[I'm ordering you with full confidence. Do as you'd like.]

[I want to burn all the thoughtless idiots into cinders.]

[What you want to do before that.]

[I want to get rid of all the Event Dungeons...]

At Hwaya's words, I became silent for a moment. It wasn't just because 12 Wraith Queens were flying toward me while shooting ectoplasm arrows. I could simply use Divine Speed once and take care of them all.

It was because I thought of Ciara. I was displeased and annoyed that what we were about to do was exactly what she wanted. However, since it was unavoidable for me to achieve my goals, I would have to bear with it. If I gave up my goals just because of a slight annoyance in the process, I would only regret it later.

Besides, Ciara wasn't completely wrong either. I would be safer if there were more people helping, and if I was safe, Earth would be safe as well.

Just look at the current situation. Instead of helping Earth become safer, humans were doing foolish things for their own greed. Since Guardian nor Freedom Wing couldn't get out of their selfishness, Ciara's suggestion for me to lead Earth's ability users wasn't entirely wrong.

That said, I wasn't wrong either.

[... There should be countries that don't have the necessary defensive capabilities against monsters. They should be allowing other countries' ability users to enter their gates.]

[Shin!]

[I think you know what I'm trying to say, but... 'for now,' let's try to do it 'lawfully.']

[Th.... Thank you!]

[I know what's important, Hwaya. I also know what's best for the future. If it's something we can do, we should probably do it. I doubt it'll be dangerous with our guild members' strength, but don't force them to come. Only take volunteers. I don't want to use my position as the guild master to order them around.]

[I'll help! If that's what Hwaya unni wants and what Shin-nim recommends, I'll help gladly!]

[I want to help too! I want to take this opportunity to go to Earth!]

[Clearing Event Dungeons give achievements right? I'll help too!]

[If it's what Shin wants, I'll do anything.]

[I'll help, but I want to do it alone. I want to test my improved spearmanship.]

[I probably have to help too... How annoying.]

[No, Walker. Considering the current state of affairs, you stay home and focus on protecting Yua.]

[Damn it. While you guys accomplish cool things, why do I have to stay home and be a bodyguard... Kuk!]

Wraith Queens were gathering. Traps exploded, spreading poisonous mist, frost crystals, and sleeping gas. Using Tempest, I blew them all away, then gathered my aura in my spear. White aura. It was the Heroic Aura, only allowed for Heroes.

[As for the 'others,' I'll take care of them when I get out. Just wait for one month.]

[Okay!]

[I'll wait for you, Shin-nim!]

[I love you, I want to see you.]

[Wait, who was the girl that just confessed her love to Kang Shin? She used the Floor Shop's voice changing item! I couldn't even think about buying it because it cost 1.5 million gold!]

[How can you be certain it was a girl, Walker? There are men in this guild, too... Could it be... you?]

[Do you want to fight, you old... Kuk!]

It was impossible to avoid getting attention. We were strong. We would inevitably obtain a special position compared to other ability users. In that case, I would rather do things my way.

'I don't like your methods, Ciara. People should sacrifice themselves to protect the Hero? That's wrong. That would only be a never-ending vicious cycle. Furthermore, I hate the idea that people should live or die for others. As humans, we have a right to die for our sake.'

I didn't want to restrict others. For that to be possible, the Hero had to be stronger than anyone else. He had to be so strong that they didn't need to worry about me. Thankfully, the Hero in question was an excellent man of extreme talent. Furthermore, he still had 20 years left to grow.

20 years. It was enough time for humanity to grow and come to take care of itself. Coincidentally, I had the appropriate identity to influence them toward that direction.

"Huaaaaaaaaaap!"

[Kyaaaaaaaak!]

[Kiaaaaaaaa!]

I thrust out the aura imbued in my spear. The spiraling aura instantly swallowed all the Wraith Queens and exploded. Perfect.

One month. I couldn't wait.