◈ 242. [Free Exploration] Inner Checkpoint
‘Something’ in countless human forms is scattered in the air above the walls of the castle.
With the shadow wrapped around her body like a cocoon, curled up like a chrysalis waiting to metamorphose.
I looked up stupidly at this bizarre scenery and suddenly came to my senses.
‘What are you doing, Ash! What are you doing?
The kid who said he played this game 742 times, is he going to get scared at this level of spectacle?
‘Yeah, in the game, this wall wasn’t projected in detail with the camera, but… … .’
You have to keep your composure though! I’m the party leader!
Patting myself on the cheek, I turned around and shouted at the party members.
“Calm down, boys!”
“… … !”
“We got through a hell worse than this! If you die just because you saw something like this, the hells ahead of you will laugh at you!”
I don’t know if it’s because of my words or because of my passive skill that blocks the mental state of my allies.
The frozen party members came to their senses one by one at the sound of my voice.
tight.
Click.
Why did everyone cling to me with a frightened face… … No, it’s a bunch of chicks! What are you doing!
I took the lead and strode to the front of the castle wall.
Even if this was just a background scenery, I had to figure out why it was like this.
The party members rushed after me.
“Mmm.”
Bricks and humanoid objects floating in the air.
These were imprisoned in invisible magical barriers.
So, really, this grotesque scene was just a background decoration, and the actual ‘inner wall’ was a transparent magic wall.
“Berdandi. Here, why the hell is it like this?”
“I’m fine too… … I don’t know.”
Belldandy looked up with a pale complexion and answered.
“It’s been like this since our party first came here.”
“… … .”
“But there is something you should know. These human form things are stacked in myriads within the tolerance zone. You’ll see until you get tired of it.”
At those words, the faces of the party members all became embarrassed.
Damn, do I have to keep moving with this in the background?
“Adventurers who explore this place call them… … It’s called ‘Shadow Cocoon’.”
“Shadow Cocoon… … Called.”
“Basically harmless. It’s just sitting still. But sometimes.”
Belldandy hesitated and said.
“… … speak.”
“word… … ?”
No way, you’re alive, is this?
“How can I say it, it’s like talking in my sleep, it’s incomprehensible… … . Most of them tell the same story.”
Belldandi reluctantly spat out the following words.
“Kill me, go.”
“… … .”
“Please kill me.”
Crunchy, crunchy… … .
Everyone is frozen with the sound of darkness like gnawing insects,
“Wow!”
Belldandy suddenly shouted and jerked his arms upward.
“Mommy Yaaaah!”
“Wow!”
“Quack!”
Evangeline, Damian, and Quylan, who were closely behind me, screamed and jumped up.
No, Kuylan, don’t do that!
“Haha, sorry. Everyone is so stiff, so I’m going to let you relax a little.”
“No, it will be solved! You’re going to have a heart attack!”
In fact, Quylan was lying behind with foam at the mouth. Someone please pay for this man’s size, please.
As usual, this dungeon is a scary place because it is dark without sunlight and monsters are popping up from all sides, but with these things in the background, it becomes even more terrifying.
I scratched the goose bumps on my forearms.
“haha… … But really! It’s embarrassing when you’re so nervous.”
Belldandi, who covered her mouth and laughed, added a little.
“More things await inside me.”
“… … .”
“And there are plenty of real monsters out there looking for our lives.”
At those words, I came to my senses.
Because I realized what it was really scary.
“okay. Rather than this talking shadow, monsters take over my city and people lose their lives… … scarier.”
No matter how grotesque and frightening these look, they should be the background.
Monsters are a real threat. Real monsters who want to kill people on the ground.
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What I have to fear is the damage that will happen if I don’t stop them. It’s not just a landscape.
At my words, the party members slowly nodded. okay. I hope we’ve been reminded of the enemy we need to wake up and block.
“Okay, everyone got their minds right? loosen your shoulders! Let’s go straight to our destination!”
After consoling the party members, I gestured toward Quylan, who was still fainting on the floor.
“… … And wake up that sunfish.”
As the head of the sub-party, show some dignity, you bastard!
***
It didn’t take long to reach the target dungeon, the [Introspection Checkpoint].
The walls around the checkpoint were not floating in the air, and there were no human-shaped shadows around.
It was a strong and solid wall.
The black iron door between them remained firmly closed and did not move.
As I got closer, a system window appeared in front of me.
[Area 6: Immunity Checkpoint]
– The stage will be held in the form of ‘Conquest War’.
– Find the center of the dungeon, occupy it, and maintain it for a certain period of time.
– Obtained treasure chest: 0/2
before occupation.
This is a type of battle that you will often see while clearing dungeon areas in the future.
As explained, an occupation point is formed in the dungeon, and it is cleared by occupying it for a certain period of time.
Usually, the place where the boss is guarding is the occupation point, and after the boss is dealt with, an additional wave of monsters rushes in.
‘The deeper you go, the more complex and difficult the dungeon becomes… … .’
Among these dungeons in the form of an occupation battle, the Inner Checkpoint here is unique.
This is because, as it seems, this place is a kind of castle.
Once you have broken through the gates or climbed the walls, you can start attacking the dungeon in earnest only after completing a siege.
So, in the game, siege weapons had to be created.
Whether it was a siege pendulum to penetrate the gate or a ladder to climb the wall, it was possible to attack only after procurement.
The battering ram is extremely expensive and there are not many places to use it, and climbing up a ladder is a painful choice either way because the damage is so great.
But I didn’t bring a siege weapon this time.
That would be the case, because there was no need for a battering ram or a ladder.
“Damian.”
After preparing to charge the other party members, I instructed Damian.
“Clap. at full power.”
“yes!”
Damian aimed his Black Queen forward and immediately activated the ‘Nightmare Slayer’ mode.
Clack, clap!
The barrel of the long horse gun was deformed arbitrarily, and eventually formed two long rails.
Subsequently, the seven magic bullets condensed between the rails and merged into one large magic bullet.
Pachichi, pachichichik… … !
A magical electric current bounced between the rails, ready to launch, and finally.
Tuquaaang-!
It was shot.
A single magic bullet, which shattered the barrel of the horse gun and shattered it, was stuck in the thick castle gate.
Ugdeuddeuk!
After digging into the castle gate and crushing the steel,
Paaang-!
In the end, the castle gate was shattered and plunged inside.
The power was so strong that all the walls around the gate were ripped off and collapsed.
“Nice shot, Damian.”
I grinned and patted Damian on the shoulder.
Damian smiled innocently at me as he took off his tattered heat resistant gloves.
I got burned on my arm after shooting in that mode last time, so this time I tried wearing the heat-resistant gloves used in blacksmiths.
It seems to have managed to block the damage.
‘We broke through the gate, which is the biggest obstacle, but it is also true that we have consumed the number of trumps we have.’
Staring at the gate that was wide open, I quickly counted my remaining means.
Before any other variable occurs, clear it quickly.
“Rush! The ‘flagpole’, which is the control point, can be found by going straight as described.”
I shouted at the party members.
“After breaking through at the shortest distance, capture the flagpole. let’s go!”
“I will be at the forefront!”
“Go!”
Lucas and Evangeline stood in the forefront, followed by me, Belldandy, and the penal unit.
Damian stayed where he was and drew another horse gun.
Patter!
The sentries standing on top of the wall poured out arrows all at once. It wasn’t the werewolves, the monsters of this season, but the monsters I hadn’t seen before.
A monster with red skin, horns sprouting from its forehead, and skin-like wings on its back.
‘Demon species!’
It is a corps of monsters of the highest tier, dispatched to each core dungeon of the gyoji. I’m finally meeting these guys.
The demons, dressed in uniform and even armor, pulled a protest in an orderly manner.
A rain of arrows rained down on our heads. Shooting down arrows from the highlands was definitely threatening.
‘The monsters attacking the Crossroads must always see this kind of scenery.’
While watching the rain of arrows approaching right in front of me, I calmly thought about it,
“Shall we go-!”
Evangeline squatted on her short legs in place and jumped up.
Rising like a flying squirrel, Evangeline raised her shield in the air and blocked the first wave of arrows with her body.
Do-do-do-do-!
There was a sound like rain hitting the window, and Evangeline’s shield turned white.
Then the white light moved to Evangeline’s lance.
Accurate-!
Evangeline swung the jousting spear horizontally, scattering the light gathered in the jousting spear in all directions.
Suddenly, a strong wind blew the arrows away.
The damage collected with the [Damage Save] of the shield was poured out with the [Damage Payback] of the cavalry spear, and the barrage of arrows was cleanly blocked.
“you hoo!”
Evangeline landed next to me with her platinum blonde hair fluttering, blinking her big green eyes.
“Now, please praise me too!”
“Nice cover, Evangeline!”
“Hee hee hee.”
Evangeline showed her teeth and laughed. There’s nothing wrong with that… … .
It had to pass under the gate before the second wave of arrows arrived.
After activating [Step of Tenacity], Lucas rushed at the forefront.
thud! thud! thud!
At that time, the demon soldiers, heavily armed with thick armor, stood at the empty gates with shields the size of their bodies. Are you trying to block it with your body instead of the castle gate?
“Huh-!”
Lucas’ longsword, which rushed right in front of him without hesitation, cast a dazzling halo of light.
Flash!
[Strike of Will] was activated, and the demon soldiers were sliced horizontally along with the shield.
Lucas’s first skill, which he had steadily built up, had tremendous destructive power with one blow.
Having shattered the enemy’s defenses, Lucas immediately turned to me. I noticeably jerked my thumb up.
“Nice charge, Lucas!”
Then Lucas became elated like a big dog receiving a barrage of compliments. Conversely, Evangeline frowned.
No, did these guys get hungry for compliments like this? Or have I been stingy?
Taang! Taang-!
While Demian, who was stationed outside, knocked down the archers on the wall one by one with snipers, our main force safely dug into the gate.
“Berdandi! Join the clearing on the wall. Are you okay alone?”
“My name is Assassin. Do not worry.”
Belldandi immediately took the stairs and climbed up the castle wall.
With Verdandy and Damian’s sniper support, the upper part could be sorted out in no time.
The demon soldiers blocking our main unit’s path were cleared at once by Lucas’ cutting and Evangeline’s striking.
It didn’t take long before we reached the ‘flagpole’, the capture point.
And, beneath an empty flagpole with no flags hanging.
《… … .》
The boss monster was waiting.
It was a large demon with four large horns sprouting from its forehead.
T-ring!
At the same time, the system window was updated.
[Immunity Checkpoint – Reach Capture Point!]
– Defeat the boss and maintain occupation for 5 minutes!
– Lv.40 Demon Guard <Checkpoint Supervisor Baltimore>
《The inside of this gate is a place for the people of the Lake Kingdom.》
A tired voice flowed from the boss monster’s mouth.
《Non-citizens who do not meet the qualifications are not allowed to enter.》
thud!
The monster growled, drawing its weapon—a large club.
《Submit your ID and documents. We will examine whether you are qualified to enter the Chosen Land.”
Just like any other dungeon boss monster, this guy was talking lines in a bizarre context, as if he knew it or not.
“I knew this would happen, so I brought my passport.”
I smirked as I took out the black jade helmet exclusive to the imperial family from my bosom and waved it.
“Will this give you permission to enter, Mr. Overseer?”
thud!
Instead of answering, the boss monster hit the ground with the club in its hand.
Annoyed, I put the shield back and took out my magic wand instead.
“You said you’d review it, you bastard!”
《No entry! go back!”
“No, we’re not trying to do anything bad, we’re just going back after picking up your king’s head?!”
As soon as I swung my cane, the party members rushed out in unison.
Against us, the boss monster also rushed forward.
