Acquired the Scam Rune in the Academy

Zone 1 – Abandoned Laboratory (3)

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After Park Ji-hwan joined, our clan’s exploration gained momentum.

We still followed Choi Arin’s compass as before, but Park Ji-hwan’s dungeon analysis was sharp, having accumulated knowledge while investigating Ludenark.

“This is where we are now. It’s likely a place where the Ludenark School researched chimeras or creation spirits.”

Park Ji-hwan unfolded a map and pointed to a specific spot.

It was the early part of a broadly drawn area, marked with an X.

This magical tool was a special item called [Shared Creation Map].

It’s divided into 5 maps, where Holders can use their magic to draw, and the same image appears on everyone’s map.

Thanks to this, the major clans exploring this dungeon and our clan each took one, completing the dungeon map by drawing each other’s exploration results as agreed.

‘I heard there were only a few in the country.’

The [Shared Creation Map] was said to be created by a genius alchemist in America.

It’s so valuable and rare that I knew only a few were released domestically.

The fact that they’re not sparing even these items showed how important the association considered this incident.

“So it’s a space that actually existed in the other world?”

I interpreted Park Ji-hwan’s brief explanation and asked.

He nodded and answered.

“Yes. Among them, it’s a place that was determined to be discarded due to its low utility value. That’s why it’s called the Abandoned Laboratory.”

“Then there could be newly created spaces besides the discarded ones, right?”

At that speculation, Park Ji-hwan’s eyes widened slightly.

He seemed quite surprised that it matched his thoughts exactly.

“Exactly. If I’m right, this dungeon is divided into several areas. We’re clearly in a specific area called the Abandoned Laboratory now. We don’t know how vast the dungeon is, but if we keep moving forward, we’re likely to encounter another area.”

I pondered his confident words.

“Division by areas…”

“Yes. Just like the faction divisions of the Lycans you experienced when conquering the Wolfenser dungeon, Jae-hyun.”

The area division in <Wolfenser> was simple.

The territorial division between the Kalark faction and the Baraten faction.

And the city of <Wolfenser>, a kind of middle ground that both factions wanted to occupy.

The Lycans were constantly waging war over this city, and this activity in the other world was exactly the same when it came to our world as a dungeon.

Unlike other monsters that just mindlessly attack humans, they were beings who could cooperate with humans to achieve their own goals within the dungeon.

That’s why they were called ‘Adapters’.

‘And the same goes for Ludenark.’

If this dungeon is really the base of the Ludenark School.

Then the school members residing in this dungeon are probably ‘Adapters’ too.

They understand the dungeon’s structure better than anyone, and their activities in the dungeon are likely related to their own purposes.

“And those who have become completely free from such dungeons, able to enter and exit like humans. We call them Deserters.”

“Deserters…?”

Park Ji-hwan folded the map and looked around as he spoke.

“The dungeons Ludenark has adapted to aren’t just here. I found out while frantically searching for those dungeons. The man in the robe you said you encountered in Wolfenser, Jae-hyun, is probably one of those Deserters. The vice-master of the Ludenark School, Dave.”

“Vice-master Dave…”

Completely new information poured out one after another.

In fact, I had only exchanged a few texts with Park Ji-hwan since <Room of the Transcendent: Canales>, without much information exchange, but it seemed he had been diligently chasing Ludenark alone, as he knew quite important information.

At the same time, it made sense that a man named Dave had infiltrated <Wolfenser> along with Hwang Seong-yeon.

It was possible because he was a ‘Deserter’ who could freely move in and out of the dungeon.

“And this is just my guess… But their plan is likely to turn the head of the Ludenark School into a Deserter.”

“If the school head isn’t a Deserter yet, that’s certainly a possibility.”

“Maybe kidnapping the Holders is also necessary for that process. We can’t know what they’ll do to the kidnapped Holders. That’s why we need to rescue the victims as soon as possible.”

It was a very reasonable inference.

I nodded deeply at Park Ji-hwan’s story and picked up the pace towards exploration.

After walking for about 30 minutes like that.

The clan member in charge of the compass shouted loudly.

“Master! We’ve got an additional signal on the compass!”

Choi Arin’s [Remote Magical Compass].

This only indicates the direction of the magic connector’s position, but it sends additional signals when the distance gets very close or to indicate important points.

The additional signal that appeared on the compass this time was a green diamond.

It was a signal I had never seen before.

Sensing that this was a crucial signal, I directed advancement in the direction the compass was pointing.

“All clan members, we’re going over this hill!”

The compass pointed towards the direction beyond a steep hill.

We hurried to move and crossed that hill.

And then.

“This, this is…”

“How can there be so many buildings in a dungeon…”

Suddenly, the name <Abandoned Laboratory> really hits home.

Beyond the hill…

There were so many buildings it was hard to count them all with the naked eye.

The color of all the buildings was white.

Even the doors and windows were painted white without exception, giving it an eerie appearance that made one think of a mental hospital.

Research complex.

Beyond the hill was a research complex with a unique style.

“Master. There’s a group of flying monsters ahead. The count is about ten… No, 11. Unconfirmed, but more manticores seem to be coming from the side.”

A clan member of the archer class quickly reports the reconnaissance results beside me.

I too focus magical power in my eyes to expand my field of vision.

Their identity was immediately recognizable.

A-grade monster, manticore.

The manticores we had hunted to the point of tedium were now approaching in a group.

And a thought flashes through my mind as I see this.

‘This was the Chimera Research laboratory.’

Manticores are basically chimeras in the form of various combined beasts, and the monster we encountered at the dungeon entrance was also a chimera of combined beasts.

Combining these two facts, I could reach the conclusion that this place was likely a research laboratory that cultivated chimeras.

Especially the variant manticore with the [Rapid Recovery] rune we encountered earlier at <Nest Covered by Clouds>.

That manticore, which had been artificially injected with the barbarian’s enhancement technique, was clearly a chimera created by the Ludenark School at this research institute.

<Abandoned Laboratory> is a special place focused particularly on ‘creation’ among the various abilities of the Ludenark School.

Keeping these clues in mind, I issued orders to the clan members.

“All archers take the main dealing formation.”

For now, dealing with the monsters right in front of us was the most urgent task.

And the best at hunting flying monsters were indeed the archer classes.

***

Ippotranslation

***

Kim A-reum, an A-grade archer and temporary team leader of <Evil Hunter>’s Hunting Team 4, maximized her concentration by utilizing auxiliary runes.

A swarm of manticores suddenly appeared, filling the sky in an instant.

For the clan to move forward, they first had to eliminate all of these creatures.

‘Extreme Shot.’

With the skill activation, an arrow was fired intensely.

The [Extreme Shot], filled with magical power, accurately pierced the head of a manticore flying low.

With its quick cooldown, it was already the fifth successful hit.

‘There’s no end to this no matter how many we take down.’

Kim A-reum gritted her teeth and drew another arrow.

Earlier, when facing the chimeras at the dungeon entrance, their numbers were enormous, but these manticores were no less in quantity.

She wanted to rush into the research complex right away to rescue the kidnapped victims, but with the overwhelming number of manticores swarming in, they had no choice but to prioritize hunting them.

“Fire Ar…”

Suddenly,

Kim A-reum sensed one of her team members trying to use a fire attribute magic.

Looking at the face, it was Holder, a student from the academy.

He was a 3rd-year mage class clan member who entered through special admission.

Feeling a surge of irritation, she shouted, “Stop!”

“Wh… What?”

“Didn’t you hear the combat instructions not to use attack magic?”

“But there are so many monsters…!”

“Holder Park Eun-hye! Are you disobeying a superior’s order? This is a real battle!”

“I’m, I’m sorry!”

The reason for not allowing attack magic is simple.

The chances of hitting the target are close to zero.

Aerial monsters generally possess runes related to flight, and high-level monsters like manticores fly even more freely in the sky.

They have powerful evasion abilities that even warrior-class Holders find difficult to catch.

Therefore, if magic fails to hit in this situation, all the time and magical power spent on casting would be wasted… Especially with clumsy casting like just now, it could even end up attacking allies.

All archer-class, main dealing formation.

It wasn’t for nothing that Clan Master Do Jae-hyun gave such instructions.

‘How can there be such a difference between students of the same school….’

It was hard to believe that this inexperienced team member and the clan master with his cold judgment were students at the same academy.

The more she thought about it, the more special the master’s talent seemed.

Both in internal and external aspects of being a Holder.

Of course, such special talent wasn’t exclusive to the master.

“Haten, move faster! Don’t let the manticores catch you!”

Far away, riding a wolf and moving more recklessly across the battlefield than even the warrior class, was an ‘archer’.

Moon Ga-eun, a member of Hunting Team 1 and a dispatched clan member from <Royal>.

Her performance in this battle was particularly outstanding.

It was already impressive that an archer-class Holder gained mobility through a contractor, but on top of that, she was a Holder who had already mastered manticore hunting during the <Nest Covered by Cloud> raid.

Probably except for Do Jae-hyun, she might be the most efficient manticore hunter among the clan members.

Whoosh-!

Pat- Pabat-!!

Moon Ga-eun moved at incredible speed, taking down manticores one after another.

Even while running, her arrows were accurate and destructive.

She had already hunted over 10 manticores.

‘There really are only monsters around the master.’

Kim A-reum shook her head and grabbed her bow again.

It was an impressive performance, but there was no time to admire it.

They needed to hunt all of these creatures as quickly as possible and find the kidnapped victims.

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