Dungeon Breaker

Chapter 15

—–CROW—–

After learning that his father was a former Hero, Cheon-ho naturally became curious about his mother’s identity and occupation.

His mother.

It felt strange for him, her son, to say this, but she was incredibly beautiful, stunning, and her appearance alone was world-class, a naturally radiant beauty.

Since his father was a Hero, he didn’t think his mother would be ordinary.

Of course, being one of the most beautiful women in the world was already extraordinary, but he felt like there was something more.

For one thing, his mother was capable.

Honestly, sometimes he wondered if she was even more capable than his father.

His father didn’t use magic much.

‘Magic is a bit difficult. And I can do most things with martial arts anyway.’

He had said this while lighting firewood with Samadhi True Fire.

Of course, the difficulty of learning Samadhi True Fire and the everyday magic spell “Fire” was a world of difference.

In any case, his father didn’t use magic much – no, he couldn’t.

But his mother was different.

After revealing her identity, she openly used magic, and it turned out she had been handling all the housework with magic.

It was something like this:

She would lie on the sofa and move her fingers.

A mop would clean the floor by itself.

Laundry would automatically go into the washing machine, and the washed clothes would throw themselves onto the clothesline.

Using that level of magic on Earth, where the amount of magic power in the atmosphere was ridiculously low, was practically impossible.

In other words, his mother was a mage who transcended such impossibilities.

A mage.

But was she just a mage?

Of course, being a mage was special in itself, but…

Neither his father nor his mother told him about his mother’s past.

What did she do that they hid it so much?

‘If it’s a typical story, she’d be a princess.’

A Hero saves a princess captured by the Demon King and then marries her, inheriting the kingdom.

It was one of the classic happy endings a Hero could have.

Adding a bit more imagination, she could be the princess of a magic kingdom.

Anyway, Cheon-ho didn’t know his mother’s true identity.

So, when the entry “Son of ???” appeared in his status window, he just accepted it.

That’s just the kind of person his mother was.

‘Two in the closet, one each in the shoe cabinet, desk, and dining table.’

That was the stockpile of magic scrolls his mother had made.

‘They contain only a small amount of magic power and their effects are adjusted… but use them only when absolutely necessary.’

‘What are their effects?’

‘They’ll blow away everything within a 40-meter diameter.’

His mother had said this with an elegant smile, and young Cheon-ho had gulped.

And now…

Two – no, three – days after the College Scholastic Ability Test, Cheon-ho also gulped.

“It’s a scroll containing powerful magic. This should be enough to obliterate the fifth floor.”

There was no need to fight the tower’s boss directly.

He could just blow it away.

But Luciel was startled by Cheon-ho’s explanation and asked,

“B-Blow it all away?”

“Yes, the range is about 40 meters in diameter.”

[Wait! What about the Imperial Guardian Sword?!]

Catlan’s eyes widened, and he raised his voice.

Luciel also flinched and looked back at Cheon-ho.

“R-Right! What about the Imperial Guardian Sword?”

There was a very high possibility that the Imperial Guardian Sword would be within the attack range.

In reality, friendly fire wasn’t automatically prevented like in games.

Of course, Cheon-ho had already considered this.

So, looking back and forth between Luciel and Catlan, he said,

“Wouldn’t it endure?”

“Huh?”

“I mean… it’s the Imperial Guardian Sword, right? A holy sword?”

[W-What are you talking about?!]

“According to the story, the Imperial Guardian Sword is the most powerful holy sword in the Aiter Empire, the strongest human nation, right? So, wouldn’t it endure?”

His mother’s magic was powerful, but even so, it was a divine sword forged by a goddess.

“W-What if it doesn’t?”

“Hmm.  Would it not?”

Cheon-ho looked at Catlan and asked, and Catlan, his face stiff, rolled his eyes before saying,

[I-It will! The Imperial Guardian Sword has powerful defensive magic inherent within it.  The altar protecting the Imperial Guardian Sword is also enchanted with powerful magic.  The reason the monsters haven’t been able to harm the Imperial Guardian Sword is because of that defensive magic!]

Catlan’s voice, initially filled with anxiety and tension, grew louder and more confident towards the end.

It was the Imperial Guardian Sword, after all.

The holy sword used by the founding emperor – the Hero of the past – to defeat the Demon King!

“Grooooar!”

“Groar!”

Amidst the rising heat, the tree monsters, truly heated up – that is, on fire – groaned.

‘Oh, my level went up.’

Briefly diverting his gaze to check the window of light, Cheon-ho looked back at Luciel and said,

“Alright, let’s try it.”

“O-Okay, Hero. I believe in you… and in the Holy Sword Mitra.”

I want to believe.

Unlike Catlan, Luciel’s face still held traces of anxiety.

But there was no other way, so she couldn’t stop him.

“It’ll be fine. Let’s pray to the Five Goddesses together.”

“Yes, Hero.”

Luciel clasped her hands and began to pray earnestly.

Cheon-ho also briefly offered a silent prayer and then looked at Catlan.

[What is it?]

“Nothing.”

Even though the conversation had ended, Catlan, unlike Noir, didn’t ascend. Perhaps because the situation was different.

Cheon-ho unfurled the scroll.

“The way to activate a scroll is simple.  You tear it or chant a spell.  But this time, I’ll use a slightly different method.”

He had to throw the scroll like a grenade.

“What method?”

“I’m going to use a fuse.”

Saying this, Cheon-ho took out a string made from a Giant Rat’s tendon. It was a simple string made by drying and twisting the tendon.

“I’ll do it like this…”

He inserted the string between the layers of the scroll and rolled it up like a kimbap, creating something that resembled dynamite.

Cheon-ho wrapped a stone around it to add weight and continued,

“I’ll throw it as far as possible as soon as we open the door. Luciel, close the door immediately.”

“Yes, Hero.”

[Hmm, I’ll watch the whole process.]

Catlan couldn’t really do anything, as he might ascend if he peeked inside and got caught in the magic.

Still, kind Luciel nodded sincerely, and Cheon-ho, instead of looking at Catlan, looked at Luciel and lit the fuse.

“Let’s go!”

“Yes!”

Luciel threw open the door with force.

At that moment, a space completely covered with tree roots and vines came into view. He could also see a large tree standing far away.

‘Fire in the hole!’

Shouting inwardly, Cheon-ho threw the scroll. Luciel immediately slammed the door shut, and Catlan covered his ears and crouched down.

“Luciel!”

“Yes!”

Luciel threw herself at Cheon-ho. He embraced her tightly and crouched down just below the stairs.

[Perverted Lv3 experience points increased.]

Cheon-ho tried his best to ignore it.

Luciel held her breath, and at that moment, the entire tower shook.

KABOOM!

It was a tremendous roar.  He was worried the tower might collapse entirely.

“Kyaa!”

“Luciel!”

Cheon-ho hugged Luciel tighter. The door behind them exploded outwards.

The heavy steel door, crumpled like paper, slammed into the wall.

Crash!

Thud!

Part of the wall and the steel door fell to the floor with another loud crash.

Catlan raised his head with a pale face, and Cheon-ho, still holding Luciel, caught his breath.

“Luciel, are you alright?”

“I-I’m okay.”

There was no direct damage.

They were just startled by the sound and vibrations.

‘And this was the weakened version?’

Briefly recalling his mother’s face, Cheon-ho gulped. He stood up, still holding Luciel, and wiped the cold sweat that had trickled down his forehead.

“I-Is it dead?”

“Hmm.”

Surely nothing could have survived that explosion.

Cheon-ho calmed himself with deep breaths and looked beyond the gaping doorway.

Catlan also cautiously examined the interior of the fifth floor.

It was clean.

The tree roots and vines that had filled the fifth floor were almost completely gone.

Not burned or broken, but vanished.

In addition, about 30% of the fifth floor’s walls were destroyed, offering a clear view outside the tower.

It was truly earth-shattering power.

Luciel’s face, already pale, turned even whiter.

Trembling involuntarily, she looked up at Cheon-ho and asked,

“W-Will it be okay?”

It was clear what she was worried about.

Cheon-ho wanted to reassure Luciel with kind words, as always, but he couldn’t bring himself to speak.

‘It’ll be fine. It has to be.’

It was the Imperial Guardian Sword.

A holy sword forged by a goddess.

“Let’s go, Luciel.”

“Yes, Hero.”

Cheon-ho and Luciel spoke seriously to each other.

Luciel even clenched her fists.

Cheon-ho entered the fifth floor first. Luciel followed, and Catlan trailed two steps behind.

[W-What kind of magic was in that scroll?]

Cheon-ho couldn’t answer Catlan’s question. He didn’t know either.

Luciel asked in a trembling voice,

“H-Hero.”

“Yes?”

“W-What does your mother… do?”

“She’s a homemaker.”

“…Huh?”

Luciel stared at Cheon-ho with a bewildered expression, and he answered awkwardly,

“That’s all I know…”

“Uh, um… I see.”

This time, it wasn’t to create an air of mystery.

He genuinely didn’t know what his mother did.

‘Even the status window doesn’t know.’

Son of ???.

“Son of a Hero” was clearly because of his father, so “Son of ???” must be because of his mother.

“Anyway, let’s keep going.”

“…Yes, Hero.”

For some reason, Luciel’s reply was slower than usual.

[The Imperial Guardian Sword was in the center of the room. This entire room was dedicated to the Imperial Guardian Sword.]

Catlan, who had spoken until then, suddenly screamed.

Startled, Luciel also shrieked, and Cheon-ho’s eyes widened.

He couldn’t help it.

[Noooooooooooo!]

Catlan shrieked.  He ran frantically to the center of the room and wailed in front of a broken sword.

[The… the Imperial Guardian Sword! The Imperial Guardian Sword!]

It was broken.

Snapped cleanly in two.

A pure white blade and a jet-black hilt.

A golden jewel embedded in the center.

The greatsword, which looked like a legendary weapon at first glance, lay scattered on the floor.

[Oh… oh… oh…]

Catlan’s body began to fade. It seemed he was starting to ascend for reasons similar to Notrang.

“T-The Holy Sword Mitra… the sword forged by Yivnyle…”

Luciel collapsed on the spot.

Cheon-ho wanted to do the same.

‘It’s the Imperial Guardian Sword! A holy sword forged by a goddess!’

So why did it break?!

Why couldn’t it endure?!

[Y-Your Majesty… I, Catlan… have failed in my duty… Sob!]

Catlan ascended.

Luciel watched blankly, and Cheon-ho suddenly looked up.  Not to watch Catlan’s final moments as he ascended to heaven.

Something was coming.

From above.

An attack was coming!

Crash!

A tremendous sound erupted.

At the same time, part of the ceiling collapsed. And even faster than that, something slammed into the floor.

Throwing himself to the ground, embracing Luciel, and rolling, Cheon-ho quickly looked up.

Luciel, still disoriented, also widened her eyes.

He saw tree roots.

He saw a giant humanoid monster connected to the ends of the tree roots.

‘It withstood the power of the scroll?!’

No.

It had been outside the range.  It had been on the roof.

“H-Hero!”

“Luciel! Fly!”

Cheon-ho drew his kukri.  In his other hand, he held the Heat Dagger.

The tree monster – Casablond, the demonic tree that ruled the tower – turned its head towards Cheon-ho.

And at that moment…

A strange voice echoed in Cheon-ho’s mind.

—–CROW—–