Episode 148 [ Paldal Mountain, Secret of the Dragon Labyrinth – 2 ]
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A gate in Seongdong-gu, Seoul At the scene of the incident, AMT troops were setting up a cordon.
Until a day ago, the entire Korean society was in shock due to the Suwon dragon attack incident.
However, apart from that, gates continued to occur and attacks were made all over the country.
“Well, it’s a troll gate, and the terrain inside is… I guess it’s a rainforest.”
‘Gate analysts’ dispatched from the headquarters of the 3rd Port Horse Brigade were investigating the gate.
They were able to confirm some information in advance by placing their hands on the gate.
“It has been 8 hours since the second eruption, so it will be about an hour away.” A third eruption will occur inside.”
This time, the Troll Gate was at a level that was overwhelming for even the average AMT strategy team.
In these cases, it was common to entrust the strategy to so-called ‘private outsourcing’, or private guilds.
“This is pretty tough, isn’t it? Still, Captain Seo Eun-ha’s attack team will be able to do more than enough, right?”
“Well, they are the most focused strategy team in AMT these days, so they have a lot of support, so they will do well.”
Meanwhile, Seo Eun-ha was listening to the radio and checking equipment in front of an armored search vehicle.
– …This is information on the current status of gate occurrences across the country. A troll gate has occurred in Gangdong-gu, Seoul, and a traffic restriction is in effect within a 3km radius as it is about to be attacked. And there has been a report of a gate occurring in Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, but the details have not yet been confirmed…
This broadcast [24-hour emergency channel: The Shelter] provides breaking news about gates occurring across the country and provides evacuation guidance. Because of the broadcast, AMT had to turn on only this channel.
Meanwhile, during times when there was no breaking news, it was changed to a current affairs talk channel that dealt with player issues, and the recent issues were all about Steele Lane. Even now, his name is being heard. –
I heard that Steele Lane Lee Hyun-wook was selected as the best player of the year by [Players]?
– Honestly, he deserves it. Oh, he doubts and doubts, but doesn’t he always overcome everything in the end?
– Haha — I can’t be proud that a person like that is a player in our country. No.
– But it is said that famous players from all over the world are still criticizing Lee Hyun-wook.
– Isn’t that criticism, not condemnation? No, it’s jealousy. Why do they hate it so much?
Since it is a national broadcast, it takes a favorable stance toward domestic players. It was on the side.
‘By the way, Lee Hyun-wook… Now he has grown to an unbelievable level…’
Seo Eun-ha raised her head. Laputa, which had gone to Suwon in the western sky, was returning to Seoul again. It was slowly approaching from a fairly high altitude. The appearance of the huge thing felt very foreign.
‘No matter how much it grows, towing something like that like a private plane… it’s so different, even if it’s on a different level.’
Every time she heard news about Lee Hyun-wook, she felt a bit shabby.
He had solved numerous cases that had threatened this country, starting with the 4th wave.
Compared to the national work, Seo Eun-ha’s activities were minor. She was able to do it.
Of course, she thought that attacking gates that appeared in the area was a worthwhile mission.
‘Because this is also about protecting someone’s life and someone’s daily life…’
But at some point, she began to feel a strange sense of deprivation and helplessness. He was feeling this. The country was facing repeated crises of ruin, but he could only watch and do nothing else. The heroic
player he dreamed of as a child while watching his father… He seems to be a bit far from that.
“Ha. … When am I thinking like this? Phew—now I’m also the commander of the attack company.”
She strapped the great sword and shield on her back, put her helmet on her side, and headed to the meeting point.
Her team was there, fully armed.
“Are you ready, 1st platoon leader?”
The 1st platoon leader, a lieutenant, nodded to her question.
“Yes! We are ready to attack all troops of the 1st and 2nd platoons.”
Just like that, the 26-member anti-horse brigade ‘attack company’ approached the purple gate fully armed.
At that time—
“—the attack company commander is still waiting!”
Someone’s voice rang out from behind her, and Seo Eun-ha turned her head.
“Huff— gasp— An order to cancel the operation has come from the top!”
What kind of situation is this all of a sudden? The entire army looked at Seo Eun-ha with a puzzled expression.
“Company Commander, look over there.”
The private guild [Cheonghwa] guild’s attack team had crossed the no-access line and was approaching this way.
They were a sub-attack team waiting nearby in case of an unexpected situation.
“What?”
Sensing something strange, Seo Eun-ha asked the communications officer somewhat sharply.
“What is this situation? We have the right to attack, so why are they coming here?”
The team leader of the Cheonghwa guild seemed to have heard that voice and responded,
“Hey, the absurd thing is the same for us. This is what they requested, so don’t be condescending.”
At those words, Seo Eun-ha looked at the communications officer and he shook his head with an embarrassed expression.
“That’s… I just received an urgent call. “The right to attack was handed over to Cheonghwa.”
I don’t know what was going on, but it seemed like the higher-ups were trying to prevent Seo Eun-ha’s team from entering the gate.
“Anyway, if I hold on any longer, I think the second eruption will start. Can I go in right now?”
“Ugh… What kind of rice cake is this? “If it’s Troll Gate, the reward would be pretty good, right?”
Cheonghwa’s strategy team rushed towards the gate, making obnoxious giggles.
Seo Eun-ha had no choice but to hand over the operation to them and visit the operation barracks.
Sitting there was Major Moon Tae-ho, who had been promoted from regional magic control officer to head of the operations department.
“—Chief! What is this all of a sudden? Where does this happen?”
They had planned the strategy since yesterday and were fully prepared after several briefings.
However, it was a strange situation for them to suddenly stop right before going into the operation and lose their temper.
Looking up at Seo Eun-ha, who had a very feverish expression, Major Tae-ho Moon expressed his disapproval. “I was planning a strategy with you too, do you understand ?
“It was just an order from above.”
“Ha… So what’s the reason? Did the battalion commander give you instructions?”
“No, the battalion commander said it was an emergency order from a much higher level than that.”
He shook his head repeatedly, as if he really didn’t know, blocking Seo Eun-ha’s questions.
“Captain Seo, I don’t know the details, so don’t ask any questions and just return to your unit. But seeing as he’s telling you to come and go on your own, it seems like you’re a very high-ranking person. You didn’t do anything wrong, right?”
Seo Eun-ha walked out of the tent with a huff, and Sergeant Kang Ik-jun, who was standing at the entrance, followed.
“Hey—who is that big guy who is being summoned by someone higher than the battalion commander? Surely, General Seo?”
“No, my father is not the person to tell me to do this or that. Ha, even if I come up, I am in a bad mood…”
I was still confused, but what kind of situation is this all of a sudden?
“Isn’t it possible that a general who liked you, company commander, is recommending you for a higher position?”
“It’s okay, I don’t need all that stuff, and now honestly… I just want to stay at AMT and do something.”
I’ve been feeling skeptical lately. The AMT she worked for felt like the local sheriff at best. If you think about it, hasn’t it always been the civilian guild players who solve the biggest threats?
‘…Should I really stay here?’
So they returned to Namsan with no steam left, and Seo Eun-ha went straight to the battalion commander’s office.
“—Loyalty! Battalion Commander, what on earth is this….”
And the person sitting in front of Battalion Commander Kim Kang-seok…
“…Huh, Lee Hyun-wook?”
Clearly, the biggest name among big names came to visit her.
***
Lee Hyun-wook and Seo Eun-ha went to an empty conference room and talked alone.
“What do you mean? Our team… can be transferred as a whole…”
Lee Hyun-wook said he needed Seo Eun-ha’s strength and asked her to work on the strategy team he had planned.
She also added the unconventional statement that if she wanted, she could move the entire company-level attack team under her command. And that’s on the condition that they treat us much better than here.
“If you accept this proposal, Captain Seo’s team will formally become an attack team directly under the President.”
In other words, it meant that he was directly under Director Woo Seong-moon of the National Gate Response Strategy Office.
And if you look a little closer, you could say that he was directly under Lee Hyun-wook.
“…Did the battalion commander approve that?”
As soon as she asked that, she realized that it was a question that made no sense at all.
In the first place, if Lee Hyun-wook wanted it, he couldn’t stop it just because Kim Kang-seok refused.
And Kim Kang-seok also passionately supported Lee Hyun-wook, so he wouldn’t object.
“Yes . “The battalion commander also listened to my opinion and understood the need.”
Of course, Lee Hyun-wook wasn’t the type to push his opinion recklessly.
However, Seo Eunha could hardly understand the current situation.
“Ah, but why do you have to find me… a paladin who is much better than me?”
“…….”
“I have a connection with the Saint Dom and that side also applied last time…” Even
in this country, there are a lot of Paladins better than Seo Eunha, even if you don’t have to go far to the Saint Dom.
She is in AMT. Even if you count on one hand, you’ve barely entered the bottom half of the domestic rankings.
‘I don’t think there’s much I can do to help…’
It was the same the last time we tracked down a devil worshiper. In the end, didn’t Lee Hyun-wook do it on his own?
” Well, even though there are many good paladins… there are no paladins you can trust.”
“I am alive thanks to the bracelet that Captain Seo gave me during the 4th wave.”
And in fact, even in his past life, his life was saved several times thanks to Seo Eun-ha. If
he said he didn’t have Seo Eun-ha’s stake in coming this far, it would have been a lie.
In other words, Lee Hyun-wook could trust her more than Seo Eun-ha thought.
“Ah, a bracelet containing a divine shield. … It was like that…”
When Seo Eun-ha remembered that time, she couldn’t help but laugh.
She also felt strangely proud to remember and say it.
‘You’ve become a real big name… Every single word like this. I’m so moved…’
Seo Eun-ha chuckled, feeling dumbfounded at herself.
“Yeah, well, it doesn’t seem like a bad offer…”
To be honest, I was more attracted to the fact that I could work with Hyun-wook Lee rather than the unconventional conditions he suggested.
To be precise , Steelein’s heroic move… I wanted to join the procession that followed.
“…Uh, but what am I supposed to do?”
Now that I think about it, I was in a situation where I hadn’t even heard what I was going to do yet, so I was anxious.
“But should I say this is a bit confidential?”
“Ah, I guess this shouldn’t be known to the outside world?”
“Well… if you come with me now, I’ll tell you.”
Lee Hyun-wook got up from his seat, and Seo Eun-ha followed suit, hesitating.
“Uh… where are you going?”
Lee Hyun-wook raised his left hand and pointed his index finger to the sky.
“The headquarters of Captain Seo’s newly built attack team will be located a little higher.”
***
– [Breaking News] Slayers Guild begins conquering the ‘Dragon Labyrinth’ on Paldal Mountain (Step 1)
Starting with Edward Woods’ speech, the Slayers Guild began conquering the Labyrinth.
At that time, Hyunwook Lee arrived in Laputa with Eunha Seo.
She As he stepped onto Laputa, which he had only seen from the ground, his eyes widened.
“Wow—this place is bigger than I thought? Huh! “But what are those dwarves?”
The sight of upper gray dwarves coming and going and making noise was bound to be unfamiliar.
“They are not monsters, but helpers of the NPC concept.”
“Oh… Is that so?”
“They will make the equipment for Captain Seo’s team from now on.”
Knowing well the power of Lee Hyun-wook’s magic engineering equipment, she felt strangely excited.
As a player, it was her natural instinct to desire high-performance equipment items.
However, no matter how well she was treated within AMT, there was a limit to its quality. It was clear.
She looked around Laputa, turning her head here and there as if she were at an amusement park.
After a while, the two arrived at the Order Tower. It was
only then that Lee Hyun-wook explained why she needed her help.
To summarize, the contents are: It was as follows.
First, immediately after conquering the Black Dragon, a labyrinth called ‘Dragon Lair Ruins’ was created on Mt. Paldal.
Second, in order to conquer the labyrinth, there must be ‘special conditions.’
Third, only ‘Knight’ type players can satisfy the conditions. Paladins are also a type of knight.
After saying the last condition, Lee Hyun-wook brought a box.
“So, if I hold this, I will have that special condition, right?”
“Yes, only knight-type players can hold it.”
The moment she carefully stretched out her hand and grasped the hilt of the old sword—
ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh——
A brilliant light burst out from the black, rusty sword body.
And then…
– (!) The quest has arrived.
[Previous Quest]
– A chance opportunity, a special encounter, absolute power…
You have obtained a sword from an unknown person.
In fact, this sword contains a great secret.
That is… the power of the ‘Dragon Knight.
‘ If you accept this power, a new path will open, and
at the end of that path you will meet your best friend.
* Do you want to accept the quest? (Y/N)
“Huh? “That quest popped up… What is this, a job change quest?”
Seo Eunha blinked and frowned as she rechecked the system message that appeared in front of her.
“…Dragon Knight? Wait a minute, am I going to become a dragon knight or something?”
As I had grown into a Holy Knight for quite some time, there was no way I would be happy about my characteristics changing. If your skills suddenly change, won’t the combat methods you’ve learned become meaningless?
“However, some skills will be reorganized based on the original abilities.”
Lee Hyun-wook, who noticed her worry, added, and Seo Eun-ha nodded with an uncomfortable face. “
So, if you accept this quest, how will it unfold in the future… you know, right?”
Hyunwook Lee nodded slowly. Because the role she will play in the future is so important, it was necessary to explain it to her in detail in advance. However, I was a bit at a loss as to where to start with this.
“Captain Seo, have you ever raised that child?”
Seo Eun-ha frowned at those words.
‘Ah, isn’t this a bit of a question to ask a single woman?’
Lee Hyun-wook realized that the question was very strange and quickly shook his head.
“No, I didn’t mean that. A younger brother, a nephew, or even a dog or a cat…”
As he said that, he said, even though this woman was distant from such things. I remembered that it was a long way away.
‘Now that I think about it, I think I said that I didn’t want to see everything that had to be taken care of one by one…’
I remembered that I used to call my subordinates who behaved poorly and like children when I scolded them.
Also, I am a non-marriage person . He hated dogs and cats, and went to cafes in no-kids zones.
‘If you think about it, he was individualistic and had a secretly cynical side to everything in the world…’
That was an awkward part of many aspects of having the characteristics of a Dragon Knight. I’m worried about whether I can raise a dragon that goes through the egg, hatchling, subadult, and adult stages well… ‘
But she’s the only knight I can trust enough to entrust me with a dragon.
‘
And above all, a dragon in the form of a servant follows the characteristics of its owner.
In other words, if Seo Eun-ha becomes the owner of a dragon, that dragon…
‘…becomes a white dragon with divine power attributes.’
It couldn’t have been the picture that Lee Hyeon-wook wanted the most.
No matter how much he thought about it, he had to push for it.
“Big—that’s a young creature… I might have to raise something like that myself.”
“What? What do you mean? I’m a little confused right now. Can you be more specific?”
Lee Hyun-wook nodded and cautiously opened his mouth.
“Captain Seo… I think you need to raise that baby dragon.”
At those words, Seo Eun-ha’s face hardened and her eyes slowly widened.
“What? I hate reptiles a little… no, a lot…”
It was an expected reaction. Lee Hyun-wook decided to push ahead no matter what.
“Oh, I see. But you won’t give up just because of something like that, right?”
Seo Eun-ha regretted grabbing this sword in the first place.
***
14 hours have passed since Edward Woods’ Slayer Guild began conquering the Labyrinth.
– [Exclusive] Slayer’s Guild leaves the Paldalsan Labyrinth empty-handed… Was the strategy a failure?
A few minutes after the article was published, Edward Woods held a press conference and it was broadcast as breaking news on TV.
– …They say we left empty-handed. Yes! That’s true to some extent.
Click—click—
– But we clearly succeeded and reached a critical juncture.
His expression was much better than expected and he was somewhat confident. After struggling through the labyrinth, I was blocked at the last gate. It might have been frustrating, but I seemed to take it positively.
And the turning point in his remarks was that he meant a ‘hint’ to find the Dragon Knight.
‘…coordinate level characteristics, etc. must have come to mind.’
Lee Hyun-wook predicted that he would have given three clues: Seoul—86—Holy Knight.
And that… unfortunately, meant Seo Eun-ha.
In other words, no matter how hard they tried, they could not obtain the ‘key’.
‘Because I already have it…’
But…
– I proudly declare in front of all citizens of the world that we will ultimately be the ones to conquer this labyrinth! And the treasure we will bring with us… will be the rarest thing in history.
The question was asked what that was, but Edward Woods did not answer.
He smiled with a confident expression and continued speaking.
– But… we’re looking for the key to solving this problem—just one player. And we’re asking for the help of the entire country to find this player. The Slaize Guild promises to reward him and everyone who helped him handsomely.
It seemed like they were trying to find that ‘qualified person’ publicly.
‘It will be much faster to find it by scattering those three clues…’
He added one last word.
– And Steele…
“Oh… no…”
The moment his name was called, Lee Hyun-wook could not suppress his sad feelings.
– As I warned you, we will clear this labyrinth first.
Then the spotlight came on like a thunderbolt.
– Oh, what do you mean now?
– What conversation did you have with DS Steelein?
– Hey, wait a minute! One more word…
But he walked into the press conference room under the spotlight without answering. He left.
It seemed like he wasn’t planning on abandoning his confrontational approach with Lee Hyun-wook.
‘I decided that if I attack the labyrinth here first, I will make up for the past humiliation to some extent.’
In other words, they must have boldly called out Lee Hyun-wook’s name in order to regain a little of their reputation.
And Steele Lane, who was doing nothing, must have judged that they could not turn the tables…
“Ha… .”
I never wanted it to, but at some point, the eggs began to fly in and shatter arbitrarily.
