Chapter 89: Raid Dungeon (6)

Ketal clicked his tongue.

I expected more when I heard the Mimic Mannequin could copy the strength of its opponent...

He had hoped to experience fighting a replica of himself at least once, but it was disappointing. The monster was slow and weak. He grumbled while his party members blinked in confusion.

“Huh? What just happened?” Geinalt exclaimed.

The mannequin had moved incredibly fast. The other party members couldn’t even track it with their eyes. By the time they realized what was happening, the monster was already trying to attack Ketal. And then—suddenly, it exploded.

The mannequin had been much slower than Ketal, yet they couldn’t even follow its movements. Seeing Ketal’s fist was out of the question. From their perspective, the monster had rushed toward Ketal, and then it simply burst apart on its own.

As they stood there, bewildered, Marcy, who had been deep in thought, finally spoke up. “Could it be... a glitch? When I was studying at the Mage Tower, I heard that Dungeons sometimes malfunction.”

“Huh? Really?” Geinalt asked.

“Yes. It’s extremely rare, but it does happen from time to time,” Marcy replied.

“So that’s what it was? Now that I think about it, the speed was weird too.”

The Mimic Mannequin was supposed to copy its opponent, which was Ketal—a barbarian with no knowledge of Myst. Given its target, it shouldn’t have been able to move that fast.

“We sure run into all sorts of strange things in Dungeons,” Geinalt muttered as he approached Ketal. “Well, that’s a relief. If something had gone wrong, we might have been in danger.”

Ketal just smiled wordlessly as the party stepped past the scattered fragments and moved toward the next room.

There, another party had already arrived.

Cartman! I knew you’d get here first!” Geinalt’s face brightened.

“You’re here,” Cartman, the Dungeon raid’s commanding officer, responded calmly. His gaze shifted to grinning Ketal. “It seems like nothing major happened to you.”

“There was a glitch in the Dungeon, but it wasn’t a big issue.”

“A glitch?” Cartman asked.

Geinalt explained to Cartman—how the mid-level boss had been the Mimic Mannequin, how it had copied Ketal, and how it had suddenly charged and then exploded.

Hearing this, Cartman’s expression turned strange. “I see. Good work. Get some rest until the other parties arrive.”

“Yes,” Geinalt replied.

The party members sat down to rest, while Ketal strolled over to Cartman.

“It’s good to see you again. Your name was Cartman, right?” Ketal asked.

“Yes,” Cartman replied. Cartman was the captain of the mercenaries who had guarded Milayna through the White Snowfield.

“What happened to the other mercenaries that were with you in the White Snowfield? I don’t see them in this raid,” Ketal asked.

“They’re handling a different request,” Cartman answered briefly, his gaze still fixed on Ketal. There was suspicion in his eyes. “How... did you make it out?”

“I put in a lot of effort—a whole lot,” Ketal replied lightly.

Cartman fell silent. He had a gut feeling that no matter how much he pried, he wouldn’t get a real answer. So instead, he asked something else. “Why are you here?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, why did you join a mercenary raid for a Dungeon like this?”

Raid Dungeons were no joke. Even the bare minimum requirement, C-Rank, was a high enough requirement, but sometimes Raid Dungeons needed A-Rank mercenaries. These Dungeons demanded Advanced individuals, and in smaller kingdoms that lacked power like the Denian Kingdom, the entire kingdom sometimes had to mobilize just to clear one.

This common knowledge would be true in most cases, but the man standing in front of Cartman was a barbarian from the White Snowfield—a monster who had punched a sky-reaching serpent out of the heavens.

He is beyond Transcendent,

Cartman thought.

Maybe even a Hero.

He knew that a powerful being like Ketal had no reason to enter a mere Raid Dungeon.

Yet, Ketal simply looked puzzled. “That’s a strange question to ask. Isn’t it obvious that I’m here because it’s enjoyable?”

Cartman hesitated, studying Ketal’s face.”What do you intend to do in this world?”

“Nothing. I just plan to enjoy it.”

At that, Cartman let out a brief, incredulous laugh. “I see.”

Cartman realized that his concerns meant nothing to this barbarian.

“It’s funny running into you here. The world really is small, isn’t it?” Ketal said, casually.

“I’m affiliated with the Denian Kingdom. When something like this happens, I tend to get called in.”

They idly chatted for a while. Then, just as Ketal was about to leave, Cartman spoke from behind him. “Back then... thanks for saving us.”

“No need for thanks,” Ketal replied with a smile.

When he returned to his party, Geinalt immediately asked, “What were you talking about with Cartman?”

“Just reminiscing. We’ve met before,” Ketal replied.

“Really?” Geinalt gave Ketal a long look. This barbarian wasn’t just any barbarian. He was surprisingly intelligent. He had instantly noticed the inefficiency in their combat tactics and had suggested a more reasonable approach.

And he’s easier to talk to than other barbarians,

Geinalt thought. More importantly, he never forced his ideas on them. He let the party decide whether to follow his suggestions or not. That meant he knew how to cooperate and consider others.

How does a barbarian like this exist?

The problem was his appearance—Ketal looked every bit the stereotypical barbarian. However, aside from that, he was anything but.

Geinalt’s eyes gleamed.

Maybe I should recruit him.

Lately, he had been considering forming his own party. He had been working as a solo mercenary, but he was starting to hit his limits. Clearing Dungeons took time, and getting into raids was a gamble.

After going through enough struggles, he realized he wanted a fixed party. Of course, he wouldn’t just take anyone. He had high standards. And this barbarian was more than qualified.

Ketal’s identity was confirmed—being a mercenary in the capital meant he had a verified background. And he knew Cartman, which that alone was a huge advantage. If needed, they could even be able to rely on Cartman’s help.

Plus, Ketal had an unusual way of handling traps. With curiosity, Geinalt turned to Ketal. “Hey, can you open treasure chests too?”

“Of course. I’ve opened plenty,” Ketal said while nodding.

It probably wasn’t in the way Geinalt was thinking, but results were what mattered. Geinalt’s eyes sparkled even more.

A barbarian who can open chests?

he thought. That meant he could fill in for a thief, at least in some capacity.

His lack of Myst is a weakness, but...

Without Myst, Ketal’s strength had a clear limit. However, his sheer physical ability meant he could still provide support.

“Hey, Ketal, I need to talk to you about something,” Geinalt said.

“What is it?” Ketal asked.

“Uh...” Geinalt hesitated, then shook his head. “Never mind.”

There was no need to bring it up now. First, they needed to clear the Raid Dungeon.

“I’ll tell you after I finish this,” Geinalt said.

“Alright.” Ketal’s expression turned amused.

Huh, this feels like a setup for something.

As they were talking, the other mercenaries had finally gathered.

Cartman stood up and announced, “Let’s begin.”

The mercenaries took their positions. Ketal could hear someone gulping out of fear. As they entered the boss room, they were met with a device at the center of the room.

With a grinding noise, the device sank into the floor.

Rumble!

A deafening roar erupted. The ground in the center of the room collapsed, revealing a massive hole.

Cartman swiftly leaped back. And from within the pit, a monster slowly emerged.

“

Kuaah!

” the monster roared. It had four arms, each wrist was bound to chains. Its single, enormous eye gleamed menacingly. Its lower body wasn’t legs, but a massive tail.

However, the striking thing about the monster was its size.

“Whoa,” Ketal murmured in awe.

The monster was so massive it nearly touched the ceiling. Ketal had to tilt his head all the way back just to see the entirety of it.

I never thought I’d see something this big outside the White Snowfield,

Ketal thought. He felt a thrill of excitement.

Cartman raised his sword and ordered, “Prepare for battle!”

***

“

Kyaaah!

” The boss monster raised its arms. The chains rattled as they swung through the air. Then, it brought its arms crashing down. The sheer force of the impact shook the entire Dungeon.

Cartman darted between the boss’s attacks, his sword flashing.

Clang!

With a sharp, shattering sound, the boss’s massive body trembled. It lashed out in anger, throwing a wild punch. Cartman twisted his body, dodging with ease. It was an incredibly swift and clean movement.

Cartman quickly assessed the situation.

As expected, I don’t think I can defeat it with brute force.

𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

This wasn’t a battle of sheer strength; there was a strategy to winning. Cartman’s sharp eyes scanned the battlefield, and then he shouted, “The chains!”

Looking closely, there were four pillars standing at the edges of the room—structures that hadn’t been there before the boss monster emerged.

“Tie the chains to the pillars! That’s the key to taking it down!” Cartman ordered.

He’s fast,

Ketal remarked. He was once again impressed as Cartman had figured out the strategy in an instant.

So, this is what an A-Rank mercenary is like.

Thinking back, Cartman had quickly identified monsters’ weak points back in the White Snowfield as well. He was undoubtedly superior to other mercenaries.

Hearing Cartman’s orders, the mercenaries sprang into action, grabbing the chains and struggling to pull them toward the pillars.

What a sight,

Ketal mused. He was witnessing a dozen mercenaries working together to take down a colossal enemy. It was like something straight out of a game. However, unlike in a game, the raw intensity of the moment—the reality of it—was tangible. Ketal felt a deep sense of satisfaction.

“

Hmph!

” Even Marcy was gripping a chain with her small hands, pulling with all her might.

As if annoyed, the boss monster swung its arm. That single motion sent the mercenaries reeling.

“

Argh!

” Marcy screamed as she was nearly lifted off the ground, still holding onto the chain. However, just as she was about to be flung away, the chain stopped.

The boss monster staggered mid-swing.

“Are you okay?”

“Ah, thank you...” Marcy turned to the voice behind her and froze. Ketal stood there, casually holding the chain in one hand.

He looked completely unbothered, as if he were merely holding the leash of a small dog on a stroll.

Marcy blinked in disbelief. “Huh?”

“

Hrrrngh!

” the other mercenaries shouted.

Before Marcy could process what was going on, the other mercenaries rushed in, grabbing hold of the chain and pulling with all their strength.

Ketal tilted his head. “What’s wrong?”

“N-nothing.” Marcy shook her head and got to her feet. She assumed she was imagining things for a moment.

The boss fight continued without any major surprises. Cartman kept the boss’s attention while the mercenaries worked to tie the chains to the pillars.

An hour later, all four chains were secured.

“

Kaaargh!

” the boss monster roared and struggled, its arms completely restrained. However, no matter how it thrashed, it couldn’t break free. A gaping hole was now visible in its chest.

The mercenaries erupted in cheers. “It’s over!”

“Cartman, great work!”

“It’s not over yet,” Cartman said. Despite his words, the tension in his expression eased.

The boss’s mechanics had been fully exploited, and all that remained was the finishing blow. It was as good as done. There were no casualties or serious injuries, which meant the strategy had been a success.

Cartman calmly approached the monster. All he had to do was drive his sword into the exposed chest.

“

Kyaaa... Kuaaah...

” The monster’s strange cry echoed through the room.

Cartman dismissed it as the boss’s dying wail and paid it no mind.

“

Kuaaah

.”

However, as he stepped closer, something felt off. The boss’s face was distorted in an unusual way. Cartman hesitated, but then he realized that this was not the face of agony—it was a sneer.

“

Kyaaaah.

”

At that moment, Cartman understood that the cries he had thought were its death throes were mere laughter.

The boss monster grinned as a chill ran down Cartman’s spine.

Instinctively, he raised his sword to defend himself from the massive impact that was coming for him. He was sent flying.