Evan D. Sherden, Training the Core (8)

There were countless dungeons in this world. When playing Yo-Ma Great War Series as a game, most of the dungeons were unlocked as the story progressed, and the gamer had to prepare apropos the difficulty level of the dungeon, and then challenge the dungeons in order.

Furthermore, with the release of a DLC or the next Series, new worlds were often added to the game, and new dungeons were also added. Therefore, there were several routes, starting from beginner to expert level, that could be configured based on the gamer’s character and the party’s characteristics.

“But despite the vast information on the dungeons available in the game, the dungeons in this world are still hidden…”

“There is no limit to your premonitions, Master Evan.”

“Yeah, yes, I have foreseen all of it.”

The dungeon that Evan and his party are currently in is the West Silk Line dungeon, ‘Molene’, which was added as a DLC of Yo-Ma Great War Series 3. It was a place where the mole monster ‘Dark Mole’, which could be easily killed if your identity level was 50 or your dungeon level was 20, spawned.

Unlike the undiscovered dungeon, the Sherden Dungeon, which had an 8-people-maximum restriction, this one did not have such restrictions. It was natural because it was not a super-large dungeon that was overseen by God’s blessing.

[Scrowl! Scrowlll!]

“Everyone, stay your ground! Maintain your positions and keep your calm!”

“Commander is watching us!”

[Scrowl! Scrowlll!]

Mole Monster, which liked to attack through the walls, floors, and even the dungeon’s ceiling, was a fairly difficult enemy to deal with. The encounter would have been easier in an open field.

For Dungeon Knights members to get used to the surroundings outside of the Sherden Dungeon, it provided with the right difficulty level.

“Raihan, you should only engage when it becomes dangerous.”

“I am aware.”

Borrowing Serena’s blatant expression, Evan, Shine, Belois, Raihan, Arisha, and Serena, the ‘first squad,’ would not engage in battle here. The Dark Mole was not so easy to beat, but it would have no chance against these elites.

… No, in fact, the Dark Mole did not have any chance against the rest of the kids.

“Four coming at my 3 o’clock! I’ll take the ones coming from the 7 o’clock position!”

“Got it, Melting Earth!”

[Scrowl! Scrowlll!]

“Paul, nice!”

“Paul is the man!”

“Paul is the best!”

“Stop chanting my name and kill it already!”

[Scrowl! Scrowlll!]

Wizard Paul, Warlord Marie, Anna, Ditto, Rogue Melson, Priest Lin, Paladin Lan, and Sniper Jhin: the balance of the eight proved to be outstanding.

Honestly, he wanted them to be challenged more, but Marie at the front and Jhin at the rear, each boasted a keen sense stopping the enemy’s sneak attacks, allowing the other party members to attack the divided enemy.

Paul, who dealt with earth magic, focused on slowing the enemy’s movement or blocking their attacks, while Marie would clear the situation with her devastating attacks. Even if they were injured, Lin and Lan healed them. They were still young, but they sure had the skills, learning from the Great Priestess Aria.

“But…… Apparently, having Ditto hold a shield will make the party perfect.”

“But, weren’t you thinking about putting Jhin to the first squad? Then you can just recruit a new shield into the second squad.”

It was for sure that although the other kids were doing great, Jhin was displaying far superior skills among them.

One thing to remember here is that Jhin, along with Lin and Lan, was the latest member of the Dungeon Knights. However, thanks to his high aptitude for the bow and hard training, he surpassed the other kids.

“Yeah, that’s true, but if we were to put him in our squad…”

“You’re saying he’s not quite there yet.”

“Right.”

If one were to define Jhin’s skills right now, it would be in between the first and the second squad. Also, there was the problem that Jhin’s role within the party would be much similar to Evan’s.

“The Dragon’s Eye is an ability optimized for scouting. Moreover, he’s the same as me, detecting traps and enemies from a distance and denying them with arrows. Of course, I was hoping for someone who could play such a role besides me, but I don’t need to have two people with the same role in a party.”

Evan’s greatest ability was his fighting technique, not his scouting skills or ranged attack skills, but nobody dared to point that fact out. Shine, who was tilting his head, soon came out with a solution.

“Well, Master Evan is the strongest in our party too. Why don’t we have him play the same role in the second squad?”

“If Jhin hears that, he’ll be exhilarated. He likes Evan a lot.”

“Then it would be better to have those eight people as a party. In that case, I’ll teach Ditto shielding!”

“You seem very motivated.”

Perhaps it was because he was happy that he didn’t have to go to Amy’s Kick again. Raihan spoke while holding his Echo Shield firmly.

That caused his protection to be triggered and caused a small problem, focusing all the dark moles on him. Other than that, they had no problem cleaning the dungeon and reaching the Boss’ Chamber.

There was a problem in the Boss’ Chamber.

[Have you come, descendants of the witch…!]

“Huh?”

When they opened the sealed door and entered, a giant black mole was waiting for them in the deep corridor.

That was the problem. There were a terrifying number of Dark Mole elites waiting in the Boss’ Chamber in the original game’s dungeon.

The Dark Mole that pours out from the ceiling, floor, and sidewalls was terrible like rain pouring down during the monsoon season. The origin of the dungeon’s name ‘Molerain’ was from that.

“But why is there only one?”

[I commend you for standing straight with pride when you are facing me, the Devil Rune Chaos Mole. But your arrogance ends here, you descendant of the witch…!]

“…Huh? Devil Rune? I never thought I would get lucky on the first dungeon run!”

The other words didn’t matter. For Evan, when he heard Devil Rune, that was enough.

After hearing its words and focusing strength on his sight and observing it, he could see traces of the Devil Rune emitting a dim light underneath the thick black mole’s skin.

“Also, it’s clear that Devil Rune and Witch appear in the same series as they mention the descendants of witches!”

[It is told that all witches are crazy, it must be right for you to blabber gibberish. But it all ends here. I will gobble up you and your evil desires.]

Devil Rune Chaos Mole, like the bosses of the early dungeons in the game, said some meaningful statements and dug himself down just as a mole should do.

Evan, who was watching this blankly, suddenly realized something.

“Being a mole and all, it sure can’t see straight. But even so, why does it see me as a girl? …”

“It must be your ‘beautiful’ looks, Master.”

“I have a completely male voice, and my puberty began long ago.”

Evan responded bluntly to Shine’s insightful comment but quickly gave instructions to his party.

“Everyone fall close to the entrance and wait! It’s a different boss than I expected. You are not able to take him on at this point.”

“Then you are going to fight him?”

“And Raihan, come here and trigger your blessing.”

The way to deal with the mole monster is simple: you lure them out by sending them the right amount of mana waves and vibration simultaneously and wait for them, and as soon as it comes out, you attack it.

But if you have Raihan, who has the ability to force all attacks on him, there’s no need to go through all those steps.

In fact, as soon as he activated his blessing, Chaos Mole’s movement became noticeable to the degree that even the least sensitive Paul could notice it.

Horrifying vibrations that occur when a giant body is submerged and traveling underground. When the tension reached its maximum, fearing that the entire place was falling apart, Raihan shouted.

“Master, it’s coming from the ground!”

“I know.”

Evan approached Raihan, who had his shield up and was maintaining his guard stance, and lifted his left foot high.

The thing gathering at the tip of the foot was none other than ChunJoong energy! It was Evan’s special skill he developed thanks to the famous hero Leo. It was a movement skill but at the same time the most lethal attacking skill and also Evan’s only leg skill!

[Give me your evil spirit!]

“Now!”

Boom! When the ground collapsed and the Devil Rune Chaos Mole lunged upwards, Evan’s left foot landed right on it and put off an incredible sound and vibration which filled the entire space.

Raihan, who was at close range, had to clench his teeth to endure the intense vibrations despite the fact that he had been preparing for impact.

“Urgh…Master Evan, are you okay?”

“I got him.”

The Devil Rune Chaos Mole, which was hit straight by Evan’s foot, burst and died instantly without making a sound. Fortunately, most of the body was still intact.

After confirming the kids’ safety, Shine approached Evan, looking down at the body of the giant mole, and spoke in a slightly empathetic voice.

“When he first appeared, he was talking as if there was something more to him but… So pitiful…”

“In the game, even if you get rid of the boss’ health bars, they still talk until they die. But here, in reality, I’m guessing they’re just being lazy.”

“Well, it’s because the Master didn’t give it any chance to and killed it instantly.”

In the original game, it was customary for those who appear as bosses of an important dungeon to annoy the gamer or throw a hint for the next quest and die… Unfortunately, Devil Rune Chaos Mole lacked grit.

“I hope the next guys we encounter will tell us the base of the Devil Rune monsters before they die.”

“You are too expectant.”

But the more important thing was the Devil Rune monster that was lying dead in front of him. Evan approached it carefully. What he was attempting to do was to directly drain in the Devil Rune without going through the Scimitar.

“You never know, so have the Scimitar ready.”

“I have already taken it out.”

But there was no need for the Scimitar. When Evan moved the boots’ evil energy and touched the Chaos Mole’s dead body, its body trembled, and the evil energy from the dead body integrated with that of the boots!

“The reaction is more intense than it was with the Scimitar!”

At this moment, the thought that dominated Evan’s mind was the word ‘Quest Completed!’ or ‘Alchemy Success!’. The moment you complete an unimaginable recipe! How could one not be thrilled by it?!

“The evil energy of the boots is increasing more and more.”

“Master Evan, the rune from his skin…!”

He didn’t have to hear the rest to know what was happening. The more the evil energy came out from its dead body, the more the Devil Rune Chaos Mole’s size kept decreasing.

The Devil Rune, which was barely visible, disappeared completely and appeared on the boots.

“Good, it’s been completely transferred!”

“Then, is it possible to activate it? If you put the evil energy into that rune?!”

“Well, no.”

Evan, who was checking the Devil Rune, which has been transferred to the boots, answered firmly. It wasn’t because of a lack of skill, but this rune that has just been transferred to the boots was not perfect. After several months of research, he at least knew what he was talking about.

“You won’t be able to control their runes as they are. We’ll need to collect it, synthesize it, and transform it. Making it my own Devil Rune.”

“You’re sounding as if it is as simple as making your own cooking recipe… Oh, but what was the rune that it had?”

With Shine’s question, there was silence. After all, since he killed it before it even used its Devil Rune he didn’t have a chance to check out the skills!

Evan pondered for a moment, looking at the intricate Devil Rune pattern engraved on his devil’s boots, and later lifted his head.

“Well, let’s check the rewards and go to the next dungeon!”

“Ah, you gave up? Aren’t you going to foresee something this time?”

“You better be silent, Shine.”

But when the party came out of the dungeon after organizing everything, there was an unexpected guest waiting for them.

“We were waiting.”

It was a group that had black cloaks, wide brim, and cone hats with pointed tops.

When Evan squinted his eyes, trying to figure out if it was really who he thought it was, the person who seemed to be the leader lifted the hat and revealed the face, and smiled lightly. She was an extremely beautiful, black-haired lady.

“My fellow kind, welcome back to the Witch Forest.”