At my call, the spirits began to appear one by one.
Even though Yeon Ha-yeon and the Four Heavenly Kings already knew I could summon spirits, they stared at me with surprised eyes.
I must have shown quite a strong dislike for summoning spirits in front of people, enough for all of them to react with such shock.
“W-what is that?!”
“The monsters have increased!”
“It’s all over! We’re all going to die!”
The people who saw the spirits I summoned screamed in voices filled with despair.
However, as the spirits started grabbing onto the undead one by one and fighting, they looked bewildered, trying to grasp the situation.
It was fortunate that there were so many spirits.
I couldn’t help but think how well I had done to turn as many monsters as possible into spirits from all the dungeons I’d cleared.
Among the spirits battling the undead, Sahin and Stone were particularly noticeable.
It was definitely because they had higher experience points compared to other spirits.
With the undead swarming in hordes, I was about to summon Bisharp to carry the Four Heavenly Kings and Yeon Ha-yeon into the air to unleash attacks.
Whoosh-
“Kieeeek!”
“Heretic! Snap out of it! What are you doing going out unprotected without a shield?!”
Ban Eun-hyeol shouted, snatching an undead that was approaching from behind me with her flaming whip.
“Quickly, put up a shield first!”
Yeon Ha-yeon also chimed in, dealing with an undead that was targeting me.
“Bisharp!”
“Huh?”
Bisharp appeared in the form of a small lizard, then blinked her large eyes, immediately grasping the situation and growing in size.
People almost fainted, falling backward, as a black dragon appeared after the black ghosts and black monsters.
“Bisharp, quickly pick up our friends and go as high as you can!”
I lightly mounted Bisharp’s back.
Bisharp fiercely swatted away the clinging undead with her tail, front paws, and back paws, then carried the Four Heavenly Kings and Yeon Ha-yeon in turn.
As we flew into the air, the undead reached up wildly, but they couldn’t catch us.
“Wow, this is awesome!”
An innocent shout, unfitting for the situation, was heard.
Han Ji-bin looked down with an excited face, covering her mouth.
She seemed utterly thrilled.
“Kieeeeeek!”
“Agh! What is that?!”
Han Ji-bin’s admiration for Bisharp was short-lived.
She shrieked in horror at the undead, who had started climbing over each other, trampling their own bodies as if trying to build a tower.
Amidst the chaos, I tried activating a skill that had failed once before.
[Skill ‘Shackles of Darkness’ is activated.]
Earlier, when the undead had burst out from beyond the quiet crossroads, I had definitely used Shackles of Darkness. But it had released shortly after.
I could only speculate that it might not have been very effective due to the high dungeon grade itself.
‘Or it could be that my concentration was disturbed.’
Since the chaotic situation had continued, it was possible that I hadn’t been able to maintain the skill properly.
I swallowed nervously, eager to confirm what had happened, and watched to see if my skill would take effect.
Darkness rose from the shadows of the undead, coiling tightly around their legs and ankles, holding them still.
As it happened within the shadows, the shackles of darkness were not visible unless one looked closely.
Moreover, being high in the sky, it would be difficult for even an S-rank to discover them without extreme concentration.
“Huh? What’s wrong with them?”
“Ji Kang-han, did you restrict the undead’s movements?”
Ji Kang-han had a skill that could restrict monster movements.
That’s why Yeon Ha-yeon seemed to naturally think Ji Kang-han was responsible.
“No, I can’t restrict their movements all at once like that.”
Everyone then looked bewildered but, as if not wanting to miss the opportunity, began to launch a fierce assault.
Numerous daggers recklessly thrown by Yeon Ha-yeon pierced through the heads and bodies of the undead.
Ji Kang-han sharpened the wind, slicing through the necks of the undead.
With the added attacks from Han Ji-bin and Ban Eun-hyeol, the number of undead was gradually decreasing.
Every time an undead died, I turned it into a spirit and pitted it against the still-living ones.
Eun Ba-da was concentrating on keeping the shields surrounding the people from breaking, while also launching small attacks.
“We should probably kill the boss first. This isn’t going to end otherwise.”
Everyone agreed with Eun Ba-da’s words.
At this rate, they would just exhaust all their energy killing only the undead.
“Should we each try entering a different path?”
“It just so happens that there are six of us…”
Han Ji-bin subtly glanced at me.
She seemed worried if I would be okay.
I shrugged my shoulders, as if saying it didn’t matter.
“It’s fine. All those spirits down there are mine.”
At that, everyone relaxed and began to plan.
As long as the shields held, the people wouldn’t be attacked.
In that case, it was better to bypass the undead here and quickly enter the crossroads to look around and come back out.
We each decided where to go and moved quickly.
The Four Heavenly Kings and Yeon Ha-yeon, who had leaped from Bisharp’s back, swiftly entered their respective paths.
“Let’s go too. You can’t go in there.”
At my words, Bisharp shrunk her body and followed beside me.
I stepped into the dark path.
As soon as I set foot, torches lit the way with each step.
To get an opportunity to act alone in such a high-grade gate—this was truly precious time.
I had a glimmer of hope that a status window identical or similar to the one when I was possessed might appear.
“Bisharp, do you feel any different energy or anything like that?”
“[Nothing!]”
While Bisharp spoke respectfully in her true form, her tone became as bright and cheerful as her small form, she exclaimed.
Feeling a pang of regret, I idly poked the wall with the long spear I was holding and continued forward.
I’d left the spirits near the center to eliminate as many undead as possible, meaning if I encountered monsters now, I’d have to fight them myself.
So, as soon as I dismounted Bisharp and entered the path, I pulled out my spear.
Thud—rumble—
It happened when I carelessly tapped the wall one more time.
I immediately stopped walking at the faint vibration.
“[It’s a trap! Run, My Lord!]”
Bisharp cried out, body-slamming me in the stomach.
She must not have considered how weak I was; it was a full-force tackle.
I was already intending to back away, but the hit to my stomach made me cough.
She did it out of concern for me, so I wouldn’t scold her, but it hurt a little.
“Bisharp!”
I quickly pulled Bisharp towards me after seeing the scene that unfolded as soon as I backed away. If I had moved even a little slower, I would have been caught between the rocks, which would have been dangerous.
The rocks that jutted out from both sides collided with a heavy sound, as if intending to crush their prey.
A chill ran down my spine.
I had entered dungeons with such traps a few times before being possessed, but this was the first time here.
“Hey, where did that thing from earlier go…?”
“[I think the dungeon’s terrain has changed.]”
The rocks that had collided with terrifying force just a moment ago vanished instantly.
I blinked my eyes, murmuring.
Just as Bisharp said, the dungeon’s terrain seemed to have changed.
“[My Lord, didn’t you experience something similar before coming to this dimension?]”
“Oh, yeah, I did.”
I was too flustered to answer properly.
My heart pounded with hope that I might finally be able to return to my original dimension.
I walked faster than before.
I wanted to see the end of this cave quickly.
What if I could find a way back to my original dimension here?
Even if I couldn’t go back immediately, just knowing there was a way.
‘Still, it’s an A-rank gate, so it’s not exactly like right before I was possessed.’
If the situation were identical to right before I was possessed, I’d be certain I could go back, but it was too early to be sure.
However, as I walked along the long cave, a strange feeling of regret suddenly bloomed.
Noticing my sudden silence as I walked quietly, Bisharp discreetly closed her mouth and followed beside me.
Thanks to her, I could immerse myself in my thoughts without interruption.
‘Why do I feel regret?’
I imagined returning to my original dimension.
I could confidently roam anywhere as the national rank… no, the number one hunter, and I could receive people’s cheers and love.
It was a completely different life from now, where I lived in hiding, concealing my identity as an outsider from another dimension, the cause of the gate outbreaks.
I wouldn’t need to hide myself, living without the frustration that came with it.
Moreover, I could escape from my small house, where the room was filled with just a bed and a desk.
Although our relationship had improved significantly recently, I wouldn’t have to live with my parents who sometimes fought as before, making the house atmosphere cold.
I could enjoy complete freedom in a large house all by myself, looking out at the Han River.
Unlike this place, where I’d only been possessed for a few months, my original dimension was full of familiar things.
I could see my guild members again after a long time, and I could regain my lifestyle.
‘And school life would just end, right?’
Surprised by the sudden thought, I paused for a moment.
Bisharp, who had been quietly following beside me, tilted her head.
I had only attended for one semester.
But had I already grown attached?
Before being possessed, I had hated school and almost dropped out right after entering high school.
This change in thought was unbelievable.
I still didn’t know if I would return to my original dimension or not, but memories from this place kept swirling in my head.
Suddenly, I recalled the fireworks Ban Eun-hyeol had shown me in front of the ocean.
She was always unlucky, but at that moment, even Ban Eun-hyeol’s face, with a slight upward curve to her lips… it was quite tolerable.
Once I recalled a recent good memory, other memories began to pop up one after another.
From trivial moments of playing pranks with the Four Heavenly Kings and Yeon Ha-yeon during breaks, to the times we were caught in sudden gates together, they all flickered before my eyes.
However, the desire to return to my original dimension was still stronger.
“Yeah, if I go back, I can live in my original body, not this small, weak one.”
I said, grabbing Bisharp, trying to shake off these unnecessary thoughts. It was then.
“[My Lord! There’s something there.]”
Bisharp, her eyes narrowed and in a state of alert, warned, looking straight ahead.
Just then, I felt an approaching presence from the opposite direction, and I tightened my grip on the spear.
The sound of something approaching grew louder.
Then, the torch hanging on the wall momentarily swayed in the wind, and something appeared from the darkness.
“Ban Eun-hyeol?”
My eyes widened in surprise at the unexpected appearance.
To think that the changing dungeon terrain had led me to the path Ban Eun-hyeol had taken.
Upon seeing me, Ban Eun-hyeol frowned and walked quickly with wide strides.
She seemed flustered that I, who should have entered a different path, was here.
I, on the other hand, was flustered for a different reason.
‘She didn’t hear that, did she?’
The words I’d said while holding Bisharp kept replaying in my mind.