"Heave, heave, heave..."
I'm running.
Running.
And running again.
Racing through the narrow cave path.
"Damn it, damn it... Kyungjoon, please, do something!"
"Pant, pant, when... when will this end?"
"Heave, heave, it should... it should be working... this is strange... I'm sorry..."
I kept urging Kyungjoon, but the only response was a disheartened lament.
"Growl!"
From behind, the monstrous wolf, now shrunk in size, was chasing after us like a madman.
Whoosh!
Whether it used some skill or not, the monster wolf with its white fur now ablaze in blue, lunged at us.
Clang!!!
I managed to parry its teeth just in time, but I was reaching my limit. My arm was sore from blocking its numerous attacks, and I was gasping for breath.
"Damn it..."
How did...
How did it come to this?
"Damn it..."
The sensation of my nose bone breaking was still fresh. If I had been in peak condition, I could've caught myself with my hands as I fell. However, due to the sudden paralysis from blocking the wolf's ambush, I couldn't.
Perhaps evading is better than defending for me. Had I blocked its attack even slightly improperly, I would've broken my wrist, shoulder, or fingers and instantly returned. Even as a superhuman, the human body is this fragile.
"Sigh..."
As I was recollecting the recent battle, trying to figure out what I should've done,
A cold and sharp sensation wouldn't leave me. At first, I thought it was the lingering presence of the wolf... but the feeling was too strange. I removed the hand covering my face.
"...Hm."
As I opened my eyes, I locked eyes with Kangchan, who was staring at me expressionlessly.
It seemed he heard me mutter a curse under my breath.
Was he thinking... I was cursing at him? Given the circumstances, he probably would think that.
"... That, I wasn't referring to you..."
For a moment, I considered acting tough, but recalling Tutorial's Choi Ji-won made me reconsider. It's more rational to earn goodwill now rather than irritate him and risk getting hit.
"... People are waiting."
Kangchan, seemingly accepting my apology, spoke in a deep voice and left the cave.
Kangchan. Descriptions about him on the internet varied widely, and meeting him in person, he was an enigmatic figure.
For starters, I've never met anyone besides YouTubers in real life who uses the term 'youngster'. He speaks very little and always maintains a neutral expression. Plus, he constantly exudes a certain aura or energy... What or who is he constantly on guard for? Does he return upon the slightest touch like me?
"...Would I win if we fought?"
I was curious about how strong Kangchan really was. Just by his name, he sounds formidable. Given his well-defined muscles and aura, he seems to be on the same level as Choi Ji-won... Well, I'll know when I see him fight the giant wolf.
I stood up, dusted off my back, and started walking through the cave path.
This time, I won't be caught off guard.
The events that followed were the same as the previous chapters.
We all gathered, shouted in unison, were surprised by Kangchan's name, opened the stone door, picked up weapons, and endlessly walked through the narrow cave path.
"... How long have we been walking, facing goblins and bats?"
After a while, we could see the vast cavern from afar.
"Whoa!"
Suddenly feeling something, I impulsively jumped in place. It might be embarrassing, but I couldn't help it.
- Curiosity [A]
- People are naturally attracted to the opposite. Others feel an inexplicable curiosity towards you and are instinctively drawn to you.
Using the Curiosity trait here, I plan to solidly draw its attention.
"Grrr..."
It seems to be on guard, cautiously stepping back, and I even manage to squeeze out a nervous sweat droplet.
My gaze constantly drifts to the ceiling.
Yes.
"I feel... I feel something. It's very strong."
Suddenly saying, 'I think a monster wolf might come out of the ceiling, okay?' lacks credibility, and I can't reveal about the return either. In the end, I'm pretending to use my sharp senses to detect the monster wolf in advance.
"First, if we use Kyungjoon's spear to attack first..."
While I was explaining in a roundabout way that "the monster wolf is on the ceiling,"
"Hold on."
The one interrupting me was Kangchan.
Suddenly, his face contorted.
Whooosh!
He began to exude an intense and menacing aura!
"?!?"
Startled, I hesitated and backed away from him.
How many people has this man killed? My skin bristled, and a metallic smell of blood seemed to emanate from him.
Feeling threatened, I instinctively drew my sword, and Dok Suhee quickly gripped her dagger in both hands.
"Wait, wait! He's an ally! Just wait!"
Kyungjoon seemed to lose his senses, shouting at nothing in particular.
But the oppressive aura that filled the space vanished as quickly as it appeared.
"...I'll be back soon."
Kangchan, still with a grim expression, started to retrace the path we came from.
"But, where are you..."
However, Kangchan didn't answer. He just kept walking, emanating a continuous aura.
Did he detect something?
Should we follow him or wait as he said?
The sudden turn of events left me feeling stunned. While I stood there gaping,
"... Junho."
This time, Kyungjoon gently placed his hand on my shoulder.
"...I have something to tell you now that we're about to face a battle."
"...What is it?"
"My ability... I can't control it."
"...What's... what's going on?"
"Shamanic Possession (강신)"
It's a term that means a supernatural entity possesses a human or object. In reality, it refers to shamans receiving spirits, while in fiction, it's a skill often used by characters like priestesses or shamans with a more oriental, not fantasy, vibe.
"My trait is... 'Shamanic Possession'. To be precise, the spirit attached to me is my trait, and I can willingly hand over control of my body to it..."
Therefore, when Kyungjoon revealed his trait as 'Shamanic Possession', an awkward silence inevitably followed.
"By any chance... did you enter the 3-5th floor because..."
Dok Suhee asked cautiously.
"Yes... due to the coercion of the spirit attached to me, I was forced into the 3-5th floor. It threatened me, saying it wouldn't let me sleep for the rest of my life if I didn't enter the hardest level."
Kyungjoon nodded weakly.
I was curious why someone as timid as Kyungjoon would enter the most difficult level. It was not his will, but the will of the attached spirit.
"But, what do you mean you can't control it?"
"...Firstly, it activates when I feel my life is threatened."
Did he suppress the 'Shamanic Possession' when Kangchan exuded his aura earlier? I thought he was talking nonsense, but it seems I was wrong.
According to Kyungjoon, the spirit attached to him is a master of spear techniques. It's proficient not only with a spear but also with basic spear techniques.
"But, the problem is that even after I've activated 'Shamanic Possession', I have no control. The spirit isn't malevolent, and it listens to Kyungjoon when he asks, but it has a very whimsical nature."
Both the activation, effects, and end of the possession are mysterious. Now I understood why Kyungjoon was hesitant to activate his trait.
"That's why I'm a bit hesitant to take the lead in battle..."
"But waiting for Kangchan doesn't seem to be an option..."
Even after about 30 minutes, there was no sign of Kangchan returning. How long should we wait, as Kyungjoon suggested?
"Is there any way you can cooperate, at least with that spirit?"
Dok Suhee, who spoke up this time, asked.
"Junho, should the three of us try to challenge it? I've thought about it... I think the three of us can manage."
She took out her dagger from her sheath and began explaining her trait in detail.
"I might not know much, but... I'm confident in my destructive power. Especially, I think my trait will synergize well with Kyungjoon." **Dok Suhee's First Impression**
It seemed possible to pull off a surprise attack.
"... The spirit seems to think it's okay too..."
"... Then let's give it a shot."
Right, if things go south, I can just start over.
I prepared myself with the other two to take on the wolf.
The three of us slowly entered the cave and soon came face to face with the wolf hiding in the ceiling.
Realizing it's been spotted, the monster wolf growled, descending from the ceiling.
The aura it emitted made even my skin tingle.
Her trait was quite unexpected, but if what she said was true... the three of us could take down the monster wolf.
"... Let's go! Kyungjoon!"
But it's okay. If it's the three of us, it's an opponent we can defeat.
Dok Suhee held her dagger in a reverse grip in both hands, and I drew my sword from its sheath.
It was a 3 against 1 situation... but it's okay. With our trio's combination... we can surely win...!
However, Kyungjoon's voice was too quiet and weak, even if he had become the "Shamanic Possession".
"Why isn't it working... I'm really scared... I think I might die..."
He said the possession wasn't working well, scratching the back of his head awkwardly.
"This isn't... right..."
Thus, Dok Suhee and I blankly stared at Kyungjoon.
*Slurp.*
The moment the massive monster wolf licked its lips as if it had found a tasty snack.
"... Let's bolt the way we came."
As if on cue, the three of us started running back the way we came, as fast as we could.