Chapter 174

[Translator – Night]

[Proofreader – Gun]

Chapter 174: Sharing the Bed with Enemies (9)

“Individual scores…?”

“Could it be that the rewards vary for each person?”

As they reached the reward section, the reactions of dungeon novices and experienced adventurers differed.

Jeonggu and Ryu Manho were first-timers in this dungeon.

Meanwhile, Tomiko and Jang Jaham were individuals who had already experienced other dungeons, as evidenced by their reactions.

“Rankings are probably determined by contribution. Rewards also vary according to rank.”

When Tomiko said this, Ryu Manho furrowed his brow.

“Contribution…?”

It was an unwelcome topic.

If they were talking about contributions to this dungeon, wouldn’t Joseon’s Strongest Sword overwhelmingly receive the highest score?

“Well, since we managed to survive this absurd place, we should consider that reward sufficient.”

Following this, Sandong’s Twin Evil Jang Jaham sighed and slumped to the ground, uttering a rather dramatic line.

It had become difficult even to stand due to the ordeal they faced in the third stage.

「The individual score calculation is complete.」

Eventually, the dungeon system finished calculating the scores of the five participants.

[1st Place] Yeongwoo – Total score 133/100

– Outstanding resolver.

– Overwhelming equipment score.

– Between legality and illegality.

[2nd Place] Tomiko – Total score 62/100

– Exemplary manners.

– High equipment score.

– Unfortunate experience in the third stage.

[3rd Place] Jeonggu – Total score 56/100

– Excellent weapon proficiency.

– Did their best.

– Yeongwoo’s father.

[4th Place] Jaham – Total score 47/100

– Exceptional combatant.

– Provoker.

– Unfortunate experience in the third stage.

[5th Place] Manho – Total score 36/100

– Exceptional combatant.

– Divider.

– Moody.

“What? Am I really last?”

Upon the revelation of the rankings, Ryu Manho from Taiwan, who was ranked fifth, expressed his dissatisfaction.

To this, Jang Jaham from China sneered at Ryu Manho and chuckled menacingly.

“Heh heh, it’s just as it’s written on the report card. Divider, and moody.”

“What did you say, you provoker?”

As Ryu Manho growled and attempted to draw his sword, once again, Tomiko intervened between them, expressing her displeasure.

“Oh, come on! Stop it already. Aren’t you all embarrassed to be carried up on his back like that?”

Swiftly, Tomiko pointed towards Joseon’s Strongest Sword, Jeong Yeongwoo.

Of course, she hadn’t made significant contributions to this dungeon herself.

Nevertheless, wasn’t she still a party member with a score of 62 out of 100, as judged by the system out of a maximum of 100 points?

In terms of ranking, she was second.

“With a score of 36 in this position, 62 is quite excellent.”

This was why Tomiko dared to speak out loudly despite Yeongwo being 133 points ahead of her.

“……”

Meanwhile, Jeonggu tilted his head somewhat tepidly at his own scorecard.

A total score of 56 out of 100.

It seemed he was being praised for doing his best.

Although he had only thrown a weapon to Yeongwoo during the boss battle, the label “excellent weapon proficiency” wasn’t entirely false.

‘But then again…’

– Yeongwoo’s father.

What did being Yeongwoo’s father mean?

Did he introduce himself as Yeongwoo’s father when he first entered this dungeon?

But if that wasn’t the case…

“……”

While Jeonggu wore a complicated expression, Tomiko, looking at the rulebook, asked,

“I’ve never seen a score exceeding 100. How did such a score come about? Was it the same before?”

[1st Place] Yeongwoo – Total score 133/100

Tomiko was already confident that Jeong Yeongwoo had solved the dungeon in a similar manner before, as she asked.

A monster who summoned flying swords and mutants… Wasn’t it a natural thought?

“Yes, that’s true.”

While Yeongwoo affirmed Tomiko’s question, he didn’t reveal further details.

“Is the score important? Surviving this dungeon is what matters.”

Of course, it wasn’t sincere.

Yeongwoo desperately wanted to obtain the encyclopaedia, the reward for first place.

‘So I’ve secured first place. That’s it’

As Yeongwoo looked at the scorecard with a satisfied expression, the message for reward distribution appeared at the perfect timing.

Plop!

「Rewards will be distributed according to the confirmed rankings.」

[1st Place] Yeongwoo – Armor encyclopaedia

[2nd Place] Tomiko – Random Epic Equipment

[3rd Place] Jeonggu – Random Epic Equipment

[4th Place] Jaham – Random Unique Equipment

[5th Place] Manho – Random Unique Equipment

“Oh?”

“Huh…?”

While everyone was surprised by the rewards, the reasons varied slightly for each of them.

Jeonggu and Ryu Manho, who were experiencing the dungeon for the first time, were amazed by starting with unique grade rewards.

However, Tomiko and Jang Jaham, who were experienced, had their own reactions…

“An encyclopaedia?”

“What’s an encyclopaedia…?”

They reacted as if they were seeing the reward for the first time.

Consequently, Yeongwoo also couldn’t help but feel puzzled.

“You’re seeing an encyclopaedia for the first time? There must have been a first place in the previous dungeons too.”

When Yeongwoo asked this, Tomiko nodded as if it were obvious.

“Of course. Wasn’t the first place reward supposed to be legendary equipment…?”

“The first place reward I saw was also legendary equipment.”

It seemed that the two who had experienced different dungeons each considered the first place reward to be legendary, while only Yeongwoo thought of it as an encyclopaedia.

That meant…

‘Was I wrong?’

Yeongwoo’s gaze returned to his own score.

[1st Place] Yeongwoo – Total score 133/100

‘Total score, 133.’

And last night, in “Pain of Ilya,” where he was rewarded with the Artifact encyclopaedia, Yeongwoo had scored…

[1st Place] Yeongwoo – Total score 172/100

‘…172 points. Both times I scored over 100 for first place.’

Yeongwoo finally realized.

The equipment encyclopaedia was a hidden reward in the dungeon.

It was a reward beyond just being “first place” in terms of achieving something more substantial.

‘Although achieving first place in a dungeon is never easy, considering there are probably several dungeons opening worldwide every day… It didn’t make much sense.’

As Yeongwoo came to this realization, Tomiko and Jang Jaham approached him as if to start a conversation.

“Why? What is it?”

“Stop gaping and say something.”

However, the meeting of the four experts from four countries ended here.

Soon, a beam of light flashed before the eyes of the four, excluding Yeongwoo.

Zap, zap!

It was none other than the physical rewards being given.

The unique rewards were contained in orange boxes, while the epic rewards appeared in silver-white boxes.

“Wow, what’s this? It’s like getting presents.”

Jeonggu exclaimed with excitement, feeling relieved of the tension he had been holding onto for so long.

He had obtained epic-grade equipment after crossing the threshold.

To obtain this through trade with merchants, one would have to pay a huge amount of karma or sacrifice a legendary-grade achievement.

“So what about Yeongwoo…”

Then Tomiko turned her head back to Yeongwoo again, but at that moment, Yeongwoo was already checking a notification message that only he could see.

「Yeongwoo07’s data: ‘Armor encyclopaedia’ has been added.」

‘Oh, it’s over. It’s an Armor encyclopaedia.’

As Yeongwoo confirmed the type of encyclopaedia that appeared as a reward, his expression unintentionally filled with pride, noticed by Jeonggu who recognized it as ominous.

“You, bastard… What incredible thing did you get now?”

“Well, I just…”

[Translator – Night]

[Proofreader – Gun]

Yeongwoo smiled, swallowing the words “I’m invincible.”

He couldn’t help but think of dozens of armors sleeping in the spatial bag of the Golden Goblin.

And finally…

「In 10 seconds, the dungeon will be closed.」

「Please use the portal to exit.」

With the announcement of the dungeon closure, the countdown began.

「9」

“Huh!”

“Oh, it’s already time.”

“What happens now? Are we going back to where we came from?”

「8」

As the remaining time decreased without hesitation, everyone’s gaze turned to Yeongwoo.

To the monster, no, the nobleman who had broken through this absurd dungeon in an absurd manner.

“By any chance… will you come tomorrow?”

In the end, Jang Jaham subtly requested an after-meeting.

Being somewhat bloodthirsty, he also had a strong desire for power, even though he had almost died today, he thought of coming back to the dungeon again.

Of course, assuming he would be on the same team as the Joseon’s Strongest Sword.

Upon hearing this, Yeongwoo nodded as he looked at the timer, which had now decreased to 6 seconds.

「6」

“Yes. I’ll probably come to the dungeon tomorrow.”

「5」

“Are you unaware? Since it’s random matching every time, it’s difficult to meet again once we part like this.”

As Yeongwoo said this, he remembered Ricardo and Ottavio, who had been his partners in the first dungeon and had shown quite remarkable teamwork.

At this point, one could even say that he missed them a little.

He just wanted to know their current situation, even if it wasn’t related to the dungeon.

‘They must have been causing chaos somewhere. Maybe if I keep flipping through the channels on TV, they’ll show up?’

With this thought in mind, Yeongwoo was about to hurry back to check when an unexpected line came from behind.

“But you two came together, didn’t you?”

“…?”

Turning around, he saw it was Jang Jaham.

“You and your father, didn’t you come together like you wanted?”

「3」

“Well… we did pass through the same entrance at the same moment…?”

Yeongwoo answered as if it were obvious.

And Jang Jaham responded in the same manner.

“That’s what I mean.”

“What do you mean?”

“So, we’re also…”

Jang Jaham’s words didn’t continue further.

Or rather, it would be more accurate to say that they didn’t reach Yeongwoo’s ears.

Before his words could be fully pronounced, Iche, the dungeon master, filled the room and bounced everyone out of the stadium.

Bam!

Presumably, due to the dungeon’s closure as previously announced, all participants were forcibly ejected.

“Ugh!”

It was only at this moment that Yeongwoo painfully learned why he had to open the portal and leave by himself before the countdown ended.

Being forcibly ejected from the dungeon was accompanied by severe nausea and pressure.

“Aargh!”

As Yeongwoo screamed unlike his usual self, at some point, the surroundings filled with Iche suddenly turned red, and his eyes and ears opened.

“Huh!”

And simultaneously…

“Agh!”

From behind, there was a sense that Jeonggu suddenly appeared, rolling on the ground.

He, too, had been forcibly ejected.

“What the heck is all this? Is this how we’re supposed to be kicked out?”

“Ugh, what is this… Normally kicked out?”

Moaning, Jeonggu vomited on the ground.

Of course, with a wildfire raging nearby, red embers flew into Jeonggu’s wide-open mouth.

“This damn world! Still the same as ever.”

As he muttered in arrogance, Golden Goblin, riding on Negwig, approached with a clinking sound.

Clack, clack.

-Kweee!

With that, Yeongwoo waved to his two colleagues and asked his father, who was still lying on the ground.

“Did you hear earlier?”

“…Hear what?”

“What the Chinese guy said.”

“About using the same entrance tomorrow?”

“Yes. I didn’t hear it all the way to the end, but it was something like that.”

“But is that possible? Even if he finds out where we are, it’s too far to come back. Do you even know where Sandong is?”

“Where is it?”

As Yeongwoo sincerely asked, Jeonggu touched his forehead.

“Damn, it’s across from Incheon. Do you know what that means? It’s across the sea.”

Sandong Province, China.

If you use the sea route, it’s the city closest to South Korea among all regions in China.

However, considering the current means of transportation, which mainly consists of fast land travel, there was hardly any place as difficult to reach as the area across the sea.

But…

“Huh?”

As Yeongwoo made a sound as if he remembered something, Jeonggu’s face wrinkled.

“Why? What now?”

“Is there… really Sandong across from Incheon?”

“If I say so.”

“Then, wouldn’t it be not impossible for people from Sandong to use the same entrance?”

“What…? W-why is that?”

Jeonggu looked at his son with an uneasy expression.

Then the problematic son spread his hands and clapped his palms together.

Slap!

“Soon, the land will be connected. Like Pangaea!”

“What’s going to be connected…?”

Jeonggu’s mouth hung open wide.

And then, he looked at Yeongwoo with a bewildered face.

“No, seriously, look at this… This asshole treats his father like an idiot.”

[Translator – Night]

[Proofreader – Gun]