Chapter 623

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]

Chapter 623: Slaughterhouse (1)

A special dungeon with an average survival rate of 26%, the Slaughterhouse.

He had been to many dungeons before, but this was the first time a portal opened together with an announcement message before the tooltip even appeared.

“Twenty-six percent…?”

Yeongwoo’s mouth fell open.

“If the average is 26%, then mine should be about 52%.”

No matter how much Jung Yeongwoo’s optimism circuit tried to spin it, this was a place where there was roughly a fifty-percent chance of dying.

And on top of that—

「In this dungeon, great rewards and fame can be obtained, but survival is not guaranteed. In one way or another, some of the participants will die.」

According to the advance notice, some participants would die no matter what.

Unlike the previous dungeon, Aesthetics of the Circle, this wasn’t a place where everyone could survive through some clever loophole.

“So that’s why they’re giving us a choice beforehand?”

As Yeongwoo rubbed his chin, a massive stone slab finally rose up beside the portal.

KWAHHHH—!

And carved into the slab was the dungeon’s information.

[Slaughterhouse]

| Dungeon Rank: Unique

| Difficulty: B

| Required Participants: 12

| Recommended Participants: 48

*Prove it.

“No—why is the required number twelve?”

And more importantly—

“Rank… Unique?”

After checking the dungeon rank, Yeongwoo’s eyes widened.

Not only was this the first time he had encountered such a dungeon, but he also knew that even heirs of great houses hesitated to enter Unique-ranked dungeons.

Venura Garn, a member of the Twelve Sword Council he had met before, had once said he found a Unique dungeon but chose not to enter it.

“So when I asked why he didn’t go in, that bastard dodged the question.”

Most likely, the dungeon Venura encountered also didn’t guarantee survival.

Otherwise, how could the scion of a dueling family like Garn back down?

‘An average survival rate of 26%… Then other Unique dungeons must be similar. No wonder the noble brats run away.’

But Yeongwoo wasn’t a noble brat.

As someone who rode upon the wonders of the cosmos, his faith in himself was immense.

‘Still, the fact that a survival rate exists means someone survives. And that someone is me.’

Besides, the dungeon promised great rewards and fame.

From the perspective of the head of a newly established house, it was an offer impossible to refuse.

Step.

As Yeongwoo walked toward the portal, the four-eared Grug behind him let out a long cry.

—Kkiii…!

Whether it was worry or encouragement, he couldn’t tell.

Yeongwoo glanced back once, then stepped straight into the crimson portal.

* * *

Swaaash!

The place Yeongwoo arrived at after passing through the portal was a circular room roughly 15 meters in diameter.

The walls were made of rough stone blocks, giving the place the feeling of an ancient prison. The ceiling was about 10 meters high, making it feel somewhat like a well.

And embedded in the very center of that ceiling was—

‘Huh? What the hell, that’s my Bastard.’

His sword, Bastard, was lodged straight into the ceiling.

Beside it, Aratubank was also half-embedded.

The moment he entered the dungeon, his weapons had been confiscated.

‘It’s called the Slaughterhouse… but we can’t use weapons?’

If he wanted to, he could retrieve Bastard remotely or with the sword art of the 177 Sword Mountain.

But Yeongwoo stopped.

Beneath Bastard, he could see something like a thin barrier.

‘Figures.’

There were entrances on the left and right, but both were firmly shut.

It seemed they were waiting for the rest of the participants to enter.

“Don’t tell me they’re putting all twelve people into a space this small.”

Muttering, Yeongwoo sat down.

| Required Participants: 12

| Recommended Participants: 48

The required number was twelve, but the recommended number was a whopping forty-eight.

Which meant there had to be multiple rooms like this.

‘How does this dungeon work? Do we fight each other barehanded until we’re all dead?’

He didn’t feel particularly tense, but the lack of rules made him uneasy.

‘Coming in early doesn’t help at all. At least tell us the rules first.’

Just as Yeongwoo turned his gaze back toward Bastard—

A pitch-black greatsword appeared beside it, embedded in the ceiling.

“……!”

Fwoooosh!

Crimson-black smoke erupted, and a massive lizardman was summoned.

—Ah.

The lizardman briefly scanned the room, then looked down at his empty hands.

—They take the weapons first, huh.

Then he looked at Yeongwoo.

—Are you in the same group as me?

“What?”

Seeing Yeongwoo tilt his head, the lizardman came to his own conclusion.

—Looks like the rules aren’t public yet.

‘This guy’s been to dungeons like this before.’

Only then did Yeongwoo notice the countless battle scars covering the lizardman’s body.

He was nearly three times larger than an average lizardman, and his entire body was covered in scars.

Thud!

The lizardman punched the stone wall.

“What are you doing?”

—Judging by how you talk, you won’t live long.

“What?”

—I’m checking for hidden passages or functions.

Thud!

After circling the room and striking the walls, the lizardman finally looked up at the weapons in the ceiling.

—Interesting.

“Why? What are other dungeons like?”

Yeongwoo was openly advertising that this was his first Unique dungeon.

The lizardman twisted one side of his face and looked around.

—You and I are almost certainly in the same group. Same starting point.

“So?”

—That group only means one of two things.

“One of two?”

—Either we select the first survivor within the group, or it’s a cooperation setup.

Selecting a first survivor meant fighting among themselves.

‘Ah, so that’s why the weapons are up there.’

As Yeongwoo nodded, the lizardman continued.

—Let’s hope it’s the former. I don’t want to team up with someone who’s obviously going to die.

“You don’t believe in surprises? I might be stronger than I look. And you don’t seem like a bad guy, seeing how you’re explaining everything.”

—Once my sword is back in my hand, I’ll think differently.

A murderous aura leaked from the lizardman.

At that moment, two more blades embedded themselves into the ceiling.

“Oh? Another one?”

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]

As crimson-black smoke rose again, a gaunt, mummy-like man appeared.

Wearing leather armor, the third participant had an extra arm growing from near his back.

‘Looks like a dual-blade user.’

The man glanced at his empty hands, then immediately up at the ceiling.

—They take weapons first. Fun.

Clearly, he had experience with this type of dungeon as well.

‘What the hell? Am I the only newbie?’

Next, a long spear embedded itself into the ceiling, followed by the arrival of a one-eyed warrior in heavy armor.

Thud!

The weight of his footsteps alone was overwhelming.

—Damn it. Groups are already formed.

Seeing three people already present, he clearly wasn’t pleased.

After confirming his weapon was confiscated, he checked the others’ hands.

—Rules still not revealed? Everyone’s unarmed.

The lizardman counted heads and replied.

—Once enough people gather, it’ll start.

And as if on cue, a sharp signal echoed through the room.

BEEEEEP!

「A sufficient number of participants has been gathered.」

「We will now explain the rules of the ‘Slaughterhouse.’」

‘Finally.’

Everyone fixed their gaze on the air.

Then the first rule appeared.

「The space you are currently in is your group’s starting point.」

「Once ‘slaughter’ begins, each group must reduce its members to 50% or less within the allotted time.」

‘Fifty percent or less?’

There were four people here.

That meant two—or even just one—could survive.

「Once the allotted time expires, the exits will open. Any group whose member count exceeds 50% will be annihilated.」

‘…This is insane.’

No matter what, at least two people had to die.

‘This is way more brutal than I expected.’

While Yeongwoo was thinking, the other three were already evaluating each other.

「Further instructions will be provided once group composition is finalized.」

Then, as if saying goodbye, the system added—

「Good luck.」

“……!”

Something had begun.

And immediately—

Swaaaaa—!

A disturbing presence descended from above.

‘Damn it.’

The barrier separating the weapons and the participants vanished.

At the same time, a timer appeared in the center of the room.

[00:59]

Fifty-nine seconds.

—…Ah!

—It’s starting!

Everyone except Yeongwoo leapt toward the ceiling.

Yeongwoo alone—

Whoosh.

Spread his arms and remotely recalled Bastard.

Before the others’ feet even touched the ground again, he struck.

SHHRAAAAAK!

He sliced clean through the waist of the gaunt, three-armed man.

SPLAT!

The body split in two and rolled across the floor.

The lizardman and the one-eyed warrior landed, mouths hanging open.

[00:57]

Fifty-seven seconds remaining.

Now at least one more had to die.

And the first move had already been made.

—……!

The one-eyed warrior gambled instinctively.

With the reach of his spear, he lunged at Yeongwoo and shouted to the lizardman.

—There are two of us! Go around and—

Before he could finish—

The ceiling split open, and over a hundred blades rained down.

—You crazy—!

It was Yeongwoo’s 177 Sword Mountain.

Amazingly, the one-eyed warrior deflected most of it with his spear.

But he couldn’t stop Bastard.

SHRRRAAAK!

His throat was pierced.

He collapsed on the spot.

The lizardman, pressed awkwardly against the wall, slowly raised both hands.

—I—I didn’t help him. I never intended to fight you.

Yeongwoo knew that was a lie.

But it was true that the lizardman hadn’t joined the attack.

He had already understood Yeongwoo’s strength.

[00:49]

Forty-nine seconds left.

Panicking, the lizardman even dropped his weapon.

—Two survivors… that’s allowed, right? Let’s get through this together!

“Hmmm.”

Yeongwoo hesitated.

More than whether to spare him, he was thinking about how to trigger the dungeon’s hidden reward.

‘Be the sole survivor? Too obvious.’

‘Maybe leaving the maximum allowed survivors matters.’

‘They said there’s a next stage… but no hints until group composition ends.’

As the timer dropped into the twenties, Yeongwoo finally made his decision.

“Hey.”

At least he’d secure the minimum.

“Is your family rich?”

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]