I Became a Gallery Newbie Beloved by Transcendents Chapter 18

I Became a Gallery Newbie Beloved by Transcendents

Chapter 18

 

 I looked around.

It seemed to be a waiting area in front of the dungeon entrance. Yellow walls were visible.

It reminded me of the stage 1 scenery.

This exchange meeting’s theme was dungeon.

The exchange meeting had three themes in total.

Dungeon, mission, and martial arts competition.

Murder between players was possible in dungeon and mission, excluding martial arts competition.

In other words, the list of things i needed to be wary of included the dungeon monsters and six other players.

The Chinese player from the 7th floor, Sun Haoran.

The next person who approached me and told me his name was Korean.

“I’m Baek Jin-young.”

The number above his head was 8. Baek Jin-young spoke quietly and smiled.

I uttered the name I had decided to use as an alias.

“I’m Jung Woo-hyun.”

It would be impossible to hide being from South Korea once we started talking anyway.

Using a complete alias was the best option to prepare for any variables that might occur.

After all, unlike the modern world I lived in, there were no CCTVs here.

Since only people below the 10th floor were gathered, there was no one who would take photos with their terminal.

Even if they saw my face, it didn’t seem like they could spread it clearly.

‘If variables occur, I’ll handle it as thoroughly as possible.’

The next person who approached with a bright smile was a man with brown hair.

“I’m Jake. Nice to meet you!”

Jake suddenly offered a handshake and introduced himself as American.

I shook his hand.

The number floating above Jake’s head was 6.

At that moment, Baek Jin-young, who had been standing back, scratched the back of his head and approached.

“I’m so glad there’s another Korean here. During the last exchange meeting, there were only Chinese and Japanese people, which was quite surprising.”

Baek Jin-young tried to continue talking to me, mentioning our common Korean background.

This didn’t feel strange to me.

Being happy to see someone from the same hometown was a very natural thing.

This was behavior that one might exhibit even without any ulterior motives.

“Is this your first exchange meeting?”

“Yes.”

“At first glance, the tower seems to want to kill all the players. But that’s not always the case. In exchange meetings, if player harmony is maintained well, they often get resolved more easily than regular tower floors in countless cases.”

This was what a pioneer senior had told me.

Unless I was extremely unlucky and got stuck in the underground waterway, the difficulty itself would be easier than Pandemonium.

“May I ask which difficulty tower you came from?”

Looks like he’s really trying to investigate me thoroughly.

I mentioned the difficulty I had already decided on along with my alias.

“Normal difficulty.”

Baek Jin-young opened his eyes wide.

“Oh, I’m from Normal too. I’m from Normal Tower numbering 121.”

According to the notification window that appeared when I entered the 2nd floor, the Pandemonium Tower where I reside is numbered 01.

According to the Transcender gallery seniors, towers are generated when they are needed and people fill them up.

Compared to the Normal Towers that had to grow up to 121 due to the oversaturation of summoned personnel, Pandemonium only needed one.

Indeed, how difficult would my path ahead be?

It felt overwhelming.

It looked like Baek Jin-young was about to say something more, curling his lips.

A window appeared in front of the dungeon waiting room.

[You are given 10 minutes of preparation time.]

[Enter the dungeon after preparation.]

[10:00]

BEEP.

[09:59]

Why is there a time limit for entry?

I fiddled with the handle of the straight sword at my waist.

It wasn’t an action stemming from tension.

“Are you okay…?”

But it seems I appeared tense to the Japanese woman.

“Yes, I’m fine.”

“I’m Misaki.”

Misaki, 8th floor.

I organized the personnel.

Baek Jin-young and me. Two Koreans.

And Jake from the 6th floor who had greeted me, one American.

Misaki, one Japanese.

The Chinese woman from the 8th floor next to Misaki. And Sun Haoran from the 7th floor who greeted me first.

That makes two Chinese.

Finally, the blonde woman yawning in the corner spoke.

“Germany, Laura.”

One German.

That made seven people in total.

Above Laura’s head was the number ‘9’.

Laura stretched and then stood up.

“Is there anything specific to prepare? Someone with a shield should take the front. The rest should support well and do their part. It’s not difficult.”

I couldn’t tell if that slightly arrogant attitude came from confidence in her combat abilities or from being on the 9th floor.

I’ll find out soon when the dungeon conquest begins. I intended to strictly focus on doing my part this time.

No more, no less. Just act like a normal person.     
   And watching others’ combat was my main objective.

“I have a shield.”

Jake said, holding up his shield.

Laura made a chin gesture. The target was Sun Haoran.

“You take the frontline alongside Jake. I’ll be in the center. The rest, figure it out yourselves.”

“Sure thing.”

Sun Haoran accepted without much resistance.

The clear party members seemed to be Misaki and the Chinese woman next to her.

I wasn’t sure about the rest.

Laura, wearing leather armor, grinned at me.

“You have to protect your own life. This is a place where no one can look after you.”

Ah, yes.

I quietly nodded.

The weak position.

Not bad. Rather, it was a position where I could leisurely observe these people’s movements.

CREAKING-

Jake pulled open the huge door in front of the notification window.

[You have entered the dungeon – ‘Kobold’s Cradle’.]

…Kobold?

I recalled browsing the gallery before sleeping yesterday.

– Archmage) Kobolds are stronger than goblins but weaker than orcs.

The Archmage senior’s prediction about “what monsters might appear if a dungeon comes up in the exchange meeting” turned out correct.

So, does that mean I’ll be fighting enemies that are actually lower level than those I fought on the 2nd floor?

Jake’s voice was heard.

“Hmm, kobolds are not easy opponents…!”

?

Is that so?

Are kobolds not easy opponents?

I began to wonder what kind of experience these confidently advancing friends had.

The seniors mentioned some points to be careful about.

ㄴ Dragon King of Demons) Beltoui-, like all species, the kings are exceptionally strong even within their kind.

ㄴ Were they strong even by your standards??

ㄴ Dragon King of Demons) I’m just educating at your level for the climber. Beltoui- has high empathy stats.

It means just be careful of the Kobold King.

Faint light was seeping through the darkness. Torches were hanging on walls here and there.

Humidity and dampness were felt from the moment we set foot in the dungeon.

SWISH!

Chains flew from between two huge rocks.

I watched Jake’s movement.

Jake raised his round shield with all his might.

CLANG!

The chains lost direction as they were blocked by the shield.

SHING!

Laura, who had been standing at the back, drew her longsword and stepped forward.

Laura’s body flowed like water towards the kobold behind the rock. The longsword was thrust into the kobold’s shoulder.

GRAAAK!

A scream burst from the kobold’s mouth.

Laura couldn’t kill it with one strike. She delivered exactly three sword strikes before cutting off its breath.

It was just simple slashing and thrusting without any particular form.

Still, her combat sense itself didn’t look bad.

RUMBLE-!

Stones suddenly fell from the right. The wall that I thought was just narrower than the front was actually a trap.

Spears rushed through the fallen stones.

The destination of those spear tips was my neck.

CLACK!

I deflected the spear’s trajectory with my drawn straight sword.

STAB!

And I thrust my sword into the heart of the kobold who owned the spear.

I felt someone staring at me intently.

It was the Japanese woman Misaki’s gaze.

A gaze full of questions about how someone just from the 3rd floor could show such reactions.

I gestured with my chin and said,

“One’s coming at you too. Be careful.”

“H-hai?”

Why doesn’t that get auto-translated?

This time, a mace was flying from the direction the spear had come from.

With enough force to crush Misaki’s head.

I grabbed Misaki’s shoulder and pulled her back. Then I stabbed the straight sword under the chin of the kobold who had swung the mace.

And pulled it out.

“I told you to be careful.”

“S-sorry….”

Misaki, who had clung tightly to the Chinese woman in her party, nodded awkwardly.

“…You’re quite skilled in combat. 3rd floor.”

The Chinese woman’s voice was heard.

Yes, that level of recognition is enough. I intend to maintain an observer’s perspective this exchange meeting.

***

<Transcender Gallery>.

Though Han Yuseong was absent from the gallery, the topic of conversation was still directed towards him, the only climber of the initial gallery.

Title: Everything Will Be Fine, Right?

Author: Archmage

– The monsters’ level will be even lower than Pandemonium’s 2nd floor. In the end, humans are always the variable.

ㄴ Nothing will happen to Anonymous

ㄴ There’s no way someone over level 20 who can use sword energy would be at a 10th floor exchange meeting.

ㄴ Tower Master) From what I’ve seen, the climber isn’t the type to easily trust people just because he’s happy to meet someone after a long time.

ㄴ Ice Queen) Frozen! I agree!     
ㄴ Light’s Sword ) I’ve given enough advice, so I’ll listen.

ㄴ Dragon King of Demons) Beltui- please give me late-night snack advice too.

ㄴ Light’s Sword ) Die.

ㄴ Wouldn’t it be more fun if variables occurred instead?

ㄴ Pioneer) That’s right.

ㄴ Isolationist) You know life well, yeah.

ㄴ Archmage) These things soaked in dopamine….