Chapter 8. Passage No. 3
Just as I was about to explore Cave No. 3, a new assistant appeared.
【Pururu】─Nice to meet you, newbie!
【002】─🤨
【Pururu】─When you see a senior, you should greet them.
【002】─😛
【Pururu】─? Don’t stick out your dirty tongue. You’ll get scolded.
【002】─🤭
【Pururu】─Don’t laugh either.
【002】─😃
【Pururu】─What the… Are you a foreigner?
I delayed the departure for a bit. I needed to explain the situation to 002 as well.
I slowly repeated the story I told Pururu.
This was another world, a space known as the Labyrinth, teeming with monsters.
I started by telling him that today I had been dragged here from Earth.
【002】─🤨
I explained that I was streaming from this other world and that my role was that of an explorer in the Labyrinth, while his role was to support me as an assistant.
【002】─😶
After explaining the roles of the explorer and the assistant…
【002】─🤔
【Pururu】─Stop interrupting and just listen quietly.
I continued to explain that this was my second time coming to this world, that my powers were sealed, and that no one else could watch this broadcast. I didn’t leave out anything I had told Pururu.
【002】─😏
I couldn’t tell if 002 believed me or not. He was still only using emojis without typing a single word.
“Excuse me, 002.”
【002】─🙂
“Did you understand what I said?”
【002】─🤔
The emoji seemed to express doubt. It looked like he didn’t believe me.
Well, I didn’t expect him to believe me right away. Of course, there was a way to make him believe.
“Have you not noticed the spider on my shoulder yet? The Dog Spider.”
I called the Dog Spider and gently petted its head with my finger.
［Siiik!］
It seemed to be in a good mood, rubbing its face against my finger.
“You see this? This little guy is a monster.”
Although it was still the size of an ordinary spider, there were no such creatures on Earth.
Even though this Dog Spider wasn’t fully grown, it was more than enough proof that monsters were real.
【002】─😱
【Pururu】─ㅋㅋㅋ Surprised?
“Do you believe me now?”
【002】─😵
“Does that mean you believe me?”
【002】─😵
“Come on, stop only using emojis and type something.”
【002】─🤐
“Is this guy crazy?”
【Pururu】─For real, seems a bit lacking.
I couldn’t help but swear. Why wouldn’t he type something? It was frustrating.
【002】─😠
【Pururu】─What are you going to do if you get angry?
【002】─😡
【Pururu】─Scary, scary.
Forget it, I decided to ignore it.
Even if he still didn’t believe me, he would naturally start to believe as he continued to watch the broadcast.
Of course, if I didn’t prove it properly now, he might leave the broadcast. But that would only be a bit disappointing; it wouldn’t be a huge loss for me.
After all, I already had one assistant who supported me unconditionally.
【Pururu】─Purupuru!
For now, having Pururu alone was enough. Whoever 002 was, they were friendly to me.
【002】─🤔
But this person, 002, wasn’t communicating, nor did it seem like they would provide any support, so there was no need to hold on to them.
That didn’t mean I wanted them to leave, though.
The more assistants, the better. Even if they were strange, it was better to have them stay.
‘I shouldn’t ask about their identity either. It seems like they want to hide it, just like Pururu.’
I didn’t intend to hold on to them desperately, but I also didn’t want to scare them off by putting unnecessary pressure on them.
***
I entered Passage No. 3.
This time, the goal was not only to explore the cave but also to resupply water and food.
【Pururu】─This cave is bigger than the one with the spiders earlier.
【002】─😐
As I moved forward, I quietly asked the Dog Spider.
“Dog Spider.”
［Sii?］
“Other than your ability to shoot webs, you don’t have any other abilities, right?”
［Siii…］
The Dog Spider replied with a dejected look.
It seemed that shooting webs was its only ability. Well, if it had another ability, it would have shown it earlier.
I didn’t have high expectations anyway. I just asked out of curiosity.
【Pururu】─Web-shooting one-trick spider. ㅋㅋ
【002】─🤭
【Pururu】─Don’t you laugh. Only I can laugh at our spider.
【002】─🤔
【Pururu】─These emojis are really annoying.
My steps felt heavy. I was already starting to worry.
When I encountered a monster, would the Dog Spider be able to handle it?
‘It seems unlikely…’
This Labyrinth was on a high level.
Even the giant skeleton monster I encountered at the beginning had an S-rank danger level. I didn’t get a good look at the monsters around it, but from what I glimpsed, they all seemed to be at least B-rank.
Moreover, the Dog Spider with me now was also B-rank.
Assuming the worst-case scenario, this might be the deepest part of the Labyrinth, or it could be a Labyrinth filled only with boss-level monsters.
‘If that assumption is correct, the Dog Spider’s abilities need to at least work on monsters of the same rank or higher. Otherwise, there’s no chance of winning.’
Additionally, it needed to be able to block magic.
Once a monster’s danger level exceeds B-rank, there are many that can use magic. I wasn’t hoping for it to block psychic powers as well, but I desperately wished the web had the ability to nullify magic.
【Pururu】─Geon, are you nervous? You look pale.
“A little? I don’t know what kind of monsters we’ll encounter.”
【Pururu】─If you encounter a dangerous-looking monster, just run away immediately. You can’t get hurt.
【002】─😟
As I walked, I kept organizing my thoughts. Then, a certain curiosity suddenly came to mind.
‘Come to think of it, how did Min Hyeong-seok subdue the monsters at first?’
To use the power of the Dominant One, you need to bring a monster to the brink of death.
Min Hyeong-seok didn’t seem to have that kind of power. To me, he seemed ordinary. Although he was quite agile, he hadn’t reached the Superhuman Realm.
In other words, there was a high probability that Min Hyeong-seok was just a normal human before he was dragged to this place.
‘Oh. There is a way, though.’
The curiosity was quickly resolved.
It was a very simple problem, one that I could answer with a little thought.
The description of the Dominant One included this phrase: “You can make a monster obey if you bring it to the brink of death.”
Nowhere does it say you have to do it yourself.
In other words, it meant that you could make a monster obey even if it was brought to the brink of death by someone else.
‘If I tame a monster with healing abilities, I’ll have to use the same method as Min Hyeong-seok. It’s safer than fighting.’
As I thought about Min Hyeong-seok, his death came to mind. Then I remembered the strange change in the monsters when I briefly glanced back after hiding in Passage No. 1.
‘…Could that have been a mistake?’
It was highly likely that the change was a mistake. I only took a brief side glance, and I saw them even more carelessly than when I had scanned Min Hyeong-seok’s monsters.
So my instinct for measuring strength probably didn’t manifest correctly. It had to be that way. If it wasn’t a mistake, I wouldn’t be able to survive in this Labyrinth unless I unlocked all my seals.
What mistake am I talking about?
At that moment, I had the feeling that all the monsters had gotten stronger overall. Not just a little stronger; their danger level had increased by two whole stages.
The giant skeleton looked like it was SSS-rank, and the other monsters looked like they were at least S-rank.
It didn’t make any sense unless it was a mistake.
‘I’ve been trying not to think about it, but it came back to mind again… Just forget it, forget it. I’ve never heard of monsters suddenly getting two stages stronger.’
I deliberately erased the memory again.
Assuming the worst can help with survival sometimes, but being overly anxious can have the opposite effect.
***
About 20 minutes had passed since entering Cave No. 3.
【Pururu】─Puwaaah!!!
【002】─🤔
I hadn’t found any food or water yet. But I did find something else.
【Pururu】─Huh? There’s something over there!
【002】─😮
A monster freely floating through the air came into view. I quickly hid behind a rock. Then, I carefully peeked out to get a better look at it.
【Pururu】
─It’s floating in the air? Is that a monster too?
【002】─😮
The monster’s appearance reminded me of a jellyfish.
‘Is that…?’
Familiar with its appearance, my eyes widened.
I rubbed my eyes, thinking I might have seen it wrong, and then looked again. It was even clearer this time. I realized I hadn’t seen it wrong after all.
That jellyfish was definitely a monster I had encountered in another world.
‘Jellyfish?’
A monster as powerful as the Hero and Demon King.
An S-rank danger level, the Demon King Jellyfish.
‘Why does it have to be an S-rank monster… Huh? Wait a minute.’
Normally, I should have turned and run without looking back.
The chances that the Dog Spider’s webs would work on an S-rank were extremely low. But I didn’t run.
Sensing something strange, I stayed hidden behind the rock, calmly observing it.
‘What is this? It looks just like a jellyfish, but…’
For some reason…
The danger level of that jellyfish was the same as the Dog Spider’s, at B-rank.