Chapter 98. Cyborg Dolphin
At the end of the deep sea, we found a door.
Beyond that door was a corridor, filled from floor to ceiling with heaps of scrap metal.
Shallow water flowed along the floor of the passage, and perhaps because of this, electricity crackled and sparked here and there.
─［Piii! The water feels so cool on my feet!］
Splash, splash.
The Jellyfish Princess didn’t care whether electricity was flowing or not.
She happily splashed forward, kicking the water with her feet.
The other monsters were no different.
Any ordinary person would have been unable to take even a single step in this perilous place, but they walked through it without a second thought.
I, too, could now pass through that area without issue.
When Min Hyeong-seok was alive, he was just an ordinary person, but with the help of the monsters under his control, he would’ve made it through this place.
Using monsters like the Jellyfish that could cast buffs.
【Pururu】─Saying it’s cool while stepping in electrified water, smh.
【Mysticism】─😮 Doesn’t even sting, huh?
【Yumi】─They’re creatures of S-rank or higher.
【Rise Nov】─Even ordinary people won’t die just because they got a little shocked.
【Pururu】─That’s because your species is weird. WTF.
【Bubble Bubble】─Yeah. In our world, weak humans can easily die from being electrocuted.
Thus, the exploration team of monsters pressed forward without stopping.
Through the endlessly long corridor, for more than a full day.
***
Labyrinth, Day 54.
What had seemed like an endless, unceasing corridor finally came to an end.
─［Piii! We’ve finally arrived!］
─［It was really long…］
【Pururu】─That was long.
【Yumi】─It’s really far, for real.
The exploration team finally stepped out of the passage.
The screen displayed by Iris showed a wide, open space.
Outside the passage lay a barren land.
Abandoned scrap heaps piled up into massive mountains all over the place, like the remnants of a desolate, future civilization.
【Rise Nov】─It’s quite a different atmosphere compared to the places we’ve been so far.
【Mysticism】─😮 It looks like a place where a machine civilization has collapsed.
The Puppet Master slowly turned his head to look around at the mountains of scrap, then asked Neo Hyeong-seok.
─［Is this the machine factory?］
─［No, this is a place called the Machine Graveyard, where the corpses of dead machine-type monsters are discarded.］
─［…And this still isn’t the machine factory? Damn, it’s really far.］
─［But we’re almost there. We should arrive in about a day if we continue moving.］
【Bubble Bubble】─We’re still not there?
【Yumi】─What… so we haven’t arrived yet.
【Pururu】─Ugh, seriously, this place is so damn far.
【Mysticism】─😠
Just for reference, reaching the machine factory doesn’t mean our mission is over.
Once we’re there, we’ll still have to find the monster we’re looking for.
‘I’m not the one going through the trouble, but I hope this expedition ends up being worth it for the monsters who’ve been working so hard…’
Not only could it modify its own body, but it was also said to invent unique and wondrous things—this machine-type monster.
I sincerely hoped it would either be useful to us or that I could tame it.
For the sake of making sure the monsters’ efforts on this expedition weren’t in vain.
“Hyeong-seok.”
─［Yes, Master?］
“Now that I think about it, you never told me how dangerous that machine-type monster is.”
─［Ah, you mean Omega?］
Omega.
That was the name of the machine-type monster Neo Hyeong-seok had mentioned.
─［If we were to assess its danger level by your standards, it would be about SS-rank. Based on my memories from when I was alive, it was much stronger than the monsters you classify as S-rank.］
“Really? But that monster hasn’t ever been tamed by an Explorer with the Assisted One trait, right?”
─［I don’t think it’s ever been tamed. At one point, it was briefly under my control, but it managed to break free. It was only for a short time, though.］
“Only for a short time? Why?”
─［Omega freed itself from my control. At that time, Min Hyeong-seok’s control power was weak. Omega’s mental strength and resistance were also exceptionally high.］
It seemed Min Hyeong-seok had encountered Omega when he was still relatively new as an Explorer.
“Got it. But considering you did manage to control it, you must have already understood the activation conditions for your control power.”
─［Yes, at that point, I had already figured out the conditions and was using the ability effectively.］
【Pururu】─Ah, Hyeong-seok didn’t explain the control activation conditions much, did he?
【Mysticism】─😶
A pointless observation, but…
Despite his garbage personality, Min Hyeong-seok was, in some ways, an impressive guy.
Surviving in this treacherous Ancient Labyrinth as an ordinary human, and figuring out the activation conditions for his ability on his own…
The fact that a normal person had managed that much was a great achievement in itself.
In addition.
Contrary to my initial guess when I first arrived here, Min Hyeong-seok’s control activation condition wasn’t to bring the opponent to the brink of death.
Min Hyeong-seok’s control condition.
It was simply to spit on the back of the target’s head and hit the mark.
To control an S-rank.
On average, a single glob of phlegm would suffice.
For ordinary saliva, it would take about five successful hits.
【Pururu】─Min Hyeong-seok’s ability was seriously ridiculous, lol.
【Mysticism】─🤭
─［I spat phlegm on Omega’s head a total of seven times, so… I guess controlling SS-rank monsters requires at least five to seven spits. There was another monster of Omega’s level that I controlled with just five spits.］
Min Hyeong-seok’s memories were only a part of Neo Hyeong-seok’s mind.
They weren’t really his own.
He was a composite of countless monsters.
Even so, Neo Hyeong-seok recounted these stories with a sense of amusement, as if they were fond memories, continuing forward.
And since I didn’t find his stories particularly boring, I listened attentively.
After about 30 minutes had passed.
─［Everyone, halt. There’s something behind that heap of scrap metal.］
Necro Puppet Master suddenly stopped the exploration team.
Iris swiftly flew up into the sky, capturing the monster hiding behind the scrap pile on camera.
【Mysticism】─😮 It’s a dolphin!
【Pururu】─For a second, I thought it was a Snake Head.
A machine body modeled after a human.
A dolphin rested on top, attached and integrated with the mechanical frame.
Its overall structure resembled that of a Snake Head monster.
“Looking closely, it wasn’t hiding, was it?”
【Yumi】─Right. It was just picking up scrap.
【Bubble Bubble】─It doesn’t seem to have noticed our exploration team yet.
【Rise Nov】─How about we use this chance to launch a surprise attack?
The exploration team monsters also saw the dolphin.
Iris, flying overhead, had transmitted the screen to the Iris near the team.
─［Oh. I didn’t expect to encounter a Cyborg Dolphin here.］
Neo Hyeong-seok, staring at the shared screen, spoke.
So, this monster was called a Cyborg Dolphin.
“You know that creature?”
─［Yes. It’s a monster Min Hyeong-seok knew. This is quite the stroke of luck.］
“Why is that lucky?”
─［That dolphin is one of Omega’s subordinates. If we recruit it, we can find Omega’s location easily. We won’t need to wander all over the machine factory.］
“…That really is lucky. But it could just be the same species, couldn’t it?”
─［That’s not possible. Only one Cyborg Dolphin exists in the entire Ancient Labyrinth.］
According to Neo Hyeong-seok.
The Cyborg Dolphin was originally a different species, but had been reborn as a new species by Omega’s hand.
In other words, there couldn’t possibly be another one like it.
And if there were, it would still be one of Omega’s subordinates.
─［I’ll approach it and try to talk. I’m not sure if it will believe me when I say I was Min Hyeong-seok, but I’ll try.］
Neo Hyeong-seok said as he took a step forward.
“You’re going to reveal that you were Min Hyeong-seok just like that? Isn’t that dangerous?”
【Pururu】─LOL, if he admits he was Min Hyeong-seok, won’t he get killed on the spot?
【Yumi】─It’s possible. From what we’ve heard, he seemed like a complete scumbag.
─［It’s fine. Other than trying to forcibly control Omega, there was no real trouble between us. In fact, I once did Omega a favor, so we’re not on bad terms.］
“What kind of favor?”
─［Omega asked me to release all the machine-type monsters I had under control.］
“Min Hyeong-seok actually granted that request? That’s surprising.”
─［Well, it was more like a threat than a request. Omega threatened to go to war if he didn’t comply. Min Hyeong-seok was scared and had no choice but to agree.］
At any rate, he did grant the request.
So, it’s not wrong to say Min Hyeong-seok earned Omega’s favor.
With that, Neo Hyeong-seok confidently walked toward the Cyborg Dolphin.
When they rounded the scrap pile, the two came face-to-face.
─［Long time no see, Cyborg Dolphin.］
Neo Hyeong-seok greeted the dolphin first.
The Cyborg Dolphin stopped collecting scrap, crouched down, and looked up at Neo Hyeong-seok, tilting its head.
─［Who are you?］
─［I was Min Hyeong-seok, an Explorer. I’ve changed my appearance for certain reasons, but I can prove I was Min Hyeong-seok. I’ll share details about the things that only Omega and I would know.］
He didn’t bother adding the explanation that he was no longer Min Hyeong-seok and that he merely possessed his memories.
─［Min Hyeong-seok…?］
The Cyborg Dolphin stood up.
It seemed to ponder for a moment, then let out a small sigh and spoke again, as if it had finally recalled who Min Hyeong-seok was.
─［Ah, that incompetent, cowardly, trash Explorer? The scumbag who spat on Omega-sama’s head seven times?］
─［······.］
【Pururu】─LOL
【Mysticism】─🤭
【Yumi】─What a brutally honest evaluation.
【Bubble Bubble】─Is this really going to be okay?
【Rise Nov】─Doesn’t seem okay. It might have been a mistake to reveal that.
─［I remember Min Hyeong-seok now. But you’re saying you’re Min Hyeong-seok?］
─［That’s right.］
─［What proof do you have?］
─［I spat on Omega’s head seven times. That should be proof enough, right?］
─［Hmm. Since you remember the exact number, you must be Min Hyeong-seok.］
The Cyborg Dolphin nodded.
Apparently, it had accepted Neo Hyeong-seok’s claim that he was Min Hyeong-seok just based on that.
【Pururu】─What kind of ridiculous proof is that? WTF.
【Yumi】─I’m speechless.
【Bubble Bubble】─But something’s been bothering me for a while. How did that Min Hyeong-seok guy manage to spit on an SS-rank’s head seven times? Could he have been more impressive than we thought?
【Mysticism】─🤔 I’m curious about how he did it too.
【Rise Nov】─Didn’t he just get help from the monsters he controlled? He probably wasn’t all that impressive himself.
Neo Hyeong-seok, observing the Cyborg Dolphin’s reaction, cleared his throat and continued.
─［Cyborg Dolphin. I’ll get straight to the point. If you haven’t forgotten the favor I did for you, guide us to Omega.］
─［Hmm? You’re looking for my master? What’s your purpose?］
─［My master’s master, the new Explorer, is desperately searching for Omega.］
─［Hmm… an Explorer, huh…］
─［Don’t worry. They’re not The Dominant One. The Explorer I serve is The Assisted One.］
─［The Assisted One? Ooooh!］
Suddenly, the Cyborg Dolphin’s eyes sparkled.
─［Omega-sama has been wanting to meet an Explorer with The Assisted One trait. This is perfect!］
I wasn’t sure why Omega wanted to meet The Assisted One, but it seemed things were going smoothly.
The Cyborg Dolphin looked around and asked.
─［Where is this Explorer now?］
─［They couldn’t come with us for certain reasons. But even from a distance, we can communicate via Iris.］
As soon as Neo Hyeong-seok finished speaking.
Iris, picking up on the cue, approached Neo Hyeong-seok and locked eyes with the Cyborg Dolphin, transmitting the image of me onto the screen.
Awkwardly, I greeted the dolphin.
“Uh, um… Hello.”
─［So, you’re the Explorer with The Assisted One trait?］
Hmm. I hadn’t expected it to speak so informally to me.
Out of politeness, I had initially spoken formally, but since it was using informal speech, I decided to drop the honorifics as well.
“That’s right.”
─［Are you really The Assisted One? If you’re lying, Omega-sama won’t let you off easily.］
“I’m definitely The Assisted One. If you don’t believe me, I can tame you right now to prove it.”
─［You’re in a different location, aren’t you? How would you tame me?］
“I have my ways. So, should I tame you or not to prove it?”
─［…No need. Seeing how confident you are, I believe you’re telling the truth.］
“So, you’ll guide us?”
─［Of course. Omega-sama has been wanting to meet an Assisted One for a while!］
【Pururu】─He’s not planning to use Geon as a test subject and dissect him, right?
【Yumi】─If that happens, we’ll just kill him. With our monsters.
【Mysticism】─😶 Yumi’s gotten quite aggressive.
─［I’ll guide you to where Omega-sama is right away, so follow me!］
The Cyborg Dolphin, gathering its scrap, spoke.
It was less suspicious than I expected.
Neo Hyeong-seok turned toward the distant exploration team, waved his hand, and shouted.
─［You can all come over now! The Cyborg Dolphin will guide us!］
With that call.
The exploration team, which had been watching from afar, quickly approached.
And then.
─［…Hik.］
The Cyborg Dolphin trembled violently, like a tree in a storm, as it saw the exploration team.
Apparently, even machine-type monsters could feel fear.
─［I-I’ll guide you as quickly as possible… Please, follow me… hehe…］
And its tone changed too.
It wasn’t just polite—it was practically groveling.
—
■Cyborg Dolphin
─Actual Danger Level: S-rank.
─Current (Nerfed) Danger Level: B-rank.
─Abilities: Metal Manipulation, Water Manipulation, Electricity Manipulation.
─Special Note: A modified monster newly created by Omega.