Chapter 3. First Sewer Request
The smell hit him first.
Before they even opened the door.
At the end of an eastern alley in Blackroot Outpost City, an iron door had been set beneath a collapsed stone wall.
Damp air leaked through the gaps of the rust-blackened door and struck Kim Do-yoon directly in the face.
Rotten water.
Mold.
Old blood.
Rat droppings.
And something he could not even name.
Do-yoon unconsciously took a step back.
Liana saw him and gave a small laugh.
"Giving up before we've even started?"
"No."
Do-yoon clenched his teeth.
But if he was being honest, he felt like his stomach was about to turn inside out.
The school bathrooms in reality had smelled terrible too, but this was on an entirely different level.
It felt as though the stench itself were a living creature crawling into his mouth.
Liana pulled a small piece of cloth from her waist and tossed it to him.
"Cover your nose. Most beginners throw up their first time down there."
Do-yoon caught the cloth and covered his nose and mouth.
The smell did not disappear.
It only became slightly weaker.
Liana stood before the iron door and drew a short dagger.
The blade looked ordinary, but the moment she held it, the air seemed to change slightly.
"Today's request is simple."
She continued,
"A group of Mutated Rats has settled deeper inside the sewer. Around twenty of them. There's a good chance one of them is a leader."
Do-yoon adjusted his grip on the dagger.
The cheap dagger he had received from the Registration Office.
Its handle was rough.
Its blade was short.
But it was the first real weapon he had ever held.
His hand trembled.
Liana noticed immediately.
"If you're scared, say so."
"I'm fine."
"Don't pretend you're fine."
Do-yoon looked at her.
Liana was not joking.
He remained silent for a moment before answering honestly.
"I'm scared."
"Good."
"What?"
"People who know they're scared live longer."
Liana placed her hand on the iron door handle.
"There are only two kinds of people who aren't afraid."
"Crazy people..."
"Or people who are about to die."
The iron door opened.
Creeeeak.
The cry of rusted metal echoed through the narrow alley.
Darkness opened its mouth.
Do-yoon stared into it.
The sewer continued down a flight of stairs.
He could faintly hear black water flowing below.
Damp moss covered the walls, and strange scratch marks scarred the stone steps.
Liana lit a lantern.
Orange light pushed back the darkness.
But it did not completely brighten the passage.
The darkness merely pretended to retreat before clinging once again to the walls and ceiling.
"Stay behind me. But not too close."
"Why?"
"You'd be surprised how many terrified beginners stab their own party member in the back."
Do-yoon fell silent.
He could not tell whether she was joking.
The two descended the stairs.
One step.
Another.
The sounds from outside grew distant.
People talking.
Wagon wheels.
The ringing of a blacksmith's hammer.
All of them faded away.
In their place came the sound of running water and rats.
Squeak.
Squeak, squeak.
A chill ran down the back of Do-yoon's neck.
He had seen rats in reality before.
Behind convenience stores.
Near garbage piles.
In old alleys.
But the sounds coming from ahead were not made by any rat he knew.
Louder.
Lower.
Almost like a human crying.
When they reached the bottom of the sewer, a narrow passage appeared.
A stream of black water ran through the center, while thin stone walkways followed both sides.
Liana examined the wall before pointing at a scratch mark.
"See that?"
Do-yoon nodded.
Deep marks had been carved into the wall.
They were not made by fingers.
They were claw marks.
"Fresh. They're close."
Do-yoon swallowed.
Sweat gathered around the hand gripping his dagger.
Then a message appeared before his eyes.
[Pride's Body prepares for battle.]
His vision became slightly sharper.
Sounds became clearer.
Something moving deeper within the sewer.
Drool falling into water.
Claws scratching across stone.
Do-yoon stopped breathing.
"They're coming."
The words escaped him unconsciously.
Liana glanced sideways at him.
"You sensed them?"
Before Do-yoon could answer...
Something leaped out of the darkness.
A rat.
But it was far too large to simply call a rat.
It was the size of a medium dog.
Black, spike-like fur stood along its back.
Its eyes were cloudy yellow.
Foam bubbled around its mouth.
The Mutated Rat charged straight at Do-yoon.
"To the side!"
At Liana's shout, Do-yoon twisted his body.
The rat's teeth grazed his thigh.
His school uniform pants tore.
A shallow cut opened across his skin, and blood began to seep out.
Hot pain.
Do-yoon swallowed his scream.
"Dagger!"
Liana shouted.
The rat spun around.
It was even faster this time.
Do-yoon thrust his dagger forward.
But his movement was clumsy.
The blade only scratched the rat's side.
The Mutated Rat shrieked even more sharply.
Screeeech!
It leaped toward Do-yoon's wrist.
At that instant, Liana's dagger flashed.
The rat's throat split open.
Black blood splattered across the stone floor.
The creature twitched twice.
Then stopped moving.
Do-yoon breathed heavily.
Liana flicked the blood from her dagger.
"You almost died."
"I know."
"No."
Her voice turned cold.
"You don't know yet."
"You've gotten faster, but you don't know how to fight."
"Having strength doesn't mean you understand combat."
Do-yoon clenched his teeth.
She was right.
He had killed the monster in the forest with his bare hands because of his strength.
But that had been closer to luck than skill.
If several fast enemies attacked him at once like this...
He would be overwhelmed immediately.
Liana nudged the dead rat with her foot.
"Don't try to stab first."
"Your dagger is short, and your movements are clumsy."
"When your enemy charges, step aside and aim for the throat or eyes."
"Don't get greedy."
"If you try to kill something in one strike, you'll be the one who dies."
Do-yoon nodded.
"I'll try again."
Liana smiled.
"Good. I like that answer."
The two continued deeper inside.
The sewer was more complicated than Do-yoon had expected.
The passage split repeatedly.
Thick moss and black mold covered the walls.
Water dripped from the ceiling.
Drip.
Drip.
Drip.
The sound gradually began to resemble a heartbeat.
As they walked, Do-yoon looked down at his injury.
The scratch on his thigh was slowly healing.
It had not completely disappeared, but the bleeding had almost stopped.
[Pride's Body repairs minor damage.]
Do-yoon inhaled quietly.
Healing.
Physical enhancement.
Combat senses.
This power was real.
What if I return to reality?
For a moment, he imagined it.
Gym class.
Running.
Basketball.
Fighting.
He imagined himself grabbing Park Tae-seong's wrist and twisting it when Tae-seong tried to shove him.
The thought was incredibly sweet.
Then another message appeared.
[Pride whispers.]
[You are already above them.]
Do-yoon stopped.
Liana looked back.
"Why did you stop?"
"It's nothing."
Do-yoon resumed walking.
But something was growing inside his chest.
At first, he thought it was confidence.
But it was slightly different.
It was the urge to look down on someone.
Why did I let them hit me?
Why did I put up with it?
Why did I ever think those bastards were above me?
One thought led to another.
Do-yoon shook his head.
No.
Focus.
Liana suddenly raised her hand.
A signal to stop.
Low squeaks came from the passage ahead.
Squeak, squeak, squeak.
Squeak.
Screeeech.
This time, it was not just one.
Liana raised her lantern.
Yellow eyes appeared one after another in the darkness.
Five.
Six.
Seven.
A group of Mutated Rats blocked the passage.
Liana spoke quietly.
"Good. This time, you go first."
Do-yoon's heart pounded.
"Me?"
"I'll watch from behind. I'll help if you're about to die."
"Isn't that a little late?"
"That's how you learn."
Liana stepped backward.
Do-yoon raised his dagger.
The rats lowered their bodies at the same time.
He inhaled.
The smell was disgusting.
But now he could hear beyond the stench.
The order of claws touching stone.
The direction tails struck the water.
Which one would attack first.
Far left.
Do-yoon knew instinctively.
And sure enough, the rat on the far left leaped first.
This time, Do-yoon did not face it head-on.
Just as Liana had taught him, he stepped aside.
As the rat passed him, he swung the dagger upward.
The blade cut beneath its throat.
Black blood sprayed out.
One.
But there was no time to celebrate.
The second rat immediately attacked.
Do-yoon tried to step backward, but his foot slipped.
The stone floor had been covered in black water.
The rat bit his arm.
"Ugh!"
Sharp teeth dug into his flesh.
Do-yoon almost screamed, but clenched his teeth instead.
Even when he shook his arm, the creature refused to let go.
The rat's eyes gleamed directly in front of him.
Then something exploded inside his head.
Wrath.
Anger rose before fear could.
A filthy rat like this...
Bit my arm?
Do-yoon slammed his bitten arm against the wall.
Bang!
He heard the rat's body crunch.
Again.
Bang!
Its teeth finally came loose.
The rat dropped to the ground, twitching.
Do-yoon immediately drove his dagger into it.
Two.
His breathing grew heavier.
The remaining rats became agitated.
Three attacked him at once.
Do-yoon did not retreat.
Instead...
He stepped forward.
Without even realizing it.
Liana shouted,
"Don't go too deep!"
But it was already too late.
Do-yoon kicked one rat in the head.
A hard impact struck the tip of his foot.
The creature flew backward.
Another rat tried to bite his thigh.
Do-yoon raised his knee to block it, then stabbed the dagger into its eye.
The third leaped toward his throat.
This time...
He could not avoid it.
Its teeth rushed toward his face.
At that instant, Liana's dagger cut through the air.
The rat's body split in two.
Blood splattered across Do-yoon's face.
He stood there blankly.
Liana grabbed his collar and dragged him backward.
"Get a grip!"
Do-yoon looked at her.
"Why? I could've killed it."
Liana's gaze turned cold.
"You could've killed it?"
"Yes."
"It would've killed you if it reached your throat."
"I could've dodged."
"Did you dodge just now?"
Do-yoon could not answer.
Liana spoke quietly.
"That is Pride."
Do-yoon stopped breathing.
