The child pressed himself even further into the wall as the adults closed the distance.
That was the only form of resistance he had. As his hair was yanked and he was dragged by force, the child pleaded again and again.
There was only one thing he wanted.
To rest for just one day.
Just one day...
“......”
Cover stood motionless, arms limp at his sides, staring blankly at the screen.
Even as the man with hands the size of pot lids slapped the child across the face and dragged the struggling body into the hallway, Cover didn’t look away.
By now, even Eun Woojeong couldn’t help but realize that there was a connection between the child in the video and Cover.
And this wasn’t the time to be zoning out.
“Mr. Cover.”
Just as Eun Woojeong stepped forward and grabbed Cover’s arm—
Tak, tak, tak, tak.
A strange sound came rapidly from the darkness.
Something large and sharp was ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) tapping against the walls in a steady rhythm. Before they could even figure out what it was, an ominous pressure crept across their skin.
“......!”
The energy—surpassing even S-rank—made Eun Woojeong snap his head up. Cover, who had been staring dazedly at the monitor, also came back to his senses as he felt it.
Tak, tak, tak.
The sound drew closer. Eun Woojeong quickly scanned the area, narrowing his eyes.
“Where is it coming from? The energy is flooding the entire room—it’s impossible to pinpoint...”
Inside the mask, his gem-like eyes widened.
He had sensed the massive size of the creature clinging to the ceiling. He yanked Cover’s arm and pulled his upper body to the side in an instant.
“Ugh!”
Cover’s torso tilted hard. A stream of liquid sliced through the air between their bodies and splashed across the desk.
Ssshhhh!
The purple-black fluid sizzled violently, eating away at the desk with a horrible stench.
Creeeak!
The ordinary wooden desk couldn’t withstand the acid and split in two. The television sets and the VCR containing the videotapes tumbled to the ground.
“Wait—!”
Cover reached out instinctively, startled by the collapse of the equipment—but Eun Woojeong seized him by the collar and dashed in the opposite direction.
“Are you insane? Snap out of it!”
BOOM!
A massive explosion rocked the entire room just after Eun Woojeong shouted.
A gust of thick dust was blasted toward them.
From straight ahead came a sharp, killing aura, carried on the wind. Cover, now crouched with one knee on the floor, gripped his sword tightly.
Creeeak, sshhaaaa...
A menacing chitter from an insect.
Through the thinning dust, a dark silhouette flickered—so large that you’d have to crane your neck back just to see its head.
Tak, tak.
Long, hairy legs tapped against the floor. Eight limbs, each tipped with needle-like points, were coated in thick carapace.
Dozens of clustered eyes gleamed dimly in the darkness with a murky green light. Beneath them, two thick fangs—each the size of a human torso—jutted forward.
At the end of its plump, round abdomen was a venomous stinger. Purple-black fluid oozed steadily from its fangs and tail alike.
Seeing the true master of this place, Eun Woojeong’s expression twisted in disgust.
“That thing you said you figured out from the corpses... it was this, wasn’t it?”
“Only a handful of monsters dissolve their prey with venom before eating it.”
A massive spider-type monster.
Named after the famous fantasy creature, this boss monster was known as Shelob.
“Not something you see every day.”
And it wasn’t even the type to appear in dungeon-prison settings like this—it was more common in jungle-type dungeons.
“But this aura...”
The strongest Shelob ever recorded was classified A-rank and had been found in a dungeon in Vietnam.
But this one—looming before them now—was undeniably above S-rank.
The fairy from the Great Dungeon that Cha Sahyeon had warned them about was SS-rank. Thankfully, this Shelob felt weaker than that. So maybe somewhere between S and SS?
Drawing his sword, Cover muttered darkly.
“Don’t tell me you’re in league with that thing—trying to feed me to it.”
“You really have a talent for making jokes sound serious.”
Half-joking. Maybe.
Either way, this was clearly Shelob’s feeding ground. That mountain of corpses was all the evidence they needed.
“Fucking hell. These cult freaks never run out of surprises.”
So they raised a Shelob to dispose of the victims who died during human experimentation? What kind of deranged logic was that?
Letting out a scoff, Cover rose to his feet. His eyes locked on the VCR lying under the spider’s belly.
“The videotape with Cha Sahyeon in it... I have to get it back.”
If he could create an opening, he could shove the whole VCR into his inventory.
Better to grab the player first—he’d have more freedom in the fight that way.
“No exit in sight. Looks like we’ll have to kill it.”
“You go first.”
Grumbling that Cover was too harsh, Eun Woojeong summoned his chains.
They burst forth from behind him, stretching in every direction. Pale white in the darkness, the chains anchored themselves throughout the room, expanding their reach.
They began to tighten around the massive Shelob, as if choking its territory. It looked like two spiders battling for dominion.
Screeech, screee! Kreee!
The monster must’ve sensed it too—its form blurred as it opened its fangs wide and clicked its eight legs together rapidly.
With terrifying speed, it leapt and latched onto the ceiling.
Tak, tak, tak!
It ran along the ceiling, darting through gaps in the chains. At the same time, its mouth and tail sprayed venom in every direction.
Sssshhh! The splattering liquid melted the floor, releasing choking fumes.
Cover dashed forward, sword in hand.
Dodging the venom puddles with precision, he aimed straight for the spot Shelob had just vacated.
Kiiiii!
The monster screeched from the ceiling. Purple-black venom, now bubbling, poured down toward Cover.
“......!”
Ssshh! He twisted midair, but the slick floor made the soles of his sneakers slide. Bracing with his free hand, he rolled forward.
The acid splashed just behind him—missing by inches.
Cover caught his balance and jerked his head up.
Amidst the shattered televisions and scattered tapes, the VCR was still visible. He lunged for it.
“Cover!”
At the same time, something black dropped from above at the speed of light.
Cover’s pupils shook violently as strands of sweat-dampened yellow hair flew across his vision.
Screech, creeek.
A black bird perched on the bed let out a small cry and tilted its head.
Around the now-childlike Cha Sahyeon—his body reverted by an item—several other identical birds flapped their wings gently, hopping about.
A fifth bird rose from the shadow at his feet, the shadow having stretched upward like smoke.
“That should be the last one.”
He was using the brief time while Cha Seohu was out to organize the shadows he had devoured piece by piece.
This final bird was born from a B-rank monster. The others had come from three A-ranks and one S-rank.
The birds he had assigned to Seohu were from the B-rank and S-rank monsters. Since he would rush to his brother’s side the moment he was hurt, he figured the B-rank would suffice.
“Still... I had a bad feeling this time when he said he was heading out.”
Cha Sahyeon usually trusted his instincts, so he didn’t hesitate to attach an extra S-rank just in case.
“Better to be cautious.”
Unfortunately, he couldn’t go everywhere with his brother.
Seohu still didn’t know that.
Slowly opening his eyes, Cha Sahyeon checked the time. It had just passed 4 a.m.
According to their agreement, Seohu should be returning soon. Just as Sahyeon stood up, intending to pretend he’d been asleep—
Creeeeak! Creak!
Criiik! Screee!
All five birds shrieked at once, flapping their wings wide like a warning.
Sahyeon’s face hardened instantly as the shadows connected to Seohu transmitted something strange.
He closed his eyes—and the black birds dissolved into shadow, swallowing him whole.
When he opened his eyes again, he was no longer in the Yesung Guild room.
A chill night breeze brushed his cheek. This place was dark, filthy, and abandoned—so dark that not even moonlight reached inside.
Cha Sahyeon stared into the empty air.
All he saw was a bloodstained wall—but he could feel something. The flow of some abnormal energy.
“...Hyung.”
The shadows couldn’t follow into the dungeon itself.
Cha Sahyeon let out a deep breath.

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