Chapter 17: Trust

Twenty-three hours after entering the Portal Gate, the hunt proceeded slowly.

When they explored the cave and found some beasts, the porters would be moved to a safe place and had some hunters to protect them.

Then the rest would hunt the Spiderlings.

So far, the Ganjang guild team has collected 7 Magic Crystals and 2 Magic Stones.

And the good news was.

They still had their squad members intact, not losing a single one.

The Ganjang guild members seemed to be able to stay in the dungeon for quite a while. Along with the food supplies they prepare for survival. They look ready to fight the Broodmother at a later stage.

Kim Ji-woo was impressed by the Ganjang guild performance in the dungeons. He even wondered whether this tier-2 Portal Gate was weaker than the tier-1 Portal Gate from before.

But seeing their messy clothes was very different from when they first entered the Portal Gate.

Ji-woo knew the Spiderlings were not easy opponents.

Although, the injuries that hunters had right now weren’t critical or severe.

And when they were exhausted from fighting the Spiderlings, they preferred taking a rest rather than using the Magic Crystal to replenish their Mana.

Despite the time they took, it was longer. It was better than using and throwing away the profit from Magic Crystal and Magic Stone.

It was also the reason why they spent almost a day. But still not reaching or meeting the Broodmother.

Park Jae-jin gave his order to the squad.

“In 20 minutes, we will move deeper from here.”

Some of them were still resting, while others started to prepare.

The Ganjang guild squad, second in command, walked toward Park Jae-jin.

“What is the circumstance?”

Park Jae-jin didn’t immediately respond to it. He still looked toward the cave’s passage which was quite huge in front of him.

Park Jae-jin then shifted his gaze to the squad. He looked at his comrade that was still waiting patiently at the side.

“I don’t think there will be Magic Crystal and Magic Stone anymore from here on. This cave setting is not good. I want to end this hunt faster than usual.”

There were four hunters on Park Jae-jin’s side. Plus, his second-in-command hunter, hearing the opinion from their squad leader.

All of them had their experience of hunting in any environment in the dungeons.

So, after hearing their leader’s judgment, they agree on it.

“Hyung~nim, take care of us like usual.”

“We believe in you, Hyung~nim!”

Hehehe–

Park Jae-jin smiled, appreciating the trust his fellow hunters showed to him.

“Let’s move.”

Then all of them moved as instructed. Deep to the broader passage that seemed to where the Broodmother Den was.

While they walked in the passage, they saw some of the small webs in the surrounding.

Park Jae-jin then stopped the squad and told the scout to check it at the front.

Kim Ji-woo at the back knows why they stopped and tried to take a peek at the passage.

Ji-woo’s sense to Mana had a broader range than many hunters here. So, He could feel an enormous Mana ahead of them.

‘There no hunters Mana here could be compared to that huge Mana.’

Ji-woo swept his gaze to the hunters in the foreground. He then smiled and muttered some words.

“Well, if all the D-rank hunters here have great teamwork. That thing should not possess any threat at all.”

Hosh, Hosh–

There was a sound of gasping in the dark passage heading their place from the front. Then, they saw a silhouette of a human from there.

Park Jae-jin didn’t idle either after knowing it was their hunter that came back from scouting.

“Catch your breath first, and then talk about the details.”

The scout hunter did the long inhale and exhaled instantly.

“There is the Broodmother at the front, And the Spiderlings too.”

“The Spiderlings? How many?”

“Around five of them, I can’t get a clear glimpse since the Broodmother Mana Presence is pressuring me.”

Park Jae-jin put The frog-mouth helm on his head. Then reassured the hunter scout.

“You did well. Now, let us take care of the rest.”

Almost all the hunters were gearing up their items and weapons to prepare for a battle.

Ji-woo, who was in the group of porters, could only stay by the side and wait with the two hunters who would be left behind.

The combat group needed as much as possible of manpower that they could have. That was why they only let two hunters for the porters.

Honestly, Ji-woo wanted to see how they fought against the owner of the dungeon, Broodmother.

But, he didn’t want to interfere in their assignment like before. After all, Ji-woo believed in this group of D-rank hunters. He sure they could get the job done, especially with Park Jae-jin’s leadership.

From Ji-woo’s perspective, Park Jae-jin’s talent to take command and lead was not bad.

Of course, compared to the General from the Great War in the Magical world, Park Jae-jin could still be considered an infant.

Albeit, Ji-woo was a General too in the Great War. He, not one of the General roles that lead an army. He was a Solo General under the direct command of Supreme Commander Stormrage.

And about Park Jae-jin’s strength as a hunter. Ji-woo didn’t dare to underestimate him.

Park Jae-jin’s eyes were the same as a veteran warrior that already experienced tons of critical conditions.

Ji-woo then looked toward mister Lee. He saw there was no hesitation and worry in mister Lee’s eyes.

It showed how much trust mister Lee had for his Ganjang guild squad in this Cave dungeon.

Ji-woo smiled subtly and thought, ‘I need to have some trust in the hunters. In the end, they are the ones that have been fighting for six years. When I’m not here.’

Ji-woo’s skepticism grew from his experience living the life of a general without his own troops for 20 years. Everything needed to get done with his own strength.

Before asking for help, try with your own first. If you ask for help first before trying, you tend to become useless and lazy. You couldn’t be sure supports would always be available for you.

That was Ji-woo’s ideology after living in the Magical world.

But, after witnessing their coordination, Ji-woo decided to put an expectation on the Ganjang guild squad.

—- —-

At the end of the passage,

The hunter’s group that Park Jae-jin brought was reaching the Broodmother Den.

The place was dark, but they brightened it with Artifact items.

Surprisingly, What awaited them in the nest was not something they had already expected.

There were many large webs around the place.

But still no sight of Broodmother yet on their vision.

Kicik, Kicik–

There was the sound of Spiderling moving toward the hunters.

“Prepare!”

Park Jae-jin shouted out to his squad members.

Park Jae-jin trusted his hunter scout information and had the confidence to fight them. There was no need to play hide and seek anymore.

Kicik, Kicik–

There were five Spiderlings lined up at the foremost. Each of them was about the size of an adult dog.

On the side of Park Jae-jin, they use (A) formation layout. Blocking the entrance plus securing their path of escape in case of emergencies happen.

Park Jae-jin stood at the front line.

All of a sudden, they saw a big beast crawling behind the Spiderlings. A beast with eight legs, its movement was soundless over the webs.

Fshaa, Fshaa–

The beast opened its mouth.

Park Jae-jin and the rest instantly knew the beast was the Broodmother.

Before they reacted to the arrival of Broodmother, they heard something in their ears.

Hwa, Hyaa–

The Broodmother uses its ability, Insatiable Fear.

It let lose a wicked cry, inflicting fear on their mind. It made the hunters tremble. And their legs felt weak. Even some of the hunters fell to their knees.

Park Jae-jin’s face turned ugly after sensing the Broodmother’s Insatiable Fear. He knew that if he didn’t do anything quickly. The squad hunters would get haunted by their fear.

Park Jae-jin put forward a shield with the left arm. That shield was the same size as his upper body.

“Shield of the King!”

Weng, Wing–

A bright white light appeared from the shield and expanded further, pushing the Spiderlings back.

It even put Insatiable Fear to stop affecting the hunters.

“Stand up! And Fight!”

Park Jae-jin shouted another command to the hunters.

Had the Insatiable Fear gone from the hunter’s mind, they recovered and immediately stood on their feet on the ground with an attacking position.

The Broodmother then made a move. After seeing the Spiderlings backing off by the shield.

Fshaa, Fshaa–

Chiit–

The Broodmother opened its mouth and spat a fluid that hardened on contact into a poisonous and sticky mass. The fluid contained both venom and spider silk in liquid form.

Park Jae-jin got caught off guard by the Broodmother’s spit. He didn’t have a chance to avoid it. Instead, he defended it with the shield.

Park Jae-jin didn’t expect that the Artifact weapon’s shield ability, Shield of the King, wouldn’t work anymore.

The silk from the Broodmother spit was sealing the Mana on his shield. Unless Park Jae-jin removed the silk, it was just an ordinary lump of iron.

Park Jae-jin didn’t have any other choice than to abandon the shield and only use the sword.

“Go!”

Park Jae-jin didn’t want to let the Broodmother take the initiative. So, he commanded them to attack together, with some hunters at their back, ready to use the Magic spells.

The Spiderlings were not afraid anymore because the light of the shield had disappeared. They charged to the front too.