Chapter 350

While we ate, I thoroughly checked every last bit of Choi Yujun's account balance and kindly emphasized several times that he should contact Kwon Taehan and invest somehow.

"Finished eating?"

"Huh? Yes. Dessert is coming...."

"What the hell do you need dessert for? Get up."

"Ah, yes."

Watching Choi Yujun gather his things and get up, I leisurely checked Seok Jiwon's messages.

Seok Jiwon

The Dungeon's rank is low, but are you sure you'll be okay clearing it alone?

Should I at least send Yehyun with you? He says he wants to go

I sent a brief reply.

You don't have to send him. I'll clear it quickly and come back.

A meaningless emoji came back, but I ignored it without replying.

The Dungeon I was going to enter with Choi Yujun today was one I'd already chosen beforehand. The Dungeon had appeared early yesterday morning. Although it was near Seoul, it was F-rank, and its mana fluctuations were low, so there was almost no chance of a Dungeon Break occurring.

Normally, in a case like this, the Special Response Team would be the ones to clear it, but this time Haeseong had deliberately stepped in and secured the rights to clear the Dungeon.

I'd thought some persuasion might be necessary, but surprisingly, Seok Jiwon readily allowed it. On top of that, they even contacted another team and had the Dungeon set aside as the highest priority.

'But why do you need it? Is there something in that Dungeon you need to appraise?'

'Yeah, something like that.'

Since they conveniently came up with the reason themselves without me even needing to find an excuse, I didn't have much to say.

While Choi Yujun paid the bill, I briefly checked my equipment, then immediately slung an arm over his shoulder.

"Let's go."

"Where...?"

"You said you were disappointed you couldn't go to the pool party."

"Huh? No? I can still go right now.... Do we have something else scheduled after this?"

"Yujun, do you have any idea how fucking valuable my time is, and you're the one trying to break our plans first?"

With that, I dragged Choi Yujun along by force and shoved him into the car.

After climbing into the passenger seat, Choi Yujun apparently hit his head, because he clutched it and groaned as he asked,

"W-Where are we going? This isn't kidnapping, right? Ah, you're famous too, Brother.... But I brought my car."

"What car? You were drinking fucking wine earlier."

"I was going to call a driver! Or call my chauffeur."

"Put your seat belt on. If I hear that fucking warning sound one more time, I'm seriously going to beat the living shit out of you."

"Yes, I was just about to put it on anyway...."

At that, Choi Yujun obediently fastened his seat belt. I entered the address where the Dungeon had appeared and drove off.

Choi Yujun shut up for a moment, then quickly opened his mouth again while watching my mood.

"Brother, but normally I really... I'm not someone who listens to other people this well...."

"......."

"But somehow I end up listening to you.... You really feel like an older brother. Maybe because you look like Dad...."

"Hey."

"I was being a little noisy, right? I was just getting ready to, exactly, just! Shut my mouth right now."

Pretending to watch my mood, Choi Yujun stayed quiet for only a very short while before stretching as an excuse and asking,

"But, ahem, where are we going?"

"The ocean."

"...Huh? The ocean...? Where? Incheon? Gangneung? Are we going to Busan?"

"You were disappointed about missing the pool party, right?"

"......."

I looked at Choi Yujun with a warm smile. Choi Yujun flinched, then his expression strangely turned touched.

"Brother, I really... love the ocean. I have a fear of water, so I don't like going into it, but I like looking at it! I was in Cebu not long ago too, and I kept looking at the ocean.... Wow, can I call some friends? Or maybe something romantic by the sea...."

"You'll know when we get there."

"Should we have some sashimi and soju nearby? Man to man."

"Cut the bullshit."

At my words, Choi Yujun grinned as though encouraged and bounced in his seat while looking out the window.

***

"Save me! Please save me! Sa—mmph, mph...."

"It's nice here."

"Save me!!! Ghk, sa...."

Watching Choi Yujun flail around, I brought up the Dungeon's Status Window.

Vanished Seafoam(F)

A place where you can admire the beautiful world beyond the deep sea. You must travel safely along the current.

Dungeon Boss - Stygio Medusa

Other creatures within the Dungeon...... View More

Would you like to view information on 'Stygio Medusa'?

Maybe because it was such a pathetic Dungeon, even the Status Window didn't make it look threatening. Even in a situation where I couldn't use a single Skill, it was at a level where I could survive with artifacts alone. Of course, that was based on an awakened person's body. It would be difficult for an unawakened weakling, though.

The moment we entered the Dungeon, a deep-sea landscape with air bubbles floating everywhere came into view. I immediately connected an artifact so I could breathe, and for Choi Yujun, I handed him an artifact that completely covered his face with an air bubble.

'What a fucking idiot.'

All he had to do was °• N ?? v ?? l i g h t •° put on the artifact and stay still, but because he insisted on struggling like hell to survive, Choi Yujun was actually sinking instead. Even the air bubble couldn't withstand his movements and kept distorting in every direction, its shape becoming unstable.

I knew the bastard was fucking terrified of water, but I hadn't expected him to still be this bad. And if he was going to be scared, he could at least be consistent about it. He liked the ocean and pool parties, but being dropped into the deep sea was somehow fucking awful?

'Fuck, sometimes in life you might get dragged into the deep sea and end up looking at a giant jellyfish.'

Anyway, he was a fucking sensitive bastard.

Meanwhile, from far away, a jellyfish that looked easily ten meters long was undulating toward us. It was only big. Compared to bosses from other Dungeons, it was an absolute weakling, but just looking at it had Choi Yujun gasping like he was about to faint.

"Save me, save me.... I'm going to sue you!"

"You can't sue me if you're dead."

"I'll have Dad do it!"

"Go ahead. Think your phone gets reception here?"

I snickered because it was funny watching him thrash around and swim toward me, and Choi Yujun, his eyes bloodshot red, screamed at me.

"Psychopath! I knew it when you made me eat sand!"

"I went to the beach not long ago, but coming all the way down to the deep sea is fun too. We can even talk with these artifacts on."

"M-Monster's coming!!! The monster's coming, Brother!! Save me!"

"What happened to psychopath? Now I'm Brother again?"

"Brother, Brother! Please save me just this once!"

"This is the second time, though? You fucking bastard, did you forget I saved you before? Ah.... Fucking annoying."

"Please s-save me twice!!!"

The way he said it was fucking hilarious.

Feeling like I was watching a comedy show, I grinned as I leisurely swam toward him. By then, the jellyfish that was the Dungeon Boss had also drawn right up close.

'Would an unawakened person die just from getting grazed by it?'

Well, whether he died or not, I just had to pull him out before that happened.

I grabbed Choi Yujun by the clothes, dragged him backward, and asked,

"Yujun, do you trust me?"

"I trust you!"

"You'll listen to what I say, right?"

"Yes, yes! I'll listen!"

"Without arguing?"

"I won't argue!"

"You're going to invest in Kwon Taehan?"

"I'll invest a lot!"

Seeing Choi Yujun's face up close, he looked so excessively terrified that I couldn't stop fucking laughing. At first, Choi Yujun glared at me as though he was pissed off that I was laughing, but soon enough, perhaps realizing his situation, he relaxed his eyes and started thrashing around while desperately begging.

"How much are you going to invest?"

"One billion won!"

"You've got fucking tiny balls. More."

"I'll sell my stocks.... Sob.... I don't know, a lot...."

"Yujun, you said you trust me?"

"Yes, yes, I trust you!"

"You're really fucking grateful right now, aren't you? I'm swimming all the way over here because I'm worried you'll fucking die."

At that, Choi Yujun's eyes sharpened for a moment before immediately going blank again, and he hurriedly nodded.

"Look at this bastard's eyes. You're not grateful?"

"Thank you, thank you.... I'm so grateful."

"Try swimming. You said you wanted to go to the pool party."

"I don't want to!"

"What do you mean, you don't want to? Hurry up and swim."

"I can't swim! I just, I only like playing around...."

"You fucker, I said hurry up and swim."

I'd deliberately put an air bubble around him, but because the bastard kept bawling and getting water mixed into it, it was gradually becoming useless. I checked how much remained, then sliced off one of the jellyfish's tentacles that had drawn close with my dagger.

Slice—.

With a vicious sound, the jellyfish's tentacle dropped straight toward the bottom. It didn't seem to feel pain in particular. The severed area twitched a few times before another tentacle reached toward Choi Yujun again.

Choi Yujun freaked out and thrashed his arms and legs, twisting his body around as he tried to retreat. I watched his swimming with amusement, then yanked Choi Yujun toward me once more.

"When we leave the Dungeon, are you going to forget this favor?"

"I won't! B-Brother! Behind you, the monster's arm...!"

I merely extended one arm and cut off the tentacle while shaking Choi Yujun around.

"You owe me your life twice now, Yujun. You should treat me well, right?"

"I'll serve you as my brother for the rest of my life!"

"I'm already your brother. Give me something that's not obvious."

"I'll treat you well! I'll listen to you! Aagh! Save me!"

"You little fucker, are you going to keep talking to me like we're equals? Am I your friend?"

"Please save me! Please save me, sir!"

"Say thank you."

"Thank you! Thank you! I sincerely thank youuu!"

"All right, so now we're in a relationship where we trust each other, right? If I catch you stabbing me in the back, just know you're coming right back here and becoming that jellyfish bastard's food. Got it?"

"Yes, yes! Thank you! I'll listen to you, Brother!"

I snickered while watching Choi Yujun flap around and splash as he tried to swim, then belatedly stunned the jellyfish with an artifact. While its movements froze for a moment, I released the mana suppressor, created ice, and split it vertically in one huge cut.

With a sound like flesh being sliced apart, it slowly sank into the depths of the deep sea.

Choi Yujun stared at me with his eyes wide open, then promptly passed out.

I dragged him along and leisurely swam back out through the reopened Gate.

Even after I slapped his cheeks a few times outside, he didn't wake up, so I grabbed him by the back of the neck and hummed as I dragged him back to the car.

'Taehan, I'm bringing you a present, okay?'

From down by my feet came the cheerful sound of Choi Yujun finally coughing.