Light of Arad: Forerunner

Chapter 25

The first thing Jinseong felt was the power of his weapon.

Although he had invested a few more skill points, the difference between “Yaiba” and the “Beam Saber” was beyond overwhelming.

‘The difference in attack power is ridiculous. Yaiba had only 96 physical attack power, but this one has 233. The difference in attack speed is overwhelming too.’

He would have to consider other factors later, like magic critical hits, but for now, both in terms of skill composition and usability, the light sword clearly had the upper hand, both in theory and, as just proven, in practice.

What Jinseong hadn’t expected was the possibility of being watched by a pair of sparkling eyes.

Rennie spoke.

“Once again, you… for me…”

“Ah, well, it’s just… dangerous, you know? Really dangerous.”

What should he even say in this situation?

Jinseong awkwardly smiled and retrieved the glowing light sword.

It was already complicated enough that the person expressing affection toward him was Rennie, but something else was even more complicated.

‘What on earth do you even… talk about with women?’

At work, he could at least discuss business-related topics, but outside of that, he’d hardly ever had personal conversations with women.

And had there ever been a woman who showed this kind of interest in him?

Even if there had been, in most situations, they would have hidden their feelings, so how was he supposed to deal with someone who openly stared at him with shining eyes?

“S-so, we should go! We can’t just stay here like this, right? We still have to investigate, after all!”

Flustered, Jinseong started babbling.

Rennie nodded quietly, looking at him shyly.

She didn’t say much, but her eyes, which were fixed on Jinseong, carried some kind of emotion.

Unable to meet her gaze, Jinseong quickly turned and started walking.

“Since a brainwashed cultist came from this direction, it seems Aganzo and Commander Van went that way. It’s probably better if we follow the adventurer’s path.”

“Yes, let’s do that. If it’s your judgment, Jinseong, I trust it.”

“Th-thanks…”

His decision to follow the adventurer’s path, assuming there would be no remaining monsters, was sound, but that probably didn’t matter much to Rennie.

More than anything, even Jinseong couldn’t focus properly due to the aura he felt from Rennie behind him.

As he surveyed the surroundings, which were gradually transforming into a jungle, his thoughts kept drifting back to Rennie.

‘It’s fine if it’s just a regular NPC… Like Sharan… it’s okay to get close to those who are simply good-natured. They’ll be helpful. But Rennie…’

A low-ranking knight of the Iron Wolf Knights.

If he thought of her as a connection to the Empire’s knights, she was an exceptional NPC.

If he were thinking in general terms.

For someone who didn’t know the main storyline quests of the game *Dungeon & Fighter*.

‘This isn’t good. This situation is not good.’

The simple excitement of being popular with a woman was already long gone.

What loomed larger than joy was worry and concern.

And what Jinseong felt was closer to the sorrow he would feel in the future.

“Jinseong…?”

“Ah, yes.”

His thoughts reached a point where he could finally calm down enough to speak.

“Where are we heading? You said the adventurer went this way, but what about Commander Van and Aganzo?”

“I believe there’s been a force monitoring us since we descended onto Behemoth. Even though they know they’re being followed, they likely entered the jungle to track them down… They’ll probably confront them soon.”

“Wow, Jinseong, you’re not only good at fighting but also have great strategic insight.”

Rennie’s praise was endless, but Jinseong didn’t overreact as he had earlier.

Apart from a simple nod of acknowledgment, there was no need for any further response.

‘The quest progression in Behemoth is predictable. We’ll meet Isadora, the inquisitor of the GBL cult. She hasn’t been brainwashed yet, and we’ll head to Baekya, the highest ruin on Behemoth where the GBL cult’s weapon is hidden. That’s where we’ll go next. And we should head there as well.’

Recalling the storyline from his past gaming experience, Jinseong moved forward.

Rennie followed closely behind him, engaging in small talk.

“It’s hard to believe we’re on top of a living creature.”

“Behemoth… Where do you think such a massive whale came from?”

“It’s not just that there are buildings on its back, but also a dense jungle. Did you know about this, Jinseong?”

Whether she was genuinely curious or just looking for a reaction, Rennie couldn’t get a satisfying response from either approach.

‘Not just because of the current situation… It’s better to keep my distance from Rennie.’

Jinseong deliberately avoided trying to raise her affection level, and the dense jungle terrain of Behemoth was exhausting enough just to navigate.

How long had they been walking?

As the thick bushes cleared somewhat and walls engraved with reliefs of goddesses started appearing, Jinseong noticed something.

“Hm?”

Along with the sound of rustling, figures wearing six-eyed masks emerged.

“You cannot approach Lord Lotus…”

“Kill, kill them. Kill them.”

The appearance of brainwashed GBL cultists, armed with reversed swords, meant they had taken a different path than the adventurer, the user.

On top of that, Jinseong knew.

The changing terrain meant they had entered a new dungeon.

“Grrr…”

It was only natural that other monsters would be present alongside the brainwashed cultists.

“W-what is that…?”

The six-eyed GBL masks covered their faces, but the monstrous figures before them were clearly not human.

With their abnormally developed upper bodies, they moved with both hands on the ground, like four-legged beasts—fallen cultists, nicknamed *Hunters*.

“Rennie, step back. These aren’t ordinary foes.”

Jinseong manipulated the handle of his Beam Saber, extending its glowing blade.

“Grrrr, grrr!”

“Kill them! Glory to Lord Lotus!”

At that moment, the monsters also started rushing forward.

There were eight of them, a mix of human and beast-like figures charging at him, making Jinseong frown.

‘This quest is suitable for level 30 or higher. I’m not quite at level 30 yet, so if I get hit, it’s going to hurt.’

While this scenario quest was manageable for players, it was different for Jinseong.

Not being at the player’s level yet, it was as if he had barged into a quest to slay Apostle Lotus, and the danger was doubled.

‘Damn it, no matter what skill combo I use, I can’t avoid getting hit at least once.’

As he prepared to use followed by to try and get behind the enemies, he braced himself to take at least one hit when—

“”

“Haaa!”

Suddenly, a loud shout rang out, louder than the monsters, as someone rushed past Jinseong.

“Wha—? Rennie!? What are you—”

It was then that Jinseong realized.

While she might express shy affection toward him, Rennie was still who she was.

With a clash, Rennie blocked the downward strikes of three brainwashed cultists and swiftly cut them down as she cried out.

“I’m also a knight of the Iron Wolf! I can’t just keep relying on you, Jinseong!”

The brainwashed GBL cultists, who hadn’t received any formal swordsmanship training, were no match for *Rennie of the Iron Wolf Knights*.

Even in a 1:3 situation, she handled them effortlessly.

Watching this, Jinseong had to rethink his approach.

‘Rather than distancing myself right away… for now, I should move forward with her. For the time being, at least.’

This was Behemoth.

The time would come when they would have to face Apostle Lotus.

And when that time came…

Jinseong charged at the monsters with a bittersweet smile.

“Thank you, be careful! !”

“Don’t worry! I’ve trained a lot, even getting scolded by Commander Van and Vice Commander Hartz!”

The monsters, which Jinseong could have handled alone with some effort, were quickly pulverized in the “party play” with Rennie’s added assistance.

After cutting through several waves of monsters and moving forward for a while:

“Jinseong, there’s something ahead.”

“Yes… something seems to be on the ground—wait, could it be?!”

Following Rennie’s advice, Jinseong saw it.

It was the moment he confirmed that this was the dungeon area *Behemoth*, specifically within the dungeon “GBL Goddess Temple”…

“It’s an item! Equipment! An item!”

For Jinseong, this was also a moment to verify another system.

—

The items lying on the ground, faintly glowing with a purplish hue, were clearly objects “sealed by magic,” and if he could unseal them, they would become immediately usable !

‘So, this room was cleared by a player?! And that player… probably skipped this. They didn’t pick it up.’

There hadn’t been any time to gather items in the dungeon *Granfloris*.

In the *Sky Castle* dungeon, the female brawler player had likely looted every single item.

But now, the female archer player that Jinseong had been following?!

‘I knew it from the start! Muse class, huh? It’s quite a difficult class to handle, and not many pick Muse as their primary job. I figured it was probably an alternate character… Could it be an alt of a wealthy player? Haha! When players get too lazy to pick up items, they just leave them behind like this?’

Was it possible for Jinseong to acquire items this way as well?

‘—Wait, hold on. Then maybe I shouldn’t be moping about not being able to use the auction house. If there’s no strict rule saying I must buy all my items from NPCs or gather them myself…’

Several ideas started forming in Jinseong’s head.

And if what he had asked Sharan from the wizard guild to do came through as planned, then the strategy he just came up with might also be feasible!

**Screech—!**

The scream that brought Jinseong back from his happy thoughts was chilling.

“Jinseong.”

“Yes, I heard it. It’s right ahead. Let’s be careful.”

While it wasn’t hard to guess why such a terrifying cry could be heard nearby, Jinseong and Rennie cautiously moved forward.

And soon, they saw it.

A female priest player, Aganzo, Commander Van, and a woman wearing a purple robe from the GBL cult.

Jinseong already knew that the woman in the purple robe, who was aiding the “adventurer,” was Isadora, so he focused his attention on the creature lying before them, clad in a torn yellow robe.

“Isadora, weren’t our followers… like family? Why… Why didn’t you find a way for all of us to live?”

“Alsor. You’ve always sought the surest way, even if it meant forbidden knowledge. But even if there’s a less certain way… if it’s a better path, even if it seems foolish, I’ll walk it.”

“That way… is with them? How foolish…”

Alsor, the creature, who must have once been human but had his body warped through forbidden knowledge, much like the *Hunters*, took his final breath.

Isadora rose from beside him and looked at the player, Aganzo, Commander Van, and the others.

“The plan remains unchanged. Secure the weapon in Baekya, head to the Blood Prison, and join Master Marcellus to strike at Lotus. We should move quickly—it seems we’ve already lost time.”

Rennie pricked up her ears, focusing on the conversation, but it was all information Jinseong already knew.

Players would pass through this area on their way to *Baekya*.

There, they would face another incident before the story escalated *for real*.

But there was also something very important happening before that, and Jinseong was more tense than usual.

“Let’s go.”

Aganzo, the female archer, Isadora, and the members of the GBL cult’s Blood Purge unit started moving.

Jinseong watched the scene with wide eyes.

‘This is it.’

His focus was on Commander Van.

As Commander Van followed Aganzo, the player, and Isadora’s group…

‘Huh?’

He anxiously kept watch, but nothing changed.

Van said not a single word about the copy of that should have been discovered by now in the original flow of events.

‘…Could it be that even —? No, no matter how contaminated things have gotten, this shouldn’t be happening!’

Jinseong sighed.

He had now realized that even the most crucial element in *Dungeon & Fighter’s* lore, , had been infiltrated by this “contamination.”

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