S-Class Except Me

“You tricked me again.”

[The constellation ‘Mutant of the Abyss’ is overwhelmed because it’s the first time she listens to him.]

“You’re lying again. It’s a lie every time you open your mouth. Something I will like it? A dungeon?”

[The constellation ‘Mutant of the Abyss’ says this is a different place from the dungeon.]

“Lies.”

Haeun pouted her lips and looked around.

It is a long passage filled with square white bricks. The road continued in a straight line.

Haeun patted her cheek. Seeing that the senses are perfect, it is not even a dream. 

Haeun called up the system window.

[SYSTEM: View space information entered.]

[90th Night (S) Reward Receiving Stage (Others)

Number of people allowed: No requirements

Clear conditions: The king of the underworld hid something valuable in his fortress on the 90th night.

Find the relics left by the king. It will give you glory.

Rewards: King’s Relics (Highest Class Private)

In case of failure: Exit. [No re-entry]

“It’s a dungeon, isn’t it?

[The constellation ‘Mutant of the Abyss’ says that it is not a dungeon but a stage for receiving rewards.] 

“That’s what it is. Are you kidding me?”

[The constellation ‘Mutant of the Abyss’ says it’s completely different and that there will be no damage in reality.]

“Can you swear?”

[The constellation ‘Mutant of the Abyss’ proves his innocence by saying that if what he said is false, he will not urge Haeun to debut again.]

It was only then that Haeun relaxed her opened eyes. It’s still suspicious, but it didn’t seem like a lie if the Constellation, who was always thirsty for Haeun’s debut, said that. 

Haeun looked down at the snake statue still in her hand.

A little while ago, the moment Haeun touched the eyes of the statue on the 7th basement floor of the Ahyeon Guild, a strange flow created from inside the statue expanded in an instant and swallowed Haeun and Seo Dojoon.

“It’s ominous….” 

Wouldn’t it be better just to destroy it?

But at that moment, there was a sound of something solid breaking and the statue cracked.

Bewildered, Haeun widened her eyes. Haeun was just thinking about it. She didn’t use her powers or give them strength!

As soon as the scales started to break, the cracks swallowed the statue.

Something fell to the floor in the skin of the statue that had been completely shattered.

[SYSTEM: View information.]

[Failed to view information.]

Sssh—.

A real snake that looked exactly like the one the statue portrayed raised its head. The snake was as white as snow and had sparkling red eyes. 

The snake, tilting its head, climbed up Haeun’s leg.

“Whoaa.” 

It felt like something cold and slippery was climbing up her legs. Haeun brushed her leg hard, but the snake didn’t come off her. In the end, Haeun grabbed the white snake with her hand. 

The captured snake seemed to stop for a moment, then rubbed its head against Haeun’s hand. It seemed like it was acting cute, as if it had met its old owner. It was cuter—than she thought.

“…What are you?”

Why is it cuter than she thought?

Haeun’s alertness softened slightly as the little snake was acting cute. 

Haeun pushed the snake’s head. The snake moved around and danced as if it were whining. After a while, it clung to Haeun tenaciously again. 

Haeun, who had been trying to separate the snake several times, gave up soon after the snake didn’t budge. She thought it would be okay because it didn’t look threatening. Then Haeun sighed softly and murmured. 

“The dependent on the family has increased by one more.” 

[The constellation ‘Mutant of the Abyss’ asking if she’s talking about him because he’s a dependent of the family] 

“Phew, I’m suddenly tired.”

[The constellation ‘Mutant of the Abyss’ asks Haeun for an answer, asking why she’s suddenly acting different.] 

She just wanted to find a moderately decent item and present it to Sehyun, but things went strangely. Haeun tapped the ground with her foot. 

“If this isn’t a dungeon, how can I get out?”

[The constellation ‘Mutant of the Abyss’ says it’s nothing special, saying that all she has to do is pass the test.]

[He also says that Haeun will like this place soon.] 

What a load of nonsense. Haeun laughed at the constellation’s words and looked around her.

For now, there seemed to be no immediate danger except that she couldn’t see where this long straight hallway ended.

She couldn’t wait to find Seo Dojoon, get the reward and go home. Until this morning, she thought it would be a day of dating with the No. 1 handsome rank, but too much was going on. 

Haeun decided to move forward for now.

Since the walls were all white, she felt as if she was walking in the same place no matter where she went. In the middle, her toes hurt so much that she took her shoes off. 

However, even after walking for quite a long time, there was no change in the unfolding scene.

“Why does it seem like there is no end in sight?”

Haeun muttered curiously. She felt like she was constantly spinning around the same space. Since all of the brick passageways were the same size and color, it was hard to tell if this was the path she had passed through or not.

“Hmm…” 

Haeun looked down at the shoes in her hand for a moment. It’s a new product this season, but it can’t be helped. She put it down on the floor and started walking again. 

And after 30 minutes, Haeun realized that she had been running back and forth around the same spot the whole time as she found the shoes she had left behind. 

“Ugh.”

Haeun, who sat down, tapped her legs. Her legs hurt from walking so much. Now that she looked at it, she was just walking for nothing.

Sssh—.

The white snake on her shoulder looked at her face as if it was worried about Haeun.

More than that, am I the only one trapped in this passage?

“Tell me how to get out of here.”

[The constellation ‘Mutant of the Abyss’ says this is a kind of test, and he will be scolded if he tells the answer.]

She tried to use a cheat key, but the cheat key refused. Haeun sat down with her back to the wall. A cold aura ran down her back. She lies there blankly, not thinking about anything. It seems that she is a little hungry.

“If I starve to death here, the contract with the constellation will end.”

The constellation reacted violently to the thoughtless murmur.

[The constellation ‘Mutant of the Abyss’ freaks out at Haeun’s comments]

[He shouts, how can she talk about the termination of the contract when she hasn’t done anything properly yet.]

“It could just be. I don’t have anything to eat?”

Or even a snake skewer— when Haeun glanced at the snake, the snake crept down to the ground and avoided Haeun.

[The constellation ‘Mutant of the Abyss’ says to stop doing that and get out of here.] 

[He says that she can figure out where the magic flows differently if she feels her surroundings.]

Feel the surroundings?

Haeun lay down and closed her eyes. The vaguely flowing mana touched Haeun’s skin. She watched as she followed this slowly.

It is a road that continues forever with no exit. Therefore, mana should also be maintained constantly, but mana was being lost around one point.

It was not far away. Haeun rose from her seat.

“I found it.”

She thought they were all the same bricks, but now she saw that there were slightly transparent bricks on the floor. The color changed by absorbing mana. She didn’t notice it because it was all white and transparent bricks.

Haeun clenched her fist and pounded the brick like a watermelon. Unlike what she thought would be a dull sound, a clear sound rang out.

If she broke it or shocked it, the barrier where Haeun was missing seemed like it would end.

“The question is how to break it….” 

There was no other weapon that could break the barrier. Her gaze moved to the shoes she was holding for a moment, but there was no way that the barrier would be broken by hitting them with something like that. But she couldn’t just wait here until someone came to find her.

[The constellation ‘Mutant of the Abyss’ says Haeun will solve the problem quickly if she uses her power.]

[He asks Haeun why she was wondering when there was an easy way.]

“Yes~. Even if you say so, I won’t do anything like Hunter.”

Unlike the casual reply, Haeun’s expression was quite firm.

The reason was the side effects that followed whenever Haeun used her power.

When Haeun used her ability, something called <Synchronization Value> always increased.

Every time it went up, Haeun could feel the space she was standing on a twist. If she exaggerates it, it seems like the world is breaking down. 

It might not be completely crazy to say that the world is breaking because something bad has happened.

Haeun tried to find out the cause in her own way but failed, and the Constellation didn’t give her an answer.

“I can’t stay here all the time….” 

Haeun, who was struggling, soon realized that there was no way, and she decided to use the very minimum force. 

Haeun focused her mind on her fingertips. A golden sphere smaller than a baby’s fingernail came to mind. Haeun absorbed the carefully compressed force into the brick. 

The brick that swallowed her mana seemed to be trying to absorb Haeun’s power, but the two energies were disparate and couldn’t be mixed. They collided with each other inside and began to vibrate. 

Moments later, the bricks that couldn’t handle the impact exploded with a huge crack.

Boom! 

The long passage shook violently. Protecting her head with her arm, Haeun looked for the status window.

But something amazing happened.

[SYSTEM: Current synchronization rate 21.13%]

The synchronization rate hasn’t changed!