Infinite Competitive Dungeon Society

[You entered the Event Dungeon, ‘Insect World.’]

“Hiiiiiiik!”

The moment the message rang out, Hwaya screamed and jumped at me. Feeling the sudden warm touch and the sweet scent, I looked down at Hwaya blankly. At the same time, the others, who were also looking at me blankly, said with cheerful voices.

“We won’t be able to expect help from Hwaya, but let’s do our best!”

“Daughter, spiders aren’t insects. You won’t see them here, so don’t worry.”

“Ajusshi, I’m bad with both spiders and insects…”

Yep, I knew she’d say that… I couldn’t help but sigh.

“Hwaya, I understand how you’re feeling, but this is an SS ranked dungeon. Without you, we’ll be in danger.”

“Yeah, sorry… I’ll try my best.”

“We haven’t even run into any monsters yet.”

“How long are you guys going to stick together!”

Seeing Hwaya not getting off after saying she’d do her best, Ludia raised her eyebrows. With a bitter smile, I slowly separated from Hwaya and turned around.

“Then I’ll go survey the area on Lotte… Lotte?”

[This Event Dungeon prevents monsters with strong mana from entering. Tamed monster, ‘Lotte,’ could not enter the dungeon.]

“It’s just one thing after another.”

Since Plene wasn’t strong enough for an SS ranked dungeon, I sent her back. Lotte, on the other hand, could raise my strength by twofold just by being with me. Unfortunately, she couldn’t enter the dungeon. She probably won’t be in any danger outside, but without her, we might be in danger.

No, that was the old me. My stats were increasing by the day, and I had also learned Mad Typhoon. Even before that, my companions and I defeated the SS+ ranked Flame Drake. There was no reason we couldn’t clear this dungeon with our current strength. It wasn’t good to underestimate ourselves.

“T.K., what’s up with her? What is she scared of all of the sudden… Insect?”

“Ah, you’ll understand soon.”

The moment I answered Pepper, the ground fissured, almost as if a secret base was hidden underneath. Then, a black head emerged from it. It seemed like the head of an ant, only magnified thousands of times.

Hwaya then jumped on me again.

“I, I might not be able to do it. Can I just stay like this?”

“No!”

While I shouted at Hwaya, father charged forward with his spear. His spear vibrated strongly as shockwaves gathered around it. The ant discovered father and pointed its giant head, creepy eyes and annoying antennae at father. Then…

“Men!”1

“I know how you’re feeling, but you’re a spearman, father!”

Father struck his spear down vertically at the ant’s head. Surprisingly, the ant easily received father’s spear with its hard carapace. Even as its head grinded against father’s vibrating spear, not even a scratch appeared on it. It really had an incredibly powerful integument.

“Haa!”

However, father didn’t back down and shot out even more powerful shockwaves. He was probably the best in the world in bypassing his enemy’s powerful outer defense and attacking its internal system. The ant twitched for a moment before its head exploded and shot out its bodily fluid.

“Kyaaaaaak!”

Because the terrified Hwaya blocked the bodily fluid with her flames, it didn’t splash on us. On the other hand, father looked like he had gone swimming in a pool of it. He didn’t seem to mind at all, as he gave us a thumbs up.

“Did you see that, son!?”

“Yes, father. It was a perfect battle.”

I inattentively complimented father, when Ye-Eun suddenly hushed us by putting her index finger over her mouth.

“Something’s coming here in large numbers, Shin.”

“In large numbers?”

I promptly focused on the tremor of the ground and the presence of mana. There really were enemies gathering here in large numbers. The problem was that they weren’t just coming from land.

When I looked up, it was exactly as I expected. I could see a black cloud swarming toward us. That was…

“A swarm of locusts.”

“Huk… Kyaaaaaa!”

In the end, Hwaya couldn’t overcome her fear of insects and exploded. The scarlet flames she shot out pulsed like waves and swept over the swarm of locusts heading toward us.

“Don’t come, don’t come, don’t comeeeee!”

“Girls who hate insects are scary…”

I inadvertently nodded my head at Walker’s murmuring. An indescribably vast scale of flames –one that I had never seen before– began to burn the locusts that numbered close to a disaster. Each of the locusts that died crashed on the ground, ringing a large thud. At the same time, a spicy fragrance spread out, and I had to stop my drooling father.

“There are others coming!”

Ye-Eun shouted hurriedly. Damn it, I had briefly forgotten about it because Hwaya’s attack was so overwhelming! I could feel countless presences from the ground as well. The moment I realized, I stuck my spear into the ground and shouted.

“Thunder Wave!”

[Kiaaaaa!]

[Kashakashakasha….]

The damned insects sang in response to my lightning attack. No, please stop… You’re giving me goosebumps!

Just like the ant we initially killed, they appeared from within the earth. Most of them were ants, but there were also beetles, worms, and larvae. I didn’t think insects were that creepy but seeing them magnified thousands of times, I could undoubtedly say they were one of the most frightening and creepy monsters I met.

After Hwaya saw them, she began to shake.

“I, I’m scared, Shin. I’m scared.”

“You’re doing great, Hwaya. Just focus on burning the locusts. I’ll take care of the rest.”

“Y-Yeah, g-got it.”

Hwaya tightly shut her eyes. Meanwhile, the others were killing the insects in their own ways.

“Haha! I didn’t think there were monsters who could survive a bullet from my Desert Eagle! How fun!”

“O Earth, punish the creatures who stole thy blessings and defied thy providence!”

“They’re tough! But they aren’t looking at me even when I hit them!”

At Ye-Eun’s words, I looked around. No matter how much my companions attacked them, the insects ignored them and were charging to a particular place. It seemed their target was… my father.

“Hahahaha, come at me! I, Kang Yungoong-nim, will take you on!”

Father shouted a line from a 90’s movie and faced the incoming insects. His shockwave ability was an extremely good match against the insects, as it destroyed the insects’ insides.

What was the difference between father and the other party members? It was obvious. Father was covered with the bodily fluid of the ant he killed. Plus, he was being updated in real-time with other insects’ bodily fluids.

“Father, you need to wash yourself off! The ant’s bodily fluid is attracting the insects!”

“Don’t we have to kill them all anyways!? Why don’t you get covered in it too?”

“Thanks, that’s exactly what I thought you’d say!”

If father volunteered to take the aggro, it was the duty of a good son to make use of him.

“Father said he’ll bait them on his own! Ludia and Pepper, reduce the number of insects coming from afar! All the close-ranged attackers, stay near father and attack the insects! Ah, Shuna, you stay and protect Hwaya, Ludia, and Pepper!”

“Got it!”

“Good idea!”

After explaining our strategy, I took Hwaya off of me and gave her to Shuna. Then, I shot forward with my spear. Peika was already infused in my spear and flickering with lighting. As I surged up the power of Peruta Circuit, a whirlpool began to form. I shouted.

“Ruyue!”

[Yay, it’s been a while since I materialized.]

“I’m going to use a skill. Will you be able to run?”

[Yeah!]

I immediately jumped on Ruyue’s back. As Ruyue ran forward, I thought, ‘There were just too many of these insects. Not even mentioning the swarm of locusts covering the sky, there were hundreds of insects coming toward us.’

Hundreds of SS ranked monsters! What a… What an enjoyable battle!

I immediately activated Gale Track. With the increased speed, I instantly sent a beetle in front of me flying.

“Oraaaaaaa!”

Every time I sent an insect flying, Ruyue accelerated and the charge became stronger. With the effect of the armor and tattoo, our charge was already amplified by 110%. Every time we sent an insect flying, it was rising by an additional 7%. After the tenth insect, the insects’ bodies began to explode just by making contact with my spear. I freely changed the trajectory of the charge and killed the insects. If you wanted to defeat Revival, defeat Kang Shin with just this much, you were gravely mistaken!

“Haaaaaaaaap!”

I let out a spirited shout, realizing that Gale Track’s power had reached its peak. In other words, we had already sent over 30 insects flying.

My original strength was amplified by Gale Track, which was then amplified by 110%, and was then amplified by another 200%. Although I would have been stronger if I was on Lotte, there was no reason to discuss what could have been. I was glad that Ruyue was here.

“What are you, a tank!?”

“Wow, he’s so strong!”

“O Earth, protect him from injuries!”

How many insects did I kill? After running wild in the front line for a while, I suddenly felt the earth trembling. I could only imagine that the second wave of insects was coming.

I took care of the insects nearby and got ready for Gale Track’s final blow. Wind energy gathered and strengthened Mad Typhoon.

“Come, I’ll send the leading monster flying…!”

I held my spear tightly and adjusted my stance. I was prepared to kill any monster with one blow.

Then, it shot up from the ground. A head with a terrifying horn, a leg like a crimson thorn, a segment, a leg, a segment, a leg, a segment, a leg… I couldn’t help but shout.

“A centipede! Hey, you’re not an insect!”

Damn, if you’re going to do this, name yourself Bug World, not Insect World! Now that I thought about it, I felt like there were non-insects in the ones I already killed.

“Isn’t that guy getting caught up on the wrong things?”

“T-That’s what’s cute about him!”

“I got it, Flame Witch, but you open your eyes and say that?”

“Die, you stupid arthropods!”

I placed my rage in my spear and released its storm on the centipede. The centipede that had finally appeared was instantly blown into pieces, dying without even completely pulling itself out of the earth. Just the part that was outside was well over 20 meters long. By the looks of it, not even half of it was out of the ground.

“Looks like it’s a semi-boss monster.”

I placed my hand on the centipede’s severed head and placed it in my inventory. Checking with Mana Detection, around the third segment, I noticed… a Mana Stone. Good, the Mana Stone of an SS ranked dungeon’s semi-boss! This is what makes dungeon runs exciting!

“Guys, there’s something other than locusts flying here!”

While I was drunk on the feeling of victory, Pepper’s rather tranquil voice rang out. Something other than locusts? I raised my head and looked at the sky Pepper was pointing toward. I could really see another swarm of insects that weren’t locusts. I inadvertently cursed out loud.

“God damn Asian giant hornets!”2

It seemed the fight would only get worse from here. I heard Asian giant hornets could kill humans, but those guys were enlarged thousands of times. That’s… cheating! The biggest cheat was…

“You bastards don’t even live in America!”

Ignoring my shouts, the Asian Giant Hornets flew toward us like arrows. It was the start of a second round.

Author’s note:

PS – I plan on holding a character popularity contest soon. One contest for all the characters and one with just the heroines. Finally, a contest… for whether the ending should be harem or not! (This isn’t a popularity contest per se but I’ll do it anyway!) This contest can affect how the series will end (since I haven’t decided on it yet, especially the third contest), so please join in! I’ll do it around ch160 or 170!

1. In Kendo, this is what you yell when you strike the helmet/head area

2. Google it. These guys are vicious and quite famous in Asian culture for being able to kill people. Every year, in Japan, they kill 30-40 people