Reverse Dungeon

The tail of the snake that had slipped inside Ian’s clothes coiled tightly around his thigh. Ian found himself unintentionally glancing down at his lower body again, prompting Keith to apologize once more.

“I’m sorry.”

“Just get it off!”

“I’m sorry...”

Ian had known snake mamool appeared in this area. But all he had really understood was that he could ignore the snakes even as they bit him and chipped away at his HP, then keep climbing upward.

Why would anyone think about where the snake got in or where it might bite?

But now Ian had no choice but to think about it.

He was paralyzed by a nearly deranged sense of disgust. Still, he could not afford to interfere with Keith while Keith was fighting, so he stayed silent.

Keith, sensing Ian’s predicament, tore his clothes open. But that was as far as he went. He did not remove the snake. Instead, he kept apologizing without even looking at Ian. The situation grew increasingly awkward, and the snake’s slick, crawling presence pushed Ian even closer to the brink of madness.

“Hurry up! Ugh, it’s disgusting...”

“My apologies...”

Keith finally grabbed the snake and yanked it off Ian’s body. The creature had sunk its fangs into Ian’s chest, and as it was pulled away, the pale skin of Ian’s chest stretched slightly before springing back into place.

Keith murmured again.

“I’m sorry.”

“Enough already!”

How many times was he going to apologize? He was seriously making this awkward.

*What the hell is this guy trying to do?*

Keith closed his mouth, as if he had been about to apologize again. Then he quickly averted his eyes from Ian’s body, removed his cloak, and draped it over Ian.

Ian’s bare torso was wrapped tightly in Keith’s large cloak, which Keith fastened neatly with a ribbon knot. Then he picked Ian up once more and leapt backward.

Thwack!

An arrow-like branch pierced the spot where they had been standing.

“Bear with it a little longer. I know it is uncomfortable, but only until the fight ends...”

Keith acted as though Ian might lash out at him for covering his bare body with a cloak. But Ian was not the sort to care about such trivialities. Whether he was wrapped in rags or completely naked made no difference to him.

Keith was the one who seemed overly concerned about it.

Ian hoped the man would pull himself together.

“Keith.”

“Yes.”

“Remember this tree’s pattern. If you’re too close, it chokes or whips you. If you’re far away, it stabs.”

All boss mobs had patterns. They were generally divided into close-range and long-range attacks. Naturally, Ian was thoroughly familiar with the attack patterns of this centipede tree.

“You noticed all that?”

“Watch it yourself. What else would you even be looking at during a fight?”

Keith suddenly fell silent.

Judging from his expression, Ian had a fairly good idea what Keith had been looking at.

The realization silenced Ian as well.

*What is this guy’s problem? Seriously.*

Why was he making everything so awkward?

Ian felt as though he was going to lose his mind.

But there was little time for idle thoughts. The boss mob’s attacks grew twice as fast as before.

Thanks to years of gaming experience, Ian’s trained eyes could see the attacks coming. He simply could not react to them in °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° time.

Keith, however, slashed and evaded every single movement, as if he had memorized the pattern after hearing it once.

He cut down or stomped on the limbs attacking from nearby, then avoided the long-range thrusts by mere inches with only the smallest movements. His actions were so composed that Ian, held securely in Keith’s arms, felt his own nerves begin to settle.

*At least I don’t think I’m going to get skewered.*

Meanwhile, Keith continued climbing.

He never stopped.

The centipede tree grew increasingly frenzied, its attacks faster and wilder, while Keith’s responses became even sharper.

As they neared the upper levels, they could see centipede legs gripping the attacking branches. Keith made no distinction between tree and centipede leg. He cut through both with impartial ruthlessness.

Slash!

Kieek, Kieeeek!

The centipede screamed, and the entire forest trembled. The ground beneath them shook, but Keith did not falter. His pace remained steady as they climbed higher and higher.

*Is this guy insane?*

Ian’s jaw nearly dropped.

Swoosh!

*.*

Ian’s only contribution was to cast whenever poison filled the air.

Essentially, he was a living potion.

Even so, Keith displayed overwhelming power. Despite having one arm occupied with holding Ian, his combat ability seemed entirely unaffected.

At last, they reached the top of the tree. The dense branches gave way, and the canopy opened, revealing a panoramic view from above.

“Three o’clock!”

Ian’s sharp, game-trained eyes spotted the centipede.

“Yes. Hold on tight.”

“...!”

Keith tightened his grip on Ian with one hand and sheathed his sword. Then he leapt between the trees, moving as though he were flying.

Ian could not bring himself to look down. He felt as if he might fall at any moment. Every branch Keith stepped on bent under their combined weight before snapping, yet Keith had already moved to the next before it could collapse beneath them.

*Is this guy actually flying?*

Ian could not help but marvel.

Their speed increased, and the snake mamool could no longer keep up. Through the places where their bodies touched, Ian could feel Keith’s heartbeat pounding hard, his own chest pressed firmly against Keith’s.

The centipede’s grotesque face and densely packed legs loomed closer. Its body was three times thicker than an ancient tree trunk. The brownish creature stood arrogantly, as if it were part of the forest itself, but when the radiant knight approached, it revealed its true form.

Kieeeeeek!

The centipede swelled, then contracted.

Swoosh!

The area filled with toxic mist.

“Let go!”

Ian freed his upper body from Keith’s grasp and nocked an arrow.

There was no need to hit the centipede.

Ian had confirmed Keith’s power during their ascent. Defeating the creature was well within Keith’s ability.

Ian’s task was to clear the poisonous mist so Keith could fight without hindrance.

With a flash of light, his arrow cut through the fog, creating a fresh breeze. Ian quickly loosed two more arrows, scattering the poison even farther.

“Keith!”

Keith knew exactly what to do.

He seemed to forget, however, that he was supposed to put Ian down first.

Instead, he slung Ian over his shoulder and leapt straight toward the centipede’s head.

The holy sword, shining brilliantly, returned to its master’s hand. The blade, impervious to filth and corruption, struck true and cleaved into the monster’s head.

Gripping the hilt tightly, Keith swung with all his strength and decapitated the centipede.

Crash!

Squelch!

The monster’s viscous fluids sprayed in every direction, and its massive head flew through the air.

It soared high enough for even the fairies hiding beyond the forest to see.

Splash!

The centipede that had plagued the area for so long fell into the sea surrounding the island.

At the same time, its shell split open like molted skin.

Dark energy exploded outward.

*Life Vessel.*

If he did not purify it, the area would be ruined despite the centipede’s death. Ian remembered the rookie mistake he had made in his early days, when the fairies lost their home and the Fairy Queen blamed him.

*No time for nostalgia.*

“Put me down!”

“Yes... Lord Ian...”

Keith, seemingly dazed by the dark energy, stumbled toward the Life Vessel with Ian still in his arms.

Ian squirmed free and grabbed the Life Vessel with both hands.

“It’s dangerous,” Keith muttered.

Ian could not understand why his voice sounded so uncharacteristically dreamy.

Wasn’t he a Holy Knight, immune to effects like this?

Even if he was not, Ian’s task was clear.

Without hesitation, he activated his skill.

*.*

The high-level purification slowly drove out the vessel’s crimson aura, replacing it with pure light.

*, , ...*

As he repeated the skill, the dark energy was overwhelmed.

Finally, the vessel shattered.

Clink!

“Phew.”

Though he had not done much, Ian felt exhausted. Being carried around was not as easy as it looked.

“Vessel’s dealt with,” Ian said with a grin, turning to Keith.

But something was wrong with Keith.

He clutched his chest, drenched in sweat and breathing heavily, the very picture of distress.

“What’s wrong?”

Ian approached hesitantly, but Keith shook his head, closing his eyes in pain.

“Run.”

“...?”

“Get away from me. Something is wrong.”

“...?”

“I... I feel like I need you. I don’t know what I might do to you.”

Keith’s breathless voice set Ian on edge.

What the hell did he mean?

Ian opened Keith’s status screen.

Ding!

[Character]

‘Agent of God’ Keith (★★★★★)

Reputation

Agent of God, Holy Knight, Zealot

Skills

Healing: LV.10

Enhancement: LV.10

Swordsmanship: LV.10

⁝

[Status Effect: Curse]

[The curse is activating.]

Ding!

[Belial’s Curse (S)]

Turns the cursed into a slave to their desires.

Ian did not bother reading any further.

The moment he saw the activation notice, he bolted.

But Keith was faster.

He grabbed Ian as Ian stumbled forward, and Ian found himself pinned beneath him.