GILF Hunter

Chapter 423: 423 [Cursed Destiny]

After walking down the stairs for a long time together, they arrived at the room at the end.

Everyone looked around with wary expressions, lighting up the area.

‘The bottom isn’t as spacious as I thought, is it?’

‘The inside is surprisingly clean…’

As they talked, they cautiously moved into the room.

Compared to the scale of the dungeon right above and the elaborate devices blocking it, it was a very modest secret room.

Just how incredible was the item to be sealed so strictly?

The members, who had high expectations, felt a bit puzzled by the place.

‘I think there’s something inside here…’

A wall engraved with numerous characters.

As they walked deeper along that wall, they found a single skeleton instead of a treasure chest at the deepest point.

A skeleton sitting against the wall. The aura of Erosion felt in the room was flowing out from it.

Lia, who was at the front holding the light, discovered it and flinched, stepping back.

‘Ugh… Is this a monster?’

‘A monster?!’

Everyone quickly drew their weapons and stepped back, staying on guard. If this had been the Labyrinth, it would have been a trap 120% of the time.

It meant the skeleton would definitely rise, and there was a 20% chance another trap would trigger alongside it.

Of course, this wasn’t the Labyrinth, but the Erosion was overflowing so strongly that everyone reflexively thought in Labyrinth terms.

‘….’

They all watched the skeleton intently with weapons raised, but even after waiting for a long time, nothing happened.

They thought it was an undead monster because the Erosion was so strong…

But the skeleton didn’t suddenly stand up and attack with a weapon as they had imagined.

Just in case, Lia pointed the tip of her sword and touched it slightly, but there was no reaction.

‘It’s not?’

‘What, you gave me a fright…’

Only after confirming it wasn’t an undead monster did everyone relax and lower their weapons.

Mika, who had quickly prepared a barrier, muttered with a drained face.

‘Lia suddenly said it was a monster…’

‘…Anyone would’ve thought it was a monster, right?’

Lia replied with a slightly embarrassed expression.

Since no one could really refute that, they quietly nodded and began to look around the room in detail again.

It was a small room that could be completely toured in an instant just by walking around.

There was no treasure chest, no suspicious statues, or altars with swords stuck in them.

Those were the things that naturally came to mind when thinking of a sealed room… but nothing could be found in this room.

It could even be described as an empty room.

‘I don’t see any sealed treasure?’

Tanya, who had been looking around, finally failed to find anything and spoke to Mika beside her.

‘Is it hidden behind a wall again?’

‘Just how much does the person who made this place love secret doors…’

Since it was a plausible guess, everyone looked back at Ian with troubled expressions after hearing Mika’s answer.

‘What should we do? Should we look around some more?’

It was up to Ian to decide what to do next. Bringing down Ellen’s team waiting above would help in finding hidden secret spaces, but in exchange, they would have to share the spoils with them.

In a situation like now, where they hadn’t come simply to earn gold but to retrieve a specific item, that would be problematic.

‘No… I don’t think that’s necessary.’

Ian shook his head at the question. He already knew where the object he was looking for was.

Ian raised his hand and pointed toward it, saying,

‘The thing we came to get this time is that.’

Everyone’s gaze turned in that direction. In the spot Ian pointed to, there was only the skeleton they had found earlier.

Surely he didn’t mean they came to find a corpse.

Everyone’s gaze naturally moved toward the dagger hanging at the skeleton’s waist.

‘…Don’t tell me, that dagger?’

Rin, who was standing closest to it, stepped nearer to the skeleton.

She hadn’t paid much attention because a skeleton was holding it, but upon closer inspection, it was in surprisingly good condition. It looked like it would appear brand new if she just wiped away a bit of dust.

Considering this place was old enough to be called an ancient dungeon, it was strange.

While Rin was examining the sword closely, Lia suddenly shouted from behind.

‘Wait, Rin! Don’t touch that!’

‘Eh? Uh… I haven’t grabbed it yet, but why?’

‘Stay right there!’

Stopping Rin, Lia turned her head to look at Ian and said,

‘Leader. Is the weapon you’re giving to Rin… a demonic sword?’

Ian nodded in affirmation.

Having looked around the room, Lia had thought this place felt more like a prison than a room for storing treasure.

If the sealed item Ian was talking about referred to a demonic sword trapped here… everything made sense.

‘Rin. That dead person over there was sealed along with the sword. Because it’s such a dangerous item.’

‘Eh? A person… together?’

‘Yes. In the past, sealing or curse-breaking magic wasn’t as developed as it is now, so if there was a demonic sword, they dealt with it by locking it away in a deep dungeon along with the owner.’

‘I see…’

She had wondered if a grave robber had gotten trapped. Hearing Lia’s explanation, she roughly understood why there was a skeleton in such a place.

‘How do you know that in such detail?’

‘…From books.’

As a swordsman, one can’t help but be interested in famous swords left in history… or stories like that.

When searching for information about various swords, one naturally hears stories about such demonic swords.

Even after hearing that, Rin didn’t seem to fully understand what kind of situation she was in.

‘I was hoping it wasn’t that.’ Lia let out a long sigh.

If they weren’t well-acquainted, Lia would have pointed her sword first.

Giving a member something like that was no different from sacrificing a member out of greed.

…But since she knew Ian well, she didn’t do that.

Instead, Lia said to Ian,

‘…If that is absolutely necessary for what’s ahead… I’ll be the one to carry it instead.’

‘L-Lia?’

‘Rin. Stay still. I’ll be able to handle it better if I carry it.’

There was no way Ian didn’t know the danger of this. There must have been a necessary reason for it somewhere. If so, someone had to take it on.

Lia told Ian she would take charge of it.

…Feeling the atmosphere turn a bit strange, Rin glanced at her surroundings and said to Lia,

‘Um, Lia. I’m fine with it…’

‘I’m telling you, this isn’t something that can be handled with such a light heart.’

She was very grateful for Lia thinking of her this much.

But she was really okay…

Ian met Rin’s eyes with a face asking what she wanted to do.

Rin had already received an explanation from Ian about what her newly acquired ability was. It would be ridiculous to operate without even knowing what her own ability was.

And Rin had said she wanted to keep the acquisition of the new ability a secret from the other members for a while.

There wasn’t a special reason… she was just embarrassed.

After all, there was no way she could explain how she got this new ability.

At first glance, it felt like people might misunderstand her as a huge pervert…

So she wanted to keep the secret as much as possible if possible.

In Rin’s mind, there was only one way to get through this situation.

‘…Ei!’

‘Ah!’

In the end, Rin closed her eyes tight and reached out her hand to pick up the dagger without a word.

Since she didn’t expect Rin to do such a reckless thing, Lia, who had gone to Ian’s side to persuade him first, ran toward Rin in horror.

‘Rin! What are you doing! Let go of it now! Demonic swords are dangerous just by holding them!’

‘It’s oka— ugh, hyaaa-eung…’

Hyaaaa-eung…?

Lia hesitated after hearing Rin’s groan, which sounded a bit strange to be called suffering.

Airi, who had heard that voice from behind, was startled.

This was… the voice Rin often made when she was about to climax.

It was a sound she had frequently heard during Rin’s sexual encounters, which she had accidentally peeped at several times.

Airi, who had reflexively recalled such a thought, blushed slightly and shook her head. What kind of stupid thought was she having in this situation…

Shaking her head to clear those bad thoughts, Airi ran with the other members to support Rin.

‘Are you okay? Do you feel anything strange in your body?’

‘T-that is…’

When Lia’s hand touched her body, Rin flinched and stepped back.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

[Cursed Destiny]

– Unique Item

: Cannot be unequipped

: Returns to the owner

– Upon first equipping [Erosion +50]

– [All Stats] increase every time Erosion is acquired

– [All Damage 15%] amplified every time a curse is acquired

– Low probability to acquire Erosion whenever an enemy is killed with this weapon

– Cannot heal Erosion

– Cannot heal Curses

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Her whole body felt as hot as if it were on fire.

And a strange power surged.

Is this… the power of the demonic sword?

Muttering that, Rin trembled as she looked down at the dagger in her hand.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Mercenary [Rin] has been eroded by the aura of the Labyrinth.

– [Erosion +50] → [Corruption +50]

Mercenary [Rin] has received the curse of the Labyrinth due to Erosion.

– Curse Acquired: [Sensitive Constitution]

– Curse Acquired: [Shameful Orgasm]

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Your gift is the motivation for my creation. Give me more motivation!