Chapter 38: Buffalo Dungeon (2)

After walking for about an hour, since encountering the first five buffalo, there wasn’t a single trace of movement—not even from an ant.

The closer we got to the center of the dungeon, the darker and gloomier the atmosphere became.

The torches, which had been clustered all around at the entrance, had thinned out considerably. The air had grown so cold that our breath formed visible puffs of vapor as we exhaled.

“Is it normal for there to be so few of them?”

Chloe, leading the way, looked around with a puzzled expression.

“It seems that way. No matter how popular this dungeon is, it shouldn’t feel this empty. What do you think, Saki?”

“Hmm.”

Saki Ryozo crossed her arms and pondered deeply before answering.

“I’ve been thinking about it. Didn’t those buffalo earlier seem a bit odd to you?”

“Odd? How so?”

SpeedWeapon widened his eyes and asked. Saki, sucking on a candy I’d given her earlier, continued.

“I’m not entirely sure, but something about them made it seem like they were fleeing from something when they charged at us. If we consider typical buffalo behavior, it doesn’t make sense.”

“You’re right. Buffalo are usually peaceful creatures. In Cheorwon, they’re sometimes even used to plow fields. Among magical beasts, they’re considered quite friendly toward humans.”

…They use those intimidating creatures for farming? These people really are something else…

SpeedWeapon and Saki went back and forth discussing the buffalo. According to them, the low difficulty of conquering this dungeon was also due to the fact that buffalo typically didn’t attack unless provoked.

It aligned with what I remembered from the game. In Miracle Blessing M, buffalo-type magical beasts, commonly referred to as “oxen,” were known for not being easily provoked into attacking.

Here in the real world, things didn’t seem too different from their in-game portrayal.

“It’s odd, sure, but I don’t think it’s a problem. This dungeon has a set route, and in case of an emergency, we have communication within the area, so we’ll be fine.”

“Yeah, and there’s security staff stationed at the entrance.”

Saki nodded, her voice drowsy.

Her comment reminded me of the staff member who had stared at me during the access check, leaving me with a faint sense of unease.

I called out to Chloe, who had been silently walking ahead. She quickly came over, smiling like a squirrel that had found an acorn.

“About that employee earlier…”

I whispered in her ear. Chloe nodded, understanding, and clenched her fist.

“Yes, understood.”

“What? And we don’t get to know?”

SpeedWeapon asked indifferently. I shook my head in response.

“I asked Chloe to handle something only she can do.”

“…What? Are you two dating or something? I’ve been suspecting it for a while.”

SpeedWeapon squinted maliciously, which caused Chloe’s face to turn as red as a ripe tomato. I raised my hand and firmly shook my head.

“It’s a biased perspective to see all male-female relationships that way.”

“Really? It’s just that you’re always together, so I assumed…”

Saki, half-turning her head to listen, let out a stifled laugh.

“…”

Chloe glanced at me sideways, her lips slightly pursed. She seemed upset. Even though I’d just asked her for a favor, I maintained my composure.

Keeping a certain distance was one of the strategies for dealing with yandere personalities that I’d learned from late-night videos. After a few moments of hesitation, I decided to change the subject.

“Hey, SpeedWeapon, how did you meet Rachel and Saki? Surprisingly, you seem to know a lot of key people.”

“Oh, that.”

It was curious that I, someone who’d played the game, didn’t know SpeedWeapon had connections with main characters.

His name wasn’t even mentioned in the game.

SpeedWeapon looked vague for a moment, then spoke in a hesitant tone.

“My family is a branch of the Changseong family, the one Rachel belongs to. We didn’t see each other often, but sometimes we’d cross paths. Even though we’re distant relatives, we’re technically connected.”

He scratched his head, as if discussing something bothersome.

Nobles seemed to take family bloodlines and secondary branches very seriously, always overcomplicating things.

Of course, as a special scholarship student, my position was worlds apart from theirs. Still, even secondary branches seemed to be the butt of jokes in their elitist circles.

That I, someone from a lower class, even cared about these issues felt ironic. At least SpeedWeapon didn’t have to worry about money.

As for me… I’d have to resort to other methods… let’s leave that a mystery.

SpeedWeapon grinned casually, apparently unaware of my empathetic thoughts.

“Don’t look at me like that, man. I’m actually pretty comfortable with my current situation.”

SpeedWeapon smiled, showing his teeth.

“I prefer being from a secondary branch. It means I don’t have to deal with those snooty nobles as much—I’m sick of them. Oh, and about Saki—”

Saki, chewing on a red bean paste sweet, cut in.

“I was top of the theory rankings; he came in second. He couldn’t believe it when he found out.”

“Hey, did you really have to say that?”

“So what? I’m just stating facts.”

Saki let out a mocking laugh.

“For the record, I came in third in the class placement exam.”

She stuck out her tongue playfully. Despite her refined appearance, her behavior had a mischievous streak.

SpeedWeapon licked his dry lips, as if he wanted to retort, but ultimately just frowned.

So SpeedWeapon was second in theory… That was another surprise.

I stroked my chin and nodded. SpeedWeapon gave me a light pat on the shoulder.

“Seriously, Geom-Ma, you’re incredible. If you ever become famous, don’t forget about me.”

I let out a soft laugh.

“Don’t worry, that’s not going to happen.”

Chloe, who had been pouting, nodded and murmured in agreement with that statement.

“Who knows? You might end up as one of the Seven Heroes someday.”

“Yes, if it’s Geom-Ma, he could pull it off.”

Saki, upon hearing this, suddenly stopped and turned to us with a cold expression.

“I don’t like the Seven Heroes.”

She said it bluntly before turning away with a serious expression, as if trying to hide her emotions. Her eyes seemed slightly misty.

“What’s with her?”

SpeedWeapon looked at her, puzzled. So did I. She turned her torso slightly and gestured for us to follow her.

“Let’s go. Let’s finish this dungeon and head back soon.”

“Yes.”

SpeedWeapon nodded calmly.

“…Hey, Geom-Ma.”

“Yeah?”

Chloe, who was at the back of the formation, tugged at my sleeve. After thinking for a moment, she moved her lips.

“…It’s just, something feels off. I can sense the presence of beasts approaching from behind.”

“Really? Maybe we missed them earlier. Great, how many are there?”

“Uh, well…”

“You don’t need to be exact, just an estimate.”

Chloe seemed hesitant, but she finally replied.

“With the blessing, I can sense… about fifty beasts.”

“What!?”

My eyes widened in shock, but there wasn’t time to process it. Suddenly, a massive rumble assaulted our ears.

Rumble rumble rumble rumble!*

The dungeon trembled violently. We all turned our heads at the same time.

A herd of buffalo, their eyes glowing red like embers, was charging toward us. Blood dripped from the pierced nostrils of their enormous snouts.

“What’s with those things? Why are there so many? And those… are they buffalo?”

SpeedWeapon’s voice shook.

While they didn’t look much different from the ones we encountered earlier, their presence was utterly terrifying.

“Mooouuuuuuuu!”

The leader at the center of the formation let out a deep bellow. The rest followed, roaring in unison.

““““““Mooouuuuuu!””””””

It was as if they were thirsting to tear us apart. The ground quaked with each step they took, and I felt a wave of dizziness wash over me.

“But I thought these were supposed to be docile beasts!”

Even if they had a weakness to ranged attacks, their sheer number made it nearly impossible to handle.

Turning around and running wasn’t an option either; they’d catch up to us in no time.

I focused, searching for a solution.

As I centered myself, a clear image of how to move my blade appeared in my mind.

The moment I found a concrete goal, the confusion began to fade, and I faced the situation with calm clarity. My eyes adjusted to the dim light, allowing me to count the beasts precisely.

My breathing quickened slightly. The tense air brushed against my skin.

But the cold grip of Murasame in my hand gave me a sense of peace.

I remembered the words of my first master.

“Every blade has its purpose. A fish knife isn’t made for cutting a bull. Got it?”

A wry chuckle escaped my lips.

“This fish knife is about to cut a bull.”

I spoke to Chloe with a calmness that belied the urgency of the situation.

“Chloe, distract the buffalo and break up their formation. Don’t engage them head-on; weave side to side to scatter them.”

“Yes!”

“Just draw their attention—you don’t need to attack.”

With a determined face, Chloe nodded and unsheathed the katana strapped to her back.

When the sword’s edge rang out, a satisfied expression spread across her face. It seemed clear that the crossbow really wasn’t her thing.

Next, I turned to SpeedWeapon, who seemed to snap out of his daze.

“You’re good?”

“Of course!”

SpeedWeapon shook his flute confidently, his eyes brimming with resolve.

“Saki, handle the ones that get too close.”

“Huh, sure.”

Still stunned, Saki nodded slowly. I turned my back to them and stepped forward.

“…What’s with him? Why is he so calm?”

Saki stared after me, then turned to SpeedWeapon. He shrugged, grinning.

“Prepare to be amazed.”

“…What?”

Saki’s eyes widened in disbelief. Ignoring their gazes, I slipped the knives between my fingers like claws.

As I clenched my hands, the eight blades spread slightly apart.

I stretched my arms, fully unsheathing them.

―Shing!

The cold steel hummed through the air.

[The Blessing of the God of the Sword manifests.]