Survive the labyrinth with EX-grade traits

We took a carriage after arriving in the 4th District via the Warp Gate.

At times like this, I found it a bit inconvenient that each district in the Dungeon City was so vast.

It’s been several months since I entered the Dungeon City, and there are still many places I haven’t visited in the 4th District.

We arrived at the Swordsmanship Guild building.

“Wow.”

“What do you think? When the guild was established, all kinds of experts from different races gathered to help with the construction.”

The first guild leader invested a massive amount of money and used special materials obtained from the dungeon to build the guild with great care.

Indeed, the building’s exterior was impressive.

While the Knights’ Guild building felt like well-forged steel, the Swordsmanship Guild had a more classical and imposing atmosphere.

“I’m so sorry!!!”

However, the people we encountered inside the building were even more impressive than its exterior.

“Wow, this is something else.”

There were dozens of swordsmen with various characteristics, including a bald giant over 2 meters tall wearing full plate armor, men in light armor carrying long swords on their backs, a female swordswoman in a martial arts uniform with a bandage wrapped around her chest, and swordsmen of all ages and genders wearing light one-handed swords at their waists.

They all shouted and bowed, exposing their heads, which made me wonder what was going on.

Sena seemed a bit embarrassed by this scene and rubbed her neck as she spoke in a flustered tone.

“Why are you apologizing? I didn’t know they were such a cunning and capable person who could tamper with the Warp Gate’s magic circle in one district. Anyway, I’m glad everything worked out.”

“But…”

“What do you think I’ll say now? Let our bald chief instructor think about it and answer.”

“…”

The bald giant at the front was the second-in-command of the Swordsmanship Guild, right after Sena.

He thought about Sena’s words and answered, and Sena snapped her fingers in agreement.

Thwack!

“Yes! The Warp Gate is being repaired. It’s not practical to gather everyone at the carriage station, and it’s unlikely that we would have arrived on time if we had used our magic to travel across the district. I honestly don’t think it would have worked.”

“Yes, you’re absolutely right, Guild Leader.”

The chief instructor was right, but everyone’s hearts were saying otherwise.

“It’s been a while since we’ve gathered like this, and it’s frustrating that we couldn’t help and just watched as grown men sucking their thumbs.”

Sena laughed at these words.

“Haha! You cute guys. What a metaphor… Are you babies? Ha Ha Ha?”

“Hmm.”

“Okay, as I said on the communication, the problem has been resolved, and the instructor’s family is safe. Thank you for responding to the urgent call, and I always feel reassured when I see you all.”

“Sniff. Guild Leader!”

Oh my. He was on the verge of tears, which didn’t match his large build.

At first glance, he seemed like a tank or a sturdy warrior, but perhaps he was a hot-blooded fool.

“Here we go again. Disperse!”

“Did you hear that? Everyone, disperse!”

When the chief instructor ordered everyone to disperse, voices of encouragement filled the air.

“Bruna! How about a real sword fight?”

“I’m always up for it. It’s almost sunrise anyway. Let’s just start training early.”

“Every time I see the Guild Leader, I feel so discouraged. I wonder if I’ll become as pale and beautiful as her when I get stronger.”

“Don’t even compare yourself to her. You’re a tanned, freckled woman, and she’s one of the most beautiful women. Comparing yourself to her is a sin!”

“Ugh! You’re one to talk! I need to relieve some stress. Follow me to training room number 3!”

“Phew, what a sweaty atmosphere.”

Despite being a mixed group of men and women, there was a strong sweaty vibe.

But I didn’t mind this passionate atmosphere.

“It’s a bit different from what I expected, but most of them are skilled swordsmen. A sword fight with them would be no joke.”

“Yes. I can feel their sincerity just by looking at their eyes.”

“Exactly. The Swordsmanship Guild doesn’t just accept anyone who pays the fee. We have high standards.”

As I enjoyed the conversation with Sena, Evelyn, who had been quiet until now, spoke softly.

“Passion, atmosphere, and camaraderie are all good, but I think we should go inside and talk. If we stand here, we’ll keep attracting attention.”

“Oh, you’re right. Let’s go to the office and continue the conversation there.”

I nodded and followed her inside the building.

Even in the short walk to the office, the guild members greeted Sena with bright smiles.

Through this, I could see that Sena was respected and admired by her members, and I got to see another side of her.

Click.

“Ahren, sit here. Evelyn, you can sit wherever you like. Or, if you want, you can walk around the building!”

Sena, who was sitting in the center, had me sit in the seat right in front of her and spread her arms towards Evelyn.

“As you know, we usually communicate through communication crystals, and it’s rare for us to enter each other’s spaces. We have our own positions, after all. Why don’t you take this opportunity to explore the building?”

“You’re kidding. You just want to get rid of me, don’t you?”

“No, I’m serious. I wanted to have a heart-to-heart talk with you and Ahren.”

Sena laughed playfully, saying that she and her disciple were just joking.

She locked her fingers together and rested her chin on them, leaning closer to me.

“Okay, where should we start? Ah, this would be good.”

Here we go.

I braced myself, expecting a tricky question, but the start was surprisingly light.

“Ahren, what’s your real name? I mean your name from the other world, not the one you made up after coming here.”

…I thought I would never have to say that name out loud again.

“Ah, my real name is Sena Kang. I used my real name as my alias, and fortunately, it doesn’t sound awkward. Now it’s your turn.”

Wow, she used her real name as her alias. What if another former apostle recognized her here?

Since I started, I hoped she would answer truthfully. I slowly spoke.

“My real name is Seo Do-jin. That’s my name from the other world. No matter what anyone says, I’m Ahren now.”

“Wow! I kind of expected it, but you’re really Korean?! I’m so glad!”

Oh, so there are other Koreans here too?

“Does that mean there are other foreigners among the transmigrated apostles?”

“Huh? Of course there are. Although it was a single-player game until the end, we were based on a global server because of the ranking leaderboard.”

I just brushed it off for now.

There were famous former apostles in the city with unique names, such as Stella of the Stars, Damon of the Brave Heart, and Sophia the Sage.

I didn’t know that there were foreigners among them.

I made up the alias Ahren after coming here, and my hair and eye color changed. I thought it was just a cosmetic change.

In fact, after my eyes turned golden, my muscles became more defined.

“Hmm… It’s a great name, but I can tell you don’t like it. I won’t pry any further.”

I expressed my gratitude for her small act of consideration.

“Next question. Tell me about your age, occupation, and the god who summoned you. Ah, wait a minute.”

Sena waved her index finger from side to side, indicating that she would guess my age and occupation before I could say anything.

“You’re probably around twenty-three, and you look like an actor, idol, or influencer. Am I right? I have a great sense of intuition!”

‘No, that’s not it at all.’

“I’m twenty-five, and before coming here, I was just an employee at a small company. The god who summoned me is the God of Chaos.”

“Really? That’s unexpected. It’s a shame you’re not using your good looks to your advantage. Well, I guess your occupation is what it is, and you’re a disciple of the God of Chaos. Wait a minute.”

Is there a problem? I felt a bit anxious when she stopped talking.

Sena approached her desk, where her nameplate was placed, and started flipping through a worn-out book she had taken from a drawer.

“It’s not here. It’s not here either. Ah, here it is. It’s been determined to be a neutral god with no temple or followers and no traces left in the lower world. It’s deeply related to both the leader of the good gods, the God of Light, and the leader of the evil gods, the God of Darkness, so be cautious.”

She closed the book with a clack and began to think.

“Hmm. Well, at least it’s not an evil god. Now it’s my turn.”

She looked like she was in her early twenties, but I wondered if there was a twist and she was actually in her mid-thirties.

“I was twenty-two when I was summoned, and I’m twenty-seven this year. Before coming here, I was a well-known kendo player. Did you hear about my god earlier?”

Yes, she said she was a disciple of the God of Martial Arts.

It seems that she had a connection with swords from the very beginning. No wonder she’s the leader of the Swordsmanship Guild.

“I was really good at it. I easily earned my 4th-dan and obtained my instructor qualification, so I was excited about inheriting my family’s dojo.”

“But…”

Sena sighed deeply.

“My father was scammed by an acquaintance’s investment scheme, and our family was ruined. In the end, my father hanged himself after losing several hundred million won, and my mother left home and started a new life with someone else.”

Oh… I didn’t expect such a serious story.

“Before I knew it, the passionate Sena who was obsessed with swords was gone, and all that was left was a shut-in who had been soaking in shorts and games for a year.”

“…”

“At that time, I thought, ‘At least I don’t have any debt. Let me pick up the sword again. Even though my parents are gone, what I’ve achieved so far hasn’t disappeared, has it?'”

She was twenty-two when she was summoned. She had a strong mentality even at a young age.

Sena laughed bitterly.

“But the game I was playing when I was summoned turned out to be the medium that connected to this world.”

“Oh…”

“Now I’m incredibly strong and have become the guild leader, but when I first arrived in this world, I almost went crazy.”

“Fortunately, I received a massive amount of karma and gained a good characteristic. My skills in Korean swordsmanship and Joseon swordsmanship, which I had practiced in my previous world, were redefined due to my characteristic, along with the European swordsmanship techniques I had learned superficially.”

She said that this allowed her to grow to an unparalleled level in terms of swordsmanship.

‘How many swords did you learn at such a young age? You must have an incredible talent, even with all the effort you put in.’

When I asked her about it, she said, “I did say it in a general way, but I’ve appeared on TV several times. Have you never heard of the rising star of the kendo world, the genius swordsman Sena Kang?

“I’m not very up-to-date with the world, so I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay, it’s okay. You might not have heard of it. Anyway, that’s all I have to say! How about you? Do you miss your family?”

Family.

After a brief silence, I wiped my face and spoke calmly.

.

.

.

“Sister! You should call me that from now on, okey?”

“Hmm. Yes. Sister.”

“You still seem a bit awkward. Well, it’s been less than a day since we met, so it’s a bit sudden. Let’s get used to it gradually, okay?”

“Yes, I will. I mean, yes.”

Somehow, we decided to call each other sister and brother.

Was it because I was happy to meet another Transmigrated apostle who spoke the same language?

Or maybe it was because we shared our painful pasts and formed a bond.

“Ah, it’s been a while since I met a Korean person. I feel like having some Korean food and soju!”

Knock, knock.

“Come in!”

The chief instructor opened the door.

“Guild Leader, I’m sorry to interrupt, but the representative from Arcadia’s Heart is waiting in the reception room. You should go there soon.”

“I guess they’re gathering because of this incident. What do you think? Did they pressure you from above? What was the visitor’s demeanor like?”

“Yes. As soon as he arrived, he asked for the guild leader. I could sense the urgency in his eyes. It seemed like he was in a hurry.”

“Of course, since it’s been years since an apostle of the evil god appeared, the higher-ups will have to come up with a plan. Okay, I’ll go there right away. Please hold him for a bit longer.”

Flap.

The chief instructor bowed and left. Sena put on her coat and straightened her clothes.

“Then I’ll see you later. I probably won’t be here tomorrow, so come alone in a few days. Evelyn, is it okay if he comes with you?”

“Yes. After listening to your conversation earlier, I don’t think you’ll want to take him as your disciple anymore.”

“I’m sorry I can’t see you off. Be careful on your way!”

Sena left for the reception room.

There was no point in staying in the office any longer, so we left the guild and headed to the carriage station.

Beep.

“Okay, I’m on my way too. Don’t rush me, and hang up!”

Evelyn received a call from her subordinate, Cain, and roughly put away her communication device.

Of course, since Sena sent someone to the Knights’ Guild, someone must have come to her guild as well.

“Master.”

“What?”

“Look at my face. Don’t avoid eye contact.”

Evelyn’s expression had been strange ever since she left.

“Your expression has been a bit strange since earlier. You seem displeased, or maybe you’re in a bad mood.”

“What are you talking about? It’s nothing. You must have felt it wrong.”

“Hmm.”

I grabbed Evelyn’s hand.

“Ouch.”

“I think I know why you’re acting this way. Master. I know that you and Sena, hmm… You’re feeling left out because they’re talking about things that only the two of them know, right? Are you sulking?”

“…”

Evelyn pouted her lips.

“I didn’t think much about it before, but when I saw you two laughing and talking about things that only Koreans would know, I realized the fundamental difference between you and me.”

Evelyn laughed at herself, saying that it would be better for me to become Sena’s disciple. She felt inadequate as a master.

I placed her hand on my chest.

“Can you feel it? My heart is beating.”

“Let go.”

“This. If it weren’t for your harsh training, support, and trust, I wouldn’t be standing here like this.”

“That’s nonsense.”

“No, it’s not. If I had relied solely on my characteristic and acted recklessly, I might have become a cold corpse in the dungeon by now, or the dungeon might have swallowed my body and turned me into a new monster.”

I looked directly into Evelyn’s eyes.

“Master. No, Evelyn. Even if I learn from someone else or form a new bond with a stronger person, there will always be a place for you.”

I squeezed her hand tighter.

“Even though we’ve only been connected for a short time, less than a year, you are my master, and I am your only disciple. So, please cheer up. Your pretty face is full of sulkiness.”

“…”

“What are you doing, talking back to your master like that?”

Smack!

“Ouch!”

“Stop talking nonsense. Go and reassure my sister, who is worried about you!”

“Master, you’re usually stern and serious in front of others, but you’re like a sulky girl when it’s just us. You’re a bit cute, ack!”

I added the last part playfully, and she hit me a few more times, but I didn’t mind.

I saw a faint smile on her lips as she walked ahead of me.

“Master! Let’s go together!”

After that, we parted ways at the carriage station because our destinations were different.

I headed to my inn, my home away from home, while Evelyn went to her Knights’ Guild.

Time passed quickly again.