CHAPTER 76: KIM RYUNG’S METHOD

The moment he dropped in the river, before he could even sink deeper, a hand gripped his arm and he was promptly fished out of the river. Knowing who it was, Cheon Areum clung onto Yoon Seoyul’s shirt like a whimpering dog in fear.

"Don’t just recklessly jump in when you can’t swim!"

"You can let go of him now, Cheon Areum. They’re all gone."

Yoon Seoyul spoke perturbedly but still shielded him with his arms. Hearing Lee Nari’s words, Cheon Areum suspiciously peeked from Yoon Seoyul’s neck. The swarm of dragonflies was nowhere to be seen. He wiped his face against Yoon Seoyul’s chest before lifting himself on his feet unsteadily.

"You know I can’t swim?"

Cheon Areum asked confusedly, but before he could get an answer, Lee Nari gripped him by the shoulders and transferred him to the cleared-out area.

"Stay here. There aren’t any bugs here unless something flies over... I think the bugs are attracted to you. They keep wanting to fly towards you."

Not sure if it was meant to reassure him or terrify him, Cheon Areum obediently sat down on the patch of bare earth—dry, cracked, and stripped of even the smallest blades of grass. Yoon Seoyul and Lee Nari towered over him, their figures splaying long, looming shadows across his face as he spoke solemnly.

"This isn’t working. I need to get out of here as soon as possible."

"Just think of them as your own black butterflies. You’re not scared of them, are you?"

Lee Nari suggested. Cheon Areum tilted his neck backward to glare at her specifically.

"It’s not the same thing. Those butterflies are an imitation created by my energy."

As he finished his words, inspiration struck him—the A-Class gate where Kim Ryung had a similar situation. He didn’t exactly know what those creatures were, but they were also difficult to kill so...

"Let’s just burn down the whole jungle."

"Oh yeah, that works. You can control the fire instead," Lee Nari exclaimed.

"How are you going to start a fire?" Yoon Seoyul asked.

"It can’t be that hard. Get some dry grass and wood. We’ll have a fire in no time."

Cheon Areum replied, waving his hand.

*

Turns out it was really that hard. Cheon Areum gritted the rocks together for the 27th time, his fingers aching and skin dusted with powdered stone. A single, fleeting spark flickered—more a tease than triumph. Lee Nari had abandoned the effort without even trying, sitting cross-legged nearby on a tree stump, staring at him. Yoon Seoyul, for all his strength, lacked finesse; he crushed the rocks with such force they crumbled into useless powder instead of flint-worthy edges.

Enraged, Cheon Areum finally gave up, throwing the rocks with all his strength. The rocks flew over the river, crossing it and falling on the other end. He rolled on his back, kicking his legs in frustration.

"Ugh... I miss Kim Ryung."

"He’s already engaged to Haeun, Areum."

"I don’t mean it in that way!"

Lee Nari curiously listened before recognizing the name.

"Oh, isn’t he a model? What will he do here?"

Cheon Areum shot up with a strange expression and a scared glint in his eyes, grabbing his head from both sides.

"No, this dungeon is making us dumb. Lee Nari, Yoon Seoyul, what do you have in your inventories?"

"I don’t have anything in my inventory."

Lee Nari declared confidently. Cheon Areum looked at Yoon Seoyul as a last resort.

"I don’t have anything useful either. I left my phone in the car too."

"Okay, list out what you do have."

"I have drinkable water, energy bars, energy boosters, freeze-dried ice cream, a change of clothes, puffer jackets, and packed store-bought meals....."

Cheon Areum listened closely when Yoon Seoyul suddenly hesitated.

"What is it?"

"It’s... I have condoms too."

Yoon Seoyul spoke in a low voice, which easily reached Lee Nari due to the spacious area.

"No. No, don’t look so disheartened, Yoon Seoyul. That’s great!"

"Give me the condoms."

Cheon Areum opened his palms, patiently waiting for Yoon Seoyul to give him the condoms.

"Didn’t you bring your phone with you? We can try using the battery—"

"I don’t want to disassemble my phone. What if Rian calls me?"

"But once we clear the gate, you can use my phone to call Rian too."

"Give me the condoms, Yoon Seoyul."

Yoon Seoyul already knew it was a losing battle. Cheon Areum didn’t know why he even tried to begin with, as he acquired two boxes of latex condoms—one lubricated and the other unlubricated.

*

"Lee Nari, you’re watching my back, right? If I move, it won’t work, so do your best."

"Yes. Don’t worry."

Cheon Areum held the water-filled, unlubricated condom above his head, angling it carefully toward the patch of dry grass. The sunlight piercing through the makeshift lens refracted into a sharp beam. It didn’t take long for the leaves to smoke, curling into darkened edges. Yoon Seoyul stood guard at the front, eyes sharp for any flying bugs, while Lee Nari silently covered the rear, her back nearly touching his.

"Lee Nari, you don’t need to get this close."

"Areum, I’ll hold it. You sit here."

"Wait, the fire is spreading."

Just as they finished talking, the dried patch of grass suddenly caught fire, orange flames curling and twisting through the brittle blades. The fire spread quickly, searing through the dry undergrowth and setting the wooden logs underneath ablaze. Cheon Areum flung the water-filled condom aside without a second thought, his footsteps steady as he approached the flickering flames.

From his fingertips, a thin, sinuous string of black energy slithered outward, spiraling through the air like smoke seeking fuel. The moment it touched the fire, the colors began to shift—reds deepened into maroon, oranges flickered into violet, and then, with a violent hiss, a surge of black fire erupted from the small blaze. It roared to life in a wide gulf, devouring the air with unnatural heat, casting a dark light containing unfathomable negative energy.