The Returnee's Hidden Strategy Stream

Chapter 73

[Translator - Jjescus ]

[Proofreader - Starfall ]

Chapter: 73

"...?"

Immediately after Hanbit took the lead, navigating the maze became incredibly smooth. The monsters they encountered were also killed off at an astonishingly fast pace.

Yeonwoo, watching this with disbelief, said, "Hyung, is this also from a web novel?"

-You're kidding me

-If the novel explained the entire maze, it's done for

-Maybe no one can find it because it's of bad quality.

-Agreed.

The conversation about the novel once again dominated the chat.

Hanbit, who had been striding forward, quickly defused the situation.

"It wasn't detailed in the novel. I guess we're just lucky."

"If this is luck, then I should just buy a lottery ticket, Hyung." Yeonwoo had a bewildered expression.

"Hurry up and come on."

Hanbit increased his speed again.

As he continued to defeat monsters, his level naturally increased.

[Level increased by 2.]

[Received 2 stat points.]

Continuing through the maze, he reached the final wall. There, a blue door stood.

"Let's go."

Clack-

With a push, the heavy door slowly creaked open. Beyond the boundary was a steep spiral staircase.

"It looks like a trap."

"You're right. You go first."

"Me? No, wait..."

Hanbit grinned and pushed Yeonwoo's back towards the stairs.

Surprised, Yeonwoo resisted but soon gave up and stepped onto the stairs.

"Why is this so high?"

The top was nowhere in sight, even after climbing for a long time.

Hanbit simply continued to push Yeonwoo's back.

"Wow!"

Yeonwoo exclaimed in surprise, finally reaching the last step.

A transparent glass floor. Below it was the maze they had passed through.

"What is this?"

"The architect's taste."

-How did they do that;

-It's super high. Lol

-Black Dragon's opinion: The dungeon designer was a pervert.

-The map maker who was eating snacks, startled;

"Ah, the prize money."

Hanbit, looking at the screen, remembered the challenge mission.

He immediately pressed the success button.

[You have succeeded in the challenge mission.]

[You have received 623,000 won.]

"Thank you everyone."

In a short time, the accumulated prize money exceeded 600,000 won.

Feeling good, Hanbit pushed Yeonwoo's back again.

"Let's go. Be careful, as some parts might be fragile."

"How can you say that while pushing me!"

Cautiously stepping onto the glass floor, the two moved forward.

"Wow, this is unbelievable. Hyung, you found this path right away?"

While looking down, Yeonwoo sighed at the complex maze.

Apart from the monsters, it was impossible to escape without getting stuck even once.

"Wow, what is this?"

Arriving at the center, the two stood in a square-shaped space. A unique magic circle was drawn there.

"It's a place to summon the boss."

"Summoning place?"

"There's no separate boss room here. It's more like summoning it through a ritual."

This dungeon also had a boss.

However, it was completely different from the structure he had seen in the challenge dungeon.

"Where will it appear? It would be dangerous to fight here."

Yeonwoo tapped on the glass floor worriedly.

Hanbit, who had entered the square space, pointed below.

"It will appear in the maze. Let's get ready right away."

Ding-!

[Cuckoo has donated 1,000 gold.]

[Shameless bastards enter the maze.]

Turning his head, he could see a crowd of people standing at the entrance of the maze from a distance.

The figure of the Ranger was visible at the very front.

Without hesitation, he stepped inside.

"The maze footage must have been uploaded to the community."

"It must have spread everywhere already. They'll follow it."

Just as Yeonwoo said, all the players began to carefully follow the path of the maze.

The way their gazes darted around made it seem like they were watching a video.

"They're fast, really fast."

"It's not that they're fast, it's just that it's too late to summon the boss, isn't it? What are you going to do?!"

Hanbit was nonchalantly cheering, while Yeonwoo grabbed his shoulder and shook him.

From a distance, it was a truly incomprehensible situation.

'They've all come in.'

The players who had entered the maze had reached almost the central area.

There was no one at the entrance.

"Let's start."

"What? Even if we summon the boss, we'll only be at a disadvantage, won't we? It's obvious we won't be able to defeat it and will only get robbed... Hyung!"

Swish-

Lowering his stance, Hanbit touched the magic circle on the floor.

And then, with a bright light, changes followed.

Ding-!

[Itelroger's Aquarium Diary]

Selecting bait is important.

Since the aquarium owner had picky tastes prepare excellent bait using lures.

If you satisfy them, you will be rewarded.

'It's exactly the same.'

The content of the message that appeared was familiar.

It was exactly the same as the terrible memories of the past.

"What does this mean? Are the baits the monsters below?"

-The concept is solid;

-Who's the owner?

-Isn't it the silhouette we saw in the passage?

-King God Fish

-Now they have to feed the monsters;

-Do they just have to catch all the monsters in the maze?"

Yeonwoo and the viewers, who were reading the written words, came up with the same thought.

The monster they had encountered in the maze, the sandworm.

It was natural to think that they had to catch it first, as they were all labeled as bait.

Woong-!

At that moment, the magic circle vibrated greatly.

And the moment the trembling that shook their bodies stopped…

Swish-

The magic circle disappeared before their eyes.

* * *

"Huh?"

"What's this?"

In the central area of the aquarium maze, the players who had been following Black Dragon's clip stopped in their tracks.

It was because a magic circle was being drawn on the floor without warning.

Woong-

Lines and patterns were filled in with a bright light.

Some players approached to examine it.

"According to the stream, what was Black Dragon doing?"

"Didn't he just touch the magic circle?"

"Didn't a message appear saying to find bait?"

Many people were still watching Black Dragon's stream.

Although the content was simple, the purpose of this magic circle could not be predicted.

"Does this mean we have to put bait here?"

"Shall we bring one?"

"It says to satisfy them. Will the sandworm do?"

Various questions and speculations poured out.

But that peace didn't last long.

"It seems almost complete?"

"What's going to come out?"

The magic circle drawn on the floor was completing its final outline. And as soon as the line formed a perfect circle...

Whoosh-!

A fierce pillar of fire shot up from the magic circle.

"Oof!"

"What the hell!"

Surprised players hastily backed away.

Swish-

The pillar of fire, which had everyone's attention, gradually faded.

When it disappeared completely, something revealed itself.

"...What is that?"

"A doll... is it?"

A towering brown human-shaped figure. Flames wrapped around its entire body, and a red sphere in its chest emitted a bright light.

[Elite: Bait Doll (Lv. ???)]

A clear name tag floated above its head.

The hesitant players simultaneously realized the situation.

This was the key to clearing the dungeon.

Swish-

A tense silence fell as everyone looked at each other.

The monster's level wasn't displayed. But considering the levels of the surrounding monsters, they thought they could defeat it too.

Click-!

The adventurers, who had been eyeing each other, each readied their weapons.

Their gazes were fixed on the still motionless doll.

A sharp sword was held in the hands of the fire-wrapped creature.

And the moment the doll's foot stepped outside the magic circle...

Thump-!

Everyone attacked simultaneously.

Whoosh-!

Kwang-!

Countless active skills flew out with tremendous force.

The destructive power was as strong as their intention to kill it in one blow.

However…

Shlick-

!

The doll, which should have died, disappeared from sight.

"It's over there!"

A player with sharp eyes pointed upwards.

Turning their gaze, they saw the doll attached to the top of the maze wall.

"...What the heck?"

"Tch. It must be agile."

"Ah, it's annoying if it's fast."

Its nimble movements caused dissatisfaction.

It wasn't strange for an elite-grade monster to have superior movements compared to those of the same level.

Monsters specialized in agility were always difficult to catch.

"Close range attacks will just follow its direction, let's use long-range attacks."

"We'll just bombard it with magic. That's more certain."

"Who learned the assassination skill? Use whatever you have to get the first hit!"

The players strategized within their respective parties.

However, a man appeared who made their plans pointless.

"Don't touch it."

The Ranger slowly walked forward, stopping the players' actions.

His bowstring was taut but not yet aimed at the doll.

'It has to move.'

Black Dragon was still standing on the top of the maze. The Ranger was watching his movements because there was a high possibility that he would do something strange again.

'It's clear that this is the key.'

Originally, he planned to finish traversing the maze, but he intuitively chose the magic circle.

After all, the message that appeared to Black Dragon clearly stated that he should prepare bait.

Catching monsters was a condition that was overwhelmingly advantageous to him.

Whoosh-!

The doll hanging on the maze wall looked down, its flames flickering.

For a moment, there was a tense standoff in the uncomfortable silence.

Thump-

Footsteps were heard from behind.

"What, aren't you catching it?"

Black Dragon walked slowly, his sword hanging down.

He looked around at the players gathered.

"Did you think we would fall for your trick?"

"I never intended to trick you."

When asked casually, Black Dragon shrugged and dismissed it.

Then he looked at the doll on the maze wall.

"Well, do whatever you want."

He seemed indifferent.

Whoosh-!

Whoosh-!

A wind gathered around Black Dragon, and at the same time, a strong flame enveloped him.

It was a beautiful flame, completely different from the doll's.

'That's real.'

The Ranger was certain.

The attack Black Dragon was preparing now was not a mere imitation.

It was a decisive blow that fully utilized the power of the spirit.

Swish-

Black Dragon tilted his blade and prepared to attack.

And the moment he swung his sword at the doll...

Shhh-!

Ping-!

An arrow shot out simultaneously with the sword.

Crack-!

Yellow lightning wrapped around the arrow.

It became a giant sphere and covered the maze wall.

Kwa-kwa-kwa-!

The impact spreading across the wall emitted an even stronger electric shock.

Black Dragon's sword strike, which struck that spot, added to the shock.

"Ugh!"

The players watching together retreated backward from the intense light and heat.

However…

"Tch."

The target doll had already escaped from the wall.

Thud-!

The doll ran swiftly along the maze wall.

While everyone was taken aback, Hanbit was the first to move.

Thump-!

Planting his foot, he quickly began to chase the doll.

His determination to somehow defeat it first was genuine.

Once again convinced, the Ranger quickly followed behind, his bow drawn.

[Translator - Jjescus ]

[Proofreader - Starfall ]