A while later, with Kim Dokja leading, all of us except for Han Myung-Oh who was in a panic thoroughly searched the treasure storage and each took out what we had obtained to show.
"I found this."
"I have this......."
Yoo Sangah and Lee Gilyoung showed what they had found with sullen faces.
"It's more modest than I thought."
Yoo Sangah said with a slightly disappointed expression, and Lee Gilyoung beside her, though she didn't say anything, wore an equally disappointed look.
"It's alright. The main part still remains."
In response to Yoo Sangah's words, Kim Dokja spoke while looking at the black box at the center of the storage, and soon we opened the box.
"......Huh? This is?"
Yoo Sangah looked at the Magic Stove inside the box, then alternated her gaze between it and my Magic Stove.
"Just so there's no misunderstanding, mine was obtained through my skill.... It seems this is what you were supposed to get here by normal means..."
"Ah.... I see."
Upon hearing my words, Yoo Sangah made an expression of understanding, and then Kim Dokja activated his Magic Stove and placed one leg of a dead Ground Puppy on it.
It looked ridiculous, like a plate with food that didn't match its size, but in less than five seconds, an amazing change occurred to the Ground Puppy's leg.
"Wow! A delicious smell!"
A savory smell wafted, and before we knew it, the color of the Ground Puppy's leg had turned a golden brown.
"It's meat!"
Looking at the golden-brown roasted Ground Puppy leg meat, Kim Dokja spoke.
"I'll try it first."
Kim Dokja grabbed a well-oiled hind leg and tore off a chunk of the meat whole.
A subtle meat juice seeped out from between the chunk Kim Dokja tore off. Kim Dokja closed his eyes, forgetting even to chew.
[A small number of Constellations are drooling.]
[A small number of Constellations sponsor the Incarnation Kim Dokja 100 coins.]
[The Constellation, 'Black Flame Dragon of the Abyss' swallows saliva.]
[The Constellation, 'Prisoner of the Golden Headband' bites its nails.]
[Some Constellations clutch their stomachs at the sudden mukbang.]
"Hmm... looking at that makes me hungry.... I should eat some Gyarara alligator meat or Jewelry Meat later..."
[Constellations in the channel shout at your muttering, asking for some too.]
[Some wealthy Constellations beg you to sell them some meat, saying they'll give coins.]
[Constellations in the channel howl with hunger.]
At the incessant messages, I felt like I had muttered needlessly and barely calmed them down by saying I'd sell it later when I had time.
"Please try it. It seems alright."
As soon as Kim Dokja finished speaking, Lee Gilyoung and Yoo Sangah rushed toward the meat. They must have been quite hungry too. Even Han Myung-Oh, who had been out of his mind, had somehow approached and was glancing this way.
"D, Dokja-ssi......c-can I have a bite too...."
"Eat. Don't be shy."
"Th, thank you!"
"A dead ghost who died after eating has a nice complexion, you know."
"Wh, what......!"
At Kim Dokja's words, Han Myung-Oh's complexion rapidly worsened.
"....Yuseong-ssi, please come and have some too."
Kim Dokja picked up another piece of meat and handed it to me, and I took a bite of the meat handed from Kim Dokja.
Not a bad texture. A decent taste. However, for someone like me who can eat Gyarara alligator meat, it was slightly underwhelming.
Before we knew it, everyone was engrossed in the meal in silence. Perhaps because of the faint light spreading from the Magic Stove, the mood felt somewhat sentimental.
When I suddenly looked up, I saw Yoo Sangah and Kim Dokja making eye contact. Yoo Sangah, who came to her senses with a start, broke the silence.
"By the way, how do you know all these things, Dokja-ssi? You know how to cook an animal we've never seen before…."
"Ah, that's...…."
"It must be because you read fantasy novels diligently, right? All I do is gobble up what you worked so hard to catch like a pig... and I'm of no help at all..."
"Yoo Sangah-ssi, you might have understood the demon species' language because you studied foreign languages diligently too, you know."
"Is that so... thank you, Dokja-ssi...…."
Seeing that, I smiled slightly at the tearful Yoo Sangah and quietly watched Kim Dokja getting up from his seat. Kim Dokja had already moved behind us and was carefully examining the black box.
It seemed Kim Dokja wanted to use that hidden piece quietly, but
"What are you going to use that box for?"
"Huh? Ah, this is...…."
Following Kim Dokja, Yoo Sangah also looked at the box carefully, reading the letters written on its surface as she spoke.
"Random...... Item Box?"
"Ah...… um, well. So, this is..."
Kim Dokja, slightly flustered by Yoo Sangah's words, was speaking when Yoo Sangah preempted him.
"Go ahead and use it, Dokja-ssi!"
"...Would that be alright?"
Nod nod.
Yoo Sangah immediately nodded her head, and following her, Lee Gilyoung also bobbed his head up and down.
"I don't mind either, so go ahead and use it."
Having heard my answer too, Kim Dokja nodded and said.
"Then I'll use it."
[A small number of Constellations nod at your decision.]
Soon, Kim Dokja took the '7th-grade Demon Species' Core' obtained from the dead Guardian of Darkness's corpse from his pocket, put it in along with the Broken Faith, and closed the box.
A moment later, a dazzling light burst forth from the closed box.
[Ah, no, wh-why is this here? I, it, it should have been banned from release just now!]
The shocked Bihyung hurriedly manipulated the system.
[C, Constellations. That thing, you see......… I don't really know why that's there either...... E, heeheeheet! Broadcast over!]
[Channel #BI-7623 is temporarily closed.]
As the Dokkaebi, who had been talking nonsense alone, disappeared and closed the channel, the voices of the Constellations that had been continuously heard also vanished.
[A sword-type item was put in, so an item of the same type will appear as a reward!]
[Random draw begins!]
[The item offered as a sacrifice is related to a specific Constellation!]
[The probability of an item related to that Constellation appearing is greatly increased.]
[A high-grade item has appeared!]
[The Random Item Box's number of usable times has become 0.]
Eventually, the box's trembling stopped and the ecstatic light subsided.
Kim Dokja looked at Yoo Sangah and Lee Gilyoung, whose eyes were sparkling, and then at me, and spoke.
"Shall we open it?"
"Yes!"
Kim Dokja immediately opened the box to check its contents.
"Wo, wooooah!"
Lee Gilyoung screamed loudly, he was so surprised. But it contained an item worthy of such surprise.
A pristine white blade that grew above an elegant, ink-black guard......
Name : Unbreakable Faith
Grade: Star Relic
Description: A sword that belonged to the hero 'Kaizenix' who led the Great Magic Era of Guidesia in the past. It contains Kaizenix's great ether dominance, allowing it to generate 'Blades of Faith' each imbued with the power of fire, darkness, and holiness.
Additional Option: When equipped, increases Stamina and Strength levels by 2 each.
"D, Dokja-ssi! It looks like an incredible item even at a glance, doesn't it?"
Kim Dokja nodded at those words and, as a courtesy, turned to where Yoo Sangah and Lee Gilyoung were and asked.
"......May I take it?"
"Of course. It's naturally yours, Dokja-ssi."
Yoo Sangah strongly insisted as if driving a nail in beforehand. Lee Gilyoung was also nodding his head vigorously along with Yoo Sangah.
Soon, we finished tidying up and were about to leave when
[Detection: Another box detected beneath the current box. Recommend using that box as well.]
At the Great Sage's words, I internally asked if he was serious and immediately moved the box, clearing away the soil from the area beneath it.
"That is....!?"
After digging some soil, a box identical to the random item box from earlier revealed itself.
"This.... May I use it?"
In response to my question, the party members answered that since I found it, I could of course use it.
"Good, then I'll use this one... and what to put in... should be this, right?"
I placed the Cursed Kayserium I had stored in my inventory into the box and immediately opened the shop to find and purchase a 7th-grade Demon Species' Core.
[Purchased a 7th-grade Demon Species' Core.]
[Spent 10,000 coins.]
After putting the purchased 7th-grade Demon Species' Core into the box, I immediately closed it.
[A two-handed sword-type item was put in, so an item of the same type will appear as a reward!]
[Random draw begins!]
[The item offered as a sacrifice is related to a specific being!]
[The probability of an item related to that being appearing is greatly increased.]
[A high-grade item has appeared!]
[The Random Item Box's number of usable times has become 0.]
Name : Liberated Kayserium
Grade: SSS
Description: The Kayserium used by the former Kaiser, the Guardian of Nova who protected the Nova of Grandis in the past and its strongest warrior, now liberated from its curse.
Additional Option: When equipped, increases Strength level by 5.
I swung the Liberated Kayserium around a bit and, satisfied, stored it in my inventory.
"Well, it seems we've gathered everything we can from this place, so let's head back. There are many Ground Puppies outside too, so just having the Magic Stove should be enough to return."
"But how do we get back?"
"Since we came using Gilyoung-ah's ability, getting out shouldn't be a problem either. With [Multi-Sensory Perception]......."
However, Lee Gilyoung's expression wasn't good.
"Hyung, I......."
"Hmm?"
"There aren't any insects nearby at all."
At those words, Kim Dokja asked, troubled.
"Not even one? But there should still be a few alive. If you move around a bit and use your ability..."
Though Kim Dokja said that, due to the aftermath of the earlier fight, the bugs in this vicinity must have been completely wiped out. Whether knowing that or not, Lee Gilyoung still wore a dark expression.
"Well, actually, there is one I can call...…."
It seems it was a misunderstanding. Anyway, after saying that, Lee Gilyoung closed his eyes, began concentrating while muttering something.
"Dokja-ssi, Gilyoung-ah seems a bit strange?"
Lee Gilyoung's eyes were slowly rolling back. And a trickle of nosebleed flowing down.
"Gilyoung-ah?"
Suddenly, with a *thump* sound, a tremor echoed from above. Dust falling from various parts of the tunnel.
In that instant, a chill ran down my spine, and I only now remembered what I had forgotten....
That Lee Gilyoung was summoning the Insect King species from the surface..!!!
"Gilyoung-ah! Lee Gilyoung! Snap out of it!"
"Huh…, Hyung?"
At Kim Dokja's urgent voice, Lee Gilyoung's rolled-back eyes returned to normal.
"Gilyoung-ah, stop the skill! Quickly!"
Only after the startled Lee Gilyoung stopped the skill did the tremors subside.
Kim Dokja let out a sigh of relief.
"You really......."
Kim Dokja, about to say something, stopped and placed his hand on Lee Gilyoung's head.
"This skill is sealed for the time being. Don't use it at all until I say so. Understood?"
"Yeaah......."
Hearing Kim Dokja's words, Lee Gilyoung answered sullenly. Seeing Lee Gilyoung's sullen appearance, Kim Dokja comforted him by stroking his head with the hand placed on it for a moment, then turned his head toward the party members standing behind.
"If we just enter the shadows, we'll get lost. It's better to wait a bit longer and move when small insects appear around us."
"Um..."
After Kim Dokja finished speaking, Yoo Sangah suddenly raised her hand.
"If it's just about getting back, I think I can substitute for Gilyoung-ah."