Chapter 95

I stretched out its body, which was almost three meters long. However, it was still deemed an infant by the system. As the Graf became an adult, it became large and heavy enough that as it crawled around, the ground would tremble as if a large tracked vehicle was moving nearby. (EN: 3 meters=9.8 feet?! That’s a BIG bug!)

“Despite how it looks, the monster can still think, as it has a brain like us.”

Yeonhee looked disgusted by the Graf and gasped as I broke apart its head to take out the brain. It was smaller than my fist.

“However, its peripheral nervous system is located mainly in the antennas, which means that a Graf without them cannot function normally. Since you don’t have enough strength to rip them apart, cut them with your dagger.” (EN: The peripheral nervous system is one of two components that make up the nervous system of bilateral animals, with the other part being the central nervous system. The PNS consists of the nerves and ganglia outside the brain and spinal cord.)

I then cut off a leg, and its sticky red blood oozed out from where my blade had sliced it.

“It’s not a giant centipede, but a different race altogether. See how the leg is long, flexible, and sharp? You see the poison gland at the end?”

I continued to dissect it. They did not have genitalia, as Grafs were born from Queens who walked on two feet. As big as they were, the intestines that covered their magic stones were large and odorous.

“Don’t forget where the poison glands are. There are additional poison glands on the chin and the legs.”

“Only skills and insignias can act as antidotes, right?”

“Correct.”

Yeonhee’s face turned dark, as she knew that we had no such methods.

“Their poison is horrendous and painful as hell. However, it works out of your system after a few days, so don’t worry too much.”

While a detoxification skill would be nice, the possibility of getting one was extremely low for both of us.

It was then I heard a faint sound ahead of us, and Yeonhee did not seem to notice it. Something was tunneling through the bare dirt, and we hid behind the large pillar that connected the ceiling and the ground. I saw another Graf come out of the ground. It looked at the decapitated and partially dissected corpse of its fellow Graf, and its antennas twitched quickly towards us. The Graf started to slowly back away, to bolt back to where it had come from, and we only had a few seconds before it skittered away.

Yeonhee was waiting for my signal, and I shook my head. Since we could only see its head and back covered with hard shells, we could not kill it instantaneously with anything in our arsenal.

Attacking it only meant it would burrow back into the ground, beyond our reach. I decided that it was time to use the Ruler’s Ring.

[You have used the Ruler’s Ring on the Infant Graf.]

I felt an aura spread from the ring and covered the Graf’s body.

[You have succeeded in capturing the Infant Graf.]

The monster was swallowed up by the ring in a matter of seconds, and I couldn’t help but wonder what it would have been like to have this item before I went back in time. If I had managed to use this item in a B class dungeon, I would have been able to acquire a decently powerful monster I could get to fight for me. This ring would have quickened my pace in conquering B rank and lower class dungeons. However, that was unrealistic, and would only happen in my fantasies. (EN: I was unable to find the chapter which mentioned that Sun reached A rank before he went back in time. Sorry. ) (EN: The Ruler’s Ring: The user can control a monster of a lower class to fight for you. However, monsters designated for boss quests and One-on-One combat quests are excluded. Chapter 77)

I could only use this ring when there was only one monster, as I would be swarmed and killed in seconds if there were others. Also, going into a B class dungeon without a B class Escape Insignia meant certain death. Besides, I simply had not acquired this ring before I returned, so therefore, here and now, this was the appropriate time and place to use the ring. (EN: Obviously, so far as the ring is concerned, Sun is E class.)

“It disappeared.”

I explained to Yeonhee what had happened, and she looked at the ring with bright eyes.

**

We walked for an hour but did not cover much distance as we were walking slowly. I had focused all my senses on my hearing, and Yeonhee breathed as quietly as possible. I had acted as a scout before in my previous life since my main stat was Perception then. Yeonhee raised her dagger when I stopped, and I was impressed by her reflexes.

A large Graf skittered out of the hole in the ground, which appeared right where Yeonhee would have stepped next. Yeonhee had good reflexes, as she attacked immediately.  She seemed to have been aiming for one of its antennas, but she was head-butted before she could cut it off. Yeonhee flew in the air but managed to land safely.

The monster targeted me now, but that move was stupid. It should have gone for Yeonhee, as it exposed its softer underbelly before its slashing leg touched me. I beheaded it, but the longsword I had brought broke in two during that attack.

“It’s not over. They are coming.”

I heard tens of legs moving in from all directions. Monsters could appear anywhere in this dungeon.

[You activated the Ruler’s Ring.]

[Captured Object: Infant Graf]

[Used on Yeonhee Woo]

The Graf I had just captured stood in front of Yeonhee, who understood what I had done from the Graf’s defensive posture. I was able to confirm that with a glance, however numerous Grafs appeared from all directions. I saw the captured Graf moving to protect Yeonhee.

[You used the skill Gaia’s Will]

Gaia’s Will absorbed shock and also attracted low class monsters. Those who had been aiming for Yeonhee now turned to me, and it was then Yeonhee rushed through them. I did not know how the Grafs reacted to that, as three Grafs were attacking me from various directions.

[You used the skill Earthquake.]

Shock spread from me, and for a moment, all three Grafs lost their balance. I used Devi’s Knife then. It had taken me long hours of practice to control the attack trajectories of the invisible blade of the S ranked skill, and now I used it to cut through the Grafs’ antennas. Their mandibles clacked, and legs writhed, and I heard high-frequency shrieking everywhere. There were too many making that noise, and I knew from experience I could not block that sound.

It was then I felt the ground crumble under me. I felt dirt in my mouth and sharp pain in my nose.

[Yeonhee Woo used Physical Healing.]

She had good timing. When I stood up, I saw hundreds of legs in the air thrashing around. Earthquake had been more effective than I dared hope, as most of the Graf’s in this room had been disoriented and were now on their backs.  It was a terrible sight, full of the modern man’s instinctive hatred and fear of big bugs. Maybe Grafs instinctively knew what humans were repulsed by sights like this. However, I now only had to cut off their heads.

[Graf Extermination: Graf Extermination 3/30]

…

[Graf Extermination: Graf Extermination 20/30]

I used the Fool’s Knife on them all, and fortunately the random debuff effect occurred reliably after I had reinforced the weapon. I turned around and saw Yeonhee sitting on the ground. She was covered in blood but could not find her balance due to her backpack. I took it off her and helped her stand up.

“Thank you, that was a terrible sound. I think my eardrums burst deep inside.”

She knew this state quite well.

“Were you bitten or hit?”

“That one blocked everything.”

Yeonhee looked at the captured monster, which lay dead with others. She had killed three, which impressed me. She seemed to be skilled at fighting, as she was uninjured after those kills.

“Lean on me.”

“We’re not resting here?”

“There is water nearby.”

I could see her eyes widen, but I had better hearing than her. I had heard water flow somewhere faintly during the fight.