The Artist Who Paints Dungeon-Chapter 375

"To help you understand... we're cracking open a vault."

"My god."

"It's not easy to get the vault owner's cooperation, so we have no choice."

Aram shrugged and twirled her quill.

It wasn't just Aram. All the priests of the Moon Sect were immersed in research. It was to draw out the little dragons residing inside the Moon.

"Having experienced them myself, I can say they're far more docile than expected. Sometimes they act like mischievous kids trying to cause trouble, but considering their abilities, the trade-off is more than manageable."

"In this chaotic situation, having the little dragons around will dramatically increase survival rates."

"Exactly. That's why we're working so hard. If I'd known things would turn out like this, I would've insisted we bring them along from the start... though I understand it's meaningless to talk about that now."

"You say that, but you still sound regretful."

"Of course I do. We could've avoided cracked skulls. If only we'd seen further ahead. Forcing open the Moon isn't an easy task, you know? And opening it without causing injury is even harder."

But in this situation, the cooperation of the little dragons was practically essential. Even though it hadn't been that long, the hostility shown by the Black Cloak’s underlings had already proven fatal.

And that wasn’t all. The clowns of Zeorge were here too. No matter how generously they tried to interpret the situation, they were outnumbered. At this rate, they'd be dead before any strategy could begin.

"Thanks to that damned garden master, we’ve lost a good number of human allies. That means we need to make up the difference. Somehow... we have to draw the little dragons out."

"Are there no side effects?"

"We're doing our best to bring them out in a way that causes the least discomfort. If there’s one clue we’ve found, it’s that even without system designation, one little dragon responded to my rage and was summoned. We're starting from there."

Fortunately, the little dragons were highly capable. They were intelligent and had a kind of intuition that went beyond intellect. More than anything, they excelled in both survival and combat.

'They weren’t beings born within the system, after all.'

They clearly existed inside the Moon. Up until now, the system had been expected to assist with their summoning, but in this corrupted state, that was no longer possible. Ironically, being within the Moon had protected them from contamination.

"If we can just gain their cooperation..."

With that, Aram immersed herself in calculations.

It didn’t take long. Thanks to her intense research on the Moon during the lockdown period, and with Aram leading the effort, the Moon Sect priests performed countless calculations and slight manipulations—until they finally opened the Moon’s gate.

And it wasn’t just the gate to the little dragons.

“......”

[Wow, it’s really been a long time since I’ve seen a person.]

“...I’m sorry....”

[Thanks for calling us.]

“I needed help.”

[Yeah, that’s what we’re {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} good at. Don’t worry.]

The young saints who had been warming themselves within the Moon also emerged, their snowy-white forms appearing one by one. The one at the very front embraced Aram—but their body was so small, it felt more like Aram was embracing her.

The girl smiled and said:

[You’ve grown so much. I’m glad.]

“......”

[You’ve become an adult.]

Aram held the girl in silence.

The saints offered their gratitude to the little dragons who had kept their cold bodies warm, and gave them repeated warnings—about human fragility, delicacy, and common sense.

Then they sent the little dragons off.

[Go on, head to your friend.]

[They’ll surely welcome you.]

[Because you’re soft and warm!]

The little dragon rubbed its face against the saints, then flew into the white sky.

***

[Did someone call for a little dragon?]

"......."

Even to the souls barely resisting sleep, the little dragons came.

"So warm...."

[Your little dragon is here!]

“...Hrk... huuuh...”

[I’ll help you.]

You helped me, too.

The clever young dragon recognized the friend who had saved it from eternity.

***

There was noise and confusion, and still many people overwhelmed by things they didn’t understand, but eventually, the survivors gathered in one place. Setting aside their questions, they agreed to cooperate for survival—and for Earth.

They speculated that these three dungeons were similar in structure to those that had previously appeared on Earth.

"Then how about we try it like this?"

"Try what, exactly?"

And so, the “Garden of Pleasure” was assigned to the Gardeners.

"Still, isn’t that a bit much...?"

"Technically it’s not just the Gardeners going, right? Don’t worry too much."

"Even so, only a few people capable of wielding mystical power are joining them. Isn’t it natural to worry when there are so few of them?"

"Considering the temperament of that garden, this might actually be the right number."

Now that “Promise of Eternity” had broken and the system was corrupted by Zeorge’s manipulation, most hunters couldn’t use their skills anymore.

But a few—those who had long prepared for a system-less world, or who had enough talent to quickly perceive mystical energy—were a different story.

Those were the ones heading into the “Garden of Pleasure.” The Gardeners were actually grateful for the unexpected reinforcements.

"Never thought I’d see the day we work with civilians."

"Kind of touching, isn’t it?"

Meanwhile, the “Animal Kingdom” was entrusted to the Moon Sect and the little dragons.

“...Isn’t our group way too large? Strictly speaking, most of the survivors are with us. And since the little dragons are drawn to ‘friends,’ they’ll naturally follow us...”

"The ‘Animal Kingdom’ can afford a larger crowd. It’s not the kind of dungeon where the master would be bothered by numbers. It’s a different situation from the ‘Garden of Pleasure.’"

The battle-mad Haryeong joined them too. The reason was simple—the “Animal Kingdom” seemed to be the most straightforward of the three discovered dungeons. In contrast, the “Garden of Pleasure,” tangled in mysticism and curses, was their worst nightmare.

"Thanks for giving us something that doesn’t require thinking."

"My kids are a little dim, but they fight well."

Lastly, the “Breathing Sea” was assigned to those who served the divine.

"Just because we’re priests doesn’t mean we can’t fight. Curator Yoo Seong-Woon is with us, too. Just having one Gardener around is reassuring."

"The Church of the Sun is equally grateful. Considering everything you’ve been through, it wouldn’t be strange if you were reluctant—but we won’t forget your willingness to step up."

"No, we’re just relieved to be of help in some way."

The “Kingdom of the Deep Sea,” which once appeared on Earth, had also featured a wide array of monsters—but the current dungeon master was unclear.

The leading theory was that it might be a mermaid. In the past, with the help of various divinities, humanity had achieved victory. That’s why they prepared teams with divine affiliations.

"Of course, that could backfire... The merfolk had a strong aversion to divinity."

"Still, the reason Earth survived that disaster was precisely because of divine aid. At this point, we can afford to gamble."

"More than anything, I still believe that Hunter Sergio’s integrity remains intact. Even if he’s now the master of this white dungeon—trapped by the garden’s schemes..."

One of the priests smiled.

"Well, isn’t that what we all experienced in this garden? Nothing surprising anymore."

"So in the end, the final dungeon this garden produces will belong to Hunter Sergio. Those small, infuriating dungeons that caused us so much trouble."

"For someone who sealed away so much... Even if things turned out like this, I can only hope he endures."

They believed this final raid was a moment to confront the pain and torment Sergio had quietly carried all this time. And the one who had borne so much for Earth deserved that much.

Everyone found their roles.

"...See you again later."

"Yeah. See you."

And so, one by one, they became part of the painting.

***

So, what were the two Symbols of Eternity doing in this busy moment?

"......."

"...Of all people, I had to end up stuck with this bastard..."

"Wouldn’t it be nice if age came with some manners."

"Manners don’t come with time, unfortunately."

"Looking at you proves that. Thanks for the confirmation."

They were imprisoned.

"Isn’t this discrimination?"

"It’s only right to keep the dangerous ones in solitary."

"...Yeah, I guess you’re right."

It was the part of their school days that never quite left their memories.

"The door... won’t open."

Dan Haera tried the classroom door, but it didn’t budge. Beyond the glass window on the door, a few vaguely familiar students passed by, but... they didn’t seem real.

It was noisy, lively—like a school break.

"Why is this place so empty?"

"Yeah, kind of lonely."

Jeong Hae-Woon agreed. The classroom, with no students or teachers, was filled only with silence. Beyond the door, you could hear the carefree laughter of students—but that was all. It was all an illusion anyway.

Dan Haera brushed her hand along the wooden door, then looked at her palm.

“...We look a little different, don’t we.”

They were wearing school uniforms and looked a little younger.

"I don’t feel any discomfort."

"A well-made garden, huh?"

"Why do you sound so proud of it?"

"After all the time we spent together, isn’t it natural to feel some attachment?"

"You were always complaining about its temperament."

"Well... it did cause an awful lot of trouble."

"So..."

Dan Haera sat across from Jeong Hae-Woon.

"Have you finished being angry?"

"Not really."

"Doesn’t seem like it, considering we’re still chatting like this."

"I’m just not doing meaningless things."

Jeong Hae-Woon opened and closed his hand. There was no sensation—nothing to grasp. He was no longer a Gardener. Not a Hunter either. Just a delinquent high schooler.

Same for Dan Haera.

"...Right. So this is what it felt like to be a civilian."

"Think we’d survive if monsters attacked in this state?"

"You’re not even trying to survive, are you?"

"You’re right."

Jeong Hae-Woon blinked slowly.

"If this is the grave the teacher chose for us, then I’m fine with that."

"......."

"People will live on. Zeorge has already caused enough death, and now that the garden and the portrait have merged, I doubt there will be more sacrifices. He was kind, after all."

"...So you’ve given up?"

"I told you, this is what I wanted from the beginning."

To press his forehead to the ground, or kneel, clasping his hands together to say sorry over and over. Failing that, to be punished. He wanted divine judgment to fall on a sinner who overstepped.

"Though for divine punishment... this is a little too peaceful."

"I agree. This doesn’t feel like a punishment."

"Shit. Then what am I supposed to do?"

"I doubt this place is our grave, at least."

"Then what are we supposed to do now?"

No power, no strength, no weapons or items. Just an ordinary classroom where even the door wouldn’t open. Even the desk drawers held only familiar textbooks.

"...Oh, shit. There really are textbooks."

"Kind of nostalgic, huh?"

"With these uniforms on, it really does feel like we’ve gone back."

"Really?"

"I’m just saying."

They’d walked too far to be trapped in youthful memories. That path was full of blood and screams. And they'd grown into perfect hypocrites. For every good deed, they’d committed worse ones.

No matter what their outer shell looked like, they couldn’t pretty up their rotten souls.

"If I’m being honest... I want to strangle your neck. Or mine."

"I’ll pass."

"Really? I guess I don’t feel like fighting alone."

"You looked like you were getting excited before we got trapped."

"Even fights need chemistry."

"Then how about we kill time with old stories?"

"......."

Jeong Hae-Woon thought for a moment, then nodded.

"...You remember crying in the bathroom back then?"

"You remember crying in the classroom after getting a lunchbox from the teacher?"

Didn’t take long for the two powerless kids to start a proper fight.

***

"......."

A vast ocean.

"...Ah."

"Mr. Yoo Seong-Woon, this place..."

"Seems pretty different from the one we knew."

Yoo Seong-Woon smiled in his usual calm way.

"I wondered if the name would still be the same."

What he saw was completely different from what he remembered.

Beneath the surface, a massive figure lay asleep.

"Why are you there...?"

Submerged in water, it continued to shed tears. It shone like a pearl, was rough like coral, and at times, brilliant like the floral tea Seong-Woon always drank.

The massive tears it shed sank downward. They disappeared into the deep abyss, never to be seen again. Still, Yoo Seong-Woon felt as though this entire sea was made from Giovanni’s tears.

A sea filled entirely with sorrow.

"......."

A Gardener perceives the will of the mystical with sharp sensitivity.

'...Yes, it’s crying.'

This is sorrow. A wail. A sob.

'These weren’t things Gio originally possessed.'

Giovanni and all his portraits were beings who didn’t know regret. Even now, he didn’t look like he regretted anything—but sorrow was a separate matter. That’s why he could cry like this now.

'So this... this is the response Zeorge wanted.'

His stomach churned.

"......."

He looked around.

The sky was crystal clear without a single cloud—but the sun was nowhere to be found. Above or below the water, there were no buildings or structures of note. Yoo Seong-Woon eventually knelt and reached his hand out toward the surface.

Or, he tried to.

"......."

"...Krrrrrrrk...."

"...Honey."

It had approached without a sound, grasping Yoo Seong-Woon’s wrist with its claws.

"You’ve gotten a lot scarier since I last saw you."

"Kiiiieeeekk!!"

"You don’t like me anymore, do you?"

It stung a bit.

"......."

Kang Seodam’s gaze, wondering where Honey had come from, eventually dropped to the sea. His pupils slowly dilated. At last detecting the new danger, his face twisted.

There were so many jewels inside the water.

"...Wait. No way—this is..."

"Yes."

They had crawled into the seabird’s nest.

"Prepare for defense."

"Not offense?"

"You know how seabirds are, Priest Kang Seodam."

"...Then Hunter Yoo Seong-Woon, what you're saying is..."

"Our target isn't these things."

"...Ha."

"It’s that one, the one crying."

Yoo Seong-Woon’s gaze, now holding a drawn ice spear, settled on the weeping priest with eyes shut tight. Sunken like a broken ghost ship, it was massive—but also seemed like a faded illusion.

As he looked at it, Yoo Seong-Woon murmured,

"Still crying, huh."

You’re breaking your curator’s heart.

"...?! Mr. Yoo Seong-Woon?!" 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

"Curator Yoo Seong-Woon!!"

Splash—!!

Without a moment’s hesitation, Yoo Seong-Woon jumped into the sea.