Duo Leveling LITRPG | Post Apocalyptic | SYSTEM-Chapter 163 - 189+190

Chapter 189 - The First Move

It was late at night.

In the stillness of sleeping Swansea, three figures moved quietly through the village paths.

Millie glanced at the staggering Karin beside her and asked, "Are you sure you’re okay?"

"...A short walk should help."

Karin was still visibly tipsy — clearly, she hadn’t fully sobered up after the heavy drinking. But leaving her behind wasn’t an option for this mission.

No one knew the southern region like she did.

"My teacher lives in the south."

"...I see."

"It’s also where I grew up. There used to be a garden there — a place where all kinds of flowers bloomed in full. It was a beautiful place."

So she spent her childhood there...

Millie looked anew at Karin’s face, now illuminated in the flickering lamplight of a patrolling Horn Tribe warrior nearby.

This is an NPC village...

But that label suddenly felt hollow — too simple to describe what this place really was.

After all, people here had childhoods.

To someone, this place is home. A life. A village worth protecting at any cost.

Just like New Capital meant that much to her and the other players.

She thought back to the drinking and laughter in Wind’s Rest — the warriors exchanging jokes and toasts while preparing for what could be their last day.

There’s no point in separating NPCs and players anymore. In the end, we’re all fighting to protect something precious. That’s what makes us the same.

And in that moment, she understood — tomorrow’s scenario quest wasn’t just a game update or a test of skill. It was everything to the people of this land.

Her shoulders grew heavy with the realization.

But it’ll be okay... because Jhin is here.

With that quiet faith, Millie cast aside her lingering doubts and stepped forward.

She had her own mission — one just as dangerous as the main quest.

Rescuing the isolated group in the south.

A mission that was no less perilous than the battle about to unfold in the north.

Their team? Only three people.

They would be infiltrating a Lizardman-held territory to free the captives — just the three of them, against a region crawling with enemies.

It bordered on impossible.

It was then that Karin, sobering slightly as she took in a lungful of cold air, asked:

"...What is he doing?"

"...He says he didn’t exercise enough today."

"Excuse me?"

"He feels guilty about drinking."

Tempah was somehow maintaining a lunge position while walking. And still keeping pace with them.

Millie couldn’t help but be impressed.

Hell Difficulty challenger, right?

She’d always assumed Jhin was the only one who had cleared the impossible quest. But now... maybe this man was the one truly worthy of being his rival.

Certainly more so than that fake "Kyle" — Nazoral— who wasn’t even worth comparing.

She glanced at Tempah again — now switching to dumbbell presses with weights pulled from his inventory mid-walk.

Karin, wisely, stopped paying attention.

"Please lead us along the fastest path, Karin."

"...It’ll be dangerous."

"Are the paths that rough?"

"No. But we’ll have to pass through several Lizardman residential zones."

Even if the main Lizardman army had marched north for the scenario quest, each zone would still be defended — a platoon here, a garrison there.

Was it even feasible for a team of three to make it through?

Karin clearly didn’t think so.

"It would be safer to take a longer route. If we get spotted, we’ll lose even more time trying to escape."

But Millie shook her head.

"No. Take us through the fastest path."

"I told you it’s dangerous!"

"...We’ll handle it."

By then, they had already left Swansea behind and entered the dark jungle. From the shadows, faint cries of Lizardman warriors echoed.

Kieeeek!

It was night.

With night-buff effects activated, and being inside a dungeon, their strength would be amplified beyond normal.

And Karin was right — it was dangerous. The mission might even be impossible.

But Millie didn’t hesitate.

She wasn’t afraid.

I’m not the same person I used to be.

A flicker appeared in the corner of her vision — system notifications, crisp and satisfying.

[You have maintained "Burn Blood" for 12 hours.]

[Congratulations. You have completed your "Class Advancement Quest."]

[You have acquired the class-exclusive skill: "Chrono Bullet (S)."]

[!]

[All skills related to your class have advanced by one rank.]

[Player: "Millie" has successfully completed their "Class Advancement Quest."]

[Your new class is: "Gunslinger of the Magic Bullet."]

The next morning.

Despite the heavy drinking the night before, the Horn Tribe warriors woke up bright-eyed and full of energy.

"Advance north."

They set out in formation, and in just five hours, they reached the northern quest site — a stunning display of endurance.

Even after the long march, they showed no signs of fatigue.

They positioned themselves strategically.

From afar, the haunting cries of Lizardmen echoed across the battlefield.

Kreeeeek... kreeek...

The Lizardmen had spotted them.

But they weren’t attacking.

Not immediately.

And that wasn’t good news.

It meant their army was well-disciplined, tightly coordinated.

Enemies that moved in sync like that? A frontal charge would only waste energy.

Jhin climbed a nearby hill, passing Horn warriors preparing their gear. From atop the rise, a vast lake came into view — calm, wide, and clear.

This was it.

The scenario’s final stage.

"This is where the Dragon Seal appears?"

"No idea. But it matches Karin’s prophecy exactly."

Jhin gave a slight nod and began checking his equipment. There was no point worrying about the Dragon Seal’s trigger condition — it would only be revealed once the fighting began.

Until then, it was better to keep an eye on enemy movements.

There’s a lot of them.

And among them — one particularly ominous presence.

A massive Lizardman, comparable in size to Atlas, radiating dense, violent magic as he stared directly at Jhin.

Wearing a crown.

That’s the Lizard King.

Even though his power was being held in check — much like Atlas’s — it couldn’t be hidden completely.

"Guess the Company decided to side with the monsters."

Beside the king stood a few masked figures — clearly human.

Jhin had no idea what they offered in exchange, but they already stood by the king’s side like royal advisors.

Rumble...

Was everything in place?

From the center of the lake, something began to rise — a large, weathered stone.

Gradually, it took on the shape of a building.

Would the Dragon Seal appear there?

Chapter 190 - The Battlefield Opens

"The Lizardmen are moving."

At Adonis’s report, Jhin turned to his party. Every one of them wore the same tense, rigid expression.

He spoke quietly.

"As you all know... this is the final stage of the dungeon. Like it or not, this means we won’t have to deal with these damn Lizardmen much longer."

For quite some time, Arc had suffered under the threat of Lizardmen. Their overwhelming numbers and tendency to act in tight formations had once pushed Arc to the brink — even cutting off their food supply.

And without the strength to clear the dungeon, Arc had no choice but to leave it be.

That forgotten dungeon had now returned — a dagger pressed to their throat.

But today, they would break the chain.

"What’s everyone so worried about? This is the day we’ve been waiting for."

Even as they’d cleared quests and grinded through countless hunts to get here, most of the players still didn’t feel ready. They lacked confidence — they knew they were still weak.

Which is why Jhin offered only one thing:

"Just... don’t die."

"...Sorry?"

"We’re clearing this dungeon. No matter what."

Next to him, Atlas stepped forward and addressed his warriors in a similar tone. And when the Horn Tribe raised their voices in a battle cry, the earth seemed to tremble.

That sheer force — the weight of their will — ignited something in everyone who heard it.

Atlas lifted a hand and roared.

"Lay down your lives!"

"Waaaaaah!!"

Jhin felt his own fist tighten without realizing it.

And then, it began.

The ground began to tremble — an ominous shiver.

The Lizardman army was advancing.

"They’re coming! Lizardmen on the left flank!"

"They’re on the right too!"

"Frontline — they’re charging!"

As if they’d been holding back until now, the Lizardmen surged in from every direction, snarling and screeching. Jhin could even spot the Lizard King in the distance, moving toward the lakefront.

"...Commence operation!"

KIIIEEEEEHH!

Spears thrust forward from both sides — the Horn Tribe striking first at the oncoming Lizardmen.

It was like a tidal clash — two crashing waves meeting in a storm of blood and steel. Crimson froth erupted where the two armies collided.

Jhin began flinging fireballs like shotgun blasts.

BOOOOM! BOOM! BOOOOOM!

Explosions rang out across the field. The fireballs scorched clusters of Lizardmen — there were so many targets he didn’t even need to aim.

"Move according to the plan!"

At Atlas’s signal, the Horn warriors began climbing up into the trees — a tactic devised by Jhin himself.

Lizardmen don’t look up.

Back in Zone 3, Jhin had thought they avoided upper floors simply because they weren’t used to buildings.

But after observing them for days in the Lizardmen’s Well, he realized their field of vision was underdeveloped vertically.

Their blind spot... is the sky.

By climbing trees, they could bypass entire waves of encirclement. Move above their heads, slip through gaps, and reposition.

No need to waste blood.

At last night’s war council, Atlas had insisted they simply kill all the Lizardmen.

But Jhin had known better.

This quest wasn’t about wholesale slaughter. It was about claiming the Dragon Seal.

As long as they fulfilled the conditions, they could win without needless bloodshed.

After all, they were vastly outnumbered.

That’s why we brought science.

Down below, Lizardman warriors stabbed wildly into empty bushes.

Why?

Because sound was coming from portable speakers hidden there — a distraction planted by the players.

They didn’t even need holograms.

Just the noise alone was enough to divert attention and scatter enemy focus. The Lizardmen’s aggro was completely thrown off.

"All that’s left now... is these guys."

KIEEEHH!

A thunderous roar echoed from the far side of the field. A massive figure surged up — easily rivaling the size of the Giant Horn Lizard.

The Company.

They were making their move.

"Just draw aggro for now, then link up with the Horn Tribe."

"Yes, leave this side to us!"

Jhin exchanged a glance with Adonis, then launched himself into the air.

His pupils glowed gold.

[Skill: "Ryuan (S)" activated.]

[Skill: "Phantom Step (F)" activated.]

He dashed through the trees as if flying — not a leaf stirred beneath his feet.

Phantom Step. Silent. Weightless. Controlled.

He soared past branches, narrowing the distance between himself and the massive enemy monster, all while skimming over downed Horn warriors.

Jhin clenched his fist.

"One down first."

BOOOOOOM!

He hurled a fireball point-blank, his fist engulfed in searing flame — detonating the massive Lizardman’s torso in a single blow.

This wasn’t just power-punching anymore.

Now he had real attack skills — and it made all the difference.

"Alright, next..."

He turned toward the frontlines — the lakeside.

No trees grew there.

Which meant ground combat.

Already, dozens of Horn warriors had formed formations there — battling in earnest.

And at the center, Atlas was a one-man army.

He was a god of war — cutting down enemies like weeds.

BOOM!

Jhin landed beside him and cleanly dispatched a Lizardman centurion.

From there, he moved in sync with the Horn Tribe, supporting their push.

He didn’t know how long they’d been fighting — the hours blurred.

But then... it happened.

A new message appeared, stretched across the battlefield like a thunderclap.

[Scenario Quest: "Dragon Seal" has begun.]

[First Condition Unlocked.]

All players received the same notification:

Enter the scenario zone.

Then...

Above the lake — something began to rise.

A coliseum.

A glowing red star lit up in the sky above it, and from the surrounding land, dozens of pale white stone paths began to appear — all leading toward the center.

And directly ahead, past the dense ranks of Lizardmen, one of those glowing stone bridges was forming.

Its endpoint: the circular coliseum at the lake’s heart.