'The upper floors are on a whole different level.'
Jin-Woo recalled the first and last boss-class monster he had encountered in the Demon Castle: the "Greedy Vulcan." Its title had been "Lower-Floor Ruler." Once he crossed beyond the 50th floor where Vulcan had been, the difficulty skyrocketed as if by some cruel joke. His pace, once ten or even nearly twenty floors per day, had slowed noticeably—he could barely manage seven or eight floors now. He currently stood on the 74th floor. The Archdemons spawning as ordinary monsters and the High Demons appearing from time to time were on a different scale entirely compared to the demons he had faced on the lower floors. PFFT! An Archdemon the size of a two-story building, a short dagger lodged in its chest, toppled slowly to the ground. THUD!
[You have slain an Archdemon.] [You have acquired 1,700 experience.] [You have acquired 1 demonic soul.]
Jin-Woo pulled Baruka's short dagger from the chest of the fallen demon. The one he had just killed was the last. Another battle had ended. The shadow soldiers who had emerged victorious gathered around Jin-Woo. Jin-Woo surveyed his soldiers. Being undead, the possibility of fatigue was nonexistent, but the soldiers somehow looked worn out as well. That was how high the monsters' levels had gotten. Still, this fight had ended relatively easily since no High Demons were involved.
'Every single one of them is on par with a boss-class monster.'
This wasn't something he said on a hunch—it was something he genuinely felt. The Orb of Greed he had obtained after defeating Vulcan. The item description had read that it was created by solidifying the blood of the High Demon Vulcan. If that label of "High Demon" referred to Vulcan's own rank, then he was no different from the monsters on the upper floors. High Demons had been appearing regularly ever since the 70th floor.
'If it were just a matter of the monsters' levels being higher, I wouldn't mind…'
There was a bigger problem. The background that had begun changing since the upper floors. Every city on the floors above the 51st was burning. And the flames only grew fiercer with every floor climbed. Past the 70th floor, it had become so hot that his stamina drained just from standing still. Even the slightest movement filled his fatigue gauge in no time. It wasn't a "Demon Castle"—it was a "Burning Tower." His premonition before entering had been spot-on.
'…Let's go back down.'
This run was over. He needed a countermeasure against the flames—fast.
'I need to get my hands on an artifact that can defend against fire-attribute magic.'
Equipment used by high-rank Hunters cost a fortune. Especially ones enchanted with protective spells—those went without saying. He had seen news reports of some fetching tens of billions of won. He had accumulated a decent amount of money during his time with Yoo Jin-Ho, but he was a little worried whether it would be enough to cover an artifact's price tag. Which was why he needed insurance.
'Selling this should be enough, right?'
Jin-Woo smiled as he looked at the Orb of Greed, carefully stored away in his inventory. It was an item any magic-type Hunter would salivate over. How much would it fetch if he put the Orb of Greed up for auction? As long as its performance could be verified, he imagined high-rank magic-type Hunters would be lining up for it. Jin-Woo closed his inventory. He had succeeded in gaining as many levels as he had aimed for before entering the Dungeon. So putting the Dungeon clear on hold didn't bother him. But there was one thing weighing on his mind. Jin-Woo's gaze drifted upward.
[Number of souls collected: 9,624]
'Four hundred souls to go.'
With just a few more demon souls, he could finish the quest. Today happened to be day six. One more day would be enough to complete the quest. The only upside to the upper floors was that a single demon yielded multiple souls. Four hundred would be a breeze.
'I'll just finish the quest and get out.'
Jin-Woo turned around, having made up his mind. Perhaps because he now had a clear objective, his steps carried a little more spring in them.
[Floors 1 through 74 are now open.] [Where would you like to go?]
Standing at the center of the magic elevator—no, the inter-floor teleportation circle—Jin-Woo spoke.
"Seventy-fifth floor."
***
Talk about a windfall. Jin-Woo smiled as he spotted the monster guarding the teleportation circle in the distance.
[Specter Guide, Metus]
A boss-class monster, judging by the name. The creature wore a black robe and a silver pendant, making it stand out clearly.
'That must be the Monarch of Demons' pendant.'
He had been trying to finish the quest, and now it looked like he would be collecting one more piece of a set item. But the reason Jin-Woo was smiling had nothing to do with the item. No matter how good a monster's drops might be, they meant nothing if you couldn't defeat it. Jin-Woo gripped a dagger in each hand. And charged forward. Before long, the skeletal sorcerer in black robes spotted Jin-Woo racing toward it. Ding!
[Specter Guide Metus has detected an intruder!]
True to its boss-class status, the creature completed its spell in the blink of an eye. At the same moment a blood-red magic circle appeared beneath its feet, an eerie presence converged around it.
[Specter Guide Metus activates skill: 'Cursed Voice'.]
Answering Metus's call, an undead legion surged from the ground in unison. Their numbers reached into the thousands! It was an army so terrifying that an ordinary person would choke at the mere sight of it, yet Jin-Woo, surrounded on all sides, didn't flinch.
'Just as I thought…'
It was exactly as he had anticipated. For some reason, black smoke had been rising endlessly only in this area. Seeing that, it wasn't hard to guess what type of monster Metus was.
'Specter Guide.'
The creature's title confirmed his suspicion. And sure enough, Metus had summoned a powerful undead legion. And in that field, Jin-Woo held the best class there was.
"Arise!"
Waaagh! With agonized screams, soldiers crawled up from the shadows of the undead. Their numbers: hundreds! It was a fraction of Metus's army, but it was more than enough. Because the real army was elsewhere.
"Clear a path!"
Black soldiers emerged from Jin-Woo's shadows. These were the real ones. While the hundreds created through Shadow Extraction held the line, Jin-Woo's direct subordinates—steadily strengthened since entering the Demon Castle—carved a path. There was only one destination! At the forefront, Igrit and Iron began tearing through the undead at a terrifying pace. The distance to Metus closed in a flash.
'That should do it.'
Jin-Woo surged forward.
'Dash!'
[The skill 'Dash' has leveled up!]
Having sprinted all over the vast Demon Castle, his Dash skill had climbed another level.
'Good.'
Jin-Woo grinned. Having broken through the undead encirclement, Jin-Woo stood before Metus in the blink of an eye. At that moment, their eyes met.
'You didn't expect this, did you?'
Jin-Woo sent a look brimming with the ease of victory, but at his gaze, Metus flinched and its shoulders trembled. Or perhaps it only seemed that way.
'Do monsters feel fear too?'
The thought lasted only a moment. Jin-Woo's daggers created dozens of afterimages. THUD. The boss-class monster collapsed without a fight. He already knew from experience just how weak spell-caster type monsters became when forced into a one-on-one confrontation. The moment he first laid eyes on Metus, this exact scenario had played out in his head. Jin-Woo returned the daggers to his inventory. Soon, a message appeared. Ding.
[You have slain the Specter Guide, Metus.] [You have acquired 200,000 experience.] [You discover demonic souls sealed within Metus's pendant.] [You have acquired 220 demonic souls.] [Level Up!] [Level Up!]
Jin-Woo clenched his fist. 220 souls in one go. It was more than he had ever expected.
[Number of souls collected: 9,971]
A smile crept across Jin-Woo's face.
'Almost there.'
Just thirty souls left. A few more demons would do it. Eager to finish the quest first, Jin-Woo hurriedly collected the loot and stepped into the teleportation circle.
[Where would you like to go?]
"Seventy-sixth floor."
***
Eastern United States. Hwang Dong-Su, twisting back and forth as though trapped in a nightmare, bolted upright.
'…?'
The first thing he saw was a white ceiling. He looked around at the unfamiliar surroundings.
"A… hospital?"
A dream. So it hadn't been a dream? Hwang Dong-Su wiped the sweat dripping from his jaw with the back of his hand. At the same time, he noticed the hospital gown he was wearing and the IV line plugged into his forearm. Hwang Dong-Su's expression hardened dangerously. Then a cold voice came from his lips.
"If you have something to say, say it and be on your way."
The Deputy Director of the Hunter Bureau. A middle-aged white man with more white hair than black slowly approached Hwang Dong-Su.
"I've been waiting. I had a few things I wanted to ask you directly."
What did he want to ask? Hwang Dong-Su raised his head. Meeting his gaze head-on, the Deputy Director asked:
"The man named Sung Il-Hwan… Was he really a monster?"
"Then you're saying I attacked an innocent man?"
"It's not that I don't trust you. I simply wanted to confirm what I saw with my own eyes."
The Deputy Director held out his phone to Hwang Dong-Su. A video was playing on the screen.
"This is…?"
"Footage from a nearby security camera that day."
In the video, an Asian man was pulling Bureau employees from a collapsing building. There was no need to ask who the man was. How could he forget the last face he had seen before losing his memory? The man was Sung Il-Hwan. The Deputy Director spoke with a somber expression.
"I've… never once heard of a monster that helped humans. Is your belief that he's a monster still unchanged?"
"…He is undoubtedly a monster."
"I see."
The Deputy Director pocketed his phone and continued.
"When your treatment is done, stop by the Bureau. There are some documents you'll need to fill out."
As the Deputy Director turned to leave, Hwang Dong-Su spoke up.
"What happened to that man?"
"He disappeared right after fighting you. The Bureau is tracking him, but whether they can actually catch a man with the power to take you down…"
Just before leaving the room, the Deputy Director hesitated and spoke again.
"Do you have any idea where he might have gone?"
"…"
Seeing Hwang Dong-Su close his mouth as if he had nothing more to say, the Deputy Director left the room. The moment the Deputy Director was gone, Hwang Dong-Su ripped the IV out of his arm.
"Damn it!"
It was a humiliating defeat. Before he could even register what had happened, Sung Il-Hwan's foot had been on his neck. And he had been lying on the ground like a fool. Sung Il-Hwan had spoken to him as he choked:
-Never set foot in Korea. Not for my son's sake—for yours. Even in death, you won't be able to close your eyes.
After that, his memory went blank. He lost consciousness and woke up here.
'Even in death, I won't be able to close my eyes?'
What did that mean? A threat to kill him so brutally that he wouldn't even be able to close his eyes?
'How dare he… threaten me?'
Hwang Dong-Su's fists trembled with rage. Not only had he lost to a monster, but now he bore an indelible shame.
'I know where he's going.'
He would catch him again. But how? Regardless of whether the man was a monster or not, his strength was undeniable.
'To catch him, I'll need equipment.'
Fortunately, acquiring equipment wouldn't be difficult.
'I'll contact the guild.'
Hwang Dong-Su's guild, Scavenger, was one of the most renowned in the world. The value of the artifacts Scavenger owned alone was rumored to easily surpass the annual budget of a small country.
'As long as I get my hands on the right artifacts, it's no problem.'
Hwang Dong-Su's eyes glinted with madness. Korea. Hwang Dong-Su had chosen his destination.
***
[You have slain a High Demon.] [You have acquired 2,200 experience.] [You have acquired 1 demonic soul.] [You have acquired 3 slave demon souls.]
'Done!'
Jin-Woo couldn't hide his elation. By luck, the last monster he had slain yielded four souls. As a result, he had met the quest's quota.
[Number of souls collected: 10,001]
Ding.
[Normal Quest: Collect Demonic Souls! 1] has been completed. [Completion rewards have arrived.] [Would you like to check your rewards?] (Y/N)
'Obviously.'
The moment he answered, the rewards list appeared. Ding.
[The following rewards are available:] Reward 1. Choose one item from all items Reward 2. Bonus stats +20 Reward 3. Undisclosed reward
[Do you wish to accept all rewards?]
The other rewards were eye-catching, but Jin-Woo's main interest right now was Reward 1. It was no exaggeration to say he had completed this quest specifically for Reward 1.
'Accept Reward 1.'
Ding!
[You may choose one item from all items.] [Do you have an item in mind?]
An item he wanted? Of course he had one. Since the very first time he saw this quest, Jin-Woo had an item in mind. What would have happened if he had chosen differently? He had always wondered ever since that day. He wasn't even sure it would count as an item, but nothing ventured, nothing gained.
[You may choose one item from all items.] [Do you have an item in mind?]
The System asked again, as if urging him on. After deliberating, Jin-Woo answered.
"Cursed Random Box."