An E-rank Hunter wanted to enter an A-rank Dungeon! The whole place erupted in chaos.
"High-rank magic beasts are in there with their eyes wide open, and you want to go in?" "Mr. Sung, what on earth are you thinking?" "You've got your whole life ahead of you—why risk it for a handful of money?"
The mining team members swarmed toward Jin-Woo. Team Leader Bae explained to Son Gi-Hoon.
"Oh, that young man just started the job yesterday, so he probably doesn't know any better and raised his hand." "What's his rank?" "Well..."
Team Leader Bae glanced toward Jin-Woo and said in a low voice.
"He's E-rank. No matter how you look at it, that's way too low—please take a different Hunter instead. Bringing that young man along is far too dangerous."
Son Gi-Hoon's expression turned serious.
*'This man is E-rank...?'*
The man whose eyes had met his earlier. He certainly didn't sense any extraordinary mana from him. But how to put it? There was something indescribable—a sharp, well-ordered presence about him.
*'He doesn't seem like an E-rank.'*
No matter how he looked at it, the man didn't appear to be a low-ranked Hunter. Of course, there was no reason for Team Leader Bae to lie, but at least to Son Gi-Hoon's eyes, that was how it seemed.
*'And anyway, does the rank of a porter really matter that much?'*
A porter only needed to carry things well. If things got bad enough to endanger the porter at the rear of the raid team, the whole raid was already a complete failure. In that scenario, even A-rank Hunters couldn't guarantee their survival—so what difference did it make whether the porter was C-rank or E-rank? Death was the same for everyone. Once his thinking reached that point, he felt it was a waste of time even deliberating. The raid hadn't even started, and he'd already been stalling too long. Son Gi-Hoon looked at Jin-Woo and spoke.
"No. I'll take him."
***
"Is it too heavy?"
Son Gi-Hoon asked. Jin-Woo shook his head.
"I'm fine."
The pack on his back was loaded with spare clothes, weapons, armor, and other gear for the raid team. It was bulky, but not really all that heavy. That was the power of his Strength stat.
*'He doesn't look like he's struggling.'*
Son Gi-Hoon, studying Jin-Woo's complexion, turned toward the Gate. Jin-Woo turned his head too. Before them loomed a Gate just as massive as the one they'd seen yesterday.
*'No, wait—is this one even bigger?'*
Yet he'd heard that today's Gate had less mana than yesterday's. Clearing difficulty was determined not by the Gate's size but by its mana content, which was why Second Division had been assigned to this one.
*'Really... the mana leaking out is incomparably less than yesterday.'*
Standing before the Gate, he could tell for certain. The Association's measurements didn't seem wrong. But for some reason? A strangely ominous feeling brushed past him, just like the time he'd stood before a Red Gate.
*'...Must be my imagination.'*
Son Gi-Hoon gave the order.
"Let's move in."
The raid team, which had been waiting briefly before the Gate, began moving again on cue. One by one, the Hunters entered the Dungeon.
*...*
Jin-Woo, who had been gazing up at the Gate, followed them inside.
[You have entered the Dungeon.]
The inside of the Dungeon was ordinary. Jin-Woo, who had been tense from that strange feeling, let out a sigh of relief at the sight of a corridor far smaller in scale than yesterday's.
*'Phew.'*
Fortunately, they hadn't been transported to another world. Though then again, these were members capable of clearing even a Red Gate. Eleven A-rank, six B-rank. If they'd been in a guild other than Hunters, they never would have been classified as Second Division. Jin-Woo cracked a small smile.
*'I'm not even a member of the raid team, so let's not overthink it.'*
Yesterday and today. If he had to categorize it, he was more like a tourist. Today he just had a few more sights to see. There was no need to be on edge. That thought put his mind somewhat at ease.
"Don't be too nervous."
A female Hunter of the healing type spoke to him from the side. She looked to be in her late twenties? His expression was stiff, so she seemed to want to help him loosen up.
"Everyone here—including oppa Gi-Hoon, I mean, Leader—is a really outstanding Hunter. Everyone except me, that is."
The healer smiled brightly. He hadn't been afraid to begin with, but as he watched the female Hunter's carefree face, his tension drained out like air from a balloon. Jin-Woo held back a chuckle and nodded.
"Ah, sure."
Satisfied with the result, the healer beamed with pride. Just then, the vanguard, having confirmed there were no magic beasts near the entrance, gave the signal to move.
"Move."
Jin-Woo and the healer matched the raid team's pace and moved forward slowly. Their speed was slow, owing to the constant vigilance as they advanced.
"Would you like me to help if it's too heavy?"
The healer, sneaking glances at Jin-Woo's pack, asked. Without a word, Jin-Woo handed her the canteen he'd been carrying in his left hand.
"Eek!"
He snatched the canteen back swiftly from her wobbling hands. Every member of the halted raid team fixed their gaze on the healer.
"Sorry! I'm so sorry!"
The healer had to bow her head left and right, over and over. Naturally, after that, she didn't offer to help again—not a single word. The sharp glares from the others were a bonus. Jin-Woo held back a snicker and kept walking as if nothing had happened. It felt like the first time he'd laughed in a Dungeon in a while.
*'Because the moment you let your guard down, things turn dangerous in an instant.'*
Especially these days. The difficulty of the Demon Castle's upper floors still made him shudder when he thought back. But today was different. Occasionally, joining a raid as a third party felt pretty nice. Just then, Jin-Woo's steps halted. A beat later, the raid team Hunters noticed the change as well.
"It's coming!"
Before Son Gi-Hoon's command even finished leaving his lips, every raid Hunter had assumed combat stances. In the blink of an eye. Jin-Woo marveled.
*'So this is how high-ranked Hunters raid...'*
The caliber was entirely different from the ragtag raid teams he'd seen so far. Even the seemingly clumsy female healer's hands were already shimmering with clear, transparent light.
*'Doesn't look like there's a turn for me to step in.'*
Jin-Woo felt relieved, yet also a hint of disappointment. In any case, the magic beasts had arrived. Beasts? Dogs? Son Gi-Hoon narrowed his eyes. Thud-thud-thud-thud. A pack of magic beasts resembling hyenas came charging in. Each one was about the size of a midsize sedan. Son Gi-Hoon tilted his head.
*'Dungeon jackals?'*
As they drew closer, he could tell for sure. They were Dungeon jackals. Son Gi-Hoon, who had been leading with his shield, dropped his defensive stance without even using his taunt skill. Then he slammed his shield down on the Dungeon jackal that had leapt at his throat.
"Kya-ack!" "What?" "Dungeon jackals?"
The other team members, who had been wound tight with tension, tilted their heads in confusion and relaxed their tense postures. Soon, the jackals' death cries echoed through the cave.
"Kying!" "Kyack!" "Kya-ack!"
The jackals were dispatched quickly. Over a dozen of them had been reduced to corpses in the blink of an eye. The Hunters brushed off their hands, puzzled.
"What was that?" "It was over before I even had time to cast." "Why are Dungeon jackals showing up in an A-rank Dungeon?" "Exactly." "The Association screwed up again, didn't they?"
Voices rose. In principle, you were supposed to keep quiet inside a Dungeon. But the appearance of Dungeon jackals was so shocking that even such a basic rule had been forgotten.
"Hmm..."
Son Gi-Hoon, examining the jackals' corpses, scratched the back of his head.
*'Why are magic beasts that only appear in C-rank Dungeons here?'*
Son Gi-Hoon looked around with a bewildered expression. Everyone wore a similar look. But one person alone—only Jin-Woo was staring at the jackals' corpses with grave intensity.
*'These aren't ordinary jackals.'*
Jin-Woo's eyes narrowed. The fur around the jackals' necks was distinctly matted down. It was evidence that they'd been tied up somewhere.
*'So that means someone else was raising these things...'*
Intelligent magic beasts. Jin-Woo recalled the Baek-gwi he'd encountered in the Red Gate. It was well known that magic beasts with intelligence were difficult opponents, regardless of species.
*'Maybe... my hunch was right after all.'*
It wasn't a good omen.
"Why are you looking so serious?"
The female healer was also staring at the jackals intently, just like Jin-Woo.
"Shh!"
Jin-Woo raised his index finger. Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud. From deeper inside the cave came the sound of synchronized footsteps.
*'The real ones are coming.'*
Jin-Woo rose to his feet. The Hunters finally realized something was wrong.
"Good Lord..." "Uh... prepare for battle!"
Son Gi-Hoon forced the words out in a strained voice. Finally, from the far side of the cave's darkness, the silhouettes of their enemies slowly emerged. The Hunters' eyes went wide.
"High Orcs?" "No way—why are there High Orcs?"
Well-trained High Orc warriors stood in formation. Twenty-two of them. Not just any High Orcs—twenty-two High Orc warriors were no easy opponents.
"Something... something's gone wrong."
Someone muttered. First low-rank magic beasts, and then suddenly powerful ones from among the high-ranks. Thunk! Thunk! The High Orcs' long spears pointed at the Hunters.
*'The Hunters and the High Orcs are about evenly matched in momentum.'*
Jin-Woo retreated to a corner. He wanted to quietly observe the situation and pick the right moment to step in. But the female healer apparently thought otherwise.
"You stay hidden over there nice and quiet! So you don't get hurt."
That was oddly annoying. Jin-Woo closed his eyes and quietly took a deep breath, trying to cool his temper. Soon the battle began.
"Raaargh!"
Son Gi-Hoon cast his wide-area taunt skill at the charging High Orcs. But the High Orcs weren't so easily provoked. Soon the High Orcs and the combat-type Hunters were locked together. Sssht! Shk! Crack! Blood sprayed and screams erupted.
"Aaargh!"
Almost immediately, spells from the magic-type Hunters came hurtling toward the High Orcs. Thud! Thud-thud! The heads of High Orcs struck by arrows of light flew off. But the follow-up attacks didn't arrive. The spells were effective, but casting took time.
"Aaaargh!"
In close combat, the High Orcs had the upper hand.
"Heal! Heal!" "H-hurry!"
Wounded piled up, and the healers were kept busy.
"H-healer!"
The female healer, too, was frantically rushing about, her hands full.
"I'm coming! On my way!"
The female healer knelt beside a Hunter groaning from a lost arm and began chanting. Wuuuum—Then, bathed in a blinding light, the arm slowly began to regenerate. This was the light of regeneration only an A-rank healer could perform. As she focused on the patient's wound, a long shadow fell across her sight. The healer looked up. One High Orc she'd thought was dead was on its feet, axe in hand, panting heavily.
"Ah..."
The color drained from the healer's face. Unfortunately, there were no allies nearby. When the orc raised its axe, the healer chose to cover the patient with her own body instead of running.
"No!"
But no matter how long she waited, no pain came. One second felt like a minute. The healer peeked her head up. What she saw was a wondrous sight.
"Kr... krek..."
The orc, suspended in midair, was trembling violently.
"Why...?"
What was happening? The healer's eyes went wide. Then—thunk. The High Orc's head was torn clean off, taking part of its spine with it. The force behind it was terrifying. Thump.
*...?*
Staring at the headless High Orc body that had fallen to the ground, the female healer wore an expression of utter bewilderment.
*Huh...?*
Because the High Orc's head was still floating in the air.
*'...Blood splattered everywhere.'*
Jin-Woo grimaced and hurled the High Orc head he'd been holding. Smack! A High Orc caught off guard by the head of its comrade crashed to the ground. Its neck was twisted at an unnatural angle—it didn't look like it would be getting back up.
*'That's two down.'*
Jin-Woo changed direction. He was currently in Stealth state. Neither the High Orcs nor the Hunters were even remotely aware of his existence. He'd been watching for an opportunity, reluctant to step forward and be accused of interfering with someone else's raid, when the thought of his Stealth skill suddenly occurred to him. With this, he could run wild without being in anyone's way, couldn't he? The corners of Jin-Woo's mouth turned upward.
*'Well then—shall we begin?'*
Just then.
"Aaaargh—!"
The raid team leader, Son Gi-Hoon, locked in a fierce battle against three High Orcs, caught his eye.
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