Captain Bae's eyes went wide.
"You mean... something went wrong? Should I request reinforcements from the Guild?" "No, it's personal. I have a personal errand with that person, so don't worry." "Ah... understood."
Cha Hae-In turned toward the Gate. But then — her side felt empty.
*'Ah... my weapon.'*
Fumbling around her waist, she belatedly recalled that she'd left her sword at home. How was she supposed to have known she'd be entering a Dungeon on her day off? Cha Hae-In's brow furrowed neatly.
*'Team Leader Gi-Hoon is a reliable person, and the team members are all excellent Hunters.'*
Even so, stepping into a Dungeon without a weapon was unthinkable. After a brief moment of deliberation, she turned back to Captain Bae.
"Did you want to say something...?"
Captain Bae blinked innocently.
"Team Leader, would it be possible to borrow a weapon?" "What?"
After hesitating, Captain Bae called out to a Hunter passing by.
"Hey, Mr. Seok. Go grab some equipment for us." "Yes."
The equipment Mr. Seok quickly brought back was a pickaxe used by the mining team.
"..."
Cha Hae-In's face stiffened.
"Um... do you have anything else?" "Anything else?" "A sword, or a spear, perhaps." "If you're looking for something like that from us..." "..."
Cha Hae-In let out a soft sigh.
"Fine."
She politely declined the pickaxe Captain Bae offered and walked toward the Gate. Captain Bae called after her retreating back with concern.
"Hunter Cha, are you sure you'll be okay empty-handed?"
She stopped dead in her tracks. After a moment's hesitation, she quickly walked back and took the pickaxe from Captain Bae's hands. Captain Bae chuckled warmly.
"Good thinking. Going into a Dungeon bare-handed is rather dangerous, after all." "Then..."
As she turned away, the tips of her ears had turned red — but Captain Bae didn't notice.
***
A grim resolve hung over every face in the raid party. All of them seemed to sense the fate that awaited them, lips pressed tight. The female Healer approached and began rummaging through Jin-Woo's pack. Jin-Woo turned his head sideways and asked.
"What are you doing?" "Just a moment."
What she pulled out was a dainty women's handbag.
"I've always felt uneasy whenever my bag is far away from me."
She offered the explanation without even being asked. The female Healer took out a notebook and pen from the bag and started scribbling something in it. Walking without looking ahead, she bumped her head against Jin-Woo's shoulder several times. Swish. After a moment, she closed the notebook. During the writing, she'd had her own bag slung over her shoulder, which she now stuffed back into Jin-Woo's pack — but the notebook remained in her hand. As Jin-Woo watched carefully, wondering what she was planning, the female Healer held it out to him.
"...?"
Jin-Woo accepted the notebook and tilted his head. The female Healer said, her voice trembling.
"Things I wanted to say to my family. If you make it outside, please give it to them."
If he laughed now, she'd be hurt. Jin-Woo swallowed his laughter and tucked the notebook into his pocket.
"I'll hold onto it for now, but I won't have any reason to deliver it." "That's okay."
The female Healer nodded.
*'With those High Orc warriors watching with their eyes wide open like that, it'd be hard for her to get out safely.'*
The porter was only E-rank, after all. She still didn't understand what Jin-Woo's words had meant. Before long, the boss room came into view. The hunters' tension traveled through the air and reached their skin. A vast cavern.
'...'
Jin-Woo surveyed the boss room. It was larger than the room where yesterday's giant had stood. But unlike yesterday, the boss room didn't feel particularly large. It was because of the High Orcs filling it to the brim. More than double the number of High Orcs who had led the raid party were packed inside.
*'Around a hundred... no, maybe more?'*
There hadn't been a single monster elsewhere in the Dungeon — instead, they had all gathered in the boss room. Son Gi-Hoon's face went pale as he looked over the rows of High Orcs.
*'If this many High Orcs get out through the Gate...'*
They could level an entire small city before the top-rank Hunters arrived. Cold sweat trickled down his back.
*'At the very least, I have to take down the boss.'*
He swallowed dryly, pressing a firm resolve deep into his heart. The High Orcs in the boss room parted to make way.
"A Shakra."
The lead High Orc gestured once more. The High Orcs who had served as guides and the following raid party walked toward the altar in the corner of the boss room.
"Over there!"
One of the hunters pointed at the top of the altar. There sat a High Orc shaman, adorned with a mask, a bone necklace, bone earrings, and other accessories jangling from its head.
*'That one's the boss...'*
Son Gi-Hoon's face hardened. He could tell that the fearsome mana filling the Dungeon mostly emanated from that creature. And around it — four guards with keen eyes protecting the shaman. An extraordinary aura radiated from them as well.
*'This isn't good.'*
Could they break past those guards and take out the shaman in one go? Every hunter was thinking the same thing. The raid party halted in front of the shaman. A strange tension flowed between the hunters at a fixed distance and the encircling High Orcs.
"Heh heh."
But the shaman paid no attention to the atmosphere, instead baring its grotesque fangs beneath the mask and snickering.
"Welcome, humans."
The raid party hunters exchanged glances.
*'When Hyung Son gives the signal.'* 'We all rush in.' *'Target the shaman no matter what.'*
They were looking for the right moment to attack. But then — the surrounding air suddenly began to freeze over. The raid party were all first-rate Hunters. They turned their heads in unison toward the sudden chill. The cause was the shaman. It was removing its mask. And with that, its hidden mana was laid bare without restraint. WHOOSH — a shuddering wave of mana rippled outward from the creature in concentric circles. Just like an ordinary person coming face to face with a lion or tiger, the hunters' bodies went rigid as stone.
"O-oh god..." "How can someone have this much mana...?" "Y-you want us to fight something like this?"
Despair, lament, blame, regret — facing every shape of hopelessness, the shaman wore a sinister smile.
"Are you afraid, humans?"
Son Gi-Hoon bit his lower lip hard and managed to step forward. Then he asked.
"Why did you bring us all the way here? Your warriors alone would've been enough to kill us."
The shaman grinned. It was a smile that made your skin crawl just to look at.
"Entertainment." "What?"
Son Gi-Hoon was rendered speechless. They'd been dragged all the way here for *that* reason? The shaman continued.
"During the remaining time here, I shall kill you one by one and rouse my soldiers' spirits!"
ROOOAAARRR — the High Orc warriors let out frenzied cheers. The hunters, crushed under the orcs' intimidation, could barely breathe. Some were even brought to tears.
"However..."
The shaman's voice trailed off. Its gaze landed on Jin-Woo, standing at the very end of the party.
"...there's something peculiar mixed in among you humans."
In that instant, Son Gi-Hoon's eyes flashed.
*'The shaman's distracted — now's the chance!'*
Veins stood out on his neck.
"NOW!"
Son Gi-Hoon roared at the top of his lungs, drew his sword, and charged. But behind him — silence.
*'Why...?'*
He glanced back while running. His comrades hadn't mustered the courage to move at all; every one of them was frozen stiff. So thoroughly overwhelmed, they had already lost the will to fight. His heart sank.
*'Ah...'*
But this was something someone had to do. He couldn't stop here. His eyes turned forward again. Perhaps caught off guard, the shaman was still smiling, and the guards showed no particular reaction either. This might be his first and only chance. If it was luck, so be it. If it was a fluke, so be it. If only this sword could reach... Step, step, step! Son Gi-Hoon, charging at full tilt, pulled his sword back.
"RAAAAH—!"
But before he could even swing, something struck him and sent him flying. CRACK! A shield spell.
"Gah!"
Son Gi-Hoon bounced back from the impact and rolled across the floor. But only for a moment.
"Ahh, the first volunteer has arrived."
With the shaman's mockery, Son Gi-Hoon's body rose into the air. WHOOOM — a reverse-gravity spell.
"..."
The shaman's lips moved ceaselessly. Having lifted Son Gi-Hoon two stories high, the shaman began chanting a different spell.
"..."
Gravity acceleration. CRACK! Son Gi-Hoon was driven straight into the ground.
"Guhk!"
But before he could even writhe in pain, he was lifted into the air once more.
"Reverse gravity."
Heh heh heh. Not just the shaman — every High Orc bared its long fangs and let out sneering laughter. CRACK!
"Guhk!"
WHOOOM — CRACK!
"Gah!"
The shaman lifted and dropped Son Gi-Hoon over and over, toying with him. The fourth time he hit the ground, blood gushed from his mouth. The hunters watching grew paler with each blow. But not a single one dared step forward.
"G-Gi-Hoon hyung..."
Everyone just stood there trembling, watching Son Gi-Hoon get torn apart. Thud. The female Healer collapsed to the ground, as though she no longer had the strength to stand. Sure enough. The shaman lifted Son Gi-Hoon for the fifth time.
"You've got one tough life." "Ugh..."
A groan escaped Son Gi-Hoo's lips. But as if to say it wasn't over yet, the sword clutched in his hand was the last thing he'd let go of. WHOOOM! CRASH! WHOOOM! CRASH! WHOOOM! Going back and forth between the sky and the floor again and again, Son Gi-Hoon finally lost his grip on the sword. Clang. Right then — Son Gi-Hoon, falling toward the floor, vanished in a flash.
"Hm?"
The shaman's eyes went wide. A human with every bone in his body shattered had just disappeared? The shaman rolled its eyes, searching for Son Gi-Hoon's presence.
*'That's...?'*
Not far away in a corner, it spotted Son Gi-Hoon lying on the ground. At the same time, it saw the man sitting beside him. It was Jin-Woo. Jin-Woo gently laid Son Gi-Hoo flat, then glared at the shaman and asked.
"Team Leader, let me ask you one thing." "...?"
Until that moment, Son Gi-Hoon didn't understand what had just happened to him.
"Is it all right if I kill every monster in here?" "What... did you just say?"
The shaman furrowed its brow. With a flick of its chin, one of the shaman's guards spun its curved blade and charged at Jin-Woo. A radiant light flowed from Jin-Woo's eyes as he fixed the guard with his stare. Jin-Woo extended his hand.
*'Ruler's Authority.'*
As though seized by an invisible giant hand, the guard rose into the air.
"Grrr—?"
The creature flailed in midair.
*'No...?'*
The shaman's eyes went wide. Jin-Woo lowered his fingertips. CRACK! The guard was slammed into the floor. It hit so hard that cracks spread across the ground. But Jin-Woo didn't stop there. Just as the shaman had done to Son Gi-Hoon, he lifted the guard into the air once more. CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! The guard bounced between the ceiling and floor like a basketball, crashing with thunderous impacts, until finally its head struck the ceiling. CRACK! Crumble, crumble. Dust and stone fragments rained down. Looking at the guard dangling limply by its neck, both the High Orcs and the hunters were struck with astonishment. Son Gi-Hoon, trembling violently, asked.
"You... what exactly are you...?" "I'll ask again."
This was the Hunters' hunting ground. Right now, there was only one person here who could represent the Hunters. Jin-Woo asked one last time.
"The monsters in here... can I have all of them?"
For some reason, it no longer seemed to matter who or what the porter really was. He was just angry. Furious at himself for being toyed with by monsters as if he were a toy. Tears streamed down Son Gi-Hoon's eyes.
"Please... I'm begging you."
That settled it. As Jin-Woo stood, the High Orcs closed in. Behind them stood the shaman. The shaman sneered.
"A human with some curious little tricks, aren't you?"
With a wave of its hand, the High Orcs formed a tight circle around Jin-Woo.
"But how far do you think those tricks will carry you?"
Jin-Woo's gaze turned icy cold. He had never once been fond of monsters, but this was the first time he'd wanted to cut one down this badly.
"You're last."
If it knew pleasure, perhaps it could also feel fear. Jin-Woo murmured.
"Shadows..."
Two daggers materialized in Jin-Woo's hands.
"Come out."
=