Dozens of hunters - B, A and S - stood in front of the second S-rank gate, led Choi Jong-In.
Most of the B-ranks were healers and mages, while the A-ranks had more rangers, healers then tanks.
"Prepare yourselves everyone. We don't know what may be inside this dungeon, but we can protect each other and handle this." Choi motivated the group, despite knowing there would surely be lives lost.
Baek Yoonho adjusted the strap on his vest.
"Oi, Baek," A voice called out from behind.
The voice was too familiar for him to mistake it. He spun around to see Byung Jin heading his way with a smile. "Byung…" Yoonho trailed with wide eyes, utterly surprised.
He had spoken to him because Go Gun-Hee had asked, but Baek had refused to return to the battlefront.
His sudden appearance was unexpected by everyone. Yoonho looked at him, "Why did you—"
"Let's go clear some monsters," Byung interrupted with a smile as he clapped Yoonho on the back. "Just like the old days."
Yoonho was quiet for a while before his features softened and he smiled. "Yes, just like the old days," he repeated.
Although Jinwoo was absent, they carried on with the entry.
The dungeon was massive in both height and how vast it was, and it was deeper and darker up ahead.
Meanwhile, Jinwoo sat atop a building, watching over as they stepped into the dungeon.
Jeju Island was completely cleared due to his presence in the world, but why did this situation seem too familiar?
He decided to wait for a while. He knew very well that something was out of place, but he had no choice but to help the hunters if anything should go wrong.
The shadows he attached to the S-ranks should buy him enough time at least.
… …
Inside the dungeon, the hunters had already gotten to work, slaying trolls and dire wolves.
The horde was way more than they had expected, but it wasn't something they could not deal with.
Lim Tae-Gyu stood, shooting his mana manifested arrows at the monsters, killing them before they even got close.
Ma Dongwook had already sized up, slamming his shield into approaching monsters and sending them flying back with stomps.
Baek charged into the horde of monsters, tearing them up with his half transformed hands.
Choi burnt off any that got too close with his flame attacks.
Cha Hae-In on the other hand weaved through the monsters, slashing here and there as the trolls and wolves fell lifeless.
Byung stayed behind, buffing everyone with an incantation he recited.
The other hunters had also actively participated in the clearing of the threats. Yet, the monsters just kept on coming.
Choi requested everyone stood back. Raising his hand and snapping his fingers, he created an enormous fireball and sent it into the horde.
He then followed with a flame arrow that almost went like a beam of fire.
Suddenly, the attack had lessened and they easily cleared the next wave and started to go deeper into the dungeon.
Ahead the dungeon forked into two paths.
They hesitated for a bit, wondering which way to follow, before finally coming to a conclusion.
Choi, Yoonho and Dongwook took some of the hunters right, while the others went left.
"I can feel the mana density increasing," Cha Hae-In said to Tae-Gyu who nodded in agreement.
"I think we were the ones who ended up with the dungeon boss," he said. "You," he pointed at one of the hunters. "Just incase, go back, follow the other path and send information to the others that the dungeon boss is here."
The hunter nodded and turned.
"Should we wait?" Byung asked.
"Hmm, I suppose we should—" Tae-Gyu started but was interrupted by the hunter he just sent.
"Guild master Lim, we're trapped."
"Huh?" Tae-Gyu turned alongside everyone else. Right after the last guy was a wall that seemed like it was there all along.
"Maybe it's an illusion?" One of the hunters said, raising his bow to fire at the wall. The arrow embedded itself in the wall firmly. "Or maybe not."
Panic started to spread like a wildfire, mutters and mumbles flying between the hunters.
Lim Tae-Gyu had to make a decision fast and he did the only thing there to do. "Calm down everyone. We'll keep on going, after defeating the dungeon boss, the exit will show itself… hopefully," he said, continuing the walk.
Byung Jin could notice the hesitation in Tae-Gyu's words, but what could he do?
They all turned and kept on walking, each time they turned back, the wall was directly behind them like it was following them.
They eventually reached poured out into a vast space that was completely dark ahead. The wall behind them was now aligned with the rest of the dungeon wall.
From across, they spotted Choi and his team walking out of another tunnel.
"Hey, Baek," Byung called.
Yoonho and the others turned to see their other half and they walked up to them.
"Seems both led to the same place," Dongwook said, confusion laced in his voice. "A wall appeared behind us and kept on following us until we got here."
"You too?" Cha Hae-In's brows shot up. They were trapped.
Choi was about to make fire so they could see, but something stopped him.
DUMDUM DADADUM DUM DUM!
Drums. As the drum sounds came in, so did the light, from torches hanging in the walls.
Ahead was a big opening with red curtains and guarding it were a huge troll and orc.
Looking around, they realized they had been surrounded by trolls and orcs double their number, if not more.
The mana that emanated from them was high and it was clear that they were slightly above A-rank, some even being S-rank.
They all remained in place, unmoving, thinking of what to do. Was there a way of escaping this, even with a fight?
The drums stopped and a voice came from behind the curtain. "Ah, visitors. Come on in."
They could tell it was a monster speaking, but it was speaking human language.
Without having anything good of a plan, Choi nodded to the others and started walking forward as the orcs and trolls made space for them.
… …
Outside the dungeon, Jinwoo was was on his phone when suddenly, he felt the spike in the amount of mana coming from the dungeon. "Damnit I have to move."
He stood up and jumped down, "Kaisel!"
The shadow dragon appeared, catching him in the air and gliding down towards the dungeon until they got in.
Then the gate turned red and sealed shut from the inside.
Jinwoo gritted his teeth as he watched the gate disappear. It really was a trap made specifically for him after all.
… …
Just after Jinwoo went into the dungeon, a breaking news came up, announcing the deaths of Jonas, Brazil's National Level Hunter and India's National Level Hunter, Siddharth Bachchan.
Minho wasn't their only the Monarchs had, and since the war was coming closer, they had to get rid of the Rulers' vessels first. Trapping Jinwoo and Minho was a means to avoid their intervention, and Tarnak who was waiting patiently finally appeared in Korea to take care of Go Gun-Hee who was also one of the Rulers' vessels.
But unbeknownst to him one of the trapped Monarchs was coming out very soon.
And it was the Monarch of Tyranny.