Chapter 7 - Chapter 7

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Translator: 8uhl

Chapter: 7

Chapter Title: The Lowest-Grade Dungeon

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The Bukhansan hiking trail was already under full control. As we climbed a little way up the mountain, an Association staffer spotted us and bowed deeply.

"You've arrived! Thank you so much for volunteering, even though it's just a D-rank gate."

"How much time until the expected opening?"

"It'll open within five minutes. We've got C-rank and B-rank hunters on standby outside to handle any monster leaks."

The staffer glanced at the waiting hunters before shifting his gaze to me.

"Uh... and who's this?"

"Might as well introduce her now. She'll be a celebrity you can't even get a glimpse of later."

"Pardon?"

Kugugung.

Right then, a pitch-black rift tore open in the middle of the trail. A wooden door covered in blooming flowers slowly emerged from within, soon slamming down onto the ground with a resounding thud.

Kiiik.

The gate opened. It yawned wide, waiting for us, and it wouldn't close again until we cleared the dungeon.

Ha Mi-jun Hunter tapped the flowers adorning the gate with his finger, then turned back to us.

"Shall we head in?"

Ha Mi-jun Hunter took the lead into the gate, with Se-bin and me following close behind.

Whoooosh.

Thick, sand-laden air brushed against our skin. Scattered thatched-roof huts dotted the barren dirt ground, and broken pitchforks lay strewn about.

"Looks like the absolute lowest-grade dungeon for byproduct mining."

Ha Mi-jun Hunter scanned our surroundings as he strode forward confidently. Se-bin had made such a fuss that I'd thought a D-rank might be pretty dangerous after all, but this was clearly just her overprotectiveness kicking in.

"A gate opening and an explosion are different things, right?"

"Of course."

Back in school, I'd half-assed Dungeon Studies 101, so there were still parts I got mixed up.

"A gate opening is exactly what it sounds like—the gate appears. It stays open until cleared, so monsters could leak out."

"That's why they lock down the whole area."

"Yeah. For low-grades like this, it's no big deal, but anything B-rank or higher needs more caution."

Clack.

Ha Mi-jun Hunter's dress shoes rang out crisply as we hopped up a gentle slope.

"A gate explosion, on the other hand, happens when the gate vanishes. It's triggered by the dungeon's internal balance breaking or being cleared past a certain point."

"Monster numbers can spike, and even new types might pour in."

Se-bin chimed in this time.

It felt just like being tutored.

Puuung.

Suddenly, an explosion echoed on the wind.

"Hm?"

"Here it comes."

About ten meters away, a massive flower quivered, spewing yellow powder. No idea what kind it was, but it was definitely a monster.

"Alright, time to see what Shin Ji-ui's got."

Ha Mi-jun Hunter shoved his hands in his jacket pockets and stepped back. The flower didn't seem interested in attacking first—it just kept puffing out yellow dust in place.

'I think it said it needs charging.'

"Ahh..."

I brought Ego to my lips and let out a sound, watching the charge tick up 1% at a time. Fortunately, it filled quickly.

I carefully reviewed the weapon's description in the status window, like reading a manual.

'Power of speech.' That weird one seemed useless right now. Through Ego, I could output bullets in whatever form I wanted?

'Not sure if my body remembers how to fight, but...'

I struck a rough stance and pulled Ego's trigger toward the flower.

Taaaaang!!

"Whoa?!"

A massive bullet rocketed out, tracing a brilliant white path before slamming into the yellow flower.

Pubububung!

The monster crumbled to dust, leaving only a few leaves behind.

Had I misjudged the power?

I'd meant to just pull something moderate, but a ridiculously huge round had come out.

"Whoa, that's insane."

Se-bin cleared her throat mid-sentence, apparently lost for words.

"...DF's at S5, right?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah."

Ha Mi-jun Hunter's eyes were even wider now as he alternated glances between me and the flower's remains.

"Hahaha."

'Guess that's the level it's at.'

Even a veteran like Ha Mi-jun Hunter was speechless, so the destructive power must really be something else.

As Ha Mi-jun Hunter had said, this dungeon was bottom-of-the-barrel low-grade. The only monsters were those flower ones I'd one-shot, and even they were rare. We'd spent more time chatting idly.

"Oh."

After I'd blasted the fifth flower with Ego, the gate we'd entered appeared ahead.

"Touch the gate, and it'll summon the boss monster. Want to give it a try, Miss Ji-ui?"

"Sure."

Like a teacher assigning a presentation, Ha Mi-jun Hunter explained everything step by step. Thanks to him, I was learning the dungeon with my brain instead of my body.

Thud.

I placed my hand on the gate, a bit tense.

'...Why's it so quiet?'

I turned to look at Se-bin and Ha Mi-jun Hunter. They watched from a distance like concerned parents.

Whoooong.

"Huh?"

A huge shadow fell over my head.

"Eek!"

Bang!!

It happened in an instant. A yellowish shape plummeted toward me from above. Instinctively, I covered my head and pulled the trigger upward.

A wide burst of white sound waves erupted from Ego, forming a thick shield. I braced it with both hands, ready to block the shape hurtling right at my face.

Kwaduduk.

"Hm?"

Before it even hit the shield, black shadowy hands twisted my limbs apart, rendering my efforts pointless.

Pasasak.

The monster—or what was left of it—smashed into the ground in ruins. The shadowy hands retreated back into its shadow. I swatted my shield aside; it vibrated the air faintly and vanished without a trace.

"Ji-ui! You okay?"

Se-bin rushed over, pale-faced, checking my face and body frantically.

"Y-yeah... I'm fine."

"Thank goodness."

"But was that your skill just now?"

Se-bin's eyes went wide before she nodded slowly in realization.

"You saw it right, Miss Ji-ui. My S-rank attack skill, Moon Shadow."

Ha Mi-jun Hunter approached, adding on.

"It controls every shadow or darkness there is."

"Shadows and darkness..."

I glanced down at my feet without thinking.

If I'd been Se-bin's enemy, my ankles would've been shredded before I knew it.

"By the way, Miss Ji-ui, what was that defense just now?"

Ha Mi-jun Hunter's eyes sparkled with interest.

'Oh yeah, I instinctively made something.'

Ego outputs whatever form I desire, whatever I need. I'd pulled out a wide shield using that.

"I made it with the weapon. It lets me output in any form I want."

"Did you street-fight your way through school? Your combat sense is no joke."

"I'm not that kind of kid."

I shot Ha Mi-jun Hunter a glare, and he burst out laughing, slinging an arm over my shoulder. A sharp, pungent cologne stung my nose.

"I know, I know. Actually, Kang Se-bin Hunter told me a bit about you."

"From Se-bin?"

Se-bin started to say something in protest, then clamped her mouth shut and just smiled.

What the heck did they talk about?

"She said her childhood friend doesn't know how to hold back and it's driving her crazy with worry."

"...Ah."

"That you even pick fights with street thugs? You can't stand seeing anyone in trouble."

"Yeah, well..."

Even with ten mouths, I had nothing to say. Everything Se-bin had said was spot on.

Was it because I'd always looked after Ji-yu growing up? I couldn't just walk past someone who needed help. Couldn't tolerate bullies picking on the weak, either. I'd gotten into scraps all over school because of it.

'No wonder Se-bin worries.'

Tinggrang.

Something dropped from the sky.

'So the monster was an ox...'

Se-bin had shredded it so badly I hadn't recognized it, but the byproduct gave it away.

"Alright, time to head out? Closing the gate comes first."

Ha Mi-jun Hunter stepped out of the gate as he spoke, and Se-bin and I followed.

'Yes!'

The directive completed the moment we exited and closed the gate.

'Getting another mission as a reward is a bit much, though.'

"Oh, right. Miss Ji-ui, I forgot to teach you weapon lightweighting."

Ha Mi-jun Hunter suddenly turned to me.

"Lightweighting?"

"Yeah. Changing it into an easy-to-carry form."

He gave Se-bin a quick glance, and she rolled up her trench coat sleeve. The black bracelet on her wrist unraveled and sucked into her shadow.

Kikikik.

Soon, a slender black sword rose from her shadow. Handle to blade, all pitch-black—it almost looked like she was gripping a shadow itself.

"My masterpiece, Shadow."

"Most people turn theirs into accessories."

"Hmm... okay."

I pictured an accessory in my mind while gripping Ego.

Keyiiing.

Ego swiftly morphed into the form I wanted, settling neatly in my hand.

"A piercing. Great choice! I turn mine into one too."

As I clipped Ego to my ear, Ha Mi-jun Hunter grinned and pointed to the piercing in his eyebrow.

"Ah, so that's a weapon."

"Yep. S-rank hand axe, Lumberjack."

Quirky name.

'Got my pre-regression weapon back and lightweighted it too. Starting line secured.'

I fiddled with Ego using my finger, and it vibrated softly, asserting its presence.

"Ugh..."

I flopped face-first onto my futon without even drying my hair.

What a grueling day from morning. Awakening test, reclaimed the weapon I'd used in the previous timeline, dungeon dive to get the hang of it...

'Still, results are results.'

I opened my status window to check the newly unlocked mission.

Wielder of the strongest weapon, huh. Right now, it was just bullets and shields. I couldn't help but feel excited about how much further my weapon could grow.

Swish.

My body was exhausted; the blanket felt like it was dragging me straight to the floor.

'...That feels way too real.'

"Wha—what?!"

By the time I sensed something off, my bedroom ceiling was already receding. The soft mattress pulling me down wasn't my imagination.

I was really sinking into the floor.

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