Chapter 11: System (8)

The boss monster, taken aback by Tae Woong’s appearance, started to fight back. However, because of the overwhelming flames, the monster was already defeated before it could do anything.

Seon Tae Woong looked between the opponent who was overtaken in a second, the flame that was made from his skill, and Shin Jiho who was still barely standing.

Near Shin Jiho, whose face was pale and covered in blood, mana was wavering. Whenever Seon Tae Woong felt that his mana was depleted, the mana flowed over from that side and filled him back up.

Seon Tae Woong couldn’t take his eyes off of the unbelievable sight.

Shin Jiho.

Even though he’s only a B-rank, Shin Jiho created a miracle. The guy who seemed like he was going to die just a bit ago…

‘He’s not useless anymore.’

With the mana he received from Shin Jiho, Seon Tae Woong felt that he wouldn’t lose to an S-rank hunter right now.

If he can make another person this much stronger, Shin Jiho is no longer a useless B-rank hunter.

Before Shin Jiho, the first awakened one, took his ranking assessment, how intensely did people talk about it? 

People’s countless expectations were poured over Shin Jiho. When he fell short of those, the people turned their backs from him.

Now, however, if the two can get out of the dungeon, it will be different.

Of course, before that, they’ll have to kill that boss monster to escape the dungeon…

‘I can do it.’

Unlike before, when dying was only a matter of time, killing was now only a matter of time.

Because of the B-rank hunter that everyone looked down on.

Seon Tae Woong looked at the boss monster that had been about to kill him before. The being that once seemed like Mount Taishan1 now seemed lacking.

Seon Tae Woong used all of his strength to bring out the flames.

In the protected area that the normal citizens evacuated to, reporters bustled around.

Because normal reporters aren’t allowed in when a dungeon opens and an evacuation alert is sent out, the reporters were all at least F-ranked.

Of course, they cannot get close to the gates either.

The only people stuck close to the gate were two people: Chungram Guild’s guildmaster Joo Yiwon and vice-guildmaster Yoo Gyung Woo.

If the two people in the sunken dungeon die and the gate opens up, the two who are the closest to the dungeon will enter immediately.

Yoo Gyung Woo stood next to Joo Yiwon with a solemn expression. However, he only looked calm on the outside. Inside, he was actually screaming.

‘Jihye, how could you toss this crazy f*cker over to me!’

Yoo Gyung Woo pitifully yelled internally at the one who was both Chungram’s co vice-guildmaster with him and his ex-wife2.

He knows well that Shin Jihye, who he was yelling at right now, was probably dying of worry. However, anyone standing next to Chungram’s guildmaster who was filled with a murderous spirit would be the same.

Joo Yiwon’s mana exerted pressure on his surroundings, making the area tremble. Whenever the mana as dark blue as the deep sea passed over Joo Yiwon’s face, Yoo Gyung Woo was reminded of the murderous ghosts he had seen in horror movies.

No, a ghost is better than this. At least a ghost can’t commit mass genocide or acts of terror3.

Of course, for the past three years, Joo Yiwon has been amazing at his work.

The first dungeon raider, Joo Yiwon.

While everyone else was still afraid of the other space behind the gates, Joo Yiwon ran into the dungeons alone. And unlike the speculations that he would come out dead, he raided the dungeon by himself and figured out how to raid them.

During the period that awakened ones weren’t able to use their powers well yet, Joo Yiwon raided dungeons all over the world. He is still considered a hero for many nations.

He took care of the dungeons that had opened up, and he spread information about dungeons and their items to the public instead of keeping the information to himself. It isn’t an exaggeration to say that a lot of the guidelines for dungeons today were set up by Joo Yiwon and Chungram Guild. A big part of the reason why cities weren’t wiped out when dungeons first started appearing was because of Joo Yiwon.

The things Joo Yiwon did were miracles. People call Joo Yiwon a hero.

People are being fooled by that person’s face. They don’t know his true nature.4

The Joo Yiwon that Yoo Gyung Woo saw for years was the complete opposite of “The Virtuous Chungram Guildmaster.”

Joo Yiwon fit more to the image of someone who would lead a coup d’etat, creating an independent nation under his rule and changing out all the hunters.

He hates receiving orders; he likes giving orders. He likes having everything under his control. 

Yoo Gyung Woo doesn’t understand why someone who had a normal upbringing full of love grew up with such a twisted personality, but Joo Yiwon was far from a hero.

The reason Joo Yiwon became a hunter who selflessly gives to others and tirelessly raids dungeons, the reason he calmly took on the role of Chungram’s guildmaster, is all because of Shin Jiho.

Although the person who receives that attention just says “He’s always like that,” and brushes it off as a joke.

From Yoo Gyung Woo’s perspective, the reason why Joo Yiwon doesn’t approach Jiho seriously is because Joo Yiwon himself knows he’s crazy, so he tries to hold himself back.

In other words, Shin Jiho is the leash that keeps the beast–no monster–that is Joo Yiwon, calm.

If something happens to Shin Jiho, Joo Yiwon might go from humankind’s hero and savior to the world’s worst nightmare.

‘Jiho, please come out safely.’

Yoo Gyung Woo prayed sincerely for the safety of Shin Jiho: his former brother-in-law and close younger brother5, and the leash that keeps the world’s strongest disaster in check.

However, the probability of Shin Jiho coming out alive is low. In fact, there was basically none.

A hunter with sensing skills judged that this dungeon was an S-rank. It’s a dungeon that can only be raided if there are at least two S-rank hunters. 

Seon Tae Woong, who was trapped in with Shin Jiho, is definitely a competent A-rank hunter, but he falls short from S-ranks. If the dungeon was an A-rank, Gyung Woo would have held onto some hope but… it was only a matter of time before two dead bodies came out of this dungeon.

Considering the worst-case scenario, Joo Yiwon was calmer than Gyung Woo thought he would be. It wouldn’t have been weird for him to be going crazy right now…

“Jiho will not die.”

Yoo Gyung Woo jumped up in shock from the voice next to him. Joo Yiwon glared at Yoo Gyung Woo with a face that looked like it wanted to kill someone.

“Y-yeah. It’ll be good if he comes out fine.”

“It’s not that it will be good if he comes out fine but that he won’t die yet.”

“….”

“He may be a little hurt but he’ll come out alive.”

“Ah, okay.”

Yoo Gyung Woon answered awkwardly before turning his head away.

There were times when Joo Yiwon would say ridiculous things with complete confidence.

It was like that when he first raided a dungeon despite everyone’s protests, and when he ranted about the possibility of predicting the appearance of fissures when everyone else was talking about abandoning the city and evacuating.

In situations besides those as well, Joo Yiwon acted like someone with predictive abilities. Everything really went the way he said.

Because of his success rate, Chungram guild considered the guildmaster’s words as absolute. There was not much harm in listening to Joo Yiwon.

However, Yoo Gyung Woo cannot do the same this time.

Joo Yiwon was only acting confident with his words. In reality, his palm was going through a cycle of bleeding and healing over and over again because of how hard he was clenching his fist.

Although it would be good if Shin Jiho really came out alive like Joo Yiwon said…

The fingertips of Joo Yiwon, who had been silent, twitched. Yoo Gyung Woo prepared to take out his weapons and block the crazy f*cker next to him if he jumped.

However Joo Yiwon did not move to attack.

The dungeon that had swallowed the two people was reopening.

If the people inside had died, the dungeon would swallow more people up in the same way it did before. Thus, the gate should have opened at once like it did when it first appeared, but…

The straight split in the air opened very stably.

From a dot to a line, from a line to a plane. A hunter nearby saw the entrance expanding and shouted with joy.

“The dungeon, it’s opening normally!”

A normal opening.

Yoo Gyung Woo’s eyes were so wide open from his shock that they couldn’t get any bigger.

It was a result hard to believe despite seeing it with his own eyes.

Did an A-rank like Seon Tae Woong and B-rank like Shin Jiho really defeat the boss monster inside?

Relief and new worry rose up at the same time. Even if they had defeated the boss monster, there was no way the two were alright.

From the completely open door, a shadow limped out.

Seon Tae Woong was piggy-backing an unconscious Shin Jiho.6

Unlike Seon Tae Woong, who wasn’t badly hurt, the clothes on Shin Jiho’s back were completely ripped apart and he must’ve thrown up blood again as his face was pale.

However, Seon Tae Woong and Shin Jiho were alive. As a hunter, Yoo Gyung Woo could sense that they were alive.

“Jiho!”

Yoo Gyung Woo shouted in relief and joy. At the same time, Joo Yiwon scrunched his face up as if something was bothering him.

Joo Yiwon marched up and stole Shin Jiho from Seon Tae Woong before holding Jiho in his arms.

With his half-lidded eyes, Seon Tae Woong tried to resist a bit. But it must’ve been a subconscious action, as he stared into the empty air before collapsing.

Yiwon ignored the unconscious Tae Woong and hugged Jiho tightly, making sure to avoid his injuries. With trembling hands that were unlike him, Yiwon caressed Jiho before bowing his head.

Yiwon carefully placed his forehead on top of Jiho’s. Only when he felt Jiho’s light breath touch his lips did Yiwon finally sigh in relief.

“Jiho….”

It was hard to believe that this weak, trembling voice came from an SS-rank hunter.

Yoo Gyung Woo, who was watching the unexpected situation in a daze, finally regained his wits.

If they’re left alone for 30 more seconds, it looks like they’re going to start kissing.

“H-healer!”

For many different reasons, Gyung Woo hurriedly called for the healers that were waiting at a distance. The healers, who had expected a negative outcome, ran over quickly.

At the unbelievable sight, cameras flashed repeatedly. The area that was darkening from the setting sun lit up from the white lights. 

It was a huge incident.

An A-rank hunter and B-rank hunter defeated an S-rank dungeon by themselves.