HWM 09

Chapter – 09

After the commotion Yongcheol had caused finally died down, Taewoon had no trouble recruiting the remaining two party members—likely thanks to the impressive performance he’d just put on.

“Then, I look forward to working with you.”

“Same here! Let’s all do our best~”

The first was Kim Byeongcheol, a front-line fighter whose body was packed with muscle despite being sixty-two years old.

The second was Yoo Gaehee, the party’s only Level 2 Hunter—an assassin-type capable of delivering deadly critical strikes through ambush.

For a temporary party made up of Level 1 and 2 Hunters, it was a near-perfect composition. Satisfied, Taewoon and Yerin submitted their request to clear a low-tier dungeon.

“It’s already evening—will everyone be alright with the timing?” Taewoon asked.

“At my age, time is the one thing I’ve got plenty of,” Byeongcheol chuckled.

“I’m fine too. Hehe.”

Gaehee seemed naturally friendly, speaking comfortably with everyone, while Byeongcheol’s warm demeanor helped soften any potential tension in the group.

It was a well-balanced party.

Taewoon silently gave thanks for this good fortune—his first after awakening his abilities.

“Since everyone’s ready, we’ll head to the dungeon location now.”

The dungeon assigned to them was a Level 1 dungeon located in Suwon—something a balanced four-person party could clear without much trouble.

“Gaehee unni, you’ve got quite a bit of dungeon experience, right? What’s it usually like?” Yerin asked.

“Well~ most of the time it’s the same monsters you’re used to seeing. But occasionally, you run into something completely new. Their strength’s usually similar, but some have annoying abilities. As long as you watch out for that, you should be fine.”

It was basic knowledge found in training manuals, so Yerin nodded in understanding.

Higher-level dungeons held far stranger dangers, but as Gaehee said, low-level ones rarely had such variables.

“Final check,” Taewoon said. “Yerin, you pulled Flame Art from the roulette, so you’ll handle backline DPS. Elder Byeongcheol and I will hold the front. Gaehee will move between positions—guarding the rear and acting as a skirmisher. If everyone’s good, we’ll enter immediately.”

They had already completed the procedures at the barricade zone.

After a last equipment check, they stepped into the dungeon.

The atmosphere changed instantly.

“Wow… so this is what it’s like inside.”

“Heh heh. No matter how many times you hear about it, it always feels different when you see it yourself.”

The interior was a moss-covered cave.

And strangely, Taewoon felt a faint sense of familiarity.

‘Maybe because I’ve already been to that abnormal place—the theater?’

Either way, his body moved naturally, and he felt no tension.

Not a bad thing.

Maintaining formation, the party advanced carefully—until they soon encountered a group of monsters blocking the path.

“These are…”

“Specters—Type IV-8. Undead-type monsters. They have strong physical resistance—low-level Hunters can punch them all day and it won’t do much. Better to center our tactics around Yerin here.”

Monsters were broadly classified into six types, and Specters belonged to the fourth: undead.

The party tightened formation.

Byeongcheol and Taewoon drew aggro while Yerin’s crimson flames erupted toward the enemy.

Fwoosh!

Crackle—!

“Eeeeeek!”

“Aaaaagh—!”

“Oof—these ones hit pretty hard.”

“I’ve heard Specter screams mess with your head, but wow… I feel dizzy…”

Byeongcheol grimaced, and Yerin clutched her temples.

Only Gaehee and Taewoon remained unaffected.

“You seem fine, Taewoon. For a Level 1 Hunter, this is pretty nasty.”

“I’ve got confidence in my physical abilities—and decent mental resistance too.”

Honestly, after fighting something like the Red Man, Specters felt more creepy than dangerous.

And he hadn’t even used any Cinema Skills or artifacts yet.

“Good! That’s reassuring.”

“And it’s good for growth,” Byeongcheol added. “If you steel your mind, you’ll gradually endure it better.”

After a short rest, they continued forward.

They fought several more Specter groups, then even a large Specter—defeating it without much trouble.

“We’ve come pretty far… maybe halfway?”

“Further than that, I’d say. The monsters are clearly getting stronger.”

Taewoon noticed too, but Yerin’s firepower was stronger than expected, keeping things manageable.

Eventually, they reached the boss room.

After a final thirty-minute rest, they entered.

Rumble—!

Creeeeak—!

A heavy pressure filled the air as the door opened.

Inside stood a strange Specter—shaped almost like a nun.

“Hm? Unexpected. I thought it’d be a Wraith.”

“I’ve never seen one like this before. Like I said—stay alert.”

Despite the warning, Gaehee casually twirled her curved kukri.

She was the only Level 2 Hunter here after all.

Struggling in a dungeon like this would be stranger.

That confidence shattered the moment the boss opened its mouth.

“KYYYYAAAAAAAH—!”

A scream powerful enough to shake the entire cave echoed through the chamber.

Yerin and Byeongcheol desperately covered their ears.

Even Taewoon felt his skull throb—but he could endure it.

The real problem was elsewhere.

“…Gaehee?”

Her body trembled violently.

Then she slowly turned.

Her eyes had rolled back, blood streaming like tears, veins bulging grotesquely across her skin.

She had been completely possessed.

Clutching her kukri, she charged straight at Byeongcheol.

“T-This can’t be happening…!”

Gaehee was Level 2—physically strong and mentally resilient.

Yet the truth became clear.

‘That scream targeted Gaehee alone. The rest of us just suffered the aftershock!’

Yerin and Byeongcheol realized it too—their faces darkening.

Gaehee leapt twice, changing direction midair.

Her blade slashed into Byeongcheol’s side.

Slice—!

“Gah!”

Even with his innate Toughness trait boosting his defense, Gaehee’s attack power exceeded it.

And with the massive speed difference, Byeongcheol couldn’t keep up at all.

Tap—!

Slash!

“D-Dodge—! Ack!”

Yerin couldn’t use wide-area flames with allies so close.

Closing in meant instant death.

Decision made—

Taewoon shoved Yerin back and pulled out the Red Wax Mask.

‘Cinema Skills aren’t something I can spam endlessly.’

Each use drained large amounts of stamina and mana—just like innate abilities.

Overuse would exhaust him quickly.

They had to be used only when necessary.

Artifact: Red Wax Mask

• Grants Level 1 agility upon wearing
• Activates Level 1 regeneration when triggered
• When conditions are met, activates a Level 3 “Miracle”

Just wearing it boosted Taewoon’s speed enough to match Gaehee.

And then—

Clash!

Their blades collided.

With similar stats, Gaehee was no match for Taewoon’s superior technique.

Within five seconds—

Her kukri flew.

Crack—!

A strike to the temple knocked her off balance, followed by a flurry of blows that rendered her unconscious.

It might seem harsh—

but ending it quickly was the best way to save her.

“I-I can’t believe it…”

A Level 1 Hunter had just subdued a Level 2 in seconds.

Byeongcheol stood stunned.

Ignoring him, Taewoon pointed at the boss.

“Look at its neck wound! It can’t use that scream repeatedly! We finish this fast!”

“I see! Then we go all in!”

Byeongcheol charged, pulling away surrounding Specters while Yerin burned them down.

The formation stabilized.

Now—

Taewoon would handle the boss alone.

“Still just a Specter. No way it’s stronger than the Red Man.”

He dashed forward, accelerating erratically.

As the boss opened its mouth again—

Taewoon smeared Byeongcheol’s blood onto the mask and focused on a vivid image.

Crackle—!

【Condition Met】

【Cinema Skill: The Red Man】

Taewoon vanished—

and reappeared like a ghost slipping between reality and shadow.

The boss lost sight of him completely.

Other Specters couldn’t even approach due to the mask’s oppressive aura.

“Take this!”

Slash! Slash!

The boss’s back was shredded.

Normally physical attacks wouldn’t work—

but the Red Man’s mental destruction bypassed that completely.

Taewoon flipped through the air, landing before it.

“Not much. Jaine was tougher.”

He sprinted—

and drove his crimson-misted dagger straight into its face.

Crack—!

The boss collapsed into black sludge.

The remaining Specters screamed and disintegrated.

Thus ended—

Taewoon’s first dungeon expedition.

And it had been far more thrilling than expected.