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Chapter 4
“Even if everything goes as fast as possible, it’ll still take a few days.”
Those unexpected words hit me like a bolt from the blue.
“So make sure you eat properly. If anything happens, call the number I gave you. And don’t slack off too much just because no one’s home. If you do, I’m cutting your allowance next month.”
I had known something like this would happen sooner or later.
Still, hearing it for real made me feel depressed.
“…Come back as soon as you can?”
I couldn’t help letting a little dissatisfaction slip into my voice.
My little sister froze for a moment before replying in an oddly cheerful tone.
“I-I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
From now on…
I would have to prepare for what was coming myself.
* * *
“What a pain…”
Day three after Seoha left.
I muttered to myself as I started the washing machine.
In this era, an A-Rank Hunter was practically treated as a pillar of both the nation and their guild. Naturally, Seoha was one of her guild’s core combat forces and indispensable whenever a high-rank dungeon needed to be cleared.
“…”
This time she’d been dispatched to conquer a B3-Rank Dungeon that had appeared near Songdo, so just as she’d said, I probably wouldn’t see her for several more days.
For reference, dungeon danger levels were ranked alphabetically, then further divided into levels 1 through 5.
Level 1 was the most dangerous, while Level 5 was the least.
That meant a B3-Rank Dungeon was roughly middle-tier among B-rank dungeons.
“Wasn’t a Skeleton Giant barely considered B5?”
Thinking about it like that, B-rank dungeons really were terrifying threats for the people of this world.
The old me wouldn’t have even bothered summoning a Skeleton Giant if someone offered one for free.
“I hate doing dishes…”
Since Seoha wasn’t home, I had to take care of all the housework myself.
The Grandmaster promotion was right around the corner, yet I had to waste precious time washing dishes.
Life was truly unfair.
Clatter. Clatter.
“My summons used to handle all this…”
Doing household chores myself after so long felt incredibly awkward.
After reluctantly finishing three days’ worth of dishes, I dragged myself into my room and turned on the computer.
Then I discovered another problem.
Click. Click.
“…What’s wrong now?”
I moved the mouse repeatedly.
Nothing.
Even the right-click wouldn’t work.
Apparently it wasn’t connected at all.
I pushed the cable in.
Restarted the computer.
Still nothing.
In other words…
My mouse was completely dead.
“…”
With Seoha gone, there was no one I could ask.
Sure, I could order one online and it’d arrive tomorrow.
But spending an entire day without using my computer?
Unthinkable.
“…I’m this close to Grandmaster…”
Yesterday’s win rate had been an incredible 75%.
In games like this, when you’re on a winning streak, you have to keep pushing.
Skipping today’s matches wasn’t an option.
The problem was the mouse.
For games requiring precise control, I only used one particular model.
Which meant I had to visit a medium-sized computer store a fair distance away.
“Ugh…”
My hesitation didn’t last long.
Every second I wasted was another match I could have been playing.
Reluctantly, I decided to go buy one myself.
Ding.
Click.
Thunk.
I pulled my hoodie lower than usual and headed outside.
The store wasn’t exactly nearby.
I’d also have to pass through several busy streets, so I wanted to avoid people as much as possible.
But only a few minutes later…
I could already feel people’s eyes on me.
Silver hair.
Red eyes.
I’d tried to hide them, but my appearance still stood out.
“…I feel sick.”
I’d improved over the past year, but I was still far from normal.
Being stared at by this many people immediately brought dizziness and nausea.
Suppressing my growing discomfort, I kept walking.
Eventually…
I reached the store.
Ding.
The entrance bell rang.
The place was fairly popular, meaning there were quite a few customers inside.
Without looking around, I grabbed my mouse and headed straight for the register.
Then—
Something happened.
Bang!
“B-Boss!”
“What’s wrong?!”
“We have to evacuate! Everyone, get outside now!”
A young employee burst out through the staff entrance, shouting frantically.
Everyone stopped and stared at him.
Seeing that, he yelled again, unable to hide his panic.
“There’s a Dungeon Seed in the basement warehouse! And it’s already—”
He never finished his sentence.
A violent tremor shook the building.
BOOOOM!!
Everyone lost their footing and crashed to the floor.
When we finally regained our senses…
The store was gone.
In its place stood strange, unfamiliar structures stretching in every direction.
A hellish cavern that swallowed people whole.
A dungeon…
had appeared.
* * *
“Aaaaah!”
“Call emergency services! Hurry!”
“How?! There’s no signal!”
Chaos erupted instantly.
People screamed.
Panic spread.
No one could think straight.
Then one man’s roar cut through the confusion.
“SHUT UP!!”
Everyone fell silent.
After calming everyone with a single shout, the man quickly surveyed the surroundings before speaking in a low voice.
“Are you all idiots? Yelling inside a dungeon? Do you want every monster here to find us?”
“S-Sorry… We panicked…”
Ignoring the apology, he continued examining the area before finally nodding.
“No signs of monsters yet. They haven’t spread out from the boss room.”
“If you want to live, shut up and follow me.”
Someone asked cautiously,
“…Who are you?”
“A trainee Hunter.”
“Does that matter right now?”
“N-No.”
“Then move.”
Thanks to his decisive leadership, the group gradually calmed down.
Everyone…
Except one person.
Me.
“H-Haa…”
I’d already been forcing myself just to endure everyone’s stares inside the store.
Now, surrounded by terrified strangers in this dungeon…
I couldn’t keep my head straight anymore.
Ever since the trainee Hunter shouted, I’d been collapsed against one side of the tunnel, trying desperately to steady myself.
“U-Um… I think this girl’s in bad shape…”
“You want us to babysit a patient in this situation?”
“Quit talking nonsense.”
“If you don’t want to die, come now.”
“T-That’s right! Hurry!”
A high-school-aged girl looked at me with genuine concern.
But after everyone urged her onward, she squeezed her eyes shut and reluctantly left with the group.
Only after they disappeared did I finally recover enough to stand.
“…What the hell just happened?”
Honestly…
I was stunned.
Sure, dungeons existed now.
But incidents like this were incredibly rare.
This would definitely make tonight’s nine o’clock news.
Suppressing my nausea, I slowly assessed my surroundings.
“He’s right… there aren’t any monsters nearby.”
I’d once read online that immediately after a Dungeon Seed bloomed, all the monsters gathered in the boss room gradually spread out through the dungeon over time.
Apparently that information had been accurate.
This was undoubtedly a dangerous situation.
If this had happened just a few days ago…
I’d have been genuinely terrified.
But things were different now.
That was why I could remain this calm.
“…Good thing I bought insurance.”
I reached into my pocket and gripped the mana stone I always carried with me.
It was one of the stones Song Hayeon had filled with death energy and given me as payment for teaching her.
If I hadn’t had this…
Things could have become disastrous.
For the first time in my life, I silently thanked my past self for getting addicted to that tiny streamer.
“First…”
I needed to hide.
I finally possessed a means of defending myself, but I still had no idea how dangerous this dungeon actually was.
“…Ah.”
Come to think of it…
Seoha had given me a necklace for emergencies.
If I broke it, it would send a signal to its matching pendant.
She was only on the third day of clearing a B-rank dungeon, so she probably wouldn’t be able to help…
But increasing my chances of rescue couldn’t hurt.
Without hesitation, I snapped the necklace.
“I think she also said it had a one-time automatic barrier…”
If I remembered correctly, breaking the gemstone activated it.
At least it might save me in an emergency.
Step.
Step.
Just as I started walking…
I sensed something coming from the left passage.
Creak…
Listening carefully…
I heard an unpleasant scraping sound.
Bones grinding together.
Creak… Creak…
It was an incredibly familiar sound.
But I hadn’t summoned anything yet.
Which meant…
“…An undead dungeon.”
Realizing just how ironic my situation had become…
I couldn’t help breaking into a cold sweat.
