ASIN 07

Chapter 7

Near a shopping complex in Yeonsinnae, a crowd had gathered in front of a mysterious portal.

“Has the B-rank hunter support team arrived yet?”

“We’re running out of time! When are you going to enter the dungeon?”

“Hah, let’s be honest. Do you really think the civilians trapped inside are still alive? If you rush in with insufficient manpower and more people die, are you going to take responsibility?”

Nearly two hours had already passed since the dungeon had appeared.

At this point, the civilians caught inside were, realistically speaking, presumed dead.

The middle-aged man’s blunt words merely voiced what everyone else had been avoiding saying aloud.

The debate continued fiercely, but no one could offer a different conclusion.

The woman who had insisted on entering earlier bit her lip, while the young man trying to mediate let out a heavy sigh.

Even they found it difficult to believe that anyone trapped inside a B4-rank dungeon could still be alive.

Just then, a woman came running toward them, breathing hard.

“…Has the rescue team been organized?”

“Who are you? This area is restricted—”

“I asked if it’s been organized.”

Faced with Baek Seoha’s unwavering gaze, the young man reluctantly answered.

“As you can see… not yet.”

“……”

The moment she heard those words, Seoha strode straight toward the dungeon entrance.

Toward the portal.

“Hey! What do you think you’re doing?”

“Damn it! Why is everyone causing trouble today? I already told you we don’t have enough manpower!”

The nearby hunters hurried to block her path.

But the instant they met her eyes, every one of them froze.

Her expression was raw, almost feral.

As though she would tear apart anyone who dared stand in her way.

“U-uh…”

While everyone stood motionless, Baek Seoha entered the dungeon alone without the slightest hesitation.

Only after she disappeared did the crowd begin murmuring.

“Wasn’t that Baek Seoha just now?”

“Huh? You’re right! I saw her once from a distance when I supported the Cheongbaek Guild.”

“An A-rank hunter came?”

“Should we just follow her in?”

Then the middle-aged man frowned.

“What nonsense are you all talking about? The Cheongbaek Guild’s First Assault Team should still be clearing another dungeon.”

“Huh…? Come to think of it…”

No one could explain it.

Yet everyone present felt the same thing.

Something unusual was definitely happening.

* * *

The Halloween Knight was one of the original undead I frequently used back in my old world.

It wasn’t a high-ranking undead, but in close combat it was exceptionally reliable.

Slash!

Crack!

“Kehk!”

Under the Halloween Knight’s assault, the headless Devourer and Revenant were utterly demolished.

Crack!
Crunch!
Snap!

The two remaining Skeleton Archers hurriedly tried to support their allies, only to have their skulls smashed apart with a single strike each.

The situation was clearly favorable.

Yet my expression remained grim.

Because I knew exactly what problem was about to arrive.

“It won’t last much longer.”

Thankfully, we’d survived the immediate crisis.

But this undead had been created using the death energy of Song Hayeon, who was, at best, a novice necromancer.

Naturally, it couldn’t maintain itself for long.

The fact that it was this strong at all was practically a miracle.

“There’s no way it’ll beat the Giant…”

Even if I conserved every bit of its strength, it could probably defeat only two more Devourer-class undead before reaching its limit.

And I had brought only a single mana stone.

Repeating the same trick was impossible.

In other words…

If the rescue team didn’t arrive before then, we were as good as dead.

Having calmly sorted out the facts, I quietly closed my eyes.

There was nothing left to do but pray.

“…Please…”

Just as I was about to direct my prayers toward Ceresia, the so-called Goddess of Harmony back in my old world…

More presences suddenly appeared outside the corridor.

Creak.
Creeeak.

Not rescuers.

Undead.

A surge of betrayal welled up inside me.

Ceresia! How could you do this to me?!

Soon more undead emerged.

The girl beside me looked at me with desperate hope mixed with utter despair.

Unable to meet her gaze, I awkwardly muttered,

“W-we… might actually die here…”

“……”

The light of hope vanished from her eyes.

Then—

A new hope appeared.

BOOM!!

“If anyone can hear me, answer!”

A voice echoed from somewhere beyond the corridor.

The appearance was unexpected.

But I recognized that voice immediately.

It was Seoha.

I’d expected her to still be inside the dungeon she had been clearing.

Apparently, she’d finished it much faster than I’d anticipated.

“H-here! We’re over here!”

Realizing it had to be the rescue team, the girl desperately cried out.

The sounds of violent battle rapidly drew closer.

BOOM!
CRACK!

Holding our breath, we watched as the Skeleton Giant guarding the corridor had all four limbs shattered before exploding into countless pieces.

Seeing that…

I dismissed the Halloween Knight, whose time limit had only barely remained.

Returning it to ashes.

“Looks like… we somehow survived.”

* * *

[Spear Saint Baek Seoha Safely Rescues Two Civilians Trapped in B4-Rank Dungeon]

[A True Role Model Among Hunters—Noblesse Oblige]

[Rushed Straight to Rescue After Clearing a B3-Rank Dungeon]

Later investigations confirmed that the dungeon beneath the Yeonsinnae shopping complex had been classified as B4-rank.

Its boss was Kobold Bane—

An ancient kobold that had evolved into a monster considered a lesser version of a lich.

[National Disaster Safety Headquarters Once Again Stresses the Importance of Early Dungeon Seed Detection]

While people mourned those who couldn’t be saved…

The internet exploded.

– Seriously, how did they survive a B-rank dungeon? That’s insane luck.

– Apparently this is the first time civilians have ever been rescued alive from a B-rank or higher dungeon. Even foreign media are freaking out lol.

– Baek Seoha is absolutely crazy. They’re saying she basically solo-cleared it.

– For a hunter who’s only been Awakened for two years to solo a B-rank dungeon? She’s basically national pride.

Even ordinary people who only knew fragments of the story reacted this way.

Among high-ranking officials directly involved in the incident, interest in Baek Seoha grew even greater.

“She effectively solo-defeated two B-rank bosses. In a single day.”

Somewhere in Seoul, influential figures from across Korea had gathered, discussing her achievements.

“And Puppet Spider is considered one of the more troublesome B-rank bosses.”

“At this rate, won’t she reach S-rank before long?”

S-rank.

The significance of that title could hardly be overstated.

Nowadays, people often said that an S-rank hunter was equivalent to national power.

“…Considering she’s reached this level in only two years, the possibility is certainly high.”

At present, Korea possessed only three S-rank hunters.

The “Magician” Seo Mina, “Geumgang” Choi Hamin, and Lee Jicheol, the man known as a tyrant—for both good and bad reasons.

Considering the country’s population, three wasn’t an insignificant number.

But frankly…

It still wasn’t enough to protect an entire nation.

“You all remember what happened to Hungary.”

When an S4-rank dungeon appeared, Hungary mobilized its only S-rank hunter, Gerjer, along with dozens of A-rank hunters.

Even so…

They failed to conquer the dungeon.

The country’s military strength was effectively annihilated, forcing it to depend on more powerful nations ever since.

There was no guarantee Korea wouldn’t someday suffer the same fate.

“If only Chae Hwain were still alive…”

Originally…

Korea had possessed one more S-rank hunter.

No—

To be precise, there had once been only one.

Chae Hwain.

The world’s very first hunter officially recognized as S-rank.

But she was gone.

Back when dungeon rankings had not yet been properly standardized, she had been effectively forced to participate in an S-rank dungeon raid in the United States.

She never returned alive.

“…Even now, it still makes my blood boil.”

To this day, countless rumors surrounded that incident.

Some claimed America had plotted against her because they feared her power.

Others believed she had been deliberately sacrificed because she was a foreigner.

Baseless theories, perhaps.

Yet none could be completely dismissed.

The feeling of helplessness after yielding to international pressure…

Sending away their nation’s greatest hero…

Only to receive her cold corpse in return…

Could never truly be described.

“It was an enormous loss. In every sense.”

Her body still rested in one corner of the Seoul Memorial Park.

Perhaps…

Her soul had never found peace and remained there even now.

“In any case, this is a critical period. With the matter involving the Returnee’s family, I don’t believe anything will happen, but continue monitoring any attempts by foreign nations to lure away our talented hunters.”

With that final remark, the meeting came to an end.

Everyone returned to their respective duties.

* * *

After surviving the dungeon incident…

I spent my days buried beneath my blanket, once again surfing the internet.

[Dungeon Survivor Miss Lee: “I Don’t Remember Much About What Happened Inside. Everything Was Just One Emergency After Another.”]

[Expert Yoo Haeman: “The Dungeon’s Structure Was Unusual. That’s What Allowed the Survivors to Hide.”]

Was this what people called ego-searching?

Reading public reactions to an incident I’d personally experienced…

was surprisingly entertaining.

“The last spell seems to have worked nicely too…”

I had shattered the mana stone inside the Devourer’s mouth.

But using one small fragment I’d secretly kept…

I cast a confusion spell on the girl just before we were rescued.

She would remember escaping with me…

But the finer details would remain hazy.

– There’s still nobody who doesn’t support Baek Seoha, right? Traitors don’t count.

– Baek Seoha! Baek Seoha! Baek Seoha! Baek Seoha!

– A ray of hope among all these flashy third-generation hunters…

I already knew she was popular.

But after browsing various communities…

I realized Seoha’s popularity far exceeded my expectations.

She was receiving reactions comparable to—or even greater than—top athletes and musicians.

– She’s still just A-rank. She can’t compare to Shin Yuha or Choi Hamin. Hype all you want—it won’t change anything.

└ Their experience isn’t even comparable. Give her another year and she’ll surpass them.

Tap tap tap tap.

Whenever I came across comments trying to downplay Seoha…

I vigorously pounded away at my keyboard, posting rebuttals.

Knock. Knock.

As I lazily wasted away online…

A cautious knock came at my bedroom door.

It was Seoha.

“Oppa, do you want to go for a walk today? Staying in your room all the time isn’t good for your health…”

Ever since the dungeon incident…

Seoha had become even more worried about my health.

She was constantly afraid I’d been traumatized.

Thanks to that…

I’d been shamelessly taking advantage of her concern to laze around.

“…Can we go another time?”

“Oh… okay.”

Hearing the disappointment in her voice filled me with a little guilt.

But it couldn’t be helped.

Today, I absolutely had to succeed in the Grandmaster promotion series that I’d failed last time.

“I’m already 2–0. I can’t waste this.”

One more victory…

and I’d be promoted.

At this point, my chances were practically one hundred percent.

This was already my third promotion attempt.

Surely this time would be different.

BOOM!

[Defeat.]

[Defeat.]

[Defeat.]

Bang! Bang! Bang!
THUD!

I turned off the computer…

Then mercilessly punched my blanket over and over.