Chapter 16: Bupyeong Station Underground Shopping Mall (1)

Beep!

[The battery is low. The smartphone will turn off.]

With a short notification, the smartphone completely shut down.

“Hmm, I should have charged it before coming.”

I put the smartphone back in my pocket and looked around.

Buildings pitch black without a single light on.

Empty roads and sidewalks with missing blocks.

A downtown landscape so silent that even breathing sounds loud.

Far away, three or four stray cats could be seen rummaging through dust-covered trash bags.

Beyond them, a large subway station sign began to come into view.

<Bupyeong Station>

“Wow, Bupyeong has really become a ghost city.”

A few months ago, a dungeon break occurred in the Bupyeong Station underground shopping mall.

Because of that, the Bupyeong area had long been designated as a civilian no-entry zone.

Thanks to that, subway line 1 was blocked too, so I had walked from Songnae Station, two stops before.

……Let me see. 

Exit 5 should be that way.

All entrances to the Bupyeong Station underground shopping mall were sealed except for exit 5.

Exit 5 was originally the location of the Bupyeong Station police substation until before the dungeon break, but now half the building had collapsed grotesquely, as if bombed.

I immediately headed toward exit 5.

As I descended the stopped escalator, a blackened sign soon came into view.

<Welcome to Bupyeong Modu Mall!>

“Bupyeong Station underground shopping mall……. It’s been a really long time.”

Even before the dungeon break……. No, even in the era when hunters and magical beasts didn’t exist in the world, people used to call the Bupyeong Station underground shopping mall a ‘dungeon.’

Because it was the largest underground shopping mall in Asia and infamous for its maze-like complex structure.

Soon, I began carefully looking around.

Clothing stores with clothes and shoes messily scattered about.

Flower shops where withered flowers were swarming with insects.

Besides that, nail art shops, imported snack stores, diffuser shops, and more, all left in complete disarray.

The underground shopping mall swept by the dungeon break exuded a creepy atmosphere.

I stepped into the underground shopping mall without hesitation.

I had already checked the map of Bupyeong Station underground shopping mall multiple times on my smartphone on the way here.

At that moment.

Ding dong!

<Morgue’s Magical Warehouse requires a specific item. Procure the item!>

<The warehouse of Sorcerer Emperor ‘T’ requires continuous maintenance and repairs!>

<The great Sorcerer Emperor ‘T’ has arranged it so that warehouse maintenance and the warehouse keeper’s growth can happen simultaneously. Reverence to the great Sorcerer Emperor ‘T’!>

The system window popped up again.

……What does it want me to do now.

Procure items requested for the warehouse’s maintenance and repairs.

In simple terms, Morgue’s Magical Warehouse is giving me a quest.

But until now, I’ve been too busy with various things and failed to complete the quests every time.

And every time, I had to suffer the consequences.

<Morgue’s Magical Warehouse goes into a fit if the requested items are not submitted on time.>

<Warning! Pus flesh masses begin to proliferate! Damage accumulates in the warehouse!>

<Warning! The smiling woman slowly begins to smile! Damage accumulates in the warehouse!>

<Warning! The mouthless doll begins to stand on its hands! Damage accumulates in the warehouse!>

<Warning! The blood-soaked believer begins to recite prayers! Damage accumulates in the warehouse!>

Various warning messages from the warehouse would pop up incessantly, as if pouring out complaints to me.

For a full 24 hours!

Day and night!

Ugh, I don’t even want to recall it.

I shuddered and checked the item the warehouse requested.

<Procure the carcass of an A-rank magical beast. …… (0/1)>

<Procurement deadline: 3 days 23 hours 59 minutes 56 seconds>

What the warehouse demands is the carcass of an A-rank magical beast.

To enter a dungeon with an A-rank beast, you’d need at least an A-rank hunter…… No, maybe a B-rank veteran hunter at best…….

No need to say it’s something I can’t procure right now.

But there’s still about 4 days left.

If I somehow resolve it within that time, it should be fine.

—Ding dong!

<If the warehouse keeper’s reputation is extremely low, restrictions may occur in using the warehouse.>

<Morgue Mu Featherback conveys great regret.>

<Morgue Mu Featherback conveys great discomfort.>

More than anything, I want to be freed from this nagging.

Soon, I carefully looked around.

“By the way, where the hell is that Chihuahua called Choco hiding?”

It’s been about 10 minutes since I started wandering the underground shopping mall to find the high-ranking official’s pet dog for the F-rank mission.

But I couldn’t find any trace related to the dog.

Moreover, the C-rank beast that supposedly escaped from the experimental facility was nowhere to be seen either.

Maybe Choco is already in the belly of the C-rank beast…….

At that instant.

Rustle—

A small sound was felt from ahead.

It came from beyond a shuttered store.

But.

“……!”

Something was strange.

The shutter was full of scratches and dents in places.

Even the bottom part of the shutter had marks as if torn by something sharp.

The surroundings are charred black.

A faint heat was rising too.

At that moment.

[Woof woof!]

A small dog burst out from between the torn shutter.

A black Chihuahua.

It was definitely the pet dog Choco mentioned in the F-rank mission.

I quickly picked up the Chihuahua.

“Gotcha. You little rascal!”

But the Chihuahua, held in my arms, started struggling and barking nonstop.

[Grrrr! Woof woof! Grrrrrrr~!]

The Chihuahua was growling toward the other side of the shutter it had just escaped from.

“No way…….”

At that instant.

Kwaang—!

The steel shutter tore like paper, and a massive something revealed itself.

A gigantic monster covered in pitch-black fur.

Red flames bubbled and dripped from its eyes and mouth.

Soon, ‘it’ began growling, revealing ferocious fangs.

[Krrrrrr!]

At the same time, Featherback’s guidebook flipped open wide.

Flip—

<Hellhound>

– Danger Rank: B

– Discovery Location: Bupyeong-dong, Bupyeong-gu, Incheon Metropolitan City, Republic of Korea ‘Bupyeong Station Underground Shopping Mall’

The hunting dog of the sulfur hell that bestows death upon those it encounters.

It possesses a persistent and violent temperament that chases prey to the end once targeted.

The sulfur fire spewed from its muzzle, like the embers of sulfur hell, never extinguishes until it completely burns the target.

“Hellhound!?”

The Hunter Association said there were only C-rank beasts in this Bupyeong Station underground shopping mall.

But why is a B-rank beast here?

To save on request fees?

Because of some unavoidable story?

Or did the Hunter Association make a registration mistake?

The reason is unknown.

At that instant.

[Krrrk~!]

Bang—!

With a fierce explosion, the Hellhound began charging fiercely.

Blade-like sharp claws smashed the solid ground like tofu, pok pok.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Kwaang—!

Debris flying in all directions.

…! ……! ……!”

I quickly dove to the right.

At the same time.

Kwaddddduk~!

The spot where I had been standing was shredded like a rag.

From what I glimpsed while dodging, the thickness of its fangs that barely grazed me was exactly the size of my thigh.

The sides of the sharp fangs were covered with barbs like fishhooks, and from the numerous holes on the tooth surface, yellowish pus, saliva, and blood mixed and dripped down.

I quickly got up.

Shit, this is bad?

Hellhound is a B-rank beast.

It’s incomparably stronger than the Crowmen I saw in the Forest of Blade Trees last time.

Soon.

Kwakwakwang—!

The Hellhound kicked off the ground again and charged fiercely.

In the blink of an eye, the distance had shrunk.

Overwhelming speed unbefitting its massive body.

This can’t be dodged.

I can’t expect the same luck as last time twice.

At that instant.

Tak!

A black afterimage jumped in front of me.

Ppagak!

At the same time, a striking sound like bones crushing rang out.

Soon.

[Kyaaeng—! Kyang kyang—!]

The Hellhound’s massive body flew instantly and crashed into the wall.

The Hellhound hung limp with its tongue lolling out long.

In front of it, Jeanne was calmly retracting her fist.

Soon, she looked at me and said softly.

[Please forgive my presumption, but from 19:30 today, a 50% discount event on meat and fish is scheduled at the grocery mart. To make the time, I unavoidably intervened. I am sorry.]

“It’s okay.”

I had completely forgotten due to the unexpected appearance of the Hellhound.

Ravianglily Mu Jeanne d’Arc.

The fact that she, a former Death Knight and current A+ rank hunter, is with me.

There should be a combat power difference between the Hellhound and her like that of a newborn and a UFC world champion.

Sure enough.

Ppeo—eok! Ppeok!

[Kyaeng! Kyang kyang!]

The Hellhound began getting helplessly pummeled by Jeanne’s swinging fists.

Watching the scene, my brows furrowed involuntarily.

“Ugh.”

The Hellhound’s appearance was utterly pitiful.

Its teeth were broken without a single intact one, and because its tongue was pierced by its fangs, blood was pouring from under its mouth.

Even its leg bones were completely shattered, all four legs bent at strange angles.

No matter how much it’s a beast, at this point, it becomes a bit pitiful.

“Anyway. An unexpected gain.”

We cleared the pet dog search mission and the experimental beast capture mission in one go.

Since it’s a clear mistake by the Hunter Association to list the B-rank beast Hellhound as C-rank, we can probably get hefty compensation too.

Maybe my hunter rank will shoot up.

Not only did I survive a dangerous beast, but I also completed the subjugation.

But at that moment, something sparkled on the Hellhound’s neck.

“Huh? What is it?”

At that instant.

Tat!

Suddenly, the Chihuahua Choco jumped out of my arms.

Then, it ran toward the Hellhound and started sniffing kin kin.

“Ah. well, do whatever you want…..”

Now do as you please. Tea-bag in front of the Hellhound, bark, lick the blood.

Wait. Lick the blood?

I quickly looked at the Chihuahua.

I hadn’t seen wrong.

The Chihuahua was greedily lapping up the Hellhound’s blood pooled on the floor.

At the same time, a change began to occur in the Chihuahua’s body.

Its small body started bulging ul teok bul teok.

Kwadeuk!

Soon, one right front leg swelled abnormally large.

“..?”

Soon after, the upper body, lower body, head, tail, right hind leg, left front leg grew enormous in succession.

Kwadeuk— Kwadddeuk!

It had transformed into a form that could no longer be called a Chihuahua.

Soon, the skin on both shoulders tore, and two large dog heads burst out.

[Krrrrrr~! Krrk—!]

At the same time, the guidebook shone brightly, and a page gently floated up.

<Cerberus>

– Danger Rank: A

– Discovery Location: Bupyeong-dong, Bupyeong-gu, Incheon Metropolitan City, Republic of Korea ‘Bupyeong Station Underground Shopping Mall’

The three-headed dog that guards the gates of hell beyond the River Styx.

The three heads each have different egos, but the head acting as the leader exercises control over the body.

It tears apart living beings approaching the gates of hell and swallows foolish spirits trying to escape hell whole.

“Cerberus? No, what? What the hell is this!”

Following the B-rank beast, an A-rank beast appears too.

I can’t even gauge what the situation is.

What the hell is going on! They said only C-rank! What the hell is the Hunter Association!

As various thoughts surged up.

—Sparkle!

Something sparkled again on the Hellhound’s nape.

A collar-type ID tag that dogs usually wear around their necks.

Reading the words written on it, I couldn’t help but facepalm.

[Choco]