Team Leader Jung Dongjin of the Collection Team frowned as he stared at the dungeon gate.
“Isn’t it too late?”
Suho had already been inside the dungeon for quite some time.
Though he was alone, it was enough time to clear a single island.
Besides, seven hours was a long time to sustain a fight.
“The Hunter must be fine. Maybe…”
It was Manager Hwang Byungsu’s voice.
Jung Dongjin looked over, and Hwang Byungsu continued.
“He might have already cleared the second sector.”
“That’s impossible. No matter how talented he is, clearing two islands alone? It’s not about combat skills. Even endurance-wise, it’s tough.”
From the start, Jung Dongjin had been collecting Suho’s leftover materials.
Because of that, he knew just how exceptional Suho’s abilities were.
Still, its considered impossible to clear two sectors alone.
His experience told him so.
“Won Suho the Hunter is different,” came Hwang Byungsu’s calm reply.
But even he gripped his fists tightly.
He sincerely hoped nothing had happened to Suho.
At that moment, the gate shimmered.
“He’s coming out.”
Finally, the awaited person had appeared.
“Hunter Won Suho!”
Hwang Byungsu called out, running toward him.
“Took a while, huh?”
“It’s okay. As long as I return safely, that’s what matters. Haha.”
“Yeah, but what about the monster corpses?”
At Suho’s question, Jung Dongjin approached and answered.
“Just put the corpses in the trailer’s collection compartment over there.”
“I’ll put them in right away.”
Suho headed toward the trailer.
Attached was a collection container bigger than a comfortable bedroom.
Feigning to take something out of his magic backpack, Suho opened his Dimensional Bag.
Monster corpses spilled out.
Thud thud thud—
“Wow, that’s a lot.”
“Right? Did he really make it to the second island?”
Their voices of admiration gradually shifted to astonishment.
“Huh? You’re spilling over.”
“How many did you actually catch?”
The collection container overflowed with Throwing Monkey corpses, spilling out.
“Sorry for the overflow. I don’t know exactly how many there are.”
“No worries. Gathering this way is much easier than entering the dungeon to collect.”
At Jung Dongjin’s reply, Suho made an awkward expression.
“Sorry, but I think I need to go back into the dungeon.”
“Huh? What do you mean?”
“My magic backpack is full, so I left the corpses behind.”
During the hunt, his Dimensional Bag had become full.
With some food supplies and small items inside, he couldn’t fit all the monsters from the three islands.
“There are more?”
“I couldn’t carry from around the start of the second island, so there’s probably about twice as many as what I brought.”
“I see. Understood. Collection team, prepare to enter… wait? Twice as many?”
Jung Dongjin interrupted, asking a question.
There was something he didn’t understand.
“Yes, twice.”
“Twice the corpses from the first island are still inside?”
“That’s right. Why?”
“You mean all three islands? Not a single one escaped?”
“Yes. Don’t worry and just go in.”
“That’s not the problem.”
The collection team always thoroughly checks for leftover monsters as they move.
They carry scouting and escape items for that reason.
So Jung Dongjin’s question wasn’t about the presence of monsters.
“Then is there another problem?”
Jung Dongjin’s words trailed off.
There was no problem.
Just astonishment.
“Then may I go?”
With Jung Dongjin frozen in surprise, Hwang Byungsu stepped forward.
“Ah, Hunter Won Suho, you’ve worked hard. You should rest soon. Don’t worry about what’s behind. Go on in.”
“Yes, then I’ll head in.”
Suho moved toward the transport vehicle.
Jung Dongjin watched the scene absentmindedly, then whispered to himself.
“This is more monstrous than expected.”
“Monstrous? To a great Hunter like him!”
Jung Dongjin looked at Hwang Byungsu.
He began to understand the feelings of a follower who had become devoted.
***
Inside the transport vehicle’s driver seat, Suho was lost in thought.
‘Leveled up eight times.’
The main goal of this dungeon was leveling up, and the results exceeded expectations.
‘Other Hunters don’t enter dungeons alone.’
Soloplaying Hunters are rare, regardless of whether it’s a First-Rank or Second-Rank Dungeon.
‘Besides, I completely cleared a dungeon.’
Starting from Second-Rank, dungeon sizes increase, so no party usually clears one entirely.
Yet Suho had done it alone.
‘No wonder I didn’t get much experience.’
Given this trend, he’d likely graduate Second-Rank soon.
‘Plus, I got some items.’
Besides the level gains, he had solid loot.
Items.
They were drops from the boss monsters, the Throwing Monkey Leaders.
[So-geum Lemon Spray]
- A cluster containing the essence of So-geum Lemon, which naturally grows in specific dungeons. When squeezed, it sprays a very sour and sharp liquid in all directions. It intensely stimulates senses like smell and taste, causing great pain.
- Item Grade: Advanced
- Remaining Uses: 5
- Durability: 50
A yellow nugget about the size of a fist.
At a glance, it resembled an orange or a Hallabong.
“The Boss Monkey sometimes throws this. Lucky to catch it before that. Still, this must have some use.”
“There are some monsters with overly sharp senses. Spraying this on them should work fine.”
“Truly the Master of Abyss! You know everything!”
“Even if flattering me, chicken doesn’t get spared.”
“What’s with the scare? Just praising you for today, man.”
“Then let’s go home. I’m getting hungry.”
“Yeah, let’s go.”
No longer teasing, Suho started the vehicle.
Suddenly recalling something, he rummaged through the Dimensional Bag.
The Alarm Bracelet appeared.
“Phew, the bracelet’s color is unchanged.”
Fortunately, it seemed nothing had happened at home.
Relieved, Suho drove off.
Vroom—
The transport vehicle moved.
But the protective barrier surrounding the dungeon suddenly disappeared.
A shout leaked through the window.
“Damn! Why did it suddenly turn red?”
***
“Today is the exciting Cup Ramen Day!”
Bold, a unique dwarf who was gruff but good at cooking, was in a good mood.
“Thanks to this, this cook can relax during lunch today! Hehe!”
Bold sang as he headed outside the fortress.
“Bold, is it okay to go outside? Won’t the Chief scold you?”
“Yeah, what if a monster shows up?”
The village bustled.
Thanks to this, personnel to convey the food was needed, and Bold was selected as the cook.
He even had guards, and two of them followed Bold.
“Tod, Victor! As guards, just listen to the cook. The cook is going to show us a heavenly taste today, so keep that in mind and follow.”
“Can’t you do it inside the fortress?”
“If I cook inside and someone sees, everyone will ask for some. How can I handle that? This is all the ingredients I have.”
“Got it. It has to be delicious.”
“Don’t make a fuss asking for seconds after eating. Hehe.”
Bold crossed the mountain ridge.
After moving out of sight from the village, Bold settled down.
“So, what do we do now?”
“First, start a fire in the fireplace. I’ll prepare the cooking.”
Bold set down a simple fireplace.
Victor and Tod started the fire.
Meanwhile, Bold took out the ingredients he had brought.
A bag of sugar and a ladle.
And a mysterious white powder.
‘By chance, I added the powder to the sugar… Heh, who would have thought it’d make something so delicious?’
The powder was in a hand-sized bag at the bottom of the food box.
After various experiments, Bold discovered that adding the powder to sugar caused it to puff up.
“Bold, the fire’s ready.”
“What’s next?”
Bold handed the ladles to the two.
“Dissolve the sugar in the ladle. Don’t burn it. Hold it a little away.”
Soon, bubbles rose in the ladle of sugar water.
Bold dipped the mysterious white powder into soda and then into the ladle.
Fizzzzz.
The sugar water bubbled and puffed up.
What is known as Dalgona in the world was being recreated in Bold’s hands.
“Whoa—what is this? It’s puffing up!”
“Wow—smells so sweet!”
“Hehe, praise Bold. And the Giant, too!”
It was all thanks to the Giant who sent the food!
Though busy these days, Bold never forgot to be thankful to the Giant.
“Bold, how do you eat this?”
“Isn’t it hot? Should we eat it like a popsicle?”
“No. You have to eat it after it hardens.”
Definitely.
Tod and Victor swallowed their saliva.
Bold waited for the Dalgona to harden.
“Hehe, looks tasty.”
Bold licked his lips and fiddled with the ladle.
But then something strange caught his eye.
‘Hm? Is that ash near my eye?’
He rubbed his eye with his hand.
The black thing was still there.
Only then did Bold realize.
The black wasn’t ash, and it wasn’t stuck to his face either.
“Uh? That?”
Bold pointed toward the foot of the mountain range, stunned.
The other two followed Bold’s fingertip.
“Holy! It’s a monster!”
“It’s black! Magical monsters have appeared!”
The three dwarves stood up abruptly.
Bold quickly shouted at them.
“Run! We have to inform the Chief quickly!”
“Yeah, let’s go!”
“It’s a monster! It’s a monster!”
The two shouted as they ran.
Bold chased after them, yelling.
“Why does this happen every time we come up here?”
Ha—life.
***
Thud thud thud thud thud—
The ground trembled from the pounding footsteps shaking the mountain ridge.
A giant boar monster with massive horns sprouted from its head.
Magic-tainted Horn boars charged toward the castle wall.
“Crossbows, ready!”
“Prepare!”
“Fire!”
The commanders of each combat unit gave orders.
Eleven dwarves on the wall fired their crossbows.
Tseeeek—
A black rain of arrows wove through the air.
Poosh—
Poosh shush—
Arrows struck the bodies of the Horn boars.
Those hit collapsed.
Nearby Horn boars rushed to their fallen comrades.
“Second volley, fire!”
Poosh shush shush shush—
“Third volley, fire!”
“Reload quickly!”
“Hurry! Don’t let them near the wall!”
On the wall, the dwarves moved busily.
The three Chiefs observed the battle together.
“Tarunga, signal the Giant.”
“That’s right, there are too many monsters. We won’t be able to handle them all by ourselves. Also, that one standing alone in the back…”
“He exuded a very ominous aura. Probably not just any monster. Got it, I’ll send the signal.”
Crack—
Tarunga shattered the signal gem he had received from Suho.
Waves of magical energy spread out, rippling far.
“Well then, use what we’ve prepared and somehow hold the line. Once the Giant arrives, those monsters won’t be a problem.”
“Yeah, Dalkong is right. Let’s give it our all and repel them.”
Tarunga looked at the two Chiefs.
Thousands of monsters were rushing in, yet no despair showed on their faces.
The dwarves fighting on the walls were the same.
“It’s all thanks to the Giant.”
“No matter how dire the situation, we have a savior.”
That faith gave hope to the dwarves of the Balankar Mountains.
“We await you, Giant!”
Tarunga raised his crossbow.
“Go! Red Hammer, ready your crossbows! The Giant is coming! We will win!”
Dalkong and Blton shouted not to be outdone.
“For the Blue Jewel’s glory! For the dwarves! For the Giant!”
“Waaahhh!”
The cheers spread.
The dwarves’ morale surged.
But there were simply too many Horn boars to repel with morale alone.
Despite being struck by arrows and falling, the Horn boars’ charge never ceased.
Thud thud thud thud thud—
As the Horn boars wave approached the walls, the dwarves’ movements became more frantic.
Watching this from afar was someone.
“This is surprising. A castle wall on the mountain peak?”
And in the Balankar Mountains, where the Mad Dragon lives?
Demon Joreubo cast a wary glance toward the scene.
He had never heard of such a place.
Kwak kwaaahhh!
A powerful explosion roused Joreubo from the distance.
“They seem to be dwarves, and they prepared well. Hmph! It looks like they took care of the Twin-Headed Troll packs.”
Though Horn boars were being slaughtered over there, Joreubo didn’t lose composure.
“I just have to obey Kojak’s orders. Then…”
Joreubo kicked the ground hard.
A strand of magic flowed deep underground.
“Shall I dig it up?”
Gugugugugung—
The mountain range began to shake.