The Association President couldn’t help but be flabbergasted by the report that the dungeon Seong-jun and Karl Buckman had entered had transitioned into a Closed Dungeon.
How could it be this coincidental?
“Cough! Wh — what did you just say? The dungeon Healer Kim Seong-jun and Karl Buckman entered became a Closed Dungeon?”
“Yes! We have confirmed that the C-rank dungeon, Ghoul Labyrinth, transitioned into a Closed Dungeon moments ago!”
With Holy Emperor’s main force already flying to Korea because of Karl Buckman, a situation had arisen where both Karl Buckman and Seong-jun were trapped inside a Closed Dungeon.
Of course, since it was a C-rank dungeon and Karl Buckman, an S-rank damage dealer known as a one-man army, was with Seong-jun — who possessed comparable abilities — nothing disastrous was expected to happen immediately.
However, the situation had become undeniably awkward.
“Damn it! A Closed Dungeon at a time like this! What was the clear rate?”
“The clear rate at the time the dungeon transitioned into a Closed Dungeon was 38%!”
A clear rate of 38% meant that less than half of it had been explored.
Even if it was a C-rank dungeon and Seong-jun and Karl Buckman were holding their own, it would take at least 2 days to clear the boss.
“That means they won’t be able to leave the dungeon for at least 2 to 3 days. Sigh, what on earth am I supposed to say to Holy Emperor?”
It was a very difficult situation for the Association President.
“Shouldn’t we just tell them the truth? It’s not like we forced them in; they entered of their own volition. Besides, aren’t Karl Buckman and Healer Kim Seong-jun together? It will take some time, but there shouldn’t be any issues clearing the dungeon.”
The terrifying thing about a Closed Dungeon was that it had to be cleared only by the Hunters who had already entered.
However, there were other parties inside as well, and above all, Seong-jun’s group and Karl Buckman were together.
Unless an unexpected variable occurred, there wouldn’t be much trouble clearing the dungeon.
“Send a response team to the dungeon immediately and have them report the situation every moment!”
Holy Emperor was important, but the immediate priority was the Closed Dungeon.
If something went wrong for Seong-jun or Karl Buckman there, the Association would find itself in an extremely precarious position.
Therefore, while preparing for Holy Emperor’s visit to Korea, they also had to stay sharp regarding the status of the Closed Dungeon.
***
In a massive clearing within the dungeon where monsters had been swarming…
Karl Buckman stared at the devastated field with an expression of disbelief.
‘Th — this is crazy! Does this make sense? He’s definitely a Healer, yet he uses such an incredible area-of-effect skill? This is almost on par with the power of an S-rank Mage…!’
Even when charging toward the area where over 1,000 Ghouls were gathered along with Gwang-taek, Karl Buckman had wondered what kind of magic Seong-jun was planning to use.
However, it didn’t take long for his curiosity to be satisfied.
While advancing and sweeping through the monsters on the outskirts, a pillar of intense light suddenly struck the elites in the center of the swarm.
Soon, a shockwave spread in all directions, swallowing the surrounding monsters.
And the result was the sight before him now.
“Haha, I was worried they might not die in one hit since I didn’t cast Sanctuary, but luckily it ended in one shot, perhaps because it’s a C-rank.”
Time had been so tight that he hadn’t had the leeway to set up Sanctuary in advance.
That was why he had cast God’s Wrath immediately without Sanctuary, and fortunately, that single strike had wiped out all the monsters in the area.
“Does God’s Wrath seem stronger than during the B-rank Dungeon Break? Did the skill level go up in the meantime?”
“Tsk! I didn’t even get a chance to step in this time. Well, the experience points are sweet, but I feel a bit uneasy because it feels like I’m getting a free ride.”
Seong-jun was speaking calmly with a smile, and his party members were accepting this nonsensical situation as if it were nothing.
Karl Buckman simply couldn’t understand it.
Since when had such an absurd situation become normal?
For some reason, Karl Buckman felt like he was the only person from a completely different world.
His expression seemed to say, ‘Where am I? Who am I?’
“Kim Seong-jun. What exactly is your identity? Are you really a Healer? This doesn’t make any sense.”
Looking at Karl Buckman, who looked utterly dumbfounded, Seong-jun replied with a smile.
“Haha, it’s because I’m an all-rounder Healer capable of healing, buffs, and even attacks. This is your first time seeing a Healer like this, so you must be very flustered, right? Well, everyone makes that face at first. You’ll get used to it after a while, so just take it as it is.”
Was this really a situation one could just ‘take as it is’?
But just then.
“Eh? What’s that?”
Yuseon discovered something and moved toward it.
“What? Is there something there?”
Seong-jun and Gwang-taek hurriedly followed behind Yuseon.
In their sight, a small device lying on the floor appeared.
“What is this?”
The device seemed to still be functioning, emitting a blinking light along with a small vibration.
“It looks like a device made by someone… could this be the cause that triggered this incident?”
It was a device found at the location where the elites were summoned and where the monsters had gathered.
Therefore, they thought this device might be the culprit behind the current situation.
“It’s giving off a suspicious vibe, so it certainly seems that way. Oh, there’s a button here? Does it stop working if I press this?”
Yuseon tilted her head and pressed the switch on the device.
*Clack!*
Then, the device that had been emitting a blinking light with a faint vibration stopped operating instantly.
*Whirrrr!*
The minute vibration vanished, and it no longer emitted light.
“It seems to have stopped. If this really is the culprit that triggered the incident, monsters shouldn’t swarm here anymore.”
Although more than 1,000 Ghouls had been wiped out at once, several hundred Ghouls still remained in the dungeon.
If this device was the cause, the monsters would stop gathering here as soon as it was deactivated.
However, this was not what Seong-jun wanted.
“But then we’ll have to wander around looking for monsters one by one, right? It would be better to just sit here and catch them as they come. Let’s turn it back on.”
If monsters were gathering because of this device, there was no need to turn it off and wander the dungeon.
It was better to reactivate it and crush them as they arrived.
Where else could one find such convenient hunting?
Therefore, Seong-jun pressed the activation button again.
*Clack!*
However.
*Zap! Crackle!*
Something seemed to go wrong with the device.
*Sizzle…*
It lost its function entirely.
“Huh! What? Is it broken?”
Since it clearly looked broken, Yuseon had an exasperated expression.
Looking at Yuseon, Seong-jun replied seriously.
“Maybe it was a one-time use device. Something meant to be thrown away after one use.”
They didn’t know who had made the device, but it seemed to be a single-use item.
“Hmm, that could be. Anyway, whoever made this is truly amazing. In a way, it’s no different from manipulating the dungeon at will. How is this possible?”
Until now, dungeons had merely been targets for clearing.
Countless people had researched dungeons, but no one had achieved significant results.
They only guessed that dungeons were places connected to somewhere in another dimension, but they knew nothing specific about them.
But suddenly, a device that could manipulate a dungeon had appeared.
It could be called an incredible revolution concerning dungeons.
Karl Buckman looked at the device with fascination, and Seong-jun, agreeing with his words, picked up the device.
“It’s certainly a device that could mark a milestone in human history. The problem is who made it and for what purpose. If it’s used for good, it could present a new paradigm for dungeon clearing, but if it’s used for evil… we might have to face a new threat we’ve never experienced before.”
Whatever it was, it was a device capable of dungeon manipulation.
If used well, it would be a new card for clearing dungeons more safely and efficiently.
However, if used for bad purposes, it could enable assassinations inside dungeons or a new concept of terrorism using dungeons.
Therefore, the most important thing in the current situation was to identify who made the device and for what purpose.
“So, what do you plan to do with that device?”
At Karl Buckman’s question, Seong-jun replied nonchalantly.
“What else? I have to hand it over to the Association. It’s not like we have professional knowledge in this area, and we’re just individual Hunters. What could we find out by keeping it? At least experts might discover something. Of course, I don’t plan on just handing it over; I’ll give it to them only if I get something worthy of its value.”
Even if Seong-jun kept it, it would be difficult to learn anything, and since it had already lost its functionality, it wasn’t particularly helpful.
It was literally a white elephant.
In that case, he judged it would be better to leave it to experts who might have a chance of discovering something.
However, he didn’t intend to give it away for free; he planned to receive compensation worthy of the device’s value.
“This is just my guess, but the Korean Association might not believe us. Since it’s already lost its function and can’t be verified, would they be willing to pay a price based solely on our word?”
At Karl Buckman’s words, Seong-jun nodded.
“That could certainly be the case. And? Bringing that up means you have an idea, right?”
“Of course. Hand it over to Holy Emperor. The Association might not believe us, but Holy Emperor will believe my word. I guarantee it.”
Karl Buckman told him to hand over the non-functional device to Holy Emperor instead of the Association.
Karl Buckman had personally witnessed what the device did on-site, and Holy Emperor would trust his word.
“Well, as long as the compensation is certain, it doesn’t matter where we hand it over. But wouldn’t it be better to hand it to the Korean Association than a foreign guild if the value is the same? I’ll talk to the Association first, and if they don’t believe me or react indifferently like you said, I’ll hand it over to Holy Emperor.”
As long as the reward was solid, it didn’t really matter where it went.
However, if all else was equal, wouldn’t it be better to help Korea, Seong-jun’s main stage of activity?
Therefore, he said he would first try to make a deal with the Korean Association and only turn to Holy Emperor if they showed no response.
“Well, I suppose that’s fine. Though I expect my prediction will be correct. Anyway, what now?”
“What else? We have to move again to find the remaining monsters. Since there will be at most a few hundred, we might be able to finish clearing the boss today if we’re lucky.”
They had wiped out more than 1,000 monsters in an instant.
In a normal situation, it would have taken at least 3 to 4 days more to clear it, but now, it was possible to finish the boss clear within the day.
Therefore, Seong-jun planned to clean up the remnants as quickly as possible and rush to the boss before the Association could form an official clearing team.
***
In front of the portal of the C-rank dungeon, Ghoul Labyrinth, which had transitioned into a Closed Dungeon…
Not only the employees of the Dungeon Management Bureau but also the entire response team had been mobilized to guard the front of the portal.
Naturally, access was strictly controlled so that not only civilians but other Hunters could not enter.
Association President Jung Tae-hoon was also present.
“Is the clear rate still the same?”
At the President’s question, the Director of the Dungeon Management Bureau answered carefully.
“It hasn’t been long since it transitioned into a Closed Dungeon. The parties inside are probably gathering at the entrance now to reorganize their ranks. Let’s wait a little longer.”
He had rushed there as soon as he heard the dungeon had become a Closed Dungeon.
In other words, not much time had passed, and he judged it was time for everyone to gather at the entrance to prepare themselves.
“Sigh, is that so? Good grief. If it weren’t for Holy Emperor, I wouldn’t be this anxious. Karl Buckman wouldn’t happen to suffer an accident in there, would he?”
“There’s no way. Even if he’s only half-active, he’s still an S-rank in name. Would he suffer an accident in a mere C-rank dungeon? Besides, Healer Kim Seong-jun and his party are with him. You don’t have to worry too much.”
But at that moment…
“Huh! Pre — President! The clear rate… something is strange!”
At the employee’s words, the President hurriedly asked.
“Strange? What is it?”
“The clear rate… it suddenly rose to 82%!”
What on earth did that mean?
The clear rate had clearly been only 38%.
Yet it suddenly rose to 82%?
“What? What does that mean!”
“I — I don’t know! It was clearly 38%, but it jumped up to 82% in an instant!”
Was this even possible?
For it to rise by nearly 50% in the blink of an eye?
“What did you say? The clear rate, which hadn’t budged until now, suddenly rose by nearly 50%? Unless they gathered the monsters in one place and wiped them out, such a thing shouldn’t be possible!”
There was only one situation where such a crazy clear rate was possible: gathering all the monsters in the dungeon in one place and wiping them out.
However, based on common sense, that was close to impossible.
Therefore, the Association President could not understand the current situation at all.
***
Seong-jun’s party, having decided to move and find the monsters, left the wide clearing and entered the labyrinth corridors again.
Then, Yuseon looked at Seong-jun and said.
“If they’re scattered sporadically, it’s one thing, but if the remaining monsters have formed a single group, searching aimlessly might be inefficient. I’ll scout first.”
If the monsters were scattered, they could just wander the labyrinth and wipe them out as they saw them.
But what if the remnants had already formed a single group?
It was a plausible scenario; since the monsters had been gathering in one place because of the mysterious device, there was a high probability they had merged at some point.
Even though the device was off now, the possibility that the monsters who had formed a group would maintain it without scattering could not be ruled out.
“Scouting?”
“Yeah. I haven’t used it because I didn’t have much reason to, but scouting using a spirit is possible. I’ll try it this time.”
It was just that she hadn’t had a reason to use it other than attack skills, but she had several abilities using spirits besides attacking.
And one of them was scouting.
“Really? Okay. Give it a try.”
When Seong-jun gave the word, Yuseon immediately closed her eyes and summoned a scouting spirit.
Then, she began to check the inside of the labyrinth quickly.
‘Let’s see. Where are they hiding?’
Yuseon checked various parts of the labyrinth through the spirit’s eyes.
Although the scouting range could not cover the entire dungeon because it couldn’t be separated from the main body by more than a certain distance, it could still scout a significant area.
In the process, she finally discovered the monsters.
‘Oh? They’re Ghouls. But there are more of them than I expected.’
At a glance, there seemed to be at least 300 of them, so she judged that all the remaining monsters in the dungeon might be gathered there.
‘I should get a little closer.’
Yuseon moved the spirit quickly, intending to check from a closer distance.
Of course, she didn’t dive into the middle of the Ghouls; she was observing them as if looking down from the air where their hands couldn’t reach.
As Yuseon observed the scene through the spirit’s eyes, an unexpected situation was confirmed.
‘Eh? What’s this? Are they in the middle of a battle?’
Hundreds of Ghouls filling the labyrinth corridor were fighting someone.
And judging by the Ghoul corpses scattered in front of them, it seemed some time had passed since the battle began.
‘I need to figure out what the situation is first!’
It seemed certain that someone was fighting the Ghouls, and she judged that determining exactly what was happening was the first priority.
Therefore, she moved the spirit a little further in.
Only then could she properly confirm the situation.
‘Ah! It’s the other parties! Looking at them, it doesn’t seem to be just one or two parties; maybe the rest of the parties except us have united.’
Those fighting the Ghouls were the Hunters from the other parties they had met at the entrance of the dungeon.
The important thing was that, judging by the number of Hunters, it wasn’t just one or two parties joined together, but seemed more like five or six parties.
That meant there was a high probability that all the remaining parties except Seong-jun’s had formed a union.
Having grasped the situation, Yuseon immediately recalled the spirit.
“Scouting is finished! Around 300 Ghouls are gathered in one place and are currently fighting other parties. Looking at the considerable number of Ghoul corpses nearby, it seems the battle has been going on for quite a while!”
“What? Fighting other parties? What’s the situation?”
If there were 300 gathered and a significant number of Ghoul corpses, it was safe to say that most of the remaining monsters in the dungeon were there.
If a battle broke out in that situation, an ordinary party might find it difficult to handle.
“I caught a glimpse, and it seems the rest of the parties except us have united. The Tankers are blocking a narrow entrance, and the close-range dealers are supporting them from behind. And the rest of the long-range dealers were attacking the Ghouls from the rear. But the situation looked a bit precarious.”
Seong-jun looked puzzled at Yuseon’s words.
“That’s strange. They must know the current situation isn’t normal, so why aren’t they leaving the dungeon and why are they fighting the monsters to the point of overexertion?”
Regardless of the clear rate, elites had appeared, and monsters that were scattered had vanished in an instant.
It was by no means a normal situation, and usually, they would have left the dungeon immediately to report the fact to the Association.
Yet why were they not doing that and instead fighting hundreds of monsters?
“I know, right? Well, wouldn’t it be better to go and check the details in person?”
“I suppose. Anyway, if the situation is precarious, we should hurry. Which direction?”
“It’s hard to explain in words; I’ll lead the way instead.”
Judging it would be faster for her to lead since she knew the location, Yuseon went ahead.
Since she had confirmed there were no other monsters on the way, there was nothing particularly dangerous.
Thus, Seong-jun’s party moved quickly under Yuseon’s guidance.
***
I Became an EX-Class All-Rounder Priest Chapter 56
E-book Publication Date: 2025.11.14
Author | Kim Hyeon-jun
Publishers | Heo Heung-beom, Park Geon-won
Published by | Poten
Address | 10th Floor, 11-gil 8 Yeonmujang, Seongdong-gu, Seoul [04783]
Phone | 02-6320-8500
Fax | 02-6320-8585
ISBN | 9791175302167
Price | 100 won
© Kim Hyeon-jun 2025
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