Chapter 70: Sudden Dungeon

A straight line sliced through the very center of the air.

As the solid line split open, a sinister energy oozed out through the gap, as if writhing.

“A sudden Dungeon?”

The participants, who had just moments ago been sharing the sorrow of parting, opened their eyes wide in shock.

No one had heard that a Dungeon was going to appear here today.

If they had, the production team would never have pushed forward with filming.

No matter how much they liked to keep missions secret from the participants, they weren’t the type to hide something as big as a Dungeon appearing.

[……It’s not supposed to show up this soon.]

While Roy tried to grasp the meaning of Earth’s words echoing in his mind, the participants began to panic.

None of them had ever cleared a Dungeon before.

They had only ever faced the monsters released on the island, tailored to match the participants’ abilities by the production team.

Now that everyone’s average Hunter Level was close to 50, it could be said they’d shed their rookie status in terms of level.

But the pressure radiating from the Dungeon that had ripped through the air was so overwhelming that no one at level 50 could even think of challenging it.

“Everyone, evacuate this way! Quickly!”

The production crew, just as startled as the participants, began hurriedly moving them to safety.

Even as the participants rushed out of the set, Roy’s gaze remained fixed on the Dungeon entrance, which was steadily widening.

His heart pounded so hard it made his chest ache.

Strangely, something beyond that pitch-black hole seemed to be fiercely calling out to him.

“Beeeeep-!” (Contractor, you have to get out of here!)

Ber grabbed the collar of Roy’s shirt with his claws and dragged him backward, sensing the ominous power as well.

“Forr!” (Hurry!)

Aqua darted in front of Roy and pushed at his chest with her small hands.

If they still had their original powers, it might be different, but with their current abilities, they couldn’t withstand the force emanating from that sinister hole.

“Roy hyung!”

The first to notice that Roy hadn’t moved from the chaos of the set was Kim Chan.

Thinking everyone had made it out safely, he scanned the surroundings, but Roy was nowhere to be seen.

Just in case, he pushed his way back through the crowd of escaping participants and returned to the set.

The moment he spotted Roy, staring blankly at the black hole as if entranced, Kim Chan sprang into action.

“.Chan-ah.”

“What are you doing here? It’s dangerous, let’s go!”

“…….”

It wasn’t like Roy at all.

At a glance, he looked like someone overcome by exhaustion.

With the help of the two spirits and Kim Chan, Roy managed to escape the set unharmed.

After sending an emergency signal to the Association, the production team began gathering security personnel.

“A sudden Dungeon appeared?”

It was a relief that Lee Jian happened to be on the island.

She had a higher Hunter Level than the island’s security force.

A Hunter Idol can’t maintain popularity just through steady album activities.

As a Hunter, you also have to continually demonstrate your abilities to the public.

Especially now, with so many Hunter Idols, it wasn’t enough to be just decent at everything—you had to excel at everything to survive.

“Yes. We haven’t been able to measure the exact level yet, but… it looks like it’s at least level 250.”

At the chief producer’s words, Lee Jian’s expression grew grave.

If the Dungeon was level 250 or higher, clearing it with the current personnel on the island was impossible.

“We should evacuate the civilians and participants from the island first.”

On top of that, the island was a monster paradise.

Currently, a Protection Barrier artifact was active, so the areas where participants moved freely were kept safe, but if the Dungeon fully opened and monsters of level 250 or higher poured out, no one knew what would happen.

“Let’s hurry. If we keep this up, there could really be casualties…”

The highest-level monster roaming the island right now wasn’t even level 100.

The plan was to raise the participants’ levels above 100 through the next Button Gathering Mission, and only then release higher-level monsters.

Because of that, the current Protection Barrier was only set up to withstand monsters up to level 100.

“Understood. I’ll take action right away.”

At Lee Jian’s suggestion, the chief producer nodded heavily.

He felt dizzy at the thought of the financial loss if the set got damaged, but preventing casualties came first.

Money could be recovered.

But if there were deaths or injuries, that loss could never be recovered.

***

“Everyone, please board the boat in an orderly fashion!”

The production crew was organizing the participants more loudly than ever before.

Faced with an unprecedented situation, the participants followed the instructions, their faces pale with panic.

“What on earth is happening…?”

Normally, Lee Hajun’s face would be full of healthy color, but now he looked deathly pale.

Fortunately, Lee Hajun hadn’t seen the Dungeon open with his own eyes.

When a commotion broke out inside the set, Han Jihoo, who was nearby, quickly grabbed Lee Hajun’s arm and led him to safety.

“We’ll be okay, right?”

“I don’t know… I really don’t think we’re okay.”

Anxiety was quick to spread.

No one was actually hurt yet, but the participants were visibly shaken.

Some were so scared they even started to cry.

Lee Hajun bit his lip hard, feeling tears threaten to fall.

“It’s alright. We’ll get out safely.”

Roy gently patted the head of the deeply shaken Lee Hajun with a comforting touch.

Thankfully, being dragged out of the set by Kim Chan after the sudden Dungeon appeared had snapped him out of his daze.

‘Earth, you know something, don’t you?’

[…….]

Roy had been trying to talk to Earth for a while now.

Ever since he summoned Aqua, Earth hadn’t appeared at all.

It felt like there was an impenetrable wall between them.

It was as if Earth had vanished, and conversation itself was impossible.

Even now, there was still no answer echoing in his mind, but Roy realized that Earth was only keeping silent.

‘If you know something, please tell me.’

[Well…]

Roy called out to Earth again, but it seemed like Earth couldn’t bring himself to speak.

Listening to Earth’s hesitant voice, Roy glanced around.

Roy’s group was at the very end of the long line.

It was because Roy and Kim Chan had been among the last to escape the set.

The others had waited at the entrance for the two to come out before moving together.

With so many people moving at once, the dock was bustling.

Not only participants, but also production staff who weren’t Hunters or were low-level were boarding the boats, so it was taking a long time.

Puuuuuuu-

“W-what was that sound?”

Just as the participants nervously shuffled their feet, waiting for their turn to board, a deafening boom rang out.

At the same time, the ground beneath their feet shook violently, as if an earthquake had struck.

“Rrrrrrr…”

“Kiiiiiik!”

“Kurgh, keong!”

It wasn’t just the humans who were affected by the noise.

The monsters roaming the island began to rampage as if they’d been injected with stimulants.

“Eek…!”

One participant, trembling in fear, pointed with a shaking finger toward where the monsters were rioting.

The monsters were slamming themselves against the transparent wall.

If it were just one or two, it might not be a problem, but like a horde of zombies who’d found prey, the monsters pressed against the Protection Barrier, using their bodies as weapons to pound on the wall.

“Krrrk!”

Some monsters crashed into the wall so hard that their skin scraped off and they began to bleed, but they didn’t stop.

Instead, as if excited by their own blood, they stained the transparent wall red and threw themselves even harder against it.

“Uwaaaah-!”

“W-what do we do…?”

The participants waiting to board the escape boats were gripped by fear.

And it wasn’t just them.

Some of the production staff, those without special abilities, collapsed to the ground in terror.

“Hyung…”

Lee Hajun, face pale with fright, grabbed Roy’s arm.

Roy patted Lee Hajun’s shoulder as if to calm him, then checked the others’ expressions.

Fortunately, Kim Chan, Lee Doha, and Han Jihoo looked composed.

Kim Jaemin also seemed scared, but seeing the youngest, Lee Hajun, so frightened, he tried hard to maintain a calm face.

“Everyone, stay sharp!”

Not all of the participants were panicking.

Roy realized that those who had ranked higher in the third ranking ceremony were calmly surveying their surroundings.

“Let’s get our weapons out. Ber, Aqua, you two get ready too.”

“Beep!” (It’s my time to shine.)

“Forrrrr!” (Leave it to me, Contractor. I’ll protect you for sure this time!)

Roy made a quick decision.

The production team, apparently not anticipating that everyone on the island would have to evacuate at once, had only a limited number of boats.

With monsters overflowing into the sea, large boats would only become bigger targets.

Even with Protection Barriers installed on the boats, the larger the vessel, the greater the risk of an accident.

So, the boats prepared at the dock could barely hold twenty people each.

Three had already departed, but from the fourth boat on, none had been able to leave the dock.

“Even the monsters in the sea are starting to get riled up.”

Han Jihoo watched the rising waves around the dock with sharp eyes.

The waves were so high it looked like a tsunami was coming.

With monsters poking their heads above the surface, the boats couldn’t risk departing.

Even if there were Protection Barriers on the boats, if a monster’s body touched the boat directly, it would immediately recognize the boat’s presence.

“Let’s get off. Forcing ourselves onto the boats might be even more dangerous.”

Even if they had to fight, it was better to do so on the island.

Battling at sea was far more difficult than on land.

Realizing that escape was impossible for now, the participants disembarked from the boats.

Led by Roy’s group, the participants began to take out their weapons.

Some were so terrified they couldn’t do anything, but most managed to overcome their fear and grip their weapons.

“Kiiiiiiiiiiiiik~!”

“Ugh… my ears…!”

As the participants let out tense breaths, watching the Protection Barrier that was still holding strong, a chilling howl echoed from the center of the island.

It wasn’t a normal monster’s cry.

The killing intent in the roar of a monster with an overwhelmingly higher level caused most of the participants to clutch their ears and stagger.

“.A Wyvern. No way.”

It was a level of fear that couldn’t be suppressed by willpower alone.

Lee Doha clenched his trembling fingers into fists, staring up at the creature soaring high in the sky with shaking eyes.