Chapter 12 - Chapter 12

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Translator: 8uhl

Chapter: 12

Chapter Title: Into the Myth Dungeon

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"Doesn't 'Are you free tonight?' usually mean dinner together or coffee at a cafe?"

Replying to Choi Min Hunter's message and meeting up at Hunter HQ had all seemed perfectly normal...

"I'll scan your items now."

'So why the hell are we standing in front of a gate right now?'

I turned toward Choi Min Hunter, but she was silently going through the scanning procedure. The staff member was using what looked like a tablet PC to scan my equipped items and inventory.

Sensing my gaze, Choi Min Hunter turned to me, and I cautiously opened my mouth.

"Why did you invite me to a dungeon?"

"I was curious about Shin Ji-ui the hunter's abilities."

"From our first meeting?"

"Is that a problem?"

'Well, no, but... Don't people usually just talk first?'

Choi Min Hunter was preparing to enter the dungeon, wearing a pair of oddly shaped half-gloves.

"Let's head out."

As Choi Min Hunter pushed through the rock-like gate and entered the dungeon, I silently watched her back.

'She's the most suspicious person right now, hands down.'

Choi Min Hunter had rescued me from a dungeon that neither the chairman nor any gate detector had picked up on. Sure, there was a slim chance she'd just happened to be passing by our house, but that probability was next to nothing.

'Hey, if you're watching, tell me something about Choi Min Hunter.'

I urgently called out to Ego, but it stayed silent—probably because it hadn't built up enough energy to speak yet.

Guess I'm on my own to figure this out.

The air inside the dungeon was unbelievably fresh, and the vast natural scenery unfolding before me left my jaw on the floor. White clouds clung to the deep blue mountains, and clear water rushed energetically along the valley beside the path.

Yeonsinnae C-Rank Dungeon—the only mythic dungeon among the C-Ranks. Based on the Dangun myth, it was said to be full of bears as regular monsters, with a tiger as the boss.

"How did you end up falling into that dungeon?"

Choi Min Hunter, who had been silent until now, finally spoke up.

"It just opened up under my feet on the way home from work."

"Under your feet?"

Boom!

The moment Choi Min Hunter finished speaking, an explosion erupted behind me, blasting heat against my back. I instinctively clutched my head and whipped around.

Thud, patter patter.

The bear-like creature, engulfed in scarlet flames, crumbled into a pile of ash, leaving only razor-sharp claws behind.

'Definitely S-Rank. A C-Rank monster is nothing to her.'

Choi Min Hunter calmly resumed walking ahead, and I tore my eyes from the powdered bear to follow her.

"Thank you for saving me. I realize I haven't said it properly."

"...I just happened to find you."

"Really?"

"Pardon?"

Thud.

'What the hell did I just say?'

The words slipped out before I could even think. Choi Min Hunter stopped in her tracks, turned around, and narrowed her eyes at me suspiciously.

"Oh, I mean... I was just surprised that it was a coincidence. Anyway, thank you again."

After my formal thanks, she nodded slightly and turned back toward the gate.

I stared at her broad back, lost in thought once more.

'Did my subconscious just blurt that out because I'm convinced she didn't find me by chance?'

There's no other explanation for why those words would pop out like that.

Grrrrroooar.

Suddenly, a earth-shaking roar echoed through the ground, and a black shadow charged straight at me.

Bam!!

A chill ran up my spine as I dodged sideways, and a bear crashed down right where I'd been standing. Securing some distance while the ground cratered, I aimed Ego at its head.

Bang!!

Groooar—

A white bullet pierced the bear's body, which swelled up like a balloon before bursting into dust and vanishing.

"Voice bullets?"

"Yeah. Like this, as if it's a gun."

Bang.

I demonstrated personally, and her eyebrow twitched.

She looks a little surprised.

"DF of S5..."

"Haha..."

"Let's keep moving."

Rumble rumble rumble.

No sooner had Choi Min Hunter spoken than the sound of beasts charging from afar reached us. The ground shook like an earthquake, and as the noise grew louder, it became hard to keep my balance.

"I'll handle the rear."

"Sounds good."

With our backs to each other, I raised Ego toward the oncoming pack of black bears.

'Hitting them one by one would be tough.'

Thump.

"Ugh?"

My heart suddenly pounded hard. The massive beat reverberated through my entire body, making my vision blur for a moment, but it cleared quickly. From what felt like a distant memory, a familiar voice echoed.

"Sound is vibrations, idiot. You can just make the air itself vibrate."

"Is that possible?"

"It's your skill—why ask me? Just try it yourself."

Mi-rae-ssi and me?

It felt strangely familiar, even though it was a conversation I'd never heard before.

Sure enough, that voice had been from a past conversation. I closed the status window and mulled over what Mi-rae-ssi had said.

'Sound is vibrations...'

I glanced down at Ego, then pulled the trigger long and hard toward the black bear pack that had closed in.

Rumble.

A pure white sound wave spread out in all directions, crashing over the bears like a tidal wave. It wasn't as destructive as a single-target shot, but the barrage overwhelmed them, sending them foaming and rolling across the ground.

"Phew..."

'12% in one go?'

Every time I used a new attack with Ego, the progress on "Wielder of the Strongest Weapon" ticked up.

At this rate, it'll hit 100% in no time.

Whoosh.

"Whoa..."

Heat suddenly washed over my face. Turning, I saw Choi Min Hunter transformed into living flame, gliding effortlessly through the bears. Everywhere she passed left crimson fire and vanishing bears—no traces behind. She really did seem like hellfire incarnate.

"Is this Choi Min Hunter's unique skill?"

I asked as she landed on the ground, but she just stared at me blankly and approached slowly. The physical pressure from her tall frame and those inscrutable dark red eyes made me step back involuntarily.

'What? What's her deal?'

Grrrrroooar.

Another pack of black bears appeared. As I drew Ego to attack, the surrounding air grew scorching hot.

Kaboom!!

"Eek!"

I squeezed my eyes shut, then opened them to find scarlet flames enveloping us both. The fire seemed ready to consume everything, yet it felt strangely cozy.

"This is my unique skill. S-Rank defensive skill, 'Air Raid Shelter'."

Thump, thump.

My heart raced—whether from tension or some bodily memory, I couldn't tell.

"This Air Raid Shelter is a space unaffected by physical attacks, mental attacks, or even the flow of time."

'The flow of time too?'

It was so quiet inside that I could hear my own heartbeat. Choi Min Hunter gazed down at me steadily and continued.

"I awakened during the first gate explosion."

"I... see."

"I'd taken leave to go to Gapyeong with my family."

'No way...'

The Gapyeong S-Rank gate explosion—the first one in the country. The chairman had detected it just before, but aid arrived too late, turning Namiseom and the area into a wasteland.

The deadliest dungeon-related incident in national history, and that's when Choi Min Hunter awakened.

"My parents and little brother died right in front of me, and I awakened at the same time."

"..."

"I tried to follow them in death, but even that wasn't easy."

It was a tragic tale, but she recounted it matter-of-factly, like describing a dream from last night.

'...Hold on. Something's off.'

The Gapyeong explosion happened before I was even born. If her story was true, she'd be in her forties now—but she looked mid-to-late twenties at most.

"I know what you're wondering."

Choi Min Hunter swept back her hair with one hand. Exhaustion was plain on her face.

"After awakening, I fled into this Air Raid Shelter and slept for decades."

"That's..."

"Don't you already know?"

Thud.

She gripped my shoulder. Despite her slender build, her grip was surprisingly strong.

'How the hell would I know how she awakened!'

I grimaced and grabbed her wrist, slowly lowering her arm.

"This is my first time talking to you, Choi Min Hunter. How would I know?"

"But you said my name..."

"Pardon?"

She clamped her mouth shut.

"Nothing. Just forget it."

Choi Min Hunter gently took my arm—without hurting it—and led me to the shelter's wall. She passed through the flames into the dungeon, and the blazing Air Raid Shelter turned to smoke and vanished the moment I followed.

'What about those bears from earlier...'

Crunch.

Something like bone dust crunched underfoot. They'd probably smashed into the shelter trying to get us and paid the price.

"I see the exit. Let's go."

'She's acting all shady.'

What exactly happened when she rescued me? But I'd been unconscious...

Mysteries were piling up one by one.

"We're here."

After trekking through a canyon littered with massive boulders and a cave swarming with bears, the rock gate we'd entered through came into view. Without hesitation, Choi Min Hunter placed her hand on it.

Grrrrowl...

Thud, thud.

Then, from behind the gate, a house-sized tiger emerged. Each step made its massive spine bob up and down, drool dripping from its gaping maw. Wherever the saliva hit, the ground sizzled and blackened.

Bam!!

The tiger's paw swung at me, and I hurled myself sideways to dodge. The impact kicked up a sandstorm, but I fired a sound bullet skyward, clearing my vision. The tiger, blinded by the sand, shook its head side to side, searching for me.

'Now!'

Whoosh!

A white orb struck the tiger, followed by a hefty explosion.

"Huh?"

A cloth fluttered through the air like a banner. It drifted lazily before landing in my hand, flapping like it was alive before going limp.

They said tigers drop their hide when they die, and sure enough...

As I stared blankly at the tiger hide, Choi Min Hunter appeared beside me from who-knows-where.

"You seem like someone who's done this hunter thing before."

Thud.

My heart dropped into my guts and back up—a queasy feeling. It could've been a simple compliment, but after what she'd said earlier, I couldn't brush it off.

"Ahaha, no way."

"..."

"Thanks for the praise."

'Gotta be more careful from now on.'

Even with pre-regression memories, she's a headache. If she's the traitor, it'll be a migraine.

For now, all I can do is keep watching.

Choi Min Hunter brushed past me and opened the gate. I followed behind.

'Hey.'

"Whoa, you scared me..."

I'd just stepped out of the shower when Ego finally spoke up. The voice was full of static, but at least it was intelligible.

'Don't... be wary of Min. She's... good—guy.'

'Don't be wary of Choi Min Hunter?'

Bzzz, bzzz.

Ego vibrated repeatedly instead of answering.

'That's rich coming from you, with all her suspicious points.'

I toweled off my hair and flopped onto the bed.

'For now, she's on the traitor suspect list.'

'No, she—couldn't...'

'You got destroyed before unmasking the traitor, remember?'

'She's really—'

Click.

The voice cut off—energy limit hit.

'Does this thing really like Choi Min Hunter that much? How can it trust her so blindly?'

Bzzz.

Then my work phone buzzed in my inventory. I pulled it out and tapped the HunterNet icon; a notification was blinking.

My first official dispatch in this timeline had finally been scheduled.

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