Adaptive Copy Dungeon.
It was the name of the newly emerged dungeon, as officially announced by the Hunter Association.
Since the first Great Rift occurred, the types and anomalies of dungeons have increased endlessly, but this dungeon, conquered by Seongnyeo Shia and 19 A-grade hunters, was the first of its kind to appear after the Great Rift. The anomalies confirmed in the Adaptive Copy Dungeon were much more dangerous than any dungeon encountered so far.
Firstly, the fact that it randomly teleports the location of any creature that intrudes into the dungeon was already a significant threat, but the impenetrable darkness that didn’t provide visibility beyond three meters, no matter how strong the lantern used, was deadly to humans.
Moreover, the human-like monsters known as ‘Walkers’ with twisted, grotesque appearances filled the place, perfectly fitting the description of a malicious dungeon targeting humans.
According to the investigation by the trainees and researchers dispatched by the association, it was later revealed that the dungeon’s darkness and the existence of the Walkers were discovered to be mechanisms that drained human mental strength just by encountering them.
Researchers observing the Walkers through a camera brought by transport drones carried by the A-grade hunters suffered from headaches and dizziness while watching.
What started as a mild headache progressively escalated into short-term memory loss and mental degradation. There were even trainees who fainted while bleeding from their noses.
Fortunately, the hunters dispatched to the dungeon were all veterans of at least A-grade, so they were not significantly affected. If a B-grade hunter had been dispatched, the expedition team might have collapsed mentally before long.
By the way, the dungeon boss was dubbed ‘Korean Chimera’—a name that sounded a bit cheap.
Still, it was an intuitive name.
The dungeon boss that Shia and the hunters witnessed resembled a forced hybrid of creatures like the Imugi and the Gumiho from Korean folklore, akin to the Ggeunsundae youkai.
The confirmed abilities included hallucinations and auditory hallucinations.
Additionally, the nine Imugi tails sprouting in place of the Gumiho’s tail possessed considerable physical strength.
According to the testimony of Cho Yooha, a detection-type hunter, the mana density of the dungeon boss was estimated to be on par with a quasi-S-grade raid dungeon boss.
Furthermore, it possessed intelligence to act covertly among the hunters and create traps.
Once, the world of humans had nearly reached the brink of destruction due to an intelligent monster.
The hunters and the Hunter Association, who had not forgotten the nightmare of that time, were still extremely wary of the existence of intelligent monsters even in today’s fully rebuilt human civilization.
Fortunately, it was considered a huge stroke of luck that the Korean Chimera was killed by the Seongnyeo Isia before it could execute any dangerous schemes.
Thus, the emergence of a new dungeon, a new boss, and monsters stirred up a noisy commotion in the genre hunter gallery with unprecedented hype.
Usually, the net runners would rip apart and taste hunter streamers or newly promoted hunters, but for the first time in a while, they began to engage in productive activities.
[Explaining why the Erosion Type Copy Dungeon is mind-blowingly amazing, even for those with double-digit IQs.] (992)
n= Recommended: 829
『First of all, it’s said to replicate reality as it is. By looking at the videos and interviews released by the association, hunters activating dams during their assaults suggest that electricity or generators are also functioning, meaning that if there’s a factory, it can operate, and if there are resources, they can be harvested.
The existing advantages of Erosion Dungeons are that while the territory has expanded, it remains a completely different isekai.
However, if this Copy Dungeon operates like an erosion-type dungeon, essentially assimilating into our land rather than being a gate dungeon with limited access, it could significantly boost resources.
Everything except for humans would be perfectly replicated, including generators, electricity, and infrastructure.
If a dungeon replicating a city emerges and replicates all materials and goods within it, we could potentially gather unimaginable supplies.』
[Follow-up Analysis]
[But then, does that mean money gets replicated too?]
n= [From the videos of the association, it seems like almost 90% of everything gets copied, except living beings.]
n= [90%?]
n= [It looks like trees and plants get replicated, but animals don’t seem to. I’m not sure about money. Complex things like power plants, dams, and the machinery driving the dams have been implemented, though.]
[Wouldn’t the government majorly covet that?]
[Exactly! If infrastructure and resources get replicated, it’s like the land suddenly doubles.]
n= [That’s an exaggeration, but if US territory got replicated, that would be insane!]
n= [Wow, what if oil gets replicated!]
[Hey, hey, but I have a question.]
[Isn’t that the Korean Chimera, a quasi-S-grade dungeon boss? But isn’t it ridiculous that an intelligent boss got cut down by some sickly Seongnyeo in just a day?]
[Doesn’t make sense, right? Haha, haven’t you seen the sickly Seongnyeo’s stream? She soloed an S-grade Centipede Dragon and a hell of a lot of A-grade Wyverns!]
n= [Are you an idiot? Normal dungeon monsters and S-grade raid bosses shouldn’t even be compared!]
n= [If you assume there are S-grade monsters in normal dungeons, the raid dungeon bosses should be SS-grade.]
n= [That’s outrageous!]
n= [That’s an uphill battle.]
n= [Regardless, the fact is she took down an S-grade monster alone.]
[Seems like she received a call from the association asking, ‘Are you hitting the raid?’ right before she streamed from home a few days ago. It looks like the sickly Seongnyeo accepted the raid back then—it was probably that Adaptive Copy Dungeon.]
n= [Right. She was probably silent for four days.]
n= [She resurrected and then streamed a bath with a bladed centipede, lol.]
n= [???? What?]
n= [??]
n= [What kind of stream are you talking about?]
n= [Drop the address, I’m in a hurry]
n= [Tonight’s the night]
n= [Sickly Seongnyeo and centipedes in the bath, oh wow!]
While the genre hunter gallery’s savants, Susu, and net runners passionately discussed the new dungeon and the Seongnyeo Isia, Shia, having completed her schedule in Andong, returned to Seoul.
Originally, hunters were supposed to write various follow-up actions and reports for their assault. Additionally, she was required to submit a statement, but since Shia was not a formal hunter but held a temporary hunter license, she could return to Seoul immediately.
In truth, Shia was a bit annoyed about having to write a strange statement. Thankfully, the 19 A-grade hunters who owed her a great favor volunteered to report everything to the association on her behalf, allowing Shia to return comfortably to Seoul with the bladed centipede in one of the association’s provided vehicles.
And then it was three days since the raid dungeon’s conquest, that is.
“Heh, home sweet home…”
kiii…
The Lucky Bladed Centipede silently coiled up in a corner with an exhausted voice. Above it, Shia had all but embedded herself into it, as if sitting on a cushy sofa.
The Bladed Centipede, originally big enough to be notably large, now looked like sleek black furniture since Shia’s touch made it utterly smooth and clean.
‘But it feels like it shrank a bit…?’
What I knew was that the Lucky Bladed Centipede used to be over 15 meters long, yet strangely, after bathing in Yeongwoljung, it felt like it had shrunk somehow.
Well, I didn’t know much about monster ecology, so it might be shedding its skin or something. Regardless, it didn’t appear to have any health issues.
As a precaution, I cast a healing spell on it. On the way back from Andong to Seoul, I had even bought around 40 chicken skewers at a rest area to share, so it mustn’t be a health concern.
Thrriing.
At that moment, I rose at the sound of my smartwatch ringing. It was Choi Bomi, the Director of the Returnee Management Bureau.
[Hello, Isia?]
“Hey, what’s up?”
[You’ve really worked hard on the raid dungeon. The Hunter Association said they received a significant benefit thanks to you. They’ve been praising you for saving the lives of numerous civilians and hunters.]
“Glad to hear that. Hey, what happened to the centipede? Can I keep it?”
[Uh, umm…. about that…]
Actually, I was looking to obtain ownership of the Bladed Centipede through Director Choi Bomi.
My legal representative was Yeonhwa, but she was currently engaged in the subjugation of the remaining goblin rangers.
So naturally, the only one who could serve a similar role as my lawyer was Director Choi Bomi.
I thought about calling Yeonseo, but if I started asking her to help me raise the Bladed Centipede, the people working at the bureau would definitely feel an enormous psychological burden.
If I went for the ownership of the Bladed Centipede this time, who knows what trivial matter would bring Yeonseo to the bureau next time, which many would dread.
[Well, we haven’t received the Minister’s approval yet… so several procedures are required. Since you aren’t a formal hunter yet, and to gain ownership of a monster, only those classified as Awakened can tame monsters.]
“…So you’re saying it can’t happen?”
[By principle, we would need to return your Bladed Centipede to the Rotten Mountain right away. You’ll need to write a statement to the association, and you may even have to pay a fine.]
Thinking back, it wasn’t something trivial to have brought a monster from within a dungeon without obtaining permission while it was alive.
I impulsively… ran off with the Bladed Centipede because I felt lonely raiding towers alone, without knowing anyone.
[However, the association is currently coordinating various matters. The fact that you conquered this Adaptive Copy Dungeon is practically equivalent to a personal achievement for you, right? They’ll likely grant permission to repay you in some way.]
“That’s a relief.”
[By the way, the association also made an additional request to you.]
“What request?”
I could think of quite a few.
I assumed that the Hunter Association was monitoring my streams.
Being a strong returnee with potential mental issues, it wouldn’t be irrational for them to think of me as a ticking time bomb.
I wasn’t as profound as Menelapie, but once, I held a pivotal role in protecting humanity and running an empire.
I understood how hard it was to exclude risks and acknowledge that one had to make inhumane judgments in that process.
Surprisingly, the Hunter Association was treating me quite ‘humanely’, I thought.
Perhaps it was due to the presence of Yeonseo or Yeonhwa.
In any case, the association might be viewing my power as a significantly ‘efficient’ weapon.
Since the Adaptive Copy Dungeon was treated as a quasi-S-grade raid dungeon, I had essentially conquered it solo.
Though I felt bad for the hunters who participated with me, I probably could have broken through the raid dungeon without them.
Ah, thanks to the hunters, I did manage to find the dungeon boss, Korean Chimera, quickly.
If Shia had come alone, the dungeon boss might have stayed hidden, making the raid take much longer.
Regardless, the Hunter Association would have assessed my strength based on mere suspicion and simple conjecture, but with the information accumulated through monitoring my broadcasts and from this raid dungeon’s conquest, they would genuinely weigh my value.
[Originally, the association planned to extend your stay at the Returnee Shelter based on a condition where you would conquer a suitable dungeon or bring back the remnants of a specific monster once a month, and on that basis, transfer the ownership of the New Model AI assistant drone they rented out to you.]
“Yep, something like that.”
[They’ve proposed to change those conditions. Starting from the conquest of this raid dungeon, the association hopes for you to become an S-grade hunter.]
S-grade hunter.
It had been quite some time since I returned.
I understood to a degree how esteemed and respected an S-grade hunter was in this world.
According to Yeonseo’s crafted image, S-grade hunters were the frontline guardians safeguarding humanity and the very individuals leading today’s hunter age.
“But becoming an S-grade hunter isn’t all sunshine and rainbows, is it?”
[Yes, that’s correct. You’re spot on. As you can imagine, becoming an S-grade hunter requires more than just strength. It’s multifaceted, and assessing it is incredibly tricky. It’s true that you earn a lot of money, but the corresponding responsibilities and obligations are immense.]
It seemed that Director Choi Bomi didn’t really want me to become an S-grade hunter.
“What do you think?”
[As the Director of the Returnee Management Bureau, it’s obviously a good thing if an S-grade hunter emerges from among the returnees. It means a new star to lead this era!]
“Then how about as a human, Choi Bomi?”
[Hmm… If I were you, I’d probably refuse right now.]
That’s surprising.
It seemed insane to turn down the opportunity to become an S-grade hunter.
“But it was you who encouraged me to participate in the raid, saying that I’d need results to become an S-grade hunter.”
[That’s correct. However, at least I thought it would be a process that would take months… years even… to develop for you with some leeway.]
“You mean it’s too fast?”
[Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if you were awarded S-grade right now. The management team over there has been closely watching your strength, even I was astonished. You took out a Centipede Dragon bigger than a building with one hit…]
Director Choi Bomi, who had been chuckling, soon continued in a serious tone.
[But it’s just too quick. Shia, are you okay? You’ve done so much in the ‘previous world’, right? You killed the Demon King and saved the world, if I’m not mistaken?]
“………That’s true.”
[Honestly, with A-grade hunters, you can already live quite comfortably. There will be raids from time to time, but for someone like you, it shouldn’t be difficult. However, becoming an S-grade hunter… that’s a different ball game. You could be solo deployed into dangerous uncharted dungeons. There’s even potential to be used in national conflicts.]
“Not comparable? That’s unexpected; I thought it would be a lot easier to be an S-grade hunter…”
[S-grade hunters do enjoy comfort. They can disregard all requests from the association or government.]
“Really?”
Honestly, that did pique my interest a little.
[S-grade hunters possess a lot of power, authority, and earn tons of money. Some even become incredibly nonchalant, saying ‘What will you do if I refuse a summon?’ right after obtaining their S-grade status. While Yeonseo is referred to as a true hero and a living legend because she continuously saves people and fights at the front line, not all S-grade hunters have that dedication.]
It sounded like they had quite a bit of absolute power.
Though it wasn’t quite to my liking.
If you possess power and enjoy certain privileges, should you not bear the responsibilities and obligations that come with them?
That’s how I tried to abide by that belief in my previous world.
[In reality, there’s nothing much they can do from the national stance when S-grade hunters say ‘I don’t want to play’. Even funneling fines would be limited. Just the existence of an S-grade hunter itself is a non-linear power in the modern hunter society and a force of the nation; thus, even if they show an uncooperative attitude, all the association and the government can do is offer advice or warnings. As a result, the standards for becoming an S-grade hunter have tightened significantly in our country over the past decade, so we haven’t had any new S-grade hunters emerging. To be honest, I’m not completely acquainted with the absolute right information, though. I’m just sharing personal opinions based on stories I’ve casually heard from being in this position.]
I didn’t want to know these intricacies, but the hunter world seemed complicated in many ways.
[But you, Shia, won’t be like that, right?]
“What do you mean?”
[You’re a Seongnyeo. If someone up top tells you that there’s danger, I can see you disregarding everything and rushing to help.]
Surprisingly, that was accurate.
Having lived as a Seongnyeo for over 60 years, how could I turn a blind eye to people dying?
[Then it would be to your detriment if you became an S-grade hunter. I shouldn’t be the one saying this, being the one who pushed you into it, saying you need results to qualify, but if it were me, I’d probably get my A-grade and live leisurely while continuing to stream, just like I’ve done so far.]
“So you know what I’d say in response? I’m just a moral examiner.”
[……Are you really going to become an S-grade hunter?]
“Yes.”
Several reasons came to mind, but becoming an S-grade hunter would allow me to prioritize yummy food in new dungeons, wouldn’t it?
Let’s think positively.
Even if things get busier, I’ll probably manage just fine with my strength.
[Sorry about that. Anyway, I’ve rambled on too much. I’ll definitely do my best for the ownership of the centipede. Don’t worry too much. Besides, you’ve got Yeonseo and Yeon Family supporting you, remember?]
Honestly, it would probably be straightforward if I just called Yeonseo once.
[In any case, the preparation for the final third ethical examination and observers you requested are ready.]
I heard that after finishing the third ethical examination, I would likely be formally accepted as a member of this world.
[The observers will be Yujin, an active S-grade hunter and returnee like you, Skeleton Knight, who is also a returnee, and Park Junseo, who returned as an Elf.]
The names of the observers were quite familiar.
Skeleton Knight and S-grade hunter Yujin were both quite famous, so I had at least heard their names here and there.
“Alright, I’ll head over right now.”
[No, you can’t. Since Yeonhwa, your legal representative, also needs to be there. I’ve heard that the expedition against the remaining goblin rangers ends tonight, and she’ll probably arrive then.]
“Got it.”
I ended the call on my smartwatch and pulled the dark gemstone I had in my hand.
The Demon King’s fragment.
The very cause of the emergence of this cruel dungeon, the Adaptive Copy Dungeon.
No one has seen the Demon King’s fragment yet.
However, I couldn’t hide it even if I tried.
Yet I could not fathom why the Demon King’s fragment was present in modern times.
Could it be that it followed me…? No, we eliminated it all.
Me, Menelapie, Teresa… we definitely erased everything without leaving a trace…
Right, I should probably tell everyone here about this…
“……I don’t want to see it again…”
I wanted to part ways with the unnecessary past, yet it always ended up catching at my ankles like a clingy shadow.
Ah, what a bummer… memories I didn’t want to recall were creeping up, dragging me down like a mire.
I feel hungry.
Hungry…
Even with fullness, the hunger sprouts with fervor.
It hurts, I’m hungry.
I shouldn’t eat, but my stomach craves meat.
kiii…
“Ah, sorry.”
Noticing my mood souring, the Bladed Centipede gently nudged its head towards my chest.
kiii..ii..
“Okay, okay. Don’t be scared…”
It’s true, nightmares are just that—nightmares.
The past is merely the past.
I’ll be fine now.
Yes, everything will be fine….
I’m fine now.
