Raid.
Many people solo play in dungeons, but occasionally large-scale dungeons or monsters that defy common sense appear that a couple of hunters just can’t handle.
Like the Goblin Rangers, which Yeonhwa defeated before, there are cases where monsters tear through space and invade reality, but those are rather tame. There have also been predatory dungeons that gradually increase in size by gnawing away at reality, cunningly hiding from humans until their guard is down, only to tear through space and unleash monsters.
And then there’s the raid.
As a noun, it means an assault or a surprise attack, and in the world of hunters, it refers to a group of at least 10 hunters being deployed with the single objective of taking down a dungeon boss.
During the first Great Rift, it was common for many parties and over 10 raid hunters to take on dungeons.
By 2088, however, some knowledge about dungeons and monsters had been uncovered, leading to a trend where not as many hunters swarmed dungeons at once as before.
Having many party members essentially just means you’ll be getting less loot for yourself.
However, even so, the term ‘raid’ still existed, albeit rarely.
Dungeons are worlds beyond common sense, where the laws of reality do not apply. Dungeons labeled as raids are typically ranked A or higher.
In fact, some raid dungeons even got a special rank. Left unchecked, they could one day invade reality, making them a top priority for the Hunter Association.
A standard A-grade dungeon like the Kurtala Mountains that Shia visited before can’t be treated the same way.
The mere existence of a raid dungeon is so cruel that it punishes intruders.
They come equipped with complex and horrific geographical features, and every single mob monster escalates to the level of a dungeon boss elsewhere, appearing in stronger or mutated forms. Until the dungeon boss is defeated and the dungeon is destroyed, relentless waves of monsters will hunt the lives of the hunters.
Some dungeons even have mechanics that prevent you from finding the dungeon boss unless certain conditions are met. Besides monsters, there are also unknown toxins, hallucinogenic fogs, and traps that can lead you to think a prankster god has sowed mischief into them.
And today, Shia received a proposal for her first raid dungeon.
“Just think of it as having more unique cases than a regular dungeon.”
Shia was on her way to the Hunter Association for a detailed briefing on raids for the first time in a while.
As she walked down the street, there were people glancing at her, but no one dared to speak first.
Rather than admiration flowing from her appearance, there was a unique somber yet divine aura as the Mangja Seongnyeo, and usually, not even the boldest of guys would approach her.
Of course, among them, there’s always someone braver.
“Excuse me?”
“…Huh? Me?”
Shia turned her head up as a young man blocked her path, staring intently at her.
“Do you have a boyfriend?”
“No, I don’t.”
“…I’ll be honest. I saw you pass by and thought you were beautiful. Can we exchange numbers?”
His gaze was quite passionate.
Shia recognized such eyes from her previous world.
She once attended an imperial social party out of boredom, and those were the same passionate looks that nobles and counts would direct at her.
Though Menelapie bit her lip at the sight of such lustful and greedy glares, I surprisingly didn’t deny the personal desires.
Desires and greed were pure and what brought progress, greed, and love to humanity.
How could anyone deny the long-standing desire for love and lust that has been carried on since the dawn of humanity?
It’s not a bad thing at all.
Shia acknowledged personal lust, tastes, and desires, and if the direction happened to point at her, she could nod along.
“No, thanks.”
“…Huh?”
“I prefer larger chests.”
“…What?”
If I acknowledge personal desires and tastes, I believe I have the right to reject what isn’t part of it.
Shia walked past the man who stood frozen like a statue, muttering and hurried toward the Hunter Association.
Shia arrived at a white-walled auditorium.
There were a few other hunters sitting in chairs, and though they were likely around A-grade, they had unique appearances, more or less like Yeonhwa.
The hunters seemed to know each other, nodding or exchanging greetings, but as soon as Shia entered the room, all eyes focused on her.
In the world of A-grade hunters, it’s a small place, and a new face sparked curiosity.
Shia had no intention of avoiding those gazes, smiling back and lifting the corners of her mouth.
“The rich young master, the spoiled lady, someone decked out in armor from head to toe, and a man who looks like he just stepped out for a stroll. Is that a child? Oh, just a small adult.”
Come to think of it, Yeonhwa’s outfit was quite distinctive and even lewd, wasn’t it…?
Her clothing clung tightly to her, showing off her curves and waistline. And she wasn’t wearing any panties.
When I asked why she wore such an outfit, she seemed embarrassed enough to turn crimson, giving the excuse of “I can’t wear normal clothes because they freeze when I use my powers!” But considering Yeonhwa is one of the top heiresses in Korea…
“Well, I suppose it can be considered a preference. After all, Menelapie did wander around without clothes too.”
Menelapie, no matter how expensive and durable her underwear, would end up wrecked in battle, reducing them to disposable items, so she stopped wearing them altogether.
So why are there so many going commando around me?
Honestly, I don’t mind. No, I actually like it more!
Who doesn’t love pretty and lewd things?
“Feels like a college freshman orientation. I couldn’t even attend college properly before getting sucked into the Great Rift…”
Shia found herself smiling faintly due to old memories, taking a seat at the front with the excited heart of a picnic.
Before coming here, Shia had anonymously asked questions about raid dungeons in the genre hunter forums, where it was mentioned that while regular A-grade dungeons might exist, raid dungeons should be viewed as AAA-grade.
She realized that comparing the dungeons she had visited up until now to raid dungeons was simply impossible.
A moment later, a Hunter Association official dressed in a black suit stood on the stage.
“Thank you to all hunters who have gathered today. I am Agent Kim Hyun-il, responsible for this briefing and dungeon guidance.”
With a light applause, the briefing began.
“The area you will be dispatched to is the Gate Dungeon located upstream of the Andong Dam in Andong City, Gyeongsangbuk-do.”
“Wait, Gate? So nothing’s spilled out yet, right?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
At the agent’s response, a hunter who resembled a rich young master raised his head mockingly.
“Then why are we forming a raid team and deploying if no monsters are spilling out? Isn’t that just a waste of manpower? We’re all busy, you know? I came here because of a summons, only to be presented with this nonsense.”
“What Jinseong said makes sense. If it’s just a standard Gate Dungeon, there’s no need for us to bother stimulating it, right?”
A woman next to the young man named Jinseong added.
While the mocking tone might sound off, neither of their points were wrong.
Gate Dungeons form by distorting specific spatial coordinates, and general folks can’t even detect anomalies, let alone monsters spilling out, so they wouldn’t ordinarily disturb them unless it’s necessary.
Of course, guilds or some hunters would party up to raid Gate Dungeons for the loot.
However, until the dungeon boss is slain, the dungeon can’t collapse, nor can they escape, meaning that 90% of the rescue requests to the Hunter Association come from hunters trapped inside Gate Dungeons.
“As you all mentioned, an ordinary Gate Dungeon wouldn’t even warrant a raid. There wouldn’t be any A-grade high-tier personnel sent in groups of 10.”
“So what’s going on?”
“Please take a look here.”
The agent activated a holographic projector displaying a map.
The dungeon locations and their corresponding dangers and erosion levels across Korea were briefly marked.
As the agent zoomed in on Andong’s position with a finger, the distortion in that space—meaning the hidden Gate Dungeon’s sign—was activated.
“As of March 8th, confirmed danger level at midnight.”
“Danger level A-grade, and erosion level A-grade too.”
“Seems just like an average A-grade Gate Dungeon, doesn’t it?”
“That’s what I thought too.”
As the agent manipulated the map a few times, the date changed.
“And this is the danger level as of March 7th, midnight.”
“It’s unchanged, right?”
“Yes, unchanged. Now, let’s skip a day ahead.”
As the date on the map changed again, the hunters’ expressions began to change.
“Danger level A-grade, erosion level C-grade…”
“Variable type…? Wait, the rank can rise vertically like that?”
“As of March 6th, at midnight, that Gate Dungeon was ranked at B.”
With every flick of the agent’s finger changing the date, the hunters felt the gravity of the situation weighing heavier on them.
January 23rd, midnight: danger level B, erosion level D.
January 21st, midnight: danger level C, erosion level A.
January 14th, midnight: danger level D, erosion level S.
“The dungeon is evolving?”
“What does that even mean…?”
“Yep, danger levels refer to dungeon threats, right? Erosion levels indicate how much the dungeon is affecting the surrounding area or how potent the mana levels are. Every time a D-grade dungeon raises its erosion levels, its danger level also climbs. After reaching B-grade, the erosion being D-grade for a while suggests a pattern of growth followed by a resting phase before rising again.”
“So the dungeon evolves like a living being?”
“It’s not impossible. Anything can happen in a dungeon.”
The hunters realized Shia was right.
It was like the dungeon itself was growing at an insane speed like an intelligent being.
“Yes, the young lady in front… Ah, you must be Isia. As you said, the dungeon is continuously evolving. When we first discovered this Gate Dungeon, its danger level was F, and the Hunter Association classified it as safe. Currently, as of March 8th, its erosion level has surpassed A-grade. The growth of the dungeon is completely outside the realm of understanding, and even the Association hasn’t fully grasped how it’s possible.”
“Ah, so you’re sending us as a spearhead?”
“Though it may sound that way, the Association will spare no support for you…”
“Dungeon information is crucial, and without it, support is meaningless. Are you booking us a nice hotel in Andong? Last supper before we kick the bucket?”
It was Jinseong, the rich young man who spoke.
The gazes of other hunters were also quite grim. For the Association not to fully comprehend the dungeon’s nature while it was escalating its danger levels in less than a month represented a serious issue, and asking hunters to charge into that unknown scenario was bound to incite resentment.
“The Hunter Association prioritizes safe dungeon raids and the lives of you hunters above all.”
“They probably prioritize the lives of ordinary humans more than ours. You’re not even an Awakened One, are you? You’re just planning on using us as cannon fodder to gather intel, right? If we return alive with information, great; if not, you’ll just recover your drones for data.”
“Please don’t misconstrue the Association’s intentions and founding purpose. It truly is unfortunate that your lives could be at risk due to the Association’s lack of preparedness. However, there aren’t that many other options aside from you.”
“Where are the illustrious S-grade hunters?”
“The S-grade hunters are all engaged in their own missions and are working on dangerous dungeons.”
“What a load of garbage.”
Jinseong internally cursed.
S-grade hunters commanded enormous privileges, and unless they declared a state of emergency, they could refuse calls or missions related to dungeons.
Simply put, they could decide to go if they wanted to, and stay away if they didn’t.
Even Yeonseo was strangely attentive, never sleeping, protecting people, and eliminating risks. While S-grade hunters were human, they also bore desires to rest and could be lazy.
Just yesterday, he saw a Returnee S-grade hunter named Yujin calmly streaming from home; what kind of missions is that…
“Of course, you also have the option to refuse. However, if you do, someone else will take your place.”
“Yeah, got it. Got it. It’s probably one of those grand ideas, right? I can go… if I must…”
“Sir, what are you planning to do?”
“Jinseong. Still, we can’t refuse. Who knows? Maybe we can take advantage of this dungeon and get some loot while covering for others—good for saving lives and following a noble cause, right?”
“Ugh, damn….”
“Scared?”
“What are you talking about? Ha! Well said! Okay, got it. I’ll go.”
A minor back-and-forth continued between the hunters and agents, but the first to back down were the hunters.
They weren’t genuinely hostile, just irritated with the lack of intel and the growing risks the dungeon presented.
The A-grade hunters present, excluding Shia, were all veteran hunters with their own titles.
If the danger rating wasn’t A-grade, it would be a simple dungeon to clear, but the hellish torment of a raid dungeon labeled A-grade was far beyond imagination.
“I apologize. And thank you. Once again, the Hunter Association will fully support the nine A-grade hunters gathered here and the temporary hunter, Isia, until the raid dungeon is conquered.”
“Hey, hey, hey! Wait, what?”
“Temporary hunter?”
“Aren’t we all A-grade?”
At that moment, the mention of “temporary hunter” sent the hunters into a frenzy, their stares locking onto the white-haired girl at the front.
“Wait, you’re sending a girl with a temporary hunter pass to a growing raid dungeon packed with established A-grade hunters and maybe an S-grade or two?!”
“Is that woman a reporter?”
The A-grade hunters—the majority of hunters, in fact—were deeply suspicious of the temporary hunter pass.
Not to say they feared it—rather, they regarded its existence as a repulsive horror.
For a long time, the temporary hunter pass was a mere access pass for entering dungeons.
It was typically issued to reporters wanting to cover the action, researchers aiming to enter dungeons for academic purposes, or celebrities and politicians showcasing performances for popularity.
There were even schools handing out temporary hunter passes for field trips to dungeons, treating them like amusement parks.
In all this, the hunters assigned to protect those with temporary passes felt the brunt of the frustrations.
Dungeons operate on different laws than reality, and conditions here are very different.
Even an F-grade dungeon can incur severe casualties if one safety rule is broken, and especially when foolish reporters try getting close to monsters for photos, it drives hunters mad.
Every time they break the rules, it’s the hunters defending them that take on all the risks, only for the reporters to emerge from the ordeal proclaiming, “Whew, that was close! See, I told you nothing would happen?”—at that moment, the urge to tear their mouths apart exceeds the desire to face off against any monsters.
Ultimately, because of numerous incidents and accidents, temporary hunter passes are almost akin to buttons that trigger the clans’ outrage for hunters.
For hunters, holding a temporary hunter pass signifies being a burden.
A load that can barely look after itself yet requires protection—merely more trouble.
Damn those reporters.
Damn those celebrity wannabes.
Damn those bureaucrats with their blue badges.
Safety procedures and warnings are met with absolute disregard.
In this context, a temporary hunter pass holds such significance for hunters.
“Hehe, nice to meet you!”
Only, the cheerful smile from Shia didn’t seem to grasp any of this, and she looked up at the hunters with her beaming smile.
Seeing Shia’s radiant grin, the A-grade hunters thought this raid dungeon was going to be one hell of a ride.
