The next dawn, the hunters participating in the raid completed their preparations and entered the upstream of Andong Dam, guided by an association agent.
After driving along a road that wasn’t even paved for a while, they came across a makeshift checkpoint guarded by several soldiers and agents.
“Is this the place?”
“Yes, while it has not yet received an official dungeon name, as you already know, we refer to it as ‘Mutated Dungeon’ in advance.”
“The current erosion level of the dungeon is slowly rising. The danger rank is A-grade, but if left alone, the Hunter Association believes this dungeon could grow into an S-grade dungeon or higher.”
“There hasn’t been an SS-grade dungeon yet, right?”
“If one of those appears, it would really be the end of humanity, right?”
“But we have SS-grade Hunter Yeonseo. What are you worried about? We’re not just ordinary prey.”
As soon as the hunters got out of the car, they began checking their auxiliary drones and registering their biometrics on the transport drones.
Unlike the busy hunters, Shia activated her smartwatch and dialed a number.
“Hey, Binggu~”
[Unnie?]
“Yeah, it’s early, sorry to wake you.”
[It’s fine. I was about to go for my morning workout anyway.]
Originally, Yeonhwa was also supposed to join this raid dungeon.
However, upon hearing news of the remaining Goblin Rangers appearing in Chuncheon, Yeonhwa hurriedly went to the region.
It’s a shame that I couldn’t go with Yeonhwa, but I can just look forward to the next time.
[Unnie, are you going to be okay?]
“Yeah, really. To be honest, I’m looking forward to it!”
[I believe in your skills. But raid dungeons are much more vicious and scary than regular ones, so be careful.]
Although Yeonhwa had not yet participated in a raid dungeon, it was essential training at the Hunter Academy to understand that raid dungeons are notorious for their brutality.
Once the term “raid” is attached, an A-grade dungeon becomes an AAA-grade dungeon. As for S-grade raid dungeons, they are considered the highest difficulty dungeons humanity can currently handle.
Of course, when an S-grade raid dungeon actually appears, all S-grade hunters in the nation are immediately summoned, and if manpower is deemed insufficient, hunters or mercenaries from other countries will join in the raid.
The most recent S-grade raid dungeon was the Goblin Empire ruled by the Emperor Goblin.
“Thanks for worrying. Do you need anything when I go? Should I bring a wyvern egg?”
[…I still haven’t finished eating the one you gave me last time.]
At those words, Shia tilted her head in confusion.
“…You can eat that in a day… No, one meal, right?”
[That’s something only you can do!]
If a wyvern egg wouldn’t do, she needed to bring something simpler. Something she could eat like dessert…
If possible, she’d like to find it in this dungeon.
“Hey. We’re about to charge in.”
“Oh, really? Binggu, we have to charge in soon.”
[Have a safe trip. Don’t get hurt.]
“Yeah, you too.”
With their warm conversation wrapping up, Shia turned off her smartwatch and launched her broadcast auxiliary AI drone, which she had received from the Returnee Management Bureau.
Now she at least had a decent grasp of how to use it.
“Were you talking to family? You were quite close.”
“Yeah. Something like that.”
If Shia had mentioned the name Yeonhwa instead of Binggu, the hunters might have viewed her slightly differently, but today, Shia used Binggu’s name throughout the call.
“Weapons?”
“I don’t need them.”
“……”
If it really came down to it, she could just pull them out, so it was fine. However, it wouldn’t look good from the perspective of the other hunters.
‘How much confidence does she have to enter a dungeon without a weapon… ha…’
‘Going into a raid dungeon without weapons?’
‘She’s not even Yeonseo. What is she thinking?’
‘Please, don’t just be a hindrance…’
‘I hope there’s some dessert she can share with Binggu….’
With their thoughts in mind, Shia and the other hunters completed their preparations to charge in.
“Then at this time, March 10th, 04:47, we will begin the assault on the Mutated Raid Dungeon with 19 A-grade Hunters and temporary Hunter Isia, totaling 20 hunters.”
ZAP!
With the declaration from the agent in a suit, the hunters immediately moved to their designated positions.
Then, the space began to crack as if the glass was breaking. In a moment, without any sound or light, the hunters’ bodies disappeared in an instant.
○○○○
Jinseong was in deep trouble.
It wasn’t just trouble, it was a serious mess.
“Shit, shit, shit, SHIT…!”
The spear wielded by Jinseong tore apart the last monster in front of him. At his feet lay over ten monsters, their limbs shredded and lifeless.
However, Jinseong felt no relief at all.
On the contrary, he was becoming more mentally unstable.
“Ugh, ugh… this is really messed up. What kind of dungeon is this…..”
An hour ago, the moment they entered the dungeon, Jinseong realized that his fellow hunters who were right next to him had completely disappeared, leaving him alone in a desolate countryside-like place.
He had fallen into a Copy Dungeon.
The Copy Dungeon imitates the real world, replicating all terrains and structures, even buildings, while excluding creatures.
Fortunately, the situation wasn’t terrible.
It wasn’t the scorching heat of a desert or the life-threatening chill of a snowfield.
This place replicated all the buildings and terrain of Andong Dam located in the upper Naktong River, so he didn’t have to worry about dying from weather or terrain, at least for now.
But the problem was that all his comrades were scattered far and wide.
His girlfriend, who had been right beside him holding hands, and the veteran A-grade hunters he had battled alongside were all gone.
This vicious dungeon had a type that randomly sends the locations of incoming living beings.
Not only him, but any hunters, including temporary Hunter Isia, were likely dropped somewhere else too.
“Hah, at least we got our transport drones…”
Given how expansive the Copy Dungeon is, it might cover the entire area of Andong City, or even worse, all of Gyeongsangbuk-do.
Jinseong began checking the supplies loaded on the transport drone.
Nothing seemed altered, and aside from being alone, the situation was relatively decent.
Jinseong was already moving, having caught sight of Andong Dam.
‘Hah, the drone’s signal is out so I can’t reach anyone…’
Still, they were all seasoned A-grade hunters.
‘If it’s a Copy Dungeon… there should be Yeongwoljung where we stayed.’
The most worrying part was Isia, but if they survived, they would gather at Yeongwoljung.
If the scattered hunters came together, the Yeongwoljung hotel they had stayed at would be the most likely meeting spot.
According to Hunter rules, if there’s a dungeon that randomly sends hunters’ locations, they advise looking for the most noticeable structure or landmark.
Lighting a fire to signal one’s position is possible, but it could attract monsters, so they should refrain from it unless absolutely needed.
So far, Jinseong thought that things weren’t that bad.
Until he saw the monsters residing here.
SQUELCH!
[KEEK, YAAAAA!!!]
“What the hell!!!”
The monsters here were horrifying.
Jinseong trembled in fear as he smashed the head of a monster rushing at him, blood splattering everywhere, while its fellow monsters collapsed at his feet, limbs torn apart.
The rank of these monsters was low.
At best, C-grade, or maybe B-grade if he was lucky.
He could handle twenty of them easily on his own.
Having faced humanoid monsters countless times as a hunter, Jinseong thought they’d be no problem.
But the way they looked was too grotesque.
No, they were horrifically abnormal.
They were humanoid.
But they didn’t resemble humans at all.
Their limbs stretched bizarrely, three meters long or more, defying the laws of physics, and of course, they were naked, shambling about in a grotesque manner, instilling a visceral disgust.
One of them had a neck that extended like a giraffe or the Japanese yokai Rokurokubi, grinning like an oversized fetus while hunting for prey. Once, Jinseong mistakenly thought a withered tree was a safe spot to lean against.
But as he leaned against it, he felt it move, and when he looked up, he realized that what he had thought was a thin tree was actually the limbs of a shriveled monster.
There were also shadowy figures that seemed almost shapeless. Since entering the dungeon, there were countless types of those horrifying humanoid monsters, not a single one looking the same as the other.
‘I’ve never seen such a messed-up monster before… shit….’
Of course, he could beat them.
They moved sluggishly like zombies, so dealing with them was easy.
They seemed to have plenty of strength, but it wasn’t enough to overpower an A-grade hunter like Jinseong.
But the very existence of these creatures felt like they were gnawing away at the fragile human psyche. Each time he saw their grotesquely smiling faces, chills ran down his spine.
Even after he decapitated one and let out screams, that smiling face remained.
“Hah, hah… shit…”
Are all the other hunters in situations like mine?
If that’s the case, we’re really in deep trouble…
CLICK.
“….!”
In that moment, sensing a presence nearby, Jinseong held his breath and tightened his grip on his spear.
The presence felt stronger than anything he had sensed up till now, evoking an Anxiety creeping within him.
The asphalt road covered in the forest was dark, limiting visibility.
This Copy Dungeon was enveloped in an extreme darkness, making it impossible for any hunter not endowed with exceptional sensory abilities to distinctly detect their surroundings.
But Jinseong was an A-grade hunter.
Though he didn’t possess extraordinary sensory skills, he was an experienced hunter.
Feeling the strong presence approaching him, he hid behind a large tree.
If that thing passes by, it’s fine.
But if it notices him and comes after him, he’d have to eliminate it.
CLICK.
CLICK.
CLICK.
It stopped.
The sound of shoes walking on asphalt had ceased.
That sound halted right in front of the tree where Jinseong was hiding.
‘Is it coming? Come on. If you approach, I’ll kill you. Damn….’
In this severely limited visibility, Jinseong infused mana into his spear, ready to strike as soon as a presence appeared.
Yeah, come on, damn it. I’m an A-grade hunter. I can take out a few of those ugly ones easily.
Come on. I’m not scared of you…
Jinseong, who was trying hard to suppress his fear, suddenly felt the presence move.
PATATATATAT!
“……!!?”
As the presence that had been still suddenly accelerated, Jinseong, in a panic, pierced his spear through the tree.
CRACK!
But the spear was blocked by something.
As the tree fell due to the force of his attack, Jinseong finally saw who— or what— the presence belonged to.
It was a shadowy figure, something human-like wrapped in black mist.
But did it block my attack?
Aren’t all these bastards C or B-grade!?
“Such bullshit…..!”
“Jinseong, it’s me!!!”
“What?!”
Jinseong was taken aback by a voice he heard from somewhere.
It was the voice of Yooha, his girlfriend and an A-grade hunter who had come along for this Mutated Raid Dungeon.
“Calm down, Jinseong! This is an illusion dungeon. Both of us see each other as monsters!!”
“…What?!”
Right… In a mutated dungeon, this bewildering trick could be possible.
No, don’t be fooled.
It’s too early to relax.
Jinseong glared at the black mist figure gripping his spear, gritting his teeth.
“Name.”
“Yooha! Choi Yooha!”
“When did we first meet?”
“…Um, I don’t know…”
“You’re the real deal.”
“What? Are you distinguishing me by such trivialities!?”
It was a bit funny and sad that his girlfriend couldn’t remember the day they first met, but with that, Jinseong accepted that the black mist figure was Yooha.
If she had mentioned that day without a mistake, he would have stabbed her without hesitation.
Once Jinseong let his guard down, the black mist figure resembling Yooha took a relieved breath.
“…So the dungeon makes us see each other as monsters? Then, those I’ve defeated so far…”
“No, they are indeed real monsters.”
“Then how did you know it was me?”
“There’s no way that doltish-looking monster would be waving a spear or hiding in a tree trembling.”
“…I wasn’t trembling.”
“Don’t lie. The spear was shivering like someone with hypothermia.”
In truth, Yooha also perceived Jinseong’s spear resembling a grotesquely withered human bone.
“What do I look like?”
“Jinseong? Well… you’re completely naked.”
“…What?”
“Your vital parts are missing. Your mouth, hands, and legs are all elongated.”
Jinseong recalled the grotesquely skinny humans he had seen on his way here.
If he resembled them, he might not be a handsome man, but at least he wouldn’t fall short in looks…
“This is an illusion-type dungeon. We’re supposed to attach identification marks or signals to our team to prepare for such illusions. Didn’t you know?”
“…I forgot.”
“Turn on your identification mark now. It’s a good thing it’s me. If you had run into someone else, there might have been stabbing.”
From the start, Jinseong was not the type to strategize his way through dungeons; he was the type that pushed forward and took action.
Formulating strategies to navigate dungeons was Yooha’s role, which helped Jinseong and Yooha remain together for a long time.
CLICK, CLICK, CLICK…
“What’s that noise?”
“…..!”
At that moment, Jinseong and Yooha turned their heads toward a terrifying sound echoing from the darkness, as if something was chomping down.
“Jinseong, duck…!”
“What… wait…!”
Before Jinseong could respond, Yooha grabbed his hand and ran toward a cliff’s edge.
Not knowing what lay beneath, they didn’t jump, instead dangling precariously, holding onto each other.
“What’s going on…!”
“Shhh!!!”
Yooha covered Jinseong’s mouth and pointed slowly toward the darkness.
Jinseong cautiously lifted his head to gaze into the abyss.
bump.
BUMP.
BAP!
THUDTHUDTHUDTHUDTHUDTHUDTHUDTHUDTHUDTHUDTHUDTHUD.
“….!!!”
“…Stay quiet. It hasn’t noticed us yet…!”
It was a tentacle.
The horrific tentacle, seemingly made from human flesh, was snapping its teeth, ravenous for flesh as it devoured all nearby aberrant humanoids.
CRACK!
SNAP!
CRUNCH!
[KEEEEEE!!]
The aberrant humanoids attempted to flee from the tentacle, but the sluggish ones quickly had their limbs and spines crushed, becoming meals for the tentacle.
And at the center of the tentacle, there was an entity of indiscernible human form.
It looked both white and black.
It was a figure that resembled a human, but appeared to be burned to ash and drilled with holes, an indescribably horrifying sight.
From that human figure’s waist, five tentacles functioned as limbs, crawling along the ground and structures, horrifyingly consuming every aberrant humanoid in sight.
At the moment they saw that, Jinseong forgot to breathe and broke into a cold sweat from sheer terror.
What on earth is that?
What in the world is that?
Could it be that a fellow hunter, like Yooha, has succumbed to an illusion?
No, those tentacles have a physical form.
A physical form destroying and devouring monsters.
That something like this could erupt from a human body?
And if it’s a hunter, how could a hunter ‘rawly’ devour monsters?
It was nonsensical. This was definitely not an illusion of scattered comrades or merely an illusion.
This creature was unquestionably something real within this dungeon!
“…that thing seems to be the dungeon boss….”
“………”
At Yooha’s whisper, Jinseong nodded.
He felt it instantly.
The two of them could never defeat that creature.
