Ch.32Rescue Operation Is Dangerous (3)

“Boom!”

【You have been defeated!】

“…team difference.”

After Kim Seungmin disappeared, my ranked game performance hadn’t been great.

Though my score was gradually improving thanks to various efforts, compared to when I duoed with Kim Seungmin, it was literally the difference between heaven and earth.

I suppose a Challenger is a Challenger after all. Today especially, I found myself missing Kim Seungmin more than usual.

“Maybe I should stop playing.”

As I was uncharacteristically closing the game, a message arrived from Song Hayeon.

Ding.

[Um, Master? The Association is asking if you could take their call…]

“Huh?”

【7 Missed Calls】

The subsequent contact from the Association contained rather shocking information.

“So, um. Everyone is trapped in a dungeon…”

[That’s correct. The Association believes that without additional measures, there’s a high possibility they’ll all die from food shortage.]

“The number of people is clearly…”

[Two initial missing persons, plus eight rescue team members, for a total of ten people. Losing them would be an enormous national loss.]

After hearing the man, Seo Injae’s words, I hesitated and fell into contemplation.

T-ten people is too many.

[I fully understand this is a difficult request, but considering the gravity of the situation, I ask that you please consider cooperating.]

Going to help wasn’t particularly problematic. Even if it was a special dungeon, it would be at most C-rank. It wouldn’t pose much of a threat to me now anyway.

But joining up with ten people and filming a survival show until the break period was a task with too high a difficulty level for me.

“It, it might be difficult…”

After hearing my words of refusal, Seo Injae remained silent for a moment before continuing.

“…Kim Seungmin and Seo Yuna, who were acquainted with Baek Eunha, are also part of that rescue team.”

No wonder I hadn’t heard from him for a while. It seemed Kim Seungmin was also included in the stranded rescue team. I quickly processed the situation.

‘I can’t lose Kim Seungmin…’

Honestly, I didn’t care about the others, but if Kim Seungmin was involved, that was a completely different story.

‘I need to improve my score…’

A Challenger ranked in the double digits. I couldn’t find a duo partner with skills like Kim Seungmin anywhere else.

Even if I tried to find a new partner, my poor communication skills made the prospect seem hopeless.

‘Rank 87…’

In terms of ranking, a talent that fewer than a hundred people in the world possess.

His importance was essentially on the same level as an S-rank hunter.

If such talent were lost over something like this, it would indeed be a tremendous loss for humanity.

“I-I’ll do it.”

My score is precious.

For the sake of reaching Challenger, a life goal I must eventually achieve, I accepted the Association’s emergency request.

#

Deep within the C3-rank special dungeon with level restrictions.

“Damn it all!”

Lee Yunjae, who was serving as the dealer among the eight-person rescue team, lamented.

“What kind of twisted structure is this place?”

As Yunjae said, this dungeon was brutal in many ways. They had barely managed to find and join up with the two missing persons, but the situation wasn’t favorable.

“…Still no progress.”

“I’ve never heard of a dungeon like this. It’s so frustrating.”

True to its name as a special dungeon, this place was full of unexpected obstacles. Because of that, the party still hadn’t even reached the entrance to the boss room on their fourth day.

Amidst the complaints, Choi Hayoon, the healer managing the team’s supplies, spoke up.

“The situation is quite dangerous. Everyone’s getting tired, and we only have about four days’ worth of food left. I don’t know if it’s enough to aim for a break, let alone clearing the dungeon.”

That was the reality the party was facing.

Four days. If they couldn’t find a way out somehow within that time, a terrible future would surely await them.

“What’s the point of worrying? If we can’t break through this maze, nothing else matters.”

This place was literally a maze.

They couldn’t figure out its structure, and for some unknown reason, new monsters kept appearing to attack them.

Even when using skills to detect the terrain or leaving markers as they moved, they ended up going in circles. Meanwhile, the constant battles only led to severe depletion of their strength and supplies.

“…There might be a plant somewhere.”

Kim Seungmin spoke after deep contemplation. Although plants had never been discovered in dungeons below B-rank until now, given the peculiarity of this place, that possibility couldn’t be ruled out.

A gloom settled over the party’s expressions.

“Additional reinforcements would be difficult, right?”

In response to the question from Seo Yuna, the assassin who had previously formed a temporary party with Kim Seungmin and Baek Eunha, a curt answer came back.

“If even a force like ours got isolated, who would be willing to come after hearing that news? C-rank is full of nothing but cowards.”

“I don’t mean to be negative, but I agree that reinforcements would be difficult. The Association is probably already preparing for the break, assuming the worst-case scenario.”

The situation became more bleak the more they discussed it.

In the end, their only way out was to break through the labyrinth on their own and clear the dungeon.

Silence fell among the party, and then a young man who had kept his mouth shut until then spoke up.

“I’m sorry. Because of us, even you all…”

“…Don’t say that. Who could have known things would turn out this way?”

Baek Seungho, one of the two hunters who had first been trapped in the dungeon, bit his lip hard and sighed.

He couldn’t even properly participate in battles as he was nursing the wounds of his colleague, Yu Haeun. Naturally, he couldn’t help feeling uncomfortable.

Baek Seungho looked up at the dim ceiling of the dungeon and prayed desperately.

‘Please, please…’

Anyone would do—he begged for someone to save them from this predicament.

#

“…I’m still against it.”

Naturally, after hearing the whole story, Seoha opposed the Association’s plan.

“It sounds easy, but it’s a high-risk plan. Even with support, the burden on you is too great.”

She was right, actually. Judging by the difficulty of the operation alone, it was definitely not something that should be entrusted to a mere C-rank hunter.

“…Besides, having additional people with you would be a minus for you.”

I couldn’t deny it. Given my characteristics, such group activities weren’t my forte. Though my opposition wasn’t as strong as expected, Seoha seemed to be bothered by this aspect.

But I had to go.

I couldn’t lose Kim Seungmin here. So I decided to play my trump card.

“…Two of my friends are trapped in there.”

“What?”

“That friend Kim Seungmin I met before…”

At those words, Seoha’s face filled with confusion.

After fidgeting for a while, Seoha sighed deeply as if frustrated by the situation.

“And I can’t go myself…”

The deliberation wasn’t long. Though her face was still full of worry, Seoha ultimately had no choice but to give the okay.

“You really need to be careful, okay? If it seems dangerous, just hide with the supplies and wait until the break, understand? I’ll be waiting outside the dungeon.”

“Don’t worry. It seems everyone inside is still alive, and there shouldn’t be any particularly strong monsters.”

Seoha nodded with a gloomy face.

Then she told me to wait a moment and hurriedly left the house.

Ding-a-ling.

Click.

Seoha returned almost an hour later.

“Your level was 19, right? Then this, and this…”

“…What’s all this?”

“I brought them from the guild storage. Take this too. It’s a bracelet with an enhancement spell.”

They were artifacts that each looked extremely expensive. In fact, I’m pretty sure I’d seen that bracelet worn by one of Seoha’s colleagues before.

“…You didn’t steal them, did you?”

“I-I borrowed them. Voluntarily.”

Though somewhat suspicious, I accepted and packed the ones that seemed useful. It was truly time to take action now.

“Thank you sincerely for your difficult decision. Please come this way.”

And so, with the Association’s help, I completed the preparations for the plan.

Supplies to deliver to the stranded people, high-grade equipment provided by the Association, and even companions specialized in monster deterrence and exploration.

“I’m Jeon Intaek. I can use my skills to dig traps or create obstacles to block monster approaches.”

“I’m Yoon Sola. I can increase mobility and hold back enemies with wind magic.”

Among the two unfamiliar figures, I spotted one somewhat familiar face. A grumpy voice immediately shot out.

“Tch. This is the only time I’m cooperating.”

It was Choi Seongcheol.

Given his excellent tanking ability, it seemed they had recruited him to serve as the team’s vanguard.

Before the Association could say anything, I immediately spoke up.

“Um, just the three of us will go.”

“Pardon? But…”

“Th-three is just right.”

“However, to safely rendezvous with the main team…”

“…If he doesn’t leave, I won’t go.”

In the end, the Association had no choice but to coax and persuade Choi Seongcheol to go home.

Watching Choi Seongcheol leave with an incredulous face, I smirked and muttered.

‘…What a loser.’

The price for daring to challenge the great Lord of Death was steep. Extremely so.