Ch.35Rescue Operation Is Dangerous (6)

The ten hunters trapped in the dungeon abandoned their immediate assault plan and spent a day analyzing the maze.

“Fortunately, we’ve gathered quite a bit of information from our trial and error.”

“…I can see some patterns now. This certainly isn’t a labyrinth that can’t be overcome with the proper approach.”

If they could just find the correct path, they would surely be able to proceed further.

“The problem is the monsters that keep appearing.”

“Honestly, haven’t we killed over a hundred of them already?”

“It’s clear they’re being replenished periodically from somewhere.”

There was no way a mere C3-rank medium dungeon would contain over 100 monsters.

To break through the maze, they first needed to solve that issue.

“…But we don’t really have any options, do we?”

The eldest of the group, flame mage Park Younggil, said.

“Don’t talk nonsense. We’ll find a way if we keep pushing forward.”

“You can’t just say that so easily! If there really is a plant monster, we’ll definitely die with our current strength.”

In the end, nothing had been resolved.

The problems before them truly seemed endless.

“Damn it all.”

Though crude, the curse honestly reflected everyone’s feelings.

Whichever method they chose carried extreme risk.

In the end, they were left with just two choices: risk their lives on a special assault, or quietly deplete their rations while waiting for a backup team they weren’t even sure would come.

“No backup team is coming. As I said before, there’s no more talent left in C-rank.”

Everyone nodded at those words. However, only Kim Seungmin and Seo Yuna remained silent with subtle expressions.

After a brief pause, Kim Seungmin began.

“There is one talented person.”

“What?”

“Probably the most skilled among all current C-rankers, if we’re talking about ability alone.”

“What are you saying? There’s someone like that?”

Faced with his puzzled colleagues, Kim Seungmin added a brief explanation. Upon hearing it, Park Younggil let out an exclamation.

“Huh, if that’s true, it’s impressive. And you say you’re acquainted with her? Then there’s a decent chance a backup team might come, isn’t there?”

At those words, Kim Seungmin’s expression hardened before he reluctantly spoke.

“But there’s a problem.”

“What is it?”

“She has anthropophobia, making group activities difficult for her.”

“Huh?”

“…Simply put, she can’t get along with people.”

Park Younggil tilted his head, wondering if he’d heard correctly. Seeing this, Kim Seungmin continued.

“She probably won’t come. Last I heard, even a two-person party was her limit.”

“Damn it all, what kind of hunter is that? Just a shut-in recluse.”

The conversation returned to square one.

During the heavy silence that followed, Seo Yuna finally spoke up.

“Let’s go.”

At those words, everyone’s attention focused on her.

“We all know it. No backup team is coming.”

“……”

“We can’t just wait here to die without doing anything.”

That much was true. It would be absurd for the cream of C-rank hunters to perish so pathetically.

Fortunately, Yu Haeun, who had been the only injured member, was now able to move.

Determination began to fill the eyes of all the hunters present once again.

“Yeah, screw it. Let’s give it a shot.”

“Endless discussions won’t change anything.”

“We should at least make an attempt while we’re still in good shape.”

Finally, they reached a decision.

The hunters prepared for a special assault, shouldering all the risks.

That’s when the unexpected happened.

“S-something strange is happening!”

Baek Seungho, one of the initial survivors who had volunteered to keep watch, came running in breathlessly to report an anomaly in the dungeon.

“The monsters, they’re all heading somewhere!”

“What did you say?”

When they checked, Baek Seungho’s words proved true. As if someone had disturbed a beehive, the monsters that had been wandering the corridors were gathering and moving together.

And they were heading in the opposite direction from where the group intended to go.

“This might be our chance.”

Everyone agreed.

The ten hunters immediately prepared themselves and set off to find the boss room.

And finally, they managed to break through the infuriating maze and discover the boss room.

“Great! Doesn’t this mean we’re almost done?”

“I feel like I’ve aged ten years. I never thought such luck would come our way…”

With the corridor monsters reduced to less than a third, the group was able to explore the end of the maze almost without interference.

“Ha, who would have thought things would turn out like this.”

“Doesn’t this mean heaven hasn’t abandoned us yet?”

Even the usually composed Park Younggil couldn’t hide his excitement as he made a joke.

Without delay, the group opened the door to the boss room.

And there, they faced despair.

#

“Undead call.”

We headed straight for the boss room while dealing with the oncoming monsters.

Whoosh,

Crack.

Crackle.

I raised monster corpses, engaged in battle, and then replaced damaged ones with new corpses.

Though somewhat inefficient, we were able to forge ahead by choosing the fastest route and minimizing engagements.

“Huff, huff! Is the boss room still far away?”

“…We’re almost there.”

True to those words, the entrance to the boss room was visible right ahead.

[Kieek!]

[Kishak!]

Yoon Sola, Jeon Intaek, and I ignored the pursuing monsters and immediately opened the door to the boss room.

Clank.

Thud.

And then we faced it.

For some reason, the advance team was standing in a circle, bleeding and pointing weapons at each other.

“Huff. Pant. A-are you the rescue team that entered the dungeon first?”

The advance team was equally surprised. They looked at us with distrustful eyes and said:

“…Shit, who are you guys now?”

“We’re the backup team! We came with supplies to join you and hold out until the break period, but somehow things have turned out like this.”

“Backup team? There really was a backup team?”

But the joyful reunion was brief. The man soon twisted his expression and shouted at us:

“Stay together where you are! Don’t separate under any circumstances!”

“…Why not?”

To Yoon Sola’s question, the man gritted his teeth as if swallowing his anger and said:

“It’s among us! A monster wearing human skin!”

“W-what do you mean…?”

Whoosh.

“It’s coming! Old man, don’t let the fire go out!”

Suddenly, the boss room was engulfed in darkness.

The only thing illuminating the area was the fireball conjured by the elderly hunter.

After a tense moment, the light returned.

Whoosh.

“…It’s been like this. A monster, presumed to be the dungeon boss, infiltrates our group whenever visibility is lost.”

“S-so, one of you is a monster?”

At Yoon Sola’s words, Kim Seungmin nodded grimly.

“We’ve already had two casualties. Considering someone the boss is impersonating, you could say three.”

Now that I looked, there were considerable bloodstains scattered around, though no bodies. They must belong to those already killed.

The man who first spoke to us opened his mouth again.

“We need to protect the old man! If our visibility is completely lost, we’re done for. The creature is strong enough to kill one of us instantly and hide its form.”

So the flame mage, the elderly man, was the group’s lifeline.

I trembled with shock as I heard the situation.

‘Kim Seungmin can’t die…’

Or perhaps he was already dead.

But there was nothing I could do right now.

With so many people gathered, just looking at them made my head spin.

‘…And I’ve already used the ring.’

I was just a bystander now.

The fact that I hadn’t uttered a single word since earlier proved it.

Amidst all this, I sensed something strange.

‘…This is odd.’

Gathering my courage to slowly scan the people in the boss room, my stomach immediately turned and my head began to throb.

Yet, there was one person. Someone who didn’t cause me discomfort when I made direct eye contact.

I carefully recalled my past memories.

Those who had been exempt from my side effects.

My sister Seoha, the returner Baek Hamin, and various non-human insects and animals.

Excluding them, only one target remained.

Dungeon monsters.

‘They said there were no returners in C-rank.’

If so, this was quite suspicious.

I nervously moved among the hunters to confirm.

“Hey! I said don’t come closer, it’s dangerous!”

Though still at some distance, I could discern more clearly than before.

Indeed, there was one person who caused no reaction when I made eye contact.

That person was the old man who had been conjuring fireballs among the group all along.

‘……’

The moment I looked at the old man, I was certain he was the monster. No persuasion was needed. No one would believe such a ridiculous basis anyway.

Whoosh!

Thud!

Splash!

Without warning, I threw my sword, impaling it between the old man’s eyes.

The old man collapsed to the floor, bleeding profusely, and the hunters were shocked by this sudden action.

“Y-you crazy—!”

“What are you doing?!”

“T-that guy! Is he the monster?”

But we three from the backup team had come from outside after the hunters encountered the boss.

We hadn’t let our guard down even when the lights went out just now, so that possibility was almost nonexistent.

The hunters were speechless, caught in cognitive dissonance.

“What the hell! What’s going on? Why did you kill the old man?”

“…C-culprit.”

At my barely uttered words, the hunters looked at the fallen old man and each spoke up.

“Park is the monster?”

“I-I didn’t notice anything suspicious at all…”

“How can you be sure?”

I had no real evidence. I simply trusted my own judgment.

‘Now that its identity is exposed, there should be a reaction soon.’

After waiting about a minute, the fallen old man didn’t move at all.

The hunters’ hostile gazes gradually began to focus on me.

This can’t be right?

“He’s not the one! What are we going to do now?! The old man was the only one who could light up the area!”

“What were you thinking? If we get out of here alive, I’m reporting you to the Association first!”

As the atmosphere grew increasingly heated, some of the advance team hunters had already drawn their weapons and were glaring at me.

Unable to withstand those gazes, I stepped back and immediately cast a spell.

“U-undead call.”

Whoosh.

Splash!

[Grrrk.]

Surprised by the sudden appearance of a skeleton masher, the hunters began to back away from me.

“So you’ve shown your true colors!”

“How did you switch bodies in such a short time?”

And in that gap, I quickly commanded one of the skeleton mashers.

“A-attack.”

Whoosh!

Crack!

Watching the masher swing its weapon down on the old man’s corpse, the hunters were shocked.

“T-this is crazy.”

“How could this…!”

But soon, they had to freeze their expressions for an entirely different reason than before.

“……”

The old man, who was surely thought to be dead, was somehow blocking the masher’s attack with one hand, his eyes wide open and glowing blue.

Crack.

Crack crack.

Twisting his head grotesquely as if stretching, the old man changed his expression in an instant and spoke.

“…How did you know?”

It was the moment when the boss of the C3-rank special dungeon finally revealed its true form.