Ch.7Home Outside Is Dangerous (4)

Near a shopping district in Yeonsinnae, a crowd gathered in front of an unidentified portal.

“Has a B-rank Hunter been dispatched yet?”

“We’re running out of time! When are we going in?”

“Look, let’s be honest. Do you think anyone who went inside is still alive? If we go in with insufficient forces and take casualties, will you take responsibility?”

It had been about two hours since the dungeon appeared.

The situation was looking grim for the civilians who had been caught inside.

In the midst of this, a middle-aged man voiced what everyone had been reluctant to say.

Their arguments were heated, but the conclusion remained largely the same.

The woman who had been advocating for entry bit her lip hard, and the young man who had been mediating the situation let out a sigh.

Honestly, even they doubted that people trapped inside a B4-rank dungeon could still be safe.

As silence enveloped the crowd, a woman came running in, breathing heavily.

“…Has a rescue team been formed?”

“Who are you? This area is restricted—”

“I asked if a team has been formed.”

Faced with Baek Seoha’s firm question, the young man had no choice but to answer.

“As you can see, not yet.”

“…”

Upon hearing this, Baek Seoha immediately strode toward the dungeon entrance, toward the portal.

“Hey! What do you think you’re doing?”

“Damn it, we’ve got troublemakers from all directions. I told you we don’t have enough manpower!”

The Hunters rushed to block her path, but when Baek Seoha raised her head, they all fell silent at the look in her eyes.

Raw emotion was clearly visible in her gaze, as if she would tear apart anyone who stood in her way.

“Uh, uhh…”

While everyone stood frozen, Baek Seoha entered the dungeon alone without hesitation.

A moment later, murmurs began to spread.

“Wasn’t that just Baek Seoha?”

“Oh! You’re right! I saw her from a distance when I visited the Cheongbaek Guild.”

“An A-rank Hunter came to help?”

“Should we follow her in?”

Amid the commotion, the middle-aged man spoke with confusion.

“What nonsense is this? Cheongbaek Guild’s 1st Attack Team should still be in another dungeon.”

“Huh? Now that you mention it…”

Though they couldn’t reach a conclusion, everyone present felt it.

Clearly, something unusual was happening.

#

The Halloween Knight was one of the original undead I frequently used in the other world.

Though not a high-tier undead, it boasted simple yet excellent performance in close combat.

Crack!

Snap—!

“Kehek!”

Under the Halloween Knight’s might, the Devourer and Revenant with only their torsos remaining were being utterly demolished.

Crack!

Crunch!

Crackle!

The two remaining Skeleton Archers tried desperately to provide support, but each received a single blow that split their skulls.

Though the situation was clearly positive, I maintained a serious expression.

I was keenly aware of the problem that would soon arise.

‘This won’t last much longer.’

Thankfully we had escaped immediate danger, but this undead was created using the death energy borrowed from Song Hayeon, who was at best a novice necromancer.

Naturally, its duration couldn’t be good.

It was already miraculous that it performed this well.

‘Taking down the Giant is obviously impossible…’

Even conserving power as much as possible, I could handle at most two more Devourer-level undead.

I had only brought one magic stone, so repeating the same feat was impossible.

In other words, if a rescue team didn’t arrive soon, we were truly dead.

After calmly assessing the facts, I closed my eyes and remained silent. Prayer was all I could do now.

‘…’

Just as I was about to send a plea to Serejia, who had been known as the Goddess of Harmony in the other world, I sensed multiple presences outside the passage again.

Gik.

Gigik.

Not a rescue team, but undead.

I cried out in my heart with rising betrayal.

Serejia! How could you!

Soon, new undead appeared, and the girl beside me looked at me with a face that held both despair and hope.

In response, I avoided her gaze and mumbled awkwardly.

“W-we might die here…”

“…”

In that brief moment, the light of hope vanished from the girl’s eyes.

And then, a new hope appeared.

BOOM—!

“Is anyone there? Answer me!”

A voice echoed from somewhere beyond the passage.

Though the appearance was unexpected, I easily recognized the voice’s owner. It was Seoha.

I had expected her to still be in the dungeon she was clearing, but it seemed she had completed it faster than I anticipated.

“Hic. We’re here! Over here!”

The girl, sensing a rescue team, urgently began calling for help, and the violent sounds of battle grew closer.

BOOM!

Crack!

As we waited with bated breath, we saw the Skeleton Giant guarding the outer passage have its limbs destroyed and scattered into pieces.

Watching that scene, I returned the Halloween Knight, which was barely within its expiration date, back to ashes.

Somehow, it seemed we had survived.

#

【Spear Master Baek Seoha Successfully Rescues 2 Civilians Trapped in B4-Rank Dungeon.】

【A Hunter’s Example, Noblesse Oblige.】

【Rushed Immediately After Completing B3-Rank Dungeon Raid.】

Later investigation confirmed that the dungeon that appeared in the basement of a Yeonsinnae shopping complex was classified as B4-rank.

And the boss was Kobold Bane.

A kobold that had lived for many years, transformed into a monster that was essentially a lower-tier version of a lich.

【Disaster Safety Management Headquarters Re-emphasizes Importance of Early Dungeon Seed Detection.】

While there was mourning for the victims who couldn’t be saved, the internet was in complete uproar.

– Wow, how did they survive in a B-rank? Such incredible luck.

– I heard this is the first case of civilians being rescued from a B-rank or higher dungeon. Even foreign media is going crazy lol

– But seriously, Baek Seoha is insane. Word is spreading that she basically cleared it solo.

– For real. A 2-year awakened taking down a B-rank dungeon solo? That’s just national pride manufacturing.

Even ordinary people who had only heard fragments of the situation had such reactions.

Among high-ranking officials more directly involved in the incident, Baek Seoha became an even hotter topic of discussion.

“She essentially defeated two B-rank bosses solo. And in just one day.”

Somewhere in Seoul.

In a meeting room where various influential figures from across South Korea had gathered, heated discussions about her continued.

“Moreover, the Puppet Spider is known to be one of the more challenging bosses even among B-ranks.”

“With her abilities, wouldn’t she reach S-rank before long?”

S-rank.

The meaning carried by that term was far from simple.

In the current era, there was even a saying that S-rank Hunters represented national power.

“…At this rate after just 2 years, the possibility is high.”

Currently, South Korea had three S-rank Hunters.

‘Magician’ Seo Min-ah, ‘Diamond’ Choi Ha-min, and Lee Ji-cheol, known as a tyrant in both good and bad ways.

Considering the population, this was by no means a small number, but honestly speaking, it was far from enough to protect an entire country.

“You all remember what happened in Hungary, don’t you?”

Hungary, which mobilized its only S-rank Hunter, Gerzher, and dozens of A-rank Hunters against an S4-rank dungeon.

However, they failed to clear the dungeon, lost all their national power, and to this day rely on major powers for support.

There was no guarantee that the same couldn’t happen to Korea.

“If only Chae Hwa-in were still alive…”

In fact, Korea originally had one more S-rank Hunter.

Or more accurately, she was originally the only one.

She, Chae Hwa-in, was the first generation’s greatest Hunter, the first in the world to be recognized with the S-rank title.

But she’s gone now.

In an era when dungeon rankings weren’t even clearly defined, she was semi-forcibly sent to support an S-rank dungeon raid in the United States, where she lost her life.

“…It still makes my teeth grind.”

There are still many theories about that incident.

That the United States, threatened by Chae Hwa-in’s power, conspired against her, or that they sacrificed her, a foreigner, in a crisis. Outlandish claims, but not ones that could be completely denied.

The devastating feeling of yielding to pressure, sending their national hero abroad, only to receive her cold corpse in return, was indescribable.

“The loss was immense in many ways. Tremendously so.”

Her remains are still enshrined in a corner of Seoul Memorial Park.

Perhaps she might still be lingering there, unable to find peace.

“Anyway, this is a critical time. Though I don’t think it will happen given her family includes a returnee, please keep a close eye on other countries’ movements to poach talent.”

With those final words, everyone at the meeting returned to their positions.

#

After the dungeon incident, I was back at home, buried under blankets and immersed in the internet.

【Dungeon Accident Survivor Ms. Lee: “I Don’t Remember Much About What Happened Inside, It Was Just a Series of Desperate Moments.”】

【Expert Yoo Hae-man: “The Dungeon Structure Was Unusual. That’s Why the Survivors Were Able to Hide.”】

Ego-searching, isn’t that what they call it?

Checking public reactions to an incident you experienced was surprisingly quite fun.

“The final spell seems to have worked well too…”

I crushed the magic stone I brought in the Devourer’s mouth, but with a fragment I had set aside, I cast a confusion spell on the girl who was with me just before the rescue.

Because of that, while she remembers fleeing with me, she probably can’t recall the specific details.

– Is there anyone who doesn’t support Baek Seoha yet? Traitors?

– Baek Seoha! Baek Seoha! Baek Seoha! Baek Seoha!

– A ray of light among the superficial third-generation…

I knew it already, but browsing through communities like this, Seoha’s popularity was even greater than I thought.

Even at a glance, the response was greater than that for sports stars or musicians.

– She’s still just A-rank. Can’t compare to Shin Yu-ha or Choi Ha-min. No matter how much you hype her up, it won’t happen.

┗ Their careers aren’t even comparable? She’ll surpass them in a year!

Tap tap tap tap tap.

Occasionally when opinions formed that criticized Seoha, I would diligently type out rebuttals.

Knock knock.

As I was idly passing time like this, I heard a careful knock on my door. It was Seoha.

“Oppa, want to go for a walk today? Staying in your room all the time isn’t good for your health…”

After the dungeon incident, Seoha had become increasingly concerned about my deteriorating health while also worrying if I might have been traumatized.

Thanks to that, I was taking full advantage to indulge in my laziness.

“…Can we go next time?”

“Ah, okay. I understand.”

Her dejected voice made me feel solemn, but it couldn’t be helped. I had to achieve my failed Grandmaster promotion series today.

‘I can’t resist a 2-0 lead.’

Just one more win for promotion. The probability was essentially 100%.

This was my third promotion series now; it was about time I succeeded.

Poof!

[Defeat.]

[Defeat.]

[Defeat.]

Thud! Thud! Thud!

THUD!

I turned off the computer and mercilessly pounded my blanket.