Descent into the Ant Ghost's Pit
Silver icicles gleamed as they shot straight toward Killrita. Contrary to everyone's expectations of the monster collapsing with one pierced through, the Icicle Bolt passed clean through Killrita and hurtled into the darkness behind it.
Killrita had astonishingly slipped right past the Pink Team and vanished.
Boom! Boom!
Explosions echoed from the direction Killrita had charged in.
A flash of light briefly illuminated the darkness.
Kim Jun bolted forward. The rest of the team followed right behind him.
"You okay?"
Yoo Min-jeong was bleeding from an icicle embedded in her side.
"Ugh, yeah. What the hell happened?"
She touched the Icicle Bolt, staring at Kim Jun in utter disbelief.
Kim Jun caught her as she slumped over.
Choi Muhyun, Yeom Sang-taek, and Skyla rushed up. Skyla spotted the icicle lodged in Yoo Min-jeong's waist. Realizing what she'd done, her hands began to tremble.
Kim Jun pulled the Legion from Yoo Min-jeong's belt and tossed it to Yeom Sang-taek.
"Tell me where the gate is."
"...Okay."
Yeom Sang-taek immediately infused mana into the Legion.
"Muhyun, help me out."
"How?"
"Gonna pull out the Icicle Bolt. Hold the team leader steady so she doesn't thrash."
"Got it."
Choi Muhyun gripped Yoo Min-jeong's shoulders.
Even through his leather gloves, the chill seeped in as he grasped the icicle. Skyla's handiwork was no joke.
Kim Jun glanced at Skyla.
She stared blankly at Yoo Min-jeong and the icicle in her side.
"Skyla!"
"Huh, what?"
"Freeze anything that gets close."
"Right."
Skyla finally tore her eyes away from Yoo Min-jeong.
Kim Jun shot Choi Muhyun a look, then yanked the icicle out in one swift motion. No blood flowed at first—the edges had been frozen solid.
As the cold faded, blood started oozing out.
Yoo Min-jeong writhed in agony, but Choi Muhyun pinned her down with all his strength.
Kim Jun inspected the wound and called out to Yeom Sang-taek, briefing him on what needed to be done.
"I can't."
"You wanna let the team leader die?"
"......"
Yeom Sang-taek's eyes wavered.
"Skyla's an ice dealer. She can't whip up enough fire. You're it."
Kim Jun gripped Yeom Sang-taek's shoulder tight, locking eyes with him.
"Fine."
Yeom Sang-taek gathered his mana, conjuring a flame.
It flickered out several times before finally stabilizing into a small but steady blaze.
With Kim Jun and Choi Muhyun holding Yoo Min-jeong steady, Yeom Sang-taek cauterized the wound on her side. The stench of burning flesh spread, drawing roars from all directions.
Yeom Sang-taek sweated bullets but got it done.
It hadn't taken long, but monster presences were closing in. Not just Ulpensauruses—Harensauruses too, swarming nearby.
"Muhyun."
Kim Jun said.
Choi Muhyun instantly threw up a barrier. Dozens of monsters soon prowled just outside it.
"Should I attack?"
Skyla asked.
"No, hold off."
Kim Jun tore strips from his clothes to bandage the wound, then coolly assessed their situation.
They've smelled the blood, so they won't back off easy. First, we push toward that pillar of light. One step at a time. Skyla and I can thin them out gradually while we move.
With Choi Muhyun's help, he hoisted Yoo Min-jeong onto his back and secured her tightly. It was a makeshift fix, though—too rough a run and the bleeding would start again.
Yoo Min-jeong stirred awake.
"You okay?"
Choi Muhyun asked.
"Feels like I'm dying from the pain."
She realized she was piggybacked on Kim Jun and quickly changed the subject.
"What happened? It was definitely an Icicle Bolt that hit me. I blocked two of them."
Choi Muhyun explained: Killrita had been an illusion, circling them to lure them in.
Yoo Min-jeong's face twisted.
Guess it's my fault again.
She felt a strange sense of relief.
How many times has this happened? Even after appointing Kim Jun as advisor, I ignored his warning. I'm too damn greedy...
Yoo Min-jeong gazed quietly at Kim Jun's back.
A carrier—always silently reliable, watching over them. She'd once chalked it up to his role. But now his skills matched anyone here, and yet he hadn't changed. Team first, always.
She spoke softly.
"Kim Jun."
"Yeah?"
"Take over as team leader."
"Huh?"
Kim Jun thought he'd misheard.
Team leader? A carrier? Sure, he was a client of Yeon Un-jae and Choi Min-su, but he hadn't even passed the awakening test yet.
"What're you talking about?"
Choi Muhyun answered.
"I'm all for it."
"Me too."
Yeom Sang-taek wiped sweat from his brow with his sleeve and nodded.
Skyla stepped up, took the Legion from Yeom Sang-taek, and held it out to Kim Jun.
"Count me in. Oh, don't get me wrong—this came up before with the team leader. That's why I'm agreeing. Even if they trust you, if she hadn't thought of it first, I wouldn't buy it. But since she did... Here, take it. You've earned it."
Kim Jun stared at Yoo Min-jeong. You really want this?
"I wanna get out alive, y'know."
She cracked a joke.
"And keep living a long, long time."
Kim Jun smiled and took the Legion. A thrill raced from his toes to the top of his head.
Team leader? Me? Just a carrier?
"Uh, can I change the team name?"
"No way!"
Yoo Min-jeong yelled.
"Damn."
Kim Jun quipped. Despite the dire straits, laughter rippled through the team.
"Alright, team leader. What's the plan?"
Choi Muhyun asked.
Kim Jun peered past the barrier.
The monster numbers had swelled. Ulpensauruses and Harensauruses even clashed among themselves. At least forty in sight.
Lots of them, but no fusion. That changes things...
He outlined the strategy: Drop the barrier for a quick attack and reposition, raise it again, counterattack, repeat while advancing.
The team tensed at the precision but confirmed they'd follow through.
"Alright, Muhyun. You know your role's key."
Choi Muhyun nodded.
"Leave it to me."
Then the ground trembled faintly.
Kim Jun frowned. He'd felt a similar shake checking footprints earlier. This one was stronger.
He dropped flat and pressed his ear to the floor.
"What's up?"
Yeom Sang-taek asked uneasily.
"Shit!"
Kim Jun's face twisted. Choi Muhyun and Skyla stared at him in alarm. He shouted at the team.
"Brace for impact!"
The ground collapsed beneath them all at once.
Jang Geon-ho's eyes lit up as he scanned ahead.
"Tanker."
"What?"
At the tanker's gruff, condescending tone, Jang Geon-ho glanced back briefly.
Thinks I'm a kid, huh? Well, yeah—no normal grandma would stick me with this crew.
Ditching even that faint hope, Jang Geon-ho issued orders.
"Protect the team here."
No response.
Shin Jong-su yawned lazily.
Jang Geon-ho sighed and charged into the darkness alone. He floated a light orb overhead to pierce the gloom. About twenty-five meters ahead, monsters approached.
Small ones—two Harensauruses.
Metal arrows launched from each hand.
A groan came only from the left. The right shot had missed.
Jang Geon-ho instantly extended Metal Spear. Mana stretched into a long spear form. Spotting the charging Harensaurus, he thrust it forward precisely.
The beast impaled itself, neck pierced.
He snapped its neck to finish it, then dragged both back to the team.
Expecting the tanker to be shielding them, Jang Geon-ho was speechless.
The tanker who should have been guarding the team was rolling around with a single Ulpensaurus. It looked almost like he was playing with a big pet dog.
Only when his shoulder and arm were clawed bloody did the tanker snap the Ulpensaurus's leg and wrench its neck.
Panting as he stood, Shin Jong-su grinned at Jang Geon-ho. He seemed ridiculously proud of taking down a monster like a dealer.
Dealer Yoon Hye-jeong cowered behind the others, trembling.
The buffer stood with hands in his pockets, watching Shin Jong-su and Yoon Hye-jeong.
What a mess.
The carrier was even worse off.
He'd grabbed a digger and was fighting a Harensaurus. He'd nearly died bitten several times but dodged vitals. Still, bite marks scarred his arms and legs.
What's his deal?
Jang Geon-ho sniped the Harensaurus aiming for Hwang Myeong-su's throat with a metal arrow.
"Carrier, grab the cores."
Hwang Myeong-su was nearly a decade older, but Jang Geon-ho couldn't care less about politeness right now. One more spark and he might blast a teammate instead of a monster.
Hwang Myeong-su dug into the Ulpensaurus torso Jang Geon-ho had dragged, but after over thirty minutes, no core.
Jang Geon-ho finally extracted it himself, then harvested the rest and stuffed them into the storeback.
He judged they couldn't raid like this.
"Listen up. I get you're pissed about the situation—same here. I only learned yesterday I was team leader. What about you guys?"
They were quiet, but not exactly attentive.
Just humoring the kid's speech.
Jang Geon-ho sighed and pressed on.
"I made a bet with Grandma. Roulette Team brings out pricier cores than Uramata's Pink. Win, I win; fail, I lose. You guys?"
"Same bet here."
The tanker spoke up.
"Me too."
"Ditto, but?"
Buffer and carrier agreed. Jang Geon-ho eyed the mute dealer; she nodded.
"Good. Penalties on loss are steep, right? Grandma keeps her word—you know that. Mine's bad, but yours probably are too. So how about this? For the team? Nah—fill your storebacks for you. That's how we win this damn bet."
Team members exchanged looks.
"Cocky kid, but yeah—can't lose the bet."
Tanker Shin Jong-su.
"Don't wanna lose either."
Buffer agreed.
Dealer Yoon Hye-jeong nodded tightly, lips sealed.
Carrier Hwang Myeong-su whooped like an excited warrior, digger in hand.
Wanna run so bad.
Jang Geon-ho forced a grin at his team. Cores first, for now.
Kim Jun climbed over the rubble heap, first checking Yoo Min-jeong on his back.
She'd just passed out; the bandage held up decently. If the wound had reopened, it'd be soaked red.
"Choi Muhyun!"
He started searching for the team.
"Yeom Sang-taek! Skyla!"
A groan came from nearby soon after, followed by a light orb rising into the air.
Caked in dirt but emerging steadily from between rocks, Yeom Sang-taek looked fine.
"Min-jeong's with me. I'll scout for the others."
"Yeah."
Handing Yoo Min-jeong off to Yeom Sang-taek, Kim Jun widened his search.
About fifteen meters away, Choi Muhyun lay unconscious. Blood trickled from his head, but it wasn't severe. Kim Jun shook him, then slapped his cheek. He jolted awake.
"Ow! Scared the shit outta me. Why'd you hit me?"
Kim Jun pointed.
"Hurry over and help Sang-taek."
"On it."
Confirming Choi Muhyun heading to Yeom Sang-taek, Kim Jun went looking for Skyla.
He stepped beyond the light orb's glow into darkness. Red eyes approached.
Kim Jun drew Cheonroegeom.
Sparks crackled from the hilt, scaring the monster back into the shadows.
"Kim Jun?"
Skyla's voice from ahead.
"You good?"
"Seems like it."
Kieeeek! A scream echoed nearby—an Ulpensaurus in agony. Another monster's cry followed, then cut short.
Grabbing Skyla's hand, Kim Jun rushed back to Yeom Sang-taek.
Dying howls of Harensauruses and Ulpensauruses trailed from behind.
The Pink Team regrouped. Yoo Min-jeong had come to, leaning against a rock. Choi Muhyun and Yeom Sang-taek sighed in relief at Skyla.
Kim Jun addressed them.
"This... feels like a Formican pit."
"Formican? Ant ghost?"
Skyla asked.
Yoo Min-jeong's jaw dropped in shock, while Choi Muhyun and Yeom Sang-taek tilted their heads.
"Formican..."
Skyla explained in detail. Their faces hardened.
The ant ghost—Formican's nickname—lured prey into pits with illusions.
Like dragonfly nymphs digging sand traps for ants, hence the name.
Yoo Min-jeong let out a hollow laugh, realizing the Killrita she'd chased—the dungeon lotto—was Formican bait.
One more thing hit her.
The dozens of monsters circling them earlier? Prey trapped in the Formican's pit too. That explained the screams. In the darkness, Formicans devoured them.
They wouldn't spare the Pink Team.
Once the others were eaten, it'd come for them.
"How'd you know it was a Formican pit?"
Skyla asked.
"Saw it in raid footage. Not this big, though."
Kim Jun skipped mentioning he'd analyzed seven hundred videos and written reports.