The Billion-Won Core
The core matched Promium not just in composition, but in appearance and weight as well. A quick computer search showed the current market price for Promium at a staggering 800 million won.
And that was for a lighter specimen than this one.
The staff member who weighed it jumped in surprise.
"...This core's worth about 1.1 billion won at current rates. A Promium from an F-rank dungeon? Probably a first."
His tone shifted without him realizing it.
"That'd be a new record for Changwon Dungeon."
"Oh, right you are!"
Kim Jun pocketed the core certificate and stepped out in high spirits.
But as the team leader meeting room drew nearer, anxiety crept in. He could already picture how the people inside would look at him.
Pushing open the door, stares stabbed into him like daggers.
Apache team leader Gil Sang-myeon from Jackal Guild glared with the fiercest, most savage eyes.
Musty team leader Heo Jong-woo from Changwon Guild glanced at Kim Jun but showed no reaction.
Only Roulette team leader Jang Geon-ho stood up.
"Where's Yoo Min-jeong? She hurt bad?"
"She's in treatment, so I'm here instead."
"And Choi Muhyun?"
"In treatment."
Kim Jun hoped his lie didn't show.
Choi Muhyun was perfectly fine, but he'd declared he wouldn't go since the guild master said Kim Jun was team leader. Yeom Sang-taek had turned away even before Kim Jun could speak, making his stance clear.
"Guild's running real smooth, huh. A carrier punk crawling into the team leader meeting? Born trash, live like trash. Oh, didn't your mom teach you that? And you, that sword's fake, right?"
Gil Sang-myeon jabbed a finger at the Cheonroegeom strapped to Kim Jun's side.
Kim Jun smirked and unbuckled the wooden scabbard, sliding the sword across the table.
"Hold it for three minutes—no, one. Hell, survive thirty seconds, it's yours."
He taunted.
Gil Sang-myeon snatched the hilt and yanked the blade free.
Sparks exploded through his arm, racing across his body. If Kim Jun hadn't leaped onto the table, snatched the sword back, and kicked him square in the chest, he might've died from electrocution.
Foam bubbled from Gil Sang-myeon's mouth as he collapsed.
Heo Jong-woo, who'd watched it all, stood.
"By the rules, we waited for all team leaders. Since we didn't hunt together anyway, just submit individual reports. That's it."
He gave Jang Geon-ho a slight nod and left without a glance at Gil Sang-myeon.
Jang Geon-ho called someone to drag out the unconscious man.
He brushed it off as Gil Sang-myeon curiously touching the sword and getting zapped.
Now just the two of them remained.
"Saw Choi Muhyun and Yeom Sang-taek earlier—they looked fine."
"Adrenaline lets you ignore pain sometimes. Hits hard once it's over."
"Fair enough. But what took you so damn long? And why's Yoo Min-jeong banged up?"
"That team leader had a point. We didn't hunt together—why swap war stories?"
Kim Jun grinned, grabbed his sword, and headed out. Jang Geon-ho rushed to block him.
"One more thing. Saw Sang-taek with a core. What'd you get? Looked too big for a small monster."
"Promium."
"......"
Jang Geon-ho was speechless.
He'd lost the bet with the old lady again.
But more than that, his curiosity about this odd team deepened.
He watched Kim Jun walk off without a goodbye.
"See you around."
Kim Jun just raised a hand.
Exiting the gate, Kim Jun spotted Go Cheolmin waiting. He looked years older overnight.
"Where's Min-jeong and Skyla?"
"Moved to the hospital. Guild doc went with 'em—no worries."
"How are they?"
"Both fine. Rest up after treatment, they'll recover."
"Glad to hear. Still wanna see 'em."
"We're headed there anyway."
Go Cheolmin climbed into the hastily bought SUV—the van was scrapped. He stopped Kim Jun at the passenger seat.
"Back seat."
"I'm good up front."
Go Cheolmin drove in silence, focusing on the road. He had questions—sensitive ones he couldn't ignore.
"Heard the story. You went beyond the boundary and bagged a Promicans?"
"Yeah."
"And Min-jeong handed you the team leader spot? That true?"
Kim Jun hesitated before answering.
Just picking up an item as a carrier sparked buzz and backlash. A carrier as team leader? That'd be explosive.
But you couldn't lie to the guild master.
"Yes."
Contrary to his fears, Go Cheolmin smiled.
"Knew it'd happen someday. Hoped for it, even. Faster than I thought."
"Really?"
Kim Jun's eyes widened.
"Why didn't you say? Commander."
Go Cheolmin whispered like sharing a treasured secret. Kim Jun recalled his drunken ramblings.
A new breed of raider!
The commander who seizes the unit and leads the charge! From A-rank to S-rank dungeons!
That was real? Kim Jun was stunned.
"Just the start. First step's key. Carrier or not, you pulled through. Team respects you now."
"You're one scary guy, Master."
"Me? Why?"
"Never guessed you'd think that way. Figured it was just drunk talk."
"You don't touch a seed while it grows, right? It's just sprouted."
Go Cheolmin beamed.
Kim Jun felt ready to collapse into the seat, but talk of commander melted his fatigue away.
What was Go Cheolmin thinking?
Seeing a mere carrier... a young one at that. Just persistent, quick on his feet—and dreaming up commander?
Where'd that faith come from?
That faith led him to Master Nam Eung-ryeol. That conviction forged today's Kim Jun.
For Go Cheolmin if nothing else, he'd claim the commander spot.
'Commander?'
The word set his blood boiling. He pictured himself leading countless raiders through an S-rank dungeon.
"Thanks, Master."
"Thank you."
Go Cheolmin replied.
Tap tap tap.
The laptop keys clacked loudly in the hospital room.
The nurse burst in, hands on hips, glaring.
"You gonna keep this up?"
"Told you—I gotta write."
Skyla flashed a grin but kept typing. Turning her dungeon ordeal into an article.
Raid ended two days ago—time to hustle.
"I'll tell the head doc."
"Say I wanna discharge."
The nurse shook her head and left.
Skyla grabbed a Red Bull, cracked it, and chugged. To sharpen her mind longer. Seven down, article unfinished.
This raid taught her some truths.
'I've... rested too long. Got good as a journalist, but in dungeons? Opposite. All that money wasted... Time for new efforts?
Team chemistry's solid, though. Min-jeong's credit for building it? Tank's skilled, buffer's impressive.
Kim Jun's a monster. Thought he was just training-obsessed kid—dungeon turns him into a flyer. Soloing Promicans? Damn.'
Skyla pondered.
"They'll call it fiction at this rate..."
She didn't care about flak on herself, but it could drag the team.
Even as a reader, she'd doubt tales of being swallowed by Promicans or escaping an antlion pit dangling from Quetzalcoatlus claws.
She wanted to write it raw, unfiltered.
But she knew the public.
Truth or not, if they reject it, it's trash underfoot.
Select and trim.
Skyla detailed how Promicans lured prey with Killita illusions, but killing and coring it? Emotional intensity, intellectual vagueness.
Public would fill the gaps.
Portal for research—her photo popped up.
'Famous now, huh.'
She reread Daily Raider. Editor Choi Hyun-hee's piece: concise, piercing.
Ice dealer raised in America.
Journalist hiding her identity.
Raider reborn by chance.
Choi was cold, no-fun-at-dinner type, but her hook was killer.
Knock knock.
Skyla looked up. Yoo Min-jeong entered, wheeling an IV stand.
"Hey."
"Heard you were writing again?"
"Gotta pull my weight somewhere."
"Don't say that. Sounds bad. You're a top-tier dealer."
Yoo Min-jeong in patient gown sat by the bed.
"How's it feel, stepping down as team leader?"
"Relieved."
Her bright smile was stunning, even to another woman.
"For real?"
"Did it 'cause I wanted, but felt like ill-fitting clothes the whole time."
"Not bummed?"
"Kinda. But that—raid story? Can I read?"
Yoo Min-jeong nodded at the laptop.
"Go ahead."
As she read, Skyla rose and went to the window.
Peeking past the curtain: reporters clustered at the parking lot and gate. She'd been there—now she was the story.
Going down meant a question storm.
'How you feeling?'
'Why quit raiding?'
'Regrets on this choice?'
Regrets?
Too soon. First raid back: no skills shown, just embarrassment. Regret? Not worth mentioning. Had to level up, help the team next time.
Regret could wait.
"You write damn well."
Yoo Min-jeong said.
"Thanks."
"This'll draw eyes. Dungeon Striker might hate you."
"No skill, get weeded out."
They shared a laugh.
Choi Muhyun entered, arms full of fruit.
"Both here. Yo, Yoo Min-jeong, you fart?"
"Not appendix surgery."
She shot him a look. She knew he joked on purpose.
Next, Yeom Sang-taek. Hands loaded: kimbap, tteokbokki, sundae—perfect for the patients. Skyla lit up especially.
Go Cheolmin stepped in.
"Discharge tomorrow, both of you. Still, take it easy for a bit."
"Where's Kim Jun?"
Yoo Min-jeong asked.
"Contamination check. Covered in Promicans blood—smart to scan. No worries, nothing unusual."
Go Cheolmin answered.
Yoo Min-jeong's eyes wavered, face stiffening.
Contamination was double-edged. Boon or bomb, unpredictable.
"Oh, writing?"
Choi Muhyun peeked at Skyla's laptop. Hooked instantly—then glared.
"Don't like it."
"What?"
"Fans read this, what'll they think? Big dumb oaf? Make me handsomer, stronger, sexier."
"Did."
"Huh?"
"Already changed it that way."
Choi Muhyun stared blankly, then got it. "Hey!"
Laughter erupted. Yoo Min-jeong clutched her side, wheezing.
Yeom Sang-taek sidled to Choi Muhyun, read his part. Better than expected—he smirked faintly.
More laughs.
The treatment changed.
Ten doctors rotated: blood draws, special tests, dragging him places. All impossibly polite.
"Any discomfort?"
"Tell us if it hurts."
Kim Jun figured it was Yeon Un-jae and Choi Min-su's influence reaching the dungeon hospital.
Guild doc O Won-jin shadowed him like a ghost, whispering:
"VIP treatment. Dean'll call after."
"Gotta bolt."
Kim Jun said calmly.
Not a suggestion—a decision.
O Won-jin realized he'd vanish post-checks. oddly satisfying.
This kid saw the mighty dean as nothing.
"Ah, Doctor!"
Kim Jun waved.
Hong Mun-hak, passing, scowled at him. Couldn't ignore. Approaching like a hog to slaughter, he beamed.
"Who do we have? Famous Kim Jun?"
"Young lady doing well?"
"......"