Dungeon & Commander (123)
No one could speak. Jang Geon-ho, Yang Hee-seon's grandson, just smacked his lips like a goldfish.
"There are other options, of course. You could go to another guild. But if you do, you can never come back to Miracle."
Yang Hee-seon picked up a rib and began eating it slowly.
The room's atmosphere hung heavy.
She set down the bone-picked rib and glanced at Shin Jong-su.
"Tanker."
"Yes, ma'am!"
"You've failed evaluations three years in a row. You've switched teams four times, and every one rated you below standard as a tanker."
"No team leader ever recognized my true potential."
"Your true potential? What potential? Have you ever shown it? Even Miracle doesn't seem to see it in you. How about it? Want to try another team? Jushin? Cheonhondan? Brave's not bad either."
"……."
Shin Jong-su's face drained of color. He finally realized what Yang Hee-seon meant.
Exile!
The nightmare of every raider.
Yang Hee-seon turned to Yoon Hye-jeong.
"Dealers, huh. So many of you are full of yourselves. No real problems there—you were born that way. But there's one rule: don't screw over your team. Crystal clear! And you? You don't care who gets hurt by your antics. That's why you've bounced from team to team."
"……."
Yoon Hye-jeong hung her head.
Yang Hee-seon gnawed another rib while eyeing Kim Ye-geun. He sighed and spoke first.
"No need to say it. I got kicked out five times for messing with teammates' gear."
Finally, Yang Hee-seon looked at carrier Hwang Myeong-su.
"You're a weird one. Most carriers do it for the money, but you're paying to do it."
"I just want to get into dungeons, ma'am."
"Dungeons are a thrill for you, huh? Like summiting Everest."
"Better than that."
Pride radiated from Hwang Myeong-su, who'd conquered Everest twice.
"There's no place for you in Miracle. No team leader will take you. But I don't want to kick talented folks like you out of the guild. So here's your shot: three years. Feels eternal if you think it's long, gone in a flash if you don't. Succeed, and you return to Miracle. Three years. What do you say? What can you learn in that time?"
Guilt they'd never acknowledged before sank in.
Deep down, they knew their issues better than anyone. They just hadn't wanted to admit it.
One exception, though.
"Why do I have to go to Uramata with these people?"
Jang Geon-ho.
Yang Hee-seon whipped her head around, glaring at her grandson with a fiercer look than ever.
"If you want to raid only as a team member for the next ten years, refuse. I promise you here and now: the second you do, I'll pull every string to keep you from ever becoming a team leader."
Jang Geon-ho flinched.
He'd never seen her so dead serious, so angry.
Grandma meant it. Ten years? Maybe longer as a grunt.
She followed through on her word.
Yang Hee-seon's expression softened as she surveyed the whole Roulette team.
"Miracle's a great guild, right? Took a lot of effort to make it that way. Only one among the Big Four with a free spirit. But we're an old tree now—a withered giant. No freshness left. Give it time, and you'll fit right in. That what you want? Uramata's just sprouting. Room to grow in all directions. I'm not kicking you out—I'm grafting you onto Uramata. You're Miracle's future. Learn what we lack there."
They were convinced.
Even Jang Geon-ho felt the sincerity in her words.
After their last meal as Miracle members, Yang Hee-seon shook hands with each one, sending off the Roulette team.
Near the right wall of the guildhouse, two circles were drawn five meters apart, connected by a straight line.
Thwang.
Kim Jun, standing in one circle, unleashed Mokhonbo Tan, skimming the floor to cross five meters in an instant.
Thud.
He stopped precisely inside the other circle using the Po principle.
'Finally usable in real combat. But I need higher success rate... A failure could end me.'
Thwang............thud.
Kim Jun returned to the starting circle with Tan and Po.
The training continued.
Thwang............thud.
Thwang............thud.
Thwang............crash!
Off-balance, Kim Jun crashed into the dumbbell rack.
Heavy weights tumbled across the floor.
Skyla, sprinting the track, glanced at Kim Jun. But she ignored it. She'd seen it too many times.
Choi Muhyun ran beside her, heavy boots on, panting but persistent. When his breath burned and he felt like collapsing, he'd glance at Kim Jun's fierce training. Miraculous strength would surge from somewhere.
Yeom Sang-taek lifted barbells, building muscle for serious Fungma Scripture practice.
Yoo Min-jeong, side injury healing, pedaled a stationary bike, sweat pouring.
Go Cheolmin peered through the master room blinds.
'Atmosphere's improved. That's the power of a D-rank dungeon.'
Pride swelled as master.
Pink Team was complete. Next raid, veteran carrier leader Kang Jin-gu would join, toughening their mentality further.
Go Cheolmin watched Kim Jun shuttle the five meters.
The kid always surprised him.
Everyone hated repetition, but Kim Jun grinded with bullheaded persistence. He followed orders perfectly and devised his own effective drills.
'Tan and Po are solid. For precision, add Dang.'
He grabbed armfuls of 2L plastic water bottles from the corner and headed down.
Raiders focused on training, ignoring their guild master—except Kim Jun. Go Cheolmin placed empty bottles along the line at one-meter intervals.
Kim Jun stepped back, eyeing him.
"Watch close. This is Mokhonbo Dang."
Go Cheolmin smiled from his circle.
In a flash, he burst out, veering left of the first bottle. He curved right around the second. Zigzagging smoothly between them, he stopped dead in the opposite circle.
Speed matched Kim Jun's straight-line dash.
The quiet guildhouse interior.
All eyes on Go Cheolmin.
Amazed, Kim Jun clapped. Others joined.
"Ahem, don't get impressed by that. You all need to get way stronger than me."
Go Cheolmin cleared his throat.
Other raiders resumed training. Kim Jun stood before him, eyes sparkling.
Go Cheolmin nearly burst out laughing.
'This kid's curiosity... He'd be happy as a lifelong martial arts nut.'
He explained Dang's secrets simply to the eager Kim Jun.
The principle was straightforward.
Dang added Po to Tan. Tan's straight propulsion met Po's resistance. Adjust foot angle and force distribution to redirect—control the strength for smooth curves.
That curve was Dang.
"I don't get it."
Kim Jun's eyes still begged for more.
"Think of a boat. Rowing moves you forward?"
"Sure."
"How do you steer?"
"The rudder, obviously... Ah! Po acts like the rudder?"
"Exactly."
Go Cheolmin beamed.
No more explanation needed. Kim Jun would master Dang through trial and error. With Tan and Po down, it was just time.
Kim Jun tested Dang immediately.
A bottle flew from his kick, smacking Yeom Sang-taek's head.
"Sorry!"
"No worries."
Yeom Sang-taek tossed the crumpled bottle back and lifted again. Go Cheolmin, satisfied, checked his phone at the ring.
"Go Cheolmin speaking."
—It's me. Good news.
Choi Min-su.
"What news?"
—October 1st, Kim Jun takes the awakening test at the Association. Prep him right.
Go Cheolmin froze.
Yeon Un-jae and Choi Min-su announced it at the press conference, but he'd doubted it'd happen. He knew the Association's might better than most.
Shock turned to thrill.
—If he fails, you're dead by my hand.
Choi Min-su hung up with a joking threat.
Go Cheolmin gathered Pink Team and announced it.
Stunned silence at first. Choi Muhyun hugged Kim Jun tight. Pink Team hoisted him for cheers.
"Haven't passed yet."
Kim Jun's protest drowned in cheers.
Roaring exhausts echoed outside. Go Cheolmin checked the parking lot. Lamborghini, BMW, Hummer, Boxster, Ferrari pulled in.
Frowning, he headed out. Pink Team followed, celebration paused.
Jang Geon-ho stepped from the Lamborghini toward Go Cheolmin.
"What is this?"
"...Didn't Grandma—no, the Crazy Buffer—tell you?"