Dungeon & Commander (14)
“Formation left turn!”
Yoo Min-jeong issued the command.
Choi Muhyun shifted to her position while turning left, and Yeom Sang-taek moved to Choi Muhyun's spot, spinning his body around.
Yoo Min-jeong moved far faster than the two of them, her goal to corner the carrier Kim Jun.
What the—?
Before he knew it, Kim Jun had slipped into the spot Yeom Sang-taek had just vacated. Yoo Min-jeong felt an irrational surge of dislike toward him.
“Formation reverse triangle!”
She barked the order sharply.
Yeom Sang-taek stepped to Choi Muhyun's right, while Yoo Min-jeong took up the rear. The carrier Kim Jun's position remained unchanged.
Two Wyresauruses charged side by side.
Yeom Sang-taek placed a hand on Choi Muhyun's shoulder and cast Help. The buffer-exclusive spell temporarily boosted the tanker's abilities.
Please work!
Help failed on the first try as well. He quickly attempted it again, and this time it succeeded cleanly.
The Geumgangbyeok that Choi Muhyun summoned became far clearer and wider than before.
Bam! Bam!
Even as the two monsters slammed into it, the barrier only budged ten centimeters.
The moment the Wyresauruses reeled from the impact and collapsed, Yoo Min-jeong unleashed fire arrows. She conjured four in each hand and launched them straight at the tumbling monsters' bellies.
Like arrows loosed by a master archer, they struck true in the Wyresauruses' abdomens.
One died as flames spread through its guts, but the other limped into the shadows—though agonizingly slowly.
“Pursue it.”
Yoo Min-jeong made the call.
The team gave chase, leaving the dead monster behind.
Soon, Choi Muhyun's breathing grew ragged. Even with Yeom Sang-taek's help, chasing after deploying Geumgangbyeok twice in a row was too much for a tanker. Yeom Sang-taek was panting too.
“Just a bit more. We can catch it.”
Yoo Min-jeong's judgment proved right.
They soon spotted the Wyresaurus collapsed and wheezing.
Choi Muhyun stomped its head with an infusing of internal energy, killing it. That's when Kim Jun, who had kept pace the whole way, stepped forward with his iron rod digger in hand.
Extracting the Wyresium core from the Wyresaurus's body took about seven minutes. Impressively quick work.
“Too slow. Aim for under five.”
“Got it.”
Kim Jun, stowing the Wyresium in his storeback, replied.
His cheerful attitude grated on Yoo Min-jeong. As team leader, should she correct even a carrier's tone? For now, she'd watch.
“Back to diamond formation.”
The formation shifted at her order.
While Kim Jun extracted the core from the dead Wyresaurus, the raiders stayed vigilant for any attacks. But nothing stirred.
“Try a speed-up buff on me.”
It was Yoo Min-jeong.
“Speed-up? Now?”
“Yeah, now.”
“...Okay.”
Yeom Sang-taek took a deep breath and cast the buff, failing twice in a row before finally accelerating her speed.
“Strong too.”
Strong took three failures before succeeding.
“Success rate?”
“Uh, well...”
“Tell me.”
“42%.”
“What?”
Yoo Min-jeong couldn't believe her ears. A buffer she had to trust with her life, under 50%? At minimum 80%, ideally over 90%, to even be treated as one.
Jushin wouldn't even let you in a dungeon. Under 80% means no entry clearance.
Her eyes narrowed sharply.
“Personal training for three hours starting today. That's an order as leader. If you don't like it, leave the guildhouse. No guild in the capital will take a 42% buffer, so quitting as a raider might be the smart move. I'll check your basic buff success rate daily. If it's the same in a month... I'll leave the guild myself. Got it?”
Training ended.
Under the pouring shower, Yeom Sang-taek wept. Daejeon or Seoul, nothing changed.
Sigh, I'm the same wherever I go.
The sole reason he survived Devils' Day? His low success rate kept him out of dungeons.
Truth be told, he'd never entered a real dungeon since awakening. Just simulator training.
Gild Yusung's simulator was outdated, a generation old. Yeom Sang-taek blamed his 42% on its frequent glitches, even voicing it sometimes.
Foolish self-justification.
He knew saying that would make other awakeners treat him like an idiot, but he couldn't stay silent.
After showering until his skin pruned, Yeom Sang-taek unwittingly sought Yoo Min-jeong. He didn't want to see her today. Luckily, she'd left first.
“See you tomorrow.”
Choi Muhyun headed out too. No sign of the master.
Wandering the guildhouse, Yeom Sang-taek reached the pitching machine area.
Inside, Kim Jun was dodging baseballs. He evaded blisteringly fast pitches with minimal movement—impressive.
Yeom Sang-taek circled around, mouth agape.
“150 kph?”
The machine was for tankers to train defense. A carrier using it?
Thwack.
A curving breaking ball grazed his thigh.
Kim Jun grunted and staggered but stayed up. The next pitch flew at his face; he deflected it with an elbow, altering its path.
Exhausted, Kim Jun lay down as balls whizzed overhead.
Yeom Sang-taek shut off the machine.
Kim Jun looked up, spotting him.
“Oh? You were still here?”
“Why this kind of training?”
Yeom Sang-taek picked up a baseball and approached.
“So I can dodge a monster's claws at least once. That's how you survive and come back.”
Kim Jun groaned, rising.
Yeom Sang-taek said, “Man, I could go for a cold cola.”
“Cola? Probably not in the house.”
“Exactly.”
He stared at Kim Jun.
Silence fell.
Kim Jun nodded and headed to the nearby convenience store.
He returned, offering a Coca-Cola can.
“I only drink Pepsi.”
“...”
Kim Jun gazed steadily at Yeom Sang-taek.
“Pepsi, I said.”
Yeom Sang-taek emphasized.
Right there, Kim Jun cracked open the Coca-Cola, took a sip, and walked back to the store.
Watching his back, Yeom Sang-taek felt a thrill. A delicious shiver raced up his spine.
Moments later, he took the Pepsi can Kim Jun bought and left the guildhouse without a word.
He tossed the cola in the trash. He'd never intended to drink it. He just needed a stress-relief target.
Laughter burst out.
That smug guy was just a carrier, forced to kneel before a raider!
Distracted plotting tomorrow's torments, Yeom Sang-taek bumped shoulders with a shady-looking man. Another thug-like figure stood behind him.
“What the hell?”
The man glared.
“S-sorry.”
Reflexive apology from Yeom Sang-taek.
“Sorry's not enough?”
The punks escalated.
Yeom Sang-taek started something he normally wouldn't. He cast speed-up twice on himself and charged the mere civilians.
With combat training since childhood plus buffs, the thugs stood no chance. Under dim streetlights, they groaned on the ground.
The stress from Yoo Min-jeong vanished.
Grinning wide, Yeom Sang-taek hailed a taxi.
The next day, Yeom Sang-taek got reamed again.
Success rate under 33%? Worst buffer ever. Jushin wouldn't let him in. He'd have quit raiding for normal life—on and on Yoo Min-jeong vented.
Waiting for Yoo Min-jeong, Choi Muhyun, and the master to leave, Yeom Sang-taek said to Kim Jun like yesterday:
“Craving cola again.”
“...Got it.”
Kim Jun bought one Coca-Cola and one Pepsi.
“Ah, what now? I want zero-calorie Coke today.”
“...”
Kim Jun stared.
Yeom Sang-taek met his gaze, sure no carrier would defy a raider.
Kim Jun slowly headed back to the store.
Sipping the Coke Kim Jun fetched, Yeom Sang-taek found another nitpick.
“Cleaning's a mess.”
He rubbed the simulator seat handle.
Kim Jun fetched a rag.
For an hour, Yeom Sang-taek dragged him around cleaning. Satisfied, he left the guildhouse with a smug smile.
Before exiting the parking lot, laughter erupted.
He didn't hold back. Kim Jun hearing would rile him more.
Heading to the taxi stand, he spotted men smoking in a narrow alley. Obvious delinquents.
Yeom Sang-taek approached deliberately.
“You little shit!”
One recognized him, stomping out his cigarette.
Yeom Sang-taek cast speed-up twice and strong once. Luck favored him—all clean successes.
He wall-kicked into the air, foot to the thug's face, then fought with a shout.
Another overwhelming win. Four punks downed by one Yeom Sang-taek.
Gazing at the groaning thugs, he said:
“Show your face again, and you're dead.”
Turning away, an indescribable thrill surged through him.
The team crested a sand dune in diamond formation, sliding down the dusty slope.
“Right turn!”
Yoo Min-jeong's order.
Dungeons had slopes too. Training aimed for peak combat in any terrain.
Shifting formation swiftly on a hillside required solid balance.
As Kim Jun moved, watchful Yeom Sang-taek hit him with strong buff. His left leg suddenly heavy, Kim Jun wobbled but recovered quickly.
Oho, holding up well.
Yeom Sang-taek cast strong again.
Legs sinking, Kim Jun tumbled down. Grabbing weeds, they tore free.
He rolled about thirty meters.
Yoo Min-jeong sighed, watching.
“What's with him now?”
“Slippery here.”
Choi Muhyun.
She shot the tanker a glare.
Choi Muhyun shrugged and clammed up. No poking a venomous snake.
Yoo Min-jeong surfed down, leaving twin trails. Kim Jun, just rising, glanced at approaching Yeom Sang-taek beyond her but said nothing.
“Get your head in the game.”
Training resumed.
That day, Kim Jun erred repeatedly. Yeom Sang-taek pranked at key moments.
Speed-up during cautious monster approach; excessive anti-fire on wet ground froze his walker; even help while core-extracting.
As Yoo Min-jeong cursed Kim Jun, Yeom Sang-taek thrilled—but Kim Jun's silence deflated it a bit. He could've blamed the buffer, easy denial.
Training felt fun for once. Yeom Sang-taek hummed in the shower.
Drying off in the locker room, Choi Muhyun was dressing. Firm chest, rippling muscles, defined abs—manly beauty even to another man.
Wish I were a tanker.
Training gear on, Choi Muhyun approached, looking bulkier clothed.
“Overdo the pranks, you get hurt too.”
“What?”
“Kim Jun.”
Choi Muhyun slung his bag over his shoulder.
Silent Yeom Sang-taek.
At the locker room door, Choi Muhyun leaned and eyed him.
“Don't think that's all he is. He used to be an unstoppable brawler.”
“Who? Kim Jun?”
“So watch yourself.”
Choi Muhyun left.
Ten seconds' silence.
Laughter exploded. Yeom Sang-taek cackled half-naked. That meek carrier a brawler? Funniest story of the year. Kim Jun just ran fast!
A few buffs, and he'd bloody him. Real thugs he crushed—what's Kim Jun? Squishable with one arm.
Heh, this'll be fun.
Yeom Sang-taek grinned.
Finishing solo training, Kim Jun exited the simulator and spotted Yeom Sang-taek on the entrance bench, waving cheerily.
Kim Jun went to the locker room.
Post-shower, Yeom Sang-taek still sat there.
He rose, set his bag aside, and swung a fist.
Caught off-guard, Kim Jun reacted late, taking a hit to the left cheek. Reeling back laughing, he looked up at circling Yeom Sang-taek.
“...What're you doing?”
“Never liked you from the start.”
“...”
“Carrier punk.”
Yeom Sang-taek aimed a kick at his side, but Kim Jun rolled away and sprang up.
Yeom Sang-taek was blindingly fast—left, then behind in a blink.
A few hits landed, but Kim Jun read the pattern. No more.
Panting, Yeom Sang-taek.
Kim Jun slid low at his ankle. Tripped, rising slowly—Kim Jun leaped airborne.
Arcing back, he headbutted. Foreheads collided.
Thud.
Head-splitting pain. Yeom Sang-taek knelt, dizzy.
Kim Jun gripped his head with both hands and headbutted again.
Thud!
Yeom Sang-taek blacked out.
Yeom Sang-taek awoke staring at the locker room ceiling. Groaning from killer headache.
Kim Jun was there.
“You okay?”
“Why am I...?”
Spotting the bandage on Kim Jun's forehead, memory flooded back. Buffed himself—speed-up, strong—and two headbutts downed him.
He touched his forehead. Fully bandaged.
Tears welled.
Humiliating. Lost to a carrier. Even rematch, doubtful win.
Staggering up, Yeom Sang-taek bolted without a word. Smashed into the closed glass door, scrambled up, and stumbled away.
Kim Jun watched him go impassively.
Running through dawn air, last night's tears lingered in mind.
School meant fights over nothing.
Win, and fight till loss.
Keep winning, keep fighting.
Kim Jun never started them. Just didn't dodge aggressors.
Overconfident chargers all hit the dirt. Some vowed revenge, others groveled as lackeys—varied reactions.
But none cried like Yeom Sang-taek. Maybe that's why those tears haunted him.
Why do I feel like the bully?
Guildhouse in sight.
Quick shower, Kim Jun stocked the fridge with every cola type. Extra care on Yeom Sang-taek's locker and simulator. Dressed, he bandaged his head from the first-aid kit, eyeing the mirror.
Glancing at the clock.
Late today.
Someone entered. Kim Jun turned at the sound.
Choi Muhyun.
“What's that on your forehead?”
Dropping his bag, he charged over.
“Bumped it.”
“Nah, headbutt wham! Right? If you're that strong, Sang-taek's probably hospitalized. Go easy next time.”
Kim Jun realized why timid errand-boy Yeom Sang-taek suddenly attacked. This big lug provoked him somehow.