Dungeon & Commander (205)
Team leader harvesting cores like a carrier? It must be hard for Sa Yeonggyo to wrap her head around that.
That's when the main buffer shouted.
"7 o'clock, 43 meters—Stonebug appearing!"
Kim Jun tossed the core aside and rushed back to the team. Without any orders needed, Pink Team pivoted left, bracing for the approaching Stonebug.
Stonebugs only appeared in D-rank dungeons and higher, infamous in raid history as monsters that had never once been hunted.
In truth, they were the obsession of scholars curious about their nature and monsters enthusiasts alike.
Insect-like creatures made of stone, but enormous in size. Towering ten meters high and stretching fifty meters long, a Stonebug felt like a massive boulder come to life.
Soon, the ground began to rumble with heavy thuds.
"Left dodge—prepare!"
Kim Jun issued the command and glanced at Yeom Sang-taek.
The main buffer immediately started the countdown.
"Ten, nine, eight, seven…"
When Yeom Sang-taek called "Four," the Stonebug entered the light's range.
Thud-thud-thud.
No matter how many times he'd seen one, that size never got easier to process!
"Three, two, one!"
The whole team executed a sharp left maneuver and evaded. The Stonebug smashed through where Pink Team had stood, barreled straight ahead, and vanished into the darkness.
For a straight-line charger like that to turn around and come back at them would take at least thirty minutes.
Because of their elliptical tracks, some scholars even called them Cometbugs.
"9 o'clock, 51 meters out—monster type… unknown. It's huge!"
Yeom Sang-taek again.
"Defense formation!"
Kim Jun ordered.
Yeom Sang-taek moved to Choi Muhyun's side and cast a help spell. The Geumgangmak wall Choi Muhyun summoned grew far denser.
Kim Jun broke from the team and dashed into the darkness to scout. The diligent buffer had already attached a light orb to the team leader.
Fighting monsters alongside his team thrilled him as leader, but the rush of charging solo into the dark… that was a level beyond.
No one to rely on—every cell in his body awakening. If this were a real dungeon instead of a simulator, the sensation would be a hundred times stronger.
Whoosh-whoosh.
A menacing sound sliced the air.
In that instant, Kim Jun identified the approaching monster and hurled himself sideways.
Crunch!
A massive serpent lunged in a flash, snapping at where he'd stood. A split-second slower, and the Kingsnake would've bitten him, logging him out.
Drawing the Thunder Brain Sword, Kim Jun closed in and thrust deep between its scales.
Clang.
The blade bounced off.
Kim Jun wasn't surprised. He'd studied Kingsnake data. Normal weapons couldn't scratch those scales—but even the Thunder Brain Sword failing to pierce caught him off guard.
And the sparks it emitted seemed to have no effect either.
Using Mokhonbo Dang to curve around its body for a look, Kim Jun switched to Mokhonbo Tan and retreated to Pink Team. The beast pursued.
"Kingsnake! Tankers, watch out!"
Hearing Kim Jun, Choi Muhyun poured in more inner energy, thickening the Geumgangmak even further.
The Kingsnake's body—like tanker trucks linked end-to-end—entered the light and whipped at Choi Muhyun.
Thwack!
The tanker flew back five meters. Dealers and buffers synced with him and retreated.
Fortunately, the Geumgangmak held the initial impact.
Then the Kingsnake's tail smashed the wall.
Boom!
Choi Muhyun's jaw dropped at the unimaginable force… only realizing too late his feet were off the ground.
The Geumgangmak crumbled.
Pink Team's tanker tumbled twenty meters back.
Main dealer Yoo Min-jeong and second dealer Skyla had no time to dodge either. They slammed into the Kingsnake's body alongside the main buffer… and died.
Logged out.
With the main buffer's death, the light vanished. In that pitch black, Kim Jun—having glimpsed its speed once—trusted instinct and unleashed Mokhonbo Tan.
The moment he leaped, a massive body whooshed beneath his feet. Kim Jun was speechless at the speed. In a real Sokcho Dungeon encounter, Pink Team might wipe in seconds.
Reports pegged the Kingsnake spawn chance at 3.9%.
They couldn't bank on those slim odds.
The solution: boost tanking power. Pink Team had only one tanker now.
'Planned to start seriously after Sokcho… but looks like I need to learn tanking skills ASAP. Team ends if the tank falls.'
A light orb shot into the air.
Kim Jun spotted the second buffer hovering midair.
"This thing shows up in Sokcho Dungeon?"
Sa Yeonggyo said.
Kim Jun recognized the skill.
Phantom Walk!
Having soloed in Africa to hone her skills, her survival prowess was top-tier.
"Weak points: crown and belly. Clear spots, but hard to hit. I'll lure it—you strike."
"Forgot? I'm a buffer. Second buffer at that."
Teasing Sa Yeonggyo.
Kim Jun smirked and charged the approaching Kingsnake. He knew her personality—she couldn't sit idle. Glancing back, she followed with a grin.
Dodging body slams, tail whips, and blinding bites by a hair's breadth, its patterns emerged. Once grasped, evasion got easier.
Solo, he could manage. But for a team… those strikes were too fast and fierce—utterly unavoidable.
Enraged, it spewed thick smoke.
"Poison smoke! Careful!"
Kim Jun yelled.
Holding his breath, he dove in and jammed the Thunder Brain Sword into the prior stab spot. The blade scraped scales again, but better than before.
Out of the smoke, he gulped air and targeted the same weak point repeatedly.
On the fifth try, the Thunder Brain Sword sank in a full handspan.
Kim Jun channeled the Thunder Brain Technique.
Crackle. Crackle.
The Kingsnake thrashed wildly. Its speed now incomparable, patterns shifting—Kim Jun ate a tail strike and flew back.
'Damn.'
Right arm broken.
Left ankle twisted.
It closed to finish him, jaws yawning to reveal stalactite-like fangs dripping venom.
Simulation or not, no one wants that death. But surrender? Never. Kim Jun tried summoning the Thunder Brain Sword, but churning qi blocked him.
Snap!
The jaws clamped shut.
What?
His body intact. Looking up, Sa Yeonggyo cradled him, Phantom Walking away.
"Luring it, huh?"
Sa Yeonggyo said.
"Buffer, right?"
Kim Jun replied.
Sa Yeonggyo burst out laughing.
This laid-back second buffer would shine in real combat. Her vast experience meant she'd unleash everything in crisis.
Sa Yeonggyo reset his ankle and realigned the broken arm. Then healing magic. Not full recovery, but enough to dull pain and stand.
His raging qi settled.
Kim Jun summoned the Thunder Brain Sword. The grip felt perfect.
The Kingsnake charged them.
"I'll lure—aim for the crown."
Kim Jun told Sa Yeonggyo.
"In that state?"
"Team leader's order. No matter what—hit the crown."
Sa Yeonggyo nodded after a stare.
Kim Jun staggered toward the Kingsnake.
It circled him warily. Eyes locked on the Thunder Brain Sword in his hand. Rightly cautious after it pierced those scales.
Kim Jun dropped the Thunder Brain Sword.
"Kim Jun! What're you doing?"
Sa Yeonggyo.
Ignoring her, Kim Jun stepped forward twice.
The hesitating Kingsnake lunged.
Kim Jun glared.
As the blindingly fast beast halted and ripped its jaws wide, Kim Jun roared.
"Now!"
The Kingsnake's fangs sank into his shoulder.
Through fading vision, Kim Jun glimpsed a Metal Whip arcing toward the crown.
Regrettably… he didn't see the end.
* * *
Thud.
Choi Min-su glanced over at the dull sound.
Yeon Jong-ho—unable to block or dodge—tumbled from the punch.
"Aaaagh! Hold on! I think my bone's broken! For real, my bone's broken!"
Crying didn't help. Pacheon Team members charged harder at whiners.
Two more hits, and Yeon Jong-ho fled to the corner. Swollen-eyed, he glared at his team seniors.
"Y-you won't get away with this! D-do you know who I am? I'm Yeon Family's young master!"
"So?"
Pacheon's second tanker, Hwang In-tae, teased.
Usually quiet, but once riled, even Choi Min-su had to intervene to calm him. If Yeon Jong-ho had ditched the young master act and acted like a proper rookie, this wouldn't have happened.
Hwang In-tae, Jang Hye-seon, Im Jae-jin—team members swarmed Yeon Jong-ho.
Choi Min-su watched the beatdown with a pleased smile. No intention of stopping it. The kid wasn't human yet. Time to beat some humanity into him.
"Wh-why… won't you use the simulator? There's one right there. Why… does this team train raw?"
Tears streaming, Yeon Jong-ho asked.
Still argumentative, but the bravado from his first day in Pacheon was long gone.
Team members looked to Choi Min-su.
"Tradition, punk."
Pacheon Team severely limited simulator use. Only for specific terrain acclimation, with the whole team. Otherwise, real-world training.
Simple reason.
Simulators were too safe. Fatal mistakes went unpunished. Habits formed easily.
No tension maintenance. Reliance dulled real-combat sense.
Choi Min-su believed this unique method fueled Pacheon Team's unmatched results. The team agreed.
The harsher the training, the easier the raids. Survival odds skyrocketed.
Then his phone rang.
"Who the hell now? During sacred training!"
"It's the team leader."
Main dealer Jang Hye-seon stared.
"Ahem. Ten-minute break."
Choi Min-su grabbed his phone and stepped into the hall.
"What?"
Lazy tone.
—If Kim Jun comes asking you to teach him tanking skills, tell him to see Yeon Family's patriarch. Don't teach him yourself.
Yoo Wan-seop.
"What're you on about?"
—And in two or three hours, give Yeon Jong-ho free time. Something great'll happen.
"Here we go again."
Choi Min-su chuckled.
Yoo Wan-seop's rep as Korea's top raider wasn't just Cheongmyeonggeom swordsmanship anymore.
Flawless situational judgment, extracting key truths from fragments, insight piercing souls—he excelled in the unseen.
Even Daily Raider's editor Choi Yeon-hee called him the "Prophet of Raiders."
—Also tell Yeon Family's patriarch I've come down from the mountain and accepted Uramata Guild master position.
"Am I your errand boy? Do it yourself—"
—Thanks.
Call ended.
Choi Min-su wasn't mad—he was thrilled. Yoo Wan-seop was finally moving.
He pictured Yoo Wan-seop in the underground dojo.
Calmly plotting futures for Uramata, Ju Shin, Cheonhondan, Brave, etc.
Kim Jun's name popped up, prompting the call.
Would Kim Jun really come?
Soon see if Yoo Wan-seop's mind was rusty or sharp as ever.
Phone rang again. Not Kim Jun—Mrs. Mun. Busy lately, hadn't seen her; nice surprise.
"Hey, Mrs. Mun. Long time."
—Angel Moms re-election vote's in.
Choi Min-su paused.
From the moment he allied with Yeon Un-jae, decided to co-patron with Kim Jun, he'd expected this. But now it hit, feelings mixed.
No re-election?
Kicked from the Angel Moms he'd built with blood and sweat. His own choice, yet bitter.