Dungeon & Commander (64)
If being a Raider were just an ordinary job, he would've quit on the spot. Maybe looked for something else or jumped to another company.
But being a Raider wasn't just any job.
Kim Hong-tae recalled the moment he'd first awakened. His whole family had cheered. He'd never seen his father so overjoyed. It wasn't just family—friends and even neighbors came by to congratulate him.
That day, the life of Kim Hong-tae was set in stone. Being a Raider wasn't a job; it was a path he'd walk for life... his destiny.
I can't leave this team, this guild. If I did, no one else would take me. I'd be a failed Raider.
He couldn't face his family's disappointment.
So he had to endure here.
The moment he lifted his head, Kim Hong-tae doubted his own eyes. He rubbed his eyelids with his sleeve several times. Still, he could see the flames rising through the darkness, soaring into the air.
"T-Team leader."
"Don't talk to me. Can't you see I'm focusing?"
Do Jin-yong's response was gruff as he sat summoning another monster with the Domoto Ring.
"Y-Yes, sir."
Kim Hong-tae confirmed the direction of the flames. Using the Tower of Light and the faint outlines of the terrain, even if the flames vanished, he could navigate toward the Pink Team's position.
One Haren Saurus was lured in, and Do Jin-yong forced it into submission with sheer power.
The previous flames had faded. Fortunately, another burst upward.
"Team leader."
"What?"
"Look over there."
Do Jin-yong turned his head following Kim Hong-tae's finger, and his eyes widened.
His face slowly twisted into that signature smile of his.
"Knew I was right to bring you along."
"Thank you, sir."
"Let's go."
"Yes, sir."
Mounting the Haren Saurus, Kim Hong-tae was convinced the dungeon gods were on his side.
The flames rose every ten minutes or so. If someone was shooting magical flames from the dungeon, there was only one reason.
A cry for help.
The latest flame was incredibly bright but short-lived.
That one's from a dealer. Something's wrong with their buffer. Maybe they're under attack.
"Uh, team leader."
"What?"
Do Jin-yong glared at the flames with burning eyes.
"Looks like the Pink Team's buffer is badly hurt."
"What? How do you know?"
"That flame was shot by a dealer."
"You sure?"
"Yes, sir."
"Hahaha!"
Do Jin-yong's laughter echoed far into the distance.
"...What now?"
"Obviously, we smash 'em. Though if one's badly hurt, maybe just a light beating."
"A-Ah, yes."
Kim Hong-tae breathed a sigh of relief. Do Jin-yong's intensity had made it seem like he'd kill them, but it was just his imagination.
"We'll bury that carrier, too."
"...Pardon?"
"No chance that bastard leaves here alive."
Killing intent flashed in Do Jin-yong's eyes.
Kim Hong-tae shut his mouth. Do Jin-yong would bury that carrier like yesterday's newspaper, right alongside the weary Haren Saurus. Anyone who tried to stop him might get buried too.
The next flame rose from very close by.
"Sense."
"Yes, sir."
Kim Hong-tae spread his mana forward. It reached farther than his usual detection range.
"Report."
"...Three people. Not moving."
"Three?"
Do Jin-yong glanced back, his mouth splitting into a grin nearly to his ears.
"Yes, just three."
"Haha, looks like one already got eaten by a monster."
Do Jin-yong was genuinely thrilled.
The Island of Light came into view.
Three people were trapped there: Pink Team leader Yoo Min-jeong, tanker Choi Muhyun, and buffer Yeom Sang-taek. No sign of the carrier anywhere.
Do Jin-yong circled widely atop his Haren Saurus. Experienced as he was, he knew better than to rush in, no matter how easy it looked—he had to assess first.
Yoo Min-jeong's hair was disheveled, her eyes wide with panic as she stared at him.
Choi Muhyun's clothes were torn.
Buffer Yeom Sang-taek sat slumped on the ground, his arm wrapped in a bandage turned red.
A barrier of light enclosed the three.
"Finally met up. Can't tell you how happy I am."
Do Jin-yong said.
Yoo Min-jeong stared blankly at the Haren Saurus.
"Oh, this? Figured you'd recognize it. Guess you're still green."
"How'd you do it?"
Yoo Min-jeong asked.
"Item magic."
Do Jin-yong held up his index finger—a crude gesture—but Yoo Min-jeong spotted the green ring on it.
"D-Domoto Ring!"
"Bingo. But where's that bastard?"
"What bastard?"
Yoo Min-jeong finally tore her gaze from the ring and shot back at Do Jin-yong.
"The carrier. Did the Haren Saurus eat him? Or maybe this guy chowed down. Saw some blood around his mouth earlier."
Do Jin-yong stroked the Haren Saurus's neck.
Yoo Min-jeong flinched.
As the fired-up Choi Muhyun lunged forward, Yoo Min-jeong raised her hand to maintain the barrier. Only then did Choi Muhyun calm down.
"Team leader's a team leader. Holding it all back."
Do Jin-yong smirked, deliberately provoking to drop the barrier.
Yoo Min-jeong and Choi Muhyun could only glare helplessly.
Do Jin-yong eyed the seated Yeom Sang-taek. Seeing that fear-filled face lifted his mood.
Stepping on cowards always feels good.
He glanced sideways at Kim Hong-tae, who was equally terrified.
"Guess it's real. I was a step too late. Let that bastard slip away."
Do Jin-yong circled the barrier, prodding it lightly with his dagger. Each time, small sparks like lightning popped off.
Stopping before Yoo Min-jeong again, Do Jin-yong dismounted and approached her.
"Drop the barrier."
"Why?"
"Better if you do."
"Better if you just leave."
"No manners."
Shaking his head, Do Jin-yong extended his hands, pouring mana forward.
Yellowish-brown energy seeped into the ground, making the earth beneath Pink Team rumble. Without the barrier halving the Ban Tomoon's power, all three would've been swallowed.
Yeom Sang-taek screamed and flattened himself, clutching his head. Choi Muhyun briefly lost balance from the shaking, weakening the barrier momentarily. Thankfully, the tanker stayed upright, restoring it.
"Drop the barrier."
Do Jin-yong commanded.
Yoo Min-jeong glanced at Choi Muhyun, who shook his head firmly, lips pressed tight. Yeom Sang-taek was too busy face-down to look.
"These punks are really dragging this out."
Do Jin-yong gathered mana. Ban Tomoon was powerful—five times a day max. Exceeding it meant collapsing for days.
As the yellowish-brown earth mana shook the barrier and upheaved the ground, a hand burst from beneath Do Jin-yong's feet.
Already mid-cast, Do Jin-yong couldn't react instantly.
The hand wrapped his ankle with vine. Vines climbed his knee and thigh next.
That bastard...!
Do Jin-yong couldn't believe his eyes.
It was the carrier rising from the earth!
Even more unbelievable: Ban Tomoon was forcibly canceled. Injected mana vanished. The backlash hit him hard—blood trickled from his mouth.
Do Jin-yong dropped to his knees.
The barrier vanished.
Yoo Min-jeong unleashed Fire Arrow on cue. The blazing arrow halted inches from Kim Hong-tae's nose atop the Haren Saurus—a warning that any twitch meant death between the eyes.
Kim Hong-tae raised his hands.
Kim Jun approached, yanked him down, and bound his wrists with Absorption Tree vines.
Yoo Min-jeong stepped toward Do Jin-yong.
"Wh-what the hell?"
Do Jin-yong stammered through cold sweat.
"Absorption Tree roots."
"Ch-cheap trick!"
Yoo Min-jeong chuckled, focused mana in both hands, and fired a Fireball. It soared twenty meters, exploding massively. The area lit up, ground quaking.
Do Jin-yong was speechless at the power.
Yoo Min-jeong with a Fireball like that? Level 6 shouldn't pack that punch.
Only then did he realize she'd been going easy. A direct hit would've shredded him before his earth magic could shield.
She pulled this to capture me.
Humiliation twitched his cheeks.
Terrified Yeom Sang-taek rose, unwrapping his bandage—arm fine. Even his panicked expression had been a ruse.
Do Jin-yong was stunned.
Yoo Min-jeong leaned toward him, slipped the green Domoto Ring from his finger.
Do Jin-yong trembled.
"Thanks. I'll put it to good use."
Sliding the ring onto her own finger, Yoo Min-jeong turned. She spotted Kim Jun stroking the Haren Saurus's neck.
That look in his eyes... like when he reached out to Skyla over the fence.
Yoo Min-jeong walked to Kim Jun's side.
"What're you doing?"
"Isn't this guy cool?"
"You're hooked."
"Never imagined taming a monster."
Excited Kim Jun was kinda cute, she thought.
"Bigger issues first."
"Right."
Kim Jun gave the Haren Saurus a reluctant glance, then turned serious.
"Captured Do Jin-yong and Kim Hong-tae successfully. Problem's what next. Ideas?"
Yoo Min-jeong couldn't believe she was asking so casually.
I've changed a lot too.
"Obviously grab the rest of Blue Lightning."
"Then?"
That was her real question. Catching Blue Lightning didn't guarantee safe exit.
"Sounds crazy."
"Spill. Quick."
Kim Jun leaned in, whispering in her ear.
When he finished, Yoo Min-jeong gaped at him, eyes wide.
"A bit much?"
"...A bit?"
She was floored.
"Most feasible plan, though. In my opinion."
"Even if it works, you're in deeper shit than when we entered."
"Nah."
Confident Kim Jun.
"Nah?"
Kim Jun whispered again.
Yoo Min-jeong's eyes sparkled.
"Well?"
He asked cautiously.
"When'd you come up with that?"
"Looking down at Do Jin-yong on his knees."
"Just now?"
"Yeah."
"Your brain baffles me. How's it wired to think that up then? Fine, let's do it. No other options."
As team leader, Yoo Min-jeong decided.
A drizzle fell.
Tanker Seo Sang-cheol tossed grass into the campfire.
The roaring flames... were purple. He'd lit it because his leather clothes were soaked, but the weak heat didn't help much.
Droplets from his cropped hair tips fell; Seo Sang-cheol raked his hair up with both hands. The hedgehog spikes... still bugged him.
Team leader Do Jin-yong had forced short cuts on Blue Lightning members to show spirit. Defying him outright risked backlash, so everyone followed suit.
Fortunately, even that brute pig of a leader allowed dealer Lee Hyo-jeong a bob.
"Like your haircut?"
"Hell no."
Lee Hyo-jeong swept her hair with fingers. Strands swayed by her ears. If only she could grow it past her shoulders.
"Other teams don't pull this crap. No idea why."
"Same here."
"But thanks to the team leader, we don't get pushed around. Most Raiders fold just hearing Do Jin-yong's name."
"True."
Silence fell.
Seo Sang-cheol tossed more grass into the fire. Purple embers soared skyward, feeling ominous for some reason.
"That Daily Raiders article real?"
Lee Hyo-jeong asked.
"Which?"
"Carrier dashing into the dark alone to pull aggro. Could be clickbait bullshit."
"Nah."
"Really?"
"Knew someone there. Said everyone froze 'cause solo aggro's suicide, but the guy volunteered."
"...Impressive for a carrier."
"That's the problem. Carriers acting impressive. They shouldn't be. Still just carrier level."
"Fair."
"Kim Jun's done for. Team leader's rampaging. If I get a shot, I'll make him regret being born."
"Won't happen."
"Probably not."
Silence again.
Seo Sang-cheol spoke first this time.
"Anyway, I'll quit at 3 billion. Got about 400 million so far. Might never hit it."
"Just over 200 million here."
They slipped into money talk naturally.
Raiders earned big—more than average—but expenses matched.
Even chatting, Lee Hyo-jeong spread mana like a buffer for threats. Her eyes widened.
"7 o'clock, 20 meters! Small monsters approaching. Two of 'em."
Seo Sang-cheol started to rise, then sat back.
Small monsters like Haren Saurus swarmed. Never just two.
So the team leader and buffer were back.
Lee Hyo-jeong, sitting like a tanker, noted at 20 meters they weren't slowing—odd.