Hologram Reunion

"Hello, everyone. I'm Han Ji-woo. Meeting you all like this in person... it's pretty surreal."

At Han Ji-woo's awkward greeting, the dungeon survivors swarmed around him in excitement.

"A-Are you really Ji-woo-nim?"

"My god. I never thought I'd get to see you like this."

"Lord almighty."

"Hello, Ji-woo-nim! I'm Kim Jung-min! Fellow Korean here!"

—Wow~ Meeting you like this is just so thrilling~

"......He's ridiculously handsome."

As everyone chimed in with their shocked and delighted reactions, Red alone kept trying to hug the holographic Han Ji-woo. But his arms just swung through empty air.

Watching Red, Han Ji-woo spoke up.

"Thanks for the enthusiastic welcome, but this isn't my real body here. It's like a hologram or something. And we've only got two minutes to chat. If you're gonna set this up, might as well be generous about it, right? Pretty stingy otherwise."

Mitchell stepped forward to take control of the situation.

"I get that everyone's excited, but we don't have time to exchange greetings with everyone. Sorry, but I'll handle the talk with Ji-woo-nim as representative."

The group looked deeply disappointed, but no one could argue with their leader's logic, so they clamped their mouths shut. Seol Ara's eyes, in particular, brimmed with more regret than ever.

"We introduced ourselves before. I'm Mitchell."

"I thought you just had a great voice, but damn, your face is handsome too. Nice to meet you."

Han Ji-woo nodded and glanced at Seol Ara. Now a full-fledged adult, she was far more beautiful than before. Even without any makeup after all those grueling days in the dungeon, she glowed with an effortless radiance. There was the nostalgia filter plus the compounded effect of seeing someone he'd missed so much—it was like hearts were popping in his eyes. But even objectively, Seol Ara was stunning.

He desperately wanted to chat casually with his old friend after years apart, but that wasn't possible. Han Ji-woo wasn't some scatterbrain who couldn't prioritize.

"No time to waste, so let's get to it. Tell me what you all need. I'm no miracle maker who can whip up anything, but I'll bust my ass to get something close."

Mitchell pondered for a moment.

"Hmm......"

Pierre, who'd been watching from behind, stepped up.

"We need powerful weapons or accessories. Oh, I'm Pierre, by the way."

Mitchell was so cautious that if he got lost in thought like that, he'd burn time endlessly. That's why Pierre jumped in.

Han Ji-woo nodded and asked,

"Can you show me the best-performing weapon among what you're equipped with?"

Brody approached and held out his sword. With his Form skill, bladed weapons like axes or swords were perfect mains for him. The sword he carried was acquired on floor 19 and ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠had the highest performance among the group's weapons.

A status window for the sword appeared in Han Ji-woo's vision.

Hmm.

It was better than the Unicorn Steel Sword, but still nowhere near Black Island quality in terms of stats. Han Ji-woo wondered if he could even craft something superior as he asked Pierre,

"How long can you all stick around here?"

"As long as the Dungeon Guard doesn't interfere, we can stay as long as our food holds out—a few days, at least."

At that, Lisa and the others handling food opened their inventories. After a quick exchange, Lisa spoke for the group.

"We can last about a week!"

"Got it. I'll do my best to find a way to share better weapons within that time. Accessories... not sure if I can make those. Can't commit for sure on that."

"Then just sharing the materials to craft accessories would be plenty."

"I'll keep that as plan B. Pierre nodded and tossed out another question. "Anything else we can get from you? Sorry if we're being too pushy."

"Nah. You all survive, I survive. Don't sweat ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠it. I'll think about what else I can do. Weapons first, though. What kinds do you all use?"

"Seven staves for mana enhancement, one greatsword, one bow, three short blades for self-defense, three knuckles, and one gauntlet."

It was a trickier order than expected. Swords he could manage with effort, but he'd never made the rest. Still, he kept any unease off his face and memorized Pierre's list.

"Got it. Guess it's time to say goodbye. Hope we meet again someday. Stay safe, everyone—no injuries. And Ara."

"Yeah."

"You eating properly?"

Tears welled up in Seol Ara's eyes at his words. Back in high school, bullied by delinquents until her mind broke, she'd suffered anorexia. Even after Han Ji-woo fixed everything, it lingered stubbornly. So every time they met, he'd try to buy her food. If not, he'd nag her repeatedly to eat right.

Seol Ara wiped her streaming tears and nodded.

"Yeah."

She was crying, but a warm smile lit her face.

"That's more like it."

Han Ji-woo's hand rose ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠above her head, stroking gently. Being a hologram, it didn't touch, but Seol Ara felt a strange warmth anyway. It was just like high school, when he'd do that often.

"See you soon."

With that, Han Ji-woo's figure vanished. Seol Ara murmured softly to the empty air.

"Yeah. Let's meet again for sure."

Ariel, watching, clasped her hands to her chest like a lovestruck girl and said,

"So romantic."

"We're romantic too, aren't we?"

Brody grumbled jealously. But Ariel just wore a faint smile, lost in her own world.

"Ji-woo... how is he so cool."

"Haa."

Brody could only sigh in burning envy.

Back in Hidden Space, Han Ji-woo sank into thought.

"Weapons. Weapons, huh."

Swords seemed doable with effort. The problem was everything else.

He had no clue how to combine materials for staves, bows, knuckles, or gauntlets. And he couldn't just trial-and-error spam in the creation menu.

Hmm. Other stuff first.

The moment he'd hologrammed in and seen Seol Ara, one thing he wanted to do first had popped into his head.

He stood, pulled out a kitchen knife, and ordered Pao,

"Pao! Let's butcher two pigs!"

"Got it, boss!"

Pao's booming reply echoed soon after.

Kkuu-weeeeek!

Pig squeals of slaughter rang through Hidden Space.

A bit later, large pots boiled with neatly portioned pork.

Meanwhile, Han Ji-woo whipped up some seasoned cabbage side dish from cabbages he'd harvested before. Several plump heads, quickly prepped, filled a massive wooden tub.

"Whew. Break time."

He wiped sweat and opened the fridge, stacked with chilled fruits for just this. He hauled them to the valley with his pets.

Fruits dunked in the babbling stream, he sliced watermelons to share.

"Haaah, perfect."

Watermelon under tree shade after labor, with stream sounds—sweet, ecstatic bliss. Plus, this one permanently boosted stamina by 5 on consumption.

"Toryong~ Thanks, buddy."

Toryong, munching watermelon amid the pets, grinned dopily.

"I dunno what, but the worm someone thanks~ That's Toryong for you~ Pfufufufufu!"

He machine-gunned watermelon seeds at the end—right into Pao's face opposite him.

Fuming Pao shot up for a fight, but

Thud.

Brisong pawed Pao's thigh, shaking his head like chill. When Pao still simmered, he licked all the seeds off Pao's face clean. Then resumed watermelon like nothing happened.

Han Ji-woo muttered watching.

"Brisong's getting more tsundere by the day."

Finishing his slice, Han Ji-woo got the message.

Not just watermelon—the apples and grapes soaking in the stream included ones boosting agility and defense permanently, one each. All thanks to Toryong.

His fertile soil positively influenced every crop grown there. Basics gave growth buffs to the Dungeon Tree, and prime ones permanently raised Han Ji-woo's stats. Pets eating them? No effect.

"Urp~"

Post-fruit party, satisfaction bloomed on Han Ji-woo's ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠face. Watermelon, apple, grapes: defense +2, agility +2 permanent.

"Should be boiled by now?"

Rested enough, he checked the boiled pork down from the valley. Simmered an hour with miso, garlic, onions—tender yet chewy, juicy, delicious.

Slicing bite-sized, he ordered the pets,

"Pao, rice in all three pots. Rest: plenty of lettuce, garlic, peppers—wash clean!"

Qruruk~Nyaang!

"Princess! Don't just sit, sirsyo! I'll handle it sirsyo!"

Pets sprang into lively action. Brisong just nodded and bolted to the fields. Toryong?

"Yohohoho~ I'm no pet, so cheer song time~! Seeds start, buried deep~ Drink water, bask sun~ Grow tall and mighty, but fate's another's belly~"

"Hey, you!"

His own pace as always.

Han Ji-woo opened the Dungeon Shop display window. Four massive wooden tubs before him.

First: pork boiled slices.

Second: seasoned cabbage kimchi.

Third: heaping steamed rice.

Fourth: lettuce, sliced garlic, ssamjang paste.

Ssamjang in a wide wild greens bowl atop veggies to avoid sogginess.

Listed each for 1 Dungeon Coin.

"Eat up, everyone~"

Especially fellow Koreans Seol Ara and Kim Jung-min would love it, he thought happily. Bluntly, it was for Seol Ara. No proper Korean food leisure in the dungeon. And he wanted to treat her to his cooking.

"Nice. Now, for the weapons..."

As he pondered weapon crafting,

"Hm?"

Dungeon Tree growth caught his eye.

"Why'd it grow again?"

Pondering what he'd done or if pets had triggered it, Han Ji-woo got a hunch—then

A new quest appeared.