Eating the Mini Dungeon?

Han Ji-woo was utterly baffled by the sudden message. What the hell did it even mean? He kept rereading it, chewing over the words, when Pao's cheerful voice rang in his ears.

"Master! Found you!"

The little guy threw himself into Han Ji-woo's arms with a big, goofy grin. Being a goblin, Pao was short by nature, so his face ended up right at Han Ji-woo's chest level.

"Ugh, I thought I'd gotten used to this, but looking down at you up close hits different every time."

"What shock?"

Pao tilted his head innocently, and Han Ji-woo couldn't bring himself to say your face.

"Anyway, I'm happy to see you too, so back off a bit, dude. Hugs like this are for lovers!"

"Got it."

As Pao pulled away, another message followed.

"Whoa, what's this now?"

Thanks to synchronization, the Hidden Space's influence had grown stronger, and now it was eating the mini dungeon.

"'Eating' is probably just a metaphor."

It seemed like the Hidden Space was eroding the mini dungeon.

"Eroding it to grasp the mini dungeon's system structure?"

If so, at 100% consumption, the Hidden Space would fully understand the mini dungeon's system. But what happened then? He was curious but couldn't predict it.

No more messages came after that.

"Let's head down, guys."

Han Ji-woo descended the stairs to the lower floor, Seibier and Pao in tow.

"Ooh?"

At the bottom of the stairs, a mini dungeon shop appeared before Han Ji-woo and his pets. It was stocked with gear, weapons, and various items.

But with only 528 Dungeon Coins to his name, nothing was affordable. The cheapest items started at 500 coins—like a low-grade stat point booster that only added +1 to a stat. With his average stats over 250 (350+ with gear), it wasn't worth it.

"Sigh. Anything decent starts at ten thousand coins minimum."

Pure pie in the sky. His armor was ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠top-tier already, but the weapons tempted him.

Then a system message popped up.

"Yes! Knew I could count on you!"

Han Ji-woo pumped his fist. At 100% comprehension, it could probably reset everything. But ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠at 20%, only one item.

"What to pick..."

He carefully scanned the shelves again. Excluding weapons and armor, it was bonus stat cards, skill evolution items, potions—nothing too varied for a mini dungeon shop.

"Gotta go for a sword."

The armors were inferior to his Red Dragon Bone Armor. But weapons...

His current Unicorn Steel Sword:

His eyes locked on the priciest sword: a sleek black blade, one-piece from tip to hilt. Black Flame Blade, priced at 70,000 Dungeon Coins.

He checked its info.

"Insane."

The base stats were nuts, but the permanent skill option was broken. And it was bound—once equipped, no one else could use it. A sword that chose its master.

"This one's my pick."

He double-checked for better value, but nothing topped it.

"This it is."

"Nice!"

Without hesitation, he bought and equipped the Black Flame Blade.

"That's more like it."

He gripped the Black Flame Blade in his right hand, admiring it. He stowed the Unicorn Steel Sword in inventory but equipped it in his left—just in case. Swinging the dual blades felt surprisingly smooth.

"No way my mid-tier swordsmanship covers this?"

As expected. His beginner swordsmanship from Pao had evolved to intermediate, enabling dual-wielding. He'd never tried it before.

More was always better. Two swords beat one, and double the attack power? Perfect.

"Thanks for everything, Hidden Space."

With the amazing weapon thanks to the Hidden Space, he left the shop without regrets.

On mini dungeon B11, monster levels suddenly downgraded. Mid-grade monsters should have appeared, but the ruin-like area swarmed with low-grade goblins.

The Hidden Space had helped again. And the goblins...

"All of you, kneel! On your knees!"

At King Goblin Pao's command, they prostrated themselves in submission.

Han Ji-woo counted, impressed—nearly 100. An unexpected force in the mini dungeon. Grinning, he headed for the next stairs.

Mini dungeon B29. Two and a half days in, the mini dungeon was nearly fully synchronized with the Hidden Space.

Higher sync points meant stronger influence—more system comprehension. This continuously lowered difficulty, a perfect loop for Han Ji-woo.

What should have been bland corridors turned into ruins, jungles, plains, forests from B13 on. Food issues resolved too.

"Seibier. You're somehow gaining weight faster here?"

High sync meant chubby times for Seibier. Max monster difficulty capped at mid-grade. No higher threats.

All five pets together via sync, plus 100 goblin subordinates from Pao. Massive power boost.

Clearing felt like a picnic. Summarizing:

"Oh, low-grade monsters all the way to B13? Maze easy, traps wiped. Time to chill."

Spotting the ease, he let pets build combat sense, sitting back.

Picnics, spectating pet massacres.

"That's it! Good job, Pao! Yeah... Huh? Dude! Why apologize mid-kill? You're not on their side anymore!"

Occasional advice.

"Kya~ Samgyeopsal hits different. Meat's best on charcoal. Hey, Turkan! Watch your back!"

BBQ coaching.

"B24 already? Where'd my 100 goblins go—half left? Guys! Protect the goblins in fights! Live ones are future workers! That one! Nooo, another worker down!"

Lamenting lost labor.

"Sync points 4,425! Almost there...!"

Steadily banking points.

"B28 easy! Go Seibier, breath attack! Ooh~ Lucy's backflip cat punch—cool as hell! Strongest Lucy!"

Cheering pets to B29.

Mid-grade from B24, so expect them here. No worries—30 goblins left, pets battle-hardened. Experience boosted prowess without stat gains. Easy win ahead.

"How much for full sync?"

He opened the sync shop, investment tab. 4,912 invested. 88 more for max.

Last unsynced: Osgeelro's 30-pyeong wooden house. Everything else shared—hard to tell spaces apart.

B29 was a lush forest with synced buildings, fields, trees, lake, stream nearby—like Hidden Space.

"Wonder what this floor wants."

Scanning around, he muttered. Erosion simplified clears: kill monsters, stairs appear.

Same here. Monsters surged from all sides.

"Alright, guys—let's go!"

At his shout, Seibier rocketed up, eyes sharpening. Chub melted into sleek hatchling form. Dragon Fear hit the mob.

Kraaaaaah!

Terror froze them—then dual breaths:

Kwaaaaa!

Black breath melted, white froze. Dozens turned to slag or ice.

Sasuri shredded flyers, but numbers overwhelmed—till Seibier joined, turning tides.

Pao and Turkan flanked Han Ji-woo, slashing. Lucy rode Pao's head, punching heads after he blocked.

Turkan outstat Pao, but combo worked.

Poor goblins shredded by horde.

Han Ji-woo's eyes blazed.

"They could've been... great workers!"

Labor dreams crushed. Grinding teeth, he raised dual blades.

Kieee! Kuruk!

Monsters charged fearlessly—then:

Fwoosh!

Black flames trailed the swing.

Kiaak! Keeeek! Kweee! Kek!

One slash, five instant kills.

Trampling corpses, he whirled blades madly. Sword Emperor Luden Barfugia's style: precise, simple, beautiful.

Amid ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠beasts, he danced like a painting. Flames and blood sprayed like paint.

Surveying encirclement, he cast:

All MP drained for 10 casts—50 undead summoned, shielding him.

But not done:

No MP cost. Activation:

Krrrrowl...

Hell’s three-headed gatekeeper descended.