Even the Absolute One is New to Fatherhood - Episode 7

Kim Bong-gu swallowed dryly as he read the translucent window that had suddenly appeared before his eyes.

'A hidden dungeon?'

Hidden dungeons were places where, with a bit of luck, one could strike it rich in a single stroke.

Items and spellbooks traded among hunters for anywhere from tens of millions to billions of won.

Rare elixirs of all kinds.

Or even the panacea of the otherworld—the legendary Elixir.

And among them, the one thing Kim Bong-gu wanted most was...

'If I'm really lucky, I might even get the Elixir....'

The sole reason Kim Bong-gu, who had started as nothing more than an F-rank, had never given up on being a hunter was entirely because of the Elixir.

Occasionally, Elixirs did appear on the market, but since they were coveted by the world's wealthiest, their prices were astronomical.

Which meant...

There was no other way but to obtain one himself.

Because of that, Kim Bong-gu had endured countless injuries, brushed shoulders with death, and continued his life as a hunter.

'Mother....'

The Elixir was the only way to cure his mother, who had been bedridden for years after being declared brain-dead.

'If I can just get my hands on the Elixir....'

He had an unshakable belief that the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠world around him would return to the way it was before his mother collapsed.

Like the old days, when the whole family would gather around the dinner table at sunset, laughing and chatting over a meal.

His younger sister, who had grown up too fast, could finally act her age and throw tantrums like other kids her age.

'Alright.'

Having made up his mind, Kim Bong-gu looked around at the group and asked,

"Honestly, I'd like to tackle the hidden dungeon while we're at it. What do you all think?"

Lee Byeong-cheol nodded once before answering.

"I've only ever heard about these things—never seen one myself."

"What would you prefer we do?"

"Well, by the book, we should report it to the management bureau, but..."

Trailing off, he clicked his tongue before adding,

"This is a real dilemma. If we report it, they'll toss us a few pennies as a 'reward' and then gobble up the actual dungeon rights for themselves."

"Right. So I'd like us to clear the hidden dungeon ourselves."

"But can this party really handle a hidden dungeon safely? Realistically, the only real combatants here are ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the two of us."

Kim Bong-gu thought for a moment before replying.

"I think we can clear it. It's just the hidden dungeon of a D-rank gate, after all."

Lee Byeong-cheol muttered under his breath, "Is that so...?" before suddenly sinking deep into thought.

Though this was his first time seeing a hidden dungeon with his own eyes, he'd heard enough rumors about them to last a lifetime.

'If things go well, this could be my chance to make a fortune and maybe even retire....'

After a long moment of deliberation, Lee Byeong-cheol exhaled sharply and said,

"Alright. This might be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to turn my life around. Can't just kick it away without trying."

"So...?"

"I'm in. Like Bong-gu said, at worst, it's just a hidden dungeon in a D-rank gate. The monsters inside can't be anything special. Let's give it a shot."

Then, glancing at the porters, he asked,

"What about you all?"

Kang-jun was the first to answer.

"Overtime?"

"Yeah."

"Extra pay?"

"Five times."

Lee Byeong-cheol answered curtly before adding in a serious tone,

"I'll pay five times the agreed fee."

"Five times?"

"Think carefully."

Then, without pause, he continued,

"That's how dangerous this place is."

Meanwhile, Kang-jun was already busy tapping away at the calculator in his head.

'The original daily rate was 300,000 won....'

Five times that would be 1.5 million won per person.

If he factored in both himself and Crabsley, that would be a whopping 3 million won.

'Huh?'

That alone would be enough to cover all his overdue utility bills and even smoothly process the issuance of his Awakened registration card.

"We're in."

Lee Byeong-cheol's gaze then shifted to the F-rank hunter.

"Trash, what about you?"

After a brief hesitation, the F-rank hunter answered quietly,

"I... I'm in favor too."

With a final "Then it's settled," Lee Byeong-cheol picked up the large shield he had planted in the dirt and added,

"Let's get started right away."

At those words, the F-rank hunter's head drooped low, and...

'Keuk, everything's going according to plan.'

A sinister smile crept across his lips.

The hidden dungeon, Monastery of the Demon Worshipers, was a structure reminiscent of an ancient fortress.

Cracks ran through the brick walls, and faded moss clung thickly in places, as if to show how long it had been since anyone had set foot inside.

"This gate has a really eerie vibe overall."

Finishing his remark, Kim Bong-gu placed his hand on the monastery's entrance door.

"Then I'll go ahead and open it."

A moment later, the heavy iron door let out an unpleasant metallic screech—"Kiiik—!"—as it slowly creaked open.

The interior of the monastery came into view, but the thick darkness made it impossible to see even an inch ahead.

"Hmm, it's way too dark in here..."

"Yeah."

"Let's go in first."

Kim Bong-gu was the first to step inside the monastery, and the others followed suit one by one.

Just as everyone had entered the building...

The monastery door slammed shut on its own with a deafening boom.

KWAANG—!

Everyone was left bewildered by the unexpected turn of events.

"Wh-what? Why did the door just...?"

"Huh? What's going on?"

"Is everyone okay?"

Then, suddenly, the candles mounted along the walls of the long corridor ignited, illuminating the pitch-black interior with a bright glow.

"Wow, this is incredible."

The inside was the complete opposite of the crumbling exterior that looked like it could collapse at any moment.

The floor was polished smooth, made of pristine marble...

And high above the ceiling, an exquisite mural—as if painted by a dying artist's last desperate effort—was displayed in all its macabre beauty.

As everyone stood mesmerized, taking in the monastery's interior, Lee Byeong-cheol suddenly shouted urgently,

"W-wait a second!"

He rushed to the heavy iron door and pushed with all his might.

Veins bulged on his thick, log-like arms, and his face turned as red as a ripe persimmon in autumn, but...

"Damn it!"

The door didn't budge an inch.

Lee Byeong-cheol turned to the group and muttered quietly,

"Seems like we can't open this door again until we clear the hidden dungeon."

Kim Bong-gu nodded in agreement before asking,

"Well, we came here to clear it anyway, right? We should probably head deeper in."

Reluctantly, Lee Byeong-cheol sighed and took the lead.

Kang-jun paused for a moment, staring at the closed door.

'Well, at worst, it's just a barrier spell.'

If push came to shove, he could always tear it open by force.

He'd once ripped apart a barrier spell cast by twelve archmages trying to imprison him—this was nothing.

For a while, only the sound of their footsteps echoed softly through the long corridor...

"What the hell? There's not even a single ant, let alone monsters."

Kim Bong-gu muttered in agreement, "Yeah..." before his gaze drifted into the distance.

"Huh? Over there..."

At the far end of the corridor was a spacious area resembling a chapel, the kind commonly found in churches or cathedrals.

"Wh-what is this...?"

Kim Bong-gu stepped into the chapel first, his face paling as he frantically looked around.

"My God, this is insane..."

The chapel reeked of blood and rotting corpses, the stench thick enough to make one's stomach churn.

Piles of decomposing human corpses and skeletal remains were tangled together.

"Th-there must've been a battle here?"

"Both sides were wiped out."

"Wh-what the hell happened...?"

As everyone stood frozen in shock, the F-rank hunter suddenly pointed to the far end of the chapel and exclaimed,

"L-look over there!"

Where a statue of Jesus or the Virgin Mary should have stood in a normal church...

"A demon...?"

Instead, there was a massive demon statue—easily several meters tall—with the body of a muscular man and the head of a dog.

And right in front of it was an altar-like structure, stained with dried blood.

While everyone else was in chaos, Kang-jun stood still, staring intently at the towering ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠demon statue.

'What is this? I feel like I've seen it somewhere before...'

Just then, Kim Bong-gu, who had approached the altar, spoke up.

"There's something written on the stone slab in front of the altar."

"What? It looks like it's in some otherworldly language..."

Kang-jun glanced at Crabsley and said casually,

"Go translate it."

"Yes, my lord."

Crabsley stepped forward, adjusting his monocle as he examined the inscription.

"Let's see... It's written in the language of the 'Demon Realm.'"

"Old man, you can read it?"

"Indeed. Allow me to recite the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠contents..."

Clearing his throat, Crabsley began reading the words on the slab in his usual meticulous tone.

"First. Pass the trial and prove your minimum 'qualification.'"

"A t-trial?"

"Most likely, the trial refers to surviving a battle against the monsters guarding this chapel."

Crabsley's gaze shifted to the corpses scattered across the floor.

"Which means we've already passed."

He then continued reading.

"Second. Offer ten living sacrifices upon the altar to prove your loyalty and faith."

Lee Byeong-cheol muttered in a trembling voice,

"What the hell kind of nonsense is this...?"

Crabsley slowly walked toward the altar at the foot of the demon statue and recited the rest.

"Then, the noble 'Guardian of Hell' shall descend. Kneel and bow your head, begging for forgiveness. Only those who prove their sincerity shall be permitted to leave alive..."

After examining the altar, he turned to the group.

"Fascinating. This altar is enchanted with a 'Demon Summoning Spell.' And not just any demon—a fairly high-ranking one at that."

Pausing for effect, he added,

"It seems nine living sacrifices have already been offered."

Lee Byeong-cheol's brow furrowed deeply as he snapped,

"You senile old coot! Are you seriously expecting us to believe this ridiculous nonsense—?"

Crabsley silently gestured toward the ten candles placed atop the altar.

Nine of them were burning fiercely.

But...

Their flames were an eerie, unnatural black.

"These are what's known as Hellfire—the flames of the underworld."

After a brief pause, he elaborated.

"They're fueled by 'Black Magic,' drawn from the life force of living beings. A common catalyst for summoning demons."

"What...?"

"Given the size of those flames, each one likely required the life force of one human. And as you can see, nine are already burning."

Lee Byeong-cheol asked cautiously,

"So nine people have already been sacrificed, and we need to offer one more to summon the demon?"

"Correct."

"And then we have to beg the demon to let us leave?"

Lee Byeong-cheol let out a hollow laugh before shrugging and asking,

"You all don't actually believe this nonsense, do you?"

Just then—

"Let's decide."

The F-rank hunter stepped forward, drawing everyone's attention.

"You're not seriously suggesting we all die together in this chapel, are you?"

"Wh-what?"

"One of us has to die. That's the situation we're in."

As he spoke, the F-rank hunter clamped both hands over his mouth, his shoulders shaking slightly.

Then, unable to hold back any longer, he burst into laughter—a laugh brimming with madness.

"Keuk, kukukuk..."

Lee Byeong-cheol's face flushed with anger as he roared,

"You crazy bastard, what's so funny?!"

The F-rank hunter waved his hands dismissively.

"Ah, sorry. It's just... seeing you all frozen like this is so pathetic and ridiculous, I couldn't help it."

Then, grinning with boundless delight, he added,

"Now, let's decide who'll be the sacrifice. I wonder... who among us is the most useless?"