The Dungeon City

The next morning, Kang Dohyun and Kang Dohun sat down to breakfast and talked over their plans.

"Ulsan doesn't have any stable settlements — there's nowhere good enough to use as a base camp."

The southern, central, and eastern districts of Ulsan were overrun with bandits, and their activity was relentless. No rest stops or markets had formed where people could gather safely.

"So? What about the base camp?"

"We'll have to set it up somewhere hidden, far from where people tend to go."

Dohyun already had a location in mind for the base camp.

"Hyung, what's the plan for Ulsan?"

"We'll clear dungeons."

The lack of order in Ulsan worked in the brothers' favor. People were so consumed fighting each other — not just zombies — that they couldn't even consider tackling even a green-rank dungeon.

"I've confirmed seven green-rank dungeons, and about nine yellow-rank ones."

"Right. Let's grind levels."

Dungeons were dangerous, but they offered double experience — from both hunting and clearing — and occasionally dropped achievements. They were the ultimate symbol of stat growth.

After breakfast, the group finished their preparations and four of them climbed onto the drone simultaneously.

"Ugh!"

With four people aboard, Dohyun felt his stamina draining at an alarming rate. He pushed the drone forward as fast as he could and took off.

The drone flew for about forty minutes before arriving near Ulsan Airport in Ulsan's northern district.

"Let's get off here."

The area Dohyun had chosen for their Ulsan base camp was a greenhouse complex near the airport.

"Here?"

"Yeah. No one's around here."

Since the apocalypse, no one had farmed the land, so there was nothing to gain from the area. No people, no bandits — Dohyun had selected this spot precisely because it was abandoned by everyone.

After resting briefly to recover his stamina, Dohyun turned to Kim Sooah.

"Set up the base camp here, and keep an eye on Chaerin."

"I... but, Master... Chaerin-ssi's condition is getting stranger and stranger. Is that really okay?"

Sooah knew exactly what was happening with Chaerin, and worry colored her voice.

"It's fine. Just keep managing her the way you have been — once an hour. Continue as before."

With that, Dohyun and Dohun left the base camp area.

The brothers walked out of the greenhouse complex and onto the road in front of Ulsan Airport.

"Hyung, which dungeon should we start with?"

"Today, let's..."

Dohyun checked his map, confirmed the marked locations, and spoke.

"We'll tackle the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠green-rank dungeon in the south first."

"The far one?"

"We need to clear all the green-rank dungeons in the south in one day."

They decided to start with the easiest dungeon, even though it was the farthest away.

The first green-rank dungeon they encountered on their descent.

"Let's start here."

"Okay."

The two brothers stepped inside, and a sign reading Hanwha Petrochemical appeared before them.

The brothers had entered a green-rank dungeon set in a Hanwha Petrochemical plant.

They'd assumed a green-rank dungeon would be easy, but it turned out to be more troublesome than expected.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

A zombie appeared before them, and Dohun swung his fist to knock it down.

"BOOM!"

It exploded.

"Ugh!"

Dohun was pushed back slightly by the blast.

"You okay?"

"Y-yeah... it hurts a little..."

He'd taken the shock of the explosion, but there was no serious injury.

"Good. That's a relief."

"But hyung, these zombies are weird, right?"

They were a variant — zombies that exploded upon death.

"Can't help it. You just guard my side. I'll handle them from range."

Dohyun drew his crossbow and fired a mana bolt at a distant zombie.

"BOOM!"

That one exploded too. The brothers began moving through the dungeon, killing zombies only from a distance.

Three hours later.

As the dungeon clear message appeared, the barrier surrounding the area vanished.

"Phew..."

Dohyun, his stamina depleted from all the ranged attacks, sat down to rest for a moment.

"Wow... I can barely operate in a dungeon like this."

Dohun had been almost useless in this dungeon.

"Can't help it right now."

His younger brother's strength lay in close combat — he could beat almost anyone in Korea one-on-one, Dohyun included. But he had no ranged combat methods and lacked utility.

"I thought he'd be fine for now, but I'll need to think of a countermeasure."

They rested while talking, and before long it was lunchtime. The brothers ate some dried rations and continued their conversation.

"Hyung, I don't think we can clear all the green-rank dungeons in the south in one day."

"I know. Can't help it. It'll take more time, but we'll keep focusing on dungeon clears."

After lunch, the brothers moved on to the next dungeon.

Three days later.

Kang Dohyun and Kang Dohun were tackling a small dungeon in Ulsan's eastern district.

"Grrraaaak."

Inside were gelatinous soul-type undead fused with machinery.

"Clank. Bang!"

Their defense was too high. Dohun lured the undead around while Dohyun picked them off one by one with his shotgun.

Two hours after entering.

The dungeon clear message appeared.

"Phew. This one was harder than I thought too."

As Dohyun was about to rest, an additional message popped up.

"A Limited Skill Selection Token?"

Dohyun checked the message and looked at his brother.

"Hyung! Did you get one too?"

"Yeah. You got a Limited Skill Selection Token too?"

Both had received the token. They exchanged a light high-five and cheered.

Using the Limited Skill Selection Token, they could choose from a set of skills to gain a new trait.

The four skills offered to Dohyun were Titan's Might, Flexibility, Gale Force, and Iron Will.

Titan's Might increased strength, Flexibility improved agility, Gale Force enhanced dexterity, and Iron Will strengthened willpower.

"This is a skill set that boosts basic human abilities."

After some thought, Dohyun chose Gale Force.

After making his selection, he asked his brother.

"What skills did you get offered?"

"Me? Flexibility, Gale Force, and Iron Will — three of them."

Dohun already had the Titan's Might skill, so only three options were offered.

"Hyung? What should I pick? I'm torn."

"They'd all suit your combat style, but if you had to pick the best one... I'd say Flexibility."

On Dohyun's recommendation, Dohun immediately chose Flexibility.

After both brothers had selected their rewards, Dohyun opened his own status window first.

"My ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠status window has really gotten long."

The lengthened status window was no different from a medal showing how much stronger he'd become. He'd reached level 32, had excellent traits paired with solid skills, and sixteen skills was a considerable number.

After checking his own status, Dohyun turned to his brother.

"Dohun, show me your status window too."

"Alright. I'm awesome now!"

"Awesome?"

At his brother's question, Dohun grinned and displayed his status window.

His achievements, traits, and skills were all exceptional. But one particularly special new trait had been added.

"Dharma 18 Hands?"

"Yeah! I just hit level 30 and got a special trait assigned."

Upon reaching level 30, Dohun had received Dharma 18 Hands (Arhat Fist) as a special gift from the God of Combat.

"The description says, 'Dharma 18 Hands is the foundation and essence of Shaolin martial arts. As you comprehend the lost Arhat Fist, its power increases with proficiency.' Hahaha!"

Dohun laughed loudly at having gained a special trait.

"Hyung, I feel a lot stronger. I can feel it! I've gained insight into martial arts. So let's spar."

"Already? It's only three o'clock."

There was still time to clear one more green-rank dungeon.

"Let's wrap up early today! I want to spar with you, hyung."

"Fine."

Dohyun gave in to his brother's excitement.

The brothers flew back to Ulsan Airport on the drone and landed in the open space beside the greenhouse complex where their base camp was set up.

"Let's fight here."

"Alright."

The brothers set down the bags on their backs and warmed up.

"Today we fight with weapons."

"That's what I was hoping for."

The two brothers began their sparring match.

Thirty minutes later.

After a long bout, the winner was—

"I won!!"

Dohun cheered after winning the one-on-one spar. Dohyun wore an expression of disbelief.

"I lost like that?"

He couldn't understand — couldn't accept — that he'd lost to his younger brother. And it had been a full-strength spar.

"Dropping the axe was a mistake!"

"Hyung, mistakes are part of skill, right? Hahaha. I won with skill."

At his brother's words, Dohyun grew angry and pulled the Chungmu Soul Sword from his inventory.

"Hey, fight me again!"

"H-hey, hyung! That's not fair!"

"What's not fair? This is part of my combat power too."

As Dohyun insisted on fighting again, Dohun raised both hands in surrender.

"I lost. I lost."

"Hey, don't just say that!"

"No, I can't beat you with the Chungmu Soul Sword. I lost, I lost! And from now on, for the rest of my life, you win. Let's just make that the rule."

"Gah... you're driving me crazy."

Leaving the frustrated Dohyun behind, Dohun laughed and walked into the greenhouse complex where the base camp was located.

Dohyun eventually put the Chungmu Soul Sword back into his inventory and followed after him with heavy steps.

He'd won, but it felt like losing. Still, it had been a day where he confirmed his younger brother's growth.