The First B-Rank Deployment
The conference room air had settled into a brief, heavy silence. Team Leader Yoo Mira set her terminal on the table and spoke. “The Samcheok C-06 incident appears to be the work of an illegal hunter team. The gate disappearance pattern matches the previous case. That’s why headquarters isn’t sending an audit team. The Blue Dragon Team 2 leader protested strongly, but that has nothing to do with us. The Investigation Bureau has decided to close the case as is.”
The team members nodded quietly.
“Still, please double-check the report. Similar patterns have been reported at other branches. Think carefully about whether anyone displayed unusual or suspicious behavior during the investigation, and make sure nothing was omitted from the report.”
The meeting ended there. After leaving the conference room, I rewrote the report and organized the documents. Once I had checked both personal and supplied equipment, the day was over.
After work, I stopped by the dojang. The moment I opened the door, Director Han Dohoon looked up. “You’re here, Jihoon. You’ve been showing up without missing a single day lately. I was planning to make the makeup sessions even harsher if you skipped… what a shame.”
“Director, it sounds like you were hoping I’d skip. I’ll pass on that hellish supplementary training.”
“Still, you brat! Huh? You think you got your C-rank promotion early because of me!”
“How is that thanks to you? I bought an elixir and trained like crazy, that’s why.”
“You little punk, but I still fixed your form and built up your stamina. Admit it.”
“Yes~ Everything is thanks to you, Director. I’m so grateful.”
“You rascal. Enough joking. Go change. I’m opening hell again today.”
“…Understood.”
For the next several hours, hell unfolded once more. Machine-like repetitive movements and stamina-draining drills continued, and just as I finished all the routines—
“Alright! Training’s over for today! You did well. Go on home.”
‘Hmm… That level of training would be tough even for a B-rank body enhancer to keep up with, yet Byun Jihoon, a mere C-rank telekinetic, looks so relaxed. Psychics are supposed to have their bodies cap at C-rank… He’s just crossing that line. Did he take illegal drugs? It doesn’t seem like he faked his rank either… Well, he probably got his hands on a B-rank elixir and swallowed it. He’s been entering dungeons a lot lately, after all.’
Director Han Dohoon stared at me with narrowed eyes, then made a face like he had come to a decision. He gave a meaningless smile and said his goodbyes.
“Yes, Director. Thank you for today as well.”
I gave a short bow and left the dojang. The training intensity had been higher than usual today, and I regretted talking back to the director, but I had still managed to endure it.
When I opened the front door, Arin and Elly were in front of the sofa, crying and laughing while watching TV and chattering noisily. The sight made me chuckle. After I showered and came out, they both shouted at the same time.
“Jihoon! We want chicken! Fried!”
“I want seasoned! Order that!”
I took out my phone and placed the order. The two spirits danced lightly above the sofa in delight. When the chicken arrived, they began devouring it with greasy hands.
“Jihoon, let’s have a beer with the chicken! Huh? Huh? It’s so greasy that I’m craving it even more!”
“Arin, don’t drink too much. At this rate Elly will turn into a heavy drinker too.”
“It’s fine! Jihoon! We need some fun like this. The spirit realm is so boring.”
“I still have to do the Harmony Heart Method, so I can’t… You two drink just a little.”
“Thanks, Jihoon! Elly, let’s have chicken and beer while watching dramas!”
“Sounds good! There are so many fascinating things in this civilization. Dramas are fun too!”
While the two enjoyed their chicken and beer in front of the TV, I sat on the bed and continued the Harmony Heart Method. The heat gathered in the lower mana hole slowly rose toward the central mana hole. As my breathing steadied, the surrounding noise gradually faded. Behind me, Arin and Elly bickered and laughed, their voices mixing with drama music and the smell of chicken, yet somehow the house felt calmer.
With each cycle of the Harmony Heart Method, the inside of my body loosened gently, and the spirits’ commotion seemed to drift farther away. By the second cycle, the central mana hole at my solar plexus opened warmly. By the third cycle, scattered thoughts began to organize one by one, leaving my mind quietly empty. At some point my body tilted slightly, and my eyelids began to droop on their own. Arin and Elly’s laughter grew faint, like background noise from far away, until only warm air remained—
I quietly fell asleep.
The day ended quietly like that.
Over the next two months, we cleared three more C-rank dungeons with the guild team. Two went smoothly with the cores recovered according to regulations, but in the last one, no core could be found no matter how hard we searched. The record simply noted “core unrecovered,” and the guild prepared to designate the dungeon as a stabilized zone. The investigation team didn’t seem inclined to make an issue of it either, and quiet remarks of “no need to touch it” circulated.
But a week later, I entered that dungeon alone. There was no report, no record. I scanned it slowly from start to finish and eventually found the core marked as “disappeared,” absorbing it without anyone knowing. From that moment, the flow changed. The gate vanished exactly one day later, and the guild team that had entered that day reportedly scrambled out due to a sudden dungeon collapse. The guild was naturally in an uproar. It was understandable, since a dungeon they had already planned to stabilize had completely disappeared along with the collapse.
Yet the Investigation Bureau remained strangely quiet. It was an obviously abnormal situation, but once again, they let it pass without a word.
In the meantime, Elly had grown much more accustomed to Korean culture. The spirit who once couldn’t even handle a remote properly was now checking drama schedules and recommending menus through delivery apps. When she learned how to use the microwave, her shoulders shook with pride. And at some point, she had become genuinely serious about chicken and beer.
“Jihoon, let’s have chicken and beer today too.”
One day, while eating chicken, she spoke with a serious face. “This food… is dangerous. I can’t stop.”
Her expression was so cute that I couldn’t help but laugh.
Arin’s growth speed had clearly accelerated as well. Her ember shots had become much cleaner, and her flame barrier now deployed almost instantly. She seemed to feel it herself, occasionally flicking sparks at me while saying, “If I gather a little more, I should be able to recover my mid-rank abilities soon.”
Elly’s control over water energy was also becoming increasingly refined. Where she once could only create small ripples, she was now nearly restoring techniques that mixed with air currents to redirect flows. In addition, water’s unique purification and healing abilities were beginning to show. When she touched murky water, it cleared instantly as the flow purified. When she channeled power into a small wound, a warm current spread, disinfecting and closing it. Though still weak, she also possessed the power to gradually calm and detoxify poisons or irritating energies.
Both of them seemed quite close to regaining mid-rank abilities once they gathered a few more spirit stones.
In the meantime, I continued steadily practicing the Harmony Heart Method and Flash Sword Art. The flow rising from the lower mana hole connected naturally to the central mana hole, and the sensation of that power spreading throughout my body had become far more stable than before. Coating mana onto my sword now felt much more natural than expected, and the power behind each slash had clearly changed. My movements grew lighter, the sword tip sharper, and the destructive force increased with each passing day.
As the spirits’ magic rose and my Harmony Heart Method and swordsmanship were further refined, the flow of battle itself had become distinctly different from before. With the energy from the lower mana hole stably anchored in the central mana hole, my entire body felt lighter and more solid than ever.
And today, the first B-rank deployment order finally came down.
When I entered the conference room, Team Leader Yoo Mira had already pulled up the materials. “This mission is the Cheongpyeong B-05 dungeon.”
She displayed a map on the screen. “It formed on the outskirts of the break zone. As you know, B-rank dungeons are large enough to contain an entire metropolitan city or a city proper. This dungeon falls into that category.”
The team members’ faces grew slightly tense.
“The interior is a mixed terrain of grasslands, mountains, valleys, and lakes, so the routes are long and the resonance readings vary greatly between zones.”
She flipped to the next screen. “For reference, a hunter team has already entered once and dealt with the boss… The problem is, no core appeared. That’s why it’s currently being maintained as a stabilized dungeon.”
“We’ll be investigating resources, the ecosystem, and changes in resonance readings inside. The hunter team will handle combat, but given the scale, there’s a high chance we’ll get caught up in it as well. Make sure everyone is properly prepared.”
Short sighs escaped from among the team members. Team Leader Yoo Mira nodded and continued.
“Since this is our first B-rank deployment, supplies will be generous. The schedule is five nights and six days, and each of you will be issued two B-rank mana stone bombs.”
“We’ll be traveling in the Blue Dragon SUV. Check the mana stone charge status before boarding. Any consumed amount will be recharged on-site with recovered mana stones.”
She flipped through the screens while meeting our eyes. “Prepare your personal equipment thoroughly. Anyone who can upgrade should do so this time. Only two basic low-grade potions will be supplied. I recommend bringing mid-grade potions personally if possible. B-rank dungeons have wide routes, and the break zone has many variables. There’s a real possibility we’ll be dragged into direct combat, so make sure you’re properly prepared.”
The meeting concluded there. After organizing documents and checking the supply list, I went down to the parking lot to inspect the SUV’s condition before heading home.
Before going home, my feet naturally turned toward the Uijeongbu Hunter Department Store. Perhaps because it was my first B-rank deployment, my heart felt oddly heavy. Combining the mana stone settlement payments I had processed so far with my salary, my bank balance was just over sixty million won.
“…It’s going to be empty again.”
A short sigh escaped as I headed first to the potion section.
“Welcome! Is there anything you need?”
“Yes, one mid-grade recovery potion, please.”
I received a bottle of mid-grade recovery potion with silver bubbles quietly rising inside the transparent glass. The price was 2.5 million won. Even for just one bottle, the cost was substantial. The moment the payment notification sounded, it felt like my bank account was being torn apart along with it.
After putting the potion in my bag, I moved to the armor section. The first thing that caught my eye was Ecoline’s mid-grade armor set. It featured weight reduction, shock absorption, and mana vibration blocking—products most commonly used by C-rank and higher hunters.
“This model is the new season release.”
The staff member showed me the armor. When I held it, I felt stability more than weight.
“I’ll take this.”
Twenty-five million won. The moment the payment notification appeared, it felt like my heart was leaving along with the money.
When I moved to the weapon section, Taesan Tech’s new alloy swords were displayed in a row. The moment I gripped the hilt, a light metallic resonance transmitted to my fingertips. It felt like it would handle the flow of Flash Sword Art quite well.
“This line is popular among those advancing from C-rank to B-rank.”
The staff member’s words brushed past my ears. I swung the sword lightly once and nodded.
“I’ll take this one.”
Thirty million won. My bank account was truly on the verge of fainting.
Finally, at the auxiliary weapon corner, I picked up Hansung Tech’s tactical dagger set (20 pieces). It was a consumable that telekinetic hunters typically carried as standard. The staff member smiled and said, “We have a discount today, so the price is reasonable.”
…But none of those words offered any comfort in my current situation.
After storing all the equipment in my storage bag and leaving the store, I checked my bank balance once more.
“…More expensive than expected.”
A sigh came out naturally, but I still needed this level of preparation to feel confident entering my first B-rank dungeon. The bag was heavy and my bank account was light. Strangely, that combination matched my current state perfectly.
“Still… it’s my first B-rank.”
I reorganized the equipment and let out a long, wordless sigh while staring at my drastically reduced balance. All that remained now was departure.
After three days of preparation, we gathered in the underground parking lot. Equipment checks went on endlessly. Bag weight on our backs, armor fastening status, dagger quantities, resonance device operation—everyone double-checked their own gear and completed the final inspection.
Jaehoon hyung looked my way and raised an eyebrow. “Oh, Jihoon. Your equipment is sparkling. Did you get everything new?”
“Yes. I emptied my bank account to prepare this time. It’s my first B-rank, so I couldn’t go in half-heartedly. Hyung… your armor is new too?”
“Hey, you can tell? This is why we work.”
Jaehoon hyung turned around unnecessarily to show off his gleaming breastplate. It was a heavy armor set mixing leather and metal, and it looked expensive at a glance.
Just then, Homin hyung cut in while tapping his shield with his palm. “You two are like kids. This is what real new gear looks like.”
His shield had a lively sheen, and his armor had a freshly coated texture that sparkled.
“Hyung, you spent a lot this time, right?”
When I asked, Homin hyung nodded three times. “This alone cost over a hundred million. For a tanker, armor is life, you punk.”
“You’re right, hyung. If the tanker goes down, everything behind becomes dangerous.”
We exchanged light jokes as we boarded the Blue Dragon SUV. Once the engine started and the mana stone energy flow appeared on the dashboard, everyone let out a long breath.
The vehicle entered the highway and sped eastward. The scenery outside the window rushed past as the city gradually receded, replaced by mountains and low forest paths. About an hour later, when we arrived at the outskirts of the Cheongpyeong break zone, the first thing that caught our eyes was the temporary encampment of freelance hunters. Old tents, drum-barrel stoves, used trucks. The temporary base the freelance hunters had set up swayed in the wind, and the sound of striking ore veins, haggling, and cursing mixed together, keeping the small market-like area alive and moving.
The unique air distortion of the break zone remained as well. Grass blades tilted to one side regardless of the wind, and fallen leaves paused momentarily in midair just before touching the ground, trembling slightly before dropping.
Around the time we stopped, several black SUVs arrived in a line. It was Black Tortoise Team 2 and Team 3.