Dungeon (2)
Park Changwon.
Currently forty-one years old.
He had the good fortune to awaken in his early thirties, yet he was still stuck at Level 4.
His innate talent had simply run out there.
And so he filled the void in his self-esteem by quietly looking down on any Ascender who seemed weaker than himself.
He was doing it right now, in fact.
The guy's honestly unpleasant to look at.
Kim Hajun, wasn't it?
Sleek and smooth like a parasite leeching off its host. No wonder.
He couldn't for the life of him understand why women these days went for that type. Even earlier, right before they entered the dungeon, the female Ascenders nearby had been sneaking glances at the guy.
It had irritated him for no good reason.
A nobody who's only learned Mana Bolt.
He'd bet anything the guy had pulled some 1-Star trait. Park Changwon himself had stalled at Level 4, but this one might never grow past Level 3 — he looked to be in his mid-twenties already, after all.
"Hoo! Mana Bolt, of all things—"
He had deliberately, subtly jabbed at the man's pride.
Usually that did the trick. Most people panicked, faces flushed scarlet, stammering apologies and promises to do better.
Naive reactions, every one of them. Perhaps because this level range was crawling with young Ascenders in their early twenties and below.
Either way, all he had to do then was tell them not to worry, to just trust him and follow his lead. The ones who heard it would look up at him with the same devotion a dog shows its master.
And every time, Park Changwon felt his self-worth swell to overflowing.
But then—
Zap—
Oh?
The man's expression shifted into something that looked ready to tear into him on the spot.
So he had some spine after all, beneath that pretty face?
Even better. Anger only made a man easier to cook.
The very moment he thought, go on then, get angry—
The team leader cut in.
"Let's head in first."
Tch.
Deflating.
Fine. He'd just crush the guy's spirit properly inside the dungeon.
The moment they entered, Park Changwon set out to flatten Kim Hajun with sheer skill.
"Jungle terrain, huh."
This dungeon's layout was the most common kind found in the Level 3 Goblin Dungeon — dense jungle.
The terrain he had more experience with than any other over the past few years.
Park Changwon's confidence climbed even higher.
"I'll take point. Team Leader, you support my flank. You two cover the rear."
He issued the orders as naturally as if he were the leader of the party.
"I'm the highest level here, and I have more dungeon experience than anyone. Just follow my commands and this run will go twice as smooth."
Park Changwon squared his shoulders, as if to say trust me and me alone.
That was when the silent Han Sooyeon stepped forward.
"No. I'll take the front line as well."
"Now, no need for that—"
"If you don't like it, I'll find another team."
"Ah, hahaha. Yes. Yes, of course. Then we'll just hold the front together."
Internally, Park Changwon was thrown off balance.
What's with this? Normally people just go 'please take care of it' and hand it over. What's wrong with this team?
Han Sooyeon, was it?
She'd smelled like money from the start. Was that why she had such nerve?
Still, whatever.
Park Changwon remained confident.
Once the goblins came out, the battle would inevitably revolve around him.
On a good day, he'd subdued a goblin in under five exchanges. When these people were flailing at a single goblin, he'd simply show them what he was made of.
"One goblin ahead. Looks like a scout."
"Kik, kiik!"
Right on cue, a goblin appeared.
Well then — shall we get started?
"Battle stations! Once it closes the distance, we attack. Mages in the back, keep up covering fire."
Just as Park Changwon finished speaking, Kim Hajun stepped forward.
"I'll take it."
"Hah — if you can't put it down in one hit, it'll call its friends. You have to wait and take it out in a single strike. I don't know about your other skills, but with just Mana Bolt, hmm—"
Park Changwon scoffed.
See? Rookie.
If you failed to drop a goblin instantly, it would let out a cry that summoned its kin — and then two more would keep appearing, endlessly, until the whole thing became a exhausting slog. Sometimes, if luck was truly rotten, more than a dozen would come swarming.
Come to think of it, couldn't I humiliate the guy right here?
A nasty little idea sparked in Park Changwon's head.
"Then shall we have a look at your skills first, Hajun-ssi?"
A sly gleam entered his eyes.
Kim Hajun, paying Park Changwon no mind either way, walked forward.
His arm drew back, straight and true.
"Mana Bolt."
A fist-sized sphere of white light coalesced above his outstretched palm.
Huh. His cast speed is actually decent?
The unexpected speed caught Park Changwon slightly off guard.
Still, fast casting alone doesn't win anyth—
The very instant he thought it—
BOOM!!
With a sound like a watermelon bursting, the goblin toppled backward, clutching its throat.
One shot, one kill.
"Wha... what the hell was that?"
At the absurd sight, Park Changwon's jaw hung wide open.
Moments earlier.
The only reason I'd stepped up against the goblin scout was pure and simple: Ellaon had told me to.
You want me to use Sage's Sense?
— Yes. Focus on the creature using Sage's Sense.
Like an obedient student, I followed the instruction at once.
And there it was — the goblin's level and information, floating clearly above its head.
After a week of using Sage's Sense countless times, reading levels had become second nature to me.
— More! Focus harder.
Ellaon urged me to sink deeper into Sage's Sense, unlike anything he'd asked of me before.
Why?
The question crossed my mind, but I figured there had to be a reason for him to push like this.
So I focused. And focused again.
Tztztzt!
Huh?
At some point, the goblin's neck began to glow red.
And a system message rang out in my head.
The proficiency of Sage's Sense has increased.
— You did it! Well done!
What is this?
As I blinked, Ellaon continued.
— That is the sight of your enemy's weakness. Direct your Mana Bolt at that red spot, and see what happens.
My eyes lit up.
A weakness, you say?
Like a critical zone?
All right. Let's do this properly.
I took precise aim at the throat of the oncoming goblin scout.
Fire!
Shwaaaaaak—!
The Mana Bolt tore through the empty air.
BOOM!
It slammed squarely into the goblin scout's throat.
"Grrurk!"
With a final death rattle, the goblin collapsed clutching its neck.
A clean hit.
Whoa. Killed it in one shot?
It was astonishing. Taking down a goblin in a single blow with nothing but a run-of-the-mill Mana Bolt.
Being able to see an enemy's critical zone meant multiplying my offensive power all over again.
Only now did I truly understand.
The direction of power that the Sage trait pursued.
One strike, one kill.
Amplify with Sage's Aura, then strike the enemy's weak point. A power capable of erasing anything in existence with a single blow.
The Sage trait was the very embodiment of the one-hit-kill philosophy.
— Which is why I was called the strongest and most fearsome on the continent of Pangaea. After ascending to Grand Sage, I erased even the Demon Kings who descended upon the land with a single spell, you know.
Ellaon's shoulders rose ever so slightly at my admiration.
— Anyway, well done! The more I watch, the more I see it — your aptitude for mana control is truly exceptional. It's like looking at my younger self.
Ellaon's praise followed right behind.
The compensation for my trash mana reserves: an utterly extraordinary command of magic control. That was the only reason I could plant a Mana Bolt dead center in a goblin's throat.
"Whoa. Your control is insane. Amazing."
Another voice of admiration came from beside me.
Lee Naksu, was it? A mage-class Ascender like me. He was staring at me with wide, wonder-filled eyes.
He didn't say it aloud, but Han Sooyeon wore the same look.
"Ha. Ha. Lucky shot, huh. Nailing a goblin's vital spot like that."
Only Park Changwon's eyes were flickering with confusion — the look of a man still refusing to accept it.
Fine. Let's see how long that look lasts.
"Let's keep moving."
Leaving behind Park Changwon, who had gone conspicuously quiet, Han Sooyeon took the lead.
"Kiik!"
"Kiruruk!"
"Kiik, kiiik!"
More goblins appeared. Three of them this time.
"Battle stations! Three targets this time, so I'll initiate the—"
Park Changwon bellowed, sensing his chance at last—
"Mana Bolt!"
"Firebolt."
Lee Naksu and I manifested our skills simultaneously.
BOOM!
WHUMP!
"Grrurk!"
"Grruk—"
Once again, my Mana Bolt succeeded in taking down a goblin in a single hit.
And the surprising part — Lee Naksu had dropped his in one shot too.
When I turned to him with slightly widened eyes, he winked and gave me a knowing smile.
— That man...
Just as Ellaon opened his mouth to say something about Lee Naksu—
Shwiik— THUNK!
Han Sooyeon, darting out a beat faster than Park Changwon, cleanly finished off the last remaining goblin by slicing through its carotid artery.
"Whoa."
I let my admiration spill out for her as well.
Her skill itself was nothing ordinary, but what caught my eye even more were the two daggers she carried.
I hadn't noticed while they were sheathed, but the moment she drew them, one glance was enough to tell they were extremely expensive pieces.
So this is what they call gear-carrying. Absolutely badass.
I wasn't exaggerating.
Black blades that seemed to ripple with darkness, etched with geometric patterns that looked like runic script.
They matched her black tights perfectly — weaponry tailor-made for her aesthetic.
"Uh, wha—?"
The moment our team wiped out three goblins in seconds, Park Changwon froze mid-charge, spear extended, stumbling to an awkward halt.
The sheer absurdity of his teammates' skill had turned him into a statue.
"Th-that's not..."
He kept opening and closing his mouth, utterly failing to hide his fluster.
Watching him, I couldn't resist landing a parting shot.
"Park Changwon-ssi, you can just stay up front and count how many goblins show up. That'd be a big help."
That's right, Park Changwon. You're our scout. That role alone is more than enough for you.
Even setting me aside, the other two were monstrous in their own right — there didn't seem to be a single opening for Park Changwon to squeeze into.
"......"
Park Changwon couldn't manage any response to my words.
From then on, he couldn't even meet my eyes or the others'.
Seeing a middle-aged man like that almost made me feel a little sorry for—
—my ass. Seriously. Why did he have to pick a fight with strangers for no reason?
I clicked my tongue quietly.
This is why people should look before they leap. Measure the ground before you lie down.
For the rest of the dungeon run, Park Changwon never managed a single decent feat and ended up simply being carried by the rest of us.
In any case, our dungeon clear went off without a hitch, and we blazed through it at an incredible pace.
My leaky mana was running on fumes, but between Han Sooyeon and Lee Naksu each one-shotting goblins, the run looked like it would wrap up smoothly.
But still...
Ellaon, why are you so quiet?
Ellaon had been silent the whole time. When I finally asked, he spoke up.
— That Ascender, Lee Naksu. I do not believe he is Level 3.
What?
He's not Level 3?
— No. Use Sage's Sense.
At his words, I fixed my focus on Lee Naksu.
Sage's Sense activated — and a baffling level floated above Lee Naksu's head.
Wh-what? Level 10?
The highest level on the 1st Floor.
High-level Ascenders from the upper floors lost half their strength when they descended, and were barred outright from entering lower-floor dungeons. Which meant, in effect, one of the strongest Ascenders possible on the 1st Floor was traveling with us.
What is going on?
It made no sense. Why would a Level 10 be doing this here?
So that's why he was dropping goblins so effortlessly.
Then surely not Han Sooyeon too?
I turned Sage's Sense on her as well.
A level floated above her head.
......
The level was honest enough. But the name was different.
And for some reason, it felt vaguely familiar.
Don't tell me Park Changwon too?
I used Sage's Sense on him as well — and true to form, Park Changwon's name and Level 4 matched exactly.
So here I was, left wondering about the identities of "Han Gain," who'd hidden her name, and Lee Naksu, who'd hidden his level.
Did she hire a bodyguard with money?
The most reasonable inference. Plenty of Ascenders worked as mercenaries doing dungeon escort duty, so it was entirely plausible.
Either way, I'm doing one run with this team and that's it.
They say curiosity killed the cat. If I went trailing after these people on a whim, I could end up tangled in something far beyond what I could handle.
So my plan was to look for a different team the moment this run ended.
Besides, we were already inside the cavern leading to the boss room. All that remained was to step into the boss chamber up ahead, take down the boss, and be done.
"What's that?"
But then, just before the boss room, Han Gain tilted her head.
Everyone looked in the direction she was facing.
Right beside the boss room entrance — in a patch of deep shadow where nothing could be seen clearly, a small shape was squirming.
"Th-that's—!"
Everyone, myself included, shouted at once.
Why?
Because the thing hiding in that shadow was none other than a Treasure Goblin.
"G-grab it!"
Every pair of eyes went bloodshot. Mine included.
Catch a Treasure Goblin, and with a certain probability it would spew out an absolutely staggering fortune.
And it wasn't just currency. Legendary-grade equipment, artifacts — even skill cards.
The odds of a Treasure Goblin appearing in a goblin dungeon were estimated at a mere 0.0001%.
— A stroke of great fortune! Seize it at once!
If even Aleon was reacting like this, it was only natural that everyone's eyes had rolled back in their sockets.
"Kiiik!"
The moment we lunged, the Treasure Goblin startled and bolted.
Unlike other goblins, its grey skin blended into the dark cavern, making it maddeningly hard to spot — and its speed was no joke either.
"It went in there!"
After a long game of cat and mouse, the Treasure Goblin pushed open a door — where had that come from? — and slipped inside.
What the hell? A door, here of all places...
The question flickered through my mind, but none of us had the luxury to dwell on it. The thought that we might lose the Treasure Goblin right before our eyes had made us all reckless with impatience.
"AAAAAH! Grab it! Grab it no matter what!!"
The most frantic of all was Park Changwon. He chased the Treasure Goblin with foam practically frothing at his mouth.
Caught up in the fever of the moment, I chased after him, thinking there was no way I was losing out either.
And so all of us crossed through the door into the space beyond.
"This place..."
On the other side of the door lay a vast cavern.
And at the far end of it stood a colossal goblin statue.
"Kiiik! Kiik!"
At some point, the Treasure Goblin had climbed atop the statue's head, where it began leering down at us with a wicked grin.
What's with that thing? Why is it suddenly—
Before the thought could even finish—
The anomaly struck.
Vmmm—
Along with a deep rumbling vibration from out of nowhere—
GRUUUUMBLE.
The colossal goblin statue began to move.