Plundering the Dungeons

Dungeons are generally classified from the highest S-rank down to the lowest E-rank.

Naturally, the danger level of the monsters lurking inside follows the same standard.

There's one universal benchmark that divides hunters into ranks.

Whether they can take down monsters one rank higher than themselves.

For example, an A-rank hunter has the ability to subdue an S-rank monster, even if it takes a desperate struggle.

So, what's the average level of the students here…

Excluding Class 5, whose stats are disastrously low, they're mostly around D-rank at best.

Among them, the elite standout talents in Class 1 would clock in around C-rank.

Which means.

I had zero reason to feel intimidated by all these low-grade dungeons scattered right in front of me.

Especially for a party like ours.

"Master, what are you thinking about?"

"Dohyun… I've never seen you look so focused before…."

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

Even in this chaotic pandemonium, it didn't take long to spot Eunha and Taesan.

Kwak Taesan's massive, pole-like frame stood out like a sore thumb in the crowd, and right beside him, Seol Eunha was calmly surveying the situation.

Now with Seoa joining us too, the four of us formed a tight circle. I scanned my reliable party members and inwardly cheered.

"Alright, I've made up my mind."

"What've you decided, Dohyun?!"

Taesan thrust his head forward with booming curiosity.

I pointed at the gates littering the area.

"This place is crawling with low-grade dungeons right now. And inside them, it's not just monsters—there's a high chance of undiscovered artifacts or lucky breaks waiting."

"Ah! I think I've read about that in books…!"

"Right? So the best move here is to conquer as many as possible ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠and sweep up everything inside. Plus, we can impress the professors while we're at it."

Taesan clapped his hands with a smack!, his eyes sparkling at my sly pitch.

"Kuhahaha! As expected of you, Dohyun! A real man grabs every treasure in sight without mercy!"

He slung his thick arm over my shoulder with a hearty laugh.

"But brother! If that's the case, isn't it a huge waste for all four of us to stick together? Too small-scale for burning our youthful passion!"

"Musclehead's got a point."

Eunha chimed in lazily, glancing at the gates.

"Like Master said, top-end E- or D-rank low-grade dungeons. No need for parties—you could solo these."

"…I agree. But."

I raised my hand lightly, drawing everyone's eyes.

"Dungeons are unpredictable places where freak accidents can happen anytime. We'll push the pace hard, but we need minimal insurance."

No matter how tutorial-level these were, I wasn't letting my party members get so much as a scratch.

"Insurance?"

"Pairs of two."

At my words, Eunha and Seoa's eyes snapped to me in unison.

…What was that? Those predator stares, like they'd pounce on prey.

"Master. You're with me this time."

"D-Do, Dohyun! You'll pair with me, right!?"

Ah.

I'd arrogantly assumed I could dictate the teams.

***

Moist, musty air stabbed into my lungs.

The blinding blue light filling my vision faded, revealing a rugged stone cave passage.

This was the low-grade dungeon you always hit first in the game: the Ashen Cave. Thud. Light footsteps followed me through the gate.

"Master. Glad we're paired."

Her voice was bone-dry, devoid of inflection or even a hint of emotion.

Anyone else would've dismissed it as empty politeness, but knowing Eunha's past, I let out a small chuckle.

"Your face doesn't look glad at all."

"This is me being happy, more or less."

As she stepped ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠up beside me with a flat reply, I recalled the brief farce at the gate moments before entering.

To mediate the no-holds-barred stare-down between the two girls, I'd gone with the fairest, most primal rule: rock-paper-scissors.

Eunha won in a landslide.

"D-Do, Dohyun…."

Seoa staring blankly at her losing paper, ears drooping like a lost puppy. And.

"I win. Let's go, Master."

Eunha flashing a calm V-sign of victory. The tragic comedy overlapped in that instant.

In the end, winner Eunha stuck with me, loser Seoa teamed with Taesan, splitting off to different gates.

I felt a twinge of guilt for Seoa, but with Kwak Taesan—pure firepower stronger than mine—she'd be fine in a low-grade dungeon.

Raw power-wise, he's stronger than me anyway.

I shook off the brief memory and stared into the pitch-black depths ahead.

For a low-grade dungeon, the Ashen Cave was notoriously tricky for newbies.

Its interior twisted into a labyrinthine maze, and the resident monsters had vicious traits.

Gray Eaters.

Bug-type monsters camouflaged in rock crevices or walls, bursting out en masse when prey passed.

Individually fragile enough to pop underfoot, but their overwhelming numbers from all sides could shred your sanity if you blundered in.

But that was only if you wandered cautiously, mapping it out.

"Eunha."

"Yes, Master."

"I'll blaze to the boss room. Then it's yours."

Having seen the ending dozens of times and min-maxed speedrun tactics, the shortest path through this nightmare maze was etched in my mind like a 3D minimap.

I reached for the subspace pouch at my waist and drew a razor-sharp iron sword. Shing!

Gripping it firmly amid the chilling scrape, I kicked off without hesitation. Tat!

"Krrk?"

As I charged deep into the cave, rocks embedded in the walls began twitching faintly.

Gray Eaters sensing movement, wriggling out from crevices.

But I wasn't waiting politely.

Slash! Crunch!

"Kieeeek!"

The instant a rock stirred, my sword cleaved it in half, rock and all.

Hard stone sliced like tofu, crumbling smoothly. The bugs inside, mid-leap, split apart, spraying sticky green ichor before tasting air.

I know every single spawn point by heart.

Slash! Boom!

"…Whoa."

Overwhelming, relentless breakthrough. Eunha, glued to my back, let out a soft gasp at the bug remnants scattering everywhere.

"As expected of Master. You even know the optimal sword paths for maximum efficiency."

"Of course. One slip-up and I'd reset immediately."

My gamer instinct slipped out unwittingly, but Eunha just went "Ooh" in admiration.

My pace didn't slow—it accelerated.

"Kieeeek!" "Kyaaak!"

Ambushes from all sides. But my sword arced a half-beat faster than their heads poked out.

I slashed diagonally upward, catching a plummeting jaw from the ceiling.

Slash—

Fluid wrist twist, stabbing precisely into the gap where shell met rock on the right.

Clang! Crunch! Green ichor erupted before hitting ground.

Maintaining momentum, I ducked low, ripping horizontally through underbellies surging from the floor.

"Ki, kick…!"

Each silver trail from my blade tip sent rock-entwined bug corpses tumbling like harvested straw.

As fast as possible… Boss in under five minutes.

Right-turning narrow passage. Deceptive dead-end rock wall. Three-way fork maze.

A nightmare forcing cadets to grope walls and mark paths—but my steps held zero hesitation.

Left here, skip third rock crevice spawn. Straight, then right.

How long did we run?

The musty air suddenly grew thick and heavy.

Tap.

The cramped passage ended abruptly, opening into a vast domed cavern.

Malice far beyond trash mobs crushed the space—dense, ferocious.

The heart of the Ashen Cave. Boss room.

"Hoo… haa… We're here."

"…Boss room in under three minutes, seriously."

I shook ichor off my sword, panting roughly.

Ugh, exhausting…!

Was my HP 1 body cursed with bottom-tier stamina too?

Just traversing one maze, and my legs were leaden, breath maxed out.

Fighting sustained by parries worked because perks perfectly regenerated stamina…Click.

Deep realization hit as I sheathed my sword and stepped back. I nodded at Eunha behind me.

"Boss as promised. I'll rest."

"Got it. Good work, Master."

I slumped against the cavern entrance wall, catching my breath.

Eunha stepped lightly past, into the center.

Zig-zig-grrrk— creeeak—

Reacting to her steps, a massive shadow in the dark writhed with eerie friction.

"Shaaaaaaa—!!"

Darkness parted, revealing a grotesque behemoth.

Three times a man's size. Towering, multifaceted eyes and venomous fangs glinting—a colossal spider monster.

Unique trait: its exoskeleton charred ash-gray, like scorched by flames.

Newbies struggle because physical hits barely dent it…

But Eunha was different.

Academy's undisputed top freshman.

A first-year anomaly with overall B+ stats.

Hummm—

Blue aura rippled like haze over her slender longsword, soon enveloping her form, sharpening to a keen edge.

"Shaaak!"

As the ash spider reared a massive foreleg to strike—

Bang! Ground cratered roundly; her tiny frame rocketed skyward like a cannonball.

She landed feather-light on its vast back.

"Ki, kick…!?"

Target vanished from sight; panicked friction screeched—then her signature thrust erupted.

Kwa-gwa-gwak! "Giaaaaaak—!!"

Blinding barrage, no afterimages.

Dozens of blue aura bolts pierced its sole weakness: the cluster of compound eyes.

Soft, unprotected flesh burst; sticky green ichor sprayed wildly.

"Shaaaaaaa—!"

Writhing in agony atop the spider—

Eunha dodged ichor gracefully, sliding down to its hideous head.

"…Noisy, being a bug."

Cool aura gathered on her level longsword.

Swoooosh!

Clean horizontal slash. Razor sword beam shot forth.

Slash! Thud!

Two forelegs severed clean, rolling. Legless, it crashed, jaws gaping in final frenzy.

Incoming, venom pattern.

Acid venom melting bone on contact.

But Eunha didn't flinch.

Whoosh!

Torqued torso minimally, shedding the spray—then rammed ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠her sword into its forehead. Kaaang!

Hardest ash exoskeleton blocked with a metallic screech.

Textbook: reflect venom to melt shell first.

Skipping gimmick meant rebound—expected.

But her dry eyes gripped the hilt tighter.

Crack! Squish!

Overwhelming mana crushed shell, shoving blade into brain.

And.

"Bye."

Murmur—blade tip detonated mana, watermelon-splattering its skull.

Kwaaaaaang!!

Shell shattered under internal pressure. Malice and bulk collapsed emptily. Thud.

"…"

Leaning on the wall, watching the massacre—I couldn't help a dry laugh.

Gimmicks? Nah, brute stats and force through toughest spot. Absurd, yet awe-inspiring power.

And she wants sword lessons from me?

Quirky at times, but scenes like this made me glad we'd bonded.

If she were an enemy… Unthinkable horror.

I peeled off the wall, approaching the corpse. Eunha shook ichor from her sword, turning.

"Good work. No injuries?"

"Nope. Obviously."

Flat reply—green ichor smeared one pale cheek.

I casually wiped it with my sleeve end. She stayed still, unresisting.

"Bear the stickiness. Wash back at the academy."

"…Yeah. Not sticky. It's fine."

She rubbed the spot with her hand, mumbling softer, almost shy.

"…?"

I ignored the odd reaction, eyeing the corpse for loot.

Alright, let's see. Ashen Cave clear reward…

Fsssh—

Dead spider dissolved into ash handfuls.

Amid settling gray dust, something glowed faintly amid pale debris.

"There it is."

Tiny intact stone shard in the pile. I pulled my smartphone from my uniform pocket.

Launched the academy app, aimed camera at the Ash Fragment.

Whirr—

Familiar vibration; transparent blue panel popped from lens, floating.

Thanks to my handicaps, no damage reduction for me—but its value was more than enough.

The Ash Fragment.

The long-awaited first piece for the ultimate item soon in my grasp.