The Cult's Dungeon Break Plot

Sometimes there's something faster than words. "Just give me the key points."

Yeah, thought so. As if that would work.

Inside the gate, communications cut off.

I'd saved the data Han I-seo handed me locally. Time to go through it one by one.

The third force. Dubbed the Star Worshippers.

Crazy bastards carrying out massacres in gates under the guise of some "sacred purification ritual."

They twist it to fit their tastes, calling it a holy war...

Let's be real—they're no different from terrorists.

Next page. A familiar symbol.

The tattoo on that guy counting people before we entered the gate.

'Yeah, we're a terrorist group.' Advertising it neighborhood-wide with tattoos. These guys have some balls.

The rest was just details on their scale and minor info.

Why had Han I-seo guaranteed my solo clearance and sent me here?

She's definitely scheming something else outside.

"Turn it off. Ignore it."

From the moment we entered the gate, Song Ji-yul had been diligently tailing me while keeping her distance.

"Can you see this?" "Huh?"

She pulled out one earbud and craned her neck to look up at me.

"Nah." "Were you talking to me?" "First D-rank gate for me—been spinning my wheels on E-ranks, so it's awkward. Just mumbling to myself."

Believe it or not.

Anyway, I'd missed chances to test it before, but it looks like the system's personal alerts and hologram ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠windows are audible and visible only to me.

At some point, Song Ji-yul's earbud was out too.

"......The vibe's off."

"Yeah. Stay sharp."

The sleepiness had vanished from Song Ji-yul's eyes. Her hand unconsciously rose to her shoulder, gripping the steel ball.

"Grrrrr...!"

Beasts emerging from the darkness. A pack of Blood Wolves.

"Crimson Flame."

Whoosh.

The Blood Wolves leaping forward from the front ignited in an instant from the flicked flames.

They were backing off—clearly spooked.

Was gonna test Magic Sword Aura, but they're too weak.

"Yelp!"

One bold one charged from my blind spot.

This was my chance.

As I focused to wrap Magic Sword Aura around my arm, a whoosh cut past my ear from behind.

Thwack—!

"Kyaaang!"

Its skull was cleanly pierced.

A thumb-sized steel ball rolled next to the corpse slammed into the ground.

Impressive accuracy and power. Almost sniper rifle level.

"Thanks to you, I survived."

"Heh. Such empty words."

Song Ji-yul curled her lips and asked,

"What the hell happened in the last few days?"

"Long story. Bunch of stuff went down."

We swept the trash mobs on our way straight to the boss area.

Even amid it, I could clearly feel the beasts' corruption.

We soon reached the boss's domain.

A massive one growled amid the wolf pack.

C-rank lower— a step above the Corrosion King, but probably not much different. Never seen a "lord" or "king" that wasn't a mess.

Now it's even suggesting weak points. The system's performance had skyrocketed.

I scanned its body, putting the advice to good use.

Whoosh—!

Acrid smoke with the flames blocked its vision.

Nose burning? It was whipping its head around in panic.

My Magic Sword Aura-clad handblade sliced sharply into the joint gaps.

Hot heat wrapped around the aura, burning its insides.

I shredded the softened tissue with Magic Sword Aura.

Slash—! Slash—!

"Kyaang!"

The Wolf Lord staggered. Critical hit landed, but...

The Wolf Lord's eyes rolled back. Fluorescent light gleamed inside its red pupils.

"Raaawr——!!!"

The amplified Wolf Lord lunged with even greater speed.

I yelled to Song Ji-yul.

"Shoot it!"

Her steel ball pierced its muzzle.

I shoved flames up through the barely attached jaw.

Whoosh——!

"Whew..."

Amplification, huh. That's why it's three times denser.

Song Ji-yul retrieved her steel ball, glancing at me with curious eyes.

I kept a straight face, gathering the monster byproducts while scanning the boss room interior.

"Hold up."

A bizarre structure caught my eye. Black metal spread like moss on the wall.

Clustered gears and red mana stones. A pitch-black sun-devouring pattern at the center.

Star Worshippers. Identical to their tattoo.

Cranking mana sensing to max, similar waves pinged in three more spots.

This feeling... I knew it all too well.

The nightmare I'd buried in my memories resurfaced.

"......Dungeon Break."

Ten years ago. The disaster that took everything from me was about to replay in the heart of Seoul.

"......"

......

These fucking bastards...

The rage I'd suppressed from the bottom of my gut boiled over.

Calm down, Baek Sa-eon. Stay cool. Losing it now changes nothing.

Can't let the ghosts of the past grab my ankle. I'm not that powerless kid anymore.

It hasn't burst yet. I can stop it.

All my skills are mana-based now. Needs physical impact—one person came to mind.

Song Ji-yul.

Her weapon was steel balls. She only amps power with mana at launch.

In flight, the balls carry no mana.

Fixed damage.

"Song Ji-yul."

"Yeah?"

"This gate's about to blow. Dungeon Break."

Song Ji-yul's face changed drastically. I pressed on before she froze.

"Three more trigger devices. Mana contact accelerates the explosion. But your weapon's different."

"......Since my steel balls aren't mana."

Sharp mind. Nailed the core instantly.

No need for long explanations.

"Decide now."

Survival or intervention. She had the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠right to choose. I lowered my voice, issuing a clear warning.

"Run to the entrance now, and you can live."

Song Ji-yul smiled in response.

"What kinda partner would do that?"

Partner, huh. Nice word.

No intent to flee. Confirmed, I issued orders without delay.

"I'll clear the path. You shoot the cores."

"Reward's gone, right?"

"If we survive."

"Heh. Gotta go for it anyway."

Unlike the smile she showed me, her fingertips trembled.

She'll be fine. We nodded to each other.

First node. Eastern woods.

Four in black tactical gear guarding the machine. Eclipse tattoos on their napes.

Clang—!

The interferer core blew before I could act.

Turning, I saw Song Ji-yul perched on a towering tree branch.

Six at the second node.

Mana bullets flew from cover, but my handblade severed the guy's wrist faster.

Steel balls embedded flawlessly in the calves of those fleeing in panic from the blood spray.

A quick mutter, then she pierced the interferer core without hesitation.

On the way to the final node.

A breeze happened to blow.

Her ears, now fully visible, were flushed pink.

"......What're you staring at?"

"Nothing. Your ears are red."

"Strong sunlight."

Sunlight in this forest? It's a dim demon realm sky.

"Yeah. Must be the sunlight then."

At my deadpan reply, Song Ji-yul cleared her throat awkwardly.

She averted her gaze, fiddling with her steel ball for no reason.

The vibe at the third node was totally different.

No guards around the machine—instead, eight bodies sprawled on the ground. All in the same tactical gear.

"You're late."

Above? Looking up, a woman lounged on a tree branch.

The system's blatant warning. First time seeing this kind of advisory.

"Song Ji-yul. Fall back for a bit."

The woman hopped down lightly.

"Didn't expect you'd clear all three nodes this fast. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Way off our data."

"Your data? You've been watching me, huh."

"Who knows. Could be longer than you can imagine."

She licked her lips with a creepy smile.

"Research subject walks right in—my hands are itching. I cleaned up the trash below. Wouldn't wanna interrupt our chat."

She spread her arms, purple barriers layering out.

Drawing ambient mana directly. Fundamentally different from a hunter's mana shield.

"You're no hunter, are you?"

"I'm no hun—"

"Yeah, figured you weren't a normie."

Instead of answering, I slammed Crimson Flame at her.

"Wait, I'm talking—!"

Too chatty. Just had a great idea.

I ignored the panicking flames-wrapped figure and whispered to the system.

"—This possible?"

No time for odds.

Success rewrites the rules of theft from here on.