Leator Dungeon
The Leator Dungeon. That was the place where Elena would awaken, the singularity signaling the start of the game. And the world's largest dungeon.
Layered deep underground, it welcomed adventurers with its upper, middle, lower, and deep levels. Once you descended to the lower levels, ogres and monsters of equal caliber roamed like mere trash mobs. The deep levels went without saying.
The dungeon brimmed with such dense mana that monsters of that scale lay quietly buried beneath it. Resources abounded: magic stones, minerals, herbs, monster materials—everything an adventurer could want for growth. And all in high purity, hard to obtain outside.
That's why people flocked there. Not just adventurers. Blacksmiths, alchemists, pharmacists, merchants, porters, cooks. An entire industry sprang up and took root around a single dungeon. That was why Leator earned the moniker "Dungeon City."
A remote little town transformed into one of the continent's premier metropolises. Population boomed, walls expanded, guild branches rivaled headquarters in stature, and the lord's coffers swelled enormously.
But it wasn't all good. The dungeon overflowed periodically. Monster waves. Even if you sealed the entrance, monsters didn't just leak out—they burst forth. Fail to stop them, and the city gets wiped off the map. Without proper defenses for the citywide battle, the Leator territory vanishes from the maps that very day.
"I've got one job for you."
That's where Elena's role was crucial. She tilted her head, setting down her glass and resting her arms on the table. Inside, she was more serious than ever, but she played it light on the surface. Her mindset shone through—not kindness, but a desire for gain.
"I've got some interesting news. You're gonna step up in my place."
For this moment, I pulled the prepared map from my pocket and laid it on the table. My gaze flicked toward the guild cafeteria. Catching my hint, Elena scooted over and plastered herself to my side before I could even speak. She propped her arms on the table and leaned in.
"Listen up. What I'm about to say doesn't leave this table. Tell your party members the bare minimum."
"Something super important?"
"Damn right. I went through hell to get this info, so keep it shut."
I unrolled the map and explained.
"This shows the northern mountain range area. Scout the outskirts here."
My finger tapped a spot on the map and circled it.
"Scout?"
"Yeah. High chance a dungeon pops up around here. Don't ask who told me—I ain't answering. Just do what I say."
"Got it. Never lost out following your lead, old man."
Elena's eyes scanned the map. The marked zone was a half-day's ride from the city. An area adventurers rarely bothered with. Sparse monsters, nothing worth gathering—just barren flats. Perfect farmland if not for the monsters.
"Can't pin the exact emergence time, which sucks, but check it daily until at least the next Red Moon."
"Red Moon..."
"Still a month out. Time to get busy."
"Ah, yeah."
Elena nodded along, accepting my orders.
"I'll do it."
"Think of the troll hunt as practice for this exact moment. That's how big a deal it is."
No lies there. Everything had been for this instant. Elena's starting line—and the fork in the road for my path ahead. Even role-playing as Eck slipped my mind as my heart pounded wildly.
"Any complaints, spit 'em out. I'll hear you gripe this once."
"None."
"Not even a little?"
"Nope."
Elena's eyes were as clear as ever. No doubt, no defiance. A blind gaze that would believe whatever I said. She followed me blindly.
Guess everything I've done so far wasn't wasted.
I let out a silent sigh of relief inside and pressed on.
"Head out first thing tomorrow morning."
"Got it."
"Here's the advance. Any party grumblers, buy 'em off with cash."
Elena nodded and stood.
"Understood. A month, right?"
"Yeah. Slack off if you want till it's found—just go every day."
"Yes, sir."
Elena left the guild. I fiddled with my empty glass.
Now it begins.
Game time flowed differently from reality, so pinpointing the dungeon's emergence was tricky. But you could guess based on Red Moon cycles. Crude method, but daily visits from today would let them find it faster than anyone.
She'd think, Oh, that's the thing the old man mentioned.
"Urgh."
My vision swam. Too much booze? I'd only had three glasses, but drunkenness hit like a hammer, the world flipping upside down. My reeling head slammed the table. And my consciousness cut out.
I opened my eyes. A smoothly polished wooden desk sat under the soft glow of a magic lantern. My body felt leaden. Even lifting my arms was impossible—the drug's effects lingered, muscles melted like wax.
Never figured I'd get kidnapped.
This was my fault. Where Eck would've thrown a fit over the off-taste booze, I'd shrugged it off. That tiny lapse in vigilance created the opening for this mess.
Fucking idiot move.
I clicked my tongue inwardly. If the booze was spiked, Jeina was the only suspect. It was served to all cafeteria patrons, but only I went down.
No way three glasses drop me.
I rolled my stiff neck—wrong position—and scanned the room. Wallpapered walls, fancy wooden desk, a few thick ledgers on the shelf. The guild crest hung prominently on the inner wall.
Guild HQ.
If Jeina was in on it, the guild was behind this. Procuring a drug strong enough to breach an A-rank adventurer's tolerance? They were desperate. This was no place for regular adventurers—top floor of the main building. The guild master's office.
I sat up on the sofa. No restraints. Looked like they weren't out to harm me.
The door opened. Familiar heel clicks tapped the floor. I knew the owner.
"Awake?"
Short black hair, slim waist cinched by a belt. Dressed in prim office attire like a clerical woman.
"What the hell is this, Rebecca?"
Rebecca. Once Eck's party comrade, now right in front of me.
She sat on the opposite sofa. From the moment she entered, her eyes raked me over—face, neck, shoulders, collarbone, chest, abs, waist, hips, groin, thighs, toes. Lingering, savoring every inch.
"Don't be so mad. I didn't drag you here 'cause I hate you. You're the one dodging me first, right?"
Rebecca had been one of Eck's women. And the one he avoided. Plenty of girls passed through his hands, but she was the only one he recoiled from and rejected outright. For good reason—this one was...
"You drugged me?"
"I just wanted to wake up that dulled vigilance of yours. The old you wouldn't have fallen for it."
Rebecca pouted, lowering her voice with excuses.
"Been spiking it lightly for days, but you didn't notice. I was worried. What if you got poisoned or something? Losing the guild's one and only A-rank."
She fidgeted with her fingers.
"I'd be sad too. So about that proposal from before... accept it now?"
"Shut it."
I cut her off. I knew exactly what she was angling for.
"Spare me the 'be my woman' bullshit. Before I rip that mouth open."
"Don't be so rough. My panties might get wet."
"Masochistic bitch."
Rebecca's blank face flushed faintly. Eck despised her. A brute who only knew violence, curses, and murder beyond that, he had no clue how to handle her. He'd done everything to make her hate him, but she loved it. Even when he tossed her to monsters.
Fresh from the horde, facing her blissfully blushing as she birthed offspring right there—Eck must've felt pure terror.
"..."
Words failed. Curse her, she loved it. Praise her, same. What the hell was this invincible freak? Whatever I did, she'd probably enjoy it.
"Tch. Same crap, same nonsense one more time, and I'm done with the guild."
"Eck, think rationally."
"I said no!"
I stood to leave the guild master's office. Rebecca called me back.
"Fine, answer one question. Do, and I'll gift you that stamina potion I scored."
"That..."
She dangled the potion. Aphrodisiacs—man's essential nutrient. A high-end one from the game.
"What's the question."
One answer for that? Fine.
"Why'd you pick up that kid you're raising now?"
I snatched the potion from her hand.
"Love at first sight. Happy?"
"Liar."
"Believe it or not."
I popped the cork and chugged it. Tossed the empty bottle back to her.
"See ya, Eck. Fun catching up."
I clicked my tongue, kicked the door open, and stormed out.