Rookie: Baek Jaesung 3
I returned to the room with my master. Having confirmed my growth, it was time to get down to business.
I had no idea what she wanted to discuss by inviting me all the way to her home, but it seemed like something pretty important.
My master was still buzzing from the spar, fanning her flushed face with her hand. Or maybe it was because of what her father had said earlier.
She glanced sideways at me, then spoke in a high-pitched tone.
"Ah, what Dad said earlier was just a joke! So, don't take it seriously!"
"Huh? I don't think it's a bad idea, though."
"Eek! Even you, my disciple, teasing me!?"
Does she have zero tolerance for this kind of thing? Is it because she's been single for so long? She doesn't look a day over forty like this.
What's a forty-year-old untouched pussy taste like? With Master's personality, I doubt anyone's ever been there...
I was pondering the taste of Master's pussy when she cleared her throat and got serious.
"Ahem! I have two things to talk about today. First up is something related to the dungeon."
"A dungeon?"
The conversation was turning more businesslike. Since Master works at the Hunter Association, this must be Association-related.
"Recently, a new dungeon appeared near Gwangju in Jeolla Province. Well, Korea sees dozens of dungeons pop up every year, so this isn't anything special. The Association's named it Level House."
"That's an unusual name."
It didn't sound like your standard dungeon name. But dungeons are full of weird and bizarre stuff, so it wasn't that unique. On the surface, it just sounded oddly normal(?).
"Yeah. But the dungeon itself is even stranger—that's why the name. Estimated clear difficulty is around 7~8 rank. It's got decent profitability, but the Association's decided on a full clear. It's right by a national highway, so it's blocking traffic."
A full clear means wiping the dungeon out entirely. Whether to leave a dungeon or clear it depends on various factors, but location is the biggest one.
Dungeons near cities get fully cleared regardless of profitability. Monsters could spill out and attack civilians, or the mana pressure from the dungeon could disrupt normal life.
Regular folks who can't handle mana can't even enter dungeons, and depending on the size, just being nearby can cause physical issues. That's why high-difficulty dungeon outposts for buying monster byproducts are often far from the dungeon itself.
"The Association's deploying mostly 8-rank dungeon hunters. But they're hitting a wall."
"A wall?"
The Korean Hunter Association struggling with a dungeon clear? That's rare. They boast some of the world's top dungeon hunters.
Of course, that doesn't mean they can clear every dungeon out there. Even as the only association running independent 1-rank parties, some dungeons are impossible.
Ones with monsters too strong even for 1-rank hunters, or ones where the monsters are manageable but unique traits make clearing tough.
The former: forbidden zones like those in North Korea or Antarctica. The latter: real-time shifting mazes or dungeons with hidden cores.
Either way, failing a full clear is a huge headache for the Association—especially on a national highway.
Clearing them fast is one of their duties. The Hunter Association holds more power than anyone but the government, and with great power comes great responsibility.
"They still haven't cleared it? At 7~8 rank, it shouldn't have super strong monsters."
"Exactly—that's the biggest issue. If it were 3~4 rank, I'd dive in and clear it myself... But Association rules don't allow deploying resources way above the rank unless it's a special case like civilian rescues."
The Association matches hunters to dungeon levels for two reasons.
First: nurturing the next generation. Their top asset is elite dungeon hunters, and to grow them, you assign appropriate dungeons.
A 3-rank hunter tackling a 7-rank does nothing for them and robs a 7-rank of opportunity.
In dungeon-rich Korea, that's just the official line. Other countries might lack dungeons for growth, but not us.
The real reason? Resource management. High-rank hunters are precious to both Association and nation. You use them cautiously.
Like not calling 119 for a paper cut—the Association won't throw 3~4 rank hunters at a 7~8 rank. Wasteful.
This applies to Association-employed hunters. Independent high-ranks can clear low-ranks freely, but they rarely volunteer for unprofitable ones—they're busy making bank.
"If it's blocking a road, don't they send high-ranks right away? Seems critical."
"Roads have priorities. Highways get top priority and our level of hunters, but rural national highways rank lower. Same for facilities—national power plants get us immediately."
"Hm... So Level House popped up in a spot that's important but not that important."
"Yep. Still, the roadblock's causing locals to demand a quick clear. Trickiest case for us. If it drags another month, we'll step in per regs... but we'll get flak."
From the residents' view, a month without their road? No way they'd be happy. I get the Association's bind.
"But why the stall?"
"Level House's gimmick. I haven't seen anything like it."
Strange dungeon, huh? I perked up, focusing on her lips.
"Level House is made of countless rooms. Each room has doors on all four walls leading to other rooms."
I pictured it easily: like a go board, but focusing on the squares, not intersections.
"The connections don't follow normal space. Say you go north one room, west one, south one from a starting room. Normally, you'd end up west of start."
I simulated it on my mental go board.
"Yeah. Up one, left one, down one—nets left one. Right brings you back."
"Right. But in Level House, it doesn't."
A space where common sense fails.
That's what dungeons are.
"So doors aren't doors—they're portals to arbitrary spots."
"Exactly. Makes it a massive maze. Here's the Association's map from surveys so far."
Association Survey Map: Level House
Dense grid of small squares, each linked to others via erratic arrows. Connections twist chaotically—no clear pattern.
It was a four-fold A4 sheet. I scanned it slowly.
Tiny squares packed tight, arrows linking them haphazardly. Total mess—space all tangled up. No wonder the stall.
"It's a closed dungeon. Full clear needs the core."
"Real labyrinth."
"Yeah. And surveys show the connections shift."
"Any dead parties?"
"One team missing—unconfirmed deaths."
Missing in a dungeon.
As good as dead.
"Other warnings?"
"Monster difficulty varies wildly per room. That's why Level House—10-rank in one, suddenly 7-rank in another. Not all 7-rank dungeon monsters are 7-rank, but here the gap's extreme."
"Got it. But I'm still 9-rank. Can I enter?"
"I vouch for your skill. My guarantee gets you in. I'm head of training, after all!"
She beamed confidently.
"Anyway, that's why I'm asking you, disciple. Help with the clear. Not full—just map uncharted areas. Huge help. Association's throwing bodies at it now."
"Primary goal: find the core."
"Yes. That's as good as cleared."
I nodded. Dungeon clearing's a hunter's job. No big ask from Master. Plus, great chance for Association merits.
They never call for free.
Money, merits, Master's favor—one stone, three birds.
"Got it. I'm in."
"Phew, great."
She smiled brightly.
"You said two reasons. That's one—what's the other?"
Still smiling, she dropped a bomb.
"After this, enlist."
"Pardon?"
"Enlist. Go serve in the military."
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