Rookie: Baek Jaesung 10
There was a being intently watching the footage appearing before its eyes. Seated on a throne adorned with domineering, straight lines, clad in a black helmet and cloak that exuded overwhelming intimidation just by looking at it, this entity was observing a world utterly different from the black space it inhabited. It was the world outside the castle, spied upon by the Monoeye.
(Disappointing mana reserves at first, but this world has quite a few decent things after all.)
As expected, explorers from that other world had begun probing its castle. Just as it had sent out scouts, they were dispatching vanguard parties to investigate the castle. Uncovering the unknown was a common trait among all intelligent lifeforms.
(The last one I devoured was satisfying. I wonder what I'll get to eat this time.)
The inhabitants of that world wielded astonishing abilities despite their meager mana. Though their total mana was pitiful, their proficiency in utilizing it was highly advanced. And that was very good news for it. It meant the targets for devouring carried abundant nutrients.
Screeech—!
A high-pitched, shrill beastly cry echoed briefly. A tiny rift began forming in the void space, small enough that not even a finger could fit through at first, but it soon widened to the size of a fist. From within emerged a winged monster, squeezing its body out. A Monoeye.
(It's been obeying orders so well lately. Nice.)
Monoeyes were low-intelligence creatures that were willful and hard to control even with violence, yet strangely, over the past few days, it had been listening perfectly. The smooth external footage streaming before its eyes was proof of that.
The Monoeyes had taken turns performing their vanguard duties admirably. Thanks to them, it had learned quite a bit about the unfamiliar world connected to its castle.
(I wonder what sort of fools will come this time.)
It turned its gaze back to the footage flowing before it. The current feed showed the passage connecting the castle to the outside world. The path the inhabitants of that world used to enter its castle.
"Oh! Isn't that Jaesung?"
"Seungjin. Fancy running into you here."
*-*-*
"Just as I heard, it's a damn maze."
Do Byeong-seok frowned at the dungeon map he'd received from the Association staffer.
From what he'd heard, over ten parties were tackling this dungeon. The fact that so many were grinding away without even a clue to full clear meant it was one hell of a tricky place. And one of those tricky factors was obviously the convoluted layout.
"Insanely complex with all these rooms tangled up. This ain't gonna be easy."
Sim Chun-sik, an Exster Clan executive and Do Byeong-seok's right-hand man, chimed in while peeking at the map. As he said, Level House was a labyrinth beyond description, so intricate that just staring at the map fatigued the eyes.
"And this mess changes too, apparently. The Association guy said so."
Sim Chun-sik shook his head at Do Byeong-seok's despairing words.
"Then what's the point of the map? Where's our scouting zone?"
For efficient clears, each assault party had been assigned scouting zones. Do Byeong-seok's party had theirs too, like everyone else. But given the dungeon's tangled nature, overlaps with other parties couldn't be ruled out.
"Rooms adjacent to D4. Getting there alone's gonna be a thornbush path. Hope we make it early."
"Haa. Us doing this volunteer bullshit. Total worst."
Sim Chun-sik grumbled, clearly unhappy with this dungeon scout. There were two main reasons Do Byeong-seok's crew was tackling Level House.
One was, naturally, to make money. The Hunter Association didn't conscript for free. It wasn't as lucrative as high-yield dungeons, but participating earned a modest fee.
For Do Byeong-seok's crew, barred from other dungeons by Association sanctions, Level House was their only moneymaker. Association pay plus monster byproducts might scrape by—just barely keeping the lights on.
Of course, without fixing the root issue, Exster Clan was doomed. They lacked the funds to weather a year-long scouting ban on key execs.
If we rack up merits here, the sanctions might lift. There's precedent.
The Association's punishment could be offset. Not with cash—that was near impossible. The Hunter Association was Korea's richest outfit. What Exster needed now was merit.
Clearing this high-profile dungeon would earn plenty. Good. Time to go all in.
Do Byeong-seok thought that as he did a final gear check. The others followed suit.
His was a standard five-man party, led by clan master Do Byeong-seok.
"Hm?"
As he finished and turned to enter, a face that drew every eye caught his. A beauty straight out of an illustration.
Snow-white hair like fresh powder on a winter plain, skin so pale it seemed dusted with fine powder, a petite face that could fit in one palm, adorned with delicate nose and lips.
First glance screamed doll-like girl. Yet her sharp, resolute eyes lent a steely edge, preventing her small frame from seeming fragile.
Do Byeong-seok knew her.
Name's An Rina, right?
An Rina
He mulled the name. One reason Exster Clan was in this mess.
They'd PK'd to recruit An Rina and Go Ji-su, triggering a butterfly effect to their current plight. That woman was one of Do Byeong-seok's overreaches.
Her being here means...
Scanning around, four equally stunning women surrounded her. Eyes naturally gravitated there.
"What party is that?"
"Whoa! That girl's a model? Look at her height. Taller than me. Over 180cm easy."
"Here means dungeon hunter, right?"
"Who's that guy? Fucking jealous."
Amid the eye-searing beauties, Do Byeong-seok easily spotted Go Ji-su.
His eyes locked first on her ample chest, seed of tragedy like forbidden fruit—yet even expelled from Eden's brink, he craved to grasp it. Now, that chest was worlds from his reach.
"Jido! Seriously, I was so nervous I couldn't say a word!"
Go Ji-su chattered beside a man, who replied occasionally. She burst into giggles, playfully tapping his shoulder.
Even to third-wheel Do Byeong-seok, they looked tight. Close enough for lovers?
Onlookers shot envy at the man, admiration at the women.
"Guy's got a harem or what?"
"Ridiculous. Even if hunters can polygamy, landing all those beauties? Cut the light novel crap."
"Yeah. They're hunters too. Why slum it with him?"
Losers' gripes floated around. The man at the center ignored it all.
Do Byeong-seok knew he was Baek Jaesung. Involved in the Devil's Basement PK too. Four clanmates dead, one captured. How big was his slice of that pie?
Do Byeong-seok's eyes chilled like frost. Seeing Baek's casual smile replying to Go Ji-su stirred bottled rage.
Thinking it over, Baek contracting Go Ji-su first sparked Exster's PK, leading here. Tracing the thread of woes ended at him.
"That fucker's the reason..."
The mutter slipped out unbidden. Sure, it started with Do Byeong-seok himself—but a man admitting that wouldn't have gone demonic.
As Do Byeong-seok glared icily at Baek Jaesung, his party members' eyes followed. They recognized the party. The shiniest one here.
"Whoa. Fucking stacked. Look at those chicks."
"Hey, ain't those the girls we tried recruiting?"
"Yeah. Here to clear too, huh."
"Us slaving away 'cause of them? Fucking bitches..."
True to form, the party thought alike.
"Byeong-seok. What now?"
Sim Chun-sik prodded. The "what" was obviously Baek's party.
Realistically, lay low. Rash PK now risked Association tails—worse than sanctions. No bribe money left.
If Demonic clan head exposed? Death sentence. Grade 1 Demonic leaders got the noose, no exceptions.
Do Byeong-seok eyed them meaningfully. Reason screamed restraint, but he followed heart over head.