Pterosaur Onslaught and Streaming Frenzy
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Rookie: Baek Jaesung 42
In this bizarre ecosystem that looked like it had been ripped straight from a science book on the Cretaceous period, what plagued us was sheer, stupid numbers. The dinosaur monsters seemed to have made relentless waves their strategy, denying us any chance to catch our breath as they kept popping up in front of us nonstop.
The silver lining was that these dinosaur monsters were pathetically weak for their size and shape. If I had to pin a hunting difficulty on them, they'd clock in somewhere between 7-rank and 8-rank. Not a cakewalk by any means, of course.
Remember, 6-rank is the ceiling for your average dungeon hunter. By that metric, these Cretaceous beasts weren't slouches at all. They just seemed underwhelming compared to the vibe they gave off.
Strength is relative, after all. No matter how tough something is, it becomes the underdog against something tougher. Our party was so dominant in this Level House that finding a real challenge was damn near impossible.
Unlike us, Kim Sunwook's party was griping about serious fatigue as the hunts dragged on. Their average rank was just 8-rank, after all. Hell, making it this far was probably a win for them.
"Alright, let's take a quick break."
Party leader Kim Sunwook had burned through all his energy healing his teammates. Jang Hana shot us a look like she'd seen actual monsters—us—despite the fact that we'd already cleared the mobs.
Our party, despite several scraps, had conserved our stamina perfectly. Thanks to our absurdly high mana and HP pools, plus killer combat instincts.
On top of that, pure, high-quality grinding in this Level House was stacking our dungeon hunter experience like crazy. This place was a perfect springboard for growth.
"You guys are insane. You really 9-rank?"
Sujin flashed a sly smile at Jang Hana's question. Even lowballing it, our level screamed at least 7-rank. Sujin pressed a hand to her chest, feigning bashfulness.
"For now, yeah."
Come to think of it, Sujin had a history of flunking out as a hunter due to her innate mana shortage. No way she could've imagined earning awe from other hunters like this. Life's full of plot twists, huh?
Same for me. Who'd have thought a hand-to-mouth smut writer would climb into Korea's top-earning elite? All thanks to that Unix Cube. Time to bow three times a day toward Moonwa Mountain where I found it.
"Kraaaang!"
We barely got five minutes before a deafening monster roar echoed from the rear. Guess this was its turf.
We'd learned on our trek here: this vast dinosaur land was divvied up into territories, each ruled by a group. And every time we trespassed, they'd swarm us.
"Look at that! Pterosaurs!"
A flock circling overhead suddenly dove hard. Not the scaly ones from textbooks—these were feathered chicken-lookalikes. But the vicious aura they radiated rivaled any movie pterodactyl.
They plunged at us like kingfishers diving for prey. Their momentum dwarfed any bird—felt like facing five-ton trucks plummeting from the sky. If we weren't hunters, panic city.
"These bastards! Coordinating?"
Yeonji scowled. No prior dino species had teamed up before. But these persistent flyers must've clocked us as unbeatable solo.
Smart analysis for birdbrains. Too bad they were still birdbrains—and didn't get that teamwork wouldn't cut it either.
"Sky's mine!"
Jet Stream
Sujin flung her arms wide toward the sky. A feral momentum fiercer than the brake-failed trucks surging at us erupted from her.
Even Lee Minhyuk, the DPS from Kim Sunwook's crew behind her, flinched back on reflex. Who'd peg this Sujin as the mana-starved dropout? What a glow-up.
Water cannons erupted skyward, shaped like Eastern dragons forged from liquid. Their ferocity stalled the flock's numerical charge.
The lead pterosaurs ate the blasts. Jet Stream's brutal pressure didn't just shatter their will—it sent them crashing.
Like rubber-band planes with snapped wings, the horde plummeting at us dove en masse—straight into the ground, Three Thousand Maidens style, but with pteros.
One Jet Stream couldn't cover the whole swarm, obviously. But Sujin wasn't done.
She summoned even more mana than before—like firing up a massive ship's main engine. With a soft exhale, she unleashed the follow-up.
Heavy Rain
Sujin's vast mana reserves vaporized. Her body wobbled faintly—clear momentary depletion.
But she steadied with sheer grit. The fire in her eyes burned undimmed.
Shiiiiiieeeek!
Shiiiiiieeeek!
Black storm clouds brewed overhead, unleashing rain. A localized deluge spanning dozens of meters. A paltry range, but she'd bent the weather itself at massive mana cost. And this miracle was mere prelude.
Arms spread wide, she channeled again. Having wrought one miracle, she birthed another before our eyes.
Raindrop mid-fall halted in midair. Each infused with her mana.
Even the dim pteros sensed the impossibility, aborting their charge to circle warily.
Wrong call. Their options? Flee far or all-in kamikaze.
Crimson Shower
With her shout, the hovering droplets morphed into the world's sharpest needles, shredding the flock.
Each drop pierced feathered hides effortlessly.
"Keeeaaak!"
"Kiiiiiik!"
Pteros rained blood from above, dying as sky-dwellers should.
And their crash sites? Right into the ground dinos gunning for us. The beasts scattered with roars, dodging the feathered fallout.
"Haa...! Haa...!"
Sujin panted hard. Both Heavy Rain and Crimson Shower guzzled mana. Old Sujin couldn't have pulled off even one.
I handed her stamina-restoring jujubes. Best for a full drain. She chomped one down.
"Mmm, always hits the spot~"
Fatigue vanished from her face. She leaned in, beaming for praise.
"Muah!"
"Here? Now?"
"Duh. We've done way worse."
Sujin grinned, whispering in my ear.
Tempting, but dicey. My forced quest forbade any sexual acts till we exit the Level House. Does a peck count?
● No More Groping!
↳ Refrain from all sexual acts, including intercourse, until exiting the 'Level House'.
※ Failure to clear this forced quest incurs a penalty.
No need to risk it.
I'll deep-kiss her silly once we're out. For now, pass.
"Later, promise."
"Aww! Why the sudden change!?"
Explaining felt mean seeing her pout. Sadistic prankster mode activated. I grinned.
"You stink of sweat."
"I do!? For real!?"
Sujin sniffed herself, then backed off ten steps.
"Whoa, I do! Stay back!"
"Hmm. Since when do we get shy about that?"
We'd explored every inch of each other. Done stuff that'd make normie couples flip out.
"You saying it straight makes it awkward! Depends on the vibe!"
She whipped her head away. Cute—usually Rina's schtick.
"Hate to blue-ball the couple stuff, but ground dinos still kicking."
Rina pointed at the survivors.
"Then let's wrap it up."
*-*-*
Ho Seok kept monitoring the feeds. Eight parties left in the Level House. Five with casualties, one on annihilation's edge.
"Only hope here's Baek Jaesung's crew and Han Seungjin's."
Han Seungjin's party probed the jungle room, swarmed by freak ape monsters. And Han Seungjin soloed them all.
Darkness Cutter
A gesture summoned countless shadow blades, shredding the charging apes. Ho Seok whistled at the overwhelming scene.
Han Seungjin's stream topped charts—200 million live viewers. Server crashed from the surge, but YouTube ghosted in extras. True American capitalism.
Star of the show: Han Seungjin, outshining actors, wowing men and women alike. His Darkness Control clears screamed sci-fi hero.
Viewers opened wallets wide. Cash flowed to broadcasters, not him.
Han Seungjin's spotlight was blinding, but Baek Jaesung's party drew eyes too—on the women, not him.
The chat was a bloodbath. Ho Seok groaned softly.
Knock knock!
"Who is it?"
"It's me, Section Chief."
In walked Kim Minyoung, Hunter Association Education Section Chief, blue hair swaying. She met the director's eyes gravely.
"Ah, Chief Kim. What's up? This party?"
Ho Seok pointed at Baek Jaesung's feed. Minyoung nodded.
"Yes. My recommended team ended up like this—feels personal. Chief, any way to rescue them?"
"If there was, it'd be done. All we can do is pray the dungeon pops soon and watch their fight. Silver lining: this crew might last awhile."
Ho Seok's tone was bitter.