A Warm, Family-Like Welcome

Hearing Lee Da-bi mutter, Tae-hyun spoke coldly. "Cain, you need to learn how to handle situations calmly. How long are you going to keep acting so sloppy—gasp, what on earth is that?!"

"..."

Lee Da-bi's gaze stung, but Tae-hyun had a very good reason for his sudden shock. The thing chasing Cain's group was utterly bizarre.

Though it creaked and was half-broken, the sheer impact of this custom-made goblin golem—which completely filled the passageway and spat beams of light from its mouth—was immense. Indeed, Cain and his party were screaming at the top of their lungs as they fled!

"What are you guys doing? Why aren't you fighting it instead of running?"

"T-That's because...!"

"It's a trap. Go."

"Ugh!"

"Another trap. Go again."

"Argh! This is too much...!"

"Bwahahaha! Silence! Quiet, you!"

"..."

Cain was running wild, thoroughly drunk on power. Jeong Su-hyeok and Choi Sang-yun watched him with expressions that clearly asked, Is that guy going out of his mind?

"Hey, hey, Cain. This is our first time in this dungeon. We came here to figure out what kind of place it is."

"Mwahaha! And that's exactly what we're doing!"

"Isn't this less 'figuring it out' and more just straight-up bullying?"

"This is how Kim Tae-hyun figures things out!"

"Not everyone can pull off his methods, so can we please just do it our way?"

Despite their protests, Cain did not stop.

"Go! Forward! No retreat! Anyone who runs will be executed! Mwahaha!"

Cain ruthlessly drove the raider players forward as they advanced through the dungeon. Behind ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠him, the remaining two whispered to each other.

"I think he's actually lost his mind."

"What should we do? Should we tell Tae-hyun?"

"Let's watch a bit longer. There's no major issue yet..."

Ironically, the more Cain raged behind them, the tighter and more cohesive the raider players' teamwork became.

"I'll charge in first to draw aggro! Use that window to burst it down!"

"Got it! I'll use my scroll on you! Just hold out for ten seconds!"

"Going in now! Right now!"

If Tae-hyun had seen this, he would have been utterly dumbfounded: Wait, we came here to build our teamwork, so why are these other guys the ones bonding? But the raider players were dead serious.

While Cain, who actually needed to raise his stats and skills, gained nothing, the raider players were growing by leaps and bounds!

"Pant, pant..."

"Whoa, wait a minute. My Swordsmanship is at Intermediate Level 3 now! When did it go ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠up so fast?"

"Right? I just leveled up too."

"Gasp, is this that legendary effect they talk about when you follow Kim Tae-hyun around?"

—I heard Cain became a ranker just by tagging along with Kim Tae-hyun.

—Some guild members went on a run with Kim Tae-hyun once and hit the absolute jackpot.

These were common rumors floating around! Wasn't that the very reason these raider players had followed Tae-hyun into the dungeon in the first place? To pick up whatever crumbs of fortune fell from his table!

"...But I don't think this is quite right."

"...Yeah, right? Kim Tae-hyun isn't even here, it's just this lunatic..."

Fortunately, the raider players hadn't completely lost their minds yet.

"Break time is over! Move it, you bastards! Move!"

"Ugh, that son of a..."

"Should we just jump him and bury him?"

"But wait, can we even beat him?"

Even in the past, Cain had been the guild leader of the notorious Red Zone Guild. In other words, he had been one of the most successful among the raiders! But in the time they hadn't seen him, he had run around with Tae-hyun and become one of the top rankers (according to rumors). Frankly, they lacked the confidence to defeat him!

"Wait. It says 'No Entry' here."

"Forward!"

"No, I'm telling you, it literally says 'No Entry'!!"

"Forward!!"

"Ugh, that crazy bastard!"

No matter how much the raider players resisted, they couldn't stop Cain.

Whirrrrr! Whirrrrr!

Along with the sound of some massive machinery starting up, a loud alarm blared.

"...??"

"We're not Orcs, though?!"

The massive mechanical golems gave a fiery response.

Boom! With a beam of light!

"Aaaaargh!"

One unlucky raider player was instantly logged out on the spot. And he was the one playing the tank role, no less!

"..."

"..."

In an instant, the atmosphere turned ice-cold.

Slash! Choi Sang-yun quickly kicked off the wall, leaping up to drive a powerful skill directly into the golem.

In an instant, the golems' gazes locked onto Choi Sang-yun! Seeing this, Choi Sang-yun clicked his tongue.

"...Run!"

"What?!"

"Run, you idiots! What do you expect us to do in this situation?!"

No matter how high of a ranker Choi Sang-yun was, he couldn't slice through all these golems by himself without any support. They were semi-boss-grade monsters specialized in physical defense, and every single one of their hits packed a devastating punch! One wrong move, and they could easily face a total party wipe here.

"At least their slow speed is a weakness! We just need to run!"

"R-Right! Jeong Su-hyeok! Bind their feet with your magic!"

"Understood!"

"Wait, Cain! Jeong Su-hyeok's magic is...!"

Choi Sang-yun tried to stop Cain in sheer horror. Jeong Su-hyeok's magic was definitely...!

"..."

"..."

"...Aaaaaaargh!"

Cain screamed as he bolted forward. Choi Sang-yun briefly contemplated smacking him on the back of the head but decided against it.

"Do something, Kim Tae-hyun!"

"Good grief..."

Tae-hyun sighed as he stepped forward. Even with just a brief explanation, he had a solid grasp of what kind of monsters these golems were. High physical defense, heavy single-hit damage...

But why is their movement speed so fast? Aren't they usually slow?

Of course, it didn't really matter if they were fast. Tae-hyun was confident he could take them down.

First, I'll close in on the one at the very front of the passage and unleash burst damage on its leg joints... It looks like that beam can be dodged. Since their other attacks might actually hurt me, I need to strike fast and disable them.

Tae-hyun picked ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠up the weapon he had been reinforcing just moments ago. While other players shivered in fear at the sight of a golem, crying, Yikes! A golem! Watch out! Tae-hyun was different. He was a literal golem slayer!

"...?"

"...??"

"Wait, is there a goblin among us?"

"?!?!"

"What kind of crazy bullshit is this..."

Cain, who had been running for his life to dodge those beams, muttered in utter despair at the scene unfolding before him. No matter how unfair the world was, this gap was just too ridiculous!

"Wow, Cain, look at you doing something useful. Excellent job."

"Hehehe. I brought them along knowing exactly what would—"

"Keep the nonsense to a minimum."

"...Okay."

"Hmm... but they're pretty heavily damaged. I guess I should repair them... Well, whatever, it worked out great. As they say, live a good life and blessings will fall right into your lap..."

"...?"

"...??"

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

"O-Oh, it's nothing."

"Alright. Let's go grab the rest of them!"

Tae-hyun whistled as he set off. The goblin golems creaked loudly as they followed behind him.

"Why are these things so slow? I could've sworn they were faster earlier."

"Ahem. Cough."

Tae-hyun's party moved at a brisk pace. When they arrived at the spot the raider players had disturbed earlier, they were greeted by an area with a completely different atmosphere from where they had salvaged the Orcs' ore.

"Looks like goblins used to be here. Did goblins and Orcs actually fight each other...?"

—Activate. Activate.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

"Aaaaargh!"

"Calm down, dude."

Having been thoroughly traumatized earlier, Cain shrieked at the mere sound of activation! Tae-hyun scolded him lightly as he inspected the remaining golems.

"About thirty of them? Hmm. What should I do with these?"

"Let's march them around! Like a Necromancer!"

"Whoa! That sounds like an amazing idea!"

Jeong Su-hyeok's eyes sparkled in agreement with Cain's suggestion. What was the true romance of being a Necromancer? Wasn't it the sheer majesty of parading a massive army of powerful summons behind you?

"Nah. They're too slow, it'd be a hassle."

"..."

"..."

The two immediately slumped in disappointment!

"Necromancers have skills to boost their summons' movement speed, not to mention various spells to summon or teleport them. That's why they can manage an army. It's not something just anyone can do. All I can do is repair and modify them... Hmm. Yeah, it's probably best to station them at my territory. I need to visit it soon anyway."

"Why the territory?"

"I have my reasons."

Grind! Tae-hyun gritted his teeth as he spoke. Even at this very moment, his territory's food supplies were probably being completely devoured.

"Alright. Let's pack up everything here and head out, shall we?"

"Excuse me..."

"...?"

The raider players hesitantly raised their hands.

"Can we... go now?"

"Hahaha..."

"Hahaha...?"

As Tae-hyun chuckled, the raider players nervously laughed along.

"You guys are going to post this location online and sell it, aren't you?"

"What? No way! How could we possibly dare to do such a thing?!"

"No, you definitely will. You'll absolutely sell it!"

"We really won't! Ugh! We want to show you our sincerity!"

"Ah, quiet down."

Tae-hyun remained completely unmoved.

"I've been thinking about how you should compensate me for my potential losses."

We literally disarmed all the traps with our own bodies up until now! Isn't that more than enough?!

What a vicious bastard...

Shh. He'll hear you.

"And I've come up with a wonderful idea."

"...??"

It was a bizarre phenomenon—he called it a "wonderful idea," yet it sounded anything but wonderful to their ears! A dark, ominous premonition washed over the raider players.

"I see you guys don't have a guild."

"Pardon...? Ah, yes, that's right."

"We're free spirits who value our independence..."

"Listen to this guy talk, and him a former member of the Red Zone Guild," Cain muttered under his breath.

"Yes, yes. But deep down in your hearts, you must harbor a burning desire to join a massive, stable guild and play alongside guildmates who feel just like family. I know your hearts."

"???"

"??????"

It was a desire they were hearing about for the very first time in their lives!

"No, we really don't need anything like that..."

"Shh. Let's just hear him out for a second."

"Why?"

"It doesn't hurt to listen! A 'massive, stable guild'... Did you seriously not catch his drift after hearing that?"

"Catch what?"

Watching the raider players whisper excitedly among themselves, Tae-hyun blinked. Oh? Had these guys actually caught on, living up to their reputation as sharp-witted raiders?

"He wants to recruit us and put us to work! He needs us! We can become just like Cain!"

"No way...! That's an incredible opportunity!"

They had completely missed the mark.

Yep, they haven't noticed a thing.