Dungeon Break
Level up!
A dungeon break...?
At the staff member's words, everyone's pupils dilated at once.
This was no joke.
Outside, an air-raid siren began to wail, and the thrum of helicopter rotors layered itself over the sound.
The staff on duty around us froze mid-motion, their faces draining to the color of ash.
Even Vincent's expression hardened.
And yet, amid all that chaos, Lee Chang-jin shoved his hand into his pocket and tilted his head.
"I figured as much, but an evacuation...? Where exactly did this thing pop off that we need to evacuate?"
"At the zoo...!"
"Right, and which zoo?"
"...Th-the Mallard Zoo..."
His mouth fell slightly open. Then he scrunched up his entire forehead, doubt written all over it.
"Wasn't that one already handled? I heard they sent in a major guild."
"...I don't know, sir. However, both the dungeon clear report and the gate disappearance certificate have been confirmed as forgeries."
"...?"
In that instant, the veins on Lee Chang-jin's forehead squirmed.
"What the hell! How is that even possible?!"
"I-I'm still trying to get the details myself..."
"Goddammit, are you kidding me—!"
BOOOOM!!!
"Kyaaaaaa!!"
"Uwaaaaah!"
The ground shuddered under a powerful blast. Even with the epicenter seemingly some distance away, the sheer force of it was easy to imagine.
Did a gas station blow up or something?
The on-duty staff had gone white as sheets, and all eyes were turning toward Lee Chang-jin.
The explosions kept coming, one after another, and Vincent murmured in the direction of the sound.
"...Looks like they've engaged. Pretty tough customers, by the feel of it?"
Yeah, I can feel it too.
A low vibration rolled across my skin. The last time I'd experienced anything like this was when two top guilds had gone at each other's throats back in Seoul.
The ones clashing back then had been those guilds' A-rank leaders — which meant the monsters over there were every bit as strong.
"Raebi. Let's go."
Vincent grabbed my arm and tugged. I blinked up at him.
"Go...ing is fine and all, but what about the people here? Hmm? From the looks of it, they're awfully close by."
"That's the ambassador's problem. Besides, this happened in Egypt, so the Egyptian hunters will deal with it."
"Huh?"
My jaw dropped.
"You're just going to abandon them?"
"No? I said everyone takes care of their own and moves along."
Same thing, isn't it...
Vincent's face took on an air of supreme annoyance.
"Ah, stop making that sour face. And even if you did help, you wouldn't actually be any use."
"......."
I ground my teeth in frustration.
He's right, and being right is being right. But still.
...Lee Chang-jin.
"What are you going to do, Mister?"
"I'm staying. The ambassador can't just up and abandon his own embassy, can he? Once I've gotten every last staff member to safety, then I'll move. Now, everyone — move out!"
"Yes, sir!"
At his barked command, the embassy staff scattered in a flurry of panic.
Lee Chang-jin simply stood there, watching them go.
Shouldn't he at least be grabbing a weapon?
I stared at him, fidgeting. Vincent sidled up, clearly ready to drag me off bodily, but I slapped both hands together in a plea.
"Wait, just wait, give me a moment to think."
"...No."
"Why not?"
"Because I have to deliver you to the Family Head in one piece. No exceptions."
...Deliver?
"Seriously, what kind of joke is that at a time like this—!"
Huh.
But I couldn't finish the sentence.
Vincent's eyes, fixed on me, were glittering with a chill I had never seen from him before.
He clamped down on my shoulders and spoke.
"Ow—! H-hey, cut it out!"
"Raebi. Do I look like I'm joking to you right now?"
"What's gotten into you all of a sudden?!"
"I'm asking you a question. Do I look like I'm joking? I noticed it the very first time we met — you treat this whole 'noble' system that's taken root in our society like it's some kind of game, don't you?"
What is he even talking about...! Fine, whatever, no choice then!
Ding—
Blade Claws
Slash!
I used the skill to fling his hand off me with everything I had, then dismissed it instantly so no one else would catch on.
"Use your words. Tell me what exactly it is I'm doing wrong."
"...Fine, then let me spell it out for you nice and clear. The Family Head of 'Douglas Kim' — his epithet is 'the Collector.' The man has a hobby of gathering up anything unusual in this world."
"The Collector...?"
The Collector... of unusual things.
No way.
"Now do you get it? How someone like you — a measly D-rank at best — managed to walk through those doors in the first place."
"......."
I turned to look at Lee Chang-jin.
"Mister... am I about to be sold, or..."
"Don't get the wrong idea. You were adopted at the ambassador's request, nothing more. The original plan was to place you in one of the servant households."
"Oh..."
Vincent took my chin and straightened my head. Then he rested his hands on both my shoulders — calmer now, at least compared to a moment ago.
He spoke in a low voice.
"Raebi, we're siblings now. Family. And family looks out for each other, right? If I can't even manage the simple task of escorting a D-rank hunter home, what do you suppose happens to my standing in the family?"
"...Whatever it is, it would get worse. If we apply the commonly accepted common sense about nobles, that is."
"Exactly. So now you understand why I'm in such a hurry."
I lowered my head.
I've been...
So hopelessly naive about this world all along. I treated this newly rooted system, built atop overwhelming power, as nothing but a joke.
I of all people knew better than anyone that nothing in this world comes free. What a laugh.
"Why... are you laughing?"
"It's just a little absurd, that's all. Oh — at myself, of course."
"Hmm... Anyway, we're going, right?"
"Ah! Just one moment!"
"What now."
Still, I couldn't back down here. My convictions didn't end with self-preservation.
Debts are repaid with loyalty, and grudges are repaid in kind.
It was a resolution I'd made the day I left Korea. I looked up at Vincent, my eyes brimming with resolve.
...Fine, fine. If that's how it has to be, I'll call him by name — just this once!
"Vinc... Vincent."
"......What?"
"Answer me honestly. In your judgment, could Chang-jin Mister really evacuate everyone here by himself?"
Kuuuung—
The blasts were drawing closer.
The battle zone kept expanding — and every meter of it signaled that the situation was going from bad to worse.
Vincent gave his answer.
"Doubtful."
"What if you helped him?"
"If I stepped in, obviously I'd sweep the whole lot of them. But then I couldn't guarantee your safety."
"Really? You could sweep them all, just like that?"
At that, he crossed his arms and looked down at me.
"What exactly are you getting at?"
"I'll be direct. If I stay here and help, I'll show you what the single most unusual awakened being in the world is."
"And if I say no?"
"The Family Head will be so disappointed. That Vincent threw away, forever, his one and only chance to learn my secret."
"......What."
Vincent's eyes went round. Even his mouth hung open, dumbfounded. Then, stammering, he turned on me.
"...Are you blackmailing me right now? Because if so, it's working. It's working really well."
"Kukuku. Then choose, please."
"......"
Vincent fell silent, staring at me. I chanted a silent hypnotic suggestion in my head.
Come on. Come on, take the bait. Let me play the decent human being for once in my life too.
".......Fine."
Yes-s-s!
"In exchange, I have conditions."
"Conditions...?"
Just then, an explosion went off practically right next to us.
Kurung— Kukung! Kung!
"No time for that — you can tell me later. ...Ambassador?"
"Yes?"
"...A suitable weapon. No, never mind. Just lend me yours. I hit harder than you do."
"You little brat, watch your mouth."
"I beg your pardon?"
"Nothing of the sort — I would gladly do so. Follow me."
We headed for his office, hashing out a battle plan on the way.
"You really can handle this, right? And that 'new power' of yours — that's something you figured out thanks to me in this fight, yes?"
"I said I've got it. Just worry about moving your own feet."
"Okay!"
Whoosh! Vincent was gone. Having watched him vanish, Lee Chang-jin and I climbed onto the embassy rooftop, each of us armed — he with a longsword, I with a short dagger.
Vincent holds the line against the strong ones up front; the trash mobs are our two-person job.
It was a strategy chosen precisely because fighting all together risked descending into a chaotic free-for-all.
"...They're coming. Get ready!"
Lee Chang-jin adjusted his grip on the sword in both hands. Following his gaze, I could make out a tide of red in the distance.
Red-haired Werewolves...!
Werewolf-like humanoids covered head to toe in crimson fur and clad in armor. It was said that a single grunt among them ranked at C-rank.
Their raw speed wasn't much to write home about, but with their Explosion skill, getting hit by those hands was the one thing we absolutely couldn't afford.
"So all those explosions earlier were them...!"
Tap!
Lee Chang-jin shot forward, and immediately began carving through the beasts without mercy. Not his usual weapon, granted — but he was still very much an upper B-rank hunter.
The werewolves dropped one by one under his disciplined blade work.
But.
There were far too many for one man. Just the ones in sight numbered in the dozens.
"Look out!"
Ding—
Blade Claws
Just as the overwhelming disparity in numbers began to wear Lee Chang-jin down, I charged at the werewolf that had circled in behind him.
He'd told me not to step in unless it was an emergency — but there was no way I could just stand by and watch.
The eyes...!
Squelch!
"Gyaaargh! Which son of a—!!"
"...Huh?"
Their language, drifting to my ears unbidden.
Oh! Right, I knew this — the language of magical beasts!
For a moment I thought this might be easier than I'd expected.
Snickering to myself, I sauntered up to the beast.
"Need a hand?"
"Wh-who's there? Whatever — yes. I can't see right now..."
"Poor thing... That must hurt. Come here."
I slipped quietly onto the creature's back, then spoke to the bewildered beast.
"I'll be your eyes. From that stance, turn just a little to the right."
"L-like this?"
"Just a bit more."
"How about now?"
"Perfect. Now charge straight ahead and tear every last one of those humans to pieces."
"Kukuku, much obliged! Kyaaaaaaah!!"
The direction the beast charged was the very heart of its own lines. The moment it lunged, I slipped down off its back — and the werewolf, triggering its Explosion right in the middle of its own allies, had its throat sliced open on the spot.
Thanks to that, their numbers had thinned dramatically. Now even Lee Chang-jin, back in his rhythm, looked perfectly comfortable handling the rest on his own.
It was an atmosphere made possible only because Vincent was up front holding back the truly terrifying ones.
Then, where are my Pygmies...
Ding—
Essence detected nearby. Approach and use the skill Essence Absorption.
"Hm?"
Essence Absorption? Wait — it works on monsters too?
I cautiously approached one of the werewolf corpses.
Essence Absorption.
A glowing jewel burst from the corpse with a soft foom—, dove straight into my chest, and vanished.
Exactly the same phenomenon as with Kim Young-hak's.
Ding—
Penalty reduced. You may now exert 50% of your true capabilities.
"......"
That day, I gazed upon the dozens of corpses spread out before me with naked greed.