The Rabbit and the Hidden Dungeon

Blood, shaved away in an instant.

But because I hadn't managed to finish it off completely, the boss's final phase triggered. The beast began to thrash about like a madman.

Its remaining health was 5%.

If Seo Ian had been farming this, she would have teamed up with me to burn it down before seeing the third phase. Thinking about that, I felt a twinge of regret.

As I chewed on that bitter thought, a sound I’d never heard before echoed in my ears.

The "Observer" here referred to Seo Ian.

Naturally, I looked at her, imagining she’d be throwing a tantrum and raging at the situation.

…Wait, what is she doing over there?

"Seo Ian?"

Frozen. Seo Ian stood perfectly still, as if she’d been turned to stone, making no move at all.

Was she preparing a skill?

No. I’d been taught that melee-type Awakened had to move their bodies to execute skill-casting motions. Standing still to cast was a trait of ranged-type Awakened.

-*Krrk! Krrrk!*

The black monster, looking thoroughly enraged, was closing in on her.

"Seo Ian!"

No answer. If the other party couldn't answer, I had to find out why myself. Without a moment's hesitation, I blinked my eyes.

Park Siwoo had told me that debuffs usually just slowed you down or lowered your attack power, but I guess that’s what you get in a Hidden Dungeon...

But this wasn't the time for such thoughts.

-*Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!*

The grotesque monster was currently charging straight at my number one recruit for the Special Strategy Team.

"No, wait!"

It’s instinct to move when someone right in front of you is in danger. So, ignoring the fact that this was Seo Ian’s first clear, I spun around and pulled the trigger. I didn't forget to blink, either.

-*Whoosh! Whoosh!*

Two arrows struck precisely into the monster's pinky claw. Its health dropped from 5% to 4%.

'Oh, there's a chance!'

Mist began to billow out in an instant. The option on my weapon triggered, and the damage-over-time ticked away—*tap, tap, tap*.

I saw hope through that hazy curtain, and the monster snapped its head around to look at me.

'Yeah. That chip damage is getting on your nerves, isn't it?'

That was what I’d wanted, but...

'...Wait, I'm in big trouble.'

I ran. Naturally, the boss chased after me.

'Inventory!'

In the very first slot, shining brilliantly, was the 'Life Insurance' I’d crafted earlier: the 'Invisibility Potion' for Seo Ian and me. I’d planned to run, hide, and wait until the Tower exit time.

But my mind changed.

I looked at another potion in the 4x3 grid: the 'Debuff Removal Potion'. It said you didn't need to drink it; you just had to splash it on your body.

Park Siwoo had said it had a cooldown, so I should only use it when I was truly desperate, but I’d been with Seo Ian this whole time and had never seen her use it. So, no need to worry about the cooldown!

I pulled out the potion without hesitation and went to throw it at Seo Ian, but...

A shadow loomed diagonally. I followed it with my eyes to see a massive forearm raised high, and it slammed into me.

"Ugh!"

The pain of the impact. So this is what it means to have tears well up from physical agony. I’d tried to block it with my arms, but the arm itself had hit me.

I tried to regain my senses, but for some reason, everything went dark. A small glimmer of light pierced my vision. I realized too late that my mask had shattered from the impact.

I hurriedly pulled off the mask to clear my vision and saw a wall. I quickly realized it wasn't a wall, but the floor. I was face-down on the ground.

Thankfully, the Debuff Removal Potion I was clutching hadn't broken.

'If I can just throw this, it might work out...'

I tried to get up, but my body wouldn't listen. As I struggled, a sinister shadow fell over my head.

-*Crunch!*

I hurriedly chewed the capsule recovery medicine I’d tucked into my molar, forcing my condition to recover, and pulled the trigger once more.

-*Whoosh!*

Not a rapid-fire shot, but a normal one. I removed the arrow and placed the Debuff Removal Potion on the tip, aiming not at the boss, but at Seo Ian.

If you can do basic math, you know the answer. Even if I hit the boss's weak point now, it would only shave off 1% of its health. That would leave it at 3%.

But if Seo Ian moved? Wouldn't that be a better way for me to survive, too?

If I couldn't finish it myself, I could help someone else do it. People usually find excuses when they don't want to do something, but they find a way when they really want to. And now, with my life on the line, this was the way I’d found.

I was worried about what would happen afterward, but if I stayed alive, Seo Ian would surely save me with a high-grade recovery potion or something. The Seo Ian I knew was exactly that kind of person.

'I'm counting on you!'

I thought that, but fear is fear. I squeezed my eyes shut.

Soon.

-*Clink!*

The sound of a glass bottle shattering pierced my ears. Simultaneously with the sharp sound of wind being cut—

-*KWA-GWA-GWA-GWAK!!!*

A terrifying roar filled my eardrums. Following that, the sound I’d been desperately waiting for—*Thump!*

Then, a voice followed.

"Oh, seriously, what the hell was that debuff?! I could only move my eyes!"

A voice filled with excitement rang out. I could tell even with my eyes squeezed shut that she wasn't happy—she was jumping around in shock.

As I slowly opened my eyes, Seo Ian came into view, unable to contain her excitement, jumping up and down on the spot.

"Whoa! Did you see that? I almost died for real just now! ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠If it weren't for you, I would've gone to the afterlife!"

I figured that was probably true. Even if she had the Debuff Removal Potion, it would be useless if she couldn't move.

"I should call you my savior instead of 'Rabbit' from now on, right? Heh heh!"

"*Hoo.*"

Hearing Seo Ian’s oddly frivolous, giggling laugh, a sigh of relief escaped me before I could stop it. I finally felt like I could breathe.

But why was Seo Ian’s name on the ranking?

It wasn't intentional, but I had hit the boss this time, too. It was unavoidable because Seo Ian had suddenly stopped moving. You can't just pretend not to see someone you know in danger right in front of you.

'Is it because it's a Hidden Dungeon?'

Well, I’d figure that out later.

"You worked hard. I told you it would work, didn't I?"

I looked up at her from my sitting position and gave a bashful smile. She replied,

"That's true, Kim Uju. It really worked just like you said, didn't it?"

She called me 'Uju'? What was ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠going on? And what was with the sudden formal speech?

"Excuse me?"

At my blank reaction, Seo Ian tapped her cheek with her finger.

"Ah."

Right. My mask had shattered earlier. Ah, if I’d known this would happen, I would have brought a spare! I hadn't thought I’d be the one getting hit! I felt a bit resentful. Well, that wasn't the important part, but still.

"Uju. Didn't we have something to talk about?"

At Seo Ian’s question, now back to her original tone, I sighed.

"You're right."

Yeah, we did. We’d made a separate appointment to meet the day after we met at the Association. Though it felt like I’d been missing in action since then.

Actually, I’d planned to ask her to join the Special Strategy Team when we met that day. But judging by the conversation we’d just had, it seemed Seo Ian had intended to invite me to the guild she was planning to build.

It looked like this conversation was going to be a long one.

"But I'm too tired today, so I don't think I can."

"You look it."

Her eyes were drooping. It looked like the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠exhaustion from two days of sleeplessness was hitting her now that the tension had faded.

"So, contact me tomorrow. I'll come find you."

"But Seo Ian... no, Seo Ian-ssi. You know this is a secret, right?"

When I gestured to the shattered pieces of my mask—which had originally been 'rabbit' shaped—she shrugged.

"Yeah. If that's what you want, I'll do it. It's not like I have the power to do otherwise."

She smiled lightly and plopped down in front of me. Then, she asked with a smirk,

"By the way, is 'Rabbit' your trait?"

"Something like that."

Seo Ian, who had been lost in thought staring into space at my answer, soon curled the corners of her mouth upward.

"Hey, Rabbit... no, Uju. So that’s why you said you receive experience potions, too?"

Now Seo Ian was laughing out loud, not even trying to hide it. It seemed she’d been thinking about that all by herself and giggling.

"I need to eat experience and grow too, don't I?"

"That's true. Since we met like this, it's fate—should I help you out a bit?"

The flirting began. Or rather, the setup. Where did the person who said she was too tired and wanted to talk tomorrow go? The way she jumped right in when she saw an opportunity was just like Seo Ian.

"No. And I was the one who was planning to help you?"

"Hmm?"

"Level is king. It's a well-known fact that the faster you climb the Tower, the easier it is to level up."

"And?"

When I stated the obvious, Seo Ian urged me on, her tone suggesting I should just get to the point.

"Even if I don't have experience potions, I have everything else."

I might only be missing the experience potions, but did I really have nothing else?

"And the special floors that give the most experience and rewards? I can carry you through those if you just follow me."

Not long after a missing person report was filed for Seo Ian, who had been out of contact for several days, a world announcement struck everyone's ears. With this, everyone could confirm Seo Ian’s survival.

Because of her post on the community after such a long time, everyone could guess that Seo Ian had cleared a Hidden Dungeon—a name they’d never heard of before—with the Rabbit’s help.

Seeing another post that followed, they could realize that the rewards from a Hidden Dungeon were beyond imagination.

Based on the final post, they could tell she’d lost her phone.

└ [Anonymous07] But why the phone? Did you leave it with the Rabbit?

└ [Seo Ian] I left it with him, but I forgot to take it back.

└ [Anonymous07] Why would you leave it with him?

└ [Seo Ian] Because it gets in the way when I'm swinging my sword, so I told him to hold it.

[Did you really give it to him to hold?]

"No. He said he could charge my phone."

Seo Ian, who had turned on her computer as soon as she got home, began posting one after another, as if to show off that she was still going strong. She wanted the high-ranking officials at the Association to get a little blood pressure spike. And as soon as she posted the first one, the sub-phone she’d left at home began to ring. She didn't need to check the caller ID. It was obviously Park Siwoo.

And her prediction hit the mark.

[Why didn't you take your sub-phone?]

"I thought I’d be out soon. If I’d known, would I have only taken my main phone?"

[By the way, does the Wandering Merchant charge phones, too?]

"He said he’d do it for 15 ticks? Tower Merchants can't lie, right?"

[...That's true. Anyway, tell me what happened.]

Park Siwoo asked, glancing at the countless missed calls flooding his phone even while he was on the line with her.

"Uh... a lot of things happened, but first, one of my swords broke. And Ber didn't sell any swords today either."

[Uh... I'll make you one by next week.]

For an Awakened, a weapon is a lifeline. Park Siwoo was already busy because Seo Ian had cleared some Hidden Dungeon or whatever, but he couldn't let her hear how tired he was.

"As soon as possible! Make it a strong one!"

Should she have let him hear it? Her thought shifted immediately.

Meanwhile, at that moment.

As soon as I entered Rackcho’s Blue Room, I collapsed on the spot and caught my breath. I wasn't out of breath ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠or anything, but I needed a moment to collect myself.

Rackcho, who had been watching me for a moment, approached my side with a pitter-patter, as if to check my condition. Then, it asked,

"Why is your face bare today, *nyang*?"