001. Labyrinth Explorer, One Day
One day, a single text message arrived.
What the hell is this...
It wasn't spam. Checking the number, it was from someone I knew.
A game invite message?
My brow furrowed instantly. I couldn't help but feel annoyed.
I didn't think we were close enough for him to send something like this.
Min Hyung-seok. We hadn't exchanged a single word since high school graduation. We had each other's numbers, but we weren't friends. Acquaintances... no, high school classmates. That's all we were.
To send a random game invite out of the blue to someone you don't even exchange pleasantries with—it was just like him, lacking basic manners then and now.
...Or maybe he got hacked?
The thought crossed my mind for a second. He might have been hacked. Thinking back to school days, Min Hyung-seok was the type who had zero interest in games. I didn't remember much else, but I vividly recalled how he'd recoil in disgust when his friends invited him to play.
But hacking seems a bit far-fetched.
I pondered it again. A hacker wouldn't bother sending a game invite, unless they were some total NEET with time to burn like me.
Whatever. He must've just gotten into gaming late. Tastes change over time.
Anyway, perfect timing since I was bored out of my mind. Normally, I'd ignore it outright. But today was different. I was going insane from boredom—hiding in a wardrobe playing hide-and-seek by myself, for crying out loud.
I'd been scouring for something decent to play. Might as well give this a shot.
If a guy with no prior interest was hooked, it had to be pretty fun. No harm in dipping my toes in.
I slid my finger onto the phone screen.
Hope clicking the link doesn't get me hacked.
A flicker of worry hit as I hovered over it. Was this a phishing scam disguised as a game invite? Or shady site promo?
...Screw it. My life's got nothing worth losing anyway.
I shook off the concern. If I got hacked, I'd deal with it then. With that, I boldly tapped the link.
Min Hyung-seok was what you'd call a delinquent. The nasty kind who got off on bullying others.
Of course, he looked down on me but never actually messed with me. I was bigger than most guys. That size kept me out of trouble with the delinquents, maintaining a smooth relationship.
Still, I hated Min Hyung-seok. He'd confessed to the girl I had a crush on and started dating her.
Call it a sense of defeat. The primal jealousy any guy would feel.
Water under the bridge now. No hard feelings anymore.
Looking back, it was just pathetic teenage bullshit.
But... facing his face again stirred those old jealous pangs.
"Whoa, you came!"
He was still disgustingly handsome. No wonder girls threw themselves at him.
I let out an admiring sigh at his face, then slowly turned to survey my surroundings.
This wasn't the wardrobe I'd been crouched in moments ago. Before me stretched a massive cave.
Not dark, though. Countless stalactites hanging from the high ceiling emitted a soft glow.
...
A bit startled, but no panic. Where was this? Why was I suddenly here? And why was Min Hyung-seok here?
Normal reactions, but I was the exception.
Don't tell me this is another isekai transfer?
I took the situation in stride. The environment was alien, but the scenario felt familiar. I'd been through this once before.
I'd been isekai'd once, spent half my twenties grinding there, and returned to Earth about two or three years ago.
Can't believe it's happening again so soon...
I scratched my head with a sigh, then shifted my gaze to where Min Hyung-seok stood.
Around him swarmed bizarre creatures. Grotesque monsters.
Monsters mean this definitely ain't Earth.
The monsters were guarding him. Clearly under his command. Monster tamer vibe.
And looks like they're in the middle of a fight.
Min Hyung-seok and his monsters faced off against a colossal beast whose head nearly scraped the stalactites.
I looked up at the giant.
An undead monster made entirely of bone. Its eye sockets blazed like hellfire, twisted horns sprouting from its skull like lightning-struck deadwood.
A demonic, chilling visage. Just facing it brought oppressive pressure, knees weakening.
Going soft from peacetime...
My eyes trailed down. Sharp spines jutted from its back. A sturdy, armored torso. Human skulls embedded in its shoulders like trophies.
Humanoid-beast hybrid silhouette.
No winning this.
As I stared blankly, a shout echoed off the cave walls.
"Hey! Quit standing there like an idiot and get over here!"
Min Hyung-seok's booming voice. Aimed at me, judging by his glare.
Why the orders? So damn rude.
"I'm not your suicide squad. Why the hell should I?"
"What?"
"And if you're dragging someone to a place like this, shouldn't you explain the situation first? I came to help, and you're barking orders?"
"Shut up with the bullshit! I summoned you, so just obey! Get over here and let my monster eat you! That's how it evolves!"
Is he insane? Not just help—feed yourself to my monster?
He spat it out casually, like it was no big deal.
I flipped him off.
"What the fuck, you psycho."
Caught him off guard. His face twisted in confusion.
What the—
"Wh-what?! Why aren't you obeying—"
KURUNG-!
The giant skeleton swung its arm, smashing the ground.
Min Hyung-seok dodged nimbly, but barely.
"Gaaahhh!!!"
Not fully. His right leg got crushed.
"It hurts! Fuck, it hurts!!!"
As he screamed in agony,
[Grrr...]
[Chiiik, chiik!]
[Kyuuu.]
[Grrrng...]
The monsters' eyes changed. Dull, vacant gazes sparked with life—like junkies suddenly sobering up.
All of them: his guards, the ones attacking the skeleton.
Faces twisted in rage, they lumbered toward the fallen Min Hyung-seok.
Surrounded him, then—
"Uwaaaahhh!!!"
—tore into his flesh mercilessly.
What? Why'd they betray him? Mental weakness broke his control?
Didn't matter why. Their focus was on him now. None eyed me.
Even the giant skeleton paused, observing the bizarre turn.
Whatever's happening, time to bail.
Sticking around spelled death. I backed away slowly, eyes forward.
"H-help... me..."
Min Hyung-seok reached out desperately. No pity here. No intent to save him.
His own karma. If he hadn't tried feeding me to them, I'd have tried something. Maybe.
Though it'd be futile. I'm just a powerless normie now.
"Please..."
Can't die like this. I'm the chosen protagonist.
Delusional ravings until his head got ripped off, ending him.
I mourned briefly in my head. Fellow alum, after all.
Thanks to his distraction, I spotted a crack in the cave wall, slipped in, and hid.
Leads to another area... Monsters might follow, so push forward.
Hand on the wall, advancing, when a mechanical voice echoed.
The Labyrinth Explorer has perished.
The volume filled the entire cave.
Searching for a new Labyrinth Explorer.
Humans within the labyrinth take priority. If no humans in the labyrinth, search expands to all dimensions.
Human adrift in the labyrinth detected. Drifters: 1.
Selection complete.
I froze at the alien voice.
It cut off. Then translucent text shimmered before my eyes.
'Kang Geon' was my name.