What Should I Do?
Seoya paced back and forth in the living room, restless and unable to settle.
She needed to assess the situation first before making any decisions, but the news wasn't covering the information she wanted right now. All she could gather was that six S-rank dungeons had appeared simultaneously across South Korea, and experts were saying the hunters who entered them would come out insane.
Ah, the internet! Let's search online!
Seoya bolted to Ji Sein's room. She wanted to check exactly what was going on. For some reason, Ji Sein hated showing her the internet, but she needed it now.
I've been too clueless all this time.
If her sisters wouldn't tell her about dungeons and monsters, it was time for Seoya to find out on her own.
"Hmm..."
When Seoya turned on the computer, the search bar popped up, but she had no idea what to type. She'd watched Ji Sein use it from the side, but doing it herself was tricky. Fortunately, the portal site's main page was filled with articles all explaining the current crisis.
So this is what news is, huh?
Seoya clicked on one article that mentioned both "dungeon" and "hunter" in the title.
...Experts believe the sudden emergence of six S-rank dungeons is part of a 'System update.' Regarding why this is happening only in South Korea, there's speculation that the System is ramping up difficulty starting with the country that has World Rank 1. Clearing all six dungeons might be possible depending on the hunters' efforts, but their safety can't be guaranteed, and it's pessimistic to expect them to emerge with sound minds.
"What's this 'mental strength System' thing?"
Mental strength. Something that Earthlings other than Seoya suffered damage to when facing high-rank monsters or entering dungeons. In S-rank dungeons, the drain was so severe they could go completely mad...
Seoya, who had never experienced mental strength damage, found it hard to comprehend.
The next article she clicked was a lightweight piece just praising the hunters' resolve.
The six S-rank dungeons that appeared suddenly in South Korea (Yeongdeungpo District, Seoul; Gangdong District, Seoul; Jeonju; Sejong City; Iksan City, Jeollanam-do; Tongyeong City, Gyeongsangnam-do) are being tackled by five major guilds uniting with mid- and small-sized guilds. Neverending Guild and Guam Guild Alliance on Yeongdeungpo Dungeon, WithYou Guild and a coalition of unaffiliated hunters including World Rank 1 Go Heejae on Gangdong Dungeon...
So Neverending Guild headed to Yeongdeungpo District.
The praise for the hunters below wasn't helpful, but at least she knew where the Neverending members had gone.
As Seoya scrolled mindlessly to the bottom and was about to exit the page, her finger paused at the comments section.
"What the hell are they talking about?"
Was there a problem with her language skills? Had the translation System broken? But her language magic clearly told her the word in front of her eyes meant "magic stone," just like on Toda.
"Magic stone?"
Why were magic stones here? Magic stones. Gems formed when a pioneer's mana met a mutant's energy. Useful resources, but impossible to form in this world. And exactly what Seoya needed to return to her original world.
Seoya slowly typed "magic stone" into the search bar. Countless results flooded in. The screen filled with photos of small blue gems.
"It's a magic stone, all right."
It was definitely the one she knew—the one she desperately needed.
"Why are these stones on Earth?"
Seoya scrolled through the internet slowly. Apparently, magic stones dropped as rewards from clearing B-rank or higher dungeons. They were incredibly efficient energy sources, traded at exorbitant prices.
They're this expensive?
On Toda, magic stones rolled around headquarters. As a kid, Seoya had stacked them like blocks to play. Thinking about it, since Earth only got them from dungeon clears, of course they were pricey.
"No, before that—why is the System giving magic stones as rewards?"
No matter how she thought about it, something was off.
"Entering soon. Everyone, get ready."
Lee Gayeon scanned the tense hunters standing at the dungeon entrance.
They looked afraid of the S-rank dungeon, but no one seemed ready to back out.
We can succeed. No—we have to.
She knew the odds of clearing all six S-rank dungeons were slim. But the guilds had made a pact. They had to clear them out of duty, prevent South Korea's destruction, and rescue those sucked inside.
Government analysis said it wasn't impossible if the major guilds truly pooled their strength.
It's not entirely for the public's safety, though.
South Korea's five major guilds were in a tense standoff. If one succeeded in clearing an S-rank, the others would take a huge hit. They'd eyed each other warily and committed personnel like a gamble. Mid- and small guilds had jumped in too, seeing it as their shot.
Neverending Guild, participating in the raid, was assigned Yeongdeungpo Dungeon.
Three S-rank dungeons have opened on Earth so far.
First: 150 hunters entered. All but three went mad—no useful info.
Second: 50 hunters. Over 40 mad, but they learned, "No boss monster in S-rank dungeons. Kill every monster inside to clear."
Third: 30 A-rank+ hunters. About 20 mad, learned, "S-rank monsters aren't that numerous."
Most came out insane, so reliability was low—only common testimonies compiled.
There were mentions of humanoid monsters too. We'll confirm this time.
Government minimum for clear: 50. Bare minimum estimated to succeed. Hunters didn't fully trust it.
It guarantees national safety, not ours.
Hunters protected the nation but might emerge mad themselves. No choice, though. Needed high mental strength hunters, but South Korea lacked numbers.
"Guild master, looks like everyone's ready."
Park Haejun, beside Lee Gayeon, spoke in his usual soft voice, unflappable even now.
"Yeah, Captain. No point dragging it out."
Baek Yena stretched grandly and glanced around. To Lee Gayeon, she seemed utterly relaxed.
Neverending had four hunters in global top 50. Only one looked tense.
"Hey, Ji Sein. Why so scared?"
Baek Yena tossed the words like a challenge.
Ji Sein huddled in a corner, hood pulled low, avoiding other hunters' eyes. Her defense mechanism.
Ji Sein shuddered. "You're not scared in this situation? True, ignorance is bravery..."
"Hey, gotta be brave. Or you wanna die in there?"
"But..."
"Remember, Ji Sein. We have someone to protect now. Reason to live."
Ji Sein lifted her head slightly, then saw the alert floating before the dungeon and whimpered again.
"That alert window is so creepy... The text is glitched..."
"Whatever the System does, not our problem. We just smash everything and come back."
"...Yeah, smash it all and return..."
Ji Sein bit her lip hard.
"You guys have guts after all."
Lee Gayeon looked up at the sky. The troublemakers growing up—it stirred unexpected emotion.
Still early dawn. Winter's chill air bit at her nose.
Seoya's waiting at home. Can't come back too late.
Shaking off the thought, Lee Gayeon stared ahead.
Clear the dungeon alive, then worry about the kid.
"Yeongdeungpo Dungeon raid team."
Hunters straightened, gripping weapons tighter. Fierce resolve in their eyes.
"Let's go."
Lee Gayeon stepped into the dungeon.
They would protect, no matter what. As always.