Assembling the Parthenon Team
Seoya had clearly understood from her experience in the Cheongju Dungeon that the higher world was sending a message to Earth.
'Don't even think about defying the higher world. Worship the higher world... That's what they were saying.'
If all these anomalous dungeons carried some deliberate intent... then the one in Greece, which seemed to play a central role among them, might hold a special message.
"This will be discussed in detail at the upcoming World Safety Conference, but for now, it appears this Greece dungeon is acting as the epicenter of the waves."
"Is that the extent of your speculation?"
Go Heejae scanned the slides with cold eyes.
"Are you certain there's something special there just because that dungeon is at the center?"
"There are other reasons as well."
Han Daejun quickly advanced the slide.
"These are chat logs left by hunters who entered the anomalous dungeons in the US and Russia."
"Ah, I get what they're saying."
Baek Yena nodded as she read their chats, having shared similar experiences in the Cheongju Dungeon.
The descriptions were certainly ones that Seoya, Kwon Yooseok, and Baek Yena—who had entered the Cheongju Dungeon—could understand all too well.
"Do these match the dungeons you entered?"
"Yeah."
Seoya's short reply prompted Han Daejun to continue.
"Yes, similar descriptions appear across all anomalous dungeons: monsters that look like bugs but aren't, bizarre events in villages, foul stenches, headless people, black suns, things too indescribable... But take a look at the Greece dungeon logs."
"It mentions something grotesque beyond words here too. That's why we initially classified it as an anomalous dungeon... but..."
"No other dungeons mentioned a library~."
Kwon Yooseok sharply pointed out the key detail, and Han Daejun nodded.
"Yes, it's an anomalous dungeon, but unlike the others, the background seems uniquely different. The library reference appears only in the Greece dungeon."
"There wasn't anything like a library in the actual Cheongju Dungeon we entered either~ So yeah, it's clearly a bit special, like the director said."
At that moment, Baek Yena—who had been glaring at Han Daejun with dissatisfaction—spoke up.
"Ah, we get it, we get it all already..."
She shot Seoya a look like a raccoon dipped in cotton candy water.
"Why does our baby have to go in there...?"
"No, I said I'd go."
"Dungeons in other countries are different from ours! That one's even more dangerous!"
Seoya shook her head at the familiar feeling that this conversation wasn't going anywhere.
Baek Yena pressed on with an agitated expression.
"Once you leave the country, it's out of our control. There are tons of enemies there, and hardly anyone to protect you!"
"I'm not going alone, am I?"
"Well, sure, but..."
Reading the signs in Baek Yena's eyes that she was about to vent her frustration on him any second, Han Daejun jumped in.
"Now, now. Let's stay calm. If Seoya insists, we can assign other Korean hunters as you wish..."
"Trust them with what?!"
Baek Yena's eyes flashed sharply.
'Persuasion won't work.'
To Han Daejun, Baek Yena just seemed terrified of Seoya slipping out of her control. As he racked his brain for how to placate her, Go Heejae's words halted everyone.
"Then I'll go with her."
"Go Heejae Hunter? We'd be grateful if you would."
"What?"
Han Daejun's face brightened at the sign of de-escalation, while Baek Yena whipped her head toward Go Heejae, eyes wide.
"If you have power, it's only natural to use it for others..."
"Ugh, enough already!"
Ji Sein cut off Go Heejae, sensing another long, boring lecture coming.
"No way. I'm going too."
Following Go Heejae, Baek Yena chimed in, but Han Daejun shook his head.
"That's not possible. You know this already. With Korea's top two rankers already heading abroad, any further departures would only unsettle the public."
"Even so, Go Heejae can't be trusted...!"
"And you need to consider what happens to Neverending Guild while Baek Yena Hunter is away. Aren't you the most influential one there?"
Baek Yena clamped her mouth shut again.
She couldn't bear sending Seoya off with untrustworthy people, but she hadn't pushed to go from the start because she knew full well the guild and country would shake if she left for Greece.
"Me! I really want to go too!"
"Rejected for the same reason."
Han Daejun ruthlessly shot down Na Seonghyeon.
"With the top two gone, the rest of you here should focus on national stability for the time being. If you want more Korean hunters, we'll have to pull from outside the top 10 rankings."
"That's fair. We're here for the country's stability, after all."
So Eunsu agreed softly with Han Daejun.
"Then, we'll discuss the additional hunters from outside the top 10 later, and wrap up the meeting here..."
"Wait, hold on a sec!"
Ji Sein raised her hand slightly, drawing all eyes. She shrank back a bit under the attention, then cautiously spoke up.
"Um, y'know... since I'm a total shut-in... going to Greece wouldn't affect national stability at all..."
"Sein! You've finally come to your senses!"
Baek Yena gazed at Ji Sein with unprecedented emotion.
"Yeah, you lazy bum! Time to work! We need at least one trustworthy hunter going with our baby!"
"Can't just send our princess off alone with that Go Heejae creep..."
Ji Sein muttered, glaring warily at Go Heejae. Baek Yena nodded vigorously in agreement.
"Right, right!"
"Uh, but please keep it secret that I'm leaving for Greece... don't tell anyone."
"Of course. For public stability."
Han Daejun accepted Ji Sein's request. Seeing Baek Yena and Ji Sein—who usually bickered—suddenly united today, Seoya closed her eyes tightly.
'They only ever agree when it's time to overprotect...'
"Greece?"
"Yeah, that's how it turned out."
Lee Gayeon, who had received the report from Baek Yena, raised one eyebrow as she repeated the word.
"Ji Sein said she'd go with Seoya?"
"Guess her shut-in dreams lost out to not wanting to leave Seoya in danger."
"And recruiting additional hunters from outside the top 10... Hmm."
Lee Gayeon glanced at Seoya, sprawled on the sofa.
"Small elite team, right? No point bringing in a bunch of weak-minded hunters—they'd just get massacred."
"Yeah. Thinking back to the Cheongju Dungeon I was in, it's better if mentally fragile hunters don't enter at all."
"Ideally, I'd go with you..."
Lee Gayeon muttered. Her mental strength was exceptionally high for her rank.
"Captain knows you can't leave Korea right now."
"Of course I do."
It was absurd for a major guild master to leave Korea at a time like this.
"...Greece? Hold on."
Suddenly, Lee Gayeon perked up as if remembering something. She grabbed her phone from the table and dialed quickly.
"Hey, Sira."
[Cough, cough. I just cleared a dungeon three minutes ago—what, why...?]
Jeong Sira picked up with a weary voice. Lee Gayeon didn't know the full story, but she knew Jeong Sira was one of the few people Seoya relied on—likely tied to the truths Seoya kept from them about her world and Earth's disasters.
Regardless, since Seoya trusted her, Lee Gayeon didn't view Jeong Sira negatively. And right now, she needed someone reliable—a top-rank hunter—for Seoya.
"Do you happen to speak Greek?"
[What? Greek?]
Jeong Sira's incredulous voice came through the phone. Lee Gayeon continued awkwardly.
"Figured probably not? It reminded me you said you knew Turkish last time. Geographically close, y'know. Anyway, I have something to ask..."
[What is it?]
"Would you consider joining Seoya to enter the dungeon in Greece? It might be a bit dangerous."
[Greece? Why there of all places?]
Jeong Sira replied even more incredulously. Knowing Seoya's tendency to charge straight ahead without thinking, Lee Gayeon thought everyone around her was similar in some ways.
"Ask Seoya directly about that. I just think she'll need you."
[...I don't know how much you know.... Fine, I'll ask Seoya.]
Before hanging up, Jeong Sira added in an embarrassed tone.
[...And actually, I know a little Greek. Just a little, really little.]
"...Why the heck?"
[Latin and Greek are huge for Western history majors.... Anyway, that's how it is.]
And just like that, the Greece Dungeon exploration team was hastily decided.