Boss Rush in the Zombie Department Store

Six figures that looked like members of the Sprout Guild were cutting down the zombies blocking their path as they headed up to the next floor. That meant if the zombies weren't in their way, they wouldn't have cared whether the undead attacked people or not—they'd just charge straight ahead.

"What the...?"

Seoya blinked in wide-eyed confusion, unable to process the scene, when So Eunsu and So Euneung suddenly turned without a word and started attacking the zombies still lurking on the fifth floor.

It did look like the people on the fifth floor were in real danger, so Seoya jumped in to help, wiping out the remaining zombies there. Even as she fought, her mind wandered to the Sprout Guild members who had vanished up to the sixth floor. "Where are they rushing off to like that...?"

"Huh? Obviously to take down the boss monster!"

So Euneung ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠replied in her bubbly tone, having just finished off the last zombie.

"Looks like that guild's figured out the dungeon's layout roughly."

With that, So Eunsu bolted up the escalator, and Seoya followed right behind.

"Dungeons have their own patterns. The zombies are getting thicker the higher we go, so ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠this one's probably using the department store floors to place the boss on the top level. Think of it like a game where each floor ramps up the level and difficulty."

So Eunsu explained, but that wasn't what Seoya had been asking about.

"Those hunters ignored the people begging for help from behind, didn't they? So why keep going up?"

"Hmm~."

So Euneung made a subtle face before grinning. "Well~ like I said, they must've decided to grab the boss first! Clearing the boss speeds up the whole dungeon clear, and in a way, that saves more people overall!"

"But with six of them, they could've split up. Two to clean the lower floors, four on the boss."

So Eunsu pointed out, and So Euneung pondered for a moment before responding.

"True... but what if they're all low-rank hunters? Four might not be enough for an A-rank boss!"

"Good point. Sprout Guild's just a name I've heard—no big-name hunters there."

But none of it clicked for Seoya. She still looked puzzled as she helped them clear the sixth floor's zombies with them.

There were quite a few injured on the sixth, which slowed them down while they lent aid.

'They couldn't ignore people calling for help from behind...'

That was why Seoya could never understand the Sprout Guild members—and the fundamental difference between her and others.

Ibin had raised her to be that kind of kid, after all.

After clearing the seventh floor's zombies and bandaging the wounded, So Euneung called out.

"Oppa! Know what the top floor of this department store is?"

"Hold on, want me to check?"

"Ah, I know!"

The answer came from the woman they were bandaging—a department store employee, judging by her uniform and name tag.

"It goes up to the tenth floor, and the tenth has a movie theater."

"Hmm, a movie theater..."

So Eunsu frowned thoughtfully.

"Dark and dingy... perfect spot for an A-rank boss to hole up."

"Eww~ Bet it's crawling with zombies too~."

So Euneung grimaced, then finished the bandages and stood.

But before they headed to the eighth, So Eunsu—unlike his usual sprint—turned to Seoya.

"Seoya, do we have to take down the boss ourselves? Or is ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠just clearing the dungeon enough?"

"What do you mean?"

Seoya asked, not getting it, so he clarified.

"Can we let the Sprout hunters have the boss, or do we need the contribution points? If we keep this pace, they'll snag it."

"Hmm..."

"It's common when multiple hunter groups enter: vanguard grabs the boss, rearguard mops up trash mobs and rescues people."

Truth be told, Seoya had no real need to claim the boss personally. Thanks to her title , she'd automatically top the contributions, and any boss rewards would come to her regardless.

"Doesn't really matter, but... wait."

Seoya remembered the monster rank gauge in her left hand and paused.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

She'd tested it on zombies already—time to try it on the boss!

She'd almost forgotten she brought it to help Neverending Guild.

"I need to use this thing, so I can't kill the boss, but I gotta see it up close."

"What's that?"

So Euneung eyed the unfamiliar device with sparkling curiosity.

"Monster rank gauge... Neverending developed it recently, and I'm testing it."

"Ooh, cool! Who made it?"

"Uh, just one of our researchers."

"Oppa! Why don't we have anyone who makes stuff like that?"

So Euneung whined, and So Eunsu sighed deeply.

"Our guild's got no researchers. Just hunters, cameramen, and YouTubers..."

"Which researcher was it?"

Seoya recalled what she'd heard and answered.

"Dunno the name, but they said the mechanic skill's level 9."

"Why do all the machine mechanics flock to Neverending Guild?!"

As So Euneung grumbled, So Eunsu cut in.

"No time for this. Gotta hustle if we want the boss before it's cleared."

While Seoya peeked at So Eunsu's system window, So Euneung opened hers too, apparently to check something.

"With our condition like this..."

So Eunsu trailed off, turning to Seoya.

"Seoya, we can't join the boss fight, but we'll clear the path for you."

"Huh?"

"Euneung, MP good?"

"Yup! Plenty if we skip the boss!"

"Prep wide-area healing buff."

"Aye aye!"

So Euneung beamed at his words. The moment their feet hit the eighth floor, So Eunsu raised a long staff high and shouted.

"Skill, Star Power Up! Rising Energy!"

So Euneung proudly thrust up her cute pink wand.

Their skills activated in unison: turquoise sparkles from So Eunsu engulfed the entire eighth floor, while So Euneung's purple glitter swam through the space.

Seoya made a slightly awkward face at the cartoonish skills and scenery she still couldn't get used to.

But they were flashier and more impressive than any she'd seen before.

Like comic book heroes, they shamelessly unleashed cringey skills that combined into a spectacular show.

Moments later, as the light faded, something thudded to the floor.

Zombies lay limp everywhere.

"Whew, it drains monsters' life force... Costs a ton of MP, but super effective."

So Eunsu wiped sweat from his brow, and So Euneung chimed in.

"My new healing skill—MP hog, so I saved it, but no point if we're skipping the boss!"

As she'd said, the injured folks marveled at their improved states.

"Doesn't stop bleeding, but like the potions we handed out earlier!"

With explanations done, they dashed to the ninth and repeated the combo.

They moved like their sole goal was saving Seoya time—no chance for her to interject.

Thus, they breached two floors in under three minutes, reaching the tenth.

Gasping from MP and HP drain, but worth it for the speed.

"It's open...!"

"They beat us here."

One theater door among many stood half-ajar—hunters had just entered.

Seoya glared at it piercingly.

A vicious aura seeped from behind.

'It's in there.'

The boss monster was definitely inside.

"No time—hurry!"

So Euneung urged, but Seoya shot past in a blink, hand on the handle to fling it wide.

That's when—

"Aaaarghhh!"

"Wh-what?!"

A man's desperate scream echoed from within, like he'd squeezed out every ounce of strength.