Eww, It's a Horror Movie?!
"Eww, it's a horror movie?!"
As soon as the door swung fully open, revealing the inside of the theater, So Euneung yelped from behind Seoya.
Right in front of them loomed what was probably the boss monster—a grotesque, dark brown mass. Just like the higher world beings Seoya had encountered before, it defied easy description. Insect-like hind legs, bat-like tattered wings. Its shaggy, bird-like body, elongated mole-like snout, and vicious crocodile teeth between them all blended into a chaotic form that oddly evoked a human corpse.
The moment the auditorium door opened, a foul stench like rotting flesh wafted out. Seoya, with her unusually sensitive nose, wrinkled her face and instinctively pinched it shut.
But the most pressing issue right now was...
Bam!
Seoya wrapped mana around her right hand and hurled it at the monster without a second's hesitation. The beast barely dodged, swerving just before impact.
The hunter pinned beneath it writhed with a strange groan.
"Hey, you okay?!"
So Eunsu shouted loud enough for him to hear.
Yes—that grotesque monster had one hunter trapped underneath, its teeth sunk into his nape. It almost looked like a vampire from one of Earth's movies, but this higher world being was undoubtedly far more terrifying than any bloodsucker.
"C-Cough, cough!"
Thankfully, a cough indicated the hunter was still alive.
Seoya scanned the other five hunters. They hadn't helped their comrade because they were locked in desperate fights of their own.
Zombies crammed into every theater seat. The five hunters were battling hordes of them.
"Oh my god! Why are there so many zombies?!"
So Euneung finally realized every seat was occupied by zombies and shrieked in a fuss.
At her voice, the panting hunters yelled back.
"Y-Youngjun! You alright?"
"Who're they? So Eunsu and So Euneung, right?!"
With a brief respite, they checked on their comrade, squinting in the dim light to make out So Eunsu and So Euneung's faces. Seoya's identity remained hidden, her white cloak blending into the shadows.
As So Eunsu approached the blood-drained hunter to check him, Seoya glanced at the beeping monster rank detector.
The device was reacting.
"Know what that monster's called?"
"Uh, well... no?"
"Unidentified monster. Probably one of the new ones that popped up after the System update."
So Euneung and So Eunsu answered in turn.
An unidentified monster was perfect for Seoya. This detector was made precisely for cases like this—to test if it worked on updated monsters.
Wavelength: 457, Rank: A
As expected from an A-rank dungeon, the mystery monster was A-rank. Given the zombies were B-rank, this had to be the boss.
"Good."
Seoya swallowed hard, then blasted the boss with fierce mana.
Whoosh!
But the monster dodged effortlessly, using its wings. Seoya glared in frustration at the spot where her attack missed. Each flap buzzed like swarming bees.
"Ah, my mental strength...!"
One hunter battling zombies cried out. He soon clutched his head and collapsed.
Seoya felt it too upon hearing that. Dizziness crept in. Gritting her teeth, she prepared another mana shot.
...Wait.
Suddenly realizing something, Seoya froze.
After the System update, her new status window listed her mental strength as fluid. Fluid meant unfixed—so recalling that higher world man's words, the key is Seoya's perception...
Does my mental strength change based on my perception?
With her newfound insight, Seoya forced her eyes wide at the monster despite the strain. It was still hideous and revolting, but she wouldn't look away.
This is just a monster from an Earth horror flick.
She repeated it inwardly. Her head spun, but erasing the thought that it was a higher world being...
Ah.
Her mind cleared instantly, like a blocking wall shattering. Breathing eased, vision sharpened.
It really works?
Seoya gasped in surprise. Just as that man said, everything hinged on her perception.
Until now, facing higher world beings, she'd imposed limits on herself—retreating before the fight even from their horrific looks and oppressive presence. But if she could overcome with mere perception alone... If Seoya never feared higher world beings, no monster could touch her mental strength.
Emboldened, Seoya fired a stronger mana blast.
The monster dodged with wings again and charged her.
"Hoo."
Seoya rolled aside, then sprang up with powered arms, whipping out mana like a long lash toward the monster.
It collided once, veered sharply, and dove at her.
Similar pattern?
Dodge and strike, dodge and strike. Rolling to evade again, Seoya rose—
"Groooan..."
"Eek!"
A groan right by her ear made her jolt airborne like a rocket.
Since when...!
Zombies reached for her from right beside. That's when Seoya realized the monster was smarter than it seemed. Luring her deep into the auditorium while she dodged.
"Ugh, whatever."
Irritated, Seoya swept away the surrounding zombies.
A blinding pink beam flashed beside her, felling one.
"Argh! How strong can zombies be anyway? Hurry up and clear 'em alreadyyy!"
So Euneung snapped at the Sprout Guild hunters while unleashing her skill, her voice a tad whiny.
Seoya seized the opening, lunging at the evasive monster.
Boom!
The clash echoed thunderously. The monster wobbled midair, its ragged wings tearing further. It turned tail to flee.
Trap it.
Its constant dodging irked her, so Seoya conjured a dome of mana and slammed it down overhead.
Trapped like a lidded jar, the monster battered the walls desperately.
Seoya didn't miss her chance.
"Now."
Her blue spear pierced its throat flawlessly.
Squelch!
"Kieeeek—!"
The monster screeched hideously before slumping lifelessly.
S-rank monster ‘Bi■□’ defeated!
Boss monster defeated!
Contribution reward: S-rank magic stone
Distributing rewards...
Special effect of achievement Master of Hunters: All rewards redirected to 0 │ - │ Seoya!
Seoya gently caressed the S-rank magic stone now in her hand.
The Sprout Guild hunters, having finished off the zombies, approached. Only up close did they recognize her, eyes widening.
"S-Seoya... nim?!"
"Huh? Who? ...Oh, 0th rank?!"
They fell into awkward silence, then took their injured comrade from So Eunsu.
So Eunsu explained his condition.
"HP's bottomed out, but nothing life-threatening. Potion and hospital should fix him right up."
"Ah, yes, thank you..."
Still, they stole glances at Seoya. They knew she was young-ish, but news photos painted her as the imposing "0th," so it hadn't sunk in. Up close, her small frame and soft voice screamed little girl.
"Hehe, but weren't you guys pushing too hard? Looked like these trash mobs had you cornered before we even hit the boss..."
So Euneung pointed at the zombies with an innocent grin. Hidden within: If you can't even handle zombies, why enter a dungeon?
Their apparent leader flushed.
"It was touch-and-go, but we could've cleared it ourselves...!"
"One of you was already getting drained, thoughhh?"
"Actually, the monster wasn't attacking then—it was vulnerable. We were prepping skills for the boss."
Seoya frowned under her cloak at framing their comrade's peril as opportunity.
"Yeah, you did look pretty desperate."
So Eunsu chimed in.
"So obsessed with clearing you'd risk losing a teammate and public backlash—guild must be in a pinch."
"You both know everyone's in cutthroat competition, racking up merits. Desperate times."
Their hunter replied.
"Gotta seize merits by any means now."
"Well, butting into another guild's business is kinda funny..."
Then Seoya's clear voice cut in.
"Why not pick your methods?"
Her tone was genuinely puzzled, as if she truly couldn't comprehend.