The Golden Goblin
A short distance from the entrance to the Golden Goblin Dungeon, along a ridge line. Professor Kim Tae-min, who had led the strategy meeting, watched intently as the hunters moved to their positions.
They've already reached this far.
Not long ago, a group had visited the infirmary to take custody of the suspects and ended up slaughtered by them before they could escape. Officially, it had been announced as expulsions, but the truth was far different. The investigators dispatched to handle them were veterans, all at minimum B-rank. Yet they hadn't even been able to put up a proper fight.
The dead tell no tales. The culprits had calmly slipped out of the school with the group that had been receiving treatment in the infirmary.
There were at least three S-rank awakeners inside the school at the time.
That meant the perpetrator possessed skills exceptional enough to take out three average A-rank investigators right under their noses.
A mutant.
The emergence of mutants. Publicly, they were said to be monsters that had randomly mutated inside a dungeon, but in reality, that group had artificially manipulated the dungeon to create them.
This doesn't bode well.
Professor Kim Tae-min. He appeared to be an ordinary professor nearing retirement, but his true identity was one of the heroes known as the original seven—the Thunder Emperor.
At that moment, a sharp glint flashed in his cloudy, cataract-ridden eyes.
Come to think of it?
Both incidents shared a common figure. Unlike moments before, his gaze—now clear as glass—turned in one direction.
Kang Min-ho, was it? And... Lee Jae-wook.
He had already reviewed the CCTV footage from that day dozens of times. The combat scene Min-ho displayed was impressive for an F-rank, highlighting his potential as an Irregular, but nothing directly linked him to the group. Others agreed.
Yet he's at the center again this time.
What a coincidence. Too much of one.
Thrum.
As he lightly flicked his finger, brushing the mana in the air, a faint ripple formed and flowed toward one side. Instantly, all information from the areas the ripple passed through flowed back to him. The time it took for the ripple to reach its target, bounce back, and return was a mere instant.
Hmm, as expected. At best, a solid D-rank.
The person he had examined was none other than Cadet Kang Min-ho. He looked a bit clumsy at first glance, but his eyes resembled those of a battle-hardened veteran.
Well, time will tell if I keep watching.
Withdrawing his gaze from him, Professor Kim Tae-min called out to his assistant.
"Fetch Hunter Park Chan-gyu for me."
"Yes, Professor."
He furrowed his brow, feeling the mana vibrations emanating from afar throughout his body.
Huh?
For a split second, it felt like thin spiderwebs wrapped around his entire body. An unpleasant sensation, as if someone was spying on him. He barely resisted the urge to whip his head around.
I have to hold it in. Min-ho, if you turn now, you're busted.
"...So our squad will take the third position on the right and establish a defensive line. Those with tank skills up front, the rest providing support from behind—that's the basic formation. If you have any other useful info, speak now."
His gaze paused on me as he scanned the squad members' faces.
What the hell do you want? Make a move or something?
Contrary to my inner thoughts, I met his eyes with an innocent, clueless look. Whatever he was expecting, he stared for a good while before turning away and continuing.
"...Well, this isn't your first rodeo, so give it your all. The dispatched squad leaders will handle most of it, but any stragglers that slip through are yours to clean up. I hate getting a stinger in the back of my neck. Got it?"
"Yes!"
He watched the squad's energetic response with a pleased expression before moving on.
Phew~ That was close.
Park Chan-gyu Hunter had timely opened his mouth, letting me hold back from turning my head.
"Min-ho, you okay? Why're you sweating like that? You didn't even break a drip running earlier."
"Huh? Guess I'm a bit tense."
"No way, you get tense?"
I shoved aside Jae-wook's dumbfounded face and glanced toward the direction where I'd felt that prying presence moments ago.
Professor Kim Tae-min?
Luckily, he was chatting with Park Chan-gyu Hunter right now. They seemed pretty tight— their vibes matched perfectly from what I'd seen.
Did he really catch on?
If not, he was just keeping an eye on me. Either way.
I need to hurry and learn a concealment skill.
Once I did, I could at least hide my true nature up to A-rank. With luck, maybe even snag a higher-grade one.
Hey, I'd held back from snapping those bastards' necks just to avoid attention. No way I was getting exposed now.
More importantly, both Park Chan-gyu—hiding his real strength—and the suspiciously nagging Professor Kim Tae-min were equally shady.
Lay low, lay low. Play it safe.
To leap far, you gotta know when to crouch.
Oh, right! Come to think of it?
With the goblin wave hitting, everyone would be too busy fighting like maniacs.
Perfect setup to learn skills.
I rubbed my hands together lightly and stepped forward, eyeing the squad leaders chatting ahead.
First, handshakes. Handshakes all around.
"Hello, seniors! I'm Kang Min-ho. Looking forward to working with you~"
"Yeah~ Heard you talk big earlier. Not bad snagging a mutant goblin, even if it was just a goblin."
"Thank you, sir!"
Nice! Poison Arrow skill.
Oh! Stealth skill?
I forced my grinning mouth shut and hustled around greeting the seniors. Thanks to Park Chan-gyu Hunter's earlier vouch, they all responded warmly. A few even dangled guild invites for after graduation.
Mostly C-rank skills, but plenty useful ones among them.
"Thanks for everything ahead of time, seniors!"
I bowed deeply with a shout, and they chuckled, waving me off.
Sweet!
I turned back to our squad's spot, organizing my thoughts.
First up, Mana Amplification.
The C-rank Mana Amplification belonged to a burly, hairy-chested middle-aged hunter. It boosted your mana output by a fixed ratio for a set time—perfect for someone like me with low awakening rank but tons of high-grade skills.
Next, Stealth? Nah, Low Heal first. Can't do shit if I get hurt.
Even small wounds fester if ignored. That's why low-rank healers still got envy from everyone.
"Whoa! Incoming!"
I whipped around at the shout. In the direction he pointed, the horizon rippled unnaturally, like waves on land.
Gulp.
Fucking horde.
I wiped my face and returned to position.
"Min-ho."
Jae-wook called me, face pale as a ghost. What do you call that? Polar bear?
I chuckled, patting his shoulder.
"Don't sweat it too much. All these seniors are vets."
"Yeah."
"And we're not wiping 'em all—just holding till the dungeon entrance opens."
Honestly, if they said take 'em all out, I'd bolt first. Crazy to fight that many goblins to the death. I'm not some dumbass bear.
"Still tense, though. Haha, hahaha."
Jae-wook awkwardly laughed, showing his sweat-soaked palms. Those thick, rough hands looked just like bear paws.
"Good tension keeps you from screwing up in real fights. Just do what we practiced. Remember that spot?"
"Huh? That spot?"
He tilted his head, then beamed and nodded.
"Yeah, I remember. How could I forget? That's where I awakened my warrior's—mmph!"
I clamped his mouth shut and sighed.
"Jeez, think before you speak. Think."
"Ah! Right, sorry."
Skills are your personal weapons—why broadcast 'em, you dumb bear?
Man, if it weren't for that youngest team member who died to that demon bastard, I'd have let this thick-headed guy live as a bear.
Damn his loyalty. Seeing this lug reminded me of that kid's face.
"If you get it, do better. Jae-wook?"
"Yeah, got it. Thanks, Min-ho."
As I ventriloquized with my mouth shut, he grinned and sidled up.
"Hey! Back off. Hot."
"What, you embarrassed? Heh, real men bond like this."
"..."
I eyed him draping his arm over my shoulder, pondering.
Should I just off him?
Whatever. He was back to normal, grinning like the tension never happened.
Simpleton's a virtue, I guess.
No use overthinking before a fight.
Rumble rumble rumble.
The ground vibrated underfoot—the goblins were closing in.
"They're here!"
A massive wave of goblins crested the ridge ahead and poured down.
"Kieeeek!"
"Kieek!"
"Kiiik!"
"Kiek! Kiek! Kieeek!"
The deafening shrieks from the endless horde made my ears ring. Mixed in were goblin riders on massive werewolves.
"KuoOOO!"
Whoa, they roped an ogre's neck?
Cunning goblins kidnapped orc or ogre young, tamed them for war. They lost most of their ferocity, weaker than wild ones, but no joke.
They came prepared.
Anyone'd think this was the Goblin Kingdom Dungeon.
I wasn't the only one spooked.
"What the fuck? That's not one tribe."
"Every goblin nearby showed up?"
"No way a goblin king spawned."
"Dude, our guild scouted here last week and wiped some—no sign of these guys."
"Bullshit, you boozed inside and slacked off. Miss that many?"
"For real, man. What about your guild's turn before?"
"Tch, we didn't see shit either."
"Damn, we might wipe here if we're not careful."
"Shut your jinx mouth, asshole."
The squad leaders grumbled curses, faces grim. Even battle-hardened vets were tense—this was insane.
The horde halting and lining up along the opposite ridge screamed "these ain't normal goblins."
Wait, that?
Amid it, something shiny caught my eye. I stared at the goblin perched on a huge platform, glaring our way.
Twice the size of others, skin gleaming gold in the sun. Golden crown on its head.
Holy shit, a Golden Goblin!
That's mine. All mine!