Chapter 61: Plowing Through the Sea of Chaos
How much time had passed since he'd been hunting while slicing through the Sea of Chaos?
Beep! Beep!
An alarm blared in Park Taemin's ears amid his relentless slaughter. After dispatching the two monsters facing him, he glanced at his wristwatch.
What the? Already five o'clock? Still plenty of time left...
Taemin checked his watch and map, pondering his next move. He was right at the halfway point on the map. He could push through the night and make it, but he had a meeting with the chief of staff tomorrow. With a pang of regret, he turned back. Even setting aside the trip there, the return journey would eat up too much time—no choice.
It was late at night by the time he escaped the dungeon. He hopped into his car and headed back to Wolfsrein Headquarters.
The next day, Taemin slept deeply for once and woke naturally to a late morning. After a simple breakfast, he killed time until his ten o'clock meeting by surfing the web.
As the appointed hour approached, he dressed neatly and left his quarters for the meeting with the chief of staff.
Stepping out of the elevator and walking down the hall, a secretary at the entrance desk greeted him.
"What brings you here?"
"I'm Park Taemin. I have a meeting with the chief of staff today."
"Ah? Hello. Please come in. He's expecting you."
Following her guidance, Taemin entered the chief of staff's office.
"Um... hello?"
The man, who had been gazing out the window, turned at Taemin's greeting and eyed him appraisingly.
"I'm Park Taemin."
"Oh, so you're Park Taemin."
"Yes."
"I'm Park Dae-woo, the chief of staff here. Nice to meet you."
"Ah, yes."
"Have a seat there."
Park Dae-woo stepped forward, gestured for Taemin to sit, and took the head seat himself.
"I've wanted to meet you for a while, but work's been piling up. Bear with me. So, how's guild life treating you?"
"Everyone's been looking out for me, so it's comfortable."
"Good to hear. If anything's inconvenient or you need something, just say the word. I'll handle whatever I can."
"I'm good as is."
"Mm. The reason I called you here today is to assign you a position that suits your talents. Letting a capable asset rot would be a huge loss for the guild. So, I'd like to appoint you as the manager overseeing mid-level dungeons. What do you think?"
"Manager?"
Taemin blinked in surprise at the unexpected offer. A manager position was mid-tier among the higher-ups. For someone who'd only joined the guild a couple of months ago, it was an absurd promotion.
"Why? You don't like it?"
"No, it's not that... It's just so sudden. I'm just a regular guild member. Can I really handle such an important role?"
"No need to worry. Your subordinates will handle most matters, and you'll just review and sign off on reports, plus attend the daily executive meetings. Once you're at manager level, hunting deposit fees are waived, and you'll get a monthly stipend of 5 billion won directly. Plus about 3 billion in activity funds, including dignity maintenance. Subtract deposit fees from hunts, and you're looking at around 10 billion a month. You'll get solo quarters too, and free portal access to any hunting ground. Pretty sweet deal, right?"
Taemin fell into thought at Park Dae-woo's words. 10 billion a month wasn't chump change. Even grinding his ass off, he'd only make about 1 billion hunting. And free portals meant no more wasting time driving.
"Is hunting time generous?"
Park Dae-woo smiled at Taemin's question.
"You really love hunting, huh? Of course. Meetings are just an hour in the morning, and unless something urgent pops up, the rest is free. Reports are a quick approval."
"That's really all?"
"I don't lie."
"Then I'll do it—as long as I get hunting time."
"Smart choice. I already told the previous manager, so start handover with him today."
"Thank you."
Leaving the chief's office, Taemin headed to the management department for handover. The outgoing manager, reassigned elsewhere, greeted him.
"Welcome. I'm Choi Jin-cheol. Heard a lot about you."
"Ah, yes. Park Taemin. Looking forward to working with you."
"It's late, so how about we talk over lunch?"
With lunchtime nearing, Taemin joined Choi Jin-cheol and key management staff for a meal, learning the ropes. As the chief said, the manager's job was light: sign off on staff reports and issues, attend morning executive meetings, and lead staff hunts every two weeks.
"Well, best of luck."
After a week helping Taemin, Choi Jin-cheol moved to the strategy support team. Taemin's first solo meeting was routine—nothing special. Afterward, he asked a subordinate to prep a portal and headed to the open lot outside.
Four hunters in combat gear awaited him—the personal escort attached to managers and above. Mid-level execs were valuable guild assets, always backed by internal guards for emergencies.
Taemin knew this but found it burdensome.
"I knew about it, but do I really need four for little old me? There are sentries at the portal anyway—seems like a waste of manpower."
"The division chief insisted, sir."
"Ugh. Fine then. Open it up."
At Taemin's word, the sorceress deployed a multi-portal. They vanished inside and emerged on the other side.
Showing their executive badges to the entrance sentries, the guards saluted and stepped aside. The formality felt alien to Taemin.
Exec, exec... didn't realize it was this much.
Shaking his head inwardly, he turned to the escorts as he prepared to enter the dungeon.
"I'll contact you when I'm out. Head back to HQ and stand by. No point waiting here."
The escort leader shook his head.
"Don't worry about us, sir. This is our job and routine."
Against their resolve, Taemin shrugged and stepped through the portal. Behind him rang out the sentries' crisp voices.
"Safe hunting, sir!"
Inside the Sea of Chaos, Taemin ignored small fry, charging straight ahead. Last hunt, he hadn't even glimpsed the boss Kraken—today, he'd see its ugly mug or bust.
Despite monsters trailing due to movement speed penalties, he shook them with smokescreen and Invisible.
Three hours of full sprint later, activating his map soured his expression.
What? Just past halfway?
Even at max speed, he was still near the middle.
Return trip'll take forever like this.
After a moment's thought, he charged on. No backing out now.
Three more hours passed, and he finally encountered the boss: Kraken.
A massive octopus visible from afar—but too many legs for that. Suckers replaced by thorny tentacles bristling with spines or teeth.
Taemin crept closer for a better look, feeling its immense bulk.
Holy shit. This is insane.
Up close, Kraken dwarfed imagination—house-sized. Overwhelmed, Taemin's confidence plummeted. Too much.
But only for a moment. Gripping his dual swords, he steeled himself.
Came this far—no running.
Activating every skill, he lunged. Sensing him, Kraken whipped dozens of tentacles in assault.
Dodging nimbly, Taemin burrowed in and deployed his trap. Target: the head-heart.
But Kraken wasn't easy prey. It recoiled as he closed, tentacles countering despite the trap.
Expected that.
All question marks on its stats meant it wouldn't fall cleanly. Taemin slashed incoming tentacles and struck the body.
Squelch!
Satisfying impact—the blade sank deep. A smile crept on. Trap or not, basic strikes drawing this blood meant low defense. Doable.
As Taemin pondered, Kraken attacked anew—tentacles converging to ensnare.
Another Chaos Trap. This time, it stuck; mobility dropped. But tentacles still thrashed.
Long fight ahead. Prioritize disabling threats.
Battle raged an hour. Repeated leg strikes left Kraken a wreck: massive head adrift, tentacles severed, trapped and immobile.
Taemin went Invisible for the finisher, charging the head.
Explosion—head burst, massive splash.
You have acquired 8.3 million experience points.
8.3 million? Yeah, makes sense after an hour. Anyway, items...
Waiting for the splash to clear, Taemin checked the wreckage. Nothing.
He even searched severed tentacles—no loot.
None? Should've dropped at least one. Ah well, killed it. Good enough.