Moonlit Dungeon Shadows
The interior of the dungeon was a spooky night thick with moonlight filtering through the trees. The dense woods and undergrowth made it unmistakably a forest, at least at first glance. With a decent initial impression, the group all attached lights to their bodies. Taejeong did the same, clipping the light Park Se-ah had prepared for him the night before onto his shoulder.
"Alright, then. Form up into four squads and let's move out."
At Raid Leader Woo Kyung-ho's command, the team began advancing slowly. Their formation was the diamond array, a standard defensive setup for mid-sized teams. Seo Ju-ah and the lower-level members, along with Taejeong, took the center, while the rest spread out to the four cardinal directions to protect them. Though shorthanded and reduced from eight positions to four, it was still the best formation possible under the circumstances.
As they moved, scanning their surroundings, Taejeong realized the visibility was worse than expected. Everyone had high-quality lights, but the darkness was even thicker, leaving him curious how they'd handle it. Meanwhile, the central team—everyone except him—was visibly downcast in the eerie atmosphere. The usually chatty Lee Seong-ho had gone quiet, and Shin Ji-su, who normally bickered with him, was glued to his side, clutching his arm tightly.
Seo Ju-ah and Jo Yong-seok were managing to stay somewhat composed, but even they looked tense—this was their first time in a dungeon like this.
They're frozen stiff.
Taejeong could understand their reaction, a sight even rarer than in the Recall dungeon. The recommended level here was 250—far beyond theirs. Add the unknown quantity of a first-time dungeon, the resulting anxiety, and the oppressive feel of the poor visibility, and it was a setup that bred fear no matter how many protectors they had.
Proof of that: they all gripped their weapons uselessly tight, as if trying to crush them.
"Feels just like those endurance trainings we did as kids, huh."
Taejeong tossed the comment to Seo Ju-ah to ease the tension. She jumped a little, still vigilant, before replying.
"Pardon?"
"You never did stuff like that as a kid? Climbing a mountain at night and sticking a flag on a tree to come back down."
"Ah, I... "
"I've done it a few times. It was darker than this back then, and not with this many people. Just me and a friend climbing that silent mountain—it was terrifying. I even startled myself with my own footsteps. But only once. After doing it every year, the fear faded. Just the sound of grasshoppers, stars in the night sky, tree smells, my friend beside me. All the precious things we take for granted. Now they're just good memories."
"I'm jealous you have memories like that."
"No such thing for you, Ju-ah?"
"I've been home-schooled since I was little, never went to school."
"Oh. Did I say something insensitive?"
"No, it's fun. And now that you mention it, I can feel it—the sounds, the smells, the vibe. Never done it, but it feels like I have. Power of words, I guess."
"Don't tense up too much. I'll protect you if anything happens."
"That's reassuring."
As they chatted casually, Lee Seong-ho sidled up from behind and butted in.
"What's this? Why's the mood like this?"
"Like what?"
"Like what? We heard everything from back here. This is dangerous. This is a dungeon, not a motel."
They were speechless at his absurd logic. What did a motel have to do with anything? But only for a moment. Soon, his usual antagonist, Shin Ji-su, grabbed his ear and yanked.
"Take your meds? Why bring that up here."
"Ow! Let go! Touch my body if you're bored."
"Act like a proper oppa first."
"Last time in Recall, you clung to me crying... Gah!"
"Don't. You. Dare."
Jo Yong-seok put a finger to his lips, shushing their bickering.
"Quiet down, please. You're bothering everyone."
The minor commotion loosened the tension considerably, letting them walk with more ease. But it didn't last long. Woo Kyung-ho, leading the front squad, raised a fist and broadcast over comms.
"Everyone, battle stations!"
The hunters halted in unison, drawing swords and spears. Lights flared along their weapons just as dark shapes burst from all sides, right on cue.
"Hold the center—no gaps!"
That was the signal. In an instant, the hunters clashed with the monsters, unleashing their skills and diving into combat.
Unlike them, Taejeong in the protected center summoned his night-vision scope in case of breakthroughs. Unseen shapes now filled his view.
The attackers were Ripples, plant-type monsters. Two meters tall with four tentacles as long as their height—man-eating beasts. Listed as Grade 1, high-level threats here.
Ripples right off the bat? Let's see how they handle them.
As he watched intently, a commotion erupted beside him.
"What's going on? See anything?"
"Nothing. Something flapping, maybe."
"Still early, so probably Akano or Bengga."
They hadn't identified the monsters yet. Taejeong shared what he saw.
"Ripples."
Shin Ji-su's eyes widened. "Ripples? Already? Wait, you can see them?"
"Roughly..."
"How many?"
"Two or three times what you'd expect. Around seventy?"
"Seventy!?"
Their faces paled. And rightly so—Ripples ranked among the top three strongest here. Steel-tough bodies with regeneration made them tricky. Even one was beyond them.
But Woo Kyung-ho's party was different. Average level over 300, battle-hardened pros. Ripples stuck to their glowing blades fell like autumn leaves.
They're better than I thought. No need for me to step in.
Watching the pack get shredded like paper, Taejeong noted their strength. Perfect coordination despite low numbers—no leaks to the center. Proof of vast formation experience.
And there was a hidden factor: the honorary buff Taejeong had earned boosted combat power by a whopping integrated 30%—enough to nearly double their average output.
The fight ended anticlimactically in under five minutes.
"Moving out again."
No headcount—the front squad's signal said it all. To them, Ripples were mere speed bumps.
Hunting proceeded smoothly after that. Embarrassingly so—mobs cleared in under five minutes each.
It was inevitable. They'd crushed the forest's apex predators early; the rest weren't worth mentioning.
After a few waves, the central team (minus Taejeong) started leveling up one by one.
"This is my second."
"Why you twice? I'm still at one."
"I had barely any EXP before, so... whatever."
"Not complaining or anything..."
Leaving the childish Lee Seong-ho and his ever-responsive Shin Ji-su behind, Jo Yong-seok fell in step with Taejeong.
"Sorry you're not getting EXP because of us..."
"No need to apologize—I brought it up. Still, I'm at like 0.1% per fight. Pretty good freebie. Haha."
"Even so. Without us, you'd get multiples more."
"EXP doesn't matter much—quest's the goal. But you were worried, right?"
"Pardon? About what?"
"Coming here just us."
"Can I be honest?"
"Of course. It's not like it's a secret."
"I opposed it. All of us did. The level gap's too big. Twice below recommended—could we even do it? Not doubting your skills, but four deadweights? Then Ju-ah hesitated. Said she couldn't refuse your kind offer."
"Because I'm Hidden?"
"No, not that. This is a secret, but..."
Jo Yong-seok glanced back, lowering his voice.
"Ju-ah could climb ranks anytime if she wanted. Her brother's a big-shot hunter. Even the guild master treads carefully."
"Oh, really?"
"No need to suffer like this, but she stubbornly refuses help. Don't know details, but she really... dislikes her brother, I guess?"
"I see. But how do you know?"
Taejeong already knew she was Seo Jin's sister—a top secret known only to club and guild elites. How did regular member Jo Yong-seok know?
"Dropped by her parents' memorial—overheard the guild master and 'brother' talking. The almighty guild master was fawning, taking orders. Had to be a famous hunter. Asked Ju-ah; she didn't deny it."
"So you don't know who exactly."
"Nah. But above guild master level, for sure. Explains her guild treatment otherwise. She's not Hidden or special class."
"Makes sense hearing it like that."
"You know anything? Same Ix rank."
"Nah, just learned she lives next door recently."
As they bantered, another monster pack blocked their path. Akano—quadrupedal weaklings, probably quick work. Or so he thought.
Flash.
An unidentified red glow erupted everywhere. Akano heads flew in unison. Woo Kyung-ho and the front line narrowed their eyes.
Moments later, a clear voice pierced the dark.
"What? These rookies."