Overpowered in the A-Rank Dungeon
“Goodbye!!”
I left the gear shop amid the staff's resounding farewell, just as I had when I first arrived. I'd come to rent additional weapons, but the shop owner showed no sign of discomfort. Common sense dictated that hunters rarely handled so many weapons at once. Sure, they could wield them competently overall, but unleashing true power required specialized skills—and almost no one possessed skills for multiple weapon types simultaneously.
From the owner's perspective, she might have seen my rentals as a newbie's greed. Yet she displayed no such attitude. Instead, she recommended weapons that were smart financial investments, treating me with the same kindness as before. If anything, she seemed far more eager to get on friendly terms with me.
As she watched me select weapons, she casually asked,
“Have you heard anything about Hunter Jo Dong-geun, by any chance?”
I was a hunter who'd only gotten my S-rank license a few days ago. She probably figured another S-rank like me might have fresher intel.
Seemed better than admitting ignorance, so I replied,
“I heard his little sister went missing and he's searching for her, but I've never even met the guy.”
“Ah, yes... I've heard that too. But then she suddenly reappeared, so maybe that's not it...”
As expected from the owner of a shop frequented by S-rank hunters, she had solid sources. Jo A-young had only emerged from Kang A-jin's house a few days ago. She couldn't have done anything publicly noticeable yet—just rumors of someone spotting her.
At any rate, as Korea's most vital hunter, news about Jo Dong-geun spread like wildfire. I wondered how the world would react if they learned he was dead by my hand. They'd fixate less on his crimes and more on the fact that the strongest S-rank was gone. Panic would ensue. With talk of an SS-rank dungeon emerging, who would lead the charge without him?
Figuring that out was a task for me and my allies.
After leaving the shop, I grabbed a meal at a gukbap joint. The TV news was still covering Jo Dong-geun's absence from official schedules for days. The diners seemed unconcerned—naturally, they had no idea I was S-rank.
Who knew how long I could enjoy this carefree routine? S-rank hunters' faces were all known to some degree, with hordes of obsessive fans.
I savored the simple joy of gukbap in the restaurant—what I'd call modest happiness—for as long as I could.
My next stop was the A-rank dungeon I'd reserved for real combat practice.
Originally, I'd planned to enter with Lisa to acquire her skills, but as an undocumented foreigner resurrected by Valentina, there was no way to bring her in legally.
Unexpectedly, dungeon simulations had revealed a way to gain skills without her entering. Today, I'd clear it solo.
To operate as an S-rank hunter, conquering S-rank dungeons was essential—and experience was key. I'd fought more S-rank hunters than I'd cleared S-rank dungeons, but that was that, and this was this.
First A-rank dungeon, first solo raid. It had me a bit on edge.
Don't push too hard.
Like when I'd raided with Kim Seol-bi, I had no intention of clearing the whole thing in a day out of greed. I'd go just far enough, sell the mana crystals for living expenses.
I'd gotten a 10 billion congratulatory fund and cleared my overdraft, but more money was always better, right? Especially cash I'd earned myself.
Sure enough, my concern came true here too. The staff, from the director down, were waiting for the S-rank hunter who'd reserved it.
But since my face wasn't public yet, they didn't recognize me immediately.
“Ah! Are you the reserved S-rank Hunter Kang Sung-gi?”
I had to show ID for confirmation, and as attention poured in, I shut it down fast.
“Hunter!!”
As the director approached obsequiously, I quickly said,
“Save the greetings for next time. I've got a tight schedule today.”
With that, I bolted straight to the dungeon entrance.
“Hunter!!”
I heard the director's regretful voice behind me, but it wasn't my problem.
“Hmm...”
I looked up at the dungeon, a towering cliff of jagged rocks. It was on another scale from the ones I'd done before.
An A-rank dungeon...
Never imagined I'd solo something this size. More excitement than worry filled me.
“Ah, this is just too...”
Two hours into the raid, I realized a crucial fact. Maybe I should've noticed sooner, but I was ridiculously strong. Way beyond expectations.
Perhaps my baseline was skewed from the start. My first fight was Jo Dong-geun, and yesterday I'd overwhelmed Kim Hyun-cheol one-on-one. Jo wasn't at full strength, and while Kim Hyun-cheol was S-rank strong, I had no gauge for his level.
But hunting here in an A-rank dungeon made it crystal clear. I was overqualified for this.
I'd planned to practice skills freely, but even as punching bags, these monsters were too weak. And whenever I flared my mana, they'd flee in terror.
I could see how Kim Seol-bi felt in a C-rank. Clearing to the bottom must've been child's play for her.
Another revelation: like her, I could extend my palm and suck up fallen mana crystals from the floor. As she said, it wasn't a skill—just magnetic attraction via my body's mana. Anyone with S-rank reserves could do it effortlessly.
This is too...
Games lose fun when they're too easy. No greed to clear the depths anyway, so I considered heading back.
Plenty to do without full-clearing—like signing for a new apartment or buying a car.
After hearing billions tossed around lately and renting gear worth that much, even luxury pads and rides didn't thrill me. Numb to extravagance: a downside of S-rank life, perhaps.
I strode forward, mana fully unleashed. No more hunting; homeward bound. No greed for kills or crystals. Monsters scattered on their own—convenient.
Return stone at the layer's end would get me out.
Then a voice reached me.
“Ughhh...”
Assumed monster at first, ignored it. But it persisted—not a monster.
“Ah, please... save... me...”
Definitely human. Dying. Speaking Korean.
I zipped toward the sound. Kim Seol-bi's speed was second nature now—tens, hundreds of meters in seconds.
Arriving, I froze in shock.
“What the...”
A dozen boulders crushed one woman's body. Swords and spears pierced her arms and legs. Poisoned too—her face was ashen.
“Who the hell did this...”
I'd hunted here; no way monsters. They didn't use swords or spears.
The long-haired woman, barely conscious, rasped,
“Save... me...”
“Please...”
First, I blasted the boulders off her back. No skill needed—just thrust my hands, unleashing wind pressure.
BOOM!!