A Leisurely Stroll Through the Dungeon
The hefty spear suited Jo A-young perfectly. Her physique was nothing like that of an ordinary woman.
Understanding of Spear Arts
'As expected...'
This confirmed it without a doubt. Jo A-young had been exposed to Unreasonable Favor.
Acquiring an opponent's skill in a dungeon was the most irrefutable proof.
'She's even mastered spear arts.'
The spectrum of my abilities was expanding further. There probably wasn't another hunter in the world who could acquire such a diverse range of powers so easily.
This dungeon felt like a blend of forest and cave. It spanned four floors, and I figured today's raid wouldn't wrap up in a single sweep like the one where Kim Seol-bi had joined us last time.
For one thing, that quick clear had only been possible because of Kim Seol-bi. And there was no need to push ourselves like that anyway.
Sure, if we were greedy for cash, we could force it—but right now, money wasn't the priority.
Neither Kim Eun-bi nor Jo A-young were the type to obsess over it.
Above all, our primary goal was building rapport. Jo A-young wanted that too, but Kim Eun-bi and I needed to get close to her for what lay ahead.
Was there any better place for hunters to bond than inside a dungeon?
The first monster appeared soon enough. Seeing it, I understood why Jo A-young had called them slimes—but not ordinary ones.
What emerged before us was a half-human, half-beast monster. It had two legs but four arms, and its face resembled a wolf's.
That wasn't the key detail, though. What stood out was the green, jelly-like substance enveloping its entire body. It gave the impression of the creature being puppeted by the slime.
"These things parasitize hosts to survive. You could almost feel sorry for the monsters here—they're bound to the dungeon's master."
"The dungeon's master?"
I echoed Jo A-young's explanation.
"Yes. The slimes spread throughout the dungeon are fragments split off from the master. They dominate the host's mind and consume its blood and flesh."
"Hmm..."
I never imagined I'd feel pity for a monster someday.
Looking closer, the approaching monster's eyes were glazed over. There were bite marks scattered across its body, like something had gnawed at it.
"Oppa, watch out!"
No sooner had I heard Kim Eun-bi's voice than she hurled a knife over my head.
The short blade flew past, startling me for a split second—but of course, it wasn't aimed at my face.
A bisected slime splattered onto the floor.
The creeping tendrils wilted and melted away moments later.
"Sorry, oppa. My fault for distracting you."
"No, it was my carelessness."
Jo A-young apologized, so I responded. I couldn't forget to thank Kim Eun-bi, either.
"Eun-bi, thanks. You saved my life."
"Slimes don't hit hard on their own, but if they stick to you, it's creepy. They nibble sometimes too."
Kim Eun-bi spoke as if she'd been bitten by one herself. Hard to imagine for someone so newly awakened—it was probably just theoretical knowledge.
In that sense, I was the most clueless of us all.
If I had an excuse, it was that I'd never dreamed of becoming a hunter. I'd paid little attention to monsters or even famous hunters.
'Slimes aren't that dangerous, then.'
But that was from an A-rank perspective. As a C-rank, I couldn't afford to let my guard down.
Jo A-young sprang into action. She wielded the heavy spear as effortlessly as an extra limb.
It flashed a few times, and the four-armed monster crumpled, sliced into three pieces.
"Grrraaah..."
As expected, C-rank monsters were no match for an A-rank hunter.
"Don't worry, oppa. I'll protect you."
Jo A-young said something utterly out of place.
If that was the case, why was I even here? Weren't dungeon raids about party members combining their strengths?
Kim Eun-bi shouted back, unwilling to be outdone.
"What are you talking about? I'll protect oppa!"
You should recall today's goal. Not that it mattered much.
And so, shielded(?) by two A-rank hunters, I leisurely progressed through the dungeon.
Ten Spears
Exploding Spear
All I'd done was walk through the dungeon under the protection of two A-rank hunters.
Some rivalry sparked between Jo A-young and Kim Eun-bi, leaving me with nothing to do—not even lift a finger.
Before I could react, Jo A-young's spear would fly or Kim Eun-bi's dagger would whistle past.
It felt no different from a casual walk. The only distinction was the location: a dungeon.
I wondered if this was okay, but I had no say in it. Just adapt to the situation.
In the midst of our stroll, I picked up two new skills.
Obviously, our hunting pace was much slower than when I'd raided with Kim Seol-bi. Clearing one floor took about two hours.
At the stairs to the next level, Jo A-young spoke up.
"Shall we call it a day and head back?"
Something unimaginable if Kim Seol-bi had been here.
Come to think of it, that suggested Kim Seol-bi had a bit of an impatient streak.
Maybe that personality trait fueled her post-awakening growth as a hunter?
Anyway, Kim Eun-bi agreed with Jo A-young's proposal to stop after one floor.
"I'm hungry too. Let's go."
Truth be told, neither Jo A-young nor Kim Eun-bi needed to bother with a C-rank dungeon.
Whether for money or experience, they could tackle higher-grade ones anytime.
"We'll split the mana crystals three ways?"
Jo A-young said.
I hadn't contributed to the hunt at all, so I had no crystals of my own. Jo A-young and Kim Eun-bi each held onto those from their kills.
By the book, I didn't qualify for a share. Not that the rules applied to me—but hunters were notoriously sensitive about loot distribution.
In a party of two A-ranks and one C-rank, even heavy contributions from the C-rank would net them a pittance. That was standard.
I had zero nerve to ask for anything anyway.
But Jo A-young said it like it was obvious and laid out all her crystals.
"Sure."
Kim Eun-bi agreed casually and continued.
"I'll hold onto them for now. Easier for settling up."
Chiming in here would just drag things out needlessly—the girls weren't budging—so I stayed quiet.
With the loot split sorted simply, we used the dungeon's warp system to return to the entrance.
"Thank you!"
The Dungeon Management Office staff would divide the payout three ways and deposit it into our accounts each.
The male employee eyed me with naked envy.
Luckily, no one recognized Jo A-young here. She hadn't been in the spotlight much.
Those in the know recognized her, but thanks to Jo Dong-geun's overprotectiveness, she'd never courted media attention.
"Shall we grab some food?"
Jo A-young said brightly.
"Hotel restaurant. We can book rooms and shower there."
She said it so casually, like it wasn't her first time.
Booking a hotel just to shower— wasn't that a waste? Normally, you'd shower at home and meet at the restaurant.
Jo A-young had hinted earlier that Kim Eun-bi didn't have to join today's raid.
What if Kim Eun-bi hadn't come, and it'd just been Jo A-young and me? Would she still suggest showering and eating at a hotel?
Two rooms, or just one?
Lost in such pointless thoughts, a familiar face appeared.
Kim Seol-bi.
She'd been home when Kim Eun-bi and I left, but now she showed up fully dolled up.
From my experience, Kim Seol-bi didn't fuss much with makeup or outfits.
Yet her natural beauty drew eyes effortlessly. Plus, her actress background gave her impeccable taste in styling.
She could throw on anything and look perfectly coordinated.
But today, she'd clearly put in extra effort. Her aura radiated effortlessly.
Ex-actress turned S-rank hunter. Kim Seol-bi, the top fantasy woman for Korean men.
Not in a dress, but she could've walked a red carpet like this.
Jo A-young startled at Kim Seol-bi's entrance.
"Oh my."
She glanced at Kim Eun-bi, then turned to Kim Seol-bi.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Jo A-young."
This seemed to be their first encounter. Kim Eun-bi and Jo A-young had bonded over both having close S-rank hunters, but neither had any urge to flaunt it.
That explained why Jo A-young and Kim Seol-bi's first meeting was today.
I could guess why Kim Seol-bi had gone all out on makeup and clothes.
To stake her claim against the new girl.
"Hi, nice to meet you."
For me, the best move was to keep my mouth shut and stay out of it.