Dungeon Clear and Dark Pursuit
As one would expect, the most important objective in a dungeon clear is, of course, the _loot_.
“I am Jang Junyeong of the Iron Hammer Guild.”
Jang Junyeong extended the business card he held. “You are the one who has cleared the Black Spot Troll Dungeon, the Lizardman Dungeon, the Blue Wolf Dungeon, and the Troll Warrior Dungeon, correct?”
Even as he spoke, he let out a laugh that sounded incredulous. “The dungeons I just listed—one person—one day. And those are some of the most notorious dungeons in the region, some of which have remained uncharted for months under the worst possible conditions.”
“Yes. That is correct.”
“It would seem you are not affiliated with any guild. You are aware of the restrictions that come with operating outside the Association’s registration, are you not?”
Loot distribution and any regional benefits were entirely off the table. Ha Dojin spoke calmly. “If we are discussing loot, let’s get straight to the point. Iron Hammer will handle everything. Distribute thirty percent to me.”
“Thirty percent?”
Jang Junyeong’s eyebrows twitched slightly. In such cases, they usually kept seventy percent for themselves. But the person before him was not a registered hunter or guild member. Jang Junyeong smiled. “In the ordinary case, the situation would be that you take thirty percent, but this is different. If you were to join our guild, it would be forty percent… no, rather, after deducting the twenty percent used for personnel, we could settle eighty percent with you.”
A monster who had cleared dungeons that were off-limits to everyone else. He had no choice but to bring the man along. Jang Junyeong was presenting conditions that far exceeded anything he had ever offered. No one had ever accepted eighty percent of a dungeon’s loot. But…
“No. Just the usual thirty percent will do. If you try to twist it because he has no affiliation, I’ll speak to another guild.”
There were several large guilds in Gangwon-do, but Iron Hammer was not the only one. Ha Dojin’s words made Jang Junyeong flinch. _‘…He’s got some connections after all.’_ Jang Junyeong said, “Our Iron Hammer Guild is the highest level in Gangwon-do. There are almost no guilds we can stand shoulder to shoulder with. We can offer the best treatment in the industry.”
“If there is nothing more to discuss, we will end the transaction here.”
Ha Dojin turned to leave when Jang Junyeong finally raised the white flag. In the first place, the cards were in his hand. It was far more profitable for them to clear the dungeon and walk away with seventy percent. Coldly speaking, it was as if they had not even been touched and had simply cleared their nose. _‘No, even considering the potential damage from the Dungeon Break, it would be an even greater gain.’_ Ha Dojin handed over the business card with the anonymous account from Chairman Gu Jinmo. “Please settle here.”
“…Understood.”
It was safe to assume Kim Cheolsu’s name was not on that account. Then…_ ‘I need to investigate this account and find out who this hunter is.’_ He did not know where such a hunter had come from, but he could not let him slip away. Jang Junyeong nodded. “Are you planning to clear nearby uncharted dungeons again tomorrow?”
“If it relates to the dungeon you cleared, leave your number at this location.”
Ha Dojin slid the business card Jang Junyeong had given him. “I hope we never have to meet like this again.”
“I will contact you again.”
Haha. Would he really back off so easily? Returning to the guild, Jang Junyeong immediately reported the news to his superiors and checked the anonymous account Ha Dojin had provided. But…
“Unknown identity?”
“Yes, it was a business-related account, but it turned out to be just a ghost company.”
“……What the hell is that guy’s real name?”
Should he poke the Association? Jang Junyeong stared at the business card Ha Dojin had given him, his troubled expression unhidden. * * *
“What kind of talk is that? Vanished?”
“That… he has completely erased all traces.”
Seo Ira, a member of the Red Right team who had been investigating Ha Dojin, sighed. Just a few days ago, the guy had been moving from Yongin toward Seoul, and now he was gone. “The last known location was in Yeouido, but… after that, we cannot pursue.”
“What trick did he use?”
“It is unlikely he could erase his tracks like that without using some kind of method.”
“Who is powerful enough behind him to make him move like a ghost?”
Team Leader Moon Seokmin frowned. This was the first time they had encountered someone who had completely slipped through their information network. Seo Ira then handed over a document. “Still, we made some gains on the other side. Information on Han Sohee’s mother.”
“……Anyang?”
“Yes, there is a private hospital there, and it is likely the one she is in.”
“But here, it looks like it is connected to an SW Technology hospital.”
Moon Seokmin’s eyes went cold. The pieces of the puzzle were falling into place all at once. “Han Sohee’s whereabouts?”
“We have not been able to locate her yet, but Hunter Ahn Sangwon and Hunter Yang Jinhu from SW Technology have already moved there.”
“……This bastard.”
Moon Seokmin clenched his fist. The conversation he had had with Gye-hyun after killing him. _‘He already knew about the communication device?’_ The tale of the Messenger Guild and the Goblin Alliance, woven together by the words “area whatever,” was a trap. Because of that, they had been digging for months in blind alleys. _‘SW Technology.’_ No matter how far the connections reached, _‘If Chairman Gu Jinmo is involved… all the clues make sense.’_ His traces erased, and the perfect timing of the public powers being sent into Burning Red. “It was all part of the plan from the beginning.”
“Should I report to the Chairman?”
“No.”
Better than informing Director Jang Junyeong. “If we handle it perfectly here, we can rise even higher.”
Handling something this big could even allow promotion to a Master-direct unit. If that happened, they might gain the power to rule the entire Republic of Korea. “We will handle it definitively on our own.”
“Understood.”
Ira also understood Moon Seokmin’s words. Looking at Ira’s retreating back, the corners of Seokmin’s mouth lifted. _‘Finally caught you, you bastard.’_ What remained now was to tear the man apart. And that was precisely what they did best. * * *
After leaving the dungeon, Ha Dojin checked his experience bar. _‘From one dungeon… it rose about sixty percent.’_ A strange situation. Gaining sixty percent in one hour was truly fortunate, but in an upper-tier dungeon, how much harder would the road ahead be? Ha Dojin shook off the thought. “First, just do what I can.”
Even at the current speed, it was already marvelous. Thanks to Chairman Gu Jinmo’s help, the loot collection had been handled without a hitch. Of course, he had no intention of spending money. The money entering the anonymous account here was simply repayment for what Chairman Gu Jinmo had given him until now. The only annoyance was one thing. _‘Did they really stick to me?’_ He was probably a hunter affiliated with Iron Hammer. Until he left Gangneung, he would likely continue to follow. Like how the old Firebird Guild had. Hoping for a normal situation in this abnormal one was greed. Right now, he should ignore it and focus on the dungeon. _WOOSH!_ Ha Dojin stepped on the accelerator and quickly moved to the next dungeon. “The next dungeon is the Corrupted Rock Spirit… a dungeon?”
It might be the toughest dungeon of the Gangneung expedition. The monsters’ solid defense was stronger than any other they had fought so far. _‘In the end, the way to defeat it…_ After destroying the hard armor with Dark Absorption, attack the core inside.’
It might be a good test dungeon before facing Red Right. “Huu.”
Soon, Ha Dojin arrived in front of the Corrupted Rock Spirit dungeon and let out a small sigh. It seemed the rumor about him had spread quickly enough in just one day that no troublesome procedures were needed. “I wish you good luck.”
“Thank you.” With the soldiers guarding the dungeon cheering him on, Ha Dojin entered inside. _SWISH SWISH SWISH SWISH.
The world in front of him changed with a familiar feeling. “……Long time no see.”
Ha Dojin looked at the dungeon ahead. The moment he stepped inside, the humid air rushed through his nose. A faint green light filtering through the gaps in the stone walls looked like a special effect. Moss and gnarled tree roots covering the walls created a strangely eerie atmosphere. Looking at the rocks scattered here and there, Ha Dojin drew his dagger and focused. And…
BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM! The entire dungeon trembled, a rock lying on the floor levitated and merged in midair. “Grrrrrrrrr!”
Large and small rock spirits let out eerie howls, their green eyes flashing. The small ones were no taller than one meter, while the large ones looked like tanks. “First… so that’s a knockdown, huh.”
The larger the size, the more defense and attack power skyrocketed. The only saving grace was that there were not many of them. [Corrupted Rock Spirit’s Lair] – Level 80 / Limit 2. Clear conditions. – Defeat Corrupted Rock Spirit (Large) (0/12) – Defeat Corrupted Rock Spirit (Small) (0/40) “Ah…”
He had to take down twelve of those monsters? “This is going to be tough.”
“Grrrrrrrrrrrr!”
The tank-sized monster roared loudly and charged at Ha Dojin. But Ha Dojin shifted his gaze to the other side. “First, the small ones.”
PAT!_ Quickly moving, Ha Dojin spotted the gathered small monsters. “Dark Absorption.”
FLICKER!_ Black flames appeared above the heads of the monsters simultaneously. After absorbing the despair of seven monsters, [100%] The despair of corrupted monsters was like honey. The moment it reached 100%, Ha Dojin activated his skill without hesitation. “Explosion.”
KWA-BOOOOOM!_ With a violent explosion, the seven rock spirits scattered in all directions. They had not been able to withstand the shockwave, but… _‘Right now…!’_ This moment was the most important. Immediately, Ha Dojin used Time Distortion. With level two, the duration had extended to four seconds. Only a one-second difference, but… _‘Time like gold.’_ In a situation like this, the difference was enormous. _SWISH!_ Ha Dojin’s body moved like it was sliding. The rock near the left shoulder of the rock spirit that had bounced off to the left was shattered. And inside it, the core of the monster. Or rather, the source? _CRACK!_ Unlike the outer rock, the inside felt like poking a sponge, but the effect was definite. “Kiiieeeek!”
The monster’s body shook violently and flashed green. The damage had clearly landed, but… _‘Not a critical?’_ It was not easy to land a critical on a spirit. Ha Dojin immediately moved his body. _SWISH!_ Moving directly to the opposite side, he stabbed his dagger between the wounds of the other rock spirit. He had to land a critical within four seconds. [Reset condition satisfied. Time Distortion cooldown initialized.]
On the third attack, the reset condition for Time Distortion was met. Ha Dojin had fought hunters more than monsters in past dungeons, so he was a bit weak against things like specters and spirits. But… “I get the idea now.”
After a few tries, his hand got used to it. Instantly clearing the seven small monsters, Ha Dojin looked at the tank-sized one. “Now it’s your turn.”
A violent sound followed. _CRASH!_ _SMASH!_ _SMASH!_ _KWA-DOOK!_ Before the monster’s fist could fly, it was over. The method was the same. Dark Absorption exploded the tail, then attacked the core inside the broken rock with mad force. [436,000 experience points acquired.]
Almost double the experience of a troll. The reward was as expected for the hardship. [Corrupted Rock Spirit’s Lair] – Level 80 / Limit 2. Clear conditions. – Defeat Corrupted Rock Spirit (Large) (1/12) – Defeat Corrupted Rock Spirit (Small) (7/40) “Huu.”
It was troublesome, but if this place was cleared accurately… “It should be fine.”
But when Ha Dojin exited the Corrupted Rock Spirit’s Lair, he received bad news.