Chapter 7: The First Dungeon (3)
Chapter 7: The First Dungeon (3)
Tiamat had arranged things so that the dungeon’s core could be dismantled and its mana absorbed.
Since mana was a universal power used by all, even a dungeon created by the Evil Gods could have its energy broken down and recycled.
As the body of the Serpent, which had held the dungeon core, crumbled completely into dust and Han Shin absorbed the mana, a low rumbling began to echo from all directions.
With the central core that sustained the space gone, the dungeon’s collapse was a natural consequence.
Though it was Han Shin’s first time experiencing this, it wasn't hard to figure out. The problem was that he had no idea how to get out. His lack of magical knowledge meant he had only gotten this far by following Tiamat’s pre-set instructions.
‘What do I do now?’
As if answering his internal murmur, a light began to envelop Han Shin, and he felt the same floating sensation he’d experienced when he was first sent into the dungeon.
His vision was dyed pure white by an intense flash, and by the time it returned to normal...
Han Shin and Grace were back in his room.
Han Shin offered a silent prayer of thanks for Tiamat’s foresight. Given her appearance as a young girl, he’d worried she might be a bit scatterbrained, but she had handled these details perfectly.
Next, Han Shin turned his attention to his smartphone. A notification chime rang out as if demanding to be noticed.
‘Wait, isn’t this the clear music from some game?’
Thinking the sound was strangely familiar, he looked at the screen.
[Clear!]
A screen was displayed, announcing the successful completion of his first dungeon. He and Grace were represented as SD characters, and next to them, a [Level 1] indicator was visible.
‘This really is just like a game.’
Tiamat had mentioned that she used email to contact him because it was a format he was used to; it seemed she had also set up the dungeon management system in a game-like style for his convenience.
‘Hmm... but... I get why I’m Level 1, but why is Grace Level 1 too...?’
He had witnessed her strength firsthand, so it was baffling to see her at the same level as him. However, he was soon able to deduce the reason.
Looking at the stats, it was no exaggeration to say that Han Shin was pathetic by gaming standards.
Strength, Stamina, Agility, Mana.
Out of the four displayed stats, his Strength, Stamina, and Agility were a mere 3. In short, he was physically useless.
‘Ahem...’
In truth, these numbers were only natural. Considering his physical condition before he contracted with Tiamat to become her proxy, he should have been grateful.
Though Han Shin didn't know it yet, a value of 3 was the average for an ordinary human male with no special abilities. Even though Tiamat had restored his body to a healthy state, he hadn't gained any superhuman strength yet, so these were the stats he received.
His Mana was slightly different at 4, but that was only because he had just absorbed mana after clearing the dungeon. Though he hadn't fully realized it yet, this was the first time Han Shin had truly felt and awakened to the presence of mana.
Regardless, the reality was undeniable: in RPG terms, he was a "trash tier" character. Han Shin felt a bit dejected.
Below his own character was Grace’s. The stats displayed next to her—Strength, Stamina, Agility, and Mana—were all 20, values incomparably higher than his own.
‘We’re both Level 1, but we’re definitely not the same...’
Han Shin felt the stark reality of the difference between an S-rank character and a D-rank... no, an F-rank character.
‘Oh... right.’
As he tapped to close the clear screen, Han Shin realized he hadn't even thanked Grace or checked on her.
‘Ugh, I’m an idiot.’
While checking the app—his most important tool—was vital after a dungeon run, his priorities were skewed. He quickly looked up toward where he felt Grace’s presence.
The platinum-haired female knight, her hair cut in a neat bob, was already sheathing her sword into a scabbard decorated with peony patterns and was looking back at him.
“Ah... sorry. Good job, Grace.”
“Not at all, Lord Han Shin. You did very well for your first time.”
Grace didn't feel the slightest bit offended. He was the proxy of the deity she served and the master she had to protect. In a way, Han Shin was her lord now.
To be honest, Grace was impressed and grateful that Han Shin, a mere civilian, had stood his ground with dignity without being paralyzed by fear. During her days as a knight, she had seen many commoners pissing and shitting themselves in terror at the mere sight of the monsters she hunted.
It was a different story for Awakened individuals with powers, of course...
But for an ordinary person, a monster like that Serpent was an overwhelming horror, much like a herbivore whose muscles seize up in fear at the roar of a tiger.
“The way you dodged that Serpent’s attack earlier was truly impressive.”
“Ah... that was just luck, really... If you hadn't helped me, I would have been in trouble.”
Embarrassed by her praise, Han Shin looked away as he spoke. But Grace wasn't just being polite; she was sincere.
In the dungeon, Grace had predicted that after she took down one Serpent, the other would target Han Shin. That was why she had lunged toward him immediately after slaughtering the first one.
As expected, the Serpent had ambushed Han Shin from behind, and Grace had arrived just in time to protect him.
However, something unexpected had happened. Han Shin had sensed the threat first and rolled away to dodge the attack on his own.
As a veteran knight with extensive combat experience, Grace had simply adjusted to the changing situation, blocked the Serpent’s strike, and killed it instantly. To her, the result was the same, but she was slightly surprised by Han Shin’s unexpected and unprompted action.
She had known from the moment they met that he was an ordinary person with no special abilities and little physical or magical power. But a glimpse of latent talent? That was something she couldn't have known.
Having seen it just now, Grace couldn't help but see Han Shin in a new light.
As Han Shin scratched his head with his left hand and looked away sheepishly, Grace observed his physique. She realized belatedly that his only issue was a lack of muscle on his frame; otherwise, he was fine.
‘I am still inexperienced.’
Grace reproached herself for failing to recognize Han Shin’s potential sooner.
“Ah...”
At that moment, the tension left Grace’s body, and she staggered. Her platinum hair swayed as she began to collapse toward the floor.
The backlash of overexerting herself by using Tiamat’s divinity despite her currently limited power had finally arrived. It was the result of using [Tiamat’s Dragon Knight], a technique that temporarily reinforced the entire body by circulating Tiamat’s holy power.
In truth, it was the first time Grace had used the technique in actual combat, so she only knew of the potential backlash in theory.
Han Shin was the one who caught her before she hit the floor. He had worried he wouldn't be able to support her since she was wearing full body armor, but he threw himself forward to catch her anyway.
He had noticed she looked drained in the dungeon and had even asked if she was okay, but he hadn't expected her to collapse like this.
“Are you okay?”
“Ah... yes... I am fine...”
Her face was deathly pale, looking anything but fine. Han Shin realized she was in a state of total exhaustion from using so much power in the previous battle.
He could feel the warmth radiating from her silver armor. Grace struggled to keep her eyes open as she looked at him, her irregular breathing and sweat-soaked skin making him feel a pang of pity.
Fortunately, the armor Tiamat had crafted for her wasn't excessively heavy, so Han Shin was able to support her weight.
Even in her state, Grace felt guilty for causing Han Shin worry and having to be supported by him.
“I am sorry...”
“No, it’s okay. I think you need to lie down and rest...”
At Han Shin’s words, Grace reverse-summoned her armor. Her silver plate dissolved into light and vanished. Once it was gone, Grace was left wearing only a form-fitting white cloth undergarment and a thin white shirt.